I will (politely, and hopefully rant-free) choose to disagree. I think the Extended Cut didn't fix the two largest problems with the ending.
First, the issue of choice. It's all still a choice at the end of the game- nothing else matters. I realize that fixing that one is beyond the scope of a simple DLC, so I'll not blame Bioware/EA for that.
Second, the thematic issue. Mass Effect has its roots in classic space opera- you can see it all over the first game. So why isn't there a single truly perfect ending in the mix? Why do all the endings have to use the Catalyst, or screw everybody? THAT could've been changed, and I think should've been.
If I were doing ME3, I would've done two things differently. First, what you do locks you into/out of specific sets of endings, over the course of the games. Think of it like the War Assets score in ME3- anything that gets you allies helps with one score, understanding of the Reapers helps with another, and so on. Each ending branch has its own score, and the events that benefit each one are slightly different.
Second, eight endings. Four possible choices, like there are now- you can destroy the Reapers, control them, make everything a cyborg, or defy the Catalyst. Thing is, how well each ending goes depends on those scores you've been building up, based on actions from save files. Save the Reaper base? That would really help you get the good Control ending. Flip out and kill everything with an AI to it? Picking Destroy might be a bit messy. You get the idea.
Oh, and if you do everything right, build up basically every ally, and choose to defy the Catalyst? The galaxy wins. It would be a hard ending to get, but this is the climax of the trilogy. Getting the golden ending shouldn't be easy.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
First, the issue of choice. It's all still a choice at the end of the game- nothing else matters. I realize that fixing that one is beyond the scope of a simple DLC, so I'll not blame Bioware/EA for that.
Second, the thematic issue. Mass Effect has its roots in classic space opera- you can see it all over the first game. So why isn't there a single truly perfect ending in the mix? Why do all the endings have to use the Catalyst, or screw everybody? THAT could've been changed, and I think should've been.
If I were doing ME3, I would've done two things differently. First, what you do locks you into/out of specific sets of endings, over the course of the games. Think of it like the War Assets score in ME3- anything that gets you allies helps with one score, understanding of the Reapers helps with another, and so on. Each ending branch has its own score, and the events that benefit each one are slightly different.
Second, eight endings. Four possible choices, like there are now- you can destroy the Reapers, control them, make everything a cyborg, or defy the Catalyst. Thing is, how well each ending goes depends on those scores you've been building up, based on actions from save files. Save the Reaper base? That would really help you get the good Control ending. Flip out and kill everything with an AI to it? Picking Destroy might be a bit messy. You get the idea.
Oh, and if you do everything right, build up basically every ally, and choose to defy the Catalyst? The galaxy wins. It would be a hard ending to get, but this is the climax of the trilogy. Getting the golden ending shouldn't be easy.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.