The popular sci-fi Mass Effect game series helped shape the very face of science fiction video games, and not just from the intricate combat system and the highly detailed and thought-provoking setting. It also has a very personal side for you to explore on your own terms.
You’re Commander Shepard, the human spectre who’s going to save the universe. But you’re also the galaxy’s #1 eligible bachelor or lady, and Commander Shepard has many romance options to pursue. You’re surrounded with wonderful people who want to share their life with you, from the tough and responsible Jacob Taylor to the witty Garrus Vakarian to the big-sister type Ashley Williams and the archeologist-turned-warrior Liara T’Soni. So, here are ten excellent pieces of fan art that showcase the romantic side of this popular game series. Why not explore the stars with someone special by your side?
10 A drink with a friend
Courtesy of Armesan. Commander Shepard meets Garrus Vakarian early on, a hot-headed turian man who chafes under rigid authority. That makes him an odd turian, but a great friend, and he’s a sniper, engineer, and drinking buddy all in one.
A fem-Shep can totally romance him, and why not? He’s such a cool guy, and he’s got a pretty romantic side if you know where to find it. This piece of fan art captures all that perfectly… a quiet moment with the galaxy’s best turian, over a bottle of beer. Drink the night away!
9 She likes bad boys
Courtesy of Vocoder. It’s pretty popular to pair fem-Shep with all the study men of Mass Effect, not to mention the ever-so-flexible option of Liara T’Soni. But in this case, Ms. Shepard is into the bad boys, and her stud of choice is James Vega!
We meet James in Mass Effect 3 as a soldier with a funny side, and he longs to return home to idyllic Mexico when the fires of war die down. He looks scary at first, but like Garrus, he’s a great friend and lover. And that dialogue wheel is just perfect, 100%. Are you brave enough to choose the renegade option?
8 By your side
Courtesy of atomiccaffeine. Liara T’Soni was a timid archeologist who loved Protheans, until she became a fierce fighter and the new Shadow Broker. Not bad! But she’s also a mega-popular romance option for male and female Shepard alike, and we get the latter case here.
Shepard has been through a lot, and this fan art smartly shows that fact in great detail. Not even death can keep Shepard down for long, and Liara is by her side, no matter what. Not even a Reaper invasion can destroy the emotional bonds that tie us. That’s why those cold machines are doomed to face defeat!
7 Love in a new galaxy
Courtesy of Marco124. The story of Mass Effect didn’t end with the original trilogy. 2016 brought us Mass Effect Andromeda, where several allied races launched a daring colonization effort in the Andromeda Galaxy. An explorer known as Ryder comes along, and like Shepard, there are male and female flavors.
This time around, we get Mr. Scott Ryder, and he has found something special in the asari-trained Cora, a trustworthy ally in this strange new galaxy. She’s a bit like Ashley, minus a certain distrust for aliens. If you romance Cora, she will show you a lovely garden that she planted in a colonized world. It’s not home if it’s not beautiful!
6 Notice me already!
Courtesy of kotorikurama. Are you a fan of Japanese anime as well as video games? The geek community is a huge and diverse place, after all, and we love to mix up different flavors of fandom.
Now we get the classic “notice me, senpai!” in Mass Effect form, and given how often Garrus loses himself in his work, we were bound to get fan art like this. Everything in this art, from Garrus’ look of concentration to fem-Shepard’s annoyed face to Kaidan being a nice guy is right on point!
5 Infinity
Courtesy of Mathia Arkoniel. It’s time to explore the more serious side of the Garrus-Shepard relationship, and why not start with this lovely piece of fan art? The level of detail on both characters is stunning, and that lighting effect is master-class. The orange glow of the sun contrasts nicely with the blue uniforms.
What are Garrus and Shepard thinking about? It’s tough to say, and this piece’s air of mystery and tantalizing. Perhaps they’re having a final moment together before launching their liberation campaign of Earth. We’ll leave them to it.
4 Put a ring on it
Courtesy of thanomluk. Whoa, these guys are really serious! And who doesn’t love Kaidan, the tough but sensitive biotic we met in the first game? Should he survive Virmire, he can become a fine romance option for a lady Shepard, and now, they’ve taken things all the way.
Once again, the level of detail is astounding, from Shepard’s flower-hemmed gown to the bouquet she holds, not to mention that incredible stained glass. Kaidan’s looking good too, like his finely groomed hair and the detail of his shirt and tie. Kaidan’s shirt and tie are white, but even then, they look richly detailed and realistic rather than plain. That effect must take some serious artistic skill to create!
3 Fleet Ceremony
Courtesy of ClarkVador. Is everyone around here getting hitched? Well, we’re happy for them. Now we get a male Shepard, the stud of the Alliance fleet, and he’s tying the knot with our favorite quarian, Tali!
It’s remarkable how Tali’s pink and white gown compliment her suit rather than clash with it. Do quarian brides always dress so well? We just bet. The Migrant Fleet ships, exotic sky, and intimate feel of this ceremony are simply a delight to behold.
2 Only you, baby
Courtesy of Omaharth. All right, now it’s time for the funny side of Shepard/Tali! In this comic, Shepard is sure that Tali will partner up with anyone who provides her race a home. Is he not so special after all?
Don’t worry, Tali is a bit choosier than that! It’s just like her to get all warm and fuzzy and tell us that she only joins the nicest guys who give her a planet to live on, and this just made Shepard’s day.
1 Final moments with you
Courtesy of reddevdev. The last entry on our list is quite a somber one, but no less romantic for it. Tali makes her third appearance here, and good luck not crying over this one!
Shepard is in for the fight of his life in Mass Effect 3, and everyone takes it pretty hard when he is seemingly gone for good. And if he romanced Tali, well, she accepts the loss with dignity. This girl treasures the time she has with her beau, and it’s heart-wrenching to see her quietly plead the universe to give them both more time together.
NEXT: 10 Facts and Trivia You Never Knew About The First Mass Effect
