Mass Effect 3 - Part 2

[X Knight]

I thought blonde Shep was going to be the new default Shep??!!

ah well, Redhead Shep looks great, and I probably won't use default Shep anyways.......

 

[Soapy]

It's the same basic model that won, but Bioware had another poll to determine her hair color and as you might guess red won. Which I'm pretty glad for. That particular version of Shepard looks much better with red hair than blonde.

 

[Benstamania]

Commander Shepard will be cashing in her Systems Alliance penchant and taking an early retirement after Mass Effect 3, according to BioWare's Dr. Ray Muzyka.

"After this, Commander Shepard's story is complete," Mazuka told PC Gamer, adding that they were "correct" in suggesting that Shepard absolutely will not be present in any future games set in the Mass Effect universe. No clue as to how Shepard will be exiting the series, naturally, but we figure our Mass Effect 3 play-through will end the same way our Mass Effect 2 one did: completely forgotten and overwritten by hours and hours of endless ore prospecting.

It's something we all knew... but it's just more confirmation. Honestly, I hope that at the end of ME3 Shepard does just that... he retires. I can think of no better ending for someone that saves an entire galaxy.

Maybe raise a few blue kids here and there. Red the Sunday paper on his front lawn after mowing the grass, ect.

 

[El Bastardo]

I wonder if BioWare has the balls to kill Shepard in the finale.

I can imagine the ****storm they would have to endure. It'd be even bigger than the "fans" usually give them!

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I have mixed feelings on the idea of Shepard dying, moreso because I feel it would run the danger of coming off as contrived in order to pull at the heartstrings rather than something that has to happen from a narrative standpoint.

Not to say it couldn't be done of course, Bioware's shown they've got the writing talent to pull off just about near anything from an emotional standpoint but Shepard's already flirted with death plenty in this series. I honestly thought he was dead at the end of 1 when they pulled that fakeout and he actually did die at the start of 2, I think the impact of such an event may have already been lessened. I like the possibility of Shepard dying as a possible ending but I think it may be a good idea to leave such a conclusion as an option rather than something totally forced.

 

[Matt]

I wonder if BioWare has the balls to kill Shepard in the finale.

I can imagine the ****storm they would have to endure. It'd be even bigger than the "fans" usually give them!

I have mixed feelings on the idea of Shepard dying, moreso because I feel it would run the danger of coming off as contrived in order to pull at the heartstrings rather than something that has to happen from a narrative standpoint.

Not to say it couldn't be done of course, Bioware's shown they've got the writing talent to pull off just about near anything from an emotional standpoint but Shepard's already flirted with death plenty in this series. I honestly thought he was dead at the end of 1 when they pulled that fakeout and he actually did die at the start of 2, I think the impact of such an event may have already been lessened. I like the possibility of Shepard dying as a possible ending but I think it may be a good idea to leave such a conclusion as an option rather than something totally forced.

Of course they will have the balls to kill off Shepard, but Bioware won't force it on the player, nor should they. I am sure that you can make choices that result in the galaxy being saved, but Shepard dying. Bioware is all about the player's choice affecting the outcome. That is why Shepard won't be mentioned again, they do not want to contradict the story that the player has built and I am sure that death will be one of the ways to build the story.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

It'll be interesting to see what steps they take to move the series past the whole Shepard vs. Reapers storyline. I've been suspecting that ME4 might set at least several decades after ME3 to give whatever story they tell and the original ME trilogy some breathing room from one another. The same way they had the leap from the Original Series and The Next Generation in Trek.

It would be a good opportunity to retool the universe some and mess around with other aspects in order to keep it fresh.

 

[Matt]

It'll be interesting to see what steps they take to move the series past the whole Shepard vs. Reapers storyline. I've been suspecting that ME4 might set at least several decades after ME3 to give whatever story they tell and the original ME trilogy some breathing room from one another. The same way they had the leap from the Original Series and The Next Generation in Trek.

It would be a good opportunity to retool the universe some and mess around with other aspects in order to keep it fresh.

That would definitely be a wise choice. I personally think that ME4 will not show it's head until the next console generation though I think that we may see either ME: Online or an FPS or RTS game or some other side story between now and then. Those games will probably serve as side stories to the ME Trilogy.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

I'm actually curious to see what the ME universe will be like without Separd. At the same time, I really don't want Shepard dieing.

 

[Erzengel]

They could do a prequel of sorts. The whole Rachni War.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I don't know if I'd really be up for a prequel covering any of the major events. I mean the Rachni War was a series of long and brutal campaigns involving the Asari, Salarian and ultimately the Krogans. I don't think it something that you can really dramatize as a video game.

Plus, I'd rather the ME games progress the series. There's just too much potential to get stuck doing prequels.

 

[Erzengel]

How do you follow up the Reapers?

Here's another series with the entire Universe hanging in the balance........

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

You don't need to follow up the Reapers, you just need to tell another great story.

 

[Matt]

Yep. The logic of "How do you follow the Reapers," would be like saying "Let's not make Star Trek: The Next Generation because we'll never have a villain as good as Khan."

Expand the universe in a natural way with a strong story and all will be good.

 

[X Knight]

I'm fine with Shep's story being done with ME3.

also, I think Shep dying should be just one of many ending outcomes available to the player.......

I would hate for it to be forced onto the player, though.

 

[Erzengel]

Well...technically...they never did have another good villain as good as Khan. Eh..the Borg is debatable.

I mean I'm not saying I'd totally disregard any "sequel" of sorts. I'm sure they'd deliver story wise with any direction. I guess it'd be hard for me to think of something as epic as the original. That being said, again, I'm sure anything they'd release would be entertaining.

 

[El Bastardo]

Of course they will have the balls to kill off Shepard, but Bioware won't force it on the player, nor should they. I am sure that you can make choices that result in the galaxy being saved, but Shepard dying. Bioware is all about the player's choice affecting the outcome. That is why Shepard won't be mentioned again, they do not want to contradict the story that the player has built and I am sure that death will be one of the ways to build the story.

I apologize, I was unclear.

I meant "having the balls" as the narrative calling for Shepard to die in the game's finale. Not it being a possibility or outcome of the player's choices, as it was in ME2, which is ultimately a false ending and futile effort.

 

[Matt]

The thing is, I think the reason that they are dropping Shepard is so that no one's narrative is overwritten by the sequels. I think that Bioware wants the outcome that each player receives to be their canonincal ending. That is why I think, like Spideyfan suggested, the next game will be set at least 100 years into the future.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

The next game should be set A long time ago in a galaxy far far away

 

[X Knight]

The next game should be set A long time ago in a galaxy far far away

well, literally, it should........

I want KOTOR 3 d*****!!

and, no......TOR doesn't count.......

 

[gohei_]

well, literally, it should........

I want KOTOR 3 d*****!!

and, no......TOR doesn't count.......

Yes please, with the battle system from ME t:

 

[E-Man]

I'm fine with Shep's story being done with ME3.

also, I think Shep dying should be just one of many ending outcomes available to the player.......

I would hate for it to be forced onto the player, though.

Yeah I'm thinking the same thing. Depending on how you make your decisions having Shepard die as an ending wouldn't bother me one bit. I'd be a little disappointed because on my main Shep run I've got a pretty nice record with keeping all of my squad alive, but I could accept it. Besides, Shep died at the beginning of part 2 anyway. What's to say that he can't be revived again? As long as the journey is fun I'm down for almost anything.

 

[Benstamania]

I hope he doesn't die.. and if he does I hope its only through a players choice. Shepard died once already and that was shocking enough. I don't feel they news to go back down that road.

 

[Spider-Vader]

On the whole "This is the end of Shepard", while I love Shepard, I'm more worried that we'll never seen any of his teammates again. Garrus, Tali, Wrex, Zaeed, etc... have become some of my favorite characters in gaming. I'd be sad if ME3 is the last I see of them.

Though, Bioware COULD just be lying. They could always do what MS did with Halo. They make a big deal about how the third installment will be the last we see of the main character, they make a couple spin-offs & BAM! They make a fourth game with the main character returning.

 

[The Navigator]

On the whole "This is the end of Shepard", while I love Shepard, I'm more worried that we'll never seen any of his teammates again. Garrus, Tali, Wrex, Zaeed, etc... have become some of my favorite characters in gaming. I'd be sad if ME3 is the last I see of them.

Though, Bioware COULD just be lying. They could always do what MS did with Halo. They make a big deal about how the third installment will be the last we see of the main character, they make a couple spin-offs & BAM! They make a fourth game with the main character returning.

Yeah, but the property changed hands between companies during that time (from Bungie to 343). Halo 3 was no doubt intended to be the last Master Chief installment. Hopefully the same won't happen with ME.