Mass Effect Series
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Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
D'awwww Shepard and Garrus date
That was the first time I've ever seen them be "sweet." Everything thus far has just been them spouting innuendos at each other.
But then after the sweetness, Garrus challenging her to an accuracy contest? Awesome. I was kind of hoping that that only happens if your Shepard is an Infiltrator like mine, but I see that it doesn'tGuess I shouldn't have even looked it up, lol.
But anyway, great little heartwarming scene.
It also still happens even if you don't have Garrus as a romance option. It's pretty much the same except it's more like two bros hanging out. FemShep is still pretty bro'ish most of the time.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
In the interest of avoiding spoilers which I would run into trying to find this - how do you guys recommend the two DLCs. Omega and...what's it, Leviathan?
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Currently playing, but quick off-the-cuff remarks
Last night I finished the whole Quarian thing.
First: Sweet, sweet redemption. It ate at me that I refused to allow Tali to be exiled for her dead father, I thought she was being stupid and she hated me the rest of the game for it. For her to come back and say I was right felt gooood.
Second: Altogether brief...I didn't quite realize helping the geth was gonna wipe out the Quarians. Oops. I was pretty down about it last night, but the more I thought about it, the more sure I became about my decision. THEY started it by attacking in the first place, not to mention refusing to stand down MULTIPLE TIMES during the course of that mission.
Third: Just lost Thessia. Kai Leng's annoying and all, but holy &#^$ do I want the Illusive Man's head on a platter. I loved sticking it to him at the end of 2, ("Sorry what was that? I'm gettin' a lot of bullshit on this line." Hell yeah Shepard!) I hope I can give him a bullet at the end of this one.
First: Sweet, sweet redemption. It ate at me that I refused to allow Tali to be exiled for her dead father, I thought she was being stupid and she hated me the rest of the game for it. For her to come back and say I was right felt gooood.
Second: Altogether brief...I didn't quite realize helping the geth was gonna wipe out the Quarians. Oops. I was pretty down about it last night, but the more I thought about it, the more sure I became about my decision. THEY started it by attacking in the first place, not to mention refusing to stand down MULTIPLE TIMES during the course of that mission.
Third: Just lost Thessia. Kai Leng's annoying and all, but holy &#^$ do I want the Illusive Man's head on a platter. I loved sticking it to him at the end of 2, ("Sorry what was that? I'm gettin' a lot of bullshit on this line." Hell yeah Shepard!) I hope I can give him a bullet at the end of this one.
Lex
Administrator
Um, Force, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but
you can actually get peace between the Geth and the Quarians. They can live together on Rannoch :/.
You do it by having done Tali and Legion's loyalty missions in ME2 and doing the other 2 Rannoch-related missions before priority: Rannoch. There's a points system thing and doing all that ensures you get peace. I believe you may not have because you used the evidence in ME2, Also you can secure Tali in 2 without using the evidence and angering her, you just have to stir the crowd with a paragon or renegade option. That way you get her loyalty and she isn't exiled without you using the evidence.
You do it by having done Tali and Legion's loyalty missions in ME2 and doing the other 2 Rannoch-related missions before priority: Rannoch. There's a points system thing and doing all that ensures you get peace. I believe you may not have because you used the evidence in ME2, Also you can secure Tali in 2 without using the evidence and angering her, you just have to stir the crowd with a paragon or renegade option. That way you get her loyalty and she isn't exiled without you using the evidence.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
I did know that about Tali but I'm too middle-of-the-road morally to have had high enough renegade and paragon. I saw the faded option though. As such, she didn't like me so I don't get her "loyalty"
Carlie
CltrAltDelicious
- AKA
- Chloe Frazer
You don't need the high paragon or renegade points though there's a cheat in ME1 for infinite Paragon points, it really frees you to act how the hell you like without worrying. All you need is Kal'Reegar and Veetor to rally the crowd against the Admiralty Board. Also
siding with the Geth means Tali killing herself and I couldn't do such a thing 
so I always make peace between them.
so I always make peace between them.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Well I didn't know that in advance ya cheater.
Lex
Administrator
Can I ask how you're managing to be morally middle of the road in ME3 since there's no professionalshep options anymore?
EDIT: Ah wait never mind you meant in ME2.
Also, on my next playthrough
EDIT: Ah wait never mind you meant in ME2.
Also, on my next playthrough
I'm going to let Wrex die on Virmire, side with the Dalatrass and not cure the Genophage. This nets you the Krogan and Slarian assets as well as Mordin being alive. Mwahaha. If Wrex dies they never find out you sabotaged the genophage, which to be fair I'm still not sure it's a good idea to cure it.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
I'm not, lol. I'm winding up a lot more Paragon this time around. About 3/4, 1/4 Renegade. But I was in ME2
Carlie
CltrAltDelicious
- AKA
- Chloe Frazer
Well you didn't ask.
Honestly I always regard my first playthroughs with Bioware games specifically ME and DA as beta test because they have so many things I'm bound to miss or screw up something which is one of the main reasons why I use wikia when I play them.Lex -
Killing Wrex is blasphemy I tell you, playing the games without him doesn't even sound right plus you can get the Salarian support regardless of curing the genophage and dammit those krogans deserved that cure especially Eve.
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Lex
Administrator
Yeah but it's going to be a kind of sneaky renegade playthrough and also
It'll be in an effort to see how different the game feels too, it's not just about that choice. There are a million different things I'll be doing differently.
I'm not entirely convinced curing them is the best option.That is and will always be my canon (I always cure them) but you don't get full salarian support, you get more for sabotaging the genophage
It'll be in an effort to see how different the game feels too, it's not just about that choice. There are a million different things I'll be doing differently.
Carlie
CltrAltDelicious
- AKA
- Chloe Frazer
To hell with you then (jk).
I don't think is the best option if Wreav is the one in charge because that will not end well especially not for Australia but with Wrex and Eve in charge they have more than earned the right to survive and for their race not to be extinct especially since the Salarians have a lot of the blame for the Krogan Rebellions.
but with Wrex and Eve in charge they have more than earned the right to survive and for their race not to be extinct especially since the Salarians have a lot of the blame for the Krogan Rebellions.
Lex
Administrator
I completely agree.
Wrex is one of my favourite characters in the whole series I just think it would be interesting to do a playthrough that's completely different from the way I normally do it. If Wrex is dead there's not really any hope for the Krogan becoming peaceful so that way I also get to save Mordin and sabotage the genophage without there being any consequences
I'll probably still play for peace between the Quarians and geth but I'll do it with the renegade options instead of Paragon. In ME2 I'll make ruthless decisions instead of heroic ones etc. I'm looking forward to the dialogue too, I've never really done a proper renegade playthrough aside from getting the trophy in ME1.
I'll probably still play for peace between the Quarians and geth but I'll do it with the renegade options instead of Paragon. In ME2 I'll make ruthless decisions instead of heroic ones etc. I'm looking forward to the dialogue too, I've never really done a proper renegade playthrough aside from getting the trophy in ME1.
Carlie
CltrAltDelicious
- AKA
- Chloe Frazer
I love Mordin and I really wish I could save him but he's death scene is so beautiful, hands down for me the best moment of the game I wouldn't be able to take that way, plus he seemed so at peace when he went up that elevator, all those demons of what he did with the genophage gone in those final moments, he more than earned his redemption.
Femshep renegade options are awesome, she's such a huge badass.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Well you didn't ask.
To each their own, but I prefer my first playthrough to be my honest role play. What I would do (given the sometimes limited options). If I screw something up, oh well, I lay in the bed I made.
Then on later playthroughs I can cheat and go to extremes.
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ForceStealer
Double Growth
So I finished it last night.
Well I'm glad I got to kill the Illusive Man. I understand you can talk him into doing it himself, but I apparently didn't have a high enough score in either direction - though frankly, I wanted to kill him.
How long has he been Indoctrinated? All of Mass Effect 3? Longer than that? Just toward the end?
The whole going-back-to-Earth sequence was pretty awesome. That absolutely massive fleet coming through the relay was pretty sweet. I still keep that complaint about the entire series - the complete lack of any ship combat. We're constantly told how awesome the Normandy is, and it certainly looks good, but how many times have we even seen it fire it's main gun? The fact that we have this badass ship in orbit never seems to come up. I mentioned this before, but the most glaring example to me was Zaeed's loyalty mission, when the enemies fly off with what we need and the team stares at it dejected as it flies away...Do we not have a frigate up there? I think they could take'em.
There was another mission when you raid a collector ship and they tell you the Normandy's gun isn't powerful enough to breach some door so you have the take the long way around. Bullshit! The Normandy destroys the Collector ship at the end in like 2 hits!
I understand that's not the kinda game they were going for, but if Assassin's Creed of all games can make such a compelling naval combat game, I think Bioware could have let you do some stuff that made all of Garrus' calibrating worthwhile. Seriously, he's constantly working on a gun that, over the course of several years is used less than 10 times. (Might even be less than 5, but not being as familiar with the 1st game, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, I really did like the gameplay and upgrading and such that is there. I have to wonder how you could ever have enough money to buy and upgrade everything. And how do you upgrade things to level 10? Each gun I got to level 5 was taken off the list.
Also, when you walk around their little forward base in London...holy crap was that emotional talking to everyone. I even didn't hate Kaidan for a minute or two. And Shepard's conversation with Garrus...holy crap. Let's just say I was glad I live alone at that part. When she tells him if she's at the bar in heaven and he's not she'll be watching. Ugh, my throat gets tight just thinking about it. Probably the closest I've ever come to being a shipper, I want those two to be together. (And then their goodbye at the end when she loads him back into the Normandy. Shit...)
I was less experienced with Liara since I didn't play much of ME1, but I really came to like her at the end of 3. She was pretty useful in combat too. Their final chat was also emotional...but what did she do to Shepard there? She and Garrus really do feel like Shepard's best friends, as they seem to have been around the most.
Being able to have a final chat with people who weren't there was also great.
So...yeah...that ending. Everything I heard was absolutely 100% accurate. The game really is fantastic and keeps getting better and better until those catastrophic last 5 minutes. Also totally accurate was the assertion that while you watch the ending and immediately after, it doesn't seem THAT bad. Weird, but okay. But the longer you sit on it, the worse it gets. I still feel really deflated about it.
There's really nothing new I can say, it's all been articulated pretty well - the fact that it's melancholy isn't the problem, it's that in addition to not making much sense, it runs counter to every theme in the series. Not the least of which is choice.
I also very much like what Splintered posted here back when you guys all beat itwhich I stayed up entirely too late reading how your actions in ME3 disprove everything that kid tells you about why the Reapers do their thing. I admit I like the touch that the first Reapers were made into them against their will by this AI they designed to solve the problem - but that's all the more reason you should be able to shut it down or whatever. Why do the options all suck so bad?
By the way, I understand all the endings are the same, why do the Mass Relays get destroyed if you choose to control the Reapers? (I chose destroy.)
On a more subjective note, I don't much care for open endings (yes that goes for FF7 too). I like epilogues, ESPECIALLY if it's a character driven story. Tell me what the hell happened to all these people I just spent so many hours getting to know intimately! I know you can make it so that Shepard lives, but they still show you nothing about what happens. Especially her with Garrus the bastards. But even if she doesn't, give me something you dicks.
Ugh. I'm just repeating what everyone already knows and said, just...what a shame. Assassin's Creed III's ending, while unsatisfying, didn't leave me feeling so dejected because I didn't really care about the characters in the present. But I just feel lousy about this one.
It truly does put a severe damper on replay value. But then Lex said in no uncertain terms that he didn't think he could play ME again earlier in the thread and look what he's doing now
How long has he been Indoctrinated? All of Mass Effect 3? Longer than that? Just toward the end?
The whole going-back-to-Earth sequence was pretty awesome. That absolutely massive fleet coming through the relay was pretty sweet. I still keep that complaint about the entire series - the complete lack of any ship combat. We're constantly told how awesome the Normandy is, and it certainly looks good, but how many times have we even seen it fire it's main gun? The fact that we have this badass ship in orbit never seems to come up. I mentioned this before, but the most glaring example to me was Zaeed's loyalty mission, when the enemies fly off with what we need and the team stares at it dejected as it flies away...Do we not have a frigate up there? I think they could take'em.
There was another mission when you raid a collector ship and they tell you the Normandy's gun isn't powerful enough to breach some door so you have the take the long way around. Bullshit! The Normandy destroys the Collector ship at the end in like 2 hits!
I understand that's not the kinda game they were going for, but if Assassin's Creed of all games can make such a compelling naval combat game, I think Bioware could have let you do some stuff that made all of Garrus' calibrating worthwhile. Seriously, he's constantly working on a gun that, over the course of several years is used less than 10 times. (Might even be less than 5, but not being as familiar with the 1st game, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, I really did like the gameplay and upgrading and such that is there. I have to wonder how you could ever have enough money to buy and upgrade everything. And how do you upgrade things to level 10? Each gun I got to level 5 was taken off the list.
Also, when you walk around their little forward base in London...holy crap was that emotional talking to everyone. I even didn't hate Kaidan for a minute or two. And Shepard's conversation with Garrus...holy crap. Let's just say I was glad I live alone at that part. When she tells him if she's at the bar in heaven and he's not she'll be watching. Ugh, my throat gets tight just thinking about it. Probably the closest I've ever come to being a shipper, I want those two to be together. (And then their goodbye at the end when she loads him back into the Normandy. Shit...)
I was less experienced with Liara since I didn't play much of ME1, but I really came to like her at the end of 3. She was pretty useful in combat too. Their final chat was also emotional...but what did she do to Shepard there? She and Garrus really do feel like Shepard's best friends, as they seem to have been around the most.
Being able to have a final chat with people who weren't there was also great.
So...yeah...that ending. Everything I heard was absolutely 100% accurate. The game really is fantastic and keeps getting better and better until those catastrophic last 5 minutes. Also totally accurate was the assertion that while you watch the ending and immediately after, it doesn't seem THAT bad. Weird, but okay. But the longer you sit on it, the worse it gets. I still feel really deflated about it.
There's really nothing new I can say, it's all been articulated pretty well - the fact that it's melancholy isn't the problem, it's that in addition to not making much sense, it runs counter to every theme in the series. Not the least of which is choice.
I also very much like what Splintered posted here back when you guys all beat it
By the way, I understand all the endings are the same, why do the Mass Relays get destroyed if you choose to control the Reapers? (I chose destroy.)
On a more subjective note, I don't much care for open endings (yes that goes for FF7 too). I like epilogues, ESPECIALLY if it's a character driven story. Tell me what the hell happened to all these people I just spent so many hours getting to know intimately! I know you can make it so that Shepard lives, but they still show you nothing about what happens. Especially her with Garrus the bastards. But even if she doesn't, give me something you dicks.
Ugh. I'm just repeating what everyone already knows and said, just...what a shame. Assassin's Creed III's ending, while unsatisfying, didn't leave me feeling so dejected because I didn't really care about the characters in the present. But I just feel lousy about this one.
It truly does put a severe damper on replay value. But then Lex said in no uncertain terms that he didn't think he could play ME again earlier in the thread and look what he's doing now
Lex
Administrator
I'd say he's been indoctrinated since that point he implanted reaper technology in himself. You see videos of it on the consoles leading to his chamber at Cerberus HQ.
That's because to go above level 5 you have to play a new game+. Then the max is level 10.
Yeah, Garrus is pretty awesome
Yeah, this part was added in with the Extended Ending. Originally Shepard ran to the beam and nothing happened, your squadmates just disappeared. Perhaps more on this later (I'm reading your post and responding to it as I read).
Yes. This is true regardless of which Shep you have, which class or gender he/she is etc. Bioware seemed to really push them as true friends, and I didn't mind in the slightest
It's an Asari thing. In my head they're emotionally and mentally connecting in a deeper way, and also in the asari way. I loved that scene.
One of the best touches of the whole game. Although if they hadn't included it there would have been hell to pay. Well I suppose there was hell to pay anyway.
His name is Mac Walters. The exact words on his notes were "LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE", I'm not kidding. I might have posted an image way back.
Space magic. In all seriousness though, I believe Bioware had a pretty strong idea of what they were planning for the future (as in, a sequel, that we now know is coming and no one will buy if it's a prequel) so their idea of "choice" was very limited. The mass relays are destroyed in every ending because in the future story there aren't any Mass Relays IMO.
Didn't you like the little narrated slide show you got with the extended cut? XD. We were left to wonder even more than you were believe it or not, so I'm quite relieved you still find the ending as atrocious as the rest of us.
It truly does put a severe damper on replay value. But then Lex said in no uncertain terms that he didn't think he could play ME again earlier in the thread and look what he's doing now
My replays were purely because of the trophies. While the Extended cut improved what was diabolically bad, the ending still sucks. If I play the game again it won't be soon, I was just thinking I should change it up a bit since there are things I can't bring myself to do on my normal playthroughs these days.
I hope you keep in mind that your first experience with the ending is markedly better than mine was, since there were a bazillion more plot holes and hugely important things missing from the original ending.
The nice fact is that now I can shoot the space kid in the head. This might destroy all the advanced species in the galaxy, but at least I'm taking them down with me
EDIT: Just incase you were wondering, the original ending went like this:
Shepard runs to the beam, no cutscene (squadmates disappear - space magic). Shepard gets to the beam and gets beamed up to the Citadel. Out of the blue, Anderson is somehow there (they added dialogue in the EC to "fix" this.) Illusive man scene is the same (because were they fuck going to pay Martin Sheen's prices again to change that - not that they needed to). Same up until space child, who barely had any dialogue. You are blandly given the choices which Shepard just accepts without argument (not kidding, he/she is just like, "oh right I see, cool. So I have to choose one of these? Cool beans."). You were then given a game over screen if you took too long to move. There was no option to reject his offer. There was no elaboration on any of his motives. Shepard then makes a choice and dies (or appears to die, as in the destroy ending). A beam of light is released. Depending on your Effective Military strength (this originally had to be 7000 for the best ending (not possible without multiplayer/iOS app), it was lowered with the Extended Cut to 3200) big ben either explodes or doesn't explode. Joker pushes some buttons and some things explode. Joker is shown on a random planet, your Love Interest and another completely random character pops out. Credits, then a final screen that said "Look forward to more DLC!".
That's it. It was horrific.
That's it. It was horrific.
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ForceStealer
Double Growth
As I got further and further into the game and it just kept getting better and better I was really starting to doubt that there could be a bad ending. "This is excellent, I would have to work hard to screw this up! Maybe this was a very elaborate prank the entire world was playing on me. How could they possibly ruin this? Maybe everyone's just being dramatic."
...
Nope.
Well, that's stupid as hell, but I think that there should be a way - maybe by getting the Platinum Trophy or something - that you can get a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too ending. Even if it isn't "canon." Just let you have Shepard say, "Fuck no," shoot the little shit in the knee caps and just make him kill the reapers and no one else. And thenShepard having/adopting babies with Garrus a proper epilogue.
What's wrong with that? They can keep their bullshit moves for more money by extending the franchise, AND give you an actual reward for sinking all of your time into the game instead of just a trophy.
Now, a legitimate ending would be superior to all of that, but I'm just spitballin' here.
And that's crazy what the ending was like before. So basically, both versions suck ass, it's just that one looks like it intentionally sucked while the other looks completely phoned in?
...
Nope.
PrinceLex said:
Well, that's stupid as hell, but I think that there should be a way - maybe by getting the Platinum Trophy or something - that you can get a have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too ending. Even if it isn't "canon." Just let you have Shepard say, "Fuck no," shoot the little shit in the knee caps and just make him kill the reapers and no one else. And then
What's wrong with that? They can keep their bullshit moves for more money by extending the franchise, AND give you an actual reward for sinking all of your time into the game instead of just a trophy.
Now, a legitimate ending would be superior to all of that, but I'm just spitballin' here.
And that's crazy what the ending was like before. So basically, both versions suck ass, it's just that one looks like it intentionally sucked while the other looks completely phoned in?
Lex
Administrator
These were my exact feelings while playing the game. I got it on release day so I literally just caught a tiny bit of the beginning of the ending drama, and I was like "nah, no way. This game is too fucking awesome". Alas,
This, I think, is what everyone wanted. Just an ending that stays true to the decisions you've made with your Shepard - even if it's not canon. I've only ever shipped one thing in my life, and it's in my signature now. Tbh, I'm probably so emotionally attached to it because of the whole "OMG FULLY DEVELOPED HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP IN MAINSTREAM GAMING AAAAAA" and it finally provided me with a fantasy romance that I actually connected with. Don't get me wrong, all the ME romances are cheeseball but it got me using the term "Space Husbands" and imagining Shepard recovering in Kaidan's house in Vancouver AND WANTING SO BADLY TO SEE IT and gave me - even though I fucking hate the word - "feels". "Shipper feels". Strong ones.
So yeah the ending devastated me pretty damn hard.
So yeah the ending devastated me pretty damn hard.
Yes. Had the EC ending been included originally, there would still have been a stink around the internet, just not as big.
Joe
I KEEP MY IDEALS
- AKA
- Joe, Arcana
While I was disappointed by the ending, the entirety of the game made up for it.
And honestly, I see ME3 as an ending in itself. The story is literally wrapping up every loose end and in that way as soon as you put the disc in the finale has started. I will not give a single negative point toward the game due to the final five minutes being lacking.
And honestly, I see ME3 as an ending in itself. The story is literally wrapping up every loose end and in that way as soon as you put the disc in the finale has started. I will not give a single negative point toward the game due to the final five minutes being lacking.
ForceStealer
Double Growth
But they were such an important final five minutes! Couldn't some other group of 5 minutes sucked? 
But I don't regret playing it if that's what you mean, I'm not gonna go sell the thing.
But I don't regret playing it if that's what you mean, I'm not gonna go sell the thing.