Say what you will, ME3 stands as a testament to the importance of story and character development

[Elamdri]

You know, sometimes it's important when we are all focused on certain issues in gaming, like the current one surrounding the ME3 ending, to take a step back and get some new perspective. I know a lot of people are upset with the ME3 ending for various reasons, some good, some understandable...some stupid.

But there is a learning opportunity here. Why are people upset about ME3's ending. It's because they actually care about the characters and the world in ME3. Because lets face it. Commander Shepard is not real. The world of Mass Effect 3 is fiction. If everything that happened in the ending is true, it changes nothing, because it was all just a story.

However, anyone who has read a good book, seen an excellent movie, or played a truly amazing game can tell you that what I just said isn't the case. Commander Shepard is no less real to someone who loves the Mass Effect series than anyone else. The story and the characterization creates a sense in the viewer that what's happening to these characters in the story matters. It creates a sense of investment. To the fans, Shepard and Garrus and Liara and Tali and Ashley and Kaiden and the rest aren't just characters, they're people...friends even. Christ, I myself have had moments playing Mass Effect when I wished to god that Garrus was real so he and I could get a drink at a bar.

And I think it's important, in all this whirlwind of anger surrounding the ending, that we as gamers demand more from developers. Make more games where I care about the characters and the world so much that I get ANGRY when I am dissatisfied with the ending. As someone who cares about games, I want a deeper connection with the game's story and characters in EVERY game I play.

How many games have you played where you've beaten the ending and said, "Well that sucked" and just gone on with your life? Too many to count for me. I don't know about all of you, but I'm tired of that. I want more investment, I want to care more about the characters and the story in every game I play. I WANT to be angry, because being angry means that I cared.

 

[skywolfblue]

Hear hear.

People are raging about the ending and forgetting the fact that the series did a very rare and wonderful thing in making people CARE about the characters and world within the game.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I agree. The Mass Effect series is the only series I can recall where I cared about the characters so much and was that emotionally invested in everything. At least in recent memory. I did also have a lot of investment in Planescape: Torment but that was ages ago.

 

[Zhukov]

Ayup.

To date, the Mass Effect series are the only games to elicit that degree of emotional investment from me. So many awesome characters.

It was that investment which led to the nasty backlash effect when... that happened.

In retrospect, it's rather amusing that I only picked the first game out of a bargain bin so I could see what that Fox News sexbox malarky was all about.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

You're right. That's why most of us are mad about the ending. We love those characters. We want to see what happens to them. I want them to be happy.

 

[TheCaptain]

Second that. I think most people know that, which is why (comparatively) many people use their indoor voices in this debate.

And, as always, for the record: Mass Effect, up to and including 3, was one of the best damn games I ever played.

 

[Rawne1980]

Hear hear.

People are raging about the ending and forgetting the fact that the series did a very rare and wonderful thing in making people CARE about the characters and world within the game.

You missed the point of the rage entirely.

People are angry BECAUSE they care about the characters and want to know what the hell happens.

The ending took a character we've come to know over several years and squashed it in the space of 5 minutes.

 

[Elamdri]

Disagree.

Bioware had been making games on par with Mass Effect in terms of character development for years before Dragon Age Origins came out, at which point they kind of dropped the ball for a while. Especially the DA branch.

I just dont see why ME3 should be the testament. I love Mass Effect, but there are games much more worthy of that title.

But I don't think there has been one as ubiquitous as Mass Effect. I mean, Bioware has put out some great stuff, don't get me wrong, but I think Mass Effect has had the greatest impact to date on gaming.

 

[shaggybear]

you took the words right out of my mouth. mass effect may not have been the first but it is one of the most recognisable and aclaimed series to date. what bioware did was really awsome in terms of charactor and story.

 

[Dandark]

Someone just watched this week episode of the jimquisition. He was right when he said it, and your right when you say it. People did care a lot about the world and characters which is why Bioware got the reaction they did. You know your medium has advanced when you have a level of fanrage to match Star Wars.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Of course. But did we need a new thread to say this? The fact that people are focusing on a very specific part of the game shows how much the rest stands tall. Let people rage, they aren't disagreeing with the rest of the game, just the godawful ending.

 

[Chevalier noir]

However, anyone who has read a good book, seen an excellent movie, or played a truly amazing game can tell you that what I just said isn't the case. Commander Shepard is no less real to someone who loves the Mass Effect series than anyone else. The story and the characterization creates a sense in the viewer that what's happening to these characters in the story matters. It creates a sense of investment. To the fans, Shepard and Garrus and Liara and Tali and Ashley and Kaiden and the rest aren't just characters, they're people...friends even. Christ, I myself have had moments playing Mass Effect when I wished to god that Garrus was real so he and I could get a drink at a bar.

Commander Shepherd feels like a real character to you? The famous commander who rose from the dead to become the only person capable of saving humanity from total extinction...for some reason? Commander Shepherd would need to jump off the ridiculous pedestal bioware put him/her on before he/she feels like a real person.

Shepherd is a superhero at this point, doesn't feel like I'm supposed to relate to him/her as much as I'm supposed to think the guy/gal is totally awesome and its great being able to live through him. I'd just about go as far to say that Shepherd is a pretty bad character.

Mass Effect 3 had less characterization than the last 2 games, fewer conversation options with crew members. They feel less fleshed out, especially in comparison to the first game.

The writing is pretty good in places, but relies on cheap and stupid emotional manipulation in other parts.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Finally a decent thread on ME.
I would tip my hat to you sir if I was wearing one. The Mass Effect series are the best I've ever played. I have never been so emotionally connected in a game before in my life. It was truly a terrific ride.

 

[PurePareidolia]

Absolutely - they accomplished something practically unprecedented with ME3 and even at its worst I still enjoyed it. That does only make the ending more painful, but there are a lot of things I hope other developers take away from it.

 

[Zipa]

Jim sterling said it best in this weeks jimquisition , no matter how shitty the endings were bioware did a perfect job on character investment, no other video game has sparked the level of rage and hate that is usually reserved for george Lucas when he changes something in star wars .

 

[ChupathingyX]

Nope.

I've invested myself in characters from other games much more.

The difference being that the ending of said games were not bad so there was no reason for me to rage.

If I play a game, finish the ending an think "yep, that's what I wanted for that character! I'm so glad he/she made it through!", isn't that as good as, if not better, than raging that you didn't get the ending you wanted?

Well, I get what you're saying about the backlash being due to people loving the characters in the Mass Effect series, but that does not mean it is the first game (or only game) to ever have great characters. sure it's a good example, but it isn't the only example.

 

[MarxonSR1]

I definitely think there was plenty of emotional engagement, and that certainly fuelled most of my ire at the shoddy ending. It is definitely great that any game can spark this kind of feeling from so many people.

Though for me, the emotional engagement preceded ME3, I felt pretty much no attachment to, Vega and slightly more for Javik. ME3 seemed to favour bringing together plotlines, ensuring you met everyone and did everything, instead of deepening the engagement with any of the squad-mates.

I felt I had better conversations with Steven Cortez than I did with anyone else in the entire game.