Weekend Reading: The Joy and Disappointment of Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut

After a lengthy wait and a lot of speculation, BioWare launched the Extended Cut downloadable content pack for Mass Effect 3, which brought new cinematics for the game’s original three endings as well as a whole new fourth ending.

While many fans still don’t necessarily approve of the DLC, I think it delivers a mix of joy and disappointment, depending on your own stance in regards to the actual endings.

As always, major spoilers are discussed about Mass Effect 3 and the Extended Cut, so stop reading if you want to avoid them.

First up, let’s talk about the three endings offered by Mass Effect 3 originally and enhanced by the Extended Cut.

This is where the DLC shines, as it offers players way more details about the decisions they can take. Every different conclusion, whether it’s Control, Synthesize or Destroy, is explained in a more thoughtful way and they can now decide exactly what they want to do in regards to the Reapers.

After choosing your course of action and witnessing the regular cinematics, the Extended Cut delivers a series of slides that detail what happens to the world and to the different characters the player has interacted with. This concludes the series in a much better way, as no matter your choice you witness the legacy that you left behind.

Sadly, while the Extended Cut greatly enhances existing endings, it also adds a new conclusion in which players defy the Reapers and choose not to use the Catalyst weapon. This can be triggered either through a dialog option or by shooting the StarKid.

While such a conclusion was demanded by many players, BioWare pretty much insults them by jumping into the future and portraying a world where humanity and the rest of its allies were obliterated. While I do realize that it was the most likely outcome, a cinematic of the battle or at least a few more slides showing the War Assets in action would’ve been welcomed.

What did you think about Mass Effect 3’s Extended Cut DLC? Share your thoughts below.