There's no way I'm the only person who gets the ending of this game.
The game is about making choices, and how those choices change you and affect those around you.
The ending is about fate, and how sometimes things happen in spite of your choices rather than because of them; sometimes all roads lead to the same place, and there's nothing you can do about it. What defines you is how you face those moments: do you go down fighting, do you try to control it, or do you accept it? Essentially, the ending presents Shepard with the ultimate challenge of character: all things being exactly equal, how do you want to die?
Oh, you guys, stop being so unintentionally hilarious. Anyone who doesn't agree with you isn't missing the point, you're just trying to put yourself above them because you need to know that you're right.
EDIT: Especially when it's people like Yahtzee and Movie Bob and the Extra Credits guys. They're a bigger threat, because you know they have more experience than you.
There's no way I'm the only person who gets the ending of this game.
The game is about making choices, and how those choices change you and affect those around you.
The ending is about fate, and how sometimes things happen in spite of your choices rather than because of them; sometimes all roads lead to the same place, and there's nothing you can do about it. What defines you is how you face those moments: do you go down fighting, do you try to control it, or do you accept it? Essentially, the ending presents Shepard with the ultimate challenge of character: all things being exactly equal, how do you want to die?
Mass Effect has never just been about Fate. It's been about dealing with the concept of Fate and sometimes even altering it, defeating it. Think of the first ME1, The Protheans managed, through a huge sacrifice to ensure that the other races of the galaxy would know about the Reapers. The Keepers evolved past their genetic role. And in the end Sovereign fails.
Fate can be fought. The cycle can be broken. A third option can be taken. We can see this even in ME2 where Wrex starts changing the future of the Krogan.
In addition there is a veery unsettling thing about the fact that the ME 3 ending suggests that contrary to the previous themes of "diversity meaning strength" and "Free will and self determination as one of the most basic rights" that we all have to be the same to get on, and it's right to take control of another race of creatures. not just rewrite them but actively control them.
Now let's look at the choices of Mass Effect 3. What's one of the huge problems with them? It's that because we know so very little of the consequences, it means we can't make an informed choice and it is therefore unsatisfactory. Take synthesis, what exactly does that entail, what will happen to the Geth with synthesis, will people be able to conceive kids, how long will the average person live etc? It is fine to introduce the element of both ambiguity and uncertainty into choices, that's good it makes the act of choosing a little unsure but there has to be at least some base of knowledge to stand on or else the whole act of choice is hollow.
I would also say introducing one of the most important characters into the last scene of a trilogy is a bad move. Especially when he the completely changes the whole focus of the plot from being "Stop the Reapers from killing us all" to "Solve the intractable nature of existence between synthetics and organics" and then expects us to resolve it. It just causes such a whiplash that it is hard for me to understand why the writer thought this was a good idea.
Look I have nothing against having a sad or even bad ending or even to have a story where the whole focus is about accepting fate. But Mass Effect wasn't that story. So it shouldn't have that end.
I put in this video as well as it helps explain these ideas better then me.
Hmm, would have thought that Yahtzee would have agreed with the gamers. I've noticed the gamers are in a group of their own ideals compared to the reviewer and journalists. I would have thought that they would be in agreement with them not opposite of them.
If that's the case, shouldn't the gamers have their own voice, one that isn't sounding like whiny teenagers? Shouldn't the reviewers or journalists be supporting the gamers instead of lying in bed with EA or other companies like EA?
I'm surprised that Yahtzee is both missing the point and isn't up in arms over the ending. For someone that has emphasized in the past how games should have good writing and that BioWare was one of the few developers that understood this, he really seems to not get it.
why do you really care the game its self was brilliant if 5 percent of it is bad does it really matter if the other 95 percent is great
Honestly I am ashamed to be a Bioware at the moment
I though I was the only person who saw the ending and thought (besides What?): "Wait, if the relays are destroyed, aren't all the species trapped in Earth's solar system? That's kind of a glaring plot hole"
This may have been addressed already, but I feel the need to throw in my own two cents. A possible consequence that's not addressed is NOT A FREAKING PLOT HOLE!
Plot Holes are those annoying gaps in a story where things happen without a logical reason. For example: Characters suddenly having knowledge that was never passed to them, or vice versa; characters not knowing something they knew last week, or something that anyone in their position must know is a plot hole. An event occurring that, given other details present in the work, is not possible is a plot hole. Consequences that go unaddressed in the ending is just something overlooked.
I though I was the only person who saw the ending and thought (besides What?): "Wait, if the relays are destroyed, aren't all the species trapped in Earth's solar system? That's kind of a glaring plot hole"
This may have been addressed already, but I feel the need to throw in my own two cents. A possible consequence that's not addressed is NOT A FREAKING PLOT HOLE!
Plot Holes are those annoying gaps in a story where things happen without a logical reason. For example: Characters suddenly having knowledge that was never passed to them, or vice versa; characters not knowing something they knew last week, or something that anyone in their position must know is a plot hole. An event occurring that, given other details present in the work, is not possible is a plot hole. Consequences that go unaddressed in the ending is just something overlooked.
This. Now for the things that WERE plot holes. Codex entries told us travelling through relays is near instantaneous, dropping out of FTL suddenly obliterates the ship, and habitable planets are so rare that the odds of stumbling across one at random are essentially nil. Apply those three points to the scene of the Normandy being torn out of ftl by the relay explosion and crash landing on an apparently as of yet undiscovered, habitable planet... There's the point where my disappointment turned to "wtf is this?"
Should Bioware change the ending due to fan pressure? Hell no. If the current piece of crap is truly how they wanted it to end, it's their right as the artist to end it how they wish, even if it's a giant f*** you to millions of loyal fans. However, if the ending was a result of time constraints (as I suspect) and they already had their series of endings written and planned, then they should, and likely will, release those.
Hatred originating from disreputable gentlemen shall continually persist.
With all the complaining about how "Yahtzee doesnt get it" I think more people need to look at their own opinions. Not to mention that game reviewers that "are against" the hordes of fans up in arms over this ending don't have to weigh in on something more subjective like the game's story. It's a game.
Personally was disappointed with the ending of ME3, even if I did think more about it, and realize that there are few happy ways to end a series like Mass Effect. That said, I don't think that bit of disappointment should suddenly give a game a 1/10 rating, especially since it came after 30+ hours of good gameplay, great dialogue and improvements to gripes I had in ME2.
But maybe youre right, lets all whine and give out horrible ratings on Metacritic- since, as we all know, that's how you change things in this industry.
Time for a virgin to mass effect to have their say (after pointing out the unopened mass effect 3 collector's edition lying in the corner of my desk).
What the critics have right: Yes, the sanctity of the creator's work should be upheld at all times. The creator has all rights to do with the official canon as they please. While maybe they can be asked to change something, and maybe they will feel like doing it; the thing is, it's still their world. And one cannot possibly suggest that they be forced to take their world in a direction they don't want.
What The fans have right: I did research on what "My Little Pony: Friendship is magic" was about once. Essentially, if I have this right; the creators of that show didn't own the brand "My Little Pony" (I think it said), and that this was heralded as the end of the creator era. It was essentially fan-fiction (I think) and the fact it made it to popular consciousness meant the fans had won; they could do what they wanted with a brand...
... And they didn't do it by pressuring the creator, they did it by taking the world into their own hands and going "F&&& it! We're going to Mod the S*** out of this!"
And so the moral of this story is if you don't like the story, Mod it yourself or start writing fan fiction. Because while the creator has 100% right over their "OFFICIAL" creation, you have the unofficial creation that YOU have 100% control of.
Speaking of which, I need to figure out a plan for A Pokemon And/or Digimon (crossover?) fic. Preferably where humans turn into either of the monster types...
I though I was the only person who saw the ending and thought (besides What?): "Wait, if the relays are destroyed, aren't all the species trapped in Earth's solar system? That's kind of a glaring plot hole"
This may have been addressed already, but I feel the need to throw in my own two cents. A possible consequence that's not addressed is NOT A FREAKING PLOT HOLE!
Plot Holes are those annoying gaps in a story where things happen without a logical reason. For example: Characters suddenly having knowledge that was never passed to them, or vice versa; characters not knowing something they knew last week, or something that anyone in their position must know is a plot hole. An event occurring that, given other details present in the work, is not possible is a plot hole. Consequences that go unaddressed in the ending is just something overlooked.
Why it seems like I am the only one here that thinks they are not stranded anywhere?
I've seen it repeated over and over and over "everyone is stranded! the mass relays are destroyed, so each solar system is isolated now!"
NO!
Think! Mass Effect Universe Starships have MASS EFFECT of their own! generated by the Element Zero core they use for an engine. They have bloody FTL drives WITHOUT using mass relays.
Think! when you play you go explore the galaxy yes? but only a handful of systems have mass relays. then how do you get to the other systems? you know? when you use fuel? that is the FTL drive and it is shown in the game that even a small ship like the Normandy can cross vast distances (some of the graphics implies you exit a nebula and enter another one, so crossing prolly hundreds of light years) in a fast amount of time (as there is no indication in the game ever that years passed from start to end. Months, yes, but not years).
From this we have to conclude that FTL travel IS possible. Mass Relays were just very convenient, the Highway of the galaxy, taking minutes instead of weeks or months and not needing any fuel. Now you are stuck to local roads.... but you CAN. STILL. TRAVEL. the Victory fleet is not stuck on Earth, they can just all bloody go home, will take months instead of days, but they can still do it.
So yes, the Galaxy has become a bigger place, it is like if the Mass Effect pre-ME3 is modern times, now they are stuck in the Victorian age, where the fastest way to travel was with a ship ir a slow train, but they can still travel.
Also look up the Indctrination Theory for a much more satisfying explanation of the ending:_ ie: the whole last part is a dream sequence of the conflict in Shepard mind to avoid Indoctrination. Supported by huuuuuuge amount of evidence.
No girls in rage? lol, check the facebook page also
I would like to introduce you to my wife, I know heresy I have a wife and she plays games.. shocker. The whole go out get a girl sun thing has been done to death. Seriously.
I don't mean to be rude but if you don't understand why we are upset fine, but we don't need the over generalization insults.
It still somehow hard to believe that females can have this persistent level of hatred and rage.
And I wasn't insulting nobody, I was actually describing what I did after 20h non-stop ME marathon, because my goal was prepare yourself and play until it is done (BTW 20h of non-stop gaming is bad for you, trust me)
After finishing ME3 I went outside (no sun or girls though, because it was 2am) walk a little, sat on the bench, took a smoke, gazed upon the stars and tried to figure out what exactly in the ending was wrong. It helped me, maybe you should do the same. Then I went to bed and in the morning I wrote that comment.
Sorry if it insulted someone, but as usual it isn't objective fact, but only my opinion.
I loved the entire mass effect series. Read the books, comics, done it all. I'm completely fine with the ending. I'm not sure what everybody expected but it was the ending I predicted. I could see the writing on the wall fairly early on. A bit like Red Dead Redemption. Doom was in the air.
The fact that the "multiple endings" was a bit of a con is absolutely in keeping with Mass Effect 1 & 2. Maybe other people don't see it but each Mass Effect has been a series of bottle necks with some expansion of plot between each node.
No matter WHAT you decide the outcome for every single mission is basically the same. Everyone destroys Sovereign and Saren in the first game. Everybody fights the giant baby terminator in ME2. Everybody does the exact same story missions and the only variation is a bit of dialogue and the "concept" that you picked A instead of B. Killed Wrex? Fine, you get a different Krogan and a bit of different dialogue in ME2. Effect on missions and gameplay and the outcome of other missions? = 0! Nothing, nada.
The Blue Paragon/Red Renegade is the biggest con of all. You need to get person X to do Y. You can sweet talk them with Blue option, result = you get Y. You can intimidate them with Red option, result = you get Y. Where exactly is the massive change in decisions.
I know "the means" is the interesting part and no "the ends" but at no point as Mass Effect even shown anything but a cursory nod towards "multiple-choices". The impact of even the most important choices from previous games result in a bit of dialogue difference, and maybe a footnote in the codex or war assets. As far as concluding subplots I can't see a single thing they didn't answer. Not sure what closure people are missing but no story, film, book, or game is going to list what happens to every single character at the end of a series. Unless it's LOTR and that's the worst part of the books.
I love Mass Effect but I never played it for the "multiple-choices". That's fluff, a thin icing on very lovely cake. Anyone saying Mass Effect set an expectation of multiple endings or massive changes in plot due to choices made is a complete liar or a fool. They've always said this stuff and it's never been true before. It's like CoD going on about "loads of new weapons and perks" when it's the same stuff rebranded and tweaked a bit. They've said this stuff from day one and at no point has a decision made in ME ever made much difference to the major story line. At least not a single change to the chain of events.
I can only presume these people only played ME2, and not ME1 and believed the hype about carrying your decisions over to the next game. Coupled with the fact that the series is ending (sad face) and that it's pretty damn obvious only sad endings are going to occur (how many missions in ME end with "Yeah! Everybody is happy"??) that left them feeling sad. Unable to comprehend or reflect on this new emotion produced by art they had a temper tantrum. You know, like a child does if his hero in a film dies.
I haven't read the 15 pages of of text this thread has created just the last so forgive me of what I said has been said. But this post sums up a lot of what I was going to say.
The issue with Mass Effect 3 is that it breaks form, horribly. In both ME1 and ME2 there is really little difference to the end the driving story stays the same just the small details are what change. Whether you save the council or not, doesn't matter Sovereign dies. Whether you destroy the base or give it to the Illusive man doesn't matter, you have a dead collector base.
In truth though each has a mechanic that changes subtleties in the universe, loyalty effects whether or not team members live or die. Little actions are reminders that the things you've done in the past have effected the universe as a whole.
While the little reminders remain in the game, war assets essentially do... nothing. An entire mechanic created that does nothing. Compounded by a ending that gives us a choice that isn't really a choice.
All the more if you've ever read the indoctrination theory many tweets and hints in the game show the game is not the real ending, if this were true then my god. Why not just put in a real ending and avoid this. There is no way Bioware will ever rid themselves of the question whether this was intentionally planned or they gave in to consumer complaints. This will haunt them, forever. Moreso if they decide and most likely will charge for the ending.
The game would've been 100 times better if we were never really given a choice on how it ended and that War Assets actually made the final fight easier. Alternatively that the ending we have now is fake, and if your war assets where high enough you could wake up and continue to the real ending. How great would that have been? Awesome right, if thats how it was from launch and not some shoe-horned DLC whether it was planned or not.
Basically what erked me wasn't the ending, it was that War Assets had no real affect. Why induce a mechanic and stress that you go out of your way to do said mechanic then have it do nothing.
On reflection I see what you mean. The war assets are irksome and a complete cop out for Bioware. I remember playing the first game and fretting over whether to save or destroy the Rachni. In the end the impact it makes is miniscule, just a couple of points to add to the war asset chest. Points which I didn't need anyway because I did most things and completely exceeded the requirement to get the "better" endings.
But there's two reasons why I'm not mad about it. 1) I still fretted about it, I still enjoyed having the dilema of should I or shouldn't I. Granted, I've found out it didn't matter, but I'm not one of those people that feels my efforts were wasted because it didn't matter in the game. I still had the experience, whether it makes a difference or not. 2) Mass Effect 2 already broke my delusions about what would "carry over". When I realised how minimal, and superficial the decisions from ME1 were on ME2 I knew ME3 would only be more pointless.
But I found I didn't care that much. I still loved the game even though I'd realised it's a lot more linear than people realised. I was disappointed that despite all the talk of "your decisions changing the game" I still see they don't really make any difference to the sequence of events at all.
Also I found a game that DID make huge changes based on my decisions. Alpha Protocol. The combat is out-dated and clunky, the voice work a bit flat. The stealth power is horribly over-powered. But whoever set out the branching plot lines of that game was a frikkin' genius. I platinumed that game and it was a joy. Whole new scenes appear or disappear based on how you relate to other characters. Some missions change drastically based on your actions. Not just red/blue options but whether you did a mission without killing anyone, or went guns blazing. And the endings were quite varied based on your choices, and how much people liked or disliked you. Not just like/dislike but love/like/neutral/dislike/hate.
Of course it got fubared by New Vegas, Obsidian pulled all it's resources to pander to the licensed game. I felt it could have been as good or better than Mass Effect if they'd supported it better.
I WILL be mad if I have ot pay for the "real" ending. I'm already annoyed I paid 800 MS points for a 1-2 hour mission in From Ashes. That's 1/6th the price of 30 hour game? Complete rip-off.
I managed to save everyone.
No one died on the suicide mission, Wrex and Eve are safe, united the Geth and Quarians so this ending feels like a big ripoff. I wouldn't even call it an ending because the game just stops. As far as we know everyone is doomed because the mass relays were destroyed so that makes the entire story behind these games pointless in the end.
Thats why we're pissed. Not because we didn't get the happy rainbows ending or that we didn't get the ending we wanted.
It's that we didn't get one and we'll probably have DLC to see who died, who survived and what the fuck just happened.
First off dont take your frustrations out on Yahtzee, you bloody well know he is a gamer, his whole life is gaming related. Secondly you guys are JUST fans, not creators, authors, developers, own ANYTHING of the games IP. I understand you the story didn't end with flowers and sunshine flying out of Jokers crippled ass while Shepard and Liara do it on the most perfect rainbow. But they did say it is the end of Shepard's story and how else do you think it would end?
Not to be rude just really wondering cuz I must have missed it honestly. What plot holes? I want to know what Bioware messed up on cuz maybe I'm just missing the points.
Not to be rude just really wondering cuz I must have missed it honestly. What plot holes? I want to know what Bioware messed up on cuz maybe I'm just missing the points.
No worries, I'll post a link to that article [http://www.gamefront.com/mass-effect-3-ending-hatred-5-reasons-the-fans-are-right/] if you feel like a hench read.
I'll also explain a few of them myself in this spoiler tag.
1. The God Child - this isn't so much a plothole as a big WTF moment, we're introduced to a new character who contradicts a fair amount of previous dialogue, if he 'controls the reapers' as he so claims, this kind of makes a lot of Sovereigns quotes redundant.
2. The destruction of the relays - while watching the ending myself and I saw all the relays explode I thought, wait a second, every single alien I brought to help me destroy the reapers is now stranded above earth with no realistic way to get back to their planets in their lifetimes?
Well, they probably won't be too happy.
Other people, including that article, have pointed out that in the Arrival DLC, Mass Relays that explode ever so slightly destroy the entire system they're placed in, I assumed that because of the multicolored lasers, the energy was dispersed differently, but it's a good point that why weren't we told this?
3. Joker fleeing earth - Okay this one annoys me the most out of everything, up until now I could suspend my disbelief and come up with just enough vague reasons to explain away most other things, but why the hell is Joker, with the rest of my crew no less, fleeing earth?
Joker was in the battle with the reapers and I see no clear reason why he'd turn tail and run, especially as we can assume that he's already fleeing once you make your choice as he's running from one of your colourful space lasers, and why is my crew with him? Moments ago they were on Earth preparing for the final assault with Shepard.
Then they crash land, coincidentally, on a habitable planet and step out. Well, they're now stranded with no means of being found or returning to civilization (no relays remember?) and if you chose to wipe out synthetics, EDI is now dead and Joker doesn't even bat an eyelid at this.
It makes no sense.
And that is why we make sure to keep the same writers for the entire series on board and relevant to every plot point in the series.
The reason we hate the endings is because of the plotholes, inconsistencies, terrible writing, and unfulfilled promises by the developers. Idiot like moviebob who have no interest in Mass Effect just don't get it.
I'm fairly sure it's been said. However, in case it hasn't...
Game journalists aren't stupid. Do you really think they haven't caught on to what the real disappointment with ME3 was for most fans? Of course they have. Do you also think that they'd write a scathing article about the shortcomings of a game that they're widely advertising as one of the greatest examples of what a video game should be? Of course not.
Gaming "journalists" are protecting their asses from scrutiny from publishers and producers by avoiding writing about the larger issues most gamers are having with ME3, and video games in general these days. Don't think for a second that they're supportive of your hobby and its critical errors before they're supportive of what puts money in their pocket.
Stop saying that game journalists are missing the point. They're probably missing it on purpose. Wise up.
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