Mass Effect 3's Ending Was Intended To Polarize
- Thread starter The Wooster
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It's not that Shepard dies is what's getting people quads in a bunch, it's the fact that it makes no sense and that we were lied to.Kroxile said:
We were told there was to be 4 to 16 different endings, depending on all the choices you've made throughout all the games up to that point. We were given three, that were effected by exactly none of the choices we've made up to that point, and are only slight variations between them.
They stated that the ending wouldn't be a choice between A, B, or C. We chose between A, B, and C. (or if you want to be more precise, red, blue, or green)
They said that Mass Effect 3 would wrap everything up. Instead, players are left with far more questions than there are answers.
People went into this knowing that Shepard could die, and they accepted that. But they also went into this believing that by game's end, the story would be concluded and that it would be the end of it. But it isn't. Is Shepard still alive? Where's the Normandy crew stranded? Did Shepard just wipe out most if not all life in the galaxy with their actions causing the Mass Relays to all explode? Why is Vent Boy the King of the Reapers? Even if the Mass Relay explosions somehow didn't kill everyone, how could the millions, if not billions of people stranded in the Sol System survive?
Were people hoping for a happy ending? Yes, but they only expected one if they made the right choices and managed to build an army capable of taking down the Reapers. Regardless of what choices you made or whether or not you built that army, you're left with the same ending that doesn't make sense.
Damned if that doesn't make sense, because I hated the ending at first, too. However, the more I chew it over the more I can appreciate it. I still don't entirely like it, but I've got to respect the kind of ballsiness from their writers and as an aspiring writer myself. Still, I wish there was one not-so-bittersweet ending. That's personal preference though.
Rudimentary creature of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding.SciMal said:
It all boils down to the fact that you never played Mass Effect before and as someone who played both of the previous games I can tell that the ending contradicts itself, the entire plot and the lore of the Mass Effect universe-Samurai- said:
They promised an answer all of the questions and that there will be 16 different endings based on the players choices throughout the series, instead they answered 1 question, an answer that doesn't make sence, they raised a few more questions and then railroaded the player to choose between 3 different endings( I remind you there were supposed to be 16 ) right the end, all of which doesn't make any sence and are not affected by any of the choices made previously
Again (referring back to the aftermath of Dragon Age 2), I'm not sure if Bioware is in denial that they misunderstood their audience, or whether they genuinely believe that pissing off fans is a good way to get remembered... I miss the Bioware that made KOTOR, Jade Empire and Mass Effect, games I thoroughly enjoyed. RIP pre-EA Bioware.
This situation is reminding me of another immensely popular game that had a very similar on-disk ending... of which had an immensely popular add on DLC that continued where the on-disk ending left off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MzB_aeBtWc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MzB_aeBtWc
Someone needs to explain the difference between polorizing and infuriating. I mean, I didn't hate it in concept and I can even see where they wanted to go with it, but in five minutes we're left to learn the prupose of the reapers, and make a big ass choice without much context, all to mostly end up at the same place. Then we're left with a lack of personal closure on what is a very character based story. Battlestar Galactica had more closure and it pulled a lot of the same shit. We won't get into how the better endings require multiplayer to build up your rediness and hiding that feature behind an online pass.
This wasn't polorizing, this was at the last minute going fuck you to the audience. GOW 3 was polorizing, but at least it did work as an ending like it or not.
This wasn't polorizing, this was at the last minute going fuck you to the audience. GOW 3 was polorizing, but at least it did work as an ending like it or not.
Haha... I was thinking the same thing. In fact, im going one step further (possibly), Im going to buy it used from Gamestop.Darkmantle said:
It's actually possible to get an ending where Shephard doesn't die, and climbs out of some rubble on earth.Kroxile said:
Nevermind the obscurely huge plothole of how the f*** Shephard ended up there. The last time you saw him (or her), Shephard was on a giant space station. I'd like to know how he/she survived a fall of several hundred kilometers from space in an oxygen-deprived environment without a suit and landed on Earth, but since the last 30 minutes of Mass Effect 3 basically turned it into Magic Effect 3 (with galaxy-spanding energy novas that can do supernatural stuff, like combining organic DNA and Synthetics into a new framework), then i guess BioWare never intended for us to bother with the details.
There are many reasons people hate the ending, and it's often FAR from Shephard dying that's the problem. But lets run with your idea that Shephards death is the problem for a minute.
You see, if the game (or rather, the series) hadn't been setting up the expectation that Shephard actually had a FUTURE after the war (assuming you managed to win it), or at the very least a chance for a future, then it would be fine. But it does set up that expectation. The game lets you bother with romances, but what's the point if Shephard and Mr. or Mrs. Love Interest aren't going to be able to see a future together anyway? What's the point of fighting for the galactic civilization, when it - no matter what - ends up isolated because all of the Mass Relays go to hell? The game goes out of its way to let you track how "prepared" you are to face the Reapers, quite a bit similar to how ME2 made you focus on preparing as good as possible for the suicide mission by constantly having crew members and Cerberus kept pushing you to make sure you were "dedicated". Unlike ME2, however, you get a shit ending in ME3, no matter if you busted your ass to maximize your chances. If things are going to hell no matter what you do, then what's the point? Might just as well have camped Shephard in a bar and let the Reapers kill the galaxy during the hangover.
i've decided to boycott origin and EA products not because of all this DLC stuff just general practises as a consumer so its already happened for me. im not buying ME3 im not buying any Sports title from them or even getting origin. its something that a disagree so im saying with my wallet.Lord_Gremlin said:
You might want to reread the bit where I say "my cynicism levels are unusually high as of late."kiri2tsubasa said: