Nothing is Perfect Part 2--More Perfect

I'm still working on playing my way through the Mass Effect trilogy and I've recently finished playing Mass Effect 2 and all the DLC.  Mass Effect 2 has long been my favorite in the series and after hiccuping through the bumpy first game (literally bumpy because of the Mako) it was a relief to watch my beloved Shepard get spaced during the prologue cutscene.  Even though ME2 is my favorite, there are still parts of it that I am not crazy about.

Mass Effect 2 introduces a few familiar faces and many new crew members.

What's Great:
1.) Teamwork!  My favorite part of ME2 is travelling the galaxy to find new members for your team.  BioWare does characters extremely well and there are plenty of diverse, intriguing personalities that make up your final team.  I think the team building aspect of the game is the closest to perfection.  I love meeting the new members, chatting them up and learning about them, and then eventually getting to do their loyalty missions and seeing what really lies behind all their quirks and insecurities.  Earning the loyalty of your team and knowing individual strengths and weaknesses is key to helping everyone to survive the suicide mission. 

2.) The teamwork aspect extends beyond simply character building and is also applied to combat.  The combat in ME2 is an extreme improvement over the combat in the original game (which I do not enjoy) and using specific abilities in combination results in powerful attacks.  It is fun to figure out which abilities work well together and which squadmates are the best compliment to your Shepard's skills or for a specific type of enemy.

3.) DLC is (mostly) great and makes meaningful additions to the core game.  Kasumi Goto is a fun character and her loyalty mission is one of the best in ME2.  Lair of the Shadow Broker is the best of the bundle and has a great story, challenging combat, and adds in the fabulous feature of the Shadow Brokers base as an additional resource.  My least favorite is Overlord, but even it has a solid story.  Arrival provides a bridge between the events of the second and third game in a way that you don't even realize until you begin ME3.

4.) Side characters add fun dialogue and crew banter.  Not everyone gets to go out on combat missions, but they're still a part of the team.  You can learn about your non-combat crew members by simply wandering the ship and listening to what they are talking about.  Ken and Gabby in engineering have a cute relationship and their conversations are funny.

5.) The bulk of the main story.  You've got to build your team, but you also have to figure out how to stop the Collector attacks on human colonies.  The story missions take you to various locations and have some of the most challenging combat in the game.

What's Not Great:
1.) My main gripe about ME2 has always been the resurrection aspect and how it is used to tied Shepard to Cerberus.  I'm willing to accept a lot of space magic, but I abhor the story element of someone dying and then being brought back to life...it's just way too unbelievable for me (and it's the basis for essentially making Shepard feel obligated to work for Cerberus).  I just wish they had come up with a more believable way to make the story work.

2.) The combat is massively improved over the original game, but the AI for your squadmates can be sketchy at times.  Way too often I found myself being the only one attacking a target (and, I probably do a bad job of issuing attack commands to my followers).  This is a bit of a problem throughout the series though and arguably is still a problem in many games that use AI squadmates.

3.) Scanning planets is still a boring chore.  I've learned how many minerals I will need and try to stockpile them right at the beginning so I don't have to continue scanning.

4.) M44 Hammerhead.  It's definitely easier and more fun to drive than the Mako, but I think the vehicle combat in ME2 was a bit of a flop.  You have to be extra careful on the missions where you come under fire because the M44 can't take very many hits and you typically can't save while in a vehicle.

ME2 still remains my favorite game in the Mass Effect series.  It's a perennial favorite among many gamers and marks the progress of the formula adopted for the series--building a team, strengthening that team, and working together to overcome seemingly impossible odds.  The quest for perfection gets a bit closer.

Grab Bag

Lately I really can't decide what I want to play.  I'm not playing anything new but aimlessly bouncing between random games that I didn't do justice to on the first go-round.  As a result of this unsettled play I'm just going to write some random thoughts about the games I have been playing or thinking about.

1.) No Man's Sky--Hype or Hyper-tastic space game?
Unless you've been totally out of the gaming loop you know that the highly anticipated and much delayed No Man's Sky was released on consoles (and delayed but soon to be released on PC).  The concept of the game sounds pretty amazing--almost limitless procedurally generated planets to explore.  What gamer wouldn't jump at the chance to have that at their fingertips?  Well...me, for one.  I have this really deep gut feeling that this infinite universe will be nothing but a beautifully empty repetitive grindfest that will get old really fast.  I've always leaned towards games with a strong story so I won't be buying into the hype.  It's just not for me.  I hope it turns out well for those who have been anxiously awaiting it's release.

2.) Fallout 4--A love/hate relationship.
Even though I have complained about how I didn't have great feelings about Fallout 4, it has still found a way to pull me back in.  The reality is that I can always find something new to do in the massive world of the Commonwealth.  Currently I'm on a quest to find all the bobbleheads--I only need two more!  I'm also enjoying the faction change to the Brotherhood of Steel.  Sure, they are a bunch of highly armored jerkfaces, but they have a cool airship.

This go-round I decided to ditch Dogmeat (sorry boy) and travel with Piper.  I swear if she complains about how something smells one more time...she's going to get a hot shishkebab to the face.  There is one person who is considerably less annoying, Preston Garvey.  The changes to make him request your help to sort out this or that random settler who got themselves kidnapped over and over is no longer an issue.

Sigh...I've gotta find those last stupid bobbleheads.  (And no, I won't look up a guide...yet.)

3.) The Witcher 3--Toussaintastic.
I love, love, love The Witcher 3 and am now really sad that I have finished the last piece of DLC for it.  If you haven't picked up Blood and Wine yet or are skeptical about it--don't be.  Unlike the DLC for Fallout 4 (which has horribly negative reviews on Steam), this DLC is meaty and full of content that will extend Geralt's adventures for many, many hours.  If you haven't bought any of the DLC you can wait for the upcoming Game of the Year Edition which should offer the complete adventure.

Toussaint offers the chance to play a more traditional type of hero and to play even more gwent.  Geralt gets the chance to be a noble knight, to rescue a princess, and to live in his own personal castle.  There is much monster slaying along the way and plenty of new locations to explore.

I'm actually thinking of starting up another game on the highest difficulty setting.  It would be my fourth or fifth game...yeah, I really enjoy Witchering.

4.) Mass Effect 3--Garrus + Shepard for life.
Almost every summer I find myself returning to the Mass Effect universe.  I have managed to play a Shepard who has had a romantic relationship with almost every option in the game.  The one big one that I had skipped up until now was Garrus.  What was I thinking?  Garrus is absolutely the best romantic option for Shep.  Go back and play that relationship from ME2 onward and tell me that you don't love it.

I think that part of the reason I avoided it was because there was just something really weird about the alien/human dynamic.  Plus, Turians are kind of weird looking.  But, as a character, Garrus has always been one of my favorites.  He's tough and has a sense of honor, but he is also flawed.  He gets frustrated with all the Turian rule following  and is kind of awkward.  That awkwardness is definitely endearing--the early stages of the Garrus/Shep relationship involve much worry about how it all is supposed to work...awkward talks about vids and figuring things out.

The one thing that really sold me on the Garrus/Shep relationship happens in the Citadel DLC in ME3.  As you enjoy spending time with your crewmates Garrus invites you to hang out at the casino on the Silversun Strip.  In the non-romantic options you find Shep trying to set Garrus up with a lovely lady Turian.  Forget that option even exists!  Now you find yourself in the bar and the music changes to a tango (I think.....) and Garrus sweeps Shepard onto the dancefloor where he reveals that he has been taking dance lessons.  It's completely silly to see two fairly serious characters dancing a tango in the middle of a space crisis--but it's totally worth it.  In all the time that the game and DLC have been out I can't believe that I missed this genuinely awesome relationship.

Now, to just hope that Mass Effect:  Andromeda is able to reproduce all those awesome characters and moments.  Fingers crossed.

Mass Effect: Andromeda News Makes me Nervous

I've mentioned my loving obsession with the space-drama/shooty Mass Effect series so many times that I don't really know if it's worthy of mentioning again.  Like other fans of the series, I try to stay up to date on the latest news related to the fourth game in the series.  Some of this news has been encouraging (the N7 day Shepard good-bye video and teasers from big conferences) but some of it has been anxiety inducing.  The news of several noteworthy members of the BioWare team exiting the company (notably Chris Wrynn and possibly only Dragon Age related--writer David Gaider) seems strange.  I don't really know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, it remains to be seen.

In looking forward to the supposed 2016 holiday release date for Mass Effect  Andromeda, I've been thinking about the series.  My thoughts have encompassed tough topics like the Mass Effect 3 ending and why I still periodically feel infuriated by it, why I never chose to romance Garrus, and more hopes for what the fourth game could bring to the series.  Prepare yourself for a buffet of Mass Effect!  (Please note that one courses on this buffet is spoilers related to the series.  Read with caution if you haven't played any of the games yet!)

One of the featured environments in Andromeda.
Will open world mean bland quest design?  Let's hope not.

I have this tradition where I play through the entire series once a year.  All three games, all DLC, spread out at times when I feel the need to re-visit them.  I recently finished a playthrough of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.  To keep things somewhat fresh I try to pick paths that I don't usually take--romancing a different character each time (basically impossible in the first game), completing missions in a different order, and looking for small details that I might have missed.  Nothing new in ME1, but I found a fun exchange that I had neglected in ME2.  On Illium in the bar Eternity you can experience several humorous exchanges taking place between the patrons.  One of the tables features a salarian, a turian, and a human gathered around a table on which an Asari is dancing.  If you click once on the table you learn that this multi-species exchange is a sort of bachelor party being thrown for the salarian even though he explains that a breeding contract isn't the same as the human concept of marriage.  In my past playthroughs I gave it a click, got a chuckle, and then moved on to whatever my next objective was.  It turns out I was too hasty with my clicking!  If you continue to click on the party the conversation expands--the salarian initially tries to explain that there's nothing attractive about the dancer but as you keep clicking the conversation continues and eventually they all agree that the Asari are attractive because they have features that appeal to all the major races--weird head appendages, flexibility (which seems important to turians), and nice skin.  It's a funny moment that I hadn't caught in any of my prior 8-10 playthroughs.

My ME2 playthrough was slightly botched because of my strategy to do all the DLC before I finished the final mission.  I hoped to acquire Legion earlier in the game so that I could use him in some of the Geth heavy DLC (namely Overlord).  I completely forgot that if you acquire the reaper IFF early and then wait too long to complete the final mission that some of your non-essential crew members will perish on the Collector base.  This isn't a big deal for ME2 but could effect some of the side exchanges in ME3.  Kelly Chambers, Rupert--the cook/janitor, and Gabby Daniels were all lost.  The casual exchanges between Ken Donelley and Gabby Daniels in engineering gave me a reason to visit the bowels of the Normandy!  Maybe this little screw-up will make my next ME3 playthrough slightly different?

After playing ME2, particularly the Arrival DLC, I started to feel irritated about the ME3 ending.  The most frustrating part of the ME3 ending wasn't the end of Shepard, it wasn't the obnoxious "star kid", it was the fact that it clearly contradicted lore established in the series.  Arrival ended the debate about whether mass relays could be destroyed and clearly stated that the energy released from the destruction would result in the elimination of life in an entire galaxy.  In both the pre and post-ME3 endings (the red, green, blue ones that resulted in fan outcry and the 2.0 ending) the mass relays appear to be destroyed.  The implications for this event seem so powerful and leave unanswered questions--1.) If the relays were destroyed, how will life continue in the galaxy?  2.) Without the relays travel between galaxies is possible but would be extremely time consuming.  Will travel to new systems even be possible?

It's these lore-based implications that make me wonder about the direction that the fourth game will take.  One interesting tidbit from ME2 that is easily overlooked happens in a conversation in the aforementioned bar on Illium with matriarch Atheta.  As you question her about her motivations for working as a bartender rather than as a trusted advisor she comments that one of the issues she was trying to promote was building more mass relays.  The possibility of making more relays isn't something that is directly addressed in the lore, but it is highly implicated that they would be almost impossible to create without access to reaper technology.  Exploration has been promoted as a big theme in Andromeda and I'm curious about how the lack of mass relays is going to play out (or if it's something that will be completely ignored).  This is a distinctly nerdy, lore-based hope that I want addressed.

Creating a new character who is distinctly NOT Commander Shepard is going to be the true challenge.  The developers have plainly stated that none of the characters from the previous games will be returning to Andromeda.  It's pretty clear that they're making a complete break from the old story.  I'm looking forward to meeting the new characters (BioWare creates great characters) but have always enjoyed references to the old squadmates and important characters.

I'm going to keep watching and hoping that the Andromeda continues the Mass Effect traditions that I, and many others, have grown to love.

Video Game Spin-Offs: Mass Effect "Foundation" #12

(Spoilers!) #12 in the Foundation series picks up with Miranda informing the Illusive Man that Rasa is becoming too dangerous.  Rasa has been sticking her nose into the Lazarus project and knows too much.  She is continuing to compile the dossiers and is now investigating the drell assassin, Thane Krios.  Rasa and Krios tangled briefly in a previous issue and Rasa only escaped because Krios decided to show her mercy.

Thane's story starts off with him on an assignment to assassinate a Salarian war criminal.  As he takes aim and prepares to pull the trigger, a female drell sees the dot from the laser sight and steps between the target and the assassin.  If you've ever romanced Thane in Mass Effect 2 this story should be familiar.  It's the story about how he met his wife.  After she interrupts Thane he becomes obsessed with her.  He can't understand why someone would put their own life at risk to save a stranger.  He begins tracking her so he can learn more about her.  This is very fortunate because she is attacked and he is able to save her.  He finds out that she is a scientist working on a cure for a hanar disease and informs her about who he is.  She threatens to call security to arrrest him, but he begs her forgiveness. She decides to let him stick around and their relationship blooms.  Thane is a different person when he's with her and feels awakened from his "battle sleep."

Thane meets his future wife.

Eventually Thane decides he wants to marry her.  In order to get married he must get permission from the Hanar that he is bound to through the compact.  The Hanar warns him that this isn't his path and could be a big mistake.  Thane ignores the advice and decides to marry Irikah anyway.  Soon they have a family, but Thane struggles to be a good father.  No longer able to use his skills as an assassin, he is forced to take meaningless jobs and he finds that this is difficult.  He makes the tough decision to return to assassin work and finds that he is away from his family for long periods of time.

Things turn sour when a group of Batarian slavers who Thane had been paid to take out decide they want revenge.  They pay the Shadow Broker for his identity and wait for him to travel far enough away that they can take out his family before he returns.  Thane then makes it his goal to find the ones who killed his wife and eliminate them all.  He does it in the most painful ways possible and feels no remorse.  As he prepares to take out their leader he has a flashback of his wife standing in his sights.  He pulls the trigger anyway and ends his quest for vengeance.

The issue ends with Thane holding a coin given to him by his wife and tossing it into the ocean.  He laments the fact that he didn't listen to the Hanar priest who warned him that he wasn't meant for a simple family life.

Thane is another of the characters that I like and I thought it was nice to see his story fleshed out.  If you're looking for some new information about Thane there really isn't much in this issue.

Video Game Spin-Offs: Mass Effect "Foundation" #11

(Spoilers!) Unlike the last issue, this issue tries to remind readers about the whole Cerberus/Rasa storyline that is going on.  It opens on a Cerberus facility where Rasa is confronting Miranda about the fact that she has been placed on permanent medical observation.  This status is preventing her from returning to field work and Rasa is upset that her skills as an agent are being wasted.  Miranda shocks her into reality by revealing the fact that she has caught Rasa peeking into classified files that are part of the Lazarus project.  Miranda kindly reminds her that "Cerberus doesn't take prisoners."

The rest of the story returns to dossiers and the focus on an individual member. #11 focuses on the veteran human mercenary, Zaeed Massani.  Like Kasumi, Zaeed was a character who was a sort of "extra" in Mass Effect 2.  His content is only available through DLC.  As a character, I liked Zaeed.  He has a gritty, tough old-guy thing going that makes him interesting.  I thought it was fun to stroll through his bunk area and listen to him tell his stories about all his souvenirs.

Zaeed's story starts off with him being in a very precarious situation.  He's on a mission and things aren't going very well.  The story is told in his own voice, which is a great idea since his voice is so distinctive.  He starts his story off with his departure from being the leader of the mercenary group the Blue Suns (it wasn't pretty) and his new career as a mercenary.  His reputation helps him find a mission with the Shadow Broker (who is depicted as a Yahgg in this comic--I didn't really like that--the lore felt off).  This mission isn't some easy job and requires Zaeed to crash a Turian warship in the most fantastic way possible.  Zaeed's instructions are to "be creative."

To prepare for the job Zaeed begins building a group of talented mercenaries.  He recruits a sadistic Salarian tech expert, an Asari sniper, and a Human who totally hero worships Zaeed.  His group of misfits plans to board the ship and meet their Turian contact aboard the vessel.  Little does he realize that there is more trouble on-board than he originally thought.

Zaeed assembles his squad.

The plan starts off with Zaeed's crew jumping from their own moving ship to the Turian ship.  It's dangerous, but they all manage to make it.  It becomes apparent that the Turians have caught wind of Zaeed's plan.  As the group readies to open the interior door on the ship another door opens and sucks them out of the airlock they just entered.  Fortunately they cabled themselves to the interior of the ship--not so fortunate for the member whose cable didn't hold.  Now they know that their cover is blown, but Zaeed has no intention of ditching a job that pays as well as this one.  They manage to crawl aboard through another open bay door and Zaeed sends his two underlings to distract the guards while he fights his way toward the bridge.

Zaeed's two compatriots continue to fight their way forward and seem to be having a good time.  They banter about their success and then suddenly the Asari, Tristana, decides to lock the door behind her leaving her human squadmate on his own.  It's very obvious that these mercenaries are all in it for themselves and the idea of splitting the payday isn't particularly engaging to any of them.  The next panel shows a Turian defense base that has just been alerted to the attack on the ship.  The commander decides that their only option is to shoot down the ship if it enters their airspace.

As Zaeed makes it to the bridge he forces his Turian hostage to open the door.  He firmly believes he has made it and that all the distractions have worked.  When he opens the door he discovers a large group of Turians who are more than ready to kill him.  Suddenly a shot rips through the air and the Turian's brains splatter all over Zaeed.  Tristana has made it to the bridge and helps Zaeed fight off the group of Turians.  They both seem pretty happy that now the loot is a 50-50 split.  Then Tristana uses her biotics to zap Zaeed into submission and informs him that she works for his Blue Suns adversary Vido Santiago.  It's right at that moment that the ship enters the atmosphere of a planet and Tristana momentarily loses her biotic grip on Zaeed.  And it's exactly when the Turian defense battery gets a lock on the ship.

Zaeed and Tristana are locked in a death struggle as the ship starts to break apart.  As a gaping hole is blown into the side of the ship they both manage to grasp a small part of the ship and hang on.  Zaeed isn't one to forgive and kicks Tristana in the face, dislodging her into space.  Zaeed holds on and makes it to an escape pod.  As he lands, he peeks out the door and is greeted by the sight of the Turian ship brilliantly crashing into the planet's surface.  Zaeed grins.

The very end of the comic returns to Rasa back on the Cerberus facility.  She's still reading Zaeed's dossier, but she's also checking out a human form that is currently suspended in a tank. The issue ends with Miranda watching Rasa on a monitor and informing the Illusive Man that they need to talk about Rasa.

This issue is one of my favorites in the series.  I liked that the story broke away from the Cerberus focus and that it was very action-packed.  The character dialogue in the story was well-written and I could hear Zaeed's voice telling the tale as I was reading.  This is a good one and I would recommend it above many others in the series.

Video Game Spin-Offs: Mass Effect "Foundation" #10

(Spoilers!) The next issue in the "Foundation" series takes a departure from the story that seems to be largely based on the Cerberus activities surrounding Rasa.  The issue, instead, focuses on the story behind Kasumi Goto.  I found it a little strange that they threw in a random issue that seems unrelated to the storyline that is presented in the previous issues.  Kasumi is one of the dossiers that Shepard receives in Mass Effect 2, but she's a DLC character.  If you're a fan of Kasumi, you'll enjoy the focus on her backstory which does have a more romantic feel to it than the other stories.

Much of this issue focuses on Kasumi's activities as one of the most well known thieves in the galaxy.  The story follows Kasumi and her boyfriend, the almost equally talented thief and hacker, as they plot a major heist on the planet Bekenstein.  If you've played the Kasumi DLC from Mass Effect 2, you know that this is the site of the Hock heist.  You get a really nice sense of the relationship between Kasumi and Keiji as they plan together.

Flying!

Kasumi and Keiji

As they land on Bekenstein their plot seems a little crazy--they are sneaking through an empty shuttle bay and then sky-diving across buildings to reach their target.  Once they arrive they realize that what they thought was going to be a soft target is actually well-defended.  As they split up Kasumi tries to distract the guards in order to keep them from discovering Keiji.  After she has used a clever decoy program she catches an elevator and manages to evade the guards.  While she's taking the elevator to Keiji's location she hears him call out and then he's suddenly cut off.  Something is wrong and she needs to get to him quick.  When she arrives she sees Keiji lying on the floor with a pool of blood around his head.  With his last breath, he makes her promise that she will get his greybox back.  In a sad ending to this issue, Kasumi begs Keiji not to go as his life slips away.

This issue was not one of my favorites from the series.  It was nice to see a softer story, but it didn't really add much to what I already knew about Kasumi.  From playing the game I already had a good understanding about their relationship.

Video Game Spin-Offs: Mass Effect "Foundation" #9

(Spoilers!) The ninth issue in the Mass Effect "Foundation" series takes up the story of the Salarian scientist Dr. Mordin Solus.  The story starts off as Rasa wakes up from her brush with the Drell assassin, Thane Krios.  Miranda greets her and informs her, none too politely, that she expects Rasa to immediately get to work compiling the dossiers of prospective crew members to accompany Commander Shepard after the Lazarus project is complete.

The first dossier on the list is that of Dr. Mordin Solus.  In Mass Effect 2 Shepard becomes familiar with the Salarian doctor and his work on the genophage project.  In the comic a clearer picture of Mordins involvement on the project is painted.  The story starts off with a group of Salarians plotting to plant a new and improved genophage on the Krogan homeworld of Tuchanka.  Dr. Solus is given the honor (or curse depending on your perspective) of creating this new genophage, testing it, and deploying it.

The Salarian Special Tactics Group is sent to Tuchanka with Dr. Solus to help him deploy the new genophage.  It is a race against time because there is a large storm moving towards the area they need to be in to effectively disperse this new virus.  As they approach the pre-determined area they run into a group of Krogan who are participating in some sort of religious ceremony.  When the Krogan become alerted to their presence a firefight breaks out between the two groups.  Mordin flexes his scrawny Salarian muscles and shows that even though they're considerably smaller than the Krogan, you shouldn't overlook a Salarian in a fight.

The other scientists in the group are shocked at Mordin's fighting abilities but are busy trying to configure the device that is going to release the new genophage.  A female Krogan survives and confronts Mordin about what he is doing.  There is an interesting exchange between Mordin and the female that confirms the difficulty of the choice of the Salarians to use the genophage.  A sudden explosion rips through the area and Mordin is injured and the Krogan female is killed (this is where he sustains the injury to his cranial horn).  A few members of his team survive and manage to drag him back to the Salarian ship.  Once on board the other Salarians ask him about what the Krogan said to him.  It's at this point that Mordin appears to have doubts about the use of the genophage.

This issue was another good one in the series.  I felt like it did add some significant details to Mordin's back story and again highlighted the fact that he is very conflicted about the use of the genophage.  He's not the cold, calculating figure that you argue with in Mass Effect 2 but is actually somewhat torn about the usage of the genophage.

Video Game Spin-Offs: Mass Effect "Foundation" #8

(Spoilers ahead) At this point in the comic series it's obvious that both Cerberus agents, Rasa and Kai Leng, have been failures at every task assigned to them.  It's no surprise that the opening sequence in #8 is an argument between the two of them about their inability to get anything done.  In the midst of this argument they are interrupted by the Illusive Man requesting their immediate presence at a nearby Cerberus facility.  Both Rasa and Leng know that nothing good can come out of this meeting and that they are going to pay for their mistakes.

When they arrive they find out that they are being sent on separate tasks.  Kai Leng makes it known that he is unhappy about his time working with Rasa and warns her that it wouldn't be a good thing if they crossed paths again.  Miranda then informs Rasa that despite the difficulties in the previous missions much of the information she has provided has been very useful--particularly in regards to the top secret Lazarus project.  Instead of the admonishment Rasa expected she is sent on another important mission to steal classified files from the spectre offices on the Citadel.

Rasa dons a disguise and pretends to be a Cerberus defector offering up important data to the spectres.  Unfortunately for her the spectre who interrogates her is none other than the crooked Tela Vasir, an asari who tangles with Shepard in Mass Effect 2 as part of the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" DLC.  As Rasa is about halfway through downloading the files, Vasir enters with guards and tells Rasa that the gig is up.  Rasa tries to dodge the questions about her identity, but realizes it is fruitless.  Vasir threatens to blow Rasa's identity and instead gives her back the data disc but with an additional virus that will infiltrate the Cerberus systems.  Rasa has no choice but to go along with the plan.

Realizing that she has failed again and that she has no choice but to betray Cerberus, Rasa decides to grab a few drinks before heading back.  As she downs her drink she realizes that there is something wrong and someone has poisoned her.  She stumbles out of the bar to find help only to be berated by a turian C-Sec officer for being drunk in the Presidium.  The poison overcomes her and she starts to black out.  As she is falling unconscious she briefly wakes up to find her assassin, a drell, has carried her into a back alley.  In a lucid moment she tells him that she doesn't want to die because she hasn't lived her life.  The assassin has mercy on her and decides to reverse the poison.

Rasa's life flashes by as she fights the poison.

When Rasa wakes up she is back on the Cerberus base under medical care.  She's still out of it, but is aware enough to attempt to warn Miranda anout a virus Vasir has planted on the data disc.  Miranda doesn't hear it, but does manage to find and isolate the virus before it can activate.  The mission turns out not to be a total failure and the Illusive Man decides to reassign Rasa to the Lazarus project.

This issue was one of the ones I enjoyed.  I felt like it gave some meaty background details that fed into the stories of Mass Effect 2 and 3.  Rasa is a tough character to completely hate and I wouldn't be surprised to see her make some sort of appearance in the next Mass Effect game.

GTAV on PC Delayed Again and More Mass Effect "Foundation" Comic Talk

I was sad to read that the release of Grand Theft Auto V on PC was delayed again.  The date which had been pushed back once already is now slated for sometime in April.  I'll have to save up my hit-and-runs for another month.  But back to the main event, reviewing the Mass Effect comic book series "Foundation."

At the end of "Foundation" #5 there is a bit of a cliff-hanger that involves the explosion of a ship and the possible demise of one of our heroes from the issue.  Miranda and Jacob are still stuck on some backworld, Batarian colony trying to locate the remains of Commander Shepard for Cerberus.  The issue starts with the explosion of their ship (after some Batarian gangsters planted a bomb on it preventing them from leaving).  A grimy street-urchin type of kid is one of the important players in both #5 and #6 and offers to guide Jacob through the streets in an effort to find Miranda who has been captured by thugs.

The kid takes Jacob to her home where her mother offers to let him stay.  Apparently this kid has some sort of powerful uncle and offers Jacob some new clothes and weapons from his stash.  Then they set out to find Miranda.  They end up at an abandoned warehouse and the thugs are preparing to kill Miranda.  Jacob intervenes in a fantastic fashion.

Jacob saves the day.

Once rescued they free some other captives from what appears to be some sort of slaver operation include the street kids aunt and cousins.  Miranda berates Jacob for agreeing to save the captives and not simply finishing the mission.  Jacob, in his general good-guy attitude, tells Miranda she's going to have to deal with it if they work together.  You also get a feeling that there's an attraction between Jacob and Miranda.  Their former relationship is mentioned in Mass Effect 2 and this seems to be the point of it's origin.

Unlike some of the previous issues in "Foundation," I enjoyed the story in #6.  It was nice to see the Miranda/Jacob relationship and how it started.  It gave a better feel than what Mass Effect 2 did in its basic explanations of their beginnings.

Miranda....being Miranda.

Video Game Spin-Offs

I love my games, but also find myself interested in other game related materials.  I don't collect action figures, but do have an interest in artwork, books, and comics related to my favorite gaming series.  I thought I would spend some time writing about some of these items in case their are others out there sitting on the fence about getting into a game related comic series or novels.  If you're a big enough fan it can be another way to delve deeper into a story or characters.

My favorite game series is Mass Effect.  As a big fan of the games, I'm generally interested in anything I  can get my hands on.  I decided to start with the Mass Effect comic book series.  The first series, Redemption, is centered around events and characters related to Mass Effect 2.

Cool artwork of Feron.

The first volume details the efforts of Liara and Feron as they are trying to recover the body of Commander Shepard.  In the Mass Effect 2 DLC, "Lair of the Shadow Broker," you meet Feron as you storm the shadow broker's base.  He's been held hostage by the broker for years and is being tortured.  After you deal with the broker you get a chance to talk to Feron and realize that his friendship with Liara is deep and includes events that aren't explained in the game.  The comic, Redemption, details these events and explains how Cerberus actually managed to get ahold of Shepard's body.

Early part of the story detailing Feron and Liara teaming up to find Shepard's body.

I'm no expert on comic books so I'm not a good judge of 

things related to comics.  I enjoyed the first volume and found the story intriguing and action-packed.  There's some cool artwork included that will appeal to any Mass Effect fan.  You can pick up the comics relatively cheaply in digital form on iBooks or from Dark Horse comics.

Romantic Entanglements--Mass Effect 2 Style

The romantic choices for Commander Shepard in the original Mass Effect were pretty straightforward.  For someone who puts way too much thought into the relationship status of fictional video game characters this was a good thing.  Then the second episode (and the best!) of the Mass Effect series was released and my poor Shepard was faced with a much more vexing array of romantic partners.  Let the ridiculous overthinking begin!

Pretty much sums up Jacob.

FemShep (the best Shep) has many choices in Mass Effect 2.  In my head paragon Shep would opt for one of two choices--Garrus or Jacob.  Jacob is the easiest choice--he's human, has a very similar background to Shep (military, likes to shoot things), and is actually kind of boring (not Kaidan-level boring but close) but his hotness makes up for it.  I concur with Kasumi in her unswaying desire to watch Jacob do sit-ups and also enjoy his ummm...Cerberus uniform (teehee :P).

But what about Garrus?  He's a tough choice for my paragon Shep because he's sort of a rebel himself and he's a total badass.  Sure, he's all uptight and turian but he is trying to do what he thinks is right in a vigilante kind of way.  And that whole "reach and flexibility" bit really proves it.  Plus, turians aren't exactly the most attractive aliens.  (I think I just admitted to caring about looks--how shallow.  Turian mandibles are weird!)  Would goody, goody Shep fall for a rebellious turian?  I think my renegade Shep would be much more likely to opt for Garrus.  In the numerous playthroughs of Mass Effect 2 I have never opted to romance Garrus.  I feel like I'm really missing out because I think there is a ridiculous dance sequence in the "Citadel" DLC for Mass Effect 3.

Thane is also an interesting choice for my lady Sheps.  It's really hard to peg him as more of a paragon or renegade interest.  I would view him as a paragon choice because he seems very sensitive and sweet...for an assassin.  Would paragon Shep fall for someone who kills people for a living?  Renegade Shep definitely would.  You have to consider the whole Kepral syndrome thing as part of the Thane relationship.  He's going to die and that's depressing.  Do you stick with him because of that (paragon)?

If you include the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" DLC you can opt to continue your relationship with Liara.  Strangely Liara is the only character from the entire series who you can romance in all three games.  There has been a lot of speculation about BioWare's seeming desire to force people into a relationship with Liara.  It really seems like they nudge you that way.  My paragon Shep will not usually choose Liara but she is a choice for my renegade Sheps (or male paragon Shep).

Male Shep also has some tough romantic choices to make.  Miranda, Tali, or Jack.  My paragon male Shep will lean toward Miranda or Tali.  Miranda can be a bit of a toss up and could also be a valid option for renegade Shep.  To me Miranda seems really insecure and like she needs some sort of reassurance about her abilities.  This chink in her armor makes me see paragon male Shep as a sort of protector.  At the same time her ice queen harshness and cockiness in her abilities make her a renegade choice.

Romancing Tali.  A life or death scenario.

Tali can be a difficult decision for my male Shep.  There is something slightly disturbing about a relationship with Tali.  Sure, she's really sweet in an innocent and quirky kind of way which is nice for paragon Shep.  On the other hand there's the whole suit issue that makes me feel weird.  If you do choose to romance Tali there's the reality that she will get sick.  Would paragon Shep really be like "Yeah, you could die but let's get it on anyway?"  That just seems wrong.  There is something really cute about Tali though and if you do choose her she gives you a picture of herself without the mask.

Jack is not a tough decision at all.  She's a criminal who is hell-bent on seeking out revenge on Cerberus for all their evils.  Paragon Shep wouldn't touch Jack with a ten foot pole but she is perfect for a renegade Shep.  I suppose you could play it from the angle of trying to "reform" Jack.  Nah, that seems weird.

Of course you could always go with the non-traditional choices.  Your friendly yeoman Kelly Chambers will feed your fish which is the Mass Effect 2 equivalent of marriage.  She'll also do a naughty dance in your private chambers if you decide to go that route.  If you are hoping for an asari option outside of Liara you can give Samara or Morinth a chance.  I've never gone that route and am intrigued.  Apparently you can opt to romance Morinth and die.  Why would you choose that?