Thoughts on ME3/trilogy ending (Fairly brief, all considered)
The endings are shit. (I should leave my post there, ha!)
I finished ME3 first on a cracked version without the extended cut. Given my deep abiding love for EDI and all the goddamn depressing loss throughout the game, I went with the synthesis ending at that time. Since then, I found an affordable option (G2A.com thank you) for getting the game and did the deluxe upgrade via Origin, so $16 total. Anyway, finished that replay the other night and at first accidentally did a refusal ending (so... I'm prone to randomly shooting things sometimes and I hate that fucking starchild so I shot him and suddenly got that ending), then redid the last bit and did the destroy ending.
I've watched all endings on YouTube as extended cut. I also was watching some music vids for ME last week and came across one to Linkin Park's "In the End" - which ultimately sums up the frustrating thing (and summarizes the utter shit of any/all endings): "I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter."
While the extended cut offers some nice scenes, and I do like the narration from EDI in the synthesis ending (makes me teary) and Hacket's in the destroy ending, ultimately we're left with a shit end. I haven't delved in-depth to the indoctrination theory, though I can understand that interpretation. God knows that's the more logical interpretation. But that's still shit. And really undervalues the otherwise rich story of the trilogy. The crap endings here I would better accept and expect from ME1 back when the story universe was being built, but was compelling, and the solely interesting character with some reasonable development was Wrex. ME2 and ME3 offers some awesome story building and character development. The NPCs in ME3 bring a heartbreaking view of the worlds. To write what all happens in ME3 as pure indoctrination or dream theory or whatever.... it's lazy as all hell.
My own interpretation isn't fully formed yet. In my most recent playthrough I got more angry and irritated about the illogical (and doubtful) appearance of Anderson on the Citadel. He doesn't sound right, for one thing, his presence doesn't make sense, and if Bioware did intend him to be real, work on his physical appearance FFS. Shepard's torn up and thus so should Anderson. If he's supposed to be real, then there was super lazy graphics happening.
I guess personally I don't easily buy into Shepard having succumbed. There's something unique about her(/him) and she's posed a real threat from the beginning. Perhaps she is like Saren, Benezia, and the Illusive Man - strong-willed, stubborn, unique - and she was falling... so I guess I'll accept that she's not invulnerable. But look at how those three fought through and proved that they were still in there somewhere. I do doubt the child was real - whether he symbolizes an indoctrination hallucination or is more simply a figure representing guilt for the shit choices Shepard's had to make, all the people she's lost along the way of ME as a whole, he's a symbol rather than a person. And I doubt Anderson is really present at the end, though it makes the confrontation with the Illusive Man confusing as hell.
Anyway, I think I'm resigned to the fact that I don't accept any ending options. Not overly upset or angry, despite my swearing above, but certainly not happy - and it does greatly impact how much I'm willing to spend for the game and DLC as a whole. (The DLC is ridiculously overpriced, jeebus. But I will consider getting the DLC legit for ME2 because it's an excellent game with great character development. I just miss Wrex. Cuz he's still my favorite from ME1.) As much as I want to get The Citadel DLC to play for myself (I've seen clips and read about it, sounds amazing!) I am not willing to try figuring out my scarce finances to pay for something adding onto a game that has some huge flaws that honestly? really do disrespect the fans.
*shrugs* Anyway. My thoughts :p (Prompted by reading a bit about the endings, people's reactions, and the adaptations that happened between the first release and extended cut.)
I finished ME3 first on a cracked version without the extended cut. Given my deep abiding love for EDI and all the goddamn depressing loss throughout the game, I went with the synthesis ending at that time. Since then, I found an affordable option (G2A.com thank you) for getting the game and did the deluxe upgrade via Origin, so $16 total. Anyway, finished that replay the other night and at first accidentally did a refusal ending (so... I'm prone to randomly shooting things sometimes and I hate that fucking starchild so I shot him and suddenly got that ending), then redid the last bit and did the destroy ending.
I've watched all endings on YouTube as extended cut. I also was watching some music vids for ME last week and came across one to Linkin Park's "In the End" - which ultimately sums up the frustrating thing (and summarizes the utter shit of any/all endings): "I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter."
While the extended cut offers some nice scenes, and I do like the narration from EDI in the synthesis ending (makes me teary) and Hacket's in the destroy ending, ultimately we're left with a shit end. I haven't delved in-depth to the indoctrination theory, though I can understand that interpretation. God knows that's the more logical interpretation. But that's still shit. And really undervalues the otherwise rich story of the trilogy. The crap endings here I would better accept and expect from ME1 back when the story universe was being built, but was compelling, and the solely interesting character with some reasonable development was Wrex. ME2 and ME3 offers some awesome story building and character development. The NPCs in ME3 bring a heartbreaking view of the worlds. To write what all happens in ME3 as pure indoctrination or dream theory or whatever.... it's lazy as all hell.
My own interpretation isn't fully formed yet. In my most recent playthrough I got more angry and irritated about the illogical (and doubtful) appearance of Anderson on the Citadel. He doesn't sound right, for one thing, his presence doesn't make sense, and if Bioware did intend him to be real, work on his physical appearance FFS. Shepard's torn up and thus so should Anderson. If he's supposed to be real, then there was super lazy graphics happening.
I guess personally I don't easily buy into Shepard having succumbed. There's something unique about her(/him) and she's posed a real threat from the beginning. Perhaps she is like Saren, Benezia, and the Illusive Man - strong-willed, stubborn, unique - and she was falling... so I guess I'll accept that she's not invulnerable. But look at how those three fought through and proved that they were still in there somewhere. I do doubt the child was real - whether he symbolizes an indoctrination hallucination or is more simply a figure representing guilt for the shit choices Shepard's had to make, all the people she's lost along the way of ME as a whole, he's a symbol rather than a person. And I doubt Anderson is really present at the end, though it makes the confrontation with the Illusive Man confusing as hell.
Anyway, I think I'm resigned to the fact that I don't accept any ending options. Not overly upset or angry, despite my swearing above, but certainly not happy - and it does greatly impact how much I'm willing to spend for the game and DLC as a whole. (The DLC is ridiculously overpriced, jeebus. But I will consider getting the DLC legit for ME2 because it's an excellent game with great character development. I just miss Wrex. Cuz he's still my favorite from ME1.) As much as I want to get The Citadel DLC to play for myself (I've seen clips and read about it, sounds amazing!) I am not willing to try figuring out my scarce finances to pay for something adding onto a game that has some huge flaws that honestly? really do disrespect the fans.
*shrugs* Anyway. My thoughts :p (Prompted by reading a bit about the endings, people's reactions, and the adaptations that happened between the first release and extended cut.)