I -just- played and beat the Mass Effect game series.
Now, this may sound like just your average "Wow! I'm hooked!" intro post to you, but in actuality, I really do just want to share my thoughts...I know this is an established community; a quality community that's shared theories, ideas, perspectives, and insights into the Mass Effect universe for the last 5 years. This bond cannot be easily broken, as I'm sure our love for the series will never be bogged down by one or two pieces of dialogue we didn't like...what makes a true fan is not just having love for the game series or characters, but being open to criticism, to critique, and to real change.
I started this game just 2 or 3 weeks ago. I played in between shifts at my 2 jobs, around talking to my friends or people I love, I played for hours on end at times, sometimes staying up far too late for even the most elite and dedicated of gamers...examining textures, listening to dialogue chains, piecing together a truly beautiful and tragic story...and this game did not disappoint.
Through it all, despite small editions, DLC amendments, added dialogue...I'm simply glad it happened. I'm thankful this game series didn't stop after 1, or after 2...and despite the fact that I was hoping for a more "StarOcean" oriented ending path for 3, I'm glad it happened and that I could really feel it.
The following is personal input and opinions, but if you've made it this far, still...Thank you for reading! I'm so glad that I'll be joining this community and I look forward to understanding more about this game series and following how it develops. Spoilers, most certainly, to follow.
I romanced Kaidan. Say what you will for his possible inability or lack of character, I adored the way he was written. Kaidan, as a character, made me personally invested in continuing the series. Yes, I cared about species development, human advancement, protecting the galaxy from the reapers...but Kaidan, through romancing him, showed that Shepard had real connections to her humanity. Now, there were several times I found this to be...in question. There were many instances in which she was compared to a machine or something programmed to do as it would...but what stood out to me, endgame, was her response to Anderson. He called, and she instantly responded, with a jolt and a sound I could describe in no other way than mechanic...perhaps this is her strong will, and personal self-preservation, but I argue that there may be something more to how she was re-developed.
The endings were interesting. I accidentally triggered the end-all, and shot the "cruscible ai" catalyst child...as I never trusted him in the first place, another aspect of awesome, interpretive writing...but the ending I prefered was only achieved by destroying all synthetic life; I wanted to live. Shepard, depending on how you play her, I think, can in fact carry the want to survive and carry on despite loss or near death...and I think it is those around her that granted her this insight, and again, it was solely Kaidan that made me appreciate this ending in particular. Had I not romanced him, or anyone at all, the Synthesis choice would have been my preference and yet...I -felt- so much more when I saw Shepard breath. When Kaidan was unable to place her name on the wall, I couldn't help but turn away, ashamed that I wanted to survive, that I wanted Shepard to survive for Kaidan and her crew...and is for that strange want for survival, in an otherwise sad end to EDI and the geth, that I again valued the story-telling.
This game, despite which one in the series you analyze, has very good writing. If I could suggest anything to the Bioware team in the development or remastering of Mass Effect or future sequels...please, if you can, grow from what you know. Look carefully at some of the details that your fans have appreciated, and move forward from there. Your core writing and story telling is not just solid, its phenomenal. I would remind you, however, to pay closer attention to your details. If I am feeling the loss of Ashley or Thane, I want to know that my true friends, crew mates, or love interest care about my reaction. Why not add a brief moment of dialogue when Shepard meets them? "That must have been hard," or "I'm sorry for your loss," or "don't give up, they sacrificed so we could move on, we will not forget what we have gained only by their loss, and we will remember them."
A key component to this interactive writing that develops past some of their more mundane responses are the characters and their inter-connectivity. When you save Kaidan, he remembers Ashley. The guilt of living and moving on and being "chosen" is a heavy burden to carry, and it doesn't weigh him down eternally, but it matters that he does not forget. So why, then, does Liara, who cares so much about Shepard's well-being and the success of discovery care so little that they lose one of the first humans to encounter and survive her entire team being turned to husks? Why does she only comfort Shepard in the 3rd game after she has had years to cope? Why then, does your team who lived by and survived because of Mordin or Thane, not also mourn their loss? Should the Krogan be the only ones to remember he even helped or maintained the crew throughout the second game...?
What I ask is not more cohesive writing, nor do I request more elaborate dialogue or instances for the characters to interact as they sometimes do in ME3, but instead connectivity. Consider flow, player feelings, and what it means to lose your own along the way, because they lose -so- many in their journey to save so many. So yes, continue to consider the many, but please remember to think of the few that help them get there.
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even if i did nt follow everything. I agree the games lack some more short dialogue acknowledging big events like NPC death.
