[PC/PS3/360/WiiU] Mass Effect 3

[Keroko]

I'm curious who replaces Tali though. And how about Thane? He was quite critical in his part.

[SoldierOfDarkness]

Tali is replaced by another admiral Raan I think.

And Thane is gone.

I played ME3 default settings so without Thane and that major guy the dalatrass is killed and it's harder to convince kaiden/ashley to stand down and you lose salarian support.

[Rising Dragon]

Mordin is replaced by Padok Wiks, the STG base commander on Sur'Kesh.

If Thane is dead in ME2, his role with the Salarian ambassador is replaced by Kirrahe. If both of them are dead, there is no replacement for that role.

As mentioned, Tali is replaced by Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay if she didn't survive ME2.

Miranda... don't think she gets a replacement.

[4sostrander]

Just...finished...Mass Effect....Three...I'm so just 'wat.' right now, you wouldn't believe it.

Spoiler for Mass Effect 3 Ending That I Chose:

Okay, so, you're given three choices at the end of the game. Or, at least, I was. I decided to go with the 'Assuming Direct Control,' if you know what I mean. That is, I chose to control the Reapers. I did this because..well, a few reasons. I chose NOT to destroy all synthetic life because I'm in love with the Geth, and they just got individual bodies and are all peaceful and nice and stuff now. So that one was out of the question. That left Synthesis and Taking Control. Now, I would have chosen Synthesis, but there was one major problem - all the mass relays would be destroyed, no matter what choice I use. So, using Synthesis could send us back into the Cyber Ages, and that...seemed bad. Now, using the Control option would all destroy the Reapers, but if I could control them, then perhaps the life in the Galaxy could work with me (The Reapers, now) to provide new transport...or something like that. But...I feel as if I made the wrong choice. After the ending movie played, I noted a few similarities between The Crucible and the Halo Installations, but mostly...I felt really bag. A huge sense of regret. After Joker got his ass handed to him and crashed, I felt the regret hit 100%. But, it was playing Faunts (One of my favorite bands that I found out about from the Mass Effect OST, who did the ending themes for the first and third games) so I didn't quit. I'm glad I didn't.

All in all...the ending I chose was superb, and the movie after it was just as great. If you're a Mass Effect fan but are still debating on whether or not to buy it, do it. Finishing the story felt wonderful, and I don't think I've ever felt as accomplished as I had at that moment. The gameplay is finally a solid shooter/RPG mix, unlike the first two, which were more RPG and then more Shooter. Now, it's a perfect balance. It was almost a perfect game. I mean, yes, the cover bugs kinda suck, and the game was insanely hard (Maybe because I was playing on the hardest difficulty the entire time) but...really...all worth it. Especially that ending. There's no way Drew Karpyshyn could have made it better.

Anyone else want to pitch in? What were your thoughts on the ending or on the game itself?

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by 4sostrander

Anyone else want to pitch in? What were your thoughts on the ending or on the game itself?

*cough*

Right, well... brace yourself then.

Spoiler:

I hate it.

I hate it for the plotholes it needlessly introduces at the last second (Why and how is Joker running away? How did Anderson get there before me? What's with the screwed up "I kill you with synthetics so you won't be killed by synthetics logic? and much more).

I hate it for recycling 90% of the footage (seriously, all three endings are almost identical)

I hate it for making our choices over the past 3 games largely irrelevant on what ending we see.

I hate it for it's lack of conclusion. Getting to know what happened to the people I helped would have been nice, even if only my squad (and no, "they got stranded" is not an answer, that's an entirely new question).

But most importantly, I hate it for creating more questions than answering. Okay, so the reapers where created by the catalyst.... so who the hell is the catalyst? What's his story? Who build him? With the mass relays and the citadel destroyed, we'll see a complete galactic change to... well, everything. Trade, communication, government, everything will change. But we have no idea how. What happens to the people stranded in the fleet? What happens to the people stranded on far-flung planets? What happens to the Normandy crew?

But most importantly... what happens to Shepard?

[erneiz_hyde]

With the Shepard Indoctrination theory, the ending actually got a lot better. Though I'm not sure if this interpretation was intentional. I remember a similar case where an internet theory from back then about FF8 from disc 2 on was a mere dream as Squall died by Edea's ice spear. Though it's interesting, it doesn't necessarily mean to be the intended interpretation.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

The indoctrination theory ending is only good if there is follow up to what happened in the crucible. Otherwise its kind of like Virgil with the Aenied which kind of cuts out mid sentence.

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by Keroko

*cough*

Right, well... brace yourself then.

Spoiler:

I hate it.

I hate it for the plotholes it needlessly introduces at the last second (Why and how is Joker running away? How did Anderson get there before me? What's with the screwed up "I kill you with synthetics so you won't be killed by synthetics logic? and much more).

I hate it for recycling 90% of the footage (seriously, all three endings are almost identical)

I hate it for making our choices over the past 3 games largely irrelevant on what ending we see.

I hate it for it's lack of conclusion. Getting to know what happened to the people I helped would have been nice, even if only my squad (and no, "they got stranded" is not an answer, that's an entirely new question).

But most importantly, I hate it for creating more questions than answering. Okay, so the reapers where created by the catalyst.... so who the hell is the catalyst? What's his story? Who build him? With the mass relays and the citadel destroyed, we'll see a complete galactic change to... well, everything. Trade, communication, government, everything will change. But we have no idea how. What happens to the people stranded in the fleet? What happens to the people stranded on far-flung planets? What happens to the Normandy crew?

But most importantly... what happens to Shepard?

That earlier video sums it up beautifully in one sentence. Mass Effect 3's ending sucks because it obliterates narrative coherence.

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

The indoctrination theory ending is only good if there is follow up to what happened in the crucible. Otherwise its kind of like Virgil with the Aenied which kind of cuts out mid sentence.

My guess is that Shepard never actually entered the Crucible in that last sequence. He just finally break free of the Reaper's indoctrination by "destroying" the Reapers.

[liquidmetal]

Have finished it and unlike the first two I have no motivation to go through the game again, purely because of the ending.

Shame because the rest of the game was really good even though they seem to have streamlined options within conversations.

[LoweGear]

Producer, assemble your team.



*RUUUUUUUUUNS*

[Kyero Fox]

I'd choose the one highlighted, the one left of that, and the last one to the right because they look the oldest

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

The indoctrination theory ending is only good if there is follow up to what happened in the crucible. Otherwise its kind of like Virgil with the Aenied which kind of cuts out mid sentence.

The indoctrination theory is nonsense imho.

Spoiler for spoiler:

If Shepard had been indoctrinated since the arrival DLC then why didn't the prothean VI on Thessia detect Shepard as being indoctrinated in either of the two instances you meet it while clearly detected kai-lang as being indoctrinated in both.

Its just grasping at straws.

[Alchemist007]

Kai Leng was certainly more indoctrinated I think. Shepard doesn't give in to anything prior to the ending. It's possible the level of influence on Shepard by that point wasn't enough. Kai Leng was going around doing their bidding.

[erneiz_hyde]

The Prothean VI might only be able to detect a fully indoctrinated individual. The Reaper's influence on Shepard at that point is still minimal I think. The Reaper only fully goes all out indoctrinating Shepard at the last scenes.

Of course It might be grasping at straws, but at least with the theory I can stop hating the ending with a passion because it only gets tiring after a while.

[Drake]

Spoiler for spoilers:

The thing is its pretty well established that the more indoctrinated you are the less "capable" you become and kai leng seemed very capable so it isn't really feasible that he was more heavily indoctrinated but instead just following the illusive mans orders.

Theres nothing to suggest that the VI could measure the "level" of indoctrination it simply pointed out if a person was or wasn't indoctrinated and since it didn't detect that Shepard was at two different points in the game (the second being in cerberus HQ right before the final assault on earth) its a safe bet Shepard wasn't indoctrinated.

I can see why a lot of people would want to accept the indoctrination theory but for me it just makes as little sense as the existing endings.

[zibi88]

Originally Posted by Drake

Spoiler for spoilers:

The thing is its pretty well established that the more indoctrinated you are the less "capable" you become and kai leng seemed very capable so it isn't really feasible that he was more heavily indoctrinated but instead just following the illusive mans orders.

Theres nothing to suggest that the VI could measure the "level" of indoctrination it simply pointed out if a person was or wasn't indoctrinated and since it didn't detect that Shepard was at two different points in the game (the second being in cerberus HQ right before the final assault on earth) its a safe bet Shepard wasn't indoctrinated.

I can see why a lot of people would want to accept the indoctrination theory but for me it just makes as little sense as the existing endings.

maybe becouse Sheppards will power still was fighting the indoctrination attempts... he was allwasy "destroy the reapers" and not like IM control them or even think about different road except of killing them once for all

so here might be the difference between indoctrination like in Seren from ME1 and him.... he is not aware that they are trying to break him and make him work for them...and he still goas around and gets the kill them

maybe this is why VI did not find indoctrination in shep. becouse he was still not converted completly he was resisting...he had friends to keep his mind in check... he could talk with liara, garrus or tali about his nightmares...his throughts...while IM or Seren were kinda outsiders...they prefered to be alone and here is why they lost to the indoctrination... shep has many allies, many friends or even a love interest person to listen to everything he feels or what torments him

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by Drake

The indoctrination theory is nonsense imho.

Spoiler for spoiler:

If Shepard had been indoctrinated since the arrival DLC then why didn't the prothean VI on Thessia detect Shepard as being indoctrinated in either of the two instances you meet it while clearly detected kai-lang as being indoctrinated in both.

Its just grasping at straws.

One plothole that can be worked around if not explained entirely versus an ending that is riddled with plotholes, makes no sense and yields more questions than answers.

I'll take the indoctrination theory. Even the total cliffhanger of "but if Shepard never got to the crucible, what happened to the battle?" has less plotholes and unanswered questions than the current ending.

[bones]

Originally Posted by zibi88

maybe becouse Sheppards will power still was fighting the indoctrination attempts... he was allwasy "destroy the reapers" and not like IM control them or even think about different road except of killing them once for all

so here might be the difference between indoctrination like in Seren from ME1 and him.... he is not aware that they are trying to break him and make him work for them...and he still goas around and gets the kill them

maybe this is why VI did not find indoctrination in shep. becouse he was still not converted completly he was resisting...he had friends to keep his mind in check... he could talk with liara, garrus or tali about his nightmares...his throughts...while IM or Seren were kinda outsiders...they prefered to be alone and here is why they lost to the indoctrination... shep has many allies, many friends or even a love interest person to listen to everything he feels or what torments him

Ok, I'm with you so far but where's the indoctrination worming it's way into Shepard's mind coming from, the Illusive Man and Kai Leng spent prolonged time with Reaper tech in their secret Cerberus base but that's not the case for Shepard as far as I know.

[Keroko]

Nobody ever said indoctrination required constant close-range exposure, but let's count:

ME1: Shepard was rather close to sovereign during the final battle.
ME2: Shepard spend quite a long time in the collector ship, the collector base, a dead reaper and was exposed to Object Rho for two days straight.
ME3: Lots of reaper-tech salvaging and close encounters with reapers throughout the entire game.