Zero Punctuation: Mass Effect 3

[Shiro No Uma]

Yahtzee, I'm guessing your girlfriend dumped you or something, because while there's always been a lot of fapping jokes on the reviews, it seems for a while now things have taken a more bitter (and less funny) tone towards all things sexual. It plays into the stereotype of gamers being alienated losers, and I know you don't want that to be your persona.

I think it was kinda unavoidable with the "romance" ME offers (kinda like with Catherine). Remember how big a thing sex was when the first came out.

Plus aside from the endings and multiplayer, the third installment didn't seem to stick out a lot. Yahtzee cares about neither, so he was short on material, too.

You and he both can refer to yourselves as what ever you want, but refusing to play certain parts of games, i.e. multi-player, doesn't make you part game reviewer. Movie critics don't walk out half way through a film and then review it with a thumbs down because they don't know what happened.

I don't even want to intrude into your conversation with someone else, but this one caught my attention. Do you really think you can compare multiplayer and parts of a movie? [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SincerityMode] I think multiplayer can be a very fun or a very tedious experience based on who you play with, and sometimes developers can implement the greatest features but the community will ruin the game for you anyway (inversion also possible).
My point is that multiplayer heavily relies on user-generated content only tangentially influenced by the developer, as opposed to a movie where the devs have more or less complete control.
So I don't support it, but I can see why he did it here.

Hey Marik,

The point I was trying to make was actually after the part you quoted. "Kind of like admitting you played through a game really fast and missed all of the side quests because who cares about the story." He admitted to rushing threw in the review and missing a good portion of the side quests. My thought is could you give an accurate "review" of something you didn't see entirely.

The prior statement is not the comparison of games and movies (as and art or entertainment and how they relate to each other), it's the closer relationship to the people who critic and review. Both movies and games have critics that review them, critics that critique them and reviewers that...you get it. It feels like semantics, even when I state it, but my point is a lot of people call Yahtzee a game reviewer when, even as entertaining as he is, until he submits to playing all that a game has to offer, he's not reviewing something. I don't think any of us want him to submit though, then he wouldn't be Yahtzee. It's like the difference between a pundit or a journalist. Sometimes the lines blur, but the great part is not all games have multiplayer, and even those ones don't escapist his wrath. (You saw what I did there).

I completely agree that multiplayer can really suck with griefers and the like, but with the current trend in social gaming there is a emphasis now on how these parts of a new game affect the game overall (Oddly it literally affected this game). I'm fine with multiplayer not being someones thing, I did however really like it in this game. What did you think?

 

[Shiro No Uma]

"Your hypocritical "Put on your monocle" comment is exactly what you do in your reply to that post"

"Again something has gone over your head because you weren't paying attention and you were giving it the story you want"

"That is unless it went over your head."

Right....

I notice you avoided actually responding to the majority of that post. I'm still waiting for your wisdom and enlightening interpretation of the ending.

I don't need to respond to the majority of that post, YOU MAKE ALL THE POINTS FOR ME WITH ALL OF YOUR "GUESSING" and "SUPPOSING." You guess and suppose, so I "assume" you don't have a clear picture of what is happening and like many people you start adding what you assume to justify your dissatisfaction as plot holes. You even put words in my mouth and "assume" that, "I'm pretending there's plenty of depth to be had when it's a deliberately vague." I haven't pretended anything and never stated anything of the sort. You sight several "Guessed" and "Supposed" reasons why the ending doesn't work for you and now you want my wisdom about your issues over this game's ending. I "ASSUME, SUPPOSE AND GUESS" that the game ended it a way that doesn't fit your social understand of how your relate to the world around you. Now, realize that I responded to your lame reply to my original post because of the subtext of your empty "irony" comment. In every reply you have made some emotional attack that has nothing to do with anything I, or we, are discussing. From your "Why don't you mention my grammar next, that's a good way to argue while not arguing too," comment I'm assuming your not an adult and that you don't really want to know what I think about the ending, or where it holds up for me. If you did maybe you would would have asked what ending I choose, or what I thought about the fact that all the charters get to say goodbye right before you run out to your impending death. I just don't see the "apathetic puppet" you did and I think you hold the character up on a pedestal. (Possibly because you control them and see the universe through their experience which become your experiences.) But, Shepard is a puppet to the military and Cerberus and to your "God out of the machine" hang up. Shepard dreams about him and even foreshadows his/her own death in one of the dream sequences. It's the cycle that never ends, unless a different choice is made. And while I can agree that device can make the Reapers a joke, its not the kind that most people are thinking. They are the bad punchline to a horrible "solution." And that's a great question that no one is talking about. Is artificial intelligence life? The implication is dark and that darkness works for me as an underlining thread. Because if it's a yes, the implications of what they are doing is unbelievable...and did you go back and edit your posts and replies? Do you feel like your original words represent you? Thats fine. If you do want to know how this all adds up from my point of view, don't continue to pretend you don't by replying with childish responses, (because "obviously only I have the answers").

I didn't ask what ending you chose because it doesn't matter, all three are identical save the color it's washed in and whether edi walks out with joker.

I've made no "emotional attacks" against you but you've certainly showed me an emotional response coupled with as many insults as you can pack into a block of text.

The only edits I've made are to correct grammatical issues I've caught.

And obviously you do have the answers, you make that plain:

"Again something has gone over your head because you weren't paying attention and you were giving it the story you want"

"That is unless it went over your head."

And your answer? sheperds always been an apathetic puppet of the military/cerberous eh? is that why at every stage you've had the option to buck both?

And sure artificial life is still a form of life, we prove that when we unite the geth/quarian or the geth/victory fleet. You act like it's some deep thing when it's not it's yet another plot hole they don't tie up properly.

"The reapers are all sentient" oh wait no there not "The reaper's are my solution"

"I control the reapers"

Are you starting to see where I'm coming from on the ending? You keep taking it as is though if you like.

It's a plot hole ridden mess at best and an insult to the consumers IQ at worst.

And I guessed and supposed because clearly I was wrong and you had seen the big hidden message and you dodged the questions like an infant.

Feel free to actually answer any of the questions and enlighten us.

You are still making emotional attacks, and you have significantly edited your posts. If the words you use in your responses aren't how you feel later, thats ok. You aren't AI. But the issue is again you are putting your own story to what you read in my last response. I clearly said "I just don't see an apathetic puppet." Shepard died. He/she is brought back to play a part in the impending doom of the our galaxy. I do think that makes Shepard a puppet as he/she goes along with it (though you can make arguments for Shepard's goals coinciding with everyone else's). I didn't experience the ability to "buck" everyone at every turn. As a mater of fact I felt like I was always asking how I could make everyones life easier. But, you saw it that way and you want a happy ending for the universe you invested so much time into. Personally, I do view the character as more of a hero because of the "IDEA" that you make what you can out of your life, but in the long run he/she does exactly what Cerberus and the military want's. I think I'm beating a dead horse here. You don't want to converse, you want me to tell you why it's so great because boo hoo you didn't like it. I didn't dodge your questions, you had actual answered them for yourself. Who cares if you aren't satisfied with your courageous actions and the affect they have on the relays, Shepard was willing to do whatever it takes to stop the Reapers. And teleporting back to the Normandy? What are you taking about? Do you mean "why is it that everyone has left you after you got blasted by a Reaper?" Could it be because they think you are dead? Or is that a plot hole to you? Do you need that spelled out? Maybe it's because, and I just assuming and guessing here like you might, you and only two other crew are on the plant and Joker kind of sucks as person, saw you go down and didn't bother to have someone check your pulse before he finger blasted he's way out of there? And yeah, the fleet is stranded if the relays are gone, that happens in REAL WARS (and worse). Let's see what else did you desperately want spoon fed to you? Oh yeah, your question about Mass Effect 1. Why didn't the "God out of the Machine" open it's flower to the Reaper? Didn't you say that the citadel god child was in control of the Reapers? So, your answer would be BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO. And honestly I think that your understanding of the deus ex machina might be skewed. NO ONE know who built the citadel and the game constantly comes back to the citadel. You say all the ending are the same, fine. Then you don't like my answer that the citadel has been waiting for someone for countless cycles to show up and make a choice for a different solution to the issue of organics oppressing artificial life. That I answered and we as a society haven't' even begun to scratch the surface of that issue. And it is really deep. There are implications that could suggest that our understand of ORGANICS is a prejudice born form common sense.....and you have bad hair.

-End of line

 

[Darkcerb]

"Your hypocritical "Put on your monocle" comment is exactly what you do in your reply to that post"

"Again something has gone over your head because you weren't paying attention and you were giving it the story you want"

"That is unless it went over your head."

Right....

I notice you avoided actually responding to the majority of that post. I'm still waiting for your wisdom and enlightening interpretation of the ending.

I don't need to respond to the majority of that post, YOU MAKE ALL THE POINTS FOR ME WITH ALL OF YOUR "GUESSING" and "SUPPOSING." You guess and suppose, so I "assume" you don't have a clear picture of what is happening and like many people you start adding what you assume to justify your dissatisfaction as plot holes. You even put words in my mouth and "assume" that, "I'm pretending there's plenty of depth to be had when it's a deliberately vague." I haven't pretended anything and never stated anything of the sort. You sight several "Guessed" and "Supposed" reasons why the ending doesn't work for you and now you want my wisdom about your issues over this game's ending. I "ASSUME, SUPPOSE AND GUESS" that the game ended it a way that doesn't fit your social understand of how your relate to the world around you. Now, realize that I responded to your lame reply to my original post because of the subtext of your empty "irony" comment. In every reply you have made some emotional attack that has nothing to do with anything I, or we, are discussing. From your "Why don't you mention my grammar next, that's a good way to argue while not arguing too," comment I'm assuming your not an adult and that you don't really want to know what I think about the ending, or where it holds up for me. If you did maybe you would would have asked what ending I choose, or what I thought about the fact that all the charters get to say goodbye right before you run out to your impending death. I just don't see the "apathetic puppet" you did and I think you hold the character up on a pedestal. (Possibly because you control them and see the universe through their experience which become your experiences.) But, Shepard is a puppet to the military and Cerberus and to your "God out of the machine" hang up. Shepard dreams about him and even foreshadows his/her own death in one of the dream sequences. It's the cycle that never ends, unless a different choice is made. And while I can agree that device can make the Reapers a joke, its not the kind that most people are thinking. They are the bad punchline to a horrible "solution." And that's a great question that no one is talking about. Is artificial intelligence life? The implication is dark and that darkness works for me as an underlining thread. Because if it's a yes, the implications of what they are doing is unbelievable...and did you go back and edit your posts and replies? Do you feel like your original words represent you? Thats fine. If you do want to know how this all adds up from my point of view, don't continue to pretend you don't by replying with childish responses, (because "obviously only I have the answers").

I didn't ask what ending you chose because it doesn't matter, all three are identical save the color it's washed in and whether edi walks out with joker.

I've made no "emotional attacks" against you but you've certainly showed me an emotional response coupled with as many insults as you can pack into a block of text.

The only edits I've made are to correct grammatical issues I've caught.

And obviously you do have the answers, you make that plain:

"Again something has gone over your head because you weren't paying attention and you were giving it the story you want"

"That is unless it went over your head."

And your answer? sheperds always been an apathetic puppet of the military/cerberous eh? is that why at every stage you've had the option to buck both?

And sure artificial life is still a form of life, we prove that when we unite the geth/quarian or the geth/victory fleet. You act like it's some deep thing when it's not it's yet another plot hole they don't tie up properly.

"The reapers are all sentient" oh wait no there not "The reaper's are my solution"

"I control the reapers"

Are you starting to see where I'm coming from on the ending? You keep taking it as is though if you like.

It's a plot hole ridden mess at best and an insult to the consumers IQ at worst.

And I guessed and supposed because clearly I was wrong and you had seen the big hidden message and you dodged the questions like an infant.

Feel free to actually answer any of the questions and enlighten us.

You are still making emotional attacks, and you have significantly edited your posts. If the words you use in your responses aren't how you feel later, thats ok. You aren't AI. But the issue is again you are putting your own story to what you read in my last response. I clearly said "I just don't see an apathetic puppet." Shepard died. He/she is brought back to play a part in the impending doom of the our galaxy. I do think that makes Shepard a puppet as he/she goes along with it (though you can make arguments for Shepard's goals coinciding with everyone else's). I didn't experience the ability to "buck" everyone at every turn. As a mater of fact I felt like I was always asking how I could make everyones life easier. But, you saw it that way and you want a happy ending for the universe you invested so much time into. Personally, I do view the character as more of a hero because of the "IDEA" that you make what you can out of your life, but in the long run he/she does exactly what Cerberus and the military want's. I think I'm beating a dead horse here. You don't want to converse, you want me to tell you why it's so great because boo hoo you didn't like it. I didn't dodge your questions, you had actual answered them for yourself. Who cares if you aren't satisfied with your courageous actions and the affect they have on the relays, Shepard was willing to do whatever it takes to stop the Reapers. And teleporting back to the Normandy? What are you taking about? Do you mean "why is it that everyone has left you after you got blasted by a Reaper?" Could it be because they think you are dead? Or is that a plot hole to you? Do you need that spelled out? Maybe it's because, and I just assuming and guessing here like you might, you and only two other crew are on the plant and Joker kind of sucks as person, saw you go down and didn't bother to have someone check your pulse before he finger blasted he's way out of there? And yeah, the fleet is stranded if the relays are gone, that happens in REAL WARS (and worse). Let's see what else did you desperately want spoon fed to you? Oh yeah, your question about Mass Effect 1. Why didn't the "God out of the Machine" open it's flower to the Reaper? Didn't you say that the citadel god child was in control of the Reapers? So, your answer would be BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO. And honestly I think that your understanding of the deus ex machina might be skewed. NO ONE know who built the citadel and the game constantly comes back to the citadel. You say all the ending are the same, fine. Then you don't like my answer that the citadel has been waiting for someone for countless cycles to show up and make a choice for a different solution to the issue of organics oppressing artificial life. That I answered and we as a society haven't' even begun to scratch the surface of that issue. And it is really deep. There are implications that could suggest that our understand of ORGANICS is a prejudice born form common sense.....and you have bad hair.

-End of line

I think you have me confused with someone else then, I certainly havn't been editing my posts to the extent you believe.

and your post is again filled with these "emotional attacks" you accuse me of as well as being a giant block, by and large you just repeated yourself.

We do know who built the citadel and the relays, the reapers. And if the god child isn't a literal deus ex machina then you don't know the literal meaning of the phrase.

And you highlight a plot hole yourself why didn't the god child open the citadel when soveriegn was there? because he didn't want to? are you really that desperate to have a leg up over me, some random forum goer or do you genuinely accept that as a reasonable answer?

From your first post you've made it clear you'll say just about anything to help your case and you certainly haven't changed your toon here. If I didn't know better I'd say I was being trolled but I genuinely believe you think these are all perfectly justifiable answers to the many plot holes in which case well I have nothing much to add. Except what I've always said, good for you. But I and many others aren't simply "not getting it" because there's nothing there to get which at the most basic level is the problem.

And here is the first edit that added anything:

You're okay with your crew instantly leaving you the moment you charge at harbinger? they didn't go with you? why would joker and them just leave?

"Because your obviously dead" really? we go through the entire saga's worth of stuff and they instantly accept my death and leave. and joker just what, chickened out?

It fly's in the face of how we know these characters would behave. And you're fine with the almost complete destruction of the galaxys life via mass relay explosion and stranding the fleet which includes the entire geth and quarian races?

This would go just before the last paragraph, I'd add it myself but I want it to be nice and clear what was edited in.

 

[Shiro No Uma]

I have to repeat my self, you quote me wrong and make up your own story every time. And then you go and back change your post to fill in your plot holes. (ha, plot holes sounds dirty.) As far as a leg up, man, dude, lady, sir...it's a game forum who cares? You made yourself look bad in your first response to my original post by acting like you had something intelligent to say and then saying that it doesn't need to be said, only to then say it and it not make any since to that post. Cookies on dowelies. (did I spell that right) I will let you have the last word as the leg up seems important to you.

 

[Darkcerb]

How can I possibly quote you wrong? it's all there for everyone to read!

And again I have no idea where you're getting this editing stuff from, I'm the one listing plot holes and thus far you're the one not answering them in any satisfying way. Maybe at some point you thought we changed places? it's the only way you make sense.

I guess you won, you trolled me. Grats I guess.

At least the plot holes are there for anyone who might not of known what I and others were talking about.

 

[Dendio]

Mass effect 1-3 were great!
The ending will be furthered in DLC. I cant wait!

 

[Aaron O'Neill]

i really dont think this game is as bad people are making it out to be. Yes it has its flaws but what game doesnt i think its a all round good game unlike the 1st one with a excellent story telling nature but i thought i was watching a film rather than playing a game going round talking to people i could give less than a fuck about or who are not of any revalent inportance in the slightest.

 

[pandorum]

All of this seems strange to me. Everyone is talking about the ending and not the game. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm loving it. Some of the things he mentions really felt like strengths to me. It's strange that Yahtzee sounded like he was upset there weren't new characters when the story is already saturated and really doesn't need to be cluttered with even more characters to end the story line. It even sounded like a negative that it was so well written. Also, don't you blast shit from space? Like a Reaper? And the little differences in game play, such as the aforementioned Reaper laser strike mission, was amazing. I felt like they showed off the locales in really cool ways, i.e. shooting at Husks running at the Quarian Admiral from a hovering shuttle. Even though some of these game mechanics were short, they made this game the best experience in the franchise for me. And the amazing detail on all of the locations, most of which we haven't seen in previous games. I even felt like I was being rewarded for exploring all that the area had to offer. While some people don't like the multi-player aspect, I think it's brilliant. You and your squad literally represent the team worked needed to save the galaxy with cooperation in the front lines of a war. Like most of you, I have played the first two games many times and have so much invested in the story and charters. I have imported my saved games to both sequels and I get reminded of my triumphs and mistakes. I don't feel cheated at all, and I know how it ends. I can't go to a website without it being brought up, and most of my db friends won't shut up about it. Sad to see such a bastion of great storytelling be subjugated to....what every this is. (With my friends it sounds and feels like crybaby syndrome)

Casey Hudson promised us that the ending would not boil down to A, B, C and that the effect of our actions would wind up like ME 2, where if one of your choices was wrong in any game could effect the out come in ME 3 in a negative way where everything was lost. But even if you do not copy your character into this game and do what Yahtzee did and just play the story missions you still have the exact choices as before, just some stupid circular logic about how to save organics from being destroyed by synthetics is to destroy them and make them into synthetics to destroy organics complete BS really.

 

[CopperBoom]

Have not played yet but it sounds like this game blows.
It seemed like it would be lame having played the first two quite a bit so while I will probably get to it eventually I am in no hurry.

 

[Shiro No Uma]

All of this seems strange to me. Everyone is talking about the ending and not the game. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm loving it. Some of the things he mentions really felt like strengths to me. It's strange that Yahtzee sounded like he was upset there weren't new characters when the story is already saturated and really doesn't need to be cluttered with even more characters to end the story line. It even sounded like a negative that it was so well written. Also, don't you blast shit from space? Like a Reaper? And the little differences in game play, such as the aforementioned Reaper laser strike mission, was amazing. I felt like they showed off the locales in really cool ways, i.e. shooting at Husks running at the Quarian Admiral from a hovering shuttle. Even though some of these game mechanics were short, they made this game the best experience in the franchise for me. And the amazing detail on all of the locations, most of which we haven't seen in previous games. I even felt like I was being rewarded for exploring all that the area had to offer. While some people don't like the multi-player aspect, I think it's brilliant. You and your squad literally represent the team worked needed to save the galaxy with cooperation in the front lines of a war. Like most of you, I have played the first two games many times and have so much invested in the story and charters. I have imported my saved games to both sequels and I get reminded of my triumphs and mistakes. I don't feel cheated at all, and I know how it ends. I can't go to a website without it being brought up, and most of my db friends won't shut up about it. Sad to see such a bastion of great storytelling be subjugated to....what every this is. (With my friends it sounds and feels like crybaby syndrome)

Casey Hudson promised us that the ending would not boil down to A, B, C and that the effect of our actions would wind up like ME 2, where if one of your choices was wrong in any game could effect the out come in ME 3 in a negative way where everything was lost. But even if you do not copy your character into this game and do what Yahtzee did and just play the story missions you still have the exact choices as before, just some stupid circular logic about how to save organics from being destroyed by synthetics is to destroy them and make them into synthetics to destroy organics complete BS really.

Hay Pandorum,

Not that I wouldn't also hold someone accountable for not following through with what they had discussed with the gaming community, but could you sight where these Peter Molyneux-esque promises were made? I'm still very happy with the game and the ending I chose, (though it's been pointed out to me that most think that all the endings are the same.) I just thought it was strange no one said as much as "Great game, but didn't like the ending." It seemed to have polarized fans to voice their frustration as the whole trilogy was a waste of time, which some people might not have meant to, but with the post and discussions I had read that felt like an underlining thread. You might see the drawn out discussion I had with Darcerb about this, however it seems like more has been forgotten about the pervious games. Since Joker and your entire first Normandy crew leave you dead in the first game after the brutal attack in the beginning of the second game I didn't think much of him doing the same at the end of this one. I'm really curious about your view on the circular logic of the ending, because I've seen some cool ideas from the Experience Points part of the Escapist like "player agency." (Something that I had to go and read up one because thought the idea isn't abstract, I wasn't sure how it had been violated it the post that some one had sighted)

 

[pandorum]

All of this seems strange to me. Everyone is talking about the ending and not the game. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm loving it. Some of the things he mentions really felt like strengths to me. It's strange that Yahtzee sounded like he was upset there weren't new characters when the story is already saturated and really doesn't need to be cluttered with even more characters to end the story line. It even sounded like a negative that it was so well written. Also, don't you blast shit from space? Like a Reaper? And the little differences in game play, such as the aforementioned Reaper laser strike mission, was amazing. I felt like they showed off the locales in really cool ways, i.e. shooting at Husks running at the Quarian Admiral from a hovering shuttle. Even though some of these game mechanics were short, they made this game the best experience in the franchise for me. And the amazing detail on all of the locations, most of which we haven't seen in previous games. I even felt like I was being rewarded for exploring all that the area had to offer. While some people don't like the multi-player aspect, I think it's brilliant. You and your squad literally represent the team worked needed to save the galaxy with cooperation in the front lines of a war. Like most of you, I have played the first two games many times and have so much invested in the story and charters. I have imported my saved games to both sequels and I get reminded of my triumphs and mistakes. I don't feel cheated at all, and I know how it ends. I can't go to a website without it being brought up, and most of my db friends won't shut up about it. Sad to see such a bastion of great storytelling be subjugated to....what every this is. (With my friends it sounds and feels like crybaby syndrome)

Casey Hudson promised us that the ending would not boil down to A, B, C and that the effect of our actions would wind up like ME 2, where if one of your choices was wrong in any game could effect the out come in ME 3 in a negative way where everything was lost. But even if you do not copy your character into this game and do what Yahtzee did and just play the story missions you still have the exact choices as before, just some stupid circular logic about how to save organics from being destroyed by synthetics is to destroy them and make them into synthetics to destroy organics complete BS really.

Hay Pandorum,

Not that I wouldn't also hold someone accountable for not following through with what they had discussed with the gaming community, but could you sight where these Peter Molyneux-esque promises were made? I'm still very happy with the game and the ending I chose, (though it's been pointed out to me that most think that all the endings are the same.) I just thought it was strange no one said as much as "Great game, but didn't like the ending." It seemed to have polarized fans to voice their frustration as the whole trilogy was a waste of time, which some people might not have meant to, but with the post and discussions I had read that felt like an underlining thread. You might see the drawn out discussion I had with Darcerb about this, however it seems like more has been forgotten about the pervious games. Since Joker and your entire first Normandy crew leave you dead in the first game after the brutal attack in the beginning of the second game I didn't think much of him doing the same at the end of this one. I'm really curious about your view on the circular logic of the ending, because I've seen some cool ideas from the Experience Points part of the Escapist like "player agency." (Something that I had to go and read up one because thought the idea isn't abstract, I wasn't sure how it had been violated it the post that some one had sighted)

Do not get me wrong I love the games massive fan of the hole universe, I believe the promise is on his twitter or in an interview with a game website once i find the link I will post it for you. I have defended all the ME games when they come under-fire from crybaby's but I feel I was really let down by this ending as it is just pick ABC like I mentioned before. I guess you could say I am hurt a little, a game that I defended since day one (even the move to EA) drops the ball at the end sad really.

 

[pandorum]

All of this seems strange to me. Everyone is talking about the ending and not the game. I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm loving it. Some of the things he mentions really felt like strengths to me. It's strange that Yahtzee sounded like he was upset there weren't new characters when the story is already saturated and really doesn't need to be cluttered with even more characters to end the story line. It even sounded like a negative that it was so well written. Also, don't you blast shit from space? Like a Reaper? And the little differences in game play, such as the aforementioned Reaper laser strike mission, was amazing. I felt like they showed off the locales in really cool ways, i.e. shooting at Husks running at the Quarian Admiral from a hovering shuttle. Even though some of these game mechanics were short, they made this game the best experience in the franchise for me. And the amazing detail on all of the locations, most of which we haven't seen in previous games. I even felt like I was being rewarded for exploring all that the area had to offer. While some people don't like the multi-player aspect, I think it's brilliant. You and your squad literally represent the team worked needed to save the galaxy with cooperation in the front lines of a war. Like most of you, I have played the first two games many times and have so much invested in the story and charters. I have imported my saved games to both sequels and I get reminded of my triumphs and mistakes. I don't feel cheated at all, and I know how it ends. I can't go to a website without it being brought up, and most of my db friends won't shut up about it. Sad to see such a bastion of great storytelling be subjugated to....what every this is. (With my friends it sounds and feels like crybaby syndrome)

Casey Hudson promised us that the ending would not boil down to A, B, C and that the effect of our actions would wind up like ME 2, where if one of your choices was wrong in any game could effect the out come in ME 3 in a negative way where everything was lost. But even if you do not copy your character into this game and do what Yahtzee did and just play the story missions you still have the exact choices as before, just some stupid circular logic about how to save organics from being destroyed by synthetics is to destroy them and make them into synthetics to destroy organics complete BS really.

Hay Pandorum,

Not that I wouldn't also hold someone accountable for not following through with what they had discussed with the gaming community, but could you sight where these Peter Molyneux-esque promises were made? I'm still very happy with the game and the ending I chose, (though it's been pointed out to me that most think that all the endings are the same.) I just thought it was strange no one said as much as "Great game, but didn't like the ending." It seemed to have polarized fans to voice their frustration as the whole trilogy was a waste of time, which some people might not have meant to, but with the post and discussions I had read that felt like an underlining thread. You might see the drawn out discussion I had with Darcerb about this, however it seems like more has been forgotten about the pervious games. Since Joker and your entire first Normandy crew leave you dead in the first game after the brutal attack in the beginning of the second game I didn't think much of him doing the same at the end of this one. I'm really curious about your view on the circular logic of the ending, because I've seen some cool ideas from the Experience Points part of the Escapist like "player agency." (Something that I had to go and read up one because thought the idea isn't abstract, I wasn't sure how it had been violated it the post that some one had sighted)

I believe it was on his twitter but can not find it anywhere but I have two video links (that might not work because im posting on my Ipad at the mo) he mentions in them that without the the other games being played the ending will change drastically,and be definitive, as well as having closer. I will keep looking for the original post he put up.
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVfOkk-pclU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P14J91EXfaA

 

[Shiro No Uma]

I believe it was on his twitter but can not find it anywhere but I have two video links (that might not work because im posting on my Ipad at the mo) he mentions in them that without the the other games being played the ending will change drastically,and be definitive, as well as having closer. I will keep looking for the original post he put up.
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVfOkk-pclU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P14J91EXfaA

Thank you. I've been curious about this. I just posted this to the Extra Punctuation for the after thoughts Yahtzee had on Mass Effect and the current out-cry:

I'm confused. I thought that the big issue many people, including Yahtzee, point out is that all the endings are essentially the same. You just get variations of the same ending. How is that an A, B, C ending and not variation of just A, thus not getting a B or C. Choices in the game always mostly seemed limited to choosing up to three responses to what would result to the same outcome - the continuation of the story. The only thing that might change is how different factions help or feel about you in latter missions and possibly what resources are available to you.

That might be semantics, I don't know what was promised or how they said they would let the players chose in the end. Let me know if that seems off base from what you recall. (Not trying to call you out, I sincerely what to understand what people are feeling because I loved the experience of all three games and I keep seeing post that state that the ending invalidates the whole trilogy.)

 

[Shiro No Uma]

It fly's in the face of how we know these characters would behave. And you're fine with the almost complete destruction of the galaxys life via mass relay explosion and stranding the fleet which includes the entire geth and quarian races?

It would be really telling if there was just something to point out, a for instance you clearly forgot. Like in the second game how your entire crew leaves you because you are probably dead and that crew being made up of the same pilot and AI etc. Fly in the face of how we know the characters to behave indeed. Did you read Yahztee's Extra Punctuation? He pointed out the same underlining thread I did. Do you want to throw him under the bus for: "You could make a convincing argument that the ongoing theme of the Mass Effect series is the hopelessness of escaping from the terrifying cycle of existence. It's constantly implied throughout the series that while the Reapers are, on the surface, a force of destruction devised to wipe out all organic life for no understandable reason, it may be the case that there's some unavoidable, essential purpose to their actions. I believe it's only in ME3 that they come right out and say that the Reapers exist to wipe out all advanced civilizations before they get too uppity and fuck everything up, leaving all the rock suckers and mouth breathers to fill the gap, and that this cycle has kept life in the universe in stable existence for longer than anyone can contemplate......Taking this as the series' theme, the ending of ME3 makes sense."

 

[Darkcerb]

It fly's in the face of how we know these characters would behave. And you're fine with the almost complete destruction of the galaxys life via mass relay explosion and stranding the fleet which includes the entire geth and quarian races?

It would be really telling if there was just something to point out, a for instance you clearly forgot. Like in the second game how your entire crew leaves you because you are probably dead and that crew being made up of the same pilot and AI etc. Fly in the face of how we know the characters to behave indeed. Did you read Yahztee's Extra Punctuation? He pointed out the same underlining thread I did. Do you want to throw him under the bus for: "You could make a convincing argument that the ongoing theme of the Mass Effect series is the hopelessness of escaping from the terrifying cycle of existence. It's constantly implied throughout the series that while the Reapers are, on the surface, a force of destruction devised to wipe out all organic life for no understandable reason, it may be the case that there's some unavoidable, essential purpose to their actions. I believe it's only in ME3 that they come right out and say that the Reapers exist to wipe out all advanced civilizations before they get too uppity and fuck everything up, leaving all the rock suckers and mouth breathers to fill the gap, and that this cycle has kept life in the universe in stable existence for longer than anyone can contemplate......Taking this as the series' theme, the ending of ME3 makes sense."

And now you're back to putting yahtzee on a pedestal?

It doesn't matter, the theme has always been co-operation defeating impossible odds. And that no matter how dire the situation there is always hope, I'm not surprised he missed that or that you conveniently did either.

The "suicide" mission proves that beyond any doubt in ME2.

And there is no gap to fill, the star child removes all mystery the reapers had and makes no logical sense while he's doing it but we've been over this. As always you can like the ending but your repeated and desperate attempts to make sense of it fall flat, it doesn't make sense or offer any closure it's a deliberately vague mess with more plot holes then answers.

 

[Shiro No Uma]

Darkcerb: And now you're back to putting yahtzee on a pedestal?

What? Can you please site where I put him on a pedestal before, because now I think you are flip flopping. Are you making up your own story again? I could swear you said I was dropping him like a bag of bricks in an earlier post, how is that akin putting him on a pedestal? All I've ever stated was that he's entertaining and that his critique of this game is not a review. (Reviewers don't add their own spin/emotional response to how they felt about the game. Just like pundits and journalist are alike but have different agendas, Yahtzee's is to entertain, not to inform.) And that is a completely separated point then the rest of this discussion. Can you respond to a post with out an emotional attack or has the bad experience with a game you had the luxury of time to afford to play crippled your ability to discuss the matter. I've never said you are wrong for not liking the ending. I do think that you are adding your disappointment in what seemed vague (to you) to your credibility of it being bad. I don't think that everything needed to be spelled out for it to end and have it state of heroic sacrifices and the depressing aftermath. It's just not what people wanted or excepted, but that's how wars go. Sometimes you loose even when you win.

 

[MotherFudger]

Well to be honest, i wasnt really THAT much dissapointed by the endings, well i was like "really? 3 games and the only difference with the endings is the colour of the explosion?" I wasnt like the other fans who have made a big deal out of it and saying "i hate this im never gonna buy another EA or Bioware game again its a pile of crap im gonna piss all over the game!" and so on.

Dont get me wrong, i would have liked my decisions and my morality to have taken a bit more of an effect on the ending. But the thing that bothered me the most was the final battle that ends everything, the battle you were preparing for the entire game that doesnt even change on what descisions you made and what assets you had or how prepared you were. They could at least made
the mission harder depending on your war assets and so on.

I like ME3 the only big let down for me was the ending and final battle.

 

[floppylobster]

People who hated the ending hated the Mako. People who liked the Mako didn't mind the ending. That's pretty much how it seems to split. i.e Those who feel the game should be written for their preferences versus those who are happy to engage a game on its own terms.

 

[Wesley Brannock]

If you were looking forward to this game being good well.....


Yeah this game sucks and any dlc for is well.....