Mass Effect 3

[plasmid303]

That's cool, Irish. Obviously, I'm speaking from my perspective, and each Shepard has a different one. I've said before that I was content with the end now that the EC has tweaked it a bit and added more clarification. The issues that linger were issues that I've come to accept in the months since I first finished the game. Well, more like "tolerated with resignation and sadness". Fortunately, the fact that the EC patched up a lot of plot holes, added a necessary "say no" option, and gave the story a real epilogue went a long way in restoring some sense of respect for Bioware, even though really, the EC should have been the ending(s) from the very beginning.

I've thought about the series a lot in the past few months. I've actually replayed 1 and 2 twice this year, once each before ME3 came out, and a second time each in the past couple months in anticipation for the EC. In total I think I've put in over 300 hours into the ME series since the first released in 2007.

I can say, without a doubt, that Mass Effect is my favorite series of this generation. It was touch-and-go back in March, but now I feel pretty good about it. The EC did good.

I don't want it to end.

 

[WesMordine]

The EC really fixed the game for me. I loved the games so much that the original endings gutted me. And I had gotten the best possible one (from my perspective).

I can say to BioWare, now that we got the EC, just as Anderson said to Shepard:

"You did good, son. You did good."

 

[Theokan]

I feel that if they gave us a cookie cutter best ending, it would be a no brainer and 99% of players will simply default to it. It's more interesting having to choose from one of the four unique yet flawed endings and identifying with them after our long journey. It actually forces us to make decisions instead of just defaulting to the best scenario.

By the end you've realised that the reapers are not an alien invasion, they are a force of nature much like tsunami and the ice age; you don't kill them, you simply survive and cope with them. If you can even make it past extinction after the cycle ends then you've already won big time, because no other intelligent species have ever made it past one cycle, not even the protheans.

The real question is, what happens to the lower lifeforms now that humans and aliens persist after the end of cycle? Did we rob them from their chance of a higher evolution?


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[mistermadhouse]

I feel that if they gave us a cookie cutter best ending, it would be a no brainer and 99% of players will simply default to it. It's more interesting having to choose from one of the four unique yet flawed endings and identifying with them after our long journey. It actually forces us to make decisions instead of just defaulting to the best scenario.

By the end you've realised that the reapers are not an alien invasion, they are a force of nature much like tsunami and the ice age; you don't kill them, you simply survive and cope with them. If you can even make it past extinction after the cycle ends then you've already won big time, because no other intelligent species have ever made it past one cycle, not even the protheans.

The real question is, what happens to the lower lifeforms now that humans and aliens persist after the end of cycle? Did we rob them from their chance of a higher evolution?


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Angry insatiable fans should take note of this man's wisdom.

 

[plasmid303]

The real question is, what happens to the lower lifeforms now that humans and aliens persist after the end of cycle? Did we rob them from their chance of a higher evolution?


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You know, they could have made this the reason for the Reapers' genocidal cleansing every 50,000 years and it would have made more sense than ME's shoehorned Synthetics vs. Organics argument.

The Reapers, seeing the lower rungs of organic life being tromped upon by those higher up on the evolutionary ladder, made it a goal to do a cleansing every so often so that all life could have a chance to flourish.

You hit on something interesting, Theokan.

Only then would I consider the Reapers to be a force of nature. The only problem with that concept, as it applies now to the actual ME story, is that they are essentially controlled by a synthetic. They evolved just like us, and they are susceptible to the same fates as us. They are just more numerous and more powerful.

Oy, the series really took the mystery out of the reapers.

 

[SAB]

I feel that if they gave us a cookie cutter best ending, it would be a no brainer and 99% of players will simply default to it. It's more interesting having to choose from one of the four unique yet flawed endings and identifying with them after our long journey. It actually forces us to make decisions instead of just defaulting to the best scenario.

By the end you've realised that the reapers are not an alien invasion, they are a force of nature much like tsunami and the ice age; you don't kill them, you simply survive and cope with them. If you can even make it past extinction after the cycle ends then you've already won big time, because no other intelligent species have ever made it past one cycle, not even the protheans.

The real question is, what happens to the lower lifeforms now that humans and aliens persist after the end of cycle? Did we rob them from their chance of a higher evolution?


-

Great answer.
Though I do feel it was silly to force Shepards 'death' in all 4 options.
I probably would have picked the dramatic death given the choice but why give players no other choice.

You could even give them a really nasty one to make players feel selfish lol....like Shepard clearly surviving and reuniting with his lover but the galaxy having a far worse future than 'control' or 'synthesis' did in the long term.

 

[plasmid303]

ME3 Extended Cut Soundtrack (7 tracks) free to download:

https://social.bioware.com/me3ecsoundtrack.php

I always liked the Catalyst theme, so I'm glad it's finally available. Also, the Synthesis ending track is also nice.

 

[DarthIndy]

Thanks for the link. I really appreciated the soft rendition of Shepard's theme as the Normandy lifted off at the end. It was noticeably absent in ME3, with Jack Wall not involved.

 

[plasmid303]

I liked the ME3 soundtrack as-is, but yeah you're right the absence of the Shepard theme made it incomplete (not just the score, but the game as well). I understand though that there really wasn't a place for it in ME3 until the EC. This rendition is great though. Fits the tone of the game.

Btw, for anyone who loved the music of the ME series, I recommend checking out this tribute track by an artist who lent his efforts to the series at one point:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LInzl566l7A&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

 

[astro666]

Great vid, hadn't seen it, thanks for posting it.
Just started another ME3 playthrough after going back and playing ME2 again, this time saving Maelon's data.

 

[HPGR_Thrawn]

So when I heard the kerfluffle over the original endings I stopped playing after finding the Geth and Quarian to wait until this new extended cut was released.

Now I finished the game this weekend and my initial reaction was pretty positive. I ended up with the ending that I had envisioned from the first game.

More important to me than Shepard's fate was the fate of those closest to him. In the final missions, I fell back on my most trusted friends-- Liara and Garrus. And the three of us not only completed the mission, but they survived.

I think that's the most powerful part about this series. I've come to care more about my crew than about "myself" as Shepard. So there really was not a lot of hesitation about sacrificing myself to stop the Reapers, because I know it would save my friends. That makes you truly feel like you are Shepard.

Fortunately for me, my military strength was high enough to get a little surprise at the end that put a smile on my face and possibly a tear to my eye after the crew's memorial.

Bioware is to be commended for getting me to care about a bunch of pixels as their greatest achievement.

 

[DarthIndy]

Apparently a high EMS is no longer required for 'that little surprise' at the end of the Destroy option. I just completed my Renegade character with an EMS of just under 3000 (50% readiness, I don't do multiplayer) and got the extra scene.

 

[HPGR_Thrawn]

Interesting. I avoided any mention of the end or extended cut until this morning, so I am still catching up.

I went in with full 100% readiness across all theaters thanks to the IOS games.

 

[Spartan Rex]

Voice Actor Confirms Mass Effect 3 Leviathan DLC
The rumors were true.
July 10, 2012
by Andrew Goldfarb
Last month, leaked files suggested that Mass Effect 3’s next single-player downloadable content would focus on a rogue Reaper named Leviathan. Now, voice actor Anthony Skordi has confirmed the content, telling Eurogamer that he provided a voice for Leviathan in the add-on.
While BioWare hasn't officially announced the content, according to the leaked files the expansion will focus on Shepard hunting down Leviathan, a Reaper that has taken control of a mining facility and indoctrinated its inhabitants. BioWare is expected to make the news official at its Comic Con panel on Saturday, as the description says it will include “hints at upcoming DLC.”
The Leviathan content would follow the From Ashes add-on that was available alongside Mass Effect 3's launch, as well as the Extended Cut endings released last month.
Separately, new Mass Effect 3 multiplayer content was confirmed this morning, set to focus on Earth. More details will likely be coming very soon, so keep an eye on our Mass Effect 3 downloadable content wiki for all the updates as they’re announced.

 

[plasmid303]

I'll most likely buy it. Not expecting it to be as good as Lair of the Shadow Broker or Overlord.

 

[SAB]

Apparently a high EMS is no longer required for 'that little surprise' at the end of the Destroy option. I just completed my Renegade character with an EMS of just under 3000 (50% readiness, I don't do multiplayer) and got the extra scene.

thats pretty funny

 

[astro666]

I'm looking forward to the "Earth" DLC, cuz it's FREE!!! Also, it's due next week.

 

[astro666]

Does anybody know the exact release date of the "Earth" DLC?

 

[plasmid303]

Trailer for the Mass Effect 3: Paragon Lost anime film by Production I.G.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af6tA206Y6Q&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

[astro666]

That Paragon Lost looks cool. Is it gonna be a straight to DVD thing or will it come with a Deluxe ME3 or ME compilation release or something?