in your pants shall burn an unquenchable flame

Non-spoiler:

Without doubt,the moist poignant part of the game the brief moment when you’re sitting in Alec Ryder’s office, listening to desperate messages from the Milky Way as the Reapers invade.  Nothing else compares.

Ryder must use some anti-gravity conditioner because that ponytail defies physical laws.

It drives me absolutely bonkers that Cora is trying to sow earth flowers on a new planet, without any seeming concern about ecological impact.  Like, GAH INVASIVE SPECIES MUCH?

I’d rather have no visible fauna on some planets than the same fauna everywhere, in all locations/climes. 

I actually found Primus scarier than the Archon.  At least the Archon had some ideas of his own.

I take back what I said about like SAM more than EDI; I was just annoyed at the devs’ choice to make EDI a sex object in ME3.

SPOILERS GALORE:

I thought the “twist” of Ellen Ryder being alive was poor storytelling.  Not only did it minimize the impact of the emotions the game had been trying to cultivate, it muddies Alec Ryder’s motivations and thought processes.  No longer a grief-stricken man fleeing his feelings, he’s now merely got very questionable judgement, combined with an appalling degree of selfishness.      

It’s sort of hilarious that all the characters expect the Angara to have some sort of crisis about being “created,” as if most religions aren’t predicated on this very concept.  Most people have way more trouble swallowing the idea that there ISN’T a Man with a Plan. 

About the Jaal romance specifically.

Love Mama Ama Darav.  She’s so endearingly intrusive.  And she makes Ryder pie!

The climactic (pun intended) romance cutscene was too pornographic for my taste.  

~MILD SPOILERS HO!~

Overall disappointed with lack of character customization ability, but enjoyed the fun hair/makeup options.

The facial animation issues everyone has been apoplectic about really don’t bother me that much.  What’s far worse is this thing Ryder does when she’s in the SAM node, talking to the Ancient AI, and her head twists around Linda Blair-style.

Actually Ryder’s neck is kind of rubbery in general.  It’s worrisome.

The textures in this game are GORGEOUS.  Holy crap.

Many of the side quests are boring and/or involve WAY too much useless running around.  Orchestrating a godamn movie night was almost as complicated as defeating the Archon, and included back-and-forth visits to multiple planets, including hitting up the same vendor on Kadara TWICE.  They need to consolidate that shit.

There’s lots of little winks/nods to past games/Easter eggs; it’s fun to try and find them all.

Speaking of which, I could have sworn that I read/heard somewhere in the MoE2 that the Collectors were formerly kett, which I thought was very intriguing when I encountered them for WHAT I THOUGHT was the second time, but now I can’t find confirmation of that anywhere?  Am I losing it?

The writing was OK.  It’s no PoE, but I don’t take exception to it the way some did.  You think you can do better?  Go start working on some mods.

Many of the companions felt like pale imitations of former team members; Cora < Miranda; Peebee < Liara; Drak < Wrex; etc.  Although Liam > Jacob.

Reyes has a weird head.  THERE, I SAID IT.

I prefer SAM to EDI.

OK, but wouldn’t it have been daring if they had just gone ahead and killed off Ryder 1 after the Archon severed their SAM connection, and forced you to suddenly take up the reins as Ryder 2?  I’m not sure how it would have felt, but it certainly would have gotten my attention, which is more than I can say for many other parts of the game.

Despite the four “types” of reactions--casual/humorous, professional, emotional, or analytical--the biggest choice player choice seems to be, not between good and evil, order and chaos, but rather how complex your daddy issues are.

That said, there were some interesting quests that had you balance transparency with maintaining morale.

“But shouldn’t we do something?” demanded Cassandra.  Not content with waiting for Varric to appear in Skyhold’s great hall, she had tramped up to Varric’s room and plopped herself down across from him, almost causing his ink to spill.  He regarded her warily; last time she had been in his room, it had been with the express intention of “wringing his neck,” and the Seeker was not one to give up on her goals easily.  

Varric sighed.  “What are we supposed to do?  Mash their faces together and yell, ‘NOW KISS’?”

Cassandra looked dubious.  “Do you really think that would work?”

Varric rolled his eyes.  “Of course not.  You can’t interfere with these things.  At least, not successfully.  This is something they’re going to have to figure out on their own.”

“But this is different.  They still love each other!  Solas needs to stop being so foolish.”

“Hmn.  Have you tried threatening him?”  

“Josephine made me stop.  Not that it was working.”

“I see.  So, having exhausted your one plan, you came to me for advice.”

Cassandra glared at him.  “Which was a mistake, I am now realizing.  I just thought, you have more experience in these matters….”  

“I never thought I’d say this, but I think you’ve been reading too many of my books, Seeker. In real life, not everyone gets a happy ending.”

“I know that,” said Cassandra, shoving her chair back and standing.  “I just thought you would want one for the Inquisitor, of all people.”

“I do,” said Varric.  “I’d give her one if I could, believe me.”

Okay but how is there no Maker/Andraste putzing around in the Fade?  I mean, not the originals obviously, but we’ve been told time & time again how the Fade is shaped by people’s beliefs, so you would think that all the wishes and prayers of thousands of faithful would have created de novo and sustained at least one new Maker, if not more.