ME3 DLC Impressions

Well, though the reviews are mixed, I must admit that I truly enjoyed the Extended Cut DLC for Mass Effect 3.

Several questions were answered (like HOW ON EARTH did my ground crew get back to my ship!?), some loose ends were tied up, and at the end of it, I could sit back and simply enjoy a fabulous end to a much-loved video game icon.

Some people disagree. They enjoyed the mystery and ambiguity of the original ending because it allowed them to create their own without having an ending that they didn’t necessary want shoved down their throat. I would dare to say that they are, by far, in the minority. The collective outcry for such a downright disappointing ending was staggering, and I don’t believe that Bioware could risk alienating such a large portion of their fan base. Do I think they were happy to have to back-peddle and say “Oh! Just kidding, guys. Here are the real endings!”? No. Not even a little bit. Even when their fans rallied together to send multi-colored cupcakes to Bioware’s office in protest of the endings, Bioware pulled one of the nicest jerk moves I’ve ever seen and donated every single one  to charity instead.

But I digress. Let’s get back to what Bioware has done right, shall we? Let me just start by saying that I didn’t want a “happy ending” for this series. I wanted one that gave me answers and closure for Shepard. And the DLC delivered. I chose the destruction ending because I wanted to leave my galaxy with a clean slate without the imminent threat of reapers. Sure, they would probably reach conflict with synthetics in the future, but they were given the choice. That’s what I feel that my Shepard would want to give to people. You see civilizations cheer as the reapers are shut down. There is even a touching scene where your squad places Shepard’s name on Normandy’s ever-growing board of casualties. This is what I wanted the first time around.

Hats off to you, Bioware. I’m going to go make googly eyes over baby Krogan. Seriously…. Tons of baby Krogan.

D'awww

Will Bioware's Mass Effect 3 DLC Be Enough to Satisfy? We Hope So.

So, tomorrow is the day! Are you prepped for Bioware’s DLC for Mass Effect 3?

You know, just two years ago if you had asked me what my favorite video game series was, I would have been able to tell you, hands down, Mass Effect. It offered a world where the plot felt tailored to your character and sported a supporting cast that was, let’s be honest, pretty amazing. But since Mass Effect 3’s release, the choice isn’t as clear.

I’ve wracked my brain since the game’s release trying to figure out why on earth they would take this series and offer such a lackluster ending. Why couldn’t they offer truly diverse endings? Why didn’t they really make our choices have a true and lasting impact other than, “Oh, you saved this particular group of people? Well, here. Have some more points on your score.”

Well, we’ve already be clued in that there will, in fact, be other games set in the Mass Effect universe. Considering this, it makes sense that the endings would be rather static and I know this, so why do I still feel so cheated? I think I attribute this to the fact that while I enjoyed the Mass Effect universe, I was far more attached to the growth of the characters that I encountered than the planets I visited. The cultures of the Asari and Salarians were undoubtedly interesting, but I would much rather see an ending that honors these past six years of gaming than get another, mediocre addition in two years.

Well, here’s to hoping that the DLC offers us a bit of what we’re longing for: Closure for one of today’s most iconic figures in gaming. Keep trucking, Shep.