The Star Wars universe has a very rich history, but you wouldn't know it from the film series. The films simply don't have time to delve too deep into the history of its civilizations and cultures beyond the recent events they depict. If you want to learn more about events that happened long ago, you have to consult the extended fiction, which is a shame because there is lot of rich backstory to explore in this franchise. Hopefully the new spin-off films will rectify this. This is not the case with Mass Effect. Because the core of the story is about the conflicts and motivations of the various alien species, you learn about the history of their societies. You learn about the tragedy of the Krogans, the ascension of the Asari, and the exiling of the Quarians by their own creations. And through interacting with members of these societies you get so see how their experiences shape their cultures, beliefs, and behaviors. It all comes together to make every alien civilization, every planet, and every location feel rich and believable. Even the history of the galaxy itself is explored, reinforcing the fact that we are small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. There is so much to learn about the galaxy in the Mass Effect series that you'd think that the plot might get drowned out amidst it all but it never does. Everything has a story, and Mass Effect never lets you forget that.
