On June 12 2013, which is the Tung Ng Festival, also known as the Dragon-boat Festival, I finally finished the Mass Effect trilogy.
What is Mass Effect, you ask?
What is Mass Effect, you ask?
Right off the bat, the Mass Effect series is one of the best I have ever enjoyed. If you have yet to try this for yourself, please do yourself a favor by trying this out, instead of continuing with this article which contains a lot of spoilers.
Mass Effect (trilogy) is a series of science fiction action role-playing third person shooter video games developed by the Canadian company BioWare. Its interesting mix of genre was what attracted me to purchase the first of the series. What kept me playing and following the story to the end, however, was its heavy focus on player choices.
Most single-player games on the market are linear. From start to finish, the player has only one path to follow. In the Mass Effect series, though, the player makes a lot of decisions. Most of these decisions are morally gray. Instead of clear “right” or “wrong” decisions, the series used “Paragon” and “Renegate” to describe the decisions respectively. As the player makes these decisions one by one, the story/game changes interactively.
The developer, BioWare, released an interesting infograhics on the topic of gamer choices during a conference. I thought it would be a good idea to do a comparison…
1)
According to the save file, I played for more than 80 hours per game from Mass Effect 1 to 3. For the record, I got the first game in Q4 2008.
According to the save file, I played for more than 80 hours per game from Mass Effect 1 to 3. For the record, I got the first game in Q4 2008.
2)
In Mass Effect 3, Galactic Readiness is a multiplier for War Assets. War Assets are the people, weapons, armies, fleets, items, and useful technology that the player can accumulate throughout the game. War Assets multiplied by Galactic Readiness results in Total Military Strength, which determines the game endings available to the player. Basically, the higher the Strength, the better the outcome.
In Mass Effect 3, Galactic Readiness is a multiplier for War Assets. War Assets are the people, weapons, armies, fleets, items, and useful technology that the player can accumulate throughout the game. War Assets multiplied by Galactic Readiness results in Total Military Strength, which determines the game endings available to the player. Basically, the higher the Strength, the better the outcome.
The multiplier is locked at 50% for single-player game. I believe this is a handicap measure (by Electronic Arts, the publisher) to force players to try the multiplayer side of the game. I did not succumb to such cheap measure. (This game is about making choices, remember?) . Modifications made to a particular game file (Coalesced.bin) eliminated this problem.
3)
I played from Mass Effect 1 to Mass Effect 3, so I guess I am a recipient of the Medal?
I played from Mass Effect 1 to Mass Effect 3, so I guess I am a recipient of the Medal?
4)
Urdnot Wrex (pictured below, on the right). One of my favorite characters in the series, and perhaps in all the games I’ve ever played. Grunt, a genetically engineered krogan super soldier introduced in the second game, is another one of my favorite characters in the series.
Urdnot Wrex (pictured below, on the right). One of my favorite characters in the series, and perhaps in all the games I’ve ever played. Grunt, a genetically engineered krogan super soldier introduced in the second game, is another one of my favorite characters in the series.
In the series, the krogan species is victim to an artificial genetic mutation called the genophage, which is designed to severely reduce krogan numbers by reducing the probability of viable pregnancies in krogan females. Just as Wrex said in Virmire, the krogan are dying, and the genophage cure can save them. Being a paragon player, and the fondness of Wrex, the choice was obvious.
5)
This is a difficult one. That list has 7 openings so here are my 7 are Wrex (krogan), Legion (geth), Garrus (turian), Grunt (krogan), Liara (asari), Tali (quarian), and Nyreen (turian). These seven are squad-mates worthy. Honorable mentions include Jeff (human), David (human), Kirrahe (salarian), EDI (AI), Kasumi (human), Thane (drell), and surprisingly, the Rachni Queen (rachi).
This is a difficult one. That list has 7 openings so here are my 7 are Wrex (krogan), Legion (geth), Garrus (turian), Grunt (krogan), Liara (asari), Tali (quarian), and Nyreen (turian). These seven are squad-mates worthy. Honorable mentions include Jeff (human), David (human), Kirrahe (salarian), EDI (AI), Kasumi (human), Thane (drell), and surprisingly, the Rachni Queen (rachi).
6)
The following picture should be clear enough...
The following picture should be clear enough...
7)
The conflict/dilemma between organics (living beings) and synthetics (robots, AIs) is one of the major themes in the series. The most prevalent example in the series has to be the struggle between the quarians and the geth. In the first half of the series, the geth was painted as the enemy - the killer robots that threaten all living things. Well, that perspective was thrown right out of the window when Commander meets Legion (pictured below). Legion offers profound insight into the geth species. Those who are interested should play the game, or at least view the relevant videos on YouTube.
In the last game of the series, the quarians and the geth are at war, again. Both parties are determined to wipe the other one out. The truth is I like the geth and the quarians are nothing but trouble throughout the series. If I were forced to choose either one, I would prefer the geth. Yet, in the game, choosing to save both is a possible outcome, and that was the choice I selected.
The conflict/dilemma between organics (living beings) and synthetics (robots, AIs) is one of the major themes in the series. The most prevalent example in the series has to be the struggle between the quarians and the geth. In the first half of the series, the geth was painted as the enemy - the killer robots that threaten all living things. Well, that perspective was thrown right out of the window when Commander meets Legion (pictured below). Legion offers profound insight into the geth species. Those who are interested should play the game, or at least view the relevant videos on YouTube.
In the last game of the series, the quarians and the geth are at war, again. Both parties are determined to wipe the other one out. The truth is I like the geth and the quarians are nothing but trouble throughout the series. If I were forced to choose either one, I would prefer the geth. Yet, in the game, choosing to save both is a possible outcome, and that was the choice I selected.
8)
Mordin is part of the plan (as an informant, physican, and bio-chem scientist) to cure the genophage, so there is no reason to shoot him. Even if he had nothing to do with that plan, I still cannot find any reason to shoot a talented artist/singer.
Mordin is part of the plan (as an informant, physican, and bio-chem scientist) to cure the genophage, so there is no reason to shoot him. Even if he had nothing to do with that plan, I still cannot find any reason to shoot a talented artist/singer.
9)
I picked infiltrator due to my love of stealthy play style. Sniper rifle plus tactical cloak allows for precision deadly strike.
I picked infiltrator due to my love of stealthy play style. Sniper rifle plus tactical cloak allows for precision deadly strike.
10)
Paragon. Period.
Paragon. Period.
That’s it for now. I will share about the controversial ending later.
