So Mass Effect 3 has been out for a while! I haven't played it yet! I've had this awesome idea that I'd try the demo for ME3, play through the previous two entries in full, then finally tackle on the ending of the series! Knowing myself, I'd either completely embrace it, or be completely cynical of my findings. I had this plan one week after the ME3 demo came out. I didn't start enacting this plan until two weeks before ME3 proper came out. Let's just say I failed my initial plan of doing this quickly. Hearing news of ME3, it is probably for the better...

Basically, this set of posts will go as follows:

1. I play through the trilogy one game at a time and take random notes as a play
2. I'll post those notes in order without context in a post
3. I'll then do a second post as a proper critique of the game in question
4. Rinse/repeat for the entire series
5. Make a final post for the entire series

Notice: I've played ME1/2 previously, but on separate platforms. I played 1 on 360 and 2 on PC. I've decided that I'll be replaying the trilogy on 360 alone. I'm playing ME1 with my previous character on Hardcore mode. Although I say it outright in the first note, my character is an infiltrator. Not so much noted, is a red head female Shepard. I called out the real Shepard years ago baby! I've also played the ME3 demo to myself a continual back and forth look with each game as I play it (won't show up much in these notes). Finally, I don't take detailed notes. I thought it would be interesting to post this in addition to my write-up to see if I focus on different things as I play and in my reflection of it all.

• At first, I thought I would clear most of these achievements in this second run, but i'm an infiltrator and these completionist achievements suck.
• I keep forgetting if the voice of Anderson is Lawrence Fishburne (AKA gappy) or the guy who had the epic fight in They Live...
• I'm falling asleep driving this cruiser... and scanning planets
• I'm suddenly reminded of Jade Empire playing ME1 on Hardcore. I'm not really sure increasing damage and decreasing defense is enough in itself to be a new difficulty.
• I HATE managing inventory in this game. I'm just gonna set it and forget it.
• I HATE managing sidequests in this game! Give me an arrow to point where I should go after selecting a quest! When did WoW come out?
• I never overheat EVER
• Where did this music come from? Where have you been all my life? This is awesome!
• Do enemies not attack if they don't see you? I don't have a cloaking device or anything....
• I don't like how this series sets the Star Trekian trope of how each planet is just a really small town...
• Wait... This is Cerberus? Talk about a retcon!
• You know what? I'm ok with being a renegade, everyone sucks! They are all stupid!
• Report in to the council? Ha! I'd rather waste time gambling at the Flux. I have max money and I still find it more productive on my time!
• Sniper rifle? Ha! I can just shoot them with my pistol. And..... they are dead
• BUT I ANNIHILATED ALL THE RACHNI!!
• Ashley is religious? Is that why I got rid of her? She just kinda stands as the odd one out in the universe *smh*
• Two missions shy of getting completion achievement with Ashley and Kaidan. Oh well, so not going back anytime soon.
• I think Jeff talked about this in a bombcast, about that Reckoning game. The more effort to explore the world, the worse it actually felt. Feeling that right now.
• All the dumb alien races: "What is this giant structure and all these other devices scattered across the universe?" One smart alien: "I have no idea of what it could possibly be. Since none of us do, why don't we do some research..." All the dumb alien races: "We will use this tech as our own and this big unknown thing will be our government. YAY!" One smart alien: *smh*

• So because I'm a Spectre I can do anything I want? But Saren is a Spectre, and I'm hunting him because he is doing something bad. I'm a renegade Spectre... When will the hunter.... be.... the.... hunted!?!?!
• Foresight: I don't remember my spectre status being revoked in ME2, so wth was going on in the ME3 demo?
• Umm.... This is the first time in the game I've been called out for being a woman. RENEGADE OPTION!
• Totally forgot about Ilos AKA the majority of the plot.
• Hey, I finally died... splash damage sucks
• You know, I felt bad about letting the council die, but then the credits rolled... Buying this band's music right NOW! Don't fail me now google music!

I'll give a more structured look back at this game in my next entry.