*Might contain some Mass Effect 1 and 2 spoilers*
In Mass Effect 2’s provocative reveal trailer, BioWare introduced the concept of Commander Shepard dying. When I first watched the video, I was worried that my Shepard was gone – which is a disturbing thought considering that decision making and character building are such intrinsic aspects of the game.
When I play the Mass Effect games, I am Shepard, so I was relieved when I discovered that his death and revival take place early in the game.
However, BioWare still wanted death to be a real, threatening consequence for Shepard. The developers constantly publicized the fact that Mass Effect’s middle chapter was, indeed, a suicide mission.
Although I am a huge fan of the series, I can’t help but think that the possibility of losing a main character is better suited for the conclusion – rather than the second installment – of a trilogy.
Thankfully, in all of my Mass Effect 2 playthroughs, I have been able to keep Shepard and most of my squad members alive. But the unlucky few bit the dust, will either have to replay the entire game or start Mass Effect 3 as a completely different Shepard.
If your Shepard dies, they'll have to send Clark Shepard to finish the job.
Of course, having to replay one of the highest-rated games of 2010 isn’t exactly devastating, but it seems ridiculous that a renowned developer like BioWare would make the player choose between investing over 20 more hours into the game and starting from scratch in the trilogy’s final chapter.
This series is all about shaping Shepard’s quest and building his relationships with other characters. If Shepard dies before his/her full story is even over, then BioWare’s purpose for the series has been ruined. Therefore, I think BioWare would be better off using the player’s decisions across the entire trilogy to determine Shepard’s ultimate fate.
For example, maybe saving the Rachni queen in the first game will provide you with a strong ally in the upcoming war. In addition, choosing to keep the Reaper technology at the end of Mass Effect 2 could backfire if it suddenly reactivates.
A more appropriate and serious penalty for fans of the series is the death of crew members or other notable NPCs. Having Shepard die in the middle of the story is an annoyance; losing a loyal squad mate or love interest is a tragedy that the player will have to live with. Consequences should have lasting impressions, but should still allow the player to move on.
If my Shepard has to sacrifice himself in Mass Effect 3 to save the universe, so be it; as long as I don’t see a developer diary with Casey Hudson saying, “No, this is the real suicide mission.”