BioWare prioritizes relationships and choices above all other matters in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. Although some people may correctly classify the Mass Effect series as third-person shooters, they are more consistent with RPGs based on making connections with the characters around them. Navigating interpersonal relationships is a key element, but so is understanding and choosing the political world of the game.
At the end of “Mass Effect 1”, Commander Shepard faced another difficult choice: he needs to determine who should be appointed to the Citidel Council, Anderson, or Udina Committee. In the game, choosing who should be the first human council member is an important moment, but it is difficult to see the long-term consequences of any candidate in the remaining editions of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
Unfortunately, for Commander Shepard, there is no right or wrong choice. Both characters have their own advantages and disadvantages, and each has an impact later in the series. These two characters have a strong sense of presence throughout the game, so once players get to the end of “Mass Effect 1,” they may already know something about people they like. Excluding the personal feelings of each character, both are viable options.
Anderson has a lot of experience on the front lines, so he knows better than anyone on the Council how any decision they make will affect people’s lives every day. However, for this reason, Anderson has little experience in the political field, making him unsuitable for other members. Throughout the game, he showed that he wasn’t afraid of compromise, so his personality earned the favor.
Udina is a professional politician who is on a par with the other members of the board and is able to establish better connections with the members. He already has a wealth of experience on Citidel and have earned the respect of board members, making him more likely to be of use. Udine does not necessarily fall into the Council bureaucracy as much as Anderson because of his history with the other members.
It isn’t until Mass Effect 2 that Shepard’s choice are felt. However, he did everything he could to help Shepard against the Reapers. Udina threw Shepard directly under the bus and made the council ignore the Reaper threat.
Unfortunately, no matter what the player chooses, “Mass Effect 3” will give Udine councilor status, and Anderson will be removed from the board of directors. Although this pick has become a great pick at the end of Mass Effect 1, its broad impact isn’t particularly far-reaching.
