Mass Effect 3 (SPOILERS!)

[Felon]

Just finished. What a ride.

Looking over the back-and-forth on the discussion, I guess I'm in the middle.

True, the destruction of a relay in "Arrival" destroyed a solar system. However, that doesn't mean that the destruction of a relay in this situation (which was, after all, desinged by its creators to achieve a specific, non-galaxy-destroying effect) would be equally catastrophic. I just assumed it was more of a burnout than a blow-up.

As far as the Normandy goes, I kind of figured it was in the middle of battle with the reapers when they saw this wave of energy unleashed, and what we caught was the tail end of him hauling butt to escape.

OTOH, it doesn't make sense that Liara would be on the Normandy if she was on Earth. The reaper strike would have made retrieving any survivors unlikely, and more unlikely still is the Normandy leaving the battlefield to go pick her up. This is something they could easily have remedied by picking a random squadmate that was free.

It certainly is quite exquisitely lame that the various endings simply amount to a palette-swap on the energy ripple.

I never got to have a final conversation with Ashley or Vega. I saw a floating red reticule that identified itself as "Vega", but clicking it didn't do anything. I looked all over for Ashley and couldn't find her. Darn bugs. Oh well, most of those farewells were too long and drawn out. I'm really disappointed that Wrex didn't get a full-blown cut-scene. He was a series fan-favorite, but I got better face-time with Primarch Victus and Zaed.

Questions still left in my mind:

1) What was the actual effect of amassing war assets? Doesn't seem to have any impact on the ending, so does it make the running battle to the catalyst more or less of a slog? Like, you get fewer banshees if you have a higher rating?

2) Do the various conversational options with The Illusive Man actually amount to anything? There were three or four, and I picked the paragon options until he finally commited suicide. Did you guys experience anything different?

 

[Felon]

In the interest of comparing notes, here's a little questionaire:

1) What class(es) did you play as?

2) Who was your most used squadmate?

3) Who was your least used squadmate?

4) What was your favorite power that you unlocked from a squadate?


My answers:

1) Infiltrator

2) Probably EDI. She's got high health and shields, and Overload and Incinerate destroy all defenses. All-in-all she's very hard to drop. And since she only uses SMG's and pistols, she rarely steels kills from me. Tali is great when you get her.

3) Javik has a lot of interesting things to say, but on missions his powers often have an annoying habit of being oranged-out due to shields, barriers, whatever. Similarly, I'd have liked to use Vega more, but sheilds are just so crazily common that his skillset just doesn't match up.

4) I depended heavily on Garrus's AP ammo for a long time, but eventually Tali's Energy Drain won me over.

Would love to compare notes on anything else you guys can think of.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

1) What was the actual effect of amassing war assets? Doesn't seem to have any impact on the ending, so does it make the running battle to the catalyst more or less of a slog? Like, you get fewer banshees if you have a higher rating?

I don't think it changes any of the battles you fight. But if your asset rating is too low, the Crucible can apparantly backfire, destroying Earth. And if you picked the "Destroy Reaper" ending, a high asset score will lead to a small scene indicating Shepard lives.

I think the war asset points effects is a little too abstract. You get points for strengthening the Citadel Defense Forces, but the Citadel is always taken over by the Reapers, and nothing whatsoever happens on the Citadel that indicates the defense force was relevant.

2) Do the various conversational options with The Illusive Man actually amount to anything? There were three or four, and I picked the paragon options until he finally commited suicide. Did you guys experience anything different?

If I understood correctly, there are some variations, like the Renegade Choices maybe allowing you to shoot him instead. Not sure if there's also a difference whether Anderson dies immediately or only later so you have one last talk with him. (Alternatively, the latter may also only depend on your asset score)

In the interest of comparing notes, here's a little questionaire:

1) What class(es) did you play as?

Soldier

2) Who was your most used squadmate?

Garrus and Liara, ultimately meaning Liara, due to missions with mandated squadmates.

3) Who was your least used squadmate?

Vega. I actually liked this guy, but being a soldier myself, his skill set seemed irrelevant. Also, apparantly my Shepard had the wrong gender for him? (Playing a female Shepard)

4) What was your favorite power that you unlocked from a squadate?

I never found one I was really happy with. It appeared to me Barrier could be useful, but I am not sure if I used it right or effectively.

Would love to compare notes on anything else you guys can think of.

I made peace between Geth and Quarian.
Krogan and Turians fought together against the reapers on the Turian homeworld.
The Rachni Queen still lived from ME1 and I managed to free her from Reaper influence.
Moridin died ensuring the Genophage Cure would work. Probably the most meaningful computer game character death I had so far. I really liked Moridin and I wouldn't have minded him studying sea shells instead. But then, it had to be him, right?

I picked the synthesis ending. If we believe the indoctrination interpretation of the ending, that means I failed humanity and all galactic civilizations!

 

[Felon]

I think the war asset points effects is a little too abstract. You get points for strengthening the Citadel Defense Forces, but the Citadel is always taken over by the Reapers, and nothing whatsoever happens on the Citadel that indicates the defense force was relevant.

Well, maybe it allowed the Citadel to put up stronger resistance to its takeover, kill off a few more marauders before they died.

Was I the only one half-expecting that when Shepard got to the Citadel, that Keeper would turn around with a cigarette holder in one of its claws and say something like "bravo, my dear Commander Shepard, we were wondering if you'd ever show up"? The enemy hiding in plain sight and all that.

Would've been cooler than Ghostboy IMO.

I made peace between Geth and Quarian.
Krogan and Turians fought together against the reapers on the Turian homeworld.
The Rachni Queen still lived from ME1 and I managed to free her from Reaper influence.
Moridin died ensuring the Genophage Cure would work. Probably the most meaningful computer game character death I had so far. I really liked Moridin and I wouldn't have minded him studying sea shells instead. But then, it had to be him, right?

I picked the synthesis ending. If we believe the indoctrination interpretation of the ending, that means I failed humanity and all galactic civilizations!

Your choices mirrored mine, except that I picked the paragon ending (which is, of course, about the same as the other two). Mordin doesn't have to die, but he will effectively be gone from the game even if he surivives the mission.

Did anyone here actually let Cerberus have the Reaper base at the end of ME2? Did it affect the storyline at all?

Did anyone kill the Rachni queen in ME1? How does that affect anything?

 

[Dragonwriter]

In the interest of comparing notes, here's a little questionaire:

1) What class(es) did you play as?

2) Who was your most used squadmate?

3) Who was your least used squadmate?

4) What was your favorite power that you unlocked from a squadate?
<snip>
Would love to compare notes on anything else you guys can think of.

1. Vanguard
2. EDI
3. Probably Ashley or James. I used EDI and Garrus almost exclusively. Sometimes Liara or Tali, but not often.
4. I really didn't fiddle with the unlocked powers... Eventually chose Carnage, when it was too late to make much of a difference.

Was I the only half-expecting that when Shepard got to the Citadel, that Keeper would turn around with a cigarette holder in one of its claws and say something like "bravo, Commander Shepard, we were wondering if you'd ever show up"? The enemy hiding in plain sight and all that.

Would've been cooler than Ghostboy IMO.

No kidding, especially after that whole business in ME1 with the Keepers being Reaper servants. I know the signal got blocked, but still would've been cool.

Did anyone kill the Rachni queen in ME1? How does that affect anything?

I killed her. You still get the Rachni-Krogan mission... I freed the Reaper-Rachni/Breeder Queen and she just eventually betrays you, killing some of the Crucible scientists, but not enough to really make a difference.

Geth-Quarian war ended in peace between them. Cured the genophage cry: bye Mordin). I got through the Suicide mission with every crew member surviving and most of the crew (Doc, Kelly), so saw everyone pop up here and there. Didn't even hesitate to shoot Udina, stab Kai Leng and shoot the Illusive Man, despite being largely Paragon.

Chose the Destroy Ending, as I saw that as the only one to make even a modicum of sense after everything I had been through and making me the least hypocritical of the three.

 

[Felon]

Looks like EDI is a very popular lady. I have nothing but regrets about choosing Ashley over Kaiden. While Ashley's just some boring gunner, his tech/biotic powers look interesting (at least going from the ME wiki). Wish I could've taken them for a spin.

Come to think of it, I only had one scene with Ashley after she rejoins the crew, and it's her drunkenly sprawled out in the lounge. Fortunately, it's an unusually vacant lounge.

So, even if you kill the sole remaining Rachni Queen in 1, there's still a Rachni queen in 2?

Maybe I'm forgetting something that happened in ME2, but I actually picked Anderson to be Earth's rep on the Council, and I rememer visiting Anderson in the embassy office in ME2, yet in ME3 it's Uldina who has the job.

 

[Dragonwriter]

So, even if you kill the sole remaining Rachni Queen in 1, there's still a Rachni queen in 2?

Yep. The Reapers managed to replicate her from tissue samples or some such. I don't remember exactly, but it amounted to cloning with Reaper tech.

Maybe I'm forgetting something that happened in ME2, but I actually picked Anderson to be Earth's rep on the Council, and I rememer visiting Anderson in the embassy office in ME2, yet in ME3 it's Uldina who has the job.

Between ME2 and ME3, Anderson resigns from his Council position. It was in the Codex, as I recall. Basically, he got sick of the political BS and nobody listening to the warnings about the Reapers, so he went back into the military to do what he could to prepare Earth. Udina filled his spot on the Council.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Did anyone here actually let Cerberus have the Reaper base at the end of ME2? Did it affect the storyline at all?

Yes, I let them have it, thinking it would be better to preserve any Reaper knowledge we could get to. Even if it was in the hands of Cerberus - and hey, I figured my Shepard could just wrestle it out of their hands again, after all she has the Normandy and the best crew in the galaxy.

It supposedly makes a difference, but I don't remember what it was.

 

[John Crichton]

Yes, I let them have it, thinking it would be better to preserve any Reaper knowledge we could get to. Even if it was in the hands of Cerberus - and hey, I figured my Shepard could just wrestle it out of their hands again, after all she has the Normandy and the best crew in the galaxy.

It supposedly makes a difference, but I don't remember what it was.

Adds 300 points to your EMS if the interwebs are to be believed.

 

[horacethegrey]

1) Soldier (Male Shep) and Vanguard (Fem Shep)

2) Garrus

3) Ashley

4) Reave - extremely useful, especially since it can be used to detonate biotic explosions.

And let me just say that I intensely dislike the endings. I never expected Bioware to drop the ball so hard on their biggest franchise. Here's hoping that they'll fix it with some future DLC.