So, after an unfortunate turn of events tonight, I’m ending up playing Mass Effect instead of Army of Two. I’m not one to complain, and decided to take full advantage of this opportunity. Wednesday night, as I was playing my Insanity playthrough of the game, I was updating followers via my Twitter. Our owner and Master Chief, Devin (aka DaKing240), suggested I do a live blogging of my adventures in Mass Effect. So as I embark on my first live blogging experience, please bear with me as I’m still a ‘n00b’ at this. Here we go! To read the whole live blogging, hit Read More.

I finished up dinner, and was getting ready to go to my local electronics store, pick up a copy of Army of Two, and then go pick up my girlfriend from work. It was snowing quite hard, but I gave myself almost precisely the right amount of time to get everywhere. After all the planning, just as I’m leaving, my brother asks me to drive him to the gym. Seeing as I don’t want to burden my mother with the task of driving, I decided to go. About 20 crappy drivers later, I drop him off, only to realize my time to go get the game has been wasted. So, I just head south and pick up my girlfriend from work.

On the way up, we wasted some time deciding where to go first: EB, Best Buy, Future Shop (aka Best Buy 2) or pick up some bubble tea. We got to the bubble tea place, only for her to recommend we go to EB first. So we do, and I get there at about 9:02 PM, and they still have a customer in the store, but the door is locked. I knock, and they open the door only for one representative to ask the cashier there if the systems are still up. WHILE serving the other customer (who was NOT paying cash), the cashier calmly says “No, they’re down for the night.” That really annoyed me, and I’ve vowed not to go back again, unless in an extreme situation. 4 hours later, I’m sitting here in front of my 360, with a full stomach, relaxed and ready to game ‘n’ blog.

The Catchup (NO, not ketchup.)

Let me just get you caught up on my Mass Effect experiences: so far they’re amazing, and after 3 playthroughs (each on their own difficulty), I’m still finding this game really, really fun. However, for this next playthrough, I’ve created Jennifer ‘Garner’ Shepard with the help of the Mass Effect forums. I did try some of the other configurations people had posted, but this one seemed to look the best. I made some minor modifications to the character to make them seem more similar to me, but that was all. Since then I’ve done only the things in the Mass Effect Wikia Party Member Guide to get to Liara. For this playthrough I want to get the following achievements: Assault Rifle Expert, Sniper Expert, Quarian Ally, and Asari Ally. I’ve just finished the mission on Therum to get Liara and am on the Normandy. I haven’t picked up even one side mission (assignment) so as to have as many for Liara as possible. So now I can start.

Mass Effect Live Live Blogging: Part 1

1:24 AM Game loaded: Jennifer Shepard is a Level 14 Soldier focusing on Assault Rifles and Sniper Rifles. Enjoy!

1:26 AM Headed to the Citadel. Got a message from Nassana Dantius. Will visit her surely.

1:27 AM Just got an invite from Nikitaras to come play COD4. Sorry, not now bro.

1:28 AM On the Citadel. Tali and Liara are my weapons of choice.

1:29 AM Rear Admiral Mikhailovich greets me outside my ship.

1:31 AM He wants to inspect my ship. Screw you buddy. I’m a Spectre. YES. I just contradicted you. And I just told him to basically get out of my way.

1:33 AM Just paused the game. It seems I haven’t allocated Liara’s points yet… Doing that now. Tali is going to be my Decryption and Electronics specialist. Done at 1:34 AM.

1:36 AM Letting people know via Twitter!

1:38 AM Khalisah Al-Jilani, the reporter is asking me for an interview. Time to have fun. I’ll take them diplomatically. How does it feel to be the first Human Spectre? I’m Honoured. Has the Citadel asked you to place their needs before Earth’s ever? It’s not like that. We’re part of the community. The Normandy, would you like to say something about it? She’s a fine ship. Details are classified. Do you think it’s fair to hand over humanity’s best ship over to the Citadel? Time to shut you up! *Knocks her in the face* Oh I know I’m going to hear about this from my superiors! Convo over @ 1:42.

1:43 AM Off to see the Doc… Replenished Medigel, back to C-Sec because I saw I have enough money to get a Spectre Assault Rifle.

1:47 AM Grrr. Thought wrong. Spectre Assault Rifle 7 costs 250,000. I only have 8,720. Off to the Citadel Tower to get the Keepers assignment.

1:50 AM Talking to Chorban. Sure I’ll do your quest…

1:52 AM Chatting it up with Kahoku. Yes I’ll find your team for you…

1:55 AM 4 Keepers scanned in the Citadel Tower, talking to Garoth now. Of course I’ll look for your brother… Off to C-Sec for some more keepers and assignments!

2:02 AM 2 more Keepers scanned in C-Sec, found out about Helena Blake, and currently talking to Jahleed about Chorban. Yes, I’ll talk to Chorban about trying to kill you… Off to see Chorban.

2:04 AM have to go through the Med Clinic Rapid Transit because I haven’t been to the markets yet. Stopping by to see how the Doc is doing. Great, she’s in shit again. Okay, I can clean up your mess if it involves shooting people. Nice, 2 assignments in the lower markets. FTW!

2:08 AM Met Conrad Verner on the way to the Lower Markets. Gave him my autograph. What a creep.

2:10 AM Chatting with Chorban.

2:12 AM Turns out Chorban isn’t trying to kill Jahleed. Time to go see Jahleed again after I’m done killing the Doc’s aggressors.

2:14 AM Found out they were just blackmailing the Doc, killed the blackmailer. Morlan is still alive. Going back to the Doc, then Jahleed.

2:24 AM Talked to the Doc. She’s safe now. Found out about Banes, was told I should see Anderson about him… Found and scanned the last keeper in the Upper Wards. Met Finch, the Earthborn-specific assignment. He said to go to Chora’s Den. I’ll do that because it’s closer than Jahleed. Off to there.

2:28 AM Apparently the Turian Guard didn’t want to give up the prisoner. Sure. Now the Earth-born thinks I ratted him out and he wants 500 credits to keep my past quiet. Pay or shoot? Shoot. You’re done. Leveled up from that. HA!

2:30 AM Everyone upgraded due to the level up. Tali’s Electronics is full. Saved the game.

2:31 AM Off to see Jahleed @ C-Sec.

2:35 AM Talking to Jahleed. Not impressed with the trouble he’s caused. Glad they’re a happy couple now. Back to Chora’s Den to pick up that optical disc I was advised before not to pick up.

2:41 AM Upgrade to a Reaper 2 sniper I just picked up. Forced the Reporter’s Request assignment by getting the storage disc. Off to the Citadel Tower. Game saved.

2:44 AM Just realised that the assignment originates at the Citadel Tower but is continued in the Upper Wards.

2:45 AM Talking with Emily Wong, she wants the disc I found in Fist’s office. Handed them over to her. I get money for it. w00t!

2:47 AM Talking to officer Lang. He’s not important, ever. But there is a Keeper beside him… Scanned. Off to Flux to get my groove on.

2:50 AM Rita asked me to get Jenna out of Chora’s Den. Will do. Also, I’ll investigate this suspicious gaming machine signal… 1 Keeper scanned. Off to Chora’s Den.

2:53 AM Talked to Jenna. Bumped into Chellick on the way out of Chora’s Den who said to see them in the C-Sec Academy. Off to there we go!

2:55 AM At the C-Sec Academy, talking to Chellick about Rita.

2:56 AM Sure I’ll help you Chellick! Awesome, it involves killing more people! Yay! Off to the Lower Markets!

2:58 AM My eyelids are getting heavy. Gonna kill these dudes, save and hit the hay.

3:01 AM Dealing with Jax. “You’re under arrest.” Gunfight ensues; everyone is dead that should be. Off to see Chellick again to finish the mission.

3:03 AM Chellick is going to get Jenna out. Nice big payout for the mission and I get a new level.

3:04 AM Upgrading everyone. I’m maxed out for my sniper but still need one more level. Liara just got Advanced Singularity after a double upgrade to it. Tali is maxed for Decryption now too, and will be working on First Aid next. Game saved.

3:07 AM We’re all done here folks!

Wow, that was a pretty regular session. Actually, that was probably one of the shorter sessions I’ve had with Mass Effect.

On Sunday night, I’ll probably take my Level 60 Vanguard “Caroline,” start a Normal game and get it to the same place I got here, so I can travel in the galaxy.  However, I won’t live blog that because it’ll be as quick a sweep through that part to get myself set up for Monday.  As you know on Monday, the Mass Effect Bringing Down the Sky DLC is set to release at 2am PST (5am EST).  I’ll definitely be live blogging my playthrough of the DLC on Monday night, and I won’t put down my controller until I’m done it. Well, only to live blog it. You can also expect a review of the DLC midweek, as soon as I, or one of the other writers is done with their playthrough of it.

Please join me again on Monday night for a Live Blogging of the Mass Effect Bringing Down the Sky DLC!   Thanks all for reading, and please leave me some comments on how to improve!