Mass Effecta Trifecta

As the rest of the world awaits the arrival of Mass Effect 3 with bated breath, I however am not. It's not because my attention has been directed elsewhere over the past few weeks but really I'm trying hard not to get excited. Because if experience taught me anything, getting excited over something will mean, more often than not, the end result won't be worth the effort. Besides, going into a new game not knowing what to expect makes for a completely different, not to mention rewarding gaming experience.

In this Internet age where everything can be found easily, spoilers run rampant and nothing can be kept secret, I'm still surprised by how the Mass Effect series managed to slip past my radar. In 2007, ME1 was released an became a big hit - whereas I was busy with my PS2 and wasn't really paying attention to the Xbox camp. Then ME2 came along, by which I had spent some time playing the Xbox, but I somehow never noticed. It was only through watching a friend play ME2 that I got hooked line and sinker. I did get there in the end but it's so bizarre that ME was a huge hit and I slept through the whole thing.

Having said that this time I ma aware of ME3 but I'm not excited. Firstly I've heard ME 1+2 being compared to Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back respectively - saying that seems to tempt fate in the third installment being........not as good.
Secondly, there's the reduced cast: Some people hated the larger cast of party members in ME2 but I didn't: I thought there were all well written, via the loyalty missions, and certainly added colour. But Bioware have since admitted that they may have backed themselves into a corner: By increasing the stakes in ME2 - permanent party character deaths! Shepard may die! - they didn't think of the possibility that each character could be saved (I know I did). Thus there is the possibility that any returning characters would be reduced to cameo status. I mean, does anyone want to see a fav character from ME2 enter, greet Shepard, talk about a new job, reminisce and then disappear forever? Of course not. I know Bioware have benefited from some great writing in the past so seeing such a move would be sloppy on their part.
Thirdly, I'm still not sure how I managed to escape finding out stuff about ME when spoilers are only but a mouse click away. But if it's because I put the effort in, then there's no reason to stop.
Finally, a personal experience: I was excited by Dragon Age 2- so much so I put my name down for an advance order. It cost me $109 but I didn't care: I loved the original so it must be worth it right? Well the game arrived and......... well I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. In any case that story made me more cautious and wiser about sending money on gaming not getting sucked into the hype machine. Funny how this was inspired by a ME stablemate....

I suppose I will get around to playing Mass Effect 3 eventually - hopefully by then the price will drop and a special edition will come out. But I'm a patient man - I mean it took me twelve/thirteen years for me to have a cartridge of Super Metroid I could call my own....