Posted by Hello, everyone! This month marks the 10th anniversary of Mass Effect‘s release. With this in mind, and with N7 day coming up, we’re coming at you with an entire month of Mass Effect themed posts (again!) only this time, it’s in the style of a challenge and we’ll be posting short pieces every day.
Mass Effect Month, Day 1: Which is your favorite Mass Effect game?
This is an easy one.
Gameplay-wise, I thought it improved on a lot of the little oddities that the original Mass Effect had, especially in regards to combat. I also really enjoyed the story; I tend to be a fan of arcs that encompass a hero being forced to work for an “enemy,” only to… well I won’t spoil it, because I know some of you haven’t play it yet! 😉
Otherwise, I love the characters and how focused the story is on them. It’s something Mass Effect: Andromeda tried to recapture, but the game was too big and some of the feeling got lost. At any rate, I really enjoyed getting to know all the Mass Effect 2 characters, seeing some old, friendly faces, and befriending some folks who would otherwise be Shepard’s enemy.
Oh, yeah, and this game has my third-favorite character and third- (or maybe second-) favorite romance:
Sorry, Liara. You’re sweet and all, but Thane and Reya Shepard just have something that you will never understand.
Seriously, though. He’s close to death, and Shepard is reeling from being brought back from the dead. They are both in this transition stage, find each other, and take comfort in that meeting, even if the relationship stays platonic.
Of course, it helps that this guy is so philosophical and realistic at the same time. I’d love to talk with him over a hot beverage.
Anyway, all of this to segue into the fact that I really like how Shepard is forced (?) to connect with her crew in such a personal way, and that – by her interactions – they are willing to quite literally go on a suicide mission with her.
Ah, so I follow my own patterns, putting stories and well-written characters above anything else? That’s good to hear 🙂
Which is your favorite Mass Effect game? What is it that makes you love it so much? Let me know in the comments!
I should go,
~ Athena
What’s next? You can like, subscribe, and support if you like what you’ve seen!
– Support us on Patreon, become a revered Aegis of AmbiGaming, and access extra content!
– Say hello on Facebook, Twitter, and even Google+!
– Check out our Let’s Plays if you’re really adventurous!
AmbiGaming 
I played ME through 7 times, but ME2 is the better game simply because it’s mechanics felt less janky. Plus on the higher difficulties enemies felt more like bullet sponges than an actual greater threat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do love the original ME, and I think it’s objectively a “better” RPG, and it will always have a special place in my heart, but ME2 seemed like it took a great thing and made some tweaks to improve on it. Plus, I’m a sucker for characters!! haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d agree with that. ME was better for the RP bit, but ME was a more polished “game”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find that Mass Effect 2 is a great example of when a sequel can surpass the original game. Everything from gameplay to plot has been improved. Plus the return of Garrus made this one of my favourite games.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I love the original ME, don’t get me wrong, and I thought it was really so lovingly crafted, but I do agree that they took a great thing and made it better with ME2. I loved the returning characters, especially since their returns were complex, you know? Like, Tali signed on because she trusted Shepard, not because she liked Cerberus. It really added depth to the bond they all had in the original ME. And, yeah, Garrus is pretty cool! haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
ME1 is the best game of the series, hands down. ME2 just felt contrived in too many ways. Cerberus was changed from a rogue black ops group (whose existence was consistently covered up by the Alliance) to a flags-and-uniforms militant political group and very few people seem to notice.
I also dislike the severe restrictions on player choice that ME2 imposed and ME3 then ran away with. “Did you play a by-the-books Alliance loyalist? Well, too bad, you work for terrorists now. Did you voice distrust of humanity’s bitter rivals, the Turians, and refuse to allow Garrus on the Normandy? Well, too bad, you’re going to recruit him now and pretend the unpleasant few minutes of interaction you had with him makes you his best buddy.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the original ME, don’t get me wrong! It had great elements and was probably the better “RPG” in its way. I didn’t find the rise of Cerberus to be contrived… they had gotten Shepard’s body and managed to thrust themselves into the spotlight because of it, but I can see how it seemed unexpected and unsupported.
It’s certainly not without its flaws. I liked Garrus and I was taken aback by how he was suddenly my best friend; there were a few instances of that throughout the entire series, and they were always sort of startling!
LikeLike
3 was my favourite 🙂 Absolutely loved it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Gosh, I wish I could just say “They’re all my favorite” and be done with it! haha It was a little more action-game than I expected, but 3 definitely had a lot of merit and was an impressive game that built on all of the drama that had been slowly building for the previous two games!
LikeLiked by 1 person
*cautiously reads post* Phew! No spoilers… thanks! I know too much about Thane already, sadly. I’ll try not to let that impact my playthrough when I get to it.
My favourite Mass Effect game is Dragon Age Origins 😀 I’ll see myself out… Have a very merry Mass Effect month though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eep… well, there are going to be unmarked spoilers this entire month…….
You’re a woman after my own heart! But I figured if I said my favorite Mass Effect game was Dragon Age: Origins I’d cause a bit of a riot haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose I should stop reading these then… sigh. I promise I’ll read the rest of this month’s posts when I finally beat the Mass Effect trilogy. More reasons are always a good thing, at least. 🙂
I can picture that riot, haha. Dragon Age Origins FTW!! *fist bump*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry 😦
hahaha yup! *fist bump*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nah! I’m sorry I haven’t played these great games yet 😦 Someday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I ♥ them all!!
Okay, that’s not an answer. My real answer is ME1, but that’s coming from a personal spot rather than a purely objective spot. ME2 and 3 are better games mechanically, but the original Mass Effect had a lot of heart, and, I think, the more engaging story, despite the game’s flaws. This isn’t to rain on ME2’s parade, but no matter how many times I play ME1, I always connect with Shepard’s fight against Saren, and I like the way that the Reapers are introduced. Sure, everything ramps up to 11 in the second and third games, but the first one started it all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s most definitely an answer! haha
I love the original ME a lot! It will always have a special place in my heart, for the exact reasons you mentioned; it had heart and you can tell everything was lovingly designed. It certainly left enormous shoes to fill, and you’re right – it set the bar high for each ME game that came after it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I’ll always like 3 best for how much of a space jerk it let me be. I picked the Geth over Tali’s people, let the Geth annihilate them all, then when Tali found out all her people died she goes to jump off a cliff and you can try to stop her, but I just let her go ahead and do it. SPACE JERK!
Also, I never understood why everyone claims to hate the ending so much. I thought it was pretty great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah Shepard could be a real jerk in 3. Letting Tali die was, of course, a great way to give the player a choice, but right there.. yup, Space Jerk! haha
I’m not sure. I babbled about the endings last year. I didn’t think they were that bad either, but I also missed the whole kerfuffle when the game originally came out, so that could be why.
LikeLike
it’s a tough call, between ME3 and ME1. ME3 had some great action, it was intense as ****, everything was on the line, and many great characters made returning appearances and loved hearing all their dialogue and know that my actions with them from past games actually meant something. ME1 on the other hand had this great sense of discovery for me. I remember just seeing the opening title screen appear and combined with the music and tone of it all just gave me goose bumps, the good kind.
In the end I’d have to say ME3 wins out. The gameplay was super refined, and my personal experience I played it on the highest difficulty which ended up making it that much more fun for me. Then I’d say followed by ME1 and last place to ME2. Not that ME2 is bad by any means, it was still a great game. I’d love to replay them again at some point and see if my opinion changes at all, since it’s been probably close to a decade since I concluded the trilogy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha They’re all so good, right? I loved ME3 as well, although honestly between ME1 and ME3 I wouldn’t be able to choose, because they are both so different, in my mind.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts if you play them again. They are on my “replay” pile, so I guess I’ll have to see if my opinion has changed with time, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mass Effect does trilogies in the way I prefer, with the second being the strongest as opposed to it being a bridge between the first and third. The suspense is amped up I’m Shepherd’s quest to save the galaxy, and I think this is where most of the plot takes place. We learn about it in the first, but a good portioned the character development occurs alongside the game mechanic of the loyalty missions. It makes sense in both levels!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes yes yes. I never think any part of a story should be throwaway or meant to just connect two ends of a story, and ME2 definitely id not like that at all. You really hit the nail on the head 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought it was always Mass Effect month around here!
Oddly enough, I can’t say I have a favorite Mass Effect. Unlike Dragon Age, where the games are all distinct in my head, I mentally view the original Mass Effect trilogy as one long continuous experience, so it’s hard for me to separate one out from the other. I think Mass Effect 3 had the best gameplay, but the story would be the most important part of this series for me, and that is so intertwined I don’t really feel comfortable saying which one got to me the best.
LikeLike
ME 2 is not only my favourite in the series, it’s one of my favourite games of all time. I struggled to look past the technical foibles of the first ME, and as much as I enjoyed the third, it was always going to struggle after ME 2 knocked it out of the park.
I still haven’t played Andromeda yet. I should be ashamed of myself!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You, sir, have wonderful taste! haha I do think all the games have their merits, but ME2 really did have something special.
It was a good game; if you get a chance to play it, you should! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person