Sal.Paradise said:
I don't know why you're playing these games if you think the writing is that bad. The gameplay ain't exactly stellar. To each their own, I guess, but I can tell you your opinion on the writing is not shared by many. It's not simplistic, it's completely accurate. I've written paragraphs about ME3 on other websites and I'm a bit tired of doing it, so while this IS a cop out as I initiated the conversation, I suggest you watch this video. It's fun and informative! Directly addresses your points too. Quick point on the Reapers because I can't help myself: they were not introduced to the story to solve a plot problem, unlike the ending. Tthey have a good place in the universe as the 'unkowable' villain (again, detailed in the video below). Take note of the 'socratic exercise' stuff. |
I didn't say I think Mass Effect has bad writing. I said I didn't think it was better than other games. The writing is on par with other decently written games like Halo or Assassin's Creed. I don't see things as black and white. Games don't have to have either good or bad writing. They can't have decent writing and still be enjoyable. I often fully enjoy games with mediocre writing.
Mass Effect's ending is no worse than watching a Assassin's Creed character leave a message in the "DNA memory" for a descendent to unlock with a machine that won't be invented for hundreds of years. But people didn't go into freak out mode over that. I liked Mass Effect 3's ending and no video is going to change my mind.
BTW you forgot to link it, but I doubt I was going to bother to watch it anyway. Nobody's opinion has ever changed my mind, no matter how they rationalize it. If I like something I like it and I don't feel any need to have my opinion validated by the majority. I'm not even sure the majority hates the ending. There is definitely a very loud vocal decent, but with how large the sales numbers where, if everyone was complaining, it would be a deafening roar.
All the complaints I've read around the internet are either minor nitpicks blown way out of proportion or people agry because it didn't turn out the way they had decided it should have. People need to get over themselves and stop acting like Mass Effect is some kind of super scientific and realistic image of the future. The Asari are basically magic wielding space elves that can mate with any species. The Reapers use magic tech to control and communicate across light-years of space. Biotics can create singularities out of thin air. The Protheans can read memories from DNA. That's just a few examples, I'm sure if I replayed the games and compiled a list of impossible displays of tech magic that list would be long.
If you want to complain that after three games of making choices everyone got the same ending unaffected by those choices I'll agree with that. But I didn't think the ending was stupid and I liked that I was surprised. I'm glad they didn't give me a typical "aliens go boom let's go party" ending.
Why is it so hard to let yourself believe that a god like race with limitless power created a device that seems like magic when Mass Effect is full of magic technology you never questioned? Why is it so important to you?
It's like the irrational hate for the Star Wars prequels. I prefer the original trilogy, but the prequels have their moments too. The Mass Effect 3 ending complaints remind me of the midiclorian complaints from Star Wars fans. They hate it so much they claim it ruins the entire franchise. It's funny because Star Wars fans wanted magic and got science and Mass Effect fans wanted science but think they got magic.
People need to just let things go, it's not that important. It's just entertainment. I know everyone wants games to be taken seriously and be considered art. But, it's overreactions like this that show gamers aren't ready for games to go full on art.
