"Role-Playing" Ryder

Eh, Shepard's background and service history pretty much became lost potential after the first game. After that game, it just felt like each got a token mention but nothing more which was egregious to me because of the plot in the latter games. Had a more detailed and more eloquent post. Can't find it at the moment so here's short summary:

Sole Survivor? Works with Cerberus, briefly brings up prior experience, gets told rogue agents by Miranda and to give Cerberus a chance. Is allowed no more comments. Has to deal with a bunch of people throwing shade but never allowed to speak in defense. Gets email from Toombs. No encounter with him. No mention either.  

Spacer Shepard? Dies, mom sends email, Shepard never calls despite suicide mission that could mean Shepard dies again. Wasted oppertunity for proper goodbye and wasted potential for heartwarming or tearjerker moments. No call in last game either. Only in DLC though. Just a quick hey she's alright from Hackett in base game.

Earthborn Shepard? None of the former crew is encountered. Would have thought some would have wounded up with Cerberus. Could have had potential with characters like Jack because street kid background but none. In the last game, plot keeps harping on Earth but Shepard never has options to talk about their time there despite having grown up there.

Colonist Shepard? Could have gotten a option or two to mention Mindoir what with the colonies going missing. Also in last game, working with batarians and known batarian terrorist.

Could have been some good moments and character-building too including through reflecting but nope and nada.

I somewhat disagree.
I like that their backgrounds are locked in place.

What bothers me is that I wanted to roleplay, not as myself in their shoes, but as them within their specific individual parameters, but for the most part they made sister and brother the same character.

I get that the role is in place but the characterization could've been more than Sara being dorky when trying to flirt. They have a 4-tone system where the majority of choices is split into only two options. Why the hell didn't they distinguish it so that Sara has a lot more exclusive Heart vs Screw choices and Bro has a lot more Swirl vs Square options? That way it's as if they'd be saying "Male Ryder's tendency is more professional and occasionally a wisecrack" because he's a total "bro" and Sara is more compassionate but also rational because she's more mature which women often are when they're the same age as their male counterparts.

They could've balanced the dialogue branches out more like that I think without it necessarily multiplying the total amount of choices vs responses from the NPCs and it would've made playing as each character feel like unique characters.

Biotic Shepard actually does get scarcely acknowledged. One situation that comes to mind is in ME3, where Kaidan asks Shepard if they can make things float with their biotics. There is also an engineer exclusive scene in the Omega DLC.

Overall, I'd say the frequency of background acknowledgement is pretty much the same, meaning very low. But the thing I appreciate about Shepard is having the option to choose a background. There are six different backgrounds, which means six different lines of dialogue whenever it gets mentioned. Whereas Ryder has only one background, depending on the gender you're playing as, which I find quite restricting, roleplaying-wise. Sara is a researcher, Scott is a relay guard. That's it. There is no in-between. With Shepard, there's at least the option to choose.

I do agree that class and background acknowledgement is much more prominent in DA, though. Something that I hoped they would have integrated into this game.

- Kaidan's biotics comment. Rather offhanded, but it's something.

And yeah, the family background did have much more content, but again, that's mostly because it's a predetermined background, and because Ryder's family is actually present in the game and is quite important to the story, whereas details about Shepard's family were glossed over because, well... They're not a part of the game. The part where Ryder talks about reasons for joining the Initiative is quite nice, though. Wish we had something like that with Shepard - why they joined the Alliance, why they're so dedicated to uncovering the Reapers etc.

And I'm guessing OP was talking about the background content and roleplaying restrictions? Since there's not really much to compare when it comes to the number of backgrounds

Maybe there'll be a time jump for Andromeda 2 and we'll get to pick a service history for what Ryder did in between games (assuming Ryder comes back for sequels). That could be an opportunity to start developing Ryder into more of a paragon/renegade style hero than just typical good guy/girl that they were in this game.

Would your face be tired?

Which background is that?  I just played the Corporal Toombs mission with my Earthborn/War Hero/Vanguard Shepard.  The mission has more impact if you're the Sole Survivor but you get the mission regardless.