I love Mass Effect to pieces, but I need to be honest. I'm extremely disappointed by what I've seen sofar. Very, and I'm actually kind of sad. Literally sad. I cannot believe that there is going to be such a focus on Earth in this final game. I know people will counter-argue that the Reapers are focusing on humanity because they perceive them as a threat (remember, we are only like bacteria to Reapers), but I was told that Reapers would darken the sky of "every world".
Maybe the Reapers were given a characterization of such power that anything would be a letdown, a testament to BioWare genius in developing characters. Because let's face it, unless you did what Martin Sheen (spoiler sidestep) wanted you to, the Reapers should be able to destroy Earth within days. Complete eradication. Any other outcome is a weak lessening of characterization, and a large letdown for a great developer who focuses on characterization. Our atomic bombs can kill more people in 15 seconds than Reapers killed in one week, and they are gods compared to us. There needs to be airtight explanations in-story.
The biggest letdown and cause of my disappointment is, as mentioned by many of my fellow fans, is the focus on Earth. Now, yes, assessing storyline, I can see an obvious focus on humanity. We are humans who discovered mass effect technology, and are discovering ourselves in a new golden age, but for the Reapers. But like many others, I have also groomed my Shepard to be seeking to make humanity an equal group among a civilization spanning the galaxy, not dominant or superior. We may be viewed as superior by the Reapers, based upon our actions, and rightfully so...I mean, yeah, we are probably the only species ever to give them fits. But the focus to Earth and humanity? It is glaring apparent. In the story of Mass Effect we players are escaping that boring blue planet we live on to explore space. We see earth every day. We work our assessing of on that planet to get by. We live and die on Earth. Earth becoming a focal point subconsciously shifts our perception of the Mass Effect IP away from the rest of the galaxy, thus consciously making the universe feel smaller and more narrow.
It looks as if I must recruit other species to help humanity. Well, since in my story I am a Citadel Council member, shouldn't I receive help automatically? Shouldn't I have at least the full force of the Turians and Salarians, crippled though they be still from Sovereign? And if I gave Cerberus Reaper technology, wouldn't their defense of Earth make any help from others sort of pointless?? Yeah, every little bit helps, but humanity's tech would far exceed, unless Cerberus hasn't had time to utilize the tech I got them. But beyond all of that, I simply do not want to recruit anymore. Mass Effect 2 was an excellent middle chapter, a fresh, action-packed...middle chapter. But I spent 90% of main-story gameplay recruiting. I now want less recruiting and more storytelling. With the initial perception among fans that we will be recruiting again, its making some of us "lukewarm".
BioWare, you are my favorite developer of games. You are excellent in every facet, and we like your games because you are innovators, you produce quality, and you know what makes a good RPG. And just so its clear, the majority of your fans despise Halo, Call of Duty and a lot of other crap holding back gaming. You are great, and im sure it sometimes feels like we are ungrateful brats. Our complaints, though, are tough love. And this is tough love. I feel that, with the way it feels Mass Effect 3 is heading for, based upon the information at hand, that this could utterly derail the entire franchise. It just has the feel of a C- ending to literally the best piece of fiction in the history of the world. And it mostly has to do with an apparent focus on humanity and decharacterization of the Reapers.
Mass Effect is my favorite game series and story ever. Up until now, it is literally The Best Piece Of Fiction Ever. It was so awesome seeing the Reapers. But I cannot get excited, as much as I want to be. As one of your die hard fans, I feel extremely, immensely disappointed.
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