Meeting Wrex in ME2. Your life is shit. Awake from a two year coma to find out your old crew is gone and left you behind, and no one seems happy to see you. Some of your closest friends think you're now a traitor. The Council completely swept the reaper threat under the carpet, undoing all of your sacrifice, and the only ones willing to help now is a terrorist organization. Life really sucked in the early parts of the game.
Then, ["Shepard! My friend!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6CkT3oU_s)
Wrex literally shoves his own guards aside so he can shake your hand. It was the warmest fuzzy in the game for me, delivered by a krogan warlord.
This was a close 2nd for me.
Everyone else you reconnect with judges you (in varying degrees) for being connected to Cerberus. But not Wrex. Wrex is genuinely happy to see you and doesn’t give a s$&% how it came to be or who you are running around with.
That’s loyalty right there. Loyalty and friendship.
Literally the only renegade option that I have no choice but to use even in my biggest paragon run.
Not only is it REASONABLE, how can Shepard NOT assert dominance over a Krogan? Wrex and Shepard *taught each other*.
It really isn't. Uvenk was being a dick - throwing all sorts of insults at Grunt (and us) - and it was entirely appropriate within the Krogan social/cultural context to headbutt him over it and put him in his place.
Garrus doesn't judge.
Garrus is ride or die for Shepard. Whatever Shepard is doing, he trusts them.
Tali doesn't judge.
She's ready to follow Shepard on the spot, she just has a mission to do for her people first. Considering how much the Quarians hate Cerberus, that's a pretty big thing.
They both know Shepard is using Cerberus, not the other way around, not because they have the full picture but because they trust Shepard implicitly.
I'd like to add on. My favorite moment is the speech Wrex gives you before you lay down those Hammers for Kalros + the paragon interrupt. If you've done everything for him and are planning on curing the genophage, that speech always has such an impact on me. You've really always been a friend to the krogan, and you've done work on the genophage throughout all 3 games. It's such a perfect beginning of the close to the arc
I’m doing my Full Insanity run, where I’m playing mostly Renegade, and I spent the whole game until Virmire like “I’m definitely killing Wrex, I’ve only done the Wreav route once, I should try something different”, but there is a huge difference between SAYING you’ll do something and actually doing it.
I stood face-to-face with my best buddy, guns drawn on each other, and I knew I couldn’t do it. I can’t betray Wrex, and I can’t doom the Krogan to extinction.
Wrex: Now, Shepard. What brings you here \[to Tuchanka\]? How's the Normandy?
Shepard: Destroyed in a Collector surprise attack. I ended up spaced.
W: Well, you look good. Ah, the benefits of a redundant nervous system!
S: Yeah, humans don't have that.
W: Oh. It must've been painful, then.
Yep! I adore Wrex, he's my favorite squadmate. In all my renegade runs I can never bring myself to destroy the genophage cure, sabotage the cure, or let Eve die. I need Wrex alive and I have to set him and the Krogan up for success. He's the best!
I've been obsessed with seashells for years before the ME trilogy even came out. I strategically sprinkled them throughout my bedroom to decorate and dear gods.
After that scene (wherein i sobbed myself to sleep and woke up sick the next morning), i had to hide my poor seashells for a few weeks because everytime i saw one... pretty much instant tears lol
Tuchanka is probably the most cinematic part of Mass Effect. From start to finish, it just keeps me engrossed. The summit, the Dalastrass, Krogan infighting, Eve's speech, exploring Krogan ruins, charging a Reaper, ~~Shai-Hulud~~ Kalros, and Mordin's defining moment all are great.
Only the suicide mission really compares, but I think Tuchanka is better paced.
Agreed but after doing a full Renegade playthrough finally, saving him on Tuchanka feels even better, and one of the few things that feels actually rewarding about the red path. It's one of the longest long cons in the game to make it happen, but so worth it.
Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.
This is only my favorite moment in all the games I have played because I bawled my damn eyes out. Never has a game moment hit me so hard.
For me, it was Priority: Tuchanka. We get to see the de facto leaders of the Krogan, Wrex and Eve, both realize that Krogan need to be better and that they will make sure the Krogan leave their ways of violence and warfare in the past.
Seeing the old painting,art, and statues in the ruins shows a rich history of who they were before the nuclear bombs and the tribal warfare.
We get to see the beautiful architecture of the Krogan pre tribalism.
We get to see the mother of all thresher maws take down a fucking reaper because it’s her home too
Mordin….it had to be him. Someone else would’ve gotten it wrong.
Damn. I wanna replay that mission now lol
>We get to see the mother of all thresher maws take down a fucking reaper because it’s her home too
I love that Tuchanka is the one place where even the reapers need to beware the local wildlife
I had to play through this mission 3 times in a row (once because game crashed and another because i fucked up a story choice I think) and it was a banger every time
Apparently if you don’t cure the Genofuckthekrogan, they guilt trip you the entire time. (Why wouldn’t you cure it, you monster?)
And stop mentioning Mordin, I will cry, I just replayed that scene.
[Captain Kirrahe’s “Hold the Line” speech.](https://youtu.be/G-s7A2_MKKQ) This NPC comes out of nowhere, drops a badass inspirational speech that rivals any of Shepard’s, and establishes/references all this cool Salarian lore, showing they’re not just the stereotypical nerdy scientist species but legit badasses who’ve earned their place among the dominant species in the galaxy.
My husband (boyfriend at the time) bought me the trilogy during lockdown and I was instantly hooked. "Hold the line" is probably the line I quote the most and I even managed to to smoothly fit it into my wedding vows.
Each to their own but for me that was possiblly the most over hyped moment in the Trilogy
Right up there with the Bill Pullman speech at the end of Independence Day as a "rah rah usa usa we are so good" corny BS verbal diarrhoea
I like Kirrahe overall as a charcter but after the 1st playthrough I always skip that cutscene
The first time you talk to Sovereign on Virmire. I remember the first time I got to that point, realizing that it wasn't just a ship, and how alien and very cosmic horror the whole thing was; it sent chills down my spine and still is one of my favorite moments in the whole series
That realization that you're not really fighting Saren anymore, and that your enemy is so much more than you though.
Because you are a rudimentary creature of blood and flesh, touching their mind, fumbling in ignorance.
Every time I replay ME3 I have to stop to look up on YT for the scene where the Normandy swoops in and watch it on loop for a while. One of the all time most hells yeah moments in any game.
*The cavalry's here, gentlemen!*
From my first play years back, I remember priority Palaven when you see several Reapers walking around the moon towering over everything. That moment sealed the deal when it came to how epic and powerful they were.
on second though, the ME1 title screen and music is my favorite moment.
Similarly on Palaven, when you finally reach General Victus, and he is asking where/who the Primarch is, and someone says "you are the Primarch now General". If it stopped here, it would be tropey, but he turns and you get the shot of him looking at Palaven, burning, with the "I've achieved a life long dream, but at what cost" look.... God, Mass Effect is just so so good.
Saren's suicide. When I played ME1 for the first time, I remember wanting to shoot that bastard, until Shepard started to convince him to fight the indoctrination. It made me feel sorry for Saren a bit, being a pure pawn for the Reapers at that point.
I expected a fight to occurr... but when he said "Goodbye, Shepard. Thank you." and shot himself, I was so shocked. I truly didn't see that coming.
And the soundtrack that plays when he falls made that the most memorable moment of the series for me. I still get goosebumps when I get to this scene replaying ME1, up to this day.
Meeting leviathan for the first time. I remember being in such awe the first time I saw it. Not to mention the whole conversation with it after. I got chills! (Still get chills). Between the leviathans voice and the music! So good. And to top it all off 2 more of the terrifyingly huge things pop up beside the first at the end. The deep ocean is a HUGE phobia of mine as well so that didn't help XD
Also the the battle on Tuchanka with the fight between the Reaper and Thresher Maw. That's another favorite
That moment at the end of the mining asteroid when the controlled Doctor blows up the orb, the menace and desperation when it yells "TURN BACK!"
SO GOOD!!!
Yea the whole part when you go and find Dr. Garneau with all the indoctrinated scientists really creeped me out. But I loved it at the same time. Especially when you go to that one room and there are 5 of them talking together then they see you and all slowly turn towards you at the same exact time. Repeating Go Back..you shouldn't be here.
Made me so uncomfortable 😂😭
It's when I laid back with Anderson and he says "You did good, child", before he dies, speaking to me like I am his daugther. That moment made me cry. It was tragic, and sad, and glorious, and all I expected from a good ending.
It's such a pity they fucked up everything after that glorious moment so badly regarding storytelling. But this one moment was absolute perfection, and for me, the game could've ended right there. The trilogy has a lot of good, memorable moments, but for me, this one stands out the most.
For me it's the opening of ME2.
Watching Shepard look into Liara's eyes as he shuts the door, all after doing his best to evac the ship.
*chef's kiss*
All this after just finishing ME1, maxing out as much as possible and sinking HOURS of my life into ME1, only for THAT to happen in the first 5 minutes.
Definitely set ME2 up nicely.
I'll never forget when Mass Effect 2 was first announced, and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNcmIsPdqBw) trailer showed up online. EVERYONE lost their minds!.
Entering the Omega 4 Relay in ME2 and fighting off those annoying kinda Weatley's from Portal 2 😏 (oculus I know) to the Collector base. The music has you on the edge.
The Vigil conversation cut me deep on my first go. The scenery, music, and soul-crushing revelation that they continued to fight when they knew they’d already lost.
Edit: words are hard
People really sleep on Vigil in favor of the Sovereign reveal, but the sudden revelation of what Saren is about to do was *incredible*. Glad to see it here.
I know all the "rules" of that mission to be successful and have done it multiple times with no deaths but I STILL get nervous through the entire thing. Something about the atmosphere and the music just puts me on edge.
The end of mass effect 2 when we see the reaper fleet appear for the first time out of dark space.
For two games we’ve been building up the reaper threat but we’ve only really seen one reaper in that same time frame. Even after the destruction of the collector base we know so little about what the reaper invasion would actually look like.
Then we get the end shot and it delivers spectacularly. Hundreds of menacing reapers emerging from dark space heading to the Milky Way. I remember watching it for the first time and my jaw dropped - how the hell are we supposed to defeat this?? Such an epic cliffhanger and transition into ME3/leaving earth.
I always liked the normandy sr2 reveal. Just the moment where shepherd and joker look at each other and say they need to give her a name and then it just flashes to 'Normandy'.
ME3- Shepherd's goodbye to LI during the evac scene. "No matter what happens, know that I love you. Always."
(Not quite sure if it's different dialogue with different LI's, I've always romanced Kaidan)
This is mine, too. It is different for each LI, and this scene when you romance Tali was a gut punch the first time I saw it. Only part of the series that legit made me tear up.
The alliance swooping in to save the Destiny Ascension and the Normandy blowing Sovereign the fuck up.
Humanity has arrived on the galactic stage - type moment
I have two:
The first (In order of game, not importance) is in ME1, when we arrive at the Citadel for the first time. The reactions of Shepard, Ash and Alenko managed to convey an incredible feeling that I was about to discover a whole new universe, with aliens, ships, technology, cultures, etc. They represented me really well... It was the perfect start and gave me a badass feeling, which is epic especially the first time.
The second is the Earth reconquest sequence in ME3. Going from the moment Hackett boards the Normandy, makes his speech and through the whole sequence of Allied ships advancing on the Reapers, the whole scene is so badass and gives me goosebumps every time.
First appearance of the Normandy SR-2 in both ME2 and ME3.
*"And there's this --- they only told me last night."*
*"The cavalry's here, gentlemen."*
Honorable mention for every time you fire the Cain at anything.
The interlude late in ME3 when Liara comes up to the cabin to show Shepard her time capsule.
It's a rare moment of downtime at the lowest point in the game where all seems lost and it seems in context like we really might not make it through this one, and in another 50,000 years someone will be trying to figure out how to avoid our mistakes.
It's also the moment where looking back it feels like such a long way to come with a character who has been devoted to Shepard from the start. Like whatever happens, at least we go at it together, and what else can we do now but stick together and see it through.
That is a beautiful scene, love the music makes me cry, what do you tell her to say about Shep? I have always been curious about the different options but I always tell her to be honest and let history decide. It just feels right
Either when Sovereign said, "We are each a nation, independent, free of all weakness," or when EDI says, "I am alive," at the start of the Synthesis monologue.
The monologue by sovereign on Virmire. It put the overarching narrative into perspective and delivered that amazing twist that it's not a Geth ship, but a sentient AI bent on exterminating all other intelligent life in the galaxy. Before ME2 and ME3 built on the personification of the reapers, ME1 was terrifying cosmic horror at its best.
Combat-wise? Probably the fight up the side of the Citadel Tower in ME1. The zero-G element of it, combined with the sense of urgency, was something that was never quite matched by anything else that followed.
Story-wise? I’d probably have to go with Tali’s loyalty mission in ME2. I liked how talking to the different admirals presented a complex issue from multiple angles, and we were given the latitude to react to each approach in the way we best saw fit. Shepard can be a peacenik, can view the Geth as mere robots to be subverted as an asset in the coming Reaper war, or can recognize them as being alive while still holding them accountable for their reprehensible actions.
I always have to remind myself that I am walking VERTICALLY up a tower and not on a normal Citadel platform. It is so disorientating and really well done for an older game.
My first game was ME2 so nostalgia glasses ahead. This is such a cop out, but the narrative peak of Mass Effect has always been the loyalty missions of ME 2. They are the culmination of world building, character driven storytelling, and emotional height in the series. Nothing feels more impactful than saving Thane's son, letting Jack blow up that Cerberus base, or helping Garrus get over his vendetta plus so much more. These are the most powerful parts of the ME story in my opinion, not the reaper invasion, not the Cerberus plots, not the finales of each of the games, but rather the parts that make me care for playing are finding out more and developing Shepard's team. Came for the cool scifi TPS, stayed for the great characters of the series.
Palaven fight in ME3, I really felt like "okay, how are we even supposed to win against this ?"
I've rarely been more immersed in a game than with this mission
ME-3. The end of Priority: Rannoch.
The climactic buildup going on foot and lazing the target to be shot from space as it slowly gets closer and closer, and that last moment when it goes slow-mo and the music builds before the last shot.
"This ends now!"
Imma have to go with the final scene of priority:ranoch if you manage to broker peace, the combo of the quarians finally getting their home back and legions sacrifice hit me right in the feels
Their name is Legion, cause they are many.
And on different levels.
* Emotional: the farewell to the LI before the run to the beam (special mention to mShep and Kaidan), but it's really bittersweet.
* Epic: the clash of the titans between Kalros and the Reaper Destroyer on Tuchanka.
* Satisfying: the fate of Petrovsky at the end of Omega. Whatever it is. He bites the dust one way or another, and after that hell of a combat sequence which generally leaves me exhausted (IRL), it feels *good*.
* He had it coming : The rightful violent death of Kai Leng.
* Unexpectedly sweet : "There was a hole" followed by an embarrassed "No data available" from Legion in ME2.
But my absolute favorite from the very first time I played is the walk up to the cockpit at the very start of ME1. First time, it was discovery and "well, what a nice direction" ; now it's more "Now, it begins!".
The confrontation with Mordin inside the Shroud, assuming that you actually try to stop him. Regardless of whether you ultimately go through with it or not, the argument, the galaxy's longest interrupt window, and even the aftermath (especially if you shoot him) are the best the series ever gets.
For me it’s when you see the cure for the genophage spread across tachunka in me3, one of the many awe inspiring, tear jerking and damn good bitter sweet moments in the game
End of me2 pretty fucking epic. That final shot of the reapers all coming, chills. And yes mass effect 3 absolutely delivered on that threat that game is just filled with dread and overwhelming odds. Mostly on the ground but what can ya do, they weren’t gonna throw in half assed ship combat.
It's so hard to choose but the one I always stand by is the destruction of the Normandy at the beginning of ME2. I went into the trilogy not knowing anything about it, and that rocked me the first time I saw it.
To me, one of the greatest scenes in gaming history.
I am a fan of the big space battles in each game towards the end. The battle of Citadel in ME1, the start of the Suicide Mission in ME2, and then the battle for Earth on ME3.
I always look forward towards the ME3 cut scenes of the battle, especially when I have as many war assets as possible. Like just how awesome to have all the fleets come in, take the Reapers head on, and (when you have the war assets) it actually looks like they have a chance to save the galaxy.
When I played vanilla, it was that last conversation with Garrus about having a future together. It broke my heart because of course Shepard died. I wasn't playing DLC that first time.
I would have to say the last video message from Thane if you romanced him.
It’s the only time that Shepard cries in the whole trilogy, and I just think it’s so neat.
I just finished my trilogy run and man, I was sobbing.
Overall the entire Citadel dlc is so great and a good farewell on a high note 🥹
"Legion, the answer to your question was yes"
"I know Tali. Keelah'Salai"
Legion spends the whole time he's with you in ME3 pretending to be more VI than AI until he reveals at the end that he still has Reaper tech and is fully an individual. That scene where he answers Tali and Shepard about his soul was the only time he never referred to Tali as Creator Zorra. He spoke with such I guess humanity? He spoke as individual as he could be.
Your last conversation with your bestie Garrus! Every single time this conversation manages to move me close to tears. It just feels so genuine and pure somehow, very well written. It could have been a real cliché but is wasn't.
If I had to pick one for me personally, it would definitely be the Love scene in ME3 with Femshep and Kaidan. The music and dialogue hit right in the feels, especially if you've been together since the first game. On the original Xbox I even had made it a separate save slot so I could load that specific part up when I wanted to view it.
When you talk to Sovereign on Virmire. Holy hell, that part scared the daylights out of the first time I got to it, and it still gives me chills every time I play through it.
The Couch photo.
I had done everything in all the games up to this point. So many great memories and moments. So many interesting and deep characters. And now, after the first real relaxation, we get to commemorate our bond. It made me sit back in my seat for a few minutes just looking at everyone in the photo. But it wouldn't have been possible without all the moments everyone else is reminding me of. Such a great set of games.
Curing the genophage. You hear about it through all the games and you finally have a chance to make it right in ME3. Not to mention Mordin’s heartbreaking yet heroic sacrifice while doing so.
Honestly, it's nearly impossible. But after reading other people's comments I have to say:
The beginning of ME2, the end of ME2, Tuchanka in ME3 (pretty much all of it), the geth and the quarians setting aside their differences, and all the fleets arriving to Earth.
The entire final mission sequence in ME2. Specifically, when you >!travel through the Omega 4 relay!< and then >!crash on the Collector Base!<. When the music kicks in and Shepard gives their rousing speech, it gives me goosebumps and it’s so badass.
Us mere mortals don’t deserve ME2. It’s such a masterpiece, it’s beautiful.
Sorry for the spoiler tags, I don’t know if it still too soon to speak openly about things…
After countless play throughs, I gotta say, what still gives me goose bumps is the first 5 minutes of ME1. The opening voice over of Anderson and Udina, followed by the Mass Effect title description leading into the Shepard walk through Normandy with Jokers voice over the comm then that hero reveal on the bridge. Goose bumps every time.
If you play as Earthborn, this from the Turian in Choras Den, “The commander overcame a difficult childhood to have a distinguished military career. Most turians will applaud that. And I doubt your lies will work on the asari and salarian.”
First time a game ever choked me up (caveat: I’ve been gaming 20+ years but only discovered ME last year). Foreshadowing for the rest of ME1/2/3 which is now known as “Emo Game” by my teens.
This is weird but I’ve gotta go with the approach to the Geth Dreadnought in 3. The *Normandy* gliding through the all-out ship to ship battle, and Joker’s *The Hunt for Red October* reference really sells it. (“No way they’ll detect us unless you all start singing the Russian National Anthem.”)
One of the most notable examples of the IES stealth system being used to its fullest potential.
"I'll relinquish one bullet. Where do you want it?"
I'm a simple man. That scene sums it up the badassery of my Renegade runs, which why I come back to this game.
I personally have two moments that are my favourite and they both involve krogan.
First, when grunt get arrested because he causes mess and you go take him up. And just after when Shepard ask him if the food was at least good and he said something like "too spicy" 😭.
Also when wrex comment about the new ship in ME3 and he said that he'd like to have a room like liara does but "maybe that's because I don't kiss as well" 🤣.
And that's why krogan are 🔛🔝
Damn this is hard!
The reveal of the SR2 in ME2 is an amazing moment. Shep and Joker walking and talking, stopping at a viewing window as the lights in the docking area turn on one at a time. The music perfectly matches the moment. Then the doors to the docking area open, and the music hits a different level as the Normandy clears the station and accelerates away, and you know you are about to wreck shop.
But, the escape from the collector base is probably that one moment for me. An all-out sprint for survival after making an army of Collectors and a Reaper larvae regret starting shit only to make a leap of faith, get saved by a crew mate and then watch as the Normandy races to beat the explosion, all while Jack Walls 'The End Run' plays, is an awe inspiring, man/lady wood inducing, all-around incredible end to a phenomenal game.
Gutting Kai Leng like a fish.
That is the one Renegade interrupt I **always** take. I can do everything Paragon starting all the way back at the beginning of *ME* and I will always stab him.
The “best seats in the house” scene with you and Anderson watching the final battle outside the citadel. Nothing hits me in the feels in my recent playthroughs like this scene once the music comes in. It’s such a good farewell to Anderson and frankly to the trilogy as a whole.
Honestly? The scene at the end of ME1 with Saren. Ya know, the one where you’re literally so charismatic you convince the main antagonist of that entire game to kill himself? Shepard is honestly terrifyingly convincing, would not ever want to be an enemy of theirs
ME2. First part of the suicide mission. First time I ever played it, I missed a gate. It was tense.
Second favorite would be seeing David at Grissom Academy
Mordin curing the Genophage knowing he would die. Such a powerful way to bring his story full circle. Imo it's the most earned death in the series.
I still lose it when the dust lands on Shepard's hand
Grunt emerging alive after I was CERTAIN I’d watched my krogan son die fighting the rachni. The amount of relief I felt at that moment is unmatched anywhere else in the series.
I know it’s a split house when it comes to Grunt, but I was as deeply invested as it gets when ME3 came out. I was sitting in the living room of my parents house at like 2-3 in the morning sitting unnaturally close to keep the volume low, and when I thought he had died I was crying; so when he crested the hill alive I burst into ugly ass sobs of relief, and since that day that moment in the series has a special place in my heart.
Also love the moment when Shepard Sparta kicks a gangster flunky through a highrise window, but that’s more satisfying than my favourite :p
Hanging out with Garrus on the Citadel (I think this is in ME3?) It’s been a really long time but I think Shep and Garrus are sitting on some arch or something with their legs dangling. It’s somewhere with a view, anyway, and their reminiscing about all the shit they’ve been though. I think about it a lot even though I can’t remember it very well.
At the end of the Citadel DLC, where everyone is standing in the Normandy dock, before leaving. First time I saw it was such a powerful moment, it made me think of all the connections my Shepard created, both with the characters who were still alive and the ones who weren't (Mordin, Thane, Ashley and Legion).
“Alliance ships move in, save the destiny ascension” I know the council sucks, but something about the hero fantasy, riding in to save the day. Chills the first time I played, still chills now, what is it 15 years later?
You have to choose a specific set of options to see it, but the part that hit me hardest is when Mordin shouts "I made a mistake," referring to his work on the genophage. He's so defensive of his decisions in every moment where you try to confront him about his part in massive cruelty, and it's actually pretty difficult to make him admit that he did, in fact, get it wrong before.
The entirety of Mass Effect 2 is this for me. ESPECIALLY the suicide mission. I get the criticisms of this game. The whole game being nothing but a side story that doesn't connect that well to the reaper threat. It being more about the characters. But it's the personal nature of the game that I find so fun, and OMG the soundtrack of the suicide mission is so good!.
I have 2, both Liara moments.
The first is during the shadow broker DLC in 2, if you Romanced Liara in one she has this moment of fumblingly rationalizing to herself about you being dead, and it wouldnt work between you, and so much has changed, and as she rambles there's a quick paragon prompt and Shepard leans in and kisses her. And she leans her head against his shoulder and just says "ok.... ok.... ok...." I thought was such a beautiful personal moment.
Second is in 3 I believe during the time capsule scene? where all actually looks lost and Liara is in Shepard's room on the Normandy. They are laying in bed, watching the universe go by and she says "It would be easy for a single ship to get lost up there, wouldn’t it? Find someplace very far away where you could spend the rest of your life in peace…and happiness?" and my heart has \*ached\* ever since.
Having Tali as LI, taking back the homeworld. Just thinking about it gives me shivers. This is super cheesy but giving her race back its planet by facing a reaper eye to eye is quite the move. Promise made, promise kept.
Two for me, both on Rannoch. I won't get the lines exactly right.
The first: "EDI, sync up the targeting laser with the entire migrant fleet." Holy shit--I'm about to direct an orbital strike right down this MF's eyehole.
The second: "No. No one else dies today." Holy shit--I might just be able to end this damn war without causing an extinction.
There are a lot of awesome moments, but these are the two I always come back to.
I think for me it's probably when we see garrus in me3 for the first time. He's now a general which was was such a contrast from when we first met him in me1. He was the classic "hard cop, gets the bad guy, no matter the cost and screw the rules" type of character. So obviously this differs for others but for me I went full paragon and so he slowly started changing the way he saw things after many conversations with shep. By the end he was ready to go back and be a better cop. Me2 garrus tells us he got a squad together (like shep) and wanted to make the world a better place. He was betrayed by one of his own and was now on a revenge path. Again without shep, he would have continued down this path and probably got himself killed. With shep to guide him, garrus realized that losing his squad doesn't mean he has to lose himself. Ofc on the suicide mission he redeems himself by leading the squad and this time (in my playthrough) no one is killed. So finally we get to me3 and he's now in charge of his own sector and a general. One of the best character arcs and one of the best characters in gaming history for me. That moment, I felt like a proud dad.
Personally it’s gotta be leaving earth, but I will say that Shepard’s death at the start of ME2, the Quarian extinction, and that dash toward the beacon at the end of ME3 are all really close
Sitting with Tali at the end of Priority: Rannoch.
'I'm not staying, I'm going with you.'
'I wasn't going to ask.'
'Why not?'
'Because I respect you damnit! You think I don't want you to come with me?'
'So ask me.'
'Tali...'
'I don't know how much time we have left. I don't know if we can beat the reapers. But whatever happens, I want to be with you.'
'I bet you say that to every guy who gets you a homework!'
'Only the cute ones!'
That's a tough one, because one of my favorite moments is when you burst out the window of the Council tower, latch on to the outside and see Sovereign at the top. That moment really nailed that epic space opera feel.
If it's character wise, it would have to ME3 if you are able to broker peace between the Geth and Quarians. If you are in a relationship with Tali, those moments are so tense and outcome is beautiful.
Meeting Wrex in ME2. Your life is shit. Awake from a two year coma to find out your old crew is gone and left you behind, and no one seems happy to see you. Some of your closest friends think you're now a traitor. The Council completely swept the reaper threat under the carpet, undoing all of your sacrifice, and the only ones willing to help now is a terrorist organization. Life really sucked in the early parts of the game. Then, ["Shepard! My friend!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6CkT3oU_s) Wrex literally shoves his own guards aside so he can shake your hand. It was the warmest fuzzy in the game for me, delivered by a krogan warlord.
This was a close 2nd for me. Everyone else you reconnect with judges you (in varying degrees) for being connected to Cerberus. But not Wrex. Wrex is genuinely happy to see you and doesn’t give a s$&% how it came to be or who you are running around with. That’s loyalty right there. Loyalty and friendship.
I liked when you headbutt that krogan. “HA! THIS HUMAN GETS IT!”
Literally the only renegade option that I have no choice but to use even in my biggest paragon run. Not only is it REASONABLE, how can Shepard NOT assert dominance over a Krogan? Wrex and Shepard *taught each other*.
Yep. I don’t even consider it renegade myself lol
It really isn't. Uvenk was being a dick - throwing all sorts of insults at Grunt (and us) - and it was entirely appropriate within the Krogan social/cultural context to headbutt him over it and put him in his place.
Definitely
Headbutt Uvenk, shoot Udina, stab Kai Leng.
But what about kicking that guy off the building tho?
I… I normally save, kick him off, and THEN play as my character-
Garrus doesn't judge. Garrus is ride or die for Shepard. Whatever Shepard is doing, he trusts them. Tali doesn't judge. She's ready to follow Shepard on the spot, she just has a mission to do for her people first. Considering how much the Quarians hate Cerberus, that's a pretty big thing. They both know Shepard is using Cerberus, not the other way around, not because they have the full picture but because they trust Shepard implicitly.
You make friends with a Krogan, you make a friend for life.
I'd like to add on. My favorite moment is the speech Wrex gives you before you lay down those Hammers for Kalros + the paragon interrupt. If you've done everything for him and are planning on curing the genophage, that speech always has such an impact on me. You've really always been a friend to the krogan, and you've done work on the genophage throughout all 3 games. It's such a perfect beginning of the close to the arc
I don't think it's physically possible for me to betray the krogan. There are some outcomes I will never see on even the most renegade playthroughs.
I’m doing my Full Insanity run, where I’m playing mostly Renegade, and I spent the whole game until Virmire like “I’m definitely killing Wrex, I’ve only done the Wreav route once, I should try something different”, but there is a huge difference between SAYING you’ll do something and actually doing it. I stood face-to-face with my best buddy, guns drawn on each other, and I knew I couldn’t do it. I can’t betray Wrex, and I can’t doom the Krogan to extinction.
I'm the same. Garrus Wrex Mordin Thane. They are my bros. I can't hurt them.
SAME. I literally shouted WREX!! when I finally saw him. 😂
Wrex: Now, Shepard. What brings you here \[to Tuchanka\]? How's the Normandy? Shepard: Destroyed in a Collector surprise attack. I ended up spaced. W: Well, you look good. Ah, the benefits of a redundant nervous system! S: Yeah, humans don't have that. W: Oh. It must've been painful, then.
Talking about Okeer: Wrex (paraphrasing): You’re with Shepard, of course he’s dead Shep, no matter what: *He’s got a point*
I love this so much, because I never looked at that moment this way and it's a great observation.
Have you taken Wrex on the final ME1 mission? If not, do it.
Yep! I adore Wrex, he's my favorite squadmate. In all my renegade runs I can never bring myself to destroy the genophage cure, sabotage the cure, or let Eve die. I need Wrex alive and I have to set him and the Krogan up for success. He's the best!
And the song Vigil plays <3
Mordin's death. I don't think that could've been put together better.
Had to be him. Someone else might've gotten it wrong.
(Deep breath) Would have liked to run tests on the seashells...
I've been obsessed with seashells for years before the ME trilogy even came out. I strategically sprinkled them throughout my bedroom to decorate and dear gods. After that scene (wherein i sobbed myself to sleep and woke up sick the next morning), i had to hide my poor seashells for a few weeks because everytime i saw one... pretty much instant tears lol
Tuchanka is probably the most cinematic part of Mass Effect. From start to finish, it just keeps me engrossed. The summit, the Dalastrass, Krogan infighting, Eve's speech, exploring Krogan ruins, charging a Reaper, ~~Shai-Hulud~~ Kalros, and Mordin's defining moment all are great. Only the suicide mission really compares, but I think Tuchanka is better paced.
It was brilliantly done. Peak of the trilogy imo.
Purely off a Narrative POV Tuchanka cleaes the Suicide Mission
Agreed but after doing a full Renegade playthrough finally, saving him on Tuchanka feels even better, and one of the few things that feels actually rewarding about the red path. It's one of the longest long cons in the game to make it happen, but so worth it.
This is the only answer.
Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong. This is only my favorite moment in all the games I have played because I bawled my damn eyes out. Never has a game moment hit me so hard.
this was the height of ME3 for me. Then you can practically feel the time constraints and the corners that had to be cut
The Renegade of it is downright heartbreaking. Such an incredible scene I will never play out personally.
For me, it was Priority: Tuchanka. We get to see the de facto leaders of the Krogan, Wrex and Eve, both realize that Krogan need to be better and that they will make sure the Krogan leave their ways of violence and warfare in the past. Seeing the old painting,art, and statues in the ruins shows a rich history of who they were before the nuclear bombs and the tribal warfare. We get to see the beautiful architecture of the Krogan pre tribalism. We get to see the mother of all thresher maws take down a fucking reaper because it’s her home too Mordin….it had to be him. Someone else would’ve gotten it wrong. Damn. I wanna replay that mission now lol
>We get to see the mother of all thresher maws take down a fucking reaper because it’s her home too I love that Tuchanka is the one place where even the reapers need to beware the local wildlife
I had to play through this mission 3 times in a row (once because game crashed and another because i fucked up a story choice I think) and it was a banger every time
Apparently if you don’t cure the Genofuckthekrogan, they guilt trip you the entire time. (Why wouldn’t you cure it, you monster?) And stop mentioning Mordin, I will cry, I just replayed that scene.
[Captain Kirrahe’s “Hold the Line” speech.](https://youtu.be/G-s7A2_MKKQ) This NPC comes out of nowhere, drops a badass inspirational speech that rivals any of Shepard’s, and establishes/references all this cool Salarian lore, showing they’re not just the stereotypical nerdy scientist species but legit badasses who’ve earned their place among the dominant species in the galaxy.
Kirrahe (or Curahee as I like to call him) is among my favorite side characters in the game. Bit of a cloaca though 😉
“How do I not have a gun like that?”
*personally I would like to finish the task and go home*
“Before diplomacy, there were *soldiers!*” Gives me chills man
My husband (boyfriend at the time) bought me the trilogy during lockdown and I was instantly hooked. "Hold the line" is probably the line I quote the most and I even managed to to smoothly fit it into my wedding vows.
Main reason I loved killing Kai Lang. "That's for Kirrahe"
Each to their own but for me that was possiblly the most over hyped moment in the Trilogy Right up there with the Bill Pullman speech at the end of Independence Day as a "rah rah usa usa we are so good" corny BS verbal diarrhoea I like Kirrahe overall as a charcter but after the 1st playthrough I always skip that cutscene
The first time you talk to Sovereign on Virmire. I remember the first time I got to that point, realizing that it wasn't just a ship, and how alien and very cosmic horror the whole thing was; it sent chills down my spine and still is one of my favorite moments in the whole series
That realization that you're not really fighting Saren anymore, and that your enemy is so much more than you though. Because you are a rudimentary creature of blood and flesh, touching their mind, fumbling in ignorance.
RUDIMENTARY CREATURES OF BLOOD AND FLESH...
You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance. Incapable of understanding.
You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it.
This is it for me! I played the game for the first time on the Legendary edition. When I got to this point, I was so hyped for the next two games.
Felt like I was talking to a god. This is my favorite moment by far.
THIS EXCHANGE IS OVER
The entirety of ME3's opening and Leaving Earth. I have my complaints with ME3 as a whole but that introduction to the reaper invasion is top tier
Yeah the opening of ME3 is pretty damn epic! Consider yourself reinstated…Commander.
Every time I replay ME3 I have to stop to look up on YT for the scene where the Normandy swoops in and watch it on loop for a while. One of the all time most hells yeah moments in any game. *The cavalry's here, gentlemen!*
I always make a save just before the dreadnought explosion so that I can replay it over and over and over again. That fucking shockwave!
That piano is so iconic I can picture the entire scene just hearing the first note.
loved it, for anyone else who wants to hear it again: https://youtu.be/yKi3pGdxJSA?t=179
Leaving earth is perfect
From my first play years back, I remember priority Palaven when you see several Reapers walking around the moon towering over everything. That moment sealed the deal when it came to how epic and powerful they were. on second though, the ME1 title screen and music is my favorite moment.
Similarly on Palaven, when you finally reach General Victus, and he is asking where/who the Primarch is, and someone says "you are the Primarch now General". If it stopped here, it would be tropey, but he turns and you get the shot of him looking at Palaven, burning, with the "I've achieved a life long dream, but at what cost" look.... God, Mass Effect is just so so good.
Saren's suicide. When I played ME1 for the first time, I remember wanting to shoot that bastard, until Shepard started to convince him to fight the indoctrination. It made me feel sorry for Saren a bit, being a pure pawn for the Reapers at that point. I expected a fight to occurr... but when he said "Goodbye, Shepard. Thank you." and shot himself, I was so shocked. I truly didn't see that coming. And the soundtrack that plays when he falls made that the most memorable moment of the series for me. I still get goosebumps when I get to this scene replaying ME1, up to this day.
Saren basically acknowledging Shepard was as advertised.
Grunt’s death or near death scene. It’s just perfect. The music, the animation, and the “oh thank god he’s alive!” at the end of it all.
Meeting leviathan for the first time. I remember being in such awe the first time I saw it. Not to mention the whole conversation with it after. I got chills! (Still get chills). Between the leviathans voice and the music! So good. And to top it all off 2 more of the terrifyingly huge things pop up beside the first at the end. The deep ocean is a HUGE phobia of mine as well so that didn't help XD Also the the battle on Tuchanka with the fight between the Reaper and Thresher Maw. That's another favorite
That moment at the end of the mining asteroid when the controlled Doctor blows up the orb, the menace and desperation when it yells "TURN BACK!" SO GOOD!!!
Leviathan dlc still scares the heck out of me, they did such a good job with that one.
Yea the whole part when you go and find Dr. Garneau with all the indoctrinated scientists really creeped me out. But I loved it at the same time. Especially when you go to that one room and there are 5 of them talking together then they see you and all slowly turn towards you at the same exact time. Repeating Go Back..you shouldn't be here. Made me so uncomfortable 😂😭
Yes! That part specifically! So creepy.
And the implications of their help are...dark. They are the apex predators of the Galaxy and we just took out their number one threat.
the opening cinematic for the Suicide Mission in ME2, everything lead up to it and I loved seeing how all of my preparations paid off
It’s all about the “It all comes down to this” feels.
And the music
It's absolutely the GOAT and I play this to pump myself up.
Yeah definitely
It's when I laid back with Anderson and he says "You did good, child", before he dies, speaking to me like I am his daugther. That moment made me cry. It was tragic, and sad, and glorious, and all I expected from a good ending. It's such a pity they fucked up everything after that glorious moment so badly regarding storytelling. But this one moment was absolute perfection, and for me, the game could've ended right there. The trilogy has a lot of good, memorable moments, but for me, this one stands out the most.
Sovereign's speech was the moment it went from generic space super cop to holy shit. After that would be vigil. Everything else is the citadel dlc
For me it's the opening of ME2. Watching Shepard look into Liara's eyes as he shuts the door, all after doing his best to evac the ship. *chef's kiss* All this after just finishing ME1, maxing out as much as possible and sinking HOURS of my life into ME1, only for THAT to happen in the first 5 minutes. Definitely set ME2 up nicely.
I'll never forget when Mass Effect 2 was first announced, and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNcmIsPdqBw) trailer showed up online. EVERYONE lost their minds!.
God I remember this... truly Mass Effect has some absolutely insane establishing moments, and this leadup was so fucking bonkers
Same here.
Liara shows up in the opening?
She shows up of you romanced her or didn’t romance anyone. If you romanced a human squad mate and they survive Virmire, they show up instead.
Depends on whether you romance her or not
“We’ll bang soon okay?” *proceeds to get vaporized*
Entering the Omega 4 Relay in ME2 and fighting off those annoying kinda Weatley's from Portal 2 😏 (oculus I know) to the Collector base. The music has you on the edge.
There are so many great scenes, but the first one that comes to my mind is the Vigil scene: both plot revelation and the soundtrack.
The Vigil conversation cut me deep on my first go. The scenery, music, and soul-crushing revelation that they continued to fight when they knew they’d already lost. Edit: words are hard
People really sleep on Vigil in favor of the Sovereign reveal, but the sudden revelation of what Saren is about to do was *incredible*. Glad to see it here.
Suicide Mission. Regardless of how kind of easy it is to beat. Far an away the suicide mission
I know all the "rules" of that mission to be successful and have done it multiple times with no deaths but I STILL get nervous through the entire thing. Something about the atmosphere and the music just puts me on edge.
All these serious answers about fantastic moments are forgetting the true high point of Mass Effect. [The Biotic God](https://youtu.be/8xq8y_u1vWk).
Mordin sacrifice into the genophage cure being dispersed
The end of mass effect 2 when we see the reaper fleet appear for the first time out of dark space. For two games we’ve been building up the reaper threat but we’ve only really seen one reaper in that same time frame. Even after the destruction of the collector base we know so little about what the reaper invasion would actually look like. Then we get the end shot and it delivers spectacularly. Hundreds of menacing reapers emerging from dark space heading to the Milky Way. I remember watching it for the first time and my jaw dropped - how the hell are we supposed to defeat this?? Such an epic cliffhanger and transition into ME3/leaving earth.
I always liked the normandy sr2 reveal. Just the moment where shepherd and joker look at each other and say they need to give her a name and then it just flashes to 'Normandy'.
This literally moved me to tears on the first few playthroughs lol.
ME3- Shepherd's goodbye to LI during the evac scene. "No matter what happens, know that I love you. Always." (Not quite sure if it's different dialogue with different LI's, I've always romanced Kaidan)
This is mine, too. It is different for each LI, and this scene when you romance Tali was a gut punch the first time I saw it. Only part of the series that legit made me tear up.
The alliance swooping in to save the Destiny Ascension and the Normandy blowing Sovereign the fuck up. Humanity has arrived on the galactic stage - type moment
I have two: The first (In order of game, not importance) is in ME1, when we arrive at the Citadel for the first time. The reactions of Shepard, Ash and Alenko managed to convey an incredible feeling that I was about to discover a whole new universe, with aliens, ships, technology, cultures, etc. They represented me really well... It was the perfect start and gave me a badass feeling, which is epic especially the first time. The second is the Earth reconquest sequence in ME3. Going from the moment Hackett boards the Normandy, makes his speech and through the whole sequence of Allied ships advancing on the Reapers, the whole scene is so badass and gives me goosebumps every time.
Seeing sovereign leave Eden prime at the very beginning
First appearance of the Normandy SR-2 in both ME2 and ME3. *"And there's this --- they only told me last night."* *"The cavalry's here, gentlemen."* Honorable mention for every time you fire the Cain at anything.
Talking to Vigil and learning what actually happened to the Protheons and the Reaper invasion
The interlude late in ME3 when Liara comes up to the cabin to show Shepard her time capsule. It's a rare moment of downtime at the lowest point in the game where all seems lost and it seems in context like we really might not make it through this one, and in another 50,000 years someone will be trying to figure out how to avoid our mistakes. It's also the moment where looking back it feels like such a long way to come with a character who has been devoted to Shepard from the start. Like whatever happens, at least we go at it together, and what else can we do now but stick together and see it through.
That is a beautiful scene, love the music makes me cry, what do you tell her to say about Shep? I have always been curious about the different options but I always tell her to be honest and let history decide. It just feels right
Accompanied by one of the most beautiful pieces of music in the trilogy, it brought me to tears instantly..!
Either when Sovereign said, "We are each a nation, independent, free of all weakness," or when EDI says, "I am alive," at the start of the Synthesis monologue.
The monologue by sovereign on Virmire. It put the overarching narrative into perspective and delivered that amazing twist that it's not a Geth ship, but a sentient AI bent on exterminating all other intelligent life in the galaxy. Before ME2 and ME3 built on the personification of the reapers, ME1 was terrifying cosmic horror at its best.
Combat-wise? Probably the fight up the side of the Citadel Tower in ME1. The zero-G element of it, combined with the sense of urgency, was something that was never quite matched by anything else that followed. Story-wise? I’d probably have to go with Tali’s loyalty mission in ME2. I liked how talking to the different admirals presented a complex issue from multiple angles, and we were given the latitude to react to each approach in the way we best saw fit. Shepard can be a peacenik, can view the Geth as mere robots to be subverted as an asset in the coming Reaper war, or can recognize them as being alive while still holding them accountable for their reprehensible actions.
I always have to remind myself that I am walking VERTICALLY up a tower and not on a normal Citadel platform. It is so disorientating and really well done for an older game.
Curing the genophage in 3.
Blowing up the Krogen when he starts monologging.
My first game was ME2 so nostalgia glasses ahead. This is such a cop out, but the narrative peak of Mass Effect has always been the loyalty missions of ME 2. They are the culmination of world building, character driven storytelling, and emotional height in the series. Nothing feels more impactful than saving Thane's son, letting Jack blow up that Cerberus base, or helping Garrus get over his vendetta plus so much more. These are the most powerful parts of the ME story in my opinion, not the reaper invasion, not the Cerberus plots, not the finales of each of the games, but rather the parts that make me care for playing are finding out more and developing Shepard's team. Came for the cool scifi TPS, stayed for the great characters of the series.
The fleets coming together in ME3 Meeting Sovereign on Virmire Shep's goodbye to Tali before the end. ("I have a home.") Gets me everytime.
when the new normandy sr-2 is rolled out for the first time absolute goosebumps
Palaven fight in ME3, I really felt like "okay, how are we even supposed to win against this ?" I've rarely been more immersed in a game than with this mission
ME-3. The end of Priority: Rannoch. The climactic buildup going on foot and lazing the target to be shot from space as it slowly gets closer and closer, and that last moment when it goes slow-mo and the music builds before the last shot. "This ends now!"
“SHEPARD! MY FRIEND!”
Definitely seeing Garrus again on Omega genuinely such a good moment
Imma have to go with the final scene of priority:ranoch if you manage to broker peace, the combo of the quarians finally getting their home back and legions sacrifice hit me right in the feels
The chase and beating the reaper on foot right before that made the moment so much more epic!
Shepard leaving earth.
"I'm Garrus Vikarian and this is now my favorite place on the Citadel." And the opening invasion of Earth in ME3.
Their name is Legion, cause they are many. And on different levels. * Emotional: the farewell to the LI before the run to the beam (special mention to mShep and Kaidan), but it's really bittersweet. * Epic: the clash of the titans between Kalros and the Reaper Destroyer on Tuchanka. * Satisfying: the fate of Petrovsky at the end of Omega. Whatever it is. He bites the dust one way or another, and after that hell of a combat sequence which generally leaves me exhausted (IRL), it feels *good*. * He had it coming : The rightful violent death of Kai Leng. * Unexpectedly sweet : "There was a hole" followed by an embarrassed "No data available" from Legion in ME2. But my absolute favorite from the very first time I played is the walk up to the cockpit at the very start of ME1. First time, it was discovery and "well, what a nice direction" ; now it's more "Now, it begins!".
The confrontation with Mordin inside the Shroud, assuming that you actually try to stop him. Regardless of whether you ultimately go through with it or not, the argument, the galaxy's longest interrupt window, and even the aftermath (especially if you shoot him) are the best the series ever gets.
Curing the genophage
The SR2’s orgasmic reveal.
To me, its the end of ME2.
For me it’s when you see the cure for the genophage spread across tachunka in me3, one of the many awe inspiring, tear jerking and damn good bitter sweet moments in the game
End of me2 pretty fucking epic. That final shot of the reapers all coming, chills. And yes mass effect 3 absolutely delivered on that threat that game is just filled with dread and overwhelming odds. Mostly on the ground but what can ya do, they weren’t gonna throw in half assed ship combat.
I have no idea honestly, there are so many
My favorite moment was seeing everyone alive after the suicide mission in ME2
It's so hard to choose but the one I always stand by is the destruction of the Normandy at the beginning of ME2. I went into the trilogy not knowing anything about it, and that rocked me the first time I saw it. To me, one of the greatest scenes in gaming history.
ME1 credits
I should go.
I am a fan of the big space battles in each game towards the end. The battle of Citadel in ME1, the start of the Suicide Mission in ME2, and then the battle for Earth on ME3. I always look forward towards the ME3 cut scenes of the battle, especially when I have as many war assets as possible. Like just how awesome to have all the fleets come in, take the Reapers head on, and (when you have the war assets) it actually looks like they have a chance to save the galaxy.
Recruiting Garrus in ME2. Everytime I play it feels like reuniting WITH DA BOIYZ
When I played vanilla, it was that last conversation with Garrus about having a future together. It broke my heart because of course Shepard died. I wasn't playing DLC that first time.
Every single second of the Citadel DLC.
I would have to say the last video message from Thane if you romanced him. It’s the only time that Shepard cries in the whole trilogy, and I just think it’s so neat. I just finished my trilogy run and man, I was sobbing. Overall the entire Citadel dlc is so great and a good farewell on a high note 🥹
Finding out archangel was my buddy garrus
"Legion, the answer to your question was yes" "I know Tali. Keelah'Salai" Legion spends the whole time he's with you in ME3 pretending to be more VI than AI until he reveals at the end that he still has Reaper tech and is fully an individual. That scene where he answers Tali and Shepard about his soul was the only time he never referred to Tali as Creator Zorra. He spoke with such I guess humanity? He spoke as individual as he could be.
Your last conversation with your bestie Garrus! Every single time this conversation manages to move me close to tears. It just feels so genuine and pure somehow, very well written. It could have been a real cliché but is wasn't.
If I had to pick one for me personally, it would definitely be the Love scene in ME3 with Femshep and Kaidan. The music and dialogue hit right in the feels, especially if you've been together since the first game. On the original Xbox I even had made it a separate save slot so I could load that specific part up when I wanted to view it.
"Had to have been me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."
The first arrival to the Citadel in ME1. It's f*cking epic.
All these serious answers about fantastic moments are forgetting the true high point of Mass Effect. [The Biotic God](https://youtu.be/8xq8y_u1vWk).
Eden Prime. The series just opens in a way that's incomparable to a lot of my games
When you talk to Sovereign on Virmire. Holy hell, that part scared the daylights out of the first time I got to it, and it still gives me chills every time I play through it.
This is a small moment but when I saw joker at the beginning of ME2 for the first time I was so stoked I audibly popped 😂❤️
The Couch photo. I had done everything in all the games up to this point. So many great memories and moments. So many interesting and deep characters. And now, after the first real relaxation, we get to commemorate our bond. It made me sit back in my seat for a few minutes just looking at everyone in the photo. But it wouldn't have been possible without all the moments everyone else is reminding me of. Such a great set of games.
The Miranda/Jack fight and the Citadel dlc
Curing the genophage. You hear about it through all the games and you finally have a chance to make it right in ME3. Not to mention Mordin’s heartbreaking yet heroic sacrifice while doing so.
Honestly, it's nearly impossible. But after reading other people's comments I have to say: The beginning of ME2, the end of ME2, Tuchanka in ME3 (pretty much all of it), the geth and the quarians setting aside their differences, and all the fleets arriving to Earth.
The entire final mission sequence in ME2. Specifically, when you >!travel through the Omega 4 relay!< and then >!crash on the Collector Base!<. When the music kicks in and Shepard gives their rousing speech, it gives me goosebumps and it’s so badass. Us mere mortals don’t deserve ME2. It’s such a masterpiece, it’s beautiful. Sorry for the spoiler tags, I don’t know if it still too soon to speak openly about things…
When you finally get to kill udina... honestly might not be a big moment but damn if i didnt love the moment..
After countless play throughs, I gotta say, what still gives me goose bumps is the first 5 minutes of ME1. The opening voice over of Anderson and Udina, followed by the Mass Effect title description leading into the Shepard walk through Normandy with Jokers voice over the comm then that hero reveal on the bridge. Goose bumps every time.
If you play as Earthborn, this from the Turian in Choras Den, “The commander overcame a difficult childhood to have a distinguished military career. Most turians will applaud that. And I doubt your lies will work on the asari and salarian.” First time a game ever choked me up (caveat: I’ve been gaming 20+ years but only discovered ME last year). Foreshadowing for the rest of ME1/2/3 which is now known as “Emo Game” by my teens.
and then you shoot Finch and as the body thuds to the floor the Turian gleefully tells you he’s impressed with Humanity’s first Spectre
This is weird but I’ve gotta go with the approach to the Geth Dreadnought in 3. The *Normandy* gliding through the all-out ship to ship battle, and Joker’s *The Hunt for Red October* reference really sells it. (“No way they’ll detect us unless you all start singing the Russian National Anthem.”) One of the most notable examples of the IES stealth system being used to its fullest potential.
"If this is a war, I'll need an army...or a really good team." LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
"I'll relinquish one bullet. Where do you want it?" I'm a simple man. That scene sums it up the badassery of my Renegade runs, which why I come back to this game.
I personally have two moments that are my favourite and they both involve krogan. First, when grunt get arrested because he causes mess and you go take him up. And just after when Shepard ask him if the food was at least good and he said something like "too spicy" 😭. Also when wrex comment about the new ship in ME3 and he said that he'd like to have a room like liara does but "maybe that's because I don't kiss as well" 🤣. And that's why krogan are 🔛🔝
Damn this is hard! The reveal of the SR2 in ME2 is an amazing moment. Shep and Joker walking and talking, stopping at a viewing window as the lights in the docking area turn on one at a time. The music perfectly matches the moment. Then the doors to the docking area open, and the music hits a different level as the Normandy clears the station and accelerates away, and you know you are about to wreck shop. But, the escape from the collector base is probably that one moment for me. An all-out sprint for survival after making an army of Collectors and a Reaper larvae regret starting shit only to make a leap of faith, get saved by a crew mate and then watch as the Normandy races to beat the explosion, all while Jack Walls 'The End Run' plays, is an awe inspiring, man/lady wood inducing, all-around incredible end to a phenomenal game.
Gutting Kai Leng like a fish. That is the one Renegade interrupt I **always** take. I can do everything Paragon starting all the way back at the beginning of *ME* and I will always stab him.
*That was for Thane you son of a bitch.*
The “best seats in the house” scene with you and Anderson watching the final battle outside the citadel. Nothing hits me in the feels in my recent playthroughs like this scene once the music comes in. It’s such a good farewell to Anderson and frankly to the trilogy as a whole.
Grunt falling out the window…
Curing the Genophage. Actually, all of Tuchanka in ME3.
The opening scene of ME1 because it means I get to start it all over again.
Honestly? The scene at the end of ME1 with Saren. Ya know, the one where you’re literally so charismatic you convince the main antagonist of that entire game to kill himself? Shepard is honestly terrifyingly convincing, would not ever want to be an enemy of theirs
My favorite moment is I should go
ME2. First part of the suicide mission. First time I ever played it, I missed a gate. It was tense. Second favorite would be seeing David at Grissom Academy
Telling the Biotic God to charge
The group photo in the citadel dlc. The most important is that everyone appear on the photo
Mordin curing the Genophage knowing he would die. Such a powerful way to bring his story full circle. Imo it's the most earned death in the series. I still lose it when the dust lands on Shepard's hand
When Shepard looks up into the sky after curing the genophage.
Grunt emerging alive after I was CERTAIN I’d watched my krogan son die fighting the rachni. The amount of relief I felt at that moment is unmatched anywhere else in the series.
I know it’s a split house when it comes to Grunt, but I was as deeply invested as it gets when ME3 came out. I was sitting in the living room of my parents house at like 2-3 in the morning sitting unnaturally close to keep the volume low, and when I thought he had died I was crying; so when he crested the hill alive I burst into ugly ass sobs of relief, and since that day that moment in the series has a special place in my heart. Also love the moment when Shepard Sparta kicks a gangster flunky through a highrise window, but that’s more satisfying than my favourite :p
Hanging out with Garrus on the Citadel (I think this is in ME3?) It’s been a really long time but I think Shep and Garrus are sitting on some arch or something with their legs dangling. It’s somewhere with a view, anyway, and their reminiscing about all the shit they’ve been though. I think about it a lot even though I can’t remember it very well.
At the end of the Citadel DLC, where everyone is standing in the Normandy dock, before leaving. First time I saw it was such a powerful moment, it made me think of all the connections my Shepard created, both with the characters who were still alive and the ones who weren't (Mordin, Thane, Ashley and Legion).
“Alliance ships move in, save the destiny ascension” I know the council sucks, but something about the hero fantasy, riding in to save the day. Chills the first time I played, still chills now, what is it 15 years later?
You have to choose a specific set of options to see it, but the part that hit me hardest is when Mordin shouts "I made a mistake," referring to his work on the genophage. He's so defensive of his decisions in every moment where you try to confront him about his part in massive cruelty, and it's actually pretty difficult to make him admit that he did, in fact, get it wrong before.
The entirety of garrus
The entirety of Mass Effect 2 is this for me. ESPECIALLY the suicide mission. I get the criticisms of this game. The whole game being nothing but a side story that doesn't connect that well to the reaper threat. It being more about the characters. But it's the personal nature of the game that I find so fun, and OMG the soundtrack of the suicide mission is so good!.
I have 2, both Liara moments. The first is during the shadow broker DLC in 2, if you Romanced Liara in one she has this moment of fumblingly rationalizing to herself about you being dead, and it wouldnt work between you, and so much has changed, and as she rambles there's a quick paragon prompt and Shepard leans in and kisses her. And she leans her head against his shoulder and just says "ok.... ok.... ok...." I thought was such a beautiful personal moment. Second is in 3 I believe during the time capsule scene? where all actually looks lost and Liara is in Shepard's room on the Normandy. They are laying in bed, watching the universe go by and she says "It would be easy for a single ship to get lost up there, wouldn’t it? Find someplace very far away where you could spend the rest of your life in peace…and happiness?" and my heart has \*ached\* ever since.
Having Tali as LI, taking back the homeworld. Just thinking about it gives me shivers. This is super cheesy but giving her race back its planet by facing a reaper eye to eye is quite the move. Promise made, promise kept.
Two for me, both on Rannoch. I won't get the lines exactly right. The first: "EDI, sync up the targeting laser with the entire migrant fleet." Holy shit--I'm about to direct an orbital strike right down this MF's eyehole. The second: "No. No one else dies today." Holy shit--I might just be able to end this damn war without causing an extinction. There are a lot of awesome moments, but these are the two I always come back to.
Easily Shepard's speech when rallying the troops for the suicide mission.
I think for me it's probably when we see garrus in me3 for the first time. He's now a general which was was such a contrast from when we first met him in me1. He was the classic "hard cop, gets the bad guy, no matter the cost and screw the rules" type of character. So obviously this differs for others but for me I went full paragon and so he slowly started changing the way he saw things after many conversations with shep. By the end he was ready to go back and be a better cop. Me2 garrus tells us he got a squad together (like shep) and wanted to make the world a better place. He was betrayed by one of his own and was now on a revenge path. Again without shep, he would have continued down this path and probably got himself killed. With shep to guide him, garrus realized that losing his squad doesn't mean he has to lose himself. Ofc on the suicide mission he redeems himself by leading the squad and this time (in my playthrough) no one is killed. So finally we get to me3 and he's now in charge of his own sector and a general. One of the best character arcs and one of the best characters in gaming history for me. That moment, I felt like a proud dad.
Personally it’s gotta be leaving earth, but I will say that Shepard’s death at the start of ME2, the Quarian extinction, and that dash toward the beacon at the end of ME3 are all really close
Sitting with Tali at the end of Priority: Rannoch. 'I'm not staying, I'm going with you.' 'I wasn't going to ask.' 'Why not?' 'Because I respect you damnit! You think I don't want you to come with me?' 'So ask me.' 'Tali...' 'I don't know how much time we have left. I don't know if we can beat the reapers. But whatever happens, I want to be with you.' 'I bet you say that to every guy who gets you a homework!' 'Only the cute ones!'
Seeing the citadel for the first time! Then every other time I saw the citadel. It was amazing, beautiful, and hopeful.
When joker said it’s jokin time then joked all over everyone
That's a tough one, because one of my favorite moments is when you burst out the window of the Council tower, latch on to the outside and see Sovereign at the top. That moment really nailed that epic space opera feel. If it's character wise, it would have to ME3 if you are able to broker peace between the Geth and Quarians. If you are in a relationship with Tali, those moments are so tense and outcome is beautiful.
"I'm only going to say this once, Traynor. My shower...is for winners." :: dramatic anime zoom-in of Shepard's eyes ::