I've only managed to get to the end of the stadium area so far.. but from what I've seen, there's much more in here. And perhaps much more to come from Montreal Studio (where I live, and I've even been inside twice... i think..)
It might seem silly or you might misunderstand the very simple reason for it, but I really do only like to play video games as a female character.
Does that come from starting 3D gaming off very early with Lara Croft? or that generally that game was not all running and gunning but did have some story and exploration etc?
Probably not what you're thinking. I just prefer to see a female figure than a male one.
Mass Effect allows that argument to be expanded, arguably because it is one of the only games, AAA, that features female characters. Women. Also men, even gay dudes.. Given playing through the game doesn't require you to focus on any particular character, it is nice to have the choice of well defined characters. Men and Women.
But is the argument ruined by the games focus on relationships and sexuality?
Again I'm not sure. Thankfully the game allows you, mostly, to get through the game without romancing any other characters. But if you choose to go down that path, you have several options in the primary story and even some secondary ones.
But with very small exceptions there's not enough of a lurid exploration of the more adult side of things.. no scary side of things which is so pervasive in the news today.
I'm partially glad for Grand Theft Auto IV for going there while at the same time it is hard to acknowledge that games need to go there.
After both games it is clear that BioWare could have gone much further with Mass Effect but instead.. it almost seems like they went too safe with Mass Effect 3.. to get it out the door.
There was more than enough for it to be satisfying, but it still ends up very juvenile and off base.
The characters are a bit more realistic than perhaps would could have been expected.. if compared to character on a weekly TV serial.. but they aren't HBO.
I've wondered if Square Enix's Tomb Raider went too far, as I've decided to just boycott it.. again not in small part because of growing up with Tombraider and being against having to consider a mature version of the game.. but there's a hesitation to think about sexual violence in a video game. One that you could take seriously because that's the intention of the game's design.
Really my hesitation comes for a deep core belief that game designers are juvenile.
View : Heavy Rain and Beyond 2 Souls.
Not to take two examples from the same studio, but from over here, those games look ridiculous, but the games designers want you to take it seriously.
It is like asking the staff of Sesame's Street or Fisher Price to do season 2 of True Detective.
Not just how Quantic Dream needs to stop trying to do drama.. but because if the game can't properly read a character enough to initiate dramatic situations on the flt.. scripted shit won't cut it.
But then there's Naughty Dog, again, from over here because I don't touch Sony games (unless I'm paid to play them, but I don't work in that industry anymore), that seems to know how to do scripted drama well enough to be adored.
I don't know.. in the right hands perhaps games can have relationships, drama and real female characters that aren't pathetic caricatures.. but in the context of a game like Mass Effect.. and RPG.. how do you really manage?
It was very seldom that characters would approach the player and that is hand in hand with the game being scripted. I don't get why.
If you have a ship.. and a small close community like a start ship, and you're expected to be on a long journey.. wouldn't it be interesting to have little affairs going on behind your back?
Maybe that's me asking if there could be more of a Sims element to it.. but I'd I'm trying to Romance Jack, and suddenly or repeatedly she's hooking up with other characters.. example only because it could be any number of characters.
Like if during a battle you fail to help a fallen team member and someone else rescues them.. perhaps sparks fly.
It isn't the way the game is designed.. but such things are expected in other games like GTA.
I've always wondered why there's a difference. Why Rockstar is so grounded in GTA.
What if Rockstar made a Mass Effect like game with a mature audience in mind? Not that they can do the game play the same way.. just the same as BioWare can't do spontaneous open world free roaming, or are willing to approach strong adult themed sexual violence the same way etc.
Is there a middle ground?