Shepard Thinks you are a Wuss
NO SPOILERS ARE IN THIS ARTICLE
So, as my fellow gamer in arms Locke has brilliantly posted, apparently some people in the gaming community were a little dissatisfied with the ending of Mass Effect 3.
Gamers were quoted as saying: “The ending isn’t happy enough.” and “All my work has been for nothing, all my progress was for nothing.”
My reply to these misguided consumers is: Suck it up Pansy.
Granted, bleak and sad endings are a bit of a rarity in the gaming industry, so it can be a little shocking to have one happen in such a (formerly?) beloved franchise but these people need to sit and think about what they are implying. The fans of Mass Effect that have their panties in a bunch over the ending of this franchise are implying that THEY, not the creators of the world and character, THEY as the gamer, know how the series should end. This is the most arrogant and borderline crazy notion I have ever heard outside of a Star Wars convention in my life.
Tragedy is a fantastic narrative tool and not used enough in games. When it is used effectively it can be quite powerful and thought-provoking. Heavy Rain for the Playstation 3 comes to mind when I think of effective use of tragic elements in a game environment. I mean really, what the hell did these people think was going to happen?
An alien force which is programmed to destroy all life and has done it many times since the beginning of time is coming for us…..
But these gamers, in their jaded little minds, think that some earthling guy or girl (Depending on your choice) and their handful of alien friends and allies are going to stop this force which can only be described as an elemental force in scope? Who has the more disappointing narrative here? I know it’s a video game but really? I personally can only suspend my disbelief so much before I check out of paying attention to a narrative for being too far-fetched. The plot line resolution that these ingrates want is more far-fetched than Warriors Orochi 3 for crying out loud.
Real life is complicated, often doesn’t end in a neat little bow, and often times does not end well. I believe these gamers are not giving Bioware a fair shake on their choice in narrative. So the story didn’t end the way you wanted, so what? It’s not the end of the world (unlike in Mass Effect) just get over it.
All your accomplishments are wasted? What accomplishments? The ones you made in a fictional world that doesn’t truly exist? Those accomplishments? The ones made by people and aliens that don’t really exist? Those beings? Do you see how silly you all sound now?
It’s people like these fanatics that hold the game industry back as far as narrative goes. These are the people who make Peter Molyneux say “The industry isn’t ready for Milo, it isn’t sophisticated enough.” Mob style temper tantrums about a bleak ending to a game series communicate to developers that the way to go with narrative is sugary sweet happy endings or COD style fist bumping bro endings to games. Is this what we want for the gaming industry? Do we want the industry we all love to never be taken seriously by the media or the public at large? When non-gamers hear the term video games, do we want them to picture grandma playing Wii Bowling or do we want them to think of an interactive medium that can explore mature issues and content as well as “Casual” content?
The choice is only ours to decide.
The Gaming Rag 