Mass Effect 3

[Anton]

There needs to be a "I hated the end of mass effect 3" thread.

Rant incoming

Spoiler: show

The biggest problem, IMO, is that I spent literal days playing the game, of which 99% of my time was furthering the story, saving the universe, building hope, building a team to do the impossible all over again - it's another Mass Effect game and it was awesome - and then it's mostly wasted.

Earth didn't survive very long, but it says 'Earth' and we lost it, therefore, I am engaged. But hey, did you know the opening section was supposedly in a part of Vancouver? I didn't even remotely recognize the place! I had to search the story material to find out that the biggest threat to humanity ever hit me in Canada, and all we had were some low-ammo pistols and hockey sticks. Just name-dropping the location would have had my jaw on the floor.

So you travel space to build a defense fleet. Awesome. Universal politics - far more tougher than previous mass effects - really engaged you in tough decisions. I was all for that, even though there is one mission on the Quarian homeworld Rannoch, where, if you aren't careful, will almost certainly force you to restart because you accidentally did the unthinkable. Big nail-biting decisions with profound effects - that was great. Not knowing what exactly you're about to do - not so great.

Weapons - better. Graphics - slightly better. Story - better (seeing your old squadmates will generally have you reaching for tissues if you have any emotional attachment at all to the previous games). The Illusive Man - even better (especially at the end - what a tragic hero).

And then you meet the kid, and everything goes to shit.

It's such a buildup, all of these species finally united, hope for the future after the war, finally undoing centuries of conflict - I was super paragon with a massive fleet and just like Deus Ex, all the effort you put in to saving the world is undone. No matter how much time you spent searching empty space, the fleet will completely fail. You have up to a claimed 17 endings based on Readiness and your Reputation, but they're all 'bad'. Really, you have 3:

-Destroy all synthetic life, reapers included. Unless you were a super asshole, it doesn't wipe out the human and alien races (even though the kid said it would) but apparently if you're a super unprepared jerk you accidentally destroy humanity too. Fantastically miserable, especially with all the work you put in during the Quarian section. I thought that finding the catalyst was supposed to target the Reapers specifically so we didn't accidentally blow up the galaxy. This is supposedly the 'Renegade' ending, but when you consider the other options, I'm surprised it's not 'Paragon'.

-Synthesize humans and synthetics, presumably because "den de synthetics wouldn't destroy de hoomanns". In practical terms, it's what TIM was doing all game, so that's a big no-no for Shepard.

-Sacrifice yourself to control the reapers. What? But... I thought we were going to destroy them? This is like "You become what the Illusive Man wanted for himself", which is totally paradoxical for a Paragon Shepard. Shepard dies and presumably becomes the king of Reaperdom. Because the stupid kid won't rescind the attack order? Surely there must be another way.

But there isn't - this is the best you can hope for. No matter what choice you make, you immeasurably fuck up the galaxy for the next ME game, if there is one.

Then the ending clips - why was the Normandy fleeing the scene? If the Relays all get destroyed, wouldn't they want to be stuck on Earth? Is he going back to the Citadel - oh wait that's near Earth too. It is a tragic scene regardless - watching Joker struggle to hold on to the past "we had hope!" universe as the present "you are all saved!" universe seemingly destroys them. The galaxy is united for about 20 minutes, and then thrust into total darkness to start from scratch. The old man refers to you as 'the Shepard' as if you're a Messiah-figure which, though I caught the reference and got choked up, would have much more impact if you didn't just fuck over every alien race stuck in the Sol system and destroy the galaxy's ties in the process.

Technically, all of the races have FTL drives - they just take fuel to get from system to system. The Mass Relay system creates a highway of mass-less space, so that when you activate your FTL drives you travel at FTL-times-a-bajillion speed, for crossing the galaxy. Technically there is hope - how are long-distance communications maintained after all?

And if you're a real completionist and you pick an ending that doesn't have Shepard disintegrate, you get a 3 second clip of the Shepard's lifeless, scarred armor... move. Like a reverse Inception ending. Even sadder when you consider the kind of galaxy he just left for everyone else, now he has to face the music?

But it's just so depressing that the only answer anyone could find was to reset the universe. The problem is there is no "good" ending - they're all various flavours of depressing. If there was an option where you could kill yourself to somehow save the world AND the relays, that would have been visceral - I would've picked it. If you could somehow survive, even more joyous.

Here's how I would've done it:
-The showdown with TIM, you and Anderson.
-You go unconscious - the kid visits and explains your options via a vision. If you're super-paragon, one of the options should be save the world - no downsides.
-You revive, move towards the control terminal, and chose your option.
-As you and Anderson gaze upon the Earth you both saved, both of you bleed out to death.

-optional scenes in the ending: Alien races (not Joker, lol) try to leave Sol and discover they are stuck, a "where are they now?" of your crew trying to rebuild the citadel/Earth/damaged-destroyed ships/rescuing survivors, Shepard's body moves slightly.

Edit:

stuff

Spoiler: show

-Didn't see Kelly either
-I fucked up the Rannoch mission SO BAD. I assume this has happened to others as well?
-I had like 98% paragon and couldn't do the final Paragon with TIM. I guess you need 100%, which is crazy.
-LolJacob
-Salarians contribute some scientists... I think? They really didn't do much now that I think about it
-The kid was a PTSD event that haunts your dreams. It's sad, I get it already.
-The endings, even the supposedly 'good' ones, are all super-sad tearjerkers that have you wreck the galaxy

[Kerberoz]

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-The kid was a PTSD event that haunts your dreams. It's sad, I get it already.

Those fucking scenes...

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[Anton]

Those fucking scenes...

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This is the start of the game, right? No spoilers needed here?

Why doesn't the kid want to be saved? I thought that was really odd for an eight year old in a warzone... why wouldn't he be overjoyed to see Shepard? Better to present him as happy to be saved, give him hope. Make him excited, frightened, and scared, kind of like Shepard in that situation, not a fucking 'More Emo Than Thou' character. Develop a small rapport between Shepard...

Spoiler: show

... and then blow his ass up 10 seconds after hopping on a 'rescue shuttle'. That'd be really traumatizing - I'd understand the dream sequences better.

In the dreams I'm thinking "What the fuck kid? Want to be saved, already! C'mon man, be saved! Fuck he ran again"

Edit: More discussion on the ending.

Spoiler: show

Fuck discussion, more like Rage.

In M1, we saw a conflict between Geth and their way of destruction of organic life. Shep and his/her team fought with everything they had, they didn't give up when most just would have done exactly that - wait till the inevitable happens and all die. And they won. Against all odds, Shep was able to get out of this alive, honoring those that gave their life to make it possible.

In M2, Shep had to form a team out of the most diverse alien species and human figthers. Enemies and Friends alike. The message? You can do anything if you work together, no matter what species you are. They fought against all odds, and again, we were presented with choices, they were tough as hell to make. But that is who Shep is. A fighter to the bone for those who call him/her friend and for everyone else in the Galaxy who let Shep do exactly that (and even for those who ignore the warnings). We took down the freaking Collector base with - oh wait, how many Squadmates did we have? And the dozens of ships, eh, pardon me, with only ONE ship.

So in M3, it's all about building support in a grand scale of whole species, friends and enemies coming together, people and dear ones sacrificing their life so that Shep and everyone she was able to recruit had a "fighting chance". Shep fights for her ideals, for humanity, for EVERYONE. She fights against all odds and doesn't care if it can be done. She fights the Reapers. And if Shep looses? Shep fights till nobody - or Shep him or herself - can't anymore.

Where is that reflected in the ending? How often has Shep said "We fight until we can't", just in different words and more inspirational? Instead of fighting like Shep did in the previous Games, telling people to suck it and that she doesn't submit, she does exactly that - to a little spoiled brat who gives her 3 choices, which really are 'no' choices for Shep. Shep always made her own destiny. So now, at the end of the series, Shep leaves it up to the pseudo-hallucination of the machines? And even worse, the sacrifices of everyone who died will be made meaningless, shallow.
---
In the previous two games you always felt like you accomplished something, even if the universe got a lot darker after that victory. We knew things would be rough in ME3, but hey we just beat the collectors and we're ready for the challenge. We knew the galaxy would be a dark place once the Reapers were defeated just because of all of the destruction they caused, but that we could meet that challenge because of the victory....only, that victory never happened. In the ME3 endings, there is nothing positive. There was no reward, no positive spin to overcoming this monumental challenge. We, all of us Shepards, defeated an enemy that no other species over the course of millions of years could defeat, and in the end, there is nothing to celebrate. That's what is killing me . The magic of the Mass Effect universe was sucked out of it. There was no hope in any ending, not even the synthesize ending because of how it is thrust upon you out of nowhere.

Instead of feeling like a hero (me, the player), I felt despondent because there never truly was any "saving the galaxy". Mass Effect has always been about making enough clutch choices that, just maybe, you could overcome impossible odds at the end. But the "world" as we knew it was ending - no matter what we did over the past 3 years (game time) or what we chose in that final moment, hope has been taken away.

Spoiler: show

There's also this:
http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/so...ers.250066288/

Spoiler Warning: Contains the end of the game

Not-Spoiler Content: The end of Mass Effect 3 was altered dramatically. Details inside

[Brill Weave]

Spoiler: show

I admit. I raged hard at the ending. I understand that not everything can end on a happy note. But this ending felt rushed and half finished. Numerous holes in it. No ultimate showdown with Harbinger. No closure for your squadmates. Nothing. With how much time devoted to building up to this showdown I feel like it was a massive letdown. All three choices and you still get fucked? Really? I agree with the thought that BW hurried up and changed the ending based on the backlash from the leaked script. I'm not left with a feeling a accomplishment after finishing the game. I'm just kind left with disappointment. So much potential that was squandered. Very disappointing.

I agree with Anton's comment. In a series where the ultimate goal is to save the galaxy the fact that none of the choices actually do so really bothers me. Technically you're saving all life from being killed by the reapers, but by doing so you're essentially the one destroying it.

[Brill Weave]

Anton can you spoiler quote the article? Settings at work don't let me go to IGN.

[Anton]

Spoiler: show

I admit. I raged hard at the ending. I understand that not everything can end on a happy note. But this ending felt rushed and half finished. Numerous holes in it. No ultimate showdown with Harbinger. No closure for your squadmates. Nothing. With how much time devoted to building up to this showdown I feel like it was a massive letdown. All three choices and you still get fucked? Really? I agree with the thought that BW hurried up and changed the ending based on the backlash from the leaked script. I'm not left with a feeling a accomplishment after finishing the game. I'm just kind left with disappointment. So much potential that was squandered. Very disappointing.

Spoiler: show

Exactly this. The whole series has been about the incredible task, the small chance that you succeed, and the stakes involved. If you fight hard enough and make the right choices, you can achieve the impossible.

But there is no success. Your ending is handed to you by an agent of the Reapers, and you choose one of their options. Also, the choices you make during ME3, while seemingly monumental at the time (Cure genophage? Geth/Quarian alliance? Holy shitsticks, those are big choices), have a very limited impact on the ending. Your unique "war assets" you scoured the galaxy for don't play any significant role.

Oh wait they do - the humans you see fighting the reapers on Earth lose during the final scenes if your War Assets aren't strong enough. Otherwise, they survive and celebrate the reapers dying/retreating.

What about that big fleet? Nothing. The cooperation of races? No effect on the outcome. You could have war assets consisting entirely of Human Alliance, Terminus Pirates, and Geth, with little to no help from the other races, and 'save' the world all the same.

I heard that one of the endings for ME3 was leaked - in the supposed leaked ending, your super-badass fleet ultimately roflstomps the reapers in combat. The galaxy is saved, but the threat of Dark Energy threatens to undo everything. Shepard lives, as well as the crew.

Kind of what I was expecting from Max Paragon, Max completion.

Edit:

Anton can you spoiler quote the article? Settings at work don't let me go to IGN.

done

[Uzor]

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Well, bad ending means they can do a ME4 with the exact same story and concept, only 50000 years in the future - if they go by the "reapers win" one.

[Brill Weave]

I find it amusing that they alter the ending and made it terribad.

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What about that big fleet? Nothing. The cooperation of races? No effect on the outcome. You could have war assets consisting entirely of Human Alliance, Terminus Pirates, and Geth, with little to no help from the other races, and 'save' the world all the same.

Shit, you don't even need that. After playing through the endings, devoting that much time to building up your readiness levels, fleet, and assets just seems like running in place. An anti-climatic end to a series that has been anything but that. Shepard falls into line like a good little soldier. No fight for the survival of the universe. No final battle. 3 husks and a marauder. And shitload of horrible Matrix dialogue ending with a no win situation.

[Anton]

I find it amusing that they alter the ending and made it terribad.

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Shit, you don't even need that. After playing through the endings, devoting that much time to building up your readiness levels, fleet, and assets just seems like running in place. An anti-climatic end to a series that has been anything but that. Shepard falls into line like a good little soldier. No fight for the survival of the universe. No final battle. 3 husks and a marauder. And shitload of horrible Matrix dialogue ending with a no win situation.

Spoiler: show

Honestly, I was fine until the kid. Someone fucking puts a Colossus with thermal lance by the beacon and he's got upgrades on your marines. That hail mary charge getting cut to shit in front of your eyes... that was fucking good. And the first time through, I went "HOLY CHRIST HUSKS NOOOO- Thank god. AHMAGAWDWHATTHEFUCKDIE YOU!" Those were the most intense 3 husks and a Marauder of the entire game. Plus, the battle beforehand was literally 6 Brutes, 4 Banshees, and support, all at once. It was big.

Shit it was even strong through the TIM section, because TIM is such an evil bastard, and his husk-transformation is finally revealed - you didn't even face-to-face him in his own base. I wasn't even disappointed there was no final boss - the confrontation with TIM was a surprise climax, and I thought it worked well.

But then the problems start - why is there no enemy presence on the reaper-controlled citadel? And there's a fucking bug alien in the bodyshop thats doing something and you ignore him completely. And he ignores you! Why did the slaughter shops lead directly to the central control?

And then the Kid. The totally bleak conclusion.

I felt it was as great a game as one expected right until the Kid ending. Fuck the kid, his options, and the conclusion - why can't I save the universe?

[Brill Weave]

Because there is no universe. I would post a pic of the kid with the spoon from Matrix but I'm lazy.

[Brill Weave]

I'll agree with a lot of your points Anton. The build up to the end was great. Unfortunately the ending ruined it.

[knight_kirby]

I knew BioWare kind of had their work cut out for it trying to end the trilogy on a great note, but holy shit that was awful.

Everything that has been said in rage spoilers are exactly how I feel.

[Tyrath]

To be fair I still consider the final boss to be

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The last wave with the 3 banshees when you are trying to activate the rockets. Still kinda lame because I wanted something more than a ave of enemies for the final boss.

Man, the original ending just sounds better. Can we have an alternate ending DLC? lol At this point I'd rather have people rage about that kind of a DLC than to live with that shitty end.

[Insanecyclone]

Hamburger must of had a part in this, or is it on the DA team? There is also a ME MMO rumor

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and this went through my head after the genophase cure.

Personally it feels rushed. Like, seriously, rush so bad they went fanfic route.

[Brill Weave]

I've yet to read anyone posting that they thought the ending was good and appropriate. I'm avoiding the Bioware forums because I would probably get banned after one post. When I've posted there in the past I've been warned for being very vocal with my criticism. Not to mention I get the fanboys frothing at the mouth with rage.

[arshesney]

Most of the people there are angry because they wanted their Disney ending.

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Most of the game is great till that stupid child comes out in my opinion. Want a grim ending? Make the Crucible a trap, activating the Citadel and serving the galaxy to reapers on a silver plate, that woulda been creative.

The bad is that there is too much Hollywood: You fix all the wrongs in the galaxy and break the cycle in a couple weeks (being generous with travelling time) while the mighty Protheans fought for centuries against reapers (it's a big stretch, but they had to fit everything in one game).
You find the doomsday device basically delivered to your door at the right time (seems like nobody ever looked into what was hidden in the Mars archives) and you build it!
Last but not least you have to BUY equipment while trying to save every single sentient being in the galaxy, you know... The Alliance can find unlimited resources for building an unknown thing, but nobody can spare a rifle for you.

[Brill Weave]

Most of the people there are angry because they wanted their Disney ending.

That's actually really surprising. I would have expected them to be riding Bioware's dick the whole time.

[Buffy]

I'm having trouble finding maps (about 4 hours into my first play), I seem to remember having to buy them in previous ME. Where can I buy maps this time, if I need to?

[Tyrath]

Oh well, all bitching aside, gonna check out Insanity and New Game Plus. I wish I could change jobs in new game plus but I'll save future classes for inevitable DLC reruns that I'll probably end up doing.

You don't buy maps. They just pop up as you progress through the story.

[Brill Weave]

I'm having trouble finding maps (about 4 hours into my first play), I seem to remember having to buy them in previous ME. Where can I buy maps this time, if I need to?

Pretty sure you don't buy them this time around. I didn't see any at all. So if there are maps to buy, I completely missed them.