Unlocked it 10 am Monday. One class monday night, classes yesterday, nothing today. All done!
I feel kind of bummed out now. I don't think it has to do with the ending, it's just...it's done. The other two games were like "I can't fucking wait to see what happens next."
Now there's no next. It's done. The Tale of Shepard is over. That sucks =/
The Tale of Shepard is over sure... but lets be honest, there's another ME in the works as we speak. The devs have already essentially said ME4 is gonna happen, it's just not officially announced yet.I doubt they'll launch into another trilogy right away, but I imagine it's only a matter of time.
I love Shepard, I love his/her story, but there's so much more to see in the ME universe and I am extremely excited to see what's next down the line.
wait
what
Well... the way bioware put it was there's lots of history in the universe to explore. So it sounds like the next game will be a prequel.
WARNING: Picture below may cause spontaneous growth of facial hair and/or body hair.
Image by Sharpwriter on deviantart.com
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ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
Thoughts on new vanguard. Or at least how I've been playing one.
Shotgun to the face = Old and Busted
Falcon Punch to the chest = The New Hotness
So far I've Been using a lightweight shotgun and a pistol. Using them to mop up whatever hasn't died from my almighty fist before Nova-ing any survivors and charging away. I respec'd all my points that carried over from the last game soon as I was able to to specialize myself. New shockwave isn't bad mind you, but it wasn't good for my playstyle. I did keep pull handy. The cooldown is low enough with my setup that I'm able to toss the pull projectile and immediately follow with a charge to set up a biotic explosion->FALCON PUNCH->Shotgun->Nova->charge to replenish my barrier.
I've basically become a wailing banshee made of fists
Can this tactic stay viable the entire game?
Not exactly. Banshees and Brutes can kill you instantly if you're next to them, so charging is fairly risky. That said, the stunning of a biotic explosion may keep you safe for long enough to shotgun and nova.
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
That's it. For now.
Actually.
TIM was originally going to go all One-Winged Angel on you with the Reaper tech but they decided against it because they wanted you to face him mano e mano.
Fucking Human Vanguards are insane. I blow away everyone else in the lobby every single game. It's not uncommon for me to score twice, or sometimes three times more than my nearest teammate. In the last game I did tonight, I scored 72 thousand points, and the next highest guy was at 31 thousand. That's a huge gap over the course of eleven missions.
I know. But that would have been silly. Well it would have been silly as a final boss. I actually have no problem with doing that on the Cerberus Base. It would make way more fucking sense than Kai Leng who totally murdered my immersion. I can't really think of anyone else with so much in combat plot armor. The guy was hard to beat even though he only had shields and I was railing him in the face with cloaked black widow shots. Plus he would just randomly disappear.
I actually really disliked him. I dunno, he seemed like total nerdbait. Like some mary sue anime character. "Oh man he's so cool and he has these crazy things on his eyes and he has a sword and robot legs and his voice is just so deep and I love him." Goddamn weeaboos.
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BeezelThere was no agreement little morsel..Registered Userregular
So, as a Vanguard. How is cryo ammo? I haven't touched it at all.
Okay, like everyone else, have to write down my thoughts on the ending
First of all, I think the Synthesis ending is the only one that makes sense. And I think it's genius, but it comes up short. It makes perfect sense for the whole point of the series to be about how these two forms of life, organic and synthetic, cannot coexist, and that the reapers are a temporary solution to the problem until another arises. Shepard's cycle finishes the Crucible and now there's a new solution in synthesis. Like I said I don't think the other endings make sense. Destroy the reapers and billions of years of galactic cycles tells you you've just doomed all organic life eventually. Control them and the problem still exists, except Shepard is now the new Catalyst. So, I would throw out the other two endings. Synthesis hits it right on the head.
With that said, others are right in that making the ending choice literally wipe the slate clean and make all your other choices meaningless is so lame. There needs to be a "ride off into the sunset" moment for these characters. You need to cut back to Earth, the surviving fleets rebuilding faster than they ever could before now that they've become hybrid life, and end on the implication that eventually they rebuild the mass relays and now the possibilities are endless. That's all it needs and I think it's all better, to be honest. Just some closure, and a sense that Shepard's other choices beyond the last one mattered.
I just want to reiterate how much I think Synthesis works so well in nailing exactly what I think the game is trying to say. The whole game from beginning to end is about unity. You're fighting to unite the races of the galaxy for literally the entire game. Ending it on the idea that the way to escape the cycle is to unify all life into a new hybrid works so well.
curing the genophage, brokering a peace with the geth, and attaching the Catalyst is the title music from Mass Effect—they're getting a new start. That was . . . what's the Something Awful nostalgic smilie or something? Yeah, it was really nice.
Okay, like everyone else, have to write down my thoughts on the ending
First of all, I think the Synthesis ending is the only one that makes sense. And I think it's genius, but it comes up short. It makes perfect sense for the whole point of the series to be about how these two forms of life, organic and synthetic, cannot coexist, and that the reapers are a temporary solution to the problem until another arises. Shepard's cycle finishes the Crucible and now there's a new solution in synthesis. Like I said I don't think the other endings make sense. Destroy the reapers and billions of years of galactic cycles tells you you've just doomed all organic life eventually. Control them and the problem still exists, except Shepard is now the new Catalyst. So, I would throw out the other two endings. Synthesis hits it right on the head.
With that said, others are right in that making the ending choice literally wipe the slate clean and make all your other choices meaningless is so lame. There needs to be a "ride off into the sunset" moment for these characters. You need to cut back to Earth, the surviving fleets rebuilding faster than they ever could before now that they've become hybrid life, and end on the implication that eventually they rebuild the mass relays and now the possibilities are endless. That's all it needs and I think it's all better, to be honest. Just some closure, and a sense that Shepard's other choices beyond the last one mattered.
I just want to reiterate how much I think Synthesis works so well in nailing exactly what I think the game is trying to say. The whole game from beginning to end is about unity. You're fighting to unite the races of the galaxy for literally the entire game. Ending it on the idea that the way to escape the cycle is to unify all life into a new hybrid works so well.
It just needed closure.
I agree with most of your points, although I still really like the relative stone ageing of the galaxy. I think the problem is letting people choose between the endings, which I guess is a silly thing to say in a series that let you choose the endings in the last two.
The slate has to be wiped clean though. It's the only way they can make an actual successor. The only victory that could have happened was one that was basically armageddon and I think that it's foolish to have come in thinking otherwise. It's a huge property and they can't write themselves into a corner.
Unlocked it 10 am Monday. One class monday night, classes yesterday, nothing today. All done!
I feel kind of bummed out now. I don't think it has to do with the ending, it's just...it's done. The other two games were like "I can't fucking wait to see what happens next."
Now there's no next. It's done. The Tale of Shepard is over. That sucks =/
The Tale of Shepard is over sure... but lets be honest, there's another ME in the works as we speak. The devs have already essentially said ME4 is gonna happen, it's just not officially announced yet.I doubt they'll launch into another trilogy right away, but I imagine it's only a matter of time.
I love Shepard, I love his/her story, but there's so much more to see in the ME universe and I am extremely excited to see what's next down the line.
wait
what
Well... the way bioware put it was there's lots of history in the universe to explore. So it sounds like the next game will be a prequel.
I'm going to go ahead and be one of those people and say I don't want it. Mass Effect = Shepard, to me. If Shepard's story is done, then let Mass Effect (the game series at least) be done.
Unlocked it 10 am Monday. One class monday night, classes yesterday, nothing today. All done!
I feel kind of bummed out now. I don't think it has to do with the ending, it's just...it's done. The other two games were like "I can't fucking wait to see what happens next."
Now there's no next. It's done. The Tale of Shepard is over. That sucks =/
The Tale of Shepard is over sure... but lets be honest, there's another ME in the works as we speak. The devs have already essentially said ME4 is gonna happen, it's just not officially announced yet.I doubt they'll launch into another trilogy right away, but I imagine it's only a matter of time.
I love Shepard, I love his/her story, but there's so much more to see in the ME universe and I am extremely excited to see what's next down the line.
wait
what
Well... the way bioware put it was there's lots of history in the universe to explore. So it sounds like the next game will be a prequel.
I'd kill for a game centered playing a C-sec agent. I'd love to see all the wards and bust corrupt politicians and various alien gangs.
Unlocked it 10 am Monday. One class monday night, classes yesterday, nothing today. All done!
I feel kind of bummed out now. I don't think it has to do with the ending, it's just...it's done. The other two games were like "I can't fucking wait to see what happens next."
Now there's no next. It's done. The Tale of Shepard is over. That sucks =/
The Tale of Shepard is over sure... but lets be honest, there's another ME in the works as we speak. The devs have already essentially said ME4 is gonna happen, it's just not officially announced yet.I doubt they'll launch into another trilogy right away, but I imagine it's only a matter of time.
I love Shepard, I love his/her story, but there's so much more to see in the ME universe and I am extremely excited to see what's next down the line.
wait
what
Well... the way bioware put it was there's lots of history in the universe to explore. So it sounds like the next game will be a prequel.
I'm going to go ahead and be one of those people and say I don't want it. Mass Effect = Shepard, to me. If Shepard's story is done, then let Mass Effect (the game series at least) be done.
I'm the total opposite. Shepard was just one pair of glasses we saw the universe through, time to get a new pair of sunglasses (this time with a pink hue!) and see the universe in a whole new shade. There are so many more stories left to tell.
WARNING: Picture below may cause spontaneous growth of facial hair and/or body hair.
Image by Sharpwriter on deviantart.com
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DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
I know. But that would have been silly. Well it would have been silly as a final boss. I actually have no problem with doing that on the Cerberus Base. It would make way more fucking sense than Kai Leng who totally murdered my immersion. I can't really think of anyone else with so much in combat plot armor. The guy was hard to beat even though he only had shields and I was railing him in the face with cloaked black widow shots. Plus he would just randomly disappear.
I actually really disliked him. I dunno, he seemed like total nerdbait. Like some mary sue anime character. "Oh man he's so cool and he has these crazy things on his eyes and he has a sword and robot legs and his voice is just so deep and I love him." Goddamn weeaboos.
I think I liked it. I haven't digested it yet. Of course, I've only seen one ending.
Went for Synthesis. Knew that Joker and EDI were going somewhere. But I'm terribly curious about the other endings as well. I was also Paragon the whole way through.
I know. But that would have been silly. Well it would have been silly as a final boss. I actually have no problem with doing that on the Cerberus Base. It would make way more fucking sense than Kai Leng who totally murdered my immersion. I can't really think of anyone else with so much in combat plot armor. The guy was hard to beat even though he only had shields and I was railing him in the face with cloaked black widow shots. Plus he would just randomly disappear.
I actually really disliked him. I dunno, he seemed like total nerdbait. Like some mary sue anime character. "Oh man he's so cool and he has these crazy things on his eyes and he has a sword and robot legs and his voice is just so deep and I love him." Goddamn weeaboos.
Talking about Troy Baker voice work in a negative way
I mostly agree with Scarab -- bleakness per se is not the problem, it's the ridiculous ambiguity and lack of closure. Take out the mass relays being destroyed and the Normandy crash-landing and while I wouldn't call it a great ending, it would be serviceable. But really, the game needed a damn denoument. I needed to see Palaven and Thessia and Rannoch and Earth and know what the fuck happened to my crew.
I'm fine with Shepard dying -- in fact I think that is ideal. It had real emotional heft to it, when Shepard sacrificed herself. They do such a great job of painting the magnitude of the Reaper threat throughout the game that it's fitting that it would cost everything to defeat them. I'm even OK with the Catalyst bullshit, though frankly I would have preferred if the Crucible were a big goddamn gun and we didn't get any weird exposition on the Reaper motivation. Frankly, the Reapers are doing some weird, fairly inexplicable shit and you have to really strain credulity to give them an understandable motive. I prefer them as just a monumental, incomprehensible threat to all existence.
But again, that's all acceptable. What's fucking unacceptable is the destruction of the mass relays and the Normandy crashing, and not a single goddamn piece of epilogue to let us know what happened to the galaxy.
It's all the more galling because it reeks of a business decision instead of a decision made because they genuinely thought it would be a good plot choice. I say that because everything up to the last two minutes of the game is pitch-perfect. I got teary-eyed when I had to choose between the Quarians and the Geth, and Tali committed suicide. I laughed with Wrex, admired Mordin's sacrifice, felt camaraderie with Garrus and affection for Liara; I mourned the devastation on Palaven and Thessia, I wanted revenge for the destruction wreaked on Earth. This was, all in all, the richest and most immersive game-world I have ever experienced, with more emotional heft than anything I have played in my life. It was, without a doubt, the best game I have ever played -- until those last two horrible minutes. That's what makes it all the more unforgivable, and convinces me that a team that excelled so fully in every regard couldn't have fucked up so badly without some shit-head executive putting the screws to them to do so.
Okay, like everyone else, have to write down my thoughts on the ending
First of all, I think the Synthesis ending is the only one that makes sense. And I think it's genius, but it comes up short. It makes perfect sense for the whole point of the series to be about how these two forms of life, organic and synthetic, cannot coexist, and that the reapers are a temporary solution to the problem until another arises. Shepard's cycle finishes the Crucible and now there's a new solution in synthesis. Like I said I don't think the other endings make sense. Destroy the reapers and billions of years of galactic cycles tells you you've just doomed all organic life eventually. Control them and the problem still exists, except Shepard is now the new Catalyst. So, I would throw out the other two endings. Synthesis hits it right on the head.
With that said, others are right in that making the ending choice literally wipe the slate clean and make all your other choices meaningless is so lame. There needs to be a "ride off into the sunset" moment for these characters. You need to cut back to Earth, the surviving fleets rebuilding faster than they ever could before now that they've become hybrid life, and end on the implication that eventually they rebuild the mass relays and now the possibilities are endless. That's all it needs and I think it's all better, to be honest. Just some closure, and a sense that Shepard's other choices beyond the last one mattered.
I just want to reiterate how much I think Synthesis works so well in nailing exactly what I think the game is trying to say. The whole game from beginning to end is about unity. You're fighting to unite the races of the galaxy for literally the entire game. Ending it on the idea that the way to escape the cycle is to unify all life into a new hybrid works so well.
It just needed closure.
I agree with most of your points, although I still really like the relative stone ageing of the galaxy. I think the problem is letting people choose between the endings, which I guess is a silly thing to say in a series that let you choose the endings in the last two.
The slate has to be wiped clean though. It's the only way they can make an actual successor. The only victory that could have happened was one that was basically armageddon and I think that it's foolish to have come in thinking otherwise. It's a huge property and they can't write themselves into a corner.
Yeah, I think you're right, but there needs to be a way of preserving the weight of the player's decisions. I mean, for the game's purpose, it's fine because those decisions were hard to make at the time. They were effective for that part of the story and that's all they needed to be. But having seen the ending and knowing that none of these things mattered in the long run is extremely jarring and that's why people are pissed about it. I think it would have worked maybe if they had spent time preparing the player for the concept that everything you do in the game is simply a means to an end and nothing more. You need to cure the genophage to ensure you complete your mission? Then damn the consequences, get it done. Who cares what happens when the Krogan are given the capacity to multiply at dangerous rates and overrun the galaxy? None of that matters because all we care about is ending the cycle.
As it is though, you make those decisions and think about them with the idea that they have a lasting effect on what happens after the game is over. The narrative at every turn leads you to draw this conclusion. Once you finish the game though, you realize nothing mattered other than you got to the Catalyst and you made your decision. And the fact that the whole concept of the catalyst and the choices is so sudden doesn't help either. I think Javik would have been a great character to drive that point home before the final confrontation. One conversation where Shepard is maybe having second thoughts about a major decision, only for Javik to slap her and say "No, listen, all that matters is winning. Everything else is inconsequential in the face of the millions of civilizations who fought and died to get us to this point."
Basically I like the ending fundamentally on pretty much every level. The game just needed to prepare the player better.
Wait a minute, about the endings, hold the fuck on. Uber spoilers here.
I'm reading on the net that if you have 5000 points (I had 6k+ and a 98-100% readiness rating, that you can "Readiness Rating 5000 – Choose to destroy the reapers and not Save Anderson to see Shepard lives." and that is NOT what happened for me. What the hell?!
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
That's it. For now.
I like your ending better then the actual ending.
ENDING SPOILERS:
IGN Claims that their videos here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings have Shep surviving, but fuck if I can tell how. Is he supposed to be the old guy in the credits or something?
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ChaosHatHop, hop, hop, HA!Trick of the lightRegistered Userregular
Okay, like everyone else, have to write down my thoughts on the ending
First of all, I think the Synthesis ending is the only one that makes sense. And I think it's genius, but it comes up short. It makes perfect sense for the whole point of the series to be about how these two forms of life, organic and synthetic, cannot coexist, and that the reapers are a temporary solution to the problem until another arises. Shepard's cycle finishes the Crucible and now there's a new solution in synthesis. Like I said I don't think the other endings make sense. Destroy the reapers and billions of years of galactic cycles tells you you've just doomed all organic life eventually. Control them and the problem still exists, except Shepard is now the new Catalyst. So, I would throw out the other two endings. Synthesis hits it right on the head.
With that said, others are right in that making the ending choice literally wipe the slate clean and make all your other choices meaningless is so lame. There needs to be a "ride off into the sunset" moment for these characters. You need to cut back to Earth, the surviving fleets rebuilding faster than they ever could before now that they've become hybrid life, and end on the implication that eventually they rebuild the mass relays and now the possibilities are endless. That's all it needs and I think it's all better, to be honest. Just some closure, and a sense that Shepard's other choices beyond the last one mattered.
I just want to reiterate how much I think Synthesis works so well in nailing exactly what I think the game is trying to say. The whole game from beginning to end is about unity. You're fighting to unite the races of the galaxy for literally the entire game. Ending it on the idea that the way to escape the cycle is to unify all life into a new hybrid works so well.
It just needed closure.
I agree with most of your points, although I still really like the relative stone ageing of the galaxy. I think the problem is letting people choose between the endings, which I guess is a silly thing to say in a series that let you choose the endings in the last two.
The slate has to be wiped clean though. It's the only way they can make an actual successor. The only victory that could have happened was one that was basically armageddon and I think that it's foolish to have come in thinking otherwise. It's a huge property and they can't write themselves into a corner.
Yeah, I think you're right, but there needs to be a way of preserving the weight of the player's decisions. I mean, for the game's purpose, it's fine because those decisions were hard to make at the time. They were effective for that part of the story and that's all they needed to be. But having seen the ending and knowing that none of these things mattered in the long run is extremely jarring and that's why people are pissed about it. I think it would have worked maybe if they had spent time preparing the player for the concept that everything you do in the game is simply a means to an end and nothing more. You need to cure the genophage to ensure you complete your mission? Then damn the consequences, get it done. Who cares what happens when the Krogan are given the capacity to multiply at dangerous rates and overrun the galaxy? None of that matters because all we care about is ending the cycle.
As it is though, you make those decisions and think about them with the idea that they have a lasting effect on what happens after the game is over. The narrative at every turn leads you to draw this conclusion. Once you finish the game though, you realize nothing mattered other than you got to the Catalyst and you made your decision. And the fact that the whole concept of the catalyst and the choices is so sudden doesn't help either. I think Javik would have been a great character to drive that point home before the final confrontation. One conversation where Shepard is maybe having second thoughts about a major decision, only for Javik to slap her and say "No, listen, all that matters is winning. Everything else is inconsequential in the face of the millions of civilizations who fought and died to get us to this point."
Basically I like the ending fundamentally on pretty much every level. The game just needed to prepare the player better.
I had a very similar conversation with a friend re: your choices not mattering. Your choices did matter. They got you that far. Knowing the ending is metagaming and you really don't have any way to know how the ending is from Shepard's perspective, but you're going to do everything in your fucking power to give humanity the best possible chance. Furthermore, I realized that my friend was coming from a sense of gaming (I don't want to use this word) entitlement. We take it for granted that we win at the end. We take it for granted that usually everything is pretty happy at the end when we do, but sometimes we make the final sacrifice.
But you can't ASSUME that. And neither can Shepard. You have to assume that the galaxy is fucking doomed unless you do everything you can. All of your choices got you this far. Saving the galaxy at all is the reward, considering the immense scope of what you're doing. A victory can be considered a viable population of people able to repopulate the galaxy meaningfully, and then everything after that is fucking gravy.
Anything less than that makes a mockery of the immense threat that the Reapers are. They are cold, calculated killing machines that have existed for millions of years and beat countless other sentients who tried just as hard as you did to stop them. If you are going to beat them, it's going to be at heavy cost.
I think viewing the ending through that lens makes it better.
Beat this game about 4 hours ago. Incredible. Spoilers:
Not going to get into too specific here but jesus fuck the last decision was the hardest I've had to make in a game. It was also brutally unfair that I basically spent the entire fucking series operating in defiance of the problem put forth at the end of the game, and none of the 3 solutions presented really, encompass what I was going for, although the... let's say "Green" option came the closest. I still wanted to hold on to that dream man.
My romance with Liara was a sore spot by the end of the game. It started off fine, good even. A few touching moments, a few cute instances. But around halfway through the game it was exactly like the game had forgotten she was my romance option. I got propositioned by about 5 people all in the same trip to the citadel. A later trip to the citadel I had to reaffirm that yes, I was in fact in a relationship with you Liara, And once this happened? She turned into ME2 Garrus, never having anything to say up until the patented bioware hey we're about to wrap this up let's get our bone on moment. This was really frustrating in a way. The romances are always the weak spots in these games because they are really fucking silly but I was hoping for a story that would have spanned 3 games at this point it could have been better done. Or even if it wasn't, at least the game wouldn't act like it never happened
On a less spoilery note I feel like this game was a step forward in most ways. However, the ending areas were riddled with weird instances causing biotic charge to fail. Like, guy out in the open shooting me and I can't charge him. Even more blatant than on the collector ships in 2. There were a couple of instances towards the end that could best be described as, "just watch people shoot at you until we decide to deus ex machina you" which is really fucking boring design. There were also far, far, far too many 1 hit kills and I feel these were put in explicitly to fuck over vanguards. Roughly 90% of my deaths came from some nerd deciding to get his 1 shot on. The other 10% were either charge failing or me using nova without having a new charge target lined up first like a dumb. And for my last complaint, there was way too much backtracking needed on the citadel. It got kind of silly.
All of that said, a completely amazing game and my new favorite game ever. An amazing finale to an amazing series and I couldn't be happier.
Well ok, if there was an option to specifically disable all my vanguards yelling, that would make me a lot happier. I feel bad for my roommates.
Rofl, so after all that they just shipped it, and estimate says it will be here Saturday. ..
..
So now I have a deadline to finish ME2 by Saturday. All the loyalty missions are done, just need to do Overlord and Arrival, then go to get the IFF.
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
That's it. For now.
I like your ending better then the actual ending.
ENDING SPOILERS:
IGN Claims that their videos here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings have Shep surviving, but fuck if I can tell how. Is he supposed to be the old guy in the credits or something?
(General ME3 story spoilers, nothing farther than midgame)
The attack on the Citadel's the equivalent of the Collector Ship mission, right? Because I just got a metric arse-load of emails from crew members wanting to talk to me in private, which sounds an awful lot like the lead-in to a loyalty quest.
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OrcaAlso known as EspressosaurusWrexRegistered Userregular
edited March 2012
I'm about 20 hours in and just got the what looks like the start to the Quarian mission.
I'm going to guess I've got a loooong way to go. But I'm at about halfway for war resources with no multiplayer, so that's good!
Yeah, the deaths in this game are handled super well. It fucking hurts man, but it's for the ultimate war. I like how they focus a lot more on Shepard's reaction to stuff than in previous games.
Banshee tips anyone? Anyone? I can drop their barriers fast with Overload, but once they get into that hyped up blue super sayain shit they kill me THROUGH full shields. They're kinda the one enemy in the game that I think are total bullshit. Even brutes and Atlas are fair.
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Why is EDI on the Normandy at the end? Did Joker make a special run to Earth to pick her up or something? I assumed the rest of my squad was on Earth somewhere, dead or alive. How the fuck did EDI get back to the ship?
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
I liked the scene with Anderson at the end, two old soldiers hurt and potentially dying with a scenic view of Earth as war rages around them. The third game is so god damn hectic and stressful (and they make mention of this towards the end) for these two characters especially. It was nice to see a moment of genuine peace between them (even the romance scene wasn't a fun time). I almost wish the game had ended there as Shepard slowly loses consciousness and dies while hearing triumphant Alliance comm chatter in the background.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
That's it. For now.
I like your ending better then the actual ending.
ENDING SPOILERS:
IGN Claims that their videos here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings have Shep surviving, but fuck if I can tell how. Is he supposed to be the old guy in the credits or something?
IGN Claims that their videos here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/mass-effect-3/Endings have Shep surviving, but fuck if I can tell how. Is he supposed to be the old guy in the credits or something?
I never understand this. If your main character needs to die, just fucking kill him/her. Shepard's death makes all the conversations you have with people about white picket fences and some bar in Rio that much more poignant. It completes the picture for that character.
Why implement the "BUT if you get 100% of all shit and also this other number to 3212931231 you can see the main characters body twitch at the end!"? Just why? It doesn't bother me personally because my Shep is fucking dead. Really dead. But if she wasn't dead, I think that would kind of undermine a bit of the legend for me.
Just games being games I guess. Maybe we'll get passed this kind of shit eventually.
SickwithJustice on
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DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
Question about Cerberus from people who've beat the game or are close to end. It's about their troops and I'm only asking this questions so I can feel smart.
I'm guessing Cerberus is somehow indoctrinating or brainwashing people, that's how they're getting all these troops? I remember something about "Sanctuary" during the Grissom mission so are they using people who go there for refuge as their own person troops?
Posts
Well... the way bioware put it was there's lots of history in the universe to explore. So it sounds like the next game will be a prequel.
Image by Sharpwriter on deviantart.com
Tactical cloak, black widow, armor piercing (or I guess warp) ammo. Three shots to the dome. The hardest part is stripping the barriers, which I did with disruptor ammo on an SMG.
End game thoughts now that I've had some time to think.
Okay, so, here are some things that are bothering me.
Harbinger at the end was a total goddamn waste. "Oh noes Harbinger is coming." He lasers you for a little bit and then runs off. It would have been nice to have more of a confrontation (even though I liked the whole "ow fuck I am hurt" part of the end).
I don't like the Catalyst. It seems like there should be more options, or a contingency plan. "Listen, this peace with the Geth is historic. Let's try it out and if it sucks maybe we'll try one of your options?" I don't think his logic is circular (as many people are griping) I just don't know if I accept these options.
With the ending as sad as it is, I totally get why there is no epilogue "what's happening with your friends." I actually think most of my friends are dead. Still, I won't say that I wouldn't say no to a happy ending. I just didn't like how abrupt it was. BAM over. The post credits scene didn't change my opinion at all. I wish the post credits scene could have been more of a teaser, a look into galactic life much, much later on, instead of some kid and his grandpa. Give us some context as to what Shepard died to create.
The motivations of the Reapers were pretty easy to understand. They kill so some life may continue instead of all life dying before synthetics. I get that. It's just...Sovereign said I wouldn't understand. I think they maybe should have never given a reason.
And here are some things I liked.
Actually, the whole part of the game post being lasered by Harbinger and pre Catalyst is great. I had a ton of reputation so I could hit all the conversation options. It was a good scene filled with teh dramaz.
I liked being able to make the Illusive Man shoot himself. Shepard's running the lowest success rate suicide hotline up in heaven.
I liked Shepard being able to broker galactic peace through sacrifice. I like the Synthesis ending and I think it makes a ton of sense.
This game didn't have a "FINAL BOSS RAR." Which is good. Because I was afraid there was going to be something stupid like the Reaper-Man or something and he'd be like the nexus of Reaper intelligence that is conveniently man sized so Shepard can kill it by shooting it behind a low wall. The Reapers aren't a thing you should be able to defeat via a final boss.
That's it. For now.
Not exactly. Banshees and Brutes can kill you instantly if you're next to them, so charging is fairly risky. That said, the stunning of a biotic explosion may keep you safe for long enough to shotgun and nova.
Actually.
Fucking Human Vanguards.
I actually really disliked him. I dunno, he seemed like total nerdbait. Like some mary sue anime character. "Oh man he's so cool and he has these crazy things on his eyes and he has a sword and robot legs and his voice is just so deep and I love him." Goddamn weeaboos.
"...only mights and maybes."
With that said, others are right in that making the ending choice literally wipe the slate clean and make all your other choices meaningless is so lame. There needs to be a "ride off into the sunset" moment for these characters. You need to cut back to Earth, the surviving fleets rebuilding faster than they ever could before now that they've become hybrid life, and end on the implication that eventually they rebuild the mass relays and now the possibilities are endless. That's all it needs and I think it's all better, to be honest. Just some closure, and a sense that Shepard's other choices beyond the last one mattered.
I just want to reiterate how much I think Synthesis works so well in nailing exactly what I think the game is trying to say. The whole game from beginning to end is about unity. You're fighting to unite the races of the galaxy for literally the entire game. Ending it on the idea that the way to escape the cycle is to unify all life into a new hybrid works so well.
It just needed closure.
The slate has to be wiped clean though. It's the only way they can make an actual successor. The only victory that could have happened was one that was basically armageddon and I think that it's foolish to have come in thinking otherwise. It's a huge property and they can't write themselves into a corner.
Oh man, as a vanguard against Brutes, I feel like a fucking Boss. "You coming at me, bro!? 'Cause I'm going at you!"
XBL: GamingFreak5514
PSN: GamingFreak1234
I'm not playing a third-person shooter, I'm playing fucking dodgeball except the balls are grenades and everyone except me has seven million of them
My absolute favorite is when I have to play dodgeball while being chased by a Brute
Just really really stupid
I'm going to go ahead and be one of those people and say I don't want it. Mass Effect = Shepard, to me. If Shepard's story is done, then let Mass Effect (the game series at least) be done.
I'd kill for a game centered playing a C-sec agent. I'd love to see all the wards and bust corrupt politicians and various alien gangs.
xbl gamertag: sublunary
it's basically cooldown abuse to make sure your shields never run out. I've almost died a couple times though.
"...only mights and maybes."
I'm the total opposite. Shepard was just one pair of glasses we saw the universe through, time to get a new pair of sunglasses (this time with a pink hue!) and see the universe in a whole new shade. There are so many more stories left to tell.
Image by Sharpwriter on deviantart.com
...I think he's cool...in a fun enemy way.
I think I liked it. I haven't digested it yet. Of course, I've only seen one ending.
Talking about Troy Baker voice work in a negative way
that's a paddlin'
I mostly agree with Scarab -- bleakness per se is not the problem, it's the ridiculous ambiguity and lack of closure. Take out the mass relays being destroyed and the Normandy crash-landing and while I wouldn't call it a great ending, it would be serviceable. But really, the game needed a damn denoument. I needed to see Palaven and Thessia and Rannoch and Earth and know what the fuck happened to my crew.
I'm fine with Shepard dying -- in fact I think that is ideal. It had real emotional heft to it, when Shepard sacrificed herself. They do such a great job of painting the magnitude of the Reaper threat throughout the game that it's fitting that it would cost everything to defeat them. I'm even OK with the Catalyst bullshit, though frankly I would have preferred if the Crucible were a big goddamn gun and we didn't get any weird exposition on the Reaper motivation. Frankly, the Reapers are doing some weird, fairly inexplicable shit and you have to really strain credulity to give them an understandable motive. I prefer them as just a monumental, incomprehensible threat to all existence.
But again, that's all acceptable. What's fucking unacceptable is the destruction of the mass relays and the Normandy crashing, and not a single goddamn piece of epilogue to let us know what happened to the galaxy.
It's all the more galling because it reeks of a business decision instead of a decision made because they genuinely thought it would be a good plot choice. I say that because everything up to the last two minutes of the game is pitch-perfect. I got teary-eyed when I had to choose between the Quarians and the Geth, and Tali committed suicide. I laughed with Wrex, admired Mordin's sacrifice, felt camaraderie with Garrus and affection for Liara; I mourned the devastation on Palaven and Thessia, I wanted revenge for the destruction wreaked on Earth. This was, all in all, the richest and most immersive game-world I have ever experienced, with more emotional heft than anything I have played in my life. It was, without a doubt, the best game I have ever played -- until those last two horrible minutes. That's what makes it all the more unforgivable, and convinces me that a team that excelled so fully in every regard couldn't have fucked up so badly without some shit-head executive putting the screws to them to do so.
As it is though, you make those decisions and think about them with the idea that they have a lasting effect on what happens after the game is over. The narrative at every turn leads you to draw this conclusion. Once you finish the game though, you realize nothing mattered other than you got to the Catalyst and you made your decision. And the fact that the whole concept of the catalyst and the choices is so sudden doesn't help either. I think Javik would have been a great character to drive that point home before the final confrontation. One conversation where Shepard is maybe having second thoughts about a major decision, only for Javik to slap her and say "No, listen, all that matters is winning. Everything else is inconsequential in the face of the millions of civilizations who fought and died to get us to this point."
Basically I like the ending fundamentally on pretty much every level. The game just needed to prepare the player better.
There are apparently like 8 endings though.
I like your ending better then the actual ending.
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
ENDING SPOILERS:
But you can't ASSUME that. And neither can Shepard. You have to assume that the galaxy is fucking doomed unless you do everything you can. All of your choices got you this far. Saving the galaxy at all is the reward, considering the immense scope of what you're doing. A victory can be considered a viable population of people able to repopulate the galaxy meaningfully, and then everything after that is fucking gravy.
Anything less than that makes a mockery of the immense threat that the Reapers are. They are cold, calculated killing machines that have existed for millions of years and beat countless other sentients who tried just as hard as you did to stop them. If you are going to beat them, it's going to be at heavy cost.
I think viewing the ending through that lens makes it better.
My romance with Liara was a sore spot by the end of the game. It started off fine, good even. A few touching moments, a few cute instances. But around halfway through the game it was exactly like the game had forgotten she was my romance option. I got propositioned by about 5 people all in the same trip to the citadel. A later trip to the citadel I had to reaffirm that yes, I was in fact in a relationship with you Liara, And once this happened? She turned into ME2 Garrus, never having anything to say up until the patented bioware hey we're about to wrap this up let's get our bone on moment. This was really frustrating in a way. The romances are always the weak spots in these games because they are really fucking silly but I was hoping for a story that would have spanned 3 games at this point it could have been better done. Or even if it wasn't, at least the game wouldn't act like it never happened
On a less spoilery note I feel like this game was a step forward in most ways. However, the ending areas were riddled with weird instances causing biotic charge to fail. Like, guy out in the open shooting me and I can't charge him. Even more blatant than on the collector ships in 2. There were a couple of instances towards the end that could best be described as, "just watch people shoot at you until we decide to deus ex machina you" which is really fucking boring design. There were also far, far, far too many 1 hit kills and I feel these were put in explicitly to fuck over vanguards. Roughly 90% of my deaths came from some nerd deciding to get his 1 shot on. The other 10% were either charge failing or me using nova without having a new charge target lined up first like a dumb. And for my last complaint, there was way too much backtracking needed on the citadel. It got kind of silly.
All of that said, a completely amazing game and my new favorite game ever. An amazing finale to an amazing series and I couldn't be happier.
Well ok, if there was an option to specifically disable all my vanguards yelling, that would make me a lot happier. I feel bad for my roommates.
LoL: failboattootoot
..
So now I have a deadline to finish ME2 by Saturday. All the loyalty missions are done, just need to do Overlord and Arrival, then go to get the IFF.
MORE SPOILERS FOR END :
(General ME3 story spoilers, nothing farther than midgame)
I'm going to guess I've got a loooong way to go. But I'm at about halfway for war resources with no multiplayer, so that's good!
GAME OF THE DECADE OMG
Seriously. I'm having SO much fun. And I'm only 9 hours in. Ill post more thoughts when I'm sober.
That being said, I honestly like how most of it sounds. I want to properly explain why I like it but again I want to see everything for myself first.
*awkward pause from EDI*
"That was a joke."
"Sorry, Shepard. I was contemplating."
I laughed for 2 minutes straight.
LoL: failboattootoot
Why implement the "BUT if you get 100% of all shit and also this other number to 3212931231 you can see the main characters body twitch at the end!"? Just why? It doesn't bother me personally because my Shep is fucking dead. Really dead. But if she wasn't dead, I think that would kind of undermine a bit of the legend for me.
Just games being games I guess. Maybe we'll get passed this kind of shit eventually.