Well...
I wanted to strenuously avoid spoilers for the 3rd installment of the series. I did indulge in watching a few isolated clips on youtube before the release, and the trailers of course. But I wanted to go into the 3rd game as much a "tabula rasa" from the end of "Arrival" as possible.
But I also planned to wait on buying and installing the game for a couple of weeks to a month after launch. I'm patient. And I figured that there would be bugs (like the face import) that would be patched and fixed. I kept enough attention on the Mass Effect franchise to hear about things like that.
So naturally, while keeping my radar out for non-spoiler news on the game and all, I started hearing about the ending controversy. I figured, "How bad could it possibly be?"
Then I heard about "Retake Mass Effect" and the guy who filed a complaint with the FTC. And THAT got my attention. I realized after hearing about "No choices mattered in the end" that I would have to break my "no spoilers" rule and seek out info on the ending to see what was the problem.
My god...
I am so glad now that I spent absolutely zero money on Mass Effect 3 or any related product. I -was- going to. I had a small budget set aside for the game and any DLC that would be forthcoming.
But... no.
No.
FUCKING NO!!!!
I am so INCANDESCENTLY PISSED OFF at Bioware I am having trouble finding any words in print or in real life to properly convey it. I think the closest I could come to is (insert noise of primal scream of rage here)
I won't go point by point through all the various ways the ending (singular - because there IS only ONE ending, just different colors of explosions) is UNACCEPTABLE because it's already been gone over and over and over. You people have all seen the various bullet points as to why. If you haven't, then go here.
I can only add my small kindling to the bonfire of rage.
Here's how I feel.
Until even a few days ago, I was happily able to go replay sections of ME1 & 2. (No need to replay an entire game, I had my Shepards as I wanted them and ready to go. I just replayed cool sections and was getting practice back in the style of combat.)
Now I look at the icons for them on my quicklinks and all I feel is utter revulsion. Sick to my stomach. I have to turn away.
I have to keep stopping myself from uninstalling the games from my computer. And the ONLY reason I don't, is because after seeing the entire movement and revolt of all the players against Bioware, I know I'm not alone. And that there is a good chance that a better ending COULD be coming.
But whether or not I buy the game now depends entirely on one thing -
Does my Shepard even have a CHANCE at a fully triumphant happy ending? I get that there will be sacrifices. I GET that the Mass Relay network might have to go away. I GET that Galactic civilization might never be what it was before.
But DAMNIT. I spared the Rachni queen. Even in ME 2 I was well on my way to resolving the differences between the Geth and the Quarians. Wrex was alive and well and the genophage was going to be cured.
I WANT my "Gondor calls for aid" scenes! I want to see Shepard say FUCK YOU to the Reapers and I want to have the Quarians and Geth side by side screaming in and blowing up Reapers. I want the Krogan and the Rachni ground forces to double team hordes of husks and curbstomp Praetors! I want the Turians and Humans back to back as brothers in the fight. I want the Asari and Salarians doing the flanking manuevers and biotic charges in pinpoint strikes.
My Shepard would NEVER - and WILL NEVER - take at face value 3 BULLSHIT choices of some god-child whose arguments don't even make fucking sense! I don't even want the stupid "god-child" in the game. But if they had to leave that in - I WANT my 4th choice of FUCK YOU.
I can even handle having my Shepard die in the process if I can get all that and some resolution and closure. (But I'd much rather have her alive)
And if I don't get that - then my FUCK YOU will be directed at Bioware. And I will never, EVER buy a single product of theirs again. And I will warn all my friends not to buy anything from them as well.
I wanted to strenuously avoid spoilers for the 3rd installment of the series. I did indulge in watching a few isolated clips on youtube before the release, and the trailers of course. But I wanted to go into the 3rd game as much a "tabula rasa" from the end of "Arrival" as possible.
But I also planned to wait on buying and installing the game for a couple of weeks to a month after launch. I'm patient. And I figured that there would be bugs (like the face import) that would be patched and fixed. I kept enough attention on the Mass Effect franchise to hear about things like that.
So naturally, while keeping my radar out for non-spoiler news on the game and all, I started hearing about the ending controversy. I figured, "How bad could it possibly be?"
Then I heard about "Retake Mass Effect" and the guy who filed a complaint with the FTC. And THAT got my attention. I realized after hearing about "No choices mattered in the end" that I would have to break my "no spoilers" rule and seek out info on the ending to see what was the problem.
My god...
I am so glad now that I spent absolutely zero money on Mass Effect 3 or any related product. I -was- going to. I had a small budget set aside for the game and any DLC that would be forthcoming.
But... no.
No.
FUCKING NO!!!!
I am so INCANDESCENTLY PISSED OFF at Bioware I am having trouble finding any words in print or in real life to properly convey it. I think the closest I could come to is (insert noise of primal scream of rage here)
I won't go point by point through all the various ways the ending (singular - because there IS only ONE ending, just different colors of explosions) is UNACCEPTABLE because it's already been gone over and over and over. You people have all seen the various bullet points as to why. If you haven't, then go here.
I can only add my small kindling to the bonfire of rage.
Here's how I feel.
Until even a few days ago, I was happily able to go replay sections of ME1 & 2. (No need to replay an entire game, I had my Shepards as I wanted them and ready to go. I just replayed cool sections and was getting practice back in the style of combat.)
Now I look at the icons for them on my quicklinks and all I feel is utter revulsion. Sick to my stomach. I have to turn away.
I have to keep stopping myself from uninstalling the games from my computer. And the ONLY reason I don't, is because after seeing the entire movement and revolt of all the players against Bioware, I know I'm not alone. And that there is a good chance that a better ending COULD be coming.
But whether or not I buy the game now depends entirely on one thing -
Does my Shepard even have a CHANCE at a fully triumphant happy ending? I get that there will be sacrifices. I GET that the Mass Relay network might have to go away. I GET that Galactic civilization might never be what it was before.
But DAMNIT. I spared the Rachni queen. Even in ME 2 I was well on my way to resolving the differences between the Geth and the Quarians. Wrex was alive and well and the genophage was going to be cured.
I WANT my "Gondor calls for aid" scenes! I want to see Shepard say FUCK YOU to the Reapers and I want to have the Quarians and Geth side by side screaming in and blowing up Reapers. I want the Krogan and the Rachni ground forces to double team hordes of husks and curbstomp Praetors! I want the Turians and Humans back to back as brothers in the fight. I want the Asari and Salarians doing the flanking manuevers and biotic charges in pinpoint strikes.
My Shepard would NEVER - and WILL NEVER - take at face value 3 BULLSHIT choices of some god-child whose arguments don't even make fucking sense! I don't even want the stupid "god-child" in the game. But if they had to leave that in - I WANT my 4th choice of FUCK YOU.
I can even handle having my Shepard die in the process if I can get all that and some resolution and closure. (But I'd much rather have her alive)
And if I don't get that - then my FUCK YOU will be directed at Bioware. And I will never, EVER buy a single product of theirs again. And I will warn all my friends not to buy anything from them as well.