Did ME3 ruin Mass Effect for you?

[SageRuffin]

Another way to look at this question is: Would you ever buy a Mass Effect product again even in best case scenario? (EA losing the IP being a start)

Nah. I told myself long before the shitstorm regarding the ending (which I think is still one of the biggest WTFs in gaming culture I've witnessed) that once I finish my "canon" run in ME3, I'm done with the series.

Or did the story ruin it for you?

Not at all. I was never a huge fan (if at all) of ME's story, more so the atmosphere and the universe built around it. So when the time to fuck Reaper shit up, that's exactly what the fuck my FemShep did: fuck Reaper shit the fuck UP.

 

[Creator002]

My opinion probably isn't a good one to listen to because Mass Effect 3 was the only Mass Effect I completed.
I didn't enjoy it as much as other BioWare games (Dragon Age Origins and 2 to be specific), but I'd buy another if it's as good as 3. The ending (didn't play with the "extended" or "fixed" or whatever it is DLC) wasn't horrible, though I didn't actually see any choices. All I could do (from what I could see) was shoot the power source.
Knowing me, I probably just missed someone/something super obvious. :/

 

[RedDeadFred]

No it did not ruin it for me. Before the final 10 minutes, I was seriously considering it to be the best game in the trilogy. The ending bumped it down to third for me but it didn't kill it for me.

Then the EC came out and it mostly repaired all of the damage that was done (for me anyway) so I have it tied with ME2 now.

 

[ShotgunZombie]

Oh boy. Here we go again *props up a chair*. I'm going to go and make popcorn anyone want some?

In all seriousness though, I have not played the games in their entirety, yet, but I've had some discussions about MS3 with my chums. Not that I had any choice in the matter since avoiding spoilers about the MS3 ending back then was god-damned impossible. Anyway, we came to the following consensus (Ooh, look at me using one big word.)

Is MS3 perfect? No.

Is it good? Yes.

Despite a rather atrocious ending is it still worth playing? Yes.

Did we get everything that was promised? No.

And do you know what? That's okay. MS3 isn't the first great game to get dicked over by a crappy ending and the way I see it, it certainly won't be the last. I'm looking at you RAGE/Killzone 2 & 3/Resistance 3/Kane & Lynch 2 etc, etc. Besides from what has already been spoiled for me, thanks guys, it seems to me that the journey is wicked even if the destination isn't. So no the ending hasn't stopped me from wanting to play the games. My lack of free time and crippling debts have...

Kidding, or maybe not.

Oh, and before anyone else points this out, yes I realize that this site despises Kane and Lynch 2 with a passion. I thought it was fun so bite me. Please disregard if you don't hate Kane and Lynch 2 or more likely don't give a shit.

I'm sorry, but how did you end up missing "E" 4 times?

Because I'm very sleepy. Lame excuses aside, I'm actually not entirely sure. Scratch the sleepy part I'm going with black magic. Yep, I missed the "E" four times because of black magic.

 

[Zenoss]

I was expecting a poll.

The Mass Effect series are my favourite games. All 3 of them. Yes, even the ending of the last one. Looking forward to more content.

 

[Robert632]

Not even close. Hell, even with the dead weight that is that ending, I still consider ME3 the best.

 

[wulf3n]

I think "ruined" is a bit extreme. I personally don't see how any new development can detract from something already established that you like, Reloaded and Revolutions didn't ruin the Matrix, the Star Wars prequels didn't ruin the Original films, sure they all sucked, but it only effects the originals if you let it.

There was a time when I probably would have said ME3 ruined the series for me though, as immediately after ME3 I went back and tried to play ME1 but couldn't. However in retrospect this is more like a result of my changing attitude towards gaming and re-playability, as I do remember trying to play ME1 before ME2 and found myself struggling.

Although I don't understand all the hate towards people that did feel like ME3 ruined the series for them. Everyone experiences things differently, it's not like their newly found dislike of the series effects your enjoyment.

 

[Joccaren]

Well, the main reasons I played Mass Effect were to see what happened next in the story, and how my choices panned out.

Seeing as the entirety of ME3 was utter crap in these regards, I've really had no motivation to go back and play it again. Its just become another story that I already know, with a third 'book' that was utter crap.

So, yeah, its ruined ME for me.

If the new coming Mass Effect game [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/369107/bioware-confirms-new-mass-effect-game-all-new-ip-in-development/#] is amazing, however, I will buy and play it. I don't expect it to be though. I think its more likely that I'll receive a Nobel Prize for figuring out the meaning of life by sitting on my ass all day at this point.

 

[A Distant Star]

I loved ME3 irregardless of the sloppy ending. I'm all in for more Mass Effect.

 

[Joccaren]

My opinion probably isn't a good one to listen to because Mass Effect 3 was the only Mass Effect I completed.
I didn't enjoy it as much as other BioWare games (Dragon Age Origins and 2 to be specific), but I'd buy another if it's as good as 3. The ending (didn't play with the "extended" or "fixed" or whatever it is DLC) wasn't horrible, though I didn't actually see any choices. All I could do (from what I could see) was shoot the power source.
Knowing me, I probably just missed someone/something super obvious. :/

You only received that option because you didn't do too well throughout the rest of the game, and had fairly minimal war assets. If you

Spoiler

made peace with the Quarians and Geth, cured the Genophage with Wrex or sabotaged the cure with Wreave, completed side quests and made a few other key choices along the way, you would have unlocked the ability to grab hold of lightning poles and be disintegrated, or jump into the beam of light and be disintegrated. Great choices eh?

 

[Zydrate]

Nah. The ending(s?) pretty much sucked yes, but I'll continue to play through them.

 

[Jason Rayes]

My only problem with the ending was that it came down to three choices, I didn't have a problem with its dark tone. In fact the game had been telegraphing that Shepherd probably wasn't going to make it from about the halfway point. I played all 3 games back to back and it took me about 170 hours (I'm a completest) and I loved every minute of it. The universe is awesome and Shepherd and his/her crew were a blast to spend time with. Ill let them gather dust for a couple of years. Then do it all again.

 

[crazyrabbits]

In fact the game had been telegraphing that Shepherd probably wasn't going to make it from about the halfway point.

That's funny, considering how the previous games took every opportunity they could to point out how Shepard and co. beat impossible odds every chance they got, and rallied an entire galaxy behind them. Any sense that the Alliance/Shepard couldn't win this normally was a late-game plot twist introduced solely in the final installment, and barely backed up by anything besides a handful of in-game comments.

People like to pretend that the ending was the only bad part of the game, ignoring (whether by choice or purposely) the rest of the bugs, lame writing and wonky gameplay mechanics present throughout the other 95% of the product. Broken and incomplete quest logs, retcons galore, terrible plot twists, ineffectual villains changed from their core ideals, gameplay and story segregation, McGuffins...there was a whole topic a couple weeks back that had people overwhelmingly point out that there were many more problems than just the ending.

The fact that people are now second-guessing everything Bioware does (to the point of, sight unseen, declaring not to buy any of their products) should tell you enough about where the future of the franchise is at. BW took a highly-anticipated game and made it into a lame duck that failed on just about every level besides the gameplay. No wonder the announcement of DA3 was met with "fool me twice, shame on me".

 

[Texas Joker 52]

While Mass Effect 3 didn't ruin the entire Mass Effect series or universe, especially not retroactively (Despite the fact that I still felt vitriol towards the ending, I could ignore it, which really, I felt was something of a fault in its own right, but no biggie really, the rest of the game was awesome.), I would be pretty iffy about buying another.

Why? The series is over, at least as far as Commander Shepard is concerned. If they pulled what Halo is pulling now, and did another Shepard game? I'd be wondering why, and if its going to be any good and stay true to what made Mass Effect awesome. If it stays true to the spirit of the series, sure, I might buy it, and I may deeply enjoy it like the other Mass Effects.

Now, if they make a whole new, spin-off series, which is basically their version of Fallout or The Elder Scrolls in space, where you can literally create your own character basically from scratch, choose a race, powers, weapon proficiencies and so on? Oh god yes. Sign me up.

Please Bioware, make this dream a reality. I want to actually play out as a Quarian or Turian, and not just in the decent multiplayer bit of Mass Effect 3. It was fun, but I'm burnt out on it. Give us something similar, but at the same time, different enough to qualify as something new and fresh.

 

[Bat Vader]

Yeah, I would buy another Mass Effect game again. I didn't hate the ending. It wasn't what i expected but I didn't hate it.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Depends if the next game was god or not

That's a pretty high expectation. I have faith in Bioware but jeez.

OT: I will not let it ruin it for me, I would buy a new ME game in a heartbeat.

 

[Jason Rayes]

In fact the game had been telegraphing that Shepherd probably wasn't going to make it from about the halfway point.

That's funny, considering how the previous games took every opportunity they could to point out how Shepard and co. beat impossible odds every chance they got, and rallied an entire galaxy behind them. Any sense that the Alliance/Shepard couldn't win this normally was a late-game plot twist introduced solely in the final installment, and barely backed up by anything besides a handful of in-game comments.

People like to pretend that the ending was the only bad part of the game, ignoring (whether by choice or purposely) the rest of the bugs, lame writing and wonky gameplay mechanics present throughout the other 95% of the product. Broken and incomplete quest logs, retcons galore, terrible plot twists, ineffectual villains changed from their core ideals, gameplay and story segregation, McGuffins...there was a whole topic a couple weeks back that had people overwhelmingly point out that there were many more problems than just the ending.

The fact that people are now second-guessing everything Bioware does (to the point of, sight unseen, declaring not to buy any of their products) should tell you enough about where the future of the franchise is at. BW took a highly-anticipated game and made it into a lame duck that failed on just about every level besides the gameplay. No wonder the announcement of DA3 was met with "fool me twice, shame on me".

Interesting, I didn't realize I meant the previous games when I said Mass Effect 3 had telegraphed that Shepherd may not make it. You are correct, previous games did not, but then, I never said they did. As the for the ending being good or bad, that is entirely a matter of opinion.