Start it on whatever difficulty you like. You don't have to do anything.

I liked ME 1 the best, even the clunky combat system.

I'm going to say the second one.

The first one always seemed to me like a big "trial & error" game for EA, I get the feeling it was released to see if the public enjoyed it in which case they would make a second one and improve all aspects (weeeell except for the characters, always thought there were some REALLY useless ones such as Jacob and the tatoo-girl, forgot her name, which really says a lot).

The third one I didn't like that much, I dropped the game well before the ending. I didn't like the Shepard in it (she wasn't MY Shepard but more like the scenarists' Shepard; plus they changed some of the physical customization aspects and messed up my custom Shepard which really angered me because I put so much time in the first mass effect with sliders, changing colors, scars, etc. ). And of course the "hey if you don't play online even if you don't want to you get 50% of all available galactic troops and no more, good luck with the Reapers ya lazy bastard".

So yeah, go for the second one.

First one is best all around. Second one has better combat courtesy of G.O.W. Third one is trash. Hands down the worst ending of any game I've played.

You should try Fahrenheit.

True, Fahrenheit did go off the rails, but what it did in the last 1/3 of the game, ME3 did in about 20 minutes. It was the sheer velocity at which the terribleness hit you in the face that really did it.

Actually though, in both these games my objection wasn't so much the ending as much as the massive drop in quality from the great place that they started.

For me one had a better storyline (reminded me of series like Babylon 5, Star Trek etc), two had tweaked the graphics (and for my old single 3.0ghz pc at the time ran better than 1!) but the storyline was not good (it seemed like it was written more like an action movie and less like a space opera that one was (ME2 & 3 lead writer Mac Walters is character writer not a story writer)) and the fact for a chunk of the game you were spending too much time scanning and playing ships counciller to your crew.
Three was a mixed bag of (at times) better graphics, some good writing (certain planet missions), I did like the re-inclusion of weapon mods but the remaining bits of the game were not good and those bits should be shoved out the air lock (along with a certain reporter who was included in the game and a certain little annoyance).

Tried 1, hated it. Tried 2, bought it and love it. Tried 3 and it just felt off, passed.

So, 2.

What I mean - Is battle a boring and simple walk in the park that you can do with your eyes closed? Only implemented as an after thought to help advance the story?

Exactly. 40 hrs in ME1, 30 hrs in ME2, 25 hrs in ME3... and then WHAM, crap soup. I could have typed a better ending blindfolded. The sheer amount of ineptitude, plot holes and melodrama is almost worth it though. Like watching a train wreck.

lol its got to be the biggest fail when some people are placing me 3 is better than me 1 just because the game me1 wont run on their system. I checked with one such "fan" and hes never updated his graphics card drivers since he thinks it will overheat and die like the consoles does on some updates :O lol thank you bioware for giving us such players