Finally had a chance to try out the Extended Cut. While it's still the same set of endings, though the extra cinematics showing the aftermath of the mass relay chain reaction gives more variation between the 3 set choices. Most important being that the endings are much more cohesive now, espcially showing how Normandy and crew got in the position to be running away from the mass relay blast.
I was also pleasantly surpised that it opened up even more dialog trees with the godchild, and that you can investigate even further with what lead to the Reapers creations, as well as the catalysts own origins. And while the whole "solution" remains a very flawed premise (create a cycle of synthetics harvesting organics to stop organics from being destroyed by synthetcs...) delving into the Catalysts origins does offer something of a reasoning to the explanation being flawed. Basically that it's flawed as a result of being formulated by an AI, which is simply trying to carry out the instructions it was constructed for, as best as it can apply its logic programming to the given task. A machine that has limited scope of reasoning.
The best part being that there's an entirely NEW fourth option and ending. Shepard can basically say, "the hell with you, I choose none of the above and will go it my own way". Yeah it leads to ultimate destruction, but still it's what we would expect from Shepard to be able to defy the assertions of the godchild. Which i still his/her choice to make, that comes with dire consequences.
In fact this ultimate failure is one the outcomes I WANTED to be available as one of the endings. To see that our cycle met the same fate as those that came before us and we know it'll start all over again for the next galactic generation. It was even cool to see them reincoprorating Liara's archives, and knowing that it would help others prevent meeting the failure we had. Actually when I envisioned a complete destruction ending, it would have a scene of some future generation (somwhere from 30,000 to 40,000 years later) when explorers of a new race make their on discovery of the mass relays, being the legacy of our races known only in their history books. But yeah, seeing use of Liara's archive is a good way to get the tone of, "it's over for us, but there's hope for our successors".
Also liked seein the Normandy crew add Shepards name to the memorial wall on the Normandy. That was another bit of closure. The game didn't have to have a "happy" ending, just that closure. I saw the rejection and synthesis ending so far, that ends with EDI's dialog of being alive. So I gotta see the Destroy ending to see what follows since EDI doesn't surive that.
AdobeArtist
What I thought was interesting was the Catalyst turned on his creators and they became the first true Reaper. The whole idea of killing all advance life with synthetics so synthetics don't kill all life sounds flawed, but I feel it was supposed to be too. With the extended cut, it really brought the idea that the AI doesn't understand and is just following what he is programmed to do. The whole thing with the reapers is a mistake and, in itself, an example of how synthetics could take over organic life. If the reapers were programed, instead, to kill all life, advanced or not, they would be able to. It brings forth the notion that life, without the Reapers, probably would end itself, advanced or not, with it's own creations. The previous ending doesn't really examine this idea well enough for people to understand it or give off that that's what the ending really conveys. I mean, most people were wanting to do the destroy ending, and that's the worst one, easily :P
BTW, the creation ending turns out really differently than the previous ending. I would watch that one as it's the big surprise for me with EC. Synthetic is my favorite ending, though.
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