Poll: How many here liked ME3 as a whole.

[MetallicaRulez0]

It's the best single-player game I have ever played, even accounting for the awful awful ending.

 

[kannibus]

I loved the game. All of it. The best part I thought was going to the War Terminal and just seeing how the massive progression of badassery was being assembled. But I liked the ending too, I had to go with the Ghost in the Shell version though.

 

[AbstractStream]

Ending aside, Mass Effect 3 was freaking fantastic. I'll play it again, pssh I don't care

 

[Jumplion]

Pretty damn great. I wasn't as much of a fan of ME2, but ME3 gave that same sense of galaxy or worldliness that ME1, to me, had. It felt like everything was much bigger than you, and I actually wanted to keep playing it to see what happens next just like I did with ME1, but not ME2. It really felt that everything was at stake, and sections like the Quarian and Geth scenario were brilliantly handled.

Spoiler: Just for those who didn't finish

As Legion was uploading the Reaper intelligence stuff, even though I would have plenty of time to choose my option, I was panicking the entire time. I romanced Tali, and by Keelah I did not want to lose her by destroying her entire race. The fact that I built up that relationship made it all the more epic when I succeeded in getting the two factions to cooperate. Keelah Salai indeed. I'd imagine if one romanced Liara, the fall of Thessia would be all the more heartbreaking.

Now, the ending? Yeah, it kind of sucked. I mean, I didn't rage like other people, but it just left me...empty. Like, it was just a hollow feeling at the end. There was no conclusion, nothing wrapping up all the various relationships I built up. There's a difference between an ambiguous ending and an a hanging one, where it just gives you nothing while trying to be all ambiguous and artsy n' whatever.

Nothing I did over the past 70+ hours total in all the games mattered in the end. My Shepard became the same Shepard as everyone else. It didn't matter that I romanced Tali, or that I saved the Collector Base despite my Paragon alignment, it had no effect in the overall conclusion. It all came down to 3 buttons. I wanted to eventually replay the entire series from the start as Renegade, but there is just no reason to anymore.

I edited your statement since I'm rather tired at the moment and probably couldn't write the wall of text I think I would. I thought ME 3 was a fantastic game, and while i'll admit the ending wasn't the greatest I didn't find it as horrid as most others seem to. I would have liked it to be longer and more RPG-esque like ME 1 but I felt that Bioware made a damn fine game.

Also while I didn't romance Tali (I totally pimped out my Sheperd to Ashley, then killed her, then Miranda, then Liara ) I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one who was sweating bullets when I chose the option to save the geth instead of the quarians then was super stoked when I got them to stop fighting each other.

EDIT: ONE MORE THING! Also almost shed a single manly tear when Thane and Mordin died (more-so at Thane's "funeral" than Mordin blowing up) and that's coming from someone whose rather emotionally dead

Really, if it weren't for the stupid, dichotomous morality system and me giving up playing the character how I wanted to and just going for straight Paragon, I probably would have saved the Quarians just to keep Tali on my good side.

Speaking of Tali, regarding the stock photo thing, while I can understand why some people a ticked off at the laziness of using a simple stock photo, I would also like to think that people romanced her not just because they wanted to know what was underneath that mask but also because they liked her as a character. At least, that's how it was for me. I viewed the reveal of her face more of a fan-service kind of thing, and it didn't really change how much I did enjoy her as a character. She is one of the few characters in any game franchise that I can think of that gradually grows and changes in such a cohesive way, first as a shy child in ME1, a more independent person by ME2, and a fully grown adult in ME3. Seeing what was under her mask was secondary to me (though Bioware missed a huge opportunity to push a tragic, platonic relationship with someone who would die if they ever got in contact with you. Oh well.)

 

[Danny91]

Until the last 10 minutes, it was the best game I've ever played.

I've never been so emotionally attached to so many characters in one franchise before.

It's quite rare for a game to hit me so emotionally, that I well up with tears.

ME3 managed this feat several times.

Spoiler

My GF started taking the piss out of me During THAT Thane scene since apparently I teared up, She will never understand! He was the bravest of them all! And he had Squad Armour piercing ammo!

My fiancee doesn't understand why I love Garrus so much.

'He's just some computer game character'

She just doesn't understand the bromance we share.

See, its crap like this that I hate so much...up until now I was perfectly content living in my belief that you literally were a perpertually leaping Ammy like your profile pic has promised, who had somehow managed to learn how to post in forums while on the move. But now I see evidence of a life that extends beyond this site...people who complain about immersion-breaking in games dont know what shit im dealing with now...

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Until the last 10 minutes, it was the best game I've ever played.

I've never been so emotionally attached to so many characters in one franchise before.

It's quite rare for a game to hit me so emotionally, that I well up with tears.

ME3 managed this feat several times.

Spoiler

My GF started taking the piss out of me During THAT Thane scene since apparently I teared up, She will never understand! He was the bravest of them all! And he had Squad Armour piercing ammo!

My fiancee doesn't understand why I love Garrus so much.

'He's just some computer game character'

She just doesn't understand the bromance we share.

See, its crap like this that I hate so much...up until now I was perfectly content living in my belief that you literally were a perpertually leaping Ammy like your profile pic has promised, who had somehow managed to learn how to post in forums while on the move. But now I see evidence of a life that extends beyond this site...people who complain about immersion-breaking in games dont know what shit im dealing with now...

A little suspension of disbelief and you could still believe that

 

[Danny91]

Until the last 10 minutes, it was the best game I've ever played.

I've never been so emotionally attached to so many characters in one franchise before.

It's quite rare for a game to hit me so emotionally, that I well up with tears.

ME3 managed this feat several times.

Spoiler

My GF started taking the piss out of me During THAT Thane scene since apparently I teared up, She will never understand! He was the bravest of them all! And he had Squad Armour piercing ammo!

My fiancee doesn't understand why I love Garrus so much.

'He's just some computer game character'

She just doesn't understand the bromance we share.

See, its crap like this that I hate so much...up until now I was perfectly content living in my belief that you literally were a perpertually leaping Ammy like your profile pic has promised, who had somehow managed to learn how to post in forums while on the move. But now I see evidence of a life that extends beyond this site...people who complain about immersion-breaking in games dont know what shit im dealing with now...

A little suspension of disbelief and you could still believe that

Sorry friend, gonna have to go with Plan B and sue you for not delivering the product your advertising promised to me

 

[Sparrow]

A hell of a lot of fun, but I think I preferred ME2 a little bit more. Between forcing you to go on some missions with James "Big McLargehuge" Vega and the ending, ME3 just slipped up a few more times for me than ME2 did.

Still, yeah. A lot of fun.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Until the last 10 minutes, it was the best game I've ever played.

I've never been so emotionally attached to so many characters in one franchise before.

It's quite rare for a game to hit me so emotionally, that I well up with tears.

ME3 managed this feat several times.

Spoiler

My GF started taking the piss out of me During THAT Thane scene since apparently I teared up, She will never understand! He was the bravest of them all! And he had Squad Armour piercing ammo!

My fiancee doesn't understand why I love Garrus so much.

'He's just some computer game character'

She just doesn't understand the bromance we share.

See, its crap like this that I hate so much...up until now I was perfectly content living in my belief that you literally were a perpertually leaping Ammy like your profile pic has promised, who had somehow managed to learn how to post in forums while on the move. But now I see evidence of a life that extends beyond this site...people who complain about immersion-breaking in games dont know what shit im dealing with now...

A little suspension of disbelief and you could still believe that

Sorry friend, gonna have to go with Plan B and sue you for not delivering the product your advertising promised to me

Good luck with that.

Japanese Sun Goddesses in wolf form are notoriously difficult to take to court.

 

[D Moness]

Just finished it a bit ago and i really love the game (the complete game including the ending). The ending was really interesting. I am not a great fan of "they all lived happily ever after" type of endings so this was for me a breath of fresh air. Though i knew the ending could never beat how the perseus veil quests ended for me.

My intention was getting peace between the Geth and the Quarians. It ended in the total obliteration of the Quarian. Seeing the wreckage burn up in the atmosphere and Tali killing herself by throwing herself of the cliff almost made me quit the game. I felt really terrible it blew up in my face so badly.

 

[xchurchx]

i Would vote best but to me the game isn't a "whole"
until there's a conclusive ending (or one with pie and rainbows) this game isn't finished ro me
that goes for the entire saga, the 3rd game in a tillogy should round up the story, ME3 failed to deliver
other than that Mass effect has been one of my ultimate gaming experiences

 

[Flight]

I absolutely loved it, until the ending. Really, If I ever play it again, I'll just stop playing right before the last ten minutes or so.

 

[tzimize]

The ending is what is at the end. Its what decides what feeling you are left with when finishing something, and it WILL color the rest of your experience and put it in perspective. As such I have to vote bad and it hurts my heart.

 

[blizzaradragon]

Best game in the trilogy, even despite the questionable ending. Mechanics are the best they've ever been, the characters are just as likable as the rest of the trilogy and seeing some of the stuff they go through in the game was really satisfying, brought me to tears MANY times, etc.

At first the ending did bother me some. Not even close to the amount you see people bitching about online, but still bothered me. Then I read about the indoctrination theory and it completely changed how I view the ending and made it go from "slightly disappointing, but still alright" to "if this theory is true then Bioware has truly mindfucked their audience and made the ending SO MUCH BETTER!"

 

[tautologico]

There are problems with the endings, but nothing that ruins the whole. It could be better, but it's not really as bad as people say it is. Plus I'm having a lot of fun with the multiplayer, even after finishing the game.

 

[tautologico]

Best game in the trilogy, even despite the questionable ending. Mechanics are the best they've ever been, the characters are just as likable as the rest of the trilogy and seeing some of the stuff they go through in the game was really satisfying, brought me to tears MANY times, etc.

At first the ending did bother me some. Not even close to the amount you see people bitching about online, but still bothered me. Then I read about the indoctrination theory and it completely changed how I view the ending and made it go from "slightly disappointing, but still alright" to "if this theory is true then Bioware has truly mindfucked their audience and made the ending SO MUCH BETTER!"

Almost complete agreement here. The indoctrination theory is a bit of a cop out, because it amounts to "it was all a dream", a very old and cheap device for a story. I did this kind of stuff when I wrote short stories at 14

Nevertheless, all the fans clamoring for it will probably make Bioware create some DLC or some such that at least leaves this theory as a strong possibility. Even if the endings are not that great, I fear that messing with them will cheapen the whole experience, but let's see.

 

[SciMal]

With all the ME3 hate about the ending, I'd like to know what everybody really thinks about ME3 as a whole. And if the ending(s) was bad enough to ruin the game as a whole. Looking for more yes or no type answers.

I actually really enjoyed ME3 as a whole. I felt very little was left out:

Spoiler

1) You never face Harbinger - the biggest and oldest baddy you were fighting throughout ME2 - head-on.
2) There could have been more social interaction on the ship.
3) Liara never acknowledges that I helped her become the new Shadow Broker and saved her friend. -_-

Honestly, it was spectacular right up until the end. The end was just so mediocre that it paled in comparison to the rest of the series. The series deserved a different (no, not necessarily happy) ending, and not even drastically different: They could have gotten away with a few title cards explaining what happened after your decision. That would have been sufficient.

Overall I feel like the Mass Effect series was the best Sci-Fi RPG I've probably ever played; but I hesitate to play it again because I know when I reach the end I will remember exactly what my choices are and how unsatisfying it is.

 

[Zetatrain]

Overall I thought the game was great even with the ending, which I don't feel hatred towards, but it did leave me felling somewhat unsatisfied. However, if the "Indoctrination Theory" that has been floating around turns out to be true then we probably haven't even seen the real ending.

 

[SciMal]

The fact that you have to play multiplayer in order to get the "good" ending. I know people say this isn't true, but I have yet to see proof that 8,000 military strength is obtainable.

You don't need 8000. You only need 6000ish (a full green bar if you're at 50% Readiness).

It's perfectly doable within the SP, the multiplayer just allows you to get there faster.