Taking The Shepard's Path
- Thread starter Adam Condra
- Start date
I came here wondering if this was going to be a Firefly or Mass Effect thread. Turns out, it's an odd combination of both...
More on topic, however, I feel like your analysis is a bit of a stretch for me. I can see where you draw the connections, and I enjoyed picturing your Shepard as an emotional wreck after the betrayal of his father figure (the Illusive Man, as you said), the loss of his favorite squadmates (since I don't think calling them "friends" on a Renegade run quite works), and the emotional and physical trauma he's gone through. But the relation the Lent is a sketchy one at best. I think you're saying your inability to choose exactly what you wanted is related to your humanity and therefore you can't do it without the Lord. To me, that doesn't quite relate to what I played. You can draw parallels, sure, but you're completely ignoring the part where a separate diety-like creature is forcing you to make one of those choices, God be damned. Which also doesn't jive with me, because that seems to me more like you're submitting to this other diety instead of sticking to your guns and staying true to your beliefs.
Talking about sacrifice in relation to a game is fairly normal. In most modern games characters have to sacrifice something in order to move on, or come out victorious. It's typically how storytelling of that sort works. It can be found in any of the Call of Duty games, Gears of War, Skyrim... The list goes on. It's a connection, sure, but from a logical relation it's a connection that can be made with any game. The relation to him being human is, again, a relation that can be made for any number of games.
I do appreciate that the game made you feel that way, and that it helped you in your own spiritual journey through those feelings, but personally I can't connect to it the same way you seem to have and it's causing a bit of a disconnect between what you wrote and what I actually experienced. I think a lot of people here are feeling the same way, which is why you're getting a bit of incredulity at your article. For many of us, especially those of us who aren't particularly religious (or religious at all), we're just plain old not seeing where you're coming from on this one.
More on topic, however, I feel like your analysis is a bit of a stretch for me. I can see where you draw the connections, and I enjoyed picturing your Shepard as an emotional wreck after the betrayal of his father figure (the Illusive Man, as you said), the loss of his favorite squadmates (since I don't think calling them "friends" on a Renegade run quite works), and the emotional and physical trauma he's gone through. But the relation the Lent is a sketchy one at best. I think you're saying your inability to choose exactly what you wanted is related to your humanity and therefore you can't do it without the Lord. To me, that doesn't quite relate to what I played. You can draw parallels, sure, but you're completely ignoring the part where a separate diety-like creature is forcing you to make one of those choices, God be damned. Which also doesn't jive with me, because that seems to me more like you're submitting to this other diety instead of sticking to your guns and staying true to your beliefs.
Talking about sacrifice in relation to a game is fairly normal. In most modern games characters have to sacrifice something in order to move on, or come out victorious. It's typically how storytelling of that sort works. It can be found in any of the Call of Duty games, Gears of War, Skyrim... The list goes on. It's a connection, sure, but from a logical relation it's a connection that can be made with any game. The relation to him being human is, again, a relation that can be made for any number of games.
I do appreciate that the game made you feel that way, and that it helped you in your own spiritual journey through those feelings, but personally I can't connect to it the same way you seem to have and it's causing a bit of a disconnect between what you wrote and what I actually experienced. I think a lot of people here are feeling the same way, which is why you're getting a bit of incredulity at your article. For many of us, especially those of us who aren't particularly religious (or religious at all), we're just plain old not seeing where you're coming from on this one.
I can accept that! Some people see Jesus' face in a wooden door, and The Virgin Mary in a grilled cheese! (Penn and Teller: Bullshit. Episode named "Signs from heavens"). Our ancestors were convinced the moon was a goddess with a face on it. We got Zodiac signs from constellations. My religious buddy was convinced his dog knew it has SINNED after it had crapped on the carpet. (to me, it just whined because it was expecting a slap and loud words from its master). A hunted cave in Belgium gave people the curse of boils and death but had miraculously saved a kid from cancer. (It had a rich vein of uranium in it)
So you see a few parallels with the story of ME and a Bronze Age superstition who stole the idea of ascetism right from Jainism? Word of advice: Don't play Dante's Inferno: you might start flagellation. xD
People see what they want to see. It's not necessarily a bad thing: we have a rich history of myths and cool legends all over the globe.
So you see a few parallels with the story of ME and a Bronze Age superstition who stole the idea of ascetism right from Jainism? Word of advice: Don't play Dante's Inferno: you might start flagellation. xD
People see what they want to see. It's not necessarily a bad thing: we have a rich history of myths and cool legends all over the globe.
But where I am puzzled is how any litterate, modern-day person play the game, read all the Codex entries about Reaper indoctrination, witness Liara's shock and denial when she realises the the asari religion had very secular and mundane beginnings (if you count the coming of the Protheans on her planet eons ago "mundane"), then see the Hanar meet his "God" in person, and immediately get rebuked.
The not-so-subtle threat of seeing indoctrinated people turn against their own...
... and not see THOSE parallels with any religion, starting with his own?
Why don't we see any thread about that instead?
The not-so-subtle threat of seeing indoctrinated people turn against their own...
... and not see THOSE parallels with any religion, starting with his own?
Why don't we see any thread about that instead?
Predictably stuffed to the brim with convenient justifications for personal dogmatic failure, not to mention some awe-inspiring stretches of correlation.
Pray, do tell (pun intended)...where do the potential homosexual relationships in ME3 fit into this tenuous theological interpretive framework that you have established here?
Pray, do tell (pun intended)...where do the potential homosexual relationships in ME3 fit into this tenuous theological interpretive framework that you have established here?
Many of those who object to this article are missing the point. Adam is not claiming that Mass Effect is an allegory for Christianity. He simply chose to tell us a story about how a game deeply influenced something deeply connected to his personal identity. The connections that we can make to games are what make them worthwhile. The fact that Adam made such a connection does not force me, you or anyone else to make the same one.
Well, there certainly was a lot of Christian symbolism in the game. Personally, while I was playing it, I thought some of it was heavy handed-- seriously, the cruxifixion of Legion scene? And the Overlord bit, with the sacrifice of the innocent? Legion (and later the obviously named Shep) dying for the redemption of others? Etc, etc. Add in the continual Arthur C. Clarke themes of ascension and whatnot, and honestly, the only wonder is that so many people missed it.
Perhaps the writing team was right in that regard-- subtlety isn't exactly embraced by much of the gaming public. But still, I think it would have been better if they hadn't been so obvious.
Perhaps the writing team was right in that regard-- subtlety isn't exactly embraced by much of the gaming public. But still, I think it would have been better if they hadn't been so obvious.
If we talk about the intended religious imagery in the ME series, there was never anything remotely close to subtle in it (it was in fact handled so badly that I have to wonder what they were thinking of accomplishing, as it felt out of place for me more than once, and frankly, I was almost expecting to see a Call of Juarez thing, with the possibility to equip a bible and read passages from it). If we talk about what the author wrote, then I said I simply find it odd, as there are dozens of games that would fit the bill, considering the parallel he made. I think it's reasonable to find his thoughts a bit weird, if we imagine he is a gamer (otherwise, why would he be writing on the escapist?), as he should have been exposed to enough games by now to realize that such things are common place in videogames, and have been so for quite some time.
I know you writers all want to stand by Mac Walters and his "art" and all, because "bad ending is good ending", artistic integrity and all that other crap serious authors should believe in ... but you're not going to convince us the story was good no matter how hard you try and how many different metaphors you try to pull in.
ME1/2 were a juvenile power fantasy with triumph against all odds, taking a giant dump on the expectations of gamers in part 3 might be art ... but it's not what I put down good money for. To me the ME3 ending sucked, and EA should really fire Mac Walters for destroying the commercial value of a franchise.
ME1/2 were a juvenile power fantasy with triumph against all odds, taking a giant dump on the expectations of gamers in part 3 might be art ... but it's not what I put down good money for. To me the ME3 ending sucked, and EA should really fire Mac Walters for destroying the commercial value of a franchise.
don't know if it's because i'm a deist, but i'm always on the back foot when it comes to religionVault101 said:
I agree with your sentiment, and I see where you are coming from. But I do think that you are reading too much into this. Especially as the latest theory is that the whole Mass Effect series was just a dream. I don't know how that would affect the 3 choices in the end.survivor686 said:
I have a big hatred for religion, so I am putting this article into the "delusions of a man" box and will leave it at that.
When I saw the article's title pop up in reader, my first thought was that it would be a discussion about the interpretation of religion, perhaps (and here's where I put the idea up on a pedestal) looking into the actual gritty experience of the event vs. the deification of future generations as the facts are quickly lost to history. The reality of a mans moment to do something to help someone else becomes a grand story of holy sacrifice and a manual for how everyone should live.
It turns out I was tricked into reading about jesus.
My intent, really, is not to flame, troll, insult, etc. but I am more than a little disappointed. Religion is a funny thing, say it out loud and some will rally behind you while others tell you to leave.
I'll leave this at two points. 1. The article was well written, and it is always more enjoyable to read something the author puts themselves into and 2. I'm surprised to see a religious themed article on the escapist.
It turns out I was tricked into reading about jesus.
My intent, really, is not to flame, troll, insult, etc. but I am more than a little disappointed. Religion is a funny thing, say it out loud and some will rally behind you while others tell you to leave.
I'll leave this at two points. 1. The article was well written, and it is always more enjoyable to read something the author puts themselves into and 2. I'm surprised to see a religious themed article on the escapist.
I agree. Especially with people "reading too much into it". When one has have to justify such a bizarre ending by using elements from outside the narrative, I'd say its your brain to rationalize the fact that an otherwise brilliant saga had such a shoddy finale.The Human Torch said:I agree with your sentiment, and I see where you are coming from. But I do think that you are reading too much into this. Especially as the latest theory is that the whole Mass Effect series was just a dream. I don't know how that would affect the 3 choices in the end.survivor686 said:
I have a big hatred for religion, so I am putting this article into the "delusions of a man" box and will leave it at that.
Out of curiosity I wonder what it takes to write an article on Escapist?
Bear in mind some major videogames are quite happy to throw in pseudo-religious iconography, For what reason I do not know.Bluerage said:
Its only a matter of time before someone writes an article concerning religious themes and gaming.
Nice reading - interesting perspective.
However, I don't see victory int eh Mass Effect ending, regardless of flavor ending. With fasting/meditating/ whatever reflections and restorations people do, the goal a person sets up for themselves can change as the journey progresses. In ME3, the one thing I can appreciate about the ending with regards to a contemplative experience such as lent, is that final moment where Shepard and Anderson just sit together and think about the journey. The ME3 ending feels a whole hell of a lot more futile, however, than real life, to be honest.
However, I don't see victory int eh Mass Effect ending, regardless of flavor ending. With fasting/meditating/ whatever reflections and restorations people do, the goal a person sets up for themselves can change as the journey progresses. In ME3, the one thing I can appreciate about the ending with regards to a contemplative experience such as lent, is that final moment where Shepard and Anderson just sit together and think about the journey. The ME3 ending feels a whole hell of a lot more futile, however, than real life, to be honest.
The human brain is hardwired to make links between events and if there aren't any obvious links? Then we come up with them! See conspiracy theories.survivor686 said:I agree. Especially with people "reading too much into it". When one has have to justify such a bizarre ending by using elements from outside the narrative, I'd say its your brain to rationalize the fact that an otherwise brilliant saga had such a shoddy finale.The Human Torch said:I agree with your sentiment, and I see where you are coming from. But I do think that you are reading too much into this. Especially as the latest theory is that the whole Mass Effect series was just a dream. I don't know how that would affect the 3 choices in the end.survivor686 said:
I have a big hatred for religion, so I am putting this article into the "delusions of a man" box and will leave it at that.
Out of curiosity I wonder what it takes to write an article on Escapist?
I am not sure what the criteria of the Escapist are, as far as articles, how's about we write an article explaining how there is absolutely no explanation behind the ME3 ending, other than shoddy writing. See if we can score with such a humdrum, non-religious explanation.