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. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    Mass Effect 3 is a good game, but ultimately a disappointing capstone to a stellar trilogy. It's high points are among the highest of any in Bioware's catalogue, but there are so many narrative problems surrounding them. Bioware couldn't make key friends too relevant to the game because they may be dead from the prior game, leaving many of the games most emotionally engaging stories aMass Effect 3 is a good game, but ultimately a disappointing capstone to a stellar trilogy. It's high points are among the highest of any in Bioware's catalogue, but there are so many narrative problems surrounding them. Bioware couldn't make key friends too relevant to the game because they may be dead from the prior game, leaving many of the games most emotionally engaging stories a little listless. It has incredible peaks in its writing and incredible valleys, and has largely lost track of the original themes of the first game. It does boast some high quality combat mechanics that really shine in the weirdly high quality multiplayer mode. Overall a mediocre game elevated by its older siblings.… Expand
  2. AJCk19
    May 6, 2023
    6
    For something that was supposed to be far more advance than the 1st two games. It retro acted a lot of the story and didn't live up to a lot of marketing promises. However, the team did try to fix some of their mistakes through dlc.

    Gameplay was great, but the long term investment into the story didn't pay off. So a 5 star out of 10 (half for half) seems fair to me. Although, devs did    For something that was supposed to be far more advance than the 1st two games. It retro acted a lot of the story and didn't live up to a lot of marketing promises. However, the team did try to fix some of their mistakes through dlc.

    Gameplay was great, but the long term investment into the story didn't pay off. So a 5 star out of 10 (half for half) seems fair to me. Although, devs did try to come back and fix the story. I'll give it +1.5 more star on top of that. Metacritic doesn't allow half points, so a 6 it is.    … Expand
  3. Naked_Snakee
    Apr 7, 2023
    6
    Just text (crutch) to save the game to the list. Such things. Maybe I'll do a review later.
  4. Opex28
    Mar 29, 2023
    6
    Первый умный был детина, средний был тоже умный, третий вовсе был дурак (отсылка на русские народные сказки)
    Не поймите меня неправильно. 3 часть отнюдь не плохая, а очень добротная игра. Не имей эта игра в названии приставку Mass Effect, то и оценка была бы выше. Но первые 2 части задали поистине космическую планку, достигнуть которую не могут спустя даже 10 лет.
    Ну и конечно "светофор"    Первый умный был детина, средний был тоже умный, третий вовсе был дурак (отсылка на русские народные сказки)
    Не поймите меня неправильно. 3 часть отнюдь не плохая, а очень добротная игра. Не имей эта игра в названии приставку Mass Effect, то и оценка была бы выше. Но первые 2 части задали поистине космическую планку, достигнуть которую не могут спустя даже 10 лет.
    Ну и конечно "светофор" в конце. Не такого фанаты ожидали... Да и объяснение мотивации Жнецов это просто детский лепет. Мы [Спойлер] вас, что бы вы не [Спойлер] сами себя..
    К сожалению с этой части наша любимая игра начала угасать как Солнце Хестрома (кто знает, какая концовка была по Дрю Карпишину поймет о чем я)    … Expand
  5. Hyperfailure
    Nov 27, 2022
    6
    (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
    ┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(°□°ヽ)

    ┻━┻ ︵ ＼( °□° )／ ︵ ┻━┻

    ┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)

    (ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ ┻━┻

    ┬──┬ ¯_(ツ)

    ┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻

    ┻━┻ ︵ ¯(ツ)/¯ ︵ ┻━┻

    (╯°Д°）╯︵ /(.□ . )

    ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻
  6. TastieToasty
    Nov 2, 2022
    7
    War is depressing.
    The feel of the game is completly diffrent compared to the other games.
    FOV is embarrasing You cant Holster your weapons anymore it feels more like a big Cod Campaign and not a true Roleplaygame. and your decisions didnt really matter from ME2. the DLC's are also terrible, the omega dlc was boring and long. I thought you could visit it again but nope you cant.    War is depressing.
    The feel of the game is completly diffrent compared to the other games.

    FOV is embarrasing
    You cant Holster your weapons anymore
    it feels more like a big Cod Campaign and not a true Roleplaygame.
    and your decisions didnt really matter from ME2.

    the DLC's are also terrible, the omega dlc was boring and long.
    I thought you could visit it again but nope you cant.
    the citadel is also really small compared and there arent any mayor areas where you can walk like in ME2.

    as I said it really feels like a big COD campaing and not like a RPG anymore, the holstering is also a big issue for me in this regards.

    Mass effect 5 is in development, it will even have old characters like Liara.

    Oh God, I am really worried because the REAL Bioware is GONE.
    only the name and legacy remains.    … Expand
  7. Amorph0us
    Jan 8, 2022
    7
    Other than the disappointing finale, I found it very amusing. The design was top notch. I am not sure it deserves the hate.
  8. 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
  9. relampago
    Aug 30, 2020
    6
    O jogo no geral é bom mas com um final completamente estragado pelos escritores passa ao lado de ser excelente
  10. 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
  11. nWoSkylite21
    Jul 7, 2020
    7
    ME3 was a perfect pay-off game there ever was... up until the end. Such a let down.
  12. 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.
  13. bancandrei
    May 14, 2020
    7
    This game has a rather bad reputation and I feel it is completely unjustified. It is a fitting conclusion. If the indoctrination theory is to be believed it is outstandingly awesome, but that feels a bit like retrofitting. It is a step back from ME 2 towards the original and I can only support the decision. I feel that a few minor tweaks would have made it universally appraised and one ofThis game has a rather bad reputation and I feel it is completely unjustified. It is a fitting conclusion. If the indoctrination theory is to be believed it is outstandingly awesome, but that feels a bit like retrofitting. It is a step back from ME 2 towards the original and I can only support the decision. I feel that a few minor tweaks would have made it universally appraised and one of the best games of all time.… Expand
  14. 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
  15. Wiebe
    Feb 27, 2020
    6
    The end of BioWare as we knew it, it was going downhill for some time, but boy. The gameplay is still good, characters interesting, but the simple build op your forces thing that they also tried with DA:I is just a lazy way of content creation by making a lot of content that is repetitive and meaningless, and yes the ending is just terrible, sloppy and unimaginative.
  16. laertan
    Feb 3, 2020
    5
    Bad new characters, weak story with no logic in it, boring cliche dialogues ("how bad is it" - "it is bad" - "we will fight back" for 60% of conversations), and final which I can't describe other then as an insult. Combat system is more or less close to ME2, and there are some nice continuations of small stories / relationships from previous chapters - thats the only reason I gave it 3Bad new characters, weak story with no logic in it, boring cliche dialogues ("how bad is it" - "it is bad" - "we will fight back" for 60% of conversations), and final which I can't describe other then as an insult. Combat system is more or less close to ME2, and there are some nice continuations of small stories / relationships from previous chapters - thats the only reason I gave it 3 points. DLC are responsible for other 2 points.… Expand
  17. Tabbris
    Dec 14, 2019
    7
    Story is good. ME3 is easier for play then me2 or me 1. Music and characters are nice
  18. 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.
  19. Vanco
    Jun 4, 2019
    6
    Unfortunately choices made in the previous games have little impact on the ending, Improved combat system compared to ME 2.
  20. 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
  21. Sandro86
    May 15, 2019
    7
    If it was not for forced online part and the unsatisfying ending to the trilogy I would have gladly given this game 8 out of ten.
  22. Bloov
    Feb 17, 2019
    7
    Разочаровывающий финал трилогии. Это вдвойне обидно из-за наличия в целом отличных механик и отличного сетевого режима. Советую по прилёту на Землю в самом конце игры, просто перезапускать и начинать новую, не нужна вам эта концовка, не нужна.Разочаровывающий финал трилогии. Это вдвойне обидно из-за наличия в целом отличных механик и отличного сетевого режима. Советую по прилёту на Землю в самом конце игры, просто перезапускать и начинать новую, не нужна вам эта концовка, не нужна.
  23. RadReviewer
    Feb 8, 2019
    5
    The combat is polished, the graphics are beautiful, the story is fine, the last 20 minutes trash everything we knew and love about mass effect. In addition, it turns out that decisions were not actually decisions and you would be streamlined into 1 of 3 decisions you didn't actually want/need to make. Such as sad outcome for a franchise with the potential to be the greatest franchise of all time
  24. rpggamer2015
    Jan 26, 2019
    7
    Honestly, I think that current rating (5.7) is unfair. Yes, the game certainly has it's shortcomings - and even more it had when it was just launched - but now it's possible to get... well... more decent ending.
    Obvious pros of this game are great mechanics and technical execution - it's the most dynamic game in the whole series in terms of combat and the graphics are still good. DLCs    Honestly, I think that current rating (5.7) is unfair. Yes, the game certainly has it's shortcomings - and even more it had when it was just launched - but now it's possible to get... well... more decent ending.
    Obvious pros of this game are great mechanics and technical execution - it's the most dynamic game in the whole series in terms of combat and the graphics are still good. DLCs addressed a lot of problems of the original game.    … Expand
  25. 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.
  26. GarethB
    Oct 21, 2018
    6
    I was on board with all that was happening until the ending... what a flat non experience. The mechanics of the game work well and you really feel the oppressive nature of the invasion, but it ends up feeling really hollow...
  27. boredboredbored
    Sep 27, 2018
    7
    If you ignore the last ten minutes of this game, it might be one of the best I've ever played. Unfortunately, the ending is a flaming trash-pile that disregards the philosophical themes of the series. Ignoring this, the combat is visceral, the characterization is detailed and believable, and atmosphere is both desperate and poignant. There's also finally a good balance between variety andIf you ignore the last ten minutes of this game, it might be one of the best I've ever played. Unfortunately, the ending is a flaming trash-pile that disregards the philosophical themes of the series. Ignoring this, the combat is visceral, the characterization is detailed and believable, and atmosphere is both desperate and poignant. There's also finally a good balance between variety and focus when it comes to items and management of equipment. I give this game a cautious recommendation.… Expand
  28. 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.
  29. post_no_bills
    Mar 4, 2018
    5
    A very strange combination of bad design and good execution. It's a difficult game to review. And I suppose that reviewing it at this late date is pointless, but it feels sort of cathartic.

    I just finished playing (and "finished" in this context means "gave up on") Mass Effect: Andromeda, and thought I would go back and give this one another try. Time has, I believe, given a bit    A very strange combination of bad design and good execution. It's a difficult game to review. And I suppose that reviewing it at this late date is pointless, but it feels sort of cathartic.

    I just finished playing (and "finished" in this context means "gave up on") Mass Effect: Andromeda, and thought I would go back and give this one another try. Time has, I believe, given a bit more perspective on ME3, and of course the added DLC has provided more depth.

    The individual elements of the game are actually pretty good. The graphics are good, the combat is good, the DLC is good, the game is generally well engineered. But these, mostly (excepting the DLC), are generally just incremental improvements from the last games.

    And then, unfortunately, there are the creative aspects. The creative decisions on story arc, the choices on companions, and - of course - the ending. Those are simply disappointing.

    I found it more that a bit disappointing that almost all the romantic interests from ME2 were effectively cut from ME3. Well, OK, not "cut" per se, but reduced in scope to meaningless. So much for emotional investment.

    It was also more than a bit disappointing that all of your choices narrowed down to...nothing. Good or evil, everyone ends up in the exact same place. That certainly makes a mockery of any choices you agonized over, as well as failing to align with any of the world's religions. Again, so much for emotional investment.

    Lastly, the ending. I will admit that the revisions they made after release changed the ending from absolutely terrible to simply disappointing, but disappointing nonetheless.

    So...a serviceable game, but not the equal of its predecessors. Disappointing.

    So...ME3...Andromeda...after killing two games I wonder what Mac Walters is doing now?    … Expand
  30. 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
  31. Trenos
    Nov 29, 2017
    7
    Mass Effect 3 is good game. I think is even better than first ME. Gameplay has been improved, there is still some good characters but it's no secret that the plot is worse than the other Mass Effect. But it's good game after all.
  32. Genezi
    Jun 10, 2017
    7
    Great game. i have spent a lot of time on this title. It has a great story with memorable characters. Good gameplay with lots of possibilities during missions and best cut scenes with good dialogs.
  33. MeritCoba
    May 31, 2017
    5
    Is the Mass Effect trilogy as good as people make it out to be when criticizing Andromeda?
    I haven't played Andromeda, so I can't say from experience how good or bad it is, but to say that the Mass Effect Trilogy was better seems to me more an attempt to spite Andromeda rather than draw a fair comparison. Take ME 3 as an example.
    Rehash of Lord of the Rings. All the mass effect    Is the Mass Effect trilogy as good as people make it out to be when criticizing Andromeda?
    I haven't played Andromeda, so I can't say from experience how good or bad it is, but to say that the Mass Effect Trilogy was better seems to me more an attempt to spite Andromeda rather than draw a fair comparison. Take ME 3 as an example.

    Rehash of Lord of the Rings.
    All the mass effect episodes based on Lord of the Rings. There is a threat on an epic scale against which only you can do something special to defeat it(ME1: Conduit; ME2: IFF, ME3: Crucible). Nobody appreciates the seriousness of the threat, either because nobody believes you(ME1) or trusts you(ME2/3) or because of politics(ALL). You have to gather forces and support often against the odds(ALL). The enemy always has some very powerful fighters(Ringwraiths) and corrupts your allies(ALL). Every next episode you have lost your hero status and nobody believes you even though by ME3 you have thrown the damn ring into mount doom twice.
    The only difference is that ME1 has actually got an interesting adversary with a personal story(Saren) and an interesting arch nemesis(Sovereign), while ME3 has nobody(no the illusive man isn't interesting and has no personal story and Kai Leng is a misplaced character).

    Boring side missions and ambush tactics.
    ME3 basically follows two paths: the central story and side missions. The central story leads to situations which are at least interesting.
    It is, however, the side missions which are trite. They follow the same pattern almost every time. You enter an area that is clearly set up for multiplayer games, you have to pick up something or activate/deactivate something which will trigger an ambush, which consists of enemies appearing out of thin air and sometimes on top of you. Most of the time you can't setup for defense because they play a movie that takes you and your squad mates out of cover.
    This pattern of springing ambushes plagues the whole game and is the single most mechanism it uses, even in the main battles. I don't mind ambushes once in a while, but using it in almost every encounter is aggravating.
    To extend the often brief encounters, they have you look around for upgrades that are spread around over the area and which can't be bought. Imagine five minutes of battle followed by few more minutes of you roaming around to find stuff, then going to the next area doing five minutes of battle and searching that area again. If it wasn't for the need for upgrades, the money, and the experience, I would have skipped these boring missions altogether.
    What is even worse is that almost every side missions ends with Admiral Hackett telling you that they will send a special team to the place you just liberated or conquered to protect it against further enemy incursions.

    Exploration dud
    All three ME have you explore the galaxy. Which sounds great, but in practice are fetch quests of the most annoying kind. In ME 3 it comes down to having to find planets while dodging pursuit and battling fuel shortage to find war assets, credits, and items. There is not feel of exploration. Planets are just presented as a picture with a side story.

    Unskippable story sequences
    The game is beset with unskippable movies. Which is okay unless you want to try out classes or have to redo a battle. You can only try a class after having watched ten minutes of babble.

    Limited Squadmates
    ME 3 has the gall to offer you only four squadmates to pick from or possibly six depending on how you play out a certain encounter or decided on someone. All the others are from DLC's, temporary or dependent on your save game from ME2. Some DLC's are still not free up to this day!

    Boring Classes
    The classes in ME have a few effective powers and so you to do the same thing every time. The only other way of playing is to play a different class, which forces you through ten minutes of unskippable sequences.

    The ending
    I don't mind the ending itself, but to force a favorable ending by having you collect all war assets is downright bad, especially when you have to import a savegame from a previous game to have a better chance for a good end. This forces a player to do all the boring side missions and the trite exploration and play through another game. Endings should depend on story choices and, possible, strategic decisions.

    Kai Leng
    A special mention of badness is Kai Leng, which is a character dropped into the game from some Asian setting with Katana, who is so obviously scripted not to die and be awesome cool at your expense. You're expense because you are scripted to be stupid when faced with his awesomeness.

    ME3 is a mediocre game at best and hailing the whole trilogy as superior to Andromeda seems laughable: ME has always been mediocre. so it is no surprise if Andromeda is mediocre too. But then again I haven't played Andromeda so I can't judge.

    There is much more to tell, but I ran out of space.
    Re-evaluated in 2017    … Expand
  34. Rev-nok
    May 12, 2017
    6
    Jumping right into here!

    Story --------- The story in Mass Effect 3 is the ending of a trilogy, and by so there’s a lot lost for those that haven’t played the previous games and I would recommend anyone coming to play the series not to start with the third as it looses a lot of its depth and meaning. However for those that don’t have a save and yet have played the other games, well    Jumping right into here!

    Story
    ---------
    The story in Mass Effect 3 is the ending of a trilogy, and by so there’s a lot lost for those that haven’t played the previous games and I would recommend anyone coming to play the series not to start with the third as it looses a lot of its depth and meaning. However for those that don’t have a save and yet have played the other games, well that’s up to you. I played my first playthrough with a save and liked it, I did it this time without and preferred it over the other.

    Having played this game twice over, I found myself liking the second time more. Which I give it a lot of credit for. From what I’ve read is that people dislike the shadow sequences of the story, in which I have to disagree. It doesn’t just give a great ending to a trilogy it also shows a side of game you don’t often see, the deep artistic side of storytelling. However, taking the opinions of others into account, I can see where they might be coming from. As the same with watching a movie, you expect a certain type of movie from certain series.

    The lack of choices in the other as well, good and true. Having only around three large choices, in all of it. One of which turns into three branches. With an over collection of points that don’t actually give you anything at all in the end. Which is regretfully bad.

    Considering all the points at hand and a strong personal opinion for the artistic I’d give the story a strong 8.

    Graphics & Animations
    ----------
    Alright, frankly this can always be a bit difficult to come back to. Having played ME:A and games like Witcher 3 and coming back to criticize it can be next to impossible. So instead I am rating the graphics not on how they are but how they aged.

    The aging of the graphics is done well, there isn’t a point where you feel that this or that is bad. Apart from perhaps some shadow quality, which I ain’t too picky about as well as some outfitting on the stale side characters.

    The graphics especially the cinematics in the game are astounding and live well up its time, so if you're concerned about graphics holding up, having played to many older games and just haven’t been able to finish them. Perhaps titles such as Deus Ex 1, then you have nothing to fear from ME:3 at this point in time 2017.

    However the animations in this game are sadly enough.. Stiff, really stiff. You feel like everything is moving a bit too slowly, running and dodging. I don’t personally have any experience with soldier gear or battle suits but wow if I were getting shot at by a giant metal monster from the sky wanting to end all life so to speak, I’d be running twice as fast and throwing myself into cover and not taking a whole five seconds trying to get over a box which is barely knee high.

    4/10

    Gameplay
    ----------
    Well, what can I say about the gameplay.

    While there is some position commanding in this game, it frankly falls quite short as the AI aren’t good at all. I felt more than not being the only person on my team that could actually do something, and the AI’s were there to soak up some bullets while I do everything.
    However that might be a little unfair as the game does give you, companion skills which can also be leveled up and combo used with your own and such can be extremely vital to use in the right time.
    But all in all, its pretty much luck that it falls into as you move from enemy to enemy, your companions suppose to be protecting your back but for some reason let that one enemy get behind you and kill you with two shots.

    Companions are strong in this game, though I feel them being slightly more on their own mindset throughout this entire game, however, I have to approve of this. Though it might feel like your second priority it makes a lot of sense that you are at this time and point, while their homeworlds get decimated or their families are lost to them. A certain depth to them, which I personally wanted to see more of and acted out a bit more. Though I can’t imagine many people, would’ve liked that.

    4/10. Thankfully they did better.

    Music & Sound
    ---------------
    The music in this game is absolutely brilliant, one of the best track lists I’ve heard. Memorable to the day you finish your first playthrough, tingling nostalgic feeling when you come to it. This team has to commanded, with fitting tracks to fitting cinematics bringing a new level of depth and emotions to the scene.

    The voice acting in the game is superb, especially from Joker which handles going from joking, to sad to even angry in a truthful way while many of the others do just as well.
    Giving an applause to all of them.

    9/10

    Trying to judge this game has been difficult to eye opening and I hope it leaves something to be speculated for the future generations to come. I'd play it again, with a different class.. In the future.

    6,25 good enough    … Expand
  35. kamaroff
    May 1, 2017
    7
    When i look at this game after DA: Inquisition and ME: Andromeda, i understand that it was pretty good. And even such level is now unattainable for Bioware.

    Changed my score from 5 to 7/
  36. 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
  37. Gor1945
    Apr 8, 2017
    5
    Увы это больше не РПГ, а унылый шутерок, сюжет банальный - мы опять собираем силы для последней битвы а абсолютно убогая концовка сливает в утиль не только третью часть, но и всю трилогию вместе с ней - жаль, но Биовар своими руками зарубили все на корню.Увы это больше не РПГ, а унылый шутерок, сюжет банальный - мы опять собираем силы для последней битвы а абсолютно убогая концовка сливает в утиль не только третью часть, но и всю трилогию вместе с ней - жаль, но Биовар своими руками зарубили все на корню.
  38. Cell1e
    Apr 7, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Im changing my score for this game as after playing the Mass Effect Andromeda I realised there have been enough improvements to ME3 to warrant a better score. I am glad they put out the extended cut and that the modders put out a great mod with a better ending. Now I can play this game more. Thanks Bioware and modders!… Expand
  39. GamesBeatAll
    Mar 26, 2017
    6
    Okay yeah, character customisation is utter pants, some of the animations are bad, like the NCP drinking from a bottle he stuck in his eye, and another one who appears to have some horrendous body wide tic. But I can live with that.
    But the two things that disappoint me are the plot - or lack of it, and the dumbing down. Don't bother bringing your brain to this ME party - you won't be    Okay yeah, character customisation is utter pants, some of the animations are bad, like the NCP drinking from a bottle he stuck in his eye, and another one who appears to have some horrendous body wide tic. But I can live with that.
    But the two things that disappoint me are the plot - or lack of it, and the dumbing down. Don't bother bringing your brain to this ME party - you won't be needing it.
    All the basic good stuff from ME is there, and some improvements. And yeah, I probably will play it to the bitter end, but no, I won't be pre-ordering ME 5 if there is one.
    The dialogues, OMG, who wrote this snooze fest? And padded out with soooo many repetitive and pointless conversations.
    And the basic premise, finding new homes - there is no urgency, nor strong motivation of 'all of mankind will die if you don't sort this Ryder'. It's more like an adventure holiday where you repeat the same adventures, just in a different location.
    Also, I don't feel my answers and decisions really make any difference, where are the massive moral dilemmas? Where are the REAL character choices?
    The technical issues are, well technical issues. What I'm finding hard to forgive is the lack of heart, the heart of the ME franchise, an immersive story with well designed characters.    … Expand
  40. no1asseffectfan
    Mar 22, 2017
    7
    A let down in story, but not bad. solid gameplay........................................................................................................
  41. moonlight_shado
    Apr 25, 2016
    6
    Way better than ME2 imo. It has some strong points and weak points but the biggest let down is the well known crappy ending, where all your choices didn't count which makes it one of the most unsatisfying endings in video games history. Plus the plot holes and things that are not right with the game codex.
  42. mevsthevoices
    Feb 29, 2016
    7
    Considering what's sometimes said about it, I've never found it all that bad, the lack of controller support for PC is by far my largest dissapointment, but, so did 1 and 2 lack it, and like 2, there's a pretty solid mod out there to give it you back.Things I like, the combat in this is much improved over 1/2, it works smoother, there's more characters and more to do. Things I don't, theConsidering what's sometimes said about it, I've never found it all that bad, the lack of controller support for PC is by far my largest dissapointment, but, so did 1 and 2 lack it, and like 2, there's a pretty solid mod out there to give it you back.Things I like, the combat in this is much improved over 1/2, it works smoother, there's more characters and more to do. Things I don't, the characters are at times remarkably shallow, and so are their corresponding plots, the climax is, a little unclimatic to say the least. But, overall, gotta say I had alot of fun playing this, and in a world where there's slim pickings as far as RPGs are concerned, it's certainly one of the better ones… Expand
  43. T3chstepper
    Nov 12, 2015
    6
    Well, I'm sorry, but this is disgrace to franchise. So, let's be reasonable and mark pluses and minuses of this game
    Pluses:
    - The Soundtrack. Marvelous - Graphics. It's ok, but who care about graphics anyway? - Feeling of Galaxy united. Game has some closure Minuses: - Plot holes, plot holes everywhere (Fixed with EC DLC) - Combat and Role-Play systems sucks. It's action-RPG, not    Well, I'm sorry, but this is disgrace to franchise. So, let's be reasonable and mark pluses and minuses of this game
    Pluses:
    - The Soundtrack. Marvelous
    - Graphics. It's ok, but who care about graphics anyway?
    - Feeling of Galaxy united. Game has some closure

    Minuses:
    - Plot holes, plot holes everywhere (Fixed with EC DLC)
    - Combat and Role-Play systems sucks. It's action-RPG, not Call of Duty. The best of all 3 games this system was in original Mass Effect.
    - Galactic map. Fly to the system, collect artifact and then escape the Reapers - it's so redundant.
    - And of course, that ending. Now, in the end of year 2015, when Mass Effect Andromeda teaser revealed, I never re-completed Mass Effect 3 after Extension Cut DLC release. For me, franchise is ruined with that ending    … Expand
  44. Varrick
    Nov 2, 2015
    7
    The game has the best combat out of the series and is probably the most fun when it comes to weapon and armor choices. NEVER play the game to completion without the extended ending and even then you will probably just choose to make up an ending for it. No your choices in the other games rarely mattered despite what they told us.

    The game does deserve a better score if you decide to    The game has the best combat out of the series and is probably the most fun when it comes to weapon and armor choices. NEVER play the game to completion without the extended ending and even then you will probably just choose to make up an ending for it. No your choices in the other games rarely mattered despite what they told us.

    The game does deserve a better score if you decide to play just this one game in the series probably a 10 out of 10. If you decided to play the entire series you will wish this game never existed due to the ending they gave us. The ending however is not the sole reason a game should be scored however it did kill my 10/10 down to a 7/10.

    Multiplayer is extremely fun and addicting I literally bought a used PS3 to play it with my brother for a while on his ps3.    … Expand
  45. Mattyx22
    Oct 24, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The awesome game series with nice story... destroyed by the ending...
    In every minute of the game I was so excited. Even at the last mission. But the last few minutes of game was terrible. It made that I'm still confused because the ending was weird?
    Anyway. Good game destroyed by the ending. The worst ending in game ever.    … Expand
  46. 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
  47. 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
  48. MenaBanana
    Jun 30, 2015
    7
    An amazing game with a disappointing ending. Bioware flopped, big time. The multiplayer is very enjoyable, and the game itself will keep you on the edge of your seat. Players who start with 3 will probably think this to be one of the best games of all time, and it is in a sense. However, long time fans will be let down with the ending. Having believed for years that your actions in 1 and 2An amazing game with a disappointing ending. Bioware flopped, big time. The multiplayer is very enjoyable, and the game itself will keep you on the edge of your seat. Players who start with 3 will probably think this to be one of the best games of all time, and it is in a sense. However, long time fans will be let down with the ending. Having believed for years that your actions in 1 and 2 will somehow impact the outcome you will be faced with the reality that this isn't so, and that the endings aren't even that different.

    Take what you will from this, the hype mislead it's fans. And bioware is still paying for this.    … Expand
  49. inkblowout
    Jun 24, 2015
    7
    After reading some of these comments... how can some people give this a rating of 0 because of the ending? So 20 minutes of gameplay out of 24-30 hours of gameplay is a good reason to give this a 0, 1, or even a 2. I know some have given good explanations for their ratings but some are just biased to read.

    The fact is. I had fun throughout this entry of mass effect, it is weaker than    After reading some of these comments... how can some people give this a rating of 0 because of the ending? So 20 minutes of gameplay out of 24-30 hours of gameplay is a good reason to give this a 0, 1, or even a 2. I know some have given good explanations for their ratings but some are just biased to read.

    The fact is. I had fun throughout this entry of mass effect, it is weaker than the other 2 but it was a hell of a ride for me. The problems I had from this game though were 3 things. Lack of character interaction, mission and side missions and the ending. So lack of character interaction really bothered me because in mass effect 1 or 2. You could be able to talk with your squad after every mission and you could talk about them, you would talk about their family, their personal lives and etc. and you could choose to what to say. But what mass effect 3 really does is that they give these one directional liners which does talk about what's going on with the mission. But it takes away your ability to choose conversation options which is a real letdown in my opinion. 2nd complaint is the missions and side missions. Although the priority missions make sense to the story. The side missions and journals fell like a chore to gain war assets so that you can thrive for that "prefect ending". Unlike journal/side missions in mass effect 1-2. They would either consist of exploration, fighting baddies and etc. But mass effect 3. Most journal missions are achievable by scanning which is also a let down.

    And lastly the ending is the biggest problem to the series. Ya sure the ending sucks but it is difficult to end off a kickass trilogy. (I couldn't even think of any better endings as well.) I don't know why this ending was made. The 3 choices are stupid and dumb if you think about it. It should have been. Activate the crisable and let it do it's job. There shouldn't have been those 3 endings. It felt like bioware was going toward the deus ex style of ending but failed. And the extended cut doesn't help at all... it just explains stuff in detail but doesn't change the initial ending. Starchild was also a nuisance as well... ever since I went up in that elevator and saw starchild, I knew the ending was bad.

    But honestly overall, I had a great time playing this game, the game's combat was entertaining and there was so much stuff that made the game so memorable. Bioware did let me down in a way... but I was happy I played this game. I had the chance to not to buy this game despite reading the hate reviews on this game. But I did and I don't regret any of it.    … Expand
  50. Dyscordia
    Jun 23, 2015
    7
    I will short, the best gameplay of the three, very epic scenes between characters, customization of weapons and armor remarkable and moments in the story really incredible. Now the relationship between characters is much shallower, the role component goes unnoticed, no exploration and really very linear, the dialogues an LIMITED decayed quite often a good choice and a bad choice. and aI will short, the best gameplay of the three, very epic scenes between characters, customization of weapons and armor remarkable and moments in the story really incredible. Now the relationship between characters is much shallower, the role component goes unnoticed, no exploration and really very linear, the dialogues an LIMITED decayed quite often a good choice and a bad choice. and a disastrous end.… Expand
  51. Enriqcloudjol
    May 21, 2015
    6
    Estubo OK.
    Realmente la jugabilidad es genial y sus cinemáticas tambien, pero, no encontré tan enganchante el juego a final de cuentas y el final, es algo decepcionante e incluso creo que es el mismo que he visto en el 2.
  52. 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
  53. 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
  54. 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
  55. 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.
  56. therob91
    Jan 30, 2015
    5
    This should have been(and nearly is) the greatest story/character driven RPG of all time, but Bioware made a MAJOR mistake with the final title. This game is absolutely incredible until you hit the last 10 minutes. Honestly maybe even the last 5 minutes, because the story was ramped up and paced so perfectly that the lead up RIGHT UNTIL the ending is once in a generation exceptional. ThenThis should have been(and nearly is) the greatest story/character driven RPG of all time, but Bioware made a MAJOR mistake with the final title. This game is absolutely incredible until you hit the last 10 minutes. Honestly maybe even the last 5 minutes, because the story was ramped up and paced so perfectly that the lead up RIGHT UNTIL the ending is once in a generation exceptional. Then you get to the ending and I don't know if they ran out of money or what, but it completely falls flat and ignores all of the style of the series. It changes from a game about choices building up and coming together to create an epic finale (across 6ish years for people that played the games when they came out) into a 3 pronged choice that ignores every choice made in any of the 3 games and, in a game HEAVILY influenced by film(to the point of having a grain filter naturally active to appear more like a movie) has a final few moments that feel more at home in an ending to a fighting game characters story or even something like a shmup. I'm torn on what to give this game. Its clearly a 10/10 until the ending, but this game is ABOUT the story, A weak ending in TES or Fallout isn't that big a deal because they are different style games. This game is about story and characters and the main concept of the game is basically thrown out the window in the final moment. All I can end up deciding is that the ending SEVERELY impacted my feelings about the entire franchise, and the score needs to reflect that.… Expand
  57. 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
  58. Nenvolk
    Dec 9, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a tough one. I really enjoyed the first 2 Mass Effect games, and most of it is really great: I like the normal missions, who are like ME 1 and 2, and I even enjoy the multiplayer part alot.

    BUT the ending is horrible! Not just gameplay-wise, which suxx so hard. You need to watch a movie while it plays out, because it's like 40 minuttes of cutscenes you can't skip, and choices without any real effect. And then there are the ending itself: Possibly the worst ideas I have seen in a game. My guess is the developing team was out sick or maybe they just hate everyone playing their games, but it's a serious torture to get through that hour or so it takes to get to the ending. I hope they all got fired, and that people spit on them whenever they meet them...

    So, if you're considering buying the game, my advice is this: Stop when you get to the last missions (back on earth), and write some solution yourself. It can only be better, even if it means the Reapers win!!    … Expand
  59. 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
  60. 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
  61. Skyrar
    Nov 11, 2014
    7
    Overall a good game, but not a worthy conclusion of this epic trilogy. The ending was bad. I'm not talking about the fact, that there was "no happy-ending". I have no problem with it. The ending was poorly explained and the explanation we got from"god-child" was bad. Furthermore there is some serious bad writing in the game. Cerberus, the Illusive Man and Kai Leng for example. On the otherOverall a good game, but not a worthy conclusion of this epic trilogy. The ending was bad. I'm not talking about the fact, that there was "no happy-ending". I have no problem with it. The ending was poorly explained and the explanation we got from"god-child" was bad. Furthermore there is some serious bad writing in the game. Cerberus, the Illusive Man and Kai Leng for example. On the other hand there are some amazing storyquests like Tutchanka. Graphics looks good. Characters are interesting. Quests overall are (except for some of the side/miniquests) also interesting. Music is great.
    Overall, a decent game but worse than the previous two.    … Expand
  62. 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
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. RimJobson
    Sep 27, 2014
    5
    Bioware has been progressively dumbing down the immersion felt in the Mass Effect universe, starting with the transition from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2 and now dealing the killing blow with the final game in this wonderful trilogy.

    Don't get me wrong, Mass Effect 3 was a solid single-player experience; however, this is not about a "solid single-player experience", this is about the    Bioware has been progressively dumbing down the immersion felt in the Mass Effect universe, starting with the transition from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2 and now dealing the killing blow with the final game in this wonderful trilogy.

    Don't get me wrong, Mass Effect 3 was a solid single-player experience; however, this is not about a "solid single-player experience", this is about the third game in a series known for its immersiveness and ability to make you feel empathy for its characters. In this game, that immersion has been diluted to the point of many characters having their purpose in the overall plot made negligible and simply added in to provide a cameo for the fans of other Mass Effect fiction (see: James Vega), and this unfortunately includes our protagonist: the one character you were supposed to feel connected with given the game's status as an "RPG".

    Sure, some of this was solved by DLC, but the simple fact that we're talking about "solving problems" for a game that spent a sizeable amount of time in development means that there is a problem. But, that is all about the immersion.

    The crippling point of this game - for I had foolishly thought that the game could still be saved - was not the lack of immersion, it was the poorly developed plotline that had great beginning. Having been built-up by the first two games in the trilogy, I expected that the pacing and ultimate resolution of the plot would not leave me with a sour taste in my mouth as it did. The plotline is developed in a ridiculously cliché manner, to the point that it feels like I was watching a series of overly edited cinematics with gameplay only serving as a buffer between viewings. Is it a bad thing per se? No, but this takes us back to this game's position as the third game in its series, meaning that it has a certain standard to live up to and a certain method of gameplay that a player of such a series would expect. The new method of delivering the plot is disjointing at best and game-ruining at worst, with me leaning closer to the latter end of the spectrum.

    Finally, we get to the ending (with me addressing the vanilla ending, as I should be). While not absolutely terrible, it does leave enormous gaps of "What happened?" moments that should NOT be happening with the closer of a series. Sure, inference and speculation are alright if another game was to be expected, but the this is the final game of the series that would star Commander Shepard, so this game - as the other 2 provided - should have given us a sense of finality even if it was not decisively final. While Leviathan fixed many of the holes that were exhaustively mentioned by reviewers, there should not have been anything to fix (refer to my DLC rant).

    Tl;dr - The game was decent as a single-player experience, awful as a multiplayer experience, atrocious as a Mass Effect game, and the apotheosis of plot failure as a Mass Effect trilogy finisher.

    Mass Effect 3 made me experience a thought that should never be experienced with an RPG, much less one as wonderful as Mass Effect: "Do I really want to play this again?"    … Expand
  66. 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
  67. 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.
  68. 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.
  69. norolim
    Jul 5, 2014
    6
    A solid third person shooter with some basic RPG elements. The combat is good, the RPG elements are a little more fleshed out, and the atmosphere of impending doom well sustained. It could have been slightly better than the second instalment, but the lack of meaningful choices, numerous corridor shooting sequences, bland writing and of course the rushed nonsensical ending bring the markA solid third person shooter with some basic RPG elements. The combat is good, the RPG elements are a little more fleshed out, and the atmosphere of impending doom well sustained. It could have been slightly better than the second instalment, but the lack of meaningful choices, numerous corridor shooting sequences, bland writing and of course the rushed nonsensical ending bring the mark down below Mass Effect 2.… Expand
  70. cigarillored
    May 16, 2014
    7
    Forget all the crap you hear about the ending; if you want to see all your favorite characters walking off into the sunset, hand-in-hand, this is not the game for you. On the other hand, if you want to play a game that engages you from start to finish, has you make some truly difficult moral decisions, and makes you care about who lives and who dies, then Mass Effect 3 it is. Honestly, IForget all the crap you hear about the ending; if you want to see all your favorite characters walking off into the sunset, hand-in-hand, this is not the game for you. On the other hand, if you want to play a game that engages you from start to finish, has you make some truly difficult moral decisions, and makes you care about who lives and who dies, then Mass Effect 3 it is. Honestly, I don't get the hate. The ending is perfectly fitting. The game mechanics are fantastic, very polished, and rarely monotonous. Enjoy it for what it is, a perfectly good way to end the series. Mass Effect 2 will always be the better game, but for me this is not the great big turd some people want it to be. Considering the amount of sub-standard fare that gets spewed out by big game companies these days, the kind of re-heated **** we see regurgitated by Activision every few months, we should be glad this is actually a decent game.… Expand
  71. 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
  72. 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
  73. FlimsyLumber
    Feb 23, 2014
    7
    I liked the game, despite all of the hate, I still found the game very enjoyable. I know the decisions weren't as expansive which is a bit of a let down, but in regards to the over all game, I still enjoyed playing it. I still liked the endings, I do wish that they had more variance, but not to the point where I want to set the disc on fire and rage out. The multiplayer isn't the mostI liked the game, despite all of the hate, I still found the game very enjoyable. I know the decisions weren't as expansive which is a bit of a let down, but in regards to the over all game, I still enjoyed playing it. I still liked the endings, I do wish that they had more variance, but not to the point where I want to set the disc on fire and rage out. The multiplayer isn't the most polished, it needs work. It just feels clunky. I do agree that this game isn't as good as the last, but it is still worth playing.… Expand
  74. scottymcroth
    Feb 17, 2014
    7
    Good game, letdown of an ending. The ending alone (along with the fact that some of the previous companions aren't companions in this on) is enough to knock it down a couple of points. But combine that with the Day One DLC and you have another shameful display by EA. Come on EA, stop buying good game developers and leaching money off of them and the consumers. That being said, this isGood game, letdown of an ending. The ending alone (along with the fact that some of the previous companions aren't companions in this on) is enough to knock it down a couple of points. But combine that with the Day One DLC and you have another shameful display by EA. Come on EA, stop buying good game developers and leaching money off of them and the consumers. That being said, this is still, in no shape or form, a bad game (despite the **** ending).… Expand
  75. dyspeptic
    Feb 12, 2014
    7
    Played: Jan 2014
    Pros:
    + Actually wraps up the Mass Effect story arc + Inventory compromises between simplicity (ME2) and variety (ME1) + Additional Ending content is free Cons: - Character models don’t look updated from ME2 - Some items are highly missable and a bug seems to keep some from appearing in a store if missed I was introduced to the series through Mass Effect 2, which    Played: Jan 2014
    Pros:
    + Actually wraps up the Mass Effect story arc
    + Inventory compromises between simplicity (ME2) and variety (ME1)
    + Additional Ending content is free
    Cons:
    - Character models don’t look updated from ME2
    - Some items are highly missable and a bug seems to keep some from appearing in a store if missed

    I was introduced to the series through Mass Effect 2, which offered some significant streamlining to make gameplay more fun than its predecessor. I eventually played ME1, but based on reviews I’d read I didn’t want to splash out $60 for ME3 so it was some time before the price came down to what I was comfortable paying.
    I’m glad I waited. While the story arc is completed with reasonable effectiveness, it features at least one prominent fallacy that I found somewhat insulting to my intelligence. After some public outcry, Bioware released some (free) additional content to explain the results of your end-game choice-and it’s a good thing it’s free, since it adds about 30sec of content. On the other hand, this series ending compares favorably compared with the non-endings featured in the string of Assassin’s Creed games by developer Ubisoft (up to you to decide if that comparison actually says anything).
    Gameplay mechanics are mostly solid, featuring a more flexible inventory that that presented in ME1, but still simplified enough that it doesn’t feel like a loot game: there are only about 5 options for each weapon type. The player can carry and use any type of weapon desired, however “heavy” weapons (anything not pistol or SMG) severely curtail use of powers. I played this on the default difficulty setting (apparently equivalent to the “Hard” setting on ME2) and only died a few times; even on death the checkpoint system allowed me to return to action and complete the game+90% of sidequests in about 50 hours. Relevant to gameplay is the occurance of “missable” items, which are supposed to appear in a special store if you fail to pick them up. Unfortunately, through some kind of bug or other problem, these items did not appear in store for me (I looked them up online to try to figure out how to complete the remaining quests). The rewards would have been small, but it is annoying to be missing a feature that is supposed to come with the game.
    There were a few things that I found even more disappointing. The character models feature the same faces and hairstyles as in previous games, and don’t appear to be any better rendered than previously. In the same vein, the pre-rendered cutscenes look as though they came straight from 2005 and it is something of a relief when they end and you are allowed to return to your machine's real-time rendering. In short: the graphics don’t seem to have improved at all since ME2, though why this would be the case is a mystery to me.
    IN SUMMARY:
    ME3 is a decent game to pick up if you like the idea of a shooter/RPG hybrid with a team. It is certainly worth the $15 or so EA games is currently charging, but still suffers from some pitfalls and you shouldn't pay more for it.    … Expand
  76. 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
  77. 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
  78. 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
  79. 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.
  80. randylin26
    Nov 1, 2013
    5
    Great game, ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE ENDING. It is your same old Mass Effect with crap ending. Giving it 5/10 cause its Mass Effect but the ending just killed it.
  81. Panhell31
    Oct 17, 2013
    6
    I like very much the single player version,the story is very good for me,very good graphics,a lot of characters but i have problem with the multiplayer game!I never understand what i must do there!
  82. 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
  83. Pork_chops
    Oct 10, 2013
    7
    The game was fairly rushed, that's obvious, and very little has been done in the years after to help fix that. The storyline is solid, and after a BIG DLC patch, the ending isn't as eye gougingly terrible as it was, the multiplayer is semi-ok. It can be good for a laugh if you have friends in your own country to play with, otherwise, it runs like ass covered ass with a side of ass, andThe game was fairly rushed, that's obvious, and very little has been done in the years after to help fix that. The storyline is solid, and after a BIG DLC patch, the ending isn't as eye gougingly terrible as it was, the multiplayer is semi-ok. It can be good for a laugh if you have friends in your own country to play with, otherwise, it runs like ass covered ass with a side of ass, and honestly, it's a big let down to the series as a whole.

    Still, if you played 1 and 2, play 3. If you haven't played 1 and 2, don't bother, save yourself the disappointment.    … Expand
  84. Nimbus1701
    Oct 5, 2013
    6
    Bioware promised too much with Mass Effect 3, and delivered an average shooter that was on-par with DeadSpace3. This is not an atrocious game. It's just average.
    Mass Effect 3's biggest problem is Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. If this were a standalone production with a modular story I can imagine people would be more understanding. It had a lot to live up to but Bioware knew it didn't    Bioware promised too much with Mass Effect 3, and delivered an average shooter that was on-par with DeadSpace3. This is not an atrocious game. It's just average.
    Mass Effect 3's biggest problem is Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. If this were a standalone production with a modular story I can imagine people would be more understanding. It had a lot to live up to but Bioware knew it didn't need to create a brilliant game to get the sales.
    In contrast to Mass Effect 2's cinematic rendered custscenes, ME3 only offers in-game cutscenes. The most notable problem in the character models are the eyes most human characters have a lifeless stare and feel like animated mannqueins. Environment and alien characters are however, very good.
    Combat is a tad nauseating at the start. It plays like DeadSpace, and differently to the previous two games. Many will feel that they're missing 40% of their screen to the large OTS-Character model.
    Ironically, one of the most contrversial features of the game, the "optional" multiplayer component, turns out to be better than expected. It may be annoying at the start, but you find yourself enjoying it more than the campaign storyline.
    I won't need to discuss the "endings" and the "choice" personally I found these issues to be secondary and would have been forgivable if I wasn't playing a rendition of Deadspace.
    It's difficult to understand why so many reviewers have marked this up in the 80s. It's definitely a reasonable shooter but not one for the books.    … Expand
  85. 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
  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. Gothic90
    Aug 24, 2013
    6
    Due to length constraint, I'll just talk about a few non-ending problems I have with ME3. I still don't think EC writes a good ending, because Bioware tries to use the ending purely to make a point about human vs machines, rather than make an ending to a story.

    Problems are here. 1) Horrible controls. 5 conflicting functions bound to the same space bar. Especially frustrating in    Due to length constraint, I'll just talk about a few non-ending problems I have with ME3. I still don't think EC writes a good ending, because Bioware tries to use the ending purely to make a point about human vs machines, rather than make an ending to a story.

    Problems are here.

    1) Horrible controls. 5 conflicting functions bound to the same space bar. Especially frustrating in multiplayer.
    2) A large number of boring fetch quests as side quests, with unhelpful quest entries that have no progress indications.
    3) The so called return of RPG elements. Turns out to be looking for upgrades scattered everywhere. I am okay with both ME1's loot and ME2's lack of RPG elements, but this is garbage.
    4) Stereotypes, stereotypes everywhere. Suddenly there are stereotypical stereotypical weak and annoying Asian, and a football jock and etc. To appeal to the masses? Seriously?
    5) A lot of miscellaneous things that I would find quite repulsive. Like they purposely put them there just to disgust people.

    Other than that ME3 is fine. Parts of the story are still good. Some characters are still good, but not as much fun as the other two games in the series.    … Expand
  88. 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.
  89. Aetohatir
    Jul 24, 2013
    6
    First off I'd like to tell you from where I come
    I finished all the games mutiple times and I read the three first books.
    I know all about the indoctrination theory and any other fan fiction ending. I gave the other two games both a perfect rating although they had big flaws because I am very keen to the mass effect universe. I must agree to the general opinion ME3 is BY FAR the worst    First off I'd like to tell you from where I come
    I finished all the games mutiple times and I read the three first books.
    I know all about the indoctrination theory and any other fan fiction ending.
    I gave the other two games both a perfect rating although they had big flaws because I am very keen to the mass effect universe.
    I must agree to the general opinion ME3 is BY FAR the worst of all Mass effect games though it has its strengths and this game definatly is not a 4.8
    Yes the Ending is bad and I dont understand why they even wanted to change it.
    If people want to spoil them selves they shouldnt have read the leak originated on neoGAF.
    Anyway It was nice to dive back in to the ME universe once more even though the story line of the game wasnt all that good
    even though you were able to port your old ME2 save into ME3 this didnt matter at all.
    Bioware just went with it that the player played all the ME2 DLC which is not always the case.
    the war rating had NO influence at all and yes the endings.. well you know the backslash
    The game had its good parts though too.
    The Soundtrack again was alsolutely superb following the more orchestral style of ME2.
    Visuals also were better than the other two games, and well the gameplay went a long way butis now actually playable as a cover based shooter. Or at least to big titles like Gears of War not an absolute catastrophy anymore.
    I absolutely recoment the first two mass effect games and if you enjoyed those you will at least want to play the third one.
    And this what it comes down to: This is not the grand finale we hoped for but it still is the finale and even though I cannot understand Bioware not just putting the Indoctrination theory slyly into the game via free DLC and makeing the recond straight once again we are stuck with what we have.

    The Multiplayer is fun to a certain extend, I played it about 20 hours but the micro transactions bug me still had a lot of fun with a friend in that mode.

    This is not a trrible game. And its not a bad game its just mediocre.
    the fault of the game failing so badly in compairsm with the first two you might push to EA, or to Bioware itself
    it still is worth while, but I wouldnt spend anythjing above 25€ on it.
    6/10    … Expand
  90. WookieChestHair
    Jul 5, 2013
    7
    I can completely understand where people are coming from when they say they hated this game because of it's ending and whatnot, but what you can't ignore is the fact that until that point, the game was incredible. Seeing the characters from that past two games and even having a couple of them join your crew again brings great feelings of nostalgia and while I admit, the 'space bar to doI can completely understand where people are coming from when they say they hated this game because of it's ending and whatnot, but what you can't ignore is the fact that until that point, the game was incredible. Seeing the characters from that past two games and even having a couple of them join your crew again brings great feelings of nostalgia and while I admit, the 'space bar to do everything' concept was quite poor, the reason I play Mass Effect was for the intricate storyline and the lovable characters, not the gameplay. The basic cover shooting mechanics and the games ending stopped this from getting a 10, but, in my opinion, it's still one of the greatest gaming series of all time, and I can't wait to see what Bioware gives us with the next instalment.… Expand
  91. Lynnux
    Jun 25, 2013
    7
    Obviously the parallel development of Star Wars: The Old Republic took a toll on both games.
    ME 3 seems to be hastily assembled to finish the series in the given time frame. The ending strongly reminds me of another game series of the Cyberpunk genre which I also like. But this ending style is imho not fitting to the ME series.
    The last two missions felt right out of place. But face it:    Obviously the parallel development of Star Wars: The Old Republic took a toll on both games.
    ME 3 seems to be hastily assembled to finish the series in the given time frame. The ending strongly reminds me of another game series of the Cyberpunk genre which I also like. But this ending style is imho not fitting to the ME series.
    The last two missions felt right out of place.
    But face it: these are the most the negative points of the third part. ME3 is still clearly above average and is never worse than a 7.0. No way Sorry, just because you've expected a happy end doesn't make the whole game bad.

    The "Galaxy at War" mechanics is simply brilliant. It allows all your deeds of the three parts and two additional games, the cooperative multiplayer (included in ME3) and the mobile app "Infiltrator" to be integrated and add to your effort to save the galaxy.
    And don't believe everything you read here. E.g. multiplayer is not necessary at all to get the best endings but you need a pretty good score which is maybe not possible if you killed everything and everyone possible in the first two parts ;-p You'll just feel the consequences of your previous actions.
    And this is clearly a benefit of this game series which also contributes to ME3.

    My advice to all players who gave a score below 5: play the ME series a second time and you'll see the game a little bit differently.    … Expand
  92. Toffenuff
    Jun 19, 2013
    6
    I cannot, in good conscience, give this game any lower than a 6 because up until the ending the game was superb and truly enjoyable for me. It's epic to gather the fleets of the universe together and to warp into battle like they do in the ending portion of the game. It builds upon the (in my opinion) great and enjoyable gameplay of ME2, and as usual the graphics are beautiful. SplendidI cannot, in good conscience, give this game any lower than a 6 because up until the ending the game was superb and truly enjoyable for me. It's epic to gather the fleets of the universe together and to warp into battle like they do in the ending portion of the game. It builds upon the (in my opinion) great and enjoyable gameplay of ME2, and as usual the graphics are beautiful. Splendid voice acting bring each character to life and the relationships and character development are all there.

    One of the best things about the ME series and Bioware is their whole, "what you did in the previous game impacts this game" and while there's still a cop out in some aspects that some of the things you did only are acknowledged or shown in a minor way, I think that's still impressive enough that it makes you feel you have truly impacted this universe beyond simply completing the missions. You've made choices, and those choices have had consequences.

    One thing I wish they had added was the ability to control real control of the Normandy and have some space maneuvering (as in simulation, not the Galaxy Map) and more importantly, space battles!

    Amazing game, but horrendous ending that was only partial fixed by the DLC. Would've given this game a 9 were it not for the ending. After dozens of hours of gameplay through various replays of each game to test different combinations of choices... how could you end the game like that? It was just... devastatingly disappointing.    … Expand
  93. obscurus166
    May 11, 2013
    6
    Mass Effect 3 is a basically decent game which is irretrievably spoiled by oversimplification and lack of dramatic direction.

    The game looks marvellous, but, as with many Bioware games, the locations are Potemkin villages: Shepard and her squadmates are restricted in their movements, hemmed in on all sides in small arenas with convenient chest-high walls, with no potential for    Mass Effect 3 is a basically decent game which is irretrievably spoiled by oversimplification and lack of dramatic direction.

    The game looks marvellous, but, as with many Bioware games, the locations are Potemkin villages: Shepard and her squadmates are restricted in their movements, hemmed in on all sides in small arenas with convenient chest-high walls, with no potential for interaction with the scenery.

    Combat largely handles well, but never strays from the mould of "cover-based shooter." The lack of any real challenge from the enemies discourages tactical thinking and the awkward use of the "F" key as a melee button makes the use of melee an unrealistic option on the PC.

    What is particularly frustrating about this game is how the stripped-down interface divests the gamer's experience of any verve or life. So many of the side missions are no more sophisticated than a text-based DOS game. When exploring a planet to find resources for the war, a player is simply told that he had recovered something of use, but there is no game-driven, interactive imperative to treat those text notifications with anything other than apathy. The "Citadel" DLC adds some welcome opportunity for character interaction and development, but really ought to have been part of the original game I can only imagine how shallow and unsatisfying ME3 would have been without it.

    The ending of Mass Effect 3 has attracted opprobrium quite rightly. Labouring hard over the course of three games to save squadmates, or entire species, has little or no dramatic payoff. The destinies of squad-mates and their unusual pairings are left ignored and untold. The narrative justification of the final denouement is weak and unsatisfactory, and somewhat contradicts established canon. This is particularly disappointing when the stripped-down, simplified gameplay mechanic runs the player on rails towards the choice of four such unsatisfying conclusions.

    For all those gripes, there is some fun to be had here, but ME3 deserves to be remembered most for squandered opportunities.    … Expand
  94. dumle
    Apr 30, 2013
    5
    Mass effect 3 disappoints in several important aspects. The writing in the game is extremely uneven which really drags a game like this down. Sure there are some cool moments here and there but the story is overall really weak and the game is full of awkward and cheaply written moments. And it doesnt help that the conversation wheel is dumbed down too the absurd.

    The dialogue options    Mass effect 3 disappoints in several important aspects. The writing in the game is extremely uneven which really drags a game like this down. Sure there are some cool moments here and there but the story is overall really weak and the game is full of awkward and cheaply written moments. And it doesnt help that the conversation wheel is dumbed down too the absurd.

    The dialogue options are extremely binary and quite often they lead to the same result. The only difference is whether you get some paragon or renegade points in the end. And when you do get to make an important choice then the dialogue wheels poorly explained choices in simply not enough. The renegade/paragon options in the cutscenes also feels really cheap since you have no idea what kind of choice you are making.

    Overall the game lacks the kind of interaction you would expect from a roleplaying game and the games mission-design feel extremely linear and more like an action game than a roleplaying game. Another thing worth mentioning is that this game is much more combat oriented than previous games in the series. There are very few hub-based areas in the game and you will spend the majority of your time in combat missions. Now the combat is quite good for a roleplaying game. For an action game however the combat is extremely average. The combat is a pretty basic cover-mechanic based shooter with the normal peak-shoot-duck and wait for the shield to recharge type of gameplay. It is by no means a catastrophe but it simply cant carry an entire long game like this. And chances are that you will get bored of the combat before beating this game which is a shame since that is what you are going to spend your time doing.

    The focus on combat sadly also mean that a lot of the environments you are in are nothing more than boring grey/brown ruins which is kind of sad since there is a lot of cool places to the explore in the universe. You do thankfully also get to visit some pretty neat places in the game which is nice. The exploration in the game do however leave a lot of things to be desired. The maps are often extremely linear and the lack of side quest and stuff to find leads to you not feeling the need to explore. I should also note that both the item and enemy variety is quite limited which i really thought hurt the game. I believe that the limited enemy variety is particularly sad since games like this can make up all kinds of cool faunas and cultures to fight. You are sadly forced to fight the same quite boring enemies over and over again which doesn't really help the combat.

    The visuals are for the most part alright but there are some low-res textures in the game here and there that just look awful by contrast. I also have issues with the weird camera angel they have chosen for the game. Something you cant fix in the extremely basic options menu.

    Now despite being quite critical of the game i must mention that the game is by no means so bad that some people make it out to be. I would say that its extremely average. The game have a long list of flaws but it also have a decent amount of alright content in it. I picked it up for a cheap price and i dont regret doing that despite the games flaws. if you however go into this game expecting a traditional bioware rpg or a worthy continuation of the mass effect saga then chances are that you will be disappointed. I should also mention that the were some quite shady dlc practices involved with this game. But you should try to make up your own mind regarding that.    … Expand
  95. voiders
    Apr 26, 2013
    5
    What to say? Im not a totally fan of Mass Effect fan, i bought the the trilogy at origin with a lot of expectations but i could not understand why this game are so famous. The entire series are so regular.
  96. creotine
    Apr 7, 2013
    5
    Simply put, its a fun 3rd person shooter with rpg elements and a bad ending. The only people who don't think the ending is bad are the fan-boys or those with ADD who didn't pay attention to the story. The choices you make in the game do not affect the outcome of your ending. You get to the end and are presented with A, B, or C choice for an ending like Deus Ex did. On top of it theSimply put, its a fun 3rd person shooter with rpg elements and a bad ending. The only people who don't think the ending is bad are the fan-boys or those with ADD who didn't pay attention to the story. The choices you make in the game do not affect the outcome of your ending. You get to the end and are presented with A, B, or C choice for an ending like Deus Ex did. On top of it the ending makes no sense, and contradicts itself. It's still a fun game but the story does dissapoint.… Expand
  97. nkaduthod
    Apr 5, 2013
    6
    As a beloved fan of the Mass Effect series, I was without a doubt quite disappointed with this game. While the game play is good and offers a more fluid experience, I fell that they dumbed the combat down to much. They also took away most of the RPG aspect of the game I loved. The story I felt was really lacking compared to ME1 & ME2. The new characters like Diane and James were veryAs a beloved fan of the Mass Effect series, I was without a doubt quite disappointed with this game. While the game play is good and offers a more fluid experience, I fell that they dumbed the combat down to much. They also took away most of the RPG aspect of the game I loved. The story I felt was really lacking compared to ME1 & ME2. The new characters like Diane and James were very uninteresting and the graphics and animations have barely been touched since ME2. My decisions imported from the first two games didn't really impact the story and I feel like BioWare and EA were turning this game into a clone of Gears of War except in space. And what the is up with Day 1 DLC From Ashes? For a very important character relevant to the entire series and basically what it is based on? EA is obviously trying to pressure BioWare into making a more "mass-appealing game". No!

    Also, the quest system is complete and utter And what happened to my narrative structure. I sometime barely see the wheel in conversations anymore! Also, the score of this game was lackluster.

    Some good about the game. I thought most of the main missions were fine ad well-crafted although they ended anti-climatically and the weaponry was good. The main teammates and old puns and people from the old games appear and make the game more enjoyable. Combat is great. Checkpoints are forgiving. Powers are good. Multiplayer is fun.

    And then, theirs the end. The ending of the game was so outrageous, disgusting, unethical, the biggest hypocritical scene made by BioWare that it made me mad. Even with Extended Cut DLC, it was terrible. I could have picked a better ending from my mother****ing ass.

    All in all, Mass Effect 3 was hyped up to be an excellent, but failed to deliver on so many levels. However, I still enjoyed the game for what it was. But seriously, DLC in this game is pretty OK, but they make it so short for 15.00 im spending for it    … Expand
  98. ThE_MarD
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    Heyyo, I can't believe the "checking downloadable content" bug is still in this game! I just bought it finally to finish the Mass Effect Trilogy... and I CAN'T EVEN GET PASSED THE MAIN MENU, IT JUST KEEPS SAYING "CHECKING DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT"!!! I looked on forums and everything and there's no fix other than "disconnect from the internet" which is annoying as heck JUST to play this gameHeyyo, I can't believe the "checking downloadable content" bug is still in this game! I just bought it finally to finish the Mass Effect Trilogy... and I CAN'T EVEN GET PASSED THE MAIN MENU, IT JUST KEEPS SAYING "CHECKING DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT"!!! I looked on forums and everything and there's no fix other than "disconnect from the internet" which is annoying as heck JUST to play this game so that's why it gets such a low review score. Fix your crap BioWare.. I'm an Albertan and I can't believe you guy's haven't fixed this bug still. If there's a problem? Bigger Hammer, Bigger Wrench. Get'r dun.

    The gameplay is once again an improvement over the last game. It seems every Mass Effect they fine tun the combat even more which is great. I still miss the unique weapon overheating method they used in ME1 and using skills to overheat weapons was a plus.. The way they did inventory is again another welcomed change cause now you can't just bulk up on everything and have no consequences. So far? I can tell I'll love this game... just fix that stupid bug and I'll give it the score it deserves.

    I'm going to play more of this game... excuse me as I unplug my network cable.     … Expand
  99. Alsvha
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    It could have been so good, but it fell short.

    Mass Effect 3 is a decent game, scared by some bad design decisions and an awful, inconsistent ending. The combat in the game is more fluent than the predecessors, the graphics is generally crisp despite Shepard still feel sluggish when running around and navigating the (static) world. The writing is decent in this game, however it does    It could have been so good, but it fell short.

    Mass Effect 3 is a decent game, scared by some bad design decisions and an awful, inconsistent ending.
    The combat in the game is more fluent than the predecessors, the graphics is generally crisp despite Shepard still feel sluggish when running around and navigating the (static) world. The writing is decent in this game, however it does occasionally feel very 'soap'-television. Some of the characters are also very under represented in this game (especially characters like Jack, Miranda and so on). Even Ashley feels tacked on.
    Bioware's attempt at trying to set a dark atmosphere of doom and despair falls short in the game and it feels like many of the games 'sad' moments are so obvious that it's like trying to force an emotion more than build an emotion. Save perhaps for 'Mordin Solus' which is as brilliant a character in this as 'he' was in ME2.

    Weapon modifications are back (yah). Although you quickly learn to just pick the best weapon and use. The most redeeming part of ME3 is the music. Brilliant music. I can even listen to that while not playing the game that's how good some of the pieces are. However the quest system in this game is bad, very bad. Basically you have some main quests which drive the story forth. These are mostly gotten via the main characters. Then there's some side quests which is gotten via the mail terminal. Not much different than ME2.
    However then there's quests gotten from listening in on random people which pops up and requires you to 'scan' planets, and then pick up the item via the scan.
    However the journal system and lack of inventory works very much against this type of quests. The 'escape reapers' type-mini game or what it is, is just awful. And I don't know what they thought of bringing that into the game.

    And of course, the over shadowing ending, which invalidates and contradict much of the storyline from ME1 and ME2 (really obvious if playing all 3 in sequence). Makes most all of your choices throughout the previous game irrelevant. It did feel like leaving the game without an actual conclusion. The extended cut ending did not make matters much better, except as an insult to the fan groups which were disappointed.

    The DLCs for the game are decent, but no where near the quality of Lair of the Shadow Broker for ME2. Omega is very combat orientated, which is okay in itself, but it's not really Mass Effect.
    Leviathan felt tacked on and much more like an attempt to build an in-game foundation for the ending more than anything. Citadel fun, but eventually irrelevant as it feels strange to put that into the middle of an all out war for the survival of the universe as 'we' know it. But well it's a farewell and a last money grab by Bioware.

    Mass Effect 3 is a decent game. It's not an action-roleplaying as ME1 was. It's a better shooter than ME2, but it's properly too much shooter for many RPG fans, and not enough for the shooter fans. Bioware tried to grab both, but for what it could have been it falls tragically short of the target. Potential but lack of implementation.
    Bioware basically dropped the ball. It's worth a playthrough from the bargain bin, but knowing what I know now, I would not have bought it at release.    … Expand
  100. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    6
    The third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have thatThe third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have that and its not just the ending. Main story is predictable and boring. Last but not least, your companions are simply not interesting this time. Their stories too. An average game, nothing to really set it apart from other shooters.… 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

All reviews »
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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