Hop over to the comic forums and try to find the people that are able to just sit back and enjoy comic stories without a bunch of fan-generated considerations. They can't. And neither can I to an extent. They're constantly holding up current stories to whatever notions they have of each character's power level, or helping each other find things to criticize. PIS, CIS, fanboy, terrible writing, terrible art, etc. have largely replaced musings on characterization and story structure.
Hell, I'm in a tourney match right now using Luke Skywalker, and there's no way I could have ever used him if, over the course of the last decade or so, I wasn't making a silent mental tally of his powers and abilities as I read Star Wars novels and comics.
And I'm one of the more sane ones, willing to ignore power levels for the sake of a story, without getting bent out of shape.
Obviously they still enjoy comics (or games, in this analogy), or they wouldn't read. But somewhere along the lines their tendencies shifted. I had a conversation with a friend about Spider-Man unmasking in the Civil War arc. I started on how it destroys the character he was built up to be over decades of comics, etc. (it was out of character), and his reaction was "Ok, sure. But it's exciting!" It's that right there. That's what the fanboy, internet-forum mentality does to many. I even avoid certain threads here on KMC to avoid it with franchises that I just enjoy on a completely uncritical, child-like level (Doctor Who is a great example).
I snapped at some point. I think it was in the middle of the Lord of the Rings movies. I was busy comparing them to the novels like a slightly-too-interested purist. And I had a moment of self-awareness and just let go of all of that. I get a lot more enjoyment out of almost any medium these days.
If this game had come out before social media was everywhere, even with less polished graphics and combat, people would be sh*tting themselves for decades over how epic it was, and the ending's holes would be filled with fan fics and comic-con interviews where they grill the creators over their vision. Even the "bad" ending is ridiculous compared to the "you beat the bad guy! congratulations!" (followed by a few cursory screens of outro material) that we used to get until maybe 1 console generation ago. As it is, the internet smelled blood and made a mountain out of a molehill.
Heh. I try to limit my time in the thread, and don't really comment on individual episodes. Down that path lies the dark side. But you're right, completely ignoring it likely won't be an option.
I had similar thoughts. It made me think of Final Fantasy VII, and that had a similar ending controversy, just on a much smaller scale since online gaming communities weren't really a thing back then. It was as you described, people just went "I didn't really like the ending very much, but the game was amazing. It made me wonder how horrid the backlash for that game would have been had it come out when there were all these huge online communities and social media spreading opinions faster than wild fire. Would it even be looked upon as one of the best games of all time, as it is now? Or would people just harp on the ending not answering questions and leaving too much to interpretation.
Good example. Not gonna lie, I cried when [SPOILER - highlight to read]: Aeris died (not sure if it's too soon for that...don't want to ruin it for anyone ). Some aspects of that game are forgettable, but I had forgotten all about the ambiguous ending and the potential problems with it.
But that's my point exactly. The series (ME) was one of the more epic, interactive stories I've ever played through. Take away the mob mentality that's formed on the internet over the ending, and I think a lot of others would feel the same way.
Leviathan was a very solid DLC. It felt a little bit longer than the other ME DLC's and had some very cool locals to explore. I think it's definitely worth the purchase, though it didn't really have a very compelling ending like Overlord did. The content itself, though, was very cool and fun.
I'm not sure there's really a big deal in it. It has a lot of information about the origin of The Reapers. It's cool for lore nuts, for sure, but really no earth shattering revelation.
The coolest part is [SPOILER - highlight to read]: playing detective at various parts. There's a cool sense of mystery during the story, and at several points you have to look for clues in this office belonging to this X-Files inspired group that investigates unexplained happenings in the galaxy. It plays out similarly to looking around Liara's apartment in Lair of the Shadow Broker, but much more elaborate this time.
Overall it's just a fun experience. A lot of cool environments and some new weapons.
[SPOILER - highlight to read]: It's too bad they didn't have any new scenes of Reapers fighting Reapers. You would think that could have swayed the tide of battle pretty significantly, as well as just being cool to see.
I would be interested in seeing another Mass Effect game, but not a sequel. I hate it when franchises establish a "new threat" after the first one is eradicated/dealt with in the original trilogy/storyline.
For a new Mass Effect, I'd like to see the events of the story occur parallel to ME1-3's storyline, and possibly tie into it somehow.
Perhaps they could even do it like DA: Origins, and allow you to choose which race you want to play as.
__________________
"The Daemon lied with every breath. It could not help itself but to deceive and dismay, to riddle and ruin. The more we conversed, the closer I drew to one singularly ineluctable fact: I would gain no wisdom here."
I may be done with ME. Not because of this trilogy (I took the ending MUCH better than the majority of the internet), but because it feels done to me. I guess I'm just tired of the "we will make them as long as they keep making money" model. I mean, Halo is probably going to get 4 new games in the next decade. CoD will never stop making yearly-ish installments as long as they sell a gazillion copies. ME might be tempted to keep going too because of this. But to me, it feels done. I never say never, and I'll follow any releases closely, but it will be easier for me to take a pass on the next one.
I really am not a big fan of prequels or sidequels, but it's hard to imagine a proper sequel to the ME trilogy. Especially now that Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka have quit Bioware. Something tells me this is going to go over well.
__________________ And from the ashes he rose, like a black cloud. The Sin of one became the Sin of many.
Nonono, they need the SUPER REAPERS! Super Reapers destroy the Reapers every thousand biological life cycles - every billion years or so - so that their programming doesn't get corrupted and they continue their function of eradicating organic life so that technology doesn't take over. The Super Reapers are FOR biological and technological life living together, but that's why they need the Reapers, so that...biological life will rebel against them and eventually merge with the Reapers, showing them an alternative solution to the galaxies dilemmas. Yes. That's their endgame. They were secretly helping Shepherd the entire time which is why he/she never died the 50 times he/she should have.
But now they have changed their mind because sequel.
So anyway, Shepherd forms the Reapers into a giant mecha-zord and uses the Mass Relays as energy weapons. You hide behind galactic clusters and snipe the Super Reapers in the next galaxy. It's a first-person shooter, with RPG elements as you give your planet-sized Reaper limbs upgrades and shoot melee soldiers out of your mouth.
You can also romance Liara again, who is 900 years old.
KMC Community Forums
Aug 8th, 2012 05:50 PM
). Some aspects of that game are forgettable, but I had forgotten all about the ambiguous ending and the potential problems with it.
