I can't make her pretty enough!

I've just finished Mass Effect 3 and felt I had to share some things I noticed about myself. I know no-one cares... but it helps me.

Every time I start an RPG I dread the horrendous experience of character creation. I just can't get my characters to look right. I spend hours tweaking a slider to make the lips slightly bigger, one to make the eyes slightly closer, one to make the nostrils flair just a little bit more. But, inevitably, after all this effort, as soon as the first cinematic starts usually I notice some flaw or imperfection and it's straight back to the creator. Sometimes I have tried to ignore these blemishes but I'm just delaying the inevitable. Eventually I will give in and start again, replaying huge sections of the game.

Attempt two: Didn't like the eyebrows.

It took me so long to get my character right in Mass Effect 2 that I had logged four hours of play time before I had even made it off the Cerberus facility. In Dragon Age 2 I restarted after playing for seven hours because I finally got fed up of the blusher I had given my character, it was fine in the creator, but in the game it was just a little bit too dark.

There are two things I find really, really annoying. The first is a lengthy opening Cinematic, the first time I booted up Mass Effect 3 I was dismayed to find the length of the un-skipable first cut-scene. Don't get me wrong I love the game and the first five minutes are great (when compared to other lacklustre openings, given that Bioware had to compensate for the veteran and new player alike I think they did a good job). The problem with the opening was I knew that I would be watching it at least ten times before I was happy with my Shepard. 

Attempt five: Bit pale and pasty... what? I'm not picky.

The second is that Bioware character creation systems are usually really crap. It's hard not to make an Ugly Shepard. That's not necessarily a problem but I always struggle to make a character that I feel fits the mature strength of Jennifer Hale's voice. I don't mind if they are Ugly, as long as they look human. Instead of being able to craft completely unique looking characters you are forced to tweak preset features. If you are clever and artistic enough you can craft a great Shepard, if you are a bit naff and thick, like me, you end up with a goblin.

Attempt nine: Nearly, shame about the hair colour.

Bethesda got it right. Oblivion is a perfect example. You crafted your character while completing the first section but you were given the chance to make changes if you weren't happy with your creation before being sent out to the wider world. I would save just before this point so I could craft multiple characters and choose the best. It's just a shame you hardly ever see your character in Oblivion. When you are locked into thirty hours watching the same horrendously unnatural angled jaw it helps to have a second chance.

Final attempt (twelve): Really happy, petite but powerful! Think
I've nailed it... wait, is the chin too pointy?

However after many attempts, I am happy with my character for Mass Effect 3. Her chin is a little pointy but I can live with that... I hope.