Weekend Combo: Cylons and Reapers Edition

by: Travis - posted: 3/9/2012 2:30:00 PM

Weekend Combo is a weekly feature that helps optimize your weekend for the maximum amount of entertainment and ideal combination of video games, movies, television series, novels, and comics. Warning: May cause extended periods in which lack of motivation, loss of time, social isolation, and disregard for hygiene may occur.

In the first installment of Weekend Combo, we gaze to the stars and ponder upon the universe's many mysteries that yearn to be discovered. With the recent release of Mass Effect 3, this weekend will be dedicated to Cylons and Reapers, heroic ship commanders, and civilizations that are fighting to survive against every possible odd. Only one television series has actually seemed to capture the true essence of survival in space, and along the way include sexy cybernetic agents. Of course, I've speaking about one of my most beloved television series, the 2004 re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. Few other television shows have matched its level of quality in both storytelling and visuals. When Vipers roar through space in chase of Cylon Raiders with the continuous pop of gun fire, it's hard not to yell, "Get those frakken Cylons!"

When Mass Effect 3 and Battlestar Galactica are placed beside each other, there are a surprisingly amount of similarities including a ship commander that everyone loves (and hates at times), a spacecraft that seems to beat the odds in every occasion (not including the Normandy SR-1), a civilization struggling to survive against extinction, epic space battles, foreign planets and galaxies, heated social and political debates, a council of leaders that always argue, stunning visuals and sound, Michael Hogan being grumpy, and most importantly, Tricia Helfer acting the role of an advanced artificial intelligence. Did I mention that they both take place primarily in space? They also both share a great narrative that goes beyond the clichéd elements of past science fiction media. More importantly, each deals with controversial social issues, from the use of biological weapons in battle to suicide bombings, in addition to various plot-lines that further build upon the primary narrative.

The most difficult aspect of combining Mass Effect 3 and Battlestar Galactica into one weekend is managing the time spent between each of them. I recommend playing Mass Effect 3 in the early afternoon and then proceed to watch a couple of episodes of Battlestar Galactica at night. This will allow some time for your hands to recover from the constant abuse of joystick twiddles and button smashes. Those of us that have been born nocturnal can return to Mass Effect 3 in the early hours of the morning. If the intake of caffeine is added into the equation, then it will be possible to wake early and continue fighting against the Reapers. Be warned that lack of sleep may result in accidental selections of renegade dialogue options or believing that you're secretly a Cylon agent.

Don't become overly worried if you're unable to finish either the game or television series, both will and should consume many hours of your free time (and possibly work time). If the measly amount of hours provided are not enough, be sure to continue leading the Normandy into tense missions and cheering for the Galactica and her crew into next weekend. Those that are adventurous may add the new Star Trek film or comedic Galaxy Quest into their weekend queues for further science fiction entertainment. You're all set now commander. Check life support systems, calibrate the weapons, fire up the engines, alert the crew, and venture forth into the great unknown of space.

Mass Effect 3 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC. Digital copies of the game can be purchased on Origin and PlayStation Network. Battlestar Galactica can be found in retail and online stores in both DVD and Blu-ray formats. Digital versions of the series can be found on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video. As well, Netflix owners can stream the entire series through the instant watch feature.