Mass Effect 3's final chapter remains one of the most divisive and talked-about conclusions in gaming history.
Upon rebuilding the ancient Crucible weapon and staging a final push against the Reapers on Earth during Mass Effect 3’s final mission, Shepard finds themself face-to-face with the Catalyst, an AI that gives Shepard three color-coded options to end the Reaper’s cycle of destruction once and for all: either activate the Crucible and destroy all synthetic life (including allies like EDI and the Geth), take control of the Reapers directly, or use the Crucible to merge organic and synthetic life into a single race. While Mass Effect 3’s ending had its share of defenders when the game was first released, many players felt that the choices presented were limited and didn’t properly reflect on the decisions made throughout the rest of Mass Effect 3 - even after BioWare released an extended cut of the ending that provided extra context for the three options and what happens afterward.
On the 10th anniversary of Mass Effect 3’s release, Reddit Tradz-Om set up a thread on the Mass Effect subreddit to reflect on the third installment of the trilogy and its contentious final act (via The Gamer). Though there are still a few fans who consider the game’s conclusion to be weak, the majority of those that responded in the comment section looked back at Mass Effect 3 fondly and thanked BioWare for crafting such a deep and thought-provoking story - ending included. Some even go as far as to call Mass Effect 3 one of the greatest video games ever made, while others reminisced on some of the game’s pre-release marketing material.
Fans recently got to experience Dragon Age 4.
Mass Effect remains one of the most beloved sci-fi gaming franchises of all time, thanks to its rich futuristic setting and cast of memorable characters. Even one of the more divisive entries in the series is looked back on fondly today, with fans reflecting on the galaxy-altering events of Mass Effect 3 a full decade after the final battle for Earth was first waged.
Source: Tradz-Om/Reddit (via The Gamer)