Mass Effect and Days Off

W00t! I'm happy to report that after a couple months of casually playing on and off, I've beaten Mass Effect on PC! I bought it back in September, and I scared my roommate when I cursed loudly while trying to install the game. The SecuROM DRM prevented me from launching the game until I could activate with the internet. It wasn't until a month later that I actually got personal internet and was able to start playing. (Does EA really expect me to have an internet connection in the middle of the desert?) I'll also say that it's a system hog; my new laptop, built specifically to play modern games decently, is barely able to handle the game.

Having voiced those gripes, I'm very happy with the game. It's an original IP and storyline, and the backstory and plot are excellent! I was drawn into a galaxy of interesting alien races, clashing politics, and intense combat. Commander Shepard is a great lead character. The plot forces the player to make some tough decisions, something I haven't seen in a lot of recent games. Sure, there are the Good vs. Evil choices that only affect the side plots, but then there are harder decisions, beyond Good and Evil, that actually affect how the main game plays. It's more than what I've come to expect from BioWare RPGs. Just brilliant.

I finished the last bit of the game most of yesterday. While Sgt. Rhino has been on leave, Sgt. Antonio decided to flex his new sergeant stripes and implement one day off per week. Yesterday was my second day off since... getting to Iraq, really. Our fearless leader has been less stringent about people taking reset days, and many sections have taken advantage of the new policy. All I can say is, hallelujah!

Things are still relatively quiet. We've completed a couple of projects, and we're enjoying the time away from Sgt. Rhino. He's a great leader, but he does like things done his way, to the letter. It's a little easier to work without being micromanaged. Spc. Bonita is still with us, but we're starting to understand why she had personality issues at her home unit. She tends to be controlling, and a bit bi-polar. Still, she's friendly and outgoing, and she didn't deserve the treatment she was supposedly getting at her own unit. She'll be re-integrating with them soon, as they're scheduled to leave in a few months. I don't know what she'll do when she gets back home, but she'll be out of our workplace, and perhaps we'll have a little less drama.