Getting level 60 achievement was a chore. I still have so many playthroughs left unfinished on ME2!!!
*If you haven't played the DLC already, you should do the Stolen Memory and the Lair of the Shadow Broker first during the campaign, then play Arrival on the day of ME3 release.
Halo is another excellent example of modern gaming becoming a fully fleshed science fiction series. I'd be hard pressed to pick between Mass Effect and Halo. Both are really good.
I was thoroughly impressed by the Mass Effect universe, but it really sealed the deal with this conversation. They addressed an issue often glossed over by other science fiction work.
It helps having support from people around you, or just the right kind of strong mentality at young age. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself to push down my seething bout of jealousy.