Mass Effect 3- With Spoilers.

[Delias]

Alright, so my curiosity is killing me- Do you actually get Jack at some point after you save her students at the Grissom Academy? I haven't had time to play much past that point. All I know is I saved them and got them on my ship and then they mysteriously disappeared.

[inso]

The students are just war assets. You'll run into Jack once later, at the purgatory bar at least. That's the only time I've seen her since.

[Delias]

The students are just war assets. You'll run into Jack once later, at the purgatory bar at least. That's the only time I've seen her since.

Lame.

[Gelston]

I never got Jack. I didn't get to explore Grissom because it pissed me off and bugged out. One of the enemies kept spawning inside the roof so I could move on and had to restart like 6 times.

[Delias]

I never got Jack. I didn't get to explore Grissom because it pissed me off and bugged out. One of the enemies kept spawning inside the roof so I could move on and had to restart like 6 times.

I am wondering if it is just like a cameo appearance where I get to make out with her, hah.

[Ashlander]

The guidebook doesn't mention her as a squad member so I'm guessing no. I'd trade her for Liara in a second.

[Gelston]

lol guide book.

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_Wiki

Free.

[inso]

You also see Jack right before the final battle- but she's just a hologram reporting in.

They have to have made these endings (3 copy/pasted sequences really) with the intention of selling a DLC ending/denouement later. The story has been retconned as hell since ME1, and never consistent- but the draw was always the characters and relationships. Even a text-based "what happened to whom" storyboard at the end like DA:O had would have been acceptable. Ugh.

[Gelston]

That last ship battle straight up reminded me of return of the jedi.

[Stanley Burrell]

How do I make Legion not die?

[inso]

He dies/sacrifices himself no matter what. Best you can do is broker peace between Quarians and Geth while losing him and upgrading the Geth.

[Fallen]

Just beat it. Best game I ever played up until Illusive Man pulls the trigger. At that point shit breaks down. They basically repeated the Saren arc conclusion. The "kid" being the representation of whatever the fuck the catalyst was sucked as well. Meh Meh Meh.

Amazing game, shit ending(s)

Oh, and I could have gone without the second, third, and fourth slow-mo dream sequences.

[Gelston]

I look forward to the DLC. Hopefully it is more of stuff like the shadow roker and less of stuff like Firewalker or whatever.

[Warriorbird]

Just beat it. Best game I ever played up until Illusive Man pulls the trigger. At that point shit breaks down. They basically repeated the Saren arc conclusion. The "kid" being the representation of whatever the fuck the catalyst was sucked as well. Meh Meh Meh.

Amazing game, shit ending(s)

Oh, and I could have gone without the second, third, and fourth slow-mo dream sequences.

There's a theory there'll be an expanded end DLC, like Fallout 3.

We'll see.

[Stanley Burrell]

In the "green" ending, it looks like Joker is synthesized. But EDI looks exactly the same. It should have shown her breaking a sweat or ... bleeding? Something organic-y.

[Fallen]

I heard an awesome theory that I think I will choose as the ending for my Insanity run. Shepard is running towards the pillar of light and is struck by Harbinger's laser. After that moment, everything he sees in his mind is an attempt at his indoctrination by the Reapers. The choices of "Unity" or "Control" are the same nonsense those that have fallen under the sway of the Reapers claim is possible. There is only one real choice, to destroy the Reapers at any cost.

If you choose the "Destroy" ending you see Shepard surrounded by rubble and badly burnt ... just as he would be after being struck by Harbinger's laser. The Reaper's hold over him broken, he awakens with a ragged breath to continue the fight. Think about it, after building the confrontation between Harbinger/Shepard for so long, you never face the creature head to head. The fight isn't over.

The above definitely isn't true, as people would be furious that they would need DLC to get the "true" ending, but I like it a hell of a lot better than the alternatives provided.

[Fallen]

Knew one was out there. Hits the nail on the head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b33tJx8iy0A

This fanfic makes the most sense to me: http://arkis.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-3-Alternate-Endings-SPOILERS-289902125?moodonly=1&offset=25#comments

Also:

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac54/nitefyre410/yodawgme.jpg

[Atlanteax]

Found in the you-tube Hitler video...

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

That article is quite compelling...

[Stanley Burrell]

I heard an awesome theory that I think I will choose as the ending for my Insanity run. Shepard is running towards the pillar of light and is struck by Harbinger's laser. After that moment, everything he sees in his mind is an attempt at his indoctrination by the Reapers. The choices of "Unity" or "Control" are the same nonsense those that have fallen under the sway of the Reapers claim is possible. There is only one real choice, to destroy the Reapers at any cost.

If you choose the "Destroy" ending you see Shepard surrounded by rubble and badly burnt ... just as he would be after being struck by Harbinger's laser. The Reaper's hold over him broken, he awakens with a ragged breath to continue the fight. Think about it, after building the confrontation between Harbinger/Shepard for so long, you never face the creature head to head. The fight isn't over.

The above definitely isn't true, as people would be furious that they would need DLC to get the "true" ending, but I like it a hell of a lot better than the alternatives provided.

The Illusive Man willingly undergoes indoctrination. Shepard has fought it off, even if he is under the influence, moreso than any sunnuvabitch in the galaxy. The Catalyst, presented to Shepard in a way he can perceive, even tells him that he wasn't being controlled.

Ultimately, Shepard is like Blade without the anti-vampirism needles. He's that mind-over-matter. After the beam hits, he maintains connection with the Reaper hosts because they've maintained connection with him. His bodily existence at that point is moot: He's on a higher plane/another dimension/whatever.

Of course, a big plot hole there could be, well, why didn't Shepard connect to the Catalyst when he died a jillion other times? I guess he wasn't ready/you're supposed to view the storyline as if you've never had a mission failure.

[Poppatrunk]

All I know is that president obama screwed up gas prices now he's screwing up my mass effect 3 with his minorities everywhere you turn and the gay sex! The liberal agenda strikes again!

[Stanley Burrell]

All I know is that president obama screwed up gas prices now he's screwing up my mass effect 3 with his minorities everywhere you turn and the gay sex! The liberal agenda strikes again!

Yeah.

[Kaerika]

Just finished it. Yeesh, kind of a lame conclusion to a great set of games, huh?

Some great characters really got pushed aside and nothing about the story is as exciting as the suicide mission. When Shepard was giving her speech towards to the end to her squad, it would've been so much more meaningful to have the whole crew from two standing there. Well, those that survived, anyway. Thane deserves better than, "I'm just going to stand around in this hospital for all of act 2."

Until this game, Mass Effect has done a great job of making me feel like my choices mattered and were shaping the galaxy. Here...? I choose the Quarians over the Geth (because I couldn't bear to make Tali sad, much as I liked Legion), and it kinda didn't matter. It's not like I got to hear about what happened to the Quarians after the reapers were exterminated. Tons of examples like this... hey, I saved the Rachni, but all it did was make my bar go up a little bit.

Seems like basically nothing other than the final choice mattered at all, which I suppose is often the problem with morality in games. One and two would have had a similar problem, except that the final choices in those games impacted the following one. (Though, I have to wonder, if I saved the Collector base at the end of 2, what makes things turn sour with Cerberus in 3? Obviously the Illusive Man isn't going to be my ally in 3.)

Maybe I'd feel better if I had gotten the "best" ending, but I wasn't willing to grind multiplayer or finish out the handful of fetch quests I had left to fill my bar entirely. It doesn't help that I was pretty bored by the combat about halfway through, either.

[Fallen]

Bioware is still mulling over the possibility of adding more choices and an epilogue to the ending. I'm hoping they choose to do so. I will agree that doing all the fetch quests for the maximum war efforts is tiring, but it honestly isn't too terrible if you use a guide to see the exact locations to scan (Yes, I used a guide. I hate playing "guess the scanning location") Have you tried multiplayer at all? It might surprise you. It isn't perfect, but i'm willing to bet it will hold your interest for at least 5-10 hours or so.

You can also use the Mass Effect Datapad app that is free for iOS devices, as well as the Mass Effect Infiltrator game to raise your galactic readiness level. Neither are anywhere near as entertaining as ME3, but if you've free time to burn you might enjoy them.

[Delias]

Honestly, I think one of my favorite parts of the game was how many people died, including Krios. It's not a war where everyone survives, and I think it adds a lot of weight to it being a terrible galactic conflict where just making it out alive isn't enough. It's total victory or total defeat, and the cost of that victory is the lives of your friends and allies, not just faceless strangers on a distant planet.

At least, that's how I felt about it. The fetch quests were less annoying by far than mineral gathering, or driving that stupid tank through nearly impassable terrain.

[Fallen]

BTW Bioware has officially announced it will be adding/augmenting the ending. I don't think they are going to change any core parts of it, just add more explanation and clear up some of the plot holes.

[Tgo01]

Mass Effect 3 row prompts change to add 'further closure' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17458208)


Gamers unhappy with the endings of Mass Effect 3 will get "further closure" thanks to new added content, developer Bioware has announced.

Large numbers of fans had complained that the finale to the popular saga did not live up expectations.

The company said they would provide a number of "game content initiatives" to clarify aspects of the game's plotline.

In a blog post, Bioware co-founder Ray Muzyka described the feedback as "incredibly painful".

"Our first instinct is to defend our work and point to the high ratings offered by critics - but out of respect to our fans, we need to accept the criticism and feedback with humility," he said.

Gamers flocked to forums shortly after the game's release earlier this month to complain that the game's different endings were underwhelming.

Through the series, which made its debut in 2007, players would make choices over how to continue within the game. They been promised that these decisions, of which there were over 1000, would impact the conclusion.

However, thousands complained that Mass Effect 3 only had three alternative endings, with no significant differences between them.

As part of their campaign to have the game changed, supporters have raised more than $70,000 (£44,000) for a children's charity.
Continue reading the main story

'Passionate reaction'

Mr Muzyka continued: "Mass Effect 3 concludes a trilogy with so much player control and ownership of the story that it was hard for us to predict the range of emotions players would feel when they finished playing through it.

"The journey you undertake in Mass Effect provokes an intense range of highly personal emotions in the player; even so, the passionate reaction of some of our most loyal players to the current endings in Mass Effect 3 is something that has genuinely surprised us."

It remains to be seen how Bioware will work in the changes in order to satisfy the disgruntled gamers.

Keza MacDonald, UK games editor for IGN.com, said: "It's highly unusual for a developer to release downloadable content [DLC] that actually alters the ending of a game - usually it comes in the form of extra missions or more story details for people who want them.

"Games like Portal 2 and Fallout 3 have had their endings altered slightly to accommodate DLC or a sequel, but that wasn't a reaction to fan requests. It's not certain that Bioware actually will change the ending, but if they do, it'd be pretty much unprecedented."

Gamers be crazy.

[Bhaalizmo]

I just finished it less than an hour ago, and while I'm not all up in arms about it like some, it did feel slightly underwhelming and not as triumphant as I was hoping. It was more like here's your victory but you have to eat shitburgers now.

[Drew]

I guess I'm the only one who thought the ending was amazing and perfect.

[Bhaalizmo]

I guess I'm the only one who thought the ending was amazing and perfect.

So you didn't mind the whole "you win but now you have to eat shitburgers" scenario?

[Fallen]

Or how people that were on the planet with you were suddenly aboard the Normandy? Or how Joker took the Normandy through the relay before Shepard had them destroyed, effectively abandoning you mid-fight? Or how the Starchild insists that organics and synthetics will always fight each other when you (can) have a Geth army supporting you? Or how the galactic community is now effectively dead because of the destruction of the relays? Or how the Turians and Quarians will all starve to death because their fleets are trapped on/near Earth with nothing to eat? Or how when a relay is destroyed it takes out the entire solar system it was in...and you blew up all of them?

You can like the ending, but it is awfully hard to swallow some of the plot holes.

[Anothi]

Or how people that were on the planet with you were suddenly aboard the Normandy? Or how Joker took the Normandy through the relay before Shepard had them destroyed, effectively abandoning you mid-fight? Or how the Starchild insists that organics and synthetics will always fight each other when you (can) have a Geth army supporting you? Or how the galactic community is now effectively dead because of the destruction of the relays? Or how the Turians and Quarians will all starve to death because their fleets are trapped on/near Earth with nothing to eat? Or how when a relay is destroyed it takes out the entire solar system it was in...and you blew up all of them?

You can like the ending, but it is awfully hard to swallow some of the plot holes.

Well put. All the questions I practically had, you just asked them. I DEMAND ANSWERS!

[Stanley Burrell]

Or how people that were on the planet with you were suddenly aboard the Normandy?

It's implied. This is why you're heading out with the British squad. They're always on the damn Normandy 90% of the time.


Or how Joker took the Normandy through the relay before Shepard had them destroyed, effectively abandoning you mid-fight?

I thought the relay was destroyed as they attempted to jump. If not, it's an Earth-like planet they're transported to anyway (convenient). Somehow Joker sexes up the AI and tells The Shepard story. Yeah. Hmmm.


Or how the Starchild insists that organics and synthetics will always fight each other when you (can) have a Geth army supporting you? Or how the galactic community is now effectively dead because of the destruction of the relays? Or how the Turians and Quarians will all starve to death because their fleets are trapped on/near Earth with nothing to eat? Or how when a relay is destroyed it takes out the entire solar system it was in...and you blew up all of them?

This is the opinion of the Catalyst alone. It probably is true. Just because you see the synthesis as peachy; now, instead of 50k years later, 25k or ten million years later, synthetics will take over. Probably. I think it is an eventuality because all organic species undeniably become extinct, probably starting with the non-human species left on Earth. Even if later on ... Sonny, John Connor, Neo and HAL teamed up and started fucking each other lovingly.


You can like the ending, but it is awfully hard to swallow some of the plot holes.

I really liked the ending. I only didn't think it was perfect based on how little scenery and Ninja Gaiden-y nextgen CGI there was for an end game sequence, but the plot holes I can fill in without too much thought personally. If BioWare's going to add more end content, I would try to confuse the audience more and just add more bells and whistles.

[Slider]

Or how people that were on the planet with you were suddenly aboard the Normandy? Or how Joker took the Normandy through the relay before Shepard had them destroyed, effectively abandoning you mid-fight? Or how the Starchild insists that organics and synthetics will always fight each other when you (can) have a Geth army supporting you? Or how the galactic community is now effectively dead because of the destruction of the relays? Or how the Turians and Quarians will all starve to death because their fleets are trapped on/near Earth with nothing to eat? Or how when a relay is destroyed it takes out the entire solar system it was in...and you blew up all of them?

You can like the ending, but it is awfully hard to swallow some of the plot holes.

Yeah, but my biggest question was how did Earth survive the absolute PASTING it got from the fleet when it showed up to "rescue" it. I mean, all of those ships firing at the Reapers, and most of them managing to completely MISS the huge, stationary targets just sitting in orbit.... So where exactly did all of those mass driver rounds hit... Oh shit!! The big fucking planet behind them maybe!?!?!?

Have to say I did enjoy the game up to that point. But yeah, there where some huge plot holes in there too.

[Fallen]

Yeah, but my biggest question was how did Earth survive the absolute PASTING it got from the fleet when it showed up to "rescue" it. I mean, all of those ships firing at the Reapers, and most of them managing to completely MISS the huge, stationary targets just sitting in orbit.... So where exactly did all of those mass driver rounds hit... Oh shit!! The big fucking planet behind them maybe!?!?!?

Have to say I did enjoy the game up to that point. But yeah, there where some huge plot holes in there too.

Actually, that is an excellent point. It is stated many times throughout the encyclopedia that care has to be taken when an enemy uses this tactic.

:( Earth got hosed, Timmy.

[Anothi]

Actually, that is an excellent point. It is stated many times throughout the encyclopedia that care has to be taken when an enemy uses this tactic.

:( Earth got hosed, Timmy.

That part of ME2 made my laugh hard.

What is Newton's Law, Private?

Sir! An object in motion stays in motion, sir!

Bullshit! No credit for partial answers!

Sir, an object in motion stays in motion unless stopped by an outside force, sir!

That's right, Private! This is why we don't shoot from the hip, cowboy! Because if you miss someone, somewhere, at some TIME will have a real bad fucking day!

All and all, great, fun game, but it needs those plot holes filled...

[Fallen]

Last one for today...

http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/6809/motiv2313.jpg