I didn’t have time to play through the game ending three times to sit through the extra 10 minutes of cutscenes that comprise the Extended Cut, so I watched Mass Effect 3‘s new endings on Youtube. While an improvement on the game as shipped, only one of the endings is truly satisfying.
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[SPOILERS … duh!]
Destroy
Control
Refusal
Synthesis
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The new cutscenes mean that where Synthesis seemed like the least worst choice, now it actually seems like a good idea. It vindicates my refusal to commit genocide against the Geth/AIs, which is brushed aside in the Destroy ending (though someone helpfully pointed out that if Shepard survives the destruction then maybe the Geth/AIs do too). It also seems that you no longer need 5000 EMS points to survive the Destroy ending, although you still do not survive Synthesis. Like Fallout 3 pre Broken Steel, or Dragon Age, I don’t mind too much that I had to heroically sacrifice myself because it’s still a classic story ending – the only one of the bunch. Everyone’s at peace, civilisation rebuilds, happily ever after (apart from the weird glowing skin). The Control ending is quite nicely handled because it’s suitably creepy without being too mwah-ha-ha about it: Reaper Shepard still demonstrates good intentions even while sounding like a lunatic Middle East dictator.
I still think, given the controversy, Bioware should have gone all out and made a Broken Steel-style expansion. Bethesda’s revised ending to Fallout 3 (which is a paid download unlike Bioware’s freebie) doesn’t just tack on a cutscene but manages to preserve the original choice/ending and extend it in a way that radically alters the game. You get about 10 extra hours gameplay and a much more satisfying conclusion to a game that didn’t even end that badly to start with. That is what Bioware should have done. We’ve waited this long; we could have waited longer.
Oh well, what’s done is done, and at least they fixed what was essentially a botched ending for free.
These two articles sum it up pretty well:
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Reinspired 
I just watched them all. I also chose Synthesis originally, but the more I thought about it the more it bothered me — it’s a cultural genocide. I like the concept, I just think it’s something that people need to be able to choose. Looking at all the EC options I feel like Destroy, with a serve of head canon that keeps EDI and the Geth alive if Shepard is, is the best. But EDI’s epilogue at the end of Synthesis was the only one that made me tear up a little. Hackett’s pretty awesome though.
Also, I agree with your point about the music in your other post, but for some reason that stupid tinkly piano at the end just slays me.
Oh, don’t get me wrong – I still think that Synthesis is a terrible thing to impose on people, but it was the only option given where you would commit neither genocide nor enslavement: everyone would be alive and retain free will, even though they’d probably hate you forever for violating their very DNA. I also agree about the tinkly piano.
That’s fair! Glad I’m not the only one re the music.