Actually, I get people perfectly. I never said the ending was well executed.
The game didn't.
I fully agree with you.
It does not make the way it was presented less terrible. Bringing in new stuff at the last minute is the worst thing to do in any story.
I hope you understand that that is anecdotal evidence. The geth almost wiped the Quarians out with the morning war, which supports the premise. EDI, well, how many AIs were there that were the exact opposite of EDI? If I encounter one wolf in the wild that doesn't want to kill me, it doesn't mean that wolfs won't kill people.
It's honestly quite arrogant to believe that within a span of what, 5 years, maybe 20 years, you know as much about AI and synthetics as beings that have been around for millennia. This is not limited to the reapers, or the Catalyst, but also counts for the ones that actually came up with that premise, which are the organics, aka the Leviathans. The catalyst was programmed to be an AI as protection to organics, and look how that turned out. You may not like the premise, or you may disagree with it, and it's fine to do so. But the bad execution of the ending does not mean that the premise is false.
If you look a bit deeper again, the standoff at ME3 between the Geth and the Quarians, if it wasn't for Shepard, which is technically the product of individual Synthesis, the Quarians would have been eradicated right there, and in many people's games, they were, or, the Geth were. Maybe that's the reason the Star Child loves Synthesis so much.
As for EDI, no one knows how she'll turn out in 50 years, or 100 years, or more.
That does not mean that the ending was not bad, and honestly, the whole thing needs to be revamped. But all three games have problems.
What I really want to happen, is a remake of the trilogy. At the same time, I don't want it to happen, because I'm afraid they'll change the parts that they don't have to change, and leave the ones in that don't need to be left in... But I'll argue from this perspective...
I would be all for a remake of the trilogy, with the following;
Overall
- Still a trilogy, rather than one large game.
- All the three games have Andromeda-like gameplay (or improved even more, like squad commands still being there). ME3's is fine too.
- Still Shepard
- Most of the characters can remain the same.
- No technological downgrades in lore as the series progresses (as in thermal clips vs infinite ammo + overheating, power spamming vs one at the same time etc.)
- Ensure the menus, quest log, power screen etc. aren't cumbersome or confusing.
- Multiplayer is unnecessary.
ME1
- ME1 main story and plot is left mostly untouched.
- ME1 characters are a bit more fleshed out.
- ME1 sidequests have a bit more variety, without killing the feeling of the vastness of space.
- Nomad-like planet exploration must remain in ME1.
- Thresher Maws must still be available through random encounters and pose actual danger to the player.
- All known species must be available from ME1 onwards, although that doesn't mean every species should be equally available. Something like the Yahg must remain extremely rare for example. Citadel species are the most prominent.
ME2
- ME2 requires a complete main plot/story overhaul, including a structural overhaul.
- If Collectors are still there, them being Prothean husks must be relevant to the story/plot in some way. For example, capturing one and reconverting them into actual Protheans must be part of the story. It can also be connected as a way to try and save the abducted humans, where the humans are receiving a treatment to reverse the effects of indoctrination.
- The Citadel must be similar to ME1 in size, at least.
- Environments and hubs must be made for both combat and exploration, rather than them being completely separate.
- Shepard does not die.
- The Cypher of ME1 must remain relevant in ME2. The Cypher is one of the main things that makes Shepard special.
- Shepard needs to do at least as much effort as in ME1 to convince the council, before even thinking of joining Cerberus.
- The structure of the ending can remain similar, but the end boss must be different. This is to avoid the whole human reaper confusion.
- Tela Vasir is not killed, but remains an antagonist to Shepard for the rest of the trilogy.
- No 'convenient' excuses for your main character to leave the main ship on a secret unknown mission to make up a crew abduction.
- The reapers must arrive in this game.
- Either leave out the whole Dark Energy issue, or ensure it will be resolved in the final game.
- No planet scanning, thanks.
ME3
- The whole game needs to be about battling the reapers, and ultimately must have a similar structure to the current ME2 ending, where the loyalty of certain species determines the course of the ending, and where you ultimately have much more control over the final battle against the reapers. The basis is currently already there, so not much needs to change here.
- You still CANNOT win with military might alone.
- The emotional impact and connection with the characters must remain.
- Fix the Rachni mission. If Rachni dead in ME1 -> No Rachni in this one.
- If there is a Crucible (or some equivalent plot device), it needed to be discovered in the second game through Shepard's Cypher. ME3 should then consist of building it, protecting it and using it. No further 'discoveries' in this game.
- Full ending overhaul. The reapers must remain semi-benevolent, sort of like Saren, or like TIM, rather than pure evil. The ending must be more than just "we beat the reapers and lived happily ever after". And make sure it's not a deus ex machina ending, where we suddenly get important new information and surprises at the last minute.