Gamers unite -HQ

[Shotaro]

Damn barbs. You make me want to start Mass Effect all over again. Never finished the first one because I'm an insane completionist and got bored exploring the planets.

 

[JGlass]

Ah, I see.

I still like how my story panned out, even if Thane got an unheroic death. For everyone to survive such a suicide mission would be unrealistic.

While I guess that is true, a Commander as solid as Shepard could pull their team through with heroic speeches.

The likes of Zaeed, Jacob, Kaiden and Liara would be in my bottom tier.

Thane and Garrus would be borderline.

Jack, Samara, Ashley and Wrex-lite Grunt would be in a middle tier.

Mordin would be borderline.

Miranda, Wrex, Tali and Legion would be at the top.

Early ME3 Ashley does not have good signs. She lost a lot of brownie points in her brief ME2 appearance, especially when she was replaced by a better character in Miranda. Her maturing might just remove any remaining interest by making her completely bland.

Here's my tier list. Wait to read it until your crew is complete in ME3.

Spoiler

S++: Legion
S+: Mordin, Wrex, Miranda
S: Liara, Javik, Thane, EDI, Garus, Jack
A: Tali, Grunt, Jacob, Samara, Kaiden
B: James, Kassumi
C: Zaeed, Ashley

Did you not get Kassumi? That's so weird considering she's from the same DLC as Zaeed (I think).

The new guy, Cortez, seems like he might just be Jacob 2.0.

Cortez is the shuttle driver, and he's actually a very good character. I think you're referring to James Vega, the buff space marine. He is kind of Jacob 2.0 but... kind of different? Maybe it's because I've played through the game four times and have taken the time to get to know those characters each time, but I see the value in everyone.

Jacob was a conflicted guy who was chased out of the military life he loved and was looking for the next noble cause, which the Illusive Man used to his advantage expertly, making Jacob a high level operative for him.

James... well, you'll get to know him yourself. But basically he's been a space marine for a while and Shepard is his hero, so even though he plays it cool, being on Shepard's crew is a big deal for him.

My choices over Wrex are not ones I would have changed. He asked for it.

Psht, choice. Like you decided to kill him. Considering the alternative is him just being like, "Alright, sorry bro," and moving on, I think you probably would have changed it if you had the chance.

I just don't like her. Her mother, Diana Troi, was far more interesting.

Who?

Edit: Oh, it's a Star Trek reference. I know less about that than I do about Star Wars.

Damn barbs. You make me want to start Mass Effect all over again. Never finished the first one because I'm an insane completionist and got bored exploring the planets.

He skipped doing that, which is unfortunate, but should be fine.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

So anyone gonna fuck with this Playstation VR? Just announced they would be moving forward with a 399 price tag.






I would prefer them to focus on building more than five games per year that are worth playing, but, beggars and choosers.

 

[Lee]

Their outlandish claim that over 200 developers are developing for it makes me laugh.

 

[Барбоса]

While I guess that is true, a Commander as solid as Shepard could pull their team through with heroic speeches.

Not sure how an heroic speech stops a Collector slug right between the eyes.

Did you not get Kassumi? That's so weird considering she's from the same DLC as Zaeed (I think).

Looked Kassumi up. Not in the same DLC. Seems like an interesting character. Bit strange that it wasn't part of the trilogy pack I bought.

Cortez is the shuttle driver, and he's actually a very good character. I think you're referring to James Vega, the buff space marine. He is kind of Jacob 2.0 but... kind of different?

See, interchangeable Alliance military types...

I liked seeing a face given to the shuttle pilot. They had done so much work in ME2 but are not named. A bit more from the Normandy crew would be nice.

Much like with Jacob and Zaeed, the whole space marine/soldier thing, while needed, is pretty boring, especially in a universe of such colourful races.

Psht, choice. Like you decided to kill him. Considering the alternative is him just being like, "Alright, sorry bro," and moving on, I think you probably would have changed it if you had the chance.

Did I choose to kill Wrex? Certainly not. I took a logical, non-confrontational line of discussion with him. No renegade moves and he still pulled his gun on me and without orders Ashley killed him to save her commander.

I noticed this time that the Normandy is open to explore to Shepard even before your squad is brought together. The Alliance with less to hide than Cerberus...

Nice to get the doc back again. Garrus.. meh. Nice to see the fabled Turian military in action, even if it is getting pulverised at Palaven.

Did I miss something regarding Anderson stepping aside as Earth Councilor? I chose him ahead of Udina in ME1 but now Udina (who has had a personality transplant) is Councilor.

Nice fire fight on Mars.

 

[Барбоса]

Damn barbs. You make me want to start Mass Effect all over again. Never finished the first one because I'm an insane completionist and got bored exploring the planets.

So you are such an insane completionist that you didn't complete it...

 

[Mighty NorCal]

So anyone gonna fuck with this Playstation VR?

Ill take the silence as a no

 

[Ty Burna]

Ill take the silence as a no

I barely have room for the fucking Wii Motion Controls.

Attempting VR in my house is tantamount to guaranteeing myself a concussion.

And that's not taking cost into consideration.

I need a PS4 first. $300 and $400 for the VR set. So $700 at a bare minimum.

I see VR like I do the next gen consoles (not counting the Wii U here), I'll get one/get into it when I feel the price point is low enough. Even going VR through my PC would require significant upgrades, and there's no games or anything that indicates to me it's worth that much investment right now when every game that comes out my rig can play no issues. If I do upgrade, it's to continue that thread rather than hoping to get on the VR bandwagon.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I might get a Samsung phone and GearVR.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I barely have room for the fucking Wii Motion Controls.

Attempting VR in my house is tantamount to guaranteeing myself a concussion.

And that's not taking cost into consideration.

I need a PS4 first. $300 and $400 for the VR set. So $700 at a bare minimum.

I see VR like I do the next gen consoles (not counting the Wii U here), I'll get one/get into it when I feel the price point is low enough. Even going VR through my PC would require significant upgrades, and there's no games or anything that indicates to me it's worth that much investment right now when every game that comes out my rig can play no issues. If I do upgrade, it's to continue that thread rather than hoping to get on the VR bandwagon.

The hardest part (and the oddest part of the marketing) is that its kind of something you would need to try to really understand what you are getting into, and yet, I haven't seen any demo versions around for me to try.

 

[Uncle Sam]

You have to consider that VR is still very much in its infancy. I've tried it but at trade shows and special cinema events. Early VR, these units coming now, is very much the territory for the wealthy tech enthusiast.

 

[JGlass]

Not sure how an heroic speech stops a Collector slug right between the eyes.

It would inspire them to duck. Or close the doors faster.

Looked Kassumi up. Not in the same DLC. Seems like an interesting character. Bit strange that it wasn't part of the trilogy pack I bought.

She's kind of an Asian girl caricature. She's cute and quirky and silly and sweet. She's better than Zaeed for sure, but definitely one of the weaker characters in my eyes.

See, interchangeable Alliance military types...

I liked seeing a face given to the shuttle pilot. They had done so much work in ME2 but are not named. A bit more from the Normandy crew would be nice.

Much like with Jacob and Zaeed, the whole space marine/soldier thing, while needed, is pretty boring, especially in a universe of such colourful races.

The best part of James Vega is his banter with Cortez, though even then his side is painfully awkward at times. I don't think Freddie Prinze Jr. is a terribly talented voice actor.

Did I choose to kill Wrex? Certainly not. I took a logical, non-confrontational line of discussion with him. No renegade moves and he still pulled his gun on me and without orders Ashley killed him to save her commander.

Shepard's silver tongue could have gotten him/her out of trouble if you took the time to practice it/put the skill points into it. Shit, if you play your cards right you can talk Saren into killing himself.

The real Shepard would have never been in actual danger in that position.

I noticed this time that the Normandy is open to explore to Shepard even before your squad is brought together. The Alliance with less to hide than Cerberus...

I wasn't actually a fan of the changes they made to the Normandy SR-2 in ME3. I loved the layout of ME2's Normandy, and I get why they made the changes, but I'm not sure the spacing makes actual sense in ME3. I feel like the main floor with the war room and flight deck and everything is wayyyyy bigger than every other floor, with the exception of the armory, which again seems wayyyyy bigger than the rest of the ship.

Nice to get the doc back again. Garrus.. meh. Nice to see the fabled Turian military in action, even if it is getting pulverised at Palaven.

I wasn't big on how they reintroduced Garrus in ME3. I mean, it's cool that you run into him on Palaven, but I feel like Garrus' reputation as not only the baddest bounty hunter but also part of the team that stopped the collectors certainly earned him a post above the Turian military. In fact, I think Garrus is probably worthy of being a Specter himself.

But the battle on Palaven is a very fun mission. The brutes are tough enemies, but some of my favorite to kill.

Did I miss something regarding Anderson stepping aside as Earth Councilor? I chose him ahead of Udina in ME1 but now Udina (who has had a personality transplant) is Councilor.

Yeah, I think they cover the backstory in a comic or something that came with the game, or maybe if you pry enough you find out. If I remember correctly, Anderson got tired of the politics and missed being in action.

Anderson is probably my favorite non-squadmate character (the only other contender is Aria, whom I also fucking love), and Keith David's voice acting is among the best in the game.

The DLC for ME3 is probably the best DLC of the three games. One of the DLC's actually explores the origins of The Reapers (which is kind of disappointing, but exciting nonetheless), as well as a mission where Aria attempts to reclaim Omega after being ousted (this DLC is especially cool because you get Aria and a female Turian as your squadmates).

Nice fire fight on Mars.

I think the missions of Mass Effect 3 are probably the best mission in the trilogy. Each one is in a fresh, unique location, and they have fairly unique feels to them (though the same can be said of ME2 I suppose). Mars certainly kicks things off in a fun way with the fire fight on the monorail and the chase scene with Robo Doc.

 

[Барбоса]

I wasn't actually a fan of the changes they made to the Normandy SR-2 in ME3. I loved the layout of ME2's Normandy, and I get why they made the changes, but I'm not sure the spacing makes actual sense in ME3. I feel like the main floor with the war room and flight deck and everything is wayyyyy bigger than every other floor, with the exception of the armory, which again seems wayyyyy bigger than the rest of the ship.

Agreed. The Alliance Normandy NR2 is very strange. No flow in the design and a lot of redundant spaces. The removal of Jacob's armoury and not replacing it was weird.

I would have said that ME2 and ME3 Normandy should have changed places. Cerberus building it on the fly vs Alliance having time to make it more ergonomic and conform to some safety standards.

I like the addition of the War Room.

The War Assets in general adds a new dimension, particularly as it can add more obvious benefits to renegade/paragon choices, like with the Hanar diplomat trying to give his planet to the Reapers. Taking the renegade approach gained me Hanar and Drell forces, where I would imagine taking the paragon approach and saving Jonbam Bau would get you his and some Spectres support.

But the battle on Palaven is a very fun mission. The brutes are tough enemies, but some of my favorite to kill.

Using the big gun on Palaven was fun, as was fighting the Brutes. Getting in the Atlas in Grissom Academy was good fun.

Yeah, I think they cover the backstory in a comic or something that came with the game, or maybe if you pry enough you find out. If I remember correctly, Anderson got tired of the politics and missed being in action.

Anderson is probably my favorite non-squadmate character (the only other contender is Aria, whom I also fucking love), and Keith David's voice acting is among the best in the game.

The DLC for ME3 is probably the best DLC of the three games. One of the DLC's actually explores the origins of The Reapers (which is kind of disappointing, but exciting nonetheless), as well as a mission where Aria attempts to reclaim Omega after being ousted (this DLC is especially cool because you get Aria and a female Turian as your squadmates).

Did I read somewhere that a large part of Anderson's stepping down was due to his persistent backing of Shepard after the destruction of the Collector base? Like he spent all of his political capital to prevent Shepard from being court martialled and had to step down?

I do like Aria and doing the Omega return mission would be fun.

I think the missions of Mass Effect 3 are probably the best mission in the trilogy. Each one is in a fresh, unique location, and they have fairly unique feels to them (though the same can be said of ME2 I suppose). Mars certainly kicks things off in a fun way with the fire fight on the monorail and the chase scene with Robo Doc.

The fight to escape the monorail was great while combination of husks, Brutes and Turian Reapers provided a real test when you have to quickly change from long to close range.

I have noticed that enemies are far more clever in their attack patterns. Cerberus troopers in particular are always searching to turn your flank and force you out from cover with grenades. Escaping Grissom Academy caused me a few problems with that (until I got the Atlas of course)

There were a couple of nice, more natural developments too, like in the Cerberus lab where you steal some Reaper tech. There are clearly more than the two Reaper artefacts that you get but have to evacuate due to the place being heavily defended.

Something like that is far more natural, especially in ME when you spend 99% of the time in a three man team. I only really remember that being taken advantage of once in ME2 in the escape from the Collector base when there is a real swarm of Husks and if you stand/take cover and fight, you are a goner. Retreating with your shotgun in hand is the way to go.

 

[JGlass]

Agreed. The Alliance Normandy NR2 is very strange. No flow in the design and a lot of redundant spaces. The removal of Jacob's armoury and not replacing it was weird.

I would have said that ME2 and ME3 Normandy should have changed places. Cerberus building it on the fly vs Alliance having time to make it more ergonomic and conform to some safety standards.

I like the addition of the War Room.

Or maybe it's commentary on how private organizations do a better job of things than the government.

Nah it's definitely not. If I had to guess I think that the guy(s) that designed the Normandy kept adding things until it really didn't make much sense.

The War Assets in general adds a new dimension, particularly as it can add more obvious benefits to renegade/paragon choices, like with the Hanar diplomat trying to give his planet to the Reapers. Taking the renegade approach gained me Hanar and Drell forces, where I would imagine taking the paragon approach and saving Jonbam Bau would get you his and some Spectres support.

If you have Kassumi I think there's a way to get all of the assets from this mission without having to sacrifice anything else.

There's a lot of that in Mass Effect 3 actually: the ability to forgo making a tough decision if you've played your cards right in the past. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, because there are some really tough decisions you may have to make in ME3 and while the ability to get the best of both worlds keeps you content, making the tough decisions really shows you something about yourself.

Using the big gun on Palaven was fun, as was fighting the Brutes. Getting in the Atlas in Grissom Academy was good fun.

Grissom Academy is probably one of my favorite missions. I love the courtyard fight.

Did I read somewhere that a large part of Anderson's stepping down was due to his persistent backing of Shepard after the destruction of the Collector base? Like he spent all of his political capital to prevent Shepard from being court martialled and had to step down?

Doesn't ring a bell, but it checks out logically.

I do like Aria and doing the Omega return mission would be fun.

Aria's voice actor is Trinity from The Matrix. Don't know if you put that together yet. I think she's also one of the best voice actors in the game.

The fight to escape the monorail was great while combination of husks, Brutes and Turian Reapers provided a real test when you have to quickly change from long to close range.

I have noticed that enemies are far more clever in their attack patterns. Cerberus troopers in particular are always searching to turn your flank and force you out from cover with grenades. Escaping Grissom Academy caused me a few problems with that (until I got the Atlas of course)

Yeah, there are basically three different types of enemies you'll fight in the game: Cerberus, Geth, and Reaper. Each have their own style and own special units that don't really have an equal. For instance, Cerberus Phantoms can be the bane of your existence. They are fast, have a strong melee attack, a ridiculously powerful barrier, and they can shoot you with their hand. But the Geth don't really have a seek-and-destroy type unit like that, nor the Reapers. The Geth heavily favor range and explosions, and the Reapers favor tanky units that are hard to kill.

There were a couple of nice, more natural developments too, like in the Cerberus lab where you steal some Reaper tech. There are clearly more than the two Reaper artefacts that you get but have to evacuate due to the place being heavily defended.

Something like that is far more natural, especially in ME when you spend 99% of the time in a three man team. I only really remember that being taken advantage of once in ME2 in the escape from the Collector base when there is a real swarm of Husks and if you stand/take cover and fight, you are a goner. Retreating with your shotgun in hand is the way to go.

Can't say I ever really put that together, but that is a nice touch now that you point it out.

The sense of urgency is far greater in ME3 than it is in ME2 and ESPECIALLY ME1, and I think part of that comes from the missions. When you see cities burning due to a Reaper invasion, you suddenly feel the need to get to your next objective ASAP.

 

[Барбоса]

Grissom Academy is probably one of my favorite missions. I love the courtyard fight.

Yeah, that was a good tough fight. No place to honker down and defend as there are plenty of places to be flanked by the troopers but if you go gung ho you run straight into groups of well defended guardians and into the firing line of the atlas and the various turrets.

I viewed getting the atlas for the final showdown as a reward for getting through that battle.

Aria's voice actor is Trinity from The Matrix. Don't know if you put that together yet. I think she's also one of the best voice actors in the game.

Hadn't made that Carrie Ann Moss connection.

Giving her the command of the Terminus fleet is one of those "renegade" like decisions that need to be made.

Can't say I ever really put that together, but that is a nice touch now that you point it out.

The sense of urgency is far greater in ME3 than it is in ME2 and ESPECIALLY ME1, and I think part of that comes from the missions. When you see cities burning due to a Reaper invasion, you suddenly feel the need to get to your next objective ASAP.

You can definitely see the development of battle play as the games go on. Aside from melee husks, finding cover was almost a full proof way to fight. Now with grenades, husks and cleverer enemies, you have to be on your toes.

I found in the Grissom courtyard and the Cerberus lab that my squad could be pretty useless if you don't keep close tabs on them. When you are so outnumbered you need to keep that strong defensive and offensive triangle, not have EDI and James running around like headless chickens, which they will do if you leave them to it.

My trip into the Cerberus lab was particularly chaotic with my squad being all over the place, even when I was ordering them to stay close.

 

[Ty Burna]

I might get a Samsung phone and GearVR.

See that side of VR I may get into, the price point is not bad.

The hardest part (and the oddest part of the marketing) is that its kind of something you would need to try to really understand what you are getting into, and yet, I haven't seen any demo versions around for me to try.

My worry is if I get the same reaction when I tried watching a 3D movie or using the 3D on my 3DS, headaches of the worst kind. So I'd have to try it first before investing to see if that's the case.

You have to consider that VR is still very much in its infancy. I've tried it but at trade shows and special cinema events. Early VR, these units coming now, is very much the territory for the wealthy tech enthusiast.

Just like anything in technology, unless it's a slam dunk I'm not interested ever in version 1 of anything. Software is a different story because I can fix what software breaks but I can't jump into a high end tech that may not establish a market like everyone believes, or major issues arise with version 1 and then the second gen comes out working like it should, at a much smaller price range.

 

[Барбоса]

Initially tried to stand and fight the Tuchanka Reaper, thinking there would be just two Brutes... That plan was quickly revised... RUN!

Had some real trouble with the Cerberus phantoms on the Citadel. Couldn't put them down quickly enough before they sliced me in two... Until I equipped my heaviest shotgun. One jumped across a gap, landed right in front of me and took the full force right in the face.

My game is having a brutal toll on individual Salarians so far... Jonbam, Kirreche and Mordin all gone. Not surprising that the dalatrass is none too pleased. I suspect that a Turian-Krogan war asset is worth a bit more than a Salarian one though.

That said, I am loving the Salarian grenade pistol.

Thought Grunt had gone a similar way too. Glad to see he didn't as he has become much more like Wrex.

 

[JGlass]

Initially tried to stand and fight the Tuchanka Reaper, thinking there would be just two Brutes... That plan was quickly revised... RUN!

Another one of my favorite missions, mostly because you get to see a little more of Tuchanka than just some crumbling ruins that the Urdnot clan decided to call home. Now you get to see some crumbling ruins that nobody calls home.

The end point of the mission was certainly a surprise. It seems each installment has that one mission where you forgo killing everything in sight and just run for your life.

Kalros is one bad bitch though. Seeing her is a real treat.

So I assume you let Mordin release the cure for the Geneophage? If you didn't, you're a monster.

Had some real trouble with the Cerberus phantoms on the Citadel. Couldn't put them down quickly enough before they sliced me in two... Until I equipped my heaviest shotgun. One jumped across a gap, landed right in front of me and took the full force right in the face.

Told you they were pains in the ass. I don't know if you got caught with it, but they also have an auto-kill move that once started can't be stopped.

My game is having a brutal toll on individual Salarians so far... Jonbam, Kirreche and Mordin all gone. Not surprising that the dalatrass is none too pleased. I suspect that a Turian-Krogan war asset is worth a bit more than a Salarian one though.

Kirrahe is a phenomenal minor character. I actually didn't know that Kirrahe could die if he made it to Mass Effect 3, but I see he takes Thane's place in helping to stop Kai Lang.

If Thane survives to ME3 you meet him at the hospital at the Citadel where he is slowly dying to that disease that Drell get (you know the one). However, during Cerberus' attack on the Citadel, Thane decides he's up for one last hurrah and saves the Salarian Councilor's life and has a pretty sweet fight with Kai Lang.

Speaking of, you know who fucking sucks? Kai Lang. What an asshole, which is precisely where Bioware seemed to pull this character out of.

That said, I am loving the Salarian grenade pistol.

Can't say I ever had the pleasure of using it. Despite the fact that I've played through this series four times, I never really used pistols. I use assault rifles/shotguns/sniper rifles almost exclusively.

Thought Grunt had gone a similar way too. Glad to see he didn't as he has become much more like Wrex.

He's such a bad ass in that mission to. When he comes running out of the cave covered in blood... that's some good stuff.

 

[Барбоса]

The end point of the mission was certainly a surprise. It seems each installment has that one mission where you forgo killing everything in sight and just run for your life.

It adds to the hectic "race against time" nature of the game that you mentioned before, as well as adding some variety.

And yet even that is used against you. During the Cerberus coup attempt, at the place I had trouble with the phantoms, you are encouraged to run for it (Liara and her crappy advice) but if you do the doors close and you are cornered facing certain death.

Kalros is one bad bitch though. Seeing her is a real treat.

I liked that, although the story-telling surrounding her was a little patchy. Loved looking at the Krogan ruins and their art but Kalros went from myth to real to "here's how we can use her" far too quickly for me.

So I assume you let Mordin release the cure for the Geneophage? If you didn't, you're a monster.

I had informed Wreav and Eve about the Salarian offer and sabotage as early as I was allowed.

Speaking of, you know who fucking sucks? Kai Lang. What an asshole, which is precisely where Bioware seemed to pull this character out of.

I suppose Cerberus needed some kind of Big Bad beyond the Illusive Man, but plucking him out of nowhere wasn't the best idea.

Having Cerberus kidnap one of your friends, someone like Jack, Oriana or Miranda, and making them into a cyborg killing machine would have been better.

Indeed, Cerberus' Big Bad could have been another nice layover from previous games, especially given their potential takeover of the Collector base which in my game has the corpses of Jacob and Zaeed lying in it...

Can't say I ever had the pleasure of using it. Despite the fact that I've played through this series four times, I never really used pistols. I use assault rifles/shotguns/sniper rifles almost exclusively.

It works as an excellent mid range weapon against both moving and large targets. Found it particularly useful against powerful enemies like atlases, phantoms and banshees. You know, the ones I am most likely to be retreating from.

Speaking of which... fucking banshees are dire as well. That draining health power they have nearly had me losing it when fighting two of them at the end of the asari monastery.

That was another battle where my squad mates tried to be as useless as possible. Stop hiding behind cover! They are going to kill you! At least try to provide some sort of distraction from me so I can take out one of them rather than face both of them warping around at the same time. Throwing all my frag grenades, unloading a clip of Salarian pistol grenades and then a point blank claymore shotgun blast eventually did the job.

And then Samara tries to commit suicide... seems a recurring plot line with past squad members. All of them suffering from survivors guilt to PTSD? And I have heard suggestions that even after Mordin, Grunt, Samara and technically Thane, these are not the last.

He's such a bad ass in that mission to. When he comes running out of the cave covered in blood... that's some good stuff.

Yeah, that was an epic smackdown with a surprising ending. Considering that that was the mission I did right after losing Mordin, I was momentarily bummed.

 

[Барбоса]

The writers took an interesting approach with the Geth in the end, especially with regard to the state of Ranooch. You might be expecting a technological nightmare with every available space terraformed for use by machines like the Machine City in the Matrix or planets conquered by the Borg in Star Trek.

It certainly played nicely into the lingering idea from ME2 and expressed fully in the trippy Consensus level that the Geth are more self-aware than just largely mindless machines looking to kill all organic life. They are much more Data than Ultron.

Yeah, there is another "suicide" in Legion. Again, I wanted more from him.

Shepard (and the Migrant Fleet) vs a Reaper...

The ME3 squad roster has remained lacklustre, particularly in comparison to the variety of ME2.

I seem to have accidentally led Shepard into a relationship with the still brutally boring Liara, who won't even talk to me.

Heading to Thessia next, which probably means more bloody Banshees...

 

[JGlass]

As a quick aside from what I've got going on with Barbosa here: I've been playing Broforce with a friend of mine lately, and it is SO much fun. Side scrolling shoot em up excellence with a fun variety of characters and just enough strategy to leave you with a feeling of accomplishment after a tough level. Free for PS+ subscribers, I highly recommend downloading it. I've played single player and couch co-op, and I must say it's better with a friend, but you can always find a game online if you need a tag team partner.

It adds to the hectic "race against time" nature of the game that you mentioned before, as well as adding some variety.

And there's a certain level of epicness as Shepard weaves through brutes like a soccer player on the run of his life. And then you're rewarded with Kalros' arrival, and she's pissed about the giant spaceship that landed on her planet.

Do they ever cover what happened to the dozen or so brutes that were chasing you? Did they see Kalros and scatter?

And yet even that is used against you. During the Cerberus coup attempt, at the place I had trouble with the phantoms, you are encouraged to run for it (Liara and her crappy advice) but if you do the doors close and you are cornered facing certain death.

I don't remember this particular situation. I think I know the stretch of the mission you're talking about, though, and my strategy for this section was to always lure the tougher units out by running forward, getting cover, and retreating as necessary while getting big shots in with powers or sniper/shotgun shots.

I liked that, although the story-telling surrounding her was a little patchy. Loved looking at the Krogan ruins and their art but Kalros went from myth to real to "here's how we can use her" far too quickly for me.

Hey, time is the greatest motivator in the galaxy!

I understand the grievance though. Maybe it would have been better if they had mentioned Kalros when you were on Tuchanka in ME2 for Grunt's Bar Mitzvah.

I had informed Wreav and Eve about the Salarian offer and sabotage as early as I was allowed.

Atta boy.

Why the change of heart regarding the usefulness of the genophage? Change of situation or change of mind?

I suppose Cerberus needed some kind of Big Bad beyond the Illusive Man, but plucking him out of nowhere wasn't the best idea.

Having Cerberus kidnap one of your friends, someone like Jack, Oriana or Miranda, and making them into a cyborg killing machine would have been better.

Indeed, Cerberus' Big Bad could have been another nice layover from previous games, especially given their potential takeover of the Collector base which in my game has the corpses of Jacob and Zaeed lying in it...

There's a certain vibe given off that he's the Illusive Man's Shepard Version 2.0 with more tricks and less pesky morality. I'm glad they didn't brainwash one of Shepard's friends because that would have been too much of history repeating. There is some back story to Kai Leng (he was in the Alliance Military and I think was N7, but was definitely not all there in the head and lost his shit and got dishonorably discharged. Illusive Man saw his potential and recruited him, gave him all the tech he needed to get the job done and let him off the leash), but I think what would have really helped is if, again, they made some sort of mention of him in ME2, maybe have the Illusive Man mention that he had another operative run ahead and clear out a Geth or Collector outpost on a planet with vital information for Shepard to see, and then send Shepard to finish the job. Maybe Shepard would meet Kai Leng for a briefing of what needs to be done, and Kai Leng would show some resentment to the fact that the Illusive Man called in Shepard to finish the job, showing that he doesn't have as much faith in Kai Leng.

It works as an excellent mid range weapon against both moving and large targets. Found it particularly useful against powerful enemies like atlases, phantoms and banshees. You know, the ones I am most likely to be retreating from.

There is definitely a fun selection of sidearms in Mass Effect. In the online mode (which is a lot of fun but hardly necessary), lots of people use pistols as their primary weapon.

Speaking of which... fucking banshees are dire as well. That draining health power they have nearly had me losing it when fighting two of them at the end of the asari monastery.

Yes, Banshees are probably the toughest enemies in the game. Their ability to cut distances with teleportation and constantly threaten you with their insta-kill move means you'll be running around like a nut while fighting them, and if there's other enemies on the field with ranged attacks, you'll probably be out of cover long enough that they'll be threatening you with death.

My advice for Banshees is to avoid them and take out the other threats as quickly as possible. A long Banshee isn't that hard to kill, just time consuming. It also helps if you can learn how to combo your powers.

That was another battle where my squad mates tried to be as useless as possible. Stop hiding behind cover! They are going to kill you! At least try to provide some sort of distraction from me so I can take out one of them rather than face both of them warping around at the same time. Throwing all my frag grenades, unloading a clip of Salarian pistol grenades and then a point blank claymore shotgun blast eventually did the job.

Yeah, that is a hell of an introduction to the Banshees. They throw husks at you too, do they not?

And then Samara tries to commit suicide... seems a recurring plot line with past squad members. All of them suffering from survivors guilt to PTSD? And I have heard suggestions that even after Mordin, Grunt, Samara and technically Thane, these are not the last.

Everyone wants to be a hero, and there's no better way to ensure that you'll be remembered as a hero than to die a hero. But none of them just up and commit suicide, they die for an important cause.

Also, I'm not sure if it's clear, but Grunt didn't die. He's fine, it's just hard to walk when you're covered in Rachni blood.

Yeah, that was an epic smackdown with a surprising ending. Considering that that was the mission I did right after losing Mordin, I was momentarily bummed.

Fun mission, using that flame thrower is a lot of fun, and you certainly get experience killing the Ravengers, which can be a tough enemy if you don't have a good tactic for killing them.

The writers took an interesting approach with the Geth in the end, especially with regard to the state of Ranooch. You might be expecting a technological nightmare with every available space terraformed for use by machines like the Machine City in the Matrix or planets conquered by the Borg in Star Trek.

It certainly played nicely into the lingering idea from ME2 and expressed fully in the trippy Consensus level that the Geth are more self-aware than just largely mindless machines looking to kill all organic life. They are much more Data than Ultron.

Yes, the final examination into the motivations and ethos of the Geth shows that they're not looking for power or wealth or status, but meaning. Its beautiful.

Yeah, there is another "suicide" in Legion. Again, I wanted more from him.

Who doesn't? But again, he went out a hero. Were you able to save both the Geth and the Quarians?

Shepard (and the Migrant Fleet) vs a Reaper...

Another fun boss battle with a unique spin. I'll tell you, the first time I played I got chewed up by that laser beam a half dozen times before I perfected dodging it. And then when you lock that last missile barrage in... it's sweet as candy.

The ME3 squad roster has remained lacklustre, particularly in comparison to the variety of ME2.

Sadly it seems that you are without the DLC that unlocks Javiik, the last Prothean. I think Bioware realized that the squad options for ME3 paled in comparison to ME2, so they made Javiik, a super dark, serious, rude, arrogant, and oftentimes funny Prothean that feels superior to literally every living thing in the galaxy. This also adds an extra dimension to Liara, who spent her whole life studying Protheans only to finally meet one, and he turns out to be a dick.

Here's a fun video...

[YOUTUBE]7XmUw7yYhlE[/YOUTUBE]

I seem to have accidentally led Shepard into a relationship with the still brutally boring Liara, who won't even talk to me.

Oh if only you played Lair of the Shadow Broker. Then you'd see what a badass Liara is.

Heading to Thessia next, which probably means more bloody Banshees...

Let me know how it goes. This is a tough mission.

 

[Барбоса]

Do they ever cover what happened to the dozen or so brutes that were chasing you? Did they see Kalros and scatter?

Being largely mindless I imagine they attempted to stand and fight only to be washed away by the Kalros tide.

Atta boy.

Why the change of heart regarding the usefulness of the genophage? Change of situation or change of mind?

A combination of things.

The Reaper situation and needing Turian and Krogan help was definitely a factor but I would not underestimate the effect that the character of "Eve" had. She seemed far more the leader that the Krogan needed and was assured of high status due to being the progenitor of the cure.

I still do not think I was wrong over Wrex though. That was a completely different situation with Saren in control of the cure and using it to build a mindless Krogan army and there being no galactic threat to unite the Krogan.

There's a certain vibe given off that he's the Illusive Man's Shepard Version 2.0 with more tricks and less pesky morality. I'm glad they didn't brainwash one of Shepard's friends because that would have been too much of history repeating. There is some back story to Kai Leng (he was in the Alliance Military and I think was N7, but was definitely not all there in the head and lost his shit and got dishonorably discharged.

Discharged for first degree murder.

His backstory whiffed a little of a potential DLC mission.

There is definitely a fun selection of sidearms in Mass Effect. In the online mode (which is a lot of fun but hardly necessary), lots of people use pistols as their primary weapon.

The Arc Pistol was extremely useful against the Geth.

Yeah, that is a hell of an introduction to the Banshees. They throw husks at you too, do they not?

Yeah, in the final battle in the monastery, there is a wave of husks first, which makes things doubly difficult.

Had to play it a good few times mainly because neither of my squad provided anything approaching useless aid. Two or three times I ended up with both banshees on top of me - a non-stop ticket to Deadsville.

Everyone wants to be a hero, and there's no better way to ensure that you'll be remembered as a hero than to die a hero. But none of them just up and commit suicide, they die for an important cause.

Also, I'm not sure if it's clear, but Grunt didn't die. He's fine, it's just hard to walk when you're covered in Rachni blood.

Oh, I know Grunt got out but he really did launch himself into a suicide attack.

There is something to be written about the actions of Shepard's squadmates in ME3 after their experience with the Commander and the Collector base.

A lot of suicidal tendencies flying about.

Yes, the final examination into the motivations and ethos of the Geth shows that they're not looking for power or wealth or status, but meaning. Its beautiful.

Quite the reveal that the Geth-Quarian War was started by Quarian fear rather than anything else. It also infers that the Geth were rational enough (or not rational enough?) to understand that just because the Quarians feared what the Geth were becoming, they did not have to kill them all.

Who doesn't? But again, he went out a hero.

I thought that there was more room for conversation with the Geth Prime at the end. That was a little surreal. Maybe a line along the lines of "We are all Legion..."

Were you able to save both the Geth and the Quarians?

Yeah, saved both.

Got a vibe that Tali might have joined the suicide squad had the Quarians been annihilated.

Another fun boss battle with a unique spin. I'll tell you, the first time I played I got chewed up by that laser beam a half dozen times before I perfected dodging it. And then when you lock that last missile barrage in... it's sweet as candy.

Yeah, the last missile lock where you seemingly look the Reaper right in the "eye" was pretty good.

I had some trouble with that fight too but more because it took me quite a few goes to realise that the targeting could be cumulative rather than all in one go.

Sadly it seems that you are without the DLC that unlocks Javiik, the last Prothean.

I have seen his name in passing in a couple of things i have read.

Not only would a Prothean spruce up the squad options, it would also fill what is increasingly looking like a... not necessarily a plot hole but the fallacy that the Reapers are some kind of divine instrument.

They are not infallible and seemingly capable of overconfidence.

Oh if only you played Lair of the Shadow Broker. Then you'd see what a badass Liara is.

I will have to see about adding in the other DLCs if I decide to play through again. Seems strange that my copy would have Zaeed's DLC but no one else.

 

[JGlass]

Being largely mindless I imagine they attempted to stand and fight only to be washed away by the Kalros tide.

Seems likely. Or maybe when the Reaper got attacked, it sent out a signal calling nearby units back for defense, not realizing it was about to get dragged into a hole by a giant space worm.

A combination of things.

The Reaper situation and needing Turian and Krogan help was definitely a factor but I would not underestimate the effect that the character of "Eve" had. She seemed far more the leader that the Krogan needed and was assured of high status due to being the progenitor of the cure.

I still do not think I was wrong over Wrex though. That was a completely different situation with Saren in control of the cure and using it to build a mindless Krogan army and there being no galactic threat to unite the Krogan.

And if you kept Wrex alive, they'd have two strong leaders for their nation, like FDR and Elanor Roosevelt.

I wouldn't had agreed with keeping the facility in operation either, and Shepard actually uses what my argument would be to convince Wrex to come back to Shepard's way of thinking, which is that the Krogan being bred by Saren aren't true Krogan. They're being made in test tubes and raised in captivity, depriving them of what it means to be a Krogan (which is what Grunt experiences during his trial on Tuchanka). Plus, they're born into service underneath a Turian, and it doesn't get much less Krogan than that.

Discharged for first degree murder.

His backstory whiffed a little of a potential DLC mission.

Nope, no DLC for Kai Leng. He simply exists.

Yeah, in the final battle in the monastery, there is a wave of husks first, which makes things doubly difficult.

Had to play it a good few times mainly because neither of my squad provided anything approaching useless aid. Two or three times I ended up with both banshees on top of me - a non-stop ticket to Deadsville.

The banshee/husk combo is tough because you're running from two different things at the same time, and you don't have much time to stop to shoot at ether group. That's when having someone with a biotic move like push, pull, or singularity is extremely helpful. That way the husks can float around and slowly lose health (and probably die from the drop) while you deal with the Banshees.

Now I rarely used the d-pad commands for my squadmates, but I used the power commands all the time. Do you tell them to use powers or let them do their own thing? Because telling them when and where to use powers is extremely healthful.

Oh, I know Grunt got out but he really did launch himself into a suicide attack.

There is something to be written about the actions of Shepard's squadmates in ME3 after their experience with the Commander and the Collector base.

A lot of suicidal tendencies flying about.

Maybe living through a sure-death experience has left them feeling invincible. Certainly makes sense for a few of them like Grunt and Jack whom are two of the most powerful of their kind.

One thing I think is worth noting in the difference between ME2 and 3 is the kayfabe quality of your teammates. In Mass Effect 2 you get the best the galaxy has to offer: Miranda, genetically modified for perfection; Garrus, the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter; Mordin, the galaxy's top scientist; Jack, the most powerful human biotic; Samara, an Asari Justicar; Thane, the galaxy's greatest assassin; and a few other strong allies who, while not exactly the best at what they do, are still pretty damn good.

Then in Mass Effect 3 you kind of get an assembly of soldiers that are very good (and in the case of Garrus one of the best soldiers of his kind, and I guess technically Liara is one of the most powerful people in the galaxy), but not even closet to the best the galaxy has to offer.

Quite the reveal that the Geth-Quarian War was started by Quarian fear rather than anything else. It also infers that the Geth were rational enough (or not rational enough?) to understand that just because the Quarians feared what the Geth were becoming, they did not have to kill them all.

Yeah, it was a cool twist to the story, especially if you're a Geth sympathizer. It's a pretty unique take on the done-to-death AI gone wrong story.

I thought that there was more room for conversation with the Geth Prime at the end. That was a little surreal. Maybe a line along the lines of "We are all Legion..."

That would have been nice, knowing a little part of Legion exists in all Geth units.

Yeah, saved both.

Got a vibe that Tali might have joined the suicide squad had the Quarians been annihilated.

As someone who foolishly sacrificed the Migrant Fleet to save the Geth, I can tell you that she does not commit suicide, but rather just disconnects and waits for the galaxy to end. Then it doesn't and she's one of the few remaining Quarians in the galaxy.

Basically all that happens is she leaves your team.

Yeah, the last missile lock where you seemingly look the Reaper right in the "eye" was pretty good.

I had some trouble with that fight too but more because it took me quite a few goes to realise that the targeting could be cumulative rather than all in one go.

Yeah, that would have been a nice thing for them to mention. Maybe EDI could drop a line saying, "If you're underfire, stop targeting until it is safe to target again. The gun will save your progress." Or something more sci-fiey.

I have seen his name in passing in a couple of things i have read.

Not only would a Prothean spruce up the squad options, it would also fill what is increasingly looking like a... not necessarily a plot hole but the fallacy that the Reapers are some kind of divine instrument.

They are not infallible and seemingly capable of overconfidence.

Accurate.

Leviathan is what gives you a solid backstory for the Reapers, though.

I will have to see about adding in the other DLCs if I decide to play through again. Seems strange that my copy would have Zaeed's DLC but no one else.

I'd definitely recommend the character DLCs (Kassumi, Zaeed, and Javik), as well as Overlord and Lair of the Shadow Borker for ME2 and Leviathan and Omega for ME3. Everything else is fine (though Firewalker is kind of lame), but not really necessary unless you're a big ME fan.

 

[Stormtrooper]

As a quick aside from what I've got going on with Barbosa here: I've been playing Broforce with a friend of mine lately, and it is SO much fun. Side scrolling shoot em up excellence with a fun variety of characters and just enough strategy to leave you with a feeling of accomplishment after a tough level. Free for PS+ subscribers, I highly recommend downloading it. I've played single player and couch co-op, and I must say it's better with a friend, but you can always find a game online if you need a tag team partner.

Broforce is amazing. Such an awesome game. Who is your favorite Bro? I love playing as CorBro Walker and the Boondock Bros.

 

[JGlass]

Broforce is amazing. Such an awesome game. Who is your favorite Bro? I love playing as CorBro Walker and the Boondock Bros.

I don't know all their technical bro names, so you'll have to excuse me using their regular names.

Ripley is awesome, love her gun and her special is helpful for taking down bad guys.

John McClane is also pretty great, great gun, like his special.

Blade is a fucking monster when it comes down to taking out long lines of enemies.

Mr. T does work with his flamethrower. His short range make him kind of a liability, but that flamethrower does SO much damage.

Both of Arnold's characters are pretty awesome. Terminator can be hard to get right with his gun, but he runs train if you can use him right, and Predator Arnold just deals crazy damage with his rocket launcher.