Mass Effect 3 - Endings Controversy and More

That settles it. It was all a dream! (No, don't answer that lest you give it away for real. )

From reading the ME3 BSN forums, it seems to me that that the most well thought through statements and arguments againt the current ending(s) are those who line up - rationally and polite - that the endings doesn't make any sense. Not even in the context of the ME3 game in itself nor in the ME3 universe at all.

From what I've seen so far on the revealed endings, I'm remembered of the ending of NWN2? Remember that one? Many people had a moment when this game ended. Obsidian then came up with to brilliant expansions to the game. Or of the ending from PS: Torment - "what can change the nature of a man?" I have an instintive hunch that maybe, just maybe Bioware was going to ask exactly this question in ME3's endings, perhaps. Unfortunately, Bioware is no Black Isle nor Obsidian (whne they're at their best) nor is ME3 the deep philosophical game (as I see it) that asks the lifechanging questions that PS:Torment did. In PS: Torment the ending made sense, since it made the main character find peace. In ME3's ending, no such peace is found it seems.

As for the endings themselves, it seems that people feel cheated out of - well - closure. They wanted some sort of closure to the game, which in narrative means that they wanted closed ending e.g. they wanted an ending like DA: Origins, the ending to episode VI in Star Wars where all get to a party, and drink and eat cookies and cake. (Be sure to invite Sten from DA: Origins ). As I see it, from what I've read on the BSN ME3 forums, most people, at least to me seems angered, and frustrated about not getting their big finale - even if it meant that Shepard went down in a blazing glory. (don't know if he does, though, as money is somehat tight right now).

However, other poster on the BSN ME3 forums say that they'll accept bleak, sad or siniter and bitter endings as long they make sense. And that they don't want an ending were ewoks dance. (hey, I would actullay like to see that - ooops wrong game/movie...)
However, the endings should make sende - they don't as know, they say - calmly rationally they explain this.

Personally, even though I have not played the game yet (for various reasons - see above), I think Bioware should be commended for their willingness to take a risk and to make open endings where players/gamers would have to think for themselves what happens next in the game.

aries100 said:

Personally, even though I have not played the game yet (for various reasons - see above), I think Bioware should be commended for their willingness to take a risk and to make open endings where players/gamers would have to think for themselves what happens next in the game.

Click to expand...

I think it is more like making room for further DLC$.

SpoonFULL said:

I think it is more like making room for further DLC$.

Click to expand...

Agree with this. In a game like this that spans several games you have to have solid endings. You can't pull an open ending that "allows people to imagine what the ending could be". It's a cop out. They did this so they could add DLC missions at the end. People are actually going to have to pay for an ending to the game they already paid for.

I also think they ended it this way because their writers suck. The endings appear to be copied from another game. They had no idea what they were doing.

I disagree, not every saga needs an epilogue and detailing future consequences of issues like would diminish the importance of the final victory. A traditional vignette epilogue might have been more satisfying to some gamers, but it would also have been tackier.

I doubt they intended to pull a broken steel, any future dlc is likely designed to be played before the final missions, the game even autosaves to that state when you finish it and lets you keep playing, although they've been known to alter their initial designs due to fan pressure(gay male shepard).

KapitanUnterhosen said:

I doubt they intended to pull a broken steel, any future dlc is likely designed to be played before the final missions, the game even autosaves to that state when you finish it and lets you keep playing,

Click to expand...

The Legend save allow you to replay the ending over and over again with the same character. This mean they can upgrade the ending and allow people to replay it without having to replay the whole game by loading the Legend save.

The NewGamePlus save is created when you finish the game and updated each time you redo the ending with the same career.

KapitanUnterhosen said:

I disagree, not every saga needs an epilogue and detailing future consequences of issues like

Spoiler

genophage, synthetics, reaper control, mass relays, reconstruction

would diminish the importance of the final victory. A traditional vignette epilogue might have been more satisfying to some gamers, but it would also have been tackier.

I doubt they intended to pull a broken steel, any future dlc is likely designed to be played before the final missions, the game even autosaves to that state when you finish it and lets you keep playing, although they've been known to alter their initial designs due to fan pressure(gay male shepard).

Click to expand...

There's a rumor that there is going to be a DLC mission for the planet the Normandy landed on. Makes sense considering how it doesn't make any sense for the Normandy to crash land there.

They don't need to detail everything, but with so many characters and decisions made they could at least show an epilogue of what happens in the immediate future with the characters that were apart of your squad or something. No one is talking about long term affects of genophage or synthetics. It wouldn't be tacky.

Dhruin said:

You are right that consistency isn't exactly the hallmark of ME's writing but changing the ending because a section of the fanbase dislikes it is equally absurd. You can't un-play what you've already experienced - and we shouldn't try.

Click to expand...

Larian Studios at least released an add-on.

Well here is a little quote from Joystiq.

Hudson said he likes its mystery and interpretation possibilities, and having a reactive ending is better than one that falls flat and fades out. "I didn't want the game to be forgettable, and even right down to the sort of polarizing reaction that the ends have had with people — debating what the endings mean and what's going to happen next, and what situation are the characters left in — that to me is part of what's exciting about this story."

Click to expand...

Agree or disagree. I'm getting DA2 flashbacks.

For what it is worth, I have pointed out on the BSN ME3 forums that I personally do not understand why almost every game, developer or publisher are trying to make a PS:T ending? Yes, that ending was great - in that game - but whay try to put a PS:T ending into all games?

Someone on the BSN ME3 forums also pointed out that the endings in ME3 resembled or was very similar to endings found in Deux Ex games - the first or the second, I think?
I don't know if this is true or not, since my backlog of games are a decade ago....(and no, I am not kidding, I am currently playing nwn, the first - amazing game...)

Couchpotato said:

Well here is a little quote from Joystiq.

Agree or disagree. I'm getting DA2 flashbacks.

Click to expand...

ME3 is much better than DA2 (disclaimer: while I got to the final act in DA2 I did not finish it as I lost interest). It's the final 10 minutes that are completely out of whack. It's like something out of a completely different game series and doesn't gel at all with the previous 120 hours of game play (ME1 through ME3, minus ending)

I'm going to leave these two links here (WARNING - SPOILERS GALORE) for the people wondering why there's such a backlash (no, it's not because we don't get to live happily ever after):

http://www.gamefront.com/mass-effect-3-ending-hatred-5-reasons-the-fans-are-right/2/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_A7SeawU4

Couchpotato said:

Well here is a little quote from Joystiq.



Agree or disagree. I'm getting DA2 flashbacks.

Click to expand...

It seems like they buy their BS. Hey everyone hates the ending of your game. Oh that's a good thing because people will remember it. It sounds like they couldn't come up with a good ending that would be memorable. I just can't believe they can be so in denial and think their shit don't stink.

And PST's ending had nothing to do with ME3's ending. Comparing the two makes no sense. Bioware weren't going for a PST type ending. They were going for a Deus Ex kind of ending by creating the same 3 choices.

SpoonFULL said:

I think it is more like making room for further DLC$.

Click to expand...

Ding, ding, ding!

azarhal said:

You know, that's an opinion. I actually love the ending(s).

That's probably because I know that hearing whispers and seeing moving inky-shadows only happens if you are not exactly right in the head…

Click to expand...

Assuming Direct Control... Shepard.... THIS HURTS YOU.

EAware could also be pulling a Broken Steel on people for a shameless cashgrab down the line. Retconning the so called bleak endings in DLC-s, expansions or sequels is after all very common in videogame world. Remember Broken Steel, Divinity 2: Flames of Vengeance, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer and countless others?

It sounds like they're in a damned if they do and damned if they don't situation regarding a dlc that offers a different ending.

I see an omega dlc as something much more likely for them to have planned than an alternate ending dlc.

I just had a quick look at ME3 video on youtube... I couldn't finish watching it due to overly dramatic music and scenes... they are really confusing game with movie, aren't they? As for the ending.. I'm not even sure if they are trying to copy Torment. It sounds more like either 1) they've made same mistake as DA2 and didn't know how to tie/wrap up the story or 2) they are obviously preparing for another BS DLC or ME4. Could be both.

tolknaz said:

Remember Broken Steel, Divinity 2: Flames of Vengeance, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer and countless others?

Click to expand...

As far as i know, the ending for Divinity 2 was planned differently, but cut due to cost reasons. At least that's how I've understood it.

But yes, the effect is basically the same ...

Alrik Fassbauer said:

As far as i know, the ending for Divinity 2 was planned differently, but cut due to cost reasons. At least that's how I've understood it.

But yes, the effect is basically the same …

Click to expand...

The same thing happened to ME3, sort of, here it's EA who didn't want any more delay (and I guess cost raising). The final dialog with TIM (The Illusive Man) was recorded in November right before certification started, but it was first planned for recording it in April (info from the Final Hours iPad app).

This mean they were 6+ months late in finishing the ending and some of that might be related to the planned ending requiring a new gameplay mechanics that they finally dropped...