Games Thirst – Amazing Life
For me, it all started with the demo of Mass Effect 3. It’s not only about the ending, but Mass Effect 3′s problems goes deep into the game and starts from the beginning. On your second playthrough, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.
Playing the demo way before the game was released, I decided to first go with a straightforward action class Shepard where decision making didn’t matter. I played the demo through, started over again, this time choosing the classic Mass Effect 3 RPG class, but to my surprise, after playing through using the RPG class a few times making different choices, all my actions winded up being the same – it became as if choosing different classes didn’t matter because they all lead to the same conclusion.
I didn’t take it too serious back then, knowing that it was just a demo, trusting Bioware was probably saving the best for last, but now that gamers have voiced their opinions on the game’s ending, I realize Bioware got somewhat lazy with Mass Effect 3. And it would be okay if they didn’t advertise something else, but the developer did promise gamers different results depending on how they chose to play the game.
Mass Effect 3 is more linear that the prior games, and your choices are less effective when changing course this time around.
The controversy was inevitable, then, being that gamers were expecting (and promised) closure and multiple endings, yet winded up with nothing more than little variations, of course they would be upset. People say Bioware are the creators and gamers should simply accept the ending as what it is. But isn’t Apple the creator of the iPad? What if the firm advertised a Retina display for the device, yet when you purchased it you found out it had none, wouldn’t you return it? Of course you would! You paid money for it.
Gamers are now getting refunds for Bioware’s false advertisement, I don’t blame them.
Now, I believe Mass Effect 3 is a great game, one of the best in franchise history. But I also believe Bioware could have worked harder to give gamers more satisfaction, especially in the end. Especially when you have such a dedicated following. And especially when you promised to bring closure to the trilogy.
Hopefully, some good comes out of this. Hopefully developers will learn to actually deliver what has been promised. And although I’m don’t know if Bioware will change Mass Effect 3′s ending, I know for sure they’ll think carefully when making promises in the future. We hope all developers do.
