Mass Effect 3 - - - Part 12

[jerkhero]

This is a very tight line to walk, and I don't think the original endings did a good job of it.

The new Prometheus movie tried to lean in on this and I don't think it worked there as well.

I agree. I should have added that i enjoy "weird" story elements when they are done well. But yes, it's really hard to keep those elements fascinating and actually adding to the story instead of being random things thrown at you.

 

[Matt]

I still think just what we've heard about the dark matter endings were ten times better. Imagine if they were actually fleshed out....

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

The real problem with that ending is the same problem I have with Synthesis. It doesn't make a lot of sense from a logic standpoint.

The Reapers are essentially trying to stop the Big Rip from happening but they're so technologically down on the totem pole from where they need to be to make that happen that its like a caveman deciding he needs to stop climate change.

 

[Reek]

I'm going to stick with the whole 'they should have gone with the indoctrination theory and furthered it' approach

 

[Matt]

That is what I love about it, the Reapers, for all their technological superiority and talk of being so advanced that their motives cannot be understood, are solving a complex problem through the bluntest, most obvious means possible.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

But they're not actually doing anything to solve it.

Also the end choice would have been if I'm not mistaken: Sacrifice your Cycle to the Reapers, Kill the Reapers and doom the galaxy to dark energy rip.

I don't see how that would have been better than the original endings.

 

[Matt]

But they're not actually doing anything to solve it.

I feel like that is a detail that was lost in translation of the script leak. It seems to me that they were harvesting each species of each cycle. They would let them rise to what the Reapers considered to be their pinnacle of existence, then would wipe them out (so they could no longer further the problem) and take all of their advances as species in order to build onto what previous cycles have discovered with the hopes that they will eventually have enough to solve the problem.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

The thing is, if I'm not mistaken, that the ending also mentions harvesting humanity is their last ditch effort, implying the dark energy rip is about to happen and the Reapers are nearly out of time.

If they haven't solved it yet, and they are still at this level technologically then they've been doing a pretty shoddy job at it over the last several million years.

 

[Matt]

Also the end choice would have been if I'm not mistaken: Sacrifice your Cycle to the Reapers, Kill the Reapers and doom the galaxy to dark energy rip.

I don't see how that would have been better than the original endings.

I think it was a bit more hopeful, either sacrifice the cycle or move forward with the hopes that now knowing the problem, the species could find a way to overcome it. It was uncertain, but not dire.

 

[Matt]

The thing is, if I'm not mistaken, that the ending also mentions harvesting humanity is their last ditch effort, implying the dark energy rip is about to happen and the Reapers are nearly out of time.

If they haven't solved it yet, and they are still at this level technologically then they've been doing a pretty shoddy job at it over the last several million years.

I'm not saying that it didn't need some fine tuning, keep in mind....most of what we know is from speculation based around leaks. I am guessing it was more substantial than what we know.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Those don't really strike me as better ending options, but fair enough I suppose.

 

[Matt]

Of course, part of me feels like the Reapers' motivation should've never been known. Why give them a motive at all? Why not stick with what Sovereign said about their motives being unknowable to our small minds? Make them Lovecraftian forces of nature rather than glitchy A.I.s or benevolent caretakers of the universe. Of course, I'm guessing people would ***** about that too.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I'm with you on that, I personally never needed to know what the Reapers were. Any explanation was going to take away their Lovecraftian elements, regardless, but as you said there were people who felt an explanation was necessary.

*shrug*

Bell's been rung on that one already at any rate.

 

[Matt]

I suppose you need a motive to have a deus ex though (which you argue is necessary to defeating the Reapers since conventional war can't work ). It would be pretty weak if you got to the Catalyst and the Star Child said, "Our motives are unknowable to your pathetic human mind.....buuuuuuuuut it is the end of the game so here are three options for stopping us."

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Well I'd argue its more of a standard macguffin than a deus ex machina, since the notion of a Prothean weapon is brought up in Lair of the Shadowbroker and its introduced at the start of the game with the need for a missing component happening soon thereafter.

All other things aside I don't think you necessarily need a Reaper motive to employ the Crucible, you'd just change your means of information delivery.

"Our motives are unknowable to your pathetic human mind.....buuuuuuuuut it is the end of the game so here are three options for stopping us."

End that with the Catalyst slapping on some shades and end it with a "Peace, *****, we out!" and I'm on board.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Moving on;


Here are all the ending slides (mixed with some video from Destroy Worst and Normal for whatever reason):

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Also here's the new low EMS beam charge (with Liara as LI):

[YT]tRNR3RbcVXI[/YT]

 

[BrollySupersj]

I see they didn't fix the butchering of Harbinger. Going by the sound effects, he's just another Reaper, who HAPPENS to be the "olders" and "largest" in the Reaper fleet. That is something I'll never let go.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Eh, there wasn't much they could do with Harby by this point (the DLC) honestly. They at the very least added recognition when he realizes Shepard's involved in the charge.

But speaking of noises I noticed that he does kind of gurgle out, "Shepard" at 51 second mark.

 

[Reek]

Harbinger talked **** in ME2 the entire damn time. And ME3 led all the way up to a final showdown...and Harbinger shows up. How the **** is there nothing to do with 'Harby'? There could have been plenty of ways to have a bad ass final boss/final fight of the trilogy with Harbinger.

I am amazed.

 

[Reek]

A battle with harbinger, while running towards the beam would have been amazing.... "i hope you feel this" while fighting towards the beam.... that is all sorts of YES.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Sorry - I made an edit. I mean as far as within the confines of this DLC. There was roughly 150 mbs left, not enough for more voice work + a combat sequence.

I also don't get how a ground battle would work against a Sovereign class Reaper, especially under those conditions. Anything strong enough that could hurt him would obliterate everything in the surrounding area (meaning Hammer team).

 

[Reek]

Sorry - I made an edit. I mean as far as within the confines of this DLC. There was 150 mbs left, not enough for more voice work + a combat sequence.

I also don't get how a ground battle would work

Then make it 2 DLC's. Seriously. Why not at this point.

Ground war... Sort of how it already is...add in some enemies... and defeat harbinger by boarding 'him'. This could also add to the IT theory.

I'm sorry, the fact that there are still so many great ways to change that last 20 minutes so it truly satisfies the majority of fans, really says a lot.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

Then make it 2 DLC's. Seriously. Why not at this point.

Let's be serious - it is very VERY easy to continually ask for MORE - and asking for an entirely new combat stage that would require them to completely restructure the climax of the game on the back of what they are already giving you is a little unreasonable honestly.

At this point Bioware is already putting out a free 2 gb download with roughly an hr of content totaled that no doubt is already costing them several millions of dollars. The developers need to deal with budgets and technical limitations like the rest of the gaming industry and while I would have obviously liked more on the Harbinger front that wasn't where the focus of their work needed to be.

 

[Reek]

I know, I know ....

Is it not just SO unbelievably disappointing knowing other, more ME-esque routes could have been taken compared to this? It is so upsetting.

 

[Donut]

At this point Bioware is already putting out a free 2 gb download with roughly an hr of content totaled that no doubt is already costing them several millions of dollars

That is a good thing in my opinion. Because then maybe next time. Don't **** with **** Casey ****ing Hudson & the rest of the gaming industry better take a ****ing note & try not to do what Casey ****ing Hudson did