Chuck does ME2

[Ahriman238]

Our usual fix from our own Mr. Sonneburg, who today discusses ShivaShepperd.

On SFDebris

and at blip

It's your teats. They have... weight.

[Dread Not]

I love Chuck's work, but as he's branched out I find that a lot of it has become straight up recaps rather than the terrific analysis and review that he's so good at. His Nemesis review reminded me that his Trek film reviews are some of his best work. He provides background information on the film's production and explains how the film's development affected the final product. He touches on the themes, performances, plot elements and whatever else makes the film work or not work.

None of that is present here. This is little more than a plot synopsis with a few clever though sparse jokes thrown in. I liked ME2 overall, though I had a fair few problems with the plot, but Chuck brings up none of the issues I had, or any other issues for that matter, and doesn't even do much to explain what's good about the storyline. This was one of Chuck's largest projects I can recall, and after I had watched it a few days ago I just felt like it was a huge waste of both his and my time.

[Crazedwraith]

The Two Towers review made me start to wonder but this one confirms it: It's a ten part review each part as long as standard Trek episode review; how much did these people have to donate to request these? And what use is Chuck going to put their first born children to?

[Stofsk]

I love Chuck's work, but as he's branched out I find that a lot of it has become straight up recaps rather than the terrific analysis and review that he's so good at. His Nemesis review reminded me that his Trek film reviews are some of his best work. He provides background information on the film's production and explains how the film's development affected the final product. He touches on the themes, performances, plot elements and whatever else makes the film work or not work.

None of that is present here. This is little more than a plot synopsis with a few clever though sparse jokes thrown in. I liked ME2 overall, though I had a fair few problems with the plot, but Chuck brings up none of the issues I had, or any other issues for that matter, and doesn't even do much to explain what's good about the storyline. This was one of Chuck's largest projects I can recall, and after I had watched it a few days ago I just felt like it was a huge waste of both his and my time.

I'm not his biggest fan, because I've seen too much of that 'lemme just summarise the entire episode in my review' stuff in his Trek reviews. I'll be completely fair to him though, his BEST reviews talk about themes and character motivations and shit like that, and he can be really good at it if he wants to be. You can see this in many of the good episodes he gives top marks for, like Best of Both Worlds and Tapestry. But unfortunately, he gets too mired in summarising the plot and well, who needs that from a review? We learned that in high school english.

[Soontir C'boath]

Yes, a summary does not make a review. I can't believe I sat through the entire thing but I guess I was really damn bored.

[lordofchange13]

I was a little disappointed over how he just summarized the game, he only really examined the deeper levels in the last video. Got to be so boring i skipped 3 or 4 videos. Does anyone know his posting schedule for the next month?

[Alyeska]

The ME2 review did honestly feel like a re-cap more than anything. Chuck did the same thing when reviewing Sunshine. It wasn't until the end that we got actual opinionated reviews. Though Chuck did a good job pointing out some pretty bad plot holes.

[Soontir C'boath]

Maybe he felt many of his viewers would be unfamiliar with Mass Effect and he has an urge to feel to spell it out to us?

[Ahriman238]

I wonder how often Chuck visits the board these days, because his latest review, In the Cards, is a lot more meta, and speculative about the characters and the Federation economy.

[Agent Fisher]

Wow, I'm impressed by Chuck. He really strived not to have his team survive the mission.

[Alyeska]

Wow, I'm impressed by Chuck. He really strived not to have his team survive the mission.

He did everything he could to get the team killed while still completing all the loyalty missions. Impressive. Didn't realize you could get 3/4 of the team killed off like that.

[Night_stalker]

It's possible, but hard to do so, as one has to ignore the upgrade counsel in Mordin's lab, and just randomly assign crew to roles.

Why I thought Jack would be a good fireteam leader the first time around, I'll never know. Thane also isn't leadership quality, hindsight also says.

[FaxModem1]

For me it was a bit nice, as my Shepard is the paragon paragons, and I rarely indulge in Renegade actions, to see what is on the other side of the coin. Well, except for letting the council die, but they barely tolerate what you do, so fuck em.

The reason I think he doesn't do in depth analysis of things beyond Trek as well, is because things that are not Trek are outside of his comfort zone of familiarity. With Trek, he already has years and hundreds of episodes to compare to, with a movie or a game, he only has that one instance to nail down those people, the themes of the story and such. Just my opinion though.

[Alyeska]

For me it was a bit nice, as my Shepard is the paragon paragons, and I rarely indulge in Renegade actions, to see what is on the other side of the coin. Well, except for letting the council die, but they barely tolerate what you do, so fuck em.

The reason I think he doesn't do in depth analysis of things beyond Trek as well, is because things that are not Trek are outside of his comfort zone of familiarity. With Trek, he already has years and hundreds of episodes to compare to, with a movie or a game, he only has that one instance to nail down those people, the themes of the story and such. Just my opinion though.

You want to see Renegade?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PjTuSQNLI4

[Bright]

Just a heads up, he posted a follow-up video where he goes a bit into the analysis that was lacking in the actual summary videos.

Maybe he felt many of his viewers would be unfamiliar with Mass Effect and he has an urge to feel to spell it out to us?

That seems to be his general modus operandi.

[CaiusWickersham]

It's possible, but hard to do so, as one has to ignore the upgrade counsel in Mordin's lab, and just randomly assign crew to roles.

Why I thought Jack would be a good fireteam leader the first time around, I'll never know. Thane also isn't leadership quality, hindsight also says.

I figured those two weren't leadership material for the get-go. Thane works solo and Jack is a complete psycho. Though why Zaeed wasn't leadership material confounds me. The man founded and led (for a while) one of the more professional (for a certain definition of the word) mercenary groups in the known galaxy. He should be able to handle a fireteam just as well as Garrus, Miranda or Jacob.

[Soontir C'boath]

Maybe he felt many of his viewers would be unfamiliar with Mass Effect and he has an urge to feel to spell it out to us?

That seems to be his general modus operandi.

Well, I don't mind when he gives a short description of the scene as he usually expands on it, but when it comes to 'reviews' like Mass Effect, he just seemed to be giving SparkNotes.

[Ahriman238]

Wow, I'm impressed by Chuck. He really strived not to have his team survive the mission.

Yeah, so he could have the running joke about everyone dying. Actually, if you don't do all the loyalty missions and are willing to really work for it, you can arrange an ending where everyone including Shepperd dies, leaving Joker the only survivor.

[Alyeska]

Wow, I'm impressed by Chuck. He really strived not to have his team survive the mission.

Yeah, so he could have the running joke about everyone dying. Actually, if you don't do all the loyalty missions and are willing to really work for it, you can arrange an ending where everyone including Shepperd dies, leaving Joker the only survivor.

There is one other survivor. Chuck even mentioned him. The Shuttle Pilot.

[Losonti Tokash]

It's possible, but hard to do so, as one has to ignore the upgrade counsel in Mordin's lab, and just randomly assign crew to roles.

Why I thought Jack would be a good fireteam leader the first time around, I'll never know. Thane also isn't leadership quality, hindsight also says.

I figured those two weren't leadership material for the get-go. Thane works solo and Jack is a complete psycho. Though why Zaeed wasn't leadership material confounds me. The man founded and led (for a while) one of the more professional (for a certain definition of the word) mercenary groups in the known galaxy. He should be able to handle a fireteam just as well as Garrus, Miranda or Jacob.

Did you ever actually listen to his stories? Everyone always died.

[Stofsk]

I have a hard time doing Zaeed's LM without wanting to shoot the cunt in the face or leaving him to die.

(also why the fuck can't Shepard just call the Normandy to do an interdiction of the dude's flyer? But you can say the same thing of 'Bring Down the Sky' and other similar missions)

edit: my post may have nothing to do with the topic, sorry

[FaxModem1]

Yeah, I saved the civvies on Zaeed's mission, and luckily my paragon was high enough that when he got pissed off about it, I put a rifle to his face and told him to straighten up. That made him loyal according to the game.