IF we get another Mass Effect game....

I'm not sure how else to phrase my point as you're not getting it and just using the same taking points that don't address what I'm saying.

And so what? Ryder doesn't start out like a typical protagonist, it's going that he earns respect as the game goes on.

i would point out Ryders Story is fairly typical in fiction...just not in gaming.

Watching a tv show requires zero effort. Playing a game requires effort.

Also, if you can't tell the Big Bang theory sucks ass ten minutes into an episode, then I don't know what to tell you...

That's really your opinion that's I would tell you.

A few people like Ryder because of personal preferences but, objectively, Ryder is a very weak character and needs to go.

MEA never puts Ryder in a situation where they have to earn respect or much of anything for that matter. The game rewards Ryder from the start and continues to reward Ryder for receiving those earlier rewards. Ryder is privileged.

The Ryders are never in a position where they might experience crushing failure or paralyzing doubt. Ryder never second guesses their privilege and neither does anyone else around Ryder, let alone seriously consider taking that privilege away from them. The game itself goes to great lengths to shield Ryder from significant consequences: the authority figures just go along with it, the villain is never a threat to anyone but themselves, the environment is ready made for the magic key (SAM) Ryder is rewarded at the start.

The game claims Ryder is young and inexperienced yet gives them authority and responsibilities they are not prepared for. Then the game makes sure they always succeed no matter what. Ryder has a better success rate than Shepard! Shepard lost people along the way. Ryder actually gains people (a twin), never loses a crew member. "Because it's easier to write them later" say the people playing a game allegedly about consequences from our decisions...

Ryder never sacrifices anything, always has the answer, is given the love and loyalty of the people around them without doing much of substance for them. Ryder can't fail because the game doesn't have the option to fail.

Those of you who love Ryder can come up with as many personal reasons as you like. You can dismiss us and the myriad professional and amateur reviewers out there. But when so many people tell you the same thing, when the game fails to sell beyond the core audience, and the franchise itself is put in greater doubt than after the ME3 endings you can't deny there's substance in our assertions.

Ryder is very weak and needs to go.

In your opinion.

Yep...maybe if they post this again they'll convince you

I think that is how they wrote Ryder...and intended to write Ryder, which makes some deal of sense for the respective Ryder(s) and their backstories...we especially 'Sara'.  Or it could be that is how they wrote the romance.  Something I've noticed about BioWare, at least in ME 2, ME 3, and DA I is they tend to be very diverse with their romances.  Because there are several different types of romances and romantic character types in fiction like in...well most things. So they give people their various romance types and go for their.  Iron Bull is domineering and bondage like, Culen is sweet and innocent and one of mutual caring...and Suvi just seems to be the romance where two awkward nerdy scientists find love.  

C

I know this is probably silly of me but every time someone makes Ryder seem like this spoiled kid who just got everything handed to him I weep a little inside. BioWare did something unique and new with Ryder's character. Something that few people do, a rather interesting twist on a character archetype...but it goes unappreciated. Ryder was given the role of Pathfinder because of his fathers humanity on one hand and the fear and ignorance on another, yet was constantly dismissed and ridiculed and had to prove themselves. They clearly weren't ready for it. No one thought they were ready for it. And yet by the end of the game they proved themselves. Just look at Tann's reaction to Ryder at the beginning of the game then after 'Journey to Meridian'.

But nope. We want our 'Shepard'.

What always bothers me about Shepard is them getting Spectre.  Nihlus made it very clear that there was a process to becoming Spectre.  He had to observe Shepard, probably for several missions, and determine if Shepard was fit to join the ranks, he would submit a report, and the Council would agree.  Nihlus died before he could even submit ONE report.  Their first mission together was regarded by the council as a failure, and even exposing Saren didn't somehow turn that failure around.  So, after the failure on Eden Prime the only thing that Shepard really does to 'prove his fitness' for the role is to beat up some mercenaries.  

Compare that to Hawk who becomes a defacto leader in the midst of political infighting between two major factions to stop a Qunari invasion of the city. 

Compare that to the Inquisitor who looks like they die and come back to life...twice...whie also leading the Inquisition at a time when many of the Inquisitions internal leadership was gridlocked.  

Compare that to Ryder who, yes, became Pathfinder early, but proved themselves depending on what you do and how you do the mission order dozens of times over before the end of the game.  Not SAM.  Ryder.  

Now again I love Shepard.  I loved 'being' her, and Shepard deserves their popularity, but I want characters with arcs, and I want characters who don't get rewarded only through plot contrivances and lore breaks.  Hell compare Shepard to Geralt.  Geralt is pretty much like Shepard in the sense that he also does not go through an arc BUT Geralt I consider the much better character because CDPR didn't have to violate their own lore to give Geralt anything, or take it away. 

I'm more tempted to blame that on the game in general playing it way too safe. I mean yeah, they wanted to go for something more lighthearted, but it wasn't handled very well. In terms of the whole given authority thing, I kinda blame that on nepotism from Alec Ryder. With Ryder being "weak" I think that's because SAM was a very VERY lazy way to progress the storyline. (I wonder if this had to do with Chris Schlerf leaving during development.)