Mass Effect - Oh the Drama

[Konrad]

I'm replaying Mass Effect to have a fresh save and memory for the sequel I pre-ordered... And I'm finally remembering why I was left so unimpressed with this game after playing it the first time.

This thing really, REALLY bothers the hell out of me.
Why? Because it's so god damned melodramatic. It's sickening and it almost makes me rage as Shephard puts on her combat stance and growls at everything that dares even look at humanity the wrong way.

Holy shit, the main character is so annoying to me I'm starting to regret pre-ordering the sequel. I like my RPGs, but I like them when I'm given freedom what to do - and Mass Effect doesn't even come close. Whether you like it or not you have to play a militant "ILL KILL EVERYONE AND SAVE YOU ALL" little asshat.

So I meet sovereign for the first time... I'm encountered by an imposing creature which claims to transcend our reality in every manner un-imaginable (gotta love your pseudo-philosophy in games), and what is the only reply I'm allowed to give?

"Not if I stop you first you giant scary creature that is clearly capable of ruining my shit at whim! No, I will singlehandedly stop you."

Sovereign responds "bravery born from ignorance" and HOLY SHIT HE'S RIGHT. This game is so well written, I'm actually sympathizing with the villain more than I am with my protagonist.

Ugh... I really am not looking forward to having to deal with another ~30 of Shephards childishly pissy blind aggression. What really bothers me more was that the game was so famous for the writing which I think is just the most melodramatic piece of crap I've heard in a long time - not to mention the famed dialogue system which in reality turns out to be an arbitrary choice half the time because Shephard will say the same thing NO MATTER WHAT YOU PICK. It's true. I have a tendency to replay most important dialogues to see other outcomes and woop dee doo, a lot of them are the same no matter what.

I think I'm going to at least have to pick a male Shephard in the sequel because I don't think I can deal with the female voice actress much longer either.


GAH

I have to escape the base now. /endrant

[MyNameDidntFit]

Picking a male Shephard from your female save game? ... :/

Also; I sort of agree. I've never seen the merit to the claims of how great BioWare's writers areL KoTOR is a game I couldn't finish due to tedium, Mass Effect was reasonable, but had it's annoyances (mostly the repetitive sidemissions that were nothing but exp farming and the bastard of an inventory system).

And, yes, the female voice actor was really bad.

[Konrad]

I thought Kotor was some damn fine writing, damn fine gameplay, and damn fine choices. It actually let me forge my own path, whereas in ME my choices are limited to deciding whether to kill more or less people on my way to SAVING THE WORLD AND HUMANITY FROM THE EVIL MONSTER. Half the time I was playing I wanted to just go and join Saren and Sovereign and own some bitches. Instead, the most captivating choice I was allowed to make was between letting someone run away never to be seen, or shot never to be seen again.

The more I think about this game the harder it is for me to figure out why I thought I liked it.

[MyNameDidntFit]

Mass Effect isn't a pure-bred RPG. The fact that you're expecting it to be, is possibly the reason you're being disappointed.

[Konrad]

Pure bred or not, it's a game with a strong foundation in narrative. One which I found to be sub par.

Especially since the game was marketed for it's dialogue, and choices. I mean, it's Bioware - it's what everyone has come to expect from their games.

[MyNameDidntFit]

C'mon, what better depth of character is there than a super-galactic-agent who lets his guard down and turns his back on someone who has suspiciously arrived in a warzone?

:p