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Mass Effect 3

Discussion in 'Console Gaming' started by Rhys, Mar 11, 2012.

  1. Rhys

    Rhys Co-Webmaster

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    Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are you know about a certain shooter/RPG that came out last week. Yes, I'm talking about Mass Effect 3.

    Does anybody have it? How is it? I personally haven't played anything except for the demo, as I still need to beat the first two games, but I like what I've seen. The gameplay itself feels really good, and the multiplayer is a lot of fun.
     
  2. DarkSpade93

    DarkSpade93 Level 11

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    I have it and I think I'm a third way through the main story. So far, the story is shaping up to be the best of the three. What I particularly love is that a lot of what is happening in this game is because I made it happen, especially due to the choices I made in the previous games. This is my Commander Shepard. I shaped him and allowed him to go down the path that he did.

    In terms of gameplay, nothing so far has been really striking but I'm sure I'll experience some incredible moments down the line. There are minor tweaks to gameplay mechanics but nothing major.

    All in all, where this game truly shines is in its story; one that I formed and am currently seeing its outcomes being fleshed out.
     
  3. Rhys

    Rhys Co-Webmaster

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    That's one reason I really want to get into the series from start to finish. I don't know of any other series' that let you do that (Aside from Dragon Age, unless I'm mistaken), and it seems really neat.
     
  4. DarkSpade93

    DarkSpade93 Level 11

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    So I just finished Mass Effect 3 and all I can say is...wow!!! What these three games have accomplished is nothing short of magnificent. Best story I've ever experienced in a video game...ever! Maybe even the greatest sci-fi story period. Maybe.

    I'm going to discuss more but I know there are people here who want to play ME3 and haven't yet so let's see if I can figure out how to make a spoiler tag...

    So, why is ME3 the best of the trilogy? Well, the gameplay has been refined to what I feel is the most fluid and enjoyable. It's very similar to how ME2 was but appropriately this game is more action oriented. More violence, more duck and cover, and the inclusion of a brutal melee attack. It is the Apocalypse after all. Shepard has to be merciless in combat. Also some truly incredible action sequences (thresher maw taking down a Reaper for example).

    The narrative is unparalleled. This game goes into discussions about free will, racism (more specifically xenophobia), accepting one's mistakes but making sure to learn from them, the importance of sacrifices. A lot of deep themes and questions where I had to stop and think sometimes about what decision I should make. Should I save an entire race and risk overpopulation or let them continue to suffer from an infertility disease and let things continue the way they are? The game also ties loose ends a la Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Someone you know shows up, you learn what they've done since you last saw them and you part ways or in some cases they die (I'm gonna miss you Legion :( ).

    And finally, the controversial ending. You are presented with 3 different (emphasis on DIFFERENT) choices. 1.) Destroy all synthetic life. This includes the Reapers (yay) and the geth and EDI (nay). 2.) Control the Reapers, where everyone lives except Shepard. 3.) Merge all organic and synthetic life into one super race. Shepard also sacrifices himself. I chose destroy and here's why.

    Many people have said "Why is the little boy Shepard saw die in the beginning the Catalyst? The Catalyst btw is an ancient and powerful artificial intelligence of unknown origin who created the Reapers. So, why is he the Catalyst? I'll tell you why! The Catalyst knows Shepard pieced together all the pieces and made all the necessary decisions to save the universe. He's about to do this. It doesn't want Shepard to do this however because that means it and the Reapers are done for. So, the Catalyst assumes a form it knows Shepard will listen to. The boy that he could have saved in the beginning but didn't. The boy who kept appearing in Shepard's dreams where he continuously chases him in an attempt to be at peace with himself. By appearing in this form, Shepard completely listens to the Catalyst and never questions its logic. Why would he? Hey I'm that kid you could have saved but didn't so here I am giving you a second chance to make things right. Sure you can destroy the Reapers but you don't want to do that? Right? That means you would kill me again! So, here are your other two options. Control us (which is what the Illusive Man was trying to do, realized it was impossible and committed suicide but the Catalyst assures Shepard that he can indeed control them. The Catalyst is lying) or make a super race where everyone is like you, half man, half machine (why would you choose this option, you're rewriting the genetic code of every being in the galaxy, unaskedfor, thus presumably changing all life at a fundamental level. That's just gonna mess things up further I think). So I chose destroy because I knew was the right decision despite it being the Renegade red color (again the Catalyst is tricking you into thinking that destroying the Reapers is wrong).

    So all those people saying I don't have choice in the ending, YES YOU DO! It may not be based on everything else you've done so far but so what. The other 99% of the three games are; it' just the ending that isn't. The entire series is built on choices, and Bioware let the player change the entire galaxy with the final choice.

    And while closure may have been nice it isn't necessary. This isn't the end of the Mass Effect series; it's just the end of Shepard's story.
     
  5. Geoff

    Geoff Administrator
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    The first game was really good though repetitive, the second game was incredible, but I haven't played the third yet. I just beat ME2 at the beginning of the year so I'm kind of tired out with it for a while.

    I've heard plenty about ME3 (no spoilers, really), and what I've heard, I don't like at all. But I'll find out for myself whenever I buy it - probably once I beat some other games and the price drops.
     
  6. Klippy

    Klippy Resident Animal Crosser

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    Mass Effect 3 was the best in the series and the best game of the year by far right up until the end. Every moment felt amazing. All the ends were coming together; I was beginning to see the final and complete piece of art that it was unfolding before my eyes.

    Then the ending portion began and it was all crushed before my eyes...

    Talk about terrible. That ending completely soured my experience and ruined the series for me. I love Mass Effect still, but I have been trying to get myself to replay 3 for my renegade run and I seriously can't do it. The ending is that bad and it just demotivates me to even play again. I haven't touched it since I beat it.

    First, the three choices completely negate the entire series. You have spent three games FIGHTING the Reapers. Why would you do anything but destroy them as originally intended? Then the final cutscenes were just the same things with different colors. Your squadmate/love interest randomly back on the Normandy. Joker fleeing the battle when everyone knows he would've died for Shepard and not fled (no other ships are seen fleeing, so why would the Normandy?). Nothing you did during the game mattered in the end. You can say your "galactic readiness" affected the one small thing where Shepard breathes or not, but that's not enough to remove the tainted memory of that ending.

    And then the final message of the game is to "buy more DLC to continue Shepard's story or play multiplayer". That is no way to end a game. I won't be buying any DLC, thanks.
     
  7. DarkSpade93

    DarkSpade93 Level 11

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    The ending was lackluster, yes. But it didn't ruin the game or the series for me. I'm currently re-playing ME3 (just re-played ME1 and ME2) and I'm interested in seeing if my opinion changes this time around having just played the three games back-to-back-to-back. Hoping the free Epilogue DLC being released this summer will improve things.
     
  8. Klippy

    Klippy Resident Animal Crosser

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    I just think it was a really crappy way to end things.

    You have three choices that all lead to the same ending but with a different color.

    And I just don't care for that. And I'm in the majority of people that disliked it. I'm not saying it's bad to like it, but I just thought it was terrible. I'm gonna replay it at least once more for my renegade ending and I may choose a different path for my paragon if I can load it close enough to the end.
     
  9. DarkSpade93

    DarkSpade93 Level 11

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    This might please you. BioWare released a statement about the free Epilogue DLC which will be released June 26 in North America and July 4 in Europe and will consist of, “additional scenes and epilogue sequences. It provides more of the answers and closure that players have been asking for. It gives a sense of what the future holds as a result of the decisions made throughout the series. And it shows greater detail in the successes or failures based on how players achieved their endings.”
     
  10. Klippy

    Klippy Resident Animal Crosser

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    Yeah, just read about it. Quite pleased, but also nervous. This is the final chance to redeem the ending that many fans hate. So I hope they do it justice and don't forever-ruin the series. I'm about to start my Renegade playthrough, actually.
     

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