infexxionMass Effect 3 Extended Cut Review
The Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut has finally dropped, and after doing several articles on the game's ending, I can safely say this is the one to resolve the ending controversy. Adding in new scenes to fill plotholes, new closure, and a lot more of an explanation, the Extended Cut certainly gives more of an ending then we had before, but it is the definitive ending we wanted?
Let's get the big changes over with. The Normandy is called in to pick up your squad. The relays are damaged, not destroyed. The Normandy escapes the planet at the end. You can refuse The Catalyst's choices outright. Those are all the main ones and by far, all welcome additions. Refusing the decisions results in a completely new ending, and the others simply expand on what we know and make it fit better as a whole. The ending feels stronger and more like an ending because of them.
We also get new cutscenes depending on the choices you made through the game and at the end. You'll see the species you kept alive living, faded pictures of ones who gave their lives, and how your crew reacts to whatever happened to Shepard. All very welcome and very appropriate.
The final change, for all you hardcore Bioware forum posters, is that the ever popular Indoctrination Theory is neither confirmed nor denied. Some sighing of relief, others scoffing, the Indoctrination Theory wasn't in any way touched.
Overall, this definitely expands on what we had to start. Each ending feels unique, has particular and distinct ramifications and will change the galaxy entirely, and now we get to see how. I wasn't particularly angry about the original endings, but the Extended Cut improves them 100%. These are the complete endings no doubt, and truly solidifies Mass Effect as the greatest gaming trilogy ever.
10/10
