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High Horse: The case for FemShep

The best version of Mass Effect's story has a lady in charge. Here’s why

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81 comments

  • johnconnor - March 10, 2012 11:29 a.m.

    You talked about my mother. Yeah she was strong. But playing a female in mass effect. No thanks you... I don't think female can really be warrior sorry. They are weak, have female problems, and their emotion are random. In Mass effect 1 i played the worst human in the galaxy, the nightmare of both bad and good guys. Could the hero be a female ? Hell no. Am i sexist ? No. But everyone had a place in this world, and female have none in war, despite what feminists wants to make believe. And for the homosexual sex in the game, as it has been said, no gamers and nobody at all asked for it, except maybe the homosexual association dedicated to spread their sickness. Evil Shepard
  • essiy - March 10, 2012 9:27 p.m.

    You've got to be kidding me. You can't be for real, I mean, nobody's this stupid... right? You say you're not sexist and yet you say that women can't fight in wars. It's people like you that drag the gaming community into this stereotype of being homophobic womanizers. I've met tons of strong women who could easily kick a man's ass. I know you're a troll and you probably touch yourself over the thought that SentientSquidMachine, kingsmikefan and I responded to your pathetic views. If you have such a problem with it, either don't play the damn game or ignore it. But please, for the sake of humanity shut your stupid mouth.
  • johnconnor - March 11, 2012 11:21 a.m.

    I'm not touching anything, you and the others one are nobody lol. You certainly met strong women that could kick YOUR ass because you're weak and pathetic but that's not the case of all the other males on earth. Don't apply your handicap to everyone. You want me to shut up because i talked about the taboo of america. The homos here are like the sacred cows for india. Your worship their coolness lol. Thanks God i'm not american cause i could be like you, a big sheep barking at anybody saying that women are weak and homos disgusting.
  • pinoklin - March 11, 2012 2:49 p.m.

    i´m not american either, and i can tell you sir, you must be retarded, i mean how can somebody be this stupid in the world?.... so mr homophobic, sexist dbag...please learn to respect women, they are definitely strong. i mean if a woman (your mom) was strong enough to take care of such a jerk like you, then sir you have rpoved the point that women are strong. btw, most ppl who hate on gays......have gay feelings inside of them, just sayin.
  • essiy - March 11, 2012 2:52 p.m.

    I'm assuming this isn't directed towards me. You replied to my comment, but thank you for the support. Much appreciated. *Tips hat*.
  • johnconnor - March 11, 2012 3:53 p.m.

    But... you think you're funny ? Listen, if i follow your way of thinking, pedophiles and rapists are human too, with human dna and feeling so you love them. You also love scatophile and zoophile i guess. That's absolutely the stupidest thing i ever heard. Is that what they teach you at school ? How to think like a naive 10 years old ? Who told you homos have no feelings ? I just said that 2 guys fucking in their ass full of shit is disgusting and i don't want this in video games. If they force it into it (lol) then why not a few years later some pedophiles scene in Mass effect 7 ? Or some rape scene in baldur's gate 3 ? Homosexual are 0.1% of the planet and they are invading all medias with their mental sickness. I am against and it's my right and duty. You, you have no conscience of what happen. Effectively you can't touch me, because i'd detroy your sissi face so quickly. PS : I thought that you were about to say "... the same hands that she likes in her pussy cave" lol. The day real men and real women will live in a cave, i'll go with them , and let the city to faggots and lesbians and straight supporters like you without remorse. Ah sometimes i pray Skynet could be real to erase people like you.
  • essiy - March 11, 2012 4:37 p.m.

    I don't think I'm funny, I know I am. They taught me how to be a decent and intelligent human being, which is more than can be said for the likes of you. The point I made about Homosexuals is that they are human, and the only difference between straight people and homosexuals is who they choose to love. Pedophiles and rapists are human yes, and they drag humanity down, just like you. The point is that we don't have to go around and love each other, what we need is decency, which you do not portray. If humans degrade themselves to live in a cave with you, then they aren't sane, nor are they "real men" or "real women". They also taught me to spell and use proper grammar, so really, you shouldn't be talking to me like I'm the naive one when you can't spell or write worth shit. And it humors me deeply that you still have the courage, or should I say stupidity, to have the balls to even consider coming back and trying to cover your sorry ass with empty threats. You could not kick my ass, even if you did, I'd one, break your bones, and two, inform the poilce so you can spend your days seeing real criminals. I could easily take a guy who can't even spell "Sissy" right. Also, just so you are aware, the considering you thought of me having sex with my girlfriend is flattering, but it doesn't help your "Duty" does it? Oh, did I strike a soft spot? Quit making a fool of yourself on the internet and get a life. (You're hearing that from an intellectually superior human being, meaning you should take notes) I await your next poorly written excuse for a paragraph of insults. Buh-Bye Chum.
  • johnconnor - March 12, 2012 12:03 p.m.

    I'm not english speaker, so i don't really care if i made some fault, the principal goal was that you understand how much you're patheticly average. The day you'll speak another language at least the same level as i speak yours you'll have the right to emit critics. Superior being... Yeah you're right you're funny as shit lol. Pedophile too choose who they want to love, that's not an excuse, as the dna or the fact of being human. You volontary elude the real subject and i resume it for your stupid controlled mind : Why do homosexuals lobbies harass us (straight) even in video games with their propaganda about their sexual mental illness to pretend it is a normal behavior ? They can do their sexual life without us but no, they want us to love them and to become like them so they do lobby shit. And i don't as the big majority on earth. That's all. The rest of what you said is a lot of ludicrous and ininteresting things about yourself. In face I'm almost sorry for you. You think that what they have taught you is how to be a decent man but in fact they taught you how to become neither a man or a woman, just a nobody with no opinion on anything. Exactly what they wanted the people to become : stupid, full of themselves, and so ignorant that anybody can tell anything, as long as the medias (movies, tv) says the same thing then you'll sure believe it. You're a sheep. You're doomed as your country is. Sorry.
  • johnconnor - March 12, 2012 12:14 p.m.

    Learn the meaning of words moron. You call me stupid but you just throw words that you think are accurates. But are not. I'm not afraid of homos. I don't care about them as long as they don't invade my video games. I'm not sexist, i respect women, but i think they have a role as we have ours. You don't agree with me, i don't care stupid gay supporters. Only gays say that people who hate gays have gay feelings. But as the other moron that's what they taught you and you repeat it like a savant monkey lol. Why do you call me name, do you have absolutely no arguments ? It's not because i think outside YOUR box that i'm stupid. For me you're the retard who doesn't even understand the real meaning of words you use. It's always a real pleasure to talk with the mind controlled.
  • johnconnor - March 12, 2012 12:19 p.m.

    I have certainly heard of Jeanne d'arc more than you moron. JEANNE d'ARC, not Joan of arc stupid english speaker. And i knew that she was the only example you had because you've seen a movie on it. French revolution ? Tu veux parler de la révolution maçonnique non ? Je parle français donc je connais certainement mieux que toi ces 2 sujets, imbécile heureux. No i'm not mad et toi mongol ?
  • essiy - March 12, 2012 2:26 p.m.

    *Accurate, not "accurates" So, who's the moron? Remind me. Obviously I don't agree with your pathetic one sides, bullshit views, I have a brain dumbass. I'd say the same, it's hilarious watching you squirm, the mind controlled are fun to watch, they usually like to think they're smarter, like watching a chimp eat it's shit and wonder why a human doesn't do the same thing. You don't respect women, that's obvious enough. I'm an English major, don't say I don't know the meaning of words when you can't spell. Looks like you're hiding your secret desires of me, please, if you must talk to me, have some decency or keep your boner in your pants.
  • essiy - March 12, 2012 2:30 p.m.

    Or possibly, think of it this way, I know thinking's hard, but try, you can do it. She's called Joan of Arc here, it's a translation dickwad. So you're french eh, and here I thought that the country that brought us such fine food could produce something a tad bit smarter than you. You are mad, both in the emotion and the mental state. Why do you bother even trying to compete with a smarter species?
  • essiy - March 12, 2012 2:47 p.m.

    The average of a group is effected by all members, and considering that you are a part of the group, I'd say that I am above average. Oh, and by the way, If you don't know shit about someone, don't even assume they're dumber than proven. I speak Japanese fluently as well as Mandarin Chinese. So, in your logic, that makes me twice as smart as you, or maybe higher because I'm fluent and can write in both languages... properly. And they don't "Lobby" it, Mass effect is made by Bioware, a Canadian developer, which is located in my city. We are a a country that is considered "Socialist" by more Right oriented countries. So, what you're getting at is that a Homosexual being, who does no harm and does not break any laws, is the same as someone who routinely breaks the law and harms children? You really are stupid, aren't you? I wouldn't ask a lower species to worry about humans, that is why I don't ask you to feel sorry for me. I have an opinion, it's that people who don't break the law or people who don't think like you, are good human beings, it's quite obvious I have an opinion or I wouldn't be fighting this never ending battle with your stupidity. I believe in what is right, that humans are humans, innocent until proven guilty. You on the other hand believe that your wank hand is a good substitute for a relationship. My country is not doomed because we have sane human beings walking around, your country, well, let's say it'd be better off if you decided to take a long walk off a short dock. Go ahead, keep coming at me, but if anyone asks, you walked into my verbal fist. Signed, The only person who is giving you any sort of attention in your sad and bleak existence. I love helping the poor, unfortunate souls of the world, for that is "My duty".
  • SentientSquidMachine - March 10, 2012 11:09 a.m.

    Currently playing through ME3 right now (btw F***ing amazing) and the experience is made all the more visceral with femshep. She makes "Sheppard" so much more of a badass. You're kidding yourself if you think that the voice doesn't make a difference. I played 10 hours with male Sheppard during ME1, so I have perspective. The default FemShep skin sucks though.
  • rainn'sgaydar - March 10, 2012 10:06 a.m.

    Having not played the games outside of 10-ish hours of the first game, this is a compelling argument for me to play as FemShep when I pick up Mass Effect 2 sometime in the future. Fantastic article!
  • JamesRadar - March 10, 2012 10 a.m.

    I like the default male Shepard since he's just rendered the best. I remember making my own Shepard in ME1 and he looked like he had acne scars all over his face. I've played default man ever since.
  • MetroidPrimeRib - March 10, 2012 9:50 a.m.

    The Female Shepard model looks like shit, even for Mass Effect models BioWare tries way to hard to shoehorn Females and Homosexuals into their games when nobody is asking for it
  • D0CCON - March 10, 2012 12:41 p.m.

    She looks that way because they had the community vote for what the default should look like and they picked that.
  • Megalovina - March 10, 2012 1:42 p.m.

    Oh hey, King of What-people-do-and-do-not-ask-for! How is the King of Names doing? I heard you him and the King of Racism and the Queen of Verbs got crazy drunk last night so I think you might still a bit drunk. I have read lots articles applauding Bioware for including nonwhite heterosexual male options and begging for more. But then again I am just a silly and lowly peasant and you are you are the high and mighty King of Caring so what do I know!
  • sailormes - March 11, 2012 11:16 a.m.

    BioWare (and a lot of companies these days) are trying to tell stories here. Art. Art imitates life, which does include both females and homosexuals. So I applaud their efforts. And as they will tell you, no one forces you to be female or homosexual in the game, they just give you the option, and having it there means a more complete experience. And all the defaults are gross. At least you can make a decent looking female, Male Shepard is doomed to be ugly no matter what.
  • RedHarlow - March 10, 2012 9:16 a.m.

    Better voice actor, that's what it comes down to for me. Mark Meer sounds bored, his emotional range isn't very large. Jennifer Hale just puts more emotion and feeling into her performance.
  • profile0000 - March 10, 2012 9:11 a.m.

    Look, when Bioware makes a game that has customization options, but then puts their version of the custom character on the box, that seems a bit counter-intuitive to me. I wanted my person to look like the guy in the box-art, so I picked default.
  • Sinosaur - March 10, 2012 7:13 a.m.

    When I started up Mass Effect for the first time, I decided instantly that I didn't really like the look of standard Shepard, and so I went into customization and realized... hey, I apparently can't make a male Shepard that doesn't look awful. So I went to the female side, got something decent and... well, now when people talk about Mass Effect, I don't think about 'baldish space marine,' I think of my first Shepard (who is, incidentally, the toughest, most inspirational, and nicest person in the galaxy). Part of why I've kept going with female Shepard is that I've established MY Shepard, and I really do prefer the voice actor. But more than that, it's nice to see a lead female character who is just plain badass and awesome without running around half naked or having giant bouncy tits. That's really not something I get from other games as much as I would like. This has also thrown a bit of a kink in my old habit in these games as playing male first, playing good first (cuz I always play good first), then next playthrough playing female and evil (or at least jerkish). So, yeah, whenever I see standard male Shep? I think about punching reporters and being an asshat to everyone.
  • Canvas_Of_Flesh - March 10, 2012 5:22 a.m.

    Yeah, I'm usually fairly good at picking up subtext, and I would have to admit that most of what you're picking up on is projected by yourself. That's not subtext provided by the game, that's called "using your imagination". There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that playing a female character in the game provides a better experience because of something that may not exist from person to person. I play that default male Shepard. Not because I'm sexist or unimaginative. It's because in Mass Effect 1 I couldn't create a character that didn't look like a retarded orangutan. Since then, I've just stuck with him because he's my Jack Shephard.

Showing 41-60 of 81 comments

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