Our review copy of Mass Effect 3 is even now streaming from orbit, corners glowing white-hot as it plummets towards the desk of a person who probably isn't the person writing this, damn you all to hell and back. We have an inkling we'll enjoy BioWare's latest role-player - put it down to Salarian intuition, bolstered by a week's worth of dedicated preview coverage.
But the question is: how will we enjoy Mass Effect 3? As goody-two-shoes Paragons, or sneering Renegades? Will we adore the game because we're adorable ourselves, never happier than when we're hoisting alien races from the doldrums and arming them, literally and psychologically, against a galaxy-wide influx of angry robot shellfish? Or will we persist for the joy of clobbering reporters, snarling at orphan children and sentencing entire species to arbitrary extinction?
Whole character arcs may be locked off in an instant, sidequests consigned to oblivion. Did Kaidan survive? Were you able to talk Wrex down? Is there a singing planet somewhere in the void? Was your Normandy SR2 equipped with Collector-proof armour?
As you may have guessed, we need your help with all this (much as we did with The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim). We're aiming to play Mass Effect 3 as many different ways as possible, but we can't be everywhere - or everyone - at once. So where should we focus? What kind of Shepard would you prefer we bring to the fray? Which Mass Effect 2 colleagues should we restore, who should we romance, and who should we give the cold shoulder? Comment as lengthily and persuasively as you can. The fate of the galaxy is in your hands. For reference, here's all our major Mass Effect 3 coverage so far.
Why Mass Effect 3 is the smartest Kinect game yet
Mass Effect 3 multiplayer hands-on
Mass Effect 3 - RPG or Shooter?
Mass Effect 3's Insanity Mode: "harsher", deeper but fairer
Mass Effect 3 characters: 20 famous faces and how they could change
Cerberus reloaded: how Mass Effect 3's enemies look and fight
Mass Effect 3's races: who they are, what they face and how to save them
How Metal Gear Solid, Concorde and Final Fantasy influenced the Normandy
The Mass Effect 3 demo - eight things you have to try
Mass Effect 3: Ashley Williams, Citadel races, "bulking up" and tugging heartstrings
BioWare talks Mass Effect 4, DLC plots and Xbox 720
Mass Effect 3 levels: the Citadel, London, Mars and North Korea
23 comments so far...
golliwoza on 20 Feb '12 said:
Renegade so you can push more mercs out of windows.
Plamsa wing on 20 Feb '12 said:
In drag!
Play as a Paragade and don't forget Garrus.
OXM ETboy on 20 Feb '12 said:
I'll ask Log if he can dig out his Jennifer Tolstoy costume.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BssL4Fz_KZ0
Decent_Jam on 20 Feb '12 said:
There should definitely be input from someone who isn't importing a save, because then you will get an impression of how much affect it makes when the imported saves stray from the default.
I tend to think 3/4 Paragon to 1/4 Renegade is fairly 'typical' in terms of what any reasonable person might do, providing they aren't a psychopath or something, so it makes sense to go for that line for a review since that will emulate most people's experiences.
As for lurrrve, that's a tricky one. For me I'm all set to continue things with Miranda and Tali (for two different characters, you pervert), but what of someone who has somehow managed to fend off all these lovey-dovey advances for all this time. Perhaps Kelly should get her moment in the spotlight? It's not like she'll be distracting you out there in the field, she'll just be waking you up in the middle of the night telling you you have unread messages (even though you don't). I quite like the idea of you having romanced Liara in 1 and then someone else in 2 and there being a showdown between them.
There is never going to be a 'best' way of playing this game, because it's so individual, but the general middle ground is something like what I described I suspect.
Squad members wise, you should definitely do a playthrough where you received heavy casualties at the end of ME2 (maybe three or four losses?), since that will be an indication of how much difference really key characters make, like Garrus for example - everyone loves Garrus - who will be your right hand man if he's gone?
Bezza89 on 20 Feb '12 said:
It's a good point, are you reviewing with importing or not? I'd say both, one being all paragon-y the other the opposite - it should come on two discs right? Get two people on it! I'm free if everyone's too busy at oxm.
Side note - it comes on two discs right? Because then at least I'll know there's as much content as ME2, which is a perfect amount.
Droidsbane on 20 Feb '12 said:
ill be damned if James vega in my playthrough at least
Aleeeeeeex17 on 20 Feb '12 said:
Have 3 or so of you all play through different ways, then write separate smaller reviews/experiences and post them
Plamsa wing on 20 Feb '12 said:
Kelly stopped being in the spotlight the moment she let my fish die. "Oh don't worry commander i'll feed them." Yea right, cow.
I'd say Wrex, Grunt or Legion, but then I remembered.
I'm agaisnt playing it without an import, especially after what they said over on BSN. I'm worried that they might screw us over like DA2.
falcon on 20 Feb '12 said:
Just do it the way you guys want to. You'll probably be able to give a better impression of the game if you play it the way you want to instead of forcing yourself to play the way someone else wants you to, especially if you're importing your own character.
Decent_Jam on 20 Feb '12 said:
Obviously they will do what they want, but that negates the fun of our little discussion
Joe90_Remy700 on 20 Feb '12 said:
play like an absolute c*nt. i never do it, although sometimes wish i have. let us see what its like if we're an arsehole because i guess most of us wont play like that
AK47-Mentalman on 20 Feb '12 said:
You cannot be serious about the love!
You MUST romance Ashley. Since the first one i've wanted to see what Shepard is capable of, and she is looking fine in ME3. Smash her, you've been through 2 wars and traveled through basically a black hole for that woman!!
tjam84 on 20 Feb '12 said:
Don't know if it comes with 2 discs or not, but the game is easily the biggest of the 3 according to Bioware. The dialogue is more than the first 2 combined apparently, and there's 90 odd minutes of cutscenes to boot. So yeah definitely as much as me2. And then some..
Rob606 on 21 Feb '12 said:
I cheated on Tali with Liara with the Shadow Broker DLC and I'm genuinely a little worried at how that plays out
DO IT FIRST FOR ME, so then I know to just... start over
CunningSmile on 21 Feb '12 said:
I did the same, but there is a conversation in Shadow Broker with you sitting down with Liara and her saying she is happy for you both, so don't think it will be a problem. One nice touch I noticed is that my photo of Liara in my cabin is laid flat every time I'm in there with Tali, it's a small point but just makes it more real.
VirtualCynic on 21 Feb '12 said:
Play the game as a player, not a reviewer. That might sound patronising or dumb, and I apologise, but that is what I'd do. Play the game your own way, then tease readers with the stuff you didn't do or find out about on your play-through. Leave them with questions - because that will just make them more determined to find out the answers for themselves. I know I would be - or rather, I know I am...
omallystwin on 21 Feb '12 said:
As long as I get to punch a journalist im happy!
-D-C-D- on 22 Feb '12 said:
You should probably do both, to be honest, so that you can really be sure of the amount of attention and detail Bioware have put into the two different playthroughs. That way you can really comment on how different the game feels as Paragon or Renegade respectively, expand on the so-touted wealth of choice available to players.
Furie on 24 Feb '12 said:
Review in triplicate. Have the main review based on a game where the game makes the conversation choices for you (as those seem to be balanced between paragon and renegade), with sidebars or even follow-up reviews from those who play paragon and those who play renegade noting how different the affair is when playing those ways but relying on the content of the main review for the most part. The overall review could easily grow in detail as more people in the office play different character classes and experiment with the multiplayer (which really deserves its own review from what I've seen).
cyclekarl on 24 Feb '12 said:
Regarding ME effect 3 it's not an RPG anymore so why are you still calling it that,it is an action game with similarities to other games like gears of war,the only thing mass effect are the characters and settings,but it doesn't play or feel like mass effect,Bioware changed the whole game to appeal to the masses,the casual gamer that wants instant action and multi player,it's a bit like taking a car like a Rolls Royal stripping the engine out and seats wheels etc and replacing them with parts from a ford,but keeping the Rolls Royce angel and still calling it a Rolls Royce,the developer has totally ruined Mass effect all to appease the bulk gaming market,but don't seam to realise how quickly they get bored and are likely to jump ship as soon as the next big game comes along,it seams like their loyal fan base no longer matters,I for one will only buy this game when it's in the bargain bin and only then to see how the story turns out,but after Dragon age 2 I never expected Bioware to stay true to their fans anymore and just knew they would ruin this franchise and how right I was.
JCHN on 25 Feb '12 said:
Have multiple romances to make it more interesting. I suggest Ashley and Miranda. Also, kill Wrex, he is really god damned annoying.
Decent_Jam on 26 Feb '12 said:
Firstly, I disagree, though I will wait for the final game to (hopefully) see my opinion vindicated.
Secondly, well done for staying on topic and not descending into a rant...
cyclekarl on 6 Mar '12 said:
Hello you have a point regarding my opinion about Mass effect 3,I hope it's great,but have my doubts,but if I am wrong I will say so.