Bloody hell, it's been a long time since a game got to me emotionally like this; the failure of the mission is set up as the 'darkest hour' and it really feels like it; the dialogue from everyone afterwards is just heartrendering. Especially Liara, who just lost the centre of her entire civilisation. Jesus Christ.

When I find the illusive man I am going to kill him.

I'm not as disappointed as a lot of you seem to be, but neither am I particularly impressed. I spent quite a bit of time deliberating over which option to choose (long enough for me to actually die, with a message saying that the Citadel had been destroyed), but from looking at the other options available it doesn't seem like it was worth the concern. Went with Synthesis, but was a hair's breath away from choosing Control. No effin' way I was going to destroy all the Geth after how much help I'd given them over two games.

Just needless questions raised by the ending though. Like, I had Tali in my squad on Earth charging towards the Crucible (as my love interest) - why was she suddenly on the Normandy when it crashed on the new planet? Was there any way any of my squad were actually going to die like in ME2? Is that even possible?

And probably the biggest point of contention, and I swear to God this isn't just me flashing my obligatory fanboy card or anything, is that all three endings are pretty much exact copies of the choices from Deus Ex! Destroy all synthetics (Destroy all technology/Dark Ages ending), Control synthetics (Rule tech with Bob Page), or Synthesis (Merge with Helios). It's not even subtle! I mean, if they were ever going to rip a game off they chose the right one to steal from, but still...

You don't even get a sex scene with Tali this time! Just some lame hand touching on the bed the night before the battle.

I WANT TO SEE QUARIAN SKIN, DAMMIT

Even that Ninja Guy was a rip off from Deus Ex The first thing that I thought when he cropped up was that's the main character from Human Revolution!!11

Didn't they say that they have big plans for the DLC in this? They have blatantly kept the real ending back for DLC and I can't wait to see the (rightfully deserved) gooseberry fool storm in response. My copy is up on eBay so hopefully I can recoup the costs then I'll buy it again once all of the DLC is out at the end of the year.

Your game "continues" after the end, but reset to before you attack Cronos Station. Part of me finds this a suggestions that any DLC will be sent pre-final mission. The post game message about DLC also implies you'll continue to "build Shep's legend" (which is says is stopping the Reapers)

The retaking of Omega will almost certainly be DLC. If not I'll do something horrible to Skarjo. And I really like Skarjo, so you know how serious I am.

Given MP lets you play as every race/Combo, I could easily see some DLC where you play other characters (either companions or new people) post-finale.

I thought that too as soon as I reloaded on to the bridge. I haven't opened up the save file to see what information it has, but there is no reason the save file isn't marked as it being completed previously (you're able to import the save once it's completed after all) so the game could also jump into the final ending if DLC was detected.

Either way I'm not buying the DLC now until there is a sale for it all or a Disc bundle edition.

Mordin

Kralos

Okay, I completed the game and am not entirely sure WTF happened. Shepard fired the Crucible, which controlled the reapers and made them all leave, dying in the process of firing it. Meanwhile, for some unexplained reason, your crew had apparently entered a mass relay corridor and was traveling along it when the relays started being destroyed by the signal, which left them stranded on an alien world. Is that right?

Conrad