Trip Report: Mass Effect

"Trip Report" is a special segment that aims to record the lasting impressions made by the gaming experience. When Jordan finishes a game, he will write a Trip Report within an hour of finishing, detailing his emotional state and any general feelings he has towards the game that has been completed.

Trip Reports are not reviews, will often contain spoilers, and are left unedited for purity.





I'm still shaking a little bit.

Mass Effect is one of those games that makes you care that it's over. I have a sense of accomplishment, sure, but it still feels like I could have done more. There had to have been a solution that didn't involve Saren killing himself, and I'm desperately wondering if things would have ended up the same had I chosen the Charisma dialog option instead of the Intimidate option.

That's how I know this was a good game, despite it's clunky inventory management system and major texture-popping issues: I regret things that I did during my life as Seraphina Shepard. I wish I hadn't had to have chosen between Ashley and Kaiden, and even though I still think Ashley was the right choice, Kaiden didn't deserve to die. My stomach tied itself in knots when Saren killed himself, and I felt ill knowing that it was my fault, and that things may have ended up differently if I had said something else. I chose to defend the Council; I decided that were they to die, the races of the galaxy would be without leadership, and without government the systems would fall into chaos. Now, an hour later, I'm still wondering whether or not I made the right choice.

It will be a while before my survivor's guilt over the Battle for the Citadel fades, and I say that with complete sincerity. I could have done more.