E3 2018 Discussion Thread

So much childhood stuff is rushing back to me! Ha. Thanks, that's helpful. If the Toa are like white blood cells, what are the Bohrok? An infection? And I guess I just thought it was odd that the robot's face turned into land. Funny that they took inspiration from the shape of Denmark, since Lego's Danish (I went to Legoland there while visiting relatives, it was cool). Anyway, wow that is one enormous robot! Certainly inspires an air of awe and mystery, even if it feels a little weird too.

You definitely should have been able to be harsher on Peebee, both for the reasons you mention and for almost killing you with the escape pod shenanigan (seriously, what if the pod ended up landing in a lava flow? That's just the tip of the iceberg, really). You can reprimand her, but it's super soft.

Other than that, I didn't have too many places where I wish I could have been angrier (I understand people who also wanted to be harsher on Liam, though), but oddly one of the only times Ryder is angry and yells, it's not a choice and it's with Kallo and Gil's fighting. I'd list that as mishandling of NPC dynamics. Why can't you just suggest a compromise? In my opinion, it's by far the most logical solution (and it's what they end up doing anyway, the game just forces you to take a side). Gil does need to modify the Tempest for Heleus, but he shouldn't do it quite so recklessly.

You're right that the crew got along quite well (except Liam and Vetra's banter, that seemed unnecessarily harsh, even), but I didn't think that was too odd for a Mass Effect game - DA games have generally had companions disagree more. It was certainly a contrast after DA:I though. And I agree about the Nexus leaders and that it was excessive, with only Kandros (and to a lesser extent Kesh) seeming reasonable.

I agree a more concrete goal would have helped the main story and potentially characterization. Interestingly, though, the more vague goal of "explore, colonize" may have also worked (at first) if you actually arrived in Andromeda as the first wave, as in your idea where you truly make first contact and see the uprising. I think that could have been really cool. Seems like they rushed the plot and worldbuilding a bit, when they should have slowed it down and put some in DLC/sequels. Or maybe they knew they'd ice Mass Effect and tried to stuff some stuff in. That's a sad thought. As a note, it was odd how at the very end of the game, Ryder says "Now we can do what we finally came here to do: Explore." Which is true, it's just odd pacing. I'd actually like to explore, and hope if ME:A2 is ever a thing that it may be lower stakes.

Uuuuuuggghhhhh, don't even get me started about SAM Horribly handled in basically every way. Why don't I get a say in having another entity in my body? How is that not a major thing? Even if it's forced, you should be able to actively not like it and say you want it removed, like you can with the Mark in DA:I. That's much better roleplaying.

And you're right, the way basically no one has a problem with it, or even find it creepy (it's basically as creepy as something can get, in my opinion) is not only odd in itself but completely contradictory to the ME trilogy, yes. In case it wasn't obvious, I found synthesis repulsive. Though a lot of that is because it would be forced. The more insidious aspects of SAM are forced on Ryder, too.

It gets to the point where part of me even wondered if SAM actually took control over Ryder completely, that Ryder basically died. Lexi and Drack offer lip-service to SAM having too much control over you (being able to kill you), but Ryder shuts them down instantly and there's no option to even concede that they have a point, and that's basically it for discussing it. Even for discussing what having SAM is like at all.

Then you start dying just because SAM disconnects from you, and SAM tells your sibling that it took too much control from the Pathfinder (and will restore it, but we see no change). It's all just odd, gross, and mishandled. And I like AI characters! Legion and Data are some of my favourite characters in scifi. It's not that it's an AI, I just don't want anything else in my head 24/7.

And just to round out how SAM was mishandled, they have way too much dialogue, and it takes away from moments where Gil, Kallo, Suvi, and Lexi could shine instead, and get some much-needed screentime. Speakertime, anyway. The monotone "robot" voice doesn't help. Why do AIs always have to have an uncanny voice? They're often super-intelligent beings with emotion. No reason they have to be monotone. EDI was the closest in ME.

I also resent that SAM was so close to being a true gender-neutral AI, something rarely seen in scifi, but I won't paste my rant about that and I think you were the one I originally discussed it with anyway. I'll paste one of my other rants about SAM though.

To be honest, SAM as a whole is a missed roleplaying opportunity. I hate how you have basically no moments where you can actually comment on the symbiotic relationship you have, and especially whether it's something you even want. Best you can do is tell Drack you're not overly thrilled at one point. If I had my way, I'd be saying that after the current crisis is over, I'd be trying to find a way to remove SAM. But that would never happen.

I'm not a Luddite or anti AI or anything, I actually find them fascinating. But having another entity (AI or otherwise) always in your head, sensing what you sense, with you at all times is beyond creepy. No privacy, no time alone, ever. It's a violation of your being, and I get legitimately sick to my stomach if I think about it too much (it’s also potentially violating for other people you’re with). Not sure I've been so grossed out at a concept since the oddly similar synthesis ending in ME3.

Well done, Mass Effect? Anyway, I can disconnect SAM when I want and no one can tell me otherwise LALALALALA

Sorry, needed to vent