Playing ME1 as a paragon as I have always done, as I'm too chicken to be a dick to people in the game. I've watched some videos and it's crazy to think how much content I've missed by always playing as the good guy.
So, after I import my level 60 parashep, should I look at playing a bitter, twisted ******* in ME2? I could go all Pet Cemetery and come back from the dead evil...
Go ahead
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Go ahead
Click on the link in my signature, favorite playthrough, for some helpful hints to play the game(s)
I kind of like the ME1 attitude (I forgot the right word) system. I like that menu options give you charm points, and that you have to invest TPs into Charm to get the blue charm options. I'm not too sure I like that most of it is based around interupts in ME2. I'm curious to see what will happen in ME2 as a renegade. I'd want all the squad to survive and I'd still want the good ending. Maybe I'll compromise by being a dick to the people I really dislike and good to those I'm fond of.
I haven't yet but I will in the future. When I went full on renegade I found it to be a lasklustre experience across the trilogy as renegade isn't as good in ME2 and ME3. In ME1 it's great, you can be an alien hating jerk. However trying to take that 'pure renegade' Shep thru the next two games was hard as there are nowhere near as many roleplaying opportunities. A good renegade works well, but not a complete jackass.
So I'll do the renegade ME1 thing again, but I'll have to imagine that Shep learns from his/her experiences and becomes a bit of a better person in ME2.
I like my characters going through some sort of change in between, or characters that are a mix of the two. Redemption arc is great, and I have a character planned that's pure Paragon in the beginning, but will learn that being nice isn't always the best way to achieve certain things.
I'd say go for it. A little over a year ago I also was reluctant to play anything else than Paragon, let alone letting people die, then I gave my first more Renegadey character a chance - she disliked aliens and was distrustful of them (Mindoir past) and was a mission first type, and there were lots of casualties, but I came to love her and that run. Because she changed along the way and was more accepting of aliens in the end, even friends with some. The scenes with Garrus, Liara, Tali and Javik at the end were pretty amazing because of that. That was a really rewarding experience 
I don't want to play pure Renegade though because there are some really stupid and dickish options.
Your idea sounds good. Treat the people you like with respect, be a jerk to others, sounds like a fun time! My current Shepard was a naughty little flirty Paragon in ME1 drooling after most women, and he could also be a jerk to people he didn't like. He finally fell in love in ME2, became a (maybe) better person and also grew very dear to my heart, didn't think he would 
Oh, and another recommendation would be to actually ignore the interrupts, or at least largely. As tempting as it is to take interrupts, I had a good time trying that out. Also you could try and play someone neutral as well, you'll hear lots of dialogue that's great too, instead of just always picking the "I win" colours 
Oh, and another recommendation would be to actually ignore the interrupts, or at least largely. As tempting as it is to take interrupts, I had a good time trying that out. Also you could try and play someone neutral as well, you'll hear lots of dialogue that's great too, instead of just always picking the "I win" colours
Yesterday I didn't punch the reporter on the Citadel in ME3. It's was so hard not too....
What then occurred was a paragon interrupt, which I took, and a lovely little conversation with the two of them. You're right, sometimes doing nothing or waiting can result in interesting things.
Like the time I didn't use the interrupt with TIM and Anderson in ME3. That went real well. 
Yesterday I didn't punch the reporter on the Citadel in ME3. It's was so hard not too....
What then occurred was a paragon interrupt, which I took, and a lovely little conversation with the two of them.
Haha, yeees, the same happened to me! It was real nice seeing that
Or, you know, sitting through that long-a*s speech of the krogan in Mordin's Loyalty Mission? Soooo much fun
So far, my most enjoyable playthroughs have been of mixed alignment rather than sticking to one alignment. ME1 have more flexibility where I could play a neutral Shepard. It was a lot tougher in ME2 as the system is much more punishing if you're not aligned to either extremes which I circumvent via Gibbed. Meanwhile in ME3, I noticed most renegade dialogues are neutral which took me awhile to get used to choosing branches which leads me to a lot of conversation path that I didn't realize exist (confronting Mordin about his attitude about genophage and he yelled "I made a mistake" and then later in Omega DLC, Aria talking about how she was confused).
As the result, I could explore Shepard further and find oft-missed details in every playthrough. In ME1, I can make Shepard who is quite indifferent to fan favourites like Garrus and Liara (It was a struggle in ME2 and ME3 tho.) I can make Shepard who was afraid to lose someone she love and that she tried to push him away to keep him safe. Shepard who respect her companions to make the big decision for themselves and only intervene when it involve recklessness and stupidity. Someone who understand hard choices and sacrifices, who was also in pain but hide it from the world except the one close to her heart. There's a lot of depth to be found if you choose to mix it up.
I did the same with other Bioware games too and I enjoyed how unpredictable it can be.
Renegade definitely offers the best one-liners and some very memorable moments. Ex: shooting Jorum Talid.
"Hostages only work when your enemy cares if they live."
That said, being auto-renegade is not the most satisfying experience; especially in ME3 where the writers seemed to forget about humor. However, my reasonable renegade Shepard was my favorite; even through ME3.
As for the OP question, go for it. If it helps, try a head canon rationalization for the 180. Seems easy. Shepard was brought back, but is not actually the same anymore. I bet few players have done a Pet Semetary playthrough like that. Sounds intriguing actually. Might make auto-renegade more fun. Even change the class if you fancy. Those renegade scars would fit well with a new undead Shepard.
hehe I'm so glad someone got my Pet Cemetery reference i have changed classes between games in the past, just never played renegade. I'll go for a harsher shepard in 2. Might be a bit of a dick to Jacob as he gets on my nerves some times.
I've played one or two Renegade-inclined runs, less full Renegade and more mixed. ME1 is actually pretty good about giving you Renegade options for accomplishing "Paragon" goals, like intimidating Jeong and Lorik Qui'inn on Feros and Noveria. It's less restrictive than ME2's system.
I've played one or two Renegade-inclined runs, less full Renegade and more mixed. ME1 is actually pretty good about giving you Renegade options for accomplishing "Paragon" goals, like intimidating Jeong and Lorik Qui'inn on Feros and Noveria. It's less restrictive than ME2's system.
yeah when it comes to ME2, I might used gibbed to max out both reputation sides so I can use interupts when I feel like it and chose renegade options without affecting loyalty outcomes etc.
Perhaps name him Gage Creed?hehe I'm so glad someone got my Pet Cemetery reference
I only have my character shift slightly from paragade to renegon throughout the trilogy. I prefer not to do too big a shift or I feel it kind of breaks what I want my character to be like - gradually getting fed up with being jerked around, but trying to stay true to herself.
I never actually do a "pure" run of either. I like paragades and renegons. I'm not good at being a jerk either (or making bad decisions just because they're the paragon/renegade choice), but sometimes I just have to shove a guy out a window or punch someone in the gut. 
Renegade for me is easy because I happen to agree with most of the big renegade choices. I also enjoy renegade persuasions more, and the best dialogue is IMO renegade. The key is making renegade Shepard sympathetic enough so I don't become detached to the character. That's the difference between being ruthless and a monster.
I mix and match.
I don't like rigidly sticking with a single alignment. They aren't always consistent, and don't seem logically consistent within a game sometime. So I pick the options I like.
I have never really done a run where it was "100% renegade," in the sense of always bottom right. Partly because that is where "you're out of line" lives, and secondly because I don't make plot decisions just based on the supposed alignment.
My first playthrough was 100% Paragon in the whole trilogy. What a doormat. Now I like to role-play my Shepards and choose options depending on their Pre-Service History, Psychological Profile and even class (adept is more emotional, vanguard is hot-headed, sentinel is humble, engineer is savvy, inflitrator is careful and soldier is straight-forward). And then play out this character and react to events of the game from their perspective.
Female Renegade Shep is the best. You're a total badass chick. Male Renegade Shep just comes across as a douchebag.
Would the community frown upon and disown me if I used ME2's save editor to max out my paragon and renegade score so I can get the option of both dialogues? I want to go for a paragade run and it's quite tough to not go for extreme one or the other. I want to save everyone at the end, but also experience the renegade dialogue that I've never seen.
Yes, it's cheating, but I've beaten the whole trilogy on insanity a few times now...
Would the community frown upon and disown me if I used ME2's save editor to max out my paragon and renegade score so I can get the option of both dialogues? I want to go for a paragade run and it's quite tough to not go for extreme one or the other. I want to save everyone at the end, but also experience the renegade dialogue that I've never seen.
Yes, it's cheating, but I've beaten the whole trilogy on insanity a few times now...
ME2 screwed up with merging your persuasion skills (Charm/Intimidate) with P/R score. I say it's justified.
Would the community frown upon and disown me if I used ME2's save editor to max out my paragon and renegade score so I can get the option of both dialogues? I want to go for a paragade run and it's quite tough to not go for extreme one or the other. I want to save everyone at the end, but also experience the renegade dialogue that I've never seen.
Yes, it's cheating, but I've beaten the whole trilogy on insanity a few times now...
You aren't the only one who used that save editor / Gibbed. It would be kind of hypocritical, at least from my point of view, to start casting stones.
ME2 screwed up with merging your persuasion skills (Charm/Intimidate) with P/R score. I say it's justified.
Well I completed ME again on Saturday, and of course I immediately started ME2. Imported my level 60 AdepShep and had 190 paragon and about 30 renegade. I used gibbed to up the renegade to match the paragon score, and also gave myself 10x the normal amount of resources, as I hate planet scanning...
You aren't the only one who used that save editor / Gibbed. It would be kind of hypocritical, at least from my point of view, to start casting stones.
Yup, I've used it a couple of times now. Just wish I could also use it to adjust the looks of standard male shep.
Do góry