#like please Mass effect only lets me have what Kaiden? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nighttimepixels · 3 years

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TALK TO US ABOUT MASS EFFECT I HAVE BEEN AN INSANE MASS EFFECT/SHAKARIAN TRASH PERSON SINCE 20-FUCKING-11 AND LEMME TELL YOU THOSE FEELINGS HAVENOT TARNISHED A SINGLE FRACTION IN THOSE TEN YEARS OH MY GOOOOOOODDDSSSS!!!!!!!

I DEMAND A PLAY-BY-PLAY UP TO THE MINUTE OF YOUR REACTIONS TO EVERYTHING!!!!

you are so valid and I totally see why everyone I've ever mentioned it to loves the hell out of it

aksdjlsdfj I meannnn if you want to hear my rambling about it then hell yeah

Okay, gonna put this below the cut to save everyone else XD also- since I'm not leaving this Mass Effect obsession anytime soon, if you're not interested in seeing occasional posts about it, please feel free to block the tag "night plays ME"~

(mild spoilers ahead??)

((also for real I mean it when I say this is rambling as hell lol, apologies and no stress if absolute no one reads all this))

OKAY SO Mass Effect 1-

Stars help me, I was honestly hooked right from the start?? Like even in Legendary Edition (the combined trilogy just re-released in one "can play it on one system + minor improvements", for anyone who doesn't know) where it's smoothed out, of course it's obvious that ME1 is a decade old... but the foundation for these relationships are all there and gods I love them already.

Like - Kaiden right off the top is a delightful good fightin lad, what the hell. I've heard that he's viewed as 'bland' by a good portion of the fan community but I dunno, he's a delight and even more complex by the time 2 rolls around and you encounter him on Horizon, it was honestly Ashley I was way more meh about - mostly because before you can learn about her family history/etc, she comes off as hella xenophobic and I was immediately offended for my growing space family that she didn't like/trust all the aliens around, pfff.

(she gets redeemed a bit through further actions/evolving thoughts, but I thought in retrospect it was a bummer that they didn't flip the order there, give her a chance to be liked before the complicating factor of being so rude about aliens >:c that then she could grow from... ah well. Apparently she has a good arc but uh, let's just say I chose Kaiden at the "key junction" in the latter part of the game so I won't be seeing anymore of Ashley uh... anytime soon, haha.)

Garrus??? Is??????? The ABSOLUTE best???????????

I liked him from the start, I'm always a bit of a sucker for a rogue-detective "the system won't bring this bastard to justice, so I've got to" type and all their moral shadiness XD But he just gets better, honestly, and where I'm at in ME2 (right before the Reaper IFF mission, as of typing this, with everyone's loyalty!) I am only digging myself deeper into this hole-

-*wheezing* okay anyways -

Wrex is AMAZING I love fightin' middle-aged krogan bastard, gods. Liara is great too, I'm a sucker for a wlw relationship (playing fem!Shepard, so) - buuuut I'll admit she's a bit more one-note in ME1. Last week while I was still on ME1 I remember hearing (while trying to dodge spoilers) that her arc is really good, though. I think they leaned a little hard on the 'innocent but sexy' sterteotype on her (so despite the yikes aspect of a few of the things I've learned in ME2, lol, I actually really like the complexity that's been added to her character.)

Saved Liara first, so by the time I got to Noveria and had the standoff with Benezia there was the chance to have emotions over Liara having to face her TwT and of course, I made the questionable but quality decision to free Queen Rachni heheh. no ragrets

More than a blow-by-blow of my choices though I totally wanna take the chance to say that even in the mild jankiness of ME1 (goddammit, the Mako.... please..... please just go up this impossible cliff I just want to resource hunt-) the way that the lore, both obvious/key to main plot and the lesser/filler/background/world-building kinds... I just love it. It incorporates it well, you can go ham in the codex learning more, or just dive into the basics - it's clearly a complex galaxy (and they do an even better job in 2 of fleshing it out further), and it never really felt overwhelming. It was pretty natural figuring it all out-!

Plus the interesting implications of resource hunting amongst the sapient races, and the little side missions you better bet I did every one of- there's so much rich depth in the story if you do 'em!! (And that lead with that Keeper side mission...? Looking back, damn, clever foreshadowing-!!!)

And oh my gods, Ilios??? hell yeah. I loved that mission so much, especially having Garrus & Kaiden with me when talking to the hologram/computer, and more than anything, that last sprint in the Mako trying to get to the jump before it closed-???

yeet the boi-

Also mannn I love a good setpiece, and having to go up the side of the elevator, space-side?? such a cool setup!!

Plus it felt good having been Paragon enough (as simple as the good v bad vibe system is, I don't hate it, lol) to avoid one of the Saren fights, ngl. And the er, "second fight" with Sovereign-Saren.... hell yeah

... I'll admit I had to double check my choice re whether to save the Council. I did in the end, but I swear, sometimes the way they phrase things I'm like ".... okay but Garrus is right, defeating Sovereign is more important than these few leaders??????" woops. Listen, priorities, is all I'm saying..... (￣ヮ￣|||)ゞ

'Course later they emphasize (in ME2) that there were 10,000 people on that same ship and I was like well I wouldn't have second guessed if I'd known that, I mean c'mon-

Also I did indeed romance Liara in this one, so I got that scene ;Dc But,,,, I also knew by the end that I was totally gonna romance Garrus in 2 since he's an option then finally,,,,, lemme tell you the guilt as I waffled over whether to romance Liara bc of it. hahaha.

Aaaaand Mass Effect 2-

So I'm only up to right before the Reaper IFF Mission, so I don't know the ending, etc etc lol. That said, I've just finished every side mission I've found with the exception of the Shadowbroker Quest and the Arrival Quest (I've heard the latter basically leads into ME3, and the former is best either right before the Omega 4 jump or in postgame).

So from the start - fuck yeah fuck yeah what a high adrenaline start Shepard noooooo but also yes save Joker aH-

The motion comic too hot damn nice job

I loved this setup, seriously - especially forcing Shep into this situation, having to work with/for Cerberus, and the compelling reasoning given behind "why" they do what they do (I especially found it a good point that the Salarians have the Task Force, the Asaris the Commandos, the Turians the- etc... like, true, when you put it like that, having a similar group advancing human interests/solving human interstellar problems is pretty reasonable...). That said, I love too that it really isn't shied away from how Cerberus is nonetheless fucked up - or its at least done fucked up stuff.

Listen, I still think some messed up stuff is gonna be revealed in 2's endgame......... after that Horizon mission and the Collector's ship???? TIM I SEE YOU YOU SHADY MF-

aaanyways lol...

I'm so so glad on a gameplay level they nixed the Mako style exploration. A few Hammerhead missions are fine and a lot more focused than the slippery ass navigation in that glorified ATV, pfff. The probes are a neat way of getting after similar resources - and more importantly, having good levels and some good hubs (the Zakera Wards, Omega, Ilium, etc) is way way more fun than having a more 'sprawling' space that is.... a lot of empty nonsense, lol.

Then there's the fact that we get Joker right off the bat and you can interact with him so much - and him and EDI??? Get out gods I love them. Kasumi is so right when she says they sound like a bickering old married couple lol. I have a terrible feeling that some shit is gonna happen with EDI..... but I don't think she's evil as-is, at least.

Side-eying the hell out of those "access forbidden" parts of her that she doesn't even know.... and the fact that her AI core has a locked door access................... something's gonna happen gdi LEAVE OUR ADOPTED AI ALONE.

(Also Joker pls stop fracturing your thumb on the mute button)

Also please save me there are so many hot aliens in this game,,,,, the xeno/monsterfuckers really comin' through strong in the sequels............... doin' the lord's work........................................

In general, I love how many levels ME stepped up in two with complexity and interwoven narratives!! Like, to the point it'd be almost a drag to replay ME1, even though it was fun going through it (if occasionally a bit tedious with the cookie cutter rando planet science/mine facilities, lol). Like, just from how fun and interesting ME2 is, mostly! more of all the pre-introduced races, plus new ones, plus more filling in of intragalactic politics, and more interesting implications of all these space-faring races mixing....

Also gods WREX and his planet holy shit,,,,, fuckin' hell yeah my man get their shit together and also adopt Grunt yes good-

And Mordin??? My singing semi-evil scientist best friend forced to confront his choices more than he thought he ever would have???? With some of the best ongoing general report chatter of all the companions??

(when I tell you I choked on my coffee when I talked to him after confirming romance choice w/ Garrus and that 'pamphlet' and 'anaphalactic shot if ingesting-' kajsldkfjsldfjk)

Like, fuck, the fact that they actually dive into the mixed morality and horrors of the genophage, and you can confront Mordin on it, for good reason, yet he still stands his ground, until finally some bits of his loyalty mission seem to... affect him, and I'm guessing might set up things for 3 with him? Unsure, but either way, damn, the fact that they start to dig into it...

And Taliiiii my beloved forbidden alien wife TwT her loyalty mission was SO GOOD. I love how varied they all are?? Getting to defend her and discover what she'd unwittingly been a part of-!!

Zaeed is a bastard but tbh I love that he is and that he's unapologetic in him - and Kasumi omg, best thief. A heist?? Gods, yes- I love our couch lounge chats XD

Samara is..... illegally.......... she's an illegally powerful and beautiful and eloquent MILF...........................

(.... listen I'm sapphic as hell and I'm kicking my own ass for picking her up last aksjdlfksjdfl - but her loyalty mission, damn. And seeing how there's this interesting cultural subset, and the struggle with the Asari in that they unquestioningly accept/respect justicars, but also know that the impact outside their culture is a diplomacy nightmare waiting to happen-)

,.,,,,,T,,, Thane,,,,,

I am weak for morally implicated murder dads okay?? And that voice??? His mannerisms?????? How you first see him, and that prayer after assassinating her...???????? And his history/his people's history with the hanar, gods I love how messy it is, it feels so much more real!

Also Jack is a mess and I love her (and want to get her some therapy, omg), and her and Miranda nearly duking it out after you've done both their loyalty missions??? so good and makes a lot of sense-! Honestly I would love more interactions between teammates on the ship, but there's already so much the devs had to balance I can't blame 'em for minimizing, heh. But suffice to say I also love Miranda and Jacob, even if I'm softest for my alien crew XD Hell yeah Jacob, we'll get loud and spill drinks on the citadel indeed TwT

.... I could write a whole essay on how much I love Garrus oTL Perhaps because he and Tali are the throughlines from 1 on your 2 crew, I have some of the strongest feelings about them... but genuinely, he was one of my favorite companions in the first game, and how you find him as Archangel in two? Getting to help him fight his way out after he's gone nearly 48 hours straight fighting off three gangs alone, jfc. His vengeance quest and what can happen there.... That line? fuck me, that line -

It's so much easier to see the world in black and white. Grey? I don't know what to do with gray...

How DARE you come for my heart like this, devs holy shit

(also, some other choice faves so far from the series from him include We can disobey suicidal orders?? and This wasn't in my training manual... [in 1, if you have him with you @ th Thorian fight] and his whole.... pop the heat sink - in his romance ;Dc)

asdasdfksadjfkl like I said I can write an essay on him PFFF suffice to say I'm very looking forward to his romance scene and where things go in 3

But yeah gods I'm just gonna keep rambling if I'm not careful lol. Gods I don't even know what to talk about it's all so good and while I can understand people roasting the obviousness of Paragon V Renegade (v neutral) choices/alignments, I think they do a pretty damn good job in 2 of pushing it further - to the point that there were some times that I accidentally got renegade points and I wasn't that mad, haha. There's so much fun in the interactions that I just have a good time anyways~

I have so many thoughts about TIM (The Illusive Man) and Cerberus.... theories evolving galore............... and like, what the hell!! Omega 4 going to the center of the galaxy is such a cool twist, goddamn - though my heart still breaks at losing Kaiden (his line if you haven't romanced him?? about feeling like he lost a limb when he lost you??? holy shit.... but I also can't blame him for not trusting Cerberus to the point of it affecting his ability to trust Shepard... like fuck Shep go after himmmm) I'm really excited to see where that goes since he comes back in 3, and what the fuck happens with Cerberus bc while I love the fact that obviously there are a lot of people in it for the right reasons, doing good work, there are those that are doing the opposite, and I have a very bad feeling about where TIM will end up landing....

All that said though I need to do the Reaper IFF mission (where I'm lightly spoiled as to getting That Boy, but not how/what happens to make it so - just that it's apparently wise to have all your side missions done before getting him...) and the actual Omega 4 jump. So we'll see what happens and what I think about it from there heheh!

.... major kudos and genuine props if you made it here to the end, I am so sorry for not editing on condensing all this, and appreciate you so much ;w;

#night answers #night plays ME #(yes that's a purposeful pun lol)#((i sure have played myself by starting this series its so good aksdjflskjfd))

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frecklef0x · 4 years

Text

Mass Effect 1: Playthrough Masterpost

At last, I have finished Mass Effect 1!

I have heard some mutuals say they wish they could play it again for the first time, and you kind of can--through me! I’ve been posting little “episodes” of live-tweet-stream-of-consciousness as I play, and now I’ve compiled them into one post to make my life easier.

Anyway, here’s the first one, the rest are under the cut. :)

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode one

My ass looks great in this uniform, first of all

Impaled robo zombies, yikes

Cheap shot, Saren, smh. How will I pass my spectre test now?!

Why does he have robot eyes? Is he like, Geth-Turian? Why? Is he a robo zombie also? Was it the beacon???

Cool beacon nightmares, I'm sure this is fine

This Kaiden guy has implants? ORTEGA?!??!?

"Call me princess again and you'll be picking your teeth up off the floor" lol obliterated

The citadel elevators are very realistic, five minutes of tense silence huh

Ya girl got a PROMOTION and a DOPE SQUAD time to catch a TRAITOR

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode two

First things first, gotta go find the blue scientist to join the gang

This galaxy is HUGE! How many of these places will I actually be able to go?!

Only two friends at a time????? D:

Ah, a distress signal, let's see wha--A DESERT CENTIPEDE NOPE ABORT ABORT

Robo aliens? In MY Theronian mining facility? Its more likely than you think

Running over dudes in my Mako is extremely satisfying tbh

*runs over geth troopers* *runs over geth armature* *runs over geth colossus* ... *backs over geth colossus*

Working elevators in the ancient ruins ✔

Oooooooh man hope this nerd is gay

Wrex, a friend of yours? Nope, not a friend, too murdery

"ShAaaAame about the ruins Shep, sOooOo much collatoral damage, SHEP" stfu Council, "ruthless" was in the resume when you promoted us, 10/10 would shoot lasers through archeological digs again

When Kaiden calls us "ma'am" I am, uh, into it

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode three

Time to talk to the gang! Gotta meet the fam proper

Oh dear seems we got a shmee of racism on board, compatriots

Wow Raina, good foot-in-mouth moment with Wrex there huh...sorry about the eventual extinction of your race, lost this round of Pain Olympics

OH SHIT OH SHIT BLUE HOTTIE BIGENDER? THIS IS NOT A DRILL???

“hi I’m Kaiden wanna hear about my last crush ;)” “hi I’m Liara wanna hear about Asari mating rituals? ;)))” damn we really slidin right into the DMs no chill

Garrus: fuck rules and red tape amiright Raina: oh u right ;)

Guess I’ll actually do a mission now LETS GO LESBIANS LETS GO

Honestly rolling out with Tali and Liara is a mood, squad goals

Raina @ every corporation on Noveria: I would sell you to satan for one(1) corn chip

This reactivation puzzle is some shit

I see some Mistakes were made

We already killing moms at this stage damn BioWare

FUCK FUCK BENEZIA KILLED ME AND I LOST A FUCKTON OF PLAYTIME

THERES LIKE NO AUTOSAVE IN THIS BITCH FUUUUUUUUU

fuck fuck fuck god damn it gotta shoot a bunch of deranged baby bug people again god DAMN IT

Okay we killed Liara’s mom in front of her hope that’s fine

And we let mama bug go free because after talking to Wrex, Raina’s like “this galaxy is a little trigger happy with the genocide, good luck out there bug mama ❤️ be cool please”

I have literally watched the scientist in the hot labs get killed three times now

So far the debreifs with the council have not gone very well

“You let bug mama go?! How many generations until they take over everything???” “My money’s on two :D Place your bets now assholes or stfu :DDD”

Asked Liara if she was okay and she seems pretty Cool With It

I hope to one day return to Noveria and Death Star it into oblivion

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode four

Talked with Tali and this situation with the Geth and the Quarians is giving me an existential crisis

You “inspect” my beautiful ship? You got somethin’ to say about my crew??? Talk shit get hit, bitch I will kill you

Yoooo my old earth gang, yeah what the hell, I’ll help ou—oh nope nvm he’s a xenophobe, you hang him and I’ll shoot his friend in the face, thx for your time

Went to the citadel to finish some assignments, left tasked with twice as many

“dOn’T cUt CoRneRs” fear not dear Kaiden, I have a permit: this piece of paper that says I do what I want

Still with the elevators, I really cannot with this

“You make it all sound so...dangerous...” ;) ;))))))

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode five

Headin’ to Virmire to rendezvous with the Salarian team

A cure for the genophase?!?!?! :D

Oh wait oh no are we for real gonna talk about destroying the cure like Wrex isn’t standing right here omg

SHIT GUYS NO NOT LIKE THIS WREX PLEASE

Phew for a conversation that basically started with guns drawn, it went pretty well... “What Saren has isn’t even a proper cure, he’s just fucking with the Krogans at this point. Are we gonna stand for that? Or are we gonna murder?” “Damn Shep, you right, we gon’ murder”

Okay Ashley, go join the aliens, try not to die

Shadow Team!🎵 tearing through the base 🎶 disabling all the defenses 🎵 (you gotta sing it to the tune of the Trogdor song)

We free the prisoners!!! :)

We shoot the prisoners??? :(

“Raina? How can you shoot them where they stand?” So it’s more merciful to let them explode? NAH FAM

This scientist is responsible for the mind control stuff? For Benezia? Fine I’ll let her go but I hope she explodes

We did not learn our lesson concerning beacons I see

Wait if even Saren is worried about his mind control ship does that mean there are larger forces involved here?

Oh. Oh fuck

Ugh Ashley I EXPLICITLY TOLD YOU NOT TO DIE

(so we really never found any info about that genophase cure huh? disappointing)

Oh Seren, you dumb dumb. You absolute fool. Clown man.

When Raina slings Kaiden over her shoulder to carry him to the ship—mmmmmmmmwoooow I am very bisexual

Bruh Raina takes every council call and she disconnects pissed off every time

WAIT I literally just hung up with the council, ASHLEY is DEAD, and Kaiden needs a DTR RIGHT NOW?!?!? Boy, NO, READ THE ROOM

This has been a stressful day

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode six

Shepard will avoid her feelings and go to Faros instead

Seeing Ashley’s figure greyed out and her locker inaccessible makes me sad

Wrex and Garrus, let’s go shoot some geth 💪

A mind controlling planet—of course!

Shep gets all her renegade points shooting capitalists

Saved, uh, about half the colonists

If I have one more bad acid trip I stg

Oh nope here’s another one

Shep needs a nap

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode seven

Ah, the council. Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.

At least Liara is good at pep talks ;)

Joker, you cockblock

Haha DUDE we airborne, you THOUGHT

Now that I am exiled from the Citadel, guess I’ll run some galactic errands:

o Killed corporate scientists who though we would rescue them lol

o Destroyed a bunch of geth camps helping Tali on her pilgrimage

o Disabled a nuke and killed some pirates

o Shut down some evil Cerberus experiments

o And illegally traded information!

Okay time to get back on track

So we may or may not be flying to our doom

OH GOD LIARA LOVES ME!!! RAINA, YOU DISASTER, YOU DID IT AAAAAH ❤️❤️❤️

frecklef0x plays mass effect: (ME1) episode eight

You know what I love? Being murdered by geth armatures

All these Ilos ruins be looking the same

Security panel is only kinda helpful

Oh, luckily I know Prothean now!

“CANNOT BE STOPPED” wow very encouraging, thanks

After that super motivating message and disabling security, its time to go down, down to goblin town

Vigil? Oh word?

My girlfriend is GEEKING out

I knew something what wrong with that fucking Citadel

Vigil: information is power. Also Vigil: What does it matter why they do what they do? All that matters is you stop them

“non-essential” personnel die first, huh? GROSS, VIGIL (gotta be honest that hits different in 2020)

Garrus gets it, I knew we liked that guy

Okay, find conduit, save galaxy, break millennium-old genocide cyle, nbd

Ugh Mako you gotta do me dirty one last time I see, I hate this thing

THE CONDUIT STRAIGHT YEETED MAKO

The citadel robot says we’re doomed : )

This shootout is SO fun, seriously

Saren get it toGETHER

Renegade Raina can kill with a conversation apparently, well done then

Concentrate on the Sovereign—why am I gonna save a council that hates my guts, sorry, but I have a JOB to DO that you ACTIVELY HINDERED

Great, zombie husk Saren, just what I needed as I mull over the possible consequences of my galaxy-altering decision

GO JOKER GO

Humanity-only council seems…questionable. Raina didn’t love the council but this sits wrong. Couldn’t we just appoint a more diverse council, including a human?

Anderson seems like a good enough dude, so…we’ll see.

TIME FOR WAR BOYS, GODDAMN WHAT A GAME

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multi-fandom-imagine · 4 years

Text

I'm Proud Of You || David Anderson ||

Summary: Those four words just kept ringing in her ears and she just wondered why her and not him.

Notes: Father Figure David Anderson x Femshepard [ light Garrus x Shep ] *Happy ending Modd for Mass Effect was in effect*

Staring out the window from the Normandy, watching the stars pass by Shepard continued to wonder why she was alive. She knew she should be dead; she should have gone down with the Citadel…when she destroyed those Reapers yet here she was alive. With a broken, burned arm leaning on a cane, the only reason why she knew she was even standing here was thanks to her crew and Joker for even going back.

When Brooke first woke she didn’t know where she was, the room was a blur and her body was protesting her moving from that damn reaper blast. She heard an accent first, followed by more voices and it wasn’t until she finally realized she was in what you would call a hospital room. Dr Chakwas and Michels where hovering over her frail body.

“Thank goodness she’s awake” That was Chakwas, the woman always worried over her. She then heard the voice over Joker, trying to mask the pain in his voice with a joke.

“Told you Doc. It takes a lot more than getting hit with a Reaper beam for our Commander to die” Though she knew he was worried, slowly turning her head she spotted her whole crew in the tiny room, she figured she must be somewhere in London since she spotted the Normandy, streaked with marks from the broken window.

She noticed Steven Hackett first, he had a bitter smile on his face though he looked tired but the man seemed happy she was alive. Shepard then let her gaze glance over to where Kaiden, James and Jacob where standing in the back silently. Liara was comforting a crying Samantha though she knew her friend was crying too. Wincing, she held back a gasp to push herself up as she waved the doctors off. “Im fine” she muttered but that was a lie.

Brooke then noticed Zeed and Samera as they were in the far back, she could have sworn the man held a concerned look in his face but that could have been the light, she knew Jack wanted to tell her off, scream at her for doing something so stupid since she was the first to walk over to her.

“You owe me Shep, shit you scared the crap out of me.” Jack whispered in her ear though she then left the room muttering about checking on her students.

The final pair she noticed was of course Joker, the man just hung his head low as EDI held his hand. Tali standing on his other side and Shepard felt a pain in her heart, since she knew her best friend was hurt because of her though feeling her heart clench she was going to ask where he was but hearing that familiar chuckle she turned he heard to see Garrus sitting by her side.

“I’m hard to kill.”

Sighing the woman let her body relax for a moment until she felt realization hit her, gasping her eyes scanned the room and missing was someone who she wanted to see more than anything. Anderson, where was he…h-he was with her, she remembered him being by her side.

“W-Where’s Anderson…I remember…” Brooke closed her eyes, she remembered him telling her that he made her proud, then that’s it.

“He’s in another room right? He’s fine” her voice sounded so weak, so dry though finally opening her eyes she didn’t understand why everything was blurry…why they were all silent.

That was when she knew, she was crying and David Anderson was not in the next room, he was not fine but he was dead and its hurt fault.

“Oh god” Chocking on a sob, her body started to shake as she heard Grunt scream something to the Chakwas, screaming about helping her.

Shepard didn’t even notice that she tried to sit up, she didn’t care about opening wounds up. “I need to…please he can’t be.” Feeling her body wrack with guilt she turned away from her team, her friends and the man she loved. She didn’t want them to see her like this, so broken and now she wished that she died on the Citadel, then at least she wouldn’t have to live with the guilt.

Garrus looked at the team though he didn’t have to say anything, they all slowly left until he was the only one. The turian slowly reached up and brushed the short blonde hair away from her bruised and cut face. He felt more tears it the talons, but seeing your steady breathing he knew you’d fallen asleep.

“You of all people deserve to be happy, don’t dwell on Anderson death. He would not want you to cry over him.”

Leaning over, Garrus placed a gentle kiss to your head as he then sat down holding your hand gently. He won’t leave your side.

“I’m Proud of you”

Shepard looked around, she looked down seeing her body was not broken anymore so that was when she knew it, she was in a nightmare and god’s. She prayed she wouldn’t see him, her dreams were already plagued with the deaths of Mordin, Thane and Ash, she didn’t think she could handle hearing Anderson too.

Though as she walked she noticed everything felt peaceful, the air felt light and it was beautiful. Looking around she noticed a bench followed by someone sitting on it. It did not take her long though seeing who it was her heart clenched, she was now looking at David Anderson and he had a smile on his face.

“How can you be smiling” It felt like a whisper as it slipped from her lips though the man chuckled shifting his body as she sat down next to him.

“Why shouldn’t I be, the Reapers a dead…you did it Shepard. You saved humanity.” Anderson looked out on the horizon.

“That’s a lie…so many people…I couldn’t. You died because of me” Shepard started to feel herself break down again.

“Now that is a damn good lie and you know it Shepard. There was a good chance that I wouldn’t be making this out alive. But you did! I’m Proud of you Shepard and I am happy I was here for you.” The man reached over and grasped her hand.

“Though I hate I won’t be walking this stubborn woman down the aisle.”

Feeling her tears slide down her cheeks, Brooke felt her lips twitch into a smile though she then laughed. “I’m stubborn…you…” shaking her head she felt him grip her hand.

“So you and Garrus huh?”

“Me and Garrus.”

“I always thought he was a good match for you Shepard…now do me a favor and stop mourning me. You have an Earth to rebuild. A lot of people are looking up to the woman you managed to survive a Reaper blast and take them all down…now live your life, be happy for once, you deserve it”

“I had help…but I will…thank you Sir”

Shepard did take his word to heart, after she was well enough to leave the hospital she started to help Earth, though she knew it would take a lot more to rebuild and now here she was. Standing on the Normandy in her dress blues looking out at the stars. Putting her weight on the cane she felt a body slip behind her, a familiar hand slip and place its self on the small of her back.

“Beautiful isn’t it…and the stars aren’t half bad either” Garrus chuckled though he pressed his mandibles to her head.

“He would be proud of you Shepard, you’ve done good.”

Nodding her head, the young woman smiled, she could see Anderson's own smile on his face repeating those same words.

“I’m Proud of You Shepard.”

#garrus #garrus vakarian #shepard x garrus #femshep x garrus #david anderson #Mass Effect #mass effect 3 #femshep #female shepard #me 3

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ameliasnormandy · 4 years

Text

It’s you this time, I believe it. Mass Effect Fanfiction

Commander Shepard stood strong looking over the ship. She knew that it was time for her to make a speech the question was what gave her the right to give them a speech this time. She took a deep breath, never letting anything out of her sight. “We are here, again. We all have made sacrifices. We all know the cost of what happened, and that is why being here is more important than ever. We are learning from past mistakes. We are fixing things before they get to the point that they had been. We are fixing things, so that our children, our family, our friends, will not have to face what they had been asked to face before, they will not be asked to face it again. I know that seeing me means something. I know that seeing me makes you think that again we have hope. I have heard that. I have heard what people say. I have heard about the fact that me being here gives all of you hope again, but the truth is we never lost hope. We never lost anything. You never lost anything. You need to remember that. We all need to remember that. We need to remember that whether I was here or not things could go according to plan. Things could go right. You could make things go right. You can do things just as well as I can. I need you to know that. I need you all to be aware of that. With all of that said we embark to protect those around us. Be prepared for anything and do not forget the past that we have come to endure.” With those words Commander Shepard put the com down.

“Did you believe a word you just said?” Jack asked, walking behind Commander Shepard.

“I believed all of it, and you know that I did,” Commander Shepard said, turning her attention for a moment toward Jack.

“Too optimistic,” Jack responded. “The universe collapsed without you. We collapsed without you.”

Commander Shepard stood and looked at Jack for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“Look around you, we all ended up falling apart the minute you died,” she said, storming away from Commander Shepard.

Commander Shepard shook her head. She didn’t have time to think about what Jack had just said. She had to get this ship off the ground. Well, actually that was “Joker, are you ready to take control of the Normandy again?”

“I am,” Joker said, giving her a smile.

“Does it feel like you ever left?” Shepard asked, leaning into Joker just a little.

“It never felt like you had left,” he said with a smile. “The galaxy is so lucky to have you back.”

“The galaxy could have done this without me. You have to know that everyone has to know that the galaxy could have done it without me.” Shepard’s voice is full of earnest. It’s easy to see that she wants him to understand, she wants the galaxy to understand that she is only one person and that they need to stop putting her on a pedestal that she doesn’t deserve. She was just a solider, and that much was simple. “Joker take us out.”

………………..

Shepard started walking around her ship. It was hers again, and she didn’t know how to take that. It was a hard thing for her to understand. It was even harder to believe. Death was supposed to be permanent after all. There was supposed to be an end to everything and yet there didn’t seem to be an end to her. She never got that end. She didn’t know if she wanted it, but she knew that she had never gotten it. She wondered if it mattered now. She was alive and that seemed to be all that anyone cared about.

Kadian walked up to her. “Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?” he asked.

She nodded. “What’s up?”

“Not here.”

“Where?” Shepard asked, looking at the ship. Her ship. The Normandy. Her Normandy. It was hers again, she needed to be prepared to say that. She needed to be prepared for people to be able to see that.

“Your room.”

………………..

Kaidin hadn’t touched a thing and barely had spent any time in there at all. It was like a shrine to the once great Commander Shepard. And she no longer felt like that person. She had talked to Joker about this, but she still couldn’t get over it and she didn’t know if she ever would be.

“Alright, I’m here. What’s wrong, Kaiden?” Shepard asked, shaking her head as she walked into the room.

“I believe it’s you,” Kaiden said, turning around to look at her.

“Thank you, Kaiden. I remember how hard it was for you when…”

“I need to say something else before you start talking.”

“Alright?” Shepard said. She was unsure where any of this was going. There seemed to be something that he needed to say, but she was unsure what it was or why it mattered so much. It was hard for her to see it. He had changed. He seemed more direct, a little less nervous of things when it came to her.

“You should sit,” Kaiden said, pointing to a chair not far from them.

“Kaiden what is this about?” Shepard asked, looking at the chair, but not sitting down.

“Please sit.”

“Kaiden, is something wrong?”

“Sit.” Kaiden was making a demand and he had the right, so she was going to follow his demand if that was what he wanted her to do.

Shepard wasn’t sure if she wanted to sit or not, but it seemed that she didn’t have a choice. So, as a way of appeasing Kaiden Alenko she sat down. “Alright, Kaiden, I’m sitting, what is wrong?”

Kaiden was nervous. That much was clear to see. Shepard couldn’t figure out why he was nervous. They had put what happened while she was working with Cerberus behind them. It seemed that they had, but maybe that was wishful thinking and a looming death coming to head. He took a breath in. It was a harsh breath. It was one that seemed to have the entire weight of the universe in it. Shepard knew those types of breath all too well. “There are just some things I want to get off my chest.” Shepard almost spoke. She almost said something when Kaiden spoke again. “Please, don’t speak. I have been a confident man. I have always considered myself to be a confident person. That was until I met you.”

“Me?” Shepard asked, trying not to say anything, but the word just slipped out.

“You have made decisions to save this galaxy and time and time again you have never wavered on your choices. You have always done what you thought was best, and held fast to that convection.”

“Thank you, Kaiden,” Shepard said, trying to give him a smile.

“I’m not finished,” Kaiden said, taking a step away from Shepard.

“I am sorry,” Shepard said, bowing her head. “Please continue.”

“Thank you,” Kaiden said, taking another breath. It seemed that he just wanted to say what he wanted to say and be done with it, but the problem was that Shepard didn’t want to see him get off that easily, or at least that is what he thought. “This is hard.”

“I can see that,” Shepard said.

“It’s just, it’s you.”

“Me?” Shepard asked. “Would you like me to leave the conversation?” Shepard asked, trying not to laugh, but it didn’t work.

“Shepard you aren’t making this any easier.”

“I know,” Shepard said, trying not to smile.

“Please, I need you to take this seriously.”

“Alright,” she said, with a sigh. “I’m focusing. Tell me what this is about.”

“This is about you.”

“I can see that.”

“And that makes it so much harder.”

“I don’t see how.”

“Because you are you.”

“What? I am just a person and you know that. You have talked to me. You have been with me through everything. You know it all. You know everything.”

“Except your work with Cerberus, you know that is my biggest regret.”

“You regret something?”

“There are few regrets that I have in life and all of the things that I regret have to do with you,” he said, pacing in front of her.

“Me?” Shepard said, straightening herself just a little bit.

“You.”

“What do you regret with me? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I should have come with you.”

“You believed that you were doing what you thought was best.”

“And we see where what I thought was best got us.”

“Are you blaming yourself for the Reapers. It wasn’t your fault. Kaiden, it wouldn’t have mattered if you would have gone with me or not, they still would have come. They still would have attacked.”

“Maybe not, but I could have argued more for you.”

“And what would that have done. You did what you thought was best. I am not going to lie and tell you it didn’t hurt, but it was the choice that you made and I supported that.”

“This isn’t what I wanted,” Kaiden said, shaking his head.

“And what did you want?”

“I wanted you to be angry. I wanted to be upset.”

“Why?”

“Because that is what I deserve.”

“This isn’t about the time I served Cerberus is it?”

“I left you.”

It was then Shepard understood what everyone meant. “I told you to take him.”

“I should have come back for you.”

“I would never have accepted that. You took Garrus and I asked you too. He meant a lot to me. He was one of my closest friends. You know that I would never have accepted it if you would have left him for me.”

“But you…”

“Stop.” Shepard stood up. “I told you to go. I told you to leave. You didn’t leave me.”

“How did you do it?” Kaidan asked her.

“How did I do what?”

“How did you make those decisions?” he asked, looking at her.

“I still have a hard time thinking about it. There were so many good people we lost. So many friends.”

“I’m glad we didn’t lose you,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

#Mass Effect #normandy #Commander Shepard #Garrus Vakarian #mass effect garrus #Kaidan Alenko #mass effect kaidan #jack mass effect #cerberus #joker mass effect #Jeff Moreau

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xldsims · 5 years

Photo

Sorry, some of these asks got super-stale. :P

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Anonymous asked:

Hi. I love the content you've put out so far but I can't find the Tali download link for her cc. Is that CC not available and if it's not would you consider releasing it? Thanks for creating and sharing as much as you have.

[R]: Sorry it isn’t available at the moment still :/ Unfortunately, just haven’t got around to finishing her up. There’ll be versions of her circulating around tumblr, but my version won’t be available for a while (Just don’t have the time I used to for long arduous projects) :(

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Anonymous asked:

Where’s Tali ;n;

[R]: She’s in CC development hell :( (That’s all I can give you atm DX)

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Anonymous asked:

Hi! I want to say that you are my go-to cc for males and I just cannot thank you enough for making them. It made my male sims even hotter than before. I was wondering if you could also make Aaron Dingle a downloadable sim too? I fell in love with his face and ugh, I can't stop thinking about him. I hope you consider my request. If not, then I understand. Thank you.

[R]: All you have to do is ask :) I’ll upload them sometime hopefully when I’ve got more time to dump sims :P

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Anonymous asked:

hey! i'm sorry if you've been asked this before but, if you have time, would you be able to make the maverick jumpsuit for female sims? it would make the perfect modest swimwear!

[R]: I don’t see why not? I could definitely try and convert it for females. Shouldn’t be too hard since it’s mostly just a texture and not a mesh that needs to be converted.

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@maximusity asked:

what does "XLD" mean

[R]: Ya’ll gotta be trolling me at this point :P (Or if you’re new, there’s a segment on my FAQ for it XD; it’s not what you think it is XD)

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Anonymous asked:

Applying Aaron hair breaks the forehead. The other hair is fine. It 's too bad that only Aaron hair is broken. That hair is too pretty. It would be great if it was modified.

[R]: Broken how exactly? I’ll need to know what exactly is breaking otherwise there’s no way I’ll know what to fix? (Cause mine’s working just fine- if it’s about the shiny head, I’m still unsure how to fix it and I usually look past if myself)

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Anonymous asked:

Hey! First of all I just started modding my game and I'm loving your content so thanks for putting out some great cc for us :) My question is how you get your male sims to have that super round belly look. I checked your FAQ and saw the answer about the extended slider mod but it didn't produce the same look for me. Specifically, it's the sims that showcase your outie belly button accessory, etc. Are those sims just alien pregnant, or is that actual cc? If it is cc can you share it here? Thanks!

[R]: I'll definitely have answered this before, but no, it’s not CC, and yes they’re pregnant XD

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Anonymous asked:

I LOVE your Drowned Out skin for TS4, but I noticed it really reduces muscle definition, so when I'm making bodybuilder Sims, their muscle definition isn't prominent. Do you have a version of Drowned Out that maintains/adds muscle definition or know of a compatible skin to use WITH Drowned Out? xx

[R]: Tbh, I’ve been having some of the same thoughts, and I’m kinda missing the higher definition muscles (I initially meant to drown them out cause they could be a bit much by default, hence the name) but I’ll definitely tweak at some point to accommodate higher muscle definition :)

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@silviasilene asked:

Hello! I just downloaded the garrus costume and I have to say that's truly amazing! but when you look at it from a far it's looks like a strange polar bear costume and I was wondering if there's something to fix it (It doesn't bother me that much). Excuse my english and thank you 😘

[R]: I'll fix this, I swear! :P Hopefully by my next break. That and hopefully make it BGC. It’s always just hard to find time between projects and time in general :(

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Anonymous asked:

How do I use the pregnant belly overlay?:)

[R]: Just find it under skin details and apply it *WHILE* in modify sim in CAS (probably after they’ve popped in the first trimester). Unfortunately, I’m no modder and haven’t got a way for them to apply during pregnancy :/

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Anonymous asked:

Hi, Could You upload a Gil Brodie sim, please. P.S I love Your Blog:) (Michael)

[R]: In time :P I’ve still gotta upload all the other Mass Effect sims I promised everyone :P Sorry it’s taking so long!

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Anonymous asked:

Omg I'm living for your male hair cc. I can never find enough (granted I only ever look on tumblr) but damn I am so excited to try these out xx

[R]: Thanks! Tbh, all the good MM male hair is on tumblr and only tumblr. I don’t look far afield either so I can’t say that for sure but that’s the impression I get :P Glad you love the cc though!

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@daddyklingon asked:

Do you by chance release your houses in any way or form? Your Del Sol Mansion looks so amazing.

[R]: Yeah, they’ll just need a few touch ups, and I can upload the tray files here :)

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@lovearound5am asked:

Hello, do you think you could possibly share the psd from your Ocular Nova default eyes? I would like to possibly use them to create new mermaid defaults replacement eyes or perhaps other occults. Thank you.

[R]: Not sure if you’re still wanting them, but I made them available a long a while ago here!

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Anonymous asked:

There's actually a same gender romance mod for all three games that restores the MShep/Kaidan romance in ME1 and makes it seamless. The ME2 version of it fixes the email too.

[R]: I was following this for a while, and it seemed dead end for a while. Thanks for letting me know they finished it! I’m pumped to see how the game plays!! XDD

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@theglowworm2008 asked:

I just got re-obsessed with Mass Effect, as well! So, thank you for your hairs/facial hairs that I can add to my Sims as I grind through the first ME. Lol. Oh, and your Kaiden romance email! I can't wait to try that out since I'm currently doing his romance in the beginning. :)

[R]: Thanks, I really appreciate it and I can relate. I always love coming back to it (especially for MShep and Kaidan XD)

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Anonymous asked:

eres gay?

[R]: Esencialmente sí :P/ Essentially, yes :P

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Anonymous asked:

[R]: Not sure if you’re still wanting them, but I made them available a long a while ago here!

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Anonymous asked:

Where can we download the The Major V4.1 and V4.2?

[R]: Here in this content pack! (It’s all in one .zip file :))

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Anonymous asked:

The Holt facial hair lilac swatch is pink, not lilac

[R]: Damn, I’ll get that fixed asap! Thanks for letting me know.

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Anonymous asked:

can you make the strangerville hair with a receeding hairline? instead of just a line :o love all your hairstyles/ beards that you make

[R]: I’ll see what I can do when I have more time for it :)

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Anonymous asked:

hi! is the just outta bed hair its own mesh or do i need the gt pack to use it?

[R]: No, it’s BGC, you shouldn’t need gt for it :) (Up yours EA. xD)

#xld #xldsims #xalder #ask #anon #theglowworm2008 #lovearound5am #silviasilene #maximusity #daddyklingon #answer ask-a-thon

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priestessamy · 8 years

Note

1/2) I am a straight male so I may not know much about the subject but don't you think it's a tad stereotypical to assume that a bald woman or one with a pixie cut must be attracted to women by default? I'm not sure if I'd say Kaiden was "suddenly bi". Originally both he and Ashley were going to be bisexual in ME1 and I believe Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale had recorded dialogue for romancing Kaiden and Ashley respectively. The same was true with Thane in ME2. You can find videos on YouTube where

2/2) players have modded the dialogue and romance options back into the games. Also I think you might be overestimating how common interspecies relationships are in the Mass Effect universe. The Asari's unique biology makes them the exception, not the norm. Salarians have next to no interest in sex as anything more than a means of reproducing. And as for Turians, Garrus admits that he's more attracted to Shepard as a person and he doesn't really have a "thing for humans".

Okay I’m sorta getting the idea you didn’t actually read my post, so go do that again, and then come back here. We good? Awesome.

So. Yes, one could call that stereotypical. But... also that’s kinda the point? One could call it stereotypical. But the truth is that we don’t see many characters who are female, have arcs, experience real emotions, are playable, can be romanced, and fit into the “butch” label in some way, shape, or form. And for at least one of them to also not be queer in some way feels like something of an insult born from good intentions.

Frankly, the fact that both human squadmates were also supposed to be available in ME1 is even more damning and insulting. Because that means somewhere down the line someone decided that it either wasn’t feasible, wasn’t important, was too much work, or possibly was too much representation?? Like I legitimately do not understand why you wouldn’t want as many crewmates as possible to be available to as many members of the audience as possible, especially in the space-future when it would make sense that more people (specifically humans) would be bisexual!

The same goes for aliens. The asari are arguably the most human, and so it’s super convenient that they’re the ones with the biology that makes them more - let’s be honest with ourselves here - fuckable. They’re also less threatening as lesbians because they’re, as a race, ‘hot’. But yes, please, bring up Garrus, who is absolutely, completely, 100% in love with Shepard regardless of gender - and YET, only romances female Shepard????? How does that make any goddamn sense???

And let’s just... I need to say this because some people wouldn’t say this. And someone needs to say this. To you. So that you understand.

If you lead off with “I’m a straight male gamer so maybe I don’t know much about the subject” and then continue to talk like you have something worth saying? Look, I’m not gonna tell you to shut up, because you’re a straight male so you’re probably tired of being told to shut up. But I am gonna let Craig Ferguson tell you more or less the same thing but with nicer words.

As yourself three things: “Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said by me? Does this need to be said by me right now?”

If you should find yourself leading with “maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about”? Just... Just... take two seconds okay? And think.

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amethyst-wind-uk · 8 years

Text

A trilogy in review - Musings on a waiting-for-Andromeda replay run.

Having recently constructed my first gaming PC, I decided to replay through the original Mass Effect trilogy in time for the upcoming release of Mass Effect; Andromeda, and put my thoughts down here.

(All musings below are subjective to myself, and may very well not be the same findings of others)

Without further ado, here we go:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mass Effect

Now, I've loved the original Mass Effect ever since I picked it up for half price on the Christmas of its release year (thank you, Gamestation). I actually held zero enthusiasm for the game before playing it, however. All the trailers and such didn't really get my excited at all. Still, I bought it, and loved it from that moment on.

I continue to love it in this new playthrough as well. Everybody else lampoons the controls of the Mako (physics? Bitch I'm a tank!), or the supposedly bland maps to explore in every system, but I never stopped having fun doing just that; battling Thresher Maws, discovering League of One medallions, being swindled by Shifty Cows, loved it all. In my humble opinion, the gameplay holds up, and the approach is the best in the trilogy for actually making you feel like the galaxy is massive and full of wonder.

Same with the 'hated' elevators on the Citadel. The camera stays on Shepard and her squad (my Shep is definitely female, as Jennifer Hale's performance is leaps and bounds ahead of Mark Meer's), following you for every second you traverse the Presidium, Wards, and in between. The transit time, strange as it sounds, adds to the experience for more than the loading screens of the two sequel games.

Still loved most of the squadmate characters from MEOriginal, as well, as I consider them to be some of the most fleshed out of the three games. MEOriginal Garrus is still the whiny prick I remember, and Kaiden is still bland (as are his successors, Jacob and James), but Wrex, Tali, Liara, and even Ashley have moments of brilliance in their backstories and conversations.

The DLC, which was a thing that hadn't really taken off fully at the time of MEOriginal, is a little underwhelming, especially Pinnacle Station, but Bringing Down The Sky at least gives us a look at the Batarian species, who had been all over the Codex as one of Humanity's primary enemies in the Milky Way galaxy.

Loved every second of my playthrough here, and am very pleased that a ten-year-old game still plays this well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mass Effect 2

Here, unfortunately, is where the wheels come off.

ME2 has not aged gracefully. Their decision to simplify pretty much all aspects of the game from MEOriginal result in a largely forgettable experience. The main quest is pretty bland, and ultimately doesn't affect much at all (it pretty much serves as a vehicle to build Cerberus up from a shadowy black-ops organisation in MEOriginal, into a full shadow counterpart to the Alliance in 2). The Collectors are meh, and its never really explained why the Reapers decided to make the Protheans into a slave race rather than just using the multitude of troops they roll out in ME3. The whole thing kinda falls flat on closer inspection. Being the middle child of the trilogy, ME2 suffers from not being able to introduce much while at the same time not really being able to resolve much either.

It's all a bit shallow for ME2, sadly. The locations (more hub worlds but less feeling of vast locales due to tight corridors and far fewer skyscapes - we don't even get to see the Presidium at all except for Anderson's office!), the characters (we did not need 12 squad members, and none of them got the necessary development as a result), the sidequests (aside from Thane's stealth-esque loyalty mission, I can't recall a single non-DLC side quest that didn't boil down to a shootout in a locked room/corridor), and the worldbuilding are all lacking.

Aside from Lair of the Shadow Broker, and maybe Kasumi's Stolen Memories, there's not much to love about the DLC missions either.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mass Effect 3

Here we see a return to the good form of MEOriginal. There are still blatant loading screens rather than attempts to hide them, but at least the hub areas are much more fleshed out this time around. It felt like a more massive galaxy again in ME3, after not being so in ME2. The amalgamation of ideas from MEOriginal and ME2 come together quite nicely in ME3. I would still probably say that MEOriginal is my favourite, but ME3 is not that far off.

Combat is largely unchanged from ME2's serviceable level, so it's neither brilliant nor damning. Whatever, never was playing this series for the fights (usually I'll just throw down a Combat Drone and a Sentry Turret then spam Incinerate until everything is dead).

The fact that basically every quest ties into the main quest at this point through the resources/Galactic Readiness mechanic really helps to keep you thinking about the stakes of the game. It's quite a powerful demonstration of what a war of extinction would look like (any victories Shepard and her lot gain are offset by just how far ahead the Reapers continue to be). Whatever problems there are with the ending (and there are plenty of things to talk about there), the build up over the rest of the game is stellar.

One of my favourite parts of ME3 is the squad interaction, especially of the returning characters; Liara, Tali, Wrex, and Garrus. They are under no illusions as to the mortality and fallibility of Shepard, yet still follow her without a second thought because they believe in her just that much. They've earned the right to basically talk up to, across from, or down to Shepard as needed, and they do.

My Liara, as a romanced character across all three games, is especially comfortable in her role as basically Shepard's only equal in the galaxy. TIM, Wrex, Tali, and Garrus are leaders of their respective organisations/races, but that only extends so far into the wider politics of the Milky Way. Liara, as the Shadow Broker, is the sole squad mate who maintains as much influence as Commander Shepard: The First Human Spectre, Saviour of the Citadel. By the time ME3 comes around, the easy comfort of Liara and Shepard as a couple is just perfectly well done.

Aside from the post-clone parts of the Citadel DLC, I was a bit underwhelmed with the rest of the post-release content. I found this a bit sad, because I was really looking forward to Omega (even Sumalee Montano couldn't make me care much about Nyreen's fate, which obviously is more fleshed out in some other extra material away from the game). Leviathan changed some core context of the Reapers' genocidal tendencies, but not so much that I would be really concerned about not playing through that mission again.

Now, the second half of Citadel, with the party and the invites and one-on-one five-minute snippets, was outstanding. Easily one of my favourite parts of the whole franchise, with heartstring tuggings galore (even if James wouldn't shut up about eggs). The very end of the DLC, where the crew gives its sendoff to the trilogy ("hell of a ride" "the best") at the Normandy dock was very moving.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So yeah, loved MEOriginal and ME3, in a very tight one-two race respectively, but don't think ME2 really holds up anymore. Looking forward to *Mass Effect: Andromeda*, in the hope that it can retain the magic of the first and third games, and not go the direction of the second.

MEOriginal - 9/10

ME3 - 8/10

ME2 - 4/10

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Final Thoughts

I'm pretty sure Sovereign is the Reaper from the Prothean's cycle, because he's much more aggressive when compared to Harbinger and the other Reapers. He seems like a kid trying to be serious, but instead just coming off as an edgelord.

Harbinger, the oldest, basically acknowledges that Shepard's efforts are a hindrance, but in the same way a debugger might flag a software issue. Harbinger knows his job, stays pretty professional and on message - "the cycle must continue", and doesn't get personal with Shepard or the rest of the galaxy.

Sovereign, on the other hand, is just so *extra* about the whole thing:

"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance..."

"You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it!"

I can just imagine Harbinger thinking "kay, bud, let's take about five or ten percent off of 'er there, eh?", and making Sovereign the vanguard so he and the others could get some peace for their fifty thousand year nap in Dark Space. Harbinger's like the big brother who has to step in when the baby of the family cocks up the one duty of responsibility he's been trusted with.

#Mass Effect #Mass Effect: Andromeda #Bioware #EA #Reaper

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