313 réponses à ce sujet

[4stringwizard]

 Just started replaying ME3 (for the first time, I might add!) and was once again noticing how overall depressing the storyline is.  While it doesn't quite have the impact the second time around, it was very prominent the first time.  I'm all for emotional, dark plots, but I don't like feeling depressed after playing a game (I have books, movies, and real life for that).  ME3 is one of the few games I can say actually made me feel mellow after playing it.  Some obviously may disagree and think it's just fine. 

Of course, I understand that it's war, millions are dying, and it's not going to be a pretty picture.  However, I felt there were times that Bioware went overboard in beating you over the head with the "sadness hammer".  Everywhere you turned, there was some line of dialogue reminding you of how awful things were, or somber music trying to move you to tears.  Heck, even the Normandy was darker.  This only culminated in *gasp* the ending, where even the best outcome did almost nothing to give you any sense of triumph (this was thankfully helped with the EC).  Maybe in future installments, tone the whole "dark" thing back a little.  In ME3, I don't think it really added to the game; rather, detracted from it. 

So what do you think?  Did Bioware make the atmosphere too dark, or was it appropriate for the game?

[GreyLycanTrope]

More like the "tried very hard to be sad hammer" we keep getting told how sad and depressing the setting is but it only felt that way on occasion, to me anyways.

Case and point Thessia.

Modifié par Greylycantrope, 13 février 2013 - 10:11 .

[crimzontearz]

they tried so hard it felt forced


and then starbrat happened and the whole choose your suicide flavor after watching your mentor die and blah blah blah

[Fawx9]

I always thought they were going for darkest before the dawn type thing

Then there was the ending and it had no dawn.

So ya.

[wright1978]

I disliked the heavyhanded attempts to hit the player over the head with a 'sadness hammer'. Felt completely forced.

[mumba]

The only sad and depressing thing about ME3 was the thought that I won't be able to see my favourite characters again after I complete it.

[The Night Mammoth]

Greylycantrope wrote...

More like the "tried very hard to be sad hammer" we keep getting told how sad and depressing the setting is but it only felt that way on occasion, to me anyways.

Case and point Thessia.

Same. 

I actually thought most of the story was either neutral, or in the case of the Tuchanka and Rannoch arcs, ridiculously uplifting. 

Even the death's of the two characters at their conclusions were both quite joyous. 

[GreyLycanTrope]

The Night Mammoth wrote...
Even the death's of the two characters at their conclusions were both quite joyous. 

Bittersweet done right in those two cases.

[Belisarius25]

Yeah, my "canon/main" playthrough is pretty much as described by Grey/Night Mammoth. Shepard brings together the galaxy, has his friends/loved one close to him and - while perhaps becoming increasingly worn down (I think Bioware overdid, but I do like the idea of my Shepard being 'tired' after everything he's been through) - I didn't feel like his story was sad...well until a certain point in the story I guess.

There was a certain poignant sadness leading up to the very end (the kind of "well, here we are"), but I never really felt like the overall narrative was too much of a downer, mostly just individual moments. Some weren't handled well though (Thane's death should have at least affected Garrus/Tali (once onboard) and it would have been nice to talk to  Ashley/Kaidan since they were with him only shortly before).

I guess Thessia is the one exception but, well... . Other than that the saddest thing was probably Shepard having his romantic night before Cronos interrupted by another of those damned dreams. 

Modifié par Belisarius25, 13 février 2013 - 10:48 .

[The Night Mammoth]

Greylycantrope wrote...

The Night Mammoth wrote...
Even the death's of the two characters at their conclusions were both quite joyous. 

Bittersweet done right in those two cases.

Obviously I wasn't happy that Mordin and Legion died, but the fact that they were both quite accepting of their fates, and that their death's brought about great and happy things, meant I couldn't really feel sad. 

The best word for it would be proud. 

Grunt staying behind made me feel genuinely sad. Oh, but then he made it out like the badass he is. 

I suppose one of the only parts which consistently made me feel down was Primarch Victus and his part in the story. Leaves his home to help you, loses his son, but keeps his word, works past his people's past with the krogan regardless. That image of him on Menae, staring up at Palaven as it burns, stunned at the revelation that he's the new Primarch, is one of the best in game. 

Modifié par The Night Mammoth, 13 février 2013 - 10:28 .

[F4H bandicoot]

It does feel forced in parts, one of the parts they got right imo was Grunts 'death scene', that made me feel sad but wasn't forced at all.

[Legbiter]

One reason I play Bioware games is because they're quite good at punching me hard in the feels, taking them behind the bikeshed to do unspeakable things to them, etc.

[JamieCOTC]

There's nothing wrong w/ dark, in fact ME3 could have been even darker, and I would have been fine had it not been forced. The dark tone wasn't the problem, it was the lack of choice in just about everything from the dialogue to mission events. Dark has handled w/ deft hands and not hammered into a plot and it needs to be balanced w/ light and levity.

[Iakus]

Somewhat forced until the Catalyst. But overall not too bad, or at least avoidable with certain chocies.

Then we get beaten to death with it afterwards, and there's no getting away from " YU NEEDZ MOAR SADZ!!!"

[DeinonSlayer]

I thought it was appropriate. Where it went overboard was when autodialogue dictated our own reaction to events (read: Thessia), or the only dialogue options present amounted to "choose your flavor of butthurt." I've learned to avoid the final conversation with Anderson after Thessia just to keep Shepard's moaning to a minimum.

[wright1978]

JamieCOTC wrote...

There's nothing wrong w/ dark, in fact ME3 could have been even darker, and I would have been fine had it not been forced. The dark tone wasn't the problem, it was the lack of choice in just about everything from the dialogue to mission events. Dark has handled w/ deft hands and not hammered into a plot and it needs to be balanced w/ light and levity.

Yeah this

[Mr.House]

I felt it was fine despite a few contrived parts. It however went down hill at the beam run right to stargazer scene.

[Kabooooom]

Yes because a galactic scale war involving the death of trillions should be all sunshine and puppies.

While I think the emotional scenes come across as forced or strained at times, they did well to try to implement them. It's just hard to do that in a video game compare to, say, film.

Modifié par Kabooooom, 13 février 2013 - 10:43 .

[ZLurps]

I like how scenario is presented in ME3 with few exceptions. Sad tone, right from the beginning where we see fleets that were supposed to defend Earth rain in flames to Earth atmosphere works very well for me,

There are things that feel forced, but overall, if I leave out scenes where there is some sort of emotion forced on Shepard, things work pretty well.

The big issue IMO lies in pacing of game or lack of moment where we get to kick ass.

[1337b0r0m1r]

I found the dire atmosphere to be one of the greatest strengths of Mass Effect. You feel the war everywhere you go. Compare that to what you find in, say, Skyrim: Sure, the world is about to end, but all what NPCs seem to care about is who stole their sweetroll.

[DeinonSlayer]

1337b0r0m1r wrote...

I found the dire atmosphere to be one of the greatest strengths of Mass Effect. You feel the war everywhere you go. Compare that to what you find in, say, Skyrim: Sure, the world is about to end, but all what NPCs seem to care about is who stole their sweetroll.

"Do you know who ate all the donuts?"

[LTKerr]

It's too much manipulative: kids being killed, sad piano music, nightmares, traumatized Shepard... I love dark atmospheres (Deus Ex, Witcher or Bioshock) but ME3 felt... too much forced. Actually I almost felt insulted. As I read somewhere in these forums, the game is a huge "this is a child. He's dead. Feel sad. I SAID FEEL SAD!!!"

[Tyrannosaurus Rex]

I found all those background chit-chats that the nameless NPCs have where they talk about something that in hindsight was a poor move to be more groan-inducing than sad or tragic.

Modifié par Lizardviking, 14 février 2013 - 12:00 .

[Kataphrut94]

I honestly think they handled the war atmosphere pretty well. Yes, there's a lot of death, sadness and destruction, but there's also a lot of levity and characterisation. This game had a bigger focus on comic relief than the previous titles, which helps to keep it from becoming overbearing.

Yes, Thessia is a bit grim and the final battle had it's fair share of melancholy, but look at what we're dealing with; on one hand, the conquering of the most powerful race in the galaxy, with the last hope of victory snatched cruelly away by Cyberlegs McGee, and on the other hand, fighting through a war-torn city overrun with enemy forces while a loosing battle against an unstoppable race of genocidal monsters rages above us. The Reapers' cards have been on the table since Sovereign first opened his mouth and his brothers certainly didn't disappoint.

On the other hand, you've got stuff like Grissom Academy, Eden Prime, Tuchanka:Bomb, Rescue Cerberus Scientists, Geth Figher Squadrons, and several N7 missions in which you pull off a near uncompromising and successful victory. There's also stuff like Tuchanka, Rannoch, the Citadel Coup & the rachni nest, wherin your level of success can be anywhere between perfect and pyrrhic depending on previous decisions. For every conversation on the Citadel about loss and hardship, there's a conversation about helping out, relaxation, cameraderie and 15 credit refunds.

It's less of a sadness hammer beating you uncompromisingly for 30 hours, as it is a sadness hammer smacking you a couple of times really hardly over the head at timed intervals in between pleasant chit-chat and swapping of insurance info.

[CynicalShep]

The atmosphere was fitting. It's a hopeless war and many people die. Forcing emotions down our throats wasn't very fitting. If anything, I will start losing any bit of compassion I might have for someone if you start running and waving "YOU SHOULD BE SAD!!11" banners in front of me.