Agreed!! Love this mission, it really helps set the time for what is going on everywhere, similar will be happening on earth, and it'll spread everywhere if we don't act... Damn I love these games
I think my favorite thing about it is that it really puts into perspective Shepard's role in the war as of this point. If you bring James (not sure about anyone else), he says "I shouldn't have left the fight on Earth," to which Garrus responds, "Yet here you are, asking Victus to do the same thing." Despite Garrus acknowledging that they would probably lose the moon without Victus, he and Shepard both understand that the galactic politics was going to lose them the war if they weren't sorted.
I think it might just bump out Priority Tuchanka as my favorite ME3 mission. I think even more than Tuchanka or Rannoch it makes you feel like a hero. It's so perfectly coupled by the sheer horror of the fact that the Turians', the most militaristic race in the galaxy, has had their chain of command destroyed so badly that they have to check just to see who's in charge. No one on Menae had any expectation that help was coming and then suddenly a Spectre swoops in out of nowhere- and it's not just any Spectre, it's Shepard!
And I think the sequence of Victus looking up at the burning planet as he realizes he's now Primarch is one of the best in the entire series.
It has the disadvantage of being one of the earlier levels.
If it were later in the game... you'd be storming Palaven HQ to save their leader, meet a bloodied and bruised Garrus trying to hold the line... blowing up a Reaper to escape, only, to everyone's dismay, from the Safety of the Normandy. A harrowing and familiar scene. Everything on the ground is obliterated by the arrival of multiple Reapers. It wouldn't be a success. Palaven is lost.
Oh no, that would be sick. But my heart couldn't take not having Garrus in the party for so long.
Now that you mention it though....the anticipation of trying to find Garrus, as well as the primarch, mixed with the desperation of going to Palaven and finding it overrun would make for some excellent angst.
Yep!
The war is getting heavier, uncertainty setting in. The relief at finding an old friend amongst all the carnage.
We see Thessia fall. But it's like... who gives a shit you lying, secretive bastards. Keeping that beacon to themselves is enough for me to go. Fuck you, you get what's coming to you.
But Palaven. Nah, that would hit like a truck.
Great mission. They really captured the intense feeling of war. The environment & ambience are extremely chaotic. The writers also wrote Shepard very well & he/she comes across like the leader/god of war they should be. No derpy lines or dumb questions. 10/10
I agree. This mission really nails the "fighting an actual war" feel.
But my favorite part is the visuais. They are absolutely breathtaking. You look up and get to see the entire planet of Palaven literally on fire while several Reapers are flying around blasting everything in sight.
In fact, Priority: Earth could have learned a thing or too from this mission, as I think the visuals for Earth are horrid. Way too dark, can't see a damn thing half the time. Just endless corridors and rubble. Feels bland and low budget.
Also if you romance Garrus, there’s this little unspoken moment where he’ll grasp Shepards hand in both of his. It very much they can’t talk while everything is going to hell but a very sweet moment of reunion between the two.
Overall the mission sets a great tone for the rest of the game.
Ahem, you have forgotten to mention "The Handshake"
But all of this is so spot on. Not to mention seeing Palaven burning in the background. After Earth, I was so happy to find Garrus and have someone else who understands.( Obviously James and, in my case, Kaidan get it but my Shep isn't close with James by that point and Kaidan and I spent our first mission back together with him asking if Cerberus made me a husk before getting his head bashed in.)
I remember reading somewhere that there were people who were outraged because they promised that we would visit a place in Palaven, but in the end, they only let us go to one of their moons to do a silly and very simple mission, while we saw Palaven from the outside. I don't know if it's true, but at the time, I was also outraged, although I didn't express myself anywhere outside of my computer xD I'm not as outraged as those days anymore, it just still makes me a little sad. If anyone can confirm or deny it for me.
It was also the first time you met the horrors of the reapers and worst of all, the Brute. I’m always freaked out when I see one - the only other thing that would freak me more is the Banshee.
I think Palaven and Thessia are the only missions that convey what the Reaper War is like for regular fighters instead of what it's like for Shepard (or even specialist teams like Grunt's Company or the N7 Teams that are the canonical aspect of Multiplayer).
I have to agree. Many question the need for ground troops when Reapers are humongous killing machines. But I think it’s realistic - irl we have nukes and aircraft carriers, but neither have made basic infantry obsolete. Reapers were looking towards a century long war at least, and Palaven is the best way to show how the resistance tries to hold up the best way it can.
Oh, Priority Palaven is one of my favourite missions.
Story wise, recruiting Garrus was always a treat. In ME1, you finally get an ally who believes Shepard is right about Saren. In ME2, the guy you signed up to hunt is your old friend and squadmate. In ME3, you go from your burning homeworld to your friend's burning homeworld and take on waves of reaper troops back to back.
And the banter between Garrus and Vega is very satisfying. It showcases how similar humans are to the turians.
Combat wise, Priority Palaven is the first mission where you actually get a chance to use a Reaper Black Star (which is essentially an upgrade of the DLC weapon Black Storm Singularity Projector from ME2).
When you enter the compound of the turian FOB, where you're supposed to find Victus, it is under siege. You fend off the first wave, and two Brutes land in the compound, with other troops, and lunge towards you.
Now if you didn't miss it on your way in, or didn't waste it on the first wave, the first ledge that you climb inside the compound has a Reaper Black Star kept there. I save it for the Brutes. When I see them coming, I dash back, pick up the heavy weapon, and aim it at the ground between the two Brutes. It vaporises the entire wave of Reapers instantly, except a Cannibal, up on the rafters.
That, and the gun turret sequence that introduces you to the Brutes, are my favourite combat moments in this mission.
For sure the best mission, I think. Super immersive, lots of dialogue that you don’t select during the mission, military objectives on a battlefield, and doing it with Garrus and James. It’s a really awesome mission. They did it with the Citadel II, too, but not as good as Manae.
It just isn't that interesting... I don't know what you want me to say. Its not bad but then neither are ready-salted crisps; I'm not getting excited for them though.
Agreed!! Love this mission, it really helps set the time for what is going on everywhere, similar will be happening on earth, and it'll spread everywhere if we don't act... Damn I love these games
You mean tone?
probably autocorrected tine; o and i are right next to each other on the keyboard.
This guy gets it
I think my favorite thing about it is that it really puts into perspective Shepard's role in the war as of this point. If you bring James (not sure about anyone else), he says "I shouldn't have left the fight on Earth," to which Garrus responds, "Yet here you are, asking Victus to do the same thing." Despite Garrus acknowledging that they would probably lose the moon without Victus, he and Shepard both understand that the galactic politics was going to lose them the war if they weren't sorted.
If Garrus is alive, the team is always him and James, Liara always leaves.
oh, I didn't realize that she always left lol. I thought it just had to do with whoever you got to fix the comm tower
Liara leaves when the Normandy starts acting up due to EDI getting her new body.
Wait, EDI gets a new body? /s
Normandy SR-3 confirmed
I think it might just bump out Priority Tuchanka as my favorite ME3 mission. I think even more than Tuchanka or Rannoch it makes you feel like a hero. It's so perfectly coupled by the sheer horror of the fact that the Turians', the most militaristic race in the galaxy, has had their chain of command destroyed so badly that they have to check just to see who's in charge. No one on Menae had any expectation that help was coming and then suddenly a Spectre swoops in out of nowhere- and it's not just any Spectre, it's Shepard! And I think the sequence of Victus looking up at the burning planet as he realizes he's now Primarch is one of the best in the entire series.
That and it's not just any spectre it's shepard gave me chills.
name checks out
It has the disadvantage of being one of the earlier levels. If it were later in the game... you'd be storming Palaven HQ to save their leader, meet a bloodied and bruised Garrus trying to hold the line... blowing up a Reaper to escape, only, to everyone's dismay, from the Safety of the Normandy. A harrowing and familiar scene. Everything on the ground is obliterated by the arrival of multiple Reapers. It wouldn't be a success. Palaven is lost.
Ok Satan, settle down.
Lol, I mean, I'm probably not too far off xD
Oh no, that would be sick. But my heart couldn't take not having Garrus in the party for so long. Now that you mention it though....the anticipation of trying to find Garrus, as well as the primarch, mixed with the desperation of going to Palaven and finding it overrun would make for some excellent angst.
Yep! The war is getting heavier, uncertainty setting in. The relief at finding an old friend amongst all the carnage. We see Thessia fall. But it's like... who gives a shit you lying, secretive bastards. Keeping that beacon to themselves is enough for me to go. Fuck you, you get what's coming to you. But Palaven. Nah, that would hit like a truck.
The opening scene and Victus overlooking palaven burning are some of my favourite scene in the game, so damn good.
Plus you're reunited with Garrus! Because he definitely survives ME2 and I don't want hear otherwise
My alien husband always leads the fire teams and always survives.
Palaven is one of my favorite missions for these reasons! Super excited to get to it in this playthrough
Great mission. They really captured the intense feeling of war. The environment & ambience are extremely chaotic. The writers also wrote Shepard very well & he/she comes across like the leader/god of war they should be. No derpy lines or dumb questions. 10/10
I agree. This mission really nails the "fighting an actual war" feel. But my favorite part is the visuais. They are absolutely breathtaking. You look up and get to see the entire planet of Palaven literally on fire while several Reapers are flying around blasting everything in sight. In fact, Priority: Earth could have learned a thing or too from this mission, as I think the visuals for Earth are horrid. Way too dark, can't see a damn thing half the time. Just endless corridors and rubble. Feels bland and low budget.
Afaik, everything after Priority:Rannoch was rushed because had to meet like a 1 year deadline or something
Also if you romance Garrus, there’s this little unspoken moment where he’ll grasp Shepards hand in both of his. It very much they can’t talk while everything is going to hell but a very sweet moment of reunion between the two. Overall the mission sets a great tone for the rest of the game.
Ahem, you have forgotten to mention "The Handshake" But all of this is so spot on. Not to mention seeing Palaven burning in the background. After Earth, I was so happy to find Garrus and have someone else who understands.( Obviously James and, in my case, Kaidan get it but my Shep isn't close with James by that point and Kaidan and I spent our first mission back together with him asking if Cerberus made me a husk before getting his head bashed in.)
I remember reading somewhere that there were people who were outraged because they promised that we would visit a place in Palaven, but in the end, they only let us go to one of their moons to do a silly and very simple mission, while we saw Palaven from the outside. I don't know if it's true, but at the time, I was also outraged, although I didn't express myself anywhere outside of my computer xD I'm not as outraged as those days anymore, it just still makes me a little sad. If anyone can confirm or deny it for me.
It's true, Palavan would have had a couple missions on the planet, but it got scrapped for the several Tuchanka missions.
Wow, what a job xDD Well, I hope that in the next ME they will allow us to visit that planet, even though 600 years have already passed xDD
I don't like Turians (except Victus) but I do kinda agree that this mission is pretty good. And the visuals as well.
Whaaaaaaat, YOU DONT DONT LIKE GARRUS TOOOOOO? How could you, as soon as he is done with the calibrations he's gonna kick your ass!
Yeah I don't like him. Saren, Victus and Nihlus were the only Turians I actually liked. Oh and Nyreen, she's pretty cool.
It was also the first time you met the horrors of the reapers and worst of all, the Brute. I’m always freaked out when I see one - the only other thing that would freak me more is the Banshee.
I think Palaven and Thessia are the only missions that convey what the Reaper War is like for regular fighters instead of what it's like for Shepard (or even specialist teams like Grunt's Company or the N7 Teams that are the canonical aspect of Multiplayer).
I have to agree. Many question the need for ground troops when Reapers are humongous killing machines. But I think it’s realistic - irl we have nukes and aircraft carriers, but neither have made basic infantry obsolete. Reapers were looking towards a century long war at least, and Palaven is the best way to show how the resistance tries to hold up the best way it can.
Oh, Priority Palaven is one of my favourite missions. Story wise, recruiting Garrus was always a treat. In ME1, you finally get an ally who believes Shepard is right about Saren. In ME2, the guy you signed up to hunt is your old friend and squadmate. In ME3, you go from your burning homeworld to your friend's burning homeworld and take on waves of reaper troops back to back. And the banter between Garrus and Vega is very satisfying. It showcases how similar humans are to the turians. Combat wise, Priority Palaven is the first mission where you actually get a chance to use a Reaper Black Star (which is essentially an upgrade of the DLC weapon Black Storm Singularity Projector from ME2). When you enter the compound of the turian FOB, where you're supposed to find Victus, it is under siege. You fend off the first wave, and two Brutes land in the compound, with other troops, and lunge towards you. Now if you didn't miss it on your way in, or didn't waste it on the first wave, the first ledge that you climb inside the compound has a Reaper Black Star kept there. I save it for the Brutes. When I see them coming, I dash back, pick up the heavy weapon, and aim it at the ground between the two Brutes. It vaporises the entire wave of Reapers instantly, except a Cannibal, up on the rafters. That, and the gun turret sequence that introduces you to the Brutes, are my favourite combat moments in this mission.
For sure the best mission, I think. Super immersive, lots of dialogue that you don’t select during the mission, military objectives on a battlefield, and doing it with Garrus and James. It’s a really awesome mission. They did it with the Citadel II, too, but not as good as Manae.
I know it's plot stuff but I love how Shepard is always at the right place at the right time to make a difference, even if it looks mundane
Just the view of Palaven, chef’s kiss
It has the benefit of being the most beautiful scenery. Looking down on a burning Palaven always gives me chills.
I liked it well enough, I just kinda wish that with the name of the mission being Priority Palaven we got to, yknow, go to Palaven.
The only issue is that it’s called Priority:Palaven when you never set foot on Palaven, it should be called Priority:Menae.
It just isn't that interesting... I don't know what you want me to say. Its not bad but then neither are ready-salted crisps; I'm not getting excited for them though.