#much more than me1 and 2

[pinkfey]

i think aside from the compellingly bleak and desperate mood of me3 another thing that especially makes it work for me is the interactions with everyone on the normandy

#not just between them and shepard individually but the interactions between each other #i like playing a game and feeling like everyone is friends and like they care about each other and me3 does that so so well imo #much more than me1 and 2 #(not that it wasn’t there before it’s just that me3 makes it a constant thing) #also the frequent interactions with your romance on missions and such is so nice #me3 isn’t starved for both connection between companions and emotion as a whole and i love that !! it grounds it #anyways.txt #jasmine plays mele

[stormikins]

Mass Effect: Failed Opportunities.

An informal rant essay about my opinions and thoughts (and ideas/suggestions) about the choices made in Mass Effect Three. This is all because of this one post, and my friend (@xoshepard) giving me a compliment about my Shepard came back wrong headcanons. So. I’m fueled by validation and rage. A summary of the mentioned post is anonymous regrets that BioWare didn't explore the implications of Shepard dying and coming back and the fact that Liara helped Cerberus in doing so.

Disclaimer: I am a hater in this. I am. No doubt about it. If you like the story and think it’s great and nothing is wrong with it— then I am so happy for you. Truly. I wish I was the same. So, this post might not be for you. Also, this is a rant, and I try to keep it sensible so apologies if it’s not.

Word Count: 3k

TLDR: BioWare flip flops between decisions and choices and never truly settles, disregards choices already made, and leaves players wanting (AND THEIR MOTHERS!) while eviscerating character personalities. Consistency is not in BioWare’s vocabulary. Or dictionary. Or thesaurus.

One of the things that I dislike the most about BioWare's choices regarding this matter is that Shepard starts having these crisis thoughts/questions about if their body is theirs or not, etc. not only in the third game, but at the end of it. The player is literally doing the mission that marks the point of no return in the end, the last of two until the game is finished, and now Shepard is voicing these thoughts. Roughly sixty-ish hours since the beginning of me2 if the player is a completionist. (not to mention how much more time in between playing bc people have lives but I digress). This isn’t a plot hole, it’s a speed bump the player trips over and then the game expects us to get back and get going while asking why our nose is bleeding. Fuck you BioWare.

Now, one could construe this into being part of Shepard's character; squashing down all these conflicting and worrying thoughts to focus on their mission, bc they are a soldier. They literally don't have time for this. But now they're physically confronted with their reconstruction post-awakening haze and/or denial about it all bc Cerberus could be them lying to Shepard bc of manipulation. All right. If that is supposed to be the implication, Shepard putting their mental focus on their mission, why didn't Shepard have this crisis when they were in lock-up for six months, aka where they literally only have time to think?

James having a throwaway comment to Shepard, or another crew member (bc they talk to each other now between missions!), about how he's worried about them, about how Shepard had a freak out some point in lock down, the level of 'freak out' does not need to be expanded upon. Hell, James can just say maybe they passed the time asking each other philosophical questions, maybe about consent and choices and bodily autonomy. It could help lend more weight with Shepard posing these questions during the Cerberus HQ bc these thoughts are still plaguing Shepard. Shepard dies-again-without getting closure-again. This would fall into the cycle theme that the games have.

But, like always, Bioware fails to capitalize on opportunity.

Now. The Citadel DLC. sighs Shepard's repeated variations of "don't want to talk about it" it being the clone and everything else that's happening in the DLC, lends more to the theory of Shepard's supposed to be repressing this all. But the counter point about Shepard having their crisis in lock-up still stands.

What could have been interesting is if Shepard had these identity issues in 2 and potentially in three and given that the Citadel DLC ends with the clone always dying canonically, it can be a pivotal moment for Shepard to realize that they are who they are, different than their me1 counterpart or not (it also would be cool if characters mentioned if the player was choosing choices that an imported me1 Shepard normally would not have) and to have a clarity moment that they are Shepard. This clone and these logs could have provided a clean tying of loose ends of Shepard having identity issues instead of the teammates saying two lines about how they know that Shepard is Shepard and Shepard simply... moving on bc you do all this in the middle of a base attack. The player's mind is already set on defeating Cerberus (finally) and getting revenge, on being so close to the end of the game! It's also OPTIONAL. Yes, the player is automatically entered into a dialogue wheel but the choice to leave without seeing what's on the logs is immediately available.

Another thing the previous post went into was Liara's involvement. Her part in Shepard's reconstruction is not explored in the game. The player never learns about how Liara helped, just that she did and that she lost Feron because of it all to the Shadow Broker. I will not go into the comics, bc 1. I have not read them and 2. If developers must depend on supplemental media to explain key plot points, they are in fact doing it wrong (this is a conversation for another time).

I would not be as bitter about Liara's involvement if the game treated it better. The player has to complete two quests to unlock the dialogue of Liara telling Shepard that she gave their body to Cerberus. Shepard’s renegade dialogue to Liara apologizing about giving their body over is as follows, “all this time, it wasn’t your sources. You knowingly gave me over to Cerberus. You did this to me!” SHEPARD DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING ELSE. JUST SITS BACK DOWN AND THE RENEGADE RESPONSE TO HER SECOND APOLOGY IS TO SAY, “Let me know if you need any more help,” AND YOU LEAVE. WHY IS THIS THE ONLY TIME SHEPARD ACKNOWLEDGES THIS. wow. AND WHY IS IT LIKE THIS? ITS OPTIONAL. I— Again, this could tie into Shepard bottling up feelings and acknowledging them in Me3, could show Shepard as an actual person is the game lets us choose to be mean or turn her off but alas, the player cannot because the game likes ruining Shepard’s character (which I’ll save that for later).

One could say that Liara would go to any lengths for those she loves, whether the player romanced her or not, but in the first game, we have no indication that she is willing to go this far. I have a belief that nothing is 'out of character' if the circumstances are right. Now, these circumstances are right: two important figures in Liara's life die (Shepard and her mother), Liara's only connection to her theories on the extinction of the reapers dies as well, the threat of the Reapers, and all the traumatic experiences she had during me1 and then the destruction of the Normandy all collide together to make it realistic that Liara wouldn't be able to let Shepard go. There is one thing, though, is that this is all boiled down into “I couldn't let you go” and the game doesn't show it. Doesn’t show Liara's descent down into this rabbit hole, doesn't show the switch getting flipped of her turning much more ruthless compared to her me1 characterization.

She does show ruthlessness in some regards in me1, willing to kill her mother no matter their relationship. But out of all the SR1 cast, she is one of the most paragon characters. The game does not show the shift into Liara's characterization. No commentary from Me1 companions about how Liara suddenly shut them out, or from Feron talking about the things Liara was willing to do to get Shepard. No comments from Miranda and Jacob who I do know were part of the retrieval mission about how Liara acted. Liara is just immediately introduced with quoting her mother’s threats. WHICH IS SO INTERESTING! Again AGAIN the game goes nowhere with this. We get optional dialogue from Aethyta about the Matriarch’s being concerned about her but that is optional, and only if the player talked to her in Me2 does she show up in Me3 and deliver said dialogue. Liara herself never confronts this. Even when SHE TALKS ABOUT HER MOTHER. LISTEN— LIARA COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A SCIENTIST THAT WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HER RESEARCH. TO PROVE HERSELF RIGHT BECAUSE SHE IS, SHE KNOWS IT AND SHE’LL DO ANYTHING LIKE BRINGING SOMEONE’S DEAD BODY TO A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION TO RESSURECT AND YET—

Garrus, on the other hand, gets his new characterization explained. In me1 he already tends to be reckless, ruthless, and selfish. It is no surprise that when Shepard died and the Council buried the truth, he went vigilante. The game shows his new bleak outlook on life bc we find him fighting for his life in a base full of dead bodies and then he explains he got betrayed. We deal with his character arc. We do not deal with Liara’s.

One could argue that could go and show how Shepard wakes up two years in the future and everything is different and confusing. Which I will agree with. If it was purposeful. And I don’t think it is, personally.

She doesn’t stay this new ruthless way. I am not saying she can’t be more than one-dimensional; I like that she can be soft with Shepard and the other companions. But all of a sudden, she, the character whose introduction in Me3 is her popping a singularity and gunning down two Cerberus goons with a cold look on her face, “can’t be that callous” about not focusing on the death numbers in the middle of a war zone because “that’s my home down there”. A home she rarely talks about, and she’s also been in numerous war zones just as bad as this. Liara, who spent more time in digs or collecting intel than with people, feels a sudden connection with her people.

I would like Liara a lot more if they didn’t eviscerate her character, thank you. Don’t take this the wrong way, I love her, I think she’s great. She just has the potential to be so much more.

Like—

Mass Effect for some reason, tries not to be an RPG. They don't give the players a proper choice/dialogue to allow Shepard to be mad at Liara about what she did. Or to stay mad. (I am not going to get into the debate of whether being mad at Liara should be a renegade option or paragon). It would make sense for someone to get pissed at the person who gave their dead body over to scientists to reanimate, but also terrorist scientists. The same terrorists that Shepard potentially fought in Me1 and also potentially discovered were behind the whole sale slaughter of their entire platoon and the torture of the only other survivor of the incident.

(I can’t remember if Shepard ever mentions Akuze to Cerberus. Funny, isn’t it. How the games like to take away Shepard’s agency but not in any compelling way.) 

Besides, simply not choosing paragon options, it’s never mentioned again what Liara did to Shepard, which makes sense if Shepard accepted Liara’s apology. But what if Shepard, and the player, doesn’t? Liara’s forced on the player in Me3 as Shepard potential confidant, showing up repeatedly to Shepard’s cabin to move the plot forward, give Shepard missions/updates. Yes, the player can refuse to get personal with her which I do appreciate it. Like I said, Liara’s actions never get brought up in any meaningful way to help Shepard on a character journey.

Another failed opportunity about Shepard’s character is when the games don’t get into what Shepard is like post-resurrection. The game seems to be in the middle ground of making Shepard different but not still human, but in actuality, they can in the words of Hannah Montana, have “the best of both worlds”.

Me2 shows how Shepard is different now. “I’ve noticed a few upgrades,” Shepard states when talking to the Illusive Man on Minute Man station. Shepard can have multiple hard-hitting drinks in a row along with Ryncol in Dark Star, Zakera Ward. A poison tailored for humans served by a batarian bartender in the lower segment of Afterlife only knocks Shepard out, not killing them like it does to every human before.

That is how far the game will go in showing how different Shepard is, not counting renegade scarring. Which is a waste.

Shepard is The Protagonist. The main character. They have done the actual impossible. They are the Sole Survivor, the Hero of Elysium, the Butcher of Torfan, Savior of the Citadel, repeller of Geth, Collector, and Reaper armies and a host of other incredible achievements. They are a prophet, the damned, a modern-day Cassandra. The tip of the Spear, the Diplomat, the Soldier. Coats in the FOB on Earth says that it means something to the soldiers to see Shepard with them. They are “a tool, an agent with a singular purpose,” TIM calls them. (And a Karen ‘accuse her of classism’).

And yet, when Shepard gets revived—the most impossible of all things (and yes, it’s not like they had anything to do with it, it was Miranda and her team, but the Lazarus project only had one subject)—they are not made further into something larger than life. Something Other. Something that sets them out from the others. Because they’re Commander Fucking Shepard.

They literally have a vision of a dying race in their head that propels them to stop the Reapers. Me1 does a great job of playing with it. The player sees it once in Me2 and Me3, a side mission (Blue Suns: Archaeological Site) and after retrieving Javik, respectively.

Mass effect is all about cycles. The Reaper’s, Saren/Tim parallels, etc. What could have been interesting was instead of the reoccurring dream we have about a child that gets his emotional impact tarnished because of said dream and the star-child, the game does a mesh of the vision, prothean civilization in ruin, and the ruins we see of current civilizations from the missions Shepard goes on. Keep the oily shadows that whisper quotes from our dead teammates, but also have their voices coming from long dead Protheans pleading with Shepard to stop the Reapers, to save them.

Shepard can’t get any escape from the war, from the Reapers in their sleeping nor waking hours.

The game not making Shepard Other and going in the opposite direction—that despite all these upgrades Shepard is still human—would be fine if it was done better. A good stereotype of “I’m only human” is when a character fails. Shepard fails in Me3 most prominently on Thessia. I’m all for having characters fail but only when it’s done not so obnoxiously.

It’s a terrible fight. It is. Kai Leng hides behind a gunship that Shepard took down at least three separate times in Me2. Two of these instances are non-optional (Garrus and Samara’s recruitment, with Kasumi’s loyalty quest being the third). So, Shepard—Commander Shepard who literally destroyed a proto-Reaper—can’t destroy a gunship. It’s insulting how they ruin Shepard’s character in three.

In the end cutscene, Shepard clearly hears and registers that Kai Leng orders the gunship to fire on the supports of the structure and… runs further into the building. One could argue Shepard was trying to get the Prothean VI for the catalyst, but Liara is shown scanning it with her Omni-tool. What did she do, if not copy it? Why would she not? Why wouldn’t Shepard? They’re in the middle of a war zone, with enemies that were just right outside the door. Why stop for a chat here and now? (I know why, the plot demands it and lore dumping— lore that contradicts the lore dump by Vigil in Me1 so I’m even more inclined to not like these proceedings).

Kai Leng is Shepard’s nemesis in Me3 (and I’m forever mad that he is) and he’s supposed to be badass and edgy and able to go toe-to-toe with Shepard. Yet the game shows he can’t. He can’t reach his target because a terminally ill drell stopped him, or he didn’t notice Bau being cloaked in front of the Salarian councilor. (I can also go into how stupid this scene is with BOTH Thane and Bau).

He gets one over Shepard with the C-SEC sky car chase but that doubles back to BioWare ruining Shepard’s character by making them an idiot. Why not hit the brakes? Why not do a couple barrel rolls? Why fire through what should be bullet proof glass because it’s a C-SEC sky car?

Kai Leng can’t go toe-to-toe with Shepard unless Shepard gets dumbed down into an idiot and isn’t someone who reached not only Commander rank but also became the first human spectre. HELLO!?

So, Shepard failing and still being human and fallible doesn’t hit because they execute it poorly via Kai Leng and his stupid plot armor.

Who would be Shepard’s nemesis if not Kai Leng? HARBINGER. YOU KNOW THE REAPER THAT TAUNTED SHEPARD IN ME2? THE VERY FIRST REAPER MADE? THE REAPER THAT WE ONLY SEE—NOT TALK TO—SEE IN THE LAST HOUR OF THE GAME? THAT GUY. (matter of fact, throw in some of Harby’s arrogant lines about Shepard not being able to stop the Reapers in the alternative dream.) Harbinger should have possessed troops like he did in Me2 in the major Reaper battles. Earth. Menae. Thessia. He should have showed up somewhere, boasting about how they’re darkening the sky of every world. YES THAT’S A SOVEREIGN CALL BACK CYCLES! SHEPARD’S VISION IS COMING TRUE RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES AND HE’S NOT BRAGGING!? I THINK THE FUCK NOT! If you’re gonna make the Reapers so obsessed with Shepard as shown in Me2 with Harbinger’s comments and making a human looking Reaper, KEEP THE OBSESSION FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! I hate that the Reapers are obsessed with Shepard, Reapers who are above organics, have no weaknesses etc. and the entirety of Sovereign’s brilliant Virmire speech, because it’s not CARRIED OVER!

The enemies should have primarily been the Reapers from the start, and Cerberus the splinter group trying to sabotage the player. Make them smaller. Keep them kidnapping people for troops and biotic tests and lying about Sanctuary being a sanctuary and not run by Cerberus. Continuously have them send assassins—plural! Phantoms and nemesis— after Shepard with Kai Leng at the head of them. Even better if a strike group of baddies show up randomly during missions and watch out! Now Shepard has to deal with them as they fight the Reapers—in the same mission— because Cerberus wants to stop Shepard from killing the Reapers so they could control them and secure human dominance. Kai Leng is kept away from his target because they’re also fighting Shepard where Reapers are. Have them locked into statements until the environment falls apart literally forces them apart. Have them actually be equal adversaries.

Cerberus is introduced to be a mere group Shepard took out in Me1. They’re not all gone in Me2 surprise! Okay that’s fine and yet they not only sunk so many resources into Shepard and had so many cells gone rogue but they’re able to stage a coup on the Citadel! Pardon?? “But our resources are not unlimited, rebuilding you was a significant investment. And a significant risk,” Miranda tells Shepard in Me2. Cerberus kidnapping people on Benning would make sense if they’re scrambling for troops other than the relying on Sanctuary. (EVEN IN ME3 THERE ARE ‘ROGUE FACTIONS’— still a common occurrence for them. It’s never explained if Cerberus is lying about Benning or not). If they have these many rogue cells, again, how can they manage all they do in Me3? Especially if scientists are leaving Cerberus as well, aka the Ex-Cerberus Scientist mission Traynor gives you.

Yet, the player talks more to the Illusive Man than Harbinger in Me3, the leader of the Reapers, and we confront TIM at the end of the game, the most pivotal moment. The moment which people have sunk countless hours into, and we get a power hungry and indoctrinated TIM to… talk into shooting himself or firing a single bullet at him. There is no physical fight between the two. The conversation is similar to Saren’s and again, cycles are a theme, so why can’t we get a Reaper!TIM fight? The player, and Shepard, deserve the choice to fuck him up. This is a military game after all, they’re supposed to be encouraging our aggressive nature.

They ruin TIM but also Shepard.

Shepard never grows and changes like the characters around them, and their resurrection could have—should have—played a part in that. If they’re supposed to remain the same, be a tool for the narrative, make them it. Lean into that. The player chooses options. What would be an interesting mechanic is to make it a struggle for a certain background to get a certain morality. Have Shepard be stating doubts about who they are and if the player is contradicting a stereotypical background (Butcher trying to be paragon, a Hero trying to be renegade), they meet the camera—the players eyes—as they explain their inner turmoil. Make Shepard feel like the tool they are, like they’re not in control of their actions. A renegade overcoming it all and being a paragon hero, or a fall from grace paragon that brings the galaxy down with them. A renegade trapped in a cycle of violence (CYCLE) who can only see the world down the barrel of a gun, or a paragon who continuously chooses kindness. MAKE IT MEAN SOMETHING!

I think I’m done. So.

In conclusion, my love and passion for this game transitions into rage because of seeing possibilities squashed like a bug under a boot. To borrow Star War’s phrase: Mass Effect could be so good if it was good. 

#mass effect #yes im putting this in the tag idc #anyways this was fun #im finally dictating my thoughts on ME3 cause it fucking sucks #ive played this game the most out of the entire trilogy and any other game i own

[thefloatingstone]

How would you compare Presley's racism vs Ashley's racism. Although now that I type this at least Presley never compared them animals. Hmmm...

Honestly it's all down to "root cause" and "how they express it".

Pressly is a veteran of the first contact war who was shooting at these people less than 30 years ago. His racism has its roots in a perspective forged during wartime and all the baggage THAT drags up. But we get clear and straightforward addressing of Pressly growing out of his racism by his own words, remarking in his log "Reading back on my older entries, what a damn fool I've been."

Ashley on the other hand may have similar baggage, as her grandfather is a disgraced military man and caused her entire family to be blacklisted because of the First Contact War with the aliens, and that would be a similar place to draw her prejudice from and help her grow out of by realising her true feelings of anger and resentment are misplaced. But the way she voices her racism is full of venom and true, deep seeded contempt and hatred. Comparing them to animals is the big one, and ME2 itself mocks her for this comment if she died on Virmire. But it's more than that. Ashley's entire personality is that of "High School Mean Girl". The second Liara steps on board of the Normandy Ashley is GUNNING to bully her. Not just because she's an alien but ALSO for being "one of those lesbian sluts". (reminder, in ME1 Liara is an extremely shy and awkward historian and archaeologist)

When Shepard tells Ashley to NOT bully Liara for being an Asari, Ashley straight up says "No fun, Commander >:("

Also there's this line which some people miss because it requires you to have the discussion with Liara about the Prejudice and racism Asari face galaxy wide and then going directly to Ashley and speaking to her)

(the clip starts at 2:44)

idk if I said it here or if I said so in discord to a friend, but I see kaidan and Ashley as being written as the answers to Bioware's handling of Renegade and Paragon options. Kaidan is more geared to reflect a Paragon playthrough and Ashley is more geared to fit a renegade playthrough. Possibly the thinking was whichever way the person is playing, it would affect who they decide to spare on Virmire.

(also I have a good relationship with my family but Ashley going "WHAT DOES SHE MEAN SHE DOESN'T LIKE HER MOM???? THAT'S STUPID." comment also makes me really fucking angry considering how many irl friends I have who have moms who suck ass)

Pressly's racism is problematic (same as Garrus' racism in the first game) but he outgrows it and openly says "I was wrong."

Garrus has a full on conversation with Tali in ME3 and directly says to her "I'm sorry and I was wrong."

Ashley never apologises or excuses her early comments and behaviour. She just at some point stops doing it so overtly and comments how "no I like Tali a lot" (Everybody likes Tali) as if this somehow undoes everything she said. More than anything, she tries to justify and excuse her past comments and opinions while also saying the most hateful things about the crew.

She's a racist bully from a heavily religious traditional military family who makes no effort to understand people from family structures or upbringing she doesn't understand, alien or otherwise, who immediately started picking on the shy nerd the SECOND she stepped foot on the ship and never apologises for any of her actions, racist or otherwise.

The racism is a symptom of a much nastier whole.

She's a VERY well written character. I just heavily dislike her.

#Mass Effect #C-Puff answers #ask me to tag if you need me to #Also not putting this in the character tag because I got raked over the coals for that last time

[dorklyelectric]

"You've moved on with your career and your life. Why reopen old wounds?"

Letting go of the past and all your guilt can be difficult.

When making this, I imagined a scenario where Shepard is more visibly guilt-ridden and ashamed over how he treated Kaidan between the events of ME1 and 2. He agreed to move past it with him, but that turned out to be much more difficult than he anticipated. How could he possibly let it all go? What could he do to make it better, to make everything right again?

#mass effect #mshepard #mshenko #john shepard #sheploo #kaidan alenko #also if you know what the song lyrics are from you get a nice thumbs up from me #also day 2 everybody #of transferring all my stuff

[mw567152]

Ranking rpgs based on their combat

(this is only ones that i play and i know the older games are hard to compare to the newer games but i just think it’s nice to see the progression)

10: Mass Effect 1-I genuinely love playing this game but the combat really feels clunky and I HATE the overheating mechanic. I understand for lore reasons why it exists but they ditched the idea in the other games so honestly i’m not a fan. Overall it’s fun but the combat feels very annoying to me but i’ll give it grace for being basically as old as me.

9: Diablo 3-So it’s the only diablo game that iv played but honestly i just think the mechanics feel too repetitive. Like genuinely my biggest complaint with it is that i just get too bored with it even with all the powers you eventually can get. It all kinda feels like your doing the same thing over and over again (unless you find some really good combos).

8: Mass Effect 2-it feels a lot better than ME1 and using biotics is a million times better. However the leveling system kinda sucks and i think they should have just stuck with the system they used in ME1. But the fighting feels a lot better, not great but better.

7: Dragon Age Origins-it physically pains me to put it so low but this game is also old. I like the tactics system a lot and the abilities are so fun but basic combat is just very weird and can be super buggy, especially when bigger enemies can still hit you when you move out of the way so it feels like there’s no point at using certain tactics and you just gotta hit it with as much power as you can.

6: Greedfall-I genuinely love the combat in this game but it gets very boring after awhile. You have very limited abilities and honestly bigger fights just get frustrating because it feels like your just waiting for when you can use your abilities again. But it feels very smooth (for the most part).

5: Mass Effect 3-I love that they added being able to jump over certain things and roll away, it makes me feel more engaged in the fights. The biotics in this game are amazing but again, i hate the leveling system. Can they please just bring back the ME1 level system i’m begging them.

4: Dragon Age 2- So i am in fact the da2 combat target audience. I love how fun and flashy it is, i love having big aoes to use on hordes on enemies, i love being able to swing my weapons around and knock over people like bowling pins, it’s so fucking fun. Obviously it’s not like, the best but i genuinely adore it.

3: Mass Effect Andromeda-Unpopular opinion maybe, but i think combat in this game is fantastic. The jumping while fighting is so fucking fun, the biotics are so cool to use and i actually love the leveling system. The weapons are actually really good and overall i really love fighting in this game. If MEA has no fans i’m fucking dead what can i say.

2: Dragon Age Inqusition-I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I love jumping i love all the different abilities different classes get, i’m obsessed with the weapons and armor crafting. It has some of the flashy-ness that i love from DA2 but still has really good combat abilities and tactics.

1: Baldurs Gate 3-It is hard to compare this game to the others because it’s much more recent and it uses a different system than the others, but i think it provides a great example of what an amazing rpg should do. The different classes are so unique and the combat is genuinely so fun and actually makes me think.

#roast me idc #i have a lot of opinions #dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age 2 #mass effect #mass effect andromeda #diablo #diablo 3 #greedfall #baldurs gate 3

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 2 replay, beginning:

-Right from the start the vibe is obviously different.

Mass Effect 1 has a slow, exploratory intro. You get to walk around the Normandy and have the option to talk to different characters in the depth you choose. Then you’re dropped on Eden Prime and alternate between combat and talking to survivors.

Mass Effect 2 drops you right into an exploding ship, then into a base under attack. Far more cinematographic, but noticeably less world building and less talking.

Neither is wrong, per se, but I greatly prefer Mass Effect 1.

-Miranda’s introduction centers her sexuality. First you see her back and ass, then you see her stride forward shaking her hips to an excessive degree, all in that cat suit.

This never helps my first impression of Mass Effect 2.

At the start, Miranda’s the only female main character* – next up are Jacob, then Wilson, then TIM. There are other female characters, but they’re all in the background.

So the only prominent female character in the introduction of ME2 is heavily sexualized, much more than the average female character in ME1.

This does not make for a promising start. While it’s not enough to ruin either game, the increased sexualization of female characters through ME2 and ME3 remains irritating throughout. I prefer the greater gender neutrality in ME1.

*Excluding Shepard, who can be either gender

-It’s odd that Miranda blames the Council not listening to Cerberus on their low opinion of humanity. I’d wager Cerberus being a terrorist group is a greater problem.

Then again, at this point Miranda genuinely believes all the cells we destroyed in ME1 are “rogue cells”, so I suppose she doesn’t consider Cerberus to be terrorists.

-The game intro states the attack on the Citadel is officially blamed on the geth and Saren.

This is the line the Council will stick to later when speaking to Shepard – does Shepard ever consider that they’re getting the “official line” treatment because they’re with Cerberus?

There’s no indication of it in the game, but it’s a reasonable extrapolation.

-Why don’t the Collectors target the escape pods?

We know that must of the Normandy crew survives. Ergo, the escape pods make it away.

Shepard was the Collectors target – how did they know Shepard wasn’t in one of the pods?

This can probably be credited to some kind of advanced technology if you want to do so, but it feels like an oversight.

-The Alliance was right to ground Joker. He is the reason Shepard dies – if he had obeyed orders, both he and Shepard could have made it to the escape pods. And since the Collectors didn’t target those, they would have survived.

-What is the popular opinion of the art for the Genesis comic? Personally, I’m not fond of it.

-Shepard still refuses to acknowledge that the Council had a point in the first meeting about Eden Prime. They state that the Council refused to believe one of their spectres could have attacked the colony, and that they wanted evidence so Shepard had to go and find proof.

Why is wanting proof that someone committed a crime before convicting them of it a bad thing???

-The comic skips Feros completely. I suppose that’s reasonable, since it’s main purpose is to let players make some of the major choices that carry over to ME2 and Feros doesn’t have any.

The cipher isn’t critical to any plot points in ME2, so no need to review it.

-The comic takes many poetic licenses.

I was never interested in romancing Liara, but the comic certainly makes it sound like I was.

Benezia also doesn’t die in Liara’s arms – you might not even have recruited Liara at that point. However, the comic always says that she does.

-It also keeps talking about relays into dark space. There’s only one known relay to dark space: The Citadel relay. That’s a major plot point, so odd that it’s not correct.

-It says Saren died believing the Reapers would save him. That’s not true – if you kill him, there’s no indication that Saren expected the Reapers to intervene.

In my playthough Saren actually killed himself, but again this comic is intended for players that did not play ME1. I suppose the game defaults to you needing to kill Saren.

-Since I went neutral on the Council choice in ME1, I did have to choose a councilor in the comic. No neutral option here.

I went with Anderson. At least that way the first human councilor dies a hero, rather than a traitor.

-As many others have said, how does Shepard know that the pistol is missing a thermal clip?

I thought they might have been familiar with some prototype weapons created to use thermal clips and recognized it as such, but Shepard dies only a month after the attack on the Citadel. Feels a bit too soon for thermal clip weapons.

-Ah, ME2 combat how much I dislike you.

Insanity is much harder. My shields are worthless.

-The irony here is rather sad. Shepard (from their perspective) just killed Saren, who preached about how they’re the pinnacle of evolution as an organic and machine intertwined thanks to the enhancements Sovereign gave them.

Now they’re in a lab hearing about how Shepard is a mix of flesh and synthetics. Just like Saren was a mix of flesh and steel.

The game could have really added some depth by leaning into the horror aspect of all this, maybe some fears that Shepard will become like Saren. Shame it did so little.

-The game emphasizes repeatedly, over and over, how Shepard is just how they were before they died.

This is waste of a Chekhov’s gun – the repeated protestations feel like they should result in some kind of dark reveal, but they don’t.

So instead it feels like a plot thread left hanging, and you’re left wondering why the game won’t shut up about it.

-The game doesn’t even try to hide that Wilson is up to something. Every line out of his mouth is suspicious, and most noticeably when he’s in the party you can’t go to the squad menu.

Given you just recruited Jacob, you likely went into it to distribute his powers. So when you go to do the same for Wilson you’ll notice it’s disabled.

ME1 and ME3 handle this better with Jenkins and Anderson.

-And ME2 is already massively downplaying Cerberus’ behavior in ME1. If you go paragon, Shepard says it’s some kind of pro human splinter group they ran into a few times.

Really? No mention of killing Admiral Kohaku? All the experiments? Attempting to use the Thorians and Rachni as weapons/tools? The colony they murdered? The squad of marines fed to thresher maws?It’s just a pro human splinter group?

I’m playing Sole Survivor Shepard. This is ridiculous.

-Once again, ME2 is structuring it so the human female companion is renegade and the human male companion is paragon.

Notably, however, Miranda is cold compared to Ashley’s warmth and Jacob is emotional compared to Kaidan’s logic.

-Miranda first says that it’s fine to abandon the other survivors, because Shepard is the only person on the station worth saving.

Then she says that’s completely fine leaving to you to rot on the station with the mechs if you refuse to go with her.

Make up your mind.

-Very irritatingly, when you speak to TIM you can’t choose any of the investigation options AND go paragon.

Let me find out everything I can and still tell him to fuck off because he’s not trust worthy, damn it.

-TIM claims the Alliance isn’t acting on the missing colonies because they don’t have the resources. Nice of him to throw shade at Shepard for saving the Council – I take it that the lack of resources are because of the ships lost doing so.

Also, this is a lie – the Alliance is upgrading colony defenses. In the description of Freedom’s Progress it notes colony defenses had recently been increased, and later we see the Virmire Survivor doing so on Horizon.

(I’m also reminded of the codex entry where humanity is seen as unusual for having so many colonies without dedicated defenses. Humanity insists this is fine because the Alliance can quickly move to any colony’s defense as needed, but the evidence certainly indicates otherwise…)

-I do believe that TIM genuinely believes Cerberus to be acting in humanity’s best interests here. Cerberus is a pro human group, and this is protecting humanity.

That it also aligns with his long-term goal of obtaining Collector technology is a bonus.

-If you go paragon, the game says you can part ways with Cerberus if you don’t believe what TIM’s telling you. Shame that’s not actually true.

-Shepard asks TIM if Miranda and Jacob are trustworthy. This is recurring question that they’ll ask later companions as well – they spend most of the game making up their mind on the two.

-Why is Freedom’s Progress in the Terminus Systems? I thought the Alliance was settling the Attican Traverse?

-Jacob, if you go neutral (paraphrased): Most Alliance soldiers hate Cerberus on principle.

Jacob, Cerberus murdered an Admiral. And a squad of marines. And a colony. It’s not on principle, it’s for an abundance of good reasons.

#mass effect #mass effect 2 #mass effect 2 replay

[dovahbeeotch]

Shakarian is canon (in my mind) and here’s why:

1) Shepard pretty much pisses her pants when she realizes Archangel is Garrus. Jen Hale hands down sounds the most excited in that scene than any others.

2) Their me1 dynamic is fuckin gold. Garrus has had feelings for shep since the sr1 but literally had no idea cuz he’s a moron. Mr “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you😍❤️” & Shep was just trying to teach him to not kill innocent ppl. You cant tell me Shepard (especially earthborn Shep who probably isn’t fond of cops) likes Garrus right away. But she’s just like *sigh* how do I get through to this fuckin guy

3) They make each other better. Like I said in #2, Shepard is Garrus’ moral compass. When she dies, Garrus goes absolutely batshit feral starting gang wars on Omega. She drags him out of that life and redirect his anger to something actually useful. In me3 when Shep is literally one stubbed toe away from spontaneous combustion, Garrus (who is now the level headed one) sends her to bed.

4) there’s just something so beautiful about shakarian… like first contact war wasn’t that long ago. But those two idiots couldn’t care less being the pansexual bastards they are. Their union is more than just a friends to lovers trope…

Anyways I love them and needed to get these thoughts out of my brain

#garrus vakarian #shakarian #commander shepard #garrus romance #garrus x femshep #femshep

[lily-orchard]

So I finally started playing the Mass Effect trilogy after you spoke so lovingly about it. I just adore the series (I would die for Garrus and Tali). But there’s something that’s been bothering me for a while. Does it ever feel like the devs overestimated how much fans would really like Liara? I was practically blindsided with how she claims she has feelings for Shepard the second time I’d initiated a conversation with her. But then you turn her down and she keeps coming back, and it always feels like she’s just there wanting to bone Shep, even to the point that you can cheat on or with her with little no consequence from her. Her romance feels more fetishy than the others, and even their friendship feels forced.

Maybe it’s because I don’t find Liara particularly interesting, especially compared to other characters, but was this something you ran up on when you played the trilogy? It’s weird to me that she’s such a fan favorite with how bland her character is but maybe I’m being too critical of it.

There's a reason Garrus and Tali were so popular that BioWare made them romanceable in the next game.

The fact that Garrus, Wrex and Tali weren't romanceable meant that their banters with Shepard had to be based on something other than romance. So they actually got to discuss things without it always coming back to "Hey why the sudden interest, wink wink nudge nudge say no more?"

As a result, by the time they are romanceable, there's an existing friendship to build upon. Tali gets really flustered when she accidentally admits her feelings, and in ME2 even admits she had a juvenile hero worship of Shepard after she saved her on the Citadel, but that turned into genuine affection as they became friends and fought together and Shepard showed her genuine care and concern that Quarians aren't accustomed to.

Garrus is really forthcoming with Shepard in a way that makes people go "Oh... oh no he's cute." Especially since Shepard and Garrus are constantly using the worst pick up lines they can think of on each other, it's fucking adorable.

It helps that Garrus and Tali are the only two Squadmates who are on the Normandy in every game.

Liara really suffers from "Debut Game Romance Syndrome." ME3 characters introduced and romanceable in ME3 also have this problem. Because dev time is limited and every character is expensive to put on screen, characters have to get through as much potential content as possible in very little time. Especially in ME1 where the framework for the entire game had to be built from the ground up.

Liara, Kaiden AND Ashley all suffer from this, they all come on to Shepard rather quickly (there are literally only 4 mandatory story missions in ME1, reminder) and by the time the Normandy is locked down, your love interest is talking to you like you've been together for a while. So the pacing is completely fucked because there's a ton of dialogue that the game has to account for the player possibly missing and carrying on anyway.

But where Liara suffers is from marketing. Her entire reason for being in the game was to advertise "lesbian sex with sexy blue alien lady." So she's always signalling immediately to Shepard that she's interested. The hilarious part is that this crosses wires with Liara's dialogue about the Protheans, so it always feels like Liara isn't so much interested in Shepard as she is the Prothean cipher in her head. Like if she could extract Shepard's brain and fuck that, she would.

Certainly recontexualizes the way she's all woozy and light headed every time she mind-melds with Shepard. You're welcome for that cursed imagery.

Liara isn't much of a character beyond that. She gives expository dialogue, tells you to go to Ilos, and talks about how 'fascinating' Shepard is. She represents the problems with the way the Asari are designed and written as a whole. And she doesn't come into her own as a character until Mass Effect 3. Even in Mass Effect 2 she has to change personalities to become harsher and more openly pragmatic.

But honestly I don't think she's oversold. She's barely in Mass Effect 2, and BioWare tends to put Garrus and Tali front and centre over Liara.

[flame2ashes]

ME2!Garrus but his loyalty mission outcomes are determined by 1) whether or not you actually recruited him in ME1, 2) how you influenced him in ME1 if you did recruit him, and 3) how you speak to him in ME2 possibly??

Like, what if the outcome of Sidonis either being spared or being killed is culminating. Shepard can either tell him to spare Sidonis, or step out of the way for him to take the shot, but it’s actually dialogue/story choices you made back in ME1 (or even in ME2 before the loyalty mission) that influence Garrus’ decision to do either. It means there could be a chance Shepard tells Garrus to spare him, and then he makes the shot anyway. Or Shepard steps out of the way, and Garrus decides to spare him at the last minute

I know the energy of Garrus shooting Sidonis regardless is much different than Garrus deciding to let him go regardless, but I think it would make his character development (whether it’s positive or negative) a lot more interesting and make it a lot more complicated to get his loyalty if they did it that way. It would also actually make the choice to not recruit Garrus in ME1 have actual meaning and character/story consequence

#Mass Effect #idk does this make sense? #This has been in my drafts for a while but I didn't know whether or not to post it lol #Shout out to 1) a fic where Shepard did step out of the way but Garrus decided to spare Sidonis in the end #And 2) clericofshadows' post about Regis and Garrus where Garrus took the shot anyway and became disloyal

[deep-space-lines]

what is your opinion of your Geth?

deep breath OKAY. ohhh boy. here we go.

I was a "this is my OC, a sentient robot struggling with their humanity" sort of teen, which is just code for "ace and neurodivergent but doesn't know it yet", & when Legion showed up I was like, oh ok I see! I need to protect this guy with my life. stupidly long response incoming-

I love the geth so much ok. I've got a few unfinished doodles of Legion lying around because I LOVE drawing robots so much and Legion's design is just so neat, I'm really looking forward to working on their stained glass piece because mechanical stuff and stained glass go together better than one would think! It makes me sad that you can't explore all of their dialogue in ME2 without killing the Normandy's crew :( I don't remember for sure but I think I actually installed a mod that lets you talk to them more before the suicide mission, genuinely wish they'd gotten more screen time!! The geth are one of the few intelligent aliens we see whose thoughts and society are completely and truly alien and I love that!!

BUT I think ME2/3 could've handled them so much better. Especially ME3. Ok I really don’t like what ME3 does to the geth. I like ME3, but there’s a lot of things I need to mentally slap a headcanon bandage over and the geth are one of them.

The fact that they're genuinely alien and don't think the same way or view themselves as individuals the same way organics do doesn't make them any less sentient? I would've liked it so much better to see everyone overcome the challenges of understanding something that thinks in a completely different way, rather than one side having to fundamentally change to make peace possible. I loved the fact that in ME2 they didn’t seem to want to become more ‘human’/organic! Legion was already ‘alive’ before the Reaper code upgrades. Those units have a soul in Mass Effect 2 too! I just don’t really like “already clearly sentient robot has to change themselves to think more like a typical human” plots :( (glances at Data from Star Trek.. my boy you are just autistic)

I also don't like that the peaceful resolution to the geth/quarian conflict involves Legion uploading Reaper code upgrades. It just doesn't make narrative sense? We get so, so, SO many examples throughout the course of the game of a) the geth using Reaper tech and being indoctrinated, and b) other people trying to use Reaper tech for their own purposes and having it backfire big-time. ME1: The geth are controlled by Reapers so you have to kill them. ME2: The geth heretics are controlled by the Reapers because of Reaper code so you have to kill/rewrite them. ME3: The geth are being controlled by the Reapers so you have to… give them more Reaper code???

I always make peace between the geth and quarians because I love Legion and Tali, and I know there's a happy ending there so I can headcanon away a better explanation. But when I played for the first time, I had no spoilers, zero outside knowledge, and I chose to destroy the geth, because if I were Shepard in that situation and Legion was telling me they wanted to upload Reaper code because this time it's gonna be different we promise, I would not let them do that???

But APART FROM THAT I love the geth. I would've loved to see more of the geth interacting with other aliens in the galaxy after peace is made, and what impact that would have on their society. They were initially slaves, and then almost completely isolated themselves from organic life. And sure, they did some observing, but actually interacting with the other races would've been a whole different ball game, and it would've been so COOL to see the geth explore not only other cultures/societies and be surprised when they were unable to accurately predict the actions of individual organics, but also to see how they develop in relation to that, how it changes the way they see themselves. How they'd have to learn to effectively communicate with organics when they're used to sharing information at lightspeed. How they as a species would navigate political or interpersonal, rather than physical, conflict... I just wish we got more geth content bc they’re one of my favorite aliens & I really hope ME5 gives us more geth

#mass effect #geth #sorry for the essay length response i just have a lot of thoughts and feelings about my robot sons #I don't want a geth as a romance option in ME5 because they are so aro-ace-coded to me but I want a geth BFF #asks #all i post on here is stupid art and 5 page essays

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

400 Days is simultaneously brilliant and disappointing

I’m currently working on another essay about S2 that’s taking me longer than I expected... which I should have expected but y’know, I’m me. I have no idea when it’ll be finished, but I figured that in the meantime I could write about something that came up while working: 400 Days.

400 Days is the stand-alone DLC episode that was released July 2, 2013, and tells the stories of Vince, Bonnie, Wyatt, Russell, and Shel in the same Georgia area that S1 takes place. While the story doesn’t feature Lee or Clementine, it acts as a bridge between S1 and S2. 

I’ve talked about it in the past, even doing a T5F on the Top 5 Missed Opportunities in 400 Days. My past opinions can be summarized in an ask I answered for anon: “Wasted potential. I remember enjoying it when it first came out before s2 released, and the reason I enjoyed it was because I thought it’d be way more important for s2′s story than it ended up being. Bonnie was the only character that mattered while the others made brief, useless cameos if they chose to go with Tavia. Like… it could’ve been so good and it fell flat on its face.”

While not entirely inaccurate to how I feel now, I do believe I wasn’t giving 400 Days a proper chance. 

A major thing I’m noticing as I revisit many of my past posts from when TWDG consumed my life is that nitpicking and overanalyzing for the sake of pumping out content on this blog is the big contributor to why I experienced extreme burnout for the series to the point where I started actively disliking it at one point. While I did genuinely enjoy the creating the content, and obviously still do, there’s a lot I take issue with now.

Looking back on everything, I’m starting to see things differently and appreciate aspects that I previously despised. That level of nitpicking I did was mostly negative and infected a lot of my judgment when it came to games I loved. I knew certain points in the series were disappointing, therefore I should showcase everything wrong with them, and anything positive I have to say comes with a footnote of, “it’s good, but I think this would’ve made it better,” as if nothing was ever good enough. While I’m not ruling out discussions of “what could’ve been,” I want to appreciate what we were given.

Case in point: 400 Days. I adore it. 

I replayed this dlc not only because it somewhat ties into what my larger essay is about, but also I started playing the Mass Effect games and I’m having a mini-crisis about lowkey hating ME1 more and more as I play... dropping it to play 400 Days and write this sounded sooooo more appealing. 

Uh, there’s a freebie update on what I’ve been up to. I’m desperately trying to make ME1 work and then it made me drive the damn Mako and I’m upset about that.....

Anyway-

 400 Days is brilliant. 

I didn’t expect to have as much fun playing this as I did.

400 Days is a quick yet compelling experience right from the beginning, and if I’m completely honest, I haven’t had this much fun playing a TWDG episode for a long time. While I adore TFS, I have a lot more history with that game that changes the overall experience, but this? The whole thing was a blast! Sure, it’s not quite a masterpiece, but it’s way better than I remember. It deserves more credit than I initially gave it and I’m here to rectify that. 

Personally, I love mini-stories that all tie together in the end to create one big story. I'm always going to love the idea, and when it’s executed well, it’s brilliant. Because it’s a single episode that tells five mini-stories, it’s easier to pack in so much detail and make things coherent. While we don’t have as much time with our protagonists, we still get a clear picture of who they are and how they’re handling the apocalypse, how they ended up where they are now, and how they handle each dilemma thrown their way. 

These stories take place at different times of the outbreak, starting before the outbreak and going all the way to 400 days in where all the characters are together and discovered by Tavia. Three of the five stories center around this gas station/diner called Gil’s Pitstop, with the other two being in that area, but all five have elements that weave them together beautifully. A character may show up in one story alive, then show up in the next as a walker, and it’s all dependent on the order you play and the choices you make. 

Each story has a “moral dilemma,” usually a major choice you have to make that affects whether or not a character will agree to go with Tavia, the only exception to this being Bonnie. 

And honestly? All of them are great. They fit in so well with the world of TWD. I’d say that Shel’s story has not only one, but two of the best moral dilemmas, whereas Wyatt’s dilemma is the weakest given it’s decided by a game of rock, paper, scissors. 

I can’t get into the meat of why I think this DLC episode is great without going through each story, so-

Vince: Day 2

Chronologically, Vince’s story takes place first in the timeline, giving us a peak into his life before the outbreak where we see him in a dark room pointing a gun at someone who is pleading for their life. 

“Damn it, I told you! I already told you it wasn't me, man! Man, come on, I told you like...like twenty times... I don't even...I don't even KNOW your brother!”

Vince then shoots him and flees. You get to decide how he’ll try to ditch the gun, but no matter what, he’ll always get caught and we see him on the prison bus, convicted of murder. 

Right away, this tells us so much about Vince yet leaves us wanting more. What happened to Vince’s brother that made him murder a man? We never actually get to know, all Vince says about it is that "I helped my little brother,” which could mean a number of things. 

So Vince is the kind of man willing to take things that far for family, or those he loves, even if he ends up with a prison sentence. His moral compass is already twisting and turning in a different way compared to the others. 

Similar to Lee, he was convicted of murder before the apocalypse, but Vince seems to feel less remorse or guilt for it than Lee does. Lee killed a man in a fight after he caught him with his wife, a heat of the moment thing... but we don’t actually witness it happen. We get to see Vince shoot someone and later claim it was to help his brother out. I find this comparison interesting since this small chapter never tries to set up a, “This is the beginning of Vince’s redemption arc,” like it does for Lee. It more so leans into the fact that yeah, Vince and the other prisoners are here for a reason and right now, redemption isn’t on the table. 

Lee feels bad for what he did and who it hurt. Vince feels bad that he got caught but doesn’t feel bad about helping his brother. The only thing bringing them together is that pre-apocalypse, they accepted that this was their life now only to have a curve ball thrown at them and they find themselves free again. 

Well, first they have to gain their freedom by getting outta those cuffs, I suppose. 

The set up for this story is that Vince is on a prison bus that’s stuck in traffic. You can actually see Gil’s Pitstop through the windows, too. It’s hot as hell outside, and two other prisoners, Jerry and Marcus, up at the front keep arguing while Vince is stuck between Justin and Danny.

Justin is here after years of stealing money from people with “a really good pyramid scheme,” then lied about it on the stand, and Danny is a convicted rapist. The three of them have good chemistry with their banter, it’s enjoyable to watch. You learn more of why they’re here and how they view their guilt, and have the opportunity to tell them the truth about Vince or lie. In doing so will affect how they view you, either you boast about killing a man and become Tough Guy Vince, or lie and say you didn’t do it only to be labeled a coward.

It’s a pretty good time considering the circumstances, but that’s due to how well written and performed this banter is... until Jerry and Marcus become hostile, and one of them chokes the other out. 

But don’t worry, Officer Dipshit [his name is Clyde] is here to help! He starts by yelling at them to stop and then just shooting Marcus in the head before panicking and threatening Vince, Danny, and Justin with the shotgun. 

Honestly, I think Justin says it best: “THIS is what happens when you give guns to ASSHOLES.”

It’s super intense, and you know what’s going to happen the moment this incompetent cop refuses to get in between the fight and break it up properly, choosing to instead point his shotgun at them and yell. But Officer Dipshit gets his comeuppance when Jerry, who was choked to death, becomes a walker and attacks him. Then all hell breaks loose as the other officer [Bennett] flees, leaving you and the other two chained together with a walker that wants to eat your face. 

Vince manages to get Officer Dipshit’s gun and shoot the walker, but the noise only brings more of them onto the bus where they begin trying to get through the gate. 

Now the moral dilemma- Vince has the shotgun. The only way you can escape is to shoot off one of the cuffs, but in doing so will shoot off someone’s foot and they’ll need to be left behind. Whose cuff do you shoot? Danny or Justin’s?

By the way, I love that this whole scene was set up with Danny yanking on the chains that bind you all together as foreshadowing for the solution to this new problem, it’s great.

But here’s the thing about this dilemma... the end percentages still baffle me after all this time. According to The Definitive Edition, 70% of players shot Justin, and 30% of players shot Danny, and I just have to ask why that is?

Because to me, shooting Danny feels like the obvious choice and is what I did. 

Justin is more about keeping his head down. He’s willing to lie if it benefits him. He says that he doesn’t feel bad for his victims, claiming that they knew what they were getting into and he still carried them for years. He’s pretty upfront with his guilt, he never denies it. Hell, he even shrugs and confesses that he lied on the stand, fake crying to try and get a lesser sentence. He’ll joke around, even if he’s mostly annoyed by Danny’s bullshit. Given that he was involved with a scheme that allowed him to make off with millions, he’s also incredibly intelligent. Plus, he’s voiced by the same guy who voiced Ben in s1. I wouldn’t say he’s annoying or anything, he just comes off as more self-serving. 

Danny, on the other hand, is the more charismatic of the two. He’s the one cracking the jokes and yanking on the chains, but he’s also the one who wants to help break up the fight between the other prisoners and stands up to the cop as he’s threatening all of you to shut up. This shows a lot of courage and willingness to intervene when he sees something wrong. He claims he’s innocent, insisting that he’s a morally good man and was falsely accused. Oh, and he misses his girlfriend. He’s a real bro, y’know? 

Here’s the thing: yeah, Danny’s a “bro,” but he’s also a convicted rapist.

Justin: I wasn't stealing from guys like that. Anyway, better than stealing his virginity.

Danny: Hey, how many times I gotta tell you?

Justin: Here we go.

Danny: Seriously! I was falsely accused!

Justin: How old was she? Fifteen?

Danny: Damn it, it ain't like that.

Justin: You're tellin' me there wasn't a star witness waiting around in your white van? I'm shocked.

Vince: You WERE convicted, Danny. Gotta admit that much.

Danny: Aw, come on, Vince. That don't mean I did it.

“It ain’t like that.” Then what’s it like, Danny?

Because when Justin tells him that he “probably ruined that poor girl’s life, you piece of shit,” all Danny has to say is, “Big talk from White Collar over there. How many lives you ruin, kid?” 

As if Danny’s logic is that Justin ruined more lives where he only ruined one, so Justin’s the worse criminal here so let’s shift to him... and I dunno about you, but that makes me feel real icky inside.

I have a feeling it’s because Danny is more of a “bro” and he actively stands up to Officer Dipshit that more people went with him. Or they just weren’t paying attention to what he was convicted of, or they believed him when he said he was falsely accused. Personally, I have a hard time believing him based on his dialogue when you point the gun at him multiple times during the final decision:

Danny: Come on, you know I'm a good guy, man!

Danny: Okay, I know I'm a fuck-up, but Jesus! 

Danny: Come on! I did some bad shit, but I'm a good guy, Vince...

And he says that last one AFTER Justin says, “You're gonna do me and not this rapist fuck?”

Also if you DO save him over Justin, he dies later off screen and Russell will make a comment about how it’s a good thing he did before Shel and Becca joined the group... if anyone can spot a creep/pervert, it’s Russell! 

Vince: Guys, look...if I learned one thing from Danny, it's that we have to stick together and protect ourselves!

Russell: What?! That guy was an asshole! You should be happy he got killed before Shel and Becca joined us.

Becca: Why?

Russell: Don't worry about it.

Justin is upfront that he’s a criminal and I believe him, I believe he’s a self-serving liar... but Danny doth protest too much, me thinks, y’know? Between the two, I'm gonna take my chances with Justin over Danny. I don’t care that Justin’s a liar and eventually ditches Vince, Vince doesn’t seem to heartbroken about it anyway. 

By the way, shooting Danny is the way to get Vince to go with Tavia so make note of that if you’re trying to get everyone to go with her and appear in S2. Actually, it’s interesting that Vince is less trusting of strangers if you go with Danny over Justin, as if he got burned by that choice in the end, hmm? 

Anyway, that was my spiel about Danny vs Justin, and I would be interested to know what y’all picked. I’ve read a lot of discussions about this choice and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way about the percentages. I’ve read a lot of responses to why people picked who they picked, all very interesting. 

Back on track, this is a solid chunk of the story. I enjoy the dilemma presented here. You’re chained to these two guys and if you don’t shoot one of their ankles off, then all three of you are going to die. What gets me about this is it’s not like the Doug vs Carley choice. Doug and Carley were both in trouble but you only had enough time to save one of them. You weren’t actively shooting them. 

Here? You have to pull the trigger more than once. You have to pick one, shoot their ankle off, and then leave them there in order to escape. It’s super fucked and going off the way Vince hesitates and looks back at the one you shot, I’d say it’s something that’s gonna sit with him for the rest of his life. 

The pacing of this episode is great, it’s intense, the escalation in hostility between the two other prisoners only for it to end in blood is well executed, and overall the set up is damn good. 

Wyatt: Day 41

Dude. Wyatt’s story. I love Wyatt’s story. Of all five stories, it’s the one that made me laugh the most. It’s absolutely hilarious despite taking place in a very tense and panicked situation. 

Wyatt in on the run with his companion, Eddie. They’re driving away after an encounter with group of guys that ended in Eddie shooting one of them, and now they’re being chased and shot at by someone in a truck. 

Eddie: God, this is so fucked!

Wyatt: Why the hell did you shoot that guy, man? What the hell WAS that?

Eddie: I didn't mean to do it! It just happened, okay? Where the fuck were you with a warning?

Wyatt: Me? You're putting that on me now? I didn't see the guy, either! I was too worried those dudes were going to pull guns on us or--

Intense right off the bat, a complete panic as you’re trying to shoot at the truck chasing you while Wyatt and Eddie argue about what happened. Eventually the truck swerves off the road and you seem to be in the clear.

From what I gather, Wyatt and Eddie had a run in with Nate, the guy from Russell’s story, an unknown man who Eddie shot and killed in the encounter, and possibly some others given how Wyatt says he was worried about the “dudes” [plural] but he didn’t see the guy Eddie shot. Given that Nate’s alone in Russell’s story and the lone one chasing them down, it’s likely he’s the only survivor from that side. It’s unknown if Wyatt and Eddie were in a bigger group or not, so I’m going to assume it was just the two of them. 

Wyatt: Did you mean to pull the trigger?

Eddie: I don't know. I was so keyed up... I just... damn it. Look, Wyatt. All I know is those guys had me all... jacked up like I was on speed or something. I was just on edge, you know? Then I was, like, watching that guy's brains come out the back of his head. I'm sorry, man. I...

The core of why Wyatt’s story is possibly my favorite is the electric chemistry between him and Eddie. The dialogue, the voice acting, it’s all just dripping with personality and you feel like you’re watching two friends who’ve known each other for a long time, just *chef kiss*  

Eddie: See? It's fine. Road's straight as my dick.... You think we're in the clear?

Wyatt: Don’t talk about your dick.

Eddie: ...... Why not?

[or alternatively, if Wyatt says nothing, Eddie will just : “... Are you still thinking about my dick?” sksks it’s so stupid, I can’t help but love it.]

They talk like typical stoners, which they indeed are because Eddie’s got some “sticky” in the glovebox and wants it after they believe they’re in the clear. Y’know, the perfect time for some weed. Kate Garcia would greatly approve. 

So they’re driving along and we get more context for what happened, more great banter... and then they hit someone. 

The dilemma in this chapter is the fact that they hit someone and they don’t think it’s a walker, it’s a person. Even though they’re on the run from Nate and it’s foggy as hell outside, Eddie insists that they help whoever was hit. 

I believe Eddie is such a fan favorite not just because he’s funny or a charming character, but because of his compassion. In this moment you feel his frustration and guilt in having hit someone. He isn’t about to perform a hit and run even in this new apocalyptic world even though it would be easier to just assume it’s a walker and keep driving. 

Eddie: What if that was you, man?! After all the shit that's happened in the past couple months? Where's your compassion, motherfucker?

or

Eddie: If that guy back there is alive, we HAVE to help him, Wyatt. There ain't a lot of live dudes left these days.

Eddie showed a lot of shock and guilt over shooting a guy before, but now he’s sure he’s hit an innocent person and he refuses to leave them. His humanity does him credit and that’s why he’s one of my favorite characters in this DLC. 

But then comes the choice: One of you has to go find this person you hit, and one of you has to stay in the car. Who should do what? 

The end stats for this are 50/50, and it’s decided either by you refusing to go out yourself, or agreeing to a game of rock, paper, scissors. 

No, really, that’s how they decide who gets to go out there, best two outta three. That’s why I say this is one of the weaker portrayals of the dilemma, you don’t necessarily get to decide what Wyatt’s going to do, therefore shaping his personality and morals... it’s all up to luck. 

Though you can outright refuse, and Eddie will go out anyway so that’s one way to shape Wyatt if you’re playing him as less compassionate, or more cautious, or even as a coward. While there is an option for Wyatt to volunteer, you still have to rock, paper, scissors for it which I’m kinda meh on. Personally, I think if you’re brave enough to volunteer, you should be able to double down with Eddie and make the choice yourself rather than leaving it up to fate decided by a couple hand gestures. 

My advice to anyone playing this is try to lose the game. If Wyatt loses the game, he will go out there with a gun to find the person you hit, otherwise Eddie will go and Wyatt will be left in the car. Wyatt remaining in the car is the weaker option, far less exciting and results in you being attacked by Nate and forced to leave Eddie behind. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad by any means and getting to see that it’s Nate is neat when going into Russell’s story, but I think Wyatt being left behind is more impactful because it opens up a new dilemma.

I managed to lose the game by picking scissors every time. I find that Eddie tends to pick mostly rock, at least every time I’ve played before I’ve beaten him with paper, but rock beats scissors sooo pick scissors. 

Wyatt takes the gun and goes out into the fog to find the guy, who is revealed to be Bennett, the cop who fled the prison bus in Vince’s story. Wyatt tries talking to him, but Bennett is too injured and out of it to respond. Wyatt starts to help him, but because nothing is ever smooth sailing... walkers begin to groan and you realize that they’re coming through the fog. 

The reason I think this path’s better is because now you have a new choice to make: Do you try to help Bennett, or do you abandon him?

Wyatt wasn’t the one driving, and he’s out here due to a lost game of rock, paper, scissors... but is he willing to leave this man out here to be eaten to save himself, or is he going to try and do his best to help the man at the risk of getting them both killed. 

I chose to try and save Bennett, which meant I had to to drag him back to the car while stopping to shoot walkers... and the noise only brings more of them and uh oh, Eddie’s screaming for Wyatt to hurry up because he’s being attacked! If Eddie remains in the car, Nate attacks him and no matter how fast you go, Wyatt never makes it in time... Eddie drives off without Wyatt, who is now left in a misty forest with more walkers on the way, and Nate.

It’s rough, but more compelling, in my opinion. 

The highlight of this story is Wyatt and Eddie’s relationship, and there’s something about them getting separated that just stings, y’know? I found myself dreading getting out of the car not because of the dangers held within the fog, but because I knew Wyatt and Eddie would be separated after this only to never be reunited. 

Well, we assume they never reunite and that... the best way I can describe this is I feel like Sarah from Labyrinth, just throwing myself onto my bed and beating my fists against the wall and exclaiming, “IT’S NOT FAIR!!” at everyone... because it’s not fair that Wyatt and Eddie get separated and it makes me emotional, I’m not happy about it. 

But that also proves how effective Wyatt’s story is. Wyatt by himself also has the vibe of your sarcastic stoner friend who’s into indie bands and video games, but that’s part of his charm. 

Overall, a damn good story and execution. 

Russell: Day 184

I have a lot of feelings about Russell. 

As far as the playable protagonists go, I can say with confidence that he’s my favorite. I love them all, but Russell sticks out to me by how much younger he seems to be, his interesting backstory, and by his jaded behavior. 

His story starts with him walking down a long yet familiar road. He has his backpack and a map, and tells us he’s trying to get to his grandmother’s house. However, as he’s walking along, the truck from Wyatt’s story is coming up the road and Russell’s gotta decide if he should hide or stand his ground. 

If you hide, you’ll quickly remember why you know this road. Russell will hide down next to a corpse, but not just any corpse- the body of either Carley or Doug, depending on who you saved in S1. A neat inclusion, if not a little sad... and annoying because then I’m forced to remember Lilly shooting Carley outta spite and me leaving her ass on the road... wasn’t S1 so fun??

Anyway, Nate pulls up and talks to Russell no matter what, and you have no choice but to hitch a ride with him. You can try and refuse, and Nate’ll drive away... only for a dozen walkers to appear out of thin air and surround you so Nate will come back for you... I see you, Telltale, I see through your nonsense. 

The rest of Russell’s story has him and Nate... bonding? I don’t even want to call it that, but they talk as they drive, we get more insight into Russell’s last group that left him with some trauma.  

Russell: There was seven of us. I didn't have any family there or nothing; they were all at my Gram's down in Statesboro. There was a dad who had a daughter 'bout my age. One guy said he used to be a cop, but nobody really believed him; then a teacher and his wife. Leader was this guy, Steve.

Nate: Go back to the daughter.

Russell: Steve was a bad dude, but everybody was with him, you know? He said seven was the magic number, so we didn't add nobody to the group. If we found survivors, it was the same every time. He...he...

Nate: Let it out, Paco.

Russell: Just... "We gonna kill these folks and take their stuff or what?" And then bang, they'd be dead. Anyway... I couldn't handle that. After weeks of it, I packed my shit up and figured I can make for Gran's alone and try to find my family. I slipped outta there. I couldn't live like that.

Super interesting, and I wanted to learn more about this group but Nate ruins it by continuing to be a creep. 

By the way, Nate? Crusty. Stinky. He is repulsive and I hate him... but he’s also the best antagonist in this DLC, go figure. I’m pretty sure the writers had a lot of fun making him as slimy as possible. He’s dangerous and a huge creep, he makes my guts feel icky, I just-

Russell: Why you gotta be like that?

Nate: Like what?

Russell: Always talking about women like that.

Nate: WOMEN? Ha, okay. Let me see if I can answer your question. Because...because the hunger a man's got for a woman is all we got left now. No laws, no jobs, ain't nothin' that make us men. But they ain't eaten all the women yet.

Nate, you’re gross and I hate you.

Unfortunately, Russell is stuck with this man for the time being until the two end up at Gil’s Pitstop only to be shot at by someone inside. Together, they avoid being shot and break in to find an older man is responsible for shooting at them, and his wife is injured, bleeding out in the booth beside him. 

The man, Walt, yells at them to get out and accuses Nate of coming back to finish them off. Alarming, to say the least, but Nate casually denies the accusations that he’s been here before and calls Walt crazy.

Given this is Nate we’re talking about and he’s been in this area awhile, I’m inclined to believe that he was here at one point and could’ve attacked the couple, possibly with his group that Wyatt and Eddie encountered. 

But here’s where things get interesting, and where Russell’s story becomes more unique when it comes to the dilemma. You’ve got this older couple here, one of them injured, and the other shot at you. They’re accusing your crusty companion of coming back to finish them off, and said crusty man decides to manipulate you by echoing the story from earlier: 

Nate: What do you say, Russ? Should we just kill these folks and take all their stuff?

Super fucked up, and it has an immediate effect on Russell. Nate gives him the crazy eyes and casually points the gun at Russell... so what do you do? Do you comply, or do you stand up to Nate?

Unfortunately, no matter what you do, Nate will always kill the old couple. If you comply with Nate, whether by saying nothing out of shock or hesitantly agreeing, you witness the murders and Nate gloating about how all their stuff is there’s now. Then you get an eerie line from Nate as he looks back at Russell with a smile:

Nate: Relax. You're my boy, Russell. Things are going to be a-okay.

All while Russell stands there in absolute horror and shock, probably reliving the trauma he escaped from his previous group and realizing he’s now stuck in it again. 

This ending to the story is awful... not awful as in it’s written poorly. No, no, quite the opposite. It’s awful because of what it does to Russell. By complying, Russell is now stuck with this man who “kept you around,” according to the little choice notification in the corner. Who killed with no compassion, no guilt, and is gleefully admiring the “rewards” he got for doing it. Russell just stood there while two innocent people were murdered and he does nothing to stop it. He looks at Nate and sees Steve, a man he earlier described as a bad person, but everyone was with him, everyone complied. Russell couldn’t take it anymore and he had to leave, only to find himself at the mercy of another Steve and that’s tragic. 

Luckily, Russell manages to get away somehow given he’s with the rest of the group in the epilogue, though we never find out how. 

As for the alternative, Russell can stand up to Nate and call him out in one of my favorite moments:

Russell: Are you serious?

Nate: Maybe. Why not?

Russell: That's fucked up! There are real fucking monsters out there!

Nate: No shit.

Russell: And you're just going to joke about the shit I seen? Fuck you, Nate!

Nate: I saved your ass!

Russell: You didn't do shit.

Nate: Easy, Russ.

Russell: I ain't hurtin' no one. And don't you hurt these people either.

Nate: COME ON! Can we still be friends?

Russell: No.

Russell leaves Nate behind, and as he’s walking outside, he hears two gunshots from inside. At first, the player’s probably thinking how Russell should’ve done more to help the couple, but what could he do? Nate had the gun, and wrestling it from him would’ve gotten Russell killed. It’s fucked, but there was nothing he could do with Nate holding as much power as he did. Russell had no choice but to stand up to him in hopes of convincing him to leave the couple alone, and then leave. 

Unfortunately, Nate isn’t easily swayed. Russell’s lucky he got away when he did. 

Russell standing up to Nate, avoiding the road he’s desperately tried not to walk again, is compelling as hell. By walking away, he’s saying that no, that’s not who he will become. He won’t be Steve, he won’t be Nate, he won’t be a man who causes hurt and death in order to reap the “rewards.” 

In the end, Russell is more bitter, wary to trust and I don’t blame him. This moral dilemma is so powerful because it’s a choice between remaining strong, brave enough to look at what you could become and say, “no,” and giving in, becoming the thing you feared and ran from. 

Not to mention Russell’s story all started because he left to go find his grandmother, to reunite with his family. If Russell were to reunite with her, would he be proud of how he got there? Or would be feel like yet another monster who hurt others to get there? 

All in all, so damn good. 

Fuck Nate, though. Hope he choked. 

Bonnie: Day 220

Bonnie, everyone’s favorite.... CJ wrote sarcastically, knowing full well that a lot of people don’t actually like her. 

It’s a shame that S2 has tainted Bonnie’s character for a lot of people, but this post isn’t about S2 so I’m going to focus solely on what we see of her in this story. 

What we get is a woman struggling with addiction, clinging to a life preserver the best she can in a world where the dead walk but people are more dangerous, a preserver that can be ripped out of her hands depending on your choices. Bonnie is recovering from a drug problem when we meet her out in the rain with a man named, Leland, and the two are playing a cute little game of “would you rather.” 

She has a deep southern drawl, and easily teases Leland even without player input. 

Leland: You've been a lot more fun lately. Feelin' better?

Bonnie: I guess I am.

Leland: Well, you sure do look better. Though you gotta admit, anything is an improvement. That came out wrong... what I mean is... I mean... You were... you were, uh... you know.

Bonnie: Take a hike, big ears.

Leland: I resemble that remark.

Bonnie: You resemble a satellite.

Leland: Ya know, you weren't so damn sassy before. Guess that's a good sign. I mean it, though. After we found ya, you were still so hooked on that stuff. I never thought you'd make it. You ain't outta the woods yet, I know, but you've come a long way, Bonnie. I'm proud of you.

At first, you pick up on a little romantic tension between the two and think, “Oh, I see~” There’s some definite chemistry there. Leland even goes as far as to caress her cheek and say her name softly. 

Then Dee shows up, and you realize rather quickly that she’s Leland’s wife, and then you go, “Oh... I see.” 

Dee sees it, too, and calls the two of them out on their flirting. 

Dee: I got you a present.

Leland: Aw, you shouldn't have! What did you find?

Dee: I'll tell ya later. I don't mean to interrupt your "chat" with your "girlfriend", but we gotta get movin'.

So that’s not great.

But it appears that Dee found a bag and avoids saying where she got it. Leland keeps pushing on about the bag, and this causes a fight to break out with Dee getting more defensive until she tells then to run. Turns out, Dee stole the bag from a nearby group that is now hunting them down, so the three of them have to get out of there. 

Bonnie falls behind, and ends up shot. Leland calls out to her, but we see Dee holding him back before disappearing, leaving Bonnie on her own. This segment is super good, she falls down a hill and a zombified Clyde- you remember Clyde? Officer Dipshit? Yeah, he shows up as a walker here to attack Bonnie if you don’t kill him in Russell’s story. After killing the walker, Bonnie’s forced to navigate a corn maze while avoiding the flashlights of the group chasing her. It’s a well done scene, and the moment Bonnie makes it out is just heart breaking. 

She’s wounded, all alone, and she’s slipping all over in the mud, desperate to take cover behind a tractor. Plus her little, “Mama watch over me,” gets me, y’know? 

The dialogue that follows is raw. Eerie. Just-

Bonnie: Dee, oh, God, Dee... I'm so sorry, oh, God...

Dee: Wh... why? You... Why? Do... d-- do I look... How bad is it? Bonnie?

Bonnie: It was dark, it's so dark, I couldn't see you! I didn't know it was you! How was I supposed to know it was you?!

Dee: There was no... I thought I...saw you... You did this...? You... killed me. You killed me... I sh-- should never have... tr-- trusted you... just... just a junkie... Leland, she... she did this to me...

Bonnie: I... God, I'm so sorry, so... I can't... Oh, God, God...

Dee: I knew you'd fuck up again... take him...

Bonnie: I... I... no, God, I'm sorry. I need him; I need you both...

Dee: You... bitch... I knew you wanted him... didn't think you had the stones... Goddamn you...

-and then Dee dies. Dee repeatedly calling Bonnie a junkie and a fuck up is painful. Bonnie’s clearly in distress, apologizing and trying to comfort Dee as she’s dying, and all Dee can do is call her a fucking junkie while damning her, telling her they should’ve never trusted her. I cannot imagine the toll that takes on Bonnie going forward. 

Now the dilemma here isn’t that Bonnie killed her. You have no choice on whether or not to hit her with the piece of rebar. If you don’t, Dee will kill Bonnie and you get a nice ol’ YOU ARE DEAD. You have to hit Dee, Dee will always die, it’s more up to you how Bonnie reacts and handles it. 

The dilemma here is Leland finds them and is horrified that Dee is dead. He then asks Bonnie what happened. Do you tell him the truth or do you lie? 

This is rough, to say the least. Because it was an accident. You had no choice, you didn’t know it was Dee and now you have to decide if being honest is the best choice in this moment. Are you willing to take responsibility for something you did even if it hurts you, or hurts Leland? Or are you going to lie to the grieving husband of the woman you killed to save your own ass? 

And remember, that group is still chasing you down, it’s only a matter of time before they find you so whatever you do, you have to do it fast or else that group is going to kill you.

Fun fact, according to the stats, 75% of people lied to Leland, and 25% of people told him the truth. Which I find fascinating yet unsurprising that players wouldn’t tell the truth in order to cover their asses. 

To be fair, a new player might think that telling the truth could cause Leland to lash out and you’ll get hurt, and that takes priority over doing the “morally good thing” of being honest. Or they don’t want to admit they did a bad thing. Players never like doing that unless it was on purpose. 

Not only that, but if Leland knows that truth and you can convince him to leave with you, the fact that Bonnie killed her [accident or no] will always hang heavy in the air. If Leland doesn’t know the truth, then y’know- ignorance is bliss and Bonnie won’t have to face the repercussions from him... she’ll just have to deal with her guilt and trauma internally. 

You also have to remember that Bonnie is a recovering addict. Leland and Dee were her life preservers that kept her afloat this whole time. She just accidentally killed half of her support, and now she’s staring at the other half and has to judge if she’s willing to risk losing him, as well. If both Dee and Leland are gone, Bonnie is alone, and that could be far worse than anything else for her.

For me, this dilemma is fairly similar to Russell’s- who are you shaping Bonnie to be with this choice? Can Bonnie live with herself if she lies? 

If you lie, it’s easy to convince him to come along with you, but you can still do so if you tell the truth, which is what I did. It all depends on your approach and if you can convince him that it was a genuine accident on Bonnie’s part. Which it was so again, not hard. If you can’t convince him, he’ll stay by Dee’s side while Bonnie runs away and you’ll hear a gunshot. 

If Leland leaves with Bonnie, they don’t stay together since he’s not with the group in the epilogue. As far as I can tell, we never find out what happened to him, Bonnie never says. 

Bonnie’s story is solid, super enjoyable, I love it. Again, you might be noticing a pattern but every story so far has been excellent, not a single bad one in the bunch. 

And that doesn’t change with Shel’s story.

Shel: Days 236 & 259

Shel’s story is the final event on the timeline, and while I said that Wyatt’s story made me laugh the most and Russell’s my favorite protagonist, Shel’s story is my favorite overall. It’s not funny like Wyatt’s, and I wouldn’t even say Shel is as compelling as Russell, but it more than makes up for that with the story it tells. 

It’s funny to think back on this because had you asked me years ago about Shel’s story, I probably would’ve told you it’s my least favorite and that Shel and Becca weren’t great. Again, another example of me not giving them a proper chance.

This time around I was surprisingly invested in Shel as a character. She’s a lot more... how do I put this? Softer? She’s softer than the other playable protagonists in the way she acts, speaking, and views the situation. She has a little sister to look after in this world, a young, impressionable girl that Shel sees getting colder and colder with every terrible thing she sees. It’s understandable that Shel wants to protect Becca, or even shelter her from the reality of their situation. 

I liked Becca a lot, too. She wasn’t annoying like I remembered her being. Her behavior is understandable when you pay attention. She’s young, she doesn’t fully understand the weight of the things she may do, and she’s easily influenced, which becomes scary later on. 

Shel’s story takes place in Gil’s Pitstop where she and Becca are staying with a group of familiar faces. Yep, the cancer patients from S1 are back. Turns out Vernon was more of a bastard than we initially thought as we learn he planned to steal the boat from the moment we found it... and given that he’s no longer with the group, I’d say that didn’t work out for him in the end. 

Aside from them, we have Stephanie and Roman. These two are key to this story, both having ideas about how Becca should be raised, and Roman becomes a more antagonistic character in the end. 

This story is about Shel’s conflicted feelings about the world and what it’s doing to her and Becca. They have to keep inventory of guns and supplies and hey, remember how Dee stole that bag? Surprise, Shel’s group were the ones chasing you down when you were playing as Bonnie, and they make comments depending on if Leland stayed with Bonnie or was caught. 

Shel meets Roman outside where we see “guard dogs,” which are just walkers they’d tied up to keep people away. Depending on if you stayed with Nate or stood up to him, you may encounter Walt as a walker, or Bennett. They’re feeding the walkers when Roman makes a comment about how Becca wouldn’t mind doing this, and that Shel can’t keep sheltering her, something Shel struggles with. 

Shel also discovered the old woman walker is eating a puppy and the affect on her is instant, nearly bringing her to tears. Which is completely understandable. When I say that Shel is softer, it’s because of a moment like this where she sees something that’s sad and she doesn’t just shrug it off. She feels it deeply, and that’s further proven when she goes back inside only for Becca to scare her as a little prank. 

Shel lashes out at her, and I love their conversation once she’s calmed down. 

Shel: It's the walkers...I guess they got ahold of a puppy.

Becca: A puppy?

Shel: Yeah. I guess it just...it got to me, ya know. It was so little. You don't think about babies anymore, but... After a while, you just kind of accept...this is it.

Becca: Yeah. I guess you kinda forget.

Shel: Right? But then...you know...there it is. You see it and you want to protect it... And now it's gone.

Becca: That sucks.

I feel like this is obvious, but Shel seeing a dead puppy being eaten by walkers probably brought Becca to mind. While Becca isn’t a baby, she is still a kid, and we know how TWDG works. Children and teens aren’t safe from death in this series. In S1 we dealt with Duck’s tragic death, and we found the walker child in the attic. S1 is all about Lee doing everything in his power to not let that happen to Clementine, and it cost him his life. 

Becca could die just as easily as that puppy. All it takes is one moment, no matter how hard Shel tries to protect or shelter her, and she’s gone. 

Also, this whole “you don’t think about babies anymore” is clever, given what happens in S2 with Rebecca and AJ, I wonder if that was intentional or not. 

But the moment is interrupted when Stephanie barges in to bring us our first major moral dilemma.

A man was caught trying to steal supplies from the group. He’s beaten up, and Roman claims he was already like that, and all he did was tie him up and put a blindfold on. The man doesn’t speak English. He isn’t bit, and he didn’t hurt anyone. This is the second break in the group’s had. The group is arguing among themselves when Roman gives us the dilemma:

Roman: Look, we all know what we're talking about here, so let's stop dancing around it. We either let this guy go and take our chances...or we kill him.

This is... fucked? How else do you describe it? This man can’t defend himself since he doesn’t speak English, no one can understand him, he can’t stay with the group but letting him go is risky. What do you do?

There isn’t a right answer to this, even when you know both outcomes. 

On one hand, you let him go. You can’t just execute a man, that would be wrong, so you send him away and maybe he won’t come back. You’ll be in the clear and you’ll feel like you did the right thing.

Shel: He's not even armed! We can't just kill him! This isn't in self-defense.

Becca: Isn't it, though? If it means he can't come back to hurt us?

Shel: That isn't the same thing.

Joyce: But last time...

Shel: Joyce, that was a long time ago. If we kill this man, then we are giving up a part of ourselves that we can NEVER get back! I'm not ready to let that go.

But that doesn’t happen. The man does come back and he brings his group, we’re attacked, and Boyd dies in the fight. Roman becomes obsessed with securing the place by any means necessary. 

On the other hand, you kill him. You make the choice as a collective group to execute a man and you get to live with that. 

Shel: We can't take the risk. We kill him.

Stephanie: There's gotta be another way...

Shel: Tell me. What if he comes back? With weapons, or...or a gang? Is it worth losing any one of us?

Stephanie: Jesus. There really is no other choice, is there?

Roman: We can't keep him here and we can't let him go. If there's even a chance of him coming back or telling folks who might try to hurt us, we can't risk it. I won't ask you to watch, but if we do this, we're all in it together. If this ever happens again, it's gonna be one of you pulling that trigger.

And in doing so, the group’s morale plummets, and Roman still becomes obsessed with securing the place by any means. 

But you also have to consider what this will do to Becca. Shel just had to face a hard reality when she saw that dead puppy, and now she’s left as the swing vote that decides a man’s fate. That’s a lot for any person and there are so many factors at play here. 

No matter your choice, there’s a time skip and we see Shel and Becca in an RV playing Go Fish. Becca admits that she’s been sneaking out, something that’s horrifying to hear when you realize what Roman would do to her if he ever found that out, or if Becca was spotted and led someone back that wanted to hurt them. 

Speaking of Roman, he comes knocking on the door to ask Shel to come talk to him about something important. It’s not long before you learn what happened: Stephanie stole supplies and tried to escape. 

Roman: We caught her trying to escape.

Shel: Maybe she wasn't. Maybe she just wanted to get outside these walls for a while. Ever since the...incident, you've made this place feel...I dunno...oppressive.

Roman: We've made it safe. And she was definitely trying to escape; she had most of our ammo and medicine with her. She screwed us, Shel. All of us. And now were' in that position again where we can't keep her here and we can't let her go. You do know why I'm telling you this, right?

Roman’s telling Shel this because he wants her to shoot Stephanie, and she can’t say no. 

As if this wasn’t enough of a gut punch, Shel goes back to the RV and tells Becca what’s going on. 

Y’know that feeling you got when you heard AJ say he liked killing Lilly for the first time in TFS? I got a similar feeling when Becca said this:

Becca: Oh, my god. The hell did she do that for?!

Shel: Roman says we have to-

Becca: Kill her? Yeah! Why would she do this to us?!

Shel: She's just scared. She made a mistake.

Becca: Well, that'll be her last mistake!

Shel: Becca! Stephanie is your friend!

Becca: WAS my friend.

Shel’s fear that this world is changing Becca isn’t misplaced, and now she’s forced to face that reality head on once again. 

Also, I’m pretty sure this is the moment that causes people to dislike Becca or think she’s annoying, but again, given what she’s been through no matter what choice you made, her reaction makes sense. If you let him go, she saw her group attacked and Boyd killed, and that showed her that it was a mistake to let that guy go. If you killed him, then she watched her older sister decide the fate of a man and then watched him be executed. 

A lot of the TWDG fandom tend to intensely dislike child characters for the mere fact that they’re not Clementine, and ironically, they end up behaving in ways that make them more annoying than any child character they dislike. So I wouldn’t take their word for it when they say Becca’s a bad character. Play the story, pay attention, and make the judgement yourself. 

As for the second moral dilemma in this story, Shel can either take her gun and shoot Stephanie, or she can take the RV keys and drive away. Do you agree to kill Stephanie or run away? 

For me, this is an easier decision than the first one. I grabbed those keys and we got the hell outta there. 

But for this choice, Shel can either give in and allow this to be who they are now in order to protect Becca, or she can prove that there are other ways, that they don’t have to stay under Roman’s thumb and kill whoever he tells them to. There’s no saving Stephanie at this point, you have no choice in that, but you do have a choice in how Shel raises Becca from now on. 

Oh, and if you’re looking to get everyone to go with Tavia, you have to drive away. If you shoot Stephanie, then she and Becca will refuse to go with Tavia. 

Shel’s episode is my favorite, and the perfect way to end the main story if you’re playing in chronological order. She’s another great character who I didn’t expect to make me feel the way she did. 

Epilogue: Day 400

Once all five stories are finished, we’re introduced to Tavia. She’s a scout looking for survivors to bring back to her community. She talks with someone over the radio about finding all the photos and a note near Gil’s Pitstop that gives the group’s location.

Turns out that Vince, Wyatt, Russell, Bonnie, Shel and Becca all found each other and are surviving together in their campsite. Tavia approaches the group and it’s up to us to convince as many of them as we can to come with her. 

For Vince, you have to shoot Danny, and with Shel you have to escape. Bonnie will agree to go no matter what. Wyatt and Russell can be convinced to join regardless of your choices. The best option is to tell them that you find people from everywhere, and Wyatt will agree to go in hopes of finding Eddie while Russell wants to find his family. 

Most of the dialogue is determined by your choices, as well. 

Once you have your group, the DLC ends with the group burning the photos and note, before asking Tavia how she knows if this will work out. 

Honestly? Great ending, great execution of consequences brought on by your choices. 

The 400 Days DLC is fantastic. It’s brilliant. I love it to pieces, and I highly encourage anyone reading this to replay it. 

Don’t play S1 first, and don’t plan on jumping into S2. Play the DLC by itself, let it be a story contained to an hour of your time. That’s what I did, and I had so much fun! These characters and their stories are wonderful, the writing is phenomenal, I love it!

But... Now that I’ve spent all this time praising this DLC, calling it brilliant and encouraging everyone to revisit it... it all comes with an asterisk* attached:

*As a single experience, 400 Days is brilliant and I love it.... but when played together with S1 and S2.......

400 Days is disappointing.

That’s the glaring issue here. 

I can praise this DLC all I want, and I did. That doesn’t negate the big picture, or the big problem fans tend to have with it. 

400 Days acts as a bridge between the two seasons but let’s be real, the only story that actually matters here is Bonnie’s. She will always leave with Tavia no matter what, and she plays a major role in the group’s capture and eventual escape. The others make brief, meaningless cameos that only exist to make the player go-

-every time one of them shows up. We never hear from them, or about them, again after that.... so what was the point? 

What was the point of 400 Days in the grand scheme of things? 

400 Days becomes worse when you get your hopes up that it’s just a teaser, a little taste, of what’s to come in S2. You think these writers took the opportunity to introduce you to these important characters, tell you their backstories, so that they could be incorporated into S2′s plot as major characters. 

But no, only Bonnie. 

And even Bonnie’s character becomes muddled by ep5 depending on how you tried to help Luke. 

The thing is, 400 Days isn’t terrible because of this. Obviously. It’s disappointing, but why it’s disappointing and the way people claim it could’ve been fixed is... well...

It’s not simple. It’s so easy to just be like, “400 Days is bad because our choices didn’t matter! It’s pointless! Why didn’t they do something else?? I know exactly how this could be fixed!”

I know what everyone always says whenever 400 Days is brought up: “The 400 Days cast should’ve been the cabin group.”

Great idea in theory, or headcanon/AU.

In execution, it would’ve been too complicated and I think we all know that, but a fandom’s hubris knows no limit when it comes to them believing they know better than the developers. 

Not to say we can’t criticize issues with the writing, but it helps to at least be understanding of how things actually work, i.e. video games are hard to make and long posts on tumblr “fixing” video games are fun to read but wouldn’t actually work in practice because that’s not how video games work so maybe stop insulting the developers while acting like you know better about a field you don’t even work in. 

Trust me, I know. Don’t think I’m not one of those people, I’m literally here writing you a long post on tumblr. I’m not innocent here. Have you read any of my Violet posts? You don’t think there was a long period of time where I thought *I* knew better?? I wish I could say you’re right but you’re not, I’m just as bad. I’ve said some unkind things about certain developers that I look back on and just face palm as I slowly sink back in my chair shamefully. I still agree with my criticisms but not the way I said them, and I’m trying to not be like that anymore. 

All that to say it would be too complicated for the 400 Days cast to be the cabin group due to the different combinations of characters who can stay or go with Tavia. What happens to players who had only Bonnie go with Tavia? Or had all but one go? The only solution would be to have a set ending for 400 Days, removing the consequences of choice and having a more linear ending.

Y’know this would’ve gotten them the “my choices never actually matter >:[” criticism which I believe is a fair criticism of games that make these big claims about choice and consequence only to give you the illusion of it. But, there needs to be some common understanding of what can realistically be implemented in a game like that. You can’t expect them to have a thousand different outcomes and have it be a smooth, functioning game, especially when you take into account the release dates and the things going on behind the scenes at Telltale and how that affects development. These studios have deadlines, they have higher ups working them overtime so they can push as much product out as possible, they have a budget that’s never enough, and frankly, shit just happens sometimes.  

I’m not saying that we can’t be disappointed. I’m disappointed that I’ll never get to know if Wyatt and Eddie reunited, or what happened to Russell. I have no idea if Shel and Becca are still alive, and I don’t know where Vince is. I don’t even know what happened to Bonnie after S2. 

When thrown into the entire series, 400 Days is disappointing due to the high expectations it brings for S2, but I argue that it isn’t as terrible as people claim it is. 

I literally just spent several paragraphs explaining why it’s brilliant and why you should go replay it by itself, I think it’s far from terrible and deserves praise for its characters and the moral dilemmas it presents. Don’t think about S2 while you’re playing it, that’s not the point. The point is to experience it for what it is, a series of stories set in the zombie apocalypse that all lie together in the end. 

I would love to hear more thoughts about this, whether it be about the characters or what choices you made and why. Even if you disagree and think 400 Days is trash, tell me why, I’m interested to know. 

In conclusion: 400 Days good. In other news: Happy New Year

As I’m writing this, it’s New Year’s Eve and I’ve got a little over an hour before midnight, sooo here’s a happy new year to everyone. I hope you’re all doing well, staying safe and healthy the best you can. 

As I said at the start of this, I have another essay I’m working on related to S2.... it’s taking forever because there’s a lot to cover, it’s about some polarizing characters and choices, and I have no idea when I’ll be finished. If it takes even longer than I’d like, I’ll probably put it down and work on a smaller post in the meantime. Maybe something about the Michonne mini-series or a character analysis.

I guess my new thing is disappearing for weeks at a time only to pop in whenever there’s news about the Clementine comic or to throw down a long ass essay about something no one asked for hahaha. I can live with that, I think. I will be around for the rest of the weekend, though, so any asks about 400 Days will get answered, I’d love to hear from y’all. 

Uhhh any other news... Oh, @pi-creates​ and I are making a new Dragon Age server on discord that we’re gonna open up soon for anyone interested in that. Right now it’s mostly just discussions about the games and lamenting about the apostates who broke our hearts... well, Pi’s lamenting, I’m mostly just spewing bitter salt about the sewer rat bastard that is my apostate boyfriend >:[ We’ll post a link once it’s ready to go, though I dunno when that’ll be. We’re pretty proud of the set up, and I made a bunch of DA emojis. It’ll be a fun time. 

Think that’s everything. I wish y’all a happy, healthy new year! 

#twdg #twdg 400 days #twdg vince #twdg wyatt #twdg eddie #twdg russell #twdg bonnie #twdg shel #twdg becca #twdg clementine #twdg lee #long post

[stormikins]

7 snippets, 7 mutuals

I was tagged by @omniblades-and-stars you can find her post here

—

sour apple baby me1: Feros, Ash POV - I enjoy this dialogue exchange very much

“You two go to the utility building,” Alenko orders her and Liara. “If we can get power turned back on, maybe we can come up with some defenses.” “Will the geth not simply hack those?” Liara asks. Garrus snorts. “Have you seen this colony? Whatever they got won’t be sophisticated enough to hack.” “Whether their defenses are good or not, doesn’t matter,” Alenko cuts in. “Power is what the people need.” “Amen to that.” Williams hefts her rifle and nods, trying not to laugh, “why we got democracy.” Alenko sighs at her, but she can see the crinkle of his eyes in a smile. “Go.” Liara starts for the door, and she walks backwards. “You know, LT, splitting up in a horror vid never goes well.” “It’s a good thing we’re not in a horror vid then.” “Coulda fooled me.” “Go,” he says while chuckling. She gives a two-finger salute and then swivels on her heel.

the rest is under the cut!

—

sour apple baby interim between 1&2: Kaidan POV - this is rough just fyi

Noveria. Practically Illium but nestled in what’s now Alliance space. It makes sense that they would find Cerberus here. Noveria doesn’t look any different to Kaidan; mountain peaks in the distance, snow everywhere, winds that threaten to knock him on his ass. Their approach is like Peak-15’s: dodge turret fire and go through the front door. They crouch behind the fighter jet that’s on the landing pad, the turret firing on them. Coats cloaks though, moving right to survey while Riley starts her hack of the turrets. “Seems like they’re willing to let the turrets do the work,” Coats comments through the comm. “Or they don’t want to be in this cold. Fucking hell,” Fredricks grumbles next to him. He even adds in a shiver for emphasis. “Why’d we have to come in the middle of a blizzard?” “Riley?” Kaidan asks instead. It’s like the wind swirls up ghosts of snow. Garrus asked the same thing. “These things are old Alliance. Just another minute.” The turrets stop a minute later. “We wanna draw ‘em out or go in headfirst?” Kaidan asks. Fredricks hefts his rifle and Kaidan knows he’s smiling behind his helmet. “I say we kick down the front door.” “And walk into an ambush?” Riley retorts. “Let’s draw them out.” “The more we kill out here, the less we have to fight inside," Kaidan agrees. “But inside is warm,” Fredricks responds to him. “Do you always complain this much?” Riley asks. “Only when my balls are about to freeze off.”

—

sour apple baby me2: Minuteman Station, Shep POV - tfw you wake up and your body literally looks like its been through hell

The scars continue across her body in the same way like on her arms and legs. Across her left collarbone, top of her left thigh, her right ribs and the back of her right shoulder. But there’s one stretching almost from left armpit to hip. It’s wider than the others, definitely longer. She’s got a Grand Canyon from hell carved into her body. The glow of it seems to pulsate with her heartbeat. 

—

sour apple baby me3: down time Nihlus POV - some nice intimacy between

Kal places his hand under Nihlus’ chin, his throat, keeping him there as he moves the brush. Kal starts around his eyes, sweeping around them and then up in bold strokes. He’s never done this before— either of them. Kal marking a turian, and Nihlus letting anyone but family or an artist do it. He tightens his hands on Kal’s thighs. It doesn’t seem like Kal hasn’t, not with how sure Kal’s movements are. He’s humming as well, and Nihlus has to tap down his own responsive noise to that. He doesn’t want to distract the man after all. A lone finger under his chin as he drags the brush down it in the three stripes.

—

The Kal Project take 2: Kal POV

During Kal’s break, he finds Shepard at the galaxy map. While he wasn’t intentionally seeking her out, it is nice to have run into her. The map is transformed to a hologram of a planet, most likely the one they’re orbiting, and her hands are outstretched, manipulating two circular holograms in front of her. There’s a graph to the side, fluctuating with its spikes. He leans against her desk on the left, crossing his arms as he watches her. She’s utterly focused on her work, with that familiar scowl pinching her brow. His eyes trace the scar on her cheek, and then the line of her jaw to follow down her neck. He can feel himself blush as he follows it all the way down her biceps and forearms to her hands once more. Ancestors, she’s beautiful. “Something interesting, Kal?” Her head is turned toward him now, when he snaps his head up to meet her eyes. He gives a little shake to his head. “Just you.” She scoffs, looking forward again, but she doesn’t quite smother her grin. After a moment of staring at the hologram, she looks to him once more and juts her head. “Well, come on.” He lets out a little “yay,” as he eagerly straightens and ascends the steps to stand next to her.

—

Untitled Joker/James: Joker POV

Joker always thought Ashley was exaggerating about getting trapped in awkward elevator rides but here he is. Joker stands like a normal person in it, in the middle, simply watching the numbers tick down. James on the other hand, leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Staring at him. On principle, Joker doesn’t stare at the way his Henley stretches across his chest. It’s like every shirt the man owns is a size too small.

—

Untitled mistletoe Garrus/Mshep: Garrus POV

Christmas tradition. Everything the past two weeks have been about Christmas traditions according to Joker. Burnt cookies stinking up the battery from how bad Jack made them. Multicolored lights everywhere Jacob could put them and, in some places, where he shouldn’t. Glitter… everywhere. Mistletoe. The little sprigs of plants seem to be everywhere on the ship, no doubt curtesy of Kasumi. Joker and Miranda got caught under one and after a simple kiss, both looked away with bashful eyes. Zaeed had managed to catch Samara and after him blustering for about a minute she had kissed his cheek. He stood there bright red while she continued with her day. Kasumi has yet to get Jacob under one. Shepard got caught. With Jack. And when the two realized, they stared at each other for a mere second before colliding together in a comically exaggerated kiss. They broke away laughing, Jack’s lipstick smeared over both of their mouths. After that, Garrus decided mistletoe wasn’t fun anymore.

No pressure tagging: @jtownnn @xoshepard @nowandthane @swaps55 @cr-noble-writes @commander-krios @spacebunshep and if anyone else wants to do this tag me!

#tag games #my writing #mass effect #sour apple baby

[astorythatwritesitself]

Shepard AMA Round 5!

I had the day off and couldn't play anything so writing it is! I'm also likely going to go through the past ones again in the near...ish.... future, since development has been kicking for a good year or so and I've gotten some things ironed out. In the meantime, though!

(As always, almost anything discussing Adrian as a character carries major CWs for discussions of suicidal thoughts/self destructive/harmful tendencies)

And as always, question list from the fantastic @spookyvalentine ! Have fun lol

1. What is Shepard’s favorite store on the citadel?

    Less a single store, and more of a shopping area - there's a little plaza in Bachjret Ward that functions as an open market, with vendors constantly changing out. It's a great place to get specialty items - particularly ingredients and flowers, there's a long tradition of hobbyist gardeners who've specialized in growing niche plants on space stations, but you'll find a lot of... for lack of better phrasing, garage-sale type setups too. Adrian's father usually took her there to pick out a treat or otherwise just enjoy the crowds, when the Shepards wound up at the Citadel when she was a kid; and even during the events of the series she would stop by there to find something special for the crew.

2. What is the public’s opinion/awareness of Shepard?

   Varied - actually kind of a low opinion through most of ME1 - there was a lot of speculation that the hunt against Saren was a coverup for something else, and the human getting promoted to Spectre just seemed. Weird and not everyone trusted it lol. Adrian actually damn near tanked her reputation after Virmire; if Sovreign hadn't shown up when it did, she'd probably be cemented as 'that weirdo who tried to proposition Counciler Tevos in front of everyone'. ME2 era sees a solid split in human opinions, due to her 'humanity isn't more important to me than any other species' stance; but she's become quite popular among quarian and krogan crowds; generally she's regarded as a solid hero; which carries strongly into & beyond 3.

3. Armax arsenal arena: do they participate? How do they like it?

  She'd probably give it a few goes, and actually pick it up a lot more post-war, once she's out of the Alliance. Those instincts aren't going anywhere, after all, and it actually becomes kind of a way to face down some of the like. Trauma lol.

4. Shepard wakes up in an alternate universe. What tips them off?

Define the alternate universe xD ... actually, since I am writing that 'Shep & Thane get to live' AU - waking up at all, and that everyone else is seeing Thane would do it. (Or, sticking her in my other favorite video game... that she is on a world where there's giant terrifying beasts but they just want to be friends is. Weird. But she can gel with becoming a pokemon trainer.)

5. What kind of relationship does Shepard have with Javik?

 

Weird - but it becomes fairly friendly, and she's actually kind of grateful to have him around, because she's been spending the last couple years with a degree of thought patterns and instincts that are alien beyond anyone's comprehension, and it's so... just. Isolating. He's a little abbrasive for her taste otherwise, but she's dealt with worse and would still choose to hang out with Javik over a few others lol.

6. The first thing a person notices about Shepard’s appearance:

  In ME1 - the scars. She works to downplay them, but she could never bring herself to seek reconstructive surgery/otherwise actually like... cover them. Post-Lazarus though... it's her eyes, probably. Very expressive, and they're that sort of deep, still brown that's a little striking at first. (Or a lot striking, if you're asking a certain drell-)

7. How approachable are they?

Adrian radiates some weird invisible 'Please Tell Me I'm Useful' aura that drags people in, no matter how much she tries to put up a prickly stance, and unfortunately it takes until like 2189 until she feels comfortable saying 'no'. (And to her friends... she's not really 'approachable', because most of the time /she's/ coming to /them/ first xD)

8. What is the difference between me1 and me3 Shepard? Do they notice, or does someone have to point it out?

   ME1 Adian is nervous but collected, and very good at keeping her internal issues on the inside, where they belong, because of course she can't be a burden; she's a good soldier who will follow orders and do whatever she can for others; and it's not until her death that her crewmates realize... huh, she's happy to listen to our problems, however deep they run, but her answers, when they asked about her? Kind of... shallow.

ME3 Adrian is. Uh. CW for suicidal tendencies in the canon section.

Good end: Openly frightened but there's a lightness to her that's never been there before, and she no longer speaks about the future like she's not going to be there; she's prioritizing her goals and what she feels needs to be done, regardless of damage to her, the Alliance, or the Council's reputations.

Canon: A determined, selfless hero who will see things through to the end, and if she somehow survives... it won't be for long because she is goddamn /done/ with existing.

9. Did/does Shepard have any alien biases?

She's got a soft spot for the krogan, quarians and geth; and has a lot of thoughts about the way first contact with the drell was handled, and this was /before/ meeting Thane.

10. How do they handle a teammate being badly injured during a mission?

     Extremely well, all things considered - her intial training and official designation /did/ partially center around being a field medic, after all, so she kind of slips into that detached headspace of assessment and appropriate follow-up that keeps any anxiety at bay for a while; and usually by the time it hits, they afflicted teammate is at least stable enough that she can work through it well. (Garrus' being hit on Omega was probably the closest she got to totally cracking on the job, as it were.)

11. Who is in their inner circle?

    Ashley, Wrex, EDI, Joker, Miranda and, of course, Thane, wind up the closest to her in the end. (She was also quite close to Kaiden and Mordin, before their deaths; and she's not necessarily on bad terms with any of the other crewmates - but with the likes of like, Tali, Jack, Grunt and Garrus? They're all more like... she had to be strong for them, there's more of a mentor-ish vibe there where she maintained a certain... veneer of having it together, and the others fall into good friend, great to hang out with, but not quite the same level of 'I am willing to let you see me hurt and crying' closeness).

12. What does Udina think of them?

  He'd Rather Not, Thank You. (I.e: He had very high hopes but oh dear god, Shepard is. Such a mockery of his hopes for the first human Spectre, and his only solace is that she manages to piss off the Council about as much as she crosses him.)

13. What does Shepard think of Saren?

     She's... honestly not sure. Annoyed with him at first, but after realizing he was indoctrinated for quite some time, and doing some research... in the end? She just feels sorry for him, and wishes there was something else that could have been done.

14. Is Shepard’s first death publicized? (Since in game seems both people know about it and the alliance covered it up)

  To a degree - there were theories that she was in some deep-cover operation, but the Alliance did officially declare her MIA/PKIA about a year after the Collector attack, and there was a memorial service.

15. Did they have any relationships pre-me1? Still around?

  Not really - Adrian's always been a little weird on the relationship front; there's a lot of sorting out of 'am I actually on the aromantic range or am I just terrified of being in love as a soldier because I've spent my entire life seeing how much hurt that tends to result in' (the answer is six of one, half a dozen of the other) that never gets done, so she mostly wound up with a few things that never got past a third date during her time in college; and it declined even further after Akuze. (And considering her partners were all Alliance, up til Thane... most of them aren't around any more, but there is another XO out there who is absolutely flabbergasted to see that tech nerd she slept with that one time suddenly all over the news...)

16. What additions did Cerberus give Shepard?

      I play it as pretty mild, all things considered. Most of her organs are, to some extent, synthetic/artificially enhanced, a lot of reinforcements to her muscle and bones that have left her pretty durable. The biggest differences are that she got her left ear back, and to steal from some other HCs - the cybernetics mean her eyes kind of glow in the dark now - results in enhanced night vision, and delightful terror to unsuspecting crewmates!

 

17. Have they done any interviews? How did the first one go? And the most recent?

       The first interview she ever did was actually when she was a kid, and attending a biotics camp that had just accepted its first wave of human students, which consisted of Adrian and exactly one other kid - most human biotics were headed to BAaT, but Adrian's parents leaned towards 'you know we'll go with the people who've had like. Centuries. To figure this out' mindset. It went pretty well, and definitely set a tone for her future lol, since she was spending a lot of time around aliens and had a pretty positive opinion of the whole thing.

      Her most recent interview would probably be just after the Reaper War, and consists of 'I Am Retired Please Leave Me The Fuck Alone.'

18. What do they think of the alliance?

   It's been her entire life. Every home, most of her friends, her schooling, her career... all of it was steeped in the Alliance. It wasn't perfect - and there was a lot she wanted to change, but if she was a good enough soldier? Maybe she could make some changes, one day? By the time she realized no, no one soldier (however good) could make a real change to the entire system... well, Sunk Cost Fallacy is a bitch, she genuinely wasn't sure how she could function outside of Alliance structure. Post-Akuze left her extremely disillusioned - that no, they really did value image over integrity. She should have faced some punishment for her actions... and instead, she gets lauded as a hero and a survivor, an example of what humanity can endure, and she would basically lose her entire life if she ever spoke up otherwise... and like a good Alliance soldier, she was too scared of that unknown, so she played along and kept up the good looks.

19. What are they like, when in a bad mood? How obvious is it?

     She gets a little more terse and withdrawn, and her usual way of dealing with it is... pretty much dissociation, honestly. She can't snap because it'll be Bad For Image, or because the situation doesn't actually /warrant/ anger, or getting angry won't do anything to help... so. Yeah. Adrian gets angry and swallows it down and just kind of goes blank until her nerves are calmer. Completely healthy coping mechanisms.

20. Does Shepard’s armor hold any significance to them? What about a weapon?

  Eh... armor, not really; she often swapped it out. Weapons were also generally regarded as tools, kept well-maintained but without much attachment... until she got the Widow xD She fucking /loved/ that thing - it's big, it's sturdy, it can punch through damn near anything, it's beautiful.

21. What was Shepard like before the alliance?

  There was no pre-Alliance Shepard, really... but before active service, she was sligtly less anxiety-riddled and a little more hopeful? Not by /much/ though, tbh, she's just always been kind of tinged with sadness and fear.

22. What was the post-lazarus reunion between shepard and joker like?

     Damp.

There were a lot of tears - mostly on Adrian's part, because she had died only half-sure she actually got Joker out, so seeing he was alive... that was. A lot to process. Joker, meanwhile - like he knew this was coming, but hearing 'hey yeah we've got Shepard's frozen scorched corpse and we're gonna bring her back' and seeing her there were worlds apart.

23. Ever had a broken heart?

  Losing Kaiden counts in some respect - even if she wasn't sure if she did want to pursue something, there was /something/ blossoming there... and then, there wasn't. (She also very much suffers one in canon!ME3, losing Thane definitely breaks her in a way that never mends. And in my tweaked canon/They Live version... she gets a very intense familial heartbreak (: )

24. Are they funny?

   Moderately, and it works best when she's not trying to be funny.

25. Have they made pursuits into further education? Any degrees?

    Went to military college and got a degree in computer science (main focus was decryption and disruption), also took a few medical courses to supplement her combat medic goals. Post-wartime, she pursues education in literature and marine biology.

26. Does Shepard have a Twitter account

   Adrian has a few social media accounts, and nearly all of them are just there to grab it before someone can try to fake them, there's very little activity beyond Official Needs. (She is (anonymously) active on... for lack of better phrasing, space Tumblr, though. No text posts though, she is strictly there to post & share photography).

27. The last time they were rude to someone:

  Honestly, Adrian stays pretty polite? The only people she's really told to fuck off, in as many words, were The Illusive Man and Udina lol.

28. Does Shepard have any family?

   A fair bit! Both her mother and father are alive up through & beyond the events of ME3 - Hannah remains in the Alliance throughout, while her father leaves the Alliance in the years between Adrian's first death and resurrection, instead operating at low income clinics on the Citadel (and a volunteer medic during the Battle of London). Hannah's side also sees an aunt, two uncles, and grandparents; while Adrian Sr. was a foster kid who bounced between homes most of his life, and wasn't formally adopted - but he keeps in contact with the women who cared for him in those last couple years before he signed on with the Alliance, and Adrian did meet them a couple times. That said, most of Adrian's life was spent beyond the Charon relay, and she never actually visited Earth in person until she was a teenager; her relationship with her extended family was pretty distant and limited.

29. Does the alliance use their image for propaganda/recruitment? Did they agree to/want it?

   For a while, after her death - Adrian expressly denied permission while she was alive, but Hannah okayed digital reconstructions after Adrian's death - and oh god yeah the Alliance regretted the /shit/ out of it. 1: They were creepy as hell. 2: The public backlash was /intense/ - not just from civilians either; Ashley and Joker both sent in some very strong letters.

30. A moment that almost made Shepard quit:

   As bad as a lot of them were? None of them actually made her want to quit, really. After all, what else would she have, without the Alliance?

31. Ask Dr. Chakwas: what kind of patient is Shepard?

   A... consistent patient. Frequently in, because she's always doing something she shouldn't, but she's very tractable. Sits still, doesn't flinch or jump, gets a gold star and lollipop every time sort.

32. Is Shepard the type to give speeches?

   A little - she doesn't exactly /mean/ to, but also she has consumed far too much poetry so it leaks into her pep talks xD

33. What does the council think of their first human spectre?

   They'd Rather Not, Thank You. (Okay, actually, they're pretty impressed by the end of things, and they did at least appreciate that she took the charge of protecting the galaxy to heart - even among prior spectres, there was often a bias towards their own species, but Adrian really did exemplify that notion of protecting /everyone/ equally.)

34. What was Jack’s first impression of shepard? And now?

   "Oh dear god this fucking prissy bitch is going to be the death of me I am not falling into any uniform or behaviour requirements' lol. Definitely softens, especially since Adrian does really listen to her and doesn't like... try to /fix/ shit, she just listens and /will/ help but doesn't force it. (She also does kinda appreciate the fact that, Adrian is a nerd... but she's a nerd who knows and appreciates poetry so maybe that's something she can share with someone else?) In the end? Considers Adrian a very annoying but beloved older sibling.

35. How was that mako joyride from ilos to the citadel?

   White-knuckled terror for Adrian and Garrus. Best goddamn day of Tali's life cause she was at the wheel for it.

36. What was going through Shepard’s head, when they met Sovereign on Virmire?

   A Lot. A weird relief, because shit started falling into place. Existential terror of Lovecraftian proportions. And an undeniable flicker of curiosity and awe, because holy shit /sapient robot cuttlefish-/

37. What is their favorite way to eat potatoes

   Mashed with a lot of butter, garlic, salt and pepper; though she won't say no to a good jacket potato.

38. Lucky, or unlucky?

   It's all in how you look at things - many would say Adrian's lucky to have survived so much, after all. Adrian would... Respectfully Disagree and leave it at that. (She does count herself lucky for her friends, though.)

39. What would Shepard say their flaws are?

  That she is, at heart, a coward. She abandoned her squad on Akuze, and then was too afraid to speak out when the Alliance fudged things to save face; too afraid to leave the Alliance even once she started to hate it. She's bad at enforcing boundaries, and fears rejection enough that she'd rather make herself horribly uncomfortable than just say 'no' and have to deal with someone's disapproval.

40. What’s their pain tolerance like?

  Horrifyingly high, and this was pre-Lazarus. See 'will endure physical discomfort over rejection' above; Adrian just... kind of accidentally internalized a 'suck it up and deal' approach; to the point she tends to miss some mild injuries, and managed to stay conscious and moving despite thresher maw acid getting into her hardsuit and eating at her. Only increases post-Lazarus, she winds up... /mostly/ accidentally hurting herself a few times during the worst of it.

41. Shepard’s been turned into an animal! What are they?

    If she had a choice in the matter - Greenland shark or giant isopod. Going by general vibes though... Ross Seal. Look at em.

Shep go -laser sounds-

42. Does Shepard imagine what retirement will be like?

   In true canon? No. Adrian never does quite reconcile a life outside the Alliance, and fully expects - and after a while, /hopes/ - she'll just die relatively young in battle and not have to face the horrible gaping void that is the future.

   Tweaked canon? Not until most of the way through ME2 - the above still stands, but in the tweaked canon... she started spending time with Thane simply because he was also Doomed By The Narrative, and in this situation, had just... not pursued treatment for his condition, so there was a very grim but kind of pleasant mutual understanding of Things. But he's also on a ship with like some of the best medics in the galaxy and a lady who knows how to fix up organs, and saving Kolyat spurs him to see if anything can be done, or if it is too late. And /that/ leads to... not quite a fight, but a Strong Discussion that finally truly cracks through Adrian's whole... wall of Hell that everyone else has already started to wear down, that she finally allows herself to think, well, what if there /is/ a future for her?

  It's pants-shittingly terrifying and she hates it, because now everything is /so much scarrier and more fragile/, not to mention she still has no idea what it could actually /involve/, and even up through ME3's events, all she can really think of for if she survives (and gods help her, for the first time in her life, she's hoping she will)?

She'd like a home of some sort, with Thane. She'd like to learn how to cook. Anything else is still... too much. Too scary. But a home on solid ground and a new, useful skill. She can imagine those.   

43. What would they rather: wake up four years into the past, or four years into the future? Why?

   Tough call - assuming like, end of ME3? Adrian's... really not sure. She's done the timeskip into the future thing, and things did ultimately work out... and she's a little afraid, if she woke up in the past as she is 'now'? She might not be able to pull everything off a second time. So, future it is.

44. Does collateral damage matter to Shepard?

    To an extent - she doesn't like causing more damage than is necessary, but also if it's inanimate object vs someone getting hurt, welp, sucks to be an object.

45. Do they vote?

    Oh absolutely.

46. Favorite bar/club in the galaxy and why:

      Afterlife. The irony of having to go there immediately after coming back from being dead was kind of great, and the music is exactly her sort of jam - seriously, when she's scanning planets or building a ship she just has it on a loop. Idk she just vibes with it.

47. Do they let others take care of them?

Yeah she takes 'physician, heal thyself' a little too seriously and for... pretty much her entire life past 18, the only thing resembling care she'd really accept from others without (much) protest or immediately trying to do something in return was food, and that's because she could never get the hang of cooking even instant noodles.

48. How does Shepard feel about paperwork?

    Necessary, often annoying, but also it gets her out of her brain so that's why she's buried in it through ME2.

49. What do they wear to sleep?

Varies a little by temperature, but I imagine biotics tend to run hot so she's usually just in boxers. Maybe a tank top if it's chilly.

50. What was the last thing (non-email) shepard read? Book, play, poem, essay etc

    She's usually jumping between a couple books at one time! Through ME1 she's working through a collection of poetry from multiple species, the Cthulu mythos, and some middle-grade Spectre adventure books Joker sent her as a congratulations present (she actually rather enjoys them). ME2 is a lot of news, Revelation & Ascenion, and she dives /deep/ into hanar and drell poetry for. Reasons. Lockdown sees her pick up a subscription to a sci-fi/fantasy anthology and a couple knitting how-tos; and ME3 time leaves... very little time for reading. Most of what she goes through is the same prayer book Thane has.

   (She also has a couple books on gardening and cooking. Just in case.)

(+1 would you bang your shepard? Lol jk we all know the answer to that. Share your favorite fact about them!)

     In the Good End AU, Adrian and Thane wind up settling on, of all places, Akuze. It's a pleasant climate for him, and despite the memories... Adrian does find it lovely. And more importantly... it's like Omega but. Less. No one wants to lay serious claim to it because, Death Worms, so it's become prime real estate for dangerous sorts who are extremely tired and want to be left the fuck alone to exist in relative peace, they're too damn old and creaky for power plays any more.

The existing community is headed by an ancient krogan whose clan used to revere and work with thresher maws, she took her granddaughter there to pass on the old ways, and she's the one who has ultimate approval over who's in and who can try setting up somewhere else. Roz is a grouchy old bitch who doesn't keep up with the news, and even if she did, one human-drell couple looks the same as another as far as she's concerned, so what's it matter that she's just helped one settle up nearby? Get the fuck outta her town and leave her people alone or she'll get the shotgun.

#shep tag #anyway yea Adrian gets to be a seal bc: Go Swim and Eyes #Youtube

[ideas-on-paper]

Quarian Codex entries - Observations

[SPOILERS for ME1/ME2]

So, in an effort to gather as much information as possible about the Quarians and the Geth (to get a better idea of Pre-Migrant Fleet Quarian culture and try reconstructing the exact course of the Morning War), I scoured all of the Quarian Codex entries again, and made some… interesting observations along the way.

1. On the internet, I've seen a few discussions of people arguing whether the Quarians or the Geth have the moral high ground in their conflict. During these conversations, some Quarian advocates bring up the argument that they basically had no other choice than to exterminate the Geth due to the Citadel laws explicitly prohibiting AI. (Which creates a discontinuity with the statement that the Citadel laws were introduced because of the Geth rebellion, but whatever.) However, as we learn from the Codex entry about their religion, the Quarians were secretly experimenting with creating true AIs of their dead ancestors, as opposed to the simple VI personalities they were using up until that point. This way, they wanted to gain true immortality, firmly believing that the consciousness could be replicated by technological and mathematical means.

This information shines a whole new light on their war with the Geth: If the Quarians were truly trying to make AI, they sooner or later would have had to cut themselves off from the Citadel, which subsequently would have made any adherence to the Citadel laws irrelevant. Sure, it probably would have meant that the Quarians had to put up a fight against the Council government, but somehow, I get the feeling they would have been willing to accept those consequences. Even in the times of the Migrant Fleet, the Quarian community is very secluded - they almost never let any outsiders into their fleet, and during his recruitment mission, Mordin even has a cut comment to Tali's presence where he assumes that since Tali is partaking in Shepard's mission, it must have something to do with the Geth. From this, we can conclude that if it doesn't personally concern them, Quarians usually don't care about anything that happens outside their society's boundaries - and considering that their homeworld lies in the farmost corner of the galaxy, I wouldn't be surprised if they were known as a little reclusive even back then (which, ironically, is a trait their artificial children eventually inherited).

Consequently, this renders the whole argument that the Quarians didn't want to risk any confrontation with the Citadel invalid. Instead, it gives their conflict with the Geth an essence of "Yes, I was going to break the Citadel laws - but not for you".

2. The Quarians' conviction that a mind can be reproduced digitally also raises a bunch of questions: They were clearly convinced they could give the souls of their dead ancestors new life that way, yet when the first Geth asked their creators whether they have souls, the answer was "Only Quarians have souls. You are a mechanism", as heard in the recording played by Legion.

Now, if the Quarians believed that an artificial being can gain consciousness and be truly alive, what is the decisive quality that sets Geth apart from this? What is it - according to the Quarians' opinion - that makes a Geth less "complete" than them? What is the crucial part that the Geth are lacking for them to qualify as "alive"? (Because if the Geth had a consciousness, they may be considered alive according to Quarian beliefs, which makes this entire mess even more questionable...)

3. Still, the Quarians' dreams of immortalizing their ancestors never came to fruition: Immediately after taking over Rannoch's network, the Geth deleted all VIs/AIs of their creators. Now, the interesting question is why they did that - in a lore video, I've seen a person suggest that it might have been to rid themselves of the creators that abandoned them, as a kind of "symbol" for their liberation.

However, as we learn from Legion's dialogue, the Geth never truly felt any resentment towards the Quarians (which might be due to their inability to feel emotions), so I personally don't consider that theory to be very likely. Despite wiping out almost the entire Quarian population previous to their escape, the Geth actually took care of Rannoch in place of them as a kind of "commemoration". In fact, even the Heretics in ME1 play a recording of a Quarian elegy, which can be seen as a sign of their continuous identification with them (although some people chose to interpret this as a warning/gloating from the side of the Geth, I don't think that explanation really makes sense). I found this respect in spite of the Quarians initially trying to terminate them quite intriguing, though I guess it's up to interpretation whether this stems from their original programming or genuine reverence. Also, as stated by Legion, the Geth believe that all intelligent life should be free to self-determinate - even Tali on Feros implies that for the Geth, there is no clear border between organic and synthetic life. So, considering all of this, it would be very unusual for them to eliminate full-blown AIs of their creators (if they were developed up to that point).

As far as I'm concerned, I can only determine two plausible reasons for this:

a) the Geth already possessed the information contained in the archives, since they had interacted with the respective creators during their lifetime who were thus immortal in their memory

b) the Geth encountered a space/capacity issue on the servers of Rannoch following their war with the Quarians, which led them to delete the personalities of their creators so they could upload their own programs

Either way, the Quarian VIs/AIs would have been unnecessarily taking up space, and since the Geth prioritize efficiency over everything, they decided to delete them. (That does not exclude the possibility of them looking back at their decision and re-evaluating it later on, however.)

4. Last but not least, we learn an interesting detail in the Codex entry about Quarian law and defense: According to the entry, the Quarians are very strict about whom they let near their fleet (which is confirmed during Tali's loyalty mission), and if the intentions of a ship can't be discerned, it's shot down without question. This appears strikingly similar to the Geth destroying any organic ship that enters their space, but otherwise leaving them to their own matters (considering the Citadel laws, they had no logical reason to assume any organic species would act non-hostile towards them). I don't know if this parallel is intentional or not, but since the argument that the Geth attack any organics crossing the Perseus Veil has been used by Tali as proof of their hostility, I find it particularly hilarious that upon closer inspection, the two races act so very similar to each other. (Considering that the Geth obviously learned a lot from them, maybe the Quarians should finally take responsibility for their mechanical children.)

#mass effect #spoliers #quarians #geth #mass effect lore #lore theories

[lonepower]

@curlyparmesan replied to your post “”:

Oh shoot immediately saw a femshep and gasped at prettiness. What class what class?

​:D Thank you!!!!!! she was my gateway drug for Heavily Modded Custom Player Characters and I've been tinkering with her off and on uninterrupted since 2012, so I'm always tickled when someone likes her (＾ω＾ )

And she's a (heavily homebrewed) adept! I played sentinel on my first ME1 playthrough and it was great, SUPER versatile, and then I was dismayed at how much more useless it got in 2 and 3 lol. swapping powers around is a little harder in 2 - the "Set SFXPowerCustomActionBase IsBonusPower" command resets constantly in 2, while only resetting on save/load in 3, which means that I can get rid of the useless biotic grenade and replace it with Charge in 3 and I only have to remember to run the command on startup instead of Every Time There's A Loading Screen. (are those words not gibberish to anyone but me?) so she's a little glass-cannon-ier in 2 than in 3, where she is an extremely op'd one-woman wrecking ball.

(note that despite being my favorite series* ever ever ever, it is notably not on the extremely short list of "games whose combat I like enough to play on anything other than Idiot Weenie Baby Difficulty". its casual difficulty is genuinely still too much of a pain for me. the combat in mass effect sucks absolute ass and I stand by that.)

*horizon zero dawn does ultimately eclipse (🥁💥) it as my favorite single standalone game. we don't talk about the sequel.

also, for completeness: earthborn** / war hero, romances Garrus (obviously. seeing a Cool Alien and finding out you could kiss him was 100% of the reason i first played it. she would be absolutely dtf w/ wrex if bioware wasn't COWARDS though), renegon (ride or die for her crew, can't be assed with politeness to anyone else, will always do the right thing eventually but will bitch about it the entire time), destroy MEHEM ending :3

**she was originally a colonist, but earthborn works better for her Extremely Stupid Crossover Backstory that i've built up in my head. look, noveria was basically just the plot of aliens, you can't give me that AND lance henriksen and expect me NOT to run wild with it.

#curlyparmesan #replies #ellen shepard #seriously i know garrus/shep/tali is basically canon & it's good! i like them!! but pls garrus/shep/wrex is also So good. imagine the chaos #chi replays mass effect for the 50000th time

[monowires]

Big profile textpost about my personal canon Shepard! There is a Lot of stuff under the readmore (I added the readmore so that y'all don't have to scroll 3,000ft to get past my post), just warning you.

COMMANDER JOHN SHEPARD

PRONOUNS: he/him | SEXUALITY: Gay | BIRTHDAY: April 11, 2154

AGE: 29 (ME1), 31 (ME2), 32 (ME3)

ORIGIN: Earthborn | BACKGROUND: Sole Survivor | CLASS: Adept

COMBAT ROLE: Long-Range Offensive Support

WEAPON SPECIALIZATIONS: Sniper Rifles (Primary), Assault Rifles & Handguns (Secondary)

DOES NOT USE: SMGs, Shotguns

BIOTIC SKILLS (ITALICIZED = MOST USED; BOLD = MOST PROFICIENT): Backlash, Barrier, Cluster Grenade, Flare, Lash, Pull, Reave, Shockwave, Singularity, Slam, Throw, Warp

NOTE 1: Backlash is a ME:A exclusive skill, but I like it so much (and am somewhat salty about it not being in the trilogy), so in my canon, Shepard knows this skill. I also felt it was unrealistic to confine him to 8 skills; while this is a gameplay mechanic, canonically there technically wouldn't be a limit on skills he can learn.

NOTE 2: He is also capable of deploying a spherical biotic shield (much like the ones deployed by asari, or by Cora in the beginning of ME:A). Because his specialization is long-range offense rather than defense, this exhausts him relatively quickly; it is something he only discovers via protecting his squad in a situation that would've otherwise killed them.

Shepard's combat style differs from that of a Vanguard or even most Adepts in that he prefers to maintain distance. He occupies a support-esque offensive role, backing his squad with sniper fire while deploying his biotics from range. Having trained for many years (both in- and outside of the N7 program), he has a refined control over his biotics and thus is capable of devastating the enemy with biotics regardless of the space between them. His most often used combat method is to deploy a Singularity field from range before picking them off with his sniper rifle.

Originally, Shepard was outfitted with L3 implants. During the Lazarus project, he was equipped with L5x implants. This upgrade allowed him to expand his arsenal of biotic skills. Though he lacked access to Alliance training facilities, he trained himself in these new skills with help from the many biotics aboard the SR-2. It was after his revival that he learned the skills Flare, Reave, and Slam.

MASS EFFECT 1 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragon (roughly 90% paragon, 10% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Paragon (roughly 80% paragon, 20% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Pacifist; violently capable, but often disinclined to engage in combat unless given no other choice.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: Though not optimistic to the point of ignorance, Shepard has a relatively bright outlook on his future. He has finally crawled out of the shadow of Akuze and reestablished his footing serving as Lieutenant-Commander on the Normandy SR-1. Though the images given to him by the Prothean beacon leave him troubled, it is more of a motivator than anything; Akuze left him without a sense of purpose, and stopping Saren/the Reapers allows him to have a central focus again.

He does, however, have a ruthless side, holding the mentality that sometimes the only way to get rid of a problem is to get rid of it.

RELATIONSHIPS: Shepard establishes a casual friendship with all of his crew; he does not consider himself a social person, though, and often avoids close relationships. Early on, he does develop a small crush on Kaidan, though it's more of a "wow, he's good looking" than anything else. He becomes close friends with him, growing to trust him outside of their Alliance-related relationship. Though his feelings deepen, both regulations and fear of rejection prevent him from ever acting upon them, and he is content to just be friends.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Recruited all potential companions/allies.

Saved the entire colony on Feros.

Released the Rachni Queen on Noveria.

Spared Balak on X-57.

Talked Wrex down on Virmire.

Saved Kaidan on Virmire.

Kept Kirrahe alive on Virmire.

Told Saren that Sovereign would betray him, avoiding the first half of his boss fight.

Saved the Council.

Chose Anderson as humanity's representative.

LESSER CHOICES:

Killed Fist himself.

Saved Rita's sister.

Intimidated Helena Blake into disbanding her gang.

Disabled the Rogue VI on Earth's Moon.

Hung up on the Council only once, after being challenged/taunted for saving the Feros colony.

Chose Renegade options in Garrus's dialogues.

Gave Tali the Geth data.

Recovered Wrex's family armor.

Completed all smaller assignments (i.e. the collection assignments or smaller tasks pertaining to NPCs).

MASS EFFECT 2 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 65% paragon, 35% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 75% paragon, 25% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Abrasive; prefers to shoot first, but does not stand for needless violence.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: Working with Cerberus leaves him distrustful, especially after having learned of their involvement with the Akuze disaster. He adopts a pessimistic/realistic viewpoint which contributes to the worsening of his scars. He is a bit more ruthless, often intimidating and/or harming people if they don't give him what he needs (though he doesn't behave violently towards civilians). He is still tethered to his own moral code, but has experienced a drastic upheaval in that he has been stripped of the Alliance identity he's maintained for the past 11 years.

He also somewhat blames himself for the destruction of the SR-1, a fact that is only worsened as the game progresses, since it's shown that Harbinger has a direct interest in him. This causes him to adopt a mindset wherein he feels that the only way to keep his crew safe is by eliminating threats at their source. Because of this, he will often seek revenge and/or refuse to show mercy to his enemies (unless taking revenge would endanger civilians/innocent people, in which case he relents, though it does stress him out to do so).

He has a more positive outlook towards the end of the game, though, when he manages to free himself of the Illusive Man's influence and reminds himself of who he is.

RELATIONSHIPS: Though wounded by Kaidan's distrust on Horizon, he does understand it. However, due to working with Cerberus, he is generally distrustful towards people and thus does not establish a solid support system as he did before. His friendship deepens with both Garrus and Joker, and he finds new friends in Kasumi, Samara, and Thane.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Recruited all potential companions/allies.

Completed all loyalty missions successfully.

Maintained cooperation between all companions.

Installed all Normandy upgrades (aside from the Med-Bay upgrade).

Saved Maelon's data.

Destroyed the Geth heretics.

Saved the entire SR-2 crew from the Collectors.

Destroyed the Collector Base.

Everyone survived the suicide mission.

LESSER CHOICES:

Completed all DLC/lesser assignments.

Sent David to Grissom Academy.

Let Veetor go with Tali.

Got Kal'Reegar to stand down.

Set the memorial at the SR-1 crash site.

MASS EFFECT 3 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 75% paragon, 25% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Renegon (roughly 20% paragon, 80% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Violent; shows no weakness or mercy, especially with Cerberus. Does his best to avoid civilian casualties but acknowledges them as often being unavoidable.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: The invasion of the Reapers despite his warnings causes Shepard a great deal of stress. Dealing with his stresses alone while also having his worst fears realized causes him to become more abrasive. As the war progresses, his patience grows thinner and thinner, especially as the expectations placed upon him seem to only grow in magnitude. Hardened by the obvious fact that his word only matters when it conveniences others, he adopts a colder personality. He detaches himself from the war, unable to psychologically handle the stress otherwise, and views things in black and white.

However, he is not evil, and is in fact often overburdened with his own sense of empathy and responsibility. The major shift in his psyche occurs on Thessia, as he holds himself completely responsible for the deaths after his defeat—both on and off the planet. After this defeat, his taste for revenge which began in ME2 grows stronger, as he knows that the only way to truly put things to rest between himself and Kai Leng would be to kill him.

He struggles with his morality, too, as combat inevitably becomes his only outlet; this subsequently causes a subconscious inclination towards violence, as it is one of his only methods of release. He is prone to violent reactions in the face of adversaries, though he does not act without thought (with the exception of the Omega DLC, where he restarted the reactor without hesitation despite the consequences; this was because he refused to allow Cerberus to try and get the upper hand on him again by manipulating his qualities).

NOTE: It's important that I emphasize his shift towards Renegade is a direct result of his traumas/their aftermath. He is not by any means intended to be a "cruel for the sake of it" kind of charcter.

RELATIONSHIPS: Despite his inner turmoil, Shepard actually develops closer relationships over the course of the war, partially because he recognizes that he may never otherwise get the chance. His closest friends are Garrus, Joker, and EDI. He initiates a romantic relationship with Kaidan, which is maintained even after the game's ending.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Chose Paragon options in the conversations with Kaidan on Mars; automatically had his trust by the end of Priority: Citadel (II).

Revealed the Shroud sabotage to Eve and Wrex.

Disabled the Geth fighter squadrons.

Saved Admiral Koris.

Brokered peace between the Geth and the Quarians.

Saved the Rachni Queen a second time.

Achieved the Destroy Ending with necessary TMS to get the bonus scene, thus confirming his survival.

LESSER CHOICES:

Rescued Grissom Academy's students.

Saved Samara on Lesuss.

Killed both his clone and Brooks in the Citadel DLC.

Held a revenge-driven/hostile attitude during the Omega DLC.

Restarted the reactor (Renegade interrupt) during the Omega DLC.

#mass effect #mass effect: legendary edition #mass effect 1 #mass effect 2 #mass effect 3 #commander shepard #mshepard #male shepard #male shep #mshep #sheploo #my shepard #i do not know what else to tag #john shepard #character sheet #or like #character profile #sort of #oh yeah #mass effect spoilers #like. a lot of them