'Sup Volourn.
ME3 has the most C&C because Bioware didn't bother including any in the first two games on the assumption that everything would pay off in ME3, then all of ME3's C&C comes down to an email or cameo, or 3 insultingly similar endings. So yeah.
I would say that it (story itself) was overall pretty well thought out. It was logical and it has awesome twist. The idea behind Citadel being a trap is actually quite clever imho.
You got to LARP being an action hero in a Star Trek/Babylon 5 esque universe. Which is unusually rare in video games, and then often even more terrible than ME when it is done.
The setting was interesting though, and I liked ME1 atmoshere. It was a good adventure, very enjoyable, like KOTOR. Also, the story wasn't really that important in ME1. They kept it the same way in ME2 (it was basically a game about your companions with some interesting missions). In ME3 though, you can't escape from the 'story' (which became only worse - they actually managed to make it even worse after ME2 retardation, imagine that!). This is its weakest point because you are always reminded about those stupid Reapers that are coming to kick your ass and there is no time to just relax and play the game as you want. Some missions in ME3 were good, but overall it was terrible.
Well, I liked Babylon 5 (althought it has its own share of stupid things), but still didn't enjoyed ME, since it was too lazy at copying B5. Like they didn't even try to buid up Reapers before introducing them in the story. Instead player informed about them in like 10 minutes after starting game. And the only attempt to make them intriguing was that "You can't comprehend our motives" quote. And that alone didn't make them look interesting, only promised, that somewhere in the future they turn out to be interesting. Political aspect, that was important in Babylon 5, is also absent in ME and Council are reduced to mere plot device, that make main character life harder by its incompetence, and not as result of some intrigues, as it should been.
Only all the C&C is wrong and flavourous at most with no bearing in the story. I prefer limited but meaningfull C&C than ME3's "u screwed that or that" (thake screwed in all senses since they all apply
)
Actually, right from the beginning it was an investigation. Then it was chasing down a rogue agent. THEN, after the twist about 3/4ths in, it was saving the galaxy. The mere fact that this fits the definition of "story" puts ME1 firmly ahead of its sequels and most of the competition.
At least Hawke's family had 20 different outcomes, not counting friend/rivalry differences since they're pretty minute differences.
Never claimed otherwise. I just find it is an often very overlooked hub of massive C&C =) Probably would have been noticed more if BioWare threw Hawke's family in your face more instead of keeping them in the background for most of the game.
