30 replies to this topic

[Jason Panella]

M. Leary, on 23 March 2012 - 09:08 AM, said:

I think you just saved me a lot of time. Thanks.

I'm thinking the same, Michael. I am curious to see what happens if BioWare tweaks the game a bit. One of the advantages of waiting a year or two to play a game, I guess.

[opus]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious how BioWare will handle this. Part of me hopes that the ending was merely a cliffhanger, and that BioWare planned all of those inconsistencies, etc. However, another part of me is sort of pissed that the true ending of the game requires DLC -- which, in the past were primarily for expanding the game's universe, introducing side characters, etc. -- and isn't in the actual game itself.

[Tyler]

BioWare announces an Extended Cut.

Quote

BioWare has announced Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut which is a DLC pack expanding the events at the end of the game.


Through additional cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes, Extended Cut will give fans “seeking further clarity to the ending of Mass Effect 3″ deeper insights into how their personal journey “concludes.”

Edited by Tyler, 05 April 2012 - 08:29 AM.

[opus]

Guess this means I'll finally need to sign up for an Xbox LIVE account.

[opus]

Or, I guess I could just wait for those "additional cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes" to be uploaded to YouTube.

[opus]

"The Mass Effect of Gonzo Gaming"

Quote

Players are now immersed in the story in the same way Hunter Thompson immersed himself in his stories. He created a new kind of journalism where the journalist entered into the lives of the people and into the action of the events he covered. He called this Gonzo Journalism. His goal was to deeply and truthfully experience the emotions that drove people’s actions, to understand the history that led them to that time and to that place, and thereby to uncover and communicate meaning that only comes through the lives of people. To do this he had to become part of the story he was writing, and that meant affecting the story, making it.

Mass Effect is Gonzo Gaming. Players become characters, experiencing the story and making it their own creation. Admittedly, immersion can enhance any game experience, no matter how shallow and cheap the story. But combine immersion with a great story, and you create a connection with your player-character that sticks. It’s this Gonzo connection that is the real payoff. It forms a pipeline of experiences and insight by transporting the player-character into the world of the story. They live in it. They shape it. They care about it.

[opus]

The Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut was released yesterday. Among other things, it featured a new ending option titled the "Refusal" option.



Though it certainly doesn't address the many issues related to the game's ending, and it's not the rewrite that folks asked for, I actually kind of like it. If nothing else, it feels more in-line with the grim tone of the series, with a slight bit of hope held out at the end. And it also feels more epic... once you get past the galaxy-wide annihilation, that is. Not surprisingly, there are folks who think it's just BioWare's way of thumbing their noses at all of the haters who've been ranting against the game for the last three months. (Which, truth be told, might be another reason why I kind of like it.)

That being said, I really wish BioWare would've done something with the "indoctrination" fan theory that's been around for awhile. Though maybe they're saving that for more DLC down the road, which is coming.

[Ryan H.]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I was given the MASS EFFECT trilogy for PS3 as a present, and I have to say, playing through all three games back-to-back with the same Shepherd has been an awesome experience. And, despite fan consensus, I like the third game best. I did play through the first time with the so-called "extended" ending DLC, and even there, I felt the ending was ill-conceived, but not so disappointing that it ruined the game for me. The build-up to the end provided enough closure.

There is a MASS EFFECT 4 on the way, probably for next-gen systems, but I have a hard time seeing how a fourth game could be a satisfying experience. Though, if it turns out that the upcoming final DLC for MASS EFFECT 3 does go "all out," as is currently rumored, I'll probably give that a look.

Edited by Ryan H., 26 January 2013 - 09:22 PM.

[Ryan H.]

Alright, so I downloaded the "Leviathan" DLC for MASS EFFECT 3, and after playing through it, I'm left wondering, "Why wasn't this part of the game as originally released?"

Along with the "Extended Cut" DLC, "Leviathan" would have gone a long way in making the ending work, given how it elaborates on Reaper backstory. After you know the ending, though, "Leviathan" doesn't have quite as much appeal; in the build-up to the final section of the game, though, it would have worked like gangbusters. As it stands, it plays like a deleted scene that is nice on its own, but really would have worked best in context.

[James Blake Ewing]

Because EA wanted to ship the game earlier to boost quarter sales.

[Greg Wolfe]

I came late to ME3 but I went ahead and got all the DLC including the just-released "Citadel," which is probably the best DLC I've ever played -- a hilarious, affectionate farewell to a troubled but brilliant series.