Posted on: Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
Posted in: Featured
Comments: 587
ME3: Extended Cut Analysis + Leviathan DLC
Angry Joe breaks down and reviews the Extended Cut Endings for Mass Effect 3. Do they improve the franchise? or add further insult? And what might we see next for Mass Effect? Find Out!
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587 thoughts on “ME3: Extended Cut Analysis + Leviathan DLC”
** SPOILER WARNING, BTW **
I will concede that this ending is much better than the one given to us upon release. I still don’t like it though. True, it’s no longer an “A, B, C” ending, but it’s an “A, B, C, D” ending now. A lot has been added, but there’s still no ultimate “good” ending.
Synthesis is still garbage, and Shepard never returns to the crew, no matter which choice you made at the end. The only choice that makes sense to me (destroy) still kills all synthetics (Edi and the Geth). I know that sometimes bittersweet endings are good, but Bioware’s always been good about making it possible for an ultimate happy ending, even in Dragon Age: Origins.
However, what changes were made were fantastic, and once again, I’ll concede that it is much MUCH better than what we had…. I still don’t like it though.
I always said that I was a great fan of ME game series through out its history. It gave everything that no other game could live up to. Choises you could make, things that actually mattered till the very end. And an actual relationships with other characters you care about and even love. Mass effect made all this possible.
But then the ME3 had to come and EA had to kill the whole game for me with its most lamest ending in the game history. It truly was a bullet to the chest for me. After that I didn’t want anything to do with the damn game. Not even one or two. Because with three it all would go to waste once again.
But after seeing this. I am more than happy to say that Mass effect game series once again glooms life and happiness. Once again I am able to grab my controller and start a new adventure starting from ME1 and enjoy all the things I did, with the ending I was fighting for through out one and two and three.
I can say no more than thank you so much for listening to your fans and never let EA kill your games. You truly care for the game and the fans. And by doing this extended DLC, you proofed that ME game series will have a future. And it will not be remembered as a hated game even with all the success and money it achieved.
Extended cut is great. Fixes ending fine. But i’m still for indoctrination
The Extended cut was definately worth both the wait and the outcry. BioWare is still alive inside there, whether EA try to destroy them or not, they still try and keep in touch with their fans. It would of been nice if this was the first ending, but we’ve got it at least, and I truely believe that Mass Effect is one of the very best Sci-Fi trilogies to date, maybe even one of the Best Trilogies to date. If there was one thing I was truely disappointed with in this (and I wasn’t THAT disappointed really) was that they don’t expand on Shepard’s breathing scene, especially when they actually said that you can reunite with your crew. I hope they expand on this, but if they don’t then fine, I can live with that.
As for more DLC, bring it on, I’d love to see what else they’ve got. In fact a new game entirely. I know others don’t agree but the Mass Effect universe is too vast and expansive to let it go now. Even if it’s just books or shows that continue from it is better than letting it go after staying with it for so long. Obviously don’t milk it, we don’t want it to be a complete sell out, but I think it needs to be kept in mind for future games BioWare.
The new four endings are infinitely better than the original two (2) endings. I still killed the Reapers, although I actually played through the other endings this time rather than watch them on Youtube. The new synthesis ending is even more illogical than the old one. All this robot love creeps me out.
I’m entirely content with my $74 purchase. All the indoctrination conspiracy theorists proved to be the bunch of angry toddlers they are. Remember, they claimed that ME fans wouldn’t be satisfied with ANY ending because we were too “stupid” and “unintellectual” to understand the “genious” and “revolutionary” contemporary, Japanese style ending. Now, the INDOCTRINATED are crying like little girls about the new ending, even though all they had to do was read Bioware’s press releases for enkindler’s sake!
The weapon sound effects still need to be returned to how they were; hiring EA to make anything “more realistic” is a horrible mistake. I still want my Mako back. This card game b.s. is infuriating and all for horde mode… I’m going to cancel my XBox Live account, boot up ME1, and get back to crushing Geth beneath my tires.
Well….interesting. You know, that wasn’t the review I was expecting from you, Joe. I was actually expecting you to be a bit more scathing of this underwhelming piece of crap foisted off on us. Sure, they did it in a hurry so there are things wrong with it. The essential problem is that it shouldn’t have needed fixing to begin with or did we forget that somewhere along the line? It makes me wonder if there was money passd under the table here, to be honest. Did they pay you off? If not, how about telling us why you actually think this is good. I don’t see anything ‘good’ here. It’s still a ripoff ending feature a deus ex machina device and last minute plot and theme changes all in the name of making the ending ‘controversial’. Sure, it addresses certain problems with the ending, but not the main problems. It certainly doesn’t account for all our choices, and it fails to deliver on the promises made. What should have happened is that they should have remade the ending and done it right, not screw around with a ridiculous DLC for the sole purpose of trying to make people shut up. So, Joe, why are you cutting them slack when they’ve screwed up so badly?
Have you even heard of opinions bro?
“oh he liked something I didn’t, so he was payed off to say something good about it!”
dude shut the hell up! Wether someone liked it or not is up to everyones opinion. Just cause you hated it, doesn’t mean everyone else will, and he found it to be far better than what we originally got, and I thinks so too…but oh, I actually like something you don’t, so I must be a sellout right? Go fuck yourself bro, seriously…
I’m amazed they actually did anything, but still, nothing they could have done would fix the damage.
I think I’m just to whiny, over-reactive and self-entitled for BioWare games anymore. And all the other dismissal phrases they used to insult their CUSTOMERS not their fans… their CUSTOMERS.
If this is how they treat the people who they are trying to sell $60-plus products to, they can shove it. They can shove their franchise, they can shove their universe, they can shove their 4th game and they can shove their silly little cartoon as well.
as for mass effect 3 Extended Cut ending if it was the ending the first time it would have been a awesome ending to a awesome game
but am i not going to called the mass effect seris over just yet
there will all ways be someone left to fight
i just hope they make a mass effect 4 and not go the way of Star Wars: The Old Republic
as for you angry joe love the show it awesome
Ok, quick question anyone notice that the destroy option is STILL the only way to see shep breathing and in that ending the beam to the citadel is still up? could that mean that someone went up there and found shep alive hence the breathing scene because they kept that scene AND the “one more shep story” aftermath????? Please tell me im not the only person to see this?
Your not.
Considering that’s the only ending where Shep doesn’t dissolve, it sort of makes sense he was blown down somewhere on the citadel. Where and how it looks like a wartorn London is beyond me.
I really hope you are right. Although I love the new Extended cut (Not perfect by all means but it’s as perfect as we’ll get it and I’m still having a blast with the rest of the game anyway) I was a bit disappointed that Shepard couldn’t reunite with his crew like they Promised in that Twitter post. The only reason I choose that option was because I thought Shep might make it back to his/ her LI if it all went well, but alas… but we can’t keep complaining, eh?
Agree largely with what was said here, the new endings aren’t perfect but they are a damn sight better than the original ones and it is enough of a closure that the games feel re-playable again.
Oddly I thought the Synthesis is probably the only really good ending out of the three (ignoring the 4th). Control has an almost sinister feel to it with Shepard talking about willing to go to any lengths to prevent future conflict etc. Which (to me) implies even genocide etc. Destruction ending feels like the the war left the universe bloody and broken afterwards which is fair enough but also feels like it was a very high cost that will take forever to recover from. With synthesis it was more like, suddenly everyone is self aware and best mates, congratulations, the galaxy is united. Maybe was just me though.
Love the videos anyway, look forward to whatever is next.
I still have mixed feelings, but I also appreciate that the DLC has basically been put together as quickly as possible in the wake of such a huge disappointment, and I guess it has to be accepted that it wasn’t going to be perfect. I’m not quite as pleased as Joe, but I definitely agree that this is good in the sense that it has forced EA and Bioware (more the former than the latter, I imagine) to listen to the fans, take into consideration what THEY- WE- wanted. Perhaps this will set a precedent for the future and it won’t happen again. Ultimately, I personally believe that the Indoctrination Theory was probably the original set up…way too many clues and nods (some of which are hardly subtle, and not exactly just plucked out of the air by blind-faithful) indicate to it. It was all too weird and plain to see for it to be unintentional…I think that perhaps it (or something similar) was set up that way, but EA had other ideas. It would have given the franchise finality, and lets face it, ME is a cash-cow, and they want to be able to extend the opportunity to make profit from it. Its what a company does. Sadly, whatever fool cobbled together the original ending (lets face it, it was all one ending
) didn’t even do so cleverly. So I am pleased to see things fixed, but it all feels too “after the fact”, and I will not be surprised if the idea to extend the franchise for profit will backfire. I know some people who refuse to buy merchandise and other ME items, downloads, media, even the gorgeous artbook (must have!), so betrayed did they feel by what happened earlier this year.
I know in my heart how it should end! ^.^
I still want to know what the original intent was, how it was all supposed to end before things all got changed. Even though issues have been addressed, it almost feels like all the bad points had to be pointed out, and EA decided to just deal with those. Hell, I think most of us would have bought it if they went along with the Indoctrination Theory and said “Oh yeah, that was totally our idea from the beginning” >:3
Still disappointed…but not entirely heart broken. I’m not going to be some fool and insist that the Indoctrination Theory is what has happened (because it has been clearly ruled out in the DLC), but I’ll view it the same way I viewed the alternate endings from the I Am Legend movie
PS Joe, you’re hot
I love your show Joe, but I think your cutting a little too much slack towards Bioware. It was close but it didn’t get the cigar. It was better than the original. I’ll cut them some slack. I’ll give them that much. All I want is the reject option to be tweaked. I want to win or get a bad ass last stand like in Reach. I don’t like the fact that I’m grasping for straws again. Also don’t like the fact I’m left in speculation of Leviathan. 50% fix is still a fail in my book.
So supposedly, (so the God child says anyway) synthetics and organics will, in the end, fight to wipe one another out. Yet I managed to get the Geth and Quarians to work together. So… ? Yeah…
I still remained unsatisfied by the AI-God-Child-Shithead dialogue. Its logic is still extremely flawed and contradictory and we don’t get the chance to argue with it. I don’t mind its flawed logic, what I am annoyed by is the lack of arguing that you could have done with it. Perhaps they could add Persuasion and Intimidation options throughout the dialogues for more endings, more choices. If that happened, then this truly would have been an awesome ending.
The other sucky thing, was the Rejection ending. They should have at least show us the last stand of the Victory Fleet, and all the assets we drew together. Show us some closure even there. And if our assets were great enough, even allow us the chance to achieve victory, with a debris and death-filled future perhaps, but victory none the less. On this note, they should have expanded the battle cinematics in general even more. I was dissatisfied with the lack of kakliosaur-riding krogans and giant elcor tanks and the different weapons the Victory fleet had at its disposal through the variety of the technologies it encompassed.
Don’t get me wrong though, as it is, it’s still good, just not that good that I would rate this game one of the best games I’ve ever played. The experience throughout the game is awesome, the ending needed a little more twitching, and perhaps this DLC was rushed as well. Some of my faith in bioware has been restored, but not all.
The source of the problem though is this: Bioware didn’t consider that maybe I didn’t want my Sheppard to get turned into a messiah. I saw Sheppard as a simple soldier with an exceptional character and morals. I don’t mind the sacrifice. I actually like it. What is wrong here is the LACK OF CHOICE (not angry Caps, just emphasis Caps). In ME2, you have the choice to kill Sheppard if you want. It’s not ideal, not something everyone would choose, or that would fit the canonical Sheppard, but at least you had the choice to say: “Sheppard’s story ends here, when the reapers come, it’s up to everyone else to deal with them, and hopefully they learned something from me and will make it count, or they will just all die, or whatever other possibility I can think of”. This lack of choice is what kills the ending for me ultimately, It was still good, just not Mass Effect-like. The creators made 4 endings, where essentially three of them (the original ones) have similar results (not like it was in the pre-DLC ending, but still similar in my opinion) and the other is just a glorified “Game Over” screen. They didn’t create endings with completely different futures ahead. The main thing of the 3 improved endings was: Everything is rebuilt, we are united (different degrees, depending on ending), Sheppard is dead or MIA. They could have done so much more:
- Persuade the AI of its faulty logic through argument and make it reevaluate its “solution”, where it decides to retreat the Reapers, and let this cycle have a chance, as it already showed that synthetics and organics CAN coexist peacefully and cooperate.
- Intimidate the AI into entering an infinite loop, or contradict its programming, and make it explode or something, Star Trek-style.
- FIght out the battle with no choices and win or lose depending on your war assets
-etc. etc. etc.
And one more thing:
In ME2 the ending can be played out in infinite ways, depending on your crew’s loyalty, how fast you go to the Collector Base to save your abducted crew, if you are a renegade or paragon, how you deploy your characters and how you play out your strategy etc. But when you go to the end you have 2 choices and only 2 choices, which are morally opposite and unique.
In ME3, the final battles are ALWAYS the same, and all the war assets you gather just help you “unlock” ending choices and some minor consequences that occur for each choice. The choices are still morally different, but their aftermath is somewhat the same: We rebuild, and Sheppard is dead. In essence, in each playthrough you do the same things more or less and get the same things back, with a few differences here and there (e.g. will the geth exist in the new future or not? will EDI be more human or not? etc) which by themselves don’t make endings so distinctive as they should.
Though BW did a ok job on trying to meet gamers half way, I still have some major problems with the ending:
Starchild: Would rather have the catalysis be some one that I met, maybe Kaidan or Ash depending on who died? Not some stupid child that I don’t really care about.
Starchild’s logic Organics vs Synthetics: nope sorry, that is not a main theme of mass effect only a side theme. If this was introduced earlier in the series and made it self a main theme than I would have accepted it but it is a little late for that.
RGB: It’t the lack of effort that bugs me the most about this. Bioware (or Casey I really don’t care) wanted to make a “not traditional ” ending, but in the end they just ripped of the Deus Ex ending. Besides I feel a win switch is a lame way to end a trilogy.
I find EC does take a hopeless situation and makes it more hopeful but that does not tide me over enough to ignore the rest of the ending. Oh well time to substitute my own ending and put this fiasco behind me and move on.
I think some people really think this is the end for Shepard. I disagree. I mean at the ending scene with the man and the child he askes for another story about The Shepard. And the old man says, “Ok but just one more.” Meaning there might be another game, and given some of the hints, i think it might have something to do with the Yahg. Yes it may not sound as good as fighting the reapers. But since i believe in Bioware, i think it would be an amazing story. Especially if Shepard comes back to life again! How the hell are they going to explain it this time?
They said Mass Effect 3 is the end of Shepard’s story. There may be more games in the Mass Effect universe, and maybe another DLC ’cause that’s clearly a lead-in, but no more games starring Shepard.
Now I think starcraft 2 needs an extended cut to explain the indoctrination theory behind the overmind and the dark voice and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I know I’m probably the only one here, but I was hoping for a completely “good” ending. You know, Shepard lives, Reapers are gone, everyone rebuilds, yadda yadda. It’s foolish, but I guess it’s the kind of person I am. Shepard suffers greatly over his duties and then in the end gets killed. I get it. Noble hero sacrifices himself for the galaxy. Awesome. But, eh… I’m too much of a happy/optimistic person I reckon. I don’t mind death and sadness during it all, but at the end, I want those bad guys to get put down and the heroes to succeed. But all in all, new endings were okay. Not perfect, but a great improvement.
Given the ham fisted conversion of Shepard space hero to Shepchrist the ME Messiah the “happy medal ceremony” ending just wouldn’t fit. Because you know for an epic trilogy to conclude you have to turn your hero into the messiah.
Sarcasm aside I agree with you that the endings were much improved, if still fundamentally flawed.
Yeah I agree with you. I think that would have worked well with the refusal ending. If you had pretty much full on readiness you would be able to defeat the reapers by some sort of miracle. A difficult ending to achieve but still much possible.
I am a huge optimist just as you, and what I really wanted to see was Sheperd living together with my love interest Tali on Rannoch, maybe a few human and/or quarian children they adopted. But that’s me with my wish for a truly happy ending. But I guess it wouldn’t really work as it is.
Exactly what I wanted. Tali and Shep on Rannoch. With Garrus, my SpaceBro behind me. Got to have SpaceBro Garrus with you. SpaceBros for life. It angered me that I had this huge amassed army from all over the galaxy, ready to fight and lay some serious smackdown on some Reaper fuckers, but then it was all… bleh. WHY? I wanted to see some epic shit going on. Blast those synthetic mongrels back to the dark space whence they came, then pump my fist in the air as Earth and the rest of the galaxy is freed. Shep picks up Tali in his arms after the battle, with the crew walking behind me as one giant ass Reaper comes crashing some ways away in the ground in the background. Be epic as shit, right? And still plausible! I don’t get why every badass hero has to die in the end. Why? Badass heroes need to live! Breed and make more badass heroes!
Agreed. That’s why we play games, watch movies, read fiction, etc. to see that happy ending and have more hope in our lives.
I completely agree with the video. It explains most of the points (and all the glaring ones) made by the first ending.
The reject ending is ok, but I am tired of scifi cop outs with frigin magic. Explain it we love sci fi cause we get plausability and it makes us lose ourselves in the story.
Ohh well, not going to happen.
For those that are satsfied, great, I am happy mediocre is ok with you. Ever want a sci-fi series, movie or videogame again though that sticks to science and allows for plausible bigger than life endings without introducing a new story in 10 minutes at the end? Well i do.
Its a turd still but just a little more moist. Easier to pass.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T_thD3gZPIYvfybcKdH1Z9Dswx5hi_tGIAJX3p5SSok/edit
YO JOE, I have a theory for the ending that solves many of the problems (particularly with the Catalyst’s stupid explanation for the Reapers) and requires no Extended Cut 2 or something along those lines. Please Read it! Same goes to any other commenters. THANKS!
This ending was definatly an improvement. Still the indoctrination theory was better and it would lead to this final conflict where you could see everyone unite against the reapers. Also I would have liked a bossbattle with Harbinger.
I chose the synthesis ending btw. But thats mainly because I like EDI and Joker so much. So giving them a chance for a true relationship was something I really wanted.
what would make the funeral scene even that much more awesome is if they pulled a Metal Gear Solid 2 where they have the name that the player entered presented on the plaque. Example: for default characters “Cmdr John Shepard” of for custom characters like mine, “Cmdr Malcom Shepard”. That would have been a very sentimental cherry to top this beautiful dlc. But the dlc is as good enough as is. I’m very glad and very thankful that bioware made the effort and listened to their fans. They’ve redeemed themselves in my book, and I’m definitely looking forward to any new story based game’s they’re conjuring up as we speak.
That’s a good point, but because (most) were cut scenes it probably would have been too much.
I just assumed the jungle planet was the rendevous point.
Actually the wave that disabled the engines also disabled the restroom. Joker needed to take a pit stop.
2nd playthrough makes me want to reassess my first impression.
The vanilla version gave us red,blue,green and we hated it.And this new version gives us red,blue green with a hidden F U option all with some more explanation(wich is good).
But at the end nothing at all you did the whole game matters.Its still left,right,straight or FU.
I appreciate bioware for doing this.they didnt have to.But i think that this is proof enough that high end corporate egos that think they are so awesome that they can do this behind closed doors…..can’t.
After DA2 and this i think ima shop piratebay for bioware games.Coupled with a data mineing program that is origin and a blood sucking leach producer that is EA.what does bioware have on the competition these days?
They do have production value….I’ll give them that but thats about it.They have a great grafics and gameplay team but an absolute shit,can’t work as a team,writeing crew.
piratebay……fuck this piratebay.alls ima say.
Oh yes, because piracy is TOTALLY a valid option, and in no way morally objectionable. >_>
As much as I like the IT, I’m okay over all with the EC. My biggest issue is that new option. “You lose.” Okay. I get it. Protheans lost despite being united as one Empire. Why should we a diverse galaxy yet more primitive do what they couldn’t? Okay. But couldn’t we see it? Couldn’t our rating matter? Just like how Destroy gets the breath, why couldn’t be seen kicking at least some reaper butt before it all falls apart. I can let this slide though.
I’m sure some will find a way for the IT still to work. Like as long as you don’t tell the kid to f off, Harbinger aka the kid is focused on turning you (thus distracted), so no matter which option you choose, your combined forces manage to tip the tide and fire off the anti-reaper superweapon. It’s just Sheperd only survives if he fully rejects it. Something like that. Then more to explain all the rest. Grasping at straws I think.
What were all those assets for if they really didn’t matter? Why do we get a breath scene? Other than those two questions, the EC wrapped up most of the others. Easily better than the original.
A: The Prothean leadership was housed in the Citadel which was the first thing the Reapers took disorganizing them.j
B: They were also fightning the Metacon war at the same time as when the Reapers arrived.
C: Because they took the Citadel they also had control of the Mass Relays and kept each part of the Empire seperated from the other.
D: The Protheans fought with one doctrine so when the Reapers found their weaknesses they couldn’t adapt.
E: They fought through attrition allowing whole systems to taken by the reapers eventually leaving them severly outnumbered.
Our cycle is completely different as none of which I mentioned happened. So, it’s entirely possible that with the knowledge of the previous cycles left to us that we could win conventionally or not. Aside from that if you gathered everyone you gathered rescources never thought of with the Geth and Rachni forces.
Oh I agree. Quite different. I’m sure the Reapers pulled a Geth style upgrade on the “metacons” too.
The Reapers did that, in ME1, turning the machines “Geth” to start a war. However that is where you “shepard” comes in to prevent this and acting as the fulcrum point to tip the balance.
Hints why I said The Reapers probably did that during the Prothean cycle too.
Also, since codex said chances of success were “even” we should have been given a shot.
But it’s “their” story. Not ours so… they win. I guess that’s what happen when a bunch of dudes are in charge. Women are so much more flexible and don’t need to be “dominant”.
This DLC drastically improved my view of the last few minutes of the game, but sadly I still wish Indoctrination theory was true, I mean come on guys look past it as people trying to hold onto an ending where our hero doesn’t die, IT would have actually been smart writing, plus they had all that was needed in place to do it.
I think we can kinda call it dead now though, there’s still some credit to it but with full blown epilogues now it’s hard to think it true. I mean come on I want to believe it’s true, having Shepard wake up and we get a final true boss battle to the game. Especially since the endings all represented some form of indoctrination, Illusive Man wanted to control, Saren wanted to merge life, and Anderson would have simply destroyed them. But then again maybe that was the idea all along that you chose the fate of the galaxy.
So now that this is out I guess our question is really this, where do we go from here? With the supposed leak of the next DLC I’m not entirely sure if I want to buy it if it’s simply a side mission set before the final battle at earth, Why? Because we die anyways, why would this matter beyond simply setting up a plot thread for the eventual Mass Effect 4. I guess you could say it might shed light on some more things but personally I don’t feel like I want to invest anymore in Shepard given how it all turns out.
Personally I think next DLC is trying to set up why Reapers would still be threats in the next games, Leviathan of Dis proves they can go rogue and Sovereign even said that we are each a nation unto ourselves. And if they can go rogue it means that even if Reapers continue to exist they can easily still remain our enemies.
Which brings us to our next point, given how radical the endings can be, how will this effect future games? I mean think out about it, in two of the 4 endings Reapers not only continue to exist they help us rebuild. This would be a radical departure in that in the destroy ending they die from what we can tell. So at this point I can only think that maybe Mass Effect 4 takes place a considerable time after Mass Effect 3, so that way Bioware can stick in there saying, after Reapers help us rebuild they all left back for darkspace, or converted themselves into a different race or something. Then for destroy they simply can just say, oh yeah we killed them all and that’s why you no longer see them.
Bioware still has to re earn my trust though, I’m less pissed now but still, I kinda felt my Shepard’s death was, cheap, I just kinda thought given all the previous stuff Shepard survived we watched him/her die like this, in cutscene. I guess I should lay off given that we saved the galaxy but let me put it like this, know a good death ending? Red Dead Redemption, it had impact, you had control of those last 5 seconds of Marstons life, sure it only ending one way but like you tried going in a blaze of glory.
I guess the largest complaint of this now is that why did we have to have this all tacked on? Shouldn’t this have all be on the disc? Also, given that the game seems like it was pushed out the door, maybe there is something to consider, maybe it was not bad writers that made some of these endings, maybe it was a conflict of writers working on it. Idoc theory might be this result, originally this had been the planned ending, we were going to get our Indoc ending but they cut the part out due to a time table, axed a good section of the earth battle and cut out our final confrontation with Harbinger.
I actually hope that in the new DLC you play as someone else, I mean face it, Bioware is going to, at some point, have to distance themselves from Shepard.
Hey, Joe!
Look this wiki about the Levianthan of Dis: http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Leviathan_of_Dis
Bye!
We held the line for this and it was worth it.
awwwp i see what u did there
The ending is still poor compared to the rest of the series. Then again the ending to mass effect 2 was rather silly but the whole live or die system made up for the rather weak writing. I believe the ending now works as an ending to the mass effect trilogy I don’t like it but I can accept this as the ending to the story. Before this DLC the ending was simply broken and did not work as the ending to a story.
Is it free?
I found the Synthesis ending in EC much more creepy than the original one, especially seeing everyone with blikning subdermal circuitry.
). Strangely enough, we see Quarians pretty much alive, even when they are partial cyborgs. But I assume that Destroy ending means just deleting AI, not nuking everything synthetic. Also, it could hint that Shepard’s fate in it is not 100% sure, because we do not see his name getting on the wall…
The Control ending was very much like JC Denton ending of Deus Ex: IW (we all unite under the watchwul eye to immortal being). So in my opinion, pretty good. I have to disagree with Joe, Shepard did die (crew still pins his name on the wall), and he remains only as an construct and collective mind of Reapers (replacing the god child)
Refusal Ending was really big surprise for me (accidentaly triggered it twice, once by dialog and one by shooting the god child), and I liked the altered Stargazer scene, saying that the next cycle managed to destroy the Reapers with help from the Archive. As for not being able to defeat them ourselves, the God Child claims that we have sacrificed too many of our forces to even get the Crucible in place. So armed with the knowledge that Crubicle is big pile of junk, the next cycle was able to focus on more conventional warfare, not putting all their hopes in some unknown alien tech.
However, my favourite is Destroy ending, even though I am sad that EDI got killed by it (but I am sure that they can rebuild her, they have the technology, make her better, faster, stronger
Unfortunately, Twitter from BioWare stated the next cycle used the Crucible anyway, for the Refusal ending.
Quarians are not cyborgs at all. They are just wearing environmental suits because of their weak immune-system so of course they are alive.
Well, no, quarians have cybernetics, as seen on Tali’s unmasked picture. Also it is said in game or in books that quarians get some cybernetic enhancements before emabrking on their Pilgrimage (not sure where now)
Refusal ending is good as is. Sure, some added scenes of defeat might have been nice, but who in their right mind thought they could actually defeat the Reapers head on when no one else in the entire game thought it and put all their hope on the Crucible?
I don’t know if Joe looked at the very end, but in Refusal the grandpa and kid are different and tell about how they used the information we provided to defeat the Reapers. So we might not get to kill off the Reapers, but we ensure that future generations do it without playing into the Reapers’ hand. Right after Destroy it’s actually the best ending.
Also, while I find IT interesting, I really didn’t care to have it added. It was a good theory, but fan things are fan things. When ever I see makers add nods towards the “fans” in their work, it makes me cringe.
And what’s so great about the IT? Lets say it is 100% true, then what? It merely negates the last minutes of the game without giving us anything in return. You’re still in the rubble, you still got the whole Citadel bit to go through, etc. You have to come up with entire ending anew. How about you get on it, fans?
actully not true have you ever heard of the dark energy twist check out Mass Effect 3 (Ending): What Could Have Been. trust me youll be suprised
thank you broware not E.A. i still have a question to tell them is shephard going to be found after the endings and i was piss off at the fuck off starcilld ending that we lose to the reapers and the star cilld saids so be it! rate for the d ending 10/10 c ending 10/10 s ending 7/10 rf ending 3/10
I take back what I said about a “lack luster” ending. Now that it’s had a few days to sink in and I’ve played all 4 endings, I love the new ending. And it is NEW.
Mass Effect is and has always been a “thinking man’s” game; and, this is a “thinking man’s” ending. After looking & thinking about it more & more, I just get more excited about it and appreciative of it. There are so many cool nuances in what the catalyst says that really make you think.
All the data needed to answer your questions is either present or can easily be extrapolated from the data that’s there. And I say again, I love that it’s an intellectual ending. In true sci-fi, trek/Dune fashion, this ending delivers.
The 4th ending is still a bit of a slap, but it’s logical. Hackett says we can’t win conventionally, so yes, you lose. I think if they’d had more time and budget, the 4th ending would have been longer. But what we got is still really good and most importantly – appropriate.
It does not kill the indoc theory because there are still dream elements.
That new 4th ending strikes me as a place holder. With the new DLC coming out, it could very well be that they eventually make it possible to have a conventional war with the reapers and win. Maybe not with Leviathan but eventually. DLC that takes place after choosing that option would be great. Starting with Shepard escape from the citadel, taking the keeper tunnels and sabotaging the station on the way out to blow and take out a couple dozen reapers with it.
It could very well be the cannon ending eventually. It allows for the best future game development. That ending existing actually re-kindled my desire to play multi-player, the fight actually meaning something.
About indoctrination, naw it hurts the theory but doesn’t destroy it. It actually makes the star child more sinister. They assimilated their own creators and thought they were doing something good. The biggest hit the indoctrination theory took wasn’t that it was contradicted, but now the other endings are more acceptable to people so they don’t have to rely on it.
ok first off i wanna say is tht i love the angry joe show. Ok how do u get this extended cut me3 do u have 2 pay for it or is it free bc i would love 2 have it if its free no real money 2 pay for it if its nt and im a huge fan of mass effect and dragon age (j throughin tht one ot there) if anyone cn tell me ill be happy
Thank You Bioware. No thanks to you E.A.
it was better than what we were given and if hey weretogive us another game mabe the Prothean War.
Ok it did address alot of concerns yet at the same time Bioware corporate ego spews from it.The nonsensical logic of the god child is still there.Don’t get me wrong I think its very cool that they did this for the fans.And if they had done this from the start i prolly wouldn’t have raged on it like i did months ago.However,it still feels like the bittersweet ending they wanted is force fed down your throat.If you like that sort of thing hey you have a winner here.But im betting most dont really care for bitter.At least myself,I like to feel good about things,and really dont search out for ways to make me sad.And sure as hell don’t want to buy it for 60$.
I’m just waiting for the inevitable over entusiastic video showing something about the Rome II: Total War announcement.
It’s still not very good, but now it doesn’t leave a shitty taste in your mouth… The original ending managed to kill the whole trilogy for me, but now I can see myself maybe someday replaying it… at least the first one. Wasn’t that impressed with 2 and it’s lack of decent rpg mechanics and loot.
How do you get the ending shown in the video where Shepard is alive and walking? I cant seem to find out how.
Control ending.
Please tell me guys, why do you think IT is dead? None of its basic thesis are dismisted! I’ll give you a few:
-The Shep still wakes up after “control”, although it doesn’t make any sense.
-The whole gameplay looks like it’s some kind of dream or hallucination.
-Illusive Man still appears out of thin air, pretty much the same for Ardenson.
-The whole synthesis scenario doesn’t make any sense, especially that Mass Effect franchise is considered very realistic one.
-Starchild is still as manipulative as he was before, promoting his agendas which don’t have much sense.
To sum up: Extended Cut addressed only a couple of loopholes (smaller ones I might add), while leaving major ones intacked. IT theory is as probable now as it was 3 month ago and the outcome is yet to come.
the refuse ending pretty much nips indoc theory in the bud, because if it was indoctrination then out right refusing the catalyst would have resulted in shepard waking up from it instead we lose, get the liara message, and the new end credits scene and everything else is left in the dark.
There is one thing that kills the whole IT for me, even though I would like it to be true.
I don’t believe that Bioware would do an “Extended Cut” for an “faked dream ending”. If IT would be true, I think they would’ve used it for the “Extended Cut”, and not leave us with another “faked dream ending”.
The indoctrination theory isn’t dead. It has more of a foothold. The whole point was to bend Shepard to Harbringer’s will. It is likely that the other reapers agreed that the humans were the best candidate for re-purposing after the defeat of Sovereign. So when Shepard succeeded in defeating Harbringer twice in M.E.2 they had their proof. Harbinger being the “more
advanced life form” would have taken quite the hit to the ego and tried to convince the other reapers that humans were not their best option by breaking the one responsible for defeating them three times. During the arrival d.l.c Harbringer would have uploaded the virus to indoctrinate Shepard. Seeing as how the only way for it to instantly happen is by dragon’s
teeth, it would have taken time. When M.E.3 starts Shepard looks out the window and sees a random kid. This kid dies shortly after Shepard reaches the Admirals. How is a kid going to magically get to the top floor of a building blocks away from his home? Let alone that room blows up and no one sees the kid ever. Then there is all those visual allusions to what
a being experiences while going through the indoctrination process throughout the game. Shepard being under a greater level
of stress than when the Skiliium blitz occurred causes the process to happen faster. After being uploaded into the Geth consensus, Harbringer gains the materials needed to conduct the final test on Shepard. Hell even the beam from Harbringer during the run to the transporter could have uploaded the program into Shepard. The reaper on Rannoch was uploading the virus into the Geth collective and would have reported what occurred in that mission to Harbringer. Thus providing another way to reinforce The indoctrination
theory. Now we get to the point where Shepard is knocked out and the simulation goes into full swing. Culminating in the real test. Do you bend to the god child’s choices or do you refuse? Refuse and the god child talks like Harbringer. I love this reference to David vs. Goliath. Both in the game and real life. Consumer/ fans vs. the corporation/ E.A.& Bio-ware. You beat him again and he is furious! Why wouldn’t you yield? why won’t you concede? Shepard reply’s, “Simple, I will never surrender!” Harbringer is about to attack after the retort when he gets blasted in the face by Edi/Joker. Shepard gets picked up and a climatic space battle ensues between you/ your crew and Harbringer. You win he relents explains the whole dark energy ending leaves you with the big choice from that ending and dies. If you choose to make the human reaper: the Reapers help you make that reaper and you stop the dark energy from consuming the entire galaxy. Shepard also is a part of the reaper that is made. On the other hand you say no its not worth it we will find a new way; you fight the reapers. Depending on the actions taken throughout the series you stop the dark energy. If you screwed up the galaxy gets consumed in a badder version of a black hole. Then in both survivable endings you get a result epilogue. After I mentioned David vs. Goliath I state what I remember of the original ending ( the dark energy ending).
Hito, I’m not even gonna read that walloftext. Only read the first sentence and that says enough. Another moron with his fist so far up his own ass, ramming it up and down while thinking of the terribly flawed indoc. theory.
Fans of the series (atleast those of reasonable intellect) dismissed it from the start.
Even Bioware dismissed it, yet you persistent assclowns just can’t let it go.
I’ve countered all of the points made on plenty of forums with nothing but pure logic when this indoc.theory surfaced. I believe I even made a lengthy post on Joe’s ME3 review about it, look it up.
If not, here’s a hint that you can apply and when thought of logically, will counter most of your precious indoc.theory in one fell swoop; Technical limitations.
Obvious troll is more than obvious now.
Oh look the child thinks he cool using bad words. You must feel very special.
IT is dead, get over yourself and your bullshit fanmade theory.
There was no “virus” uploaded in the Arrival DLC.
The Indoctrination theory was a bust even before the Extended Cut. Indoctrination does not work that way.
If Benezia, Saren, and the Arrival DLC are ANYTHING to go by (which they are — they were all indoctrinated), Shepard would have agreed with the star child, and started running off, shooting his infinite ammo pistol into the air with wild abandon while screaming “DEATH TO THE GETH!”
The video didn’t talk about Leviathan at all, despite the title. What gives?
Look at the end, bro. Probably something Joe found out about as he was making this, and tacked on at the end. Files in the Extended Cut make references to a Reaper called Leviathan.
I’m happier than I was when it first ended. I agree with Joe that Bioware did a good deed and job supporting us. I also agree that the rejection was an FU.
But it’s logical because the cycle will most likely continue even if all synthetics are destroyed. Plus Hacket said repeatedly that we could not win the war conventionally and that everything we were doing was delay to get the Crucible used and hope it works.
I think if they’d done this ending at first, there would have been far less fallout if any. So they lost more money by rushing the original ending. Short sightedness always has this result. Hopefully they’ll live & learn.
On the slideshows – I agree that it was due to time but it was likely also due to the limited download of 2gb for XBox Live.
I don’t think this totally kills the indoc theory because there are still many dreamlike aspects after the beam. There are small discrepancies like how does Anderson say he’s crossing a chasm when you’re looking at it and don’t see him. And then how does he get to the panel so fast? The timing is off.
All of that said, I still think this ending is inappropriate for the rest of the series and is basically a let down. The other games left me pumped and this game left me with “hmmm. Oh well.” Not pumped at all. Just kind of ho hum – but still more pleased than before. Not so angry.
Not really looking forward to the next Mass Effect Universe item, DLC or any future Bioware games. I will definitely proceed with caution. The 1st 2 ME’s were just too good to have such a lack luster and inappropriate conclusion.
It’s unfortunate that they had to do this DLC and had all of this bad PR. They did this DLC because they had to. And they likely had to fight for it OR were forced by EA to do it due to potential lost revenue.
In any case, I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Drew K left just a month before the ME3 release. This was his baby and you don’t leave your “kid” before it’s all grown up.
Leaving his kid & see him turning into a Godchild……. -_-
Angry Joe! Wheres the Skyrim Dawnguard review at? Its been out for a week now & nothing, just some stupid article about Team fortress from sum guy with emo hair.
Faith in Mass Effect restored.
Faith in Bioware, far from restored.
I still think the indoctrination theory is still there since it all still happens in his head when you confront the illusive-man + I have a contact that told me they are thinking of re-establishing their idea of fighting the illusiveman as a final boss like the art book showed.
Maybe it will be paid dlc? Who knows?
Agreed on IT.
The extended cut is also kinda crap. It still doesn’t explain everything and a lot of stuf is still not logical. Better then before for sure, but still far away from “good”.
And I allready asked on the youtube-video, but the video seems to be deleted:
Is Joe payed by EA or why is he licking their ass that much in this analysis?
It is a little too much praise and I did get the feeling that maybe something was up. But it’s still a very valid and accurate review.
They didn’t do it for us. They did it because of us.