Mass Effect 3: vote on default Femshep

By Robert Purchese Published 25 July, 2011

What will pre-built Shepard look like?

BioWare wants fan input on what the default pre-set appearance of the female Shepard should be.

Six images have been uploaded to Facebook and fans are asked to 'like' the one they, well, like.

There's one clear leader: the blonde Shepard number 5, who has 16,924 likes at the time of writing.

It's closer after that: Shepard 3 has 7924 likes, Shepard 4 6546 and Shepard 1 5181.

Shepard 2 has 3308 likes and Shepard 6, bless her, has 1954 likes.

The new default Shepard will coexist with and compliment the pre-built Femshep of Mass Effect 2, who'll return in Mass Effect 3. You can opt to customise your own look as well.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 10 months ago

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  • Vortextk #1 10 months ago

    Blonde one seems too easy of a choice, and I wouldn't want the first because it basically looks like the male shepard(average w/ short brown hair). Would've rather liked bioware to go with one on their own. Focus groups don't make great characters and while this is only for looks, I don't think it IS lazy, it just seems lazy. Hypocritical of me when I'm glad Cole was changed back in infamous 2 from fan unrest but changing an established character drastically I think is different. Oh well.
    Edited by Vortextk at 25/07/11 @ 08:56

  • braydee89 #2 10 months ago

    I liked 1 and 3. But why are there two blank screens in the photo viewer?

  • braydee89 #3 10 months ago

    I liked 1 and 3. But why are there two blank screens in the photo viewer?

  • dr_zoidthrob #4 10 months ago

    Why do they all look like they're 16?

  • Scimarad #5 10 months ago

    Give her red hair and shep 4's almost my one.

  • Buztafen #6 10 months ago

    What's wrong with 6? She'd be my choice...

  • spekkeh #7 10 months ago

    Yeah Shep5. But I may be biased because it's closest to what my wife plays as. I would rather like them to shun stereotypes and go for Shep4 (or would it then be a token and therefore stereotype hmm). All these nice hairdos do create a false impression when you see the hair helmet they're wearing in-game.

  • spekkeh #8 10 months ago

    What's wrong with 6? She'd be my choice...

    She looks like a cyborg imo. Maybe should've gone for darker eyes.

  • spekkeh #9 10 months ago

    I bet Winona Ryder could sue them if they went for #1.

  • f1r3storm Verified Redakteur, Eurogamer Deutschland #10 10 months ago

    #2

  • thesonglessbird #11 10 months ago

    #4 - She's the only one that looks half normal.

  • login_name #12 10 months ago

    5 is my least favourite. Generic blonde - booorrring. Not that keen on any of these to be honest. I'll stick with my own creation.

  • Kaonazhie #13 10 months ago

    They all look terrible. Why not give her pink sunglasses too? Why not give male Shep a huge ponytail and a fringe that covers his eyes?

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #14 10 months ago

    I liked 1 and 3. But why are there two blank screens in the photo viewer?

    It's our screenshot viewer. I can't do anything about that I'm afraid.

  • Inmediasress #15 10 months ago

    Well It doesn't matter, they can't make a good looking face even if they try.
    ME1-2 had only the preset face that was somewhat palatable(and then I'm being very generous) the face generating tool was a complete fuckup.
    ME3 will be probably the same, so no worries no need to vote one way or the other for artwork immages, the ingame one wil be probably shit looking anyway.

  • blarty #16 10 months ago

    What was exactly wrong with the default female Shepard in the first two games?

    And why does Shepard 5 look like she's about 16 coming back from an emo concert?
    Edited by blarty at 25/07/11 @ 10:37

  • Spanky #17 10 months ago

    6 and 3, the rest don't look capable. Still not different enough, what if i wanted to be Margaret Rutherford of the spaceways? Why do i have to be some modelesq fuck slut?

  • StuDevo #18 10 months ago

    why didn't they just use the regular default femshep from ME1&2

  • metalangel #19 10 months ago

    Default from the first two games, obv. Though mine looks like Miki Berenyi.

  • Phantom_Dynamite #20 10 months ago

    I wants me a bit of 2.

  • Nithron #21 10 months ago

    Saving the universe with a emo-fringe. Oh yeah.

    Who needs depth perception anyway?

  • dr_swin #22 10 months ago

    The original default femshep is far better than any of those.

  • Xardan #23 10 months ago

    Holy christ they are hideous. They remind me of dolls.

  • Toothball #24 10 months ago

    I'd have picked 5 too, but have not been able to participate due to the poll being behind the Great Wall of Facebook. It's not so much the blonde-ness, I just like that hair style more than the others.

    That said, I do like the blonde too. I don't tend to think of making blonde characters where there's a choice. I might have to give it a go next time the opportunity arises.
    Edited by Toothball at 25/07/11 @ 10:29

  • Madder-Max #25 10 months ago

    they all look identical with just different hairstyles. Its this kind of thing that just does not bode well for the game

  • Caimbeul #26 10 months ago

    1,2 & 5

    Fairly typical response for number 5, but whilst pretty i dont think she looks like she could be bad ass enough.

  • lolercopter #27 10 months ago

    The blonde, because she reminds me of Samus and Samus is bad ass.

  • Machetazo #28 10 months ago

    Shepard 6. I could see her pulling off either sides of the moral compass with authority when needed. She most fits "Shepard".

    5...*vom*, 1 reminds me of Alien's vasquez, 4 colour matched her hair to the uniform (aww!) the fringe over the eye wouldn't aid empathy - not least favourite, but. 2 would be my second preference. I think her not having black hair may be part of it. It's tied back I guess. Strong character, but 6 is the one I'd pick.

  • kenichi-san #29 10 months ago

    4 or 6.

  • Subdominator #30 10 months ago

    Which Biowares concrete haircuts every female looks the same: Like shit. Needs next gen fast, I want to have animated hair like it's been in Nvidia tech demos since ten years. Should be possible now in games.

  • haoy #31 10 months ago

    Just put them all in, that way everyone can pick the one they like in the game. I'd go with no.2 since mine fem. Shep. in ME2 is also a redhead.

  • Sunyavadin #32 10 months ago

    They're all crap. The cute redhead with the cupid's bow mouth I've been playing since ME1 will remain my character until the end of ME3, and hers is the only face I'll ever associate with the name.

  • Matthew_Hornet #33 10 months ago

    They all look almost exactly the same, just with different tans and hairstyles. What, was it too risky to deviate from the Generic Space Babe much? I don't mind Shepard being pretty, but they're all pretty in exactly that same, pin-up way.

    Edit: to be fair, the default Shepard is also a totally generic Space Guy. So I guess it was to be expected...
    Edited by Matthew_Hornet at 25/07/11 @ 12:23

  • WeakOrbit #34 10 months ago

    I went with a fem Shepherd who has a couple of scars. These models look like they've just waltzed out of the saloon let alone a battle with collectors and three bands of mercenaries.

    I would like to see a Ripley style character here or one thats looks at least more battle hardy.

  • Koborover #35 10 months ago

    These women look much better than the default FemShep from ME1 and ME2, probably because they're modelled after a real face like the default MaleShep (Mark Vanderloo).

    The old default Femshep always looked like she came straight from the random face generator in the game, quite unattractive like many human NPCs in ME.

  • TruSmiles #36 10 months ago

    @WeakOrbit My female Shepard just has short black hair and a scar as well. I figured someone who has been in battle is gonna have a few scars. Also, long hair is totally impractical on the battlefield. I used to have flowing hair like #5 and Christ, you can't eat or breathe, let alone kill a bunch of Reapers >_>

  • nuanimal #37 10 months ago

    FemShep 2 - but they all looked really pissed off. Like time-of-the-month pissed off.

  • Rack #38 10 months ago

    I kind of think Bioware DID choose one, this is just making us think we can influence it. 6 Shepard's only one of which is blonde, the voting is too divided to go any other way.

  • icematt12 #39 10 months ago

    I liked 5 because I honestly thought it was the best, nothing to do with a preference of blondes/caucasian/anything else. That and 4 are only ones I like.

  • Spekingur #40 10 months ago

    #1 is Natalie Portman
    #2 is Scarlett Johansson
    #3 is Olivia Wilde
    #4 is Zoe Saldana
    #5 is Milla Jovovich
    #6 is Mila Kunis

    I think all these models look fine, hopefully you will be able to choose between those as presets.
    In my opinion #4 looks the most bad-ass.

  • drhickman1983 #41 10 months ago

    Shepard 1 for me, the only one who'se hair seems most suitable for a military role. 4's hair is ridiculous, i'd be well annoying in a combat situation, and 5 is nearly as bad.

    I did make a female Shephard as a second character in ME1, and I went for a Skinhead. Should I ever carry on playing as her, she'd be the one I choose. I can appreciate the desire for attractive characters, but when aspects of there appearance run contrary to their role in games (and indeed, in other media) it's very annoying. Still, at least they're sensible enough not to stick her into a mini-skirt and crop top "combat" outfit.

  • tyrant1 #42 10 months ago

    They all look far too fragile, but the Victoria Beckham one has to be the worst.

    Ultimately though, I think this is just a complete waste of time. Just slap the old default on for gods sake. By their own stats most gamers A) choose male, and B) dont use the default male but customise. So what on earth kind of stat justifies such garbage surrounding a default?

    Femshep fans are nearly always dickwaving about their stupid choice anyway, and about how the fake sounding voice acting is "superior", so why didnt they just cut down on the hassle and slap the already default femshep on the collectors edition?

    Ill be glad when this garbage is finished and we can actually hear worthwhile things about the game other than arse kissing those who chose a female shepard.

  • Peregrin #43 10 months ago

    Why not have a Shepard, or any female game heroine for that matter, who doesn't look like she's dipped her hands in soot and then rubbed her eyes?

  • TheDarkFurie #44 10 months ago

    Oh look, a girl who wouldn't look out of place modelling rather than taking on a life as a soldier. I'll stick with the original Femshep, methinks.

  • apoc_reg #45 10 months ago

    er... none are as good as prior femshep!

  • Kaminari #46 10 months ago

    Shepard is a brunette. 3 for the win.

    Not that it matters much -- my own Shepard is canonical.

  • Ashcroft #47 10 months ago

    Shepard is not a teenage girl.

  • Lusterpurge #48 10 months ago

    I picked emo Samus as well.

  • TheDarkFurie #49 10 months ago

    Just thought. ME3 has to take into account the possibility that Shepard is dead. Could this be a new character, part of the cloning project to bring Shep back and brought in to replace a dead Shep? Or just Bioware trying to sell games from the groin...?