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agreed dpmeister
On the Mass Effect 3 endings. Yes, we are listening.
Débuté par
Chris Priestly
, mars 15 2012 02:55
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#9677
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:05
bschaaf
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i wonder how much of this is a result of the last chapter save being automatic and it was a permanent save, not an autosave or quicksave point. this save allowed easy access to all of the available endings depending on Shepard's War Assets (total galatic readiness or something.)
i will admit using this save to view the alternate endings without role playing an appropriate conclusion *just to see what they were*. the first time i saw the ending i chose the best ending for my Shepard from all three ME games; i don't have any connection to the other endings just a curiosity to see what they were. there's no guarantee that i will return to ME again or be willing to put the time in to play a Shepard that fits the choice asked for at the end of the game. So i think that having the last chapter save is a good thing and i hope that they keep it. however, it seems inevitable that this will be talked about as a solution.
i'll admit i wasn't really happy with the sameness of the endings, there seems to be no value in playing a renegade, paragon, or something right down the middle to see different outcomes. However, as i said, i can only say this because i was able to see all the endings without playing the game all the way through with different Shepard builds. it's always possible that playing the whole game multiple times and seeing similar endings would make me more upset. However, most games don't have alternate endings so maybe i wouldn't notice.
considering people don't usually finish games, let alone play them multiple times, i hope they decide to keep the last chapter save.
just my 2 cents.
i will admit using this save to view the alternate endings without role playing an appropriate conclusion *just to see what they were*. the first time i saw the ending i chose the best ending for my Shepard from all three ME games; i don't have any connection to the other endings just a curiosity to see what they were. there's no guarantee that i will return to ME again or be willing to put the time in to play a Shepard that fits the choice asked for at the end of the game. So i think that having the last chapter save is a good thing and i hope that they keep it. however, it seems inevitable that this will be talked about as a solution.
i'll admit i wasn't really happy with the sameness of the endings, there seems to be no value in playing a renegade, paragon, or something right down the middle to see different outcomes. However, as i said, i can only say this because i was able to see all the endings without playing the game all the way through with different Shepard builds. it's always possible that playing the whole game multiple times and seeing similar endings would make me more upset. However, most games don't have alternate endings so maybe i wouldn't notice.
considering people don't usually finish games, let alone play them multiple times, i hope they decide to keep the last chapter save.
just my 2 cents.
#9678
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:08
DuncanId
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Cross429 wrote...
AwefulShot wrote...
Cross429 wrote...
How about Shepard dying because he tripped and fell out of the shuttle?
I can't get this picture out of my head now!
Shepard exits the shuttle;
Shepard: "Right Reapers meet your do... arrrrhh!!!!"
<stunned silence>
Garrus: "Bugger."
Tali: "I should have tied his shoelaces!"
Those who defend the "artistry" of the current, non-Indoctrination ending (if that exists) would say that Shepard's defenestration had a "powerful emotional impact: I love how, as he tripped, he looked up at the sky, symbolizing his committment to the galaxy.....Shepard's final thought must have been: I hope the Normandy flees the final battle and crash lands on a Jungle planet so my pilot can walk outside and enjoy the humid tropical air!!!"
The Tripping Shepard is brilliance. Sheer brilliance. What "artistic integrity."
In Dragonlance one of the main characters died of a heart attack in the middle of the story, and it was a powerful moment...
#9679
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:13
Seeeg
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magnetite wrote...
+1 the indoc theory makes so much sense that it would be really
surprising if it isn´t true... what´s more as you said.. a staff who
wrote ME 1, ME2 + the excellent game ME3 was during the joruney (99% of
the game) can ´t possibly just made so many mistakes in the last 10
minutes, it would be unbelieavable...
After watching that 20 minute video on it and replaying Arrival this afternoon, I'm pretty much a believer now. Harbinger says, "You will be the first to witness our arrival", followed by Shepard getting hit with Object Rho's energy. This was the start of the indoctrination process.
I think people who can't figure it out need Bioware to spell it out for them.
Arrival Object Rho scene
Fast forward to around 4:50 or so to see it. Video is about 5 minutes long.
yeah, i believe that too. and personally, i cant wait to see what's next.
i really hope that they come out with a free dlc though, because i dont want to wait another 2 years for the final-final chapter.. -.-
#9680
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:18
Andy the Black
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Some might find this an interesting read. Sorry if it's already been posted. http://www.forbes.co...e-easy-way-out/
Modifié par Andy the Black, 23 mars 2012 - 10:18 .
#9681
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:23
helloween7
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Dear BioWare:
By now the reasons why the ending of Mass Effect 3 isn't up to par have been been discussed and argued at length. I posted my reasons a few days ago, as well as a couple of links I found interesting and some random comments.
Someone in this thread said recently that the ending did foster speculation and debate, but over what went down at BioWare, not over the fate of the Mass Effect universe, as it should have been. And s/he was right. I know I have been puzzling over this. And I think I get it now.
My guess is that you want to continue making games in this universe, and you havee probably thought of a setting in the somewhat distant futue (relative to the time of the Mass Effect trilogy) where there are no Mass Relays and the galactic societies have developed in isolation and in wildly divergent ways. And I'm okay with that. It's a bit JRPG-ish, IMO, but I like the idea. I'd like to play that game.
However.
Whereas this is certainly an interesting idea for Mass Effect TNG, or whatever name you want to give this future installment, it works as a setup, as a beginning. Not as an end to the Mass Effect original trilogy.
Mostly because this kind of ending negates the very foundation of what Mass Effect as a whole was about. Choice.
Let me have my wildly divergent possible endings in Mass Effect 3. Let my decisions throughout the 3 games play out. Let me save the galaxy if I work hard enough to achieve it, or let me lose to the reapers (even as a non-canon ending) if I half-ass my way through the game. Let me have several middle-ground possiblities as well. (and for pity's sake, implement a way to get 100% Galactic Readiness within the single-player campaign.)
Then, at the beginning of the (first?) Mass Effect TNG game, establish that at some point in time after the Reaper War (maybe 300 or 400 years afterwards), but long before the starting point of the game, the Relays went out. Props if the game allows me to investigate the reasons why that happened. Double props if it has something to do with the Dark Energy. Infinite+1 props if the game tracks what my Shepard did or didn't do and lets me find out the long-term effects of these decisions, as I explore this new yet familiar universe with a new character.
Like, I don't know, maybe I could visit Tuchanka and discover the Shepard-Vakarian School of Awesome for Future Krogan Leaders, or the Mordin Solus Memorial... or I could find out that Tuchanka is still a toxic wasteland and that Krogans are on the verge of extinction/already extinct... or maybe I could discover, to my character's horror and dismay (and mine) that Krogans are alive and kicking, very much bored of being trapped in an overpopulated system and ready to take over the galaxy at the slightest chance.
But I digress. My point is that Mass Effect 3 and the Mass Effect trilogy as a whole don't deserve the ending they have as it is now. Please, destroy the Mass Relays if this what you want to do, but not as the culmination of Mass Effect 3. That's just depressing, and I could do with non-depressing endings nowadays. RL is depresssing enough already.
Pretty please, with whiped cream and cherries on top?
By now the reasons why the ending of Mass Effect 3 isn't up to par have been been discussed and argued at length. I posted my reasons a few days ago, as well as a couple of links I found interesting and some random comments.
Someone in this thread said recently that the ending did foster speculation and debate, but over what went down at BioWare, not over the fate of the Mass Effect universe, as it should have been. And s/he was right. I know I have been puzzling over this. And I think I get it now.
My guess is that you want to continue making games in this universe, and you havee probably thought of a setting in the somewhat distant futue (relative to the time of the Mass Effect trilogy) where there are no Mass Relays and the galactic societies have developed in isolation and in wildly divergent ways. And I'm okay with that. It's a bit JRPG-ish, IMO, but I like the idea. I'd like to play that game.
However.
Whereas this is certainly an interesting idea for Mass Effect TNG, or whatever name you want to give this future installment, it works as a setup, as a beginning. Not as an end to the Mass Effect original trilogy.
Mostly because this kind of ending negates the very foundation of what Mass Effect as a whole was about. Choice.
Let me have my wildly divergent possible endings in Mass Effect 3. Let my decisions throughout the 3 games play out. Let me save the galaxy if I work hard enough to achieve it, or let me lose to the reapers (even as a non-canon ending) if I half-ass my way through the game. Let me have several middle-ground possiblities as well. (and for pity's sake, implement a way to get 100% Galactic Readiness within the single-player campaign.)
Then, at the beginning of the (first?) Mass Effect TNG game, establish that at some point in time after the Reaper War (maybe 300 or 400 years afterwards), but long before the starting point of the game, the Relays went out. Props if the game allows me to investigate the reasons why that happened. Double props if it has something to do with the Dark Energy. Infinite+1 props if the game tracks what my Shepard did or didn't do and lets me find out the long-term effects of these decisions, as I explore this new yet familiar universe with a new character.
Like, I don't know, maybe I could visit Tuchanka and discover the Shepard-Vakarian School of Awesome for Future Krogan Leaders, or the Mordin Solus Memorial... or I could find out that Tuchanka is still a toxic wasteland and that Krogans are on the verge of extinction/already extinct... or maybe I could discover, to my character's horror and dismay (and mine) that Krogans are alive and kicking, very much bored of being trapped in an overpopulated system and ready to take over the galaxy at the slightest chance.
But I digress. My point is that Mass Effect 3 and the Mass Effect trilogy as a whole don't deserve the ending they have as it is now. Please, destroy the Mass Relays if this what you want to do, but not as the culmination of Mass Effect 3. That's just depressing, and I could do with non-depressing endings nowadays. RL is depresssing enough already.
Pretty please, with whiped cream and cherries on top?
Modifié par helloween7, 23 mars 2012 - 10:26 .
#9682
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:25
Psythorn
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It's a little more than a week now since I finished my playthrough. So I had time think about it.
Sadly enough I still do not like the ending and even more sad: I do not feel the slightest need to replay starting with ME1 - something I planned to do...
And also I really loved to play ME3 - enjoyed epic, highly emotional moments - something only very few games archievd - the end does still make me feel empty and sad and that's how I will remember ME3 - I can't get over it.
Much has been said about the endings and I think the reasons many people are not liking them are various. I hope Bioware finds a way to collect reliable data on what reasons are most common. So here are mine:
I 'd like to have more choices, I'd like to have a bigger impact of the choices made (or the illusion of it as this was the whole series made this geat), and yes I really loved to have at least ONE brighter ending (blue babies optional). Also did not like the presented choices made the big moment Shep united Geth and Quarrians and also the small(?) sidestory of EDI and Joker just worthless.
The "this is art and artistic integrity" argument: Good points on this are posted everywhere and also to me this is a cheap evasion in my opinion. Yes it's ART. But by no means you can convince me that Bioware made it for the pure love of art. You made it to sell it. So here I am: I'm a consumer I 'm living in a country with the right of free speech and I have a wallet to vote with. And NO: If Bioware would not only listen to us but also agreed with us - this wouldn't be a bad precedence - it has been done many times before.End even if it would be a precedence it would not be a bad one to me.
Finally I'd like to emphasis what has been said many times. Bioware please understand that all the fuzz is in a fact a very very big compliment to your work. ME1-ME3 made people get emotionally involved in your story ! They care about the world and the NPCs and Shep. That is a BIG archivement.
But that's also the reason why the forum is rolling... Why people are upset, sad, mad... Emotional response...
Sadly enough I still do not like the ending and even more sad: I do not feel the slightest need to replay starting with ME1 - something I planned to do...
And also I really loved to play ME3 - enjoyed epic, highly emotional moments - something only very few games archievd - the end does still make me feel empty and sad and that's how I will remember ME3 - I can't get over it.
Much has been said about the endings and I think the reasons many people are not liking them are various. I hope Bioware finds a way to collect reliable data on what reasons are most common. So here are mine:
I 'd like to have more choices, I'd like to have a bigger impact of the choices made (or the illusion of it as this was the whole series made this geat), and yes I really loved to have at least ONE brighter ending (blue babies optional). Also did not like the presented choices made the big moment Shep united Geth and Quarrians and also the small(?) sidestory of EDI and Joker just worthless.
The "this is art and artistic integrity" argument: Good points on this are posted everywhere and also to me this is a cheap evasion in my opinion. Yes it's ART. But by no means you can convince me that Bioware made it for the pure love of art. You made it to sell it. So here I am: I'm a consumer I 'm living in a country with the right of free speech and I have a wallet to vote with. And NO: If Bioware would not only listen to us but also agreed with us - this wouldn't be a bad precedence - it has been done many times before.End even if it would be a precedence it would not be a bad one to me.
Finally I'd like to emphasis what has been said many times. Bioware please understand that all the fuzz is in a fact a very very big compliment to your work. ME1-ME3 made people get emotionally involved in your story ! They care about the world and the NPCs and Shep. That is a BIG archivement.
But that's also the reason why the forum is rolling... Why people are upset, sad, mad... Emotional response...
Modifié par Psythorn, 23 mars 2012 - 10:34 .
#9683
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:30
LogicGunn
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Best ME3 moment? The shower scene between Shep and Traynor. Seriously, it was an excellent romance scene without too much pjorn or sentiment. 
On a more serious note, leaving Mordin behind broke my heart and my Shep's heart. Best hurt in a video game ever.
On a more serious note, leaving Mordin behind broke my heart and my Shep's heart. Best hurt in a video game ever.
#9684
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:34
Lord Atherios
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I've just re-finished the game to check something I was curious about (The indoctrination theory again)
Just after the starchild appears and explains the differente solutions, Control in this case, you have a small conversatión with the starchild , something like:
Shepard: So TIM was right, we can control the reapers
Starchild: Yes, but TIM was unable to control us because we already were controlling him (He was Indoctrinated) . But you can control the reapers (That means you were not indictrinated at that moment. Acording to what the starchild says, only NOT INDOCTRINATED PEOPLE can control the reapers)
So if just before making our decision about the three endings we're not full indoctrinated, we can say that the endings are:
Control: You became full indoctrinated
Syntesys: More or less, full indoctrinated too.
Destroy: They cannot full indoctrinate you
Right?
So you dont really get a ME3 ending. You get (or not) fully indoctrinated, but the battle for Earth still going on (and the battle all over the rest of the galaxy, at least the volus, the elcor, the salarians, the krogans, the asari, the turian and everyone else homeworlds still under siege, rigth??)
In my opinion we have 2 choices.
1º Believe in the indoctrination theory -> That means "not having a true ending"
2º Not believe in the indoctrination theory -> That means also "not having a true ending"
...
Just after the starchild appears and explains the differente solutions, Control in this case, you have a small conversatión with the starchild , something like:
Shepard: So TIM was right, we can control the reapers
Starchild: Yes, but TIM was unable to control us because we already were controlling him (He was Indoctrinated) . But you can control the reapers (That means you were not indictrinated at that moment. Acording to what the starchild says, only NOT INDOCTRINATED PEOPLE can control the reapers)
So if just before making our decision about the three endings we're not full indoctrinated, we can say that the endings are:
Control: You became full indoctrinated
Syntesys: More or less, full indoctrinated too.
Destroy: They cannot full indoctrinate you
Right?
So you dont really get a ME3 ending. You get (or not) fully indoctrinated, but the battle for Earth still going on (and the battle all over the rest of the galaxy, at least the volus, the elcor, the salarians, the krogans, the asari, the turian and everyone else homeworlds still under siege, rigth??)
In my opinion we have 2 choices.
1º Believe in the indoctrination theory -> That means "not having a true ending"
2º Not believe in the indoctrination theory -> That means also "not having a true ending"
...
Modifié par Lord Atherios, 23 mars 2012 - 10:47 .
#9685
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:35
die-yng
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Just a few thoughts about the ending and the statements made by Ray Muzyka, I'm beginning to get angry about some of it, but I want to make clear, that I do not mean to personally insult someone working for BW, if some parts of this come off this way, blame it to being rather agitated after reading some of the press surrounding Ray Muzyka's statements.
Every creative person has the right to make his work as artsy as he wants, but games like that wouldn't sell.
Just like the artsy movies are never the blockbusters and high literature is sitting on the shelves collecting dust, while Twilight or Rosamunde Pilcher and other trash like that sells like hotcakes.
A simple explaining or fleshing out of the existing endings will never be enough, yes it will satisfy a part of the people who are unhappy, but I think the majority wants what Bioware originally promised for the ending.
The ending should be all about the choices you made and not about the choices some deus ex machina offers you, a deus ex machina that the writers invented, because they were under pressure and wanted the ending out of the way.
To be honest I'm beginning to get really disgusted about statements like "keeping the artistic integrity of the ending" or "keeping the vision of the writers".
If that is the whole of their vision for ME's ending, then pity for them, if having no time for a right ending and creating one out of a few scribbles on a piece of paper, deserves artistic integrity, then it's really a poor world we've come to,
They don't have to change their beloved ending, no, but I'll be damned if I would ever spend another cent on anything Bioware produced, if they keep this ending as the only one available and just flesh out the details a bit more.
I'm willing to pay any reasonable price for it, but I either want the ending Mass Effect deserves or I want nothing from either Bioware or Mass Effect ever again.
Please keep that in mind while working on the new ending content, don't deliver some more shoddy, patched up additives to the existing ending, to defend it or explain it or whatever, because that doesn't cut it.
Every creative person has the right to make his work as artsy as he wants, but games like that wouldn't sell.
Just like the artsy movies are never the blockbusters and high literature is sitting on the shelves collecting dust, while Twilight or Rosamunde Pilcher and other trash like that sells like hotcakes.
A simple explaining or fleshing out of the existing endings will never be enough, yes it will satisfy a part of the people who are unhappy, but I think the majority wants what Bioware originally promised for the ending.
The ending should be all about the choices you made and not about the choices some deus ex machina offers you, a deus ex machina that the writers invented, because they were under pressure and wanted the ending out of the way.
To be honest I'm beginning to get really disgusted about statements like "keeping the artistic integrity of the ending" or "keeping the vision of the writers".
If that is the whole of their vision for ME's ending, then pity for them, if having no time for a right ending and creating one out of a few scribbles on a piece of paper, deserves artistic integrity, then it's really a poor world we've come to,
They don't have to change their beloved ending, no, but I'll be damned if I would ever spend another cent on anything Bioware produced, if they keep this ending as the only one available and just flesh out the details a bit more.
I'm willing to pay any reasonable price for it, but I either want the ending Mass Effect deserves or I want nothing from either Bioware or Mass Effect ever again.
Please keep that in mind while working on the new ending content, don't deliver some more shoddy, patched up additives to the existing ending, to defend it or explain it or whatever, because that doesn't cut it.
#9686
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:39
AkaXan
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Well I tried to sit and play ME3 and simply couldnt. Its amazing how Bioware has managed to both put out a much improved game and kill their series at the same time, but they did it. Whats the point in ever playing them again when we know that all our work going form ME1-ME3 dosent matter.
I mean did anyone at Bioware even stop to think that this was poor way to do things. Our was it a huberis, we can do no wrong, the fans will just accept that we decided, our promises of the players actions determing the outcome of the series isent important anymore.
The sinic in me is starting think its all about selling us the last part of the game as DLC, beacause its simply not a good ending, it dosent make sense, it throws out the games own logic that BIoware spent 3 games and some DLC setting up. It just all comes back to hay guys, yeah the ending was bad, but look we have DLC that you can buy to change things. Please dont let this be the case, make new ending free restore faith that Bioware can make great games and apprecite thier fans.
I think Bioware really have missed an oppertunity to make the Mass Effect series one of the greats, instead of fans debating about how great the colmination of all their work was, due to BIoware creative skils in the ME series. Its now talk about how bad things went, how let down people are, with frantic theories about how to make things better. Its tarnised a great brand and what should have been steller end (with some plot left for new games), sadly this didnt haapen.
I know this post seems really negative. I dont mean it to be but its born out of frustration that all that great work thats gone through the series and the massive improvements with ME3 for it all to be wasted on such a poor note, its just really bizzare how things even got to this point. Where fans are now wary that investing time in a Bioware game might not be worth it.
Again its all born out of sheer diapointment. Artistic vision, DLC nonsense or otherwise. It shouldnt have gone this way. I really can see why some are getting refunds for the game, all the work, time and investment, for nothing.
I really am a big fan Bioware, going all the way to the Jade empaire days and before. As always regards, AkaXan
I mean did anyone at Bioware even stop to think that this was poor way to do things. Our was it a huberis, we can do no wrong, the fans will just accept that we decided, our promises of the players actions determing the outcome of the series isent important anymore.
The sinic in me is starting think its all about selling us the last part of the game as DLC, beacause its simply not a good ending, it dosent make sense, it throws out the games own logic that BIoware spent 3 games and some DLC setting up. It just all comes back to hay guys, yeah the ending was bad, but look we have DLC that you can buy to change things. Please dont let this be the case, make new ending free restore faith that Bioware can make great games and apprecite thier fans.
I think Bioware really have missed an oppertunity to make the Mass Effect series one of the greats, instead of fans debating about how great the colmination of all their work was, due to BIoware creative skils in the ME series. Its now talk about how bad things went, how let down people are, with frantic theories about how to make things better. Its tarnised a great brand and what should have been steller end (with some plot left for new games), sadly this didnt haapen.
I know this post seems really negative. I dont mean it to be but its born out of frustration that all that great work thats gone through the series and the massive improvements with ME3 for it all to be wasted on such a poor note, its just really bizzare how things even got to this point. Where fans are now wary that investing time in a Bioware game might not be worth it.
Again its all born out of sheer diapointment. Artistic vision, DLC nonsense or otherwise. It shouldnt have gone this way. I really can see why some are getting refunds for the game, all the work, time and investment, for nothing.
I really am a big fan Bioware, going all the way to the Jade empaire days and before. As always regards, AkaXan
#9687
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:41
DuncanId
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LogicGunn wrote...
Best ME3 moment? The shower scene between Shep and Traynor. Seriously, it was an excellent romance scene without too much pjorn or sentiment.
On a more serious note, leaving Mordin behind broke my heart and my Shep's heart. Best hurt in a video game ever.
I thought that the traynor romance was too lazy. You exchange a few lines about her toothbrush and then have sex? I wish more women acted like that.
Maybe it's a magic pick-up line, who knows...
In the ME2 romance with kelly at least there was some flirting involved.
Modifié par DuncanId, 23 mars 2012 - 10:44 .
#9688
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:46
Seival
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die-yng wrote...
Just a few thoughts about the ending and the statements made by Ray Muzyka, I'm beginning to get angry about some of it, but I want to make clear, that I do not mean to personally insult someone working for BW, if some parts of this come off this way, blame it to being rather agitated after reading some of the press surrounding Ray Muzyka's statements.
Every creative person has the right to make his work as artsy as he wants, but games like that wouldn't sell.
Just like the artsy movies are never the blockbusters and high literature is sitting on the shelves collecting dust, while Twilight or Rosamunde Pilcher and other trash like that sells like hotcakes.
A simple explaining or fleshing out of the existing endings will never be enough, yes it will satisfy a part of the people who are unhappy, but I think the majority wants what Bioware originally promised for the ending.
The ending should be all about the choices you made and not about the choices some deus ex machina offers you, a deus ex machina that the writers invented, because they were under pressure and wanted the ending out of the way.
To be honest I'm beginning to get really disgusted about statements like "keeping the artistic integrity of the ending" or "keeping the vision of the writers".
If that is the whole of their vision for ME's ending, then pity for them, if having no time for a right ending and creating one out of a few scribbles on a piece of paper, deserves artistic integrity, then it's really a poor world we've come to,
They don't have to change their beloved ending, no, but I'll be damned if I would ever spend another cent on anything Bioware produced, if they keep this ending as the only one available and just flesh out the details a bit more.
I'm willing to pay any reasonable price for it, but I either want the ending Mass Effect deserves or I want nothing from either Bioware or Mass Effect ever again.
Please keep that in mind while working on the new ending content, don't deliver some more shoddy, patched up additives to the existing ending, to defend it or explain it or whatever, because that doesn't cut it.
Agree.
I'm sure BioWare is able to make perfect ending DLC that will please everyone: disapponted fans, non-disapponted fans, and ME3 development team.
#9689
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:47
die-yng
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LogicGunn wrote...
Best ME3 moment? The shower scene between Shep and Traynor. Seriously, it was an excellent romance scene without too much pjorn or sentiment.
On a more serious note, leaving Mordin behind broke my heart and my Shep's heart. Best hurt in a video game ever.
Try shooting him in the back, to stop him from delivering the cure, I nearly died from guilt and in the end I didn't get any more Salarian Warr assets, than when I administered the cure.
And for that I had to kill a friend...
Those stupid lizard-people, as Javik would say.
#9690
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 10:48
Duelling Dragon
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I finally finished the game last night....... I feel like i've wasted my precious time for a slap in the face.
I find it hard to believe BIOWARE could do this, after creating an beautifully exhaustive trilogy.
It seemed like the ending was an after thought slapped on quickly to meet an impossible deadline set by EA. Or maybe thats what i would like to think. My faith in the best developer ever as truly been squashed.
Hideo Kojima is the only person im interested in know, for what he has achieved. Look at Metal Gear Solid for storytelling.......Genius
I've also lost Ninja Gaiden, as they have changed the direction for the masses.
I find it hard to believe BIOWARE could do this, after creating an beautifully exhaustive trilogy.
It seemed like the ending was an after thought slapped on quickly to meet an impossible deadline set by EA. Or maybe thats what i would like to think. My faith in the best developer ever as truly been squashed.
Hideo Kojima is the only person im interested in know, for what he has achieved. Look at Metal Gear Solid for storytelling.......Genius
I've also lost Ninja Gaiden, as they have changed the direction for the masses.
#9691
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:07
Seeeg
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- Members
- 24 messages
Duelling Dragon wrote...
I finally finished the game last night....... I feel like i've wasted my precious time for a slap in the face.
I find it hard to believe BIOWARE could do this, after creating an beautifully exhaustive trilogy.
It seemed like the ending was an after thought slapped on quickly to meet an impossible deadline set by EA. Or maybe thats what i would like to think. My faith in the best developer ever as truly been squashed.
Hideo Kojima is the only person im interested in know, for what he has achieved. Look at Metal Gear Solid for storytelling.......Genius
I've also lost Ninja Gaiden, as they have changed the direction for the masses.
ok, so, the thing you need to do now is type on google "indoctrination theory".
have fun
![=]](https://lvlt.forum.bioware.com/public/style_emoticons/default/sideways.png)
#9692
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:08
Blennus
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- Members
- 703 messages
I agree with die-yng. For anyone who tries to pull that "artistic integrity" malarkey I have two words "George Lucas". If Lucas had been willing to pull the Phantom menace after it made it to theatres and republish an actually decent movie, I don't think anyone would have complained. Rather, I would have a greater respect for him for his humility in acknowledging his faults, rather than the current Lucas, who tries to cover everything up, and thinks CGI fixes everything. Besides, like movies, games are not the product of one mind, but the mind of a team. What originally made Star Wars popular was the creative feedback that allowed it to become a greater movie, than if one mind had come up with the story. Likewise if rumors are correct, the ending didn't receive much feedback due to various conditions (which may have been influenced by the script leak). In any case, I have confidence that bioware will be able to create a satisfactory ending, if the whole writing team contributes. With all the feedback online, the evidence of a need for a change should be quite obvious.
#9693
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:18
Needsnewending
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- Members
- 61 messages
Bioware, read this... It`s not about the critics or the reviewers, its all about the FANS!
Most folks appear to agree that the game as a whole is exceptional, with more than 75 critics giving it a perfect review score and a review average in the mid-90s.” Mass Effect 3 is a critically acclaimed success no doubt, but Critics, and game reviewers are not the ones to be listening to when fan reaction is the problem.
Most folks appear to agree that the game as a whole is exceptional, with more than 75 critics giving it a perfect review score and a review average in the mid-90s.” Mass Effect 3 is a critically acclaimed success no doubt, but Critics, and game reviewers are not the ones to be listening to when fan reaction is the problem.
#9694
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:23
Seival
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- Members
- 5 294 messages
One more nice review about why ME3 ending is terrible and illogical:
http://www.shamusyou...5395#more-15395
And just to remind there are some other reviews that BioWare should watch carefully:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqAhKW7498&list=LLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGZJC-nY4TA&list=FLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
http://www.shamusyou...5395#more-15395
And just to remind there are some other reviews that BioWare should watch carefully:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqAhKW7498&list=LLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGZJC-nY4TA&list=FLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
Modifié par Seival, 23 mars 2012 - 11:27 .
#9695
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:34
Karfein
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- Members
- 1 messages
I heard that you are going to clarify the ending to a certain extent.
When you do, remember that some still want the original. Give the option after the installation of the patch/DLC which ending one wants to see.
Trine was destroyed by the last level fix (there was no option to play the really good and challenging original), do not make the same mistake with ME3.
When you do, remember that some still want the original. Give the option after the installation of the patch/DLC which ending one wants to see.
Trine was destroyed by the last level fix (there was no option to play the really good and challenging original), do not make the same mistake with ME3.
#9696
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:41
Lord Atherios
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- Members
- 10 messages
Seival wrote...
One more nice review about why ME3 ending is terrible and illogical:
http://www.shamusyou...5395#more-15395
And just to remind there are some other reviews that BioWare should watch carefully:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqAhKW7498&list=LLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGZJC-nY4TA&list=FLP_2LFeHwwYE8lmxp4Bb97Q&feature=mh_lolz
haha, I loved one part:
"Did you like the “Take Back Earth” marketing campaign? You want to get in there and reclaim your homeworld from the Reapers? Ha ha! You don’t take back anything, Commander Jerkface. Earth is wasted, and possibly incinerated by the exploding mass relay. Which is your fault! "
Modifié par Lord Atherios, 23 mars 2012 - 11:41 .
#9697
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:42
atarit3
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- Members
- 3 messages
Hello Mr. presily,
I was surpisingly dissapointed at our trilogies' ending.
I remember a few years ago when my wife helped me make a shepard character through mass effect 1, took her about an hour, and I've been able to play as this character ever since. Had some issues though with player importing, and with some complicated PC installs and extractions was able to figure out move of my character's code that I had associated with the Mass effect series all this time.
so about 4 days after it's release I was able to start playing as my Shepard, and the story didn't dissapoint. It was so rich and intuitive from my expeiriences from the others in the series. I was first hesitant to start the mass effect series; to see it through, but my doubts subsided through mass effect 2 and so far into mass effect 3.
I was even able to find Tali! that story section alone was so interesting with the geth. Trying to describe it to my wife in her "Lost" series dialogue didn't do it justice. Once back on the normandy it was kinda neat to see a photo in the cabin. I thought "Cool, a teaser of what's to come". I kept thinking during the remainder of the game when it was going to happen, the big mask unviel. Will it be all of a sudden? Perhaps by accident while on a mission? will it break maybe at some point and she'll be ok?
I got into the third one like a novel. Once I got going I couldn't put it down until the end.
The one thing I decided to do is not do the multiplayer; a lot of people on my freinds list kept asking me to join up, but I couldn't do it, I didn't want anyone risking spoiling the end for me, so I avoided a lot of xbox content porposely until beating the game.
After getting everyone to get along, bringing the geth, turrians, krogans, salarians, quarians, & even rachni! I said outloud to myself after seeing all the ships come through the last mass effect relay "**** yea!" the battle begun, but quickly started going badly .
I said to myself "oh no."
Things kept getting pretty bleak but my paragon character just kept telling everyone it's going to be ok. After the final fight, and seeing my red ending, I thought to myself, "What did I do wrong?"
It stayed with me all evening. Took the family out to the park, talked to my wife about the ending. Ended up waking up 2am in the morning and got on the net to see just what I did do wrong. Turns out there weren't too many alternate ways to beat the game. Even if I had done the multiplayer, even if I had chosen a different decision, result was the same; some exploding, some wierd cutscenes that were supposed clarify things, but just left me more confused in a series that I had just finished putting my 100th hour into. on the bright side on one ending I saw a N7 torso take a breath before cutting to black and zooming out to a much "in the far future"conversation.
I've done a little bit of the multiplayer since then, and seen my readiness meter change, which I assume changes one of the last fight cutscenes if I can stay motiviated long enough to play the multiplayer that many times to make a difference. I 've seen some youtube vids on the alternate fight scenes so I'm not really sure if it's worth it to me to continue playing the multiplayer aspect .
As I see it the ending is already done. Can't go back and undo my original thoughts on the ending. If it's not the end of commander shepard (as one ending may be pointing to) what now? do we learn the these killing machines origin? were these machines harvesting only our galaxy? What is to become of the other galaxies? how many generations has this occured? is the technologies of the relays lost forever?
unfortunately the DLC has been spoiled for me online, and I wasn't ready to buy DLC on day one for a game I just got that was supposed to be the end. As neat of a story the DLC seemed I'm not buying it unless I see it one sell one day, assumming I decide to keep the game for the next year, etc. But with DLC with a game that was supposed to be the last, is it supposed to act as an epilogy? Now that I've turned the citidel & Earth into post-war washington DC, should I be watching for raiders or mutants?.
Anyway, I just wanted to get my opinion heard. It's now 4am my time, a week after I beat the game. My feelings on the game were so strong, I wanted to get on and express my thoughts.
Thanks for reading, good luck on your future endevors.
PS.- first good sci-fi game I ever beat was flashback CD for the Sega CD system, awesome little universe they built.
I was surpisingly dissapointed at our trilogies' ending.
I remember a few years ago when my wife helped me make a shepard character through mass effect 1, took her about an hour, and I've been able to play as this character ever since. Had some issues though with player importing, and with some complicated PC installs and extractions was able to figure out move of my character's code that I had associated with the Mass effect series all this time.
so about 4 days after it's release I was able to start playing as my Shepard, and the story didn't dissapoint. It was so rich and intuitive from my expeiriences from the others in the series. I was first hesitant to start the mass effect series; to see it through, but my doubts subsided through mass effect 2 and so far into mass effect 3.
I was even able to find Tali! that story section alone was so interesting with the geth. Trying to describe it to my wife in her "Lost" series dialogue didn't do it justice. Once back on the normandy it was kinda neat to see a photo in the cabin. I thought "Cool, a teaser of what's to come". I kept thinking during the remainder of the game when it was going to happen, the big mask unviel. Will it be all of a sudden? Perhaps by accident while on a mission? will it break maybe at some point and she'll be ok?
I got into the third one like a novel. Once I got going I couldn't put it down until the end.
The one thing I decided to do is not do the multiplayer; a lot of people on my freinds list kept asking me to join up, but I couldn't do it, I didn't want anyone risking spoiling the end for me, so I avoided a lot of xbox content porposely until beating the game.
After getting everyone to get along, bringing the geth, turrians, krogans, salarians, quarians, & even rachni! I said outloud to myself after seeing all the ships come through the last mass effect relay "**** yea!" the battle begun, but quickly started going badly .
I said to myself "oh no."
Things kept getting pretty bleak but my paragon character just kept telling everyone it's going to be ok. After the final fight, and seeing my red ending, I thought to myself, "What did I do wrong?"
It stayed with me all evening. Took the family out to the park, talked to my wife about the ending. Ended up waking up 2am in the morning and got on the net to see just what I did do wrong. Turns out there weren't too many alternate ways to beat the game. Even if I had done the multiplayer, even if I had chosen a different decision, result was the same; some exploding, some wierd cutscenes that were supposed clarify things, but just left me more confused in a series that I had just finished putting my 100th hour into. on the bright side on one ending I saw a N7 torso take a breath before cutting to black and zooming out to a much "in the far future"conversation.
I've done a little bit of the multiplayer since then, and seen my readiness meter change, which I assume changes one of the last fight cutscenes if I can stay motiviated long enough to play the multiplayer that many times to make a difference. I 've seen some youtube vids on the alternate fight scenes so I'm not really sure if it's worth it to me to continue playing the multiplayer aspect .
As I see it the ending is already done. Can't go back and undo my original thoughts on the ending. If it's not the end of commander shepard (as one ending may be pointing to) what now? do we learn the these killing machines origin? were these machines harvesting only our galaxy? What is to become of the other galaxies? how many generations has this occured? is the technologies of the relays lost forever?
unfortunately the DLC has been spoiled for me online, and I wasn't ready to buy DLC on day one for a game I just got that was supposed to be the end. As neat of a story the DLC seemed I'm not buying it unless I see it one sell one day, assumming I decide to keep the game for the next year, etc. But with DLC with a game that was supposed to be the last, is it supposed to act as an epilogy? Now that I've turned the citidel & Earth into post-war washington DC, should I be watching for raiders or mutants?
.Anyway, I just wanted to get my opinion heard. It's now 4am my time, a week after I beat the game. My feelings on the game were so strong, I wanted to get on and express my thoughts.
Thanks for reading, good luck on your future endevors.
PS.- first good sci-fi game I ever beat was flashback CD for the Sega CD system, awesome little universe they built.
Modifié par atarit3, 23 mars 2012 - 11:47 .
#9698
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:55
Stupheus
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- Members
- 1 messages
I have to say what I have seen on this forum is truely incredible. So many people who seemingly never or rarely post on forums are coming out and giving their opinions on the trilogy and of course the ending. A great majority of these people all seem to love Mass Effect. I think this shows what an amazing and powerful effect ME has had on all of these people. In the past two decades that I have been playing games I have never seen anything like this. I have never played a game like these.
I am proudly one of these people. I never post on forums but this game has brought me out to voice my opinion.
I won't go into the ending in depth. Many people have already done so who can write much better and more coherently than I can. I'll sum it up: I don't feel like the ending has to be 'happy' or even that there needed more closure. I think that the end 1) needs to make more sense 2) needs to follow more closely with the rest of the ME lore and 3) it needs to reflect more on what was achieved during the course of the trilogy. It's as simple and or as complex as that!
I think the indoc theory is wishful thinking and that it doesn't hold water. People will see what they want to see. Necessity is the mother of invention and people needed a proper ending so the indoc theory was born. Dreams (or equivalent) are a weak and cliched story telling mechanic and personally I think Bioware and its writers are better than that!
What I would like to say is that even though this is an incredible game, it has a major flaw. Sure the critics are raving but that doesn't mean this flaw should be ignored. I hope Bioware do something about this. We are not trolls, ****holes, or spoilt brats, the writing by all these people here is a testament to that. We are people who have been touched by an amazing product, but who feel that we've been let down when it mattered most. PR statements that subtly suggest this 'minority' who dislike the end may be wrong because the critics give this game full marks only add to the let down and alienate this part of the fanbase. Though the statement that "we are listening" is heartening.
I do not expect nor do I feel entitled to anything from Bioware regarding a fix. However any showing of good will would be much appreciated.
Thankyou for reading
ps. Sorry if that got a bit sappy
I am proudly one of these people. I never post on forums but this game has brought me out to voice my opinion.
I won't go into the ending in depth. Many people have already done so who can write much better and more coherently than I can. I'll sum it up: I don't feel like the ending has to be 'happy' or even that there needed more closure. I think that the end 1) needs to make more sense 2) needs to follow more closely with the rest of the ME lore and 3) it needs to reflect more on what was achieved during the course of the trilogy. It's as simple and or as complex as that!
I think the indoc theory is wishful thinking and that it doesn't hold water. People will see what they want to see. Necessity is the mother of invention and people needed a proper ending so the indoc theory was born. Dreams (or equivalent) are a weak and cliched story telling mechanic and personally I think Bioware and its writers are better than that!
What I would like to say is that even though this is an incredible game, it has a major flaw. Sure the critics are raving but that doesn't mean this flaw should be ignored. I hope Bioware do something about this. We are not trolls, ****holes, or spoilt brats, the writing by all these people here is a testament to that. We are people who have been touched by an amazing product, but who feel that we've been let down when it mattered most. PR statements that subtly suggest this 'minority' who dislike the end may be wrong because the critics give this game full marks only add to the let down and alienate this part of the fanbase. Though the statement that "we are listening" is heartening.
I do not expect nor do I feel entitled to anything from Bioware regarding a fix. However any showing of good will would be much appreciated.
Thankyou for reading
ps. Sorry if that got a bit sappy
#9699
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 11:57
improperdancing
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- Members
- 162 messages
Lord Atherios wrote...
You can believe or not in the "indoctrination theory" if you want. but the facts are the facts:You can go with the indoctrination theory or against it, that doesnt change that the "16 endings" was a lie, and that our decision arent changing the ending. The ending is "youre indoctrinated and choose red/green/blue, out of that, nothing matters.
- They promised 16 different endings. Are there 16 different endings? NO
- Thet promised that your acts will impact directly in the ending. If the indoctrination theory is true, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS YOU MADE DURING THE GAME, 100% OF THE PLAYES WERE INDOCTRINATED (Because the Indoctrination theory is about that, every single player is getting indoctrinated in the end). So, your decisions are impacting directly in the end? NO (youre going to be indoctrinated yes or yes)
I'm glad someone here gets it.
And I don't understand why people keep saying the indoctrination theory is so brilliant. As I've said before, all it means is that BioWare purposefully shipped an incomplete game with the intentions of charging us for the real ending later. How is that brilliant? If anything, that's essentially criminal. It would be like if you went to see the third Lord of the Rings movie in the theater and, right before the final battle, the screen shut off and a worker came in and demanded you pay him ten more dollars to see the ending.
You either take the ending at face value, in which case it sucked, or you believe the indoctrination theory, in which case BioWare broke every promise they made to us about the game's ending at the expense of an annoying twist and no real resolution, plus some paid DLC later. Both ways suck, in my opinion.
Modifié par improperdancing, 23 mars 2012 - 11:59 .
#9700
Posté 23 mars 2012 - 12:03
Capt Sheridan
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- Members
- 79 messages
review - I will be using the word "he" for my male-shep. Fem-sheps, please dont be offended, just imagine "her" and "she" where appropriate.
Also sorry if i'm rambling a bit. I'm not just trying to give a quick numeric rundown, but paint a picture of where your succeeded and where things went wrong. From a longtime fans point of view so maybe your developers can relate.
Graphics - 9.5
On par with what i have come to expect from bioware...a high quality piece of work with maybe a few minor glitches. the biggest being shepard getting "stuck" in place on the bridge while talking to joker and EDI.
Gameplay - 10
The RPG/Action style, the hud and tooltips all available on mouseover is very sleek and worked well through the entire series. Its really satisfying to see actions working in real time but yet have the option to freeze the action and plan like an RPG would allow.
Story - 6
The first game i would give a 8.5. the story was exciting. The characters memorable, interesting, and fun. The interaction style and all the choices were an old idea given a new form. Thats what made it a hit in my opinion. This game kept me coming back for more through a total of 5 shepards and 165 hours of gametime. Shepard could be an open minded friend, just and fair. or he could be a ruthless tyrant. Nothing much in between but we were ok with that. There was at least two choices. But either way, in perfect typical heroic fashion, he survives the worst odds refusing to die, and climbs from the ashes after a minute of sad suspense. He is the BADASS we want to be!
The second game got a 10. It took all the previous game offered, and built on it. Fans got to relive their love of the first game with old friends. See new ones, and see the game from a whole new perspective; through a necessary "sleeping with the enemy" style story. With a stylish new interface, smoother graphics, and a better system for handling layered defenses, this game took Mass Effect to the next level. We were already hooked from the first game. I teared up when Shepard died...and so relieved when he was resurrected. I teared up when the normandy was rebuilt...the music with the imagery really touched me.
There were so many character choices and dialogues it felt like a sandbox game. I got to import my five shepards and play them in ME2, which is awesome all its own. I still havent finished them all yet but i will get on it soon! Again shepard could hold to his virtue and not compromise, be that rock in a storm. I believe the line was "I'll fight and win this war without compromising the soul of our species." Its exactly what gamers want, a killer ending where the good guys are victorious, and if you play your game right, you can save just about everyone. Very classic hero story and the way it was done was brilliantly. It was EPIC! You even got to play AFTER you won and talk to the characters about beating the collectors. it was great! All they needed to make it better was some scenes of them kicking back reminiscing or some such.
Mass effect 2 made me very nostalgic. It reminded me of Babylon 5. Of Capt. Sheridan. This was a very good thing. People love a strong leader character. In my opinion we play games where we can be the hero because its so much harder in real life. So many can be heros and never seen for it. But in a game we can be that hero.
Mass effect 3, minus the killing off of most of our favorite characters and the ending with the big death itself, the story would have gotten a 9. Again we had years of attachment to the characters and loved to see them and their worlds. Most of the scenes were beautifully done, and alot of inside jokes reminded us why we love the devs...because they listened to us ("He said he had some calibrations to make"...)
The first big issue i had is it went from an Epic sci fi hero story, to something else completely. It started turning into Deadspace. Hope is fading. Shepard is breaking down. Everyone we love is dying. We are hitting F repeatedly just like Isaac to crush husk heads. I played deadspace, but only intermittently. Why? Because its so depressing, so down in the dumps that i cant stand it for more than an hour or two. If i want to be depressed i can turn on the news or go downtown and look at the homeless kids. I dont want to play a game where my best hope is to die. I want to live, settle down with Liara, and be the hero! I want to see those little blue children running around, playing at my shepards feet! You could even age shepard and show some awesome future scene of him enjoying his family. Thats the kind of stuff that touches our hearts.
The biggest issue is of course the endings.
Please take this as heartfelt constructive criticism. The endings were depressing and not fun in the least, where the previous two titles they were an option. Thats great there are people who like dark endings where there is no happiness, but thats not all of us. I dont play games to see my character basically fail at a happy ending. Hell i can have that in real life.
Anyway all three endings were depressing. Its like watching hurt locker, which i hated by the way.
How many years were spent building on the Mass effect franchise? You built this huge fanbase, and people love your work. We still do. We spent maybe 100 - 200 hours of our lives playing each of your games. You have a real chance to create a legendary game series. Think epic endings; movies like lord of the rings, serenity, or star wars. Think games like the touching good ending to bioshock, or final fantasy 1 - 9. But all this game had was the same ending three times, just with different colored lights. It made the entire game feel like it was rushed to print before it was finished just to reach a deadline. Your ending a trilogy...Make it a big deal and your fans will love you!
I REALLY hope that you do invest in making alternate endings. I was in love with the world you created. It was another babylon 5 or star wars or macross. Mass effect 3 really disenchanted me, and i dont feel like playing it anymore like i did the previous two. Why replay just to see my favorite characters die and fail? Oh and dont worry about reviewers giving you high marks. Did they even buy your game or just get a free copy? Its your fans that pay your bills, and right now many of those fans are alienated.
Anyway thanks for listening. I just spent three hours writing this review, but its the least i can do considering the hundreds of hours i spent in mass effect 1 - 3 and hundreds of dollars i spent on games, add ons and merchandise.
Also sorry if i'm rambling a bit. I'm not just trying to give a quick numeric rundown, but paint a picture of where your succeeded and where things went wrong. From a longtime fans point of view so maybe your developers can relate.
Graphics - 9.5
On par with what i have come to expect from bioware...a high quality piece of work with maybe a few minor glitches. the biggest being shepard getting "stuck" in place on the bridge while talking to joker and EDI.
Gameplay - 10
The RPG/Action style, the hud and tooltips all available on mouseover is very sleek and worked well through the entire series. Its really satisfying to see actions working in real time but yet have the option to freeze the action and plan like an RPG would allow.
Story - 6
The first game i would give a 8.5. the story was exciting. The characters memorable, interesting, and fun. The interaction style and all the choices were an old idea given a new form. Thats what made it a hit in my opinion. This game kept me coming back for more through a total of 5 shepards and 165 hours of gametime. Shepard could be an open minded friend, just and fair. or he could be a ruthless tyrant. Nothing much in between but we were ok with that. There was at least two choices. But either way, in perfect typical heroic fashion, he survives the worst odds refusing to die, and climbs from the ashes after a minute of sad suspense. He is the BADASS we want to be!
The second game got a 10. It took all the previous game offered, and built on it. Fans got to relive their love of the first game with old friends. See new ones, and see the game from a whole new perspective; through a necessary "sleeping with the enemy" style story. With a stylish new interface, smoother graphics, and a better system for handling layered defenses, this game took Mass Effect to the next level. We were already hooked from the first game. I teared up when Shepard died...and so relieved when he was resurrected. I teared up when the normandy was rebuilt...the music with the imagery really touched me.
There were so many character choices and dialogues it felt like a sandbox game. I got to import my five shepards and play them in ME2, which is awesome all its own. I still havent finished them all yet but i will get on it soon! Again shepard could hold to his virtue and not compromise, be that rock in a storm. I believe the line was "I'll fight and win this war without compromising the soul of our species." Its exactly what gamers want, a killer ending where the good guys are victorious, and if you play your game right, you can save just about everyone. Very classic hero story and the way it was done was brilliantly. It was EPIC! You even got to play AFTER you won and talk to the characters about beating the collectors. it was great! All they needed to make it better was some scenes of them kicking back reminiscing or some such.
Mass effect 2 made me very nostalgic. It reminded me of Babylon 5. Of Capt. Sheridan. This was a very good thing. People love a strong leader character. In my opinion we play games where we can be the hero because its so much harder in real life. So many can be heros and never seen for it. But in a game we can be that hero.
Mass effect 3, minus the killing off of most of our favorite characters and the ending with the big death itself, the story would have gotten a 9. Again we had years of attachment to the characters and loved to see them and their worlds. Most of the scenes were beautifully done, and alot of inside jokes reminded us why we love the devs...because they listened to us ("He said he had some calibrations to make"...)
The first big issue i had is it went from an Epic sci fi hero story, to something else completely. It started turning into Deadspace. Hope is fading. Shepard is breaking down. Everyone we love is dying. We are hitting F repeatedly just like Isaac to crush husk heads. I played deadspace, but only intermittently. Why? Because its so depressing, so down in the dumps that i cant stand it for more than an hour or two. If i want to be depressed i can turn on the news or go downtown and look at the homeless kids. I dont want to play a game where my best hope is to die. I want to live, settle down with Liara, and be the hero! I want to see those little blue children running around, playing at my shepards feet! You could even age shepard and show some awesome future scene of him enjoying his family. Thats the kind of stuff that touches our hearts.
The biggest issue is of course the endings.
Please take this as heartfelt constructive criticism. The endings were depressing and not fun in the least, where the previous two titles they were an option. Thats great there are people who like dark endings where there is no happiness, but thats not all of us. I dont play games to see my character basically fail at a happy ending. Hell i can have that in real life.
Anyway all three endings were depressing. Its like watching hurt locker, which i hated by the way.
How many years were spent building on the Mass effect franchise? You built this huge fanbase, and people love your work. We still do. We spent maybe 100 - 200 hours of our lives playing each of your games. You have a real chance to create a legendary game series. Think epic endings; movies like lord of the rings, serenity, or star wars. Think games like the touching good ending to bioshock, or final fantasy 1 - 9. But all this game had was the same ending three times, just with different colored lights. It made the entire game feel like it was rushed to print before it was finished just to reach a deadline. Your ending a trilogy...Make it a big deal and your fans will love you!
I REALLY hope that you do invest in making alternate endings. I was in love with the world you created. It was another babylon 5 or star wars or macross. Mass effect 3 really disenchanted me, and i dont feel like playing it anymore like i did the previous two. Why replay just to see my favorite characters die and fail? Oh and dont worry about reviewers giving you high marks. Did they even buy your game or just get a free copy? Its your fans that pay your bills, and right now many of those fans are alienated.
Anyway thanks for listening. I just spent three hours writing this review, but its the least i can do considering the hundreds of hours i spent in mass effect 1 - 3 and hundreds of dollars i spent on games, add ons and merchandise.
