Giant Bomb Thread The Third: #TeamBrad

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I think it was a disappointing game even if you disregard the parts the drama focused on.

Terrible fetch quests, clearly unfinished reworking of the ME2 planet scanning / normandy overworld, makes the #1 decision in ME2 irrelevant (save / kill base), does the same with the rachni choice from ME1 (the game just invents a new rachni queen if you killed her), removed all neutral dialogue responses, had a lot more scenes without any player choices or choices where what you picked made zero difference, harbinger is nowhere to be seen, illusive man is a undermined as a character by the fact that he was just indoctrinated all along and most importantly nothing you do has any significance at all in the final mission. War assets are pointless.

Just look at all the things that made the ME2 suicide mission great and then realize that none of that is there in ME3's final mission. It's a culmination of everything you've done throughout the game with multiple tough decisions giving branching paths, coupled with great pacing and very strong character focus.

Now I'm disappointed all over again. Bummer.

It's the thing they've mentioned on the bombcast before. The whole diamond situation where everything spreads out, and is as wide as it can get during the middle parts, but it all comes back to meet at 1 point at the end. The fact that they mentioned on the last bombcast, that the Walking Dead did this too, makes me not wanna play it.

It's fucking bull shit, why make a series so much about choice, and not create...I dunno, MULTIPLE ENDINGS. It's not like that's a new concept. There have been many games in the past that had multiple endings, and outcomes depending on your choices. Just look at friggin Chrono Trigger.

The Mass Effect series set up this universe, and game franchise where I thought my choices would matter in the end. I'd understand if they had to bring it down to reasonable expectations, but the way they handled it was complete and utter nonsense, and even after more clarification of the plot holes with the EC, I still think it sucks.
 
People on twitter telling Brad most of the upset was due to promises...

I was more concerned over the laundry list of blatant contradictions and nonsensical crap that flooded the sequence. But, yeah, sure, promises or something.


edit:

It's fucking bull shit, why make a series so much about choice, and not create...I dunno, MULTIPLE ENDINGS.
Color changes don't count? My whole life is a lie!
 
It's the thing they've mentioned on the bombcast before. The whole diamond situation where everything spreads out, and is as wide as it can get during the middle parts, but it all comes back to meet at 1 point at the end. The fact that they mentioned on the last bombcast, that the Walking Dead did this too, makes me not wanna play it

TWD diamonds a LOT worse than ME3. It's still worth playing though, just don't ever play it more than once, otherwise the illusion of choice completely disappears.
 
It's the thing they've mentioned on the bombcast before. The whole diamond situation where everything spreads out, and is as wide as it can get during the middle parts, but it all comes back to meet at 1 point at the end. The fact that they mentioned on the last bombcast, that the Walking Dead did this too, makes me not wanna play it.

The Walking Dead actually has pretty good writing, so it's much better than Mass Effect 3. I wouldn't even call it a diamond though, TWD closes in in episode 3, and then never really spreads out again.
 
I'm not a fan of retconning, especially in reaction to fan complaints.

I'm not watching the extended cut and I don't want to know what's in it, when I discuss the ending it's always in its original form.

As I've said before, the best part of the Extended Cut was where it went from "adding dialogue and scenes so that things make sort of more sense" to "oh shit, we didn't mean that one shot in the original to mean what everybody who saw it thought it did, re-write it!"
 
i think i might play me 3 again. i never bought javik and he seems to make things better.

After playing the game and seeing what Javik contributed to the game, it became very apparent that leaving Javik out of the vanilla game was really slimey. I talked to him more than probably any other crew member.
 
Brad is indicating to someone that hasn't finished ME3 that he probably shouldn't listen to this week's podcast.

So, yeah: Semi-spoilercast ahoy!
 
People on twitter telling Brad most of the upset was due to promises...

I was more concerned over the laundry list of blatant contradictions and nonsensical crap that flooded the sequence. But, yeah, sure, promises or something.

It's a combination of everything for me. Mass Effect 3's ending is a fuck up on so many different levels, that I still can't get over it. There was a time if you were to ask me what my favorite series this generation was, I'd say Mass Effect. Not just because of the player choice, but because the universe, and the characters. Mass Effect 3 just ruined all that for me, it ruined the whole series for me. A lot of people might say that's stupid, why should the ending ruin my enjoyment of the first two...well because the story of the first two game ultimately ends with the ending of ME3, that's why.

I like to use this hypothetical situation as a good example on how I feel about the Mass Effect series now. Imagine if you will, you go to a restaurant. You order a nice hot fudge sundae, and the first one you have there is so delicious, you can't wait til you go there again for another. You go a second time, have another nice sundae, and it was just as good as the first. Then you go a third time...it starts out pretty good, and you think will be another great dessert, except when you read the bottom of your dish you find that they left you a steamy piece of shit at the bottom. Kinda would ruin your experience, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it also change your perception on those two previous desserts that you had as well?
 
Brad didn't have an issue with what I perceived to be the butchery of the Quarian, Geth, and the conflict between them on Rannoch. If you're not a fan of the writing style in Mass Effect 3 I'm not sure why you'd expect Brad to be on your side at the ending.
Oh god, Rannoch.

Remember the
Reaper that couldn't aim for shit? I guess you need three lasers to hit a guy who's on foot.
 
I feel like I'm getting spoilered for the next Bombcast when I'm reading Brad's twitter.

Not that ME3 is high on my list for topics I want them to cover, looking forward to more Far Cry 3 and/or The Walking Dead depending on how far Jeff got.
 
After playing the game with Javik during my first and only playthrough, it became very apparent that leaving Javik out of the vanilla game was really slimey.

thats part of the reason why i did not download him it seemed like a cash grab and everyone saying how awesome a lot of the game is with him made it seem obvious he was part of the game.
 
Yes, yes, I can feel it. The hate is bubbling out from me right now.

They better have a spoiler cast about this. Hopefully he'll talk about it this Tuesday.

best thing about the ME3 endings is that feeling never goes away. as shown by the posts here. the pain returns.
 
Anyone got a link to shit added in extended cut? Dont wanna dl ME3 again.

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_3:_Extended_Cut

That's more or less everything, though there's a couple of other visual changes I can remember off the top of my head:
The elevator that takes you up to the Catalyst was a transparent energy thing in the original instead of a levitating metal panel; and during the Normandy running away from the energy wave sequence, Joker would turn around like he was staring out of the back window of a car at the energy even though he would only be looking at the bridge.
 
I can't think about this again.

150 hours over 5 years and at the end of it I got a 2 minute ending with some pretty colors. It's too much.
 
So, what's the final DLC about? I heard it's some kind of dating sim, but that doesn't sound right.

I saw a rumor that it involves you and your LI going on a date on the Citadel when you are attacked (abducted?) by Cerberus.

But who knows? We do know that at the very least Joker and Kaiden will be in it. I assume Kaiden's presence also means Ashley.

I'm still a little puzzled why Bioware could get all the VAs back for the Dragon Age 2 DLC, but they can't do the same thing for the ME DLC.
 
http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_3:_Extended_Cut

That's more or less everything, though there's a couple of other visual changes I can remember off the top of my head:
The elevator that takes you up to the Catalyst was a transparent energy thing in the original instead of a levitating metal panel; and during the Normandy running away from the energy wave sequence, Joker would turn around like he was staring out of the back window of a car at the energy even though he would only be looking at the bridge.
And this
z2yUh.png


was changed to

8.png
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?
 
Okay that joker thing sounds hilarious.

I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

Yeah but that took skill, effort and hard work.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

No the Witcher 2 does not have sixteen endings. It has 'one ending scenario'* which has a lot of different possible permutations. So characters could be alive or dead, major political decisions could be different, secret facts may or may not be known, etc. It's more like the end of Dragon Age than Mass Effect.

* That's not quite accurate either without getting spoilery, but it's a great game with choices that can and do put you on paths where you see completely different content.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

I'm not sure on the exact number but there are definitely multiple endings that take into count the many combinations of major choices you make throughout the game.

No the Witcher 2 does not have sixteen endings. It has one ending scenario which has a lot of different possible permutations. So characters could be alive or dead, major political decisions could be different, secret facts may or may not be known, etc. It's more like the end of Dragon Age than Mass Effect.

A major plot point that will obviously lead into the next game remains the same across endings but the state of the world can be quite different.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

yes the decison at the end of act 1 changes the game completetly.

man i have gone from being soured on the ending to being completly angered by how bad is was. its like who ever wrote it never played any othe the previous 2 games,
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

Game endings are done at the end of the dev cycle. It's the very last thing they do. My guess is that they ran out of time and had to cobble something in order to ship the game. What we got was their best effort.

When this:


is your ending. There isn't much to build on.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

Its worth noting dev costs in Poland are way cheaper than say the US, which let them do a bit extra. In regards to the second act its more like approaching something from a different angle than something entirely new. Its still really awesome though.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

The differences with those endings is mostly seen in the state of the world, while Geralt's own arc is mostly the same. The Witcher 2 is notable because it has a huge split with the 2nd arc. The 3rd act (the "ending", since it is so short), though it takes place in the same area, reflects this.

The Witcher 2, Alpha Protocol, and New Vegas have the most impressive role-playing systems I think (though they are quite different from each other).
 
I saw a rumor that it involves you and your LI going on a date on the Citadel when you are attacked (abducted?) by Cerberus.

But who knows? We do know that at the very least Joker and Kaiden will be in it. I assume Kaiden's presence also means Ashley.

I'm still a little puzzled why Bioware could get all the VAs back for the Dragon Age 2 DLC, but they can't do the same thing for the ME DLC.

That sounds AWFUL.
 
Code:
CONGRATURATION SHEPARD:
YOU HAVE BECOME WINNER AND PROOVE
THE JUSTICE OF YOUR CULTURE [I]![/I]

MANY MORE BATTLE SCENES 
WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE [I]![/I]
 
No the Witcher 2 does not have sixteen endings. It has one ending scenario which has a lot of different possible permutations. So characters could be alive or dead, major political decisions could be different, secret facts may or may not be known, etc. It's more like the end of Dragon Age than Mass Effect.

Yeah the ending is not particularly strong in TW2, but there are some huge revelations depending on what path you choose.

*Spoilers for TW2*
Playing the Roche path and not knowing that the dragon you're fighting is actually Saskia blew my mind.

I think something akin to that was a big missed opportunity in ME.
 
I don't understand why making multiple endings in a modern game is supposed to be impossible. 5 seconds of googling told me that the Witcher 2 apparently has SIXTEEN different endings? Is that accurate?

And an entire act that is completely different based on the choices you make?

The middle act seems highly dependant on 1 choice you make, and I could easily see there being a multitude of endings.
 
Yeah the ending is not particularly strong in TW2, but there are some huge revelations depending on what path you choose.

*Spoilers for TW2*
Playing the Roche path and not knowing that the dragon you're fighting is actually Saskia blew my mind.

I think something akin to that was a big missed opportunity in ME.

Leviathan is that mind blowing revelation.
 
In regards to the second act its more like approaching something from a different angle than something entirely new. Its still really awesome though.

The second act of The Witcher 2 is still a ton of unique content that you're not going to see in one play through based on your choice though. Yeah, its going at it from a different angle but its still a ton of content and whole characters and events you won't experience depending on your actions. And with the Enhanced Edition of TW2, they added a little more unique content to the third act as well.

There's a good comparison in how to fix up your game- The Witcher 2's Enhanced Edition versus Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut and keeping important things like Leviathan or Javik locked up behind a DLC pay wall.
 
I would't even mind that the endings were mostly the same if any of them had been good, logical or even consistent with the characters and universe of the series so far. The Walking Dead
has one ending but it was so well executed that most people felt personally connected and were pleased with it.
It's a shame the conclusion to Mass Effect couldn't achieve the same.
 
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