So this is going to be an unpopular opinion but I wanted to touch on a few things that this game did better and worse than previous entries, but also talk about the series in general.
I know sometimes wall of text threads are scary to read so I will make a list for quick and easy digestion.
The Good
1) The characters were more fun and dialog seemed a lot more natural in this game.
This could be due to 2 previous games of backstory and adventures with characters but conversations in this game had a more natural flow to them. Responses never seemed stilted and changes subjects never seemed as abrupt in previous entries. The characters joked around a bit more, and seemed to have a natural camaraderie that was absent in the other games.
2) The game just played better.
The leap from Mass Effect 1 to 2 was major. But I feel as though small changes to the way this game controlled and the interface and weapons systems just sped things up.
3) The Art
I never hear people talk about the beautiful art design in this game. Holy cow. just some examples.
http://imgur.com/a/mvX2i
The Bad
1) Blatant over sexualization of all female characters. (Humans in particular)
Maybe this was just me but there are some obvious examples here (EDI anyone). I didn't mind it so much in Mass Effect 2 with Miranda because I figured they were going for some sort of femme fatale sort of look. But Allers and Ashley seemed to have extra plump lips, EDI sporting double D's, Jack's nipples, the always tight fitting spandex on Samara and Liara. I know some of this is unchanged from ME1 and 2 but it stood out like a sore thumb here to me.
2) Planet scanning
I'm in the minority here but I would rather they go back to ME1 where you actually travel to a planet and driver around. Scanning planets is just tedious busy work.
3) The environment design.
These games aren't struggling to hold up even today. The environments are all very static, lifeless, almost cookie cutter in design. A wall higher than my chest, I know that's invisible. Another square room that leads to a corridor to another square room full of boxes to hide behind. Very boring to walk around in. Not to mention the robotic animations on random npc's or just characters in the world. Feel like an It's A Small World attraction more than anything.
Finally... The Ending.
For those interested I played the original ending and not the one that was later patched in by Bioware. Wanted to experience this game the way it was originally intended.
I'm conflicted here. I hated that it came down to a choice at the very end of the game. I wish all those decisions you had made earlier culminated to your ending but instead you have 3 endings to choose from (which I know would vary to a certain degree, but only based on your galactic readiness, which is dumb). So that was lame. They also seemed to go down the route of Bad, Good and Indifferent ending, which feels cheap. None of them seemed to have enough weight behind it to actually make it a difficult choice.
I went with the Synthesis ending almost immediately.
Having said all of that, I liked the ending for what it was. It really needed more context as to what happens to the rest of the world or galaxy. What becomes of life for certains races would have been nice to see maybe. It just needed more. That's my takeaway. Ending a game with 1 cutscenee that changes based off a 3 way decision seems so cheap and rushed so I can understand the outrage at the time.
So let me rank these in an unconventional way.
As an RPG 1,2,3. As a shooter 3,2,1.
Anyone with me?
What didn't people like about this game? Besides the ending.
I know sometimes wall of text threads are scary to read so I will make a list for quick and easy digestion.
The Good
1) The characters were more fun and dialog seemed a lot more natural in this game.
This could be due to 2 previous games of backstory and adventures with characters but conversations in this game had a more natural flow to them. Responses never seemed stilted and changes subjects never seemed as abrupt in previous entries. The characters joked around a bit more, and seemed to have a natural camaraderie that was absent in the other games.
2) The game just played better.
The leap from Mass Effect 1 to 2 was major. But I feel as though small changes to the way this game controlled and the interface and weapons systems just sped things up.
3) The Art
I never hear people talk about the beautiful art design in this game. Holy cow. just some examples.
http://imgur.com/a/mvX2i
The Bad
1) Blatant over sexualization of all female characters. (Humans in particular)
Maybe this was just me but there are some obvious examples here (EDI anyone). I didn't mind it so much in Mass Effect 2 with Miranda because I figured they were going for some sort of femme fatale sort of look. But Allers and Ashley seemed to have extra plump lips, EDI sporting double D's, Jack's nipples, the always tight fitting spandex on Samara and Liara. I know some of this is unchanged from ME1 and 2 but it stood out like a sore thumb here to me.
2) Planet scanning
I'm in the minority here but I would rather they go back to ME1 where you actually travel to a planet and driver around. Scanning planets is just tedious busy work.
3) The environment design.
These games aren't struggling to hold up even today. The environments are all very static, lifeless, almost cookie cutter in design. A wall higher than my chest, I know that's invisible. Another square room that leads to a corridor to another square room full of boxes to hide behind. Very boring to walk around in. Not to mention the robotic animations on random npc's or just characters in the world. Feel like an It's A Small World attraction more than anything.
Finally... The Ending.
For those interested I played the original ending and not the one that was later patched in by Bioware. Wanted to experience this game the way it was originally intended.
I'm conflicted here. I hated that it came down to a choice at the very end of the game. I wish all those decisions you had made earlier culminated to your ending but instead you have 3 endings to choose from (which I know would vary to a certain degree, but only based on your galactic readiness, which is dumb). So that was lame. They also seemed to go down the route of Bad, Good and Indifferent ending, which feels cheap. None of them seemed to have enough weight behind it to actually make it a difficult choice.
I went with the Synthesis ending almost immediately.
Having said all of that, I liked the ending for what it was. It really needed more context as to what happens to the rest of the world or galaxy. What becomes of life for certains races would have been nice to see maybe. It just needed more. That's my takeaway. Ending a game with 1 cutscenee that changes based off a 3 way decision seems so cheap and rushed so I can understand the outrage at the time.
So let me rank these in an unconventional way.
As an RPG 1,2,3. As a shooter 3,2,1.
Anyone with me?
What didn't people like about this game? Besides the ending.
