I still maintain the whole game was bad, but with 2 or so great moments. Most people critique the ending for being bad, and they aren't wrong.

But that's not all of it, look at its story in comparison to 1 and 2. ME1 was this great mystery being set up against this horrible eldritch foe, just one of them was barely survivable, not much was known about them, and fighting just one took out 40% of your army. Absolutely amazing stuff with jank gameplay.

2 was a bit of a filler episode, more of a side mission with some reveals about their plans for humanity and filling out the relationships with the crew, as well as extra justification for fighting the reapers. Not as good as ME1, but still enjoyable and with better mechanical gameplay than 1, and filler episodes aren't all just a waste of time, they help you get to know the characters better and in so doing, raise the stakes even further. ME2 might feel like a bit of a waste of time in the scheme of things, but it was pretty good and served that necessary purpose.

But notice what none of them had? No mention of the catalyst.

This was a mcguffin from nowhere that makes no sense because they had written themselves into a corner and not introduced anything in the previous two games. Of all media, the thing that comes closest to the creation and then collection of resources across the galaxy to build the galaxy is palpatine. As in episode 9 palpatine. Suddenly, a way to defeat the reapers appeared. And then that quest visiting all over the galaxy to get it built.

Ok yes, the send offs for mordin, and the tali and legion thing were good moments, but they were good moments that could have been a part of any larger story. The broad story they went with failed from the start, not just the ending. The ending failed because the set up at the start of 3 (and the lack of it in 1&2) failed.

I still maintain the whole game was bad, but with 2 or so great moments. Most people critique the ending for being bad, and they aren't wrong.

But that's rose tinted glasses, look at its story in comparison to 1 and 2. ME1 was this great mystery being set up against this horrible eldritch foe, just one of them was barely survivable, not much was known about them, and fighting just one took out 40% of your army.

2 was a bit of a filler, more of a side mission with some reveals about their plans for humanity and filling out the relationships with the crew, as well as extra justification for fighting the reapers. Not as good as 1 and a bit of a waste of time, but still enjoyable and with better mechanical gameplay than 1.

But notice what none of them had? No mention of the catalyst.

This was a mcguffin from nowhere that makes no sense because they had written themselves into a corner and not introduced anything in the previous two games. Of all media, the thing that comes closest to the creation and then collection of resources across the galaxy to build the galaxy is palpatine. As in episode 9 palpatine. Suddenly, a way to defeat the reapers appeared. And then that quest visiting all over the galaxy to get it built.

Ok yes, the send offs for mordin, and the tali and legion thing were good moments, but they were good moments that could have been a part of any larger story. The broad story they went with failed from the start, not just the ending. The ending failed because the set up at the start of 3 (and the lack of it in 1&2) failed.