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Gamefront of the ME3 ending

iceman00iceman00 Member Posts: 1,363

http://www.gamefront.com/mass-effect-3-ending-hatred-5-reasons-the-fans-are-right/

Okay, they aren't the likes of IGN or gamespot. 

But a moderately successful gaming site cuts through everything, and recognizes that the (I would say) quite vocal majority is very unhappy with the ending of ME3, and there is a reason for that.  Even amongst those who like the game, those who view the ending as well done, or worthy of the game, tend to be few and far between.

As more and more people reach the end, expect more and more people to be upset about it.

Comments

  • adam_noxadam_nox Member UncommonPosts: 2,148

    after doing some reading, thinking, and a second ending (I can't get the third option), I take it all back.  I loved this game, but yeah the endings are crap.

     

    I'm starting to think it was a fakeout ending, but that's even more dissapointing, I will say no more for spoilersake.

  • Echo08Echo08 Member Posts: 55

    Originally posted by adam_nox

    Do you have a highly regarded source of hatred for the ending?  I could make an article 5 pages long, it doesn't make me any smarter than anyone else, just long winded and self-important.

     

    Pffft.... I get tired of the typical pseudo intellectual trying to defend a lame ending (usually with the standard personal attack).  Source for the 'hate' ... Its all over the Internet, people are flagging it as weak on amazon, heck g4tv did a bit on it.   People generally did not like the ending period.  Look at 1Up.   Not what I would call glowing, they took a both sides approach to the ending.  Most of the comments still fall into the 'hate' category.  Which I wouldn't call hate, so much as a reaction to the proverbial dead skunk smell one might encounter during a pleasant drive in the country.  The plot is a logic bomb, that takes  some creative thinking to rationalize.  Many of the people who liked the ending(s) have had to write long explanations as to what they 'believe' happened ending-wise.  

    Point 1) A good story doesn't need a long explanation concern what happened (especially for the ending) regardless of the mood.  

    Point 2) The game was supposed to give the player  the latitude of choosing how the story unfolds... all that replayability stuff bioware/ea spouted on about.  

    Trying to use the same ending footage with different splash of color (red, green, or blue) says to me ... so sorry we hit the publisher's deadline, we're out of money, have a can of empty cheese wizz , we're done.

     

  • adam_noxadam_nox Member UncommonPosts: 2,148

    well we did choose how we got to the destination, just we didn't really choose the destination.  I think it's a bit childish to expect that.  And I don't think that's what most people find offensive about the ending.

  • iceman00iceman00 Member Posts: 1,363

    Originally posted by adam_nox

    well we did choose how we got to the destination, just we didn't really choose the destination.  I think it's a bit childish to expect that.  And I don't think that's what most people find offensive about the ending.

    The general consenus seems to be as far as why the ending sucks:

    1.)  The big fat literal deus ex machina in the final 5 minutes of the game, that officially overwrites the canon for the entire series.  Seriously, if the Catalyst indeed exists in the Citadel, why didn't he just open the door for Nazarra (Sovreign) when the keepers fail? 

    2.)  The Glaring inconsistinecies.  The catalyst created a race of synthetics to wipe out organic life so they wouldn't create synthetics and so the synthetics and organics wouldn't kill each other?

    3.)  Destroying a mass relay causes a star system to explode.  If Shepard destroys every mass relay, he has committed a genocide that the Reapers could not even begin to fathom.

    4.)  You have absolutely no choice in the matter.  No matter what you do (unless your score is next to nothing), the Reapers are destroyed, as well as every mass effect relay, hereby ending the entire Mass Effect Universe, unless there is another deus ex introduced in future installments.  The only "choice" you have is what color the explosions are.

    5.)  The implication that everything you did didn't actually happen when Shep wakes up.

    6.)  The further implication that your story is analogous to the various myths of creation and deluge, where a future race some millenia ahead can tell stories about "The Shepard"

    7.)  Harbinger is introduced only to have him go away.  Harbinger was the Reaper you've had the most trouble with throughout ME2, and he succeeds in wiping out the majority of the team. 

    8.)  Nobody knows how the hell the normandy got where it did.

    9.)  The idea that you would accept any of the Catalyst's options. 

    This leaves out the whole "indoctrination" theory (which if true, would be a brilliant troll by Bioware, but a slap in the face of its customers).  People wanted an ending that was coherent and provided closure.  The "ending" as is provides neither.

  • CeridithCeridith Member UncommonPosts: 2,980

    Originally posted by iceman00

    Okay, they aren't the likes of IGN or gamespot.

    And that's a bad thing? In my opinion, that makes them a hell of a lot more credible.

    I actually found this article earlier today while lerking on Reddit. I agree completely with what's laid out, and think it very accurately describes just how badly Bioware screwed not only the ending of ME3, but of the entire ME franchise.

  • CeridithCeridith Member UncommonPosts: 2,980

    Originally posted by adam_nox

    after doing some reading, thinking, and a second ending (I can't get the third option), I take it all back.  I loved this game, but yeah the endings are crap.

     

    I'm starting to think it was a fakeout ending, but that's even more dissapointing, I will say no more for spoilersake.

    The entire draw to the ME franchise is about quality story and your choices having impact.

    Considering that the conclusion to not only ME3, but the entire franchise, boils down to a deus ex machina riddled ending to explain a nonsensical motivation for the main antagonists, and the resulting conclusion happens regardless of the player's choices or actions... It kind of destroys not only the game itself, but the suck is so great that it actually tore a hole through time and space back to 2007 and devalued the entire franchise.

    If the game's ending isn't a fake ending, then Bioware really screwed up. Chances are, new DLC will pop up in a few months where you can pay $15-20 for the "proper" and "real" ending, and they'll explain away the current one with some stupid excuse like "he passed out from oxygen deprivation and it was all a dream." Either way, Bioware really screwed up on the story, or are extremely greedy.

  • ThorbrandThorbrand Member Posts: 1,198

    EA is using the current ending to build everyone up for a new ending to be DLC so they can rape people for even more money. Kind of like the FO3 ending change.

    EA will use any possible means to make people pay more and more money while they give less and less games.

  • iceman00iceman00 Member Posts: 1,363

    Originally posted by Ceridith

    Originally posted by iceman00



    Okay, they aren't the likes of IGN or gamespot.

    And that's a bad thing? In my opinion, that makes them a hell of a lot more credible.

    I actually found this article earlier today while lerking on Reddit. I agree completely with what's laid out, and think it very accurately describes just how badly Bioware screwed not only the ending of ME3, but of the entire ME franchise.

    I say "granted they aren't" only in the sense that I wish more "establishment" companies would be willing to think outside the box.  IGN saying that those disappointed are a bunch of spoiled entitled children isn't just cheap, it actually damages consumers of video games as a whole if they are listened to.

    We may find Gamefront's editorial credible, but sadly, a lot of people want to see the "brand name" of a big site.  And I wish that even if they couldn't agree, they would at least be a bit respectable.

  • Stuka1000Stuka1000 Member UncommonPosts: 955

    the ending isn't the end.  It's a way for EA to keep the players buying DLC.  If you check the savegame editor you will see that there are three states for the save after you decide which route to take, one for each of them including 'lives to fight another day'.  If this were really the games end then BW would have completely destroyed the ME universe with the destruction of the mass effect relays and with it any possibility of future ME games.

     

    There are clues throughout the game that give hints to what is going on starting at the very beginning with that child.  The official forums are full of various theories but one post to my mind has probably got it right.  It states that Shepard is in fact indoctrinated but not completely; the choice to control the reapers is giving in to the indoctrination ( shep dead, reapers win).  The synthesis choice is simply doing nothing ( shep dead, reapers win).  The destroy the reapers option is fighting the indoctrination ( Shep lives, reapers are destroyed).  These outcomes would fit with the three states that the savegame can end up with. 

     

    Think about when they are running towards the beam and get hit.  When Shep comes around he/she is not wearing armour, has a pistol that never needs to be reloaded and that takes out a marauder in just three shots; the same pistol that has no effect whatsoever on the keeper where he appears.  Look around before heading for the beam and everyone is dead; Anderson however states that he followed you into the beam and on the citidel he doesn't look like a reapers main weapon just gave him a makeover; even his uniform and cap are unsinged.  There are many hints but you will have to check the main forums as I'm not listing them all here.

  • UsualSuspectUsualSuspect Member UncommonPosts: 1,243

    Originally posted by iceman00

    2.)  The Glaring inconsistinecies.  The catalyst created a race of synthetics to wipe out organic life so they wouldn't create synthetics and so the synthetics and organics wouldn't kill each other?

    I just went through the ending again to see if maybe I'd missed something. I hadn't, it still sucks. However, your point here is a bit wrong. The catalyst didn't create a race of synthetics to wipe out organic life, he said he created them to 'harvest' organic life, taking the most advanced of the races before synthetics have a chance to destroy them. I guess that's why the Collectors look like Protheans - and if you remember from ME2, on the Collector ship during the trap, have Prothean DNA that's been modified by the Reapers.

    I guess that was the whole point behind the Human Reaper at the end of ME2, they were harvesting the humans to create a new Reaper that would keep humans alive - in a way - forever. Listening to what I just said, doesn't that make them sort of twisted good guys? Weird.

  • iceman00iceman00 Member Posts: 1,363

    Originally posted by UsualSuspect

    Originally posted by iceman00

    2.)  The Glaring inconsistinecies.  The catalyst created a race of synthetics to wipe out organic life so they wouldn't create synthetics and so the synthetics and organics wouldn't kill each other?

    I just went through the ending again to see if maybe I'd missed something. I hadn't, it still sucks. However, your point here is a bit wrong. The catalyst didn't create a race of synthetics to wipe out organic life, he said he created them to 'harvest' organic life, taking the most advanced of the races before synthetics have a chance to destroy them. I guess that's why the Collectors look like Protheans - and if you remember from ME2, on the Collector ship during the trap, have Prothean DNA that's been modified by the Reapers.

    I guess that was the whole point behind the Human Reaper at the end of ME2, they were harvesting the humans to create a new Reaper that would keep humans alive - in a way - forever. Listening to what I just said, doesn't that make them sort of twisted good guys? Weird.

    Being that they would lose individual consciousness, you might as well be killing them.  So synthetics are going to "harvest" (kill) you to prevent you from creating synthetics which will lead to a war where synthetics kill you.  Doesn't seem like much of a difference if you are the human.  A synthetic is still gonna end me.  ;)

    This is one of those moments where Shep needs to shout "bullshit", but the idea of him yelling it at the image of a little child would probably never fly lol.

    They should've instead focused on the Reapers being the creation that allows other sapient beings to evolve and develop their civilization, pointing out that under the Protheans, people were forced to abandon their cultural identities and become "prothean, since it is "sapient nature" for the strong to dominate the weak, sometimes well past their welcome.  Which you know, is sorta what Nazara said in ME1.  Then have the Catalyst/Harbinger (if they aren't actually the same being tinfoil time!) offer Shepard the chance for humans to become fully ascended to where they would basically be the new Asari.  It would explain Harbinger's obsession with the person of Shepard in ME2 for example.

  • skeaserskeaser Member RarePosts: 4,205

    Originally posted by Thorbrand

    EA is using the current ending to build everyone up for a new ending to be DLC so they can rape people for even more money. Kind of like the FO3 ending change.

    EA will use any possible means to make people pay more and more money while they give less and less games.

    This.

    Proof:

    http://tentonhammer.com/me3/news/twitter-posts-hint-at-more-possible-surprises-for-mass-effect-3%20?utm_source=Reloading...&utm_campaign=b119fad5f4-Reloading_03_14_2012&utm_medium=email

    Sig so that badges don't eat my posts.


  • dronfwardronfwar Member Posts: 316

    Originally posted by skeaser

    Originally posted by Thorbrand

    EA is using the current ending to build everyone up for a new ending to be DLC so they can rape people for even more money. Kind of like the FO3 ending change.

    EA will use any possible means to make people pay more and more money while they give less and less games.

    This.

    Proof:

    http://tentonhammer.com/me3/news/twitter-posts-hint-at-more-possible-surprises-for-mass-effect-3%20?utm_source=Reloading...&utm_campaign=b119fad5f4-Reloading_03_14_2012&utm_medium=email

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

    suckers have been to asshat college

  • PalladinPalladin Member UncommonPosts: 430

    GO GO GO bargin bin $20 or less then it will be worth buying.

    AMD Phenum II x4 3.6Ghz 975 black edition
    8 gig Ram
    Nvidia GeForce GTX 760


  • Originally posted by adam_nox

    after doing some reading, thinking, and a second ending (I can't get the third option), I take it all back.  I loved this game, but yeah the endings are crap.

     

    I'm starting to think it was a fakeout ending, but that's even more dissapointing, I will say no more for spoilersake.

    Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, man.

     

    If it was a fake-out ending there would be clues, not just dumb impossible crap.

    And if there are not clues then its a really crappy writing and not really a fake out.


  • Originally posted by adam_nox

    well we did choose how we got to the destination, just we didn't really choose the destination.  I think it's a bit childish to expect that.  And I don't think that's what most people find offensive about the ending.

    If I was Shepard I would tell that Star child thing (which is an awful cheap plot device and WTF is it a kid?) some logic puzzle that made its head explode like Captain kirk did to all those android Mudd had on that planet.  Oh but wait the star child ain't too gud at logic so he is immune since he is clearly dedicated to acts of gigantic genocide over ja--billions of years based upon a weak premise that he can't possibly support as reliable and is actively disproved in the game.  I nfact by the rules of predicate logic his universal statement needs only one instance to to disprove it and at the time he is attempting to force Shepard onto the horn of his silly trilemma it has already be logically disproven.  Then again shpehard looked pretty hurt so maybe he just had a head wound kind of forgut bout it.

    Guess I would just tell him to shove the reapers up his translucent ass cuz we are going out in style mofo.  Kiss our asses and take your bland hopeless BS with you.   Oh wait nope can only choose between red/green/blue.  Well I do like buttons.  I mean whenever you see a button you don't know what it does its like torture to not press it.   I will chose the color which is lowest on the EM spectrum since that is about as arbitrary as the writing.

     

    Nah no reason to be upset really.

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