Best Mass Effect Game? Best Character?

[wayfare]

Ok, playgrounders. In Your Opinion, which was the best Mass Effect game? Who was the best character?

In My Opinion

Best Game: Mass Effect (Original)

Why: I felt this game had the best story out of the three. More of a role playing game, with tons of dialogue and great character development. Sure the AI wasn't great and the Combat was a bit slower, but it still told an amazing story and created some incredible characters.
Bonus points for being a game that turned the Heroic Speech into a Mini-game.

Best Character: The Illusive Man

Why: Because he is so bad, but is somehow also an idealist. Really hard choice between the Illusive Man and Thane Krios, who has many of the same qualities, but is doubtless a hero.

[Tebryn]

Mordin. The games were all sub-par gamewise but Mordin was easily the best character.

[Blisstake]

Mass Effect 2... just barely beating over 3.

ME1 just had too many problems going for it, in my opinion. Craptastic inventory system with weapons that really didn't vary by enough. It also featured the incredibly annoying Mako, and loads of pain-in-the-butt side missions that seemed to all be the same thing. I also thought it had the worst of the paragon/renegade systems (3 having the best), where you lost out on combat abilities by putting points into charm/intimidate. The powers (or skills, I think) had too many points to them (10 compared to 4 in ME2 and 6 in ME3), for little benefit each time, which made level ups feel lacking. Combat felt rather stale, especially if I was a class like adept where I would just spam all of my abilities, then slowly wait for them to go off CD. And then there's the AI... Dammit Ashley, I said we're saving the colonists, stop shooting them!

ME2 was such a breath of fresh air to me. The combat was more fast-paced, the worlds felt more interesting and varied, and the characters and story kept the same level of quality as encountered in the first game. The interrupt system felt nice, and I enjoyed how many party members I was allowed to pick between. It was a bit of a shame how none of the new ME2 squadmates carried over to ME3, but only appeared in, like, a single mission :smallannoyed:

Favorite character is EDI. Can't entirely explain why, but she always put a smile on my face. I actually didn't like her romance with Joker, though.

Least favorite character is Kai Leng. I don't feel like I need to explain why :smallsigh:

[Zevox]

This should really just have been asked in the main ME3 thread. Bit redundant as a separate thread.

Still can't make up my mind on ME2 or ME3 as the best. Gameplay-wise 3 clearly improved on 2, but story-wise I prefer 2's focus on smaller stories and character development. Though I must admit that Tuchanka and Rannoch were quite satisfying in 3 too. Both easily beat 1 though - that one had way too many problems (like the Mako in its entirety, or the reuse of the same three maps for every side-quest, or skills leveling up by a mere percentage point or two at most each level), and frankly even without them it would still only be a good game, not great like its sequels.

Character-wise the best is Mordin, no contest. A complex character whose personal story is centered on difficult ethical and moral dilemmas, who raises some interesting and unusual points when confronted with those, a doctor who is also a complete badass, and just a guy with a great sense of humor. And he sings to boot. He's always the character I most look forward to talking to in 2, and just having around on the Normandy for a little while in 3 made the game so much better for me.

Zevox

[Cespenar]

Second game, Mordin, thank you very much.

[Tengu_temp]

I'll tell you when I finish ME2&3. The thread should still be up by then.

[TheLaughingMan]

Best Game: Mass Effect I

Best Character: Marauder Shields

[Derthric]

Favorite game. For me the feel and atmosphere of 1 overcomes its many shortcomings, yes even the Mako. There is no doubt that 2 improved the gameplay and then 3 took it to another level. However there was a sense of scale and grandness to 1 that I reveled in.

Best character or favorite?

Best I am going with TIM. He is menacing at one moment and seemingly benevolent the next with it all fitting his character. An excellent villian, unfortunately wasted as a B Antagonist in the 3rd game.

Favorite.....All of them? Actually I am gonna go with my Broski Garrus. His character was always there for Shepard even before joining up. And then at the darkest moments in ME3 he was the one picking Shepard up. On my canon Shepard he was there for the final fight against Saren, the baby reaper and the "finale" in ME3.


The moment I realized he probably got facemelted with Ash, that Shep's LI, was the worst moment for me. Followed by their inexplicable survival.


Runner up: Mess Sargent Gardner "He he, through the cracks"

[Thanatos 51-50]

@^: That reminds me that I never ran into Mess Sargent Gardner in ME3. Is he in it?

Favourite game: Three. It has the advantage of all the tension building up from one and two behind it, a fast-paced combat system which doesn't quickly devolve into Bullet Hell, the ability to modify your load-out in a reasonable way. And I don't mean "Mantis, or Viper?", I mean a veritable smörgåsbord of different rifles, suited for different roles, across all the weapon types. (Personally, I found a good generalist kit to be Valiant + Disciple) And the tight, arc-based story, with a couple smatterings of episodic arcs far exceeded what One and Two pulled off.
The only downside is the endings. And I liked those.

Favourite Character: ... Mordin is Mordin, Garrus is Garrus, and Tali is Tali. They're all varied and awesome, and while the battle-buddy relationship between Vakarian and Shepard tugs at me a little bit, and the Very Model of a Scientist Salarian deals with complex issues, I have to put my "Faourite" pin on Tali, for her "coming of age" character arc quickly dropping her into a cycle of things that are Just Too Big for her to deal with, and yet she still perseveres and forces her way through.
She's not an Admiral, she's not a squad leader, she's an Engineer - and yet, she constantly has to hoist those leadership roles on her shoulder, and it's killing her. Additionally, her refusal to enter the "He made things difficult for me, I'll return the favour." mindset that she exhibits throughout her Citadel conversations in three made me smile.
Cruelty to you is not a blank check to subject others to the same. I'm glad one other person understands that. Even if it's just some writer at Bioware.

[Anarion]

Favorite Game: I'm going to go with 3. I think the game-play was the best, as evidenced by the fact that I'm still enjoying the multiplayer. I felt like ME2 got a little bit stale with fewer variations in the abilities, but ME3 really hit the sweet spot with the different branches and 6 overall levels. In terms of story, ME3 ignoring the ending also was the most satisfying for me, although I'm still unsure whether I should have gone for Liara or Tali as a romance option. I picked Liara, but then felt really bad when Tali joined me. But that's a good place for a game to be in, so the fact I cared makes me like the game more.

Favorite Character: ME1 Liara, which is why I romanced her. She was so nerdy yet awesome. I liked her less as the shadow broker though, and Mordin really grew on me (and I'll never hear Gilbert and Sullivan now without remembering him). I also really liked Legion. He was just a good guy, and what he did on Rannoch was amazing.

[Avilan the Grey]

Best Game: I have not even started the third game yet. Of the two I have played... Story wise ME1 is best, but gameplay makes ME2 come out on top. ME1 is just not polished enough to be fun to play; the limitations posed by the constant need for a tech / hack expert, and the horror of driving the Mako...

Best Character: Jack, hands down.

[Psyren]

Story: Even with the endings controversy I still say ME3 wins - at least the first 95% of it. The sheer mind-crushing depth of Tuchanka and Rannoch dwarf anything in either of the two previous games, downtime on the Normandy between missions was better (the squad moving around the Normandy like they did made it feel like a space dorm instead of just a static mission hub) and the romances felt much stronger than simply "okay, I love you now, let's not talk again until right before the final mission."

Gameplay: ME3, hands down. I love TPS games, and for the first time in the series' history ME is ahead of Gears. The multiplayer is icing on the very delicious cake, and gives the game massive replay value.

Squad: Mass Effect 2 wins handily in the squad department; the devs just plain outdid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSLb1KuhM4Q) themselves (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap0ej52lijg) with all the hilarious combinations you can have. And there were a lot of teammates to choose from too.


Favorite Character: Garrus of course! Turian Batman ftw.

[Illieas]

Best Game: mass effect 2
mostly because it played to bioware's strength which is always been characters focus. I would say the suicide mission will stay a moment i will remember.

mass effect 1 had problems with repetative stages messed up inventory and world building done in not an intuitive way and the characters were rather bland because most time they are a walking encyclopedia on their species

mass effect 3 rode heavily on Me2 characters and their stories which was good for it. the rannoch and tuchanka are great. sadly the end was the only problem but still solid and great game.


favorite character:
mordin
pragmatic quirky charcter that had the strongest story arc. you have to respect the scientist salarian

[wayfare]

Did anyone like Miranda?

You know, I was talking with a friend a while ago, comparing the "Bro" realtionships in Mass Effect with those in the Dragon Age series. I found that I loved Garrus and took him with me on pretty much every mission because he was my friend. ME3 it shows how far he has come as a person and a leader -- Liara might have taken the XOs quarters, but it Feels to me like Garrus is really the second in command on the ship.

[thegurullamen]

Did anyone like Miranda?

Sure, I loved Miranda. (No, not in the engineering room.) She was an overbearing bitch a lot of the time, but it's not hard to see why. Most powerful guy in the universe makes you his second in command, it sort of validates your huge ego. I thought she was an interesting character. Really helped bring up the average for team Cerberus. (Jacob didn't really get interesting for me until I subscribed to the 'Stoic-who'll-bone-the-boss-to-advance' alternate character interpretation.)

Best game is 1, then 3, then 2. Three would = One if they fixed the ending.

Best Character? Mordin. For all three games. Yes, he's that good.

[Psyren]

Did anyone like Miranda?


Absolutely, she's very capable. When my Shepard told her that "the best thing {TIM} did is put you on my squad" he meant it.

If my Shep was straight she would be a good match.

[Luzahn]

Mass Effect 3 Spoiler

My new playthrough Shepard will probably treat Miranda in a far harsher light, now that I know she attempted to put in a mind control chip during project Lazarus. Besides that the character was probably the most interesting for one of the "default human" squadmates

[Zevox]

Mass Effect 3 Spoiler

My new playthrough Shepard will probably treat Miranda in a far harsher light, now that I know she attempted to put in a mind control chip during project Lazarus. Besides that the character was probably the most interesting for one of the "default human" squadmates
Uh, she told you that she wanted to do that at the start of ME2. Talk to her right after you first discussion with the Illusive Man, she mentions that quite openly.

Zevox

[Luzahn]

Odd, I don't think she ever mentioned that to my first playthrough. Maybe it's from a particular dialogue branch.

[Zevox]

Odd, I don't think she ever mentioned that to my first playthrough. Maybe it's from a particular dialogue branch.
Just talk to her about the Lazarus Project. After an exchange or two on it you can ask her what she wanted to do differently. That's the first thing she'll tell you in response to that question. You even remark in 3 that she had told you this before - perhaps only if you actually heard that dialogue in 2, though I'd be very surprised to hear they can track something that minor for the purpose of adding one line of dialogue to ME3.

Zevox

[Luzahn]

Just talk to her about the Lazarus Project. After an exchange or two on it you can ask her what she wanted to do differently. That's the first thing she'll tell you in response to that question. You even remark in 3 that she had told you this before - perhaps only if you actually heard that dialogue in 2, though I'd be very surprised to hear they can track something that minor for the purpose of adding one line of dialogue to ME3.

Zevox

I don't believe my Shepard mentions it explicitly. In 3 he was surprised at Miranda's guilt-ridden confession of trying to use the chip.

[Zevox]

I don't believe my Shepard mentions it explicitly. In 3 he was surprised at Miranda's guilt-ridden confession of trying to use the chip.
Minor correction: not trying to, wanting to. The Illusive Man wouldn't let her try, for fear that it would affect Shepard's personality, and thus performance.

Zevox

[Xondoure]

Minor correction: not trying to, wanting to. The Illusive Man wouldn't let her try, for fear that it would affect Shepard's personality, and thus performance.

Zevox

Which is hilarious from an out of universe perspective, where Shepard's personality is meaningless.

[Pronounceable]

Garrus is closest contender far as Bioware goes, but Mordin is the best NPC ever put in any game. Maybe Steven Heck is equal.

I don't believe my Shepard mentions it explicitly. In 3 he was surprised at Miranda's guilt-ridden confession of trying to use the chip.
ME3 actually has a lot of problems. That is one of them. But as everyone on internet knows, ending sucked so hard we didn't even notice how many other small faults were there.

ME had best story and atmosphere but game itself was mind numbingly terrible. ME2 was almost as awful as PoP Warrior Within (especially compared to their respective first games) for exactly the same reasons, despite being great in gaming department (again like WW). That'd leave ME3 as the best game if we could imagine it ends abruptly just before the magical elevator ride to epic fail. Which we actually can.

[Zevox]

Which is hilarious from an out of universe perspective, where Shepard's personality is meaningless.
I was thinking about remarking on that while typing that actually, but held back for fear of getting into another discussion of blank-slate main characters. But yeah, hilariously ironic.


ME3 actually has a lot of problems. That is one of them.
Er, how on earth is Bioware somehow managing to track whether you had a minor discussion with Miranda at the start of 2 and alter dialogue with her accordingly in 3 a problem? It seems almost unbelievably detail-oriented of them to me.

Zevox

[James the Dark]

Best game: 3. Except the last five minutes. Obviously. I have never felt so powerful as when I stood upon Rannoch and went toe to toe with a Reaper. Also, the fact that I accidentally chanced upon the only solution which allowed the geth and the quarians to coexist was edifying.

Character: Much more complicated. Mordin being Mordin puts him as a frontrunner, but I've got a soft-spot for Jack. Can't help but feel sympathy for a girl who's been through hell. Brings out the protective instinct. Call it a three way tie with Garrus, who I found myself frequently saying in three: "Oh, Garrus. Don't ever change."

Runner up: Conrad Verner. That guy just can't help but be hilariously wrong.

[Androgeus]

though I'd be very surprised to hear they can track something that minor for the purpose of adding one line of dialogue to ME3.

you mean track a single Boolean value? Yhea that isn't hard.

[Psyren]

Odd, I don't think she ever mentioned that to my first playthrough. Maybe it's from a particular dialogue branch.

Here's an example of it. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5uOUzvuCrw#t=0m41s) (Note that you don't need to romance her, mine didn't.)


you mean track a single Boolean value? Yhea that isn't hard.

It's not tracking that single value that's difficult; it's the staggering implication that, if they're tracking one throwaway line from the beginning of a 2-year old game, that they must have flags scattered everywhere.

[Acanous]

ME2 and Tali. I really don't think it needs explaining in either case.

[Avilan the Grey]

ME2 and Tali. I really don't think it needs explaining in either case.

I never understood the Tali hype. She is my absolutely least favorite character from ME1, and in ME2 I basically only have her with me on her loyalty mission. I mean when you have characters like Wrex, Jack, Garrus...

[NeoVid]

ME2, and Wrex. Not only was he the most interesting character, he was the most powerful squad member. I was surprised that the commando he told the story about never appeared in 3.


I never understood the Tali hype. She is my absolutely least favorite character from ME1, and in ME2 I basically only have her with me on her loyalty mission. I mean when you have characters like Wrex, Jack, Garrus...

My first ME3 playthrough was with the character that romanced Tali, and I'm glad it was.

Shep, Tali and EDI on board the dreadnaught:
Tali: It's not as quiet as the Normandy, but still too quiet.
Shep: If you're still having trouble getting rest, I can make sure there's more noise where you sleep.
EDI: There is no need to be circumspect. I am well aware you two became physically intimate before we faced the Collectors.
Shep: ...Thanks, EDI.

[Xondoure]

ME2, and Wrex. Not only was he the most interesting character, he was the most powerful squad member. I was surprised that the commando he told the story about never appeared in 3.



My first ME3 playthrough was with the character that romanced Tali, and I'm glad it was.

Shep, Tali and EDI on board the dreadnaught:
Tali: It's not as quiet as the Normandy, but still too quiet.
Shep: If you're still having trouble getting rest, I can make sure there's more noise where you sleep.
EDI: There is no need to be circumspect. I am well aware you two became physically intimate before we faced the Collectors.
Shep: ...Thanks, EDI.

Theory is that it was Aria.

[Cespenar]

I never understood the Tali hype. She is my absolutely least favorite character from ME1, and in ME2 I basically only have her with me on her loyalty mission. I mean when you have characters like Wrex, Jack, Garrus...

She's shy, sweet, selfless and endearing. Also, while she can be considered naive, she's not extremely and childishly naive like Aerie or Merrill.

Though if you already dislike her, I doubt counting these would make any difference.

[Psyren]

Theory is that it was Aria.

Yep - the ages fit, and she also used the same catchphrase ("Better luck next time") as the commando in Wrex's story.

I kinda wish they had brought some closure to that though. No chance Wrex will get with her now that he has Eve.

(Of course, she could always get with both of them. Yay Asari!)

[Zevox]

Yep - the ages fit, and she also used the same catchphrase ("Better luck next time") as the commando in Wrex's story.

I kinda wish they had brought some closure to that though. No chance Wrex will get with her now that he has Eve.

(Of course, she could always get with both of them. Yay Asari!)
Considering they left that plot hook about Aria wanting to take back Omega hanging, I suspect we might see some DLC involving her at some point down the road. If so, maybe it'll get brought up then.

Zevox

[NeoVid]

I never made that connection. It would be pretty sweet if it was true, which it should be.

[Luzahn]

Wait, when does Wrex mention this? I could've sword I wrung all possible dialogue out of him in ME1.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I never understood the Tali hype. She is my absolutely least favorite character from ME1, and in ME2 I basically only have her with me on her loyalty mission. I mean when you have characters like Wrex, Jack, Garrus...

Let me quote me to explain:


... my "Faourite" pin on Tali, for her "coming of age" character arc quickly dropping her into a cycle of things that are Just Too Big for her to deal with, and yet she still perseveres and forces her way through.
She's not an Admiral, she's not a squad leader, she's an Engineer - and yet, she constantly has to hoist those leadership roles on her shoulder, and it's killing her. Additionally, her refusal to enter the "He made things difficult for me, I'll return the favour." mindset that she exhibits throughout her Citadel conversations in three made me smile.
Cruelty to you is not a blank check to subject others to the same. I'm glad one other person understands that. Even if it's just some writer at Bioware.

[Ertwin]

I think 3 was my favorite in spite of the ending. The gradual overcrowding of the citidel, all the little things that made it really feel like a war was going on.

My favorite character is definately Wrex. Garrus and Tali are tied for second.

[BadJuJu]

I liked a few characters alot. Mordin, Garrus, Grunt, Tali, and Legion. Even with limited developmental time, Legion gives you such a new perspective on the Geth that it makes you really pull for them.

[Psyren]

I like Tali a lot. No other character, not even Liara, has the same level of pluck or stick-to-it-ive-ness.

I would never romance her though... she feels way too "little sister" to me.

[Luzahn]

I like Tali a lot. No other character, not even Liara, has the same level of pluck or stick-to-it-ive-ness.

I would never romance her though... she feels way too "little sister" to me.

Aww, dammit Psyren, now I feel weird about romancing her with both of my Shepards. :smalltongue:

[wayfare]

Tali reminds me very much of Aerie from Baldur's Gate two, which is totally intentional on Biowares part.

[Calemyr]

ME2 is the best game. ME3 may take the prize with the Extended Cut, it depends on whether the "cut" is them cutting their own throats with the jagged edge of "artistic integrity".

Favorite character? Tough one. I'd go with Wrex, Mordin, and then Team Dextro tying for third. I have an overwhelming love for what I term as "veteran humor" (humor deriving from having seen and done it all, such that new threats and complications become strangely underwhelming if not boring and predictable), and Wrex delivers. Also, both Wrex and Mordin have the benefit of evolving beyond their racial cliches, while the other largely define their cliches. Team Dextro, with their continually growing experience, provides more "veteran humor" with every game.

Why the Tali hype? There are a few reasons that come readily to mind:
* She's a nerd (engineer) with a shotgun.
* That gypsy accent is pure ear candy.
* Baldur's Gate references regarding her drone.
* She is the quintessential "nice girl", but displays a force of will and determination that mark her as a permanent member of "Team Shepard".
* She is big enough to admit her mistakes and learn from them. Overcomes her racial hatred of geth by allowing herself to get to know Legion.
* Her loyalty never falters, both to Shepard and to her people. She never doubts you (if you play it right), and is sorely tempted to run to your side immediately upon meeting you - only relenting because of prior obligations and joining up the second those obligations are dealt with. Even her obligations to her own people are taken with the consideration of what Shepard would do. Team Dextro's loyalty to Shep is unrivaled by any other potential LIs.
* Tali's persona may come off as... kid-sister-y... but it can also come off as simply vulnerable. That vulnerability can inspire strong reactions from people with supportive or protective tendencies. This builds a strong rapport with such people, a rapport than can easily evolve in romantic directions.
* Tali makes no effort to seduce you or even present herself as a candidate. This is kind of big in my head. It just feels like there is more to that relationship than simply hormones and the need for stress relief.
* Tali grows. She becomes more assertive, more confident, and more playful (a lot more playful) as time goes on.
* Tali is simply pleasant company. Unlike her more aggressive rivals, Tali wins by simply being fun to be around. She's not trying to prove anything to herself or Shep, she's not trying to manipulate him (unless she's very manipulative and tricking me! Hmmm... tests...). Even when she's not an LI (ME1 or FemShep), she's still a useful ally, good friend, and fun companion.

Those are the ones off the top of my head, at least. If I stopped to think about it, I'd probably be able to think of a few more.

[Psyren]

Aww, dammit Psyren, now I feel weird about romancing her with both of my Shepards. :smalltongue:

I never do the same romance on multiple Shepards. So far I have Kaidan and Garrus (M/F Paragon respectively), and Miranda/Liara (M/F Renegade.)


As far as Tali, I agree with the sentiment that she inspires a protective instinct. In fact, Bioware hangs a lampshade on it (www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_9ZjTltAHE#t=0m39s) in ME2.

[Luzahn]

I never do the same romance on multiple Shepards. So far I have Kaidan and Garrus (M/F Paragon respectively), and Miranda/Liara (M/F Renegade.)


As far as Tali, I agree with the sentiment that she inspires a protective instinct. In fact, Bioware hangs a lampshade on it (www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_9ZjTltAHE#t=0m39s) in ME2.

Well, this new Shepard is "canon" Shepard. Fixing the mistakes I made in 2, like letting the entire nonsquad Normandy die because I never take video game deadlines seriously. I decided to go do all sidequests before starting the suicide mission... :smallfrown:

[TARDIS]

I think Mass Effect 1 was better, in my opinion, just because it was far more open and RPG-like than Mass Effect 2. Yeah, the inventory system was ridiculous, and the Mako was something out of hell, but just being able to drop down onto a planet and explore it was something that filled a gaming fantasy of mine - I got to play Star Trek :smallbiggrin:

Mass Effect 1 is, in my mind, the quintessential sci fi RPG at this moment. While Mass Effect 2 did have a better story and characters, and Mass Effect 3 was far more epic and cinematic, Mass Effect 1 really felt like you were being immersed into this living, breathing universe that you were able to explore to your heart's content. The more RPG-ish mechanics for leveling up, finding items, and stuff also fit right with me. No, they weren't the most elegant in the world, but I liked the system better than Mass Effect 2 or 3s. Not that the later two were bad games, just I found myself missing some of the openness of the first game.

Character wise? I don't know why, but I always really liked Admiral Hackett. He didn't have much personality until the last game, but there was little doubt that he was the "Big Good" of the setting - or at least the story :smallwink:. I also really liked Jacob and Garrus - though I must admit I'm really disappointed with Jacob in ME3. Also Zaeed Guddam Massani, for being probably one of the most badass characters I have seen in a videogame in a good long while. Without being superpowered or nothing. Just him and Jessie vs. the universe :smalltongue:

[d12]

My favorite of the series would still have to be ME1. That game is something of a weird outlier for me, as it's one of the only times I can remember where I actually became interested in a video game's story, and I've found it to have the closest thing to a cohesive storyline in the series. I had some problems early on figuring out how certain mechanics and some aspects of combat worked, but once I got that down I was able to really love the setting. Sure, combat gets finicky, but I never had any major problems with it (of course, I generally don't play on anything above Normal/Veteran, depending on mood). Yeah, the inventory is really disorganized, but I'll take it over no inventory at all. And the Mako does indeed have a physix (http://www.spacehamster.net/pics/mako_physix.jpg), but I prefer it over the Hammerhead, since unlike the Hammerhead, it can take a bullet better than your average, you know, person*, and I'll certainly take it over scanning planets to auto-complete missions.

Now, that's not to say I don't enjoy 2 or 3 at all; it's just that I prefer the first. Some elements of ME2 just felt kind of jarring and disjointed, and while the squadmate missions could get pretty good, I just wish they could have made the main story of the same sort of stuff. And there was something about the whole "Cerberus is suddenly everywhere" thing from ME2 I never quite bought. Maybe it's from playing Alpha Centauri, but in ME1 I mostly got the impression they were like the University faction, except much less competent. That's also why I generally hit mental walls when people start calling them terrorists--they seem more like unethical scientists (perhaps with a militant bent, but there's a difference between a militant and a terrorist), but they're just really bad at their jobs. I also wasn't really a fan of the "no, seriously, it's every 50,000 years, pretty much exactly" thing they started doing in 2.

As for ME3..well, I knew there were problems brewing when they dumped that Crucible thing on you out of nowhere less than an hour in. Of course, I sort of knew that sort of thing was probably coming, given that you ended ME2 effectively in no better position than when you started. In a weird way, I sort of also saw something like StarJar coming, but that was mostly out of a sense of "given ME2, the only possible avenues in ME3 are: magical superweapon suddenly thrown into the story, deus ex machina, Reapers win, or Reapers undergo the most epic incarnation of villain decay ever." Course, I would be completely down with a Reapers-win end. I saw a nice description of a possible final cutscene for such an ending once, which basically mirrors the Vigil scene from ME1, set in some future cycle, and the VI takes the form of Shepard. A very nice 'the cycle cannot be broken' bit of downer ending fun.

Oh, and what's the deal with Kai Leng anyway? After all that badmouthing of JRPGs they did a couple years ago, they put a ninja in their space game. I don't even play or really care for JRPGs, but...what? :smallconfused:

Favorite characters, in order would be: Wrex, Ashley, Legion, Garrus, Jack, Zaeed, though 3 and 4 sometimes switch off.

I was actually pretty surprised with Jack. After first hearing about her, I was convinced I would hate the character, but I actually got to like her quite a bit. At first it sort of boiled own to "well at least she didn't just wake up one day and decide to be crazy for a living", but then hey, she also says kind of funny stuff too. :smallbiggrin:

I wasn't really sure what to make of Legion at first, especially with the little snippets I had read here and there before playing. Really got to liking it though (I generally try not to refer to Legion or EDI as having gender--sort of a thing of mine). The idea of what the geth are was interesting and I love the way Legion talks. Legion's loyalty mission also involves a fun ethical dilemma.

*I thought it was funny when Cortez was talking about the Hammerhead being in the middle of some retrofit when you had to leave Earth. "Oh, so lowest-bidder contracting strikes again huh?" :smallbiggrin:

[Calemyr]

Also Zaeed Guddam Massani, for being probably one of the most badass characters I have seen in a videogame in a good long while. Without being superpowered or nothing. Just him and Jessie vs. the universe :smalltongue:

Jessie is the reason I had to cheer when I read Liara's post on Zaeed's recent purchases. The last item on that list? "Replacement parts for a discontinued line of assault rifles." If the big man is going down, he's going to have Jessie at his side.

[zegram 33]

tali because...tali
but also the warmongering general of the quarians in 2, because his voice is just....incredible.
as for the game, i think 3 takes it by a fair margin, although the characterisation in 2 was very cool

[ShinyRocks]

Not a Tali fan. But then I never like the naive, needs-to-be protected girl in Bioware games. (In very broad strokes: don't like Tali, hated Merrill, HATED Leliana, didn't actually mind Aerie, surprisingly.) I know they're not all written the same way, really, and that Tali gets tougher but it's definitely a well Bioware goes to a lot. Doesn't help that in the Geth vs Quarian debate, I am 100% Team Geth.

Mordin is my favourite. Probably followed by Miranda. I enjoyed Liara's development a lot.

ME2 is the one I've played the most. They all have strengths and weaknesses. I hate hate hate hate HATE the level-up system in 2 and 3. Don't have a level cap and also multiple-point buy because I'm left with leftover points that I can't spend and they sit there, niggling at me. I find myself taking sub-optimal point buys, just so that I end up on zero. ME1 was too much of a good thing, but I truly don't understand why they couldn't just have each rank cost one point and give you fewer points to spend.

[Xondoure]

Not a Tali fan. But then I never like the naive, needs-to-be protected girl in Bioware games. (In very broad strokes: don't like Tali, hated Merrill, HATED Leliana, didn't actually mind Aerie, surprisingly.) I know they're not all written the same way, really, and that Tali gets tougher but it's definitely a well Bioware goes to a lot. Doesn't help that in the Geth vs Quarian debate, I am 100% Team Geth.

Mordin is my favourite. Probably followed by Miranda. I enjoyed Liara's development a lot.

ME2 is the one I've played the most. They all have strengths and weaknesses. I hate hate hate hate HATE the level-up system in 2 and 3. Don't have a level cap and also multiple-point buy because I'm left with leftover points that I can't spend and they sit there, niggling at me. I find myself taking sub-optimal point buys, just so that I end up on zero. ME1 was too much of a good thing, but I truly don't understand why they couldn't just have each rank cost one point and give you fewer points to spend.

Because maxing out a bar is much more effective than spreading your points out across several with the unified cool down system. So they had to find some way to encourage people not to / at least slow down enough that they weren't breaking the game.

[ShinyRocks]

Because maxing out a bar is much more effective than spreading your points out across several with the unified cool down system. So they had to find some way to encourage people not to / at least slow down enough that they weren't breaking the game.

If only they'd found a way that didn't make me go FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU.

[Xondoure]

If only they'd found a way that didn't make me go FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU.

Well if it makes you feel better I'm considering playing with a sub optimal build just so when I import it into 3 my points will be optimized.

[polity4life]

I too have to go with Hackett as my favorite character. Why? Because, in my mind, he earned that sweet scar winning a bet from a headbutting contest with a Krogan and a Reaper. His voice work is also good and really added depth to the character.

When I first heard him, he came off as a very capable, driven though exhausted leader. He's old, he has seen too much and his face is jacked up due to a bet, but he will be damned before he leaves his post with a pulse. I would respect a man like that.

Given that, he seemed very energized in ME3, for obvious reasons, and managed to pull off his best Jasper Maskelyne impersonation to hide the Crucible construction project for so long. I found his curt, no-punches-pulled attitude towards discussing the realities of the war to be motivating and felt that those conversations spurred team Shepard along. As a player, those conversations provided some gutchecks that really pushed the pacing along. Honestly, I almost felt guilty going to the Citadel to turn in some random thing I found on a planet after talking to Hackett.

EDIT: Oh yeah, favorite game. Erm...ME1 annoyed me with undead thresher maws blowing up the Mako too often. ME2 was a neat approach at character studies but it felt short in big-picture story telling. ME 3 would have to take the cake for giving the macro-scale narrative.

[Avilan the Grey]

Maybe my main reason for not enjoying Tali is that I am stuck with her in ME1 on almost all missions due to the necessity of a hacker.

[Chen]

Best game: Definitely 3. Even though the end was rushed, the stories on Tuchanka and Rannoch were far and away better than anything else in the previous games. The fact the crew moved around the ship and talked about various things to each other was also a fantastic move that added a lot of immersion. If they fix the ending in this whole Extended Cut thing it'll be perfect.

Best character: I think Mordin. Deep character and still had great funny lines. Its either him or Garrus. The last scene where you talk to Garrus on earth really shows what a bro he is for a male shep. And damn if your romancing him as a female shep its downright tear jerking.

[Dienekes]

Well if it makes you feel better I'm considering playing with a sub optimal build just so when I import it into 3 my points will be optimized.

You know you can get a free retrain right?

In any case, ME2-ME3 are the best. ME3 solved the problem of ME2 by actually having a good, chronological story as the focus instead of just helping your allies with random problems. Unfortunately it does just die at the end and I find some of the choices troubling (screw you readiness rating, go burn in a pit somewhere)

Favorite characters, well like many others Wrex and Garrus are my bros, Mordin is awesome. So on and so forth nothing original there, though I do like Ashley which is a point of contention there.

But going to minor characters I really like Padok Wilks, pity the situational requirements to meet him I will never actually use. Also, I liked Gianna Parsini and was disappointed that she didn't make it to cameo in ME3, trying to ferret out Indoctrinated politicians or something. However the cake is taken by Kal'Reegar the most badass quarian in the galaxy, and possibly the only quarian who could sit with the likes of Wrex, Garrus, Zaeed, Grunt, and Shepard and fit right in.

[polity4life]

Best game: Definitely 3. Even though the end was rushed, the stories on Tuchanka and Rannoch were far and away better than anything else in the previous games. The fact the crew moved around the ship and talked about various things to each other was also a fantastic move that added a lot of immersion. If they fix the ending in this whole Extended Cut thing it'll be perfect.

Best character: I think Mordin. Deep character and still had great funny lines. Its either him or Garrus. The last scene where you talk to Garrus on earth really shows what a bro he is for a male shep. And damn if your romancing him as a female shep its downright tear jerking.

True and the bold is truer. Of all of the "good bye" talks with the various love interests, I found the conversation between Garrus and femShep to be the most fulfilling, emotionally complex, and touching, even beating out the grief-laden, lamentation of Tali (just give her, like, five more minutes!).

[Xondoure]

You know you can get a free retrain right?

In any case, ME2-ME3 are the best. ME3 solved the problem of ME2 by actually having a good, chronological story as the focus instead of just helping your allies with random problems. Unfortunately it does just die at the end and I find some of the choices troubling (screw you readiness rating, go burn in a pit somewhere)

Favorite characters, well like many others Wrex and Garrus are my bros, Mordin is awesome. So on and so forth nothing original there, though I do like Ashley which is a point of contention there.

But going to minor characters I really like Padok Wilks, pity the situational requirements to meet him I will never actually use. Also, I liked Gianna Parsini and was disappointed that she didn't make it to cameo in ME3, trying to ferret out Indoctrinated politicians or something. However the cake is taken by Kal'Reegar the most badass quarian in the galaxy, and possibly the only quarian who could sit with the likes of Wrex, Garrus, Zaeed, Grunt, and Shepard and fit right in.

Yes but it bugs me for the first two missions... :smallredface:

[Derthric]

True and the bold is truer. Of all of the "good bye" talks with the various love interests, I found the conversation between Garrus and femShep to be the most fulfilling, emotionally complex, and touching, even beating out the grief-laden, lamentation of Tali (just give her, like, five more minutes!).

Ok so I had to search that vid of femshep and Garrus saying goodbye, and yeah that was an awesome scene. Honestly I think all the LI goodbye scenes that you get to do in the flesh, not on vidcom, were great. Ash sobbing "I don't want you to go" just struck me hard when I was on my first playthrough, Tali's five minutes, Liara's gift all of them were great.

[Zevox]

Maybe my main reason for not enjoying Tali is that I am stuck with her in ME1 on almost all missions due to the necessity of a hacker.
Er, no you're not. Kaiden and Garrus can both fill that role as well, and Liara even has one of the two powers necessary for it for some reason. Shepard also gets the necessary powers if you play Infiltrator, Sentinel, or Engineer. I don't think I've used Tali since my first play-through of ME1, but I've always had hackers on the team, often more than one.

Zevox