The Illusive Man Review
The Illusive Man Review (Mass Effect Series)
"Salvation comes with a cost. Judge us not by our means, but what we seek to accomplish."
Goals: The Illusive man simply wants whats best for humanity. He will fight dirty, doing whatever it takes for humanity to step above the other alien races in the Mass Effect universe. In this final game he was trying to control the enemies the reapers, as he says their technology will advance humanity far above their wildest dreams.
Interests (hobbies): The illusive man personally has no common amusements. His space station often orbits beautiful places, and he is usually found in a chamber have a drink and smoking a cigarette.
Romance: (none in games)
Usual weapons/strategies/Armor: Always wearing suit, and when he has a weapon it's usually a standard pistol.
Group: Cerberus (founder, leader, and overseer.)
Background: Not much of the Illusive Man's background is in the games that I know of. His background I know from reading online, and partly from reading a mass effect novel.
Purpose for Product: The Illusive man is to act in the second game as Shepard's boss. It is somewhat obvious he is not to be trusted, and you decide how you act to the orders he gives you. In the third game is a symbolic identity of indoctrination and control of the reapers. He sends his troops as you, and acts as a mini-antagonist.
Actor/Voice Actor: Martin Sheen
Personal Experience with Character: The Illusive man was pretty much the first character in the Mass Effect universe I met. I started on the second game, and thought he was pretty interesting. Throughout the story he grew on me, and as a Mass Effect fan I think he is more than welcome in the Mass Effect family.
Mass Effect 2: I am a huge Mass Effect fan, and the first game I played was the second installment. The first characters you meed are Miranda Lawson and the Illusive man. The Illusive man throughout the story speaks to you occasionally, and never in direct contact. He sends you on the biggest missions, one of which with misguided information. You can sense his importance, and it is likely that his role will grow even more in the third installment. I think his role in each game was equal. I think it would be a tie, as the second game gives him his worthy introduction to the series, and in the third game he develops into his indoctrination. In Mass Effect 2, his script is well done. His simple swagger of his billionaire style while orbiting around a planet is pretty sweet. He never breaks character, and seems to have a counterargument for everything. He is in no way innocent, but you clearly see why he makes every decision. It's actually another reason why I like Shepard and the Illusive man's chemistry. As Shepard, I feel like shooting his head off, but don't hate him. I disagree with him, and yet I feel that he isn't misguided, he simply has a different, maybe even equally reasonable viewpoint.
Mass Effect 3: In Mass Effect 3, I really do like the Illusive man. It's a mixed relationship, as I think his resolution and final moments are average compared to the rest of his identity. In Mass Effect 3, he does grow though. The game reveals his indoctrination, and you can see the inner conflict dwelling inside him. No matter how you react to him, he gives great dialogue no matter what. In the final moments, you can either kill him, or speak past the reaper control on him, and convince him to kill himself. I prefer the kill himself ending, as I think it fits him more, as he's dying for humanity in some ways, and it also makes me feel like it was actually worth getting my reputation so high. The Illusive man's resolution is what I find disappointing though, and doesn't live up with the rest of his identity He just dies, and that's it. Sure it was dramatic, and gets great dialogue, but there's no other way around his death. In the original version he was suppose to turn into a final boss, but I believe they didn't use that because EA was rushing them. I think it would be awesome if he somehow merged with a reaper, and you had three ways around him. One, killing him, which would disable the control ending Two, work with him and the two of you work together to take out the reaper who took his body, and together in the end become allies, even friends fighting the reapers. Or a third option, one where you have low ems, and have to let a reaper indoctrinate you in order to beat him, but your squad has to kill you afterwards due to your indoctrination. But no, he just dies. But don't get me wrong, the Illusive man is a great, hell, even amazing character. If his role had just increased in the finale, or even the second game's finale, he would have brushed up a little more, and hit that extra spot reserved for the hall of fame.
The Illusive Man Gets a 5/5
