I also felt like there was very little choice throughout the game based on Paragon and Renegade choices. Or maybe to put it better, every time I tried to use my Paragon option to influence the direction of the conversation I got denied. My Paragon influence meant little to nothing throughout this game.

It seemed like the choices I was making in THIS game were subverted by previous choices in ME1 and ME2 or whether or not I was playing the multiplayer option.

For example, I had no third option at the end b/c I didn't import and I didn't play multiplayer. The 'good' ending wasn't even an option even though I had completed every available side mission.

Another example, I lost Tali after the Geth started wiping out the Quarians and the game threw up a Paragon button click. I assumed I clicked it in time, but it didn't change anything. Tali still fell off the cliff, while I watched Shepard make a failed dive to save her. I suppose if I hadn't clicked the Paragon button, Shepard would have simply watched while one of her original crew members threw herself to her death. (Seriously?!) I'm guessing that if I'd imported from ME2 I'd have been able to save her and averted the doom of the Quarians.

Throughout the game I was given Paragon choices with the Illusive Man to try to sway him to join our cause. What was the point of those? There was no way he was going to change his mind and suddenly join my crew. Impotent Paragon/Renegade influence.