I’m participating in @zockworkorange’s project #52games, where lots of people write posts about ONE topic that reminds them of ONE game. I’m doing it in English because I can  …because I don’t want to neglect my usual readers.

Missed the topic “new beginning” (Neubeginn) last week, but I need to catch up on this. VERY QUICKLY. Very briefly.

Warning: Contains spoily spoilers for the beginning of Mass Effect 2.

Mass Effect 2 was a great game. I loved many things about it, but it fell especially short in an unexpected regard: The story. In my opinion, the game focused so much on the “recruit teammate – gain teammate’s trust – recruit next teammate…” cycle that there was no “Shepard story” as in the first game.

Unfortunately, and with this I’m returning to the topic “New beginning”, this becomes evident quite early in the game, when Shepard is resurrected (a bit prematurely) after two years during which everyone had to assume (s)he was dead. In terms of the cinematics and escape from the station that is under attack, this is presented very well.

If you haven’t played the game, here is a YouTube video of these starting minutes of ME2:

It’s also a nice explanation for the opportunity to change his/her class entirely; and advance the plot, allowing ME1 veterans to discover many new things that have changed since the end of the first game’s narrative.

But most reactions to his/her reappearance from authorities, friends and enemies are simply underwhelming, and the topics of life, death and resurrection are never dealt with in any detail. This would’ve been difficult (but hey, it’s BioWare), but the way it is now, it’s a missed chance (yes, hey, it’s EA) to discuss something immensely meaningful in a computer game.