Mass Defects
The inevitable downsides to the Mass Effect trilogy's epic closer.
MASS EFFECT 3 PROBLEMS BY PETER FRANKO
There is no doubting that Mass Effect 3 is an incredible game, as well as the fact that it is an appropriate closer to one of the greatest sci-fi stories ever told. But there is also no doubt that it was a flawed game. I, like everyone else on the face of r/MassEffect have picked out my problems with the game and have become upset for various reasons. Am I now going to spam the internet with various memes about how EA and BioWare are the two shittiest corporations in the universe? No. I am going to attempt to stay calm and express them in an organized manner and translate them from the hastily sketched ideas in my "handy-dandy" gamer notebook.
So without further ado, here they are.
1. Limited Dialogue Choices.
About ten minutes in to my Mass Effect 3 experience, I noticed the limitations of the dialogue options. In every Mass Effect title up to now, there a basic three choices presented to you in the average dialogue wheel. These options typically consist of a paragon (good) option, a renegade (bad) option, and one neutral middle option. The peculiar thing I noticed in the start of my adventures was the fact that there was no neutral option. Why, BioWare? I mean, I really don't think I ever used the middle option once in my Mass Effect 1 or 2 playthroughs, but it definitely gave a feel of more power in conversation. Another aspect of this thesis of limited player control in dialogue is the fact that my Shepard was speaking for himself. It was bizarre at first, that my character who I have played for roughly 50 hours, was now speaking for himself. In previous games, I controlled the outcome of virtually every word that would come out of the Commander's mouth. And now, with this sudden shift, to witness Shepard give orders and converse with squadmates without my go was... just... weird to say the least. It felt almost as if BioWare cut corners in the writing process for the sake of time. As if they only gave you choice in situations where the actions you decide on within dialogue would have some consequence or benefit. In my opinion, this was just a bad call.
2. Dead Space 3?
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| Which ones which? |
Another unnecessary addition to the features of the Mass Effect coup de grâce was the introduction of flashlight levels. Levels in which the only light in the room is a flashlight coming from the tip of Shepard's gun. These levels ended up being dizzying and almost felt like brief game-dentity crisis, for the only thing I could think of the whole time of playing these were the adventures of Dead Space engineer, Isaac Clarke.And if it was the future, wouldn't they have perfected night vision?
3. Y Come No Moar Research?
People had mixed thoughts on the probing segments of Mass Effect 2, and not the ones done by the Cerberus doctors after the discovery of Shepard's corpse (clap clap clap. Great joke, Peter). Rather the mineral scanning probe launching minigame with the soothing vocal accompaniment from Tricia Helfer as EDI. I found these parts to almost be a peaceful break from the tough to manage virtual social life of the commander paired with the constant off-world questing and suicide missions. Also the satisfaction of researching a damage boost or "Heavy Bone Weave" was pretty satisfying. I just don't know why we never invested in heavy bone weave research for Joker. I mean after all, he needed it most with his brittle bone disease and all...
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HUGE MASS EFFECT 3 SPOILERS BELOW
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4. Mysteriously KIA Squadmembers?
It was only on my fourth trip to the Citadel in Mass Effect 3 that I even noticed the docking bay portion, filled with refugees marooned after Reaper exile. It was during this trip that I said hello to Zaeed, and more of my ex crew, but there was also something very strange. I was in a Medical Bay when I overheard a story about the death of Normandy SR-2 Yeoman Kelly Chambers. In awe that my flirtatious secretary from the second game had met her fate, I immediately hit the Mass Effect wiki. Apparently, I didn't warn her to change her identity before the Cerberus attack, so in turn a loved character died.
Another instance of this type of bullshit was the death of one of my favorite characters from Mass Effect 2, Thane Krios. Though his death was inevitable due to Keplar's Syndrome, it still came as a shock to me when I saw his name on the "In memoriam" board. In another instance of BioWare wanting me to be overly proactive within their games, the only way to see Thane before his death and get an awesome death scene, was to meet with him on the Citadel. He emails you at some point in the game, but it says it's from "anonymous" because he was trying to cover up his identity. I call that bullshit. I wanted to see my Thane, that was a dick move, BioWare.
Also why couldn't I save Mordin? I loved that guy!
5. The Perfect Save File: Denied.
In my playthrough of Mass Effect 2, I made sure I did literally everything in the game. I did every mission, every assignment, every DLC, kept all of the characters alive. It was in all ways, the perfect save file. Of course I transferred this save over into Mass Effect 3, expecting to have all of my squadmates from the second game fighting by my side, but the reality was actually quite the contrary. I ended up having seven team-mates including Javik (the Prothean), not . This was probably one of the most upsetting aspects of Mass Effect 3. The inability to have Legion, Thane, Miranda, Jack, Samara, Mordin, Wrex or Kasumi in my squad was the devil's work. This, unlike the ending, cannot be fixed in any way, and for that I am legitimately quite angry.
6. THE MOTHERFUCKING ENDING
When I decided to write this article there was absolutely not a second thought in my mind that I would have to address this already widely addressed issue. I think New Yorker writer, Tom Bissel put it best: "It was an audacious failure," and to put it quite bluntly I could not agree more. The ending did have its perks though, I for one actually thought it was incredibly beautiful. The pictures of your squadmates as Shepard met his demise, the incredible musical score, the feeling of slight hope at the end as Joker and EDI made their long awaited embrace. I thought it was also heartbreaking. To any die-hard Mass Effecter such as myself, the ending was a complete travesty. Mass Effect as a franchise built up it's reputation from the get go as a game in which there would be tough decisions as well as dire consequences. They kept up with this theme and kept it quite prominent in all games, but it seemed that when the ending came along, everything they built up had been tossed out the window. Reason being for this claim is that there were only three FUCKING endings. I was expecting like thirty! And the worst part was that the ability to get these endings required no prior decisions, you simply chose what goddamn color you like the most! To me this goes against everything Mass Effect has ever stood for within the gamer community and was an all around fluke. Not to mention the obvious plot-holes in the ending that are bigger than Miranda's ass.
Sure the entire internet has made the claim that the ending was a trial of Shepard's mind through Reaper indoctrination, and it actually seems quite legit. But I wanted a wholesome ending. Similar to that of LOST, I wanted something that really was for the characters, not the failed attempt to explain aspects of games prior. I wanted to see the little blue Asari babies that Liara and Shep would have had. I wanted to go see Mordin sing in the Tuchanka Opera House. I wanted to help build Tali a home on Rannoch and visit her father's grave. I wanted to play beach volleyball with Garrus in the Caribbean. But most of all, I wanted to see Shepard, taking a much deserved break, just getting away from it all. The fact that I was robbed from these moments was the real issue.
I'll keep my closing thoughts short. Mass Effect 2 was the best of the trilogy. And BioWare, I want some great ending DLC, and I want that shit soon (and I'm not fucking paying for it). But in the mean time, this will just have to keep my tearz at bay...
(Drawing cred: http://hellstern.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-3-how-it-should-ve-ended-290288819)
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