Mass Effect 3

 PC
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7228 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,703 out of 7228
  2. Mixed: 1,119 out of 7228
  3. Negative: 2,406 out of 7228
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  1. koodeta
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was really anticipating this game from Bioware. I'm a huge Mass Effect fan but this title was WAAAY off the ball. There were some gaping holes in the plot that really needed to be fixed, graphical errors (shouldn't be too hard to fix in an update), and just the unbelievable lack of care in this. I have played all of the Mass Effect games and this one falls short, QWOP short. The game has progressively moved toward action and less RPG, which is what defines Mass Effect, and more toward Gears of War-ish style of play. True, the story was epic and completes bits of the story left over from other games; but I'm very disappointed in how the game ended. I wanted to play Paragon the whole way through but no, I have to do Renegade actions to even continue the game or I die! At the VERY end of the game I have to choose to control the Reapers, wipe out all synthetic life, or join synthetics and organics together (which just looks nasty at the end picture). These are pretty much all the same choices but enacted in different ways. And after all that Shepard has done, he dies in a giant Michael Bay cliche explosion? Bioware is better than this. It's a terrible way to end the series and I disapprove.… Expand
  2. exliontamer
    Mar 24, 2012
    5
    Setting aside the ending (which has been covered to death), there are too many flaws in this game to give it anything higher than a 6. The journal, for example, which defaults to the middle or bottom every time you open it, rather than the latest quest you've received; the dozens of "find my long lost doohicky on some random planet" quests which amount to simply scanning a planet toSetting aside the ending (which has been covered to death), there are too many flaws in this game to give it anything higher than a 6. The journal, for example, which defaults to the middle or bottom every time you open it, rather than the latest quest you've received; the dozens of "find my long lost doohicky on some random planet" quests which amount to simply scanning a planet to resolve; and ultimately the fact that most of your efforts to save the galaxy boil down to adding 50 points to some vague number which you're trying to get as high as possible before the final battle. And this arbitrary number results in minor little changes to the cutscene you watch at the end -- and none of it really matters. It feels incredibly empty -- wow, sure glad I saved that guy back in ME1 so I could end up with a higher Military Readiness number at the end of ME3 so I could... um what exactly did it change? Oh yeah, Big Ben didn't get vaporized in the cutscene at the end! Yay! That and the fact that every decision you made didn't really matter: let the big bug queen live in ME1? Great! She's back and happy to help you! Killed her? Great! A cyborg version of her is back and happy to help you (or not... but does it really matter?).

    None of this would matter all that much if Bioware promoted ME3 as Gears of War in Space, but they piled on the hype about every one of your decisions meaning something BIG, about all your questions being answered in the end, etc.    … Expand
  3. Mindflow
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    I really love all the games (ME1+2+3) and spend lots of time for perfect savegames, but the ending of ME3 is the worst ending i ever saw in a computer game! It ruins the story of the whole trilogy! I was planning to get myself a N7 tattoo (not only because i like ME, but also because i'm playing computer games since 1990) ... but the ending of part 3 destroyed that idea... what have youI really love all the games (ME1+2+3) and spend lots of time for perfect savegames, but the ending of ME3 is the worst ending i ever saw in a computer game! It ruins the story of the whole trilogy! I was planning to get myself a N7 tattoo (not only because i like ME, but also because i'm playing computer games since 1990) ... but the ending of part 3 destroyed that idea... what have you done, bioware?… Expand
  4. Zpiff
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    I absolutely loved the game, felt emotionally attached to all my characters and couldn't wait to see how my favorite gaming series of the last decade would be concluded... Now I wish I had stopped ten minutes before I did.

    The ending has completely ruined the experience for me, not only for ME3, but also the first two games. It's impossibly difficult to invest in a game you know will    I absolutely loved the game, felt emotionally attached to all my characters and couldn't wait to see how my favorite gaming series of the last decade would be concluded... Now I wish I had stopped ten minutes before I did.

    The ending has completely ruined the experience for me, not only for ME3, but also the first two games. It's impossibly difficult to invest in a game you know will leave you an empty and broken husk at the end.

    As someone so bluntly put it in a forum post: It's like eating a magnificent three-course dinner, only to be served fecal matter for dessert, forcing your body to expunge it all at a lethal velocity. No matter how good the rest of the meal tasted, you'll leave on an empty stomach and with a terrible taste in your mouth. I wish this wasn't true. I really do.    … Expand
  5. Cifie
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This was my favorite game ever, until I got to the end. The end ruined the whole series for me and made it so I could never play any of the games again.
  6. Tata
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    Updated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new charactersUpdated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new characters are pretty good, with few exception. I was actually surprised that James is an actually great character, because I expected him to be flat. The combat is more like Witcher 2 with the rolling and finishing moves (which is a good thing!), if only it's a bit too easy on Insanity, but It's still affected by the bugs from Mass Effect 2 like ling of sight shooting, getting stuck or character not doing what you want (do 100 things with one button is not a good idea). The romance, well.. My romance option was Liara, and the first half of her romance was disastrous, but the second was very good. Note that I'm not homophobic or anything, but there is no way to detest or condemn a character that is gay, lesbian or not. Again, I don't have anything against homosexuality, but there is no choice given to you about this, unlike in Dragon Age where you could decide how you approach something like this, and here's another problem. Lack of choice. The paragon and renegade meter is finally mixed, but only like 1% of the dialogues have a middle option, making that pointless. The interrupts were most of the times, good. The cutscenes: A lot of them are good, but then, a lot of them is unnecessary, especially at the beginning of the game. There's also a lot of time where you can't interrupt the dialogue or the cutscene, hindering the replay value. There are also serious problems with smoke effects, as It can make even the best computers lag like hell. The character animations are probably the worst I've ever seen. There is a part where you have the option to hug a friend, but because of bad animation, you end up hugging the air. Really? The graphics are mostly good, but the background is a train-wreck. If you pay attention to the background, you can see a lot of low-res textures, or even immobile people, even if they are about to step, making them look like statues.
    While I had high expectation with this game, It's far from that, but still, It's much better than Dragon Age 2. My advice: Prepare for the worst ending you can possibly imagine (or you wouldn't dare to even imagine).    … Expand
  7. Kenmei
    Mar 27, 2012
    6
    I feel like the biggest problem with this game was the blatant disregard for the consumer when they put together the story for this final piece. While I didn't think it was the worst ending to a Sci-Fi trilogy (Hello Matrix), I do think there were a few things that they could have done differently. The biggest problems I had with this game though were alot of the things they missed. TheI feel like the biggest problem with this game was the blatant disregard for the consumer when they put together the story for this final piece. While I didn't think it was the worst ending to a Sci-Fi trilogy (Hello Matrix), I do think there were a few things that they could have done differently. The biggest problems I had with this game though were alot of the things they missed. The lack of side missions, the lack of places to explore, and the fact that Bioware thinks we are all idiots with the issue with the DLC really puts a stain on this otherwise great gaming trilogy. I am glad that they are going back to address the issue of the ending but, with everything else that accompanied this game, the series really took a step back from ME 2, which I still think is one of the best sequels of all time. Bioware really lost touch with their consumers with this game and I do believe that is the EA influence doing the devil's work. The issue with the DLC will forever taint this game, no matter what they do with the ending. Still the ending of this series can be salvaged and the fans can be appeased somewhat with an ending they might like. However, in it's current form and even if the ending somehow changes everyone's mind about this game, this is still the worst game in the Mass Effect series and it's truly disappointing for me to write that. The utter disrespect shown to us players by Bioware with the DLC is the worst thing about this game and that will never go away no matter what they do with the ending. Still, if you've gone this far with the series, I would advise you to give it a chance just to see what you think. Just know that this definitely doesn't live up to the first two games in the slightest.… Expand
  8. Guildenstern
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's a great shame that the fanbase is being painted as uninformed, unreasonable and even homophobic. There are a few idiots letting us down, but the vast majority of disappointed fans are unhappy with this game simply because it does not nearly deliver on the promises made by Bioware since the franchise's inception.The endings are particularly poor, not only because the twists are illogical and the tone is so depressing, but because your choices barely make any difference to the final outcome. Favourite characters are reduced to cameos. Long-awaited moments are handled with complacency (for example, the reveal of a particularly beloved character's face, for which a Getty stock photo was used with only the most minor of Photoshop edits). It's a very good game in many ways, but it could have been so much more. We didn't want this to happen. We wanted it to be everything Bioware promised that it would be.… Expand
  9. Mysk
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    Honestly it's a fantastic game til the final 20 mins. The ending of this trilogy doesn't end with Shephard's combat or wit, but with a long cutscene that renders all previous decisions you made in the trilogy moot. The End is what bothers most of the gamers. It's out of character for Shephard, is confusing and is always "bad" regardless of how well you play the game. Basically skipHonestly it's a fantastic game til the final 20 mins. The ending of this trilogy doesn't end with Shephard's combat or wit, but with a long cutscene that renders all previous decisions you made in the trilogy moot. The End is what bothers most of the gamers. It's out of character for Shephard, is confusing and is always "bad" regardless of how well you play the game. Basically skip side quests and such you get the Worst Ending, do the most you get a Bad Ending.

    Gameplay wise it plays similar to ME2. Combat is essentially the same, with the addition of slightly better melee capabilities. They aren't really that good even if you spec for doing melee, simply too many enemies are far to dangerous to get close to. In addition, muliplayer, despite Bioware's assurances, is REQUIRED to improve your ability to get a Not-As-Bad Ending. This may put off some who will feel that a single player rpg shouldn't be reliant on multiplayer. This time around there are no character driven side quests unfortunately. In ME2 the point was to gain loyalty, yet here there could have been SOME reason to help someone do something. Overall, the game feels rushed and is a very unsatisfying end to what was otherwise an outstanding trilogy. 5/10    … Expand
  10. 123456
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With regard to the ending, I completely agree Ross Lincoln on Gamefronts article called Mass Effect 3 Ending-Hatred: 5 Reasons The Fans Are Right. It is a fantastic article and the only negative comment from an established media site I have yet seen.

    The many hours prior to the final one are really very enjoyable. I was close to completing everything in the game on the first play through that was available, barring a few non-combat side quests.

    The combat remains the same as ME2 but sped up a great deal. The cover system remains quite clunky where you sometimes get in cover, sometimes just do a diving roll against a wall and stand up again but it is not that bigger deal. You will probably only die by going too far ahead too quickly and getting flanked, where due to the very rigid but effective combat system you are reliant on enemies being in only one direction.

    The acting, story and missions are everything you would expect from the series, which to me means a high standard. Legion and Thaneâ    … Expand
  11. vhati
    Apr 26, 2012
    6
    Mass Effect 3 is an average game.

    Is it fun, yeah, in the same way that most other games where the story doesn't matter is fun. That is where ME3 fails. The story. Guess what every choice you made in mass effect #1 #2 and #3 don't matter. You get the same ending as everyone else. With no closure. Let it be perfectly clear, your choices mean absolutely nothing. If someone died in a    Mass Effect 3 is an average game.

    Is it fun, yeah, in the same way that most other games where the story doesn't matter is fun. That is where ME3 fails. The story. Guess what every choice you made in mass effect #1 #2 and #3 don't matter. You get the same ending as everyone else. With no closure.

    Let it be perfectly clear, your choices mean absolutely nothing. If someone died in a previous game, someone who is basically that person only a stunt double shows up and says basically the same thing and does the same thing.

    Does having geth as allies matter over krogen? No it doesnt. You dont ever fight beside your allies, the they only show up in a single cutscene. How many endings are there? Just 1 regardless of what people tell you, all 3 endings are 99% the same, as regardless of the choices you make, the exact same things happen. The game plays just like all other bioware games, where they are a series of short stories tied to a larger story, but the short stories have no effect on any other the other stories in the book, or the larger story of the book.

    Do i recommend the game. For a budget purchase, yeah, you will get some fun out of it. If you can put aside the weak story and terrible ending. The game lacks that something that shows up when a developer really cares about their product. Take the witcher 2 for example. The witcher 2 is a better game in every area when compared to ME3. Bioware should be ashamed, their game comes off soulless when compared to TW2.    … Expand
  12. Ticklefist
    Mar 9, 2012
    6
    Great, amazing game until the last 5 minutes. People are not exaggerating this one bit. Those last 5 minutes not only hurt the replay value of this particular game, but also the two installments that came before it. Without some serious reparation DLC I cannot recommend this game to a serious Mass Effect fan that has spent time perfecting "their Shepard." Not in its current state.

    On the    Great, amazing game until the last 5 minutes. People are not exaggerating this one bit. Those last 5 minutes not only hurt the replay value of this particular game, but also the two installments that came before it. Without some serious reparation DLC I cannot recommend this game to a serious Mass Effect fan that has spent time perfecting "their Shepard." Not in its current state.

    On the hand, if Mass Effect is something you've only had a passing interest in over the years but never really dove into it then the endings won't effect you so adversely. In that regard I can't recommend it enough.    … Expand
  13. Magnus
    Mar 7, 2012
    6
    I'm speechless. Why ? I did something stupid, played the first game imported my character in to the second game,imported to ME3.
    Why the rant? When did the gaming industry decided that a person able to enjoy a adult movie is unable to comprehend Schindler's List?
    It didn't start well , the intro mission is railroaded, Shepard is a lost minion , irritating for every player that shaped    I'm speechless. Why ? I did something stupid, played the first game imported my character in to the second game,imported to ME3.
    Why the rant? When did the gaming industry decided that a person able to enjoy a adult movie is unable to comprehend Schindler's List?
    It didn't start well , the intro mission is railroaded, Shepard is a lost minion , irritating for every player that shaped his character thru countless hours of the two previous games, pondering the outcomes of hers/his decisions. I seriously have no idea why I did what I did in the previous games.
    It's a clone of so many movie/game decisions where the Hero does the ultimate spoiler thing, and everyone is aware that the morally grey , isn't really grey it's just trying to create the illusion by pressing on the tear duct by removing the few things a RPG player cares about-the characters and interactions with them , one by one .

    The game has one of the worst endings in history, all of them and the idea that the player is not worthy to get some closure is strange, feel's like subconsciousness marketing for DLC.
    The characters from the previous game suffer at times cringe worthy writing , and lack of screen time.
    Simply there isn't enough time for anything, and the dialogues took a major hit, feels completely rushed. New players probably will not care, the game doesn't even introduce them in a proper manner, they can run and gun without consequences and even enjoy the game.
    MP is very well done,interesting and addictive , so nothing to criticize except the Origin client.
    Rated DA2 with a 1 rating this game with a 6 to reflect the technical superiority, but only the technical , the disappointment is identical like DAO vs DA2 despite never seeing the ME games as RPG's , and wondering why the "Jack of all trades, master of none" figure somehow became the most defining aspect of Bioware's recent titles.    … Expand
  14. defive
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    A decent game let down by one of the worst game endings I've ever seen. The ending is incoherent, inconsistent, and incomprehensible nonsense that really wrecks any sense of accomplishment.

    Other than that the game is okay, but my least favorite of the three. Plus there's the issue of the cheeky paid for Day One DLC.
  15. Half-lifeer
    Mar 17, 2012
    6
    I Can't believe it.... i... i just can't.... I have stood for this game, through the hole launch periode, claiming that the ending would'nt matter to me if the game itself was great... But... but... The ending was seriously bad.. So bad that, It has destroyed the whole franchise for me.

    But the game itself isn't bad, is just the ending..... IT'S HORRIBLE! There isnt really anything i can    I Can't believe it.... i... i just can't.... I have stood for this game, through the hole launch periode, claiming that the ending would'nt matter to me if the game itself was great... But... but... The ending was seriously bad.. So bad that, It has destroyed the whole franchise for me.

    But the game itself isn't bad, is just the ending..... IT'S HORRIBLE!

    There isnt really anything i can say, that everybody allready has put out. I can only say that im a terribly sad Mass Effect fan and it will take time before i get over that piece of sh** ending(s). So 6 score points from me. It would have been 9 or even 10, but yeah.... wtf were you thinking Bioware ;.(    … Expand
  16. MatDiF
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    Mass Effect 3 is the latest installment of Bioware
  17. jafor004
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    The first Mass Effect is one of my all time favorite games, with really enjoyable gameplay and immersing story, I rate Mass Effect 2 as good but not as good as the first one, the story just didn't progress enough. Sadly Mass Effect 3 is the weakest in the series in my opinion. While the gameplay is about on par with the previous games, which is good, the story was really lacking. LargeThe first Mass Effect is one of my all time favorite games, with really enjoyable gameplay and immersing story, I rate Mass Effect 2 as good but not as good as the first one, the story just didn't progress enough. Sadly Mass Effect 3 is the weakest in the series in my opinion. While the gameplay is about on par with the previous games, which is good, the story was really lacking. Large plotholes made the game unenjoyable for me and the ending was real letdown. I'm quite sad this trilogy ended on such a mediocre tone.… Expand
  18. Mozu
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    Regardless of what the paid reviews will tell you, this is another excellent example of how Bioware can take a game and franchise which once held promise, and turn it into a lazily-produced money grab, pandering to the lowest common denominator. Gears of War combat through incredibly linear levels, even fewer dialogue choices that don't seem to matter one bit, stripped-down characterRegardless of what the paid reviews will tell you, this is another excellent example of how Bioware can take a game and franchise which once held promise, and turn it into a lazily-produced money grab, pandering to the lowest common denominator. Gears of War combat through incredibly linear levels, even fewer dialogue choices that don't seem to matter one bit, stripped-down character customization and skills, and, of course, the quality writing, roughly on the level of high-school fanfiction.… Expand
  19. newtee2
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    As a big fan of multiple RPGs, and fan of the first two Mass Effect games, this game does not live up to current RPG standards. The plot is unusually boring, the gameplay is surprisingly lacking, the graphics and animations have barely been touched since ME2, and worst of all the game's ending is the biggest let down I've witnessed in years. The most outrageous thing about ME3 is that theAs a big fan of multiple RPGs, and fan of the first two Mass Effect games, this game does not live up to current RPG standards. The plot is unusually boring, the gameplay is surprisingly lacking, the graphics and animations have barely been touched since ME2, and worst of all the game's ending is the biggest let down I've witnessed in years. The most outrageous thing about ME3 is that the day one downloadable content contains information that is crucial to the series as a whole. This game was the biggest letdown to me in years, and I almost feel as if I have been ripped off.… Expand
  20. tommy22
    Mar 8, 2012
    6
    Reasons for a bad score (i would normally give this game an 8.5 but the ending really sucked and the only way for bioware to take notice is to take an extreme score).
    -movement on the battlefield, not as smooth as mass effect 2
    -the find the resource being as boring as scanning planets -side missions have nothing to it -overall story on cerberus -some speech was very childish especially in    Reasons for a bad score (i would normally give this game an 8.5 but the ending really sucked and the only way for bioware to take notice is to take an extreme score).
    -movement on the battlefield, not as smooth as mass effect 2
    -the find the resource being as boring as scanning planets
    -side missions have nothing to it
    -overall story on cerberus
    -some speech was very childish especially in the beginning (who wrote this script?); some was excellent tough
    -lipsinc off
    -very disappointing ending
    -ce dlc
    -no original missions (except for the one where you hack into the server mainframe)
    It is certainly not as bad as dragon age 2, but I am still disappointed; maybe I expected to much.    … Expand
  21. me_gusta_mierda
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    Shepherd makes some funny faces but not on purpose xD

    The gameplay is OK but the bad facial animations, and well, ALL the animations, make the game unpleasant to look at. You should try it only if you want to view it as a piece of comedy. Me gusta or no me gusta?...I give this game a SITUATIONAL me gusta. Le faces are so funny xDDD
  22. Mothhive
    Nov 13, 2013
    7
    After all the DLC and extended endings, and having picked it up on sale a year or so after release, I'd say I was pleasantly surprised. Not perfect, and the endings are still pretty weak, but the journey was enjoyable, but doesn't come close to the level of the previous games.
  23. Havingboth
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    It was kind of ok, I expected way more from the graphics and the "rpg" elements werent as satisfying as i hoped them to be. All in all Im glad i could finish that story, but that ending was a huge leddown too.Im going to send this back to amazon
  24. gorgathoon
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    A lot of expectations came from the first Mass Effect. Unfortunately, Mass Effect 3 delivers on very little of what was promised. ME3 has taken the more casual approach to reach a wider audience. Unfortunately, this has shunned those who played the first one. There's a saying "Dance with who brought you." Bioware did not do this with the Mass Effect series. This cannibalization ofA lot of expectations came from the first Mass Effect. Unfortunately, Mass Effect 3 delivers on very little of what was promised. ME3 has taken the more casual approach to reach a wider audience. Unfortunately, this has shunned those who played the first one. There's a saying "Dance with who brought you." Bioware did not do this with the Mass Effect series. This cannibalization of its fanbase is at the heart of ME3.

    I played through an advanced copy of ME3 and found it entirely underwhelming. It is the weakest game in the series -- this coming from someone who found the story of ME2 a pointless placeholder.

    It's not that ME3's story is cliche, it is but that takes a back seat to how nonsensical it is. It's rushed and never follows through with the story from ME1...in fact, it makes irrelevant most of ME1 despite it having the strongest story in the series.

    The gameplay is nothing special either. Sure it's fine, but it's clunky and several actions are mapped to a single button meaning you'll roll instead of take cover and vice versa. It's on par with say, Kane and Lynch -- a mediocre shooter from a few years back.

    Once the game ends, it prompts you with an advertisement to buy DLC. Th;is is one of the most offensive things I have ever found in a game. Mass Effect 3 is a bad experience. I recommend picking it up used in 6 months for $10 bucks.    … Expand
  25. hellogoodbye
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    I thought I was lucky at the time to secure an early copy for myself and my partner. By the time I was 10 hours in, I was left wondering what happened to this series. Where did it all go so wrong? It's as if Michael Bay created this game in just how lame the story ended. Didn't help that there were 2 stars from Jersey Shore in it either.

    Audio and music were pretty good for the most    I thought I was lucky at the time to secure an early copy for myself and my partner. By the time I was 10 hours in, I was left wondering what happened to this series. Where did it all go so wrong? It's as if Michael Bay created this game in just how lame the story ended. Didn't help that there were 2 stars from Jersey Shore in it either.

    Audio and music were pretty good for the most part, but there was nothing as cool as M2 playing at the end of ME1. I'd recommend people just youtube the ending and save themselves the agony. I'd also suggest you start praying that if they start a Mass Effect MMO (the universe is really quite good for this) that they hand it to a different company as TOR got boring fast.    … Expand
  26. SteamConvert
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    It's definitely worth playing, but I really wish I hadn't paid full price. I'll keep things short. Multiplayer is ok and kind of necessary given the shortness of the main campaign. They doubled down on the circus soldier rolley-slidey cover based combat and the weapons don't always feel satisfying when they hit. I'll keep it spoiler free, but let my 5/10 stand for my opinion of theIt's definitely worth playing, but I really wish I hadn't paid full price. I'll keep things short. Multiplayer is ok and kind of necessary given the shortness of the main campaign. They doubled down on the circus soldier rolley-slidey cover based combat and the weapons don't always feel satisfying when they hit. I'll keep it spoiler free, but let my 5/10 stand for my opinion of the story. Ultimately it's a Bioware game and a good one at that. I'll still replay ME 1-3 now and then in the future, but I'm no longer interested in seeing where the ME universe is going from here having played this one.… Expand
  27. seuche
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    its an "ok" first-person-shooter with a movielike displayed story and absolutly no innovation. with other words: its the call of duty of the action-adventures.
  28. Gene
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    I'll leave the moaning to others, here are the basics: Running, dodging, and hugging a wall are all handled by the spacebar, which means if you try running from an enemy close to a wall, you are just as likely to crouch behind it and have your face eaten, combat is way more twitchy and less tactical than either of the two previous games. Quick time events with no prompts, I went throughI'll leave the moaning to others, here are the basics: Running, dodging, and hugging a wall are all handled by the spacebar, which means if you try running from an enemy close to a wall, you are just as likely to crouch behind it and have your face eaten, combat is way more twitchy and less tactical than either of the two previous games. Quick time events with no prompts, I went through half the game before realizing that those overlong death animations are actually quicktime events where I had to mash the F key. Story was very solid, I loved it up until the just before the end, and then was massively enraged. The writers spent way too much effort making s*** epic and mystical, and as a long time fan I felt robbed, although I don't think new players will feel effected. I just wanted an end to a war 5 years in the making and finding out what happened to all my friends, the loopy nonesense they gave for an ending just completely broke the flow of the entire series.… Expand
  29. jcarl663
    Feb 14, 2015
    7
    This is why the user reviews section shouldn't even exist. There is no universe that this game is a raw zero. If you're just being angsty and trying to get back at the devs, you're not being fair or unbiased. You're just being an idiot and ruining the rating system.
  30. araut
    Nov 16, 2014
    7
    Although most of the reviews are negative, i must say i'm happy with the game overall. The end, tho a bit disappointing, in my opinion, fits (not perfectly) the story constructed so far. Is there a better fitting end? Yes, i believe so, but the presented alternatives are not that bad; but a surviving Shepard would be better, for sure. The major flaws of the game are not in the ending. ItAlthough most of the reviews are negative, i must say i'm happy with the game overall. The end, tho a bit disappointing, in my opinion, fits (not perfectly) the story constructed so far. Is there a better fitting end? Yes, i believe so, but the presented alternatives are not that bad; but a surviving Shepard would be better, for sure. The major flaws of the game are not in the ending. It has many bugs, some inconsistencies in story line and lore. For example, in ME2 Samara told Shepard that only 3 Ardat-Yakshi existed (her daughters), and we (usually) killed one of them in game. Now in ME3 there are so many that they need a Monastery to remain apart and isolated from society.
    There are some places to go and many side quests to do, but the only place where you do spent some decent time is the Citadel. There are not huge places with many quests to do, like in ME2 where you spent some good hours in Ilium, Tuchanka, Virmine and Omega, just to name some. The side quests also seems a bit shallow (end too fast)...and with exception of the some moments at the last part of the game, the quests are fairly easy to accomplish.
    There are some humor on the dialogues, but it seems that, through all the game, you have less options (and even less people to talk to) than you had in ME1 and ME2. The mechanics of armor and weapons and damage are also worse as they were in ME1 and ME2. You buy the upgrade of you current weapon, so shotgun 1 is bought into shotgun 2..3...4 and so on, which takes the "happiness" of finding a new upgraded version of your current weapon. Armor customization has its benefits, but it's a bit tricky to compare different armor configurations, since you lack the "all info in one screen" tab, so it is harder to see if a +10% shield shoulders do the benefits you're looking for. Mass Effect 1 did a great job in this camp.
    Here's another problem: percentages. All improvements - weapons and armor - are upgraded by percentages. This is problematic in terms that if you have a low damage weapon, and want to upgrade its damage (in a scenario where you like the other aspects of this particular weapon, like accuracy and reload speed), a 20 % dmg increase won't even show in your graphic readings of that weapon. You would get some results only if there were in game improvements around 200 or 300%. So all is in absolute terms, which in this case is not a good option. A numeric version would be better (like increases damage by 70 points or such).
    The reapers interfering on galaxy map traveling is a bit pain, and you hardly do some good deed in your travels, because exploration is in short supply here too. I miss Ilium, i miss all those colonies and random quests, but most of all i miss the heavy rpg element. There are too much cinematic sequences and fewer interaction in game. Overall i'd say you have less choices than the 2 previous titles. Bioware saw this so clearly that the next game on the franchise will feature back the old exploration of ME1 (with a better version of the vehicle Mako) and, with some luck, some good space exploration with had on ME2 (like docking on deranged space station). This surely is more an shooter with rpg elements than the otherwise. It is a good game, don' t get me wrong, but surely it was rushed into completion, and those of us who spent hundreds of hours playing the first 2 titles surely will miss a lot of the good elements presented on the past.    … Expand
  31. smeeeee
    Mar 29, 2015
    5
    Behold Mass Effect 3, a victim of greed, the "good enough" approach, and America's corporate devil assuming direct control (yay puns) of an innocent Canadian developer. Mass Effect 3 had the potential of being a masterpiece, and even showed signs of it- BioWare improved the combat system, adding new guns, keeping the epic old ones (Mattock FTW!!!), and adding heavy melee, combat rolls, andBehold Mass Effect 3, a victim of greed, the "good enough" approach, and America's corporate devil assuming direct control (yay puns) of an innocent Canadian developer. Mass Effect 3 had the potential of being a masterpiece, and even showed signs of it- BioWare improved the combat system, adding new guns, keeping the epic old ones (Mattock FTW!!!), and adding heavy melee, combat rolls, and instant kills from cover. The graphics are truly stunning, the new enemies are challenging and sometimes can scare your socks off, and BioWare brought back the awesome characters from previous games- Garrus, Grunt, or anyone you didn't kill. But what mainly brought the game down was the all-too famous ending (or endings). Even with the Extended Cut DLC (which is a cheap way to squeeze even more $$$$$ out of you, it only adds a few lines to the "ending"), it's basically like a magician saying, "Pick a card! Any card!" It's basically just choosing between A, B, and C (and D with EC). The worst part: It's littered with plot holes. For the sake of those who haven't played it yet, I won't say too much about the ending, but I can assure you, it's one of the worst endings in video game history. What also brought the game down was the INSANE amount of DLCs. There's literally like 14 DLCs! It's crazy! Why on Earth must someone pay more for a game that's already theirs?! Also, characters like Jack, Miranda, Kelly, and Jacob were like completely left to hang and dry. In the end, Mass Effect may be addicting for its sweet game-play, and interesting characters, but the rest of the game just sends you away empty.

    So yeah. EA Mass ef*cked Mass Effect 3. Or at least they came very close to doing so.    … Expand
  32. praXis
    Mar 26, 2015
    6
    People heavily criticize this game for its ending, but I found it to be fairly consistent with the rest of this sequel's content - contradictory, confused, cliche, and just horribly written.

    It's painfully obvious that Bioware lost some valuable people in all departments after ME2, and that while Mac Walters did a decent job as a character writer in the past, a lead writing position is    People heavily criticize this game for its ending, but I found it to be fairly consistent with the rest of this sequel's content - contradictory, confused, cliche, and just horribly written.

    It's painfully obvious that Bioware lost some valuable people in all departments after ME2, and that while Mac Walters did a decent job as a character writer in the past, a lead writing position is beyond his current abilities. I mean, Mass Effect never had Pulitzer-winning content but when all the fun and well-established character is sucked out of a series by genuinely BAD dialogue and truly ridiculous story elements, it's a damn shame.

    Positives? Great combat, some epic setpieces (squandered unfortunately), and a sense of closure. The guns feel and sound better than ever. Quickly dodging from cover to cover, or launching quickly over barriers with a double-tap of the spacebar is great. The quality and variety of new enemies is very good. The multiplayer is ACTUALLY FUN - though not too varied.

    The maps are good, though rarely memorable.

    Most cutscenes are impressive.

    The new character of Javik is great. The fact that you only get him with the From Ashes DLC is RIDICULOUS. Should be included with the base game as he adds a significant amount of context and depth to the story.

    Negatives? Terrible new characters: James Vega - bodybuilding Jersey Shore dudebro, Diana Allers - pointless embedded journalist in a little rubber dress, Kai Leng - evil space ninja (not kidding). WTF Bioware. Maybe these characters are supposed to somehow be canon, but were just introduced and utilized poorly - my point that they are terrible in this game still stands.

    The faces of many of the characters have been changed from ME2, and simply look bad. Joker comes to mind right away. What the hell is going on with his mouth? This is an inexplicable step back from the models and animations in ME2.

    Model glitching and bad camera during dialogue. (You'd think they'd have figured this out by now.)

    Painfully bad and cliche dialogue with terrible pacing. Mac Walters loves cheesey Hollywood military action movies, apparently. He's about as good at re-creating their content as a 14-year-old boy though. Doesn't stop him from trying. Moral choices seem tacked-on and weird, but that's probably just the writing.

    Disappointingly dumbed-down inventory and leveling for the sake of console kiddies. Not much RPG left, but that could be said for ME2 as well, I guess.

    More overpriced DLC horsecrap. We hate you for good reason, EA. You should figure out a way to monetize that.

    ME1 is one of my favourite games of all time - even with its blemishes. It's a damn shame this series had to end (Yes, I know about ME4 - but after this, I'm done with this series) with a wet noodle of a game that is a mere shadow of what it should and could have been.    … Expand
  33. Munkey
    Feb 16, 2015
    5
    Mass Effect 3 is a disappointing ending to the series.
    Mostly combat based, lacking in good story telling and less dialogue options then in previous titles.
    From the start you feel that something is wrong. The change of lead writter for the third game was a mistake. NPC characters are still good but there is not that much interaction then in ME and ME2. The day one DLC NPC was a big    Mass Effect 3 is a disappointing ending to the series.
    Mostly combat based, lacking in good story telling and less dialogue options then in previous titles.
    From the start you feel that something is wrong. The change of lead writter for the third game was a mistake. NPC characters are still good but there is not that much interaction then in ME and ME2. The day one DLC NPC was a big mistake also. The DLC character Javik being the last of the Protheans is vital to the story but you make him a DLC. You see the money hand of EA in this game.
    The ending is so disappointing even the extended cut didn't make it better.
    Game is solid mechaniclly and combat is fluid but the story and more combat focused character of the game and lackluster ending make a weak game.
    For me 5 out of 10. EA why...    … Expand
  34. Truth_
    Nov 5, 2014
    6
    I finally got around to playing Mass Effect 3. When all is said in done, I found it to be a fairly solid game. It's combat was not great, but not awful, either. Similarly, the story was excellent at times, and weak at others. Acquiring a crew, learning the lore of new and old, exploring the galaxy, and upgrading you and your teammates was a fulfilling experience, however, little wasI finally got around to playing Mass Effect 3. When all is said in done, I found it to be a fairly solid game. It's combat was not great, but not awful, either. Similarly, the story was excellent at times, and weak at others. Acquiring a crew, learning the lore of new and old, exploring the galaxy, and upgrading you and your teammates was a fulfilling experience, however, little was improved from Mass Effect 2 to 3.

    Combat was simple with predictable and unintelligent AI (for the most part). Your companions are not particularly useful and can be /very/ powerful if used well and used often. I played on Hard and it was quite easy, like most shooters. Luckily it wasn't too tedious, however. There are enough breaks inbetween combat, exploration, and dialogue which kept a good pace and felt organic.

    I thought the story was quite good, and I loved so many of the lines and conversations in the game. A+. Obviously there were some cheesy and not so good ones, but all in all I enjoyed it very much. However, I felt some of the dialogue choices were a bit wonky, some didn't make sense, some gave poor options, and some had silly responses that either Shepherd or the other person didn't make sense to me. In combat, some characters seemed to have a lot more unique/useful/interesting things to say than others, which I largely based my party picks off of (EDI, Garrus, and Liara always have interesting or useful comments or observations).

    Finally, I'm not a huge fan of being forced to pick one reputation type and sticking with it. I feel unless you do 90%+ in one or the other, you miss out on the best dialogue choices, dialogue results, and other things. Mixing and matching your choices, even if you feel they're the best ones logically or in your own role-play playthrough, give you a worse result and worse game.

    Note: I cannot comment on Day 1 DLC (which is these days quite common) since I only just got it. I also can't comment on the old ending, as I've only experienced the new one. Lastly, I cannot comment on the multiplayer as I have not played it (but I've heard good things).

    On the whole I was satisfied with the game, but happy I did not buy it on release.    … Expand
  35. ultramontane
    Nov 19, 2013
    6
    I had to do it. I had to give in. I had too much invested in this game for the ending NOT to affect my score.

    The story, game play, voice acting, all of it is 10/10. The build up from the first in the series, a solid follow-up with number 2 and it's chance to hit a home run, bases loaded with the 3rd installment; it was all there. Hell, I even went full nerd and read the books. I just    I had to do it. I had to give in. I had too much invested in this game for the ending NOT to affect my score.

    The story, game play, voice acting, all of it is 10/10. The build up from the first in the series, a solid follow-up with number 2 and it's chance to hit a home run, bases loaded with the 3rd installment; it was all there. Hell, I even went full nerd and read the books. I just couldn't do it.

    I won't spoil the end, but it might as well been a "Thanks for playing!" message.

    For those who have played the first 2, just play this one and get it over with.    … Expand
  36. Ghost67
    Jan 7, 2015
    5
    Mass Effect 3 was a difficult game to score. In fact it's been one of the most difficult games for me to review.

    You can tell right off the bat that something is off with ME3. Something is seriously wrong. And you know what is wrong with it? It was released way too early. And it shows. When the game begins, you are forced into auto-dialogue. The pacing is terrible. All of a    Mass Effect 3 was a difficult game to score. In fact it's been one of the most difficult games for me to review.

    You can tell right off the bat that something is off with ME3. Something is seriously wrong. And you know what is wrong with it?

    It was released way too early.

    And it shows. When the game begins, you are forced into auto-dialogue. The pacing is terrible. All of a sudden, Reapers are attacking and everyone is shocked. Really? The intro is just...bad.

    I remember the release for ME3, it was painful. Yes, this is the game with the near legendary infamous Day 1 DLC. The game release is an obvious console port. The textures are awful; the game looked worse than ME2. That's a big red flag right there. When a sequel's graphics are worse than the preceding title, something is up.

    Some people say that "it's the journey, not the destination", that matters, and I agree with that to a certain extend. The journey itself is not bad in ME3. It follows a similar formula to ME2. ME2's hybrid FPS shooter gameplay is enjoyable in ME3. It's been improved and built upon in ME3. I like that.

    It just...the storytelling. The storytelling and choices, the choices and their results are lacking. Choices that have been made in previous games for some reason do not matter. If someone is killed off, they are convieniently replaced with someone else that has a similar sillset. Some characters are once again completely taken out and you can't get them back in your party. If you made some romance options in ME2 - you might find a half assed romance plot instead. These characters and their stories are just thrown to wind.
    There are scenes incorporated into ME3, but they feel like add ons and not the full experience. Once again, rushed content and development. These feelings of relationships of both friendship and romance being "tacked on" is felt throughout the ENTIRE GAME. And it sucks. Bioware has gone to far to kill some characters off screen. That is a cardinal sin in a Bioware game.

    For example - I romanced Miranda in ME2. Guess what? In ME3, shes not there. She just - disappears. Literally. There is really not fitting conclusion to your relationship - unless of course, you cough up the money for the Citadel DLC. And for some reason, she is....completely out of character. Doing things and acting in ways that you would have never seen in ME2.

    Now, multiply this times 10.

    Painful.

    And unfortunately, the ending is completely and totally botched. Sorry to say it. The ending is awful. Not only is it dark and depressing, but it's relatively obscure in the fact that your choices did not really seem to matter. I understand that it tried to be a self contained game, but that just isn't going to fly for ME3. In the age of DLC's and online downloaded content, Bioware could have taken the risk of making ME3 completely dependant on ME2's save.

    The ending is so bad, gamers had to come out and demand that Bioware offer a better ending. Yep. You read it right. Bioware actually - was forced - to change the ending. Get it? Gamers had to tell Bioware - let them know - that the ending was botched. How utterly embarrassing for Bioware. This resulted in another embarrassment for the industry, with an editor from IGN coming out defense of Bioware in a stupid, arrogant video, something about "Gamer entitlement." Yes, you gamers are not entitled to a good ending. Bioware can do anything they want, and you better shut the hell up and enjoy it, damnit!

    In ME3, in order to gain resources you must play with other players online. This is a bad decision. Bad, bad bad for a single player game. This was clearly a result of EA meddling in development. The requirement to play online with other players is asinine. Though its not completely mandatory, if you want the "good" ending, you pretty much need to do it unless you want to...uhh.."manually edit" your game. Cough...

    Overall, ME3 is not a terrible game. But it is not a satisfying conclusion. In fact, the ending itself is kind of laughable. The whole ending sequence, even with the DLC is just too ambiguous and poorly done.

    It's a real shame. I wanted to like ME3 but its a poor and disappointing conclusion to the series.    … Expand
  37. BalicanBreeze
    Aug 1, 2014
    7
    The free DLC fixed the worst issues with this game, but the story remains the weakest of the series. The combat has been improved and the DLCs are excellent, especially the citadel and leviathan ones.
  38. FatherKarras
    Mar 11, 2014
    6
    Certainly a mixed bag, Mass Effect 3 is a game which is disappointing in a multitude of aspects, ranging from the bland action orientated combat, massive plot holes and poorly written characters and quite possibly one of the worst endings I have ever experienced in gaming.
    After a tense and emotional introduction, the game quickly goes down hill. Shepard, a character whom you define, is    Certainly a mixed bag, Mass Effect 3 is a game which is disappointing in a multitude of aspects, ranging from the bland action orientated combat, massive plot holes and poorly written characters and quite possibly one of the worst endings I have ever experienced in gaming.
    After a tense and emotional introduction, the game quickly goes down hill. Shepard, a character whom you define, is whisked away on an epic space adventure to save the universe after the Reapers finally made it to the galaxy. Somehow, this entire time no one had listened to Shepard, even though there has been excellent reasons to, now everyone is boned.

    After a game of boring combat (having chose my Infiltrator class who has been leveled up since the first game, I could one shot almost anytime of enemy in the game with a rifle), characters making stupid decisions and a forced character by the name of Kei-Lang, you finally reach the end...
    And oh boy... Did it suck.

    Terrible ending aside, the game had some genuine sad moments, such as the deaths of some of my favorite characters... But overall, a weak passage and pals in comparison to the amazing previous installments.

    Positives:
    Fun multiplayer.
    Multiple/difficult choices.
    Genuine sad moments.
    Great soundtrack.
    Ends multiple story lines and you get to say your final goodbyes.

    Negatives:
    Boring combat.
    Plotholes... Plotholes EVERYWHERE.
    Poorly written side characters.
    Vague motives.
    Horrible quest tracker.
    And that ending.... THAT ENDING.

    Overall: 6    … Expand
  39. whitepawn
    Oct 23, 2014
    5
    This would be better if it wasn't such an obvious cash grab. The game you buy is half the game. Get the other half in installments for $8 here and $20 there. They listened regarding the repetition of the minigames, but didn't supply an alternative for unlocking doors and such, just erased all challenge.

    Minor hints of spoilers below without giving too much away. PROS: -No more    This would be better if it wasn't such an obvious cash grab. The game you buy is half the game. Get the other half in installments for $8 here and $20 there. They listened regarding the repetition of the minigames, but didn't supply an alternative for unlocking doors and such, just erased all challenge.

    Minor hints of spoilers below without giving too much away.

    PROS:
    -No more mining planets for minerals.
    -That one bears repeating: no more mining planets for minerals
    -ingenious follow through to a third game on the romance/baggage train
    -weapon upgrades
    -dialogue & companions with humor
    -finishes the story, offers closure
    -graphics
    -combat

    CONS:
    -obvious cash grab in the final hour, only half the game provided with base price
    -the Kaiden storyline (your already made choices in other games win or lose you points to keeping him)
    -you get like 3 companion choices unless you buy more...no lie.
    -inability to get enough war resources unless you buy that opportunity (changed recently)
    -ability to acquire more resources with co-op play which is impossible to find a viable group for
    -repetition in resource gathering
    -over scripted finale

    I didn't mind the ending(s). I thought there was cheese there but it was fine. I also think a trilogy with an actual end is good. A lot of the screaming here is likely because you become attached to Shepard and want to play her in a Mass Effect 4, you want it to keep going because you made her and you like her and you're invested in her. Trilogies are good for movies and books and they can be good for video games too. Let BioWare move on...I'm interested to see what they do after DA is done...they'll need a new adventure trilogy and look at what they've done/learned with their DA and mass effects series. Mass Effect being done in three is a good thing when you think about it.    … Expand
  40. buraequete
    Aug 10, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have always enjoyed Mass Effect universe, and first two games... I also liked this third installation, but there were some issues I have had...

    First, I really hate the special events you can see only if you have the specific save imported from ME2... I really wanted to have peace between Geth and Quarians, now because of it, Tali killed herself, and I still am blaming myself for it. It is fun to have a correlation between games, but it shouldn't have such big effects, IMHO.

    Second, the fighting mechanic was a bit buggy, taking cover gets weird time to time, and I get shot at easily during those buggy moments (even die) I cannot remember if previous versions had this issue.

    Third, the story was OK, ending scenes were copies of each other, which I didn't like. The problem was the forced multiplayer into the single player game with this readiness effect. Even though there is such a forced issue, the reward for getting 4000+ points with high RE ratio, was just to see Shepard in the final scene for a split second. I think there should have been more storytelling in the end.

    And finally, fourth, I really wanted it to be longer... I finished it in 2 days, in which I tried to talk to everyone and finished every side quest, together with all DLC content. Still took so little time to finish, I think with ME1 & ME2 style exploration stuff would make a longer game than this.

    Still it was fun, and loved to see this lovely universe BioWare created, hope EA won't destroy the fun further...    … Expand
  41. CoreGamer1408
    Dec 19, 2018
    7
    Improvement over the second game story wise (until that ending, yeah even the revised one). Gameplay still basically the same as the second. As in dumbed down, combat, inventory, exploration compared to the first game. Another polished dumb downed Mass Effect that was fairly enjoyable to play in a no brainer sort of way.
  42. JamesDrawsThngs
    Jul 31, 2020
    7
    Mass Effect 3 is the concluding chapter in the Commander Shepard trilogy and one of the most controversial games of the past decade. The amount of disappointment and anger that this game managed to generate is immeasurable. This, along with the disappointing Dragon Age 2, sucked away every ounce of good will that Bioware generated. Almost a decade has passed since ME3's release, and itsMass Effect 3 is the concluding chapter in the Commander Shepard trilogy and one of the most controversial games of the past decade. The amount of disappointment and anger that this game managed to generate is immeasurable. This, along with the disappointing Dragon Age 2, sucked away every ounce of good will that Bioware generated. Almost a decade has passed since ME3's release, and its sting can still be felt today. ME3 is a game that has sadly gotten worse over time. However, I do not believe this is a bad game. Far from it.

    The Reapers have successfully invaded the galaxy, and now Shepard has to do their part to unite the different races together in an effort to stop the Reapers, all the while building the ultimate Deus Ex Machina known as The Crucible that could possibly be used to stop them for good. The quality of the storytelling is very sporadic. One moment I'm face-palming at how moronic and out-of-character someone is, or how contrived, awkward or force another moment can be, but then be greeted with moments of pure awesomeness, spectacle, or just plain heart-warming. However, what this game is most infamous for lies within its conclusion. In its original state, the endings truly are awful. No question about it. All of the choices you've made, the characters you've grown to love, the alliances you have built. All of that gets practically wasted by the final ""decisions"" Shepard is forced to choose from. If you invested your time and energy into this series for the five years it had been going on up to that point, absolutely you would feel demoralized by this moment. Bioware did attempt to remedy this a bit with the release of an Extended Cut that was meant to add further closure and explanations for certain details (all the while creating new questions that shouldn't be there). It certainly was a much needed patch job, but that's all it was. It still didn't fully fix the issues that the game's conclusion suffered from, and it will forever be remembered for that. While there are still plenty of big choices to be made throughout the game, most of them are within the context of the previous two games, rather than ones made for this game exclusively.

    Gameplay has received both improvements and detriments. Out of the original trilogy, I definitely think that this has the best combat. The movement options feel more refined, the levels are a little more open-ended, organic and less "video-gamey", the gunplay feels ultra satisfying and the weapon upgrade system adds an extra layer of depth. They also managed to find a strong compromise with the level up system. It's not as in-depth as ME1, but not nearly as stripped down as ME2. The probing mini-game is now just a simple "find dot on the map and poke it" and snag the item. The game also benefits from some great looking environments and some of the best voice acting in the series.

    The gameplay detriments, though, are pretty egregious. Firstly, the sidequest structure in this game is terrible. You get most of your sidequests by just eavesdropping on peoples' incredibly private conversations, then you go out on the galaxy map, find the thing and bring it back. If that sounds tedious to you, you'll be *happy* to know that the codex does NOT keep track of mission completion! If you get sidetracked in the middle of a mission, or just put the game down for a while and forget about it, you are not going to know how far along you are unless you retrace your steps to make sure you got everything. You would need to do a sidequest on its own to completion with no distractions just to make sure you do it right. Hell, a few of the quests don't even bother telling you the location of a planet, and unless you look up a guide you're gonna have to scour the entire galaxy just to find the damn thing. That is bad game design. The dialogue wheel also reduces your choices between paragon and renegade, with no in-between. The war asset system, while neat in concept, is poorly executed and, unless you have the EC and story DLCs, all but force you to engage in multiplayer if you want to achieve the best possible outcome.

    The best way to describe ME3 would be "sporadic". It shifts back and forth between stupidity and brilliance, fun and tedium. I still honestly believe it's a solid game, in spite of its faults, but I don't blame anyone for being soured by it.    … Expand
  43. MispeledStalion
    Oct 16, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect has been, and will always be, about the characters and the writing. I've never been wowed by either the gameplay or the overarching Reaper threat plot of the series, but ME and ME2 remain two of my favorites because of the characters. I just wanted to stay in the game universe forever to build relationships with the crew of the Normandy and go to new exciting planets to meet more characters and be involved in their struggles. Each character is well-written, has clear motivations, evolves over time, and is complex and conflicted. Add the fact that Shepard is involved in major decisions affecting them at every term, and I found myself really invested in almost everyone I came across in Mass Effect. Garius, EDI, and Tali's wise-ass comments, Ashley, James and Thanes stories, learning Mordin, Wrex and Liara's life philosophies... That's what I loved about Mass Effect. I wanted to stop the Reapers because I wanted them to live and it would have upset me if I let them down.

    ME3, for the most part, carries on this Mass Effect tradition. I found myself really invested in the game and its characters yet again, and seeing them all before the final assault was a really touching moment. But then BioWare stabbed me in the back. A series modeled around relationship and character building and good writing suddenly takes a total U-turn and the last 15 minutes is one of the sloppiest, most poorly written and contrived endings I've ever seen. Shepard saying goodbye to his crew that's a fitting ending. Shepard accepting death as the Reapers destroy Earth with his friends at his side that's a fitting ending. What actually happened was nonsense and felt like I was playing a different game.

    That's why the game gets a 6: because the same thing that made me look past all the things I hate about Mass Effect the crap level design, the boring gameplay, the usually boring side quests, etc ends up being the games demise. A must play if you loved ME and ME2, but stop playing after you say goodbye to the crew of the Normandy for the last time and you'll enjoy the experience much more.    … Expand
  44. lutteres
    Sep 6, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass effect 3 is the conclusion of one of my favorite Sci fi RPG Franchises of all time, followed by Knights of the old republic, also from Bioware.
    Although I still enjoyed this game, I can't stop the felling that I've been cleverly tricked by Bioware.
    Mass effect 3 is not the RPG they promised us!
    Why you ask?
    Because every choice you make in Mass effect 1 and 2 has only cosmetic effects in this game, some choices will have no effect, others will only have marginal consequences. For example it wont matter if you choose to destroy the human Ripper at the end of mass effect 2 or not, it wont affect anything in mass effect 3 except for a different dialog iteration with you squad mates at some point of the game. That's it!
    Did you choose Anderson to be the Human representative in Mass effect 1?
    He steps down in Mass effect 3 in favor of Udina.
    Did most of your squad died in mass effect 2?
    Well! A few of them are replaced by weaker surrogates voiced by the same voice actors! Consequences to the story? Except for different dialog iterations and a different slide show at the end, almost Zero!
    And the extended cut ending? Although it corrects some of the bad stuff in the original, it's still a convoluted Deus Ex (the first game) copy paste ending with a bitter sweat twist that makes no sense.
    Just one example: why would any one, build a device to kill the Rippers, and then, give the user 3 ways to finish them of? And by the way, one of those options is only conveniently available to some one who's part synthetic and part organic like Sheppard.
    And the reasoning behind those choice are not just stupid, they go against everything you fought for.
    And there is still the matter of the Day one DLC cutted from the main game, and all the lies Bioware sold to us before the game came out.
    So is this game bad? Not at all! It does have, like its predecessor (mass effect 2), a few gameplay issues from being a console port, plus outdated graphics. But besides that, unless you're very pickie, the game runs smooth, the challenge factor is a step up from the previous games of the series, the story itself is very immersive and you'll even meet all of your previous squad mates from Mass effect 1 and 2 or at least their surrogates, lol!
    So why all the bad reviews from the fans?
    I think thats because the fans created unreasonable expectations from all the hype built around the game. And in the end they didn't delivered what they promised.

    Conclusion:
    I rate this game 9 out of 10 minus 1 for the ending and minus 2 for the lies and corporate practices from Bioware.

    P.S: And if Bioware turns Mass effect “4” in to a MMO I will never buy their games again! :-D    … Expand
  45. Avalord
    Jul 23, 2021
    5
    What good are professional critics for? The rated this almost as high as ME 2.
    While ME 1 and 2 deserve praise the third installment of the series does not.
    Missing skill and equipment development that makes a difference, story dragging on and without any real choices and most of all clunky, un-precise controls like swimming against a strong current that's Mass Effect 3. It really was a    What good are professional critics for? The rated this almost as high as ME 2.
    While ME 1 and 2 deserve praise the third installment of the series does not.
    Missing skill and equipment development that makes a difference, story dragging on and without any real choices and most of all clunky, un-precise controls like swimming against a strong current that's Mass Effect 3. It really was a test of my endurance to see through the game just to get to know how Shepard's story ends. Yeah, predictable...    … Expand
  46. ROK1992
    Dec 13, 2013
    5
    Personally, I do not normally read any reviews on games before playing it as it may give me a biased perspective on it. However this is the first time I totally regret not reading any reviews on ME3 before playing it. Although I admit i've been hearing countless praises for its prior titles.
    Mass Effect 3 was my introduction to the series as I have not played the prior games yet (and I    Personally, I do not normally read any reviews on games before playing it as it may give me a biased perspective on it. However this is the first time I totally regret not reading any reviews on ME3 before playing it. Although I admit i've been hearing countless praises for its prior titles.
    Mass Effect 3 was my introduction to the series as I have not played the prior games yet (and I must admit, ME3 is totally preventing me from playing it). Im sure ME fans know that this game has its own very unique atmosphere while containing many moral and philosophical twists. I was immediately hooked on to the game thinking this might be one of my favorite games in my life. To be honest, ME3 Gameplay was pretty good at the least above average in my opinion. It was very interesting, entertaining until the end where (keep in mind, ME3 was an introduction to Mass Effect for me) it just became flat out abysmal and insulting.
    Non, and I mean NON of my hard thought decisions throughout the game even mattered in the end and I can't imagine what it would have been like to the players who spent so much time on previous titles. Im not sure what the writers were thinking but when I heard that damned space kid at the end telling me the few options I have, I knew they made a BIG mistake. Simply said, the ending ruined the game 100%. Im afraid the ending was one of the saddest and most pathetic close ups in video game history and I offer my sympathy to those who played throughout the whole series.    … Expand
  47. eastpasta
    Jan 28, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gameplay - Great
    Characters - Great
    Pretty much a good Mass Effect game until you reach the ending, which is largely BSed and the same.

    Also, the Extended Edition ending may possibly be even worse than the originals.    … Expand
  48. MDAdorable
    Mar 18, 2014
    5
    Mass Effect 3 was most defiantly a good game in the series. I enjoyed the gameplay, the choice making, story, and characters. Unfortunately, the ending will make you puzzled at the fact of why you couldn't do something different. The ending will most likely abandon the series as a lost cause. We could say to Bioware "There is always another way." Bioware probably knew this, but we areMass Effect 3 was most defiantly a good game in the series. I enjoyed the gameplay, the choice making, story, and characters. Unfortunately, the ending will make you puzzled at the fact of why you couldn't do something different. The ending will most likely abandon the series as a lost cause. We could say to Bioware "There is always another way." Bioware probably knew this, but we are dealing with the publisher EA Games.… Expand
  49. EremitaJ
    Jul 26, 2014
    6
    What they did to you, poor baby? Excluding the ending and the orientation on more action, the dificulty level reduction for casual players to get it... and it's an average rpg-shooter hybrid sorta thing. It shouldn't have a Mass Effect seal on it but we can't argue Bioware didn't try. It's not it's best, but you can have fun with the game. If you crush your expectatives from a good ME game.
  50. gebagia
    Oct 20, 2014
    6
    When i firstly played this title i was completely disapointed. i was coming from the extremely good environment of ME2 to the poor and unstable environment of ME3. The transition was very hard. As the time was passing by i started getting used of it and in the last 3 months i started enjoying it.

    Really i enjoyed the battles but i really hated the cut scenes, although i love the story    When i firstly played this title i was completely disapointed. i was coming from the extremely good environment of ME2 to the poor and unstable environment of ME3. The transition was very hard. As the time was passing by i started getting used of it and in the last 3 months i started enjoying it.

    Really i enjoyed the battles but i really hated the cut scenes, although i love the story of mass effect the cut scenes was so poor.

    Finally the game is not so well made like its predecessors, i hope ME4 to be a better game cause i want to return to this franchise.    … Expand
  51. zylaser
    Dec 8, 2014
    5
    A disappointing end of the series. It tried to be a self-contained game, but that just renders most of the plot of previous games irrelevant; you stop the Reapers time and time again, and they come anyway. Very few decisions in previous games matter - killed a character earlier? A very similar substitute fills the exact same role.

    The story has its ups and downs, but doesn't make much    A disappointing end of the series. It tried to be a self-contained game, but that just renders most of the plot of previous games irrelevant; you stop the Reapers time and time again, and they come anyway. Very few decisions in previous games matter - killed a character earlier? A very similar substitute fills the exact same role.

    The story has its ups and downs, but doesn't make much sense overall. And that's without getting into the ending - out of place, illogical, just plain dumb. The extended ending does give some nice fluff and closure, but doesn't fix the core issues.

    The gameplay is mostly the same as in ME 2, but with some decent improvements. There are more abilities and choices when levelling characters. Weapon modifications are nice, but limited in their variety. Having more movement options is nice, but the "one button does all" system is annoying as **** You want to roll? Or run, or press a button, or vault over cover, stick to cover, leave the cover? Too bad you're dead as you shuffle around desperately, fighting the contextual controls instead of the enemy.    … Expand
  52. ApolloDown
    Jul 13, 2015
    6
    There is no way to review this game fairly. So much is so good about it, and so much is so terrible about it. I will do a pros and cons list as I think that's the only way to really get an idea for what you are getting into. Before I do, let me state for the record that Mass Effect 2 was and still is my favorite game of all time. Let me also give you some advice - if you are playingThere is no way to review this game fairly. So much is so good about it, and so much is so terrible about it. I will do a pros and cons list as I think that's the only way to really get an idea for what you are getting into. Before I do, let me state for the record that Mass Effect 2 was and still is my favorite game of all time. Let me also give you some advice - if you are playing this for the first time, use the MEHEM mod. It is the only way to salvage the ending. Either that or let Marauder Shields cut you down and never watch the actual ending. You'll know when it happens.

    PROS
    Excellent art
    Excellent combat
    Excellent dialogue
    Excellent DLC
    Great moments in the story. Legion on Rannoch always makes me tear up. Same with Mordin on Tuchanka.
    Great dialogue. Drunk Tali FTW.
    Marauder Shields.

    CONS
    The ending. The extended cut does nothing to address the problems. Anybody who thinks it does is simply not paying attention.
    Cut corners(femshep running out of combat animations are a good example)
    Kai Leng. Why am I afraid of a dude with a sword when I literally have a computer sword on my arm and/or space magic and guns?
    Horrible dialogue. See Kai Leng. See also James Vega. See also Miranda. See also Jacob. Again.
    Blatant cash grab(you win! Buy DLC!)
    Star Baby.
    The Illusive Man going from excellent bad guy with believable motivations to total moron absentee landlord.
    Streamlined combat. I miss the Blue Suns. I miss getting hit with biotics.
    Kai Leng again.
    Lack of character differentiation in cut scenes(I'm a biotic, why am I always(or ever) pulling a pistol? And why is my pistol always the crappy one I NEVER use?)
    Bullet sponges are not a good gameplay mechanic. Ever. Banshees could have been so much scarier. They ultimately just bore and/or infuriate me.
    The ending(guys, the ending is AWFUL. There is a reason for the terrible reviews)
    Lack of choice(5 or 6 real choices, everything else just goes the same)
    Lack of consequences(see also lack of choices)
    Female characters that look like they were based off a 13 year old's fantasies(See EDI cameltoe, See also Liara boobs, see also Ashley default outfit)
    Killing characters that I worked to keep alive HARD in ME2 offscreen is a sin(sorry Kelly)
    Planet scanning is not a side quest.
    No variety in hub worlds, just the citadel. I want my Illium back.
    Kai Leng again(Bioware, I get that you wanted a cool villain. But the douche to scary ratio is too high, partly because he's not scary(see swords don't scare my space gun wielding badass) and partly because he is full douche)
    Star Baby again.
    Dat ending.

    Do I play Mass Effect 3 multiple times? Yes. Do I always feel cheated each time? Yes. But I always end up playing it again. Bioware and EA, somehow you have found a way to give me disappointment on demand. I pre ordered this game, and this game has guaranteed I will never pre order a game again. Continue doing business this way and you will not stay in business. This game has very much earned its user score.

    On a side note, you can very clearly see what is wrong with game journalism today by comparing the user score to the curated score. This game made me stop looking at journalist reviews, period. You have proven that you cannot be trusted to be honest.    … Expand
  53. agurczuk
    Apr 21, 2017
    6
    In short if you've played previous part you'll know exactly what's coming your way. If you have not than there's no real reason to pick it up before playing the previous ones.

    This is the final chapter in the Sheppard trilogy. The reapers arrive just as you've warned everybody. And yet everyone is surprised. And it's up to you again to save the galaxy. This game definitely feels more    In short if you've played previous part you'll know exactly what's coming your way. If you have not than there's no real reason to pick it up before playing the previous ones.

    This is the final chapter in the Sheppard trilogy. The reapers arrive just as you've warned everybody. And yet everyone is surprised. And it's up to you again to save the galaxy.

    This game definitely feels more linear than the previous. With the reaper imminent danger most of the stories are for you to gather allies for the war. There are just a few missions you could skip but why would you really. The core mechanics are pretty much the same. You fly around the galaxy, land on planets and do missions. The missions consist of you fighting through the ranks of enemies completing different objectives in order to gain allies. Nothing really changed from the previous parts. The combat is very much cover bases - occasional grenades will make you change specific cover but that's about it. The special powers as well as your team mates feel like they're just there but not a real game changer. I think I just got bored with it.

    Outside of that you'll get a scanner - not really sure if it was available previously - that you can scan your vicinity in order to find artefacts and stuff. But that can alert the reapers so you'll need to evacuate soon or they'll catch you. Pretty annoying mechanic - luckily one that you don't and probably will not use during the game.

    The one other change is that you're presented with a war room where you can observe the allied power you have recruited. However this part confused me and apart from looking at single bar - indicating probably when you get enough allies for final mission - it's pretty much useless as well.

    Visually it might be a bit better than previous instalments however the animations are quite wonky, especially the running animation - this was even more visible since last game before this I played was Metal Gear Solid V which had superb animations.

    The ending - the most commonly criticized part - is not as bad as I've anticipated, but not good as well. It's just meh.

    Overall there were cool moments but the game didn't capture me. I'm glad I've played it but I don't expect ever coming back to it.    … Expand
  54. JavierTaco
    Jan 17, 2018
    7
    This is a (very) good game. I actually consider this to be the best third person shooter I have ever played. That said, gameplay is not everything, especially when it comes to Mass Effect. While the gameplay has been improved ten-fold, everything else feels... lacking. It's not bad, it's not great, just lacking. I didn't have a huge problem with the ending, I think it's fitting enough, butThis is a (very) good game. I actually consider this to be the best third person shooter I have ever played. That said, gameplay is not everything, especially when it comes to Mass Effect. While the gameplay has been improved ten-fold, everything else feels... lacking. It's not bad, it's not great, just lacking. I didn't have a huge problem with the ending, I think it's fitting enough, but I can definitely see the problems with it.… Expand
  55. KARF4GEN
    May 10, 2018
    7
    Рваная концовка с твистом о восставших машинах и вакханалия с уймой DLC, которые и могут только раскрыть сценарий, просто убивают последнюю часть трилогии.
  56. nWoSkylite21
    Jul 7, 2020
    7
    ME3 was a perfect pay-off game there ever was... up until the end. Such a let down.
  57. Tabbris
    Dec 14, 2019
    7
    Story is good. ME3 is easier for play then me2 or me 1. Music and characters are nice
  58. Viusatina
    Dec 6, 2019
    7
    Мне не очень сильно понравилась эта часть. Не понятно зачем я старался собирать армию, если конец один. Не понятно зачем быть хорошим и плохим, если все равно конец один.
  59. Ryo91
    Apr 22, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Leider 3 Sternabzüge weil die HauptProtagonistin gestorben ist am Ende. Das hat mir gar nicht gefallen. :-(((( Waarum gerade sie.......??? Ist doch quatsch.....
    Denn wenn sie nicht gestorben wäre hätte ich definitiv eine 10 gegeben so ist es leider nur eine 7/10 * geworden.
    Dennoch mein Lieblingsspiel bis auf das Ende was sehr schlecht war.    … Expand
  60. Kluco
    Jun 21, 2020
    7
    While being the weakest game in the trilogy story wise, Mass Effect 3 makes a significant improvement in combat and graphic design. Even with if the ending is very disappointing to many fans you shouldn't write the game off, Mass Effect 3 is still a game worth playing and experiencing.
  61. Hyperfailure
    Nov 27, 2022
    6
    (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
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    ┻━┻ ︵ ＼( °□° )／ ︵ ┻━┻

    ┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)

    (ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ ┻━┻

    ┬──┬ ¯_(ツ)

    ┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻

    ┻━┻ ︵ ¯(ツ)/¯ ︵ ┻━┻

    (╯°Д°）╯︵ /(.□ . )

    ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻
  62. Triggerhappy
    Mar 22, 2012
    5
    I´d just recommend to wait with your purchase until the current controversy subsides. If you´re a fan of the series and want to play now, DO yourself a favour and look up how the game ends, spoilers or no, because you might face serious disappointment. There are polls up within Bioware´s social community that show anywhere between 80-90 percent ofI´d just recommend to wait with your purchase until the current controversy subsides. If you´re a fan of the series and want to play now, DO yourself a favour and look up how the game ends, spoilers or no, because you might face serious disappointment. There are polls up within Bioware´s social community that show anywhere between 80-90 percent of players disappointed with the ending. Just... wait. At the very least, you´ll get the game much, much cheaper one month from now. The user score is so low it´s scary, by the way, I think the game by itself still reaches a decent 5.… Expand
  63. shipo
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    Casey Hudson stated in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show that Mass Effect 3 will complete the story arc of Commander Shepard, and will pull in over 1,000 variables from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 to shape how players experience the final chapter. :-(
    my normal score 7/10 - whit end 0/10 - whit ME1 charackter error -2/10
  64. RiceMuncher
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    Dumbed down story with glaring plotholes that gets bigger as the game goes on. Saved by improved shooting mechanics. Uplifted by a few emotional + wow moments. Finally sank in the end due to the irrepairable logic and IDENTICAL ending cutscenes that invalidates all choices from ME1 onwards. Rest in Peace Bioware. I saw it coming since Dragon Age 2 came outâ
  65. Anthony_2012
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    This is a quality title that is very much let down by a sub-par ending. My Example would be that it starts like the matrix and finishes almost the same as Matrix revolutions.

    It is a great game let down by a incredibly weak ending which to me colors the game in a bad light especially since the company Bioware stated it would end differently. I expect lies from politicians not a video game    This is a quality title that is very much let down by a sub-par ending. My Example would be that it starts like the matrix and finishes almost the same as Matrix revolutions.

    It is a great game let down by a incredibly weak ending which to me colors the game in a bad light especially since the company Bioware stated it would end differently. I expect lies from politicians not a video game company..    … Expand
  66. six30two
    Mar 30, 2012
    6
    The gameplay on this was fantastic, and very similar to Mass Effect 2. However, none of the sidequests or final mission choices have any affect on the endings. Remember in ME2 if you didn't get that upgrade for the ship, it'd kill your engineers? Or how if you didn't send the right guys on the suicide mission, they would die? Yeah, none of that happens. It doesn't matter who you pick orThe gameplay on this was fantastic, and very similar to Mass Effect 2. However, none of the sidequests or final mission choices have any affect on the endings. Remember in ME2 if you didn't get that upgrade for the ship, it'd kill your engineers? Or how if you didn't send the right guys on the suicide mission, they would die? Yeah, none of that happens. It doesn't matter who you pick or what you do, the game ends the same 3 ways. Total Deus Ex: Human Revolution style copout. Gameplay was fun, ending was crap.… Expand
  67. KRHamilton
    Apr 4, 2012
    5
    Mass Effect 3 is a great game for the most part, but is has some critical flaws that eliminate almost all the replay value of the entire series. The biggest problem is the ending which ruins the whole series for me and many other fans because of its low quality, inconsistencies, flawed logic, and clear indication that none of your choices ultimately matter much for a series that requiresMass Effect 3 is a great game for the most part, but is has some critical flaws that eliminate almost all the replay value of the entire series. The biggest problem is the ending which ruins the whole series for me and many other fans because of its low quality, inconsistencies, flawed logic, and clear indication that none of your choices ultimately matter much for a series that requires a minimum of 100 hours from part 1 to part 3, if you complete every quest and mission. The ending goes against one of the most fundamental features of the game series; BioWare continuously advertised the series as one where almost every choice matters. I'm a big fan of Mass Effect 1 and 2, with the exception of planet scanning in part 2; I hated that boring activity. I played through both games at least 5 times including all DLC. Now I feel I wasted hundreds of hours in those games to reach the disappointing conclusion in Mass Effect 3. It's sad to see how far BioWare has declined since they were purchased by EA in late 2007. How could such a wonderful series have deteriorated this much in 5 years?


    I believe the problem is an ongoing issue caused by EA's budget priorities; too much money goes into their marketing of games and not enough to their development studios. Another problem was EA forcing BioWare to add multiplayer late in the development cycle. This took valuable resources from the development of the single player campaign and it shows from beginning to the end with choppy animations, limited character development, greatly reduced number of squad members, over simplified buggy user interface, sound card problems, lackluster quest journal, an excessive number of planet scanning fetch quests, a disappointingly generic final mission, and an unoriginal anticlimactic conclusion. Even the simple ability to holster your weapon when you don't need it was removed. Having to run around safe areas with only allies standing around while being forced point my gun at them is a major immersion killer for me. Also when you holstered your gun it was possible to better appreciate the beautiful and interesting environments in the game and see how cool your armor looks from every angle. A noticeable reduction in quality is the first thought that came to mind from the moment I started my first mission on Mass Effect 3, because of all these issues. The good news is that Mass Effect 3 has many shining moments of brilliance where everything comes together flawlessly. My two favorite parts were the awe inspiring missions in Tuchanka and Rannoch. I also enjoyed most of the conversation topics with Joker, EDI, Garrus, Liara, and Tali. Adding the ability to dodge and dive for cover as well as the melee combat and grabs took the gameplay to a whole new level of fun. I can't recall any other game, in the past 15 years that had so much potential and so utterly squandered it after building up dramatic tension to such an amazing level while getting so many things right across three installments. I purchased and completed all DLC for the trilogy; that is over $250 cash plus my emotional investment in the Mass Effect franchise. I paid $80 for the Mass Effect 3 Digital Deluxe Edition plus sales tax, my most expensive digital download since I started gaming 15 years ago, and it can't be returned for a refund through Origin. I don't feel Mass Effect 3 is a good deal, until at least some of its significant problems are fixed.


    Fortunately, BioWare has promised to investigate issues being reported to them as constructive criticism; I hope they fix the major problems with Mass Effect 3 so I can enjoy this series again.


    I've read rumors that EA plans to charge for fixing the problems with Mass Effect 3; if they planned to charge extra for a better conclusion to a beloved franchise, it would be a new low in the history of gaming. New DLC should only be sold if isn't directly related to fixing the ending.


    To illustrate the problem compare this:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPelM2hwhJA


    To this:


    http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/355/index/10056886


    http://alizrak.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/the-broken-promises-of-mass-effect-3-spoilers/


    Because of the discrepancies between Mass Effect 3 and what was advertised by EA, at least one fan has filed a formal complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission. That is unfortunate, but it shows a level of dissatisfaction with a top rated game that I haven't seen before.


    I love Mass Effect and want it to be remembered in the best possible way. I want it to have replay value as a complete series, because it is the best science fiction interactive entertainment series in the market. There is nothing wrong with improving a product. BioWare doesn't owe it to fans to change Mass Effect 3; they owe it to themselves, after all the hard work they have put in to the series.    … Expand
  68. gmfreeman
    Apr 7, 2012
    5
    As someone who spent over 300 hours playing the first two games in the series, I don't understand how anyone who has played the previous games could possibly have enjoyed an ending full of plot holes, be satisfied with one of "six" possible endings, or the fact that one of the endings seems to be the right one. The limited conversation options and almost complete lack of side missionsAs someone who spent over 300 hours playing the first two games in the series, I don't understand how anyone who has played the previous games could possibly have enjoyed an ending full of plot holes, be satisfied with one of "six" possible endings, or the fact that one of the endings seems to be the right one. The limited conversation options and almost complete lack of side missions makes the game feel rushed, to climax with no conclusion.… Expand
  69. survivor_686
    Apr 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning Spoilers ahead:

    I must admit I eagerly awaited Mass Effect 3. I was eager to see how all my decision from the previous game carried across. Needless to say I left Mass Effect 3 with some very mixed feelings. However one thing I can say is that 95% of the game is amazing. The story is tight, the characters feel alive, the environment has come to life and the weapons feel unique and powerful. That is to say however until the last 15 minutes of the game.

    At the ending the player is treated to what happens to be a complete mistake. The ending breaks all the rules of narrative coherence, contradicts several plot points, introduces alien concepts and characters and creates several plot holes. Regardless of how you played your Shepard, all are treated to the same lackluster, half-baked, ending. Were this any other company it would be understandable. This being Bioware; an entity that has prided on its writing skills, this is shocking. Its as if someone decided to add random, metaphysical concepts in order to generate pointless speculation. This is NOT how one ends a story. Perhaps the best simile for Mass Effect 3 is that of a five star, three course meal. The appetizers whetted your palate, the main courses were splendid and then it was time for dessert. Unfortunately it would seem that someone dropped the dessert, scraped it back up and then threw some crap on top of it. Sure you'll remember the other four amazing courses, but its the crappy dessert that will stay with you. I would consign this game to the rental or discount bin.    … Expand
  70. Vangriffeth
    Jul 5, 2012
    5
    While I enjoyed the game play on its own, it most definitely was not the Mass Effect I remember. This game is to Mass Effect what a personal plane is to a personal jet, good on its own, but not what you wanted.
  71. Vilyn117
    Feb 7, 2013
    7
    This game rightfully earns a 7. And while I could just blabber on about the ending, the subpar game mechanics, and most of the horrendous design choices in general, I'll just sum this review up simply. Don't buy this game for a satisfying single player game, but it for co-op with your friends. Co-op is the only reason I own this game, with a whopping 500 hours played on it, it's fantastic.This game rightfully earns a 7. And while I could just blabber on about the ending, the subpar game mechanics, and most of the horrendous design choices in general, I'll just sum this review up simply. Don't buy this game for a satisfying single player game, but it for co-op with your friends. Co-op is the only reason I own this game, with a whopping 500 hours played on it, it's fantastic. And with free DLC content being added, you can't go wrong. The MP is fantastic in my opinion, and while it doesn't feel "like mass effect" because it's a 3rd person horde mode and not a story driven emotional title, it's fantastically done. Do yourself a favor and skip the campaign.… Expand
  72. makdrumz
    Mar 21, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I over-enjoyed the game. My mistake is that I gave this game an early 10... That is until the moment the harbinger laser hit the party. Honestly i am holding myself a lot not to go berserk and start swearing. So i will keep it...civilized. It not about Shepard's bad fate. I kinda liked it that he died to save the galaxy at any case. What i don't like at all is the whole "Lost" concept. The last 15 minutes of the game IS NOT mass effect. It is a combination of poetry, lucid dreaming, huge (black hole size) plot holes and the message you get after the credits " Congratulations, Shepard destroyed the Reapers and saved the galaxy. You may now continue to play DLC and **** and then you can play just before the attack on Cerberus Base. This proves that there is no "indoctrination" concept and that the end is as it is. I am extremely frustrated with Bioware. You destroyed the trilogy by creating 15 minutes of a total confusion. Maybe the reapers indoctrinated the Bioware staff so they couldn't finish the game. Not to comment the day one DLC: From Ashes. Aye...From Asses that is... Since its coming from EA its definitely " FROM ASSES". Fix it now. Not asking, not petitioning, but...DEMANDING.… Expand
  73. bilbobloodbath
    Apr 19, 2012
    6
    A great journey....until you hit the ending. I thought the game was great in almost every way. There was just two issues I found with game. 1. The Journal. Its a mess....it literally is just a big list that never updates itself so you can find yourself questioning where you got to on the side missions.

    2. The major issue with the game was the ending. The story was well constructed and I    A great journey....until you hit the ending. I thought the game was great in almost every way. There was just two issues I found with game. 1. The Journal. Its a mess....it literally is just a big list that never updates itself so you can find yourself questioning where you got to on the side missions.

    2. The major issue with the game was the ending. The story was well constructed and I was impressed with all the chapters up to but not including the ending. The space casper/deus ex mechanic was an odd choice and while it wasnt the 16 endings Bioware promised I would of accepted it had it not been for the gaping plot holes that riddled the ending, which in turn just made the ending look and feel sloppy. For someone who is really impressed with the universe/franchise they created it really killed my desire to play it again which is in stark contrast to the amount of times I replayed ME1 and ME 2.

    I wish Bioware all the best for the future but Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3 has taught me to be more cautious about accepting what Bioware promises in the future.    … Expand
  74. sovereign007
    Mar 30, 2012
    6
    Mass Effect 3 is one of the best, if not the best, game play experiences in the history of gaming. There isn't a single game that comes close to the quality of storytelling and presentation out there. The problem is that the last 15 minutes of the game throws out the window over 100 hours of game play leading to that point. The ending is a mess. It is horrible, it makes no sense, it isMass Effect 3 is one of the best, if not the best, game play experiences in the history of gaming. There isn't a single game that comes close to the quality of storytelling and presentation out there. The problem is that the last 15 minutes of the game throws out the window over 100 hours of game play leading to that point. The ending is a mess. It is horrible, it makes no sense, it is full of plot holes, it introduces what is effectively and deus ex machina, it resolves nothing of your choices and it provides you with no closure. It is a hideous ending to one of the best sci-fi epics of all time.

    The game itself is amazing, emotional, touching, scary, funny, sometimes all at once. The ending is a bitter, bitter disappointment. Is it worth playing through once? Yes. Is it the ending Mass Effect deserved? Definitely not.    … Expand
  75. dirtyferret
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    good combat, better then ME1
    excellent voice acting
    story is mediocre (better then 1 not as good as 2) poorly optimized for the PC. plays like a direct console port taking little advantage of a PC keyboard
    day one DLC brings nothing to the story previous decisions (from 1 and 2) have little impact in 3
    ending writing is not though out well, poorly written and feels rushed
  76. jimlock
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    Truly... TRULY disappointing. Unfortunately, Bioware's downfall since DA2 is being grandiosely confirmed with ME3.
    The ending is so badly written and laughs at all players who were living in the illusion of "Choice-Matters".
    Not only choice does not matter, but the single... yes SINGLE ending for all Shepherds out there, is shallow, two dimensional and simplistic (yes... not simple). I    Truly... TRULY disappointing. Unfortunately, Bioware's downfall since DA2 is being grandiosely confirmed with ME3.
    The ending is so badly written and laughs at all players who were living in the illusion of "Choice-Matters".
    Not only choice does not matter, but the single... yes SINGLE ending for all Shepherds out there, is shallow, two dimensional and simplistic (yes... not simple).
    I would love to see an ending rewritten, even though the chances for that to happen are very close to 0.    … Expand
  77. stb97
    Mar 28, 2012
    5
    I have to say, I loved Mass Effect 3, or at least I thought I did. The combat is definitely greatly improved, it is now much more fluid, and shooter fans will have an easy transition to this game, as the combat is rewarding and the abilities are much more fun and necessary to be effective on the higher difficulties. On the other hand, for people playing for the story, the combat can beI have to say, I loved Mass Effect 3, or at least I thought I did. The combat is definitely greatly improved, it is now much more fluid, and shooter fans will have an easy transition to this game, as the combat is rewarding and the abilities are much more fun and necessary to be effective on the higher difficulties. On the other hand, for people playing for the story, the combat can be tuned down so that it is still the same shooty-killy action sequence, but it takes significantly less time so you can easily get through to the story driven sections of the game. However, the one part they seemed to have skipped on is exploration, in Mass Effect one, we had the Mako, which provided a plethora of opportunities for exploration and side missions, in Mass Effect 2, we could scan planets, this provided an alternate currency system for upgrading your ship as well as still providing an avenue for side missions. However, in Mass Effect 3, there's really no exploration elements, which takes a sizable chunk of gameplay out of the game, as well as limiting us to the hub stations and the one time mission areas, making the game feel increasingly confined. But the problem with appealing to both the story and combat players, is that neither field seems that amazing, the story was quite frankly shallow with very few side plots or twists, and the combat alone was no where near good enough to carry the entire game. The ending was bad, but it wasn't enough to ruin the game for me, and the multiplayer was just, while enjoyable, a ploy to draw in more customers.… Expand
  78. Ardara
    Jul 7, 2012
    5
    This game feels completely different to his predecessors. Bad writing, plotholes and inconsistencies, a forced storyline, "stagnant" characters and autodialogue really prevented me from enjoying this chapter. It just felt.. wrong. Even without addressing the endings issue. Since ME1 (which I loved) it's been a way down.
  79. Rakshall
    Mar 20, 2012
    6
    To be honest 98% of the game is very good and personally i would place ME3 somewhere between first and second installment of the series. However the last 2% is simply terrible . I don't say ending is bad (I could accept it!) - it simply doesn't fit to the ME universe. It really made me think that i wasted more than 100 hours with trilogy for nothing.
  80. butternut86
    Mar 22, 2012
    5
    Bioware should be ashamed of themselves. This ending was inexcusable. The Deus ex machina explanation for the Reapers and how the Catalyst justified their desruction as a way to save organic's from their own tendencies of destroying themselves was nothing short of ridiculous. Its circular writing, logic and reasoning wrapped into one.

    Let me be clear. 99% of this game is an absolute    Bioware should be ashamed of themselves. This ending was inexcusable. The Deus ex machina explanation for the Reapers and how the Catalyst justified their desruction as a way to save organic's from their own tendencies of destroying themselves was nothing short of ridiculous. Its circular writing, logic and reasoning wrapped into one.

    Let me be clear. 99% of this game is an absolute masterpiece. But the end was so god awful that it actually undermined the brilliance of the entire series. Two things pissed me off in Mass Effect 3, the non-existant closure of the ending, and non-reveal of Tali's face (there was a photo.. but come on) .

    Both are inexcusable, and the ending is pathetic. Personally, Bioware, and its Reaper puppeteer should give its consumers FREE ENDING DLC to try and redeem themselves. I already paid around $200 for all three Mass Effect games including numerous dlc packages. Bioware and EA owe their consumers a decent ending with some closure to the characters, planets and races I've come into contact these past 5 years. Bioware should ashamed. TO SHAME!!!!    … Expand
  81. XnoX
    Mar 20, 2012
    6
    Even more dumbed down and railroaded than ME2, complete with stripped content.

    Sorry, Shepard, but the real ending is in another citadel.

    Oh, and buy moar DLC!
  82. opensauce
    May 28, 2012
    5
    ATW - Another Time Waster..... AMW - Another Money Waster..... I got so excited when I heard the 3rd installment for Mass Effect 3 was coming to town.... My wife even pre-ordered a copy for me for the same date release and play...... BUT.... I was sadly dissapointed. I was so impressed with Mass effect 2's dynamic play, control, featres and RPG type feel to your players, I was certainATW - Another Time Waster..... AMW - Another Money Waster..... I got so excited when I heard the 3rd installment for Mass Effect 3 was coming to town.... My wife even pre-ordered a copy for me for the same date release and play...... BUT.... I was sadly dissapointed. I was so impressed with Mass effect 2's dynamic play, control, featres and RPG type feel to your players, I was certain that ME3 would be that much better....but its not. ME2 you could mine minerals off various planets and solar systems, giving you a feel of control and power, but now, you need to dogde aliens from destroying whilest you basically collect 1 item, if you are lucky from some random planet. The gameplay is very much the same as ME2, altough not a bad thing, it was not enhanced, just the same with slightly different damages.... The story feels more scripted then before too. ME2 I could not put down, had to finish, played it day and night till I did..... ME3, I may have played about 8 hours.... and is not currently installed..... Feel that my money was a waste this time round....... Boo....… Expand
  83. faceless-1
    Aug 13, 2013
    5
    The problem with ME 3 is, that you will need citadel DLC and extended cut to be a good game. Even with these DLC it is still inferior to ME 2. Ending is trash but the rest of the game is ok. Weakest in Mass Effect trilogy by far.
  84. Jimbobbrown
    Aug 21, 2012
    5
    First off the multiplayer is fun, totally enjoyed my time on that even if it is rather limited. Secondly, I have to put the boot in over the single-player part. Its a shame cause its obvious so many people have put such hard work into it. The graphics, programming and overall story arc are fine but let down so fundamentally by the dialogue writers. Half the time I wasn't sure what the hellFirst off the multiplayer is fun, totally enjoyed my time on that even if it is rather limited. Secondly, I have to put the boot in over the single-player part. Its a shame cause its obvious so many people have put such hard work into it. The graphics, programming and overall story arc are fine but let down so fundamentally by the dialogue writers. Half the time I wasn't sure what the hell was supposed to be going on, or why x character had just been bumped off in seemingly quick and nonsensical fashion - I began to find it all rather funny waiting to see who'd get the chop next and how cheap and quickly it could be done. The ending isn't the problem really the whole single player game is poorly designed - the lack of choice, the overly long cut-scenes which the player has no input into, the lack of interesting side missions... fixing the endings won't help this game it needs to be re-booted (we get so many film re-boots, why not game ones?) preferably bring back Drew Karpyshyn too. I loved the first two games but felt compelled to finish this one only cause I had payed money for it, the single player game is that inconsistent and low quality. I rate the game as a five only for the multiplayer content and the hard work put into it by the development team (aside from the writers who seemingly didn't feel they had to trouble themselves too much). I don't blame EA for this, not too fond of origin but at least I got some money's worth out of the multiplay. This mess is totally on Bioware and the first game of theirs i've played were the story was the worst thing about it (aside from DA2 which I missed as it looked so pathetic).… Expand
  85. Rayken
    Aug 4, 2012
    5
    Many people rate this game under 4 because of it's ending. Well, to be honest it had way more problems than the ending alone. The running animations were really bad (especially Anderson's) , there were loads of auto-dialogue which is not acceptable for a game like Mass Effect where dialogue is a gameplay mechanic, wasted potential for characters ( see: Liara as the Shadow Broker) andMany people rate this game under 4 because of it's ending. Well, to be honest it had way more problems than the ending alone. The running animations were really bad (especially Anderson's) , there were loads of auto-dialogue which is not acceptable for a game like Mass Effect where dialogue is a gameplay mechanic, wasted potential for characters ( see: Liara as the Shadow Broker) and killing characters for no reason (see: Legion). Also, the sidequests (or lack thereof). The game had very little sidequests that involved actual gameplay, 75% of the sidequests being fetchquests. Then comes the horrible lore breaking ending. Even with the Extended Cut DLC it still is one of the worst endings to a trilogy I've ever seen. It also has little to no replayability and is extremely linear. Talking about replayability it also destroys the replayability of the other 2 games aswell, seeing as the ending doesn't show the consequences of your choices. The only good part about this game is it's combat, return of weapon mods and actual skill trees. Therefore I rate this game a 5/10.… Expand
  86. troberts92
    Aug 31, 2013
    5
    I played this game for about an hour, walked back into town and traded it straight back in. Being new to the franchise I instantly disliked the clunky-ness of the gameplay and controls. Not as many choices and too many cut-scenes for me to get into the game.
  87. Voodoo123
    Sep 12, 2014
    5
    I highly regret this full price preorder this is one of the few times I have ever pre purchased a videogame believing it a solid bet. I played and completed both ME1 & 2 but something about this title really offended me as PC gamer. The plastic and lifeless visuals coupled with a bland 'illusion of choice' script leaves the characters feeling unrealistic and the locations static. Maybe II highly regret this full price preorder this is one of the few times I have ever pre purchased a videogame believing it a solid bet. I played and completed both ME1 & 2 but something about this title really offended me as PC gamer. The plastic and lifeless visuals coupled with a bland 'illusion of choice' script leaves the characters feeling unrealistic and the locations static. Maybe I have just been spoiled by recent gaming highs (TLOU, GTAV, BF4) but where is the quality this time? Where are 2012 level AAA character animations, voice emotion and smart dialogue. Makes me think then why bother releasing this rubbish? Looks like the space RPG genre still has room on the shelf.
    Highly regret this purchase.    … Expand
  88. JaydenPickens
    May 16, 2019
    6
    This game makes me sad. EA and Bioware f**ked it up. While most of the game is fun and I do love it, love all the characters, missions are nice, gameplay is garbage (but that's to be expected), there's just one thing, that makes me sick... it's the endings. I played the game with all the dlcs, so I didn't knew what was in the vanilla version of the game, but now I know. They've cut tooThis game makes me sad. EA and Bioware f**ked it up. While most of the game is fun and I do love it, love all the characters, missions are nice, gameplay is garbage (but that's to be expected), there's just one thing, that makes me sick... it's the endings. I played the game with all the dlcs, so I didn't knew what was in the vanilla version of the game, but now I know. They've cut too much stuff. Also the endings are awful... all of them. The Indoctrination Theory kinda saves it, but still it's not what I'd expect. Admit it, these guys didn't know what they were doing. EA should have given them at least a year more to finish this game... or even two or three years to actually write some decent endings. I'm disappointed in this game, because I'm dissapointed in its story... I only played for the story and got this. Still, I liked most of the game... just hate the endings. Also let's celebrate the death of Marauder Shields with a minute of silence as he was the only one who tried to save us from these horrid endings... Pickens out.… Expand
  89. Armis
    Mar 21, 2012
    7
    Just echoing what I'm sure many others have said. The game itself is OK. It's not nearly the 10 that bought off critics seem to be giving it. It's simply a mediocre shooter with above average dialogue. But. The ending. Not only is it amazingly bad, but in order to make it even slightly less **** you'd have to grind at the horde-mode multi-player. In a single-player game. Boycotting BiowareJust echoing what I'm sure many others have said. The game itself is OK. It's not nearly the 10 that bought off critics seem to be giving it. It's simply a mediocre shooter with above average dialogue. But. The ending. Not only is it amazingly bad, but in order to make it even slightly less **** you'd have to grind at the horde-mode multi-player. In a single-player game. Boycotting Bioware from now on.… Expand
  90. TobyTucker
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    While I can certainly see the point of those giving this a 0 score to send a message to EA/BioWare over the DLC issue and the way the ending seems to be tacked on by people who have no idea what Mass Effect is all about, I can't honestly do that. But I didn't give it a terribly high score either because this COULD have been a truly great game. Unfortunately it seems to have been pushed outWhile I can certainly see the point of those giving this a 0 score to send a message to EA/BioWare over the DLC issue and the way the ending seems to be tacked on by people who have no idea what Mass Effect is all about, I can't honestly do that. But I didn't give it a terribly high score either because this COULD have been a truly great game. Unfortunately it seems to have been pushed out the door before it was completely ready. It also appears to have been "dumbed down" as far as its RPG elements go in order to appeal to a mass audience. Knowing what I know now, I would have waited until it went on sale instead of paying full price. Hopefully, with a patch or two, perhaps a (free) DLC to fix the ending and this game will live up to its full potential. Seeing as I have the PC version there's always the chance that modders will come to the rescue! It just a shame that a game with such promise turned out the way it did.… Expand
  91. wombatman10
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    Good combat and fresh characters are sadly ruined by the lack of meaning for long term fans. Major decisions from the first two games are made so meaningless they are expressed with single dialogues and some (rachni and Councillor) are completely ignored and explained with an unsatisfactory explanation. Possibly a good standalone game but fans of the Mass Effect series can only be leftGood combat and fresh characters are sadly ruined by the lack of meaning for long term fans. Major decisions from the first two games are made so meaningless they are expressed with single dialogues and some (rachni and Councillor) are completely ignored and explained with an unsatisfactory explanation. Possibly a good standalone game but fans of the Mass Effect series can only be left feeling disappointed and wanting more.… Expand
  92. bronzerev
    Mar 17, 2012
    6
    On the whole, this is a fantastic game with a clear improvement in combat mechanics, conversation structure and graphics. Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) and Sam Hulick (Mass Effect 1 & 2, Red Orchestra 2) provide a powerful and emotive soundtrack; however Jack Wallâ
  93. CLUTCH
    Nov 21, 2012
    5
    In some respects I enjoyed this game. In others, I absolutely loathed it. I'll start with what I enjoyed. I enjoyed the multiplayer...Weirdly, I enjoyed it more than the game. It's quite addictive...and then I enjoyed...Damn...Catching up with characters from the series I guess...That's about it.

    The SP campaign felt like a real chore to me. The textures were pathetic in places. Pretty    In some respects I enjoyed this game. In others, I absolutely loathed it. I'll start with what I enjoyed. I enjoyed the multiplayer...Weirdly, I enjoyed it more than the game. It's quite addictive...and then I enjoyed...Damn...Catching up with characters from the series I guess...That's about it.

    The SP campaign felt like a real chore to me. The textures were pathetic in places. Pretty much no graphical options on the PC. The animations are laughable sometimes. Lots of clipping. There are a ton of bugs and glitches that I encountered and a few random freezes/crashes. The cover system is a completely broken mess. The writing was half-assed. Getting through the game to see the conclusion was a massive chore and not really fun at all. Regardless of any of your choices, there are only 3 endings with very slight variations. None of them are satifiying, and if you want to see a different one from the one you chose the first time, you have to sit through about half an hour of unskippable cutscenes and painfully...Really painfully slow 'gameplay'. I am not kidding, I actually put a weight on my keyboard, on the 'w' , went and made a cup of coffee and came back and I had only just arrived at where I needed to get to...Really, REALLY poor design, story and gameplay decisions...It just feels incredibly unpolished and unrefined, and generally a step back from the 2nd game. My guess is that they had nearly everyone in Bioware working on their Star Wars title and ME3 was pretty much thrown together.    … Expand
  94. Gamtu
    Aug 20, 2012
    5
    The length of the game is acceptable. The graphics quality is poor. Including aliasing and lack of realism and no way for high end pc's to significantly adjust for it (likely because of monetary greed with no other focus in mind). The game play quality has been reduced from previous releases (likely because of monetary greed with no other focus in mind). For instance planet scanningThe length of the game is acceptable. The graphics quality is poor. Including aliasing and lack of realism and no way for high end pc's to significantly adjust for it (likely because of monetary greed with no other focus in mind). The game play quality has been reduced from previous releases (likely because of monetary greed with no other focus in mind). For instance planet scanning has been all but removed. When you find a planet that can be scanned any items from the planet are recovered with probes only. You never actually fight for the scanned items you simply live or die. Living through it is quite easy to do. A lot of adventure was removed from the game because of this. I thought it felt like an easter egg hunt in a big hotel, all the rooms are identical and so are the eggs. The eggs are just hidden in different places in each room. This game is not an RPG it is an action game with a sprinkle of role play. I thought the ending fit in well with the rest of the game. I didn't like the ending or dislike it. I'm glad I didn't pay release day price for this game. These days those of us PC gamers really have to be cautious of paying release day price. I've found that the pain of disappointment is significantly reduced by waiting for price drops. Still I probably should've waited a bit longer.… Expand
  95. xminus
    Apr 15, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have thought about what could be said about Mass Effect 3. I really wanted to like this game, I believe Mass Effect 1 was and still is the greatest Sci-Fi Rpg ever made. The second Mass Effect improved the fighting system and neutered the Rpg side of the game into oblivion. Mass Effect 2 was an adventure game that was just a fair game. But Bioware made it a lot better with dlc I played it again before the release of Mass Effect 3, it was long, the story made more sense. All in all it turned out to be a good game even though it was not the Rpg Masterpiece Mass Effect 1 was. Mass Effect 3, where does it fit into this? The problem is it does not. Seeing all the characters from the previous games was cool regardless of where the story took us. But the story only took us to the end. The big deal that everyone has made about the end? Silly you say? Bioware started it, the whole game is about the end, even when it is not being said, you feel it this is the end of the story. My seven year old daughter has that figured out. This is Bioware fault for making such a big thing about the end. With every step you know you are closer, with every familiar face you realize this is the last time you are going to see them. That is the story they choose to tell. They choose to shortcut any real story about what was going on, and made it about the journey to the end. If this game was the first in the series you would not see the inflated gamer scores on some of the web sites out there. You know who you are! ( Now Hang Your Head in Shame) this game is the first game that should be scored differently even though the story was bad, really bad. Even though the plot mechanics were bad, like talking to someone turning away and walking away only to find them sitting in the other room. Sliding down the ladder only to see you team at the bottom waiting for you, why did I have to deal with the ladder? And did not get to use magic like my team members? But seriously the art in this game is fantastic, it makes it a must own just for the art and environments the level designers created. The artist and level designers should start there own company. And hire some good writers to showcase their awesome work. They were truly trying to make a great game, this is where the artist integrity was, in the art, not in the lame story or half baked ending. That Bioware is still claiming that was in the writing of the end of a great story that spanned two Mass Effect games and was totally absent in the third one. Can Bioware fix the story, only if they can face the story and plot problems they created. But last I heard they just plan to explain the out of character bad ending just a little better, what ever that means. I am giving Mass Effect 3 a 6 score. I apologize to the artist's for the low score. I apologize to the writers for the high score, twice what you deserved. I really hope the writers can redeem themselves for plot holes that you could drive a truck through. But only time will tell.… Expand
  96. Nauglamir
    Apr 5, 2012
    5
    I won't add to it any further. Some of the reviews down here do already get to the point of what was wrong with this game. To summarize it, the settings in the game along with the streamlined dialogues do lack any depths, while the graphics are blatantly dragged from the previous game, with no polishing whatsoever and at times performing low frame-rate levels. From the second half of theI won't add to it any further. Some of the reviews down here do already get to the point of what was wrong with this game. To summarize it, the settings in the game along with the streamlined dialogues do lack any depths, while the graphics are blatantly dragged from the previous game, with no polishing whatsoever and at times performing low frame-rate levels. From the second half of the game onward, the main plot rises to an acceptable level of narration, only to sink as it draws near to the end. The gameplay is nothing special either. It's mostly fine, but it's clunky and way too "shooterized". Basically, the game has been simplified in order to reach a wider console audience, while the end, sadly enough, encourage the players to buying new DLCs to get further information about the fate of the galaxy. As a result, i recommend purchasing it on budget in the next months to come, as it still delivers some good stories on the mass effect universe, though lacking a major consistency.… Expand
  97. JPLazyNinja
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    On the Gameplay/Combat side this game holds its own when compared to Gears of Wars- the mother of all cover-based shooters. And there in lies a disturbing tendency- ME3 is feeling more like Gears of Wars and less like Mass Effect. The RPG and story aspects are much more marginalized in this installment to speak nothing of its conclusion to this series.
  98. oliver1h
    Feb 7, 2013
    5
    What to say that has not been said already? Importing your save files from the previous games is a must... Meeting old friends, and doing missions with them was the biggest fun for me. The story was decent, even some characters were total clichés (Kai Leng the Asian space ninja for example...). The combat was slightly improved compared to ME1 and ME2, but the cover system remained aWhat to say that has not been said already? Importing your save files from the previous games is a must... Meeting old friends, and doing missions with them was the biggest fun for me. The story was decent, even some characters were total clichés (Kai Leng the Asian space ninja for example...). The combat was slightly improved compared to ME1 and ME2, but the cover system remained a litttle crunchy. RPG elements felt a little less developed than in ME2 (Renegade options for example were pure evil...They could have balanced the reputation system a little more...). Everything else basically remained the same as it were in ME2. I think the developers stayed on a safe ground on purpose. The music and sound effect were really good. Now let's talk about the infamous ending. Well they really screwed this up, and the "Extended cut" did not really makes it much better (When I first finished the ME3 my gaming experience was ruined...They can not make that back anyways with some cheap slide show, sugar coating stuff!) About the indoctrination theory! I think the developers at one point (might ...not sure) wanted to implement it, but they did not....The theory is now refused by Bioware and EA so it is not part of the original Canon. Overall a decent game that stays in the safe path, with a bad ending. Could have been the best science fiction game trilogy ever, but they failed!… Expand
  99. Docjam
    Mar 7, 2012
    6
    I'm lukewarm for this game. While the gameplay is good and the story is passable as a stand alone game, it is wholly disappointing as the highly anticipated conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy. The first game was very ambitious and had a lot of promise. It toted that decisions made in the game would affect the fate of the galaxy, and with the second game, it was much hyped that theseI'm lukewarm for this game. While the gameplay is good and the story is passable as a stand alone game, it is wholly disappointing as the highly anticipated conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy. The first game was very ambitious and had a lot of promise. It toted that decisions made in the game would affect the fate of the galaxy, and with the second game, it was much hyped that these decisions would carry through multiple games and have meaningful consequences. One of the largest failings in this game is that once again, Bioware failed to deliver on those consequences of decisions. If someone had been killed off, someone who fills the same role just with a different name takes their place and does the exact same thing. Not to mention I am quite disappointed that despite my efforts to save my Mass Effect 2 squadmates that I found interesting and had grown attached to, none of them save the ones that were also in the first Mass Effect can become part of my squad. Several survive their missions and become "war assets" and yet, they cannot fight with me? Why? It feels so cheap and lazy of Bioware to have just pushed them aside in favor of some morose looking guido. The squadmate I romanced was reduced to cameos, Legion, who I had barely gotten to utilize in Mass Effect 2 due to the timing of his recruitment, yet had grown to like and was very excited to use again, "sacrifices" himself, just like Mordin, just like Thane, it gets old just killing off characters instead of rewarding people for having saved them in ME2 as optional squad members.

    On another note, I have no problem with homosexuality, that's your own choice.. but I think Bioware has gone TOO far with pushing it in your face in this installment. It doesn't feel natural to the characters. In Mass Effect, homosexuality was limited to just the Asari and it wasn't true homosexuality in that case anyway. Same in Mass Effect 2 though Aria makes a comment suggesting Shepard find a nice girl, or a nice boy, and Kelly is bi. Suddenly in Mass Effect 3 EVERYONE is now gay. I have a gay squadmate, I have a gay yeoman, I have a gay shuttle pilot, NPC's all over are talking about their same sex spouses, there's a gay female soldier in purgatory.. it's like there's some galaxy wide reaper indoctrination effect that makes everyone homosexual so all organics stop breeding and the reapers win no matter the outcome of the war (only the Krogans seem to be amped about breeding). In Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, I commonly had female NPC's flirt with me, in Mass Effect 3, I have yet to have a woman flirt with my maleshep aside from my romance interest from Mass Effect 2 and the news reporter on my ship. I THOUGHT Trayner was an option, but she says she's a lesbian instead. Meanwhile I have men hitting on me left and right.

    Bioware tries way too hard for this demographic and it feels forced and detracts from the gameplay. Having Kaiden be potentially gay and a few other NPC's would have been enough. Bioware obviously hasn't learned their lesson on this from Dragon Age II. Same gender romance options should be available as OPTIONS, but never thrown in your face everywhere you look,. An entire character's background story should never revolve around their sexual orientation either (as it was with Cortez)    … Expand
  100. Korisana
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 was meant to and succeeds in ending the Shepard storyline. While Bioware has fine-tuned aspects of the game, such as less time consuming planet exploration, other areas have not been as lucky. As of about a week after release, there are noticeable bugs and glitches which include randomly getting stuck in open areas and graphical glitches. None really detract from the game-play but they are fairly noticeable. An area in which Bioware succeeded with ME3 is storyline. The main plot is well done, for the most part, and does make you feel as if the galaxy really was coming to an end with the Reapers. Side quests, however, have suffered brutally in ME3. Gone are many ME 1/2 side quests which involve landing on a planet or ship for a small map-based mission. Instead, you pick up random side quests simply by over-hearing NPC's talking on the Citadel. you then head to a destination, scan a planet, launch a probe and head back. That's it. The biggest mistake Bioware has made in ME3 is the ending. The entire series as been fun and a wonderful "Space Opera" type of story. However, it all falls apart in the final few minutes. Specifically the choices you have to make. While the choices and Shepard's eventual fate is dark, fitting in with the overall theme of this third game, overall they don't make sense. Nothing is explained about what happens after your victory or defeat. There is also a distinct lack of continuity in the ending. In the final part of the game, all of your ME3 squad is on Earth, yet somehow several are see emerging from a crashed Normandy just before the credits roll.

    Overall the game is worth buying if you can deal with major story issues at the end.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
5
#5 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. CPUGamer
    Apr 11, 2012
    90
    BioWare captures the scale of the conflict well, but always focuses on the people involved in it. It's pretty amazing just how badly EA disregarded the heart of the game – the characters and the world – when they began their marking blitzkrieg, but don't worry, it's oh so definitely there – Day 1 DLC, controversial endings, and questionable use of resources be damned. This is a fine, lovingly crafted game with a clear vision despite the realities of corporations and damning business practices.
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  2. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 5, 2012
    80
    A game that's more shooter than role-playing, and a conclusion that's more spectacular than dramatic. [Apr 2012, p.47]
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  3. Absolute Games
    Mar 31, 2012
    85
    Finishing a trilogy is always difficult. Tying off dozens of story threads which had been woven by players into many different tapestries is a daunting task. Mass Effect 3 is the first game that succeeded at this colossal undertaking.
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