Qutayba wrote...
Bioticsage, I'd agree that there is a certain logic to the endings. The notion of the technological singularity, synthetic AI's surpassing of organic life, makes a lot of sense, and it's been an ongoing idea in the series. At a philosophical level, the final choices are not completely from left field.
The problem is that most of Shepard's key choices are not philosophical, but personal. Take the genophage: you might be inclined to consider the philosophical problems of the issue, but for many, the deciding factor is your experience with Wrex and Grunt. Your loyalty to them might override any other considerations. It's what makes the choice hard. The Salarian argument makes sense, on a logical level, but it might not make sense on an emotional level.
The final decisions presented by the Catalyst make some kind of sense on an abstract level. It's high conceptual science-fiction. But it's utterly divorced from the personal. I went with the green ending, because I couldn't bear to destroy the geth with the red path after all I'd been through. The blue ending seemed to validate TIM's agenda, and I couldn't bear that. But both the red and green endings seemed to validate the logic of the Reapers - synthetic and organic CANNOT live together in peace, and so you must enslave, destroy, or homogenize.
It felt that no matter what you choose, you have to surrender to the enemy's logic. For me it wasn't about Shepard living or dying: the game prepared you for Shepard's death, in my opinion. But to give in to their logic felt like a defeat: you have to acquiesce to the hostility of the universe and the impossibility of inter-species/racial harmony. On top of that, the galactic unity that you've worked so hard to build is shattered into isolated star systems no longer connected by the relays. And let's not even get to the likelihood that many star systems are annihilated from the relay explosions (you can see the explosions from OUTSIDE the galaxy, for gods' sake). It just feels like a colossal defeat even in the best of endings.
It doesn't make sense though, surrendering to the Catalyst's logic is WHY most of us are pissed off, paragon Shepard would likely use a paradox to make the thing self terminate and renegade Shepard would do what he always does when the Reapers are involved: shoot things. If the Catalyst were able to present any form of proof on its part MAYBE there wouldn't be such a backlash but as it stands it did not present proof, we are railroaded into agreeing with it despite the evidence WE have gathered from first hand experience over the course of three ****ing long and mostly enjoyable games that AIs don't seek out and attack organics, nearly all the instances of synthetic violence were self defense and the few instances that weren't were the result Catalyst's solution were the ones responsible for spurring them into violence (Sovereign and the geth).
This is why the ending feels forced, feels wrong, and doesn't fit the tone. At best the man-or-machine thing was a side plot at worst it was barely a footnote, the story has always been about the consequences of your actions brought about what you do via the evidence you have on hand. You can play as an idealist or a cynical realist. In the end that is completely thrown out the window and this is why we're upset.
I don't know why people who support the ending feel the need to butt heads with the many people who don't but more often than not it's the ones who think Bioware didn't do anything wrong in choosing such endings that tend to hold themselves with a smug sense of superiority, which, unsurprisingly annoys people. When you ignore all the well thought out points and only respond to things to - in essence - shout and point "see! see! they're all just unintelligent! they don't get it! and they're just a bunch of violent rabble!" It's the same tactic that news networks use to paint protestors in a negative light to make the cop's job of unjustly breaking up the protest that much easier.
I don't know what your damage is, Biotic Sage, but many people have responded in clear logical and reasonable posts why the endings don't fit with the universe and yet you only seem concerned with arguing with people who do not do such or reaffirming your own ego. I can't tell you to leave, I won't tell you to shut up, but I can say I can see the game you're playing and it's the reason why people get pissed at you.
Modifié par deathscythe517, 11 mars 2012 - 10:07 .
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they feel dijointed, incomplete and unsetisfiying... and poorly executed...
