When Bioware first announced their Old Republic MMO, one of the features they were most excited about was the persistent world. According to the producers, they were always disappointed when gamers would quick save before making a game changing decision, explore both outcomes, and then go back and choose their preferred path. There are no save files in an MMO, so players would now be forced to live with their decisions and the consequences.

This always struck me as odd. Being primarily a console gamer may influence my play style. On most PC games, a quick save is only a function key away. Console games require a more deliberate action to save. Either way, I've never been on to rewind a Bioware game if I ended up making a decision with consequences I didn't like. That's part of the charm.

Meanwhile, I've recently realized I was planning on doing the same thing on a much larger scale with Mass Effect in preparation for the sequel. Mass Effect was the game that finally pushed me into getting a 360. I was enamored with it. I've already played through the game several times as both genders and both moral paths. I've been gearing up to give the game one more go before Mass Effect 2 comes out to create my ultimate save file now that I'm informed of all the potential outcomes. But that's just a larger version of the quick save and try both options, isn't it?

Instead, I've decided to import my first ever Shepard for my first time though the sequel. I made some decisions my commander lived to regret that first time though. But I'd argue that's an essential part of the experience. Shock, disappointment, defeat and failure are just as important to solid story telling as triumph, and success. Bioware and other games built around choice aren't so much about getting everything right to get a "good" ending. They're about experiencing a unique narrative in which you get to play a pivotal roll. Sometimes that mean making mistakes and dealing with it.

I urge you, if you're going to play Mass Effect 2, go in the first time with that original save file from the first game when you didn't have prior knowledge of the story or the ramifications of your actions. Forcing yourself to deal with those choices over a three game epic should prove far more interesting than controlling an avatar for 60 hours who always gets exactly what they want.