Mass Effect stands out as a gripping interstellar role-playing game, drawing players into a world where their choices can determine the fate of the galaxy. The series features an array of intricately crafted characters who find themselves navigating through tragic circumstances, making every decision a weighty one. However, amidst the epic confrontations with rogue Spectres and menacing synthetic foes, it also provides a wealth of comedic moments that lighten the overall experience.
Throughout its installments, each Mass Effect title has delivered humor, with the comedic elements becoming increasingly prominent in later releases. A particularly notable DLC in the third game is packed with laughter. Here, we highlight ten memorable comedic scenes from the franchise that have created lasting inside jokes among the community.
10 Encountering Illium’s Biotic God
The Most Powerful Volus in the Galaxy
In the world of Mass Effect, biotics are truly formidable, exemplified by figures like Matriarch Benezia and Samara. However, neither compares to the self-proclaimed Biotic God, a Volus named Niftu Cal that players meet on Illium. He dramatically highlights his power, claiming to be one of the universe’s mightiest beings, thanks to unauthorized enhancements from a nearby gas.
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Yet, the reality is that his powers only serve to endanger himself, as the enhancements leave him more inebriated than intimidating. Players enjoy watching him face off against elite forces, and while sadists may find pleasure in his potential demise, he can be rescued if Shepard tactically knocks him out of harm’s way.
9 Shepard’s Uncalloused Outburst During the First Mission
Slapping a Scientist
Renegade decisions often lean toward the brutal, yet maintain a dark humor. During the opening mission on Eden Prime, players encounter two scientists seeking refuge in a shack. One scientist, Manuel, is spiraling into madness and babbles about the impending collapse of civilization.
Faced with his distress, Shepard can either console him, turn a blind eye, or—shockingly—punch him in the face. This unexpected reaction adds a comic twist to an already tense moment, particularly as it’s starkly incongruous. Manuel’s crumpling to the ground further amplifies the impact, marking an unforgettable entry into Shepard’s journey of morally ambiguous choices.
8 My Favorite Shop at the Citadel
Deceiving Merchants for Discounts
As a Paragon, Shepard often makes unconventional decisions, even while doing good. In the second game, upon returning to the Citadel, players can explore Zakera Ward’s shops offering upgrades at hefty prices. However, a discount can be procured if Shepard wields their reputation as a galactic hero to ‘recommend’ the store.
This leads to an absurd situation where Shepard bestows the same endorsement, labeling every shop their “favorite”on the Citadel. As players meander by various stores, hearing this repetitive line in quick succession results in an absurdly funny experience.
7 Shepard’s Clone Uttering “I Should Go”
Playful Self-Referential Humor in the Citadel DLC
In Mass Effect 3, humor peaks within the Citadel DLC, where Shepard confronts an evil clone amidst their trusted companions. This playful romp is littered with jokes and callbacks to previous games. One hilarious moment features the diabolical clone leaving Shepard behind, while mocking their signature sign-off, “I should go.”
This catchphrase, once an endearingly repetitive trait of Shepard’s dialogue, drew considerable fan attention, sparking lighthearted commentary about its robotic repetitiveness. Following the clone’s use of this line, Shepard’s self-awareness surfaces as they contemplate how it sounds, all while ignoring imminent danger.
6 Not a Straw, An Emergency Induction Port
Tali’s Witty Dialogues
Transitioning back to Mass Effect 3, this humorous scene occurs shortly after the harrowing mission with Miranda on Horizon. Tensions peak after facing Reaper foes, and the repercussions leave Shepard struggling. It is during this downtime that players encounter Tali, who is inebriated and expressing her thoughts.
Her drunken soliloquy about Miranda, her frustrations regarding her exosuit, and her need for an “emergency induction port”(a straw) creates a blend of humor and melancholy, especially if Miranda faces demise. This moment allows players to witness Tali’s depth, reflecting on past relationships and experiences.
5 Repeatedly Pushing a Button on Sur’Kesh
Testing the Salarians’ Patience
In Mass Effect 3, players journey to Sur’Kesh, the home of the salarians, where Mordin Solus is on a mission to remedy the genophage. Amid the serious and sterile environment, the presence of Shepard and their crew is unsettling. Players can amplify the awkwardness by repeatedly pressing a button that the salarians ask them to avoid.
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As a nearby scientist warns against touching the button, players can delight in their refusal to comply. Eventually, the scientist bursts out, revealing the button is for a “feces analyzer,”adding hilarity to an already tense situation. This gag echoes in the Citadel DLC, featuring a similar interaction involving a casino worker and a rather unique “hanar toilet.”
4 Garrus and His Obsession with Calibrations
Unintended Humor in Repetition
Though this next element of humor was likely unintentional at first, it became a running joke embraced by Bioware as the series expanded. Garrus, a beloved companion, joins Shepard throughout the series but often falls short of having lively dialogue, particularly in the second installment.
Once players exhaust Garrus’s unique dialogues, he resorts to a default line about managing calibrations on the ship’s main gun. While each character has their standard line to dismiss players, Garrus’s takes the spotlight, as fans yearn for more dialogue from their favorite turian. The later games even poke fun at Garrus’s fixation on calibrations, playfully acknowledging his excessive time spent on minor tasks.
3 Shepard’s Cringe-Worthy Dance Moves
The Galaxy’s Most Awkward Dancer
As a character model for players, Shepard can embody diverse traits, but there’s one unwavering characteristic: they are notoriously terrible dancers. Hindered by a unique set of stiff movements and virtually emotionless expressions, Shepard’s dance skills are a laughable disappointment.
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The contrast between Shepard’s awkward moves and the lively dances of patrons in clubs creates uncomfortable hilarity. Notably, in Mass Effect 2, Shepard’s uninspired dance routine proves so off-putting that it causes an asari dancer to flee. The crew’s humorous jabs at Shepard’s dancing become another comedic highlight during the Citadel DLC.
2 Meeting Blasto on Set
Javik Co-Stars in This Hilarity
Blasto, the beloved comedic character within Mass Effect, showcases a fictional persona in a movie franchise featuring a rebellious hanar spectre. This character’s antics, juxtaposing polite hanar manners with a renegade attitude, entertain throughout the series, notably in the Citadel DLC.
In a hilarious set scene, players find themselves alongside Javik, recently freed from stasis. As they act within Blasto’s film, his growing realization of the film’s absurdity leads to hilarious commentary that strips the project of its credibility, showcasing Shepard’s bemusement at the parody of a Spectre amidst galactic strife.
1 Shepard, Shepard, Shepard
Wrex and Grunt Perfect the Exchange
The ultimate comedic moment comes from the Citadel DLC during a gathering in Shepard’s apartment with the entire crew. Amid this joyous reunion, a standout scene arises with Wrex and Grunt engaging in an absurd repeat of Shepard’s name, leaving their commander increasingly perplexed.
The simplicity of their exchange serves as a playful nod to the commonality of character sign-offs throughout the series. With clever camera angles and impeccable timing, this moment astutely lampoons Mass Effect‘s tendency for repetitive dialogue, cementing it as a highlight of the DLC’s humor.