#leah plays mass effect andromeda

[ageless-aislynn]

Now, I've mentioned before how I've never paid more than (now) $17 for a single game (PowerWash Simulator is totally worth it, though! Such a super chill, relaxing thing to play. A++ to infinity) and the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is *meep* $59.99. But ohhhhh frens, how I want this thing.

I feel awful for even considering paying this much for a game. I mean, I know that's not bad by new game comparison (Star Wars Outlaws Ultimate Edition at $129.99, anybody??? 👀👀👀). But I've stressed over (and have not yet pulled the trigger on) paying even $20 for a game before, so...

However. This isn't some new game that I might be totally disappointed in. This is one of my all-time super-duper favorite games getting a gorgeous remaster. Seriously, I love this game so, so, sooooo very much! It has squeezed its way into the top spot of my heart right next to the Halo MCC and Mass Effect: Andromeda and that is rarefied air indeed!

There is SO MUCH I AM EXCITE ABOUT!

A closet where you can change into any outfit you've found without having to go back to the location it's at!!!! That is so rad to me, I can't even tell you. 😎👍

You can move while aiming!!!!! And best of all...

[Getmatsu]

See, they know what the people want: more Frank/Leah! *nodnods in harmless shipper delusions* 😂

Seriously, though, that's showing how you can now answer Otis' calls without having to come to a complete stop, put down any survivors you're carrying, and then let the zombies eat you because you CAN'T MOVE or it cuts off the call. 😑 Being able to take calls on the run while you're carrying Precious Cargo*? AWWW YEAH!

*Do I call Leah my sweet angel while I'm playing? Darn tootin' I do. 😇

Leah and I just saved every survivor in the mall, as a matter of fact! This is Ending A, which leads into Overtime Mode and the True Ending. Now I want to play again to get Ending B so to get the maximum number of people on the helicopter out of there: everybody shown plus Frank, Jessie and Brad. Dr. Barnaby has to die so you can save Simone later and Isabela won't escape with you no matter what. 😕Anyway, that's my next goal, to get a picture of everybody but those 2, alive, well and promising to come to Frank and Leah's wedding in the fall once the zombies are dealt with, lol! 😇😉

Back on point. Can I really justify paying $60 for a remaster of a game I already have? I dunno but mannnn, do I want this. There's a slightly cheaper version at $49.99 but it doesn't have the 17 extra costumes that the deluxe has annnnnnd I really want those, too. 😍

This post brought to you by my wallet, who's currently going

at me, lol. 💸💸💸

Seriously, though, would you do it? Or would you hold off for however long it takes for it to go on a sale (and miss the pre-order incentive costumes)?

[professorspork]

man just got the saddest/cutest image of my Ryder like tossing and turning at night and finally being like “SAM? Do you think it’s possible to be in love with two people simultaneously?”

And SAM’s like “well your dad didn’t really seem sold on loving two people sequentially, even, he was VERY hung up on your mom and is my only working example of romance to date... and also I am brand new to all of this and hardly have a grasp on sapient relationships so I don’t know why you’re also me, a narnia blog literal AI, this”

[hunnybadgerv]

V's Master Post

Half Troll Grammar Barbarian, Path of the Proofreader

they/them | nb | you can call me V or Badgey

I post all my writing to Archive of Our Own (AO3). You can find my work at this link. Sometimes I post little snippets and character development things on tumblr, you can find those under the tag #Badger Scribbles.

I have several OCs and characters that I write about regularly. You can find a collection of them here.

Major OCs:

Nyx Shepard / Kaidan Alenko

Rhys Trevelyan / Dorian Pavus

Siobhán Hawke / Sebastian Vael (Templer AU)

Aderyn Hawke / Cullen Rutherford

Tayen Quick / Sharky Boshaw

Furia / Troy Bradshaw

Amaryn Rha / Doc Kimble

Leah Rook / John Seed

Bishop / Mason

Joel Lange / Adam du Mortain

Leah Shepard / Joker Moreau

Maritza Ryder / Bain Massani / Reyes Vidal

Cassie Ryder / Dr. Harry Carlyle

Laerke / Vilkas

Min / Brynjolf

Writing Prompts are always welcome. Suggestions are more than welcome--specific and general. Though I tend to like to play with the more personal aspects of the experiences in the game worlds and situations. I regularly post writing prompts for myself and my fellow writers out there in the ether, feel free to check them out.

Fandoms:

Mass Effect Series

Dragon Age Series

Saints Row

Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR)

Far Cry 5

Skyrim

The Wayhaven Chronicles

Mass Effect: Andromeda

DADWC Prompt Posting

Updated: 28 July 2022

[jennserr-writes]

WIP Thursday

(bc i missed wednesday lol)

tagged by the glorious @schoute​, thanks bb!

this one comes from a mass effect: andromeda fic that’s been collecting dust for a good long while now, and tbh i have no idea when it’ll ever see the light of day  😅😅 (at least, this part of it. the fic itself is already up, even if only the first chapter lol)

“You sure we should even be doing this, Harper? You did just kind of wake up from a coma, like, not even a week ago.”

Cora, undeterred, continued wrapping her knuckles. “If I don’t do something soon, I’ll explode. Possibly literally.” She said the last part with a half-grin playing across her lips.

“I just, y’know, don’t want to hurt you.”

That caused her to look up and meet Leah’s gaze for the first time since she walked into the training room. Cora’s rich, warm, golden eyes, meeting hers across the mat from beneath a blonde fringe. When she spoke, her words sent a shiver down Leah’s spine. “Trust me, Riley. If anyone’s getting hurt here, it’s you.”

A competitive streak, good, Leah thought to herself. I can work with this.

Leah raised her arms to a starting stance and rolled herself up onto the balls of her feet, knees bent ever so slightly, the muscles in her legs like coiled springs. She could practically feel her body humming with pent-up energy as she readied herself for what promised to be a damn good fight. “Bring it, Lieutenant. And no biotics,” she added with a pointed look. “Not exactly a fair fight when one person has literal magic.”

A second later, Leah was on her back with the blonde smirking down at her, wisps of dark blue energy encircling her. Leah hadn’t even seen her move. “No real fight is ever truly fair, Captain. Surely you’d know that by now.”

tagging forward to @jt-boi-n7​ @beckily​ @inquartata30​ @natsora​ @mercurialmind​ @inoshatrynn​ and anyone else who wants to! (no pressure on anyone to take part!)

[shadoedseptmbr]

MEA Party Week Meme!

Mass Effect Andromeda Appreciation WEEK!

Rules: Answer the questions and tag 10 people. [Optional: post any MEA screenshot you’d like to share!]

I was tagged by @janiemcpants  and I don’t know who has or hasn’t done it or finished?  Feel free to go for it and tag me so I know!

What is your favorite scene in MEA? The opening of that first vault, with Alec?  He’s right, this is what it’s all about.   But Liam’s jump jet date is so lovely.  

What is your favorite quest? Toss up with Liam’s loyalty quest for pure fun and the Archon’s ship for suspense and fighting and the opening, Habitat7 for just the whole ****wooo here we goooo****?

What is your favorite weapon? Leah likes the Naaladan sniper rifle and the Talon pistol and Sara goes with the Sidewinder and the Disciple.  

What is your favorite armor? eh...this was not a great armor game for me.  It took forever for me to find one that worked for Leah.  I hate the N7 logo being on the Pathfinder gear, even though, yes I get why it’s there.  And because of the way I did things, it took too long to be able to build good gear.  I guess the Pathfinder Scout stuff was okay?  Leah wore Alliance white and blue, Scott wears black and blue with white highlights, and Sara wears blue and white to begin and then grey and red.  

What is your favorite power ability? tactical cloak!  whee!  Tactical cloak and the fade step of the jet pack are amazingly fun

What is your favorite planet? Kadara.  I liked the whole scabby, dangerous, deadly wild west vibe.  I loved the aspect of the exiles refusing to lay down and die, but building  (sometimes in evil, awful ways, yes), fighting to make lives.  I love the orange skies and the patched together port.  And I can’t wait to see how it evolves!

What is your favorite addition to MEA that wasn’t in the original trilogy?

I really enjoyed the extended crew friendship side missions and the way they moved around the Tempest, Kadara, and Aya.  It added an amazing layer of realism.  

Who is your favorite non-romanced (one you didn’t romance but could be) character? (can be NPC or squadmate) I *LOVE* Brekka?  The guy who helps you set up the AVP stuff in operations?  I would love to see him have a bigger role to play at some point.  “Make my job obsolete, Pathfinder!  I dare you!”  hee.  Leah would totally have flirted with him.  

Favorite squad/party combo? .oooh.  Jaal and Liam, probably?  But I love Vetra and Cora, too.  Vetra and Cora for Leah, my sniper.  And then Jaal and Liam for Sara, who sticks to pistols and the occasional shotgun run.  Scott probably will go for Vetra and Liam (and switch Drack in and out) and hope for the best?

Favorite non-bipedal animal on Andromeda? .I really like the Eirochs?  They’re so *huge* and yes, horribly scary and smashy.  But oh my GOSH, I would like to see them and the elcor together.  

What surprised you most when you first played MEA? I was surprised at how quickly I got used to the third dimension in battle, being able to jet up and over, hover.  It’s an amazingly useful way to fight.

What is your favorite quote? But when we're old and people ask us how we got together, I want you to smile.

Don’t forget to tag as meapartyweek!

[xillantra-blog]

Finally, while avoiding to learn for a test which I’m writing tomorrow, I found the time to play some Mass Effect Andromeda.

This is the closest what I could create of Leah Ryder, my canon Pathfinder.

I already got my heart broken in the round about first two hours of the gameplay (I don’t want to spoiler since not everybody played ME:A) and I’m very excited how the story will continue (even if I still have mixed feelings about this game).

Also, I haven’t decided whom I should romance with Leah.

[ageless-aislynn]

List 5 things that make you happy, then send this question to the last 10 people who liked/reblogged one of your posts.

Thanks so much, @helix-enterprises117 and @mrtobenamedlater for including me!

When I'm playing a video game, sitting here totally alone, not playing co-op or anything, if something good/fun/random happens, I say out loud some variation of, "Chat, check that out. Can you believe that just happened?" like I'm streaming on Twitch or something. Then I laugh, just 'cause. 🤷‍♀️😂

My tol and smol ships. I've loved those who are NOT tol and smol, of course, but I just have a particular love for those who are.

Kara/Luther, Detroit: Become Human

John-117/Talia, Halo the series

Kai-125/Miranda, Halo the series

Frank West/Leah Stein, Dead Rising (Okay, so Frank's not super tol, nor Leah super smol but my man is BURLY, so I'ma call this one accurate, lol).

Frank showing off his thiccc boi status, lol! 😇

3. Managing to 100% a game.

I just have 4 more achievements for Detroit: Become Human to go and I'm about to start the playthrough that should get all of them. 🤞😣🤞Dead Rising has 2 left but they're considerable: 5 Day Survivor and 7 Day Survivor. 5 Day Survivor means playing for 12 hours straight without dying once and without the ability to save. 7 Day Survivor is the same but takes 14 hours. They're both literally real life endurance challenges. Even still, I'm working up a strategy and plan on trying it one day. Just got to make sure I have my meals already planned and ready and that my family knows what I'm doing. I just love the game so much, I'd like to see if I can do it. And I'd like the Laser Sword you get for 5 Day Survivor (it's a lightsaber without the name, lol) and the boxer shorts with heart on them for 7DS. And just to know I was able to figure out a way to conquer them both.

I'll never be able to 100% the Halo Master Chief Collection simply because there are a lot of achievements requiring co-op play. Even without that, I have no desire to try and play LASO and I can't do the ones for "play the entire game on Legendary under 3 hours" even on the game that I'm absolute strongest at (Reach). I can play fast or I can play Legendary, just not both at the same time. 🤷‍♀️

I honestly never thought I'd beat even one modern game on Easy and now being able to complete or nearly complete 4 of them has made me so happy and proud. (I have a bit of a tremor in my hands so I have to adapt my play to account for that.)

4. The Halo theme. 'nuff said. When the game has written itself into your DNA, this song is part of your blood and bones.

5. Funny game glitches/random occurrences. Anything that's not really supposed to happen but then it does and there's something just so silly and ridiculous about it? Yeah, that's my jam!

Sara Ryder, the Pathfinder from Mass Effect: Andromeda, spending an entire gaming session, crouching over and talking to everybody's, um, belt buckles, will NEVER not make me laugh! 😂

No pressure tags (apologies if you've already been tagged/done this one, I'm trailing behind on things, so feel free to skip or do again, however you're inclined): @ionlymadethissoicouldleaveanask @morganas-pendragons @swiftzeldas @aureli-us @authortobenamedlater @blakeivy80 @inthatfandom @emmaswanned @officialnighttime @saltykidcreation 💖💖💖

[professorspork]

today in the Andromeda Galaxy, I EXPERIENCED EXTREME EMOTIONAL DURESS

so, to recap, though I’ve said this before: i’m heartbroken and highkey dramatic over the fact that this game is making me choose between Jaal and Peebee when JAAL AND PEEBEE HAVE CRUSHES ON EACH OTHER AND I HAVE CRUSHES ON THEM AND THEY HAVE CRUSHES ON ME. like. this game came out in 2017, people had definitely heard of polyamory by then!!!

the thing about Peebee is that her whole “I’m a tough cookie, I don’t need anyone, don’t look at my actually because I tripped and expressed a feeling, no one’s ever been there for me like you” spiel is my kryptonite. but. the thing about Jaal is that we never should have met! we are aliens not just from different systems, but from across dark space. for Ryder to travel all this way, not knowing what she wanted from life, and then to meet this person who also felt directionless and unfulfilled... for them to meet each other, and go oh, there you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. LIKE!!! that shit is so epic, and so thematically important to the way I’m playing my Ryder... I decided ages ago to romance Jaal this time around, but then stopped playing this game for like two weeks in part because it was Thanksgiving and I was busy, in part to focus on that kristanna WIP, but mostly-- MOSTLY!!-- because I knew I’d have to make the final choice, and Helen’s been torturing me by saying “wow you’re gonna break Peebee’s heart.”

the initial plan was to play Peebee’s loyalty mission and flirt with her more then, to get the most out of it, then lock in with Jaal, then do her last little scene.

things... did not go according to plan.

first I finished Cora’s loyalty bonus scene, where she accidentally quoted Hamilton a lot and we threw seeds into the air as though that’s what gardening is. that was really sweet. I took out the Kett outpost on Eos while we were there, and then Vetra told me about her prized ugly lamp she’s still looking for, and that was great. so I was like, great, let’s do Vetra’s close-out scene next!

READER, I MADE A MISTAKE

I was all set to be like ‘ha ha, I used the jump jets, I cheated’ and then Vetra reached for my hand and asked me is this real? about all the (EXTREMELY G-RATED) flirting I’d been doing and I had to say NO, I THOUGHT WE WERE PLAYING AROUND like some kind of MONSTER. I legit did not realize I’d flirted enough with Vetra that we’d have to have this conversation, and I was so traumatized by the whole ordeal i was like I DON’T KNOW IF I CAN FOLLOW THE PLAN

so I played it cool. I calmed down. I checked in on Avitus on the Nexus and did a toast with the other Pathfinders. I went to Elaaden and learned Dr. Aden was FAKING being Saelen to trick me, and we got Poc back. But then Peebee started ranting about how it had opened up the Kalinda wounds again and she still cares and this is what happens when you let people in, and oh no she’s letting me in, and despite The Plan I could not bring myself to flirt/sleep with her knowing the decision I’d already made

mortified at myself, I hightailed it to Havarl to lock in with Jaal. I WAS SO NERVOUS I FUMBLED THE CONTROLLER TRYING TO INTERRUPT TO HUG HIS MOM AND DIDN’T HUG HER. but like, I gotta say.... after all that build-up I’m kinda disappointed? not in Jaal, he was a perfect dork prince for every moment and he said I MAKE HIS HEART SING and told me how he took things apart as a kid (GEE WHO DOES THAT SOUND LIKE THAT I KNOW) and showed me his glow in the dark sticky star set. but the Ryder reactions and dialogue choices just felt extremely underwhelming-- like ‘yeah okay we might as well do this.’ THIS IS NOT A YEAH OKAY MIGHT AS WELL SORT OF LOVE STORY, BIOWARE, WTF. it killed me to watch Ryder be so blase about it after I’d agonized for literal weeks over how to do this. 

but I digress. it’s fine, and now his mom sends me cute emails and he calls me darling one when we part ways

with that done, I did the meat of Peebee’s loyalty mission, which was a lot of fun (but not quite as fun as Liam’s). the initial set-up with the hijacked pod (THE SAFETY BARS WON’T FIT OVER DRACK) was hilarious, and once again, like with Vetra’s and Jaal’s before that, I felt REAL FEAR over my interrupt choices. in this case, I chose to shoot Kalinda, because uh fuck her frankly she’s the bitch who broke Peebee’s heart and I won’t feel bad about it, she was an awful person and an abuser. but to hear Peebee be so torn up about it after... SHE TRIES SO HARD TO PUT ON A TOUGH COOKIE FRONT BUT SHE’S SUCH A SOFTIE. I CAN’T. I CANNOT. when she was like “now where will I sleep?” i was very sad to realize the flirt option, unavailable to me, probs would have been like “well my bed is free” and sadly none of the other options were “i’m sure Liam’s terrible, terrible couch is available.”  AND THEN SHE SENT ME AN EMAIL PROMISING TO BE MORE OF A TEAM PLAYER. friends i am so sad i cannot romance her too, i can’t emphasize that enough i really can’t. and I can’t even romance her next time because I’ve already decided my next Ryder is going to be a whiny pissbaby dude who can’t handle the pressure and that Ryder certainly will not deserve her

then I went to do a few errands on Kadara, and I brought Peebee and Jaal with me because of course I did, and they talked about whether or not asari and angarans can reproduce because SURE, WHY WOULDN’T THEY, THIS GAME HASN’T TORTURED ME ENOUGH. I wrapped up the Saelen storyline, and was actually torn for a hot second there over whether to arrest Aden or get his info-- but ultimately my Ryder’s too Just to let killing innocent people slide, even for kett intel. (pissbaby Ryder will def get it.)

and then Peebee was too embarrassed to tell me we’re friends face to face and made Poc do it, and then she called a FAMILY MEETING to say she’s PROUD AND HAPPY TO BE ONE OF US, and I had so many feelings I had to stop playing.

in conclusion: get fucked, romancing mechanic, i can’t believe you won’t let me resolve the world’s least conflict-ridden and most-compatible triangle with the polyamory we all deserve.

PLEASE GOD LET THERE BE ONE FIC OUT THERE. JUST ONE, THAT’S ALL I ASK, I WON’T BE GREEDY. PLS.

[professorspork]

Today in the Andromeda Galaxy, I SAVED THE WOOOOOOOORLD

The whole thing with the Archon fucking with SAM and having to play as Scott-- and Scott’s importance, generally, in the finale-- was really neat, and felt like a great use of both the worldbuilding and the story tidbits laid out before now. And THE REMNANT JUST BEING MY PAL AND LIKING ME? excellent. chef’s kiss.

Suvi saying “we’re your SAM now” gave me a LOT of feelings, but I was kind of agonized during the final levels how much when Ryder was in pain, it was constantly Peebee checking in on me and expressing concern and not Jaal because SHE STILL LOVES ME and I LOVE HER and ARRRGH. she’s just. SO SWEET. calling me buster and whatnot. (fwiw Jaal was also sweet, I was very taken by “my heart hurts for your burden” and “you are the light we all follow,” the man has a way with words.)

having that Gang’s All Back Together moment on Meridian where Evfra and Sloane and Kandros were all fighting for me was excellent, and seeing the other Pathfinders save Captain Dunn gave me some serious emotions. THE KROGAN I SAVED SHOWED UP. JAAL’S SIBLINGS SHOWED UP. I love that Dunkirk shit so much; it only would have been better if like Danny the one kid I always have to save on Eos somehow saved me.

I suggested the Moshae as the non-Nexus temporary ambassador because the idea of not having angaran representation is ABSURD, but it did sting to not also be able to finally let the krogan have the rep they deserve. Gil’s terrible plans for naming his kid were very on brand, and I once again had a LOT of feelings about how much more interesting this game would be if we were all quarians when I not only heard from the lost quarian ark, but met a human who’d named herself Darla vas Hyperion. LIKE. COME ON. 

it was agonizing to have to talk to Keri again and keep non-consensual flirting, but on the other hand I got confirmation of TURTLE BABBIES and that’s the most important. YAY KESH.

but like: never getting to solve Jian Garson’s murder? it’s one thing to tease the quarians or not resolve the scourge as ways to set up a sequel, but leaving that thread loose really bothers me. grumble grumble games shouldn’t be rushed through release grumble.

overall, though, I still think I might be, like, fonder of Andromeda than I am of the trilogy, and I’m really bummed everyone else seemed to hate it to much that it killed the franchise and those things I mentioned above then NEVER got resolved. sigh.

and now.... I’m gonna immediately replay Andromeda again, I think, but this time as my Whiny Bitch Baby Ryder, so I can get all these roleplay thoughts out of my head and then enjoy romancing Peebee the way she deserves from here on out.

[professorspork]

say it with me, kids: yet another busy day in the Andromeda Galaxy!

Jaal isn’t talking to me right now, because he’s mad I listed to the Moshae over him :(

in general, it was a heated day in group dynamics! Kallo and Gil’s fight finally came to a head, and I took Gil’s side bc he’s right even tho it KILLED me because Kallo is my fave. they seem to have finally made peace now, tho. and frankly I’m rapidly rising the ranks of Gil’s favorite people, given how much he confides in me, which is peak mlm/wlw solidarity. Peebee is pissing everyone off-- Liam got very frosty with her (IT’S A PUN BECAUSE WE WERE ON VOELD) in the Nomad because he doesn’t trust her to have my back, and she almost gave Lexi a drinking problem (i mean for a very broad definition of “almost.”) Luckily I love Peebee enough to carry everyone else’s weight.

i got DEFUND C-SEC flashbacks when I got back to the Nexus and walked right into a protest and the freaking militia was like “well obviously we’re gonna have to break this up.” I was so shaken that Kesh didn’t take my side that I actually had to go to Helen and be like “is there something I’m missing here?” and she was like NO OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE CLEARLY ON THE PROTESTERS’ SIDE YOU JUST DON’T WANT KESH TO BE MAD AT YOU, which, fair, that’s true. but it was nice to see that one guy hanging out with his thawed mom by the hydroponics after the fact. in general, though, I’m a little frustrated that the specific grievance here was that I made Eos a science outpost and therefore military people were still in cryo-- because I’ve spent ages coming across multiple personal diaries and Evfra’s massive PR campaign about how the Resistance needs more bodies. WHY CAN’T I “NOW KISS” THESE OVERLAPPING NEEDS?

speaking of hard choices, I was all prepared to go on a huge tear about the weird Eos deal where I could either be a Nexus toadie or a libertarian fracker but then i FOUGHT AN ARCHITECT and that seemed less important. 

everyone keeps telling me what a wretched hive of scum and villainy Kedara is but I haven’t even gone to Havarl yet! THE WORK OF A PATHFINDER IS NEVER DONE. but Eos is now 100% viable and Voeld has an outpost, so I’m getting somewhere.

phew!

[professorspork]

I know, I know, I always say it-- but it really WAS a busy day in the Andromeda Galaxy today! this morning I’d never even heard of angarans, and now I’ve rescued the Moshae and learned their laws!

(sidebar: when Kallo flew us through the Scourge and even Drack praised him, the awed smile on his face that he got a compliment from a krogan was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen)

which really brings me to my main thing, which is that... look, it’s EARLY DAYS here, but I might just be a Team Tempest girl at heart and not a Normandy girl? I KNOW, I KNOW. but like. I’m facing genuine anguish over the fact that I can only romance one of these people! I LIKE THEM ALL SO MUCH. I will get to Jaal in a minute because I could write sonnets abt Jaal tbh but like. my crew is so great and I’m so fond of all of them. Liam is just the World’s Solidest dude, the way he lost his shit over exaltation and felt so personally responsible over the fact that he hasn’t single-handedly wrote the peace treaty that will unite the whole galaxy was just... chef’s kiss. GASP i just realized I’m behind on reading the bunk notes, I must catch up! but I love the bunk notes, and Peebee and Lexi taking the shit out of each other, and Vetra’s huge heart, and Suvi being like “I’m your best friend???” at Kallo. I think Cora’s even mostly past her awkward jealousy of me! 

and Jaal. JAAL. oh my god he’s so sweet, and so snarky. but most of all, he’s so INSIGHTFUL. the way he talks about Ryder, the words he uses-- infinitely tender, for one, but also just such a perfect reflection of exactly the way I’m trying to play her? like regardless of who I romance Jaal and Ryder are weird soulmates and I THINK THAT’S BEAUTIFUL. even when he’s making fun of me for showing off or getting shirtless with Liam because he asked nicely (OH MY GOD THAT SCENE). 

I genuinely agonized over the choice to save more angara or destroy the temple, but ultimately I was too scared of getting on the Moshae’s bad side to disobey her wishes-- which has worked out so far. but even with that out of the way, there’s still SO MUCH VOELD LEFT. i’m daunted and pleased at just how much work I have to do, because this is the second day in a row I have spent more time playing than not playing and uh. i’m unemployed and dopamine is at a premium here so that might just keep up tbh. \

though a part of me is irritated that the Mass Effect franchise appears obsessed with recycling the same concepts over and over again (what is exaltation if not an indoctrination/reaper corruption redux) but to give them credit the allegory is MORE fitting here-- slotting in nicely as weaponized metaphor for the dangers of colonization and assimilation as tools of the oppressor. and if I didn’t get the reference on my own, Evfra was kind enough to spell it out for me in dialogue. (fun fact: he clipped right through me after our conversation where I tried to get him to open up about himself, and the idea that Evfra would be so determined to get away from me that he’d defy the laws of physics just... absolutely tracks.)

in summary, I complained to Helen “where can a bitch get some cadmium around here?” because I just want to knock off that one crafting mission, and she was so amused she insisted I put that here. so. there you go, I’m hilarious.

[professorspork]

it was an EVEN BUSIER DAY in the Andromeda Galaxy than I’m accustomed to because I ended up playing for something like eight hours today no one look at me I did like all of Eos 

BUT ANYWAY

The Tempest is fabulous, and I’m obsessed with my crew. from Kello being like UGH DON’T MAKE ME BE FRIENDS WITH TANN to the repeated meme about how I’m surrounded by nerds (Suvi’s 60 pages on dirt being hardly more than a summary, Lexi having a 500 page limit on her Krogan thesis) to the new and improved, elevator-free layout, everything is just... amazing. and I super dig the like “tell me a [joke/war story/bit of gossip]” mechanic because it really does make the relationships feel more naturalistic-- and as Helen will attest, my favorite bit is getting to interact with my peeps. and what peeps they are. I really do think Lexi summed it up best when I told her I felt I was in good hands and she, mortified, pointed out “I JUST STABBED YOU”

(on a related note, Ryder and Peebee have peak “what do you have?” “A KNIFE” energy)

I’m still getting used to combat and overworld trekking (cannot believe the second gear of the Nomad has me missing the Mako, if only because the Mako could somehow go almost straight up), but I’m having a blast! i’m trying out being a melee specialist because that’s not really something I’ve tried before, and so far it’s going pretty well! but then again, i’m still playing on narrative mode, so.

but really the thing I’m most enjoying is feeling out who my Ryder is, and how very different she is from my Shepard. while there’s certainly a level of like goody-two-shoes overlap, because of her youth I feel a lot more freedom to play Ryder as someone willing to admit when she’s scared, or be goofy, or to step on toes and tell people when they’re being bitches. my Ryder is also, for just for fun, an INTERMINABLE flirt and I genuinely don’t know who I’m going to romance because I like so many of my options!!! how far we have from Liara having to always retire to her fainting couch in ME1, truly.

as I was telling Helen earlier today (sometime after arguing over whether Peebee has more Entrapta energy or more Catwoman energy), I appreciate the stakes of Andromeda for much the same reason that I felt awed by the simple cruelty of the “god is a machine that wants to kill you” vibe from the Reapers in the first game-- it’s hard to get past the elegance of scale. the game never shies away from reminding you the cost of being here-- that this was a one-way ticket and everyone we’ve all ever known is dead. I ask literally every person I meet about why they joined the Initiative. and if we fail out here, on the edge of space, then we LITERALLY died for nothing, suffering needlessly when we could have just stayed home. it gives everything so much significance.

at any rate. I was feeling real proud of myself for not sugarcoating the fact that our dad is dead and the golden worlds were lies to my poor twin, only then he had like a coma panic attack so maybe that was Too Much Truth? i am Learning.

but also, forget scott’s sadness, i’m not sad anymore that my jerk dad is dead because Drack is my dad now

and also SAM trying to make jokes [“calculating the trajectory of the punchline... that was not the joke :(” ] has emphasized to me all over again that I will never be anything but a toaster fucker

-

PS FINAL THOUGHT: are there seriously not gonna be any quarians in this game? that’s kind of absurd given that the whole MECHANIC of being a pathfinder is literally just like the quarian lifestyle. frankly this game would make a lot more sense if the Initiative were a quarian endeavor and not a human one, down to like crafting gear etc, only of course in-universe they could not afford it unless the Citadel was literally like “we will pay you to go away” which would have been peak yikes 

[professorspork]

today in the Andromeda Galaxy, *screaming*

so like listen. I had this whole PLAN for this post, about how the Brandeis motto is taken from Psalms 51, “truth, even unto its innermost parts,” and how my Ryder reflects that. I had a lot of last little errands I wanted to run before starting the endgame of the next big phase of main plot, and over and over again-- telling Maariko the angara astronomer that it was exiles who destroyed his stuff and hurt people, even though it turned him against humans as a whole; siding with Sid over Addison that we should go public with the fact that the Nexus was backing the Three Sabers even though it makes us look sus as hell; convincing the angara historian on Voeld that he shouldn’t whitewash the fact that the angara cooperated with the kett during early first contact-- I stubbornly insisted that what’s TRUE matters a heck of a lot more than what’s “convenient” or “inspiring.” I told the same to Keri, later on. 

but then like. WOW DID A BUNCH HAPPEN, the latest of which REALLY DOESN’T FIT WITH THAT WHOLE THEME.

so we went to Khi Tasira, and I brought Jaal and Peebee with me because of course I did. (in my defense, Big Kett Offense + Giant Remnant Place = perfectly good reasons to have them as my party, but lbr I probably would have taken them anyway). AND WHO BOY WHAT REVELATIONS. the Scourge is the leftovers of a superweapon explosion that went off here in a galaxy-wide terraforming accident! makes sense! we still need another widget because of course we do! and the big one: THE ANGARA WERE DESIGNED AND MADE. (sidebar: after that reveal, they had the sweetest little conversation of Peebee assuring him if he wanted to talk she’s there for him, and he was like “why because now I’m a remnant curiosity? ... SIKE lol ur FACE” and I just. don’t understand. why I’m not allowed to date both of them.)

once again, I cannot emphasize enough how much better and more thematically resonant this game would be if Ryder were quarian and instead of the human ark we were from the quarian ark. like, the parallels! the depth and nuance! the hard questions! it’s a bummer in general that they decided no quarians in Andromeda, but this really just does seem like an obvious and illuminating solution to so many pitfalls and half-problems. it makes me so frustrated.

checking on everyone after, I was really touched by Liam’s take, which is ‘fuck the people who made the scourge, minefields make life unlivable for civilians.” he’s such a good egg. Gil’s gonna co-parent with Jill, which is incredibly sweet. and Jaal was dreamy as all get-out, what with his “There's a peace in knowing that though the universe is beyond your understanding, it doesn't need your understanding to function” and his “I’m not broken, I’m excited” and his “this changes nothing except ourselves.” IF NOTHING WE DO MATTERS THEN ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT WE DO. he told me i made him feel safe, which is just. that’s some top-tier shit right there, and thank goodness, because later on bioware would TRULY TRY MY PATIENCE (lol spoilers). also he sent me an email with the subject line “from your romantic friend Jaal” which is just. my heart. i can’t.

so that was all great! i was having a good time!

and then I went to the Nexus and gave my next interview with Keri, and she was like “hey come cheat on your boyf at the bar with me.” and I was like well I’m sure not doing that but I do have to complete the mission so I guess I’ll have another agonizing conversation like I did with Vetra where I let her down easy. ONLY THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE THE GAME DID NOT GIVE ME A WAY TO TURN HER DOWN. LITERALLY ALL DIALOGUE OPTIONS WERE CONSENT TO CHEATING SEX. WTF??????? i really feel some kind of way about that, and like I get that I didn’t have to flirt with her and I guess I could have just not gone to the Vortex, I don’t understand the utility of a side romance you’re locked into. it made me feel super gross, and both violating and violated.  NOT EVEN PLAYING FIRE CHESS WITH DRACK, KESH AND VORN COULD CHEER ME UP.

Jaal tried to lift my spirits by choosing me over a fancy new job with the Resistance, but I couldn’t really get into it seeing as I was wracked with guilt over being forced to bang someone else. but he invited me to a date on Aya, so I went there and talked through all the angarans’ existential crises over the new ~revelations.

and then-- MY FAULT, REALLY, I COULD HAVE PICKED THE NO-SEX OPTION BUT AGAIN I WAS MOTIVATED LARGELY BY GUILT-- I had to endure the world’s most off-puttingly milquetoast Obligatory Act Three Side Boob (or as Helen calls it, the “pre-climax climax”). only IT WASN’T SIDEBOOB, IT WAS FULL ON BOOB. BOOBS LIKE A CHEST PLATE. IMMOVABLE, GRAVITY-DEFYING BOOBS. SOME MATRIARCH BENEZIA BADONKERS I HAVE BEEN CARRYING AROUND APPARENTLY. THAT STAND STRAIGHT UP EVEN WHEN RYDER IS SUPINE, AND ALSO I FEEL WEIRD THAT JAAL IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD ORAL SEX WITH HUMANS????

I’m disappointed. which I figured would be inevitable given how poorly I think Bioware handles romance in general, but I was really hoping Jaal would be an exception because the only reason I romanced him at all was because his unique quirks took me by surprise and felt consistent and well-rounded. like! he’s so sweet and fuckin weird! where was any of that???  and then he called me TEMPTRESS in his follow-up email which I uhhh did not love.

luckily I was able to get the taste out of my mouth by having movie night with the crew my whole family, and Kallo reminded me why he is in fact my stealth fave. the body language in this scene was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one-- Cora leaning on Liam’s knees! Peebee cuddling Kallo! Helen said if I hadn’t romanced anyone I would have fallen asleep on Drack and that is Good, Actually.

only thing left is the end game! we’ll see how it goes. 

[professorspork]

IT WAS A BUSY DAY IN THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY.

yes, friends, you heard that right. if today weren’t exciting enough, it was also my first N7 day, and so I decided to celebrate by starting Mass Effect: Andromeda. So far, I am having a good time!

I named my Ryder “Flynn” because of course I did-- I wanted to name her twin Eugene but apparently he HAS to be Scott so fine, whatever. Though I find the Skills screen incredibly intimidating (and don’t even get me STARTED on Inventory, oh my god), I really like the fact that I can learn ANYTHING I WANT IN THE WORLD. including becoming a biotic somehow?? not sure how that’s supposed to work worldbuilding-wise but Helen says there will be an in-universe explanation. (in hindsight I’m wondering if that explanation is that my mom died of eezo cancer or w/e? am I a late bloomer? WE’LL FIND OUT I SUPPOSE). I also really like the “tone choice” mechanic for dialogue in the absence of paragon/renegade; I legit feel like I’m getting away with something being allowed to craft character personality decisions without consequences!

combat is p overwhelming so far; I’m still learning the new rules and controls (I’m playing on the PS4 for the first time!!) but I do very much enjoy my JET PACK that I get to have

I guess my jerk dad really did love me, and now I’m PERMANENTLY HAUNTED by his imaginary best friend so that’s a good time. maybe if I’m really lucky SAM can get a sexy mobile platform like EDI and we can hang for real-- though of course there’s the possibility that would leave me braindead. (side note: I am tickled pink at the concept of a beefcake mobile platform because sexiness is, like, The Law.)

everyone on the Nexus is a jerk except my new best friend Kesh, who is possibly planning a coup but I do not care because see point number one, EVERYONE ON THE NEXUS IS A JERK. like I get the last year has sucked for you but like, again, my dad just died and now i’m a haunted cyborg with A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY ALL OF A SUDDEN, can you wait like 30 seconds before yelling @ me? no? well fuck you too Addison. (this knife cut even deeper, lbr, because I named my Shepard “Addison.” HDU BESMIRCH THAT NAME.)

well. I’ll amend that. not everyone is a jerk. I really like the scientists in the back of the room, but that’s because they do things like give me side quests where I get to hit rocks for science, which is literally a direct quote.

[professorspork]

ha ha ha “All I’ve Ever Known” from Hadestown except it’s Peebee and Jaal and they’re both singing to Ryder and not to each other

ha ha ha I AM HAVING A VERY EMOTIONAL FOUR AM, HBU????

[professorspork]

today in the Andromeda system, I KILLED A LOT OF THINGS (AND THEY KILLED ME BACK!)

after visiting the Moshae and settling some growing pain diplomatic disputes on Aya, I decided to launch my mission to the Archon’s ship! I took Jaal and Drack with me, which proved pretty emotionally fortuitous. though, once again, I’m getting flashbacks to the trilogy (oh, what’s that? the invading aliens have put our people in pods to make us into them? UNPRECEDENTED) the vibes were still admirably creepy. it was nice to meet the salarian Pathfinder, not least because it was good to meet a lady salarian who wasn’t immediately like “hey you wanna kill krogan?” in fact, it was so nice that I let her die in order to save krogan!

well. that’s not exactly why. I respected the fact that Raeka chose her fate and didn’t request a rescue, whereas the Drack’s scouts had no choice, first of all. and second of all yes I am a kroganfucker only slightly behind how much I am a toasterfucker. when Drack was like “you chose krogan first; I won’t forget that; people see us as cannon fodder” my heart grew three sizes. but before I could do any of that, first SAM had to kill me! I was fine with it, but it upset my friends VERY much. they all sent me extremely sweet emails about it which moved me immensely. and Lexi and SAM got into an argument about it, and just. MY CREW LOVES ME SO MUCH YOU GUYS HOW EMBARRASSING FOR THEM. (side bar: SAM calls Suvi “Dr. Anwar” but does not call Lexi “Dr. T’Perro.” Why??? SHE’S A DOCTOR TOO, SAM) Lexi’s worried email told me I should get a hobby for stress relief which is about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

then I escorted the salarian ark refugees to the Nexus, where the first step off the ship I learned Keri had been imprisoned over her documentaries for uh what was it? “conspiracy to incite unrest” I think it was, which: EW, TANN. UR GROSS. I went to talk to Kandros about it and he literally said “it was this or exile” which is disgusting. DEFUND C-SEC NEXUS MILITIA.

then I averted Knight’s terrorist plot, which was disorienting because Tann made me stop and give a speech to the salarians right before I went to confront her. she went off about how SAM’s changed me, and I was so distracted writing a note to self to make a joke here about how lol she doesn’t even know he literally just killed me that the sniper just SHOT her. thinking I missed an interrupt, I reloaded from the save, but no. apparently because I scanned one thing in her hideout before making her kid new implants etc and had to fight her cronies (I still feel bad I had to kill that one lady turian whose sisters were spiked by geth, that didn’t seem fair) i locked myself out of the chance to talk her down. and now her son has vowed revenge. OH WELL, OOPS.

no one in the Initiative wants to back my play for the Meridian, not even Kesh, which stung. but now my brother’s awake again! the questions I asked him really felt like things I should know already, but I headcanoned that Ryder was just making sure he wasn’t concussed and had all his memories post-coma so fine.

then I went to Eos and met Gil’s friend Jill (white girl with braids, why) and fought Akksul, who killed me a WHOLE BUNCH before I got my shit together. it cracks me up that his big response is sending Jaal threatening voicemails.

(oh, other note: I only JUST realized I can jump down from the Tempest cargo balcony to the cargo floor and don’t have to wait for the little elevator. game changer!!!)

went to Voeld and found an ancient angaran AI that was very murder-y. I wanted to bring her back to the nice museum lady to study, but she was just too murdery for that and I had to shoot her. luckily, Evfra COMPLIMENTED ME over email about it, which I’m sure will be the first and last time for that.

then I fought another Architect and, again, died a bunch, but I managed to beat it without lowering the difficulty settings! so I am the real winner here.

now we have to go convince Jaal’s siblings to leave the Roekaar, which I think will be easy because he said “that’s what I love about you” re: my readiness to rumble, so I ain’t scare of no things.