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[Bisnic]

2 out of 4 isn't it? But those 2 choices aren't available depending on various choices you've made throughout ME2 and ME3. So there's a bit more to it.

Yeah, my last ME3 run that had Legion's clone instead of the real one never gave me the option to save both of them. And since Geths always seemed like untrustworthy jerks in that trilogy run where i never met Legion, it was an easy choice. Just like how sabotaging the Genophage was an easy choice after i saw what Wreav wanted to do.

 

[universalmind]

Still wish I could unbuy this game, although I haven't been bothered to try this 'extended cut.'

 

[WrenchNinja]

I'd kinda agree with this. I'm not really sure if it's quite one of the best this gen but it certainly created a bunch of awesome moments. For starters I think the Leaving Earth Scene was one of my favourite openings this gen and really did a good job of establishing the context and the stakes of the whole game. Even though I was never really a fan of Bioware trying to force that kid onto the players this opening bit with Shepard staring at the destruction, glassy eyed, and having to leave with the great music playing was really, really well done.

This is truly baffling to me.

 

[hateradio]

This is truly baffling to me.

It shouldn't be. I mean, people have opinions. One in a million, you know?



I don't know when this GIF was made, but it should have been around when most of us finished ME3.

I could see some Reaper/vent kid version of this.

Alternatively, it would have been cool if the Catalyst were a self-destruct system for the entire galaxy. That space magic would have been awesome.

 

[iLLmAtlc]

This is truly baffling to me.

well what didn't you like about it?

 

[Derrick01]

2 out of 4 isn't it? But those 2 choices aren't available depending on various choices you've made throughout ME2 and ME3. So there's a bit more to it.

And those choices in those games were all pick your favorite color or response as well. So out of 3 games that 1 "branching" dialog arc probably has as many choices as many wrpgs have in 1 game.

These are the two things I want to see addressed most in the next campaign.

1.) A variety of sizable explorable areas with less of a combat focus. I don't mind having combat heavy zones, or for said combat heavy zones to be linear assuming the base combat mechanics are varied, but it really shouldn't be the entire game.

2.) They're now out of the scope of the trilogy, so I really hope they completely redo the choice system to something that at least seems more meaningful within the scope of a single game. Even The Witcher 1 had this implemented in an excellent way, and did so without putting a huge strain on their resources, so there's really no reason BioWare shouldn't be able to let you make choices that at least give a significant illusion of things changing and reacting to you notably. I didn't feel the amount of changes that went between games was that bad, but I really feel they could do a lot more within the scope of a single game.

It'd be nice but I think Bioware has chosen their direction now and it's not the one that's going to yield those kinds of results. Best hope we have is Obsidian getting a shot at the franchise with full freedom, which obviously wouldn't happen.

 

[WrenchNinja]

well what didn't you like about it?

Just speaking about the leaving Earth scene, everything. I don't care about the kid. The game never gives me a reason to care about the kid. I fully expected the ship to blow up, so that did nothing for me. It's like the most cliche manipulative emotional pull you could do, and they had actually did it. Shepard's face looked silly, but that's just Mass Effect in general, they can't convey any emotions properly with their facial technology. I didn't feel anything when the music started swelling up. Taking everything in context with what happens on Earth in the beginning, it just made me angry at the narrative They had six months to prepare and they did fuck all.

If I was a Renegade Colonist/Spacer, I'd probably find the scene even worse.

 

[Nirolak]

It'd be nice but I think Bioware has chosen their direction now and it's not the one that's going to yield those kinds of results. Best hope we have is Obsidian getting a shot at the franchise with full freedom, which obviously wouldn't happen.

I'm not expecting the way they handle the story to change, but I am actually expecting a change in structural direction given that A.) EA bit the bullet and pushed Dragon Age out of this fiscal year, meaning that to maintain their pattern Mass Effect 4 should be getting a three year dev cycle, and B.) they mentioned they wanted to change the series for next-gen, and implied that their next major entry would be for next-gen.

Now, whether that means doing something like I said or turning it into a Halo-esque FPS where you fight Turians in the First Contact War, I'm not going to weigh in on, but I do expect it to be structurally different to at least a moderate extent.

 

[iLLmAtlc]

Just speaking about the leaving Earth scene, everything. I don't care about the kid. The game never gives me a reason to care about the kid. I fully expected the ship to blow up, so that did nothing for me. It's like the most cliche manipulative emotional pull you could do, and they had actually did it. Shepard's face looked silly, but that's just Mass Effect in general, they can't convey any emotions properly with their facial technology. I didn't feel anything when the music started swelling up. Taking everything in context with what happens on Earth in the beginning, it just made me angry at the narrative They had six months to prepare and they did fuck all.

If I was a Renegade Colonist/Spacer, I'd probably find the scene even worse.

I see. Well to me the scene wasn't so much about the kid/the ship blowing up but more to do with the total destruction of Earth and Shepard having to leave it all. The ships blowing up were a significant part of it to be sure, but the overall message there to me was the entire destruction of Earth. I don't share your views about the facial technology for this particular scene because you could clearly his concern for the kid and the shock after the explosion before going back to the "I'm a soldier with a mission face". Oh and I totally didn't expect the kid to die because from the entertainment that I've consumed it seems pretty rare for the kids to be killed. But you felt nothing from the music and I really loved it so that's where we digress I suppose.

I also understand your criticism that it did nothing for the narrative, which is true. But c'mon that was the prologue wasn't it? To me it tried to establish the context of the game and to make you feel for Shepard for having to leave his planet behind while it was getting ripped to shreds. That was totally accomplished for me.

 

[Bisnic]

I'm not expecting the way they handle the story to change, but I am actually expecting a change in structural direction given that A.) EA bit the bullet and pushed Dragon Age out of this fiscal year, meaning that to maintain their pattern Mass Effect 4 should be getting a three year dev cycle, and B.) they mentioned they wanted to change the series for next-gen, and implied that their next major entry would be for next-gen.

Now, whether that means doing something like I said or turning it into a Halo-esque FPS where you fight Turians in the First Contact War, I'm not going to weigh in on, but I do expect it to be structurally different to at least a moderate extent.

I dont expect them to make such a drastic change as to change it into a FPS. That's a nice way to kill any interest when your past 3 games were some kind of TPS/RPG hybrids.

 

[hateradio]

I see. Well to me the scene wasn't so much about the kid/the ship blowing up but more to do with the total destruction of Earth and Shepard having to leave it all. The ships blowing up were a significant part of it to be sure, but the overall message there to me was the entire destruction of Earth. I don't share your views about the facial technology for this particular scene because you could clearly his concern for the kid and the shock after the explosion before going back to the "I'm a soldier with a mission face". Oh and I totally didn't expect the kid to die because from the entertainment that I've consumed it seems pretty rare for the kids to be killed. But you felt nothing from the music and I really loved it so that's where we digress I suppose.

Basically, there were issues with Shepard's "caring" about Earth any more than any other planet. There may be some additional resentment because BW used the kid and the Earth to bring in casuals.

So I think people found it extremely rushed and found that focus to be unbelievably ridiculous, considering that Shepard knew about what was going to happen to the galaxy for two games now -- I mean we hadn't even been to Earth previously, and only one of the story options involves Shepard's being an "Earther."

Shepard's face looked silly, but that's just Mass Effect in general, they can't convey any emotions properly with their facial technology.

Spoiler

Probably the best animation in that game.

 

[Nirolak]

I dont expect them to make such a drastic change as to change it into a FPS. That's a nice way to kill any interest when your past 3 games were some kind of TPS/RPG hybrids.

This almost happened!

I suspect it would still be an RPG though regardless. Well, at least as much as Mass Effect is an RPG these days.

 

[iLLmAtlc]

Basically, there were issues with Shepard's "caring" about Earth any more than any other planet. There may be some additional resentment because BW used the kid and the Earth to bring in casuals.

So I think people found it extremely rushed and found that focus to be unbelievably ridiculous, considering that Shepard knew about what was going to happen to the galaxy for two games now -- I mean we hadn't even been to Earth previously, and only one of the story options involves Shepard's being an "Earther."

Ah, I can totally see why people would be upset at that. I always thought Shepard was from Earth so... >_>

 

[Reese-015]

Wow, from when was that screen and what's the story behind it?

 

[Nirolak]

Wow, from when was that screen and what's the story behind it?

It's what BioWare Montreal was making after Mass Effect 2. It was a downloadable XBLA title like Battlefield 1942. BioWare Edmonton really liked it so they put them in charge of multiplayer for Mass Effect 3.

They didn't exactly explain why the game never got released, though I suspect it was the perception of declining XBLA/PSN sales on the vast majority of titles along with the desire to get multiplayer into the mainline title.

They were actually attempting to add co-op to the main campaign as well, but they couldn't get it to work with their RAM limitations combined with how they loaded levels. For example, if players got too far apart you might need more loaded than they could handle.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

This almost happened!

I suspect it would still be an RPG though regardless. Well, at least as much as Mass Effect is an RPG these days.

What the hell race is that supposed to be on the left? The one that says Blake over it?

 

[Nirolak]

What the hell race is that supposed to be on the left? The one that says Blake over it?

I think that's a fully armored Salarian with some leg remodeling.

 

[Bowdz]

What the hell race is that supposed to be on the left? The one that says Blake over it?

It's a Salarian scientist, smothered in idiom which I find to be about as stimulating as scanning for Iridium.

 

[GSR]

They were actually attempting to add co-op to the main campaign as well, but they couldn't get it to work with their RAM limitations combined with how they loaded levels. For example, if players got too far apart you might need more loaded than they could handle.

That actually would've been pretty cool if it let you play as one of Shepard's squadmates or something like that.

 

[Bisnic]

I think i saw something in the multiplayer thread were they might be planning on adding missions that look more similar to campaign ones, nothing is really official yet.

Although i wonder what they mean by that.

 

[DTKT]

I'm almost willing to ban bet on this but the next ME game is going to be Uncharted in space. Drop the convo system, keep the levelling/weapons upgrade. Redo the combat mechanics to make it more fluid, maybe a full fledged melee system. Give the player a few choices in how he wants to progress in a level. Nothing major, just change what route he takes.

Tack on a versus and a Horde mode and you check all fhe boxes on the back of the box. Keep the box system from ME3 and expand on it.

 

[Replicant]

This almost happened!

URK. Kill it with fire. I can't convey how much I hate FPS. I wouldn't touch ME with a ten-foot pole had it been a FPS.

 

[CryoLombax]

This almost happened!

I suspect it would still be an RPG though regardless. Well, at least as much as Mass Effect is an RPG these days.

Call me crazy but I want this, at least to try

 

[Gui_PT]

URK. Kill it with fire. I can't convey how much I hate FPS. I wouldn't touch ME with a ten-foot pole had it been a FPS.

A little exaggerated, no?

 

[Wiktor]

I'm almost willing to ban bet on this but the next ME game is going to be Uncharted in space. Drop the convo system

This would destroy the whole IP and remove the best part of it. :]

Anyway, replaying ME2 now (this time with DLC). And damn..I really hope I will be able to play as Shepard in ME4.

 

[rozay]

I'm almost willing to ban bet on this but the next ME game is going to be Uncharted in space. Drop the convo system, keep the levelling/weapons upgrade. Redo the combat mechanics to make it more fluid, maybe a full fledged melee system. Give the player a few choices in how he wants to progress in a level. Nothing major, just change what route he takes.

Tack on a versus and a Horde mode and you check all fhe boxes on the back of the box. Keep the box system from ME3 and expand on it.

I think it's going to be this with a stripped conversation system along the lines of how ME3's conversations literally became only paragon and renagade options.

 

[Wiktor]

The quarians and geth reconciling was nice but I wish it was tougher to do than picking 1 dialog choice out of, what..3?

It is. The first time I've played through ME3 I didn't get that choice. I had to decide which race to wipe out.

 

[Bisnic]

This would destroy the whole IP and remove the best part of it. :]

Anyway, replaying ME2 now (this time with DLC). And damn..I really hope I will be able to play as Shepard in ME4.

Considering what happen to Shepard in ME3 and what Bioware said about the Shepard story to be over... dont get any hope for this.

At least i hope we'll see some characters again and not just some cameo that shows up for 2 minutes.

 

[Wiktor]

Considering what happen to Shepard in ME3 and what Bioware said about the Shepard story to be over... dont get any hope for this.
.

I know, but I'm still hoping. The connection I've managed to forge with the world and it's characters during those 5 years is the best thing about Mass Effect for me, so throwing this all away (which will happen without Shepard) is just painful prospect.
Heck..I would be even satisfied with a cop-out like "Shepard was frozen for 1000 years and now he awakens" ;D

 

[Dany]

Sorry for the bump but I loved it, I posted this in the spoiler thread but idk if people check that thread often anymore

I loved it. I still went destroy and Liara was my LI. It was nice of them to explain the Normandy and joker throughout the battle, that was the biggest issue I had with the ending. Seeing Liara leave wounded saying "I am Yours" was great. Every piece of dialogue they added to the kid wasn't needed, she would ask explain and the kid would speak n riddles, not needed.

But the actual destroy ending was still impactful, still my favorite ending and every piece of scenary of the reapers destroyed on the asari and krogan home world was a nice touch. The speech by hackett was really nice and deserved. I still don't get why the Normandy was stuck on that planet but whatever.

I never really wanted bioware to explain the ending, just make it better and they did.

 

[Kinyou]

Finally got around playing it and kind of love hated it.

I like how they expanded on the consequences of your decisions (though explaining everything through a monologue is sort of cheap, it still worked), overall it served as a much better ending to the series as a whole since this time you actually know who survived etc.

However that's also the problem, before the extended cut, people made some wild speculations about how the next games could be very interesting with the whole new premise of the Mass relays destroyed and the various fleets all stuck in the Sol system. The extended cut obviously ignored that, and made it seem like everyone just flew home and rebuilt their homeworlds. ( I choose synthesize)

Though you can't really blame Bioware for destroying those theories because they just showed how they intended the games universe to progress, and I guess they would have never expanded on those theories anyway.


I have to nitpick one scene though. The Normandy landing right in front of the Reaper, picking up your wounded squadmates was freaking ridiculous. When they could do that then why didn't they drop all those people off with the Normandy in the first place?
And I guess when you're with Shepard you get a Limousine to drive you off the battlefield, the standard grunt doesn't even get a bicycle.