Am About to play Mass Effect 3

[BloatedGuppy]

Actually I was apparently one of the few people that didn't openly rage at the ending. A friend of mine was in party chat when he beat the game (before me) and good god you should have heard the rage. At one point I think he got possessed and started speaking in tongues followed by incoherent gibbering and bouts of open weeping.

I didn't really even notice the plothole involving the squadmates disembarking from the Normandy at the end when they shouldn't have been there (because they were making the final assault with Shepard on Earth) until someone here mentioned it. My biggest disappointment was that, after reloading the autosave that takes place just before you fight Marauder Shields, I saw how same-ish all the endings were.

My initial reaction was a sense of vague disquiet and only slightly perceptible unhappiness. It took a few days of mulling things over in terms of plot and theme before I started to feel genuinely annoyed. Then I started reading other people's reactions, which basically reinforced my confirmation bias, and after a week or two of that I was prepared to entomb the ending as one of the biggest creative disasters of all time.

It's really remarkable how deeply layered the bed shitting was. As I've said elsewhere, it's like they actively set out to sabotage their own product. As to your spoilered section...

Spoiler

It's even worse when the squad mates who shouldn't be there shouldn't be there because they're DEAD.

Ask and you shall receive!!!

>.> except on the whole brevity thing.

Eesh. I guess that guy never met a joke he wasn't ready to run into the ground.

 

[pvaglueman123]

In the most unbiased sense, the ending isn't BAD. It's not the best ending to a game i've ever seen but i've seen much MUCH worse. I am biased towards wanting a better ending however so i'll leave you with this...

Let Marauder Shields win.

You will thank me later.

 

[Maze1125]

Quite literally everyone that called us entitled man children did no research,

Absolutely, because there is no way anyone's opinion, other than your own, could be valid.

If someone disagrees with you then, as established, their opinion is wrong, therefore the only explanation for them holding that wrong opinion is that they failed to do their research on the subject at hand.

Glad we got that cleared up.

 

[RJ 17]

My initial reaction was a sense of vague disquiet and only slightly perceptible unhappiness. It took a few days of mulling things over in terms of plot and theme before I started to feel genuinely annoyed. Then I started reading other people's reactions, which basically reinforced my confirmation bias, and after a week or two of that I was prepared to entomb the ending as one of the biggest creative disasters of all time.

It's really remarkable how deeply layered the bed shitting was. As I've said elsewhere, it's like they actively set out to sabotage their own product. As to your spoilered section...

Spoiler

It's even worse when the squad mates who shouldn't be there shouldn't be there because they're DEAD.

Yeah, can't say that I ever experienced what you mention in the spoiler, but I had heard people complaining about it.

Ask and you shall receive!!!

>.> except on the whole brevity thing.

Eesh. I guess that guy never met a joke he wasn't ready to run into the ground.

You really enjoy sharing that picture around don't you?

OT: I thought the ending was just kinda meh. Wasn't bad but it wasn't good either.

I apply to the Leno school of comedy. If a joke is worth telling once, it's worth telling until you get punched right in your giant, smug chin.

 

[boag]

OK, so My copy of Mass Effect 3 comes tomorrow, And I've managed to avoid having the ending spoiled for me so far, all I know is that it is apparently disappointing to the point where my comrades-in-arms are all polymorphed into Giant Squids of Anger. What I have to ask is this.

Is all the rage justified? I mean really, unbiased, objectively is the ending THAT BAD that it deserves this kind of unified outrage? I don't think i've ever seen such a massive fallout from how an otherwise much loved series failure.

Thoughts?

If I was you, I would wait until the DLC fix is out before finishing the game.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I just beat the game last night.

First off, avoiding being spoiled up until last night wasn't THAT hard. I saw tons of headlines about complaints with the ending but whenever I saw "SPOILERS AHEAD" I wisely looked elsewhere.

I really went into the ending knowing nothing about what I was going to see, other than the idea that the ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered. In that regard, the anger and rage is DEFINITELY justified. Not knowing ANYTHING about what happens to my squadmates or the galaxy in general is very frustrating. With that I'd have to say that my main complaint with the ending is the lack of closure.

Still, as a complete ending package, which for me starts when you "walk into the beam," I found it to be decent. It did tie up some loose ends and it all played out and was presented in true Bioware fashion, which is to say quite well. Still, the point on from where you get to make "The Decision" does bunch up my panti... err.. my SHORTS a bit.

Overall though it's a shame that about 99% of the press about ME3 has been negative stemming from this controversy, when in reality it is a legitimate nominee for GOTY and a fun third entry into this epic series. I wouldn't bother waiting for the "Extended Cut" DLC to come out to start playing since lord knows when that'll happen. I know they announced "Summer," but that technically means May-September. There will be a spot where the game will automatically save for you before "The end" so you can at least get up to there and then wait for the DLC to be released before you proceed.

 

[worldruler8]

...and grows in shittiness directly proportional to how big of a fan you are and how much time you spend thinking about it.

This is a very good point. The ending is bad on a first look, but really starts to crumble under more intense analysis. The best thing you can do is say "I GUESS THAT'S THAT" in a loud voice seconds after finishing the game, and then immediately try to blast it from your mind. A sharp blow to the head might do it.

The funny thing about that point is good ambiguous endings tend to get better under analysis, not worse. Making a good ambiguous ending is much more difficult then making a good "normal"/"played straight" ending, as you need to get everything just right. It seems (I'll refrain from spoilers, but OP might not want to read the following) that they made an ambiguous ending for the sake of one, not for a risky hope of making it an interesting take at an ending of a franchise that hasn't really done ambiguity like this other then those certain scenes with Shep in ME3...

 

[MiloP]

You'll like it, because it's awesome. Simple as, really.

Make sure your copies of ME1 and ME2, along with any ME merchandise you might have, are all nicely stored in a bin full of petrol, with matches close to hand. Y'know, so you can burn them all and forsake your experience with the series. Apparently that is the proper course of action once you've seen the ending.

 

[chuckdm]

OK, so My copy of Mass Effect 3 comes tomorrow, And I've managed to avoid having the ending spoiled for me so far, all I know is that it is apparently disappointing to the point where my comrades-in-arms are all polymorphed into Giant Squids of Anger. What I have to ask is this.

Is all the rage justified? I mean really, unbiased, objectively is the ending THAT BAD that it deserves this kind of unified outrage? I don't think i've ever seen such a massive fallout from how an otherwise much loved series failure.

Thoughts?

I highly recommend waiting for the extended edition to be released. There's a chance it'll clean up some of the more egregious issues with the ending, which will ensure you actually experience a dollop of catharsis at the end instead of crashing into a wall. There's really no repairing a first impression, and while your initial impression of the current ending will most likely be hesitation and confusion, your eventual reaction will very likely be profound disappointment or irritation.

Alternatively, play the game, then immediately after you finish assaulting the main Cerberus Base, stop and save. Now go start another character. Do this until you have every class you like (for me that's only 3 of them) and THEN wait for the ending DLC. We have no real assurance that the ending DLC will fix anything (emotionally or otherwise...) but it can't be worse. It really can't be worse at all.

That said, as others have noted, the ending is the only real problem here. Solid story, solid mechanics, basically the same awesome game you'd expect, right up until the last 15 minutes. If you've already bought it, no sense not playing it. But I WOULD hold off playing the very last mission until the ending DLC is released. No sense putting yourself through that emotional beating for nothing.

 

[Jodah]

Play and judge for yourself.

My money is on "If you arn't already in the mob, then you will be ok with it" since I am under the impression that it is mob rule taking over.

I could be wrong thou.

I thought the mob was stupid. Then I played the game and ending. Now I'm the one handing out pitchforks and torches...

OT: Play the game skip the ending. Game was good, ending retroactively ruined the series for me.

 

[Broken Blade]

As someone who absolutely hates the ending, I will freely say that up until those last ten minutes, the game is pretty darn good. Not my favorite in the Mass Effect series, but it has better gameplay than ME2 and I like how they redid the powers and stuff. A few minor quibbles about the story, but then that ending happens?

*sighs*

Okay, here's what I'll say: play the ending, and decide for yourself if you like it.

 

[Awexsome]

There's 29 hours and 50 minutes of a phenomenal game well deserving of all those 10's it got. Then more if you're into the co-op multiplayer.

Don't let the movement get you down, sure the ending has earned it's reputation for being quite the nonsensical letdown but the movement's earned it reputation for being full of overreacting entitled whiners too.

 

[smokeyninjas]

Is all the rage justified? I mean really, unbiased, objectively is the ending THAT BAD that it deserves this kind of unified outrage? I don't think i've ever seen such a massive fallout from how an otherwise much loved series failure.

Thoughts?

Yep the ending is a complete rushed hack job full of plotholes & flawed logic.
Honestly it's so poor i thought they had done it on purpose just so they could sell the real ending as DLC but even with the horrendously shit end ME3 is still a good game & i'd buy it on steam if they'd drop the PC origin exclusive bullshit.

 

[MiloP]

There's 29 hours and 50 minutes of a phenomenal game well deserving of all those 10's it got. Then more if you're into the co-op multiplayer.

Don't let the movement get you down, sure the ending has earned it's reputation for being quite the nonsensical letdown but the movement's earned it reputation for being full of overreacting entitled whiners too.

You used the E word.

Say goodbye to your parents, tell your spouse that you love them, and load your revolver with a single bullet. Trust me, a quick painless death is far preferable to the flames you will otherwise receive.

 

[Awexsome]

There's 29 hours and 50 minutes of a phenomenal game well deserving of all those 10's it got. Then more if you're into the co-op multiplayer.

Don't let the movement get you down, sure the ending has earned it's reputation for being quite the nonsensical letdown but the movement's earned it reputation for being full of overreacting entitled whiners too.

You used the E word.

Say goodbye to your parents, tell your spouse that you love them, and load your revolver with a single bullet. Trust me, a quick painless death is far preferable to the flames you will otherwise receive.

What can I say. I calls em as I sees em.

I regret nothing. I lived as few men dared to dream.

 

[arnoldthebird]

Enjoy the game and be a big boy, and make your own conclusion's about the game. Don't listen to all the hate, play and see

 

[Risingblade]

The ending is all right if you don't think, don't even think a single moment during the end.

 

[Innegativeion]

I tried the whole "judge for myself " thing. I avoid ALL contact with either the ending or threads about the ending, in order to be completely objective about it.

and...

Spoiler

NOTE: please disregard the title of descriptor of this video. It was the only video of this Ebert clip I could find.

Honestly, you will love the ride. Rest assured of that. But the ride.

will.

crash.

and.

burn.

 

[Abedeus]

Play and judge for yourself.

My money is on "If you arn't already in the mob, then you will be ok with it" since I am under the impression that it is mob rule taking over.

I could be wrong thou.

Yes you are.

I finished the game before the EU version was unlocked, and I hated the endings while 90% of the pre-orders were still shipping/preparing for street date.

HHAHAHA extended "CUTSCENE" edition.

...and? Sometimes a cut scene is enough. I've always said that the likeliest scenario is they upgrade the ending from abomination to "poor", but a poor ending never would've had so many people up in arms to begin with. Yes, it would be nice if the ending was AWESOME, but that ship has sailed.

Neon Genesis Evangelion.

And no cutscene can overwrite the lack of "choice matters" that was promised, 16 different endings or lack of consistency with the rest of the universe.

 

[anthony87]

Let Marauder Shields win.

You will thank me later.

Also, this

'Who is Marauder Shields?' I hear you say.

You'll know.

And when it happens.

Let him win.

Don't forget the three Husketeers.

They're ignored far too much.