If Star Wars helped lay the groundwork for contemporary sci-fi, than Mass Effect evolved it to new heights. Both series are great and have their own strengths and weaknesses, and in some areas Mass Effect is just better. Is it blasphemy to say this? Perhaps, but thanks to advancements in technology and the advantage of its medium, many of Mass Effect's accomplishments within the realm of science fiction outshine what the Star Wars films have done.
In fact, it could be argued that it is better than Star Wars in a lot of ways. It may be a video game, but Mass Effect can easily be considered one of the best science fiction universes around. The writers and artists at Bioware have taken classic elements of the genre to create a compelling work all their own.
And yet, while Mass Effect may be a relative newcomer to the sci-fi genre, it more than holds its own against the competition, including Star Wars. well, at least the original trilogy, anyway.
In terms of its footprint within popular culture it is the king of science fiction/fantasy, to the point where it is near heresy to criticise it. Star Wars has a prestigious pedigree of cultural influence that most franchises never see, and despite being tarnished somewhat by the prequel films, love for the series is still as strong as ever.
