The decision to use the stock photo was explained at PAX East by Mike Gamble, the producer of the ME franchise always used real-life reference photos of women to represent game characters, pointing to Fem Shepard, Liara, Miranda and Samara's faces. What was worse is that it was later discovered the stock image was that of the 2005 winner of the Miss England title.
However, even the uncloaking has come in for criticism - the game shows an image on a photo-frame on Shepard's beside table rather than an in-game cut-scene revealing the character's face. Although her character debuted with immature moments in the first game, subsequent roles saw her develop both emotionally and intellectual and her character grew in popularity as her mental strengths and dilemmas (her relationship with Commander Shepard, for example) were revealed,
Technical snags and bugs aside, the moment of Tali's uncloaking in Mass Effect 3 stands out as one of the most exciting in the franchise.
The fact of a disappointing finale to the Mass Effect trilogy is being added to by fresh criticism over technical snags with multiplayer events and campaigns.
