June 22nd - Day 9: Mass Effect 30 Day Challenge “What is your favorite DLC?” Most of Mass Effect’s DLC is piddly stuff, like guns or armor. That makes the pool of valid DLC to answer this question with pretty narrow. I’ll admit, I really love what Kasumi and Javik bring to the series. I also really liked the depth of Arrival and, on a good day, I kinda like Overlord. But nothing can hold a candle to the Lair of the Shadow Broker. Part of it, of course, is because it actually gives Liara a role in Mass Effect 2, and I really like Liara’s character a lot. It seems to me like people either love her or hate her. I love her. I also think this DLC was pivotal to understand her seemingly huge change from her quiet, innocent ME1 character. Without understanding what’s happened to her in the past two years in the detail that LotSB brings it’s easy to write her off as sloppily changed to fit in better with where the story was going. I feel, though, like the writers of this game wrote this DLC (and much of Mass Effect 3) viewing Liara as the cannon romance option. I haven’t looked to see if there’s any announcement of any kind saying she is (which is possible) and it doesn’t bother me, because I do romance her probably 75% of the time. When you look beyond Liara alone, the actually missions contained within the DLC are not only well-designed, but fun to play. It’s not like Overlord, where the story was good but getting to it was either boring or a pain in the butt. God I hate the Hammerhead. I also really liked the character of Tela Vasir. I admit, I didn’t see her being the bad guy coming at all (although I probably should have). The scene where she attacks the team I thought was very cool, and it really showed that Liara wasn’t just a scientist. It also shows that she was a little batty for leaving Shepard all crunched on the floor after falling 30 feet. And last but not least, I got to punch a yahg in the face. Booya! Ok I lied. Last bit is my favorite line of dialogue in any of the three games. Shepard: What kind of guns does this thing have? Liara: It’s a taxi. It has a fair meter.
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June 22nd - Day 9: Mass Effect 30 Day Challenge

“What is your favorite DLC?”

Most of Mass Effect’s DLC is piddly stuff, like guns or armor. That makes the pool of valid DLC to answer this question with pretty narrow. I’ll admit, I really love what Kasumi and Javik bring to the series. I also really liked the depth of Arrival and, on a good day, I kinda like Overlord.

But nothing can hold a candle to the Lair of the Shadow Broker.

Part of it, of course, is because it actually gives Liara a role in Mass Effect 2, and I really like Liara’s character a lot. It seems to me like people either love her or hate her. I love her. I also think this DLC was pivotal to understand her seemingly huge change from her quiet, innocent ME1 character. Without understanding what’s happened to her in the past two years in the detail that LotSB brings it’s easy to write her off as sloppily changed to fit in better with where the story was going.

I feel, though, like the writers of this game wrote this DLC (and much of Mass Effect 3) viewing Liara as the cannon romance option. I haven’t looked to see if there’s any announcement of any kind saying she is (which is possible) and it doesn’t bother me, because I do romance her probably 75% of the time.

When you look beyond Liara alone, the actually missions contained within the DLC are not only well-designed, but fun to play. It’s not like Overlord, where the story was good but getting to it was either boring or a pain in the butt. God I hate the Hammerhead.

I also really liked the character of Tela Vasir. I admit, I didn’t see her being the bad guy coming at all (although I probably should have). The scene where she attacks the team I thought was very cool, and it really showed that Liara wasn’t just a scientist. It also shows that she was a little batty for leaving Shepard all crunched on the floor after falling 30 feet.

And last but not least, I got to punch a yahg in the face. Booya!

Ok I lied. Last bit is my favorite line of dialogue in any of the three games.

Shepard: What kind of guns does this thing have?

Liara: It’s a taxi. It has a fair meter.

June 18th - Day 5: Mass Effect 30 Day Challenge “What is your favorite loyalty mission?” Most of the loyalty missions in this string of games were pretty lackluster. “AMG DO NOT EAT POISONOUS PLANTS. D:” But I think Tali’s loyalty mission on the fleet really stood out. When I was off killing mechs or killing vorcha or killing Jacob or… wait… anyway, most of the loyalty missions seemed like busy work. Clearing Tali of treason really seemed pretty darn relevant. It doesn’t hurt that the whole mission had a great story arc, was well written, and brings out the best of the one of the most excellent characters of the franchise. The only reason she wins, though, is that I don’t consider the Lair of the Shadow Broker to count as a loyalty mission. Be wary, Tali’zorah…
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June 18th - Day 5: Mass Effect 30 Day Challenge

“What is your favorite loyalty mission?”

Most of the loyalty missions in this string of games were pretty lackluster.

“AMG DO NOT EAT POISONOUS PLANTS. D:”

But I think Tali’s loyalty mission on the fleet really stood out. When I was off killing mechs or killing vorcha or killing Jacob or… wait… anyway, most of the loyalty missions seemed like busy work. Clearing Tali of treason really seemed pretty darn relevant.

It doesn’t hurt that the whole mission had a great story arc, was well written, and brings out the best of the one of the most excellent characters of the franchise.

The only reason she wins, though, is that I don’t consider the Lair of the Shadow Broker to count as a loyalty mission. Be wary, Tali’zorah…

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