Happy N7 Day!

In the midst of all the daily chaos I completely forgot that it's November 7th, the day that we celebrate the Mass Effect series.  My Facebook feed was filled with N7 day messages and events.  You can tune into Twitch and watch a marathon event celebrating the games or simply opt to enjoy some Shepard time on your own.  One interesting question that was posed on several of the posts from BioWare was "what does N7 mean to you?"  I've been trying to think about what N7 and the Mass Effect games really mean to me and why I love them so much.

We all know that N7 represents the highest level of elite special forces in the Alliance military.  Commander Shepard attained this rank, he/she (let's say "she" because we all know FemShep is the best Shep) represents the best of the best that humanity has to offer.  It's not just about the elite of humanity protecting the galaxy, but the elite of the galaxy working together for the good of all species.  To me N7 represents hope--hope for the future, hope that all species could unite, hope that in the bleakest of times the strong would look out for the weak, and hope for a brighter future.  Commander Shepard is the beacon of hope.  Whoever comes after Shepard will take up this mantle as the new beacon of hope.

The best Shep!

N7 also represents Shepard herself.  The female version of the Commander is exactly the type of female gaming hero that I love to see.  FemShep isn't about sex appeal and the stereotypical female characteristics that tend to populate a lot of games.  FemShep is a soldier, a commander, and a leader.  I know that a lot of it had to do with BioWare's strategy of using an almost identical script for the male and female characters, but it works for me.  I liked that when Kasumi dressed FemShep up during her loyalty mission that you got a sense of awkwardness.

My initial Mass Effect adventure started on a lark.  I hadn't heard of Mass Effect but it was part of a Steam sale.  The original Mass Effect is such a great game.  It manages to portray a sense of wonder at this amazingly imagined galaxy and also immerse you in the dangers within.  Rolling around in the Mako exploring ruins or wandering around the Citadel wondering at the size and scope of the massive structure.  The part of the game that really pulled me in was the sense of unity on Shepard's team.  It didn't matter that you crewed your ship with a bunch of aliens, they were your crew.  As the game progressed you could take the time to interact with them and form a bond.  BioWare's real talent is for writing characters so good that you actually care about them.  Sure, Ashley's poetry obsession is a little annoying, but you still cringe when you have to make the tough decision about who to leave behind on Virmire.  By the time I watched Shepard crawl out from under that huge piece of debris, I was completely enamored of Mass Effect.

When Mass Effect 2 rolled around in 2010 I was excited.  I have to admit that at first I wasn't overly excited about some of the concepts contained in ME2.  Cerberus?  You're working for Cerberus?  They're the bad guys!  I also wasn't really sold on the whole idea of Shepard dying but essentially being resurrected by Cerberus.  It's still one part of the game that I'm not wild about (I understand why it had to be this way but it doesn't mean I have to like it!).  After I got over my initial hesitation at the storyline in ME2, I was completely sucked in.  The whole concept of building a crew, earning their loyalty, and forming this amazing team to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds was marvelous.  I've played over 400 hours of ME2 because it never gets old--working together with your team, chatting them up on the Normandy, and saving the galaxy.  It doesn't get much better than that.

And then came Mass Effect 3.  Here's where you should expect me to say something really negative.  Whenever someone mentions Mass Effect 3 people immediately jump to berating the ending.  In these arguments they forget that the game leading up to that very controversial ending is phenomenal.  Sprinkled throughout the game are so many great moments--awkward conversations with EDI about human behavior, a giant worm taking down a massive Reaper, saving (or dooming) the Krogan, helping Tali take back her homeworld, forming an alliance with the Geth, and the battle for Earth....and, of course, saying goodbye to Commander Shepard.  Sure, there were some things not to like about the ending, but the trip to get there was completely worth it (and, amazingly, BioWare actually listened to fan feedback and took steps to make the ending better--something that I greatly appreciated).

After feeling horribly depressed about the ending of ME3, BioWare did a solid for the fans of the series by releasing the "Citadel" DLC.  This content allowed players to have an extremely enjoyable and goofy final voyage with all the unique characters Shepard accumulates throughout the three game series.  The culmination of the content is a hilarious party with the entire crew.  This was a fitting farewell to our hero and all of our favorite characters.

Now, the question looms about what's next in the series.  Will we get another hero who's as memorable as Commander Shepard?  Will the next game manage to capture the essence of the three previous games--we will get memorable new characters to fight alongside and fall in love with?  Will we have a ship like the Normandy, a ship that felt like...well, home?

Today BioWare released a new teaser trailer that will hit any fan right in the gut.  Recognize that voice?  Yep, it's Jennifer Hale who voiced FemShep.  This new trailer hints at exploration being a theme.  I thought I had gotten over the loss of Shepard and then this video made me tear up.

I can't wait to hear more about Mass Effect:  Andromeda.  Have a great N7 day and remember your favorite Mass Effect moments.