Mass Effect 2.

Torn between 1 and 2. Also I have played both male and female Shep with no clear preference between the two.

No there are some generalities but that's about like most stories and media you will find similar themes popping up from time to time, an example is Mass Effect's story main theme revolving around the philosophical questions that arise from the juxtaposition of biological life and AI, we have seen this in other contemporary games and other forms most famously with Isaac Asimov and his I Robot series along with even older stuff and we shall see these questions play out into the future.

closer to home regarding your anime point is xenoblade chronicles x and its humankind's potential threatens alien society theme that brings up Halo vibes and just as most would put the similarities down to two sci fi games making use of the same subject matter for their plot and one that's been so richly mined that any thoughts of one game or the other claiming the general subject matter beyond the specific storytelling in the games themselves is moot. I would say Mass Effect didn't steal from your anime anymore than the anime stole from the earlier Halo and that's was nothing.

Just watch the Star Trek TNG episode, Measure of a Man.

The first one, great story start to end. ME2 is the better game but had almost no story advancement, I just felt like running errands while learning about the crew. Not bad, but also never very memorable. I didn't play the 3rd one since the demo was far too much shooter instead of rpg. Then I read about the ending and never touched the series again.

The first game, as amazing as it was in 2007, has aged extremely poorly in my opinion.

I can happily go back to 2 and 3 nowadays, but the first feels so dated with its clunky combat and controls, awful framerate, glitchy graphics, etc.

The UI in ME1 is something straight out of the PS2 era. Pick a sci-fi game on OG Xbox or PS2 and it would be very similar. Very clunky and dated.

I was busy adding extra content to my initial reply so it may help if you reread it ,then you can explain why I should watch it and how does it fit in with Mass effect stole from the anime.

You were talking about if AI is alive. As for anime. Gurren Lagen spirals.

I don't need to watch it, I wasn't talking AI directly but not knowing your complaint apart from it was plot related I focused on Mass effect's overarching plot and mentioned it's been broadly written about ranging from Isaac Asimov and many before and after him. to show that isn't unique .