Second Opinion: Mass Effect, Continued

The game gradually picked up once I took over command of the Normandy and could embark on my missions. The plot got more interesting once Shepard was presented with some leads for tracking down Saren, the game's antagonist. Instead of being a simple premise involving a race of machines and an ancient prophecy, Mass Effect quickly added some fascinating layers and subplots. The game was no longer a cat-and-mouse chase. With each mission, I learned more about the futuristic world I inhabited and the intricate relationships between humans and alien races.

In retrospect, it didn't take long for Mass Effect to turn things around and win me over. I started with the mission on Noveria to investigate the lead involving Matriarch Benezia and the Rachni. While the combat sequences were still difficult at this point in the game, particularly the confrontation with Benezia, I was able to unlock different abilities and skills, which made the gameplay much more entertaining.

Gameplay aside, the Mass Effect experience crystallized for me on a handful of memorable sequences that presented pivotal choices. The first was deciding whether or not to destroy the last remaining Rachni Queen. I had set my character up initially as an amoral anti-hero, but I softened as the game progressed. This was a turning point for me - I wasn't sure that sparing the Rachni Queen would have some benefit down the road, nor was I sure that killing her would some how come back to haunt me. As it turned out, neither happened as BioWare dropped that subplot (perhaps the content was cut, or maybe the developers are waiting to use that angle for the sequel - I hope it's the latter).

Wrex was a formidable asset in battle, but he eventually turns on Shepard.

I was disappointed my decision never had a direct impact on the rest of Mass Effect's narrative, but the decision did have an effect on me personally later on in the game. During the mission on Virmire, the Normany team learns that Saren is developing a cure for the Krogan genophage and plans to create an army of Krogan super-soldiers. Shepard's squad must destroy Saren's research facility, and this leads to a major confrontation with Wrex, who argues against destroying the cure and eventually pulls his weapon on Shepard.

I wanted to be able to convince Wrex to put his weapon down. I wanted to have the ability to talk him out of this confrontation, because I sympathized with him (this was one of the benefits of going deep into the dialogue tree with character back stories during downtime on the Normandy). I had spared the Rachni race instead of committing genocide, but by destroying the genophage cure, I was eliminating the Krogan's only defense against similar genocide. I understood Wrex's argument, but I didn't have the necessary skill level to resolve the situation peacefully. As a result, Ashley shot and killed Wrex.

I enjoyed using Wrex as a squad member more than some of the other NPCs. He was a good fighter, and I was sad to see him go, especially in such an unfortunate scenario. Similarly, I wasn't happy that Ashley had shot Wrex in the back. Sure, it probably has to be done, but it still didn't sit well with me. That was one of the turning point for my character distancing himself from Ashley and gravitating more toward Liara.

I still had an affinity toward Ashley, having selected her as a squad member for most of the game. When the mission on Virmire nears its conclusion, the team must detonate a nuclear bomb to destroy the research facility. But the mission doesn't quite go as planned, and Shepard is faced with another decision: save either Ashley or Kaiden. I had little to no connection with Kaiden, so this wasn't a terribly difficult choice. Still, deciding the fate of a major character was a pivotal event in the game. And as a result of saving Ashley, Shepard's bond with her seemed to grow.

Ashely was an intriguing character and was a valuable squad mate, but I favored Liara.

That brings us to the next point: the romance subplot. I had my suspicions about Liara in the beginning; it seemed like the developers were setting her up to be some kind of double agent. But I gradually became more interested in her character versus Ashley, particularly because of their respective back stories. In addition, Liara's social awkwardness yet thoughtful nature was more appealing to me than Ashley's stubborn, stand-offish persona. So when the two characters confronted Shepard on the Normany right before the final mission, I ended up choosing Liara over Ashley.

Having two female characters fight over me was extremely gratifying, and the romance subplot overall was one of the highlights of my Mass Effect experience. As for the sex scene, I felt it BioWare executed it with maturity and taste. I've gone on record in the past stating that having sexual content in a game can be a good thing and can certainly enhance a story. Mass Effect is perfect example of that thesis.