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. gnuuurff
    Mar 16, 2012
    0
    I love the series but the ending waste all of this. If a better ending falls soon and free in a dlc, i change my note, i hope so. Sorry for my english i'm french.
  2. Vatolicious
    Mar 16, 2012
    1
    This was a miserable ending to a great trilogy. Simplified to the most basic possible level, one would imagine they would have time to make a good ending. There are no RPG elements in this game, its miserable. There is no exploring planets, the citidel is very small and not open. ME2 made the game more basic, but ME3 took it down to a stupid level. This is NOT what we expected/wanted fromThis was a miserable ending to a great trilogy. Simplified to the most basic possible level, one would imagine they would have time to make a good ending. There are no RPG elements in this game, its miserable. There is no exploring planets, the citidel is very small and not open. ME2 made the game more basic, but ME3 took it down to a stupid level. This is NOT what we expected/wanted from bioware. And the ending is not at all based on anything you did in any game what so ever. I repeat not at all based on your choices. Several things in the game happen in cutscense. Meaning that you dont have full control over the choices shepard makes. Not that it matters. Avoid. A miserable ending to a great series.… Expand
  3. sympathy4saren2
    Mar 16, 2012
    0
    This game is a slap in the face to Mass Effect fans and rpg gamers alike. This game is so bad not only does it make for a horrible game, it completely derails the entire franchise with its massive failure during the climax and massive plot craters with extremely weak writing. The intense talent of Drew Karpyshyn and the masterful writing he penned in gone and now dudebro one liners andThis game is a slap in the face to Mass Effect fans and rpg gamers alike. This game is so bad not only does it make for a horrible game, it completely derails the entire franchise with its massive failure during the climax and massive plot craters with extremely weak writing. The intense talent of Drew Karpyshyn and the masterful writing he penned in gone and now dudebro one liners and weak dialogue and plot abound. Choices mean nothing, the loot system is weak and insulting, there is no inventory....this game is a complete mess. Do not buy, avoid this game at all costs… Expand
  4. Alpha_Nexus
    Mar 16, 2012
    7
    The game is has changed a lot from ME1 and ME2 for both good and bad.

    The Story is engaging and the way the reveals bits of story without a cutscene is great, like hearing NPCs talk as you walk around. I find myself stopping between 2 NPCs chatting just to find out more about the backstory. However, the story is more linear than previous games and doesn't feel like you're making Shepard    The game is has changed a lot from ME1 and ME2 for both good and bad.

    The Story is engaging and the way the reveals bits of story without a cutscene is great, like hearing NPCs talk as you walk around. I find myself stopping between 2 NPCs chatting just to find out more about the backstory. However, the story is more linear than previous games and doesn't feel like you're making Shepard your own character. Basically your dialogue choices don't really affect the ending, instead it relies on your collecting "War Assets" (setup alliances, completing side quests, scan planets for items, etc...) for slightly different endings. Even then, the endings only differ with your choices in the last few minutes of the game. It makes it feel like your actions through the game really doesn't matter.
    I like how Bioware allows players to customize how they prefer to play the game by giving them options to ignore selecting dialogue to focus on action or make shooting easier to focus just on story. The War Readiness system is an interesting idea that I like in theory but it makes the game feel more "grindy" because you have to do all these side quests and scan all these planets. It also feels like a cash grab by Bioware/EA because you can increase the Readiness by buying their iPhone game or, in multiplayer, you can buy upgrade packs with real money. You can get the Readiness to 100% without paying extra or multiplayer but you would have to do a lot of side quests and exploration. The Multiplayer feels a little less "grindy" because it has a good variety of maps and enemies and you can unlock new weapons and upgrades by using in-game currency (gained by playing online games). The co-op multiplayer is a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of playing Uncharted 2 Multiplayer with swarms of enemies and little objectives to complete (assassinate targets, defend an area, activate devices). I had alot of fun with friends playing the game. There are some bugs with multiplayer that makes it annoying. It would be nice to be able to reorder your quickbar skills like in Singleplayer and the button for cover/activate is unreliable. I get stuck in a nearby cover instead of activating an objective.

    The cover system is worse in this game than ME2, my character sticks to places too easily. If Bioware tone down the distance of when to automatically stick to cover, it would make it alot more tolerable. The shooting elements feel good but nothing like a hardcore FPS. Getting a gib kill feels good and the aiming system feels right with the right setting (I had to turn off "Mouse Dampening" to feel better). The simplified inventory system, shopping system, and weapon upgrading is a lot better in this game than the previous games.

    The From Ashes DLC, is great. It seamlessly integrates with the main game and feels like part of the main game. It gives such an important background information about the Mass Effect Universe. The DLC character is great and the conversions with the character is worthwhile. I honestly cannot see how this DLC be excluded from the main game, the content adds so much depth the game. This DLC should have been available to all players who brought the game new, it feels like it's such a key component to the Mass Effect story. Shame on EA/Bioware for making this a paid DLC on Day 1, instead of working on bugs or improvements. Also, the idea that you can spend real money to unlock random stuff in multiplayer (with no guarantee of getting everything) adds to the feeling that EA/Bioware are trying to squeeze cash from their fans.
    Conclusion:
    The game mechanics definitely improved overall, but the story doesn't feel like a classic Bioware RPG where you have complete control over Shepard's development. I cannot give this game a perfect score because of some bugs and the Day 1 DLC (From Ashes) should have been free to all players that brought the game, like in Dragon Age 2 with Shale. It integrates so nicely to the game that it should have been part of the game from the start. This also gives the impression that EA/Bioware trying to squeeze as much money out of their loyal fans. When they should have spent that extra time polishing the cover system, speech system, animation system, or fixing save game importing instead of making this Day 1 DLC. If they had even waited a month to push out that DLC, it would have made less fans feel like they're getting robbed for supporting the franchise.    … Expand
  5. Audustum
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    Fantastic game in almost all senses of the word. Great story, great characters, great gameplay, but then it all gets ruined by an awful ending. I mean bad. If you do buy it, stop it right after Shepard talks to his crew before the final push and don't go further.
  6. CenturyChild
    Mar 15, 2012
    5
    The MassEffect seires 1-3, in general is amazing. Its a huge world where choices shape your story. An action pcked, emeotional roller coaster of Love, Loss, Joy and more.
    I honestly can not say enough good about the series in general. Its truly Epic.
    Sadly, the very last 10minutes of Mass Effect 3, takes everything from the trilogy, throws it down the drain makeing all your choices    The MassEffect seires 1-3, in general is amazing. Its a huge world where choices shape your story. An action pcked, emeotional roller coaster of Love, Loss, Joy and more.
    I honestly can not say enough good about the series in general. Its truly Epic.

    Sadly, the very last 10minutes of Mass Effect 3, takes everything from the trilogy, throws it down the drain makeing all your choices youve worked so hard for meaningless.
    ME3 was supposed to answer all questions, and conclude the series. Instead, it leaves more questions than anything, with a non sensical end that evokes no reponse what-so-ever other than ..

    What just happened and why? The conclusion is so poorly done, it actually tarnishes the rest of the series, especially in reagrd to replayablility because you know ultimate .. nothing even matters. There a re 16 different ending, which are all identical other than the color the lights are.
    So for the colorblind, youll only get 1.    … Expand
  7. angelkurisu
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    An embarassment. Do not release an unfinished game, pure and simple. Extremely buggy multiplayer, and an incomplete story. The inevitable $10 DLC that will conclude the game's story is nothing short of a scam.
  8. CBoudreau
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    ME3 is a fantastic game. It's true, the ending leaves something to be desired, but the journey throughout the rest of the game is just so amazing and emotionally gripping. Do yourself a favor and at least give it a shot to form your own opinion, don't just blindly adhere to the enraged horde's opinions.
  9. PasKarma
    Mar 15, 2012
    5
    I loved the ME series. This final game was supposed to bring all the previous choices of the games together, adding replay value, and creating one of the greatest rpg/shooter hybrids to date. Instead, the final moments of ME3 throw all your previous decisions out the window and each of the 3 ending choices are nearly identical, all vague explosions with little to no closure as to whatI loved the ME series. This final game was supposed to bring all the previous choices of the games together, adding replay value, and creating one of the greatest rpg/shooter hybrids to date. Instead, the final moments of ME3 throw all your previous decisions out the window and each of the 3 ending choices are nearly identical, all vague explosions with little to no closure as to what happens afterwords, none of your choices matter. They messed up, bad. Other than those final moments, the game was extremely enjoyable, it was just such a bad ending I can't give it a positive review (it destroys any replay value of the previous games as well, since none of those choices matter). Combat mechanics wise, they mad improvements and complexity to ME2 without making it overly redundant like ME1. As for multiplayer, it's repetitive and not what anyone really asked for, but still fun, mainly since I'm a ME fan though, not because it's anything groundbreaking with lasting value. I would have rather seen that effort put into making real endings based on player choices so I could enjoy replaying all the Mass Effects.… Expand
  10. nantaeg
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    NON. Apres une trilogie si rondement menee sur le plan scenaristique, les 5 dernieres minutes sont catastrophiques. Aucun libre arbitre, des cinematiques baclees et quasi-identiques peu importe la direction selectionnee par le joueur. Bref, le nom de Mass Effect se fait salir comme un malpropre sur une conclusion qui bafoue les codes de la serie.
  11. HendelMasad
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This is a powerful and moving story about sacrifice and selflessness. I highly recommend it. The complaints that your choices in this or previous games don't matter, ring hollow with me. Would I welcome a follow up where the character's fates are resolved? Sure thing, but its lack did not diminish my enjoyment of the game.
  12. Trompello
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    I am so sorry I have to give this game a 1 but it is the truth. The Mass Effect trilogy is my favorite game series of all time..hands down. The story is incredible. The music, intense. And the characters seemingly alive. The trilogy was a gold mine until ten minutes before the third game's ending. Bioware has utterly RUINED the best game series I have ever known. Your choices mean nothingI am so sorry I have to give this game a 1 but it is the truth. The Mass Effect trilogy is my favorite game series of all time..hands down. The story is incredible. The music, intense. And the characters seemingly alive. The trilogy was a gold mine until ten minutes before the third game's ending. Bioware has utterly RUINED the best game series I have ever known. Your choices mean nothing because it all ends the same. The fact that they would give this ending is appalling and shows that EA has truly corrupted what Bioware used to be. Do not buy this game. Even if they change the ending, they have already ruined it. They screwed up Dragon Age by making it for 12 year old kids who just want to see things explode and don't like to think.… Expand
  13. Praedor
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    I have been a huge fan of the series since it began with Mass Effect 1. I played ME 1 six time and then played ME 2 eight times and was anticipating playing ME 3 a similar number of times. I had 4 different Shepards I was looking forward to importing and playing through. I played it once. One time. That was more than enough. The game is actually fantastic, with a great score, someI have been a huge fan of the series since it began with Mass Effect 1. I played ME 1 six time and then played ME 2 eight times and was anticipating playing ME 3 a similar number of times. I had 4 different Shepards I was looking forward to importing and playing through. I played it once. One time. That was more than enough. The game is actually fantastic, with a great score, some pretty good interactions and dialog, some of it quite moving. It works well until the last 15 to 20 minutes then it goes to hell in a handcart. A game that was touting as being all about player choice affecting the outcome, a game where the developers promised that your decisions in ME1, 2, and earlier in game 3 would impact the final outcome was a COMPLETE lie. There is ONE ending. One. It is identical in all ways no matter what you do in all the previous games, no matter how you play, what decisions you make, it ends the same but with different colored terminal explosions. Woohoo. ALL the time you spend on side missions, doing good or bad deeds, making peace treaties, ending conflict, uniting alien civilizations, collecting allies and materiel is all for naught. No matter how you do it you get the exact same nonsensical, blatantly illogical (in game and in real life) ending. It only takes ONE playthrough to the end to lose all enthusiasm for the series and lose any interest in ever playing any of the previous excellent titles ever again. If I could I would return my digital copy. So terribly depressing.… Expand
  14. Sevorast
    Mar 15, 2012
    8
    One of the greatest stories of all time, ruined by an ending that invalidates everything the player has accomplished through the span of all 3 games.

    Does not matter one bit any choice or decision you made on your playthroughs leading up to the final chapter, your actions meant nothing because bad logic and space magic.
  15. 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
  16. stealthops77
    Mar 15, 2012
    2
    Originally while I was playing through the game, I thought, "this is so epic!" And that thought remained true until the last 15 minutes of the game... Those last 15 minutes pretty much just took a **** on your face and made you feel extremely dissatisfied. It takes away replay value for the entire series because you know that the outcome will be exactly the same, and that you will hateOriginally while I was playing through the game, I thought, "this is so epic!" And that thought remained true until the last 15 minutes of the game... Those last 15 minutes pretty much just took a **** on your face and made you feel extremely dissatisfied. It takes away replay value for the entire series because you know that the outcome will be exactly the same, and that you will hate it just as much as you did the first time you played through it.

    The multiplayer on the other hand is not that bad. But it does get boring after awhile since your pretty much going through the same enemies over and over again on five different maps. I know some people absolutely love it and some don't like it at all. So its all about your tastes.    … Expand
  17. AUT_Nessilian
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    C`mon really? Mass effect died with Mass effect 1 - period.
    Bioware u`r really lacking quality - Dragon age 2 - a joke, SW:Tor - after experiencing 2 lv 50 Chars, absolutely crap when it comes to MMO, Mass Effect even worse - hopefully Blizzard stays at the top of expectations..
  18. Niroo
    Mar 15, 2012
    4
    Mass Effect 3 features a decent single player storyline that, despite the early introduction of a fanciful 'Secret Weapon of Awesomeness', is quite entertaining for about 20-25 hours. The gameplay works, even if it's rather repetitive and doesn't really expand on what ME2 had to offer. The much discossed ending of the trilogy is indeed a storytelling disaster, the only part of which thatMass Effect 3 features a decent single player storyline that, despite the early introduction of a fanciful 'Secret Weapon of Awesomeness', is quite entertaining for about 20-25 hours. The gameplay works, even if it's rather repetitive and doesn't really expand on what ME2 had to offer. The much discossed ending of the trilogy is indeed a storytelling disaster, the only part of which that speaks in BioWare's favour being the fact that they had the audacity to make their deus ex machina an actual "god out of the machine". I wasn't too impressed by the multiplayer, which, with it's 11 waves of whack-a-mole, is only mildly more interesting than the bot-servers of earlier FPS games.… Expand
  19. jimbo32
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    The train-wreck of an ending combined with the single-player storyline results depending (somewhat) on multiplayer participation make this - easily imo - the worst BioWare game I have ever played. I've been playing BioWare games on my PC for nearly 15 years, and have never been so disappointed. Combined with the Day One $10 DLC and the company's accompanying lies, I'll be thinking hardThe train-wreck of an ending combined with the single-player storyline results depending (somewhat) on multiplayer participation make this - easily imo - the worst BioWare game I have ever played. I've been playing BioWare games on my PC for nearly 15 years, and have never been so disappointed. Combined with the Day One $10 DLC and the company's accompanying lies, I'll be thinking hard before ever buying another one of their games. (For those not aware, BioWare stated that the "From Ashes" DLC was developed after the game was finished and in QA. Players poking around in the data files on the game disks have since found a bunch of the DLC-related models and voice-overs.)

    Edit:
    With all the speculation regarding the endings pretty much done due to BioWare's recent statements, I'm revising my review downward. This is the ending the company wanted, and this is the ending we need to accept. So ME3 now gets a 1/10 from me. If they do something about it at some point, I may revisit the score. But as of now, I'll never be buying another EA title again.    … Expand
  20. WaneY
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd bug, game crash and game stalling upon Exiting.

    But such is the quality of the game, I still give ME3 10 out of 10. Totally refined and a joy to play    … Expand
  21. darkdefeat220
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    I actually find myself disagreeing with many of the reviewers here: the bulk of the game was rock solid storytelling, filled with the harsh choices and consequences you have come to expect from Mass Effect. The story ventured into emotionally wrenching territory more times than I can count, even several times with NPC -to-NPC dialogue. If you hear two characters talking, keep leaving andI actually find myself disagreeing with many of the reviewers here: the bulk of the game was rock solid storytelling, filled with the harsh choices and consequences you have come to expect from Mass Effect. The story ventured into emotionally wrenching territory more times than I can count, even several times with NPC -to-NPC dialogue. If you hear two characters talking, keep leaving and coming back until you hear their whole story and then google it if you still don't get it, you won't be disappointed. The character-driven subplots have fitting, satisfying endings that never fail to bring a tear to one's eye (the emotion represented by the tear changes).

    HOWEVER, bioware tried to be clever with the ending and failed more completely than I ever would have imagined possible. I always feared a trite ending, but what ME3 contains is far worse. Not "worse" as in "dark", "worse" as in "doesn't achieve any goal which an ending might be expected to achieve" and "makes a mockery of the entire series". An ending is supposed to bring a certain amount of closure, it's supposed to be the culmination of decisions made throughout the story (in ME's case, choices you get to make). ME3's ending HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHARACTER'S ACTIONS (well, you can choose between 3 nearly identical endings, but the choices I'm referring to are the ones you made over the entire series). Parts of the ending make little to no sense (in order to make sense of them you have to inject MAJOR plot points that AFFECT the story) or simply yell "hah, nothing you did mattered" in your face. We were promised differently (explicitly, several times). BioWare, what were you thinking?!?!?!    … Expand
  22. Nikkolette
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    Mass Effect 3 is a cemetary of hopes.
    1. They promised us to remove terrible mining system but gave us even more boring and annoying one.
    2. They promised that every our descicion will matter. No descision affects ANYTHING in the game. More to this - all your previous descicions from ME1 and ME2 are discarded and you are forced into almost linear storyline. 3. Your actions have no    Mass Effect 3 is a cemetary of hopes.
    1. They promised us to remove terrible mining system but gave us even more boring and annoying one.
    2. They promised that every our descicion will matter. No descision affects ANYTHING in the game. More to this - all your previous descicions from ME1 and ME2 are discarded and you are forced into almost linear storyline.
    3. Your actions have no result - should you cure genophage or decide to keep it - THAT DOES NOT AFFECT ANYTHING.
    4. Only your score matters, endings decided Deus Ex style - you just have 3 descicions that determine what ending you get, and your score determines your survivability.
    5. The endings is one of the most terrible in game history. To the point where people will gladly buy DLC with a single new ending.
    6. Renegade and Paragon scales are completely useless in the game.
    7. the game degraded from RPG-Shooter to Shooter with a bit of RPG elements.
    It is common for such projects to attract unrealistic expectations from fans but here we have a situation when even features, promised by developers were not fulfilled or implemented awfully.
    As Dragon Age 2 was a disappointment, Mass Effect 3 is a disappointlent of 2012. I only hope new Bioshock will not fail us.    … Expand
  23. zazen27
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **(Possible Spoilers)**

    So like many other here on Metacritic, I am a huge fan of this series from the get-go. I found this game to very engrossing and live up to the exceptions we've come to expect in a Mass Effect game. I really did enjoy the over-arching narrative that gives conclusion to many of the characters in the game. I was also pleased with the level system and the weapons upgrade and customization system. They both feel balanced, but flexible at the same time giving the player plenty of room to try out new powers and weapons without a lot of hassle. The graphics are clean and crisp although there is some rendering problems from time to time, but it's so short it's barely noticeable. I was please overall with the game, the story, and the class system, but I should touch on the subject that has polarized every ME fan: the Ending.

    No spoilers here, but I just want to put on record that I think the execution of the ending is what was a major let down for me, and not the actual ending itself. If you had done the game through 100% you get some interesting extras at the end credits. The ending of this series feels like the end of "2001: A Space Odyssey" both the film and the book. There is this interesting technological philosophical idea that Bioware is attempting to play with at the end that they have been trying to get at for the past few games. Bioware is trying this idea out in an interesting form, but the execution falls flat for me, but this is a little glimpse of hope out there for Shepard's end that may come in the form of more DLC. Aside from the ending of the game, I couldn't have asked for anything more out of this game. Given all of the hype and build-up for the last 2 years this game wasn't going to live up to everyone's exceptions and this wasn't going to be a perfect game by any means. I enjoyed my play-through of the game and it makes me pine to go back and relive all of Shepard's adventures again from the start. For those that have decided to abandon the series entirely just for the last 15 minutes of a 100+ hour series is completely ludicrous.The simple fact that the game ends on a much different note that it has created so much talk is something I find inspiring and exhilarating. I was more interesting in the story or the process than the end. I'll remember my Shepard through all narratives and friendships build up and lost. I get great joy knowing that my Shepard said "I love you" to Liara. i take comfort in knowing that Wrex is leader of the Krogans and is having a child. I also am delightfully surprised to see Tali and Garrus and EDI and Joker together. I am happy with MY STORY of Shepard. We were so focused on the destination, we completely forgot about the journey we had taken to get there. I am happy with the Mass Effect series ending, while the final credits rolled in the late hours of the night. The journey felt complete...that is until so DLC comes out and I start all over again.    … Expand
  24. WingedAnomaly
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to address the game so much as the public's response to it.

    The game is incredible, don't get me wrong. The graphics show up anything else even approximating this size and scope, the writing and voice acting is off the charts, the story is deep and involving, and the entire gameplay system has finally been honed down to a razor edge.

    Now let me address the complaints.

    1: The ending. Everyone is complaining about the ending. They criticize its writing, its pacing, how previous decisions affect it... but really, they're just angry because it didn't end the way they wanted. Well, I'm sorry if you didn't get your sunshine and bunnies, you got an emotional, intense ending that made you FEEL something. Would you have remembered it if Shepard blew all the Reapers away, nobody died and they all sang kumbaya? No. Nobody would. So shut the f**k up and take your whining elsewhere.

    2: Character placement and day 1 dlc. Do you honestly think Bioware had a say in this? Bioware creates Mass Effect, money-grubbing EA forces them to include Diana Allers, forces them to include multiplayer, forces them to include day 1 DLC. They handled it with grace, incorporating these elements without ruining the basic principles Mass Effect has always stood upon.

    3: Past decisions. I'm not sure what's going on here. Maybe people are surprisingly forgetful. Maybe they imported the wrong save. I'm seeing a lot of people complaining about inconsistency, but for me, everything was perfect. The only skip in the road was the game not explaining how Anderson went from Councilor to Admiral. Everything else was handled exceptionally well; I loved how the way you treated characters in Mass Effect 2 directly affected the way certain missions turned out in Mass Effect 3.

    4: Length. I don't see this one as much because the people who complain about it are just idiotic. This game was a HELL of a lot longer than Mass Effect 1, and the only reason Mass Effect 2 was longer was because you spent ten hours scrounging for minerals on every planet in the galaxy. If it took you less than 25 hours to complete this game, you were doing something wrong.

    I'm tired of scrounging through the 'ones' and 'zeroes' for complaints. And if you posted a 'one' or a 'zero', shame on you. Seriously. Even if you don't like the ending, even if you think it's short, even if you find SOMETHING wrong with it, you can't deny that this game did almost everything right. Compare it to Duke Nukem Forever. That game deserved low ratings. This one did not.

    So go find something else to pick on you pathetic vultures and stop tainting the public's opinion of an excellent game.    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. taicleis
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    First of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and playedFirst of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and played them non-stop the minute they were mine. I pore over each game. I love Mass Effect - all three games - more than any other franchise. ME3 isn't perfect, but anyone giving it anything less than a 5 or 6 is just being unreasonable.

    If you rate ME3 a 1/10, what the hell do you rate "Barbie's Beach Adventure"? What score does "Deer Hunting Safari" get?

    There are 10 numbers to choose from for a reason. Okay, you didn't like the story details. You didn't like the combat. How do they compare to Deer Hunting Safari though? How about the graphics? Do they look like Deer Hunter? Look at the environments. How about the music? The sound? The cutscenes? The replay value?

    Even if I hated ME3 (and I love it), I could never justify anything below a 5. The game has too much content, too much polish, and attempts something never before done with a trilogy. I can't look at the cinematic flair of the environments and give that a 1. They're beautiful. I can't listen to the stunning soundtrack and give that a 1. It's breathtaking. Even if you hate the story, even if you hate the combat, there is content in this game that is not a 1. Therefore, giving it a 1 is impossible unless you are not actually reviewing the game.

    If you are not capable of actual analytical reasoning - of looking objectively at the game's strengths and weaknesses, why you liked it and why you didn't like it - then you shouldn't be reviewing it. In MY opinion, the only real weakness the game suffers is that the parts where they chose DLC-character-style dialogue can at times make things awkward. Sidequest acquisition, for example, often occurs when I'm no longer any where near the person asking for help - all I did was run by on my way somewhere else - and now I have a quest I know nothing about. It's possible to miss conversations entirely this way. Overall, it's not a huge problem but it can be annoying every now and then.

    I had some concerns coming into ME3, but really, none of them were realised. I was concerned about whether my past decisions would really play into the story - they do. Forget what you heard. Your choices make a difference. Not just in who is alive to be a part of ME3, but who survives ME3 as well. Another thing that your past choices influence a lot is CONTENT. People playing the game the first time through, who aren't familiar with Bioware's tradition of storytelling rich in details, might have no idea of how many moments, dialogues, and details they have missed either by having lost a party member somewhere or by having made a different choice long ago. In this day and age of YouTube, people are content to just watch every alternate possibility online - not taking the hours and hours to get it for themselves - and say that the game is too linear or that their choices didn't make a difference in the content of the story, not realising that one of the greatest strengths of Mass Effect is the multi-faceted nature of the story that provides a thousand versions of the same story with a thousand different scripts and content. I won't spoil the endings, but I really don't see the problem with them. I saw them coming. The overall theme of the game is sacrifice. The mission on Tuchanka gives a clear example (and I use very vague wording here to keep it spoilerless): there is a good sacrifice with a happy result, a sacrifice with additional death that could have been prevented, another TYPE of sacrifice that involves betrayal and an unforeseen cost, or a betrayal which costs nearly everything but manages to get the job done somehow.

    ME3 is all about sacrifice and which sacrifices you are willing to make, and which sacrifices those choices will make necessary down the line. Even if you don't like that - even if you hated the way that worked - it took a lot more work, a lot more vision, and a lot more planning and execution than Deer Hunter. Giving it a low score even on those grounds alone is childish.

    The game is a massive undertaking and is the farthest thing from simple, whether or not the people spoiled by YouTube videos and online walkthroughs can see that. Love it or hate it, it deserves a very high score. Professional reviewers can see that. If you can't, don't review the damn game. Learn to count instead.    … Expand
  27. QuantumHD
    Mar 15, 2012
    7
    I am a fan of the ME series. I've been playing with involving my self into the game and choosing the actions as I think i would choose in situations presented in the game. I've never had this feeling of being emotionally connected with the game and with the characters in game. I've felt like part of the world and each actions were sometimes very emotional for me. I cared about my friends,I am a fan of the ME series. I've been playing with involving my self into the game and choosing the actions as I think i would choose in situations presented in the game. I've never had this feeling of being emotionally connected with the game and with the characters in game. I've felt like part of the world and each actions were sometimes very emotional for me. I cared about my friends, I've tried to do the be myself in the game. I felt real emotions and that was beautiful from the first ME to the last. Amazing game with amazing epic story, incredible characters and design the best sci-fi game EVER! But why then I gave 7/10 but not 10/10? Because of ending witch is just terrible. It is hard to describe what i feel without spoilers so I will leave this topic. I feel like we deserve something else. Or do they have room for new DLC's? I hope not and that someone will explain the ending.… Expand
  28. 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.
  29. Frost----
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    The games got progressively worse the first one was amazing. The second one was okay nothing special or earth shattering it's not something I would consider a waste of money, however the third is a complete waste of money and would suggest buying a used copy just to piss EA/Bioware off. They think they're cute by adding a boring garbage multiplayer add on to the game and requiring you toThe games got progressively worse the first one was amazing. The second one was okay nothing special or earth shattering it's not something I would consider a waste of money, however the third is a complete waste of money and would suggest buying a used copy just to piss EA/Bioware off. They think they're cute by adding a boring garbage multiplayer add on to the game and requiring you to have a code. So here's a summary of Mass Effect 3. Day one DLC crucial to the game CHECK, game chalk full of glitches CHECK, horrible multiplayer that is a waste of time CHECK, Arguably the worst ending I've ever experienced in any game I've played CHECK. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME FOR 64 DOLLARS!!!! Save your money I wish I did.… Expand
  30. TheArchitect
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I raged against Bioware for ruining Dragon Age series with Dragon Age 2,and feared they might do the same with Mass Effect I was positively surprised with Mass Effect 3,while not perfect it is pretty good combining elements of Mass Effect 1 and 2 in one game,personally I dont mind the endings,though I would like more explanation and closure,something that they should fix with a DLC.I do understand that most players expected a fairy tale ending "and they all lived happily ever after" but I was positively surprised by the generally grim endings.Fairy tale endings are rather unrealistic,especially in consideration that galaxy is fighting against vastly superior enemy.Still the endings need more closure and explanations,current endings leave a lot of things open to interpretation though it is possible they wanted to make them like that.

    Pros

    -Smoother and more dynamic combat though I dont like the too fast power cooldown time (enables constant spamming of powers meaning that on lower difficulties you can win most battles relying on powers alone)
    -Decisions from Mass Effect 1 and 2 have a significant impact on the experience of Mass Effect 3
    -Lots of cutscenes that add to immersiveness and cinematic feeling
    -Feels more realistic and darker than 1 and 2
    -Interesting missions and twists (for example EDI becoming available as a squadmate)
    -Beautiful visuals and great performance
    -Haunting music

    Cons

    -Endings need more closure and explanation
    -EMS has little effect except for getting a third ending which is synthesis (they should make it similar to Mass Effect 2,low EMS means dead squadmates and other allies)
    -Not enough squadmates (Mass Effect 2 spoiled me with the number of squadmates)

    Hopefully they will bring in some great DLCs that will fix loose ends,add more to the story and give closure to endings.Still it is pretty good game and I was positively surprised.Low scores on Mass Effect 3 present here reflect the hate for the endings,prior to endings I am sure most of the haters really liked the game.    … Expand
  31. Ireland914
    Mar 15, 2012
    8
    Fantastic finale to a series I have enjoyed from beginning to end. A gripping story as usual and a satisfying ending to the trilogy. Some minor flaws that don't take away from a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience.

    Excellent gunfights with a decent cover system. Interesting characters (new and returning) with unique and fascinating backgrounds and fates. Some choices you make    Fantastic finale to a series I have enjoyed from beginning to end. A gripping story as usual and a satisfying ending to the trilogy. Some minor flaws that don't take away from a thoroughly enjoyable gaming experience.

    Excellent gunfights with a decent cover system. Interesting characters (new and returning) with unique and fascinating backgrounds and fates. Some choices you make actually do seem to have significant consequences on the final outcome. Well-paced action with lots of side missions to keep you busy between completing primary objectives. Completing every aspect of the game can take upwards of 20 hours for full completion. Satisfying ending options that bring the Mass Effect trilogy to an epic conclusion.

    Some negatives include the fact that there is no significant improvement in visuals. Pretty environments and models more graphics options and higher-resolution textures in some areas would have been nice (eg. armor and player bodies in general). Some minor graphical glitches and missing textures but nothing too serious. Some side missions descriptions are a little unclear as to what your objective is and how to accomplish it. Also, some way to keep track of an inventory of items you've collected for side missions would have been nice.

    Overall, I was very happy with this game and how it brought the Mass Effect trilogy to a close. The story is just as good as it was in the first two games, the graphics are pretty good, and there aren't any game-breaking flaws. It really gives you the sense that the fate of every sentent being in the galaxy is resting on your decisions. I recommend this game especially to someone who has played the previous installments.    … Expand
  32. Ratherdashing2
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    I'm disappointed in you bioware. I'd have given your game a 10/10, really, it was fantastic seeing the drawing together of so many different plot points. Until you broke it at the end.
  33. Gyrolin
    Mar 15, 2012
    3
    I bought the game. The gameplay was fun. The ending was horrible. The decision resolution was atrocious. The co-op multiplayer is redundant. The day 1 DLC felt like exploitation.

    EA has ruined both Mythic and Bioware. I am severely disappoint.
  34. Bacong
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    Honestly it's a good game but I'm giving it a 6 because:

    1. Screw EA.
    2. WTF @ the textures? EA is the most "evil" company in gaming today and the things they do is changing gaming for the worse.
  35. worldcitizen19
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    I love it and think it's a brilliant work of art and game and should be GOTY. 10/10 It doesn't get much better than this. Sound, graphics and gameplay as well as story are awesome!!!
  36. Upiorzyca
    Mar 15, 2012
    4
    The beginning was mediocre, little choice of where I go but it gradually turned into a really enjoyable game though it pains I would lose a lot of content if didn't pay for additional content. The characters were not obnoxious and pacing of the story was good, writing of characters passable. I enjoyed some of them. Developing relationships between crew, not only romances and friendshipsThe beginning was mediocre, little choice of where I go but it gradually turned into a really enjoyable game though it pains I would lose a lot of content if didn't pay for additional content. The characters were not obnoxious and pacing of the story was good, writing of characters passable. I enjoyed some of them. Developing relationships between crew, not only romances and friendships but also growing animosity. All well and good. Some missions repetitive and boring (rushed much?) but still kinda strong 7, 6 if you count out DLC.

    Up until the ending...I have hard time believing that people who wrote Mass Effect universe suddenly had a writing stroke and spawned this horrifying abomination of an ending. Screw the limited choices but the sheer story telling behind is stripped of all logic. It resembles incoherent symbolism of Lynch meeting Van Trier with pseudo metaphysical babbling. I didn't want artistic cinema with dubious, implying ending full of symbols and mystical wisdom. It's a fricken space opera. A pulp genre. I wanted a straight up epic finish to the series, happy â    … Expand
  37. Pekotski
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    Bioware disappointed again. This time - the last time. I dont understand where the high score from critics come from - its a proof of how deeply this industry is corrupted. The list of critics who support this **** is simply a pay list.
  38. Lycanthrope
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    I have never been so disappointed in a game as I have been in Mass Effect 3. The story, for the most part, is well-constructed and engaging--essentially the kind of stuff you'd expect from BioWare.

    But the ending? It's the epitome of a deus ex machina plot mechanic. It is random, incomplete, invalidates your choices throughout the entire series by throwing three incoherent and    I have never been so disappointed in a game as I have been in Mass Effect 3. The story, for the most part, is well-constructed and engaging--essentially the kind of stuff you'd expect from BioWare.

    But the ending? It's the epitome of a deus ex machina plot mechanic. It is random, incomplete, invalidates your choices throughout the entire series by throwing three incoherent and indeterminate "choices" at you and then nothing.

    Everything you've done, everything you've looked forward to turned completely meaningless. The questions that need to be asked: Was this deliberately done by BioWare with the intention of selling post-launch "proper ending" DLC to us? In which case, it is a sorely underhanded sales tactic. Was this unintentional and the result of rushing to complete a game that they slapped an ending to it and hoped nobody would notice? In which case, shoddy development shows the true state of what BioWare has become.

    Either way, the disappointment remains. The damage is done and for me, someone who used to laud the ground BioWare walked on, I will always be cautious of any and every BioWare game from now on. Clearly underhanded sales tactics is the norm these days.    … Expand
  39. GrandMasterJR
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Amazing game. Don't listen to the poor reviews, the reason people are responding so critically is because this was a fantastic game, that had a deep emotional impact on them. The mass effect series has created a world that really made me care about what my character did.
  40. SapphireSnake
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    the beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre lookthe beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre look it up). the only bad thing I really have to say against the ending is that you never get any good explanation of what happens to the rest of the crew, however I think this is a minor annoyance in comparision to the whole game and I felt that the tird installment was more about shepard rescuing the galaxy than shepard rescuing the galaxy with h*s crew!

    it's an epic game and few games has ever given such strong emotions of happines, sorrow and most of all longing as the whole mass effect series has done!    … Expand
  41. synex
    Mar 15, 2012
    0
    No changes after Mass Effect 2! pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern pattern
  42. K1ller
    Mar 15, 2012
    4
    Excellent game till the end. Oh boy how can someone screw the 5 years long series of 3 parts in a five minutes is beyond me. Well, RIP Bioware, I am finished with you.
  43. VergilAF
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    Five years! For five years we have been waiting this game. All this time everyone has spent dozens of hours of play to build a character in detail, to get to the final battle and discover that everything we had is not worth anything. The game over all is full of bugs charts, something that his predecessors had not. Pultroppo, we are faced with a great truth: "A wonderful saga begins forFive years! For five years we have been waiting this game. All this time everyone has spent dozens of hours of play to build a character in detail, to get to the final battle and discover that everything we had is not worth anything. The game over all is full of bugs charts, something that his predecessors had not. Pultroppo, we are faced with a great truth: "A wonderful saga begins for passion and ends for the money." When a title is a highly successful publishing house will always tend to derive much money as possible and this leads us to make a game designed with speed and distraction. For me, Mass Effect is the saga of the most beautiful ever created in gaming history, but with this latest chapter in an era ruined. The ending, which I will not tell, it was so absurd as to anger the world for the first time in history.
    The dream is gone, the waiting futile, what remains is the DISAPPOINTMENT    … Expand
  44. 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
  45. twistedbs
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. do not let yourself be fooled by the newspapers or green reviews - they are bought off. apparently fans, BUYERS don't count anymore: if the seller says it is good and the payed media says it's good, you should fork off your hard earn cash because they say so.

    1 this is no shooter rpg melange anymore - it's a third person shooter
    2 weapons get mods back and there plenty but you hardly need to use any upgrade on medium
    3 IT IS SHORT - so short they'd have to make 3 expansions and 40 dlc to make it worthwhile. would you really by a per character ending dlc , once the story is done? how would that match the three decisive endings? would you care to replay every month or so for a dlc set before?
    4 people say it's full of holes - it's worse than Swiss cheese and lacks the taste.
    5 5-6 npc gang - really ? after me 2?
    6 you go around without your team mates.
    7 spaces to small
    8 no more vehicle - again.
    9 there really is no difference of game play based on your former choices.
    10 these choices don't impact the finale.
    11 IT"S SO DUMBED DOWN a 13 year kid would feel old and pass the game to his 5 year old cousin.
    12 the plot holes require rewriting - it's like the fourth books - SO BAD in gets a petition to be burned and rewritten.
    13 the great god of today - graphics is a let down.
    14 to give it a 3 for sound and voices ... is an insult to all those games that only had lines of dialog - hundreds of thousands lines instead of voice acting but were still an rpg
    15 it is worse than transformers 3 and shorter.
    16 avoid like the plague - it's better to fantasise about a cake than pay and get a piece of bread with mud on top    … Expand
  46. shepard73
    Mar 15, 2012
    4
    low score for the ending, shame bioware, shame
  47. leonson
    Mar 15, 2012
    3
    The first 95% of the game is a 9. Solid gameplay improving in every way over ME2. Combat mechanics are tighter. There are more weapons and weapon mods. Classes make more sense. Load times are better. I mean, I really can't say enough positive about the first 95% of the game.

    But that all falls apart at the climax. The minute you head for the point of no return, the games plot and logic    The first 95% of the game is a 9. Solid gameplay improving in every way over ME2. Combat mechanics are tighter. There are more weapons and weapon mods. Classes make more sense. Load times are better. I mean, I really can't say enough positive about the first 95% of the game.

    But that all falls apart at the climax. The minute you head for the point of no return, the games plot and logic fall apart, culminating in a confusing nonsensical ending that resolves nothing.

    The ending of the game damages more than just this game, but the previous two titles as well. You are left with complete and utter disappointment that also ruins the replay value of these games. When one portion of a game not only ruins your enjoyment of the title you're playing, but also of two additional games that you can never bring yourself to play again, it's worth more than just a point or two off the total score.

    I've been a gamer my whole life. I can remember using a tape drive to load games on a C=64 at school. Never in my history as a gamer have I seen a company drop the ball this badly at the 1 yard line.

    If something is done that fixes the ending (doesn't have to make it happy, just make sense), I'll reconsider my score.    … Expand
  48. jessejplatt
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    They really have been dumbing this game down since the first ME. I didn't really mind it because I actually really enjoyed the story and getting to know all the characters and spending hours learning back story and molding my story how I wanted. However the "ending" of the series really bothered me. It just plain out sucked. I've read all the theories behind why it was the way it was butThey really have been dumbing this game down since the first ME. I didn't really mind it because I actually really enjoyed the story and getting to know all the characters and spending hours learning back story and molding my story how I wanted. However the "ending" of the series really bothered me. It just plain out sucked. I've read all the theories behind why it was the way it was but it still doesn't explain why I get an ending that I have no say in. I can go through the 3rd game literally just do the story arc and get the same ending as someone who has played through all 3 games making all the big decisions and putting their time in to get to know the whole background of other characters. So many plot holes and unanswered questions. I literally would've given this game a 10 if not for the ending. The ending really ruined this game for me that I don't even want to go back and play the multiplayer. Which is actually decent in my opinion. It just bothers me to think about it. Bioware has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I can kind of forgive them for what they did to Dragon Age, but what they did to ME, no. Been a fan of the company since Neverwinter Nights and thought they could do no wrong, but this was the final straw.

    On a side note to people saying "quit whining it's their game and can do what they want, you just want a stupid happy ending!" No. Just no. I wanted a game like Bioware promised where my choices actually made a difference. Instead of them abandoning all the idea and themes from the first two games and forcing me a **** ending. I wouldn't mind a happy or sad ending. I just want a good ending with some closure and not huge plot holes. It is their game but they owe to the fans to deliver what we want. We are the ones who pay for the experience. $120 for a lot of people just to be slapped in the face and told that your choices didn't matter like we said they would. I specifically made an account just so I could rant about this. It felt good.    … Expand
  49. Daedr
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    One of the best games I ever played.
  50. CoyoteLovely
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    Like everyone else, I loved the game - and hated the ending. I would say that the unfortunate thing is that five minutes of ending have made me question keeping the games. I think fondly back on months of talking with my friends about what the ending would be - only to really have it make no difference. Its stunning really, how quickly the game turns south too... it goes from being a gameLike everyone else, I loved the game - and hated the ending. I would say that the unfortunate thing is that five minutes of ending have made me question keeping the games. I think fondly back on months of talking with my friends about what the ending would be - only to really have it make no difference. Its stunning really, how quickly the game turns south too... it goes from being a game of loss, and battle, and trudging through the war, praying that the answers get easier at the next turn.... And then, the last five minutes, where nothing makes sense, and all the endings are (for all intents and purposes) exactly the same. Buy it, don't buy it. Be aware that the game itself is magnificent - but there's this underlying feeling that some pencil pusher asked the dev team where they were with the game, and the Dev Team said "We've got everything done but the last hour of the game. We're at this weird place in the Citadel right before the final battle." And the pencil pusher said "You've got two days, wrap it up, and ship it - whatever it is. We'll fix it with DLC." My further impression of this is how very short the game was. As a comparison - I picked up Mass Effect 2 about a week before Mass Effect 3 was released, and I only got about a third of the way through the game in that week (this is with knowing EXACTLY where everything was, and exactly how to complete all the missions - there was no fumbling or wasting time). I'm done with Mass Effect 3, finished it on Monday, having put in a very similar block of time - and that would mark day 6 of my ownership of the game. Ultimately, I'm part of the outraged many. I had problems with EA's Origin system, and getting a preorder from them - but I didn't let that deter me. I just ordered it from Best Buy instead... I was a defender of Bioware when the DLC scandal came up. But the ending? I feel like an abused girlfriend at this point.

    Seriously, play the game - but at the moment where you're about to beam up to the Citadel, turn off your console, put down your controller, and go write fan fiction of what your ending should be. It will be more satisfying.    … Expand
  51. Pr0wl4r
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    Absolutely and completely disappointed. I played the first two games and thoroughly enjoyed them, the feeling of my decisions making a difference to the outcome of the overall story was great. I was also thoroughly enjoying watching the final story unfold - even with, lets not kid, the lack of proper dialogue between missions and lack of dialogue options with characters and randomAbsolutely and completely disappointed. I played the first two games and thoroughly enjoyed them, the feeling of my decisions making a difference to the outcome of the overall story was great. I was also thoroughly enjoying watching the final story unfold - even with, lets not kid, the lack of proper dialogue between missions and lack of dialogue options with characters and random civilians (a real step back from what the ME series is about, UNFORGIVABLE!! Those side quests were horrendous, listening in for them? Absolutely no involvement. Just like a couple of the quests from ME2 on Illium.) and the lack of armor and armor mods/weapons mods etc featured in the first game which were 'to come back'. I would have given the game a 7 at this point. And then I got to the ending. What a pile of horse manuere! It went aggainst everything we were promised. The decisions made in the first and second game meant absolutely nothing to how the finale played out and were quite minimal to how the mid-game played out, instead of an unforgettable climactic satisfying ending we got "DOOR ABC, YOUR CHOICES DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME" rubbish.

    My recommendation to anyone who has played ME1 and ME2 and hasn't picked up ME3. As many below me have stated, stay away, its a huge let down to the franchise.    … Expand
  52. 2484Stryker
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For those who invested the time & effort into playing the entire series, this latest and final installment will be fun to play right up to, but not including, the ending. By itself, ME3 is a very good game, with awesome combat mechanics and weapon/character customization. It has some very emotional moments that really draws you into the world of Mass Effect. However, the ending (singular form intended) completely negates all your choices and your actions from all three games, and forces you to accept a singular notion from your arch-nemesis - that synthetics will always destroy organics. You're given a limited number of nonsensical choices that no Shepard would ever agree to, but the game forces your character to choose from them, and he does so without question (very out of character). In the end, all of us may have taken a different route on our Mass Effect journey, but the destination is invariably the same - and that would have been OK had the destination been choice-driven. Given all that, I still enjoyed playing the game, although I now have zero inclination to experience the trilogy again. If you loved the series, then I would still suggest that you play this game (ignore the review bombers). Just hit ctrl-alt-del when you get to the ending.

    In summary, the game's ending is a disappointing end to a very good game; the game itself is a disappointing end to an epic series. RIP Mass Effect.    … Expand
  53. sjh0399
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    ME3 is really worst ME series

    i want to refund Deluxe

    ME3's Ending lacks consistency

    and only color magic ending

    i'm so disappointed

    i never will buy Bioware games
  54. elysalol
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    First, I have to say that I have never been more disappointed in a video game. Honestly, after I beat the game to see that they all differed only by the color of the leaves, I regret wasting $60 on it. Unfortunately, I bought the PC version, and I couldn't even trade it back in.

    Mass Effect wasn't a mediocre game: it was legendary. It stressed choice and consequence, shaping a galaxy    First, I have to say that I have never been more disappointed in a video game. Honestly, after I beat the game to see that they all differed only by the color of the leaves, I regret wasting $60 on it. Unfortunately, I bought the PC version, and I couldn't even trade it back in.

    Mass Effect wasn't a mediocre game: it was legendary. It stressed choice and consequence, shaping a galaxy through the choices you, as the player, made. I played the first two, and absolutely adored them. The storyline was unique, cutting-edge. The characters and the relationships formed between companions and crew members were realistic and brilliant. I recommended the games to everyone I knew. Now, I'm telling trying to tell everyone not to waste their money.

    The weak storyline of the third game could have probably been overlooked if it was followed by the truly epic endings everyone expected. Unfortunately, the endings were the complete opposite. Thinking about how much time I wasted on this game makes me sick.

    I completely agree with most of the reviewers here: the story in the third game was weak and completely lacking; character interactions were minimal and disappointing; there were HUGE plot holes, and even the cutscenes were bad. I'm sorry, but last time I checked this was Mass Effect, not a Battlestar Galactica rip off. And the shiny Reaper child made from The Force? Give me a break.

    I really, really regret buying this game and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Play the first two and make up your own ending; it's sure to be LOADS better than Bioware's.    … Expand
  55. spitfiremk87
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen. BUT As you may heard about the endings.    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen.

    BUT

    As you may heard about the endings. They are HORRIBLE. Plot holes galore, your choices never mattered and they literally detract from the series after you've played them. Nothing is ever explained in the endings at all. As far as multiple endings are concerned, there are basically three choices that coincide with almost the exact same CG sequence at the end, with the only difference being the color of explosions you get. I hope that Bioware will show their fans some respect and fix the endings or add to them in some way. The Mass Effect series did not deserve this ending.    … Expand
  56. Cordelayne
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    I signed up at metacritic just to write this review. It's awful that metacritic gives this game a 93 rating on some top screens, based on the reviews of 13 "critics." The spread here between a 9.3 critic score and a 3.6 user score is the largest I've ever seen. This game is the most annoying game I've ever seen.

    I'm going to this trouble because I absolutely loved Mass Effect 1 and 2,    I signed up at metacritic just to write this review. It's awful that metacritic gives this game a 93 rating on some top screens, based on the reviews of 13 "critics." The spread here between a 9.3 critic score and a 3.6 user score is the largest I've ever seen. This game is the most annoying game I've ever seen.

    I'm going to this trouble because I absolutely loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, and I was really pumped for 3. But 3 is a DISASTER!

    1. Paid $50 for store version plus $25 for game guide. I can't return it because I wrote my Origin password on the insert with the validation code. The game guide got a cracked spine the first time I opened it! Low quality all the way.

    2. I'm a sophisticated computer game player and computer programmer, with more than 25 years of experience. This darned game took me 2.5 hours to install! All kinds of problems.

    3. I was so beat down after that, I punted after about 15 minutes. I just didn't like the feel of the initial sequence.

    4. The game expects you to buy DLC content concerning a critical element of the game (the precursor aliens) right off the bat! The DLC was promoted the day the game was released! That is incredibly greedy and stupid. I never buy DLC unless I really like a game AND have finished what I bought at high price.

    5. The Origin intermediary program is insane! Having selected an option at some point during the install to have this automatically start when I reboot my computer, there is no way to turn it off.

    6. The game is almost impossible to run. After getting a successful install, off the $50 of DVDs I purchased, it takes 15 minutes or more to start the game! You can't just play the game you bought. You have to have Origin running (Electronic Arts's version of Steam) and it takes forever for it to log on and validate your password. Then, after the game loads, it doesn't start until it logs onto separate Electronic Arts servers. That can take more than 30 minutes!!!!! In my case this morning, it took about 8 minutes, but I've seen people complaining that at high-volume periods like Saturday night it can take more than 30 minutes. What in the heck is up with that??? Why do I need to be logged onto EA at all to play the game I just bought!!!???

    7. After a full install, it is impossible to run the game offline. Most civilized systems permit this. For example, I bought Skyrim in November and was able to run it for four months offline of Steam, after getting the initial patch. Origin is a very stupid program.

    8. I'm on a crappy satellite Internet location in a rural location, and the Internet connection goes down rather regularly during rough weather. But I can't play Mass Effect 3 during bad weather. That sucks. I paid $75 to buy the game and the game guide. I should be able to play it offline! (And I should be able to play it on a laptop during travel, etc.)

    9. When I tried to start the game this morning, Origin insisted I had to install a 16 GB update!!! WTF? I just bought the game with physical DVDs a few days ago. No way is such a patch required. The stupid Origin program obviously thinks I need to download the entire darned game, even though I've already got it installed! By the by, on my Hughes satellite Internet connection, if I did a download like that, it would knock me off the Internet for a couple of days.

    10. Finally, in the ever-growing list of fantastic aggravations, I learn from the manual and the initial game screens that I start out with all of my "war assets" in the "galactic war" set at 50%. That means ALL of the essential allies I am gathered are gimped to one-half. The ONLY ways that can be upgraded is to start with an end-game save from Mass Effect 2, or to play many, many hours of mulitiplayer combats.

    Well, I can't import a Mass Effect 2 save, because the computer I was using for that was destroyed by a particularly virulent virus. And I don't want to play multiplayer combat exercises, and I couldn't do it even if I wanted to, due to my current crappy and laggy satellite Internet connection.

    So, in other words, this crappy game, after collecting so much money, forces me to have such inferior troops that it may be impossible to win the game.

    ************* I'm VERY sore about this! I feel VERY ripped off and abused by a greedy and stupid company.    … Expand
  57. coloradosarge
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games andI thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games and to try and offset the other people trolling on here that are obviously marking the score low because of the ending. I think BW deserves a fair score.… Expand
  58. Distruttore
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    I'm not saying the ending should be changed, nor should there be a DLC... this game is dead and done with. I hope it rots in hell with an ending like that.
  59. Bandicool
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    I really don't know what went wrong but those endings and their consequences must be the biggest letdown i've ever experienced in gaming history. The game (without the 10 mins in the ending) deserves a 9/10 but the ending is so horribly full of plot-holes and unansweread questions that I am left speechless.
    In a game where the story and it's characters are the main reason for buying it,    I really don't know what went wrong but those endings and their consequences must be the biggest letdown i've ever experienced in gaming history. The game (without the 10 mins in the ending) deserves a 9/10 but the ending is so horribly full of plot-holes and unansweread questions that I am left speechless.
    In a game where the story and it's characters are the main reason for buying it, how can you end it like this?    … Expand
  60. Greggor
    Mar 14, 2012
    7
    I am giving this game a 7 instead of a 10 because of the ending. We were promised 14 different endings, tailored to your character archetype, how you played the game, and the decisions you made. Instead, we got two different endings. You can win, or you can lose. This depends only on whether or not you have completed enough missions by the end of the game. If you win, you can very slightlyI am giving this game a 7 instead of a 10 because of the ending. We were promised 14 different endings, tailored to your character archetype, how you played the game, and the decisions you made. Instead, we got two different endings. You can win, or you can lose. This depends only on whether or not you have completed enough missions by the end of the game. If you win, you can very slightly alter the end-cinematic depending on the choice you make after the final battle. Your decision, however, has no impact on the story, and everything that you did in the game is basically invalidated by this frustrating conclusion. It's a highly disappointing end to the series, which is why so many people are upset about it. Now that the bad stuff's out of the way, let's move on to the good. The game was very fun. I beat it in three days, and I slept only a few hours each night because I simply couldn't put the game away. The story was extremely captivating, the combat was really visceral, and the dialogue was fascinating as always. This game does credit to its predecessors, which were also paragons of the shooter RPG subgenre. It's a real shame that they ended the series on such a terrible note, but that doesn't detract completely from the game's other virtues. It was fun, and I have no trouble recommending it to friends.… Expand
  61. JonChanger
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    This games ending was a major disappointment. Everything was great up until the all choice, freewill, and consequence were taken away from the player in the final moments. If it weren't for the ending I would easily give this game a 9/10. However, the ending was so terrible that I (almost) wish I could unplay all of the other games and never had wasted time on them. I felt similarly whenThis games ending was a major disappointment. Everything was great up until the all choice, freewill, and consequence were taken away from the player in the final moments. If it weren't for the ending I would easily give this game a 9/10. However, the ending was so terrible that I (almost) wish I could unplay all of the other games and never had wasted time on them. I felt similarly when lost ended but at least I could respect it was not my decision. In this case, Bioware led the players to believe the ending was our decision (through the choices we made in the game). Apparently, not... I sincerely hope that Bioware adds additional post-game content in upcoming DLCs to make sense of this pointless ending.… Expand
  62. TotalBiscuitXXX
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    A forgettable experience! From its copy and paste level & characters its copy and paste waves of enemies, frustrating controls over its run and cover system (binded to space on PC). Its like EA/Bioware forced the Devs to design multiplayer, kinect and dlc instead! Mass Effect 3 leave you with a real hunger for a more then lackluster experience. The trouble with this game steamsA forgettable experience! From its copy and paste level & characters its copy and paste waves of enemies, frustrating controls over its run and cover system (binded to space on PC). Its like EA/Bioware forced the Devs to design multiplayer, kinect and dlc instead! Mass Effect 3 leave you with a real hunger for a more then lackluster experience. The trouble with this game steams from its re-write, and I'm guessing corporate or hierarchical interference overwhelming common sense and appealing for a money grab. Was a shameful display I was really looking forward for Mass Effect 3 but I had my hopes dashed when I first read about the script leak last year!… Expand
  63. 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.
  64. Woleslagle
    Mar 14, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What should I say about Mass Effect 3? Well, the game itself is fantastic. The art, characters, and everything about the game is great in that aspect. However, if you are a huge fan of the series, this game is going to really let you down. The first thing that really made me mad about this game was the fact that they redid the ship...it didn't need to be done. The Normandy from Mass Effect 2 was nearly perfect, maybe if they would have added a few things to it, it would have been better. They took things away including great party members. Granted, I understand the point of this game is around Shepard dealing with the Reaper threat, but come on Bioware, great characters could have played bigger roles in this game. Curing the Genophage was awesome, creating an alliance with the galaxy was awesome, and have another great romance was awesome. But, where Bioware really completely fails to deliver is the ending. No matter what choices you make throughout the game the ending just completely sucks to be quite frank. It is horrible. Your character dies. I mean, sure the Reapers either die or become allies, but come on. If Bioware wants to make this up to fans and keep customers in the future, they should have changed the ending or at least had one where your character lives and you see him live and the Galaxy remains united. That would have been a "happily ever after" ending, and I certainly feel like that would have appeased a lot more people than Bioware's self-sacrificial ending.… Expand
  65. Alesv88
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect is in my opinion one of the best games ever. The first game I finished at least 4 times but the second I finished more than 8 times. Mass Effect 3 gives me no desire to re-play it again unless Bioware change the ending that I think is a complete sh@t. I hate it and hate Bioware to destroy what for me was the best game ever.
    I will not buy any Bioware game anymore.
  66. ceppi
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    After DA2 and SWTOR, I was really scared that Mass Effect 3 would be really bad, and oh boy, was I right... First of all, you are forced to play multiplayer or most probably you get the bad ending. This is a problem now, but in 3-4 months, when people stop playing multiplayer, its going to be an even worse situation. Second of all, the goddamn first day DLC, when its already present of theAfter DA2 and SWTOR, I was really scared that Mass Effect 3 would be really bad, and oh boy, was I right... First of all, you are forced to play multiplayer or most probably you get the bad ending. This is a problem now, but in 3-4 months, when people stop playing multiplayer, its going to be an even worse situation. Second of all, the goddamn first day DLC, when its already present of the disc I goddamn buyed few days ago, and Bioware lying about it just makes things worse. Overall I am just disappointed, I will most likely will not check the next Bioware game even tho it was one my favorite gaming companies... RIP Bioware that delivered us Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR...… Expand
  67. noobr
    Mar 14, 2012
    8
    The start of the game does a poor job at setting the atmosphere, this doesn't hold and the mid to later parts of the game are fantastic. But the end simply didn't work for a story with so much personal investment in the trilogy. I can say for sure that no game has ever elicited a stronger emotional response from me but ultimately it's left me feeling rather negative. Could have beenThe start of the game does a poor job at setting the atmosphere, this doesn't hold and the mid to later parts of the game are fantastic. But the end simply didn't work for a story with so much personal investment in the trilogy. I can say for sure that no game has ever elicited a stronger emotional response from me but ultimately it's left me feeling rather negative. Could have been utterly amazing but blew it at the last hurdle.… Expand
  68. Manuelexar
    Mar 14, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A really good game, Initially I gave it a TEN, because I thought that people were just bashing the game for the same sex scene, now after seeing the endings I can say that It's a GREAT GAME, It would score 10/10 'til the "conduit" scene, It's full of citation from the other games and for someone like me that finished the other titles 10 times each IT'S GREAT! The final scene (and the last battle itself) it's REALLY BAD WRITTEN, -The fact that the citadel moves? WTF? All mass effect 1 and the Sovreign thing is USELESS if the reapers can move the citadel. GUYS COME ON!! WTF????? Did the guy that wrote this thing ever played me1? Does he know the story?
    -WTF? Where does TIM come from? Did the reapers let him in?
    - THE CHOICES? 3 ray of different colours? Man, It could have been the best game ever. I'm really sorry.
    I'm giving it a 6. The Game deserve a 10/10, the ending a 1/10.    … Expand
  69. Piapia
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    Never has a game dropped the ball so INCREDIBLY; it is beautifully wrought and so well done that you will overlook many of the plot holes it does have and a lot of the laziness that went into the game; from BioWare's use of stock images to well over a hundred graphical and audio errors and various glitches that will sometimes even make your quest bug out and you can't finish it. ErrorsNever has a game dropped the ball so INCREDIBLY; it is beautifully wrought and so well done that you will overlook many of the plot holes it does have and a lot of the laziness that went into the game; from BioWare's use of stock images to well over a hundred graphical and audio errors and various glitches that will sometimes even make your quest bug out and you can't finish it. Errors with importing save games an inability to even transfer your custom faces over... so many things wrong, but the visceral gameplay and climactic build-up of the game, the choices and the story, well... you' be willing to overlook it... almost. You might have cringed at times and facepalmed at others but chances were, you'd still enjoy it and still had a good game.

    But the ending... dear GODS... BioWare lied on every front; nothing they promised for endings are there. The ultimate tale of Shepard concludes with you losing to the Reapers regardless of how well you fought, and having spent an entire game building a fleet you never get to see in action, ending on a note that essentially says, "Yeah, we're going to make more games because we're sure you'll pay for it."

    With content cut from the game so it could be sold at day one, them finishing the game early enough so you could actually download it before release (as I did) if you pre-ordered but STILL having a host of technical issues... and an ending that would have fit better in an obscure Japanese Anime (and has been known to make fans of that genre just as mad anyway; check out Neon Genesis Evangelion for a reference example) the game has literally dropped the ball on all marks and BioWare has fumbled their chance to make history (beyond being the butt of what will likely be a long standing joke). If you were looking for something to finally dethrone the CoD franchise or Halo or other gaming giants, this game is NOT your champion. And if you DO like those games? Better you stick to them and avoid ME3.    … Expand
  70. Vic
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    I give this game 9/10 Good: Awesome story, memorable characters, great ending (completes the story, no cliffhangers, !watch the credits there's a scene after it!), awesome soundtrack, one of the best combat systems, the game is very cinematic which is a strong side of it! Bad: Graphics (no any improvement since the last game low resolution textures just break the whole immersion, I guessI give this game 9/10 Good: Awesome story, memorable characters, great ending (completes the story, no cliffhangers, !watch the credits there's a scene after it!), awesome soundtrack, one of the best combat systems, the game is very cinematic which is a strong side of it! Bad: Graphics (no any improvement since the last game low resolution textures just break the whole immersion, I guess that's because when they try to please console gamers, whose pulling the whole industry down with their almost 10 years old machines), the story seems short if you ignore all that stupid Citadel side quests (not considering N7 missions which were pretty cool), day one DLC (what the f**k), the whole game lacks of innovations (nothing new in the gameplay just some minor tweaks, if it wasn't the last in the series I'd give it much lower score), some minor bugs.

    PS: Overall it's a great compelling story that ends the great trilogy!    … Expand
  71. 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
  72. sacredcowkiller
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 undoes every decision made throughout the entire series in the last 15 minutes. The 3 endings are too similar and create plot holes larger than the Milky way. The only choice you have at the end is what color explosion do you want to send throughout the galaxy. The game engine hasn't made any significant improvements but I don't really mind that so much. The biggest problem is the ending. This is perhaps the largest letdown in gaming history.… Expand
  73. 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
  74. ygolnac
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    the endings are really a big letdown, and what you did in the previous chapters does not matter at all contrary to what they advertized. Even importing old saves does not work regarding the decision you made. Also bioware is fraoudolent company selling a day 1 dlc with contents very important to understant the story for 10$. The game is subpar and the company behaviour horrible.
  75. craigdecor
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS !!! Turn Back now if you are allergic to SPOILERS

    I was a devoted fan to Mass effect 3 I learned the lore and loved the story. bought the books, comics, and some other random gear from the bio-ware store. There were a few flaws during the game however i was able to get past those until the end. You get three Nifty choices of ending the game in either a Green Red or Blue explosion. All those years of following the series. over 400+ hours of playing the 1st and 2nd game The life and death choices, the wonder of what those choices would bring was all undone in the end. You learn nothing of what happens because of your choices due to three identical endings (Some differences) and pretty colors. I personally feel betrayed and crushed that everything bio-ware promised us was a lie. Just like the cake. I gave this a 1 simply because they actually released something. They will never get my money again for as long as I live.    … Expand
  76. pavi132
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    The combat was pretty fun, the multiplayer started fun but got repetitive since it is entirely co-op horde mode and there was no competitive multiplayer. The story had a few strong moments. Never in my life did I think that just the ending of a piece of entertainment could retroactively destroy the positive experiences I had with that piece of entertainment. Mass Effect 3 managed to doThe combat was pretty fun, the multiplayer started fun but got repetitive since it is entirely co-op horde mode and there was no competitive multiplayer. The story had a few strong moments. Never in my life did I think that just the ending of a piece of entertainment could retroactively destroy the positive experiences I had with that piece of entertainment. Mass Effect 3 managed to do just that. I had heard the ending was bad before I even started the game, but I wrote this off as only a few people who were very vocal, and believed that I would enjoy the ending when I got to it. I was completely mistaken. The ending not only made no sense, but it took away any possibility for the player to make a significant choice, and made the player feel like all the choices made up until this point of the game were utterly worthless and had no impact on the game whatsoever. It left me feeling incomplete, as if the reapers were never defeated and the Mass Effect series never really got an end. It caused me to immediately uninstall the game and not even think about playing through the game again, which I was originally planning on doing. I didn't think it was possible, but this game single-handedly in the last 10 minutes or so, ruined my love for the Mass Effect series and Bioware. It was a disappointment and what could have been a terrific game was ruined because of it.… Expand
  77. 123456
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With regard to the ending, I completely agree Ross Lincoln on Gamefronts article called Mass Effect 3 Ending-Hatred: 5 Reasons The Fans Are Right. It is a fantastic article and the only negative comment from an established media site I have yet seen.

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

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

    The acting, story and missions are everything you would expect from the series, which to me means a high standard. Legion and Thaneâ    … Expand
  78. h0bb1t
    Mar 14, 2012
    8
    I get where people are coming from with the hate, but it's not about the ending, it's about the journey. And as a game ME3 is a really one thing apart. The missions are varied, the characters are (once again) solid. There are really memorable missions, and some moments that would evoke some man-tears. Bioware manages to create some epic scenes, which surpasses everything you've seen inI get where people are coming from with the hate, but it's not about the ending, it's about the journey. And as a game ME3 is a really one thing apart. The missions are varied, the characters are (once again) solid. There are really memorable missions, and some moments that would evoke some man-tears. Bioware manages to create some epic scenes, which surpasses everything you've seen in ME2. (The battle for the Citadel was still the best moment in the entire series in my opinion.)

    If you loved ME1, and liked ME2, you surely will enjoy at least ME3.
    The ending is probably entirely different from what you might expect; it lacks closure. Yes, there are some plotholes in the final hour of the game. But it's still a solid gold game. The characters I've grown fond of my not have said their goodbyes to me in a way i would like, and in the end, all your choices don't really matter to anyone, except for when ME4 comes out.    … Expand
  79. desol007
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    It gets a zero from me. Bad ending, your choices do not matter, disappointing relationship . If you like the Mass Effect series do not play this third installation it negates the whole series.
  80. Ghostrider
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    10 for all of the game up until the ending. 1 for the ending. Bioware managed to destroy 100+ hours of great gameplay across all 3 parts of the trilogy with last 10 minutes of the game. Impressive achievement, but I don't like it.

    The game is awesome in every aspect up until the very end. Don't know why Bioware did this but they did. They killed DA franchise with DA2 and now this.    10 for all of the game up until the ending. 1 for the ending. Bioware managed to destroy 100+ hours of great gameplay across all 3 parts of the trilogy with last 10 minutes of the game. Impressive achievement, but I don't like it.

    The game is awesome in every aspect up until the very end. Don't know why Bioware did this but they did.

    They killed DA franchise with DA2 and now this. Not pre-ordering any Bioware game. Will wait until reviews come in.    … Expand
  81. BuggedJune
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me begin by saying I LOVE the Mass Effect series. I have most of the comic books and the novels, (yes the ones with GAPING errors too) and I played the first two games in all the platforms. (though I only own a PC and a PS3 now) seeing as I could only get a complete experience in the PC version, this is the version I chose to play ME3 with. So here's my experience with it.


    The gameplay is absolutely beautiful. nicely balanced, the weapons and powers are very responsive, the sound effects for the guns have DEFINITELY improved. And the upgrade mechanic? It addressed one of my biggest problems with ME2, which was the lack of choices and customization - along with not knowing what the hell the actual weapon stats were. The graphics and have definitely improved, the HUD still clean as ever, and animation.. well, I'll get into that in a bit.

    But why do we even bother playing Bioware games in the beginning, what are they really known for. the story, oh the story. We fall in the world they create, immerse ourselves in the vast and endless universe, and live the life of a character we choose to create. we interact with characters that are deeper than some people we meet in the real world, and fall in love with a few of them. We take on missions upon missions that seems more ridiculous than the last and we come out of it with a stupid grin on our face knowing the next one's going to be even more ridiculous - and absolutely satisfying.
    So this was to be the finale to one of the biggest Sci-fi epic of our generation, and they did it. I wasn't the biggest fan of Mordin, but when he walked into that elevator, I let go of my mouse and keyboard, and sat back as I stared at my screen in utter sadness. When Thane jumped in to save me against Kai Leng at the Citadel, I cheered in excitement. I ended century long wars between species, saved and discovered new ones, and most importantly, united them all in a single force to be reckoned with. All of this for that final moment, when the battle that all 3 games have been leading up to was about to happen. And it all went to ****

    I'll talk about my problems with the ending in a second, but first, the bugs. After I took out reaper's AA cannon, there's a short period where I have to hold the ground until transport comes and picks me up. during which both my teammates froze in place, and stood there as if nothing was happening as Cannibals tore them a new one. I don't know how many times I used the Unity skill, and how many times I died, but it sure was frustrating. Then when I went to go talk to TIM, my paragon choices were grayed out. I did a full paragon playthrough and my meter was full. I thought, "maybe I missed something." so i just went with, and did some research later. Turns out, I wasn't the only one. your final morality choice in the game has a bug? This is truly unacceptable.

    So, the ending. There's a lot of talks about this being a "meta-game experience" and "it's just all a dream." And that bioware will sell extra ending as DLC. Now that's an interesting thought, "extra" endings for extra money. First of all, that makes it sound like there was an ending at all. Second of all, no. When I pay 60 dollars for a game (or 80 for CE) I expect a full game with a full ending. Not "ending coming soon via DLC" screen.
    And if it truly is the real ending? I think that's even worse. What happened to all the choices I made. All the people I saved and united? Regardless of the plot holes (please do look them up, some are quite critical) if a game is over, I want to see the result of my actions, especially in a game where player choice matters so much.

    all in all. it's amazing: the story, the character, the gameplay, IF you leave out the ending. There had better be an explanation in the near future - NOT in a form of a paid DLC - otherwise I may never touch the series ever again.    … Expand
  82. 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
  83. maFio2Zy
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    Worst game ever IMHO. At first, what I dislike - Bioware said that gameplay id about 40 hours. Where is this 40? I playing very slowly and finish this game after 20 hours. Ok, its not the general problem. Everybody whos saw 3 ending is shoked, as me. First 15-20 hours is amazing, but ending.... I cant give more than 1 point out of 10. A lot of fans whaiting epic ending of this game. AfterWorst game ever IMHO. At first, what I dislike - Bioware said that gameplay id about 40 hours. Where is this 40? I playing very slowly and finish this game after 20 hours. Ok, its not the general problem. Everybody whos saw 3 ending is shoked, as me. First 15-20 hours is amazing, but ending.... I cant give more than 1 point out of 10. A lot of fans whaiting epic ending of this game. After final movie I have a lot of questions, but whos give me answers for them? DLC? Ok, I dont say that developers must give us content for free, but general story must be comlited without any DLC. Now about positive side of the game. Weapons upgrade and shooting me pleased. Thats all.… Expand
  84. defive
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    A decent game let down by one of the worst game endings I've ever seen. The ending is incoherent, inconsistent, and incomprehensible nonsense that really wrecks any sense of accomplishment.

    Other than that the game is okay, but my least favorite of the three. Plus there's the issue of the cheeky paid for Day One DLC.
  85. KingMJE
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    The game was OK, There was some interesting story decisions to make and the action was pretty nice. multiplayer is pretty fun, all the classes are very different from eachother but adept can solo everything. all of the endings are terrible, i am no longer supporting, EA, Bioware, or origin.
  86. Tata
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    Updated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new charactersUpdated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new characters are pretty good, with few exception. I was actually surprised that James is an actually great character, because I expected him to be flat. The combat is more like Witcher 2 with the rolling and finishing moves (which is a good thing!), if only it's a bit too easy on Insanity, but It's still affected by the bugs from Mass Effect 2 like ling of sight shooting, getting stuck or character not doing what you want (do 100 things with one button is not a good idea). The romance, well.. My romance option was Liara, and the first half of her romance was disastrous, but the second was very good. Note that I'm not homophobic or anything, but there is no way to detest or condemn a character that is gay, lesbian or not. Again, I don't have anything against homosexuality, but there is no choice given to you about this, unlike in Dragon Age where you could decide how you approach something like this, and here's another problem. Lack of choice. The paragon and renegade meter is finally mixed, but only like 1% of the dialogues have a middle option, making that pointless. The interrupts were most of the times, good. The cutscenes: A lot of them are good, but then, a lot of them is unnecessary, especially at the beginning of the game. There's also a lot of time where you can't interrupt the dialogue or the cutscene, hindering the replay value. There are also serious problems with smoke effects, as It can make even the best computers lag like hell. The character animations are probably the worst I've ever seen. There is a part where you have the option to hug a friend, but because of bad animation, you end up hugging the air. Really? The graphics are mostly good, but the background is a train-wreck. If you pay attention to the background, you can see a lot of low-res textures, or even immobile people, even if they are about to step, making them look like statues.
    While I had high expectation with this game, It's far from that, but still, It's much better than Dragon Age 2. My advice: Prepare for the worst ending you can possibly imagine (or you wouldn't dare to even imagine).    … Expand
  87. Silvermoon
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My verdict is; Avoid this game at all costs. Do not buy it. Do not play it. Stop at ME2 and make up a happy ending.

    On the PC, the game runs smooth and never crashed. It is also possible to finally have a Same Gender Romance Arc in ME 3, sadly, this is where the game's pros end.

    The story was one of repeated loss. The player is constantly seeing old friends sacrifice themselves so that Shepard can complete the current mission objective. Twice, there are two very poignant sacrifices that emotionally cut deep Mordin Solas and Eve and then later Tali vas Normandy. The finale is emotionally devoid because of the repeated numbing the player has taken by that point and after waiting 2 years, the ending is extremely frustrating and a cause of great indignation.

    My verdict is; Avoid this game at all costs. Do not buy it. Do not play it. Stop at ME2 and make up a happy ending.    … Expand
  88. Shermos
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles,I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles, they are a bit small to read from a distance which is for people who don't have English as their first language. Lastly, the running animations. They look a bit ridiculous, but are okay once you get used to them. Mass effect was never about the game play for me anyway.

    The face importing issue is a real let down, but don't worry too much about this, Bioware have promised to get a fix out ASAP. Make your first play through a new game instead of an import and by the time you're ready to do an import for your second game, the issue will likely be worked out. Now to what I liked. The plot and characters were both really good, and that includes the endings which a lot of people seem to hate. Without spoiling the game, Shepard's story ends, but there isn't complete closure. Some questions are left open to be answered in a future Mass Effect game. You're left to imagine what might happen and look forward to whatever Bioware comes up with next. The game is also much funnier and more emotional than the previous games. I almost got a bit teary in places. The writers did a really good job at making players invest emotions into the characters and races of the universe. To some up, please please, please ignore any rating which goes below 5 or 6. All these ones and zeroes are totally uncalled for and coming from people who either haven't played the game, or hate the developer. I can promise that you'll enjoy ME3 if you give it a try.    … Expand
  89. iao
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    Mass Effect 3 was such a disappointment. Really just feels like they're just trying to get money without giving the product in exchange. Nothing that you do in the game actually matters, the endings are incredibly similar and unsatisfying. The release-day DLC was just a slap in the face on top of it all.
  90. Anthony_2012
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    This is a quality title that is very much let down by a sub-par ending. My Example would be that it starts like the matrix and finishes almost the same as Matrix revolutions.

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

    It is a great game let down by a incredibly weak ending which to me colors the game in a bad light especially since the company Bioware stated it would end differently. I expect lies from politicians not a video game company..    … Expand
  91. paketep
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    Origin, content removed to make gamers pay even more from the game, multiplayer that affects your single player ending, absolutely **** ending. This game is the poster boy of how EA has sunk the mighty Bioware.

    Wait until you get a 90% discount if you want to finish the trilogy. Avoid like the plague otherwise.
  92. Krovak
    Mar 14, 2012
    8
    Great game. Yeah it is not perfect sometimes the dialogues feel dull, there is absolutely no innovation and the last 15 minutes of the game really sucks including the endgame cut scene. But overall this a great game. The story besides the ending is wonderful. Action part of the game is good and the multiplayer is decent. If you are expecting an action third person shooter with a greatGreat game. Yeah it is not perfect sometimes the dialogues feel dull, there is absolutely no innovation and the last 15 minutes of the game really sucks including the endgame cut scene. But overall this a great game. The story besides the ending is wonderful. Action part of the game is good and the multiplayer is decent. If you are expecting an action third person shooter with a great story and few rpg elements or if you like Mass Effect 2 this is a game for you.… Expand
  93. Maelphaedor
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Right up to the end sequence, ME3 was on track to be the BEST GAME SERIES I've ever played from a story perspective. Then the final cutscene played and every single choice made in the game boiled down to 3 identical endings (other than explosion color). Seriously, they really, REALLY screwed the pooch on this one. Now as said, right up to the end sequence, this is the best game story EVER, which makes the FUBAR ending all the more painful.… Expand
  94. MicMaky
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    Before completing the game I was confused at the massive difference between user and critic reviews. However, since finishing the game I now understand why, either the critics have been bribed or they have no seen the absolute mess of an ending. The only reason I give this a 5 and not a 1 is because up until the end the game is all I imagined it would be; it contained rich flowing storyBefore completing the game I was confused at the massive difference between user and critic reviews. However, since finishing the game I now understand why, either the critics have been bribed or they have no seen the absolute mess of an ending. The only reason I give this a 5 and not a 1 is because up until the end the game is all I imagined it would be; it contained rich flowing story and dialog with a very sound game engine. Some people complain about the poor textures and some of the animations but I am fine with that, I don't play the mass effect trilogy for the graphical detail, I play it for the in depth interactive story.
    The negativity of this review is based solely on the ending, which is very vague, full of plot holes and just generally not a "mass effect" ending.
    If it weren't for the ending I would be scoring this far higher, in the range the have critics scored it.    … Expand
  95. fachriunited
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    i would give it a 9 but after experiencing the last 2 hours of the game, this game is just big dissapointment, the ending just ver bad, worse than skyrim, and war asset dont do anything except the ending, not even affect the final battle just ending, very bad bioware very bad
  96. RegularNoodle
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    While I do want to buff this games score up as much as possible I actually believe this game is a 10. I've not played a better game than this, making it the new high bar for me. Somehow this game was rated by hundreds of players within hours of release despite the fact that it's a 20 to 30 hour game. A note to Metacritic: please shut down abused user scores.
  97. Mikimax
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    Bioware continues to dumb down their games.
    This game is everything but an RPG. In order to make the game appealing for everybody they stripped everything from it, everything, creating a hollow shell of the first game (a Reaper Husk) I played it through only because of the story.
  98. draculdracul
    Mar 14, 2012
    6
    For me is playing ME playing in an interactive movie. This is what i expect and this is what i got. The story is so well written that during the game the main story effected my decisions drastically. Where i normally choose for a peaceful and "good" solution, now i did not hesitate to do evil just for the greater good. ME3 had convinced me that the menace of the reapers was so immense thatFor me is playing ME playing in an interactive movie. This is what i expect and this is what i got. The story is so well written that during the game the main story effected my decisions drastically. Where i normally choose for a peaceful and "good" solution, now i did not hesitate to do evil just for the greater good. ME3 had convinced me that the menace of the reapers was so immense that i decided to eliminate entire species. The convinced threat made me decide to even shoot a friend and old teammate in the back just for the greater good. This convinced me that even in real life there is a devil in everybody if the circumstances are that way. The story is so great that you expect a grand final. You live up to this moment. I even cancelled all my appointments when i started the last and final chapter. This was it. I made some terrible decisions just to get ready for this moment. My expectations of this end was huge. ... Then i started to play the final mission. It started good but after a while the story ended in a way i totally not expected. Suddenly i had a choice of 3 options where non of them where satisfying referring to the epic intro of the first missions. It felt like there was no more budget to end this game properly. When i tell bedtime story's to my children and i want to finish it fast i say in dutch: dan een olifant met een dikke snuit blaast het verhaaltje uit. In english this means "then an elephant comes with a big snout and blows away the story". I had the exact same feeling with this end. It felt like there was no more time to end it properly. The gap between the high expectations before the last mission and the final end was so big for me, that i had the same emotions like most of the people who graded this game here. I was so disappointed. I could not believe that such a good story and overall game(s) ended this way. It took me a few days of setting aside my disappointment to look at the game objectively. This all says 2 things in my opinion. ME 3 is such a good game with a great story, it moves you and makes you think about real life decisions. However, because this game is so good you expect something extraordinary for a final. And in this last part i think ME3 completely failed. This effects the overall opinion of the game so much that most of the loyal fans of ME judge the game so badly. Just because of this bad ( or to psychologically difficult) ending.

    I probably graded ME3 with a 2 or 3 myself the first days, now i think ME3 is a victim of its own quality. If you are good, there is no place for errors. At least not if this magnitude.    … Expand
  99. BlackThor
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Steaming pile of crap.
    I just played the Mission where you are forced to choose between Quarians and Geth. It's a lie. there is no choice. Either way is inconsistent with the choices made in the previous game. Hours of forced cinematics, no real game play based on choice. It's like a weekend of bad D&D with the worst power-tripping DM ever.
    This game sux all ass and I refuse to play to the end.
    DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY! Bioware is ****    … Expand
  100. Fedaykinn
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    SO I finally finished the game. It is a GREAT game... I see many complains about little things people don't like... but I loved it. I won't spoil the ending, but all I have to say is that it does make a lot of sense and it is pretty good. Granted we would all like to see an ending tailored to every single decission we have made, but thats not the way things work. In ME3, as with life, youSO I finally finished the game. It is a GREAT game... I see many complains about little things people don't like... but I loved it. I won't spoil the ending, but all I have to say is that it does make a lot of sense and it is pretty good. Granted we would all like to see an ending tailored to every single decission we have made, but thats not the way things work. In ME3, as with life, you don't get to choose the ending you consider to be the perfect one... what you get to choose is how to get to that ending. It is a Journey and not a destination.
    The trilogy does progress into less RPG and more combat as it goes along, but it makes sense given the story. I can't help but feel a little sad that it is over.
    I fully recomend this game to anyone, but specially to those who have played the first two and loved them... and are also mature enough to realize that you can't always get what you want in life, but you must enjoy every minute of it. That is ME3.    … 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.
    Read full review
  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]
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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