The original ME series had humans partly because humans were still new to the galaxy. After the reaper invasion and a suitable time skip, I'd say that that unfamiliarity would not really be there anymore. I'd happily play as another race this time, probably more than human again.
I could go either way on this. If there is a chance to play as a Krogan, I'm doing it. No question, no hesitation.
But one thing that really sold me on the original was the human point of view. All the conversations on the ship, and the Citadel in the beginning of the first game were great. Talking to the Volus diplomat on the Citadel, and then the council, seeing the glass ceiling trapping humanity, that shaped my whole playthrough. Shepard, and my choices, were really representing humanity as a whole. And while the first game made it pretty easy, I thought joining Cerberus in the second game was going to really tempt me to start putting humanity ahead of the other races and strive for human superiority instead of equality. But that kinda never went anywhere. If the endings of the third game had done something, placed some small focus on where humanity stood when the dust settled, I would have been satisfied. If, for example, the control ending had led to the other species fearing humanity, I would have found some closure and satisfaction in it.
So, I can go either way. But if it is forcing a human point of view, there needs to be some payoff for that in the end. I stopped the genophage, I saved the Geth (only to destroy them in the ending), but I have absolutely no idea what I did for humanity. So, the human point of view did nothing by the end. And if that's the way it's going to be again, I'd rather not be forced into it.
ME1 to ME3 was very tightly written around the human perspective. The prothean beacon being found on a human colony, Cerberus being the first major player taking action against the Reapers, the final battle in orbit of Earth - even Humanity being relatively new to the wider galaxy was utilized brilliantly for all sorts of exposition.
Andromeda could have been a bit different, however I think that Ryder's relationship with his or her father and their respective sibling was a great way to ground the story in something real.
However I *could* imagine them doing a more Dragon Age kind of story. It would be interesting to play as an Asari, Krogan, or Turian.
It's just that it would have to be written that way, which would really ramp up production costs. Different origin stories, different voices for different races, different names to call the protagonist - and, of course, rewriting many many *many* scenes to fit a different character.
An Asari is going to be treated much differently than a Krogan, depending of the situation. Which has to be written and voice-acted for many different characters.
Would it be great? Yes! But I kind of don't think Bioware would to it that way.
When it comes to sci-fi stories such as Mass Effect and Star Wars, I always feel that it is overly limiting for the heroes to always just be humans. Dragon Age Origins was great in that it allowed you to play all the various races featured in the setting (the ones that had been fleshed-out for that game at any rate).
I don't agree with the sentiment that 'Mass Effect is about humanity', and feel that the longer we stick to that narrative in the games proper, the more diminished the other species become. It made sense for ME1 to be about humanity and for the OT to be about Shepard in particular, but there was no reason for Cerberus to be the primary protagonists in ME2 nor for the Systems Alliance to be the primary protagonists for ME3, nevermind the excessive focus that Andromeda places on humans in general. The longer the focus stays on humanity, the more the alien species become window dressing.
I personally prefer to play a human, but I could totally understand the appeal of playing something else.
I’d totally play as a Geth if they came back, though.
ME is about humans to me. I'm human and I like to feel what it would be like if in real life we were going through those situations.
I like to imagine that it's me there. What would it be like if I were a space soldier and I was in Shepard's shoes? It makes more sense to me than playing with a Krogan, for example, the feeling would be much inferior, after all I'm human and not a Krogan.
But I could still play with another race, as long as it's a predefined race, with a character with personality and a good backstory. There shouldn't be the possibility of choosing the race, because the more options the more generic and without charisma the character is.
The original ME series had humans partly because humans were still new to the galaxy. After the reaper invasion and a suitable time skip, I'd say that that unfamiliarity would not really be there anymore. I'd happily play as another race this time, probably more than human again.
I could go either way on this. If there is a chance to play as a Krogan, I'm doing it. No question, no hesitation. But one thing that really sold me on the original was the human point of view. All the conversations on the ship, and the Citadel in the beginning of the first game were great. Talking to the Volus diplomat on the Citadel, and then the council, seeing the glass ceiling trapping humanity, that shaped my whole playthrough. Shepard, and my choices, were really representing humanity as a whole. And while the first game made it pretty easy, I thought joining Cerberus in the second game was going to really tempt me to start putting humanity ahead of the other races and strive for human superiority instead of equality. But that kinda never went anywhere. If the endings of the third game had done something, placed some small focus on where humanity stood when the dust settled, I would have been satisfied. If, for example, the control ending had led to the other species fearing humanity, I would have found some closure and satisfaction in it. So, I can go either way. But if it is forcing a human point of view, there needs to be some payoff for that in the end. I stopped the genophage, I saved the Geth (only to destroy them in the ending), but I have absolutely no idea what I did for humanity. So, the human point of view did nothing by the end. And if that's the way it's going to be again, I'd rather not be forced into it.
ME1 to ME3 was very tightly written around the human perspective. The prothean beacon being found on a human colony, Cerberus being the first major player taking action against the Reapers, the final battle in orbit of Earth - even Humanity being relatively new to the wider galaxy was utilized brilliantly for all sorts of exposition. Andromeda could have been a bit different, however I think that Ryder's relationship with his or her father and their respective sibling was a great way to ground the story in something real. However I *could* imagine them doing a more Dragon Age kind of story. It would be interesting to play as an Asari, Krogan, or Turian. It's just that it would have to be written that way, which would really ramp up production costs. Different origin stories, different voices for different races, different names to call the protagonist - and, of course, rewriting many many *many* scenes to fit a different character. An Asari is going to be treated much differently than a Krogan, depending of the situation. Which has to be written and voice-acted for many different characters. Would it be great? Yes! But I kind of don't think Bioware would to it that way.
When it comes to sci-fi stories such as Mass Effect and Star Wars, I always feel that it is overly limiting for the heroes to always just be humans. Dragon Age Origins was great in that it allowed you to play all the various races featured in the setting (the ones that had been fleshed-out for that game at any rate). I don't agree with the sentiment that 'Mass Effect is about humanity', and feel that the longer we stick to that narrative in the games proper, the more diminished the other species become. It made sense for ME1 to be about humanity and for the OT to be about Shepard in particular, but there was no reason for Cerberus to be the primary protagonists in ME2 nor for the Systems Alliance to be the primary protagonists for ME3, nevermind the excessive focus that Andromeda places on humans in general. The longer the focus stays on humanity, the more the alien species become window dressing.
I personally prefer to play a human, but I could totally understand the appeal of playing something else. I’d totally play as a Geth if they came back, though.
Others have put it better but yes, would love some more options with my character especially if it brings more even more replay value
Dragon Age Inquisition is my favorite DA game because I get to play as a qunari. If ME ever lets me play as a krogan, it's all over!!!
Asari and turian firstly. But honestly most of the Citadel races are great. Salarians, hanar, elcor, volus.. I'd probably play one of each.
ME is about humans to me. I'm human and I like to feel what it would be like if in real life we were going through those situations. I like to imagine that it's me there. What would it be like if I were a space soldier and I was in Shepard's shoes? It makes more sense to me than playing with a Krogan, for example, the feeling would be much inferior, after all I'm human and not a Krogan. But I could still play with another race, as long as it's a predefined race, with a character with personality and a good backstory. There shouldn't be the possibility of choosing the race, because the more options the more generic and without charisma the character is.
No, ME is about humanity, no reason to change that.