The upcoming Mass Effect Legendary Edition will give a new generation of gamers the opportunity to play the beloved trilogy in its entirety in one tight package. The Mass Effect trilogy is not only renowned as some of the best role-playing games in video game history, but it is also regarded highly as one of the best science-fiction franchises ever. Contributing to the experience is the versatility protagonist Commander Shepard, whose gender, background, abilities and personality are all up to the player, alongside various dialogue choices that can change the narrative.
While Shepard is consistently a heroic figure, the Paragon/Renegade morality system provides numerous options as to how Shepard can approach a situation, with Paragon options often being compassionate and peaceful and Renegade options being aggressive and ruthless. Mass Effect 2 introduced the Interrupt system, which allowed the player to perform a quick-time decision in cutscenes that contribute to Paragon or Renegade options. Since Renegade Interrupts are usually the most fun and satisfying, here are the most memorable Interrupts in the trilogy.
5. Punching a Rude Journalist -- Three Times
Throughout the games, Shepard may be ambushed by a nosy human reporter, Khalisah al-Jilani, whose interview questions in the first game become increasingly hostile and overly personal. Every game offers the player the choice to punch her in the face, but it was Mass Effect 2 that made it into an Interrupt, with the illusion of it being an in-game attack making it all the more satisfying. This recurring encounter gets a twist in Mass Effect 3, where Khalisah may actually try to fight back, but poorly.
4. Punching a Xenophobic Admiral and Kicking Him Out
The Quarian Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema first appears in Mass Effect 2 as part of Tali's loyalty mission, appearing first as an ally who defends Tali's innocence and her father's honoe. However, this compassion is a mask for Han'Gerrel's jingoistic war-mongering and blinding hatred of the Geth.
Mass Effect 3 shows that he's willing to let Shepard's party die in an airstrike in a reckless attempt to destroy the Geth flagship. The player has the option to have Shepard punch Han'Gerrel for this offense in a Renegade interrupt, followed by kicking him off the ship.
3. Krogan Headbutt
During Grunt's loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2, the Krogan Uvenk questions Grunt's authenticity as a Krogan and Shepard's legitimacy as a worthy "krannt," or shipmaster. Shepard can prove that they have a "quad" by headbutting Uvenk, a sign of dominance among the deadly tank-like race of warriors. Despite a sore neck, Shepard manages to earn the respect of the Krogan shaman, who graciously accepts Grunt to partake in his Rite of Passage, much to Uvenk's chagrin.
2. Pushing a Dude Out a Window
Thane's recruitment mission in Mass Effect 2 is full of awesome moments, but the scene that takes the cake is probably the interrogation of a lone Eclipse mercenary -- Goomba cannon fodder by this point in the game. Shepard's interrogation is full of James Bond-style one-liners, fully capturing their intimidation and charisma as the Eclipse merc nervously backs away trying to look tough. When the last straw is reached, the merc threatens to contact his buddies to shoot Shepard, stating that he has nothing more to say to the Commander --to which Shepard pushes the poor sap out the window to his doom, finishing with, "how about goodbye?"
1. Killing Kai Leng
Kai Leng is one of the most prominent enemies in Mass Effect 3. He's the personal attack dog of the Illusive Man who always gets in Shepard's way. While the game tries to paint a narrative of him being a Gray Fox-style cyborg ninja and Shepard's rival, most fans see him as a cowardly edge-lord wannabe.
Not helping his case is that Leng commits his most heinous act: killing beloved companion Thane Krios. Finally defeating him during the assault on Cerberus is satisfying enough, but when a wounded Kai Leng is trying to backstab Shepard, the player receives a Renegade Interrupt to counterattack -- a move so awesome that even many Paragon players choose to do so.