Overall, it's a rollercoaster of a relationship from start to finish, and it shows how well BioWare can make even the most 'mundane' choices powerful. For Ashley, this becomes a point of conflict with her faith, while any romance choices in Mass Effect 2, however temporary, play some role in salvaging the romance in Mass Effect 3.
In the first game, the romance is innocuous enough until players have to choose between their friend and their LI, a difficult choice in Mass Effect 1 meanwhile, come Mass Effect 2, the relationship becomes strained due to Shepard's involvement with Cerberus and his prior death.ĭuring the second game and well into the third, this becomes a point of conflict: Ashley/Kaidan will still love Shepard, but after having grieved and recovered, there's real emotional baggage when they realize Shepard is alive. These two characters, generally speaking, are not the most popular because many prefer the alien romances and companions, but that doesn't mean they didn't come to to play. In the very first game, all Shepards have two options: male Shepards can romance Ashley or Liara, while female Shepards can romance Kaidan Alenko or Liara.
