Mass Effect 2 BLEW My Mind

Mar 30, 2010 09:58

A few quick notes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE RPGs but I kind of hate shooter games. So, even though Amazon (you sly fox) recommended Mass Effect for me a million years ago, I blew it off. Then, reading about the sequel, I got kind of excited and decided to try the first (by this point it was down to about $10 - totally affordable).

And it was awesome. Totally and completely awesome. I loved the idea of every decision I make bleeding over into a conclusion (and second and third game).

Then I play the second game ... and it well and truly blew my mind.

See, the thing is, most of these video games want you to feel something while playing. Something beyond the glee of successfully blowing the enemy's head off. And Mass Effect 2 succeeded where even Fable failed for me.




This emotion started in the first game with Kaidan, who ended but being the love interest. You have this point where you have to chose if he or another character dies. I chose him.

And then I agonized over it because OMG I chose my BOYFRIEND and let a friend die. And I'm a horrible person because I refused to go back and do it differently.

Fast-forward to the second game. All Shepard's (that'd be me) former team thinks she's dead (I'm a Lady Shepard). So you have this option for a different love interest. And I took it.

Then I mentally flagged myself because OMG what if Kaidan shows up again in the third game and HATES me because I jumped someone else.

(And, yes, most of this is my issues coming out. But still).




But all my emotional stuff didn't come from the love interests. There was the team itself. The game is designed so that your survival (and that of your team) is NOT assured. If you don't take the time to upgrade and earn everyone's loyalty YOU WILL ALL DIE. Or maybe it will just be a few here and there. THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW.

So I go through, earning loyalty along the way, and it's seriously stressing me out because I get to know these characters and I REALLY like them all (their daddy issues aside). And, like all my favorite books, I want them to LIVE.

This also included the crew on my ship who aren't my actual team. They get taken and OMG I didn't get there in time to save them all. And the guilt damn near killed me. THEN I thought I did everything right and got everyone out alive ... but I didn't.

So now I have this almost overwhelming urge to go back and do it differently so that everyone I ended up caring about (see THAT - I cared about these people) lives.

WELL DONE, MASS EFFECT 2, WELL DONE INDEED.

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