When Earth begins to fall in an ancient cycle of destruction, Commander Shepard must unite the forces of the galaxy to stop the Reapers in the final chapter of the original Mass Effect trilogy.
@Jimbo: "I can't see there being a mission limit / timer of any kind tbh, because it isn't the 90s. I expect the structure to be along the lines of 'There are 4 conflicts between possible allies that need resolving (Geth vs. Quarian etc.), choose who you want to help and they'll show up in the last cutscene!'. Then the last choice will be save Earth or sacrifice it to save the galaxy. I hope they have something more imaginative in mind, but it seems likely. "
If that happens, I will feel like I'm playing Fallout: New Vegas again.
Shepard discovers that he can use the Mass Relays as weapons against the Reapers, but in doing so destroys them - meaning every species in the Mass Effect world has to start nearly over again with space travel. So anyway he's alone in the middle of space, so sets a course for Earth and puts himself into cryosleep (bit like in Halo 3), so that centuries later he can wake up near Earth and Mass Effect 4 can begin anew, with all-new characters (everyone he knew being dead) and with similar (because of the massive setback) yet slightly upgraded technology.
Recruitment will be based on species that will support humanity's fight against the Reapers. Example - Wrex will be on your team and he is representative of the Krograns. Piss him off, and Krograns won't help. Keep him happy, and Krogans will charge at the Reapers head first with shotguns.
Reapers will attack Earth and the Citadel. You have to choose between either saving humans or the governing collective of species. Humans will end up either being martyrs or the new leaders of whoever is left in the universe.
If you cheated on Ashley/Kaiden, then it will be brought up in ME3.
"
This sounds about right. I could see the Reapers launching attacks against other species homeworlds, so you have to actually go there and help out, and then recruit them against the Reapers.
And yeah, I'd really like it if there were a choice between Earth and the Citadel, or something like that, but I'm guessing it'll be more like "Okay, you decided to go save the Citadel first, now the casualties on Earth are that much greater and you will have a tougher time there."
@xyzygy said:
" Color me pissed if this is another recruiting game. The trailer made it seem so. "
Make no mistake: this game will be about recruiting all the various species against the Reapers. I felt if there was one thing the previous Mass Effect's did well, it was setting that up with the Rachni, final ME1 choice, and the choices involved in Mordin's, Tali's, and Legion's loyalty missions.
@General_D23: To me this just seems like laziness from Bioware. I really think that the recruitment thing will get old in ME3. There was no story progression in ME2 because all your time was spent looking for peeps to join the party, and when that was all said and done you got an ending where there was a chance they could die and you don't even kill the bad guy. The feats accomplished in Mass Effect 2 aren't even a fraction of what was accomplished in ME1.
I've said this before, but with ME2 the Mass Effect series is just becoming too much like a summer blockbuster sci-fi flick and the 3rd one is looking to cement my idea. I feel that the universe, atmosphere and setting that was introduced in Mass Effect 1 was absolutely stellar and they almost went backwards with it in ME2, making a lot of things established in ME1 not even worth mentioning and focusing on the wow factor, the "for the moment" factor.
I sat at my TV for hours with Mass Effect 1 just reading codex entries because it was so interesting. I boot up ME2 hoping to find some awesome new content and discover that the majority of the codex entries are literally copy and pasted. Then the RPG elements are taken out, and it becomes more of a shooter than an RPG. Just little things like that. And I really hope I'm sorely mistaken about ME3 taking the series into a more easily accessible direction.
@xyzygy: I loved the more personal story offered by Mass Effect 2 far more then the story offered by ME1. I enjoyed most of the loyalty missions and characters themselves immensely. As far as Harbinger goes, they are obviously setting up their "Emperor".
I loved how, instead of spending time setting things up with codex entries and some really weird, long-winded conversations (which, I'll admit is still kind of present in 2), they just said "Look, we set all this up for you in the first one. We don't need to do that to that extent anymore. Let's get this show on the road."
While the galaxy was fairly in depth, I really can't see how the sequel did anything but expand it. ME2 is far more atmospheric and detailed than ME1 was. Exploring the Terminus Systems, going to the Flotilla, seeing the darker sides of the galaxy. Even beyond the details, the eradication of the terrible texture pop-in and bad shooting mechanics, and things of that nature, made me appreciate the game more. Any semblance of "immersion" (God, I hate that word...) was thrown out the window when entire areas took 5-10 seconds to pop-in and Shepard, a supposedly elite soldier, couldn't shoot for shit.
While I agree that more RPG mechanics should be added: not at the cost of gameplay. ME1 tried to be too much of a shooter and too much of an RPG at the same time and was terrible at the former and not all that great at the later.
I think they'll make you mediate on what races turn up to the fight: there's no love lost between the Krogan, Salarians and (if you saved the Queen in ME) the Rachni, for instance, and there's animosity between many of the other races. As such, you'll have the choice to either a) choose one race of those warring to bring to the battle, weakening your military but arriving earlier, or b) risk Earth by taking the time to sort their issues and bring them all. Like the end of ME2, it'll be a race against time to save as many as possible, balanced against what you bring to the fight.
I also hope the Geth come full circle after Legion's loyalty mission.
Personally I think it'll be like Mass Effect 2 all over again, beyond a certain point you will be limited to speed the coming end of the game. They will most likely add more members, maybe not as much as Mass Efect 2, Mass Effect 1 had 5 squad mates I believe, 2 of which were actually team members of the second game. A few of the characters from the second game will not return anyway due to saves and some will probably go their own way. Most likely in a dispute over the decision about the collector base in which everybody's opinion will probably be revealed through conversation in the third game. That's just my belief though, my thoughts on how it will "pan out", is that the right expression you humans use?
Ofc they are going to add new members... its ridiculous if they don't, alienating new players is always bad. I think that after the whole reaper showdown in ME2 theres a chance they will turn the story to give shephard the choice of becoming a reaper.
" ...the trailer shows that the Reapers are already attacking Earth. That means Shepard only has a few days to save them, how is Shepard going to travel the galaxy in a few days to get everyone ready? Even if he could move as fast as light, it still wouldn't count for the vast distances. "
They Mass Effect relays push the ships out faster then the speed of light. That's the whole point of Mass Effects story...
" ...the trailer shows that the Reapers are already attacking Earth. That means Shepard only has a few days to save them, how is Shepard going to travel the galaxy in a few days to get everyone ready? Even if he could move as fast as light, it still wouldn't count for the vast distances. "
That is of course supposing that when you boot the game you get rushed right into a reaper attack. I'd honestly be surprised if they did it that way.
" ...the trailer shows that the Reapers are already attacking Earth. That means Shepard only has a few days to save them, how is Shepard going to travel the galaxy in a few days to get everyone ready? Even if he could move as fast as light, it still wouldn't count for the vast distances. "
They Mass Effect relays push the ships out faster then the speed of light. That's the whole point of Mass Effects story... "
Hence why the Normandy is powered by a Faster Than Light drivecore. IT goes faster than light.
Shepard will have the option (provided the player made the right choice during Legion's loyalty mission) to lead a massive Geth armada to save the Quarian Flotilla from an otherwise overwhelming Reaper attack.
Edit: Also, I'm so going to sacrifice humanity for the greater good. The losses of the 5th fleet during the Battle of the Citadel will look like a walk in the park by comparison.
Garrus didn't seems to have any major influence over his people. A new character is required to fill this gap. Same goes for Tali (Quarian), Samara/Liara (Asari) and Mordin (Salarian).
But I like the idea of fighting your ex-crew members a lot, if you don't have enough moral points to smooth things up between the rivals races :1
Considering that anyone and everyone can die during the final mission, I'm really interested to see how Bioware plans to include party members from Mass Effect 2. Just because it's possible to have the perfect ending where everyone survived, there's no guarantee that everyone who played and beat the game got, or even wanted, that ending (I personally have a perfect ending and an ending with 2 dead team mates just to see what happens). How does Bioware account for the dozens of survivor variations? The easiest thing to do would be to retcon the ending in some way and definitively say that certain people survived.
I personally don't want another long game of recruitment, but I imagine there's going to have to be some of that in ME3. Like others have already said, part of the game will probably have Shepard recruiting an army to fight the Reapers, but I hope that's not the main thrust of the game; that plot would be too similar to the plot of Dragon Age Origins in my opinion.
" Some fair predictions. I'm very much inclined to agree with you on the third point you made, Mass Effect 2 was largely about laying out who each of the characters were, and with the story coming to it's climax I don't see them trying to introduce any new characters at this point. "
I think that the events in the trailer will be mid-game and the game will start directly after the end of ME 2 with a giant reaper fleet coming towards the galaxy. That allows you to prepare things (like earth defences so damage to humanity wont be massive) or as others have said to unite races.
Also, I want a scene at the end if everything goes well of Shepard plus your romantic interest a number of years after, with kids or just to show a great deal of time passed.
Actually, we won't even need to wait until ME3 to know any of that stuff, because the new DLC that's coming out is going to lead right up to the events of ME3. Or so said someone from Bioware.
My guess: The DLC is the first attack from the Reapers and in the battle, you lose one of your crew, and that begins the assault on Earth, for which Mass Effect 3 will begin. Then, it's a race against time to unite the Galaxy to fight the combined force of the Reapers.
Honestly though, I'm not liking how that sounds. Mass Effect 2 was one of the best games I've ever played, and I do not like the idea of having a really short story just because it would fit with the whole "OOOOO you have to hurry and save Earth!" This being the last game ever for Mass Effect, they better go all out or I'm going to be thoroughly disappointed. And nothing is worse than being thoroughly disappointed.
The last DLC for ME2, you lose a big chunk of your crew - ME3 you recruit a few people from 1 and a couple new guys to join you. You convince aliens to defend earth. Final choice: destroy the relays because they are reaper tech, isolating the systems or keep the relays allowing everyone to connect but the reapers have a chance to return in the future. I'm calling it.
" The last DLC for ME2, you lose a big chunk of your crew - ME3 you recruit a few people from 1 and a couple new guys to join you. You convince aliens to defend earth. Final choice: destroy the relays because they are reaper tech, isolating the systems or keep the relays allowing everyone to connect but the reapers have a chance to return in the future. I'm calling it. "
Shit. Now, I'd actually be more surprised if this WASN'T the ending. Or one of the possible endings.
I'm going with the game begins as the Reapers begin to push into the galaxy leaving a swath of death and destruction in their wake. The Council realizes how blind they were and turn to Shepard for help. You will then go around the galaxy drawing together a massive armada and army comprised of the various races of people you have helped throughout the first two games. For example you'll have to go and get Wrex (if he's alive) and perhaps assist him in becoming High Warlord of all the Krogan, you'll have to go and settle the conflict between the Geth and Quarians, etc. Naturally if some of these characters died in your playthroughs then this will be more difficult if not impossible.
Then there will be things like the Rachni appearing to help you which you will have no control over and will be entirely dependent on previous choices.
Depending on your choices in previous games this will mean the final confrontation (not necessarily at Earth) will play out differently. Along the same lines as the upgrades to the Normandy in ME2. It won't have any effect on gameplay just background stuff. You'll then be forced to make the ultimate choice to sacrifice something huge or save some other group at the expense of everyone else.
I definitely agree that the plot will probably involve building an army to fight the reapers like in DA:O and you will no doubt have to finally make all the really hard choices, i.e. quarians vs geth, what to do with the genophage, etc.
I don't know about whether they will introduce new characters. I am betting they will; the characters are what make BioWare games so good and it would really suck if there was no one new to get to know.
Also, even though the reapers are apparently already attacking earth, there is no way BioWare will put an actual time limit on it, as that would be a totally sucky thing to do and BioWare know this. There will definitely be mandatory missions that you are forced to go on at certain points in the story just like in ME2 though.
" This is a theory I heard on another forum: Shepard discovers that he can use the Mass Relays as weapons against the Reapers, but in doing so destroys them - meaning every species in the Mass Effect world has to start nearly over again with space travel. So anyway he's alone in the middle of space, so sets a course for Earth and puts himself into cryosleep (bit like in Halo 3), so that centuries later he can wake up near Earth and Mass Effect 4 can begin anew, with all-new characters (everyone he knew being dead) and with similar (because of the massive setback) yet slightly upgraded technology. "
Holy fuck.
This is golden. I would absolutely love it if the series ended on this note.
I think that the Reapers actually reaching Earth will be the endgame. A huge time limit like that doesn't make any sense, especially when compared to the pacing of the first two games...
" Here my perdiction on the plot for Mass Effect 3:
Who'll be with you, At least one that surived mass effect 2 and Liara or Kaiden/Ashley and thats all I don't see bioware adding more team members when there a huge list already.
I suspect the story will play out somewhat like DA:O, except your in space and building up a massive fleet to destroy the Repers before they reach Earth.
Which as you can imagine, will be extremly hard to do. Especially if you let the old Council die in ME1.
Recruitment will be based on species that will support humanity's fight against the Reapers. Example - Wrex will be on your team and he is representative of the Krograns. Piss him off, and Krograns won't help. Keep him happy, and Krogans will charge at the Reapers head first with shotguns.
Reapers will attack Earth and the Citadel. You have to choose between either saving humans or the governing collective of species. Humans will end up either being martyrs or the new leaders of whoever is left in the universe.
If you cheated on Ashley/Kaiden, then it will be brought up in ME3.
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