Stargate SG-1 doesn't start getting really good until late Season 3. But it eventually does get really good.
I'd also recommend Babylon 5 and Firefly but I'm guessing you've seen both. #observationdeck
Ah, but is he as cool as the infiltrator? Because seriously, Cloak + Ice + Melee = crazy killer stealth ninja.
Also, krogan soldiers are the ultimate tank.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the way classes have turned out in ME3. I felt ME2 kind of nerfed all of them into banality. The ME3 classes feel like they have more personality and zest.
Poor elcor. No one takes them seriously. #observationdeck
While I've never read the Barsoom series the fact that you have such old, vintage hardcovers in your house is just plain cool in my book (pun not intended but amusing enough to keep). #observationdeck
Yeah, BioWare's got an exceptional record for voice casting. And I'm not just talking about their recent penchant to nab celebrities. They've had great voice acting since voice acting became fashionable.
So... Kirk envy. Is that like penis envy but actually real and for men?
On another note, the idea of a perfectly average starship captain is amusing to me and reminds me of Zayne Carrick from the KotOR comics.
As others have pointed out, the name's different.
Along with everything else about them.
I actually get a Babylon 5 vibe from Mass Effect more than anything else but according to the creators the biggest influences were late 1970s to 1980s science fiction movies like Blade Runner, Star Wars, or Wrath of Khan.
Also, I'm pretty sure the similarities to Atlantis, while amusing and indeed compelling, are coincidental. Shepard is named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and the story for Mass Effect was more or less complete around the time that Atlantis went to air.
Plus, the idea of aliens who made FTL technology is hardly a new one. In addition to Stargate, the aforementioned B5 used it, along with Star Wars.
Well, there's two definitions of generation. One is for a group of people and another is for a period of time.
When they say "our generation" I think they mean the last twenty years, not Generation Y.
Kind of have to agree with you on all the points.
I think the author is cherry-picking particular elements they like about the series and ignoring other ones. I'm not going to say whether or not the elements they like are superior to the ones they're ignoring or not. But I do think that's what's going on.
I think it also plays into the fact that, narratively, we tend to overcompensate for female characters by making them "tougher" to offset the traditional idea that women are soft.
While I like the diversity of the Mass Effect universe I have to disagree. While the alien party members are important, humanity does seem to have a disproportionate importance in the story.
First of all, humanity's already one of the leading races in the galaxy by the time of Mass Effect 2 and, depending on your choices, may actually be the leading race. This is despite the fact that they just appeared for the first time on the galactic scene less than half a century ago whereas the volus, batarians, and elcor have been waiting in line for several centuries.
Additionally, while it's hard to judge given how little we see of them, Shepard seems to not only be the first human Spectre, but by far the most competent of them. Saren was evidently one of the Council's most valued Spectres and even with Reaper upgrades, Shepard took him down with relative ease and no backup from say, other Reapers. Granted, this is a consequence of the game's format and the need to put you, the player, in a central role. But Shepard still comes off as an exceptional Spectre and hence, rubs some of his glamor off on humanity in general.
And of all the secretive, conspiratorial agencies in the series, Cerberus definitely comes off as the most significant. While, yes, TIM himself points to the STG as an example of an analogous organization the sheer amount of wealth and power that Cerberus seems to have in Mass Effect 2 - comparable with the Citadel Council - seems immense. That speaks volumes to humanity's influence in the galaxy.
And then there's the Reapers, who seem to, by the time of Mass Effect 2, consider humanity to be the prime specimen of life in the galaxy. Yes, they target humanity because of Shepard, but that doesn't alter the fact that Mordin and Harbinger both indicate that, in a few specific ways, humanity is superior genetically. We're more diverse, have a greater range of biotic potential, and are apparently just yummier. Granted, that may not be the special-ness that most sci-fi universes strive for, but the fact remains that the Reapers, the cosmic, god-like threat the author talks about, think humans are special.
"Generation" would equate to about the last twenty years or so, I'm guessing.
Eh, Shadows do not equate to Reapers. The Shadows just had a different interpretation from the Vorlons of how to "help" the younger races. Neither wanted to wipe out all life in the galaxy and consume it.
I think Hale's is better, but I think Meer does a decent job. Both are subpar compared to the NPCs though.
And having seen many other RPGs with voiced main characters now, I think that's more or less just a consequence of the generic-ness required for the role.
He contributed to Jade Empire but I believe the lead writer was actually Mike Laidlaw.
Karpyshyn was lead writer for KotOR and Mass Effect, as well as Mass Effect 2 during a portion of the game's development. He's worked on many other projects but those are the ones he actually headed (the writing of).
Mass Effect as a whole was headed by Casey Hudson, who I believe is still in charge.
Shepard's definitely American? I must have missed the memo.
Granted, Shepard is an Anglophonic name, but that doesn't rule him out being from Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. And given that Anderson is from Britain, the accent doesn't really count for much (nor does his appearance).
Minor point of fact:
Mass Effect is an RPG, the first game more so than the others. The shooter aspects were initially secondary.
What I pointed out earlier. The idea that humans are just one of many species is a nice one, but doesn't pan out. Everything about humans in the game puts them forward as "exceptional."
It's not just Cerberus that claims that. It's all the damn aliens too. Saren says humanity is "dangerous," Liara says our short lives are an advantage (and she singles out humans, no mention of other races), humanity jump-starts from new kid on the block to political leaders of the galaxy in a few decades, Mordin mentions humans as "exceptionally diverse," and Harbinger disparages the genetic heritage of every species except humans.
For better or worse, humans are special in the Mass Effect universe.
Dune is pretty fricking important. But it's not of "our generation."
