Likes and dislikes about Priority Earth

I get the feeling Harbinger was so closely associated with Drew that they didn't know what to do with it.

I liked that it felt more like a suicide mission then the suicide mission.

Not sure why people are complaining about people running in a straight line to Harbinger when it was made pretty clear in the mission run-down that there was simply no other choice. They used cover where they could but the reaper had positioned itself so that the final stretch of empty land was unavoidable, not to mention they had no resources - they were basically like war-stricken refugees with nothing but the shoes on their feet at that point.

 I missed this. This is a glaring error

If they remaster the trilogy I wonder if they can fix some of these things - in particular, cut out the Normandy-before-the-beam evac scene.

I liked that everything felt like an actual war zone. That everything had a feel of desperation, of a finality that even Shepard might not live to see. The last speech Shep gave to the team actually approached decency compared to past ones (sorry, they really kind of came off as overdramatic).
It was awesome to see all the races fighting side by side (well, most of them). The nods to Shepard's decisions were a nice touch.

-What I didn't like was the glossed over feel of the allies gathered. Geth, quarians, batarians, rachni were absent and I missed them. Factions were diminished or absent (Rachni. I saved them precisely for the war and no glorious payback on having the Reapers deal with THEIR swarms).
-Hated being forced to use the Cain. I never liked that heavy weapon.
-Not having a choice in teammates from ME2. Always felt hollow not getting to pick our team and have never felt complete since.
-I'm still wondering why earth and humans are so special.
-I hated the mindless slog with talking to the Illusive Man. It was like arguing with a troll. You know it's going nowhere, no one's convincing anyone of anything and there's no intellectual discussion, just pointless, "Nuh-uh! You're delusional!".
-That bizarre goodbye scene before the Normandy departs. I thought we already said goodbye before the final battle?
-Forced interactive cutscenes. Shepard's crawling and limping to a frustrating pace but we have to sit through playing it. I could have paid my taxes while waiting for Shep to reach the platform. After the first time, it's lost its charm getting me to care about how badly wounded Shep is.

-Everything about the Catalyst. Everything.

-I'd have complained about the bizarre flashbacks but the extended cut took care of it.

Bleh, so many negative memories. ME3 was not doing well long before the endings.

Admittedly, expectations were always going to be too high for ME3 to ever satisfy. I think a lot of the gripes are retrospective given the crushing disappointment of the endings so a dominoe effect has occurred.
I could have looked past some things here, other things there but as it is, too many little things built up.
For example, the faction allies complaint is minor and I could probably have shrugged it off since we have the satisfaction of having them on our side to begin with. But the teammates we picked up in both ME1 and ME2? Still sighing in hopeless wishing.
As for the Illusive Man, I don't think I was ever going to have respect for him because the story set him up with a lopsidedly destructive effect on humanity while insisting his way was right. If I had seen more harm come from alien allies then I'd have conceded some of his points.
Even if we can't convince each other of certain things, that doesn't mean I won't enjoy discussing them with you so thanks for sharing your perspective. Perhaps it'll help shift some of mine.

This discussion isn't (necessarily) about flaws; it's about likes and dislikes.   I have the same dislike for a lot of abilities in DA2 - the sound/animation makes my head ring - but that doesn't stop me from playing it.

I know this has been posted many, many times before, but ME3 is the best spot to start playing the trilogy. ME1/2 don't exist. Therefore Harbinger doesn't exist. A new person to the game wouldn't know anything about Harbinger. In a default playthrough, Anderson will say some reapers are headed their way without mentioning Harbinger. In a save import, he will say Harbinger.

i don't mind the mission , at least it's not over in 5 minutes like some of them .
but the run to the beam is total nonsense. " i need an evac" ... wtf.. tons of Alliance soldiers die on that spot but his squadmate needs and evac, and nothing less than the Normandy will do?? And it's a run to the beam but there's time for , you know., a renewed love declaration.

I stopped at when Shepard goes up the beam. So if Priority Earth includes the scenes on the Citadel up to the credits as well, I will add my likes and dislikes

likes

- the reapers falling over destroyed

dislikes

- Anderson making onto the Citadel. Where was he when Shepard went up the beam? He says he followed Shepard up. Just before Shepard goes up, I turned around and saw no one at all. If Anderson saw Shepard from a distance, couldn't all those voices over the comms see Shepard getting up from being shot by Harbinger?
- the comms experience interference just as Shepard heads up the ramp to where Anderson is and the console. What caused the interference?
- by the time Shepard sees Anderson, roughly 20 seconds has passed since the comms went out. TIM shows up. Did he have Anderson under his control the moment he got to the console? I guess so otherwise Anderson would've open the Citadel.
- How was TIM able to control Anderson's movement? I can believe Shepard especially with all the upgrades he/she has in her body, but what did Anderson have?
- Was TIM the cause of the interference? Did he carry a mini me jamming device in his front pocket? Shortly after he is dead, Hackett can be heard over the comms. What happened to that interference? Did Hackett have that special decoder ring on his finger that he got from a cereal box that can bypass any comms interference?
- TIM pulling a handgun out Anderson's ass? I wonder if TIM were to reach up in there again what he would pull out? Maybe a cain. Heck maybe a tank
- the timing of Hackett calling to Shepard over the comms. Hold on. How does he know its Shepard? It shows him getting a datapad, but mentions that someone made it up, but doesn't know who. Lets turn the clock back. Didn't the voices on the comms say that no one made it to the beam? So who passed the message that someone made it to the beam?
- because of Hackett, Shepard conveniently passes out on the platform
- the platform. So when the reapers built the Citadel, they added the platform so an organic can pass out at that spot to be lifted up to where the catalyst is? It was added because Bioware has a problem with planing ahead.

- meeting the catalyst aka intelligence or as I like to call the thing, Leviathan Turd
- Shepard not able to ask questions
- I will avoid talking about the rest of the crap with the thing
- Shepard shooting the tube while walking forward. Why? Shepard has been in the military for over 10 years. He/she would have a good idea at what the effective range of the pistol would be. Firing at the tube from a distance would not be a problem. I know when I gained control of Shepard, I was able to hit the tube from that spot. I was able to hear the round hitting the glass.
- How does Hackett know the crucible is armed when a color can be seen?
- the beam chasing the Normandy? Is there a purpose for  that scene? Did the beam chase any other ship?
- amazing how the Normandy ends up on the planet without any damage, if ems is above 2600. Below 2600, its badly damaged. In fact it should be in pieces after having its thrusters torn from the fuselage with all onboard dead.
- the Normandy is able to fly off the unknown planet with no problem. What was the purpose of the planet?
- the memorial scene. Anderson's name is already on the wall. Does that mean that the Normandy received a call from whoever that Anderson is dead? I wonder who gave that message. Here's my scenario. Bailey and few c-sec guys were looking in that area for survivors. One of the officers informed he/she found Anderson's body. Bailey relayed the message to the Alliance that was immediately sent to Hackett who some how got in touch with the Normandy to let them know
- putting Shepard's name on the wall. In control and synthesis, how doea anyone know Shepard is dead? Mmmm. Isn't this what happened after the SR1 was destroyed? The Alliance making no effort to confirm Shepard's death? Yeah. In destroy I can understand since there's a body to be found
- not putting up Shepard's name. If they know Shepard is dead, they would know Shepard survived. Of course if all squadmates stayed on Earth fighting by Shepard's side, that scene would never of happened
- the breath scene. Is there a reason why there couldn't be a slide showing Shepard in the hospital recovering?