When I think about the original ending of Mass Effect 3

I'm still like...

Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut out tomorrow!

Disappointed Mass Effect fans take notice. The highly anticipated Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut is due out tomorrow, June 26th. This downloadable content feature has been highly anticipated since the series' controversial conclusion earlier this year.

Should we make this beam red, blue, or green... fuchsia?

 The description on the Bioware Blog explains that the content pack will " expand upon the events at the end of Mass Effect 3... through additional cinematic sequences and epilogue scenes." Don't expect the Extended Cut to dramatically change the ending, rather it will provide fans with "deeper insight to Commander Shepard’s journey based on player choices during the war against the Reapers." While this all sounds well and good, it should go without saying that there is virtually no way that the Extended Cut will please everyone, a point that Bioware readily admits in the brief documentary video included in the Extended Cut overview.


Dave Thier mentions on Forbes.com that, "Bioware has a lot riding on the ending, but in many ways that damage is already done." There has been a very loud segment of the series' more faithful consumers who have vocalized their disappointment. The blockbuster title received a lot of negative buzz extremely early in their product's life cycle. Thousands of their most dedicated and involved fans rallied together to "hold the line" in an attempt to get a new batch of endings through letter and charity campaigns. Some of these fans may think the E.C. is just the sort of closure that their Shepard's saga needed, whereas others will consider it to be salt poured into the wound. Implementing this content in a way that maximizes the favorable responses and minimizes the venomous ones will be critical for maintaining Bioware's fiercely loyal fan following.

When Mass Effect 3 owners can expect to find the DLC on their platform

The Extended Cut will be available at no additional charge for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 customers. However Playstation 3 customers outside of North America will have to wait until July 4th. Expect a hefty 1.9gb download, which hopefully demonstrates just how much content they crammed into this release. 

In order to access the Extended Cut content, players will need to load a save prior to the final Cerberus related mission.

Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut DLC due this Summer

Mass Effect 3 will receive a free ending DLC. Yes, after a month of fan outrage and industry commentary, Bioware has made the announcement that the "Extended Cut" DLC will come out in the summer and offer fans the closure they desire. As many have predicted, the DLC will not change the ending as it is - rather it will feature sequences and cut-scenes that help to explain it and provide closure.

“We have re-prioritized our post-launch development efforts to provide the fans who want more closure with even more context and clarity to the ending of the game, in a way that will feel more personalized for each player,” said Casey Hudson, the series' executive producer."

According to Game Informer, the DLC will be free through April 12, 2014 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Players must have an account with either EA online service Origin, the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live to receive the DLC free of charge.

Here's to hoping that this DLC will satiate the desires of disappointed fans and the RetakeME3 movement, rather then add more wood to the fire that Bioware and EA are roasting in.

Mass Effect 3 fans push for a "sweet" resolution

Any gamer worth his controller pack has heard the buzz surrounding the ending of Mass Effect 3. Many fans felt that the trilogy's ambiguous ending was a colossal let down after over 100 hours of galaxy surfing.

The disappointment has been so potent that fans have joined together to demand a new or extended ending from Bioware. This movement, dubbed "Retake Mass Effect 3," has generated a lot of press from a variety of sources - especially Forbes.com. Together, they've raised about $75,000 for the Child's Play Charity - and they are working out a plan to support other charities to be heard. Other disappointed fans have taken different approaches. One extreme fan filed complaints of false advertising to the Better Business Bureau and the FTC.Another took a more savory approach and sent Bioware an assortment of cupcakes that mimic the game's "multiple" endings. The cupcakes, which were funded by donations from other disappointed fans, are either red, green, or blue and all taste the same - a very blunt jab at Bioware for the seemingly shallow nature of the ending.

Public opinion has been all over the place on this one. Mainstream gaming media sources, like IGN and Game Informer, seem to be very quick at to mock and ridicule the fans, meanwhile Forbes seems to be their strongest mainstream supporter. Those against the movement claim that the "protesters" are just being entitled brats, other compare them to terrorists. The main argument is that the fans have no right to impose upon Bioware's "artistic integrity." Touchy subject indeed.

While I think there are a few bad apples among the protesters (like the knucklehead that filed BBB/FTC complaints), I think Bioware should give them what they want, but also take a few artistic liberties at the same time.

Bioware's biggest asset, as a company, is it's die hard fan-base. The fan's that are upset are members of that fan-base: they're the ones who buy the novels, the comic books, and the merchandise. But beyond the revenue directly generated from them, they're also their greatest marketing tool. Word of mouth is one of the most potent forms of advertising, especially in the digital era. Bioware has a legion of fans who are willing to be their advocates for free. These folks are the ones that are your early adopters for new games and series, and will recommend it to their friends and social media followers. Advertisers pay millions of dollars for this type of reach. In addition to the business angle of the fan-base dynamic, there's also the content development assets. Through a variety of fan-fictions and fan-made endings, Bioware has a gold mine in front of them - they know what their audience is looking for. That's thousands of dollars of product development research available to them for free.

Additionally, delivering what their fans so desperately desire is a smooth public relations move. Fans' donations to the Child's Play Charity demonstrates how invested they are. They're willing to commit to a cause and take an upstanding and respectable approach. Why not reward that behavior? Everyone stands to gain from it - the fans get their voices heard, the developer/publishers get additional brand equity, and the needy get helped.

The final reason for "changing" the ending is this: they can do it. Bioware is one of the few studios with an exceptionally capable group of developers that can take consumer feedback and successfully integrate it with their artistic vision. Look at the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC for Mass Effect 2 - they took fan feedback and developed what is arguably one of the best video game add-ins ever made.. While the current ME3 ending may have been a downer, they were able to produce roughly 99 hours and 50 minutes of content that is entertaining and immersible. By examining the fan-made endings, they have the tools to see what their audience is looking for and shape their product to meet that demand. Moreover, I don't think that they need to "change" the ending to do so. Take Fallout 3, for example. Bethesda took fan feedback into consideration and developed Broken Steel. Some arguments against this say that Broken Steel was hokey - but I don't pay those any mind. Like I mentioned earlier, Bioware has some of the best and brightest talent in the industry. If anyone could extend the ending in a non-hokey way, it's them.

Bioware co-founder, Ray Muzyka, mentioned in his statement on the Bioware Blog, we will be getting an announcement in April of the developer's plans to address the ending of their finale. One should notice that he was very careful in his word choice - he only promised "closure." Nowhere in there does he say whether or not that closure will be in the form of new or extended endings. Here's to hoping we get the news at PAX East coming up this week.

Pre-Owned Gaming

Depending on who you are, you either love or hate pre-owned game sales. Consumers typically love it, since it helps to manage the increasing prices of video game consoles and software. It makes it a feasible hobby for those who have bills to pay. On the other hand, publishers and developers hate  it, as they seldom see a dime from the re-sale. It's a bit of a jumbled issue - people need to be able to afford the game, but developers need to turn a profit on it.

The whole debate has been further agitated with rumors that next-gen consoles, like the Xbox 720, will have built in features to deter used-gaming. The Official Xbox Magazine jokingly explains that this news may be the harbinger of "the End Times, when pipe-wielding mobs roam the streets and rivers run black with publisher blood." Jokes aside, this would hurt a lot of people and companies that rely on this method of distribution. However, this same article does a great job of proposing some alternative solutions to alleviate the problem. The two that I agree with most are lowering/varying the price points and implementing more quality, substantial downloadable content.

Currently, most used console games sell for $59.99 (minus tax) when they first come out. Some titles are worth this amount and offer a lot of bang-for-your-buck. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim boasts an average playtime of 75 hours - that's less than one dollar per hour of game time! Likewise, titles like Mass Effect and Dragon Age offer a similar level of long-term engagement. High profile multi-player series, such as Halo, Battlefield, and Call of Duty, offer gamers an ever-changing and competitive environment as well as a chance to earn new gear, titles, and trophies.

However, every game doesn't offer this type of rewarding experience. For example, Dead Space doesn't have the same value when you've played the single-player levels time and time again. The horror element comes from not being fully familiar with your surroundings, as well as not knowing what's around the next corner. Other horror games, Resident Evil included, fall into this same rut. Other examples include Medal of Honor (2010) and Crisis 2, which offered an entertaining single-player and mediocre multi-player. It's not a bad game, but there's other options out there which offer a much better return-on-investment. Finally, some games are just downright bad! To be polite, I won't name any names...Bomberman Act: Zero. Just as every movie isn't intended to be an Oscar winner, there are some games that aren't shooting for GOTY status. Developers and publishers ought to recognize this and adjust their pricing accordingly.

Having the price make sense is one way to boost your sales, but once people have the game - give them a reason to keep it! That's where downloadable content comes in. My favorite example of a game that poured 110% into DLC is Mass Effect 2. The Cerberus Network did a phenomenal job, in my opinion, providing gamers with a wealth of free and paid DLC: new and unique weapons, new and unique squad members, and new and unique mission packs. I'm being very intentional with the words "new" and "unique" here. I still think Lair of the Shadow Broker was the best DLC content I've ever played because it added an engaging story, as well as missions and content that extends far beyond the immediate mission. Kasumi's DLC pack was fun because she's the only stealth-melee focused squad member. Arrival, while not at the same level as Lair of the Shadow Broker, was still a great piece of content because it added a thrilling and engaging atmosphere. More games need to aspire to this level of quality content. Many people have held onto their copy of this game instead of trading it in, just because the next batch of content is so highly anticipated.

It's still too early to discern what is fact and fiction about the next-gen consoles - the pre-owned ban may just pass to the wayside. Either way, it is evident that publishers and developers need to rise up to the challenge and find new ways to make their products, either used or new, worthwhile for their consumers.

Review: Lonesome Road DLC - Exciting, but very linear

Lonesome Road, the final story DLC for Fallout: New Vegas is out and, as a Fallout nerd, I am obligated to weigh in on it.

Lonesome Road brings the Courier face-to-face with the mysterious Ulysses, the original Courier 6 who rejected the job so that the player would carry the Platinum Chip and get shot in the head. Those who have been keeping up on the preceding DLCs know that Ulysses has been a central, yet unseen figure in all of New Vegas' DLC to date.

The adventure begins when Ulysses sends you a message that "invites" you to find him in the Divide, an area ravaged by storms and warfare. Along the way, you will encounter the residents of the Divide and uncover how you and the Divide share a shocking history. Ulysses will contact you frequently during your adventure and you will have an opportunity to match wits with him on subjects such as your history and your current faction affiliation. I'll stop there, as we might be risking spoilers if I share any more!

The Pros

Lonesome Road features an extremely captivating story that answers so many of the questions that players have had since before Dead Money was even released. From Ulysses' back story to his master scheme, players get pulled into this epic tale that is a fulfilling end to the story line.

Moreover, the DLC features extensive level design. The Divide truly feels post apocalyptic as you weave your way through the broken roads, collapsed buildings, subterranean tunnels. On top of that, it is a much more dynamic experience than any of the previous DLCs as you never know what you will find lingering among the debris. New and old enemy types make an appearance in the Divide and they are more difficult than ever! There is a significant increase in scripted events, and each of them lends well to the atmosphere of the Divide and the dangerous reputation that it has. Expect surprises from enemies, traps and an abundance of nuclear detonations.

The Riot Armor makes the NCR Rangers look like powder-puffs

Lastly, the Divide houses a plethora of new weapons, armor and consumables that players can get excited about. First, there's finally a version of the Ranger Combat Armor without the NCR Faction attached to it! On top of that, there's several redesigned versions of armors from the main game that look excellent and truly fit the ruinous environment. The new weapons are off the wall, such as a fully automatic, long range rocket launcher, a flare gun, and flash bangs! These are just a few of the goodies available.



The Cons

You might get sick of looking for these

Traveling the Divide is a very linear experience in a small map. Don't get me wrong, it is one heck of an adventure that truly makes use of the space. However, players will not be able to explore numerous unique locations like they could in Honest Hearts or Old World Blues. To this affect, Lonesome Road has missed the mark on one of the major highlights of the Fallout experience - the exploration. There are a few stray buildings and sewers that you can enter, but they are small cells with little to do besides pick up weapons or find posters of a pre-war TV called "Ralphie".

Lonesome Road is also virtually devoid of side-quests, another staple of the Fallout experience. Instead, players can occupy themselves with finding Ulysses' audio recordings, detonating the stray warheads, ED-E upgrades, and finding RALPHIE posters. Aside from looking for the ED-E upgrades, none of this is particularly rewarding beyond farming achievements and trophies.

Ulysses' "unused" face

Lastly, the physical character design for Ulysses is quite disappointing. His unique appearance comes from an equipped breathing mask that covers his mouth and gives him his unique hair. However, there is no reason for him to be wearing a breathing mask in his particular area. While there is a fully textured face beneath the mask, it is not used because his mouth and lips are not animated for speech. This seems like an extremely lazy omission that really sells short the quality voice acting of Roger Cross provides for such a significant character. There is a great deal of build-up to the meeting Ulysses and it is a little bit of a letdown when you can't actually see much of his face.

Overall Reaction: 7.5 out of 10

Summary
Lonesome Road is an exciting, engaging and fun way to end off Fallout: New Vegas. It features an exciting story, a vividly imagined atmosphere and several new toys for players to use. Nonetheless, it is not perfect and suffers from some design flaws, including a character design and heavily linear game play that offers little in the way of quality exploration that the Fallout series is so well regarded for.

Ulysses waits for you in The Divide

Fallout: New Vegas is Back with a Bang

The trailer for Lonesome Road, the last story DLC for Fallout: New Vegas, has been released and it looks like the Courier has far more to contend with than any DLC to date.

The DLC will take the Courier to a mysterious area known as The Divide where he will finally get answers from the mysterious Ulysses, another courier who seems to have a bone to pick. Of course, the trip won't be easy and it seems that enemies might be the least of the Courier's worries along the way.

As a Fallout fanboy, I'm excited to see what this next DLC pack will have to offer - especially since it appears to be the most apocalyptic addition to New Vegas yet (in contrast to the Ocean's Eleven-SAW hybrid Dead Money or the comical Old World Blues).

Lonesome Road will be simultaneously released on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on Tuesday, September 20. This news is a relief to Fallout fans, as it has already been delayed twice!