Looking Back at the Trilogy
Jarret joins the Squad to look back over the Mass Effect series, its development, and how the games relate to each other....
Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to finish up talking about their experiences playing through Mass Effect 3 in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week they are finally up to the controversial end of the trilogy.
Nick begins by talking about how he didn’t understand how to make the choice – it wasn’t apparent to him that there were three pathways, and he just walked straight ahead into the beam and got the Synthesis ending. Next, they quickly talk about the Failure ending and how Liara’s beacon project is prominent in that ending. They discuss how galactic readiness can affect your choices. Nick wonders is Synthesis is the so-called “best” option. They talk about how Shepard’s relationship with Synthetics, particularly EDI, weigh on them regarding the Destroy option.
They talk about the monologues being added at the end. They talk about the original endings to the game. They mention that the Husks show emotion in the Synthesis ending now. Kura discusses how he perceives the endings as he is colorblind. They try to relate the red and blue choices to the Paragon and Renegade decision paths, but observe that they seem backwards.
Nick talks about saying farewell to the crew in the London base, and mentions that he missed Kaiden. They discuss the prominences of telephone booths in 2186 London, and talk about old technology in use beyond its time. They evaluate the base and mention how it establishes just how dire the circumstances are.
Nick says that the true ending of Mass Effect, for him, is the Citadel DLC party. They talk about the reappearance of Primarch Victus and talk about how Javik should be proud they got so far by virtue of the knowledge gained from the Prothean Beacons. Chip mentions his dissatisfaction with the game starting and ending on Earth. They talk about the Shepard-Garrus friendship. Nick mentions that since he pursued Samara who is not a love interest, in the sequences that would have involved a love interest, he got Javik. Nick wonders about the possibility of EDI evolving into a hostile AI, and wonders if we could tell the difference between a benevolent or malicious AI at this point?
They wonder about what happened to everyone who was on the Citadel when it was taken. They talk about the final battle against the Reaper forces and having to shoot the missiles. Nick wonders if the Reaper that hits Shepard at the end is Harbinger. They talk about the Anderson-Shepard-Illusive Man confrontation.
Finally, they talk about the Reaper AI appearing as the kid from Shepard’s visions. They wonder if Shepard was indoctrinated. They discuss how the Synthesis option is offered out of nowhere. Finally, they talk about the final scene of the game with the old man and the grandkid recounting the story of the Shepard, and wonder if Shepard was just a myth?
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to squadgoals@mash.gg or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Hosts
Nick Zielenkievicz
Host of WoW! Talk! and The Tauren & The Goblin. Sometimes known as the Video Games Public Defender. Wants to play more Destiny and Marvel Heroes but WoW is all-consuming. Decent F2P Hearthstone player. Sad that he lost the Wii that had Wrecking Crew on it. Would be happy if the only game ever made was M.U.L.E. Gragtharr on Skywall-US. Garresque on Ravencrest-US.
Chip Locke
Chip has a boring adult day job and then burns as much free time as possible playing the videos james. Fond of a variety of MMOs, JRPGs, and action games without active time button mashing.
