The whole "created will always rebel against the creators" was a bunch of bullshit. So to stop synthetics from killing organics, we create synthetics to kill organics. wat.
I've seen this critique before, and while it makes for a funny joke, it isn't quite accurate. The Reapers aren't really synthetic (they're more of a synthesis between organic and synthetic life), and they don't kill the organics (or at least, all of them) - they "convert" them into Reapers as a form of eternal preservation.
Which means that every time you kill a reaper, you're committing the final act of xenocide on that race. Geez, that's an unpleasant thought.
And doesn't achieving peace between the Geth and Quarians contradict this fact?
Absolutely. The Reapers are too enamored in their doctrine to even consider that they may be wrong, but the Geth/Quarian resolution (assuming you handle it right) is proof to Shepard (and by extension, the audience) that the Reapers are wrong.
On Rannoch, a Reaper you speak to said that
their reasons for all this are a thing "you cannot comprehend". Yet at the end of Mass Effect 3, the reason is explained to Shepard that they're killing ("harvesting) organics before they get killed by synthetics. That's some convoluted horseshit right there.
Well, it's a mix of bluster (Going all the way back to Sovereign, they have a tendency of talking themselves up) and to it, you're still a nobody, a mere spec that thinks itself a giant. At the end, by accessing the Crucible where every other civilization has failed, you've "proved" your worth.
Besides, it's not exactly like the Reaper had loads of time to explain the Reaper code of conduct and their lengthy justifications for such a process.
I've read some criticisms on the ending and one point that came up often was the lack of a so-called "happy ending". I have no complaints with the ending there. With the galaxy at war with the biggest threat they have ever encountered, it would be ridiculously unrealistic for everyone to come out unscathed with Shepard and Garrus happily drinking a beer down by the beach.
Glad to see someone else agree.
This argument always confuses me. I see people praise the games for their Lovecraftian influence and then criticize the lack of a happy conclusion. Like, guys, you know how Lovecraft's stories ended, right?
Whatever happened to your choices through-out the series having a huge impact on the ending? In the end, you're left choosing between three endings that are pretty much the same regardless of what you've done through-out the game. To make this worst is the fact that the endings utilize much of the same imagery just with different colours (mitigated a bit in Extended Cut).
I think this is a mix of three things.
1) "The Ending" - I think people make a mistake in assuming the ending is just the very last section of the game. It's a trilogy, and as such, the game itself is the series' third act; it's one long, denouement. When you take that into account, the consequences of your actions (Who's left standing, who's doing what, etc.) does play a large role. Whether it be through direct encounters or in the war assets you acquire. While some may wish it was more involved, there's the issue of...
2) Technical Limitations - Going into the third game, Bioware stated that the third game had to factor something like one million variables. That's a whole lot of data to keep straight between every possible playthrough, and unfortunately, it doesn't come cheap. Cutscenes, dialogue (especially considering that Shepard alone has two separate voice tracks), locations, they all add up. While I would've loved more, it's an unfortunate reality that not everything could be relayed directly. While I wish more could have been done, and that there were a few missteps, I think Bioware made a good overall compromise. Besides...
3) It's about the journey - I think people all too often make the mistake of thinking that if a choice doesn't net you radically different results, it's meaningless. The plot structure may have to be maintained, but it's the context of those choices (Who did you have to become to get there? Did you save everyone you could? etc.) that add meaning. Sure, the final cutscenes may have been only slightly altered, but their implications are vastly different.
For another good example, see The Walking Dead. No matter what, certain people live, and certain people die, but that doesn't make the ending any less impactful or powerful. The toll of the journey ways on you - the final epilogue is just icing on the bittersweet cake.
Regarding the general story, I felt Cereberus's role as a terrorist organization a bit jarring. In Mass Effect 1, they come across as a simple group of anarchists but this changes quite a bit in Mass Effect 2. And now in Mass Effect 3, they're suddenly one huge organization capable of invading the fucking Citadel. If they're capable of all that, what was the point of spending all that time reviving Shepard in 2.
Cerberus was retconned big time between ME1 and ME2 - even the backstories change. I don't think there was any shift between ME2 and ME3, though. It's pretty clear in the second game that The Illusive Man was using Shepard to further his own agenda and advance Cerberus' power (acquiring technology, removing obstacles, etc.). Whether or not you gave him the Collector Base, you've helped him tremendously - exactly as planned.
Plus, they never exactly pretended to be tiny. They had the resources to bring someone back from the dead and facilities like the one housing Project Overlord all over the galaxy. They didn't come outright and say it, but they were clearly no slouches.
Plus, if I remember correctly, they discuss it somewhat in the game, so it's not entirely unremarked on.
There were a lot of silly side-quests (get x thing for random citizen) for War Assets but I modified my save to get max assets so I didn't have to bother with them.
The side quest structure was a bit goofy, but I appreciated how they tried to tie it all in to the main plot. All of them contribute in some way to the ongoing war effort, which I thought was a nice touch.
(Not all of these points are directly at you - most of them are pretty general as a whole. And glad to hear you enjoyed the game!)[/quote][/quote]
