Mass Effect 3

[IRQ Conflict]

I enjoyed the story much more in the first two. The combat in the last one is epic imo. Loved it. But Bioware really seduced the k9 story wise in the last one. Supplanting linearity, context and realism for shock value. I think for those of us that gave EA ~$200.00 for this series deserve better.

**SPOILER**




Wipe out pretty much everyone except those left on the Normandy to seed the new humans on an alien planet? Let the Reapers kill you or let the Crucible kill you? That's the "choice"? The Geth are now "cool" with reaper code in their "DNA"? So much so that Legion is willing to off himself for it? The Quarians are cool with genocide as are the Geth? Let the galaxy burn as long as we can wipe each other out? There's a couple of people/synthetic groups unworthy of salvation.

The ending left a lot to be desired imo. There was no choice in any of the situations. Each choice you were left with was bad or really bad. with no real idea in some scenarios what your choice would ultimately do. So, throw darts at the board blindfolded and hope you get lucky. But Bioware saw to it there would be no happy ending. Just....ending.

It is however a very good shooter. But that is only (or supposed to be) half the fun of the game. The EDI avatar was an awesome move imo. But I thought she could have brought (and she could have) more to the table then she did. Pretty much the same capabilities as any other squad mate.

In summary, not true to it's roots, ME3 is not an RPG. It does not give you the ability to shape the story via the consequences of your choices. It is a story driven third person shooter that Bioware gets to make the choices for you. And for all intents and purposes results are the same no matter what you choose.

It felt to me like a platform to deliver politically correct acceptance for gays in society at the start of the game. Then, a little grinding. Then a little more story, then a choice to die or be wiped out (die).

Verdict: Meh effect.

[Arinoth]

It really depended on your alignment as well, I was able to get both the geth and quarians to play nice.

[IRQ Conflict]

Really? Oh! I may have been wrong then. I didn't see a way out of it. Still, death by perpetual death or one death to rule them all? Lame-O

Any game with an ending where victory isn't an option just sucks imo. I'm here to conquer the galaxy, not be dictated to by some snot nosed AI waayyyy past it's prime. Show me where it's plug is and I'll rip out the cord.

[Arinoth]

I heard people who played Paragon or Renegade and they commented they weren't happy with some of the limited decisions they could have made. Me, I played it completely situational and beat the game more or less Grey, which allowed me to have/make decisions where I could make the best impact in saving most the galaxy

[IRQ Conflict]

Aha! Yes, that could be part of the problem. Also I decided to play it before creating an import from ME2. I'll have to run through it again. Thanks for the info!

[ipaine]

I have played through all three a few times and I still can't stand the endings. Yes they are a bit better with the extended ending dlc, but it still feels like you work so damn hard for hundreds of hours over 3 games only to be really let down at the end, no matter your choices.


**SPOILER**



Now that said with regards to the Geth and Quarians, I played heavy paragon throughout all 3 games and managed to get the two of them working together in the end. Basically the Geth have the reaper code and are more fully independant AI then ever before and are helping the Quarians reclaim their homeworld. And of course because of that the endings pissed me even more as the stupid little god child keeps telling me how AI and organics can never get along, yet I have proved that otherwise already. Frankly we should have had a choice to fight maybe use the crucibal as a weapon that say reduced or killed the reapers shields. I mean I spent so much time and effort uniting and entire galaxy like never before and managed to show on more than one occasion that it was possible to kill a reaper. See that is where your galactic readiness should have come into play. I mean depending on your choices it should have allowed you to win completely and save all the races, or lose most of them, or lose outright.

Now all that said and even with the ending the way it is, I still will say it is by far one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had. Playing through from 1 to 3 is such a blast and the characters are just great. Oh and that last DLC they put out, the Citadel one, was just great being able to hang out with everyone before the final push. Really showed the friendships (or more) that had occured over the games. Plus nothing beats Grunt being half passed out drunk in the shower.

edit: Oh forgot to add, I'm actually doing another run through again. Just have to do the DLC and final mission on the first one and then onto the second one.

[IRQ Conflict]

I have to agree about the DLC. I don't know much about the DLC for ME3, but I bought just about all the DLC that I could for ME2. Was worth every penny to me. The characters were awe inspiring and a real showcase for whats possible in a game. I think not just the originality of something done before, they pulled that off well. But the voice acting was very very good as well.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Me3, it's...it's just...

Was it all the same team that did the first two?

[ccm001]

**Spoiler**

I'll just add about Geth/Quarians, playing as all Paragon - I was able to get the Quarians to stand down while Legion attempted to upgrade the Geth so that they may act more as individuals (I put trust in Legion since I was Paragon). Legion had to "die" doing this, but he was absorbed into the Geth code and the Geth then acted to honor his commitment to Shephard. They accepted peace with Quarians, were to help them with their homeworld, and joined the war against the Repaers. I was quite happy with the outcome of that story.

As for the final ending; I was okay with the outcome (Shephard had to die, but the Reapers were wiped out and the universe was saved). But like others, I wasn't happy with how the ending choices were presented - I felt like I suddenly had no control over the game and that what I had done in all the games didn't have an influence.

[IRQ Conflict]

The universe wasn't saved. The vast majority of life was extinguished by the crucible. As was all tech. Pretty much the same outcome had you let the reapers continue the cycle. The only difference being that you ended the cycle. So maybe sentiant life would have a chance to flourish in 50,000+ years or some such nonsense.

[ipaine]

Originally Posted by IRQ Conflict

The universe wasn't saved. The vast majority of life was extinguished by the crucible. As was all tech. Pretty much the same outcome had you let the reapers continue the cycle. The only difference being that you ended the cycle. So maybe sentiant life would have a chance to flourish in 50,000+ years or some such nonsense.

Actually if you play with the extended ending DLC, you will notice that if you choose the destruction option it does not destroy all the tech or mass relays (yes it sure looked like it before the DLC) it just destroys all synthetic life. So reapers, Geth, EDI, and anyone else who is implanted with enough tech like Shepard. And that is why I had such a problem with that ending, I could understand Shepard dying (still think there should be a way for him/her to live on with their love interest) but I should not have had to wipe out the Geth who I had just got to work together with the Quarians, not to mention killing EDI just sucks.

But rest assured the modding community can come to the rescue. There is now a "happy ending" mod. I have not played it yet but it seems to get good reviews and will be giving it a go once I get that far again. Here is a link to it: Choose Language | BioWare Social Network