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Squad Goals — A Mass Effect Podcast
Squad Goals — A Mass Effect Podcast episodes
- #37: Dead God Dreams (The Reaper IFF)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to talk about their experiences playing the Mass Effect Legendary Edition! This week, they tackle the mission to breach a reaper corpse and get the IFF needed to safely enter the Omega-4 Relay.After recapping the mission, the guys begin by discussing what death even means to a Reaper, since there was still some activity on the dead one they just encountered. They talk about how the Mass Effect engine was keeping it going. Nick posits that indoctrination emanates from Reaper material, dead or alive. Kura and Chip talk about a planetary entry that mentioned that a high power rail gun killed the Reaper 37 million years ago but also hit a planet. Nick says that he thinks the Reaper was left as a trap as the Reapers should have cleaned it up on one of their galactic sweeps.Then they talk about the horror aesthetic inside the reaper. They talk about the bloody bodies and terror of indoctrination. Chip wonders about the scientists not leaving. Kura asks about the origin of the exploding husks.Next, they discuss the geth sniper that appears. They talk about the value of getting Legion earlier in your playthrough at the expense of saving the crew later. This leads to a discussion about multiple playthroughs and save editors. They also mention that the ME:LE is now on Gamepass.Nick compares the screens at the terminals to his Amazon Echo. He also compares the relationship between people and Reapers to bacteria or microbes and people. Husks are like white blood cells. They then talk about the final fight against the ME core, with husks attacking from two sides. They conclude discussing the mission by talking about Shepard jumping to the Normandy.Next, they discuss how they handled recovering the Geth sniper’s body, and whether they woke it up. They talk about Legion’s speech. They weigh the options of Jacob’s “space it!” plan versus the Illusive Man’s offer to pay cash.They talk about how EDI will be busy for two missions with the AI core.They wake up Legion and talk about the difference between Heretic and Good geth. There is a virus that is making the Geth worship the Reapers and Nick speculates that is just their form of indoctrination.Lastly, they talk about a mission in the Hourglass Nebula to save some Cargo from three heavy mechs.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/306
Hosts:
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
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/discord59 min - #36: Lawnmower Rain Man (On Project Overlord)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to continue talking about their playthrough of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition! This week, they talk about their experience playing the Project Overlord DLC. First, they recap the story. Then, Kura mentions the World War II connections between the names Overlord and Normandy. Chip talks about how the mission affects your War Resources for Mass Effect 3. They talk about why you should do this after Firewalker, as it assumes you are familiar with the Hammerhead. Kura didn’t care for the directional arrow that was supposed to help while traveling around.They talk about the horror elements of the game, including the weird AI screams and the eyes that track Shepard. They talk about how David and Gavin both have VI in their names. Nick goes into the Greek mythology behind he station names. They go over the mission at the Prometheus station and how the Geth are visible on your journey in so you know what you’ll have to face on the way back. Chip talks about how the concept of David being trapped in the machine is similar to Lawnmower Man. They consider the torture David was put through by his brother, and they evaluate how they handled David’s fate. They also talk about how when Shepard interacts with the VI, it is like the Matrix. The conclude by evaluating the value of the DLC.Next, they talk about the Infected Mech questline, which Chip appreciated for the opportunity to endlessly kill mechs. They also talk about Robot Indoctrination.They also talk about the MSV Estevanico mission and how Shepard should not be out on such a hazardous mission.Finally, they talk about the Reaper indoctrination mining colony mission, and how it just leads to Shepard fighting more husks.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/2zl
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 - #35: Fire Walk with MeNick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to continue discussing their playthroughs of Mass Effect 2. However, they are moving on from the loyalty missions for an interlude to talk about the Firewalker DLC and some gang-related side quests.They begin by discussing the order of the Project Overlord and Firewalker DLC, and how Firewalker should be done first even though they can be done in any order. They also talk about the value of the DLC and discuss the role of vehicles in Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. They also get into a side tangent about graphics in games from 2007 to 2012.Finally, they dive into the Firewalker content. They review each of the missions and talk about the data collection mechanic. They also discuss the platforming mini-game of driving the Hammerhead. They talk about how the Hammerhead is intended to handle in cold weather, and review the backstory of the questline featuring Doctors Cayce and O’Loy.Next, they talk about the Blook Pack questline. They review the quest to track some beacons through the fog. They talk about the Klixen and the dragon-like beast that accompanies them but never fights Shepard. They talk about the mission to scale a cliff face and take out a Blood Pack base. They talk about the backstory between Salamul and Kalusk, two of the Krogan mini-bosses for these missions, and their relationship to Garm, the Blood Pack leader Shepard defeats in the Archangel recruitment mission on Omega.Lastly, they review the Blue Suns questline. This starts with finding an Exogeni base that the Blue Suns have overrun. They talk about Vido Santiago’s involvement (after encountering him on Zaeed’s loyalty mission.) The questline takes Shepard to the MSV Strontium Mule, and the guys talk about the layout of the ship and navigating it during a fight. Finally, they track down a false Blue Suns distress signal and disable it.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/2zd
Hosts:
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Chip Locke
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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 10 min - #35: Vengeance and Grief: On Zaeed and KasumiNick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to continue talking about their experiences playing Mass Effect 2 in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week, they continue looking at the loyalty missions as this week the characters in the spotlight are Zaeed and Kasumi.First, they talk about Zaeed’s mission. They discuss Zaeed’s secret: that he founded the Blue Suns. Kura mentions that he did the mission too early once and didn’t have the Paragon points to calm Zaeed down. They consider Vito’s fate when his ship is shot down. They talk about how the fire is a symbol of Zaeed’s rage, and his need for vengeance against Vito is the source of his anger. Kura calls Zaeed a human Krogan. They compare Zaeed’s mission to Jack’s mission. They talk about how you can leave Zaeed to die and speculate on his age. Nick wonders how much of the Blue Suns are left after Mass Effect 2. They mention that Zaeed should have told Shepard about the vengeance part of the mission first. They talk about pyjaks and the difficulty of the final fight.Next, they talk about Kasumi’s mission. Her fight itsn’t too difficult, but they still value waiting to do her mission as you can hear more gossip that reflects Shepard’s exploits. They review the items that Hock has in his vault. They consider Shepard’s alias, Gunn. They try to figure out Hock’s accent. They discuss Kasumi’s personality in the mission and reflect on the inability to romance her. They talk about Keiji’s greybox, and the morality of the decision to let Kasumi keep it or not.Finally, they talk about two side quests. There is the quest to search the ruins of a downed Quarian ship for a lone survivor. Then, they talk about the quest to shut down a missile from hitting either a population center or a military target.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/2yz
Hosts:
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Chip Locke
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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 4 min - #33: Tuchanka Too Furious (on Mordin and Grunt)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to talk about their experiences playing the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week, they continue their journey through the loyalty missions in Mass Effect 2, visiting Tuchanka, home of the Krogan, where Mordin and Grunt have unfinished business.But first they give their initial impressions of Tuchanka and talk about some of the characters that can be found there. They talk about how (non)-welcoming the Krogan are, and how Grunt is ill-received by them. There is one Krogan who can be overheard saying that he might be a dad, and this leads to a discussion about the lack of children in Mass Effect. They also talk about the two Krogran who are always chatting about beating up the other races. Kurabara points out that the Krogan love how run down their planet is. Next, they talk about Wrex’s arc, as he is still alive and leading the Urdnot clan in everyone’s games. They also examine the Varren pit and its accompanying mini-game. They talk about the Pyjak in the science lab, as well as the pyjak shooting mini-game. They discuss the evolution of Krogan society and how its likely that most of the non-warrior Krogan were killed when the bombs went off. They also mention the return of Charr, the Krogan poet from Illium.Next, they discuss Mordin’s loyalty mission, as he searches out his student Maelon. They talk about how rapidly Mordin processes grief and how that may lead to him not fully processing it. They talk about what Krogan society could look like without the Genophage. This leads to a discussion about uplifting races and the Reapers’ motives. They talk about Maelon’s fate and how Mordin claims he is not a killer (except that we’ve seen him kill.) Nick also mentions one of his favorite moments in the game: when he gets to blow up the Weyrlock speaker. They also talk about Mordin’s love of musicals.Finally, they review Grunt’s mission. They all claim to have killed the Thresher Maw, and wonder about how the keystone was able to summon the specific beasts in the proper order. Kura mentions the breeding requests for Grunt and Shepard. They talk about headbutting Uvenk, and discuss the villain further. They also talk about Shaman and how unique he is.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/2yk
Hosts:
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBH
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 6 min - #32: Law & Order: Citadel (On Thane and Garrus)Nick, Chip, and Kura are back to talk about the Mass Effect 2 loyalty missions. This week, they talk about the Thane and Garrus loyalty missions on the Citadel. But first they talk about some of the other goings on there.They begin by discussing the Salarian game salesman and how he is a parody of Gamestop. Kurabara mentions a good deal he once got at Gamestop and they discuss our evolution of gaming habits and how that should project into 2184. Nick and Chip shill for Xbox Gamepass. They move on to talking about Khaleesa Al-Jilani and when its best to punch her. They also talk about gotcha journalism. The follow up on the two Krogans who want a fish from the Presidium.Next, they talk about Thane’s loyalty mission. They talk about how Thane is responsible for Kolyat’s situation. They mention Bailey’s connection to Thane as they are both struggling fathers. Chip revels in Bailey’s first name being Armando. They talk about Mouse and what his existence suggests about life on the Citadel for the underclass. Chip asks for an Arkham-style game set on the Citadel. They talk about the potential of Bailey working for Cerberus. They also discuss how Bailey praises Thane’s prior work without knowing it. Nick speculates that Kolyat could join C-Sec. They talk about the corrupt politician Jorim Talid, and their thoughts on the mission to track him from the rafters. Nick asks about how they dealt with the kid in the rafters. They return to talking about Mouse and the Shepard VI. They conclude by talking about the efficacy of Thane’s loyalty mission.Then they talk about Garrus’ loyalty mission and how this is also the return of Harkin. They agree that he does not deserve the name Fade. Nick talks about mistaking Harkin for Bailey initially. Chip shares that he let Fade die, while Kura did not. They talk about the decision for Garrus to kill Sidonis or not. Kura mentions that Sidonis is wracked with guilt. They talk about the Illiusive Man and how he’s thriving in the wake of Shepard’s actions. They talk about Garrus’ reaction to Sidonis and also Garrus’ thoughts on the mission.Finally, they talk about an Asari that is stuck in C-Sec on a no fly list, and how Shepard can help with some forged documents.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/2yd
Hosts:
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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 4 min - #31: Tough Love (On Samara and Jack)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to continue talking about the loyalty missions in Mass Effect 2. This week, they discuss Samara and Jack. They begin by talking about the strength of the characters biotics, and Kura talks about an achievement you can get by using Miranda and Jacob’s biotics together.As Samara’s loyalty mission brings Shepard back to Omega, the guys talk about some of the missions that are now available upon your second visit. They talk about Ish and Sel, two Salarians who ask Shepard to retrieve some packages. After discussing how odd the quest is, they realize that the quest is bugged and talk about its proper completion. Next, they talk about some odd dialog with Captain Gavorn about the Vorcha, although it is not clear if there is an associated quest. They also talk about the Patriarch questline which has Shepard talking to an old Krogan and learning about Aria’s history on Omega.After reviewing the Samara loyalty mission, the guys all admit that they chose to stick with Samara instead of choosing Morinth. Kura comments how choosing Morinth can let Shepard romance her which leads to Morinth killing Shepard. They talk about how tragic Samara’s backstory is, and Kura talks about how tragic the story of the girl Morinth killed is. They also talk about the mechanic of having to get Morinth’s attention at the bar while not getting kicked out. They discuss the lack of combat in the mission. Nick appreciates the way the final dialog with Morinth plays out by using your paragon/renegade options. They also talk about attempting to romance Samara.Finally, they talk about the Jack loyalty mission. Nick brings up the explosion that Jack triggered and talks about its magnitude. Then, Nick wonders just how effective Jack’s return to the Cerberus facility was for her. They talk about Jack’s feeling towards Cerberus and Chip admits he brought Miranda on the mission. Nick says Jack needs some empathy. Nick wonders if Jack or Miranda are more high maintenance. They talk about Jack as a representation of abuse.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/2xy
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 11 min - #30: All the Best Cerberus Agents Have Daddy IssuesNick, Chip, and Kurabara are back and ready this week to begin talking about the loyalty missions! This week, they focus on Miranda’s and Jacob’s missions. Nick mentions that he was about to do Miranda’s loyalty mission on Illium when the Illusive Man rudely sent him to check out a “derelict” Collector vessel. First, they give a brief overview of the loyalty missions. Then, they jump into some of the new quests available on your second trip to Illium.On Illium, Shepard encounters a Quarian struggling with the concept of indentured servitude with the Sirta Foundation. They discuss how Illium allows for legal slavery. Kura mentions that he would have welcomed another quarrian onto the Normandy. Kura talks about how she gambled her way into her servitude situation. This leads to a discussion of Quarian gambling and an attempt to understand Quarian poker. Chip compares the Quarian to Draenai from Warcraft, which is logical since both are based off Eastern European culture.Next, they get into Miranda’s mission. After reviewing the mission, they talk about Niket’s betrayal and how much of a surprise that was. They wonder why Miranda didn’t just bring in a trusted Cerberus agent to help her, but Chip points out that Miranda has trust issues. Kura brings up that Enyala, the Eclipse mercenary, is terrible. Chip talks about how he let Miranda kill Niket while Kura did not. They talk about how Miranda struggles with her self-image and is cold to everyone as a result. Kura and Chip struggle with Niket’s motivations. They all agreed that Miranda needed to talk to her sister after the mission. Nick appreciates the Jack-Miranda rivalry. They finish up discussing the mission by talking about an asari trinket that is discovered on the mission.Finally, they discuss Jacob’s loyalty mission to track down the crew of the Hugo Gernsback. They review the mission and then Nick talks about Jacob’s cynicism. Kura talks about the dawning realization of what is going on with the crew. Chip mentions how easy it is to skip checking out the ship itself and getting additional background information. Kura compares the events to what we’ve recently been learning about some developer corporate cultures. Chip brings up the absurdity of Jacob’s father surviving ten years on rations. They wonder about why there are no children on the planet after ten years, and also wonder if cannibalism occurred. They talk about the different outcomes for Ronald given Shepard’s paragon and renegade choices. Kura points out the meaning of the name Hugo Gernsback.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/2xk
Hosts:
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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 8 min - #29: The Collector Ship is Being FilledNick, Chip, and Kurabara are back this week to talk about their encounter with the Collectors aboard the Collector Ship, and all the surprising reveals they learned along the way. First, Nick complains that five missions after Horizon, you HAVE to meet with the Illusive Man whether you want to or not, and talks about how he was in the middle of doing missions on Illium when he got pulled away for this mandatory meeting.Then, after recapping the mission, the guys get into discussing the nature of the Collectors. Then they talk about how obvious it was that this should was a trap. Kura asks about the construction of the ship which Nick compares to a mudwasp structure. Chip compares the Collectors to the Keepers given their buglike nature.Then they get into the fact that the Collectors are effectively husk Protheans, having been genetically modified by the Reapers through the ages since the Prothean extinction. The guys try to parse out how the Collectors evolved from the Protheans yet the Collector ship matches neither Reaper technology nor the Prothean architecture from Mass Effect 1.Kura brings up the creepy nature of the pods in the ship and compares It to a horror movie. This transitions into Nick asking if Bioware has an M. Night Shamyalan problem by comparing the twists from each of the various games and how the big twist in each game seems to be less impactful as they progress.They talk about the history of the Collector Ship, having blown up the first Normandy and then been chased off of Horizon. Kura asks about the size of the ship given it was supposed to be able to abduct the population of Earth. The squad tries to do some math to figure out how big the ship needs to be to abduct everyone. This leads to the theory that the Collectors would have to liquefy several of their victims to reduce storage space.They also talk about the betrayal by the Illusive Man, that he knew it was sending Shepard into a trap.Chip brings up the weapon specialization skill that becomes available after the mission.They then talk about the next mission, which is to get a Reaper IFF from a derelict reaper.Finally, they talk about two side quests. First is the one to get some encrypted data from Eclipse mercs, and then Shepard has to solve a puzzle.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/2xf
Hosts:
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Chip Locke
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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 1 min - #28: Reunions (On Liara and Tali)Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to talk about their ongoing experiences in Mass Effect 2 as they play through the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week, they finish up their stay of Illium (for now) by finally heading up the stairs and into Liara's office. But first they talk about how Liara is threatening to kill someone when you meet her. Then they wonder if the color of the Asari is based on their genetic heritage. Nick then talks about how nice it is for Liara to greet Shepard warmly as opposed to other members of the Normandy who treated Shepard with some coldness.They talk about some of the quests that Liara sends you on, including the quest where you learn that Liara's secretary is planning to kill her. That leads to a discussion of whether the Asari are the most duplicitous race in the galaxy. They also talk about how much more mature Liara is dealing with Shepard this time.Kurabara brings up that the stocks for the Dantius corporation went up after Thane killed Nassana on a prior mission. They also talk about the encounter with Charr, the Krogan poet who is trying to woo an asari who seems to like him but is questioning whether she should stay with him. This leads to a discussion about Krogran relationship considerations with respect to the Genophage.Finally, they head to Haestrom to meet Tali. Nick talks about how Kal'reegar got him to go Paragon on his playthrough. Then they talk about the radiation mechanic that requires players to hide in the shade or suffer constant damage to their shields. Nick talks about how Tali is glad to see Shepard and they tease her feelings for them. Kura brings up the Dark Energy subplot that pops up at points in Mass Effect 2. They also revisit Tali's rebuff at the beginning of the game.Nick also brings up that Kelly Chambers will tell male Shepards that Tali has a crush on you. Kura also brings up the fact that this is one of the few missions that involve Geth. Nick talks about the level design, and they also talk about the drones that Shepard encounters. They also talk about Jacob's hostility towards Tali once she joins the crew. This leads to a discussion of Jacob's role on the crew and his intended purpose, and how Mass Effect was developed with a straight, male eye.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/2x9
Hosts:
Chip Locke
Cory Treadway
twitter.com/kurabaras
Nick Zielenkievicz
twitter.com/WookieeBHThank 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
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.