User blog comment:The Milkman/Mass Effect in Retrospect/@comment-4950455-20130417203249/@comment-4237253-20130419185718

So I can't think of an example, thus it's impossible? It doesn't matter if it's impossible. It's still bad. What would be wrong with choosing a certain path for your character, like you do with your love interest? Static characters are just boring. You can make excuses and apologise for the game if you want, but Shepard will never be an interesting or well-written character.

I mean, look. You're right. You can't have complete freedom and an interesting character. However, they can give the player choice and still define the character and give them an arc. You just have to make a compromise. I'm not saying avatars like Shepard should go away. This isn't like Gordon Freeman, who's not a character at all. I'm more willing to forgive a lack of character development if it serves some other purpose. Here, it does; we get a degree of freedom. However, Shepard simply isn't a well-written or interesting character. That's the trade-off.