Topic: Mass Effect 3-The ending is shite Macphisto

[Hannibal]

[PhilV]

So... I finished Mass Effect 3 last night and here are my thoughts on the ending:

Spoiler

I didn't think it was THAT bad. All the articles online are making it sound like the worst thing that has ever happened.... ever!
Sure it was bad, and ultimatly there are only 3 choices and slight variations of those.

Destroy ending in mine Earth and it's inhabitants survive, reapers die but the Mass Relay network goes kaboom, which means everyone is now stuck in their local star clusters and as such the universe is seperated... even though Quarians, Krogan, Asari, Turians and Humans alike are all present on Earth and could come up with new FTL technologies for travel.

I did not like the fact the Normandy ended up in some far away planet though, that made no sense, she was part of SWORD above Earth, why was she in FTL or going through a Mass Relay, major plot hole there, would of been better if it had crash landed somewhere on Earth or been destroyed, depending on ending acquired.

Also, as all synthetics died, would of been good to see EDI and Geth die, a bit sad but show the whole picture!!!

I also happen to have seen and agree with the Indoctrination theory so that is probs why the ending isn't so bad for me but still, meant to be the last game with Shepard and MANY questions are unanswered! Hopefully DLC solves this but not sure how they would manage that.

I still think ME2 is the best ME game and will replay that/am replaying that with a FemShep as never done one before, lesbian time!!

[close]

[pepe_carra_stevie_nando]

So... I finished Mass Effect 3 last night and here are my thoughts on the ending:

Spoiler

I didn't think it was THAT bad. All the articles online are making it sound like the worst thing that has ever happened.... ever!
Sure it was bad, and ultimatly there are only 3 choices and slight variations of those.

Destroy ending in mine Earth and it's inhabitants survive, reapers die but the Mass Relay network goes kaboom, which means everyone is now stuck in their local star clusters and as such the universe is seperated... even though Quarians, Krogan, Asari, Turians and Humans alike are all present on Earth and could come up with new FTL technologies for travel.

I did not like the fact the Normandy ended up in some far away planet though, that made no sense, she was part of SWORD above Earth, why was she in FTL or going through a Mass Relay, major plot hole there, would of been better if it had crash landed somewhere on Earth or been destroyed, depending on ending acquired.

Also, as all synthetics died, would of been good to see EDI and Geth die, a bit sad but show the whole picture!!!

I also happen to have seen and agree with the Indoctrination theory so that is probs why the ending isn't so bad for me but still, meant to be the last game with Shepard and MANY questions are unanswered! Hopefully DLC solves this but not sure how they would manage that.

I still think ME2 is the best ME game and will replay that/am replaying that with a FemShep as never done one before, lesbian time!!

[close]

Spoiler

Did the Normandy crash land on a different planet though? I thought it crashed on earth.

[close]

[PhilV]

Spoiler

Did the Normandy crash land on a different planet though? I thought it crashed on earth.

[close]

Spoiler

When the ship crashed and Joker and whomever else steps out (was Liara and Javik for me) they look up and you see another planet and a moon in the sky... or maybe two moons one being rather large... either way, it is not Earth on that evidence.

So yeah, it doesn't explain why the Normandy wasn't in the battle around Earth, it was either travelling in FTL or going through a Mass Relay, both theories make zero sense.... I imagine going via Mass Relay as if it was just at FTL it would of crashed somewhere in the Sol system or nearby and there aren't any habitable planets in the Local Cluster bar Earth that I can remember from the maps in ME2... so again, major plot hole.

[close]

[PhilV]

One more thing, if you have finished the game, I recommend going over this article about explanation for the endings and general analysis.

http://livingwithanerd.com/dissecting-mass-effect-3s-ending/

[stoa]

One more thing, if you have finished the game, I recommend going over this article about explanation for the endings and general analysis.

http://livingwithanerd.com/dissecting-mass-effect-3s-ending/

To be honest, I don't like that at all. It sounds like a reasonable explanation, but sometimes I feel there is no need for that "something special". The whole game was a great experience and there are times when the "simple" solution or even a cheesy ending is enough. All three parts are full of twists and turns. Full of moments where everything turns out to be completely different than what you thought. So, why the need for this "complicated" ending? To me, what most people wanted was a proper ending. An ending that left them saying "Well, I enjoyed the game and everything is wrapped up now".

This is not what Bioware have done. What they have done is that they've gone and left over a lot of loose endings. No matter what way you're looking at it. No matter whether it is the "actualy" ending or the theories some people have developed. It is like telling someone to walk through the desert for 30 days and on the 31st day he'll get a big swimming-pool full of water to swim in, drink or simply splash about. Then, when the guy arrives on the 31st day you give him water. But not in a swimming pool, you simply put him in a vapour bath and turn up the steam.

Spoiler

I didn't want a happy ending. I could have lived with what happened in Bioware's ending, but I would have liked an explanation of what has happened afterwards. Because no matter what way you're looking at it, there is something missing. If Sheppard has been indoctrinated and he's still on Earth in the end. What happened then? Everyone died and a million years later there is another Earth-like planet with Human-looking people on it and an old guy is telling Sheppard's story to his grand-son (where would he know that story from BTW)? Or nobody died and somehow the Reapers decided "fuck it, we're off"? It doesn't make sense and shitloads of the story are missing. That is what pisses me off. Bioware have deliberately put together an end that has massive amounts of holes in it. And it was probably necessary, so they can sell DLC. What other options for DLC would there have been had they wrapped the whole story up? Not many in my view.

What they're doing now, is cover their arses and they're doing a hell of a job, because people are actually begging them to do a better ending (which they probably already have ready sitting in their drawers). And people are even prepared to pay for it. Don't get me wrong. I will be getting it, which might make me kind of a hypocrit, but it still makes me angry. The game on the whole was great and the ending has ruined it for me. That scene where you're taking some time off right before the end, shooting at bottles with Garrus made me think about what DLC there might be. And fucking hell, I would have bought DLC where you're doing nothing else but visiting your old mates and having fun with them... So, from thinking "Give me any kind of DLC just so I can spend a bit of time with those characters I grew to like" I've gone to "Give me the fucking DLC, so I know what really happened". Only a slight change, but I don't like it...

[close]

[PhilV]

To be honest, I don't like that at all. It sounds like a reasonable explanation, but sometimes I feel there is no need for that "something special". The whole game was a great experience and there are times when the "simple" solution or even a cheesy ending is enough. All three parts are full of twists and turns. Full of moments where everything turns out to be completely different than what you thought. So, why the need for this "complicated" ending? To me, what most people wanted was a proper ending. An ending that left them saying "Well, I enjoyed the game and everything is wrapped up now".

This is not what Bioware have done. What they have done is that they've gone and left over a lot of loose endings. No matter what way you're looking at it. No matter whether it is the "actualy" ending or the theories some people have developed. It is like telling someone to walk through the desert for 30 days and on the 31st day he'll get a big swimming-pool full of water to swim in, drink or simply splash about. Then, when the guy arrives on the 31st day you give him water. But not in a swimming pool, you simply put him in a vapour bath and turn up the steam.

Spoiler

I didn't want a happy ending. I could have lived with what happened in Bioware's ending, but I would have liked an explanation of what has happened afterwards. Because no matter what way you're looking at it, there is something missing. If Sheppard has been indoctrinated and he's still on Earth in the end. What happened then? Everyone died and a million years later there is another Earth-like planet with Human-looking people on it and an old guy is telling Sheppard's story to his grand-son (where would he know that story from BTW)? Or nobody died and somehow the Reapers decided "fuck it, we're off"? It doesn't make sense and shitloads of the story are missing. That is what pisses me off. Bioware have deliberately put together an end that has massive amounts of holes in it. And it was probably necessary, so they can sell DLC. What other options for DLC would there have been had they wrapped the whole story up? Not many in my view.

What they're doing now, is cover their arses and they're doing a hell of a job, because people are actually begging them to do a better ending (which they probably already have ready sitting in their drawers). And people are even prepared to pay for it. Don't get me wrong. I will be getting it, which might make me kind of a hypocrit, but it still makes me angry. The game on the whole was great and the ending has ruined it for me. That scene where you're taking some time off right before the end, shooting at bottles with Garrus made me think about what DLC there might be. And fucking hell, I would have bought DLC where you're doing nothing else but visiting your old mates and having fun with them... So, from thinking "Give me any kind of DLC just so I can spend a bit of time with those characters I grew to like" I've gone to "Give me the fucking DLC, so I know what really happened". Only a slight change, but I don't like it...

[close]

I guess I can see where you are coming from.

I deffo would of liked different endings to do with whom you romanced as well... ie: with Tali you would be on Rannoch, she would not be wearing her bio suit and you might have littl eQuarian/uman hybrids running around or could be with Liara with little Asari babies... or variations of the others, could even be sad ones like visiting someones grave or making a memorial for those lost, a presentation of something by the council to the whole Normandy crew for bringing the galaxy together.... etc etc... like you say "closure"

I don't think we will ever get that you know... the DLC could never cover that much.

I started a new run through with FemShep on ME2 so I can start ME3 a bit different next, I feel a bit weird romancing a guy so I am going to be a lesbian lol, shame though, I am a Tali kinda guy! Going with Liara for this one tho.

[stoa]

I deffo would of liked different endings to do with whom you romanced as well... ie: with Tali you would be on Rannoch, she would not be wearing her bio suit and you might have littl eQuarian/uman hybrids running around or could be with Liara with little Asari babies... or variations of the others, could even be sad ones like visiting someones grave or making a memorial for those lost, a presentation of something by the council to the whole Normandy crew for bringing the galaxy together.... etc etc... like you say "closure"

I don't think we will ever get that you know... the DLC could never cover that much.

The thing is, I wouldn't even have needed that to think it is a nice ending. What I would have needed though is to know what happened in the end.

Spoiler

At the moment, all I know is that Shepard somehow saved the world. If this ending is real, then it is a shit ending, because some of the stuff makes no sense. If this is about Shepard being indoctrinated it might make sense, but I still have no clue about how the world was saved in the end. As I've said, I doubt the Reapers have simply gone "Fuck it, we completely forgot that we were supposed to go fishing with our kids that weekend" leaving Earth and all the other planets alone. So, the big question is, HOW did Shepard save the world? Either way, there is still a part of the story missing and that is what's pissing me off. Because again, there are only two options: Bioware didn't bother coming up with a proper ending. Or they saved it for DLC. It's a pisstake.

I'd be less angry, if they came out tomorrow with a free ending-DLC saying that they were actually trying to fool the community with that indoctrination thing and whatever those theories are saying (and how great it is, that the game has gone to another level="real life" with that indoctrination stuff by making the player believe what Shepard believes or whatever). In the end, I'm a gamer and have played a computer game. I have to think about complicated stuff in my job or in everyday-life. I don't have the time to deal with over-elaborate, philosophical shite in a computer game. If I wanted that in my free-time I'd go to a modern-arts exhibition to try and make sense out of those blobs some guy has painted on a canvas...

[close]

[Drinks Sangria]

A revised ending where

Spoiler

Shepard survives, saves the day and the Mass Relays are left in tact (as well as non-Reaper synthetics) is not an entirely happy ending. Bioware could have still made it poignant. It could have been, 'celebration, you've saved the day' mixed in with evidence of the billions of lives lost and the Reaper destruction. I think a happy ending with a 'but' would not have been a total kop out. Far from it, I would have very much liked that sort of ending. It's an allowance, then a reminder. You've saved the Galaxy for these people, but so many were lost. That could have been a very good, simple bittersweet ending.

[close]

[pepe_carra_stevie_nando]

A revised ending where

Spoiler

Shepard survives, saves the day and the Mass Relays are left in tact (as well as non-Reaper synthetics) is not an entirely happy ending. Bioware could have still made it poignant. It could have been, 'celebration, you've saved the day' mixed in with evidence of the billions of lives lost and the Reaper destruction. I think a happy ending with a 'but' would not have been a total kop out. Far from it, I would have very much liked that sort of ending. It's an allowance, then a reminder. You've saved the Galaxy for these people, but so many were lost. That could have been a very good, simple bittersweet ending.

[close]

I wouldn't mind that but

Spoiler

it would be better if 1 or 2 species were wiped out along with the Batarians. We don't want everyone coming through in the end.

[close]

[Not Bob]

I read and watched the Indoctrination videos before finishing the game, and I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Now that I have finished the game, I think the ending is just shit. The DLC should expand on the game, not give it closure, if that's what they are going for.

[AJG]

What a shit ending. I didn't make sure I made the right decisions through 3 fucking games for that! I'm off to go and trade it at game...oh wait

[Mikeebee]

if anyone is playing the multiplayer my origin ID is mikeebee.

[Waka]

Just finished. Has to be the best graphic and visual games i have ever played (PC)

I felt the actual gameplay was a bit repetitive. Go into a level, die, then run and cover throughout the game but i thought at least it was a step that the AI will try and flank you.

The only thing which many people have said already and left me pretty confused was the ending, Bioware not only built up Shepard's character throughout the series but built up other character's too.
Which left an emotional feeling only for you to be left staring at a screen at the end of it all wondering is there something left. It was like one of them games which gave a feeling that something was coming but never came.

Remember using this for WoW back in 2007

[AJG]

Just finished. Has to be the best graphic and visual games i have ever played (PC)

I felt the actual gameplay was a bit repetitive. Go into a level, die, then run and cover throughout the game but i thought at least it was a step that the AI will try and flank you.

The only thing which many people have said already and left me pretty confused was the ending, Bioware not only built up Shepard's character throughout the series but built up other character's too.
Which left an emotional feeling only for you to be left staring at a screen at the end of it all wondering is there something left. It was like one of them games which gave a feeling that something was coming but never came.

Remember using this for WoW back in 2007

Everything they built up over 5 years was destroyed in 10 minutes. A 9/10 game just went to a 2/10 in the matter of minutes. From the Harbinger moment onwards it was ridiculous. There's no point ever replaying the games because whatever you do makes little to no difference

[Red Eyed]

Everything they built up over 5 years was destroyed in 10 minutes.

Agreed, it's actually quite an achievement, bravo Bioware.

[voodoo ray]

Everything they built up over 5 years was destroyed in 10 minutes. A 9/10 game just went to a 2/10 in the matter of minutes. From the Harbinger moment onwards it was ridiculous. There's no point ever replaying the games because whatever you do makes little to no difference

I think (think) they've heard these issues. This is a football forum but I've seen nobody say it's good, I thought it was shit, and the people I talk to at work said it was shit.

It's all anocdotal......but.......how the fuck did they think this was a good idea!?

oh sorry.......


LOTS OF SPECULATION FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!

[iSmiff]

the five DLC packs they'll sell on the promise of revealing more info

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Dear Bioware

I'd be amazed if you're reading this, but I just want to be clear. If the DLC to fix this utter fucking rubbish that i've literally just finished playing isn't fucking free, then you can get fucked you stupid fucks.

Cheers for making a shit day worse with what is the single shittest ending that i've ever seen to a game ever. Bar none. Even the 3 second shit one at the end of the first tomb raider isn't as massively shit and dissapointing as the drivel that i've just watched. I'd be amazed if my eyes aren't bleeding.

Make it free you stupid fucks. We've paid, in both hard earned cash and fucking hours of our lives. You owe us this. Charging us will lose you many, many customers.

Cheers

R_I_C

                

Fucks sake.

[stoa]

Another thing that pisses me off is that you have to increase the readiness by playing the multiplayer-part of the game. Who came up with that kind of shite? I'm playing a single-player game so I don't want to be forced to play the fucking multiplayer with shitloads of twats...

[bailey90]

Another thing that pisses me off is that you have to increase the readiness by playing the multiplayer-part of the game. Who came up with that kind of shite? I'm playing a single-player game so I don't want to be forced to play the fucking multiplayer with shitloads of twats...

and the difference having a full readiness even makes is miniscule

[ozzy-red]

Spoiler

How many people in here have bought into the indoctrination theory?
I have, but I partly think its because the ending was so bad, I need something to make it a good ending.
But then again, there are some major plot holes that I think are to big for Bioware to have missed.
That's why the theory makes sense to me.

[close]

[Red James]

My thoughts summed up

Spoiler

So that's the end of an amazing trilogy and immersive story filled with great characters of all types. What a way to end it too, by not showing the impacts of your choices and giving a big fuck you for all your work over the course of three games. In fact, your choices don't even mean shit and really make you question deciding to start it over again from ME1 because ultimatly everything you do is futile. The Reapers were transformed from being some Cthulu esque nightmarish monster from beyond the edges of known space to some ghost kids lackeys with a retarded logic that "organics and synthetics can't get along so we'll kill all organics before they can make synthetics. Oh yeah and we'll kill said organics with synthetics anyways, completely killing the purpose of all this. It's just to protect you!". Hell there's so much wrong with the ending and everyone will have heard it all by now. I don't think it can be fixed with DLC, in fact it will only make it worse unless Bioware has a stroke of genius which it hasn't done for a long time since being took over by EA.  But you just have to love how EA, Bioware, IGN and other lackeys reacted to fan criticism for calling people "entitled" and that "they just don't get it". Yeah the 99% of people who played the game and realised how shit the ending was all don't get it and they are entitled for wanting a good ending to an amazing series they invested themselves in.

So many broken promises and lies and cutting corners at every turn. Ignoring your choices from the past two games and making many decisions not actually mean shit. You'd imagine saving or destroying the collector base at the end of ME2 would have major plot significance. Nope instead you get 100 war resources or not. What was the big deal then? The most fleshed out decisions seem to have come from a forgetable and easily missable side quest in ME1 concerning a crazy fan whose actions carry over into ME2 and ME3 assuming you made the right choices. This seems to be the most effort Bioware put into your choices actually mattering. The icing on the cake? Replacing many rememerable characters from the game with emails. Hell certain characters aren't even deemed worthy enough to get an email dedicated to them and are instead mentioned only in passing in a news feed. Bioware doesn't even have the decency to tell a certain VA that he is deemed surplus to requirments, yet an untalented IGN front girl whose only ability is to look good in front of a camera is used instead. http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Story-and-Campaign-Discussion-Spoilers-Allowed/So-today-at-ECC2012-10898335-1.html

Rant over

[close]

Another thing that pisses me off is that you have to increase the readiness by playing the multiplayer-part of the game. Who came up with that kind of shite? I'm playing a single-player game so I don't want to be forced to play the fucking multiplayer with shitloads of twats...

Bioware said not far from the release you don't need multiplayer despite clearly needing to to get the best endings. http://www.oxm.co.uk/39560/want-the-best-mass-effect-3-ending-dont-worry-about-galactic-readiness/. Nice one Bioware for misleading everyone, again.


Going to repost this link from the spoiler in case someone doesn't read through it or want to be spoiled. http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Story-and-Campaign-Discussion-Spoilers-Allowed/So-today-at-ECC2012-10898335-1.html. Words can't express how much of a load of dicks Bioware have become. Forget EA, we all know what they are like.

Edit:

Spoiler

How many people in here have bought into the indoctrination theory?
I have, but I partly think its because the ending was so bad, I need something to make it a good ending.
But then again, there are some major plot holes that I think are to big for Bioware to have missed.
That's why the theory makes sense to me.

[close]

Spoiler

Some parts make sense, others don't. Being indoctrinated by a Reaper apparantly takes time yet Shepard hasn't spent enough consistant time around Reapers to really be indoctrinated. It takes more than a few hours or even a few days of constant contact. It takes weeks, even months depending on the mental strength of the person being indoctrinated. Liara says Shepard has incredible mental strength so it should take a hell of a long time.

I don't think Bioware is clever enough to pull something brilliant like this off when it seems to me the ending was rushed. It's more of a case of fans twisting something horrible and trying to make it look good to hide just how bad it is.

[close]

[ozzy-red]

My thoughts summed up

Spoiler

So that's the end of an amazing trilogy and immersive story filled with great characters of all types. What a way to end it too, by not showing the impacts of your choices and giving a big fuck you for all your work over the course of three games. In fact, your choices don't even mean shit and really make you question deciding to start it over again from ME1 because ultimatly everything you do is futile. The Reapers were transformed from being some Cthulu esque nightmarish monster from beyond the edges of known space to some ghost kids lackeys with a retarded logic that "organics and synthetics can't get along so we'll kill all organics before they can make synthetics. Oh yeah and we'll kill said organics with synthetics anyways, completely killing the purpose of all this. It's just to protect you!". Hell there's so much wrong with the ending and everyone will have heard it all by now. I don't think it can be fixed with DLC, in fact it will only make it worse unless Bioware has a stroke of genius which it hasn't done for a long time since being took over by EA.  But you just have to love how EA, Bioware, IGN and other lackeys reacted to fan criticism for calling people "entitled" and that "they just don't get it". Yeah the 99% of people who played the game and realised how shit the ending was all don't get it and they are entitled for wanting a good ending to an amazing series they invested themselves in.

So many broken promises and lies and cutting corners at every turn. Ignoring your choices from the past two games and making many decisions not actually mean shit. You'd imagine saving or destroying the collector base at the end of ME2 would have major plot significance. Nope instead you get 100 war resources or not. What was the big deal then? The most fleshed out decisions seem to have come from a forgetable and easily missable side quest in ME1 concerning a crazy fan whose actions carry over into ME2 and ME3 assuming you made the right choices. This seems to be the most effort Bioware put into your choices actually mattering. The icing on the cake? Replacing many rememerable characters from the game with emails. Hell certain characters aren't even deemed worthy enough to get an email dedicated to them and are instead mentioned only in passing in a news feed. Bioware doesn't even have the decency to tell a certain VA that he is deemed surplus to requirments, yet an untalented IGN front girl whose only ability is to look good in front of a camera is used instead. http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Story-and-Campaign-Discussion-Spoilers-Allowed/So-today-at-ECC2012-10898335-1.html

Rant over

[close]

Bioware said not far from the release you don't need multiplayer despite clearly needing to to get the best endings. http://www.oxm.co.uk/39560/want-the-best-mass-effect-3-ending-dont-worry-about-galactic-readiness/. Nice one Bioware for misleading everyone, again.


Going to repost this link from the spoiler in case someone doesn't read through it or want to be spoiled. http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Story-and-Campaign-Discussion-Spoilers-Allowed/So-today-at-ECC2012-10898335-1.html. Words can't express how much of a load of dicks Bioware have become. Forget EA, we all know what they are like.

Edit:

Spoiler

Some parts make sense, others don't. Being indoctrinated by a Reaper apparantly takes time yet Shepard hasn't spent enough consistant time around Reapers to really be indoctrinated. It takes more than a few hours or even a few days of constant contact. It takes weeks, even months depending on the mental strength of the person being indoctrinated. Liara says Shepard has incredible mental strength so it should take a hell of a long time.

I don't think Bioware is clever enough to pull something brilliant like this off when it seems to me the ending was rushed. It's more of a case of fans twisting something horrible and trying to make it look good to hide just how bad it is.

[close]

Spoiler

I agree they butchered many parts of the game. The lack of effects your choices from previous games had was infuriating.
But surely things like Hackett telling his troops to retreat after Harbinger obliterates everyone, and that no one made it in alive. And then minutes later is telling Shephard that he needs to do something else, using the terminal alone didn't work. Surely that is to glaring an error for Bioware to miss.
There are little things like that, that I think are just to obvious for Bioware to have missed.

[close]

[Tomaldinho]

2 questions: (I haven't played 3 at all yet)

Does anyone like the ending?

Apparently your "readiness" goes down while you aren't playing. I.E. you could finish playing, go to bed, come back the next morning and it would have dropped, is that true?

[Red James]

Spoiler

I agree they butchered many parts of the game. The lack of effects your choices from previous games had was infuriating.
But surely things like Hackett telling his troops to retreat after Harbinger obliterates everyone, and that no one made it in alive. And then minutes later is telling Shephard that he needs to do something else, using the terminal alone didn't work. Surely that is to glaring an error for Bioware to miss.
There are little things like that, that I think are just to obvious for Bioware to have missed.

[close]

Spoiler

Bioware made quite a few errors. In relation to romances a funny example is that the game forgets if you romanced Jacob or not for example "Hey femshep I totally forgot I hooked up with you a some months ago but now i'm engaged! Sorry I didn't tell you earlier". I would feel sorry for all 3 of those people who romanced him. A Bioware emplyee even directly came out and said they forgot about the Thane romance from ME2. I don't know how it's possible but that's some incompetance right there.

[close]

2 questions: (I haven't played 3 at all yet)

Does anyone like the ending?

Apparently your "readiness" goes down while you aren't playing. I.E. you could finish playing, go to bed, come back the next morning and it would have dropped, is that true?

No I hate the ending. Everyone I've spoken to or seen who has played the game hates it too.

Yes your Galactic Readiness does go down over time. Only way to keep it up is to reguarly play multiplayer.

[stoa]

My thoughts summed up

Spoiler

So that's the end of an amazing trilogy and immersive story filled with great characters of all types. What a way to end it too, by not showing the impacts of your choices and giving a big fuck you for all your work over the course of three games. In fact, your choices don't even mean shit and really make you question deciding to start it over again from ME1 because ultimatly everything you do is futile. The Reapers were transformed from being some Cthulu esque nightmarish monster from beyond the edges of known space to some ghost kids lackeys with a retarded logic that "organics and synthetics can't get along so we'll kill all organics before they can make synthetics. Oh yeah and we'll kill said organics with synthetics anyways, completely killing the purpose of all this. It's just to protect you!". Hell there's so much wrong with the ending and everyone will have heard it all by now. I don't think it can be fixed with DLC, in fact it will only make it worse unless Bioware has a stroke of genius which it hasn't done for a long time since being took over by EA.  But you just have to love how EA, Bioware, IGN and other lackeys reacted to fan criticism for calling people "entitled" and that "they just don't get it". Yeah the 99% of people who played the game and realised how shit the ending was all don't get it and they are entitled for wanting a good ending to an amazing series they invested themselves in.

So many broken promises and lies and cutting corners at every turn. Ignoring your choices from the past two games and making many decisions not actually mean shit. You'd imagine saving or destroying the collector base at the end of ME2 would have major plot significance. Nope instead you get 100 war resources or not. What was the big deal then? The most fleshed out decisions seem to have come from a forgetable and easily missable side quest in ME1 concerning a crazy fan whose actions carry over into ME2 and ME3 assuming you made the right choices. This seems to be the most effort Bioware put into your choices actually mattering. The icing on the cake? Replacing many rememerable characters from the game with emails. Hell certain characters aren't even deemed worthy enough to get an email dedicated to them and are instead mentioned only in passing in a news feed. Bioware doesn't even have the decency to tell a certain VA that he is deemed surplus to requirments, yet an untalented IGN front girl whose only ability is to look good in front of a camera is used instead. http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Story-and-Campaign-Discussion-Spoilers-Allowed/So-today-at-ECC2012-10898335-1.html

Rant over

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Spoiler

On the whole, I agree with you. It is a bit disappointing that certain decisions (that seem to be huge) don't really have huge consequences in the end. On the other hand, there ARE decisions that have an impact and change the way the story goes. I just think that some people have over-estimated Bioware in terms of what they can do story-wise over all three parts. I can kind of see why they have chosen the "easy" way out and made an ending that was "independent" from what you have done in previous games. I wouldn't have had a problem with that, if they had gotten it right (which they clearly haven't).

If I look back on the trilogy, I'm still rather happy than disappointed, because overall what the games did was create an atmosphere where you were/felt part of the world. Yes, there are mistakes. Yes, some of the fighting (especially in ME3 and in ME1 because of the interface) is really awful (for ME3 endless amounts of enemies spawning from thin air for example). But in terms of the stories that are told and the way you get to like (or hate) certain characters the game is great.

As I've said, I'm in the middle of my second playthrough of ME3 and I have just had those two scenes with Mordin and Thane. And I still got goosebumps because of the atmosphere that was created. I knew that Thane would die. I knew that the Mordin-thing wouldn't end well and still I felt sad. And I think that is a great achievement for a game. Or the scene where Liara tells you that she has put together all that data (in case you're not successful and the Reapers attack again in the future). I knew what it was about and it was still another intense moment. There are so many things in those games I remember fondly. So, as awful as the ending is, it's not enough to ruin the overall experience I had.

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[Red_Isle_Chap]

Spoiler

Bioware made quite a few errors. In relation to romances a funny example is that the game forgets if you romanced Jacob or not for example "Hey femshep I totally forgot I hooked up with you a some months ago but now i'm engaged! Sorry I didn't tell you earlier". I would feel sorry for all 3 of those people who romanced him. A Bioware emplyee even directly came out and said they forgot about the Thane romance from ME2. I don't know how it's possible but that's some incompetance right there.

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No I hate the ending. Everyone I've spoken to or seen who has played the game hates it too.

Yes your Galactic Readiness does go down over time. Only way to keep it up is to reguarly play multiplayer.

Really? Fuck me it gets worse. So seeing as i hadn't played it in a week before last nights finale, means i was less ready? Get fucked bioware you fucking twats.

I can only liken ME3 to the 4th season of Battlestar Galactica because I feel the same way about the pair of them. Both had amazing stories and great characters and great writing, but only up to the frinales. Both ME3 and BG both have the feel of writers who went " Oooooohhhhh fuck how do we do what want to do? I dunno, let's just botch it, they probably won't notice"

That ending is fucking toss and I'll be honest, I can't believe that anyone at bioware thought this was a good idea? I'd love for someone to sit down and explain to me how on earth that ending sums up and finishes off the whole saga. I've watched all the "different" endings and frankly if bioware was a person i'd punch them square in the mouth for letting me down so utterly and badly.

Yeah the games up to the toss ending were great, but ME3 is easily the worst of the 3 for me, both in story and feel, probably a 7/10.

Fix it bioware you c*nts.

[Red James]

Really? Fuck me it gets worse. So seeing as i hadn't played it in a week before last nights finale, means i was less ready? Get fucked bioware you fucking twats.

I can only liken ME3 to the 4th season of Battlestar Galactica because I feel the same way about the pair of them. Both had amazing stories and great characters and great writing, but only up to the frinales. Both ME3 and BG both have the feel of writers who went " Oooooohhhhh fuck how do we do what want to do? I dunno, let's just botch it, they probably won't notice"

That ending is fucking toss and I'll be honest, I can't believe that anyone at bioware thought this was a good idea? I'd love for someone to sit down and explain to me how on earth that ending sums up and finishes off the whole saga. I've watched all the "different" endings and frankly if bioware was a person i'd punch them square in the mouth for letting me down so utterly and badly.

Yeah the games up to the toss ending were great, but ME3 is easily the worst of the 3 for me, both in story and feel, probably a 7/10.

Fix it bioware you c*nts.

When you hit the

Spoiler

Cerberus base

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your total war score at that points gets locked in so you could disappear for 6 months and come back to finish it off no problem without it being affected by the diminishing galactic readiness. I guess the incentive is for you to go back and get your galactic readiness back up through multiplayer if you're doing a new game. Problem is I don't know how popular the multiplayer will remain and it could become a real pain in the arse trying to raise it up from 50% if fuck all people are playing.

[N-Red]

Got this in the post today, the ending sounds horrendous but i guess i'll find out about it on my play through.

[Tomaldinho]

Is it an enjoyable game before the ending? is it a good game? Does the story have good moments?

[voodoo ray]

Is it an enjoyable game before the ending? is it a good game? Does the story have good moments?

It's a bloody good game until the last 5 minutes.

[Red James]

Is it an enjoyable game before the ending? is it a good game? Does the story have good moments?

It's a great game before the ending with some excellent moments. My favourite being Tuchanka which is one of the few places in the game where your actions from previous games actually matter. Plus it's quite emotional.

[stoa]

Is it an enjoyable game before the ending? is it a good game? Does the story have good moments?

A spoiler-free version of how I see the game. The ending ruins part of the fun, but it doesn't change the fact that the whole experience from game 1 to game 3 (minus the final 10 minutes) is exceptional.

I like the balance between actually playing (i.e. shooting stuff, scanning planets or stuff like that) and watching cut-scenes/talking to people. As a shooter, the second one is the best in my view, as the fights (on normal difficulty or whatever it is called) are not really that hard but still challenging. Part 1 is a pain in the arse in terms of the interface they used. Part 3 has too much of that "Well, you've finished one part of the mission/found an important item. Let's spawn another couple of dozen enemies in areas you've already cleared before so you don't get bored"-gameplay (especially in the final mission).

I also loved the stories that were being told and that you get to make decisions that have an influence on what happens next or in the future. People will complain that there are no "huges" decisions that completely change the course of the game (or the ending), but the way Bioware have done this in all three games is still something I haven't seen in any other game. In games like Skyrim or other open-world RPGs you do tons of stuff that would probably change the world. Yet, it barely gets mentioned. In ME it at least has some influence on what is happening.

The best thing about the games is that Bioware have somehow managed to put me under a spell or something. Otherwise, I cannot explain how I got so attached to the characters. Characters that are basically a shitload of pixels on my computer screen. Yet, I get goosebumps if they have to make an important decision or if they die. At the same time, it feels great, if I meet someone I've met before and simply have a chat with them. About what they're doing now, about how meeting Shepard has changed them. That's why for me all three games (regardless of the ending) have been a truly memorable experience.

[Rusty Oysterburger]

This is an interesting defence of the ending, find myself agreeing with a lot of it because I didn't think it was that bad, I mostly wished it was longer.

http://badassdigest.com/2012/04/03/the-ending-of-mass-effect-3-is-spectacular/

[stoa]

To be honest, I think it is bullshit. The majority of people are playing computer-games, because they want to be entertained. Not to be taken on a 6-year-long pseudo-philosophical trip so that in the end 5% of the audience can wank over how smart they are with their pseudo-philosophical way of thinking. And then let people watch them wank on the internet by going on about how they are among those 5% of the people who get it and how everyone else is a stupid c*nt.

What kind of reasoning is that? What about some of the plot holes that have been pointed out already? Oh, I forgot, there are no plot-holes, it's just what isn't there to be seen so every player can come up with an explanation himself. That's like promoting an illustrated book about Katy Perry's sex-life, charge 500 quid for it and have one photo of her sitting at a table in there and the line under it reads "That's Katy Perry, now imagine you're banging her..."

To be fair, he has a point with the actual endings not being that much of a problem. I don't agree with the criticism about lack of choice or lack of how decisions influence the outcome. The other stuff is bollocks though in my view...

[Red James]

This is an interesting defence of the ending, find myself agreeing with a lot of it because I didn't think it was that bad, I mostly wished it was longer.

http://badassdigest.com/2012/04/03/the-ending-of-mass-effect-3-is-spectacular/

I didn't agree at all. This bit in particular "That’s an incredible ending, one that actually manages to one up 2001 in terms of big, trippy ideas."took me close to just stop reading altogether. The ending isn't "deep" or "artsy". It just reeks of Bioware either copping out or not having enough time to finish it. When you consider EA's track record with wanting to rush games out, I think it's the latter.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

This is an interesting defence of the ending, find myself agreeing with a lot of it because I didn't think it was that bad, I mostly wished it was longer.

http://badassdigest.com/2012/04/03/the-ending-of-mass-effect-3-is-spectacular/

Sorry Rusty, i'm with Stoa and Red James on this one. That whole article, to me, was some gimp going "LOOK AT ME, I'M SAYING I LIKED IT JUST TO BE DIFFERENT!!! I'M SO MUCH COOLER THAN YOU LOT" when in reality, the ending to mass effect 3 (and in some ways a lot of the actual game), an ending to a trilogy that's prided itself on the player being the one telling the story, the one making the choices, that you, the gamer, moulds the story to you.....the ending was a cop out. it had no significant choices because

Spoiler

It doesn't matter what choice you make. The ending is basically exactly the same no matter what you choose to do. You're led to believe that throught the many many hours that you invest into the game, that what you choose to do matters in the ME universe, where in reality it actually means fuck all. Major choices throught the series end up having little or no impact whatsoever. The Rachni queen, the human reaper, who you shack up with, who you kill. None of it matters in the end, not a thing.

I'll be honest, ME3 starts brilliantly, but fades really quick and it fades well before the clusterfuck ending for me. When characters that you've met in 1 and 2 are basically thrown away by the writing team as footnotes, or given missions that are pretty much just a token tack on (like Samara, Jack, Jacob to name but 3) it's all just a fucking cop out. There's so many stupid plot holes that could have been solved easily. For example. Grunt. Tank born krogan who's more perfect than any other krogan. Instead of giving him a pissy little 2 min cameo in cut scenes on a moon where nothing happens about the rachni, why isn't it that it's Grunts dna that's needed with eve to cure the genophage? That would make complete sense. Instead he's given some shitty little battle, falls off a ledge only to be alright and then we don't see him again. The only bit that actually really made me go "fuck yeah, that's awesome" was the thresher maw and reaper fight. Most of the rest of it was toss in 3.

The whole game was so much more of a time sink rather than doing anything useful. The scanning was even worse in this one than in 2 (oddly I quite liked the lazy scanning in 2), the armour was shit if you tried to make it out of pieces, the specter weapons were shit because of the very poor selection.

But all that could have been forgiven if the ending had been handled properly. I agree with james it felt like it had been very rushed. not just the ending, but the whole thing. The writing was really poor, and the shit about the catalyst being a small star child smacked of desperation to be a bit out there, almost like the architect in the matrix. It was pointless and didn't need to be in there. Make the crucible be the ultimate weapon, make shepherd talk to harbinger, the ultimate reaper who you never see or hear very much about only at the end of about 3 sentances. Give us a choice to make a deal with the reapers or wipe them out. Not wipe out all synthetic life, that's fucking shit.

The options they gave us were shit, because the ending itself was shit. Then there's the bit about why is the normandy fleeing the battle and leaving you to die, as they'd have to have used the mass relay before you made your choice. Even that i could probably live with if it just had something at the end. Not just "oh look, it's some of your crew on a world" nice one.

I've invested at least 150 hours into this game, more as i'd played through 2 twice before playing 3. This isn't like a movie where i've sat for 2 hours and gone "that's a bit shit that ending" and headed off to do something else. I've invest a lot of hours into a game series and a universe that had engaged me on a level that films and serieses can never ever hope to replicate. That's why I, and so many others are fucking fuming at the cop out shitness of that ending. I can't speak for others, but I want to see what happens to my crew, i want to see what Tali (who i'd been with for the series) had gone on to do, I want to see what my choice meant for the galaxy.

Ultimately I want closure as the game feels like it never finished. I'll shut up now as i'm probably not putting it down right

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[Rusty Oysterburger]

Yeah, hyperbolic and rambling in places but I was just pleased to see a well worded reaction that wasn't frothing at the mouth about the whole thing. And to be fair I don't see him claiming the ending to be deep, artsy or anything like that, it's incredibly simple really which I found both great and annoying. It's a bold choice but not a wholly satisfying, one which I can appreciate but not really love.

To be honest, by the time I got to it I wasn't overly arsed because I was underwhelmed by the game and story so I found the ending equally underwhelming.
I liked it when I first started but about two thirds in I more or less lost interest for some reason. The game does feel rushed and a little rough around the edges unlike the extremely polished second game so maybe it was something to do with that. Strangely I had the exact same experience playing through the latest Assassin's Creed game.

[Red James]

Sorry Rusty, i'm with Stoa and Red James on this one. That whole article, to me, was some gimp going "LOOK AT ME, I'M SAYING I LIKED IT JUST TO BE DIFFERENT!!! I'M SO MUCH COOLER THAN YOU LOT" when in reality, the ending to mass effect 3 (and in some ways a lot of the actual game), an ending to a trilogy that's prided itself on the player being the one telling the story, the one making the choices, that you, the gamer, moulds the story to you.....the ending was a cop out. it had no significant choices because

Spoiler

It doesn't matter what choice you make. The ending is basically exactly the same no matter what you choose to do. You're led to believe that throught the many many hours that you invest into the game, that what you choose to do matters in the ME universe, where in reality it actually means fuck all. Major choices throught the series end up having little or no impact whatsoever. The Rachni queen, the human reaper, who you shack up with, who you kill. None of it matters in the end, not a thing.

I'll be honest, ME3 starts brilliantly, but fades really quick and it fades well before the clusterfuck ending for me. When characters that you've met in 1 and 2 are basically thrown away by the writing team as footnotes, or given missions that are pretty much just a token tack on (like Samara, Jack, Jacob to name but 3) it's all just a fucking cop out. There's so many stupid plot holes that could have been solved easily. For example. Grunt. Tank born krogan who's more perfect than any other krogan. Instead of giving him a pissy little 2 min cameo in cut scenes on a moon where nothing happens about the rachni, why isn't it that it's Grunts dna that's needed with eve to cure the genophage? That would make complete sense. Instead he's given some shitty little battle, falls off a ledge only to be alright and then we don't see him again. The only bit that actually really made me go "fuck yeah, that's awesome" was the thresher maw and reaper fight. Most of the rest of it was toss in 3.

The whole game was so much more of a time sink rather than doing anything useful. The scanning was even worse in this one than in 2 (oddly I quite liked the lazy scanning in 2), the armour was shit if you tried to make it out of pieces, the specter weapons were shit because of the very poor selection.

But all that could have been forgiven if the ending had been handled properly. I agree with james it felt like it had been very rushed. not just the ending, but the whole thing. The writing was really poor, and the shit about the catalyst being a small star child smacked of desperation to be a bit out there, almost like the architect in the matrix. It was pointless and didn't need to be in there. Make the crucible be the ultimate weapon, make shepherd talk to harbinger, the ultimate reaper who you never see or hear very much about only at the end of about 3 sentances. Give us a choice to make a deal with the reapers or wipe them out. Not wipe out all synthetic life, that's fucking shit.

The options they gave us were shit, because the ending itself was shit. Then there's the bit about why is the normandy fleeing the battle and leaving you to die, as they'd have to have used the mass relay before you made your choice. Even that i could probably live with if it just had something at the end. Not just "oh look, it's some of your crew on a world" nice one.

I've invested at least 150 hours into this game, more as i'd played through 2 twice before playing 3. This isn't like a movie where i've sat for 2 hours and gone "that's a bit shit that ending" and headed off to do something else. I've invest a lot of hours into a game series and a universe that had engaged me on a level that films and serieses can never ever hope to replicate. That's why I, and so many others are fucking fuming at the cop out shitness of that ending. I can't speak for others, but I want to see what happens to my crew, i want to see what Tali (who i'd been with for the series) had gone on to do, I want to see what my choice meant for the galaxy.

Ultimately I want closure as the game feels like it never finished. I'll shut up now as i'm probably not putting it down right

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Spot on. Pretty much what I was trying to say in my late night rant 

The whole game reaked of laziness and cutting corners from relegating main characters from past games to small cutscene cameos or emails to just photoshopping something off google images and going "Here this is Tali who we know you all wanted to see".