A Question from an Alterninate Universe: The Ending of Mass Effect 3

[Winter]

Let's say, for a moment, that the ending of Mass Effect 3 ended like this.


youtu.be/2CKCpZyWyhE

What would the reception have been among fans? I think it would have been seen as overall positive BUT would likely still be viewed as disappointing mainly because in the end it was still a case of using a Deus Ex Machina to kill the Reapers and that our choices were still put on the side in the later half of the game.

Over a decade later and ME3's endings are still controversial and with the next ME game appearing to retcon said ending honestly just adds salt to the wound as the ending of ME3 seemed to be done to just burn bridges and make a sequel basically impossible. We haven't gotten much in the way of details for ME5 but from what we have gotten it seems that the Destroy ending will be the canon ending AND that the Geth are, somehow, alive as we heard Liara seeming to talk to one during last years N7 Day Tease and the poster from the year before that having a crater in the shape of a Geth, suggesting that the Geth will play a major role in the upcoming game.

And with that it makes it seem that this ending made by fans outright ignoring the rest of the game might as well be the canon ending given what seems to be coming.

But even ignoring that it still begs the question what would the reception of ME3 have been like if this is how the Trilogy ended instead of what we got.

[hammerofglass]

Most of the backlash was over them overselling how modular the endings were and how much was affected by choices throughout the series, I don't see making it even more restricted reducing that backlash.

There's also still the pacing issue. It spends the last act building to a final epic crescendo of a finale but instead it just kinda peters out. It's like getting narratively edged.

[Riedquat]

I think it would've still come in for a lot of criticism but wouldn't have annoyed and upset anywhere near as many people as it did.