Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out in the wild, giving fans of the franchise the opportunity to dive back in, and newcomers the chance to try out the sci-fi trilogy for the first time. Of course, there have also been drops of information about each game's development. Now, Mass Effect 3 players have learned about some particularly interesting boss fight concepts that didn't make the final cut. Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 follow.

Standing as the shadowy head of the organization Cerberus, the Illusive Man is a central character in the Mass Effect franchise. He quietly pulls the strings in the background, trying to further humanity's position in the galaxy, and eventually, revealing that he wants to control the Reapers rather than just defeat them. As fans learn, though, the Reapers indoctrinate the Illusive Man, meaning they're the ones in control.

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In an interview with Eurogamer, Lead Writer Mac Walters shared that there was almost another layer here, with the team playing around with a few different possibilities for Illusive Man boss fights, none of which made the cut. The first involved something similar to Mass Effect 2's Reaper baby that was "manifesting itself on the Citadel."

"So when you confronted the Illusive Man, you were really confronting the Reapers and their embodiment of something on the Citadel," Walters stated. "We actually had rough prototypes, but ultimately, the ending, as most people remember, is extensive, it goes on, and it goes on. The typical thing to do would be a big boss fight, but it didn't feel right. It didn't feel appropriate for where we were."

There was another Illusive Man concept that was cut from the game, too. That concept would've seen a version of the Illusive Man crossed with a Reaper, which BioWare has released concept art for. However, it was also axed from the final product. Additionally, there were plans for a confrontation where the Illusive Man controlled "this sort of giant octo kind of thing" that players would have to take down, as well as a fight that would've mirrored Mass Effect's boss fight with Saren, the antagonist of the first game.

Ultimately, though, BioWare felt that having players fight a giant, disembodied version of the Illusive Man ran contrary to the character's role in the story, leading to the confrontation that fans know today. Walters believes that the team would've been able to make the boss fight fun, but it would've felt out of place compared to the rest of the series.

Mass Effect 3's ending is one of the most commonly critiqued ever released, especially before there was any DLC that helped expand on it. However, most player's memories are built upon the journey to reach that ending, rather than the ending itself. The Illusive Man's final moments are iconic, too, so it seems BioWare made the right decision.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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Source: Eurogamer