Everything that was wrong with Andromeda. A video that sums it up well.

That's funny because I ALWAYS tell them to shove it in ME2. Not because I wanted to be with Cerberus, but because I always wanted to have the option to refuse that Spectre status. I never saw a need for it.

So I gave the vid what I would consider a fair shake, but had to turn it off after 35 minutes. The OT was pretty awesome, which is why I probably put up with the vid that long. Anyways, he thinks he is saying something new by focusing on the story, and he loves the sound of his own voice. It feels like he is intentionally drawing out his explanation to lengthen the video.

Anyway, I am posting because I actually did experience something new. I am playing the game for the first time in ages and found that you can go to the Kett Base on Habitat 7 before meeting up with the gang. No one attacked me (they were all inside the shields busy on something else and Liam kept say "we have to go we are not equipped for this!!!" in a hushed tone. I eventually found a new tunnel that leads to the place where Alec drops some bodies later on. Anyways, was a nice easter egg for me.

You were the first human Spectre though.  Anderson and probably a lot of other people went through a lot to make that happen.  He tells you before Eden Prime how big it is for Humanity.  Unless I was playing an extreme humans first, we don't need these aliens Shepard I wouldn't have taken that option even if it was there.  It would take more than I'm mad at the council at that moment to do it.  You'd be ruining Humanity's image with all the council races.

At that point, they had to get the game out, no matter how good or bad the "final" state was. I mean, they just couldn't go, "you know what, give us another 2 years" the game was late as it was, just more delays wouldn't had helped at all imo.
If things were done right from the get go, skilled people working on the game, a good writer, less people leaving mid-project. An actual focus on what they were trying to accomplish instead of changing things mid development because some shit or another just outright wouldn't work. Then, we could've had a very good game, very well received by most people and not 50/50 at best.

I don't think it killed anything though, just fucked up pretty badly as a game (at least in my opinion, a lot of people here thinks the game was just fine). Whoever is in charge of the next title will be in for a hell of a job, trying to win the fan's affection again after ME3 and MEA will require some serious writing skills. It's not a surprise they've put the franchise on hold for now, they have no clue how to continue, or they'd rather fully focus on Anthem for now because they need it to succeed.

So? Shepard is a spec ops soldier, he/she does not need some fancy title to hunt down Saren. And ruining Humanity's image to the Council races? Please, the Council ruined its own image by committing war crimes and allowing slavery. So yeah, F the Council!
EDIT: Oh I almost forgot, they also left the Quarians to their fate (shows how the Council treats it's allies). Oh and they made humans sign a treaty to force them to have less dreadnoughts then the Turians just because. So again, F the Council!!
EDIT 2: As for Anderson and the other people who pushed for Shepherd to be chosen to be a Spectre, F them, they are just Council 'Yes Men' who would bend over backwards to please the Council.

I agree...it's a decent vid...would have been better without the extracurricular stuff though.  But it's far preferable to most of the "click-bait" garbage out there.

I'm not stating my opinion on the council lol.  I'm saying from the a story perspective, they built this up during the early story and Shepard, Anderson, Adina, etc all went through with this as an honor, and a way increasing Humanity's role presence in the new society.  So from a story perspective it wouldn't make sense for the game to allow you turn right around, right after accepting it and throw it back in their face. 

You've taken it at the point we're talking about, and recently.  It would make no sense to for the game to act like so much has changed in that little bit of time to allow you to just throw it back.  ME2 maybe.  "After all I've done for you, you want to question my loyalty now."  But at that point in ME:1, I really can't see it.

This is my point.  You're responding as if I'm giving my personal opinion on the council or being a Spectre.  I'm talking about how this was all portrayed in the game's story.  It wouldn't have made sense at that point.

No because Saren attacked an Alliance colony. So most likely Shepard would still be given a order by the Alliance to capture or kill Saren.

EDIT: But the Alliance may be a bit pissed that Shepard did not kiss the Council's ass and become their bitch

Shepard refuses to become a Specter -> Anderson keeps the Normandy, Shepard gets demoted, game ends.

Non-Specter Shepard going after Saren scenario is unlikely since it would be an act of aggression against the council (by extension- the rest of the galaxy), which is the last thing humanity would want right after First Contact War.

Also, it's a game about Shepard: the first human Specter. You can't refuse to become a Jedi in KOTOR, you can't stop being a witcher in The Witcher etc.