I've been having a jolly old time playing Mass Effect 3, but the game's pressure to abandon the main story in favour of multiplayer and mobile extras left a bad taste in my mouth.
I'll keep this as spoiler-free as I can, but if you're committed to ploughing through Mass Effect 3 with no prior expectations, avert your eyes now. But y'know, don't leave the site. We have other articles.
I spent the best part of my precious Bank Holiday Monday playing Mass Effect 3. I was having a properly roaring time, tearing through Reaper foes like tissue paper, and dismantling malevolent mechs using my character's maxed-out biotic Charge ability, which is a technique that plunges you chest-first into an enemy.
Sensing I was just a few missions away from the trilogy's epic conclusion (shhh, don't ruin it for me), I swarmed forward like a one-man plague of handsome locusts, along the way cementing alliances with the other characters on my ship, puzzling out mind-bending moral decisions and uniting warring races under my fluttering space-banner. I was in the zone, and loving every moment.
I was instructed that I was about to embark upon the final mission. I was ready. But just to be sure everyone else was ready (that's the kind of caring management style you get when you ally with LukeShep), I took a peek at my war console, which tells me how likely I am to win the ensuing final confrontation.
Low but measurable
This system is complicated, but important, because it determines how the game ends, and having sunk a lot of time and emotion into the game, I want the best ending possible. But despite having completed every side quest I could find, my 'Galactic Readiness' rating stood at a mere 50 per cent, with my chances of winning the final fight deemed "low but measurable". Ouch.
A quick Google search revealed that the easiest way to bump up my Galactic Readiness (that didn't involve scanning endless planets for extra war assets) was to play Mass Effect 3's multiplayer, which increases that percentage as you play. That's not something I'd counted on doing in a game with such a strong focus on the single-player story, but I guess it was what I was 'supposed' to do.
By my standards, Mass Effect 3 has already messed up by this point, because instead of playing the game I'm now hunched over my laptop, Googling with one hand over my eyes to try and avoid spoilers, trying to get my head around the mysterious formula that balances my Galactic Readiness with my Effective Military Strength.
In fact, so poorly is the mechanic explained that developer BioWare had to issue a statement to let gamers know how it actually it works. Which isn't ideal.
Two minutes later my estimation of the game had dropped another notch, as instead of waging interplanetary war against Earth's eldritch foes, I was using an on-screen keyboard to sign in to Origin, which is publisher EA's horrible and controversial network through which it controls online gaming. Oh, and I had to enter one of those awful codes that stops you selling the game. Nothing says 'space opera' like entering a 25-character code.
Another two minutes, another two notches, as now I'm skipping fruitlessly through multiplayer lobbies, trying to find a group of online gamers who won't kick me out straight away because I'm only level 1 (the multiplayer is co-operative and features gamers teaming up to survive waves of enemies. Who wants Johnny-no-levels on their team?).
No-zone player
After about half an hour, I make it into a game. Which is kind of fun, but so very different from the hugely compelling single-player mode. As I watch one of my team mates trying over and over to hit me to death with his gun (I have no idea what I did wrong), my heart sinks as I remember that just an hour ago I felt like I was the galaxy's greatest hope. I am no longer in the zone.
By the time I download the two accompanying iOS apps that can be used to bump up your Galactic Readiness (one of which is £2.99; both of which are absolute pants; neither available on any other platform), the process felt less like a game, and more like a cynical mechanic to make me sign into Origin and hand over my details to EA as many times as possible.
Which of course it is, let's not be naive. But the best games -- like movies -- make you forget that you're filling a publisher's coffers (did I mention multiplayer gaming through Xbox carries a monthly charge?). By the time I'd ramped my Galactic Readiness up by 10 per cent I felt manipulated, cynical and bored.
I don't think there's anything intrinsically wrong with multiplayer modes or downloadable apps impacting a solo game -- in fact, it's a cool idea, and something other entertainment genres can't manage. But it must be handled delicately, or you'll break gamers' focus on the story. And that's what happened in my case.
The moral of the story is, if you want gamers to be absorbed in your narrative, don't make them register for a publisher's content-distribution system halfway through. Ick.
Did you like Mass Effect 3's multiplayer, or do you think it broke the flow of the game as well? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
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anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:00
A lot of people feel your pain, but the whole going and doing multiplayer to bump your GR% was something you were expected to a lot sooner than right before you embark on the final mission. Yes, you'll still want to do a run or two then since that GR% also decreases several percent every real world day, too, but that would be one or two to top it back off. So, if you did it in between missions in the regular game it's a lot less jarring of a transition.
And at least its put you in the proper mood to face the terrible Ending, too.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:04
I think this is an issue that is magnified by the means of accessing the game. Being an X-Box gamer means that I not only have access to all the boss multiplayer promotions (N7 weekends) but I automatically sign into the EA servers as soon as I start the game. Without that information my comments will likely seem much more trite.
If multiplayer is played on the side of the single player campaign, a break of sorts, it can actually tie into a larger community oriented identity. Playing as a Krogan (which is EPIC), Salarian, Turian, Quarian and now as Geth or Batarian actually adds to the full ME experience. Though the procedural rhetorics have always stressed multi-culturalism through the Paragon-Renegade mechanism mixed heavily with a narrative that is easily accessed through the discourse of race/racism/racial projects/racial contract, this is the first time a player can actually access the space of the e-body of another species. The third person point of view provides a greater stress on this than first person does.
While I understand the cynical gaze levied at EA, a critique they deserve, overall the multiplayer surprised me with the way it drew me in. I should also note that you can promote your MP classes (at level 20) and they will provide points to the War Assets under the title N7 Special Operations Teams (or some such thing). Most people wouldn't have played the multiplayer because the campaign is so seductive, but to tie it into the singleplayer is to provide something no game to date has really done. The hyper-popular FPS platforms provide rather simplistic short campaigns as the focus is on the MP experience. This campaign game provides a glimpse at what the ME universe MMO could be, and I am intrigued.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:14
haha good article. GR is a percentage of your entire collected assets. If you have 4000 TMS and have 50% GR, you will only have a EMS of 2000, which will get everyone killed. Im pretty sure you can just do the side missions and get the same effect. (make your TMS so high that it doesnt matter)
anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:35
I agree about Electronic Arts trying to reach into my pocket for some more cash, its annoying. It feels like a waiter staring at you after you have played, hoping you will give him/her more. That’s the main reason why I will rather be sporting other studios.
The multilayer would have been absolutely amazing if it wasn’t for the other players “kicking” me out every time I join. I can’t play the game 8 ours a day. So I don’t have the highest experience level but I spend the same amount of money that they did so why are they now not allowing me to play. Relax; it’s just a game. If you lose you won’t die, the moon won’t explode.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 17:52
I was exactly where you were. I did the iOS game 'Infiltrator'. It's not great but amusing enough. The iOS datapad (free) would also get your readiness up enough to make a difference to the single player campaign, through it's game (if it is worth the name) is so one-dimensional. If you only want to get readiness up a bit for free (and have an iOS device) that's enough to do the job.
The great surprise to me, having never embarked on a multiplayer experience, ever, is quite how addictive the multiplayer is, and I am no hard-core shooter. Yes, I did spend level 1 cowering behind a crate and getting revived. I was shot at by a 'teammate' too, but after a few levels, I started to get better. There is no excuse for other people to treat a level 1/1 poorly, everyone starts there, and I see many players 'looking out' for the level 1/1's. I get the chance to play about a dozen 'flavours' of character, other than my Shepard.
My favourites are running around as a Krogan shouting and hitting baddies. Or sneaking around as a Quarian infiltrator (Looking forward to being a Geth next). I'm now at an N7 score of 300 which means I've levelled up 6 classes, twice, and played multiplayer more than a person with a proper job should :-) And sensibly I buy 'stuff' with in-game earned credits, not by adding further money.
Verdict: That ME3 was overall very good (we'll skip the ending debate) was not a surprise. That Multiplayer has turned out to be such a gem allows me to to forgive Bioware/EA for any shameless encouragement to play it.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 20:22
i hate EA, they ruin everything they touch!
*SPOILERISH HINT* dont read if you havent finished ME3 yet
Dont worry Luke, having a high EMS doesn't have any effect on the ending anyway... even if your GR is 100% you just have a 1/3 chance of seeing an extra 2 seconds of footage.
*END VAGUE SPOILER*
anonymous 13 April, 2012 20:56
Well, if you do the N7 missions it's supposed to bump up your readiness rating... I was lucky enough that my brother didn't bother to get his own origin account so as he played multiplayer, my femshep reaped the benefits and was at 100% before I headed into the end game (I had to get out of single-player campaign and play a few matches myself to bump it up). I like the MP and I know a couple of people who got the game just for the MP (which seems like a waste to me). Yeah, if you don't want to play it and you don't keep up on the N7 missions (I guess you're supposed to do all of them within a day or something... Who knows) but Bioware claims its possible to get the 'best' ending without MP.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 20:58
SPOILERS
Actually your readiness and assets DO effect the ending, just not in any great way. Cut scenes are different... Bad things can happen.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 22:05
lol. Well-written. I agree that multiplayer pulled me out of "the zone" when I realized, to my dismay, that I wasn't going to have a respectable Galactic Readiness unless I plowed through waves of enemies "Horde" style. I wasn't against the inclusion of multiplayer in and of itself like some were but I do resent having to engage in tandem with and to the necessary benefit of my single player campaign. It's a fact that you have to stop "being" Shepard for a while and play as an alliance grunt just so you can be a successful Shepard again. Sad. This is the kind of thing that makes me resent EA. ...Bastards. Pardon the French.
anonymous 13 April, 2012 23:09
Multiplayer not essential to a successful completion of the main game. The galactic readiness is really just subjective narrative padding. Taken for itself, it is a lot of fun. A surprisingly addictive short term diversion from the main story. And a plus being able to play as non-human characters.
anonymous 14 April, 2012 15:56
Sounds like u really didnt put in alot of effort to get urself ready till the end, almost like u just muscled through the main missions. Go and scan the planets, thats what theyre there for, to get u ready. Do the multiplayer, thats what its there for, to get u ready for the end. Did u not do any side missions or scan planets in me1 and 2? If ur gonna play the game play all of it.
anonymous 15 April, 2012 19:43
I had a similar experience when I played the game. I too felt completely removed from the action when I realised I had to play multiplayer to get my galactic readiness up, and the process seriously disrupted the games experience.
I do not have an IOS device so I lose out as far as the apps go, and I also had difficulty finding groups that did not just kick me on principal when I was level 1. The multiplayer is great don't get me wrong but I think the effect it has on the solo game should be changed. Instead of impacting one of the main plot mechanics, it could instead unlock some in game novelties like weapons and armour. Even a bonus mission would be fine, but the galactic readiness system as it is just left me feeling cheated.
I play on XBOX 360 and had to pay for XBOX live gold just so that I could do this. Why can't bioware let non gold users play? They did it for the ME3 demo. Wouldn't tying it to the games online pass be enough? Perhaps once we have already purchased the game they stop caring...
In a week when my gold runs out I will not be able to get my readiness up again without paying more money in the future. I had no problem at all with this until I found out that if you stop playing multiplayer it starts to fall down again. Seriously!? So if I replay the solo game in 6 months or 2 years or whatever, it will all have been for nothing.
For fans of multiplayer it is great, but for fans of solo games, the connection between solo and multiplayer in ME3 is a huge failure.
Imagine if they had spent the time and energy they put into the multiplayer getting the ending right, they would have easily made the greatest game of all time, bar none. As it is now it barely gets 8 out of 10 from me. Such a shame.
anonymous 15 April, 2012 20:06
People have said or implied in other comments that it is possible to get the "best" ending without touching the multiplayer.
It is not.
Even with the highest possible score for war assets, a galactic readiness of 50% will not give enough effective military strength to let you get the "best" ending. Another reason why I don't like the multiplayer effecting galactic readiness in the way that it does.
*SPOILER ALERT*
By "best" ending I mean the gasping breath clip that you see if you choose to destroy the reapers, not just the ability to choose the synthesis option. The gasping breath clip is the thing that needs the highest effective military strength to obtain.
anonymous 15 April, 2012 20:51
use the gibbed editor (if on pc) and the out of place multiplayer is no longer an issue.
anonymous 16 April, 2012 00:09
By GA I mean GR for Galactic Readiness obviously, silly autocorrect.
anonymous 16 April, 2012 05:52
Sorry to be persistent or pedantic or whatever, but the comment above as well at the link given are both wrong.
The best possible score for war assets is 7515. This requires a full play through of all mass effect titles and DLC as well as a very specific series of choices during the saga that I will not go into here. With galactic readiness at 50% this gives effective military strength of 3757 and that is NOT high enough for the "best" ending.
Bear in mind when I say "best" ending I am talking about something specific that I defined a few comments up from here. You *DO* have to play multi player to get it. Hence the minor annoyance I feel.
anonymous 16 April, 2012 06:28
You're not getting it, the readiness does not divide military strength, it multiplies it. And it starts at fifty simply because it's central and and can tip either way depending on your performance in multiplayer, but that percentage isn't tied to strength that way. It's just a seperate, entirely arbitrary meter, and increasing it provides a bonus do your existing military strength meter. The military strength you see totaled in the campaign is the total military strength that determines endings etc, mentally dividing it isn't how it works.
The post I and the article linked to is a statement from Bioware. They posted it on their blog too. It's not false. This is just how it works.
anonymous 16 April, 2012 06:34
Saying all this, the confusion in these comments alone demonstrate how Bioware really dropped the ball with the clarity of this system.
anonymous 16 April, 2012 11:11
multiplying by 50% is the same thing as dividing by 2. I don't see the problem there.
I didn't divide anything mentally. in the solo campaign you can see the total military strength and the effective military strength on the screen. It works it out for you.
If you never play multi player to raise your galactic readiness above 50% it really is impossible to get the ending I am talking about.
effective military strength determines endings, not total military strength. I understand how it works perfectly thank you.
anonymous 24 April, 2012 00:38
It's actually kind of pathetic that they destroyed their endings and then actually expected you to still buy multiplayer DLC's from them. Sif anyone can even stand looking at it again after all that.