A new ending for “Mass Effect 3” (sort of)

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

In response to the outcry surrounding the original ending of Mass Effect 3, BioWare has released Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut, a new DLC pack that includes additional footage that expands upon the game’s original endings. It also includes the new “Refusal” ending option, in which you can reject the original choices and instead, choose to not use the Crucible to end the war with the Reapers — which essentially dooms the current cycle of galactic civilization.

The “Refusal” ending certainly doesn’t begin to address all of Mass Effect 3’s issues, nor is it the complete re-write that many fans were hoping for, but it feels better to me than the original options. If nothing else, it ends the game on a bittersweet mix of tragedy and hope that feels more in-line with the game's overall tone, and a bit more epic than the original endings. But not everyone agrees with me.

Related: GameFront has posted some pretty exhaustive coverage of the “Extended Cut”, including videos of all of the newly extended endings and an in-depth review.