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Squad Goals — A Mass Effect Podcast
Squad Goals — A Mass Effect Podcast episodes
- #76: Strange Bedfellows
Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to talk about their experiences playing Mass Effect Andromeda. This week, they finally get to board the Tempest and meet the full crew.
They talk about getting the Tempest on the Nexus. Nick brings up the first person navigation through the galaxy and how it is unsettling, while Chip appreciates it. They compare the design of the Tempest to the Normandy and complain about the size of the ship. In particular, they discuss the quarters assigned to Ryder as being large. They also mention how the characters migrate around the ship and how the map portrays the different levels.
They start talking about their interactions with the crew by bringing up the message board. They talk about Liam and the saga of his couch. Chip mentions that Liam can be a hothead. They talk about Peebee being direct and get into a discussion about her eyeblack.
Nick gets confused and thinks Kallo sounds vaguely like Seth Green. They talk about Kallo and Suvi playing off each other in the cockpit. They talk about the romances and how some of them progress rapidly in the early game. They discuss how easy it is to accidentally flirt with some of the characters such as Suvi in particular. They talk about her thoughts on religion and science.
Chip talks about feeling bad for Cora. They talk about her biotic powers and her relationship with Alec, and how that affects her relationship with Ryder.
Chip and Kura debate how memorable the characters are. Nick points out that the Tempest has minimal crew. They contrast Lexi with Doctor Chakwas. They mention that people without families are more likely to try to come to Andromeda.
They discuss their interactions with Gil and try to parse his accent. They then wonder about how alien accents work. They talk about Vetra and her relationship with Ryder. Nick complains about the graphics. They are excited you can climb on the Tempest.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Andromeda Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7.mash.gg on Bluesky.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3la
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr 6 min - #75: Nexus Beings
Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to continue talking about their experiences playing through Mass Effect Andromeda. This week, they begin by talking about Habitat 7 and what name it was supposed to have. Then, they discuss the cinematic that introduces the Kett leader. They talk about his appearance with a halo and a cape and what looks like a ghost from Destiny. They then try to rate him as compared to prior Mass Effect villains. They also talk about their interest in Alec Ryder after he interfaced with the alien technology.
Next, they discuss the arrival of the Hyperion on the Nexus. They compare the Nexus to the Citadel and talk about how we are still seeing it being constructed. They talk about how the Hyperion fits into the Nexus and how the entire structure is a feat of engineering.
They then start discussing several of the characters you meet on the Nexus, such as Director Tann, who was just an accountant and is now in charge of the place. They also talk about Addison who is one of the more unlikeable Mass Effect characters. They also talk about Nakmoor Kesh, the Krogan in charge of security, and this leads to a discussion of how the game handwaves away the genophage. They then discuss how the facial graphics don’t seem quite right. They talk about Kandros’ cousin being Nyrene from ME3 and Kura suggests that other such easter eggs will be found.
Next, they discuss the origins of the word Kett, as Kandros simply identifies them as the alien race from Habitat 7 without explaining how we learned that name.
They talk about Tann assigning Ryder to find a Golden World as the situation is getting dire on the Nexus. They talk about meeting privately with SAM to start recovering memories from Alec Ryder.
Finally, they discuss some of the quests on the Nexus, including one to solve a murder and one to find a saboteur. They also talk about Cora being an Asari Commando which confused Nick.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on X.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3l1
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr - #74: Planetside: Habitat 7
Nick, Chip, and Kura are back to continue talking about their experiences playing Mass Effect Andromeda. They begin by Chip resuming his point from last week that Alec Ryder is stupid for rushing to get everyone on the planet. Every decision Alec makes leads to problems on the planet.
Chip does not understand how the long range scanners from the Milky Way could even work. They talk about how the planets are named like Habitat 7. Chip talks about how they scanned these planets 600 years ago when it’s a distance of 600 light years. Kura responds with an explanation that the Geth had the technology for scanning deep space.
Nick points out that the cryo chambers look like cars. They discuss how you can overhear other characters conversations as a way to learn about the world. They complain that sometimes an action can cut off someone’s dialog and the rest of that conversation is simply lost. They consider how everything in Andromeda changed in the 600 years between scanning it and their arrival.
They talk about the reckless decision made by Alec to go planetside so quickly after awakening the team from the pods. They talk about their first impressions of Cora and Liam. They discuss SAM filling role of team AI, like EDI. They talk about the angry robot on the planet. They question the decision by Alec to let SAM interface with the alien triangle computer, and the various risks of letting an AI interact with unknown alien technology.
They talk about the designs of the aliens and how they remind everyone of Destiny. They talk about how the Kett follow the same design principles as the Milky Way characters. They wonder if we’ll ever have a meaningful conversation with the Kett. And wonder if the Kett will be in ME5.
They share their reactions to the arks and compare the arks to the Collector ships. They evaluate the strength of the graphics.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Andromeda Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on X.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3l2
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord48 min - #73: Prologue: Who is the Jenkins?
Nick, Chip, and Kura are back to finally start talking about Mass Effect Andromeda proper. First, they talk about the game having multiplayer and how it is not required like it originally was for Mass Effect III. Chip confirms he is not yet playing with mods. They discuss how the multiplayer can help you get resources, but there is some resource scarcity in the game. They also mention that there is an app you can download to help track your playthrough of the game on your phone. Kura downloaded some shady software on his computer to play it.
After a recap of the introductory tutorial and the first mission, the guys start discussing Andromeda. Nick points out that he was unable to save freely during the priority mission, which was a problem because he needed to stop playing to deal with his kids. They also mention this will affect their ability to savescum, which was probably the point. Nick complains that as a podcaster, he likes being able to quickly go back and see what the other outcomes a decision might have so he can discuss them.
Chip asks Nick if he did everything on Habitat 7 and Nick is unsure. They talk about the chances of going back to Habitat 7 to get all the optional stuff that they may have missed.
They start talking about the system and Kura compares the scanner to the tool in Metroid Prime. Nick complains that the escape key does not put the scanner away. Nick also had some problems adjusting to playing on an Xbox 360 controller. He also complains that they changed the space bar from cover to jump and fly.
They talk about the changes to the dialog options, with the conversation happening through an emotion-based click-wheel. They talk about how this builds a psychological profile of your character.
They mention that the only relevant fact from the prior trilogy was the gender of Shepard. They talk about combat and cloaking, hovering, and grenades. They compare their Ryders.
They compare the new crew to the old cast from the prior Mass Effects. Nick wonders who is the Kaiden and the Ashley, but concludes that Kirkland is the new Jenkins.
They talk about Alec Ryder and Chip complains that he makes stupid decisions. He also complains they should have had spare helmets.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3kz
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord58 min - #72: Welcome to Andromeda!
WELCOME TO ANDROMEDA!!! Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back after quite the hiatus to finally talk about Mass Effect: Andromeda! They begin with Nick admitting that this will be his first playthrough of the game so he will be looking to Chip and Kura to guide him as they go. Chip and Kura admit that its been a while and they do not remember everything that happens.
First, they talk about character creation and how the appearance you choose for your Ryder impacts the appearance of Ryder’s dad. They talk about how they are in a localized area in the Andromeda galaxy and not exploring the whole thing (and speculate that DLC or expansions may have intended to cover that space). There are no Mass Effect Relays, so the game does not feel quite like the original Mass Effects, but there are callbacks and easter eggs to find.
They mention that you should be able to purchase the game on sale or get it through EA Play or Gamepass. They talk about how some of the graphical jank at release affected the game’s reception. Chip mentions that he still liked the game enough to beat it, and on his replay he will try to see how long he can go without using mods. They complain about the inventory but praise the vehicle controls. Chip says the combat may be the best form of Mass Effect combat.
They talk about structural problems for the game, as the main story is loose and there is too much of an open nature, that it is easy to loose the plot. Chip talks about liking all the characters and even when he disliked a character they were still interesting. They compare Ryder as a nepobaby with Shepard as a military superstar and discuss how that affects your reaction to your character. They discuss the crew and the various relationships you can have. They compare the crew members to Garrus and Tali or Kaiden.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Andromeda Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3kp
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord57 min - N7 Day 2023
Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are checking in from their hiatus to talk about the recent N7 about the recent Mass Effect teaser and ARG that Bioware released on November 7th, N7 day.
The guys talk about the countdown leading up to the trailer and how the bits of the trailer were released throughout the day leading up to the assembly of the full trailer at the end. They then recap the trailer and Chip talks about how people had to decode clues to unlock the parts of the trailer. He also points out that the ARG started with a distress signal from Andromeda. Nick wonders if these trailers could be endlessly merchandised without ever requiring a game to come out.
Chip talks briefly about how Bioware had been releasing games early like Anthem and Andromeda. They then wonder about how long its going to take for Mass Effect 5 to be ready. They reference an article about how long it is taking for Bioware to get Dragon Age Dreadwolf out, with that taking precedence before the next ME game. They talk about how long six years can be in video game time, with studios rising and falling and vast changes in hardware to come between now and 2029.
Nick talks about the theory that Liara accidentally got pregnant from Shepard and thus the main character of the next game would be Shepard’s secret asari daughter. Then, they start trying to figure out how the Andromeda distress signal would work reaching the Milky Way Galaxy. Nick talks about the meta-context of a distress signal back to the original trilogy characters after the problems of Andromeda.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals - A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Look for more Squad Goals next year sending distress signals from the Andromeda galaxy!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode URL: mtb.gg/3fg
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord36 min - #71: Emails, Character Tiers, and Farewell for NowNick, Chip, and Kurabara welcome Jarret back to close out this era of Squad Goals. They begin by reading several of the emails they received throughout the series. They talk about talking down the Batarian hostage takers on Omega. They talk about other ways to deal with the Batarian bartender in Afterlife that tries to poison Shepard. They revisit Zaeed’s secret history with the Blue Suns. They further discuss Liara as the Shadow Broker and how sloppy she is at keeping her secret. This leads to a quick tangent about the Mass Effect teaser from November which mentioned Liara’s future in a redacted role, and speculation about what that could be.Next, the guys get into a discussion ranking the various characters of Mass Effect. Of course they start the discussion talking about Kaiden and how Nick warmed up to him while everyone else remained cool. Then they discuss Kelly Chambers and her role in Mass Effect 2, and the importance of taking care of the fish. This leads to a direct comparison between Kaiden and Kelly. Then they wonder which humans would have made good Spectres. Next, they examine Donnelly and his arc through Mass Effect 3, and evaluate his relationship with Daniels. They question the purpose of Morinth as more than just a dark Samara. Then they look at Pressley and Kasumi before getting into a discussion about Diana Allers and her role on the ship. They wonder if a war journalist could properly work on the Normandy.They debate where Jenkins should rank, and then struggle ranking Legion given how little he is actually involved in the game. They rank Ashley, Javik, and get involved in a discussion ranking Garrus, as he is one of the few characters that is useful in every game. They then consider the Garrus-Shepard relationship. They talk about how to rank Joker, Mordin, and Jack before going on about Tali at length.Next, they discuss some of the notable minor characters, with particular emphasis on Captain Bailey and Conrad Verner, of course. Then they rank the villains. They compare Kai Leng and the Shepard clone. They rank the Illusive Man, Harbinger and Sovereign, and the original Shadow Broker. Then they discuss if Leviathan even counts as a character, let alone a villain.Finally, they wrap up the series with a discussion of the future. Could an Andromeda play through be coming?Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter. We may not talk about them in a future episode (or will we?) but we will reply to any feedback we receive.Thank you for listening to Squad Goals - A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! We hope you enjoyed your time traveling the galaxy with us!
Episode URL: mtb.gg/39n
Hosts:
Jarret Redding
bsky.app/profile/jaastradam.us
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Chip LockeThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr 17 min - #70: Looking Back at the TrilogyThis week, Nick, Chip, and Kura are joined by producer and editor Jarret who to look back at the entire Mass Effect Legendary Edition and trilogy. They begin by talking about Jarret’s role in forming the show. Then they talk about how Nick would mispronounce names regularly. Jarret then shares his thoughts on the ME3 finale. They talk about how several sequences in the finale are the same with a different color tint. They talk about how the ending didn’t land right and compare it to other notable finales from games and shows. They discuss how difficult it is to create a satisfying ending. Nick shares some statistics for his playthroughs of the trilogy. They wonder about which ending will be made canon in the next Mass Effect game. Nick wonders how the Geth will fit in since there were two decision points that could have wiped them out. They debate if the next game will kick off another trilogy.Next, they discuss how the game industry evolved during the development of the trilogy, and how that impacted each of the games as they were released. They mention that Mass Effect 5’s development will cost more than any of the prior games. Jarret points out that the community was riled up around ME3’s release since that was around the time of gamergate. Chip mentions that people were upset about Jessica Chobot’s inclusion in the game. They discuss the vocal minority driving the conversation. The consider how Gamestop influenced the series, and argue that Javik should not have been a pre-order bonus or DLC. They remember midnight launches and how digital versions have changed that. They talk about various strategies for getting players not to trade in games like multiplayer passes.They then talk about playing through the MELE knowing how decisions in ME1 would affect ME3 and war assets in particular. They talk about how ME1 suffers in comparison to ME2. They mention the evolution of Bioware’s development around the dice-rolling RPG. They also talk about how television technology changing affected the series.Jarret talks about several of the decisions that affected him. Nick mentions his love for the Citadel DLC. They consider Kaiden, and talk about the evolution of the characters over the course of the trilogy.Thank you for listening to Squad Goals - A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/39g
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Jarret Redding
bsky.app/profile/jaastradam.us
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr 26 min - #69: The End of the EndNick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to finish up talking about their experiences playing through Mass Effect 3 in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week they are finally up to the controversial end of the trilogy.Nick begins by talking about how he didn’t understand how to make the choice – it wasn’t apparent to him that there were three pathways, and he just walked straight ahead into the beam and got the Synthesis ending. Next, they quickly talk about the Failure ending and how Liara’s beacon project is prominent in that ending. They discuss how galactic readiness can affect your choices. Nick wonders is Synthesis is the so-called “best” option. They talk about how Shepard’s relationship with Synthetics, particularly EDI, weigh on them regarding the Destroy option.They talk about the monologues being added at the end. They talk about the original endings to the game. They mention that the Husks show emotion in the Synthesis ending now. Kura discusses how he perceives the endings as he is colorblind. They try to relate the red and blue choices to the Paragon and Renegade decision paths, but observe that they seem backwards.Nick talks about saying farewell to the crew in the London base, and mentions that he missed Kaiden. They discuss the prominences of telephone booths in 2186 London, and talk about old technology in use beyond its time. They evaluate the base and mention how it establishes just how dire the circumstances are.Nick says that the true ending of Mass Effect, for him, is the Citadel DLC party. They talk about the reappearance of Primarch Victus and talk about how Javik should be proud they got so far by virtue of the knowledge gained from the Prothean Beacons. Chip mentions his dissatisfaction with the game starting and ending on Earth. They talk about the Shepard-Garrus friendship. Nick mentions that since he pursued Samara who is not a love interest, in the sequences that would have involved a love interest, he got Javik. Nick wonders about the possibility of EDI evolving into a hostile AI, and wonders if we could tell the difference between a benevolent or malicious AI at this point?They wonder about what happened to everyone who was on the Citadel when it was taken. They talk about the final battle against the Reaper forces and having to shoot the missiles. Nick wonders if the Reaper that hits Shepard at the end is Harbinger. They talk about the Anderson-Shepard-Illusive Man confrontation.Finally, they talk about the Reaper AI appearing as the kid from Shepard’s visions. They wonder if Shepard was indoctrinated. They discuss how the Synthesis option is offered out of nowhere. Finally, they talk about the final scene of the game with the old man and the grandkid recounting the story of the Shepard, and wonder if Shepard was just a myth?Thank you for listening to Squad Goals - A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/38c
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabarasThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr 34 min - #68: Family Ties (on Cerberus HQ)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to talk about their experiences playing through the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week, they are approaching the end of Mass Effect 3 as they head to Cerberus Headquarters to confront the Illusive Man.They talk about how half the map is Reapers as they head to the base. They wonder why Liara, as Shadow Broker, doesn’t know where this is and take more shots at Liara. After recapping the mission, they use notable Martin Sheen roles of late to evaluate the Illusive Man. They also compare the Illusive Man to tech-billionaires like Elon Musk. They talk about the Illusive Man’s desire for humanity to dominate the galaxy, and consider whether he is more fanatic or pragmatic. They react to the revelation that the Cerberus Troops weren’t all volunteers, and debate when the Illusive Man decided to control the Reapers. They mention the Human Proto-Reaper’s heart is just out in the open and wonder just how indoctrinated the Illusive Man and Cerberus were.They then get into the series of console videos that reveal some of the relationships between EDI and Shepard and the Illusive Man. First, they talk about EDI being the AI from the moon in Mass Effect 1 and how EDI’s presence in all three games now aligns more with Shepard. Nick considers EDI and Shepard as siblings, with the Illusive Man in a patriarchal role. Chip points out that going to kill their father is like a Greek tragedy. Then they talk about the Lazarus Protocol and Shepard’s reaction to watching the Illusive Man rebuild them. They take a brief intermission to talk about Shepard trying to apologize to Joker. They then consider the creation of EDI and compare it with the news about Google potentially having created an AI with a soul. They talk about how EDI saves Shepard and team from being ventilated out of the bay into space.They talk about the Kai Leng fight and how underwhelming it was, although it felt good to have him defeated finally. They talk about the final revelations of the mission: that the Citadel is the Catalyst and it is now near Earth in heavily controlled Reaper space. Finally, they go over the last interactions with the crew on the Normandy before deciding to head for the finale on Earth.Thank you for listening to Squad Goals - A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to [email protected] or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Episode URL: mtb.gg/383
Hosts:
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Chip LockeThank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.
Website: https://mashthosebuttons.comDiscord: https://mash.gg/discord1 hr 24 min
About Squad Goals — A Mass Effect Podcast
From the publisher's feed
Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast is a discussion of the story of the Mass Effect trilogy as experienced by three guys playing through the remaster. With each person taking their…
own journey through the game, be it as male or female Shepard, Paragon or Renegade, we look to analyze and dissect our experiences as we go from trailing Saren to combatting a full-on Reaper onslaught. From Citadel to Omega and beyond, join us as we cover the Mass Effect universe.