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. mzROnin
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    I played all the previous Mass Effect games as well and enjoyed them all. True the ending is not great ( the more i think about it - it actually kind of sucks) But it is nevertheless one of the best games i´ve ever played. Such a great story, such great characters, such fun gameplay - awesome. **** the last 10 minutes, you´ll have easily 30h of high quality fun.
  2. FormerHuman
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    There is a strange, unseemly trend developing on the Metacritic site when it comes to games reviews, and it's extremely conspicuous. It seems any title that develops something of a following (namely, franchises such as this one) will result in such extremely polarised reviews and ratings (typically with extraordinarily vague or unfounded assertions) with one half asserting that the gameThere is a strange, unseemly trend developing on the Metacritic site when it comes to games reviews, and it's extremely conspicuous. It seems any title that develops something of a following (namely, franchises such as this one) will result in such extremely polarised reviews and ratings (typically with extraordinarily vague or unfounded assertions) with one half asserting that the game is quite simply something heavenly, whilst the other half express that the game has basically ruined their lives. Maybe this sentiment is closer to truth - the lives of those who express such outrageous venom for games that don't meet their (usually pretty unreasonable) expectations must be pretty much over from the start. Regardless, ignoring the idiocy of nerd-rage and coming back to the case at hand: Mass Effect 3. I completed my first play through today and so now I feel reasonably qualified to comment. I've been a fan of the series since Mass Effect originally appeared on Xbox, and have since played both the first two games on 360 and subsequently on PC, and now the final installment on PC from the get-go. I've played these games extensively, and have taken great enjoyment in exploring their finer details. None of the games are perfect, but then none of them are identical - each has it's own identity and that is something I am very grateful for. The first in the series had more in common with Biowares classic Knights of the Old Republic, with a rather rubbery combat system that was borrowing heavily if vaguely from Gears of War (reasonably new at the time), to great effect. The RPG elements were effective if occasionally too sprawling for their own good, issues largely addressed in Mass Effect 2, and then also replaced with all new (again, relatively minor) complaints. The issues that came with Mass Effect 2 are again largely well addressed in Mass Effect 3, but at a compromise. The narrative is arguably more streamlined in the third game, but this suits the story exactly - as Mass Effect was a game of exploration, Mass Effect 2 a game of intrigue and darkness, Mass Effect 3 is a game of the horrors of war, the realities of post traumatic stress disorder, the despair of losing friends and the uncertainty of success. At no point during the game was I ever convinced that things were going to go well - an ending I wouldn't be disappointed with so much as perhaps saddened by, in the tradition of games more like Silent Hill 2 rather than your average gung-ho shooter. I was anxious about failing. Success wasn't an eventuality, a guarantee, as it wasn't in ME2 either - you could lose your colleagues all too easily, and they would never come back once they were gone. There is a brutal absolutism in this universe that mirrors our own, and it's uncomfortable and refreshing all at once, because rarely is such a concept really approached so clearly and executed so well in a game. Sure enough, other games may casually kill off central characters, but rarely do you have much emotional investment in them. With this cast, they've been with you for a long time by this point, you've shared a lot of experiences, a lot of character development, a lot of choices. At one point in the game, I had to make a choice, the consequences of which were both tactically sound but also morally reprehensible. Did I make the right choice? Yes, because so much is at stake. Everything is at stake. And this translates from the moment the game starts until it's extraordinary ending sequences. I've seen a number of negative responses to the "ending" (note, there are at least three distinct endings available, though I have only seen one so far) - certainly, the one I chose (and that is a slight disappointment, in as much as it was the case in Deus Ex: Human Revolution - pick your button) was unusual, but in fact quite extraordinary and fascinating and entirely in line with the truly epic scale of the Mass Effect universe, but also reflective of the more cerebral literary and cinematic roots in science fiction that the developers have drawn from (there is more than bit of Arthur C. Clarke in the games' DNA, and that is no bad thing).

    There is little else I wish to talk about. The functional elements, the combat, navigation, are all excellent. The cover system is occasionally problematic, but not in a way that ruins the game in any way. The co-operative multiplayer is very enjoyable and although I have low opinion of EA for using 'Day One DLC' in any title, the quality of the content is such that whilst it's not so much 'forgiven', it is largely irrelevant. It should have been included for everyone, because it's too important to miss. Most elements are improved upon, some are more consistent with the previous game - likely more down to the continuous nature of the games - so there are fewer massive leaps in terms of visuals than some people may expect. Not to say anything is lacking, however, because frankly, there isn't.    … Expand
  3. Invader-Nik
    Jul 18, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is the brilliant conclusion to the popular series. Do not listen to these bad reviews, the game was brilliant. I found the endings really good, they fitted the 'Mass Effect' spirit and made a stunning conclusion. I think a lot of people wanted a 'Shepard defeats the reapers and lives happily ever after" kind of ending. But then they would force Bioware for a Mass Effect 4Mass Effect 3 is the brilliant conclusion to the popular series. Do not listen to these bad reviews, the game was brilliant. I found the endings really good, they fitted the 'Mass Effect' spirit and made a stunning conclusion. I think a lot of people wanted a 'Shepard defeats the reapers and lives happily ever after" kind of ending. But then they would force Bioware for a Mass Effect 4 (something Bioware didn't want to do)

    Brilliant game, brilliant ending. 9/10    … Expand
  4. Gamecrafter
    Mar 28, 2012
    9
    Enough already! Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean you get to act like a child and call yourself valid. Ok, you don't like the ending - it wasn't what you expected or wanted. That's fine, and I can somewhat understand. But you know what that means? You played this somewhat lengthy adventure game to its completion, hell you probably completed the entire trilogy.Enough already! Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean you get to act like a child and call yourself valid. Ok, you don't like the ending - it wasn't what you expected or wanted. That's fine, and I can somewhat understand. But you know what that means? You played this somewhat lengthy adventure game to its completion, hell you probably completed the entire trilogy. SUCKY GAMES DON'T GET COMPLETED. You play them for ten minutes and then you're out. So I'm calling on you crybabies to man up and admit that the game is GREAT ENTERTAINMENT which is why you got to the ending. It's awesome in fact. So you can't turn around and give it a sucky score simply because you have a problem only with the creative decisions of its ending. What you're doing is literally like ordering a meal at a restaurant, finishing it through dessert, and then saying - "I wanted ice cream not cake, I'm not paying for any of this! This meal sucks!" Ridiculous! The journey was the value. And I loved it, and I know many that do. Don't be a whiney hater, admit that Mass Effect was awesome soup to nuts. MP alone is worth the price of admission. I for one thank Bioware and EA for it. One of the best gaming franchises ever.… Expand
  5. AndrewGL
    Jun 27, 2012
    9
    With the new Extended CUT DLC, while the endings could be better, it brings this game back up to its deserved 10/10 (it still gets 9 because... I had to wait 4 months to get this ending, but if it shipped like this, it would have been a 10). It provides closure, has some really touching scenes, and overall just allows the player to sit back think "my work here is finished". Before we knewWith the new Extended CUT DLC, while the endings could be better, it brings this game back up to its deserved 10/10 (it still gets 9 because... I had to wait 4 months to get this ending, but if it shipped like this, it would have been a 10). It provides closure, has some really touching scenes, and overall just allows the player to sit back think "my work here is finished". Before we knew nothing, and it felt like a slap in the face. All I have to say is Bioware, I knew you had it in you! Next time just do this from the get-go =(… Expand
  6. neal121
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I purchased the game solely based on the reviews I have been reading - very mixed.

    I personally was not a fan at all of ME1 or 2 but I bought 3 anyways. I understand people were probably upset at "fresh start" and unable to continue from game 2. Overall the game was pretty good. Todays games are being rushed by the publishers so its common to expect glitches but I find it pathetic people are complaining about the small things like the gun not matching what they are equipped in the video. Who cares? If you want a REAL glitchy game with no story and no unique things to it - go play Force Unleashed 2.

    This game had it all - story, twists and turns, good ending, good music, etc. Now about the ending - the ending was fine. Yes its controversial but ITS A TRILOGY PEOPLE! Its gotta end some how. And if you pay attention between the lines at the end, its not really "the end." Maybe if some people weren't so focused on clicking positive or negative actions, they would listen to the story. The ending fit well. Deal with it.    … Expand
  7. yastru
    May 18, 2012
    10
    people, please dont listen to the trolls and check it for yourself. buy it, pirate it, loan it, whatever, but you must try it and dont let others make your opinion. the game is fantastic. pure 9 but il give it ten, just because of them.
  8. TomSEA
    Oct 31, 2012
    9
    It's six months after release and I finally played and finished the game with the extended DLC endings.

    Guess I'm going to be in the minority who believe it was an excellent gaming experience. The cinematics, story (touching bases or bringing back old primary characters into the story), music and combat fights were epic and top-notch. I had all the DLC content that ended up being    It's six months after release and I finally played and finished the game with the extended DLC endings.

    Guess I'm going to be in the minority who believe it was an excellent gaming experience. The cinematics, story (touching bases or bringing back old primary characters into the story), music and combat fights were epic and top-notch. I had all the DLC content that ended up being about 35 hours of game play which I felt gave me good value for my purchase.

    As far as the endings, I thought they were fine. I'm not sure what else you could have done with the story. I'm glad that Bioware didn't go with the cop-out "it was all just a dream" ending - could have been easy for them and they probably wouldn't have received a fraction of the grief. I went and looked at the original endings on YouTube and think that people who gave the game a "zero" or "one" score have some serious problems separating gaming life from real life. It simply wasn't that bad. And even if it had been the worst ending in gaming history (go look at the ending of Far Cry 2 if you want to see that), the rest of the game should have warranted at least a 6-7 score from reviewers. At least those who give honest reviews instead of trying to be spiteful.

    But I do give props to Bioware for listening to the complaints and coming up with some additional ending media. They didn't have to do that, but they did.

    I only have two real complaints - 1) the "duck and cover" command (spacebar) was problematic. Often I would use that command, end up behind a barrier and I couldn't move away from it - or at least without some difficulty. A bad guy would flank me and blast away and there was nothing I could do. And 2) the log-in sequence to the EA/Origin was atrocious. Nearly a 5 minute boot-time for everything to be up and running and synched. Ridiculous...

    In a nutshell, the whole series is a one of the best gaming experiences a gaming enthusiast can play and ME3 was the crown jewel of the 3. Put aside what you've heard from naysayers and if you haven't played the game, give it a shot - and start from the beginning. You won't be disappointed.    … Expand
  9. Topbanana
    May 16, 2012
    9
    One of the most emotionally engaging games of all time especially if you've played the sequels, a ton of fun to be had and an amazing sci-fi setting. The end left my feelings all tied up though
  10. Buba28
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    I give it an 8 instead of 10 just because of the crappy ending, the game is great in every aspect but when you play all 3 parts you get dissapointed in the ending. Definitly worth the money.
  11. HeartlessFinale
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    ** This is my own opinion on the game, It should be noted that these reviews aren't exactly completely trustworthy because of this.
    Mass Effect 3 isn't a perfect game, the whole first day DLC fiasco and disappointing endings are some of the major let downs of the game. Despite this Mass Effect 3 succeeds in delivering good game-play blending in RPG elements (leveling up, picking specific    ** This is my own opinion on the game, It should be noted that these reviews aren't exactly completely trustworthy because of this.
    Mass Effect 3 isn't a perfect game, the whole first day DLC fiasco and disappointing endings are some of the major let downs of the game. Despite this Mass Effect 3 succeeds in delivering good game-play blending in RPG elements (leveling up, picking specific bonuses to powers/characters) with a shooter creating something that is a decent hybrid. The ems system is somewhat effective and actions that were previously taken can impact your general story as certain scenes and missions are only available if certain choices were previously taken. Exploration with the Normandy SR2 is available in a simple system. The story itself is decent. The main things pulling it down is that fact that our decisions don't have a direct impact to the ending (this was promised). With the plot holes and lack of explanations in the ending it just feels better to play the game up to the ending and then stop. If the endings do get fixed though, this is a game that should be tried in my opinion (of course after the other two games of the trilogy ).    … Expand
  12. yaska
    Apr 21, 2012
    8
    BioWare, then, have managed to pull everything together for a terrific finale to their ambitious trilogy. While the individual parts of Mass Effect 3 arenâ
  13. paralitos
    May 21, 2012
    8
    I was very excited for this game, and i bought it besides that i had problem with the dlc practice of the company. the game itself is fun to play and there are some very emotional moments and some excelent music in it... i am not a big hater of the ending but i do have some problems of reasoning with it.
  14. Lesquid
    May 16, 2012
    9
    Improved customization mechanics. Builds on choices from previous two games through (most of) the epic story. Great replay value and adds enjoyable multi-player.
    Vast tracts of great cutscenes and dialog (although not for many trivial side quests) make for a dramatic and touching conclusion to the ME series.
    Last couple of minutes (scheduled to to be expanded with DLC) and a retarded    Improved customization mechanics. Builds on choices from previous two games through (most of) the epic story. Great replay value and adds enjoyable multi-player.
    Vast tracts of great cutscenes and dialog (although not for many trivial side quests) make for a dramatic and touching conclusion to the ME series.
    Last couple of minutes (scheduled to to be expanded with DLC) and a retarded quest log mar otherwise superb game.    … Expand
  15. Miltan
    Jun 13, 2012
    8
    it' really cool games, however i agree that some faults are there, but not considerable too much.
    actually i found a discount code for the game, so i thought of a trial. i found its good for the price.
    i purchased this game with twenty dollars discount code found at topincoupons coupon website to use on new egg store.
  16. Qahnaariin
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    I... Don't... Understand what the big deal is... Yes, the game is not much of an RPG now, but, it was still great, one of the best I have played. Everyone have other feelings about the game though, I respect that. But from my perspective, this game is a must-have.
  17. NecroMnemic
    Oct 24, 2013
    8
    Good ending to the trilogy, and honestly a rather shameful display of gamers today. I admit to only having played the extendet cut but even with the cut explanations it is not acceptable what some people said/did.
    Only real downside is origin-only. Please stop that
  18. tigerskin84
    Dec 1, 2015
    9
    Great game, the decisions, the music its a shame that the cr@ppy ending wasnt fixed with the dlc but it its a good game overall, people need to realize that besides that ending it has been a good ride with shepard and his crew...
  19. zampaconi
    Jul 3, 2016
    10
    Mass Effect 3 è brillante. E' esattamente tutto quello di buono che è stato costruito con i primi due capitoli, meno le noiose esplorazioni di pianeti vuoti (del primo) e noiose (e dannose per il tunnel carpale) scansioni per la raccolta di risorse.
    Quindi: gameplay OTTIMO e vario (perchè permette sia l'approccio più action di un TPS che quello strategico della gestione di risorse sul    Mass Effect 3 è brillante. E' esattamente tutto quello di buono che è stato costruito con i primi due capitoli, meno le noiose esplorazioni di pianeti vuoti (del primo) e noiose (e dannose per il tunnel carpale) scansioni per la raccolta di risorse.
    Quindi: gameplay OTTIMO e vario (perchè permette sia l'approccio più action di un TPS che quello strategico della gestione di risorse sul campo), storia mai banale dall'inizio ALLA FINE (lo sottolineo, visto che la più grande critica mossa a Mass Effect 3 è che il finale non rispecchia le azioni intraprese dal giocatore - anche se fosse, si confonde un videogioco con un film, il videogioco non è la destinazione ma il viaggio che si intraprende), aspetti tecnici sia video che audio OTTIMI, atmosfera eccellente, aspetti RPG sicuramente non hardcore ma comunque efficaci. Pertanto, Mass Effect 3 è un MASTERPIECE.    … Expand
  20. FacundoCritics
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A pesar de todas las criticas me pareció un gran final a la historia de Shepard, muchos momentos épicos, derrame muchas lagrimas, tal vez después de tanto arriesgarse esperaba un final cliché feliz, aunque hubiera sido obvio prefería eso, pero bueno tiene sus cosas buenas cada final. Muchos diálogos, las misiones secundarias son muy mejorables, gráficamente no es nada del otro mundo pero es bonito de ver.
    Los DLC son una obra maestra (mas el de la Ciudadela), un gran final para esta saga.    … Expand
  21. andraip
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    It's a good game, the endings suck but I don't understand how people can give a game a 0 if they love it but just hate one thing... sad.

    And it did many things better then ME and ME2
  22. Habbibus
    Sep 21, 2012
    10
    Nice story, good graphics, awesome
  23. m_elders
    Dec 16, 2012
    10
    Originally I gave this game a 9 due to the terrible ending, but the new (free) DLC has made the ending bearable. I'll admit, this game suffers what many of its kind due in that the gameplay is totally separate from the story, rather than an integral part of it (like Spec Ops: The Line or Flower), but I think it deserves a 10 because the story and gameplay are both great by themselves. IfOriginally I gave this game a 9 due to the terrible ending, but the new (free) DLC has made the ending bearable. I'll admit, this game suffers what many of its kind due in that the gameplay is totally separate from the story, rather than an integral part of it (like Spec Ops: The Line or Flower), but I think it deserves a 10 because the story and gameplay are both great by themselves. If you liked Mass Effect 2, you'll like Mass Effect 3. If you haven't played Mass Effect 2, go play Mass Effect 2.… Expand
  24. Arcero
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    I have not yet finished the game but I am three quarters of the way through it. So far, this has been the best game I have ever played; the content is amazing, the events I predetermined in the previous installations are flawlessly synced to the plot-line. Mass Effect has not been my favourite series before this game.
    Perhaps the ending does ruin the game, I wouldn't know I have not yet    I have not yet finished the game but I am three quarters of the way through it. So far, this has been the best game I have ever played; the content is amazing, the events I predetermined in the previous installations are flawlessly synced to the plot-line. Mass Effect has not been my favourite series before this game.
    Perhaps the ending does ruin the game, I wouldn't know I have not yet reached it.
    But even if it does ruin the series, I will not give this game any less than 10/10 for the journey and for BioWare.
    BioWare was, is and in prospect will be the ONLY good RPG developer, you will not find any other developer (perhaps excluding square enix) that makes such elaborate stories. If BioWare dies... RPG dies.
    Also, somehow people seem to completely misunderstand this business. The choices from previous games CAN'T decide the whole outcome of the game because (1) they need to appeal to a range of audiences, not just complete Mass Effect fans or complete old-style RPG fans because they just wouldn't make enough profits and (2) the old decisions which predetermine the games mechanics would make the game either laughably easy or terribly hard plus would add another couple of years to cover every plot hole which comes with them, etc. You can't appeal to everyone, e.g. I like text based RPG's and action in Mass Effect does a lot to aggravate me, I play and always have for the story, if they took out the action, they would appeal to a minority but lose a lot of clients whereas when they pump up the action, slacking the story slightly, they will gain customers. Although I won't like it, I will still play it as if you really play for the story, you have to continue whereas when you play for action, you just drop it without caring.    … Expand
  25. JonoR
    Mar 15, 2012
    8
    I must have played a different game from the majority of reviewers here because I found it a highly enjoyable experience. Not going into the endings but it was perfect wrap up for who my Shepherd was and on the way to it I enjoyed reconnecting with old friends. As with Mass Effect people die and while I'm sure I limited it as much as I could the deaths that were locked in made me feelI must have played a different game from the majority of reviewers here because I found it a highly enjoyable experience. Not going into the endings but it was perfect wrap up for who my Shepherd was and on the way to it I enjoyed reconnecting with old friends. As with Mass Effect people die and while I'm sure I limited it as much as I could the deaths that were locked in made me feel something, which is how it should be.

    I see a lot of complaints about unanswered questions and while I do have questions, enough was answered for now. I don't need every single thing spelled out for me, plus it leaves stuff for the future. Shepherd's story might be over, but the Mass Effect galaxy doesn't have to be and I hope to see much from ME in the future.

    It looks good, I didn't encounter any major bugs or crashes, I enjoyed it, so I'm quite happy to give it a very good score.    … Expand
  26. Omega4
    Apr 5, 2012
    10
    Thanks to EA's announcement that a clarification to the ending will be made, I can finally give the score this game deserves. My playthrough was an absolute blast. Meeting my old squadmates again, meeting new ones, travelling to new places... I've never been so emotionally invested in a game. It was an absolute blast to play, and I can't wait to see the ending.
  27. GrumpyReviewer
    Apr 5, 2012
    8
    Tell you what. It's not better than ME2, which remains as the best in the franchise. But It's an absurd to say it's a bad game. It's a good game with a couple of bad choices. But it has the franchise's DNA, we cannot deny it. I understand that many purists will be offended with the overhaul but we should not be too picky. Criticize, yes; crucify, no. ME3 does not deserve, by all means, anTell you what. It's not better than ME2, which remains as the best in the franchise. But It's an absurd to say it's a bad game. It's a good game with a couple of bad choices. But it has the franchise's DNA, we cannot deny it. I understand that many purists will be offended with the overhaul but we should not be too picky. Criticize, yes; crucify, no. ME3 does not deserve, by all means, an average 3.8. It's not a 10, definitely, but it deserves a solid 8.0 in my opinion.… Expand
  28. rwh1
    Jun 10, 2012
    10
    I have played both versions 1 and 2 to the end several times over and while I'm only starting chapter 2 on the 3rd game I very much like what I'm seen so far. Based on the huge numbers of negative reviews I came very close to passing this game by, but I'm glad I gave it a try. It is a whole lot better than people have been saying. Good graphics, good crisp game action along with wellI have played both versions 1 and 2 to the end several times over and while I'm only starting chapter 2 on the 3rd game I very much like what I'm seen so far. Based on the huge numbers of negative reviews I came very close to passing this game by, but I'm glad I gave it a try. It is a whole lot better than people have been saying. Good graphics, good crisp game action along with well developed characters and story. The game allows you to import saves from of the prior verisons and the decisions you made in those games play important parts in this game. Over all this is a hybrid action shooter coupled with RPG elements. The Biotic and powers have the role of magic systems in similar games. I've been reading that many folks have had problems with the ending, but I believe the most important thing is if the game is fun to play and does it drag you into the story so you care about the characters, your decisions and the outcome of the war. In fact, the decisions and consequences in this game are much more difficult and far reaching than in the other two, a fact that has caused me to replay missions I'd already won because I couldn't get comfortable with the moral decisions I'd made. Anyway, don't pass this game by you will be sorry. If I had one nit, it is there is not as much DLC for this version, but I hope EA works to put a little more content into the single player instead of focusing most of their work on the MPlayer verision.… Expand
  29. Faux
    Mar 14, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In preparation for this release I played through Mass Effect 1 and 2. As with the first time I played the games I was impressed by their storytelling, gameplay, and general polish. The choices I made felt like they affected the game world in a variety of ways and my interactions with various characters changed the tone of the story, even if the inevitable confrontation with Saren and the Collectors was preordained. Opening up Mass Effect 3, the first thing that struck me was that the weight of all of my previous decisions was built into the game. Every character I saved in Mass Effect 2 remembers me and the trials we went through, those that I didn't save were conspicuously absent. The sympathy I showed the Rachni in ME1 was put to the test early, and my 90+ hours of trying to fix the genophage finally met fruition. At times the choices in this game can be paralyzing- Bioware has done a good job of making the options true "tough choices"- set against the backdrop of trying to rally the various races and military forces in the universe together to fight the reapers, Shephard must occasionally decide between those things which help the war effort and those things which are the "good" thing to do. You'll learn this early on when asked to send biotic children to the front lines or not- Do you take this powerful weapon that risks the lives of a group of gangly teenagers, or do you keep them safely away from the front lines? Do you make your military stronger, or do you preserve your humanity?

    The ending requires special mention because I think that it is unfairly maligned. It is not a "happy ending". Shephard does not fly off into the sunset, a woman (or man) on his arm, smiling confidently as his enemies erupt in flame behind him. This is the end of the story, and "success" is measured in terms of humanity's survival not Shephard's. The emotional impact of ending the story is artfully done, and in many ways the cries that have come up from the community are the result of actually being impacted by a game's ending (which is not something the gaming community is used to).

    As for the plot holes that people talk about, I urge players to play through the entire series if they are legitimately aggrieved. Sovereign's dialog explains much of the Reaper's motivations, as does the Collector dialog in ME2. It makes perfect sense so long as you assume that the Reapers aren't lying about their motivations or intent.    … Expand
  30. izazael
    Mar 31, 2012
    8
    Fans of the first two Mass Effect games might find the return of the weapons/mods system a little frustrating and the dialogue a little lacklustre and forced. Aside from those two things, the rest of the game is on par with the previous two: action, adventure, awe-inspiring cinematics. The decisions made by your Shephard do have serious consequences in the third game but no one seems toFans of the first two Mass Effect games might find the return of the weapons/mods system a little frustrating and the dialogue a little lacklustre and forced. Aside from those two things, the rest of the game is on par with the previous two: action, adventure, awe-inspiring cinematics. The decisions made by your Shephard do have serious consequences in the third game but no one seems to want to recognise that fact, focusing instead of how little impact they have on the very final cut-scenes and decisions of the game. I don't see any reason why they should.

    Regardless of how much people think the ending was disappointing or pick on a few minor problems with the game mechanics, ME3 is still a very good game and hardly deserves a zero score. It falls short of being a 10 experience, but play it through, finish it, give it a few days and you'll start to appreciate how good the game actually is.    … Expand
  31. tonytwoton
    Apr 1, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is probably the single greatest game I have ever played. The writing, storyline, and voice acting are what set it apart from every other game I have played in my life, and there have been many...What Avatar was to the movies, Mass Effect 3 is to the video game industry. Bioware/EA have set the bar awfully high. Every time I sit down at my computer now, I am filled withMass Effect 3 is probably the single greatest game I have ever played. The writing, storyline, and voice acting are what set it apart from every other game I have played in my life, and there have been many...What Avatar was to the movies, Mass Effect 3 is to the video game industry. Bioware/EA have set the bar awfully high. Every time I sit down at my computer now, I am filled with nostalgia and sadness that I have finished playing this truly wonderful game. I don't understand how anyone could give this game a negative review. It was never designed to be exclusively a shooter or an rpg. It's a mix between the two. The graphics are beautiful, the action is exciting, the story is interesting and imaginative. It's a testament to human ingenuity, a real modern work of art. To everyone who wrote a negative review, I challenge you to do better.… Expand
  32. Chazrh
    Apr 10, 2012
    10
    Great game. I am amazed at the public backlash for a game this good. I played each game in the series and this was my favorite. It was challenging and action packed while still maintaining a RPG feel. I have played countless hours of the multiplayer. ME 4 please!
  33. TaeraN
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Despite the ending, the game is perfect. Graphics, voice acting, music, combat system........everything. Definitely on my top 10 ever. The only "bad" part besides the dreaded ending, are the lack of dialogues aboard the Normandy.
  34. GuardianOS
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Overall the best game in the series. The multiplayer is great, the emotion in the story is unrivalled. The only flaw is the rushed and terrible ending. I give it a ten simply because even with that, until the last ten minutes and with all the fun in multiplayer the complete package is worth it.
  35. aburnstorm
    May 24, 2012
    10
    This is a truly superb computer game. I admit that I am often very critical of story-telling, character arcs, plots, game-play. I don't have much free time and have to spend it wisely. In addition, I'm not particularly intrigued by Sci-Fi. For all of these reason (and especially after reading the reviews here), I thought I'd better not play this game. I did finally purchase it,This is a truly superb computer game. I admit that I am often very critical of story-telling, character arcs, plots, game-play. I don't have much free time and have to spend it wisely. In addition, I'm not particularly intrigued by Sci-Fi. For all of these reason (and especially after reading the reviews here), I thought I'd better not play this game. I did finally purchase it, however, and have to say that this game was in quite a few ways superior to either Mass Effect 1 or 2 (which I also played recently). I think the philosophy of the ending options are sound and faithful to the overall story arch. It is in fact better thought out than countless other Sci-Fi story endings. The characters are superb, their motivations are typically clear, their dialogue is often hilarious. In short, if more pulp Sci-Fi novels were as good as this game, I'd probably read more of them. I have never spent the time to review a game before on this or really any site, but I am reviewing this game based on the fact that so many people wrote such hate for this game. I cannot account for it and thought I'd add my two cents of response. Buy this game and enjoy it. It deserves a much higher rating than it has received.… Expand
  36. ZaPaAl
    Jun 10, 2012
    9
    I have not been a fan of Bioware since the Dragon Age 2 disaster or the ME series. Especially ME 2 with it's nerve wrecking harvesting, story unlikeliness and blank environments had me building up high levels of denial against it.

    But i just had to see the ending in ME 3, and i'm glad i did. I regard ME 3 as the best part of the series, it's good enough to compensate for all the flaws and    I have not been a fan of Bioware since the Dragon Age 2 disaster or the ME series. Especially ME 2 with it's nerve wrecking harvesting, story unlikeliness and blank environments had me building up high levels of denial against it.

    But i just had to see the ending in ME 3, and i'm glad i did.
    I regard ME 3 as the best part of the series, it's good enough to compensate for all the flaws and drags in the previous 2 parts.
    Few Games today have such high quality and enjoable amount of content. To some minor extent i can even understand the weak last minute DLC ripping.

    POSITIVE:
    Believable Story that makes you play along, interesting Dialogs, strong Atmosphere, Gameplay is fun (played as Vanguard), nice and smooth visuals. Good difficulty on normal (being careless get's you killed).

    NEUTRAL:
    It does need a few tweaks to get it in shape, check the ME wiki on how to. 6x speed for scenes and walking really can make a difference.
    It's not an RPG and shouldn't be marketed as one.
    Weapons are interesting, but most of the them are pretty much alike. Personally i found myself always coming back to the particle rifle.
    Nothing overly new, just a perfect wrapping up of the universe they created. Some low textures now and then, but nothing really disturbing.

    NEGATIVE:
    A few more customization options for armor would have been nice, currently I'd regard them as mainly cosmetic.
    Character relation's were a bit of focus this time.
    It had to end, and i would have preferred a stronger and more personal ending, but honestly i'm ok with it. Large scale problems do call for uncompromising solutions.    … Expand
  37. AgeofLeon
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    Mass effect as a trilogy is by far one of the better action RPGs out there. Mass effect 3 is an excellent addition to it, though its ending may leave you feeling unsatisfied. You play as Commander Shepard, on a quest to save the galaxy from the Reapers, who are these ancient synthetic aliens hell bent on wiping out all organic life. It's a shooter RPG, and while the gameplay is quite niceMass effect as a trilogy is by far one of the better action RPGs out there. Mass effect 3 is an excellent addition to it, though its ending may leave you feeling unsatisfied. You play as Commander Shepard, on a quest to save the galaxy from the Reapers, who are these ancient synthetic aliens hell bent on wiping out all organic life. It's a shooter RPG, and while the gameplay is quite nice especially compared to earlier mass effect editions, the heart and soul of this game is not in its gameplay but in its story and characterization. You'll care about your squad members in a way you wouldn't in other games. You'll actually want to know what happens to them. This is bioware's strength: creating games with characters you actually like and want to know more about. For most of the game and especially the Tuchanka mission, the game is an absolute blast. It is more challenging than Mass effect 1 and 2 in a good way, and they've removed the distracting mini games. There has been much written about Mass effect 3's ending and for good reason, if you are like the majority you will wonder what the hell happened. Its ending is not its strength, but don't let that dissuade you. It's mostly a really great game. To get the most out of it, I highly recommend playing mass effect 1 and 2 first, as your choices will carry over into 3 and make it that much more meaningful.… Expand
  38. Str4toFortr3ss
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    I think Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game. Bioware found the right balance between the action and the rpg style gameplay. It's a masterpiece. The music, and the scenery is awesome and create a wonderful atmosphere. The characters are deeper, and better than before.
    I think it's a great ending to the trilogy.
  39. chinoxa
    Apr 11, 2012
    10
    Since finishing this game, I have felt incredibly depressed. Not necessarily because of the infamous ending but because I was so completely immersed in another world that returning to reality came as a bit of a shock. I've never felt emotional about a computer game before. It's a phenomenal experience.
  40. Soujirop
    Apr 18, 2012
    10
    First, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title aFirst, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title a 0/10 just because of its ending, which represents just the last minute of gameplay. In my opinion, this is very unfair, and can lead people to believe this game is actually bad, when it isn't. In fact, this game is probably one of the bests RPG you will have this year. Graphics: 9/10. With better graphics than its predecessors, ME3 meets perfectly what its expected for a science-fiction title of this generation. Sound: 9/10. This game will probably make you care about the music. Some of the songs really fit the critical moments, making them even more epic and memorable. Of course and as expected, Bioware also made a brilliant work dubbing the game. Gameplay: 10/10. If you though ME was a brilliant mixture of RPG and shooter playstyle, then you will simply love ME3, being even more dynamic and intuitive than its predecesors. The cover system will make u enrage sometimes, but you will be having so much fun that you will easily forget about this. As a negative, ME3 has more "autodialog" than previous bioware titles, which makes you get less involved in conversations, but don't worry, you will still be able to make pretty big choices through the game. Oh and good news for naughty players, ME3 allows same-sex romances, yum! Also, there's a quite addictive multiplayer mode. Story: 8/10. ME3 feels more linear than its predecessors, and it is. It also has less secondary missions and the main quest is probably shorter. Story is still immersive and the narrative is great, becoming quite emotional in some moments and portraying very good a stressed Sheppard, which will show the signs of pressure through the game and have a pretty hard time making some important decisions. It is satisfying to see what the characters of the previous games have become and most of them will return and make u feel the strong friendship they have with the protagonist. As a negative, ME3 story, while still good, fails to exceed that of ME2. The final stage could also have been larger and you will get a very unexpected ending that u may not like at all (I did like it, anyway). If you have played the previous games, then for sure you have to play this one and expect to have your own strong opinion about the end of the saga. If, on the contrary, you haven't playing the previous games, then... What are u doing here? Go to your nearest store and buy this three must-have!… Expand
  41. zer0sum
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    This is more Mass Effect in every way. If you enjoyed the first two games, I can see no reason why you would not enjoy this game. It has the same epic story, solid characterization, and awesome ambiance that made Mass Effect great. Sure it has its weak areas but this game is without question worth a lot more than the 3.5 user rating that it currently has here.
  42. osimandias
    Apr 12, 2012
    10
    DONT LISTEN TO THE USERS SAYING THAT YOUR EARLIER CHOICES DONT MATTER! Its just not true, depending on who survived the suicide mission and dozens, if not hundreds of other choices, this chapter will unfold in surpriningly, and yes, satisfying ways. I think most people judged this depending on their first playthrough, and you just cant do that. Its amazing and its a work of genius worthDONT LISTEN TO THE USERS SAYING THAT YOUR EARLIER CHOICES DONT MATTER! Its just not true, depending on who survived the suicide mission and dozens, if not hundreds of other choices, this chapter will unfold in surpriningly, and yes, satisfying ways. I think most people judged this depending on their first playthrough, and you just cant do that. Its amazing and its a work of genius worth defending. End of story.… Expand
  43. OK0110
    Mar 12, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Game itself is almost perfect. I think even better then mass effect 2. The problem is that i am na huge fan of franchise and i played everything related to this game, so i expected good ending based on all choices and effort i made during previous game-play. That didn't happened. Last ten minutes of game came from blue and reduced everything to three choices. I was dissapointed and don't want to play it again.… Expand
  44. TheNumb
    Jul 21, 2012
    10
    I don't understand all the criticism. To hell with all the mistakes in the game, the STORY IS AMAZING. It deserves to be honored as one of the best Sci-fi stories out there. I definitely recommend every body and soul to play through this Trilogy. You won't regret it. I give the game 7 points because there is several faults, and i give the story a 10, because it is just an epic story that iI don't understand all the criticism. To hell with all the mistakes in the game, the STORY IS AMAZING. It deserves to be honored as one of the best Sci-fi stories out there. I definitely recommend every body and soul to play through this Trilogy. You won't regret it. I give the game 7 points because there is several faults, and i give the story a 10, because it is just an epic story that i think everybody has to experience. I'm so sad to see that much criticism from the users, but ey, who cares, what matters is your own feeling :) Enjoy a truly fantastic story.… Expand
  45. Mudpooch
    Mar 2, 2013
    10
    Amazing game buy it and don't listen to all those haters. As close to perfection as is possible in this day and age to achieve and worth a lot more than its starting price. Its quite sad to see the low user score this game has received just because the ending wasn't to the liking of all the ADHD fps (I need gratification right away and I wish to engage as few braincells as possible to getAmazing game buy it and don't listen to all those haters. As close to perfection as is possible in this day and age to achieve and worth a lot more than its starting price. Its quite sad to see the low user score this game has received just because the ending wasn't to the liking of all the ADHD fps (I need gratification right away and I wish to engage as few braincells as possible to get there) players. In this case I would suggest listening to the professional video game journalists and put aside the red ink haters...… Expand
  46. rmezatang
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What I liked: Weapons and Armor choices were good, but no real details on the weapon upgrades before buying and limited to 2 mods didn't make any sense.
    Graphics and Combat improved but overuse of spacebar still a problem, got killed too often for standing when I wanted to crouch
    Squad members have better powers but combat AI is still limited, they can often stand right next to you as you get shot in the back and not do a thing to help - attack/guard commands would be helpful at a bare minimum
    What I really didn't like: (Spoiler Alert)
    Couple of glaring oversights and poor storyline choices: Romanced Tali in ME2 and 3, she was hesitant but ultimately accepted Legion, yet as a respected Quarian Admiral, when faced with the freeing of the Geth, resorts to complete cowardice and suicide? Even with decently high Paragon score, unable to convince anyone otherwise. OK, Geth Alliance, Quarian mass extinction - BUT, later before the final battle, Tali joins me in the Captains Cabin for a last interlude?, or was she a GHOST? but she's dead I'm telling myself... In the end, I chose to detroy Reapers, and with it go all the Mass Relays AND Synthetic life such as the Geth whom I had previously allied. Final movie shows Mass Relays exploding, and sending the Normandy crashing - presumably from all the Tech being destroyed - My argument is this, with All the Synthetic life destroyed, with the Normandy effectively destroyed, WTF is Edi doing walking off the Normandy - what is she if not Synthetic life? With her main systems on the Normandy trashed, she should be non-functional.
    Limited Romance Choices, really wanted to go for the reporter...

    P.S. ME1 was great if a little tiring with all the walking... ME2 was near perfection...    … Expand
  47. weskandel
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    I'm in the camp of people who loved Mass Effect 1 and really struggled with all the changes made in Mass Effect 2. I still thought 2 was a decent game and a well told story, but I would not have given it a perfect score. That being said, I went into Mass Effect 3 with hopeful but guarded expectations. I expected there to be something which was going to let me down. Also, I started seeingI'm in the camp of people who loved Mass Effect 1 and really struggled with all the changes made in Mass Effect 2. I still thought 2 was a decent game and a well told story, but I would not have given it a perfect score. That being said, I went into Mass Effect 3 with hopeful but guarded expectations. I expected there to be something which was going to let me down. Also, I started seeing headlines about the "fan outrage" regarding the ending, before I completed the game. Again, I was expecting to be let down. What I feel I got out of Mass Effect 3 was the most cinematic, expertly told and emotionally engaging stories of the entire series. Even upon completing the game and experiencing the now infamous ending, I'm still blown away. From a technical standpoint I played it on the PS3 and experienced some significant frame rate slow downs and even temporary freeze ups. But I don't feel like it was so bad that it ruined the experience. One major issue that occurred however, was for about thirty minutes the game would freeze up when I tried to enter the area with all the refugees. Even with these technical hangups, I still give Mass Effect 3 the highest rating possible. It is a masterpiece.… Expand
  48. svladimir
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    My first rating was 2. It's almost 6am now, I've just finished the game and changing rating to 10. Why it was 2 in the first place ? 1) the game mechanics is different from the first and second games, I was just expected it to be the same 2) the game was really slow, a bit frustrating, in the beginning 3) clumsy animation sometimes 4) reduced dialog options 5) quite often it's somewhatMy first rating was 2. It's almost 6am now, I've just finished the game and changing rating to 10. Why it was 2 in the first place ? 1) the game mechanics is different from the first and second games, I was just expected it to be the same 2) the game was really slow, a bit frustrating, in the beginning 3) clumsy animation sometimes 4) reduced dialog options 5) quite often it's somewhat hard to draw the parallel between a dialog option and what a personage actually says 6) the game is much less RPG than the first 2 games. And why I am changing it to 9 ? 1) it's another game and if to decide for yourself that it's not a true RPG and rather an amazing huge sci-fi story you can be a part of - it plays so well ! 2) while a bit slow in the beginning the game starts rolling towards the end, during last 10 hours (yes, non stop) of the game I could hardly find time to go to toilet :) 3) I TOTALLY love the ending. This is how a BIG saga shall end. Yes it's not truly RPG when all your heroes count etc... but again, the game itself is not a true RPG game. And I really like the story ! It's all explained so well, I didn't hesitate making my last choice and very satisfied with it, this is the only way how it should be, I think. 10 out of 10, easy. Thanks BioWare for an amazing experience.… Expand
  49. PLANETX
    Mar 13, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect 3 seems to have a lot of haters. I see no reason to give it a low score for the early DLC and I'm not even going to waste my time explaining why, as for the ending I understand why people are mad about it and it may take off some points, but you can't pretend you didn't enjoy the game over the grudge of not getting the ending you dreamed of. I do however, agree that this wasMass Effect 3 seems to have a lot of haters. I see no reason to give it a low score for the early DLC and I'm not even going to waste my time explaining why, as for the ending I understand why people are mad about it and it may take off some points, but you can't pretend you didn't enjoy the game over the grudge of not getting the ending you dreamed of. I do however, agree that this was not the best game in the series for the story. It is however a great game overall from the amount of fun I've had playing through it. The action was intense, the story wasn't the greatest but I still enjoyed it, and of course they always fixed the problems with the last game, so overall Mass Effect 3 is a solid shooter RPG and still an essential game to the series. They may have made choice making less noticeable of importance, and of course focused more on the combat rather than the love of the story, which I believe was a big mistake. However, I still enjoyed the game very much and feel that I've gotten a good game for my money. They could have improved on the story, choice making, and of course not done a half ass job on the ending. Though I have to say if anything, this game deserves to be in the green. It's not as amazing as Mass Effect 2, but it's not a failure either.… Expand
  50. PhiloHippus
    Mar 18, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing game. Granted, from a hardcore paragon point of view, who does want his hero to live to fight another day in the DLCs, the ending is a bit disappointing. Saving Shepard means killing the Geth and after all the emotional investment put into getting them to make peace with the Quarians, that's just nonsense. Plus, destroying all Mass Relays and setting the galaxy back to the dark ages of space immobility is plain bad closure. Still, I don't feel I can judge the game by the last 10 minutes, and considering the other 41 hours were pure awesome, this game gets a perfect 10.… Expand
  51. ahtf
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    Love the game!! The ending however dosn´t tell you enough of what your choices led to or what your companions did after your death. I however still think its a wonderfull game which deserve something between 8-10. Ill give it 10 since the 0-1 are just ridicolous :p
  52. Darkslighter
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 has changed story-telling forever. Never has a game had such an emotional punch. I'm not going to lie, ME3 left me emotionally wrecked, and I'm still trying to recover. But the fact that a game can do this is to me, and make me care so much is a testimony to its greatness. That's why this game deserves a 10.

    If you have played the other games even once or twice through these characters mean something to you. When they live and die, emerge victorious or are crumpled in defeat you feel authentic emotional responses. After one poignant moment with a character I had to stop playing. It wasn't that I didn't like what happened, it's that I needed a moment to process the emotions. That is storytelling.
    If you are jumping into the game Universe for the first time, there is room for you too. However what you will get is just a pretty good game with simply (but fun) action, large set pieces, good visuals and a war story.

    You will read many negative reviews about this game, but it's not because they didn't like the game. I have trouble believing people are really angry about that. The anger comes from the ending. When I first played through my only complaint was that it was too short. It needed more exposition, it needed to show what the results of at least some of my choices were, it needed some dialogue between characters about rebuilding, or a shot of everybody dead. Whatever you thought, the ending was very classic hardcore science fiction. If it makes you angry, that only proves that you cared about this game so stinking much that it was worth picking it up in the first place.    … Expand
  53. endtherapture
    Mar 16, 2012
    8
    The gameplay of this game is great, it builds on both of the previous games and refines the gameplay into a perfect, challenging whole. The story for the most part is great, really great, it has emotions and is really engaging and the characterisation is great. However then you get to the last 15 minutes of the game it it ruins everything. It was great up to there, but then it gets ruined,The gameplay of this game is great, it builds on both of the previous games and refines the gameplay into a perfect, challenging whole. The story for the most part is great, really great, it has emotions and is really engaging and the characterisation is great. However then you get to the last 15 minutes of the game it it ruins everything. It was great up to there, but then it gets ruined, a great game up to that point, but the ending sequence leaves a sour taste in your mouth.… Expand
  54. paixaot
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    O jogo é sensacional. História original e interessante. Não é para qualquer um gostar e entender Mass Effect. Apenas para os fortes. Indico. podem comprar que vale a pena
  55. Conranos
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    Do not be fooled by any of the negative comments. These people do not know of which they speak. The Mass Effect story is purely amazing. I went and get copy's of all 3 no DLC just the games. I played through all three back to back. This is THE of the most complex and powerful story I have evens seen. It can be seen though the eyes of anyone. Each person will come up with a differentDo not be fooled by any of the negative comments. These people do not know of which they speak. The Mass Effect story is purely amazing. I went and get copy's of all 3 no DLC just the games. I played through all three back to back. This is THE of the most complex and powerful story I have evens seen. It can be seen though the eyes of anyone. Each person will come up with a different meaning. This game has more than earned a 10. This is the pinnacle of all story driven games. I recommend that you get the entire series. Play them back to back, skip the DLC, and really focus on the story. I personally wish to thank Bio Ware for this amazing game. It has been to long since I have had to contemplate the ending to any story.… Expand
  56. meediocre
    Apr 1, 2012
    8
    The good: great galactic apocalyptic story (albeit a bit weird at the end), excellent third-person shooter action with varied enemies and situations, lush environments, excellent voice-acting, multi-player is surprisingly addictive and frenetic.

    Slightly annoying: wearing a type of armour that boosts your shields has a visor, meaning that in some of the "emotional" cut-scenes you can't    The good: great galactic apocalyptic story (albeit a bit weird at the end), excellent third-person shooter action with varied enemies and situations, lush environments, excellent voice-acting, multi-player is surprisingly addictive and frenetic.

    Slightly annoying: wearing a type of armour that boosts your shields has a visor, meaning that in some of the "emotional" cut-scenes you can't see Shephard's face! Also, I hate not having a button specific to "cover". The amount of times I got stuck to a wall or something and I didn't want to! Also, when you're speeding around in the Normandy and get spotted by the Reapers, it's not much fun trying to evade them as their ships are somehow faster. Finally my one criticism of the multi-player option is that the environments could have been more varied, plus it would have been nice to have to fight a combination of enemies, such as Cerberus and Reapers etc ..

    The bad: The game is possibly a little too easy, so it could have been slightly more challenging, especially at the end. The ending is, as you all know by now, a little bit "WTF", and I agree that its ambiguity is ultimately a bit frustrating.    … Expand
  57. breyant
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I'd give the game a 9 but I'm bumping it up to a 10 due to all the ridiculous reviews here.

    Awesome game, everything I was hoping for minus an epilogue, and I'm sure with the outrage all over the internet, Bioware will eventually release something to clarify.
  58. Nemo888
    Sep 4, 2012
    10
    YOU MUST GET ALL THE DLC. With that this is the best Mass Effect. EA stripped out 5GB of content for the initial release. That is about one third of the game. Without it the game is total crap and deserved to get panned.. When a gold edition comes out in a year or so with all the DLC at a good price get this title for sure.
  59. NorBdelta
    Apr 29, 2012
    10
    To start off I have -1 point due to the lack of narrative coherence at the end (a few changes would be welcome to help erase the lack of closure and finality with descent reasoning). OK now I have been holding back for quite a while to write an informed review about Mass Effect 3 in its entirety. I have finished every mission, every side quest and all of the romance options (including maleTo start off I have -1 point due to the lack of narrative coherence at the end (a few changes would be welcome to help erase the lack of closure and finality with descent reasoning). OK now I have been holding back for quite a while to write an informed review about Mass Effect 3 in its entirety. I have finished every mission, every side quest and all of the romance options (including male Shepard and Cortez) apart from one as I did not want to play all three games again for Kaidan. Now I was extremely saddened by the ending but not a disappointed sadness, a sadness that stems from watching my character grow from the beginning till the end, the music accompanied by all of his actions and his selflessness truly struck a soft-spot in my blood soaked, bullet ridden game favoring heart. I did not for one moment desire the ending to be different, the ending provided a truly satisfying if not a little sad close to a game that has spanned several years and three games. The combat worked, there are fewer team-usable characters than the previous games but this is not a hindrance, many of the previous qualms in the galaxy can be resolved or deepened by your characters actions, many forms of galactic closure can be achieved via the right actions all of which I found perfect (Geth, Quarians, Krogen, etc). Many people are dissatisfied by the endings but I suspect they have not dedicated themselves to the game and played enough to warrant suitable endings. Now the multi-player does affect the single player campaign and ending to a degree. The multi-player adds to the Galactic Readiness Rating which affect single player Readiness that affect the campaign. It is not necessary to play but means that playing it mean less single player items need to be fulfilled to get certain endings. Again I found it very enjoyable to play the multi-player in between campaign missions. The unlocks are very appropriate, not to unbalanced, and has room for many combat styles and strategies. I have certainly had closure, it is a shame others have slammed it to the point of worthlessness. As Bioware are adding a extended ending I am curious as to what it is and hope it does not add purely to satisfy a few closed minded individuals. As with the previous two games I highly recommend playing the First Second and this game.… Expand
  60. Maias227
    May 27, 2012
    10
    If you liked the two previous game you're likely going to like this game as well. It wraps up a lot of story lines and its a marvel to watch the very fate of races being decided but whatever you feel like doing. The production values are high all across the board, brilliant musical score and typical bioware style writting. The graphics does take a bit getting used to as they differ a lotIf you liked the two previous game you're likely going to like this game as well. It wraps up a lot of story lines and its a marvel to watch the very fate of races being decided but whatever you feel like doing. The production values are high all across the board, brilliant musical score and typical bioware style writting. The graphics does take a bit getting used to as they differ a lot from the previous games. Yes yes the ending is maybe not the best part of the game but definitely not some that make this game deserve a 4.0 it easily beats what otherwise on market right now.… Expand
  61. CaptainChaos
    Apr 27, 2012
    9
    This game was excellent. Amazing art work, fun game play, excellent save points. Good story for the most part, sometimes really excellent depending on choices. Yah the ending was a tad confusing at best, but it's no excuse to rate the game that poorly otherwise. I could have done with less exposition; sometimes I felt like I was watching TV at times rather than playing the game, butThis game was excellent. Amazing art work, fun game play, excellent save points. Good story for the most part, sometimes really excellent depending on choices. Yah the ending was a tad confusing at best, but it's no excuse to rate the game that poorly otherwise. I could have done with less exposition; sometimes I felt like I was watching TV at times rather than playing the game, but otherwise everything you could have wanted in a ME game. And the multiplayer gimmick was annoying but unnecessary - I achieved full War Assets even with only a 50% War Readiness rating. Overall, I would say ME2 was my favorite, but this was a worthy successor.… Expand
  62. SHELOB
    May 5, 2012
    10
    It's a good game, not a great ending for the series. I enjoyed the journey, the cinematic experience and the characters though. The RPG mechanics are too simple for my taste.
  63. vlado_work
    Jun 7, 2012
    10
    Before I started ME3, I had finished both ME and ME2 a few times, including DLCs. Based on rather negative comments, I was worried that ME3 will be a big disappointment... but it's not! If you liked ME and ME2, you'll surely like ME3 too. Amazing story and adventure continues and it is not true that the end doesn't make sense, as many complain. It does. It may just require a bit moreBefore I started ME3, I had finished both ME and ME2 a few times, including DLCs. Based on rather negative comments, I was worried that ME3 will be a big disappointment... but it's not! If you liked ME and ME2, you'll surely like ME3 too. Amazing story and adventure continues and it is not true that the end doesn't make sense, as many complain. It does. It may just require a bit more thinking. I recommend the game!… Expand
  64. anilanar
    Jun 5, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has one of the best endings ever. Bioware is going to release an Epilogue DLC soon. I can't believe this game is criticized so much for its ending. For those who didn't like it, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck… Expand
  65. mikefromsaskato
    Jun 16, 2012
    10
    This series is an epic masterpiece, like what Star Wars should have been.

    Ignore the haters -- the ending is odd and disappointing, but these people are just freaking out. Probably the same people who do the hate-fest with the whole COD vs BF3 idiocy.
  66. kiminkwon
    Apr 3, 2012
    10
    best freaking game ever!!! =D it deserves an 11/10 score xD.... although personally i kind of think the 2nd part was a little bit better idk why ppl dont understand the ending... imho it was perfect....
  67. Doomsdayman
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Summary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionallySummary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionally gripping it had me on the verge of tears at times. On that note, play from ME 1, it's worth it.

    Single player:

    Play/Combat - Excellent: I understand many people do not like the trend of ME away from the traditional RPG standards, but I love it because I venomously HATE several of those standards. Inventories are a cumbersome nuisance that just punish me for not taking time to manage the annoying buggers, and in ME 3 they are happily gone! Learning the intricacies of every single enemy so I know which of my 20 different skills to use is just frustrating (If I want to painstakingly memorize information I'll read a scientific paper on something useful), in ME 3 they simplify this to a reasonable level. On harder difficulties you still have to chose your ammo and prioritize your targets, but you have only a few options to worry about. Granted that can make the game-play a little repetitive. I'm okay with that; part of the reason I enjoyed ME 3 is that it is a first-person shoots, my genre of choice, and any good FPS has to sacrifice a little repetitiveness for well ironed out mechanics and enemies. ME 3 is definitely well ironed out. Which bring us to..... Classes, here I think the 3rd instalment shines. In ME 3 where you put your skill points obviously changes what abilities you have access to and how powerful they are, but quite significantly it entirely changes how effective your play style is. For example I love being a stealthy SOAB, so I play the Infiltrator class. In the last two games, like many others as soon as I chose the class at the start of the game I was stuck as a long range killer with no ability to hold my own in close combat. As it would happen that's how I like to play and so I followed the same path in ME 3, but even as i was doing that I realized that by putting my skills into the other abilities I could make myself a close combat killing machine, appearing in the middle of the enemy, wrecking havoc and beating people to death, only to disappear again. The ability to customize your character to your play-style then is terrific.

    Story -Out of this World: I can't describe it. play the game twice from ME 1 and you'll get two completely different experiences in ME 3, in almost every mission, every interaction I could sense subtle variations based on my previous actions, that level of impact on the narrative is what sets the ME series a head above the rest. I made decisions that made me proud as thanks to me everyone survived, I made decisions that made me cry as my actions caused my team-mates suicide; NO other game has ever made me feel like my choices have an impact on the story, ever. Which bring us to the one reason this review is not a 10. The last 15 mins. Oh YES I hate the ending, but only because the rest of the game was so incredible. After all that impact you had, you're given ending A, B, or C, and all of your previous decision mean squat to how any of them turn out.(On that note I hope the future DLC will fix the ending situation. After all the hard work the writers must have put into weaving the coherent web of different experiences you can get, I have to believe they would have up and quit Bioware if additions/changes to the ending were not planned from even before release. Here's hoping the "Indoctrination Theory" is right)

    And finally

    Multi-player -Good: I haven't played that much of this, but what I have I like. It's not as addictive as Halo, or Call of Duty, but its a solidly fun experience. Grab some friends and blow some enemies away, nothing wrong there. The maps are varied enough to add some diversity and the horde-mode style waves are supper fun to mow down in co-op.    … Expand
  68. alexnode
    Apr 26, 2012
    9
    The game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from dayThe game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from day one, ripping off people ... The ending was rushed for the release and it left a bitter after taste. In a way you built suspense for 3 episodes to end up with a bit of undersigned ending. Unfortunately we have seen things like that before ... still the overall experience was really nice. Somehow I feel that people wanted more. To be honest Mass Effect, one of the best games ever ,is behind in terms of dialogue and plot from a good film or book. As games in general still are. Regarding changing the ending to suit the needs and ideas of the players I believe is completely unacceptable, the designers of Mass Effect decided on three endings ( unpolished endings) that were interesting but unfinished. I completely agree if they want to polish it but not to change it. Sometimes you like the ending sometimes you don't like them. But artistic democracy or design by committee, is usually dull and sterilized. If I like something is to go the other way around... to complete let them actually design the ending properly as they originally imagined ... let the accountants screaming about the target audience and demographic and do the right thing ! I have the impression that EA as usual is behind rushed endings and despicable DLC ... I give the game 8 instead of 10 because of the DLC and the rushed ending. By the way in the age of intergalactic travel I am quite sure guns will not need ammo. I know that legions of players play all those U.S army games and they troll around about the combat system but things don't always have to be the same with these boring shooters. Nevertheless after Dragon Age 2 I stopped pre-ordering EA games ... it is a gamble.… Expand
  69. Stalkerone
    May 16, 2012
    10
    The universe of Mass Effect is inspired by all the great science fiction films of the past like star trek and adds a phenomenal story and gameplay.
    ME3 is the culmination of the saga most beautiful ever seen on PC.
    Is perfect in every way
  70. Dymarrr
    May 20, 2012
    10
    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 â
  71. X19
    May 22, 2012
    9
    Who knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought thisWho knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought this into full scale. It's one thing to go up against a seemingly invincible force, but it's another to do it with people you feel you would care about and even die for. I won't spoil more, but if you want the best possible experience; I recommend going through the first two games before this one. Gameplay has always seemed an afterthought in Bioware games, but it's not disregarded here. You feel like a complete bad*** when you stride through the field of battle sliding over cover and occasionally rolling into cover when hurt, all the while shooting at menacing foes who do not fear death or pain. The way Shepard holds his pistol is pretty awkward looking, especially in the first part of the game, but that's it. Finally, the ending. What did I think? I thought it was terrible. It made no sense whatsoever. It defiled all logic and everything you fought for. It just seemed like a marketing stunt by EA for expansions and sequels. Did it ruin all those hours I put into ME1 and 2? Absolutely not. I didn't regret a single second of my time spent in this game or it's predecessors. Would I buy ME4? No, Bioware did screw up with the ending. Even if the indoctrination theory were true, the ending is total nonsense. Play the other games, buy this one, but stop at the point when Shepard levitates up into the ending. (You'll know it when you see it.) Quit game and draw your own conclusions. That's the best way to experience this game.… Expand
  72. naznomarn
    Jun 13, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Brilliant game.
    I honestly can't really see why people are complaining so much. I've managed to get 45 hours of play out of this game, and I've not even played the multiplayer yet.
    The story is fantastic, the decisions you make DO affect the game and story.
    But yes, the ending was a little lacking, but what did everyone expect? A 20 minute film? It's a game, people. You play games... for the game. Not the cinematics. If you wanted a cinematic, go to the cinema or play Final Fantasy. Oh wait. You slated that for being too cinematic. Make up your minds already.

    Honestly, I didn't find these plot holes everyone's been banging on about. The biggest one they talk about is "how come the Normandy and crew got out of there alive!? D:" But it's kind of obvious. They did what they do on every mission in the entire game so far - escape just before everything goes kaboom.
    The crew's just seen Shepard blown to smithereens in a giant death ray. Personally, I'd be running the heck out of there too.
    And when a ginormous space station is about to blow up, Joker does exactly what Shepard told him to do - run the heck out of there instead of trying to go down with the ship.
    So plot hole? Not really. It's just people expecting to have everything spoon-fed to them.

    Now on to the "multi-player affects single player" gripe. Personally, I think it's a good thing if multiplayer affects the ending. Otherwise you completely separate the game in multiplayer and single player.

    Next, the "Deus Ex Machina" problem people mention, it's not there. Right from the first game they established that the Citadel summoned the Reapers. Which part of that don't people get?
    And then the "but if the justification is to stop the robots rising up... why're the Reapers robots!? D:" well... because they're machines without AI. Seeing as the Geth missions were all compulsory, and explained this plot point, and went through it several times over saying "but what if they rise up and destroy us!?" I'd've hoped people who played the game and didn't just read someone's ill-informed rant would have noticed that that's what the Citadel was trying to stop. And that the Reapers were 1. Organic / synthetics like Shepard, 2. Under the control of the Citadel, and 3. Didn't have an AI to rise up against the Citadel.
    People are also complaining about the day-one DLC that explains "major plot points". For the record - I've played it. Twice. And it doesn't. The character in it essentially says "I'm a soldier, not a scientist. What did you expect me to know? Moron." Everything else in it is already covered elsewhere in the game.

    But anyhow. The game has a few problems in it. The mission tracker thing doesn't update which can be really annoying, and the pre-rendered cinematics are of low quality. On the other hand, there are hundreds of side-quests, each with their own micro-story. At the end it would have been nice to have a quick montage of how the final choice affected the galaxy, but otherwise - no need for all the negative reviews. Yes, it's disappointing that there are only really three ways the game can end, and none of them have distinct cinematics at the end, but I played this game for the story and the game play. Not the cinematics.
    The end's half-baked, but does that really warrant 2,000 negative reviews that say "I loved the game. Until the end. Have a 0 Bioware. The game was worse than any I've ever played".

    Oh, and the graphics were great. I played ME2 and ME3 back-to-back. There was an improvement. If they weren't good enough for you, buy a proper graphics card and put it on full.    … Expand
  73. yrogerg123
    May 24, 2012
    9
    I actually find it pretty absurd that ME3 gets as much hate as it does. It's different from the first two games, but in no way is it worse. There is less emphasis on inventory, less emphasis on fetch quests, and those are not bad things. I certainly don't miss hacking minigames, and I definitely don't miss mining. ME3 cuts out the stuff that was unnecessary, improves on the core elements,I actually find it pretty absurd that ME3 gets as much hate as it does. It's different from the first two games, but in no way is it worse. There is less emphasis on inventory, less emphasis on fetch quests, and those are not bad things. I certainly don't miss hacking minigames, and I definitely don't miss mining. ME3 cuts out the stuff that was unnecessary, improves on the core elements, and the result is a very good installment to a great series.

    The story is focused but creative and you are moving towards the ultimate goal at all times. As with all ME games, the scale of the game is impressive. In ME3 there is much less emphasis on sidequests, which is good because I always got the feeling I was up against the clock and didn't need to be running around doing favors for people you barely know. You constantly feel like what you are doing is important, like it needs to be done and you're the only one who can do it. "Do this so my species' army will stand beside you" just makes a lot more sense than do this so you can have some credits/move one step closer to 100% completion. And the gameplay: it's awesome. Vast improvement over any other installment. It plays not just like a shooter, but like a very good shooter. It stands alone as one of the best FPS games I've ever played. Coupled with the elements that make ME great, like the character interactions and the story, and you have a near flawless game.

    Of course, the ending is horrendous, but I played through the game in 25 hours and the last twenty minutes doesn't undo everything that came before it. This is a great, great game, and I find it sort of baffling that the general consensus is that it's not a great game. It deserves to be thought of in the same ways as the first two. The series evolved as it went along, but again, that's not a bad thing. As much as I enjoy being able to wander around aimlessly looking for things to do, sometimes a game benefits from cutting out the time wasters and sticking to the core story that it is trying to tell. That is exactly what ME3 did, and it did it well.    … Expand
  74. ChoicestGames
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    It
  75. antoinedumont50
    Apr 2, 2012
    8
    When the time for change has come, one must welcome it. Mass Effect 3 is in no way a bad game. This game is shot down in flames either by people who dismiss the day 1 DLC or homophobes. Mass Effect was the best of the three, but ME3 is a huge improvement on ME2. I played it on a high-end PC and it looks gorgeous. No glitches, no slowing down. I agree that Dragon Age 2 was a real failure,When the time for change has come, one must welcome it. Mass Effect 3 is in no way a bad game. This game is shot down in flames either by people who dismiss the day 1 DLC or homophobes. Mass Effect was the best of the three, but ME3 is a huge improvement on ME2. I played it on a high-end PC and it looks gorgeous. No glitches, no slowing down. I agree that Dragon Age 2 was a real failure, but it is not the case here. Alright, it is more action-oriented than ME1, kind of in the vein of ME2. But it is definitely not a bad thing. The plot could have been much better, but I think that it fits the series well. Now, there's also the question of the endings. At first, I must say that I was really disappointed. But in the end, it was a very good lesson of life. Sometimes, you must make a choice even though you don't have many options. Life is hard and death is a part of it. The users have taken it too far here. Come on, the user score is almost as bad as Postal 3! Users also complain about the addition of a multiplayer feature. Let me tell you something : it's just amazing. And challenging too. There are a few glitches/bugs that haven't been fixed yet (the flying vanguard bug for instance), but all in all it is nice.… Expand
  76. Maciej_Krok
    Apr 17, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've just finished Mass Effect 3 and I've decided I'll share my opinin with you guys. I expected Bioware to make ME3 even better than ME2 was, and IMO they did, cause this game is close to perfection. What I liked: 1. Combat experience: faster fights, increased mobility, very versitale enemies (mixed reasonably to increase their effectiveness), tactical elements (smoke, cloaks, towers, generators etc.), increased difficulty level, good multiplayer concepts.
    2. Story: written with taste and balance, it doesn't seem to be unreal in any part: help me and I'll return the favor, we'll help after curing the genophage, we'll help after we'll have a place to put our non-combatants in, and others like these seems logical, natural and they all bind together pretty well around the main topic under the title: â    … Expand
  77. 1Crazyman1
    May 2, 2012
    9
    So there are enough bad reviews of this game already which all (pretty much all of them) boil down to the ending.

    What most reviews don't mention is that before the ending everything is so good, maybe even epic. Would you really want to miss 95% of a game because of an ending you might not like it? Giving it a score of 10 would be going overboard, but I actually missed ME3 after I    So there are enough bad reviews of this game already which all (pretty much all of them) boil down to the ending.

    What most reviews don't mention is that before the ending everything is so good, maybe even epic. Would you really want to miss 95% of a game because of an ending you might not like it?

    Giving it a score of 10 would be going overboard, but I actually missed ME3 after I finished playing it. And despite being on "quit" an old engine, the graphics look good, the animations look good and the characters (bar for textures) look good.    … Expand
  78. Metalock
    May 19, 2012
    9
    I don't care about Day 1 DLC issues or how bad Origin is. The point is this game is fun. The multiplayer brings hours of replayability and the singleplayer finishes the awesome trilogy that is Mass Effect. I don't care about the ending controversy either. I have faith in BioWare fixing it with the Extended Cut update.
  79. mondieu12
    Jun 12, 2012
    9
    IT WASN'T THAT BAD. The majority of the game is excellent, with certain character deaths really adding to the overall experience of the series (two in particular). The combat is exciting and fluid, the dialogue well written and well voice acted, and some of the choices are deep, and philosophically challenging. Yes, the ending wasn't what we expected, and I'm as annoyed as everyone else,IT WASN'T THAT BAD. The majority of the game is excellent, with certain character deaths really adding to the overall experience of the series (two in particular). The combat is exciting and fluid, the dialogue well written and well voice acted, and some of the choices are deep, and philosophically challenging. Yes, the ending wasn't what we expected, and I'm as annoyed as everyone else, but we can't let 10 minutes ruin a trilogy which we have passed countless well-spent hours playing!… Expand
  80. wisetaner
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just finished playing ME3 with all the available DLC's including the extended cut...so far I played through the "Refusing to choice", Synthesis" and "Destruction" options. The first two while bitter sweet, were rather good. Where as the destruction option, just left me feeling frustrated. Due to where it shows Shepard suddenly taking a breath as though having been out cold. But then the credits begin rolling.

    It just made it seem like more of a teaser to see Shepard's suddenly breath in and then nothing else. I can understand Bioware wanting to leave it up to the gamers imagination...but that teaser, is like torture.

    I just wanted to mention that. But again the other two ending options I played through, those were rather good and while I don't know what the original shorter endings were like, I did appreciate the extended cut version. I just would have liked to have more certainty of Shepard's fate after that breath.

    Heck I really would have enjoyed seeing an option where Shepard rejoins his friends upon the Normandy. But what can be told, aside from just appreciating the fact that at least his friends survived and the she/he got to breath again.

    At any rate, the game overall was amazing...and perhaps I feel that way because I waited until the extended cut DLC became available.    … Expand
  81. Yazour
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    After looking at all the red scores this game has received I have been compelled to speak out. I don't think most users have given this game a fair go. It has received this negative criticism for many reasons. Some of the criticism is fair, but most of it is drivel written by petulant children that didn't get their cookie.

    Firstly there had been unrealistic expectations placed upon    After looking at all the red scores this game has received I have been compelled to speak out. I don't think most users have given this game a fair go. It has received this negative criticism for many reasons. Some of the criticism is fair, but most of it is drivel written by petulant children that didn't get their cookie.

    Firstly there had been unrealistic expectations placed upon it. It is the third of an epic trilogy. Not only did it have three times the attention that an original release would have done, but it also carried with it two games worth of changeable back-story that needed working into the plot. That is a serious amount of baggage for any development team to work with. Pleasing everyone was never going to happen if the game was ever going to be released. I am amazed however how smoothly the game plays out having played through it now with three different save game imports. Bioware have done a superlative job in simply getting a coherent story out of two games worth (70 hours worth) of loose threads, and should be commended for their efforts.

    Secondly plot has developed in line with the popular hero trend. If you want your hero    … Expand
  82. jigme
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    Played the whole series. Loved it. I played through Mass Effect 3 one time, using the extended cut, so I did not get traumatized, it seems. Combat is fun, writing is top-notch. My only complaints: too short, too linear, not enough replay value (also, that Asian villain was REALLY cheesy. REALLY). I forgive it all because I like the Mass Effect universe, and I like Liara too much. I wish itPlayed the whole series. Loved it. I played through Mass Effect 3 one time, using the extended cut, so I did not get traumatized, it seems. Combat is fun, writing is top-notch. My only complaints: too short, too linear, not enough replay value (also, that Asian villain was REALLY cheesy. REALLY). I forgive it all because I like the Mass Effect universe, and I like Liara too much. I wish it was designed in a way that I could keep playing.… Expand
  83. trio3rd
    Jul 23, 2012
    9
    i enjoy the game especially if you upload save game from ME2... maybe the original ending doesn't give much closure, the free extended cut DLC in other hand give much more satisfying ending... ill give an 7/10 but with the extended cut DLC ill give 9/10...
  84. Gqwewqewq
    Aug 27, 2012
    8
    Haven't finished the game yet, but so far I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. The combat is improved (not much, and still not great ofc). They've made the galaxy exploring much better than the last 2 games. And there's a lot of nice touches, like crew members moving around the ship, having conversations etc. Also like that they've focused more on characters who can't accompany you onHaven't finished the game yet, but so far I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. The combat is improved (not much, and still not great ofc). They've made the galaxy exploring much better than the last 2 games. And there's a lot of nice touches, like crew members moving around the ship, having conversations etc. Also like that they've focused more on characters who can't accompany you on missions - I always thought that was a stupid self-imposed limitation.
    And the bad..... Dialogue has taken a nose dive (not all the time - some is still pretty good), but worst they've removed a lot of the options you have, moving far too many moments purely into cut-scenes. This was a problem sometimes in Mass Effect 2, and its got worse.
    Basically, certainly a step down from Mass Effect 2, and due to the first games incredible story probably from Mass Effect too. Still a decent game though    … Expand
  85. xinsanex81
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    Hello,

    I was not sure about the last part of this series, because it got so much hate spit on, but I got it eventually. I can't find the right words to describe this epic masterpiece the right way... I played with a Leviathan, From Ashes and Extended Ending DLC's, and I had the greatest possible gaming experience with this series a player can imagine. This is now my top 1 game of all    Hello,

    I was not sure about the last part of this series, because it got so much hate spit on, but I got it eventually. I can't find the right words to describe this epic masterpiece the right way... I played with a Leviathan, From Ashes and Extended Ending DLC's, and I had the greatest possible gaming experience with this series a player can imagine. This is now my top 1 game of all times, and I doubt anything can ever beat it. Take care Normandy crew, take care Mass Effect universe, take care the game defining the true meaning of a word "sci-fi"! Thank you Bioware for finishing the story this way.

    Regards,

    i.n.s.a.n.e    … Expand
  86. Horganshwag
    Sep 19, 2012
    10
    Just like almost everyone else who played this game I didn't like the ending or the other disappointments. I cry myself to sleep wishing Shepard was indoctrinated, but this was still one of the best games I have ever played and is by far the most emotional.
  87. toddzy
    Dec 21, 2016
    10
    Key: 1 = Poor, 3 = Average, 5 = Great

    Graphics 5
    Audio 5
    Characters 5
    Story 4, the ending was a minor let down, but reasonably improved in a later release. Overall one of the best stories I've journeyed through, even years later tugs on the heart string. Such a great adventure.
    Controls 5
    Intuitiveness 5
  88. epic635
    Oct 11, 2012
    9
    Some of you may be new to the mass effect series and want to purchase the game, however the amazingly low score in the user section can be a very big turn off. However do not listen to the user reviews on this site!! or any other site on the internet!! This game ooozes brilliance. Let me shine some light on how the gamer community works, they love to **** about anything, and everything. IfSome of you may be new to the mass effect series and want to purchase the game, however the amazingly low score in the user section can be a very big turn off. However do not listen to the user reviews on this site!! or any other site on the internet!! This game ooozes brilliance. Let me shine some light on how the gamer community works, they love to **** about anything, and everything. If a game doesn't innovate, it sucks, if it does innovate, it sucks as well, they can never be pleased, which is why this game has been so badly reviewed, they didn't like the ending. Just because you didn't like the ending does not warrant down grading the ENTIRE game. Mass Effect 3 is a brilliant game, the soundtrack is incredible, the combat is fun and fast paced and (contrary to gamer belief) the story was excellent and I really connected with the characters in the story. I implore you to enter this game with an open mind, not clouded by the hate of the gamer "community" and see this game for what it is, it may have drifted from its RPG roots but I think for the better with my play style, I've thrown hours into ME3 and enjoyed every second of it. The leaving Earth scene is both awesome and saddening at the first time and sets the tone of desperation for the story to come, the Reapers are a terrifying and brilliant foe and the gameplay represents a challenge in many areas of the game. I didn't even think the ending was bad at all, when I finished it I put my controller down in contentment without realising it would be so badly bashed by whiners everywhere. ME3 is well worth a play through for anyone who would rather enjoy a game than complain about it. Bioware really put their heart into this game and it deserves the recognition from the community it never received… Expand
  89. birdman3
    Sep 2, 2013
    10
    This game takes what ME2 did and makes it better. Granted, the ending is not the greatest. However, everything else is done exceptionally well. The graphics are improved, as are the RPG elements and the situational tactics. Don't pay attention to the hype around the ending- enjoy this game for what it is
  90. Ruston
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    To be honest...in my opinion...Mass Effect 3 isn't worse than 1 or 2. All games of Mass Effect's Trilogy are on the same level. I must say I didn't feel dissapointed playing this game, I was having fun since the first action to the last one. I can't understand why there are so many negative opinions.
    The main plot is nothing special but it's still good. Don't forget there are secondary    To be honest...in my opinion...Mass Effect 3 isn't worse than 1 or 2. All games of Mass Effect's Trilogy are on the same level. I must say I didn't feel dissapointed playing this game, I was having fun since the first action to the last one. I can't understand why there are so many negative opinions.
    The main plot is nothing special but it's still good. Don't forget there are secondary missions which are just the cherry on the cake.
    "Terrible writing" I don't agree. For sure the best one is in Mass Effect 1 but we can't ignore this game because of it.
    Graphics Really Why we must care about it so hard... Anyway it doesn't look so bad and I am sure it's gonna be better in the next one. I am just worried about the fact "Shepard Era" is over. That's the only 1 thing which can hurts..
    Give this game a chance and don't forget it's part of trilogy even if you don't like it so much.    … Expand
  91. Efa
    Sep 4, 2013
    8
    A great game, apart from the ending. I can hardly blame a great game for the mistake of a single writer than locked the rest of the team out. This game holds many of the emotional highs for the series, and some great game play.
  92. LairdEJM
    Sep 9, 2013
    9
    As we all know the anger is there over the ending, and when I first played through it I was as vocal in my displeasure as anyone else. But after adding the extended cut, (which if nothing else tries to help things) and playing it through with readjusted expectations as part of the trilogy, I have come to love 90% of it. Visually it is superb, the overall story keeps you engaged and theAs we all know the anger is there over the ending, and when I first played through it I was as vocal in my displeasure as anyone else. But after adding the extended cut, (which if nothing else tries to help things) and playing it through with readjusted expectations as part of the trilogy, I have come to love 90% of it. Visually it is superb, the overall story keeps you engaged and the characters you know and love don't disappoint.

    My only gropes are: (The ending, but as I have already said I can live with it with a little help from my post story imagination)
    The lack of tactical choices; I wanted Shepard to control the Normandy in fleet battles and make big decisions on how to roll out the battle. And fire that awesome cannon!! :D
    The multiplayer element, which although is very good in its own right, should not impact at all on the single player.

    But don't get this game wrong, it IS Mass Effect and IS a very, very high quality game.    … Expand
  93. Ghob
    Dec 16, 2013
    10
    This review is coming from someone who completed the game with the Extended Cut instaled. The game itself is excelent, the storytelling is great throughout until the end, when it drops in quality, from amazing to acceptable. But what counts its the journey, and it was an amazing one.
  94. ankittoms
    Feb 21, 2016
    10
    Amazing sci-fi story. Like playing Star Trek with your own ship. Past Decisions carry over.

    Graphics: 9
    Game play : 10
    World Design: 9
    Content: 9
    Immersion: 10
    Story: 10
  95. DAOuser
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    Pierde un poco en cuanto a su predecesor en algunos aspectos, y el final decepciona un tanto (incluso con el "Extended Cut" de las narices), además de que como viene siendo habitual, nos fríen a DLC para poder disfrutar del todo la experiencia de juego. No obstante sigue siendo un buen juego, con un estilo de combate muy "shooter" y una historia y una ambientación excelentes.
  96. MisterShmi
    Mar 7, 2014
    10
    I will never forgive EA for rushing the development of this game. It pains to think about what could have been.

    However, I still give this game a 10 because in spite of its rushed development, this game is darn near perfection. Several of the most emotionally provocative moments in video game history are all in this game. I've never experienced such a grand storyline on such an epic    I will never forgive EA for rushing the development of this game. It pains to think about what could have been.

    However, I still give this game a 10 because in spite of its rushed development, this game is darn near perfection. Several of the most emotionally provocative moments in video game history are all in this game. I've never experienced such a grand storyline on such an epic scale. Thank you BioWare for the ride. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it up until the end.

    Thank heavens we at least got the extended cut that tied off so many of the stories and choices that were left totally absent from the original ending.    … Expand
  97. KotorFan3231
    Nov 12, 2013
    10
    KotorFan3231-This is definitely one of the best games i have ever played, and personally one of my favorites of all time. The story and characters are above average in fact they are the best i have ever seen in any game to date. There is so much emotion in the dialogue, the action is intense, well presented, and cinematic. The choices your character makes are more impact full. There is oneKotorFan3231-This is definitely one of the best games i have ever played, and personally one of my favorites of all time. The story and characters are above average in fact they are the best i have ever seen in any game to date. There is so much emotion in the dialogue, the action is intense, well presented, and cinematic. The choices your character makes are more impact full. There is one instance in the game i won't spoil for anyone but it involves the Geth, and Tali, and one of the choices made me feel so much emotion i almost cried. Fortunately i ran into very little glitches. My personal favorite character from this game other than commander Shepard is The Illusive Man voice by Martin Sheen, he is well voiced, and character is well written. Now the only other problem with the game that i found was there were less companions, but each were interesting so that didn't bother me that much. For the people who say the ending ruined the game it didn't yes the original ending did not solve much it was just inconclusive but did not ruin the whole game. The ending did not interfere with my experience because overall the writing was extremely strong. There is a massive amount of content in this game. It took me 30+ hours. Overall i give this game a 10, and it does not mean that the game is perfect it just means the pros far outweigh the cons.… Expand
  98. rahto56pilko84
    Nov 22, 2013
    8
    After mass effect 1, i was momentarily put down by the gameplay changes on ME2. However, after a while, i enjoyed it. The same happened with the changes between ME2 and ME3. But this time, i never really managed to overcome the inial bad feeling. I think that ME3 gameplay should have left more close to ME2. Besides that, the other big problem i have with this game is about the ending,After mass effect 1, i was momentarily put down by the gameplay changes on ME2. However, after a while, i enjoyed it. The same happened with the changes between ME2 and ME3. But this time, i never really managed to overcome the inial bad feeling. I think that ME3 gameplay should have left more close to ME2. Besides that, the other big problem i have with this game is about the ending, which is something that has been talked about to death. Still is overall a very good game and there are moments in the story that are truly unforgetable (others, however, are truly forgetable...)… Expand
  99. MarsLars
    Nov 26, 2013
    9
    It's been a year since this game was released, and still people cannot get over the ending. If I ask someone if they've ever played Mass Effect, the answer is usually a no, because they're uncultured swine, or because "The ending of 3 sucked, so I never started." I am truly disappointed with BioWare's fans. This studio gave us one of the greatest sci-fi stories (and universes) of allIt's been a year since this game was released, and still people cannot get over the ending. If I ask someone if they've ever played Mass Effect, the answer is usually a no, because they're uncultured swine, or because "The ending of 3 sucked, so I never started." I am truly disappointed with BioWare's fans. This studio gave us one of the greatest sci-fi stories (and universes) of all time. It was lauded by critics and consumers alike. People developed actually feelings toward these characters. All of this is overshadowed by an ending that disappointed. Mass Effect 3 is a good game. There, I said it! Come at me Internet! Yes, it is a little more action/shooter oriented than the previous two, but hey, it's the third installment of a trilogy. This game was aimed at hard core fans (don't you dare disagree!) and those who were breaking in to the franchise, so it's obvious that they would want to up the ante, to appeal to those action game junkies (Thanks, Activision.). But why, WHY all the hate? Please everyone, don't penalize the experience just because of a conclusion that you didn't enjoy. People would've been distraught not matter what they did. I feel like most of these negative reviews are people just getting wrapped up in the internet fervor, not actual, unbiased reviews. I personally loved the ending up through the final choice, though I feel the results should have been expanded, but guess what? They did! BioWare appeased the masses with a free-of-charge expansion that provides better clarity. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, if, by chance, someone reads this, I hope I can inform some lucky person with an interest in RPG's to not worry and to have fun, to see through all the bitterness. I can sleep better at night knowing I introduced someone to a new, exciting world. Thanks BioWare, and Reader, ENJOY!… Expand
  100. Dark2tar
    Mar 9, 2014
    9
    Well what to say?
    Besides the bad ending and only 3 different choices who are quite the same Bioware created in my opinion the best part of the series.
    Its clear that they have failed how the three parts come together in the end but nearly everything from 1&2 was improved. The combat and skill system kicked ass. 10/10 (but only cause i leave out the ending, this is only for the    Well what to say?
    Besides the bad ending and only 3 different choices who are quite the same Bioware created in my opinion the best part of the series.
    Its clear that they have failed how the three parts come together in the end but nearly everything from 1&2 was improved.
    The combat and skill system kicked ass.

    10/10 (but only cause i leave out the ending, this is only for the gameplay and athmosphere)    … 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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