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. Katzy85
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    Beautifully written game up until the last 5 minutes. If you do decide to play, just stop playing before the final cutscene. The ending completely ruined the game for me.
  2. Katita
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    The first Mass Effect, though it had its faults, was a very good game. The writing, while sometimes stupid and drab, had its moments such as the conversation with Sovereign. As time goes on, the quality of the series lessened until now we have this terrible hunk of crap.
  3. HonestlyTrue
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Day 1 DLC with obviously cut out material is instant 1/10 from me, even the game might be good. What they are doing is milking off money from the uninformed mainstream. Day 1 DLC are a disgrase and you should boycott this company for doing this!
  4. Kor-Skarn
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    What can i say that it was not already been said ?
    I was disappointed with so many things in that game : the Beginning how did they arrest me ? i was able to destroy the Collector base and survive but been caught by these incompetents that didn't not even care to listen and help ?, not able to recruit again my last crew for some lazy excuses, quest journal so incomplete, the various    What can i say that it was not already been said ?
    I was disappointed with so many things in that game : the Beginning how did they arrest me ? i was able to destroy the Collector base and survive but been caught by these incompetents that didn't not even care to listen and help ?, not able to recruit again my last crew for some lazy excuses, quest journal so incomplete, the various dialogues options and the lack of them, and the endings...
    The Bioware games are less and less attractive than it was before...    … Expand
  5. tausra
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The capstone to the Mass Effect trilogy does not end with a bang, but rather a whimper. You chase the impossible, beating every enemy in your path, you save (or condemn) entire civilizations, but in the end none of it matters. With a beam of light (you choose the color) the galaxy dies, the saga ends and your every hope comes to naught. Save the Geth, kill the krogan, renegade or Paragon, you will see the same choices as any other permutation of Shepard. What happens after the finale is anyone's guess as the game ends with a subtle command to "Buy the DLC!". There is no closure, there is only shiny lights and a ghostly child… Expand
  6. Rozgrez27
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Was the best game I had ever played... Until you get hit by a Reaper before making it to the beam of light that sends you to the end. That was such a bad ending it made me physically sick and depressed.

    I had not even started playing the Mass effect till Jan. of this year. Seriously what where they thinking. Three choices that did not even make sense to the character I had played through these three games. He was a hero. Made the Quarians and Geth finally reach peace. The Turians and Krogans had forged an alliance with the end of the Genophage. Then you find out no matter all the work you put into the game. All the side quests, every extra thing you do to prepare, does not even show in game except an nice little screen saying you had done it, this is your army you have amassed, congrats.

    Then with the ending. Plot holes, no closure. Wrex is stuck on earth, does not get to see his first born. Grunt is stuck on earth. Did he survive? Will the Wrex being the leader and curing the genophage been a lasting peace if you did it right had not everything been blown? Tali not being able to return to her home world with her fleet. Joker and EDI, something else should of happened to them. Ashley, what about her and Shepard? Jacob and his new family and did they make it? Garrus does he make it home and rebuild as well as his father and sister, what of them? Liara, does she make it home and rebuild, what about her being a shadow broker? What of James? What of Hackett? The fleet? Thanes son? Commander Bailey? Traynor? That news woman? So many unknowns. Every bit the most dissatisfying ending I have ever seen. Ever.

    I feel bad for the gamers and followers that have been with Mass Effect for the past 5 years only to have a fist shoved into their gut.    … Expand
  7. roland008
    Mar 12, 2012
    1
    I have to give this game a low score. In almost all the ways that matter it was a great game. The elephant in the room though is that the whole trilogy was about choice and in the end it didn't really matter. All the hours you spent scanning and fight and making alliances mean nothing. You could just do the minimum for the whole series of games and get the same conclusion. ThereI have to give this game a low score. In almost all the ways that matter it was a great game. The elephant in the room though is that the whole trilogy was about choice and in the end it didn't really matter. All the hours you spent scanning and fight and making alliances mean nothing. You could just do the minimum for the whole series of games and get the same conclusion. There should be a good ending a neutral ending and bad ending if your into those kind of stories. The whole point of Mass Effect was that it was our story to tell and we didn't get to tell it.… Expand
  8. Ezekiel_Frost
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all: The game doesn't deserve a "1" as rating. Nevertheless I'm rating this way as a warning to everyone thinking about buying.

    Have you ever read an awesome book, or watched an amazing movie that touched you emotionally on a level never experienced before. I have - with the with the Mass Effect series! Now imagine at the end you get the very worst ending you can think of where everything the characters did or stood for was rendered useless. I have - in the final minutes of Mass Effect 3.

    I consider myself mentally stable. To see an ending like that has left me devastated. I experience physical symptoms of a minor depression - lack of appetite, lack of motivation.

    I played Mass Effect since the first game. And Bioware games since the first Baldur's Gate. Despite being a grown man, waiting for this game made me feel like a seven year old again. Eagerly waiting for Christmas. Now I feel like my parents have pulled a cruel, cruel joke on me. For years hinting that I would get an amazing present. Bulding up my expectations. Then under the Christmas tree, the most amazing package, artfully wrapped. I unpack it, laughing, crying all the time. And then inside I find a weird looking remote control with three buttons (red, green, blue), I'm confused! Yet I press one of the buttons - still hoping - and all it does is annihilate everything around me. Now I sit in the ashes of the greatest game ever and cry bitter tears. All I can hope for is sparing others what I had to go though.    … Expand
  9. laughing_man
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Being the best gaming series I have played it is a sad day when you reach the finishing line and it is as horrible as it is. I love the Mass Effect games, heart and soul and I've played them through countless times. This rating is purely to voice my utter dissatisfaction with how the game ends.
    I'm not one of those that want a good happy ending and it is not because of some gay sexscene    Being the best gaming series I have played it is a sad day when you reach the finishing line and it is as horrible as it is. I love the Mass Effect games, heart and soul and I've played them through countless times. This rating is purely to voice my utter dissatisfaction with how the game ends.
    I'm not one of those that want a good happy ending and it is not because of some gay sexscene (seriously, do journalists actually believe the crap they are putting out??). It is simply because the current ending (NOT endingS, mind you) makes absolutely no sense. Why is there no difference between the endings? WHY doesn't my choices make any difference what so ever. In a stroke of sheer genious BW implements transfer of savegames which all amounts to a **** nothing come the absurd end.
    I never write reviews but I love this game to damn much to not make my voice heard.    … Expand
  10. Tomo21
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Main problem with me 3 was absence of any deep and engaging story and to simplified rpg element.
    In me1 we where detectives discovering secrets, which shed new light on stuff we where thinking that we allready got figured out.
    And there was those little things like talking to survivors and then deciding to punch or calm down guy that is having nervous break down.And there was lots of    Main problem with me 3 was absence of any deep and engaging story and to simplified rpg element.
    In me1 we where detectives discovering secrets, which shed new light on stuff we where thinking that we allready got figured out.
    And there was those little things like talking to survivors and then deciding to punch or calm down guy that is having nervous break down.And there was lots of those fun little stuff that make you live me1 story.
    In me3 there is no multiple quest hubs like there was on planets in me1, like Noveria, Feros and so on...
    Those quest hubs had side quests that allowed us to get know stuff and people around us in much more depth.
    Like making repairs of equipment for feros survivors, it was wellcome change of pace for the game, like calm before the storm.Me3 feels like shooter, and everything fill so rushed.Get from point A to B , kill that many wawes of enemy.

    Another thing that i miss is mako and fighting through great enviroments like Virmire or ilos.
    And in general there was much more diversity of enviroments in me1.

    Me3 should have been all about discovering weaknesses, origin and reason behind reapers, even if we had to venture beyond previously inactive relays to alien and forgotten worlds.
    We should have been pioneers and detectives once again.

    We should have get that "Whoow" effect once again which me3 failed to deliver.    … Expand
  11. tortellini
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Gameplay is ok and fun, even if nothing really changed since 2. There are 3 groups of enemies which is all you ever fight, and they get repetitive fast.The biggest issue is that the resolution of the story is the worst let-down. For people who liked the Mass Effect series as an PRG, or simply for its story, this is such a let-down that it spoils the entire series. The ending is poorlyGameplay is ok and fun, even if nothing really changed since 2. There are 3 groups of enemies which is all you ever fight, and they get repetitive fast.The biggest issue is that the resolution of the story is the worst let-down. For people who liked the Mass Effect series as an PRG, or simply for its story, this is such a let-down that it spoils the entire series. The ending is poorly implemented - plot holes, people appear in places they aren't, one person suddenly has powers that make no sense and are never explained - but the most frustrating thing is that for a series defined by making choices, there is essentially only one ending, meaning the choices made along several games are in the end almost completely irrelevant. That has spoiled the whole thing for me, and I haven't touched the game since. I would not recommend the game due to the dissapointing conclusion.… Expand
  12. harperino
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Mass Effect has always been a hyrid of RPG & shooter. After 2 amazing games they have removed the key feature of the previous games, ability to shape who Shep is and what he says. Their idea of canon shep is like a cancer in the game as shep is regularly talking on his own, spouting opinions that aren't based on the character built over 2 games. Full decisions equates to some decisions inMass Effect has always been a hyrid of RPG & shooter. After 2 amazing games they have removed the key feature of the previous games, ability to shape who Shep is and what he says. Their idea of canon shep is like a cancer in the game as shep is regularly talking on his own, spouting opinions that aren't based on the character built over 2 games. Full decisions equates to some decisions in reality. If you like Mass Effect 2 characters you are not going to like how they are sidelining and for the main part weak storylines. I was especially disappointed in Miranda's while Legion/Mordin probably had the best.

    Me3 squad is lacking diversity. On the bright side the DLC character is truly amazing. If you are going to buy the game make sure you play it with Ashes to ashes dlc installed. I would have liked more proper dialogue with crew and less prerecorded chatter.

    The endings are truly terrible. In a game about choice all your choices matter for nothing. There's no diversity at all in the endings, just the same railroaded results with a minor aesthetic difference. As a conclusion to a trilogy it is an epic fail as evidenced by the hugely unfavourable response from players. I don't like multiplayer and especially don't like fact they've made it pretty much a necessity to get certain things happen at end.    … Expand
  13. Kaorimoch
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    I consider myself a Mass Effect Fan having played Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 multiple times and enjoying the experience, but Mass Effect 3 irked me in many ways.
    1. Origin Exclusive - To play this game, you are forced to sign up and play through the developer's portal. Since I have membership to 7 other gaming websites, signing up to an 8th makes it difficult to keep track of where    I consider myself a Mass Effect Fan having played Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 multiple times and enjoying the experience, but Mass Effect 3 irked me in many ways.
    1. Origin Exclusive - To play this game, you are forced to sign up and play through the developer's portal. Since I have membership to 7 other gaming websites, signing up to an 8th makes it difficult to keep track of where all my games are registered to.
    2. Multiplayer - In the game to get the best ending, you have to completely exhaust all single player missions and do some multiplayer. Some people like myself think multiplayer and RPGs don't mix.
    3. The ending is completely at odds with how the entire saga played out. It has very little choice, plays like some existentialistic dream at odds with reality and gives no satisfying conclusion. It seems devoted to making some writer at Bioware smile in joy with the emotions they have inspired with the ending - the emotions of anger and disappointment it brings out in the player. I've never seen such an abrupt and jarring ending since KOTOR2. It has been universally slammed by fans whilst critics and Bioware opine that the fans have to eat it.
    However, the game was great with simple missions that don't take too long to complete, plot twists, great graphics and challenging combat. The romances, storylines and respect to the choices players have made in the past (except for the ending), make it a great tale. Great opening, great middle, complete let down at the end.
    All in all, the game seems devoted to forcefeeding its fans instead of allowing them to take their final journey with Shepard to its ultimate conclusion. For an RPG, this is an unforgivable sin.    … Expand
  14. Gamster
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    I have been Effected Massively since I downloaded this, so called, PC game. What a lot of hype for very little. Is there a switch somewhere in the game that turns it into a 21st century gaming experience. When you compare it to the current GREATS, Battlefield 3 and Batman Archam City, it does not even get off the starting block. Playing in 3D is dreadful and the movement options and theI have been Effected Massively since I downloaded this, so called, PC game. What a lot of hype for very little. Is there a switch somewhere in the game that turns it into a 21st century gaming experience. When you compare it to the current GREATS, Battlefield 3 and Batman Archam City, it does not even get off the starting block. Playing in 3D is dreadful and the movement options and the way Shepherd jerks (that says a lot) around is like turning the clock back ten years in gaming. How did it ever get the 9 and 10's score. I would give it an ambitious 1. I know very litte about what's happening at EA, but I do know that when I spend £34.99 I expect to get value for money. I can't comment on the content or story line, and this is my first and only experieince with Mass Effect, as I have dumped it after playing the first ten minutes. A waste of money. Don't make my mistake and buy it now, wait until they pay you to take it.

    A very, very disappointed gamer.    … Expand
  15. Inzomniac9
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    When I look back at the mass effect trilogy, I really can't see it in a positive light anymore after the terrible ending. This is not about the actual details of the story, for that is Bioware's vision and they can do what they want with their own story. The real reason that this ending is so horrible, enough to ruin this game for me, is broken up into two main reasons. Without spoilers:When I look back at the mass effect trilogy, I really can't see it in a positive light anymore after the terrible ending. This is not about the actual details of the story, for that is Bioware's vision and they can do what they want with their own story. The real reason that this ending is so horrible, enough to ruin this game for me, is broken up into two main reasons. Without spoilers:

    First, the ending does not provide any real closure. In my opinion, as the conclusion to a trilogy that many played 100+ hours of between the three games, ME3 really should at least provide an actual conclusion no matter how the story goes. Even just an epilogue of just text (Which would be really simple to do and something Bioware has done in many previous games) would be sufficient, but the fact that I left this "conclusion to the trilogy" with more question than I started with was really disappointing.
    (1 ending really))
    Finally, and most importantly, the main reason for the ending really ruining the series for me is that none of the choices from previous games matter. Mass effect has always been about having the player create their own story through a multitude of decisions and choices that are given to the player over the course of 100+ hours. This was a main strength of the series, and really drew many people to it. On top of that, the wonderful relationships the player makes with the many amazing(personality-filled) characters of the series just adds to the lasting appeal of Mass Effect. However, all of this is essentially thrown away with the ending, for none of those relationships and choices really mattered at all, which is BS and very disappointing. On top of this, there is essentially one ending, with the only differences really being superficial changes that mean very little. Overall, Mass effect 3 was the most disappointing game I have ever played because the story is basically ruined at,sadly, the very end. I am not denying the amazing moments this game has (I even felt like crying at one great scene) but the ending makes it not really matter(hence the low rating. With the story ruined it is hard to look back on ME3 with a positive light, for, lets be honest, the story is Mass effect's main appeal.    … Expand
  16. josrod
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    The game, if it stood on its own, would be at least an 8. Its an alright to good game. However, it does not stand on its own. It stands as the final installation of a series that has come to define a generation of games. The game absolutely fails to live up to the series' standards. If you are a fan of the games, you will not be a fan of this game. The way in which Bioware handle's yourThe game, if it stood on its own, would be at least an 8. Its an alright to good game. However, it does not stand on its own. It stands as the final installation of a series that has come to define a generation of games. The game absolutely fails to live up to the series' standards. If you are a fan of the games, you will not be a fan of this game. The way in which Bioware handle's your past experiences with the game is insulting. Without giving spoilers, I will say that absolutely nothing you do matters. What is worse, Bioware and its sponor IGN has been extremely insulting to its fan base to such a degree I cannot in good conscience give this game a good review. IGN, which sponsors having one of its reporters be a character in the game, calls gamers "entitled" for wanting a GOOD game that they paid for. IGN and Bioware are not entitled to a good review or a happy consumers when they insult them and release a poor product.… Expand
  17. The_Anti-Saint
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    This is what happens when craptronic arts takes over a good gamehouse; rushed product. This is what happens when a game house has too many projects on its plate and can't handle the load. The ending alone pretty much kills the entire franchise...and for what? Why end a franchise with such potential with such an anticlimactic ending? Downward trend since Dragon Age 2, then Star Wars online,This is what happens when craptronic arts takes over a good gamehouse; rushed product. This is what happens when a game house has too many projects on its plate and can't handle the load. The ending alone pretty much kills the entire franchise...and for what? Why end a franchise with such potential with such an anticlimactic ending? Downward trend since Dragon Age 2, then Star Wars online, and now this...sad, very sad indeed.… Expand
  18. passer_by
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Mass Effect series is a story heavy game. The ending of the story of Mass Effect had so many things wrong with it that you will wish you never played it to begin with. If you are looking for a shooter, there are much more decent games out there than this anyway. The only reason to buy this, which is the story is unfortunately lacking in ME3. Couple this together with the fact thatMass Effect series is a story heavy game. The ending of the story of Mass Effect had so many things wrong with it that you will wish you never played it to begin with. If you are looking for a shooter, there are much more decent games out there than this anyway. The only reason to buy this, which is the story is unfortunately lacking in ME3. Couple this together with the fact that developers were selling day 1 DLC for $10 which apparently they worked on after the main game was finished. They should have spent that time making a logically coherent ending. As good as every other story element was in the game, all of it is unraveled by a bizarre ending that renders every choice made till then meaningless. You even receive the choice to be a Paragon or Renegade right before the end to just end up with the same variation of an 'ending'. Do yourself a favor and avoid this series. You will be disappointed otherwise.… Expand
  19. Kharador
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    As someone who really enjoyed the other games in the series, this is a huge let down. From the dumbed down story, terrible animation and graphic issues, and the gaping plot holes this game is just BAD. Truly disappointing.
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. murrayb67
    Mar 16, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What should have been the conclusion to the greatest game series ever was completely ruined by the last nonsensical few minutes. The great thing about the Mass Effect series, and major factor in its replay-ability, was the massive number of choices the player got to make which led to a variety of distinctive outcomes. To finally get to the end of Shepard's journey only to be presented with choices A, B and C where the only difference is the color of the explosion in an otherwise identical cut-scene is a slap in the face after countless hours of hared work over five years and loads of DLC. It's so bad that it ruined my entire gaming experience and assured me that I'll only be getting one play through for my money. Not worth it.… Expand
  29. Alpha91
    Mar 18, 2012
    1
    Not only is ME3 the worst in the series but it's entire ad campaign was a blatant lie. Your choices in the previous games are not taking into account, and the ending is a gigantic mess of plot holes and nonsense.
    If you must play this game wait for the price to bottom out at 20 bucks
  30. Thepeak12
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    The only thing that was good in this third installment was the combat. Most dialogues were automatic and not to mention the LACK of it. Every choice you had to make in the series amounts to absolutely NOTHING in the end. The ending sucked so much that I wish I never got to the ending, it really kills replayability and the series as a whole. I do NOT recommend buying this game, you willThe only thing that was good in this third installment was the combat. Most dialogues were automatic and not to mention the LACK of it. Every choice you had to make in the series amounts to absolutely NOTHING in the end. The ending sucked so much that I wish I never got to the ending, it really kills replayability and the series as a whole. I do NOT recommend buying this game, you will just be disappointed. Stick with ME1 and 2, because this third game will ruin everything.… Expand
  31. jojimbo
    Jan 4, 2013
    1
    came back after playing the extended cut, which was just another lame failure by bioware, what a complete sellout, a crock of crap , what the hell happened to hudson, he killed the franchise leaving former founders to quit. says it all really, casey hudson ruined mass effect period.
  32. Zagashi
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    An amazing game, and an amazing trilogy, ruined in 10 minutes by a terrible ending, that makes all of the players actions and choices meaningless. Lets hope the last 10 minutes were all in Shepard's head, and the secret clip is him awaking back on earth to kick some ass in the new DLC ending, only $9.99!
  33. Irraticspasm
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    Mass Effect 3 is nothing less then BioWare and EAs betrayal of their fan base for the sake of making money. Any reviews touting this game as a ten are lies! Im pointing my finger at Game Informer and The Escapist, two sites which I frequent.

    The trilogy once hallmarked an epic story, a story where the players decisions matters, and shape the future of the universe. This has all been    Mass Effect 3 is nothing less then BioWare and EAs betrayal of their fan base for the sake of making money. Any reviews touting this game as a ten are lies! Im pointing my finger at Game Informer and The Escapist, two sites which I frequent.

    The trilogy once hallmarked an epic story, a story where the players decisions matters, and shape the future of the universe. This has all been sacrificed, cut out of the game leaving nothing but a hollow sixty dollar shell of a game, seventy if you bought the DLC, seventy five if you purchased the Collectors Edition.

    The story and writing are an utter wreck, characters you have come to care about are as hollow and lifeless as the rest of the game. Most of the squad mates you grew to know and love as the first two games unfolded make a cameo appearance, become war assets that do nothing come the end of the story. The day 1 DLC is an overpriced joke containing a character that everyone who has played the first two games will want, but in the end shows to be lifeless and lacking dialog. In the end the DLC is worth it, if you want to spend ten dollars on a powerful Assault Rifle. (Its not worth it!)

    Dialog is lifeless, far fewer renegade and paragon options appear during dialog replaced with dialog options that are more reminiscent of games from a decade ago. The Normandy is a wreck remodeled and empty, with a skeleton crew that are essentially skeletons. The ambient dialogs and chatter that filled the halls of your ship are no longer there, most rooms have no purpose whatsoever filled with silent characters that do nothing. The few ambient conversations that take place only serve to remind players of the first two games that this is a very different beast of a game.

    Ever mission, every conversation, every decision is a tortured reminder of how good the first two games were compared to the third. The ending which answers no question, fufills no expectations and does not reward you decisions is the final blow to anyone that loved this franchise.

    Add to that the Gay Romance they have shoehorned into the game. I dont mind homosexuals, I really dont but this character just will not leave me alone. Every time I speak to him it seems I get the opportunity to start a romance with him. I said no on this play through so just stop already, stop asking! Stop trying to make me romance the poor guy BioWare! If you want to make a political statement on gay marriage why shoehorn it into Mass Effect 3? Speaking of that, when did it become legal in Mass Effect 3, and not only that why isnt Ashley furious about it? In the first game shes conservative, xenophobic, she believes in god and BioWare is telling me she wont start a conversation about the gay marriage issue?

    The multiplayer is tacked on and pointless, with one mode to play to gain system control for single player, system control that does not even matter. Spend your time playing a good online game, like World of Tanks, or Call of Duty, or even Dead Space 2s tacked on multiplayer.

    As for the ending of the game, I am going to let someone else rage on that, check out this link.

    http://angryjoeshow.com/2012/03/top-10-reasons-we-hate-mass-effect-3s-ending/

    The first two games I played non stop until completion, I enjoyed them, even with Mass Effect 2s dumbed down game mechanics I still enjoyed it and played it numerous times as well as purchasing the DLC. With Mass Effect 3 I cant wait to get away from it, to think of what could have been. Play anything else, spend your money elsewhere. Make a statement in the only way you can, DONT BUY THIS GAME. DONT RENT IT! DONT EVEN LOOK AT IT! DONT LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS OF PROFESSIONAL REVIWERS ON SITES LIKE GAME INFORMER AND ESCAPIST, THEY ARE LYING TO YOU TO LINE THEIR POCKETS!

    If you find yourself in the sorry state I am in, having wasted seventy dollars on this game only to be unsatisfied with what you got, keep it in mind for the future. EA and BioWare did this with Dragon Age 2, but even that was better then Mass Effect 3. I will not purchase any more of EAs products, not after they have back stabbed me by ruining the franchise Ive come to know and love. I just wish they had held the same love I had for it, apparently not.    … Expand
  34. najreo
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing game that builds up to what I thought would be an ending where all the big choices I made through the game(s) would come together and decide the outcome of the story. But that's not what happens. In the last 5-10 minutes Bioware manages to not just ruin Mass Effect 3, but the two previous games as well(quite impressive really). Everything you've done through the game is made worthless as this starkid(!) comes out of nowhere and gives me three choices that all have the same outcome, and I have no choice but to accept what he tells me. This feels like a really lazy and cheap ending. It's a 1/10 by me. The first 99% of the trilogy is AMAZING, but when the ending completely destroys everything else that was before it the ending doesn't matter.… Expand
  35. Xingenue
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    FEMSHEP PLAYERS: They got rid of all of the male romance options except for 2. So choose wisely or else you're in for a disappointing play through in the "romantic" department.

    STORY/DIALOG: I enjoyed the story up until the last 10 minutes of the game. The choices / societal ties you've been establishing over the course of 3 games don't amount to anything aside from numbers on your    FEMSHEP PLAYERS: They got rid of all of the male romance options except for 2. So choose wisely or else you're in for a disappointing play through in the "romantic" department.

    STORY/DIALOG: I enjoyed the story up until the last 10 minutes of the game. The choices / societal ties you've been establishing over the course of 3 games don't amount to anything aside from numbers on your Estimated Military Strength meter. The "endgame" scene is terrible and full of retcons (not just small ones, but ones that quite literally destroy the past 3 games). Aside from that, the dialog is still witty and some of the character development improved many characters I didn't really care about in ME2. However, I felt Ashley's dialog was brief for players who didn't romance her. INTERFACE, MECHANICS, ETC: I actually LOVED what they did with the mechanics / gameplay. Powers recharge faster and they integrated a combo system for adepts that can cause biotic explosions and massive AOE. Multiplayer is surprisingly addicting. However, the quest interface is worse than ME2. There are no "flags" for side quests anymore. You have to constantly be checking your journal (oh and the codex + journal are now merged together so its even more user-unfriendly). I had to keep a sheet of paper on me while I was playing to keep track of side quests. Despite all the positive things I have written, I'm giving this game a 1 because, at its core, Mass Effect was about the story. Its why Mass Effect 1 was my favorite despite the terrible gameplay mechanics. I have spent money on the DLCs and the collectors editions. It has all amounted to nothing because I didn't get "an end" to my story. Their marketing campaign was "TAKE EARTH BACK". At no point do you do this in the game.    … Expand
  36. jeep232
    Mar 19, 2012
    1
    Not a very good game, I was expecting more from a highly anticipated rpg. The ending totally destroyed it and made it unworthy for what the game was expected to be. Overall I would say the graphics and game play cannot make up for the story and ending for any rps. Also the fact of day one dlc was a major turn off and didn't seem like it should have been dlc. This is more evident when theNot a very good game, I was expecting more from a highly anticipated rpg. The ending totally destroyed it and made it unworthy for what the game was expected to be. Overall I would say the graphics and game play cannot make up for the story and ending for any rps. Also the fact of day one dlc was a major turn off and didn't seem like it should have been dlc. This is more evident when the game files for the dlc were in the game itself and not even a download.… Expand
  37. Scarlet
    Mar 20, 2012
    1
    The world of Mass Effect finally came to its end. As a commercial way to rip peoples money off. The game is only full of utter disappointment, besides a few drops of light that are far from saving the game. Good job, you tried to improve graphics that were already working, now the clips have bugs and the game is so huge it eats a lot of space from my laptop's hard drive. Combat had alreadyThe world of Mass Effect finally came to its end. As a commercial way to rip peoples money off. The game is only full of utter disappointment, besides a few drops of light that are far from saving the game. Good job, you tried to improve graphics that were already working, now the clips have bugs and the game is so huge it eats a lot of space from my laptop's hard drive. Combat had already got so boring I lowered the difficulty before I started multiplayer and story.

    Onto the multiplayer. Such golden promises, a lot of expectation from people and... ta-da! They "created" what's been created in numerous games before. Repetetive, dull multiplayer that's seen after you play a single round of it. It has no chat besides voice, and personally as a female gamer I'd hate to talk to strangers, knowing how it has ended up many times. And what about people that aren't really into shooters and come from the RPG side, or without a microphone? The only drive to keep playing it is unlocking new weapons and characters and the playing itself reminds me of a Disney made childrens game that at some point has a shooter mini-game. If I want to play a shooter game with no "goal" or purpose, I'd rather pick something like Left for Dead 2 or Bulletstorm, or hell even Call of Duty: MW. With real kick-ass weapons.

    What the ****, Bioware? I can't romance James Vega? I went to Mass Effect Wiki because I was curious about the romances. For my utter defeat, I found I cannot romance the (in my personal opinion) hottest character in the ME universe so far. I even signed a petition, a petition, to get a DLC for a possible romance. Which would also be the only DLC I'd ever consider buying for the game. Note, consider. I do not dig aliens. I do not dig whimps. Even though, I have to give it to Kaidan, he's manned up. Did I already mention I do not dig aliens? I wish I hadn't picked any romance in the game, but how was I supposed to know it'd just be 1 man, 1 alien and lesbians in the end. In my opinion the lesbians are there to sell the game more anyway. Personally I really don't like it that my assistant in both previous games has been after my character's bum.

    Besides that, I never finished the game. I played it for a good couple of hours and decided I'm not putting up with having to play multiplayer that murders my brain for a better ending. The story felt like an on-going drag that I just wanted to stop looking at even with my short play time. Much things didn't make any sense. And I was also disappointed I seriously cannot romance Mr.Vega.
    There's been a lot of complaints that the ending is very bad. I probably won't make it there, seeing that it was difficult to motivate myself to finish ME2 either. I shall be glad.

    I can very shortly analyze the reasons I would push myself to play it. 1) I could live in hope to beat Illusive Man, 2) Wrex is splendid, 3) James Vega.

    No expectations, no disappointment. I wasn't expecting the game unlike many people I know, which most likely makes me a lot less disappointed in Bioware and the stupid game. I was more disappointed in Dragon Age 2, which was a joke.    … Expand
  38. outlawJW13
    Mar 20, 2012
    1
    Shepherd lies disgraced

    Bad end ruined good story

    I am heartbroken

    I can't put my disappointment into words greatest game ever razed to the ground by it's own ending. If you enjoyed the other games avoid this one until they fix the end. Check out retake mass effect on facebook and twitter.
  39. Jute
    Mar 20, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILER ALERT*** This game played fairly well, was interesting enough, and seemed to be fulfilling the 3 story arch's conclusion nicely. Not cutting edge or even inspired graphics at times, but great voice acting and pretty good cut scenes. Sure, the cut scenes got to be a bit much sometimes, making the game feel way too cinematic and not enough like an RPG, but we all knew the payout would be the resolution of the Reaper threat based on all the things we had done before. Then the developers got lazy, rushed, or both, and put out an ending which has been discussed extensively and yes, sucks every bit as much as the other reviewers said. It is a complete ripoff of the Battlestar Galactica ending as well - only done very poorly on what seemed to suddenly be a shoestring budget. Other things that will annoy you: You HAVE to download Origin, EA's game portal and online management system, in order to play. If this is the wave of the future for PC gaming, count me out. Steam worked just fine for the other 25 games I have, why make me switch to Origin for their 3rd installment? Also, finding resources on planets is so boring that you'll wish it was automated. Each planet has 1 location, which you mouse around to and fire a probe at. That's it. But really, it is the ending that will have you wishing you had never bought into the hype 3 games ago. They are all substantially the same, and all completely dumb. Seriously, the best explanation is that the producers were out of time, had just watched Battlestar Galactica, and said, "Let's force the players into an ending like that! They'll love feeling like they've been shoehorned into the end of such a great series. What? This is supposed to be at least slightly based on their decisions and input over 3 games? Bull! We're the creators and we get to decide what the ending is that we force upon them." Also note, many people think that we as gamers are just whining. (See the comments of some guy from WEDBUSH Securities, Michael Pachter, in this article: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/74668.html)
    Wrong. We paid a bunch of money and spent a bunch of time on this game because they made an explicit representation of it as a game where the ending would be based on your decisions. It wasn't. At all. Period. We're not whining. We're pissed and we want our money and our time back. And no, EA, charging me more money for a DLC that abates some of the colossal suckiness of this game is not a fix. Having great plans for the future of the game and stringing me along while you suck up my hard earned cash is also not a solution. How about releasing a game that resolves the plot based on our input, like you said you would when we started this journey, and I started handing over my cash, 5 years ago?    … Expand
  40. WHITECJ2OW
    Mar 20, 2012
    1
    I would like to start my review by asking you, as a review reader, what makes a story GOOD. Well first lets look at some "good" stories......pick any 10, any 10 will do. Now look for a common theme, a common element that they all contain that plays an integral part in it's enjoyment and goodness. The ending. For a story to be good, the ending has to be good, and if you are wondering yesI would like to start my review by asking you, as a review reader, what makes a story GOOD. Well first lets look at some "good" stories......pick any 10, any 10 will do. Now look for a common theme, a common element that they all contain that plays an integral part in it's enjoyment and goodness. The ending. For a story to be good, the ending has to be good, and if you are wondering yes cliffhangers can and are good for the most part when necessary. Now with that in mind, let me just sum it up: Mass Effect 3 Does not have a good ending. Notice how i did not type ending as a plural because to be completely honest all the endings are the same. They truly are. Without going into much detail I recommend you keep this in mind because other than the ending this game is 9/10, or 10/10 on a good day no doubt. But the atrocity of the ending just overshadows and takes away the replay-ability of the game and as such I do feel a 1 is truly needed for this review to be effective.… Expand
  41. LEGION3000
    Mar 21, 2012
    1
    What happened to Bioware? Where did you go wrong? The once proud creators of 3 of the best RPGs in all of gaming (KOTOR, ME1, DA:O) have become the peddlers of mindless garbage like Mass Effect 3 and DA2. The whole idea of Mass Effect was the 'EFFECT' part. Your actions are supposed to effect the outcome of the game, and the series. This game literally takes every decision you haveWhat happened to Bioware? Where did you go wrong? The once proud creators of 3 of the best RPGs in all of gaming (KOTOR, ME1, DA:O) have become the peddlers of mindless garbage like Mass Effect 3 and DA2. The whole idea of Mass Effect was the 'EFFECT' part. Your actions are supposed to effect the outcome of the game, and the series. This game literally takes every decision you have made in the previous games, laughs at them and then flushes them down the toilet. Sometimes just strait up telling you, "no you didn't choose to kill that guy last time because we feel he is important to the story we are trying to cram down your gullet! But you can choose which one of your companions you want to boink, even the gay one! LOOK HOW EDGY AND COOL WE ARE!"

    This game is an insult and a travesty to anyone that played the games before. At least Bioware had the decency to change main characters before ruining Dragon Age. The graphics look good some of the time, and the song in the purgatory club has a good Daft Punk beat. Otherwise play Mass Effect 1 and 2 again and just imagine the end of ME2 is the ending of the series, you will be far far happier than the choose your death ending of ME3    … Expand
  42. MrFistr
    Mar 21, 2012
    1
    I'm really sad with what BioWare/EA have done to the Mass Effect franchise. After playing the first ME, I was totally into the series - and I'm NOT a single-player RPG type of gamer. I anxiously awaited ME2 - which I personally thought was a pretty damn good sequel to the first. It was more polished, with the use of Spacebar functions for movement, cover, etc. Unfortunately, ME3 was aI'm really sad with what BioWare/EA have done to the Mass Effect franchise. After playing the first ME, I was totally into the series - and I'm NOT a single-player RPG type of gamer. I anxiously awaited ME2 - which I personally thought was a pretty damn good sequel to the first. It was more polished, with the use of Spacebar functions for movement, cover, etc. Unfortunately, ME3 was a total disaster; It looked rushed, animations looked clunky (which I immediately noticed as soon as I started playing the beta) and the writing was just terrible. A big disappointment !… Expand
  43. holdtheline
    Mar 23, 2012
    1
    Bioware releases a game that contains 95% goodness and a 5% utter, soul-crushing, promise-cutting, canon-killing conclusion. This game is the least entertaining of the entire series and certainly the saddest.
  44. Feldane
    Mar 23, 2012
    1
    I want to state I personally started a metacritic account to rate this game. The game is not unplayable it just has some horrible flaws that ruin it as a whole. The good is as follows : The story it quite good, the voice acting is great ,it is a very emotional story, it really sucks you in and there is a lot more rpg elements(such as modifiable powers and weapons). The bad and it is reallyI want to state I personally started a metacritic account to rate this game. The game is not unplayable it just has some horrible flaws that ruin it as a whole. The good is as follows : The story it quite good, the voice acting is great ,it is a very emotional story, it really sucks you in and there is a lot more rpg elements(such as modifiable powers and weapons). The bad and it is really bad is as follows: The whole premise of the Mass Effect series is that chose matter, this is totally taken away from you in the ending(s). Even if you made the best chose in every three games import your character over all three, it doesn't matter. The thing that makes it incredibly frustrating is that you lose many character over the course of the games and you make friends and even lovers, and to be given an ending where in that all that sacrifice, all that character development means nothing, especially over the course of three game, is simply not acceptable. The ending honestly ruined the entire gaming experience for me. Other things that bad is decision you made in Mass Effect 2 dlc's & Mass Effect 1 general story are invalidated. Examples, You kill Wrex in ME1, he is back in ME3, you rekindled your relationship with Liara in ME2 Shadow broker dlc, she acts like she has seen you but for the brief time in ME3, You made Anderson a Counselor in ME1, Udena is the Counselor in ME3. A lot of fan favorites are also not playable character in ME3. Wrex is not playable, All of the added cast in ME2 are not playable, though they do make appearances, it is honestly really sad to see them take a back seat in ME3. There is also the day one on disc dlc, which I personally got the N7 special edition of ME3 so i got it for "free", it is actually quite vital to the story and should have been free in all additions.
    In conclusion i tried really hard to like this game. I loved it for the most part, but literally the last 10 minutes of the game ruin it. I know Bioware was aiming for a bitter sweet/deeper meaning ending. It honestly feels poorly executed at best and at worst a big slap in the face to the customer base that made this game so successful. I would not recommend this game to anyone. If you insist on playing it stop after you have your big chat with all your crew and friends, before the final battle, because the ending will ruin it for you. Just tell yourself you won and everyone lives happily ever after, because even the "best" ending is a sad one. So yourself a favor and pass on Mass Effect 3.    … Expand
  45. Theral
    Mar 28, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was a great game in my opinion, well in line with the previous two; but I had a few issues.

    In places, the battles are seemingly just a time-sink; lots of husks slowly pop out no matter how fast you kill them - head-shot each one, and it still takes over a minute to clear some areas that wouldn't take very long if they came fast or all at once.

    The biggest problem, however? The ending is terrible. It has no real closure to the story; and worst of all the three endings are essentially the same piece of crap.    … Expand
  46. impedido10
    Mar 29, 2012
    1
    I have played the demo.And it was a big disappointment ,it had good graphics but the mechanic sucks , it becomes boring,melee sucks,I can only give 110
  47. dark1984
    Apr 1, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Horrible game. Repeating gameplay elements (boring combat and "kill spawning enemies" events), awful voice acting, dumb story turns and no-sense drama elements. The whole game can be described with one phrase: What the hell is going on on the screen?

    Why Sheppard, who decided the fate of the galaxy and entire alien races in past 2 games, gets so concerned about the death of one stupid random boy on earth in the middle of invasion, when millions are dying? is he got mental problems when off duty between 2 and 3 parts? This stupid "boy running away" dream scenes and whole Earth invasion begging scene are of the scale even for "trash movies". Pathetic...

    The endings...well...everybody knows - there is none, just some cheap matrix-like crap "the red or blue pill". Epic fail.    … Expand
  48. mycccroft
    Apr 2, 2012
    1
    The Good: Some of the character writing is the best I've seen in a video game. The Bad: Frequent bugs (I started saving before I stepped foot on the bridge). With the exception of a few superb missions, the story writing falls apart in this game (especially in the second half). The overall plot is weak and the ending is as bad as advertised. The entire last mission (London) feels like itThe Good: Some of the character writing is the best I've seen in a video game. The Bad: Frequent bugs (I started saving before I stepped foot on the bridge). With the exception of a few superb missions, the story writing falls apart in this game (especially in the second half). The overall plot is weak and the ending is as bad as advertised. The entire last mission (London) feels like it was done by a different team. I don't know whether this game was rushed, a victim of corporate politics, or had some massive turnover in the writing staff, but this was a massive disappointment. What makes it transcend the average failure are the moments of brilliance. The game keeps sucking you back in and then smacking you every time you engage in it. A bad game is just dull. This one is painful. If you haven't played ME1 and ME2, avoid this series at all costs.… Expand
  49. rturtzer
    Apr 4, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have played Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. I loved this story.

    Before Mass Effect 3 I had utter confidence in Bioware's mantra of "interactive storytelling." It was true. Stepping into the game was like my own imagination had come to life.

    Gameplay wise, this game is fun. Nothing that hasn't been done before, but compared to the previous two games the combat is significantly improved.

    All issues come down to design. From war assets being just text to multiplayer being necessary for the "best" ending, not to mention rampant DLC advertising, many elements feel unfinished, bugs feel unpolished, and the 4th wall is repeatedly and shamelessly broken.

    But worst of all is the ending. Not only is it littered full of plot holes, it makes no sense as to what an "epic" is. Not the word used as slang, but a readily definable genre with rules of decorum that only great writers are able to break.

    Mac Walters is not a great writer. Hell, the quality of the conversations this time around means the writing team has gotten pretty lousy. SSSTEEEEEVVVEEEE!

    But imagine if Return of the Jedi had ended with the Death Star exploding and then finishing with the end sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's kind of like that.

    Which makes this unforgivable. You can't screw up the story when your company's greatest pride is "interactive storytelling" and then botch both aspects.    … Expand
  50. BrightCandle
    Apr 5, 2012
    1
    Major technical problems including inability to set vsync on, stuttering with high performance graphics and zero support for eyefinity. Unplayable due to the stuttering
  51. zyntin
    Apr 5, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Long term Role-Playing Gamer here. I tell people I like Role-Playing Games for the stories. I suppose that's why I read novels as well. With Role-Playing games I usually get to live the action rather than just reading what is going to happen. With the Mass Effect series when you could choose your path of character's personality. I thought it was awesome( Story AWESOME!). Mass Effect 2 came out with the import feature AWESOME! Story AWESOME!. Mass Effect 3 Story to the end AWESOME! till the end......

    WTH Reapers are Order to Chaos? IRONIC! INDIGNANT!

    Only a reasoning engine can come up with Order to Chaos. More like we have power that we refuse to let others have.

    Who created the reapers? AI? 3 choices and you still lose..... Mass Relays destroyed no matter what. Reapers still win. Galactic Travel crippled for who knows how long maybe billions of years.

    I leave you with a quote that I enjoyed reading. â    … Expand
  52. pottman
    Apr 6, 2012
    1
    Since you won't make my choices matter, Bioware. Here's my choice then: You can shove that ending down wherever it came from. You lost another customer, trying to pander to those gaming sites.
  53. Martell
    Apr 9, 2012
    1
    After Dragon Age 2 you thought EA would stop.. but no!! they did it again!! let's be honest the game is a let down compared to ME2 and the fact that the reviewing sites acclaim this with a 10/10 or a 9/10, it's just ridicolous. the game is fine until you discover that your decisions, the allies you find along the way and the difficulties you overcome during the game have no weight in theAfter Dragon Age 2 you thought EA would stop.. but no!! they did it again!! let's be honest the game is a let down compared to ME2 and the fact that the reviewing sites acclaim this with a 10/10 or a 9/10, it's just ridicolous. the game is fine until you discover that your decisions, the allies you find along the way and the difficulties you overcome during the game have no weight in the final battle. if you expect something similar to the suicide mission in ME2 where your choice mattered you'll be very disappointed!… Expand
  54. Bruinbear
    Apr 7, 2012
    1
    The ending ruined this whole series for me. I have zero desire to replay any of the series ever. I will raise this score if they fix the ending. Until then, this game destroyed the ME universe for me. Ending had zero closure, gaping plot holes, and was literally an A B C choice. This game did not meet the promises that were made pre-release. Sadly, up until the end it was prettyThe ending ruined this whole series for me. I have zero desire to replay any of the series ever. I will raise this score if they fix the ending. Until then, this game destroyed the ME universe for me. Ending had zero closure, gaping plot holes, and was literally an A B C choice. This game did not meet the promises that were made pre-release. Sadly, up until the end it was pretty good. But since this was a story based game, the ending had to live up to at least some expectations. It did not. I will raise this score, if Bioware fixes the end.… Expand
  55. nickobom
    Apr 10, 2012
    1
    The game at all is reasonable but the Ending DESTROYS everything.
    All choices along ME1 and ME2 really doesn't matter... the ME2 choices about collector base etc .. they are ignored. BioWare said that would be 16 different endings, but what we got was 3 different colors. RED BLUE or GREEN.
    There is no narrative coherence, the ending is filled with plot holes, ME1 and ME2 story was    The game at all is reasonable but the Ending DESTROYS everything.
    All choices along ME1 and ME2 really doesn't matter... the ME2 choices about collector base etc .. they are ignored. BioWare said that would be 16 different endings, but what we got was 3 different colors. RED BLUE or GREEN.

    There is no narrative coherence, the ending is filled with plot holes, ME1 and ME2 story was destroyed in a matter of minutes, they doesn't review their own games before launching? This doesn't make sense really.

    Why am I giving a 0?

    The answer is: The ending not only destroyed ME3 but the story of ME1 and ME2 too. ME3 became a action-shooter, there is only auto-dialogue, a few choices that i can count with my fingers. The game forces you to do some things, there is no roleplay anymore. I won't talk about the plotholes because in youtube you can find a lot of videos highlighting everyone one of them. They have done the same thing with DA2, they are trying to reach another kind of gamers, but to do that they are sacrificing their own fanbase. ME3 feels exactly like DA2: RUSHED. They didn't had the time to review their own creation what a crap!

    Hire another writer. Only your writers can screw a incredible story like ME in a matter of seconds.

    If I wanted to play make a Gears of War i would bought GoW. BioWare and EA are destroying every game they have. I feel sorry for them and for us cause we are losing a great developer. EA SUCKS.    … Expand
  56. hildegain
    Apr 19, 2012
    1
    If I were you I would buy Mass Effect 1 and 2 and play those first BUT I DO suggest you buy Mass Effect 3 and play it to at least see why it's so bad.

    The voice acting is great! The characters are good! The graphics are decent. The customization is good. Dialogue options, paragon and renegade are fantastic. BUT Bioware got lazy with the reapers. The plot is a COP-OUT. The ending betrays    If I were you I would buy Mass Effect 1 and 2 and play those first BUT I DO suggest you buy Mass Effect 3 and play it to at least see why it's so bad.

    The voice acting is great!
    The characters are good!
    The graphics are decent.
    The customization is good.
    Dialogue options, paragon and renegade are fantastic.
    BUT

    Bioware got lazy with the reapers.
    The plot is a COP-OUT.
    The ending betrays everything about the mass effect series.
    The writing is filled with holes.
    The game has been largely falsely advertised, you do not get anything that Bioware have promised in the past.
    This game resolves NOTHING.
    This game either ends with "a wizard did it" or "it was all a dream" depending on how you interpret it...
    This game takes everything ME1 and ME2 built up and says "that doesn't really matter now".
    You do not need to have played the other games to play this one, you don't. None of your choices, none of your decisions will account for ANYTHING.
    This game can be stand-alone but I suggest getting the far superior Mass Effect 2.
    There is a reason why ME2 is the people's favourite, it is coherent and the ending pays off.

    You get fewer squad mates in this game because apparently Bioware feel that you couldn't connect with the squad of Mass Effect 2 too well but everyone will tell you how much they love the squad you have in Mass Effect 2.

    Essentially this game was delivered to us with several promises that it fails to keep and not only that but it will personally insult you. Removal of everything wrong with this game will take several writers peer-reviewing each other's work to pull it off, no surprise then that many of the bad ideas in this game were NOT peer-reviewed in writing AT ALL.

    There are so many good ideas that they could have taken from ME1, ME2 and the novels. Remember the dark energy problem? That's gone now. Remember the reasons why Reapers harvest life? Gone too. Remember why you need to destroy the Reapers? Oh you know what? Just get it, I don't care how you get it just play it through and compare how it works compared with everything that came before.

    There will be times in this game that you fall in love with the story only to have your heart broken again and again every time the plot goes somewhere silly.

    I still have yet to even mention the ending really, I'll leave that as a surprise, I don't want to post spoilers...    … Expand
  57. Bengolly
    Apr 23, 2012
    1
    Mass Effect 3 is the third installment of an incredible sci-fi role-playing adventure game, where players can make choices that impact the storyline throughout the entire series (there are reportedly over 1000 possible story "paths"). ME3 does not disappoint for 99% of the game -- the graphics, sound, voice acting, game play, and sheer scope are all absolutely stunning.

    The problem is    Mass Effect 3 is the third installment of an incredible sci-fi role-playing adventure game, where players can make choices that impact the storyline throughout the entire series (there are reportedly over 1000 possible story "paths"). ME3 does not disappoint for 99% of the game -- the graphics, sound, voice acting, game play, and sheer scope are all absolutely stunning.

    The problem is that, in the end, it's all for nothing. I will not spoil it for you, except to say that the choices and reputation a player spends more than a hundred hours developing over three games have no real impact on the ending. The final choices are not only nonsensical (actually contradicting several points already established in the game) but you only get the option of up to three basically identical endings regardless of your efforts.

    The effect is much like watching the old show "Dallas" where, in the end, you find out that the entire show was just one long dream sequence. ME3 is a fun experience, but in the end it is just not a very fulfilling one.    … Expand
  58. Daruwind
    Apr 24, 2012
    1
    Well we were promised many things by devs of that game. And because od ME1+2 we believed. The big majority of the game is a damn good ride but still you have the feeling that development needed like one more year. Game is rushed and many corners are cut off not polish into the gold. (Maybe they were intentions for future DLCs). But the most major problem is,that the fate of universe isWell we were promised many things by devs of that game. And because od ME1+2 we believed. The big majority of the game is a damn good ride but still you have the feeling that development needed like one more year. Game is rushed and many corners are cut off not polish into the gold. (Maybe they were intentions for future DLCs). But the most major problem is,that the fate of universe is decided in the last 10 minutes which completely negate all our choices so far. (Why import our choices, why all the hype about importance of our deeds,why ......) Now we are stuck with "artistic integrity" which is completely without logic with so many plot holes that even planets could fall through. Simply the end feels like completely from different world/space/time/hell...I enjoy re-playing of ME1+2 but now I don´t have will nor taste to try ME3 once more. And that´s really sad. Another issue and false ad is about multiplayer which is effectively necessary for "the best" ending. Singleplayer itself cannot provide you that ending there is not enough in-game point for it. (BW is looking into the matter, maybe future DLC which will allow it...) Disappointment is simply too strong.… Expand
  59. Jander
    Apr 27, 2012
    1
    I would have expected an enhanced ME2, and a bit more freedom of movement. Bad graphics "upgrade", really looks poor, bad animations, poorer gameplay than ME2 imho. A poor display for a "grand finale".
  60. Flamingcanine
    Apr 30, 2012
    1
    This game completely ignores the cannon of the last few games. One of the most serious grievances is the ending, which ignores stated cannon so as not to render shephard a worse war criminal then any before.

    To those who did not buy the Arrival DLC for the second game, you are left staring and wondering "What did shephard do?" Even then, shephard being reinstated as a spectre is something    This game completely ignores the cannon of the last few games. One of the most serious grievances is the ending, which ignores stated cannon so as not to render shephard a worse war criminal then any before.

    To those who did not buy the Arrival DLC for the second game, you are left staring and wondering "What did shephard do?" Even then, shephard being reinstated as a spectre is something that would have applied to the situation.

    From the Day 1 DLC that has conversations that run the entire game to non sequitors and poor writing throughout the plot. The required aspect of multiplayer is frustrating for those who were sold on the idea of "Not having to play that aspect of the game."

    Furthermore: the multiplayer is bland and uninteresting, relying on a single game mode in small arena maps with laggy and buggy gameplay. combined with the touch and go of searching for a lobby resulting in failing to find a game three out of ten times, makes it more a display in frustration then fun.

    The quality of the game resembles that of a call of duty clone more then a game relying on single-player experiences, making it feel unrelated to the first two.    … Expand
  61. lliam
    May 6, 2012
    1
    If you have Mass Effect 1 or 2 you have better games than this one. Average game not worth the money. Since Origin took over DRM spyware all over your P.C so it is up to you if you want this. No customer support at all. The multiplayer has massive issues with people not getting the stuff they paid for and no means of getting any resolution from customer service you just get your accountIf you have Mass Effect 1 or 2 you have better games than this one. Average game not worth the money. Since Origin took over DRM spyware all over your P.C so it is up to you if you want this. No customer support at all. The multiplayer has massive issues with people not getting the stuff they paid for and no means of getting any resolution from customer service you just get your account banned saves them needing a customer service department and with a banned account you have no access to the game you paid for. IMO very similar game to 1+2 and not worth more than $5. Hyped beyond belief in Expert reviews. A very linear game save your cash I wish I did.… Expand
  62. MrBuckie
    Nov 13, 2012
    1
    Allright, I was wrong about my last review, after seeing the dlc. Now the story changed to crap, which really disappoints me. Thank you EAWare for this game.
  63. madhad234
    May 15, 2012
    1
    Great series...horrible ending and let down for a triple A product. Worse game play than Mass Effect 2 and even worse than 1. I have truly lost faith in all bioware products.
  64. benny0909
    May 21, 2012
    1
    What was the one thing that made Mass Effect unique. It wasn't explosions, or multiplayer. It was the dialogue wheel. It is so streamlined in ME3 that the story more or less goes on regardless of what decisions you make. Your decisions over the past 2 installments meant nothing. The earth mission was very underwhelming as you don't see any of the assets you have been working for inWhat was the one thing that made Mass Effect unique. It wasn't explosions, or multiplayer. It was the dialogue wheel. It is so streamlined in ME3 that the story more or less goes on regardless of what decisions you make. Your decisions over the past 2 installments meant nothing. The earth mission was very underwhelming as you don't see any of the assets you have been working for in action. The last 10 minutes ruined the entire series. The starchild needs to be removed entirely or the extended cut will not satisfy the fans. Why is he the antagonist when harbinger has been interacting with shepard all throughout ME2? Just makes no sense...Ending needs to be completely redone, ruined everything....… Expand
  65. Xehlwan
    Jun 1, 2012
    1
    On the surface, Mass Effect 3 is a worthy sequel to a great trilogy. It has amazing cinematic scenes, while still letting you control the action. It brought back a good amount of customization and upgrades for your party. It even tells some really good - if somewhat overly dramatic - stories.

    After the amazement over the brilliant touches of returning characters and story-progression from    On the surface, Mass Effect 3 is a worthy sequel to a great trilogy. It has amazing cinematic scenes, while still letting you control the action. It brought back a good amount of customization and upgrades for your party. It even tells some really good - if somewhat overly dramatic - stories.

    After the amazement over the brilliant touches of returning characters and story-progression from the previous games calms down, some problems start to show. First, you will start to realize that the game is even more linear than ever. Sure, some missions are "optional" - that is if you don't mind getting worse endings for your story arcs. Side-quests have been reduced to small text pop-ups when you survey the correct planet, and side-stories are almost exclusively put in chunks of text in your log.

    The grand main campaign has obviously forced the developers to cut corners on other content, but the main story is presented beautifully. Until the last moments of the game. Some 10-15 minutes before the game ends, all semblance of a coherent story is thrown out the window. What remains is a convoluted mess of a "final revelation", with plot-holes the size of Alaska, and forced choices you have no interest in making. All of which ends in a final movie, which at the core doesn't care about your choices - or even about making any sort of sense.

    You may enjoy the ride, but the ending to this epic trilogy will leave you with a sour taste.    … Expand
  66. Jagdpanther
    Jun 29, 2012
    1
    Horrible scenario, horrible missons, horrible teammates, horrible endings, horrible controlling, horrible and very long dialogs and War Assests... Mass Effect 3 is horrible. Mass Effect 2 is the best.
  67. Greyfeather
    Jun 6, 2012
    1
    There was some great moments, but overall it was a disastrous end to a great series. All of the choices you made in the first 2 games didnt really have any impact on the course of the last game. The game has changed from a rpg'ish actiongame to a pure actiongame.

    On top of that the ending is the worst ending ever. I had way more enjoyment watching a video-rant on youtube which listed    There was some great moments, but overall it was a disastrous end to a great series. All of the choices you made in the first 2 games didnt really have any impact on the course of the last game. The game has changed from a rpg'ish actiongame to a pure actiongame.

    On top of that the ending is the worst ending ever. I had way more enjoyment watching a video-rant on youtube which listed all the reasons why the ending sucked.    … Expand
  68. purtusufu
    Jul 14, 2012
    1
    It's been three hoursI've been trying to install the game. Origin is complete **** I'm getting all sorts of errors which I'm managing to solve not through EA but through third party forums. This is the last time I'm buying anything that has to do with the Origin crap. They should have stuck with steam.
  69. Haajib
    Aug 20, 2012
    1
    I would not recommend anyone who has played ME1. and ME2. The players own version of what will happen in this game is far superior to the content you will see. If you want to keep your sanity and your warm memories of the Mass effect story, do not get this game regardless how much money EA paid the big site reviewers.
  70. Sankfang
    Aug 24, 2012
    1
    I will not lie to your face like many of the "Critics" have. This game is a total waste of time and a prime example of the end ruining the entire story. A pathetic attempt to push out a triple A game when in truth we are only given a sub par, (trying to be COD) waste of time. Bioware has long since abandoned their story and RPG roots. Another company beaten down by EA and staffed withI will not lie to your face like many of the "Critics" have. This game is a total waste of time and a prime example of the end ruining the entire story. A pathetic attempt to push out a triple A game when in truth we are only given a sub par, (trying to be COD) waste of time. Bioware has long since abandoned their story and RPG roots. Another company beaten down by EA and staffed with people who write worse then fan fictions. Making this game a ZERO out of Ten, from the Two I would have given it because of Biowares bad PR handling of the situation. Shame on you Bioware, you had real talent untill you pissed us all off, go away and make room for companies who diserve out money.… Expand
  71. WindAeris
    Dec 1, 2012
    1
    This was a null game with no plot. It feels rushed and much too repetitive. I couldn't bare to continue it, and actually returned it after playing it twelve hours. I kept saying "It'll get better, it'll get better" but it didn't.

    I suggest not getting this game and playing the first two games.
  72. dreamreaver
    Oct 29, 2012
    1
    I have one message to ppl who want to play ME3 and..;
    1) loved ME1 because: a) it developed believable world b) introduced to great characters c) had logical plot d) had many flaws, bugs, but beside this was sth you could love
    2) swallowed ME2: a) which had good character missions, tho it lacked true main plot b) which was a step in different path rather than repairing mistakes of    I have one message to ppl who want to play ME3 and..;
    1) loved ME1 because: a) it developed believable world b) introduced to great characters c) had logical plot d) had many flaws, bugs, but beside this was sth you could love
    2) swallowed ME2: a) which had good character missions, tho it lacked true main plot b) which was a step in different path rather than repairing mistakes of the first game c) which simplified many elements, tho took many aspects in favor
    The message is:
    ME3 has some (few) advantages to the second installment, still it isn't sth which ME1 fans were dreaming. The change of the franchise with ME2 has more depth now; acquiring side-quest by (only!) hearing some conversations would be nice if it was some fetch missions... but all?! Nerfing RPG elements is sth making me crazy remembering the past of BioWare. BUT, I know, you loved the universe made with ME1. Ok.. play the #3 but stop befor the final - whole game is a big pile of plot hoes for logic lovers... but the worst is that the ending makes you cry: "how could they do such thing, ruin the atmosphere, magic". I wasn't believing such warnings; now I feel raped by batarian slaver.    … Expand
  73. sono
    Nov 21, 2012
    1
    I hate ME3. I even destroyed the dvd pack. What a waste. I can mention many reasons. Main was incomplete story and game. I mean come on money looters! You develop a game and then keep many of its parts away to release them as dlc's (downloadable contents) later on just to make extra money. Why should someone buy an incomplete game and then spend extra money to buy ****ing dlc's just toI hate ME3. I even destroyed the dvd pack. What a waste. I can mention many reasons. Main was incomplete story and game. I mean come on money looters! You develop a game and then keep many of its parts away to release them as dlc's (downloadable contents) later on just to make extra money. Why should someone buy an incomplete game and then spend extra money to buy ****ing dlc's just to understand and enjoy the game. You know what I never even looked what dlc's you looters have released for this sh*t, buying is far away. This game could have been a master piece if released as whole not in game and dlc's manner but your money hungry and looting desire destroyed and disgusted it. All the dlc's released throughout the series were part of the whole story and yet were released in main games but as dlc's. What if some one has bought ME1, ME2, ME3 only. Why look and buy dlc's just to understand the whole story and enjoy it. But if you think this strategy of looting our hard earned money will work then you are wrong. We have other means to show you that this strategy is a big mistake and is going to loose customers and fans. BE AWARE.
    Other than that lets talk about main game i.e. ME3. You gather as many resources and armies in the game as possible for the final battle and what you get in the end 'a disgusting deception'. What a waste. I can go on but I have wasted too much on this total sh*t already.    … Expand
  74. Gargus
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I'm not here to rip on ME3 just for the sake of doing so or because its what's cool to do on the internet like so many others.

    Basically ME3 is the worst of the series in every way possible compared to the other 2 games because it doesn't build or improve anything. It simply just tries to hurriedly finish the series for the sake of a cash in on the title. 1- There is no sense of    I'm not here to rip on ME3 just for the sake of doing so or because its what's cool to do on the internet like so many others.

    Basically ME3 is the worst of the series in every way possible compared to the other 2 games because it doesn't build or improve anything. It simply just tries to hurriedly finish the series for the sake of a cash in on the title.

    1- There is no sense of exploration. The game as efficiently as possible holds your hand every step the way and has you actually being on the ground doing things the least amount possible. Side missions are carried out by quickly scanning a planet ala ME2 and then firing a probe. That's it. You don't explore, you don't get to check out uncharted worlds simply for the sake of curiosity or anything. Scan, shoot probe, side mission done all without even leaving the galaxy map. This tactic accounts for the majority of side missions. ME1 you could explore the galaxy drive around in that horribly handling buggy and had a sense of discovering things, ME2 you could land on planets and explore doing side missions with some not even firing a single shot like the crashed cruiser balanced on the mountain peak but all of those things are gone in 3. The game just holds your hand and ushers you from mission to mission.

    2- You don't get to actually chose anything, everything is pre determined for you. Even if you chose the renegade or paragon path you get the exact same result and no one treats you differently and you get no alternative paths depending on your karma scale which makes it all incredibly pointless and just window dressing for the fact the story is entirely linear and so is your character.

    3- The characters are all the same ones, only less compelling. There are a couple new characters but they are highly disposable and not even worth messing with. James for instance is basically just a guy who talks 90% of the time like a generic white guy, 10% of the time he throws out some Mexican phrases like saying "loco" a lot in his generic white guy trying to impersonate a Mexican guy and he looks like he was taken from the show jersey shore. When a old character returns you can see it coming a mile away. For instance you go into a area where the mission briefing talks about geth then you can see 45 minutes before which old character is going to come back. All the characters themselves seem hollow and rushed, they lack the personality that made them endearing in the other games and most are there only long enough to be overly obvious in a very specific mission or they simply show up for 3 minutes of camera time practically winking at the player with a nod and then are gone.

    4- The story compared to the others sucks. The other games had side stories, character stories, side missions with their own short stories and so on. ME3 on the other is basically this "Everything is going to be destroyed". That's pretty much it because no matter where you go or what you do its always about the war specifically and nothing else. I also got sick of hearing phrases like "were here to save lives", "were doing this to save lives", "this weapon will save lives", "we need to stick together to save lives", "billions of lives are on the line and were here to save them", etc and after about 8 hours I was sick of hearing about the war and saving lives.

    5- The game play was basically just one big shooting gallery and hiding behind chest high walls. Every single fight is basically you hiding behind chest high walls to peak out and fire a few rounds only to hide back behind said wall. It was incredibly boring and has been done to death in dozens of other games. The combat was mindless and mediocre. It felt like they put absolutely no effort into the combat at all and rushed you through it in order to get to the next scene of hearing Sheppard say "saving lives".

    6- The ending was atrocious. This is a series that prides itself on story, characters and dialogue. We all spent over 100 bucks playing all 3 games and spent over 100 hours playing all 3 games but bioware seemed to say "This is the end of the trilogy so who cares about the ending". The ending is the most important part of any story of any kind because its the very last thing you leave the person with and its supposed to be a reward, the climax to everything leading up till then, basically the ending is the most important part of any story. But the ending of ME3 was over in just a minute or so despite the dozens of hours of dialogue, cut scenes and story in the rest of the series they got lazy at the end. It gives no satisfaction at all. I can honestly say it is the laziest segment of the series. I did like though they had the balls to do what they did with Sheppard, but the ending still sucks and doesn't make you glad to have finished the series.    … Expand
  75. behastie
    Mar 5, 2013
    1
    I'm not going to take some kind of moral stance on this game. The gameplay was fun, the ending ruined it for me. I was genuinely very unhappy when I stopped playing the game. That shouldn't happen.
  76. HONOR-IS-ALL
    Mar 8, 2013
    1
    Mass Effect 3 will forever be the game that damaged the series and Bioware's image. There is no way that ME4 sales will ever get close to the sales of ME2 and ME3
  77. Smartchoy
    Jun 24, 2013
    1
    Such a disappointing end to a series. The problem with the ending is simply that it such a waste of opportunity. If Bioware wanted whatever ending is their decision but they don't really go through it, no funeral, no wedding, no epilogue, just laziness, just nonsense. FFXII opens with a great wedding and a funeral in its opening animation, I don't care if its happy or sad, I just wish toSuch a disappointing end to a series. The problem with the ending is simply that it such a waste of opportunity. If Bioware wanted whatever ending is their decision but they don't really go through it, no funeral, no wedding, no epilogue, just laziness, just nonsense. FFXII opens with a great wedding and a funeral in its opening animation, I don't care if its happy or sad, I just wish to enjoy the feelings, I am paying for this. Mass effect 3 had the perfect opportunity to make you feel so much, you have been playing so long with this crew, a reunion, or funeral, or big closure would have made me feel so much, but is just a big "thank you for playing, but we wont say what happened, bye"… Expand
  78. Asharel
    Dec 17, 2013
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This trainwreck was supposed to be the epitome of the trilogy and instead one gets gets generic and lazy design slapped in the face from the get go, fetch quests make you feel like a complete stalker since you never talk to the npc involved, all of your choices from previous games are either nullified or tossed into the abomination that is the gauge meter showing you how well you are on track.

    Another emphasis on laziness is using multiplayer match maps in the single player campain in order to make the game feel slightly bigger and remember all the characters you bonded with during mass effect 2? well you are out of luck my friend they are busy doing their own thing for some of the dumbest reasons available to date, at least you get your old crew back with the exeption of the gorilla face in the cellar of your ship that would have been better off dying to cause tension, and of course EDI (the artificial intelligence) becoming a fully fledged sex bot for joker.

    the story itself is a complete mess, instead of focusing on the reapers you get to battle you former employer for half of the game making the reapers feel like iretating bogeymen instead of a galactic menace, but the middle part is mediocre, the start is ****house but it pales in comparison to the ending that Bioware ripped off from Deux ex and somehow made it even ****tier, one would think the writers that gave us games like baldurs gate would deliver something else than horse manure sprinkled with cats piss but hey the EA overlords cant stand quality i guess....    … Expand
  79. Jago1877
    May 10, 2014
    1
    Such a massive disappointment on so many levels, I the game play is still fairly solid which is why i gave it a 3 instead of a zero. However the script writing I have no idea what happened with.... In the original mass effect we had these deep different characters with altering personalities that you could converse with, now all we have is broadly drawn characters like every alien in theSuch a massive disappointment on so many levels, I the game play is still fairly solid which is why i gave it a 3 instead of a zero. However the script writing I have no idea what happened with.... In the original mass effect we had these deep different characters with altering personalities that you could converse with, now all we have is broadly drawn characters like every alien in the galaxy wants to be like the rock or vin diesel or meghan fox..... The ending made me want to light the games studio on fire.

    I see bioware to the likes of baldurs gate 1 tales of the sword coast and baldurs gate 2 shadows of amn and unfortunately there i believe is now external influences "cough EA" "EA cough" ruining what used to be a fantastic games development company.    … Expand
  80. Shmorgan
    Mar 20, 2017
    1
    3RD entry in one of my favorite games. Writing isn't that good, but gameplay is.

    Pros + Character emotions seem ok. + World + The gunplay and engaging in combat seems a lot more improved than in ME1, is more fun and doesn't feel stiff. Cons - Dialogue wheel, I prefer to see texts in sentences to select. Yeah I just really hate dialogue wheels in games. - The item    3RD entry in one of my favorite games. Writing isn't that good, but gameplay is.

    Pros

    + Character emotions seem ok.

    + World

    + The gunplay and engaging in combat seems a lot more improved than in ME1, is more fun and doesn't feel stiff.

    Cons

    - Dialogue wheel, I prefer to see texts in sentences to select. Yeah I just really hate dialogue wheels in games.

    - The item management in your inventory is a bit terrible.

    - No looting like in ME1.

    - No open planets to explore driving a vehicle like in ME1.

    - MP has P2P instead of dedicated servers and no server browser list.

    - Micro-transactions in MP, I remember good ol' days when devs used to give dlcs like this for free like maps and gear. Shame on your greed EA/Bioware.    … Expand
  81. NicoCC
    Apr 24, 2021
    1
    Whoever wrote this concluding story and whoever produced the 3rd ME should be placed in the gulags. I'm sick and tired of lazy and idiotic writing. Not to mention the bs neo-marxist agenda placed into media and games.
  82. bigsilverhotdog
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    I was there the day of the Mass Effect 1 release. I've since played it all the way through 7 times, 3 of them on the hardest difficulty. I love Mass Effect. Not because of the gameplay, because the world they created was believable and sucked you in. It made you care about the characters and their problems. Mass Effect 2 was a huge step backwards, but the story was still fairly solid, theI was there the day of the Mass Effect 1 release. I've since played it all the way through 7 times, 3 of them on the hardest difficulty. I love Mass Effect. Not because of the gameplay, because the world they created was believable and sucked you in. It made you care about the characters and their problems. Mass Effect 2 was a huge step backwards, but the story was still fairly solid, the characters were still excellent, and the world was still believable. Mass Effect 3 is a travesty. First off, I can't import my character's face, or recreate it because it's impossible with the new face generator. I spent 3 hours trying. So I have to play the final chapter as if my character had her face rearranged surgically after being disfigured, because she still has exactly the same voice. It's unpleasant to see someone else speaking in the voice of my beloved Alexey Shepherd and now I have to put up with it for the entire game. Second, the story in ME3 is a total joke. It's simply not believable. It's utterly full of every bad movie cliche in the book, and it repeats them constantly. You cannot play for even 5 minutes without wincing at the terrible dialog and plot developments. The characters that return from the previous games do not act like themselves at all, and in a few cases (Ashley, UGH) don't even LOOK like themselves. Ashley looked perfectly fine before, why motion cap some ugly reject of American Idol and put her in a video game? Oh, and the biggest middle finger from Bioware is making the only surviving member of the Prothean race, a race that is central to the plot and core story of all 3 games in the series AND is referenced in nearly every single mission in every single game, a paid launch DLC just says, "ohi, we're Bioware and we hate our fans. Give us your money and get lost." I hate Bioware for creating the unique IP that is Mass Effect and then systematically destroying it. I hate EA for helping. And I hate how gaming has gone from a labor a love, with gamers creating games they know other gamers will want to play, to executives and boards designing products by committee with a sole focus on how much money they can get from their potential customers. Bioware, EA, you've lost this customer for life.… Expand
  83. 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.
  84. Fr0s7y
    Mar 17, 2012
    0
    Would have been a solid 8 or 9 had the ending not succeeded in ruining the entire story that the trilogy had been building up to. Quite saddening to see the disappointments BioWare continues to churn out (Dragon Age 2, and now this), and I can't help but think EA is the culprit. I miss the days when BioWare actually meant quality roleplaying games.. Unfortunately, it seems those days areWould have been a solid 8 or 9 had the ending not succeeded in ruining the entire story that the trilogy had been building up to. Quite saddening to see the disappointments BioWare continues to churn out (Dragon Age 2, and now this), and I can't help but think EA is the culprit. I miss the days when BioWare actually meant quality roleplaying games.. Unfortunately, it seems those days are long over.… Expand
  85. Massiv
    Mar 18, 2012
    0
    Worst ending in the videogame history for the best trilogy in the videogame history. The last 10 minutes of Mass Effect 3 ruins the whole trilogy. I don't even want to play with ME1 or ME2 because of the ending of ME3, this is why I give a 0/10. Without the ending the game would be 10/10 for me.
  86. Kossak
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Bastards - taking content out of the game to sell it on Day 1 for even more money? If you don't respect your customers, customers won't respect you. FU!
  87. gas
    Apr 19, 2012
    0
    Im very happy to see that Metacritic decided to delete my long and detailed negative review i wrote time ago about this game without even a message or something about it.
    Its the first time it happens to me and i am really curious to know the reason about it, besdie the suspect its just EA paying Metacritic to remove bad reviews (sorry EA you cant buy the entire internet).
    Thats btw should    Im very happy to see that Metacritic decided to delete my long and detailed negative review i wrote time ago about this game without even a message or something about it.
    Its the first time it happens to me and i am really curious to know the reason about it, besdie the suspect its just EA paying Metacritic to remove bad reviews (sorry EA you cant buy the entire internet).
    Thats btw should be enough to boycott Metacritic too, but i prefer to write to let ppl know about this kind of abuse.
    My score for the game was 4, i update now with a zero cause this.    … Expand
  88. Scritty
    Mar 17, 2012
    0
    Every iteration of Mass Effect BIoware seem to actively looking to "simplfy gameplay". From the herady heights of Baldurs Gate 14 years ago - to this generic simpletons game "Gears of War Lite". In another 20 years Bioware will be releasing a stunning graphical representation of Pong - and still having the nerve to call it an RPG. There is so little to Mass Effect 3 - gameplay wise I wouldEvery iteration of Mass Effect BIoware seem to actively looking to "simplfy gameplay". From the herady heights of Baldurs Gate 14 years ago - to this generic simpletons game "Gears of War Lite". In another 20 years Bioware will be releasing a stunning graphical representation of Pong - and still having the nerve to call it an RPG. There is so little to Mass Effect 3 - gameplay wise I would rather spend my time on one of those free Java game sites. Rubbish - and made all the worse by the fact it bears the name of the once mighty Bioware - Along with the generic and shallow "Star Wars t OR" this game goes straight to the back of my games cupboard, to be tossed out when the day comes that I don't wince at the waste of £35… Expand
  89. Stardog
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    The Field of View makes the game unplayable. We need a simple FoV setting in the options somewhere. It would take less than an hour for one programmer to implement.
  90. Sirkiko
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    One of the worst endings I've ever seen. To think that a masterpiece like the first Mass Effect has become this pile of excrement, it's heartbreaking.
  91. antiver
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    Awful. EA makes me feel like a criminal. Origin is a PoS. DLC is an obnoxious cash grab. Immersion is ruined by broken game mechanics.

    Looking forward to the remake/redux in 15-20 years.
  92. Humprt
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    So naive, so boring, and with such bad graphics and funny animation... I really don´t understand the critics at all. Are you guys crazy? Have you actually played the game? Or at least tried?
  93. R6ex
    Aug 9, 2012
    0
    Worst Ending Ever!

    No Gamepad support!

    Minimal RPG elements!

    Low quality rendered cutscenes! Where are those photo-realistic CGIs???

    EA Origin!

    Enough said.

    Terribly disappointed.
  94. Rastrelly
    May 31, 2012
    0
    Disappointing and internal law breaking product, that lowers the plank raised by previous games. Uninteresting and not original waste of time and money.
  95. MrRiggs
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Only Mass Effect fanboys will like this pew pew pew laser toy gun game. This game was overrated form the start. Good graphics is the only thing it has going for it, its a typical RPG generic shooter that brings nothing far out to the table, only get this if you like average games form a once good franchise.
  96. schweinhundert
    Mar 26, 2012
    0
    Well, I enjoyed the first two games, dunno why this one felt so cheesy and horrible right off the bat to me. Veryconsoley feeling.
    I always found the series a little cheesy, stiff, and b-movie grade, but this one, I couldn't even stomach for more than an hour.
    So there's my uninformative text to allow me to give it a lousy score of one.
    :)
  97. alien5
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    The series has fallen downhill since the first. Everything has been continuously simplified, and the writing has fallen out of the realm of anything that could be considered acceptable. It's lazy, and one a person who has someone managed to enjoy the same game that Bioware has been recycling for the better part of the last decade will be able to enjoy this.
  98. makemenuconfig
    Mar 22, 2012
    0
    OK, I really loved ME1 and 2. I anxiously waited for the 3rd game and see how is it going to end, what is going to happen to the characters and the galaxy. Up until the last 5 minutes of the game, it was completely blown!

    But, suddenly, the game took a U turn and started going downhill fast.It betrayed not only me for insulting my intelligence, but it insulted the game itself. It ended    OK, I really loved ME1 and 2. I anxiously waited for the 3rd game and see how is it going to end, what is going to happen to the characters and the galaxy. Up until the last 5 minutes of the game, it was completely blown!

    But, suddenly, the game took a U turn and started going downhill fast.It betrayed not only me for insulting my intelligence, but it insulted the game itself. It ended without explaining anything or giving any kind of closure. And on top of it, it doesn't make any sense, not even for fiction standards.

    The reason I am giving a score of 0 is the ending. If I were to score the game prior to seeing the ending I would have given it a 8 or 9.    … Expand
  99. Atech66
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Thank God.. this is why i use Meta for everything... no BS no paid off journalism just the freakin truth. We have been getting screwed this whole year .. Bethesda kicked my teeth in with Rag(e) and B(usted)rink and now EA screws the biggest pooch of all.. way to F go you money hungry half azzed dumb sh*ts. greed has taken over the entire damn industry without Indie games i almostThank God.. this is why i use Meta for everything... no BS no paid off journalism just the freakin truth. We have been getting screwed this whole year .. Bethesda kicked my teeth in with Rag(e) and B(usted)rink and now EA screws the biggest pooch of all.. way to F go you money hungry half azzed dumb sh*ts. greed has taken over the entire damn industry without Indie games i almost didnt have a gaming year.. EA you suck.. if Diablo 3 is screwed up ( nothing to do with EA) Im giving up.… Expand
  100. Morring
    Apr 4, 2012
    0
    The whole game, except the last five minutes, is above average. It has some GREAT moments and some considerable shortcomings, The technical department is poor, the few improvements over the previous game are balanced by many flaws, which become obstacles during gameplay. Action could be a lot of fun, too bad you only have one button to crouch, run, and jump over obstacles. Most of theThe whole game, except the last five minutes, is above average. It has some GREAT moments and some considerable shortcomings, The technical department is poor, the few improvements over the previous game are balanced by many flaws, which become obstacles during gameplay. Action could be a lot of fun, too bad you only have one button to crouch, run, and jump over obstacles. Most of the times you'll die it's going to be because of this. Some good moments about the plot, but some errors and contradictions are very easy to notice. The soundtrack, that's probably the only thing that really went right. Given all this facts I'd give it a 7/10 BUT: the ending. The plot becomes meaningless, all your choices: discarded. The explanations are incredibly dumb at best, and even if you assume it was all just a dream, or an indoctrination induced vision, it keep not making sense. Even if it did, you still don't see what happens to the galaxy you learned to love in the course of three games. What you get is the same cutscene, with an explosion of a different color based on a choice you make in the last 30 seconds of gameplay. This is no hyperbole, it's actually what you get. The whole plot is based on something the devs explicitly said they would'n do: add a "kill reapers" button. They aren't even above adding the cliche child dying seeking some easy drama, and getting shepard out of character a bit more. I'd make it 4/10 then, even with no reasonable plot it's still a nice action game with some control issues and a few good moments with your old companions, right? No, because a game is not just the final product. Everything reeks of the scent of some money-craving horrible beast. You get day one DLC that is already on disk. That character was intended to be meaningful to the plot, and you can see why: it's a prothean. But they just accepted to sacrifice some of the plot meaningfulness so that it could be an optional you could sell. As you finish the game, a message appears: you are reset before you start the last mission, and you're invited to buy some DLCs to further shepard's adventures. This behaviour is unacceptable. Remember when DLCs were stuff they made months AFTER the game was released, and you got to play THE WHOLE GAME simply by paying its price? Maybe it's me, maybe I should't have standards. But I do, and so do many people. That's why after a second playtrough I'm modifying my review and giving this a zero. That's why this game has such a low score. I understand you may really want to play this, but DO NOT BUY. These people can only understand money.… 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.
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