TV Talk - Marvel's Netflix Series

If you haven’t kept up with Twitter, then you’d know that Marvel’s Iron Fist has been released on Netflix. The early reviews didn’t paint a good picture. This was one I was already worried about since I’m not a big Iron Fist fan. By now, I’ve finished all of Season 1 of that show. Today’s post will actually be about it and the other Marvel shows on Netflix. I already talked about Season 1 of Daredevil, so it’s time to move on to Season 2 of DD, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and the released Iron Fist.

With Season 2 of DD, I was on board day one. It took me a while to get through the season but I got through it. As for Jessica Jones, I actually didn’t get to this one until sometime before Luke Cage was released. I pretty much binged it one weekend. As for Luke Cage, this was also a bit of a binge. I pretty much saw it all when it was released. My dad even checked in on this one, so I’ve seen bits and pieces of it more than once. It took a couple of weeks to get through Iron Fist, though.

Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones was the second show to be released on Netflix. It aired after Season 1 of Daredevil. It follows Jessica Jones, a private eye with her own set of superhuman abilities. She’s trying doing her thing when her past has come back to haunt her. During her time as a small-time superhero, she was under the control of Kilgrave, a man who has the ability to control people with his speech. Luckily, she has some help in the form of Trish Walker and some black dude named Luke Cage. Oh yeah, there’s a lot of other craziness with weird neighbors, a cold-blooded client, and some crazy cop with a pill problem.

Jessica: Yeah, I'm listening. I'm just helping the Red Ranger kick his drug habit. 

While this probably my least favorite Netflix show (it's either that or Iron Fist), I did like this one. After seeing IF, this is definitely the darkest of the four shows. It deals with personal subject matter like rape, substance abuse, and PSTD. It also wasn’t afraid to earn that MA rating. I thought the cast for the most part was good. While I wasn’t a big fan of Jessica Jones as a character (I liked Trish more), Krysten Ritter was good as the damaged P.I. Carrie-Ann Moss also did a nice job as the utterly unlikable Jeri Hogarth. Pretty much everyone else like Rachael Taylor (Trish Walker) and Mike Colter (Luke Cage) did a good job. It was even cool to see another Power Ranger alumni (Eka Darville from RPM) show up here. We even get a little bit of Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) in here too.

Of course, the biggest boon to the show was David Tennant as Kilgrave/The Purple Man. He was the right blend of slimy and charismatic with the actions he took. Even though they give him a tragic backstory, he’s still a messed up psycho who’s done some horrible things. The stuff between Kilgrave and Jessica was definitely a highlight. I also liked that this didn’t take the stereotypical route in it being a superhero show. Yeah, it had the powers and fight scenes, but it had something that you don’t see on the live-action side.

Man... what a performance.

While it has good stuff, it also had some “meh” moments. I thought there were too many characters running around in this show especially when they didn’t add much to the overall plot. Jessica’s neighbors and the cop who helps them are examples. The pacing was also a problem here. While I liked Kilgrave’s and Jessica’s interactions, the cat-and-mouse game between those two does drag on for too long. A part of me feels like the show could have been much shorter. I think this is a problem for most of the Marvel shows since this show wasn’t the only one that had that problem. Lastly, the fight scenes were okay. They didn’t really showcase what Jessica could do but they weren’t the focus here anyway. Overall, it may not be the best show, but it tries a lot and mostly succeeds.

Daredevil Season 2

Season 2 of Daredevil takes place a few months after the previous season.  Matt, Foggy, and Karen are trying to get the law firm more notoriety. He’s even getting closer to Karen. His Daredevil activities are keeping him busy and in danger too. He goes up against new vigilante known as the Punisher. He also has to deal with a troublesome ex-girlfriend coming back to town. It all culminates in Matt and his allies taking on a powerful organization known as the Hand.

While I can’t say that it was better than the previous season, it had a lot of good things. The new editions to the cast were good. I thought that Daredevil vs. the Punisher was quite possibly the best “vs.” story we got in 2016. Yeah, I went there. One of the best things about this season was the Punisher. Not only is it the best version of the character we’ve gotten story-wise, Jon Beranthal (who I actually share a birthday with) was great in the role. Pretty much everything involving his character was good. As for Elektra, she was pretty interesting for the most part. I thought Elodie Young did the role well. The fight scenes were on par with last season’s and that stair case scene was awesome.

As for our regular leads, they get a lot to do. Matt is still doing the lawyer-by-day, ninja-by-night role and he gets a better mask. It’s here where his double life really gets to mess with him especially when Elektra, Stick, and the Hand show up in the second half of the season. He does come off a little unlikable at points but it works since he is under tons of pressure. Foggy and Karen get a lot to do as well. I liked that Foggy was literally the voice of reason this season and that he got to outshine Matt lawyer-wise. I also though Karen’s new role as a writer was interesting but it did make me miss Ben Urich. We even get more of Claire Temple meeting up with Matt and that’s always good. Another person also shows up in the ninth episode that had me go “Oh ####!” Just guess who.

You may not make healthy choices but you do tend to say the right thing, Foggy.

As for the negatives, the show does get a little bogged down in the second half of the season. It’s not bad, but after those first few episodes, things get a little disjointed. It definitely felt like that with the Punisher and Elektra storylines towards the end. Also, while it’s cool to see some ninjas show up, the Hand were alright. A former villain from last season returns to lead them and he was a little bland.  I also wasn’t too fond of some aspects of Matt’s and Karen’s courtship. It was nice seeing them together, but some things didn’t gel too well. Overall, it’s as about on par with Season 1.

Luke Cage

Luke Cage pretty much spins off from Jessica Jones. For those who don’t know, Luke has invulnerable skin and super-strength. Luke heads to Harlem since he’s on the run from the law.  He hides out with his father-in-law. He ends up getting embroiled in the mess going on there with the law and a gangster known as Cottonmouth. After someone close to him is gunned down, Luke has to come out of hiding and try to take Cottonmouth’s empire down.  Things get tougher when another player by the name of Diamondback enters the battle.

Even though it has its flaws, I really enjoyed Luke Cage. It’s rare that we get to see any superhero shows that have a primarily black cast. I was impressed by the whole cast for the most part. Everyone from the leads to the side characters were pretty good. Mike Colter was cool as Luke Cage. I was also impressed with Simone McKissick’s Misty Knight, Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth, and a few others. I was also glad to see Rosario Dawson show up here too. She’s literally the Coulson to these shows.

The stories were pretty good for the most part. I also liked some of the social commentary used as well. I liked the overall setting with it taking place in Harlem. It was like a Blaxploitation movie only modern and done better. I’ve seen some bad ones, man. Another thing that stands out here is the music. Everything from the main theme to the stuff in the episodes was good. I liked that a lot of genres were used and we even got some professional performers in there. We even got some old-school doo-wop stuff in there. It was great. Lastly, the fight scenes were fine. They weren’t great but the one that stands out to me is Luke’s takedown of Cottonmouth’s storehouse.

While we didn't get a former Power Ranger, we do have a guy who looks like he stepped out of a Super Sentai.

As for the flaws, there are a few. Once again, the pacing is a problem. This shows up more in the second half of the show when Cottonmouth is taken off the board. After that, it’s like the show dips down for a bit. Even the finale, while fine, felt lacking in a couple of places. After Cottonmouth is gone, he ends up getting replaced by Diamondback. While Diamondback was a more threatening opponent for Luke, he just didn’t have what Cottonmouth had. If I could describe it, Cottonmouth is your Netflix Marvel villain while Diamondback is you stereotypical MCU villain. Lastly, the writing didn’t always hit the mark it needed to. Overall, even with its flaws, Luke Cage is one to see.

Iron Fist

The last one for the night is the recently released Iron Fist. In this one, Danny Rand returns to New York after being declared dead for 15 years. As he tries to prove his identity and re-acclimate to modern society, we find out that he is the Iron Fist, an Immortal Weapon of K’un L’un. He also starts a friendship with another martial artist named Colleen Wing. Danny eventually learns that that the Hand, the enemy of K’un L’un, is up to some tricks in New York. Not only does he have to deal with them, he also has to do deal with Harold Meacham, one of his father’s closest friends.

Man, he did not take those reviews well. Also, what does he have against doors?

While Iron Fist isn’t as good as most of the other shows, it’s better than the ratings the critics gave it. I’m not going to comment on the whole race thing here since, honestly, I don’t care about it much. Besides, Danny’s race isn’t the reason this show isn’t as good as the others.  I liked most the cast here. Jessica Henwrick as Colleen Wing is probably the best character here. I also liked the Meachams especially Harold Meacham. You didn’t know what or where he would be during it. I was also glad to see Madam Gau return since she was one of the best parts of Daredevil.

I actually did like some of the corporate drama with Danny and the Meachams. Since Danny is a rich boy, it’d have to go there. I also liked the stuff involving the Hand since it went down paths I wasn’t expecting. Also, it’s always cool to see Claire Temple show up. I wonder if they’ll do a Claire Temple show or something. Lastly, there were some decent fight scenes especially in the latter half of the show. The standouts for me were Danny vs the kung fu drunken master and this big fight at an academy.

Yes, this is crass to show here, but this was actually funny. I guess he saw Rotten Tomatoes too.

Now, here’s the not-so-great. It takes a long time for this show to get moving… too long, in fact. I can see why critics were down on the early episodes but the show did get better. It wasn’t by a lot, though. There were also times where things got a little jumbled story-wise. It kind of felt like that towards the end. There wasn’t really a central villain to the show, so stuff felt kind of scatterbrained.  I get the idea that they’re setting up a lot for The Defenders, so that may be why things felt a little rushed in places.

While I enjoyed some fight scenes, something felt weird about a lot of them. I don’t know if it was the stunt team or the camera work. It bet it would have helped to find a lead star who knew martial arts! That is probably my biggest sticking point with the show there. I know they have to find a credible actor, but I like seeing stuntmen flex their acting chops. As for Finn Jones, he was okay but I wasn’t really a fan of Danny here. I don’t know if it was the actor or the direction. He seemed too uptight at points but fine around Colleen and Claire. Maybe if they get him around the other heroes, he may lighten up like he is in the comics. Overall, I liked it but I felt it could have been much better.

…………………………………………………………..

Overall, Marvel’s Netflix series have done pretty good. There have been dips here and there, but they’ve stuck to the course. In August, we should be seeing all of these characters come together in The Defenders. Not much is known about what’s going to happen, but I bet a lot of the things that was set up in the other shows will come into play. Just know that I’ll definitely be checking it out. I just hope it is as good as most MCU team-ups. Well, that’s all I got for now. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there.

I guess Danny has to stick out somehow...

"It's a Video Game!" - Batman: Arkham Knight

Well, as most superheroes state in their movies/comics/TV shows, “This ends tonight!” Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham series is probably one of my favorite video game franchises. So much was done in order to get Batman and his world right in pixels. Even though Batman: Arkham Origins wasn’t a Rocksteady game, WB Montreal took a lot of cues from Rocksteady. Rocksteady wasn’t done and they churned out possibly one final game to finish off their trilogy. Batman: Arkham Knight was released in 2015 to much acclaim and criticism. The game didn’t translate well to PC and there were some problems there. This was the first game I decided to play on my PS4. By the way, it’s been pretty fun so far. Right now, I'm replaying Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Batman: Arkham Knight takes place a year after the events of Arkham City. Stuff had kind of cooled down since those events but Batman is still dealing with the fallout. Suddenly, calamity strikes as the Scarecrow (voiced by John Noble) returns and unleashes terror across the city. Citizens flee most of Gotham as crime and all-out douchbaggery takes over. Luckily, Batman is still leading the fight against evil with a new suit, some allies, and new gadgets. Things get worse when Scarecrow reveals a new partner in his plans: The Arkham Knight. Not only does Batman have to contend with the Knight who is well-versed in his ways, he starts to really crack under the pressure after he’s exposed to some of Scarecrow’s gas.

PROS

While I can't say this is the best game of the three, this is still a nice game to end Rocksteady's run with. By the way, I'll spoil some of this but not all of it. It's been out for two years and Wikipedia spoils it all anyway. Everything about this game works for the most part. Rocksteady took a lot of what worked in Arkham City and applied it here. The graphics and designs are top-notch. You get to operate in Gotham City itself. There are three big sections of the city and they all are pretty massive in scope.This is possibly the ultimate Batman experience. You got the moves, the gadgets, and the lumbering, black weapon of mass awesomeness called the Batmobile.

The combat is still the same since Arkham City pretty much set it in stone. You have the stealth approach as well as the "beat 'em down" approach. There are some adjustments like tag-teaming with your allies. On certain missions, you can team up with Robin, Nightwing, or Catwoman. As for the driving aspect of the game, it was cool for the most part. It did take a while to get used to using it in battle, but when I got the hang of it, it was awesome. Unfortunately, the Batmobile sections have their problems and I'll touch on them later..

This was fun. I kind of wish we got more of this.

The story is pretty good for the most part. You get the idea that Rocksteady is trying to end this all in one big bang. Pretty much all of Batman  allies and villains (living and not so living) are back in a way that works. It was nice to see one the Scarecrow be the top villain. The missions are all diverse in some way. There were even a few twists that I didn't see coming. There was one that I and most fans saw coming from about 50 miles away. I'll get to that later. Of course, The Joker does make a reappearance since you apparently have to throw in the clown. I will say that his place in the story was actually pretty interesting and ties into the series as a whole. It even references one of my favorite Batman animated movies with how he's used.

CONS

Me When Doing This Stage: $$$$ %%%%$$$ ####$$ **^^%$%$##!!!

While the game is really good, it does have some flaws. First , there's the Batmobile. Now, I liked the Batmobile for the most part, but I was shocked at how much it gets used here. I'd probably say that the game is possibly 40% Batmobile action and there are many times where you have no choice but to use it. I mostly kept to the skies since that was more fun. The Riddler sections were probably some of the most grating parts. You have to do some race courses and the final one may make you want to throw your controller. I didn't do that but a few pigeons were thrown at the TV.

Sorry... man/ma'am, but you're not doing it for me.

There were also some lackluster boss battles which is a shock. You'd think Rocksteady would have went all-out for this last one. Some of them involved the Batmobile and really only a couple of those were cool. The final "fight" with the Arkham Knight was pretty cool though. Then, there's the subject of the Arkham Knight. I won't spoil the identity here but I wasn't a fan of how this character was handled here. It's especially a letdown since other media has treated the character better than this. Let's just say that he/she played a major role in another Batman animated movie. Yes, the Arkham Knight is...  Lois Lane! Other than those major things and some small quibbles, this game was pretty good.

.........................................................................................

Overall, it's a good game to check out if you haven't done so. While I had my quibbles, it's still Batman being done by Rocksteady. You can't go wrong with that. I can't say it's the best of the trilogy though. All of the games have been really good, so choosing the best would be hard. I can choose my favorite though and that would have to be Arkham City. Anyway, I'm out. Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there in Gotham City.

Trade Tales! - Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 15 - Silver Sable

Wow, it's been a while. Between working days, getting used to my PS4, and doing other things, posting has been a little challenging. Then, there’s the fact that the views on my recent posts are all screwed up and crap. I know I ain't that popular and I did ask about it. Darn spammers. Oh well, it’s time to move on and get back in the swing of things. Since Spider-Man: Homecoming is making his way down the red carpet with Christina Hendricks at his side, I think it’s time to return to the Ultimate Universe for a bit. Besides, it seems this new Spidey is looking to be more and more based off that universe especially when Miles Morales is involved. Weird.

Silver Sable is the title for this latest volume. It contains Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1 as well as Ultimate Spider-Man #86-90. We more or less have the same team on this one. BMB is writing and Mark Bagley is handling pencils. We do get another penciller for the annual issue and that is artist Mark Brooks. The inks were handled by Scott Hanna, John Dell, and Jamie Mendoza. So, let's see Peter win some and lose some.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 15: Silver Sable

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils: Mark Bagley and Mark Brooks (Annual #1)

Inks: Scott Hanna, John Dell, and Jamie Mendoza (Annual #1)

Colors: Justin Ponsor and Dave Stewart (Annual #1)

Letters: Chris Eliopoulos and Cory Petit 

Random Thoughts #44 - The Batmobile Handles Like a Freight Train!

Man, it been a little busy around here lately. I’m on days working on a project, I’m getting used to a new gaming console (just guess…), and I’m still trying to keep up with getting in shape. Other than that, it’s all good. Well, there is the whole political spectrum which always looks a bit wonky and crazy. I can’t do too much about that except for throwing it on social media and leaving it to God to sort that all out. Anyway, here are some Random Thoughts.

On Day Shift…Ouch

Day shift is good but it does take some time to get used to it. The sleep pattern’s off and you want to dose off at work. I haven’t done that… recently. Just don’t close your eyes and you may stay awake.  It’ll be a while before I’m Batman again… yeah, that’s what I call my normal shift. For now, my nights are quiet.

Rumors, Ruminations, Expectations, Shocks, and Gasps… Bah!

I think I’m getting tired of the constant overflow of information out there. You get it with politics and even entertainment. I’m not saying that social media is bad, but there has to be a limit to it all. Maybe another break from the stuff is in order.

Movies

It’s another year and another batch of movies that I will see or may see this year. It’s the middle of March and I haven’t been to the theatres yet. Yeah, I’m a little late like that, but there have been other things to do, after all.

• Get Out – I might wait for this one. I’ve heard it’s good and my sister liked it.
• Logan – I will see this one probably this week. I’ve been doing my best to stay away from spoilers.
• Kong: Skull Island – I might see this one. Then again, I might just wait.
• Power Rangers – Well, I think I will check this out. Even though it could turn out bad, I doubt it’ll be as bad as some of the lackluster Ranger seasons. Besides, I saw the other movies in theaters, so I’ll keep the tradition.
• Ghost in The Shell – I’m not sure about this one. I’ve never been too interested in the anime itself. I’ll wait and see what the fans say.
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – While I had a couple of qualms about the first one, I did like it. I’ll be checking this one out.
• King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – It’s a King Arthur story directed by Guy Ritche… I might see it.
• Alien: Covenant – I’m not sure about this one but I may check it out.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – Eh, I wasn’t a big fan of the later Pirate movies and I didn’t even see the fourth one. It may be a skip.
• Wonder Woman – I’m definitely checking this one out.
• The Mummy – Even though it’s a remake of the 1933 original, I’m not sure on this one. I may just see it to hear Tom Cruise’s hilarious scream.
• Transformers: The Last Knight – You’re not getting me again, Bay! Even though this looks like it could be good, I may pass like I have on the last two.
• Spider-Man: Homecoming – “####… another one???? Y’all pushed back Black Panther for another one???“ Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I might see it.
• War of the Planet of the Apes – I’ll probably see this one. I haven’t seen the second one yet though. I need to get on that.
• Dunkirk – It’s Christopher Nolan directing a film set around World War 2… I’m in.
• The Dark Tower – I might check this one out.
• Thor: Ragnarok – While I wasn’t too impressed by The Dark World, this looks like it could be fun.
• Justice League – You know I’m seeing this.
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Sold.

I might see others that aren’t listed, but it’s too soon to tell.

Women

As for the subject of Women, no comment. Yet. All I can say is this: ______________.

Well, that’s all I got for this post. I’m off to get close to this pillow. Plus, the President is supposed to be coming tomorrow, so I know traffic is going to be crap. Peace, God Bless, and stay cool or warm. This weather can go either way these days.

Favorites - Top 15 Missions from the Mass Effect Trilogy

So… it’s another Mass Effect post. Some say, “Is he mad?” Others may say, “Who’s this dude?” As for me, I’ll just say that I’m one random guy who does what he wants, dang it! I’m back on days, so this is a late post. Anyway, this should do it for Mass Effect for now. I don’t know when I’ll get to play the newest game, Mass Effect: Andromeda, but it might be soon. It comes out soon but I barely get games right when they’re released.

I’m almost done with my replay of the trilogy. I have a couple of missions left. For a while, I started to wonder what my favorite missions from the trilogy were. A lot of Mass Effect’s missions were action-oriented. They’d also shake it up at times. Not only did a lot of folk die, decisions were made that had repercussions as you kept on playing. Here are my 15 favorite missions from the trilogy. These are the ones that I was pretty excited on playing again for whatever reason. They’re ones that have everything from good action to good story.

15. Project Overlord (Mass Effect 2)

“Overlord” was a DLC mission for ME2. You go to a planet where a Cerberus VI (Virtual Intelligence) has taken over all the technology in the facilities. The VI is even reactivating inoperable geth in the area. When you find the project leader, you end up learning that a human mind is behind it all. It’s a good mission but it does get dull at times since you’re driving around in the Hammerhead. Towards the end, the story takes a twist as you find out the truth. The ending is still pretty shocking and messed up today. I won’t spoil it here though. Let’s just say that you really want to shoot the project leader at the end.

14. Rite of Passage (Mass Effect 2)

Grunt’s loyalty mission wasn’t like the others. Since he was genetically engineered, he had no family. He still had the primal urges of a krogan and that began to mess with him. They go to Tuchunka and it turns out he’s sick. In order to balance himself, Grunt must undergo a rite of passage and face a craptton of insects and even a thrasher maw. It’s pretty fun overall. You even get to face a krogan who sounds a lot like a Klingon by the name of Worf. It may not have deep introspection, but it does pack a lot of punches.

13. The Adart-Yakshi (Mass Effect 2)

Most of the missions from ME2 were loyalty missions and some of them revolved around the companions’ families. While most like Miranda’s and Thane’s were okay, Samara’s stood out to me for a few reasons. In the mission, she wants to track down her daughter, Morinth, who is an Ardat-Yakshi. Let’s just say that while most Ardat-Yakshis are fine, Morinth is one of the bad ones and she’s killed many people. Samara tracked her down to Omega. In order to lure her out, you get to play as bait. It’s such a weird mission and it’s one that doesn’t involve any gunplay. At the end, you even get a chance to get Morinth on your team if you’re really that messed up in the head. It’s a weird mission to find one weird asari.

12. Dossier: Archangel (Mass Effect 2)

In ME2, you have to go around space in order to recruit your companions. One of these companions was a vigilante who went by the codename of Archangel. Considering it’s a turian, you can only guess who he is. I’ll just say that he is my favorite companion. During the mission you have to fight through legions of gangs who want Archangel’s head. It even gets pretty challenging at some points.  It was definitely a mission that brought the fun.

11. Leviathan (Mass Effect 3)

Leviathan was another DLC for MS3 and one that really should have been in the game proper. It’s part- mystery and part-shooting range. You find out about reports of a weapon out in space that can take on the Reapers. As you learn more and more, you find out that it may also be a Reaper or a rogue one. All of your searches and research take you to a planet where you find out some pretty shocking things. It’s a nice mission for a couple of reasons. It’s one of the only missions that centers on the Reapers themselves. Plus, it even makes the ending (which most folk don’t like) make some sense. It’s also a one tough one to beat, so be ready.

10. Old Blood (Mass Effect 2)

Unlike most companions, Mordin Solus’s mission revolved around heading to Tuchunka and finding Maelon, a young colleague who’d been kidnapped by the Blood Pack. On the mission, we find out that Maelon has been conducting experiments on krogans in order to cure the genophage, a disease that was created by the salarians in order to stop the Krogan Rebellions over a millennia ago. It basically made the krogan infertile and kept their numbers down. Not only is this a good mission to blast some of the Blood Pack, we find out a lot about the genophage and Mordin’s guilt about the disease. It was this mission (and other conversations) that made me think that Mordin was one cool dude.

9. Priority: Earth (Mass Effect 3)

This is the final battle on Earth and it’s pretty much the last level of the game. You make it back to Earth and face Reaper forces on the ground in London. You go up against all of the assimilated enemies you’ve faced throughout the game from Husks to those freaky-looking Banshees. Afterwards, you get to the pretty controversial ending. While this mission isn’t the best final mission, it’s still a good one. You get to put on an epic fight with the Reapers, you get to say farewell to your companions, and you get to change the scope of the galaxy for good or bad.

8. Noveria (Mass Effect 1)

On Noveria, you track down Matriarch Benezia (aka “Matriarch Hotness”) as she is playing with experimentation. She’s trying to bring back the rachni, a group of intelligent insects-like aliens (more or less) that waged war centuries ago. They’re the reason why the krogan were made cannon fodder by the salarians and why the krogan eventually became a problem. The ME universe is full of problems, ain’t it? Fighting the rachni and geth here is pretty tough as well as creepy especially when the rachni are involved. Benezia is another matter. She and her squad of fighters are pretty challenging even on a low difficulty. You also have the choice to commit genocide by killing the rachni queen.

7. Priority: Rannoch (Mass Effect 3)

This is another mission from Mass Effect 3 that brings an end to a long conflict: the quorian/geth war. Basically, the quorians decide to take back their homeworld from the geth and all heck breaks loose. Since the Reapers are involved, it’s up to you to possibly save both groups. The fighting itself is cool and pretty challenging especially when you go up against a few Geth Primes… ugh. Then, top it all off with a battle against a Reaper… sort of. Also, you get the choice of either destroying the geth or allowing Legion (or his double) to upload a virus that’ll save the geth. Either way, tears may be shed. It definitely pulls on the heartstrings whichever way you go here.

6. Treason (Mass Effect 2)

This loyalty mission was Tali’s and it revolves around her being accused of treason by the quorians for sending active Geth stuff back to their fleet. Tali knows she didn’t do this. The situation is made worse when it turns out that those geth have taken over a ship where Tali’s father is stationed at. It’s a mission that’s part-Matlock and part-Star Trek: First Contact. We also find out more about the quorians and how they operate out in space. It’s a mission full of speechify-ing, sadness, and some dead geth.

5. Shore Leave (Mass Effect 3)

Citadel was part of a DLC made for MS3. The whole mission has you and your companions on shore leave. Instead of enjoying yourself, you get embroiled in a fight with your clone. Yeah, the story for this mission is a little too on the nose especially with how the companions act. Still, it’s a fun mission that has one pretty tough battle against your clone. Dang, I didn’t know I was that good! It also has an added bonus after the mission ends: more time to spend with your companions. Even former companions from previous games (living ones, anyway) come back for one more good time before all hell breaks loose with Cerberus and Earth. By the way, save this mission for the end before you chase after Cerberus. That way, you can get everyone in on the fun.

4. Ilos/Final Battle (Mass Effect 1)

This is pretty much the final mission from the first game. It’s split up into two parts. On Ilos, you find Saren and his forces have amassed here.  You ultimately find out why Saren came to Ilos and that the Citadel is key to Sovereign winning. Not only is it a cool mission where the MAKO is actually cool to ride in, it’s also got some good music that sounds like it came from The Terminator. The second part of the mission brings you to the Citadel where you have to fight through legions of geth and beat Saren. You get to fight in space (sort of) and Saren is one tough sucka to beat. Overall, it’s not the best final level ever, but it’s still cool to me.

3. Priority: Tuchunka (Mass Effect 3)

In Mass Effect 3, you’ll have to do certain things for races in order to get them to help you with Earth. One of those things is ending the genophage. While genetic engineering isn’t one of Shepard’s strong suits, there are certain salarians that will help you get this done. Unfortunately, you have to deal with a Reaper literally blocking your way. Luckily, you’ll get some help from one big thrasher maw. You also have the choice in making sure the genophage continues. The mission is awesome for a lot of reasons. Not only do you get to help end (or continue) the genophage, you get to (possibly) team up with some former companions. Plus, that fight between the thrasher maw and the Reaper is awesome.

2. Virmire (Mass Effect 1)

Obviously, Virmire is up here for a few reasons. It’s pretty much the turning point of the first game.  It’s also where I got invested in the Mass Effect universe. A lot of stuff happens in this mission. You personally go up against Saren for the first time. Krogans are also being created to be nothing but mindless soldiers. You find out what Sovereign truly is. You also have the potential to lose not only one, but two, squad mates. Top all of that off with Virmire being a really good-looking place to shoot up geth. This was another area where the MAKO seemed pretty cool and did its job by running over geth. It’s one where you really have to make the big decisions.

1. Use the Omega-4 Relay (Mass Effect 2)

There are a lot of reasons the suicide mission against the Collectors is number one. Pretty much everything goes into that final mission. All the decisions you’ve made go into how it plays out. You could get out with a few scrapes or you could lose your whole team. It’s all up to how you play the game. You fight through legions of Collectors in order to save the day. While the final boss itself (a human Reaper) was a little weird, beating that thing was a bit of a challenge. It’s a final level that I can honestly say is one of the best final levels in a video game.

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Well, that’s where I cut this ME love off for now. As I said before, I don’t know when I’ll get to play ME: Andromeda. I actually don’t have anything good to play it on yet. Plus, even if I did have something, I’m probably going to be catching up on some games anyway. I will talk about it someday though. Here’s hoping that it is worth talking about. Well, I’m out. Peace, God Bless, and remember to do this one thing... Hold The Line!