I think we all know by now that 'From the Ashes' is the 1st downloadable SP mission for ME3. The writer should have picked up on that. Or is one to infer that 'Leviathan' is the 1st genuine SP dlc created after the actual game;?)
Regardless of the flawed ending in ME3 the trilogy as a whole is still enjoyable gaming experience to lose oneself in. Sure the notion of choice is an illusion, but then all entertainment is some form of illusion or other. Some will have fallen out of love with it, some will come back to it.
Although I personally have had little experience of online multiplay as most, the last being Resi5, I did not go into ME3's Galaxy@War with any great expectation. Like most I saw it as being an unnecessary convolution of an essentially single-player franchise. Whether it is essential for completing the campaign is a moot point now. But taken as a thing in itself, whether flawed or not, it is a LOT of fun. Something you can pick up and put down as an when. And I believe it is down to it be...
Although I personally have had little experience of online multiplay as moat, the last being Resi5, I did not go into ME3's Galaxy@War with any great expectation. Like most I saw it as being an unnecessary convolution of an essentially single-person franchise. Whether it is essential for completing the campaign is a moot point now. But taken as a thing in itself, it is a LOT of fun. And I believe it is down to it's down to it being truly co-operati rather than competitive. I have enjo...
At the moment one sees no future going forward past the concluding events in ME3, nor backwards to events prior to ME1, so why not sideways to depict events taking place within the two years that Shepard is out of the picture. Utilize the ME1 game save to reflect the state of the galaxy and humanity's role therein. The player takes the role of someone who perhaps is not alliance military
Whatever the plot, existing, surviving characters may be encountered, be it Garrus in full ar...
Well put Valenka.
If Bioware were to proceed with ME4, it would be smart to place it in the 2year period between ME &ME2, while Shep is out of it. Do a one off adventure with a new protagonist, either human or alien or a choice thereof, and utilise the players' ME1 save to set up consequences of their Shepard's decisions. Surely all was not quiet and peaceful during the period of Shep's reconstruction. The protagonist may encounter survivors from the 1st game and would-be companions from ME2 li...
Soldier class. Unlock carnage and max it. Garrus & that pole dancer from Omega. Job done.
If you don't visit him in hospital which I didn't on my insanity playthrough, he's got a more in your face attitude when you about to confront udina. That was nicely nuanced and unexpected. On a full paragon playthrough, and you have unlocked left side dialogue, if you don't shoot udina, then kaiden shoots him instead. Or udina shoots kaiden as experienced by the article's writer. So right in that scene we see some actual nuanced variations depending on approaches within i...
At last we are getting articles about what bioware did get right. Those personal moments with fictional characters that YOUR Shepard bonded with, and that by extension you, as a participating gamer bonded with as well. There are more articles and responses by gamers that have taken away with them an almost indelible memory of their differing experiences with certain characters within the trilogy as a whole. Garrus' moment on the Citadel. Yep, I missed that shot too. Mordin at the Shroud. ...
With all the uproar about that ending, it is easy to forget some of the things that Bioware provided in its trilogy that made it a charming experience for many gamers. Regardless of what narrative constraints emerged, the illusion of choice in available decisions, we were still provided a protagonist for which many gamers chose to develop a unique inner life for. Something that made each gamer's Shepard their own. Outside of the default Sheps, no two gamers' Shepard have been the sa...
Yep. Soldier class. Carnage. Inferno rounds. M8 Avenger rifle. Vega. Javik or Garrus. Job done.
Hoorah! Bioware, and even EA have got something right. Almost thought it wasn't possible. One thing Bioware has always done well is never saddle the gamer with Johnny-Default-Sterotype hero.
It will be interesting to see what expansive gameplay DLC they will bring to the table, considering the narrative constraints in force within ME3 i.e. the war. Hence the easy go-fetch sidequests. They don't have the latitude they allowed themselves in ME2- "Suicide mission? Don't think I'll rush into that. Thank God EDI has found an anomaly! "
At last, some perspective. It is not in any creative body's interest to cave in to negative reactions to their own intellectual property. That will be self-defeating in the long run for not only this franchise, but for anything else they turn to next. Bioware will have to ride the storm out. Learn from it, address concerns now for ME3 through whatever appropriately expansive media they have at their disposal, be it a DLC or whatever. But should not change the present ending. Let it stand...
It is a pity that THIS wasn't the initial fund raising drive two weeks ago.
And who asks for a refund from a kids charity anyway?!
LaughingFish.
Just checked gain through original ME1 saves: importing from ME1 does produce a shep-code, but not always- especially if it is a femshep it seems there are problems. So my solution works, though not as completely as I would sincerely have hoped. Best I can do. Hope it still is of some use.
Nice erudite piece Tramwell. Like you, I tried to experiment with the paragon/renegade dichotomy in the first two games, and found that there was some latitude to produce, well if not a more human Shepard then certainly a more flawed one. It is largely down to the player to put a bit more flesh on the bare bones of the backstories provided for them. After all, this is very much the Player's Shepard,and they can invest as much personal imagination as they see fit.
I had a ...
Must say for me Shepard is a uniquely good gaming character, because he or she is YOUR Commander Shepard. You are not saddled with Johnny or Jane default-hero, but can shape the visage, race, gender of your hero (even better when you don't try to make it look like yourself, just try and match the actor's voice) & immerse yourself in the illusion of being the actual protagonist of the drama whatever the perceived gaming limitations of said franchise.Outside of the default Shepards,...
Well there's an idea for muliplay campaign...if we could download our own respective Shepards to the G@W for an 'I AM Cmdr Shepard' challenge event. Not just a weekend but say a month or two with wkend challenges still incorporated. All those little Shepards working together but competing for the definitive title of I AM cmdr shepard. Criteria to decide not to rely on solely the most kills- some combination of the most kills, assists headshots grabs successful extractions etc.