Deeply Affecting

Yep, we're going back to this old business. Also, spoiler alert for the Mass Effect games.

To refresh your memory, this past March, Bioware released the third installment of their sci-fi video game trilogy, Mass Effect 3. While it was praised for its story, characters, gameplay, and RPG elements, much criticism was levied against the ending. Now, it's more or less expected that a big geek property like this would have some complaints, but the sheer amount of anger leveled against this ending was staggering. Fans petitioned Bioware to change the ending, to the point where Bioware stated that they would be releasing downloadable content that would add scenes to the end to tie up some of the loose threads, but that the original ending (Shepard gets teleported to the Crucible, talks to the god child, changes the universe, dies, maybe not dies, etc) would remain the same. And frankly, the whole affair kind of sickens me.

First things first, I'm going to echo a lot of other online personel in saying this: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BIOWARE CHANGE THE ENDING TO MASS EFFECT 3. And the reason I say this and believe this is one simple, overriding fact: Video Games are art. Bioware put out a piece of art, and while those who take it in are more than welcome to dislike it, criticize it, or outright hate it, they are not entitled to have it changed. See, video games are tricky like this because, with DLC and patches they're an artform that can be modified and added to after release, and because they're an art form where the participant has an active role in shaping it, it gives the participant a certain sense of entitlement. It's the player's choice what Commander Shepard looks like, acts like, what he says, what he does, who he likes, who he hates, what gun he carries, what powers he has, etc. And having these choices and being able to shape this experience is great, but it doesn't make the player have the right to change the direction of the story of the game that Bioware made. Because Bioware made it, not the player.

Look, I don't want to be really hard on the "Take Back Mass Effect 3" people because really, they have a right to complain about the ending. But they shouldn't be demanding a change to it and Bioware shouldn't agree to those demands. When an art is changed to fit the wants and desires of its viewers, it stops being art and starts being a product. Changing the ending to Mass Effect 3 would set a terrible precident not just for Bioware, but for all video games. Bioware took a risk with the ending and while it didn't pan out exactly as they hoped, they shouldn't try to fix it, they (and everyone else) should learn from it and move on.

Now, the ending controversy didn't really get to me until I saw a Facebook ad for a Facebook game developed by Bioware. Now I try to ignore Facebook ads for the same reasons I do so for other ads and I try to ignore Facebook games because I can play real video games. However, this ad got to me because of the headline for it: "No Bad Endings".

When I read this, it suddenly struck me that the ending and the anger and bile surrounding it would be the most lasting part of Mass Effect 3. And that is bullshit. Having played through it for a third time now, I can safely say that Mass Effect 3 is a great game and should not be judged by one part that a lot of very loud people didn't like. This is a problem I hope to fix (even though I can't possibly do that, but shut up). So, with that in mind, here's a list of things I really, really like about Mass Effect 3 (bear in mind that people who haven't played any of the Mass Effect games will have no idea what I'm talking about, but may still get enjoyment out of it):

I like the sheer jaw-dropping epicness of seeing a Reaper land in the Thames River.

I like the terror you get when you stand on the moon of Palaven and watch the plaent burn.

I like that James Vega's only purpose in the game is to be a dumb guy that new players can relate to.

I like how the Warp power looks. It's just Incinerate or Freeze with different color scheme, but it looks really cool when you use it.

I like that Sabotage can turn enemy turrets against them.

I like that Martin Sheen still plays the Illusive Man and doesn't half-ass it for a second.

I like that Kai Leng's a total badass.

I like how Mordin Solus dies. It's like Spock in Star Trek II but less dramatic. The guy blows up while humming Rogers and Hammerstein.

I like Eve. She's just a nice character and good counterbalance to Urdnot Wreav.

I like that if you save Maelon's research data in Mass Effect 2, you can keep Eve from dying in Mass Effect 3.

I like that when you go to Grisson Academy, you see Jack being a well-developed person without losing her core characteristics. Plus she looks hotter with hair.

I like when you meet David Archer at Grisson Academy. He says he's been counting again, this time "the days I'm still alive thanks to you".

I like Joker and EDI. They make a weird but nice couple.

I like that no matter who you pick as your romantic option, it always feels like you should be with Garrus Vakarian.

I like that by the end of the game, you can kill Brutes and Harvesters without breaking a sweat.

I like how goddamn creepy the Banshees are.

I like that Liara T'Soni is simultaneously a sweet girl, a genius, a badass, and an intergalactic crime lord.

I like that at the end of the Rannoch mission, even if you do the morally right thing, there are still terrible consequences.

I like the mission in the Geth mainframe. It's trippy, big-idea stuff and it works.

I like the new resource mining system, or as I like to call it, "Grand Theft Reaper".

I like doing all the side-missions on the Citadel.

I like the mission on Sanctuary. I don't know why; maybe it's Henry Lawson's Aussie accent talking about indoctrination and Reaper technology.

I like hearing Admiral Hackett saying "Hackett Out" at the end of every conversation, because it means I don't have to talk to him anymore.

I like the Geth. They have a good look to them, they're well designed.

I like that part during the attack on London when you get a chance to call all your old friends to say "Good luck".

I like that Buzz Aldrin voices the Stargazer at the end.

I like watching a giant worm monster take down an also giant robot spaceship.

I like that we got this song out of it.

I like Garrus Vakarian.

I like Liara T'Soni.

I like Tali'Zorah vas Normandy.

I like James Vega.

I like Kaidan Alenko.

I like Admiral David Anderson.

I like Mordin Solus.

I like Krogan Eve.

I like Legion of the Geth.

I like the Justicar Samara.

I like Jack.

I like Miranda Lawson.

I like Thane Krios.

I like Jacob Taylor.

I like Kasumi Goto.

I like Commander Shepard.

I like the characters.

I like the universe.

I like the story.

I like Mass Effect 3.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!