Since the release is almost here it's time for a proper discussion thread...

I don't have time for it! Still have lots to do in Skyrim and I went out and bought myself a cheap copy of the new Deus Ex. Up until I actually started looking into ME3 I was certain I would buy it the second it was released but the more I read about it the more doubtful I become. Will certainly buy it but will probably wait for the first wave of player reactions before getting it.

I was so looking forward to this game, now it's highly doubtful I will get it. Very annoyed by the whole 'N7 edition/DLC' saga and will probably avoid it on principle, as well as being unable to afford the collectors ed.

I am playing it now. Its ok, but a step down from ME2. Also: a fair warning. Don`t enter the Bioware forums untill you have played the game. The place is in utter outrage (with good reason). it would deffinatly spoil your experience.

They will not sell it digitally in any way shape or form?

I must say, after having finished the game I was upset about the poor ending. Very upset. However, it just so happens I didn`t understand the ending. Now that I do, I will have to say this game actually has the best plot twist I have ever seen in a game. The whole ending is just so subtle, and it just creeps into you. Great work from Bioware.

I guess not everyone get's it (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9476-Mass-Effect-3-The-Process), even after some time.

So the ending is actually good if you are smart/awake enough to get it? That is good to hear cause I was getting really worried. Heard lots of people who said that the ending destroyed the entire Mass Effect story for them.

Ok, I'll be honest, I 'acquired' this game in the end. I have bad will power.

So the ending is actually good if you are smart/awake enough to get it? That is good to hear cause I was getting really worried. Heard lots of people who said that the ending destroyed the entire Mass Effect story for them.

No, it really isn't. It's crap and gives no closure at all. I wouldn't say it ruin the entire franchise, that's a bit dramatic, it's still a good game. However the ending was a serious, serious let down. All the 'different' endings feel exactly the same too (I played it through once, then Youtubed the other endings). It's a shame because it could and should have been so much better.

Please use the spoiler tags for the foreseeable future when discussing the ending(s).

The ending is explained pretty well here. http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Damous/Why_Bioware_has_NOT_betrayed_us

Its full of spoilers, so read at your own perrill. After reading, and other bits like this, concerning the ending, it makes so much more sense. In my opinon its arguably one of the best endings I have seen in a video game.

Can it be considered one of the best endings if you need a guide to actually get it?

/edit
Actually, after reading it a little bit, I guess it's not so much a guide as it is someone's own interpretation of what's going on. To me, it appears that either this guy is applying a fair amount of imagination to manipulate some vagueness in the game's story so it comes out better.

Or, if this is what Bioware actually intended, they obviously didn't tell their story well enough if only a very few people actually get it and then only after much deliberation.

It's not a bad ending at all. But it isn't in an ending as you'd see in a Hollywood movie, which makes it all the more original, thought-provoking and down-right shocking. Definitely gives you more to talk about around the water-cooler than how many headshots you got.

I made the choice to destroy the reapers. I felt bad about the idea that the geth might also be destroyed, but in the end, I wanted the reapers to pay. I didn't care that the ME Relays would be destroyed. These AI mofo's have killed countless numbers of people and civilizations, defiled them, etc. etc. Even though I was paragon for so long, in the end the "renegade" choice was the right choice.

As for the wiki stuff about fighting indoctrination. Sounds right, but I need to play through the ending again since I passed out on my keyboard when the credits rolled.

The end of the game kind of reminded me of the matrix reloaded, where Neo was told he had to make a choice, but he had no real choice at all - same here.

why couldnt the crucible just be a weapon which destroys the reapers and civilization lives on happy with their hero shepard and the human race as saviours and every one is happy?

I finally completed my first run of the game as well. Overall it was pretty good. Not much different from ME2. Although basically all the side missions were just about fedexing war assets, so that was a bit boring. I also tried the multi player for a bit and it was not too bad. Fun enough that I did not get bored raising the readiness rating close to 100 %. As for the whole trilogy, ME2 was probably the most enjoyable, then ME3 and ME.

The Matrix ending came to my mind as well as soon as I saw the end. I think it was a worthy ending for the trilogy. But not everyone seems to agree when you look at the endless whining about it around the 'net. It will be interesting to see if Bioware does anything about it.

Heard a lot of bad animo about the ending, but I'm sure it won't really bother me. Enjoying the first (and probably only) playthrough, though it's nothing superduper yet, as I'm not that into scifi. It's more about the dialogue for me.

Still haven't played it. Bought it pretty much on release date, then second-guessed myself about deciding to forego Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival. Arrival basically sealed it. Since after changing to the English version (fortunately, I was able to do that via Origin with the CD-key from my boxed DVD game and EA customer support confirmed this was as intented) my saves were incompatible (names of expansions, used as variables in the save file, were, unfortunately, used in their translated versions, so according to the game I didn't have the required DLCs's to play the save), I had to replay ME2. I'm finishing it these days and should be ready to play ME3 maybe tomorrow or Sunday or Monday. I've already heard about the endings and I think I dislike them, although I'm suspending judgement. More likely than not to keep disliking them though.

Finally succumbed to buying and playing ME3 mostly due to a lack of anything else to play and a desire to finish it before Diablo 3. It feels very similar to ME2 in all ways. The voice acting is extremely poor imo and the characters are completely out of sync with each other during conversations. Still enjoyable, looking forward to reaching the controversial endings. I have managed to stay unspoiled.

Guess I will finish it but damn, this game is not doing it for me. It feels so, well, shallow. All missions are the same, all combat is identical. I am struggling to finish a mission or two a day.

While I was waiting for ME3 to arrive I re-installed Rome: Total War and I guess it says something about ME3 that I spend way more time playing that than ME3.

I still don't have it. Plan to get it.

Just for the sake of it. I was vocal way back, that Bio would probably have a hard time to live up to the expectations.

I don't envy them. It was probably a nightmare, having EA lurking over their backs and meddling in the process.

I loved ME1 (even the rides with the MAKO )
I was quite ok with ME2 even though i disliked the removal from all the skills and weapons. And the weapons with the heat-sinks were horrible.
The combat was good after some editing, so that the biotic powers work on shielded enemies and such.

As for ME3 it's hard to play deaf while the outrage about it is quite loud and I have no doubt that i will join those people too, once I play it.

This is absolutely hilarious. Before my current mission I was visited by my dead girlfriend for some hanky panky. Tali killed herself when I chose the geth over her people but she still came to me before the Cerberus mission. Wonderful consistency from Bioware.

Now I have finished the game and it is official. Yes the ending is awful not so much from a story point of view although that is pretty crap as well but how it is executed. I wanted to make choice 2 but took the wrong turn up the platform and found myself standing in front of choice 1 I could not retrace my steps and go back to make the choice I actually made. I am sure if I had paid more attention I would have known to turn left instead of right but the cut scenes were so dull that it was hard to pay attention. All in all the ending was atrocious to a very dull, uninspired, badly made and boring game.

Do not grace EA with any of your money.

Agreed. It was partially saved by the multiplayer, which is pretty good and hella addictive, but needs far more content.