Bioware forums explode as Mass Effect 3 ending details are leaked. *MINOR SPOILERS*

[lumenadducere]

Gah, couldn't keep reading past the first page due to how much I wanted to avoid spoilers. I do need to say, though, that having a sad/depressing ending is GOOD. I get that games are part power fantasy/wish fulfillment, but we have far too many "ride off into the sunset happily ever after" endings in games as it is. An ending that isn't all sunshine and roses is actually more believable given the events of the story, and it means that there's no deus ex machina moment where suddenly everyone gets a magic weapon that turns the tide. It's necessary for the story to maintain its integrity for it to remain within the parameters that it's built up for itself. Having a sad ending keeps it that way.

Plus, it's good for the medium as a whole, too. Maybe we'll actually get some more mature storytelling as publishers see the massive sales and say "hey, we can actually have different endings."

 

[PingoBlack]

Plus, it's good for the medium as a whole, too. Maybe we'll actually get some more mature storytelling as publishers see the massive sales and say "hey, we can actually have different endings."

You cannot debate this if you avoided spoilers ... Sadly. Because your assumptions in this case are wrong.

And I cannot tell you which of them you got wrong without spoilers.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Dohohohoho...

The gay MaleShep sex scene just got leaked. Homophobes and yaoi fangirls are at each others throats.

 

[Nimcha]

Bahahaha...

This is just too much... x)

Just exactly how old are most Bioware fans? 15? 12?

It's pathetic that when Bioware gives us a realistic, mature ending in which loss is loss and not some happy duper ending where the status quo is restored, we continue to whine like children.

Any happy ending will insult the threat of the Reapers, the sacrifice required, and the choices made.

The endings helps prevent Mass Effect 3 from being a Paragon=Happy and Renegade=Beeped over.

Sacrifice is everything. How is it sacrifice when Shepard can always "choose" or fight his way out of a situation?

Do people honestly thought the game will end with Shepard standing over some rising sun, basking in the glory when we've been told a BAZILLION time of the Reaper threat?

It's a problem because we actually invested time in this stuff. It's not like a book or a movie, we played these games and expect for our efforts not to be invalidated.

And they won't be, as it looks your commander Shepard will pretty much single handedly deliver the biggest blow the Reapers have ever gotten.

I just don't get this, how could anyone have expected a completely happy ending without some sort of contrived reason?

 

[MiloP]

Imma departing this thread now.

Spoilers aren't fun, for one. Plus it's hard for me to create a logical argument against all of the crap that's being spouteds out of people's mouths.

Let's just say, judging the entire game on its ending is absolute crap. If we did that, then Fallout 3 was the shittest pile of rubbish ever. Until DLC retconned it. Gears of War 2 as well, complete crap, because it had a bad ending, who cares about the 10 or so hours of gameplay before that point. Sonic Generations has a hideously awful final boss, does that mean the whole game is crap? No. Not at all.

To me, this all seems like "OMG, THE ENDING ISN'T EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, CANCELLING MY PRE-ORDER" which is pretty childish really. Guess what: BIOWARE HAVE THE ARTISTIC RIGHT TO WRITE WHATEVER DAMN ENDING THEY WANT. It's no-one's choice but theirs. If you don't like it, that's fine, but don't label the whole game as completely crap because of it. That wouldn't be fair.

But yeah. You guys have your argument. I'm playing through Mass Effect 2 again to make sure my Shepard is ready to go.

 

[Skin]

It's a problem because we actually invested time in this stuff. It's not like a book or a movie, we played these games and expect for our efforts not to be invalidated.

So? You Bioware kids are always hammering on about how they have great stories and what not, but when they try to do tragedy, oh no, big mistake. How is a cheesy ending any better than a GrimDark reapers destroy the universe ending? They need to maintain a balance and they chose to make it bittersweet.

The ending might be the only reason I play this game.

 

[Savber]

It's a problem because we actually invested time in this stuff. It's not like a book or a movie, we played these games and expect for our efforts not to be invalidated.

And they won't be, as it looks your commander Shepard will pretty much single handedly deliver the biggest blow the Reapers have ever gotten.

I just don't get this, how could anyone have expected a completely happy ending without some sort of contrived reason?

Exactly.

You beat the freaking Reapers, the ancient machine race that has been near-invincible for millenniums.

How in the world does this mean your choices are invalidated because Shepard and his crew loses out??

The fact that people expected to have some bright sunshine ending just because they acted nice is contrary to what the world is.

 

[mattttherman3]

Man, I never played warhammer, but I wish I had not happened upon this thread, it drove me to visit the BioWare forums, I... looked at some of the endings... ruined 2 years of anticipation... DAMN MY CURIOSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am actually more bummed I did that then at the endings I saw...

 

[theblackmonk90]

The reaction to this news is ridiculous. Have you played the game? If not then you should really be reserving judgement until you have.

The internet has the wonderful tendency to blow small dislikes into massive hate campaigns and this looks likely to be the next one.

So far Bioware have done a great job with the mass effect story. As such I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt with mass effect 3. After I play the game my opinion may change, but not until then.

Having said that I was underwhelmed by DA2 so I am hoping this will go better.

 

[dimensional]

Well im going to wait until the game comes out then watch the endings on youtube probably, seeing as I wont be getting the game for a while but I would welcome a really downer ending especially considering how big the reaper threat is supposed to be didnt they say there is enough of them to surround and blot out the sun on every planet in the galaxy simultaneously? or am I making that up?

Yeah anyway I would like it if there was only one ending and that ending was you fail miserably just like every other being or beings that has stood against them and all your decisions and sacrifices in the previous games are moot while shepard and his team along with everyone else is either enslaved or destroyed effortlessly, as they should be if the Reapers are as powerful as they claim (which they wont be ofc).

Always having a happy sunshine ending tends to grate after a while although Dreamfall had one of the most hopeless endings for your characters I just hope they finish the story as it was/is a great series storywise.

 

[Praetox]

Here's my opinion on the ending itself.

Spoiler

This is probably the only logical way to end it, since any other way would invalidate the characterization of the Reapers as near-unstoppable, immortal lovers of genocide. Even though the Normandy crew sacrifices themselves or their happiness, the cycle is ended. Sure, a lot has been sacrificed, but it can all be rebuilt. The galaxy already has a leg up in knowing how a fair bit of Prothean technology works, so they could probably build new mass relays given enough time. The point of your actions in each game is to end the cycle of extinction, which does happen, making your efforts worth it. As long as the Reapers are gone, there is always hope to rebuild, even if your crew and the galaxy make sacrifices along the way.

 

[Somepunctuation]

I'm honestly disappointed with the ending(s)... partially because I predicted what the ending would be.

I asked myself, what's the laziest, most contrived way of defeating the Reapers? And what can Bioware do to spend the least amount of money possible in developing the ending(s) (besides not having one)? If you can guess the answers to those questions, congratulations, you know what the ending to ME3 is.

Of course, maybe those contrivances seem more compelling with additional context, and maybe the uniform endings were necessary to set the stage for ME4... Sort of like how the endings of DA2 were necessary for DA3. Choice had to be removed from the equation.

Still... After all that talk about multiple endings, buying DLC and the iOS game to help impact what ending you get, and how "1000s of variables" across all 3 games will culminate in delivering a unique ending... It's a let down. If they'd basically advertised it as "having basically one ending" from the start, I'd be more receptive right now. I also think you can have multiple downer/bittersweet endings without them all feeling basically the same. Case in point, Infamous 2, every game in the Deus Ex series, SMT Nocturne, etc.

 

[Animyr]

Someone who has read the leaks tell me in vague terms; when you say the story is linear, is it more or less or just as linear then ME2? I'm a bit dissapointed but admittedly not too surprised the the allegations, since they were obviously gearing up for a franchise.

Anyways I'm seeing such a split in reaction I think I'll hold off on canceling my CE pre order for a leetle bit longer. Assuming it's properly respectful, bittersweet endings are the most memorable anyway.

 

[FangShadow]

Ok, I haven't really read the spoilers and I'm not gonna.

But from what I can tell the ending seems to be realistic for the situation. The ultimate life destroying beings defeated with a good bit of loss for the good guys.

I see nothing wrong with that. And honestly, I kind of wanted that. A good super happy everything works out ending probably wouldn't feel real from my perspective...

I want to go on the bioware forums and read the reactions as from what it sounds like, it would be funny, but must avoid spoilers.

 

[Omnific One]

[snip]

Mass Effect 3, on the other hand...just completely destroys everything you worked for. What the fuck...

The most massive betrayal in the history of gaming, yeah.

Bahahaha...

This is just too much... x)

Just exactly how old are most Bioware fans? 15? 12?

It's pathetic that when Bioware gives us a realistic, mature ending in which loss is loss and not some happy duper ending where the status quo is restored, we continue to whine like children.

Any happy ending will insult the threat of the Reapers, the sacrifice required, and the choices made.

The endings helps prevent Mass Effect 3 from being a Paragon=Happy and Renegade=Beeped over.

Sacrifice is everything. How is it sacrifice when Shepard can always "choose" or fight his way out of a situation?

Do people honestly thought the game will end with Shepard standing over some rising sun, basking in the glory when we've been told a BAZILLION time of the Reaper threat?

Realistic and mature doesn't necessarily mean death. It's just an easy way to pull the wool over gullible people's eyes and create a "mature" ending.

The most impressive mature ending is where they can pull off a happily ever after, without making it contrived or cheesy. "Mature" endings like this are reserved for depressed idiots writing their own "novels."

Shepard could die with his entire crew beside him; according to you that would be more mature. And honestly, preferable to what they have given us: inbreeding, and starvation leading to death for Garrus and Tali.

In its time, this would have worked, but it's been so overused now.

 

[Murmillos]

I expected nothing less out of bioware. When you set out to create a game model so complex, typically the only way to end it.. is to end it as cheaply as possible.

I mean, hell, look at all of the "choices" from ME1 "mattered" into ME2. None. Zero. Absolutely zilch. I'm holding out in denial that ME1/ME2 choices matter in ME3.. and I think the ONLY choice(s) that do matter, if perceptibly, will be the squad members you lose at the end of ME2. Everything else is going to be 10 second sound bytes, or you see random NPC 46 instead of named NPC handing out the quest.

ME1 was all about the story, ME2 was all about the action. Maybe they will fuse together for ME3, but with EA heads at the helm, I see this as nothing as another fancy action game with a glossy on-rails story.

 

[KrossBillNye]

Ok. I have not read any of the spoiler warnings because I am going to write this from experience.

First off. People will die in ME3. I mean look at the finale of ME1.

Spoiler

Many died from Sovereign when he attacked the Citadel. MANY and that was minor collateral damage because he was focusing on trying to get his brethren there. He wasn't entirely focused on the fight. He had a mission and was focusing on that, and yet still he took out plenty of ships and lives in the process.

Despite that he was only 1 and I say, 1 ship. In ME3 you will be dealing with all them. So the collateral damage will be massive and that is just using common sense. Their technology is advanced beyond our own.

I am not spoiler tagging anything from here because this is all my speculation. I have not again read any spoiler content except the stuff being mentioned at the first post.

Will Shep die? Its likely. Will your team mates die? Most likely as well. This is a foe no one truly is prepared for regardless of their victories of one battle in ME1. The entire universe is going to need to bring their A game to win this struggle.

As for everyone's struggles in the first and second games. Your choices did matter. Lets say you did the worst possible choices. Well then those choices reflect the consequences later on. Everyone died in the ME2? Well less people that could help you in this struggle. Actions have consequences.

Personally I don't expect to survive in ME3. I only expect to TRY and save the universe from another complete wipe out.

Lets just face it. Its a big ass universe out there.

 

[Canadish]

Realistic and mature doesn't necessarily mean death. It's just an easy way to pull the wool over gullible people's eyes and create a "mature" ending.

The most impressive mature ending is where they can pull off a happily ever after, without making it contrived or cheesy. "Mature" endings like this are reserved for depressed idiots writing their own "novels."

Shepard could die with his entire crew beside him; according to you that would be more mature. And honestly, preferable to what they have given us: inbreeding, and starvation leading to death for Garrus and Tali.

In its time, this would have worked, but it's been so overused now.

Are we still talking about those godawful scribblings in the spoiler or are there actual videos which show how it all is displayed? Because basing your decision solely on the written part is dumb. I can summarize every great ending there was so bad that you'll get the impression it was a pile of shit.

Video's are up on Youtube. Check through the thread, I remember a few people linked them already.

It's all legit.

EDIT: Don't say I don't love ya, I got all the links for anyone interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPFgCqbRqw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NbQJ230syQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZHigplm6Ts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMpnp-M18f4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I8_9sfUTjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9440RnI_2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apokXvnI-1c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r19BQyItymc