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. gustarivrag
    Aug 13, 2013
    9
    Time will only tell how great this game actually is. I don't understand the bias of some people here, you can't just low-grade spam reviews for a game just cause you don't like the ending. There is at least 4-5 factors when you judge something, so even if the ending is the worst possible, it can't seriously lower the grade for more than 1-2 points. And ME 3 is great in every possibleTime will only tell how great this game actually is. I don't understand the bias of some people here, you can't just low-grade spam reviews for a game just cause you don't like the ending. There is at least 4-5 factors when you judge something, so even if the ending is the worst possible, it can't seriously lower the grade for more than 1-2 points. And ME 3 is great in every possible aspect, let's get that clear for start. It is improved compared to ME 2 in a lot of ways, gameplay, graphics, you name it. There is lot more diversity between classes, when you play a class it actually feels like your playing that certain class, unlike ME1, where every class was just a different mix of same abilities. As for the ending issue, it has been updated and made downloadable for free. I can understand that you are not very sympathetic towards greediness of EA company, or that the ending made your efforts while progressing trough this really fun game kind of useless, but you wouldn't even get there if it wasn't well worth it.… Expand
  2. LogicalEagle123
    Aug 9, 2013
    9
    4.8 as a user score just because the ending was disappointing. I can't believe people are saying the last 10 minutes ruined the entire game for them. I wonder what the user score would be if this game had a good ending. I'm glad Bioware released the Extended Cut; if they didn't my score would be a bit lower. This was a stellar sequel and all the ones and twos out of 10 are just immature.4.8 as a user score just because the ending was disappointing. I can't believe people are saying the last 10 minutes ruined the entire game for them. I wonder what the user score would be if this game had a good ending. I'm glad Bioware released the Extended Cut; if they didn't my score would be a bit lower. This was a stellar sequel and all the ones and twos out of 10 are just immature. As a long time gamer I'm used to disappointing endings; its a common weakness in video game storytelling. Nevertheless an amazing title on Bioware's part, it still gave us a stellar story and characters. So they incorporated more action and gameplay elements? Get over it. Video games aren't supposed to be interactive movies.… Expand
  3. NestLols
    Jul 25, 2013
    10
    Mass effect 3 is a fitting conclusion to the mass effect saga. It boasts significantly improved gameplay fluidity and mechanics, as well as a more varied campaign. The story is emotional, hard hitting, and diverse. The games visuals have been improved a lot, and the pc version looks quite spectacular despite and aging core engine, and runs smoother than the previous games to boot. In termsMass effect 3 is a fitting conclusion to the mass effect saga. It boasts significantly improved gameplay fluidity and mechanics, as well as a more varied campaign. The story is emotional, hard hitting, and diverse. The games visuals have been improved a lot, and the pc version looks quite spectacular despite and aging core engine, and runs smoother than the previous games to boot. In terms of streamlining which I hate the game is in between mass effect 1 and 2, the major disappointment in the game is the planet exploring, which has been stripped down. Imported save games determine a lot, from entire characters no longer existing in the story to conflicts that play out entirely different.Multiplayer is fun, and is not required to get the best ending in the game. In the end, mass effect 3 is special. As good as mass effect 2 in storytelling, and almost as good as mass effect 1 in rpg-like skill/item medications and exp distribution. My favorite in an acclaimed series.… Expand
  4. KingShree
    Jul 25, 2013
    8
    Strange ending and the fact that its basically just Mass Effect 2 v2.0 prevents this game from being bombastic ending of the saga. Final battle is also very dull and the extra linearity of the game can be disturbing. Very good game, but not as good as ME2 or ME1.
  5. Aetohatir
    Jul 24, 2013
    6
    First off I'd like to tell you from where I come
    I finished all the games mutiple times and I read the three first books.
    I know all about the indoctrination theory and any other fan fiction ending. I gave the other two games both a perfect rating although they had big flaws because I am very keen to the mass effect universe. I must agree to the general opinion ME3 is BY FAR the worst    First off I'd like to tell you from where I come
    I finished all the games mutiple times and I read the three first books.
    I know all about the indoctrination theory and any other fan fiction ending.
    I gave the other two games both a perfect rating although they had big flaws because I am very keen to the mass effect universe.
    I must agree to the general opinion ME3 is BY FAR the worst of all Mass effect games though it has its strengths and this game definatly is not a 4.8
    Yes the Ending is bad and I dont understand why they even wanted to change it.
    If people want to spoil them selves they shouldnt have read the leak originated on neoGAF.
    Anyway It was nice to dive back in to the ME universe once more even though the story line of the game wasnt all that good
    even though you were able to port your old ME2 save into ME3 this didnt matter at all.
    Bioware just went with it that the player played all the ME2 DLC which is not always the case.
    the war rating had NO influence at all and yes the endings.. well you know the backslash
    The game had its good parts though too.
    The Soundtrack again was alsolutely superb following the more orchestral style of ME2.
    Visuals also were better than the other two games, and well the gameplay went a long way butis now actually playable as a cover based shooter. Or at least to big titles like Gears of War not an absolute catastrophy anymore.
    I absolutely recoment the first two mass effect games and if you enjoyed those you will at least want to play the third one.
    And this what it comes down to: This is not the grand finale we hoped for but it still is the finale and even though I cannot understand Bioware not just putting the Indoctrination theory slyly into the game via free DLC and makeing the recond straight once again we are stuck with what we have.

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

    This is not a trrible game. And its not a bad game its just mediocre.
    the fault of the game failing so badly in compairsm with the first two you might push to EA, or to Bioware itself
    it still is worth while, but I wouldnt spend anythjing above 25€ on it.
    6/10    … Expand
  6. GamersUprising
    Jul 23, 2013
    3
    It's by no means a bad game, the game play is amazing, the dialogue is great, the characters are relatable and it has that emotional tone that the first two games carried. What brought it down from a positive rating is the ending which managed to piss SO many gamers off. The ending of this game is a total slap in the face to fans of the Mass Effect games. It was like the developersIt's by no means a bad game, the game play is amazing, the dialogue is great, the characters are relatable and it has that emotional tone that the first two games carried. What brought it down from a positive rating is the ending which managed to piss SO many gamers off. The ending of this game is a total slap in the face to fans of the Mass Effect games. It was like the developers completely forgot about the fact that all of the games are based around choice, but the ending betrays that fact. All three endings are incredibly similar, which made us feel as if our choices never mattered in the first place. I love the Mass Effect games but the ending of this game just brought it down. Never has a game ending developed so much controversy than the ending of Mass Effect 3, and that's a damn shame.… Expand
  7. Vonnd
    Jul 22, 2013
    10
    I played this game a long time ago but just decided to come back and reflect. I thought the gameplay was good. But the best thing about this game was the atmosphere. It felt crushing at all times. I felt that there was no time and all would be lost, so I had to try something. I could really get into the mood of this game and I thought the ending reflected ME3's atmosphere as a wholeI played this game a long time ago but just decided to come back and reflect. I thought the gameplay was good. But the best thing about this game was the atmosphere. It felt crushing at all times. I felt that there was no time and all would be lost, so I had to try something. I could really get into the mood of this game and I thought the ending reflected ME3's atmosphere as a whole perfectly. I think this game has had one of the best storylines in a game yet. The most important thing to me was the music combined with the few glimpses of light and hope spending time with those close to the protagonist. This game shows to me how creating a coherent structure for atmosphere can make for a unique, amazing and touching experience. I understand that this came at a cost of some features, but I still loved it. I also felt the game series had matured to beyond the black and white. I understand that the younger audience might find this annoying. I loved it. Finding an answer to all the questions after all that, would've been the definition of anticlimax. I find myself listening to "Leaving Earth" from time to time and it can take me through my journey at any time.… Expand
  8. M0HAX
    Jul 19, 2013
    0
    2.9 Mass Effect games I played with the utmost fun. I absolutely love those games. I was astonished by their beauty in all aspects. After the last 0.1 of the last game I will probably never play them again within the next few years at the very least. I just can't bring myself to even install any of them, knowing how terribly bad it will end. Seriously there is no motivation to do anything2.9 Mass Effect games I played with the utmost fun. I absolutely love those games. I was astonished by their beauty in all aspects. After the last 0.1 of the last game I will probably never play them again within the next few years at the very least. I just can't bring myself to even install any of them, knowing how terribly bad it will end. Seriously there is no motivation to do anything anymore. Its as if you do something you believe to be worthwhile for years, and then you are told: "Oh sorry, but you know, no one needs it, so scram!"
    3 best games ruined with a single ending. Its a pity that the all so perfect Indoctrination theory didn't find place in a DLC.    … Expand
  9. SourHyperion1
    Jul 12, 2013
    9
    After hearing a lot about how Mass Effect 3 fell short of Mass Effect 2, I came in expecting something totally different than it delivered and in the best way. Mass Effect 3 picks up a bit after the events of Mass Effect 2 concluded. Shepard has somehow got himself free from Cerberus and grounded on Earth by the Alliance. Mass Effect 3 shows how dark the series can get allowing for theAfter hearing a lot about how Mass Effect 3 fell short of Mass Effect 2, I came in expecting something totally different than it delivered and in the best way. Mass Effect 3 picks up a bit after the events of Mass Effect 2 concluded. Shepard has somehow got himself free from Cerberus and grounded on Earth by the Alliance. Mass Effect 3 shows how dark the series can get allowing for the series to end very strongly.

    Gameplay: The game has updated its style, mainly when on a mission. The cover system has dramatically improved and both armor variation and the number of weapons has dramatically increased. The AI does get caught up quite a bit and this can lead to wasting a lot of medigel, but you can at least run over and help them up without the use of it. Most of the other mechanics of the game are the same, but missions now impact how ready your forces are to fight the reapers, which I thought was an excellent addition similar to that of Fable 3's, but much much better. There is also the improved scanning system where you just scan from the galaxy map, but in some systems this will alert the reapers.

    Graphics: Mass Effect 3 has gotten a bit of a face lift allows for more detail in almost everything and it looks brilliant. While the graphics are not the best, I don't think I've seen such a beautiful Sci-fi RPG to date.

    Story: The campaign takes Shepard to the far reaches of the galaxy, but sadly not all of it. I went on quite a few side missions and I never felt that I went as far as I could have. However, this is made up with some of the incredibly painful decisions you are forced to make. Most of those decisions are toward the end, but they will make you second guess yourself and even regret them. Then comes the infamous ending, which I thought was probably one of the most dramatic and depressing endings to a trilogy I have experienced. No spoilers, but if you were expecting a happily ever after, you will be disappointed and or surprised.

    I'm not quite sure why this game has received such bad reviews, I have played the entire trilogy through and I feel that each game brought something new and exciting to the table and Mass Effect 3 was no exception. You will not find an experience equal to that of this trilogy and if you are on the fence as to whether or not to buy it, go buy it and enjoy the many hours of brilliance it will give you.    … Expand
  10. Syrius00
    Jul 11, 2013
    9
    This game, well, is the conclusion of an incredible journey. All the Bioware team made a great work, overall.

    The game features great graphics and a captivating storytelling (even if the best one is in the second chapter IMHO). It is so fast paced that it can be exhausting at high difficulties. The finals, this time, are FINALS and even if they may leave you with disappointment (or    This game, well, is the conclusion of an incredible journey. All the Bioware team made a great work, overall.

    The game features great graphics and a captivating storytelling (even if the best one is in the second chapter IMHO). It is so fast paced that it can be exhausting at high difficulties. The finals, this time, are FINALS and even if they may leave you with disappointment (or tears, like my case) are original and EPIC.

    Multiplayer is OK, but I would definitely exchange it for more "single player".

    So, why nine? Actually, I would have liked to give a 8.5, but 9 is for the excellent references and the emotions I felt while playing. Anyway the game is a bit buggy now and then and some things seem to have been completed in a hurry. Anyway this won't ruin the experience at all.

    Want the best experience? Buy all the trilogy and "grow up" your Shepard. For me has been the best non-real experience of my life till now.

    Keelah se'lai!    … Expand
  11. WookieChestHair
    Jul 5, 2013
    7
    I can completely understand where people are coming from when they say they hated this game because of it's ending and whatnot, but what you can't ignore is the fact that until that point, the game was incredible. Seeing the characters from that past two games and even having a couple of them join your crew again brings great feelings of nostalgia and while I admit, the 'space bar to doI can completely understand where people are coming from when they say they hated this game because of it's ending and whatnot, but what you can't ignore is the fact that until that point, the game was incredible. Seeing the characters from that past two games and even having a couple of them join your crew again brings great feelings of nostalgia and while I admit, the 'space bar to do everything' concept was quite poor, the reason I play Mass Effect was for the intricate storyline and the lovable characters, not the gameplay. The basic cover shooting mechanics and the games ending stopped this from getting a 10, but, in my opinion, it's still one of the greatest gaming series of all time, and I can't wait to see what Bioware gives us with the next instalment.… Expand
  12. Floxer
    Jul 5, 2013
    9
    Mass Effect 3 (2012)

    Mass Effect 3 ist ein Science Fiction/Action Rollenspiel. Es ist die Fortsetzung und der Abschluss der Mass Effect Trilogie. Wie bereits sein Vorgänger, basiert das Spiel auf der Unreal-Engine 3 und wurde ebenfalls von BioWare (Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age) entwickelt. Der Publisher ist Electroic Arts. Das Spiel wird wieder aus der dritten Person gesteuert, sodass    Mass Effect 3 (2012)

    Mass Effect 3 ist ein Science Fiction/Action Rollenspiel. Es ist die Fortsetzung und der Abschluss der Mass Effect Trilogie. Wie bereits sein Vorgänger, basiert das Spiel auf der Unreal-Engine 3 und wurde ebenfalls von BioWare (Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age) entwickelt. Der Publisher ist Electroic Arts.

    Das Spiel wird wieder aus der dritten Person gesteuert, sodass man einen guten Überblick über das Schlachtfeld hat und die Gestaltung der Spielfigur direkt erkennen kann. Die Spieldauer beträgt ca. 40 Stunden.

    Nachdem im ersten Teil ein abtrünniger Spectre (sowas wie Geheimpolizei mit unbeschränkten Befugnissen) namens Saren aufgehalten wurde, eine Reaper-Invasion zu initiieren (Reaper Maschinenvolk mit der Absicht alles Leben auszulöschen) und im zweiten Teil die Bedrohung der Kollektoren (von Reapern indoktrinierte Spezies) neutralisiert wurde, konnte es das Maschinenvolk nun doch schaffen in die Sonnensysteme der Völker der galaktischen Allianz einzudringen.

    Als Commander Shepard sieht man nun erneut der Gefahr ins Auge, einer gewaltigen Übermacht gegenüber zu stehen, die alles einsetzten, um das Leben in der Galaxie auszulöschen.
    Zusammen mit altbekannten Charakteren aus Mass Effect 1, sind die Völker der Allianz zu vereinen um den Reapern eine finale Endschlacht zu bieten. Dabei trifft man des Öfteren auch auf alte Bekannte aus dem zweiten Teil der Trilogie, die einem Aufträge anbieten und Unterstützung im Kampf gegen die Reaper zusichern.

    Durch die Möglichkeit Spielstände aus den vorher gespielten Teilen der Trilogie zu importieren, kann der Verlauf der Story sich ändern, da z.B. einige alte Crew-Mitglieder nicht überlebt haben oder Entscheidungen anders getroffen wurden als die Standardeinstellungen eines neuen Spielstandes es darstellen würden.

    Das Spielgeschehen kann maßgeblich beeinflusst werden durch eine Vielzahl verschiedener Entscheidungsmöglichkeiten, die den Spieler stellenweise mit z.B. ethnischen und moralischen Fragen konfrontiert. Durch ein "Gesinnungssystem" kann man so zu einem rücksichtslosen Tyrannen oder aber zu einem hilfsbereiten Helden werden.
    Zusätzlich bietet das Spiel die Möglichkeit sowohl als männlicher als auch weiblicher Charakter das Geschehen zu erleben. Dies verändert ebenfalls das Verhalten der Crew-Mitglieder.
    Der Wiederspielwert des Spiels ist also enorm.

    Durch weitere DLC's (Downloadable Content) erweitert sich die Story. Jedoch sind einige dieser Erweiterungen mit Kosten verbunden, bieten aber dementsprechend auch mehr Inhalt.

    Alles in allem übertrifft dieses Spiel trotz Neuerungen im Kampfsystem nicht die Vorgänger, zieht jedoch auf Augenhöhe. Für Mass Effect Veteranen ein Muss. Science Fiction Liebhaber und Rollenspiel Fans werden auch voll auf ihre Kosten kommen.    … Expand
  13. cappugino
    Jul 3, 2013
    2
    Repetitive game! After 3-4 hours playing the game is going to get boring.
    Bad and boring K.I. and sometimes unfair difficulty.
    Only for fans! For people who never played such games its wasted money.
  14. Tecco
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    Best Game series out there, great story and better and better gameplay for each game that tops in Mass Effect 3

    Abilities on different carracters that can be used in combination with each others, gameplay that makes you want to play just to play. A awesome story with characters you build a great personal relationship to, great laughs and great sorrows, that makes you go 35-45hours    Best Game series out there, great story and better and better gameplay for each game that tops in Mass Effect 3

    Abilities on different carracters that can be used in combination with each others, gameplay that makes you want to play just to play. A awesome story with characters you build a great personal relationship to, great laughs and great sorrows, that makes you go 35-45hours straight skipping work/school and forgetting to eat and sleep.

    Sadly people cant seem to review the game as a whole and focus on the ending that could be better, but even with the endings there is very little to put a finger on as a whole.
    Still it not even that bad a ending, just not how people want it to end making them butthurt, that they dont get a sugar sweet ending.

    I read trough afew critics in the "red" and alot of the stuff i just cant reconize from my playtroughs.
    Some state the exact opposite(Lies? but why?) of how the game works, some state the character acting and story is bad, even though i think both tops even the top end movies we have on the market today.

    This game made me play the ME1 and ME2 several times over to get the different coices and i have 5-7 playtroughs of the ME3 game itself, and besides that the surprisingly good Multiplayer i used a good 1000hours om itself.

    This game has been worth every penny!    … Expand
  15. preetamchan217
    Jul 2, 2013
    10
    I just don't understand why this magnificent game has received so many negative reviews.Just because people are not satisfied with the ending(which I found very satisfying-Play the game with the EXTENDED CUT DLC-then it would make sense),it doesn't mean that this isn't a good game. In fact this series the one of the GREATEST GAME TRILOGIES ever made.Please don't undervalue this game justI just don't understand why this magnificent game has received so many negative reviews.Just because people are not satisfied with the ending(which I found very satisfying-Play the game with the EXTENDED CUT DLC-then it would make sense),it doesn't mean that this isn't a good game. In fact this series the one of the GREATEST GAME TRILOGIES ever made.Please don't undervalue this game just because the game didn't end the way you wanted(No Offense).… Expand
  16. Turk
    Jul 1, 2013
    4
    After the dust had settled and the brutal "star child" wars have been waged, I returned to ME3, and it still serves as the definitively example of how to disappoint on all levels.

    This game must have been designed to be a blockbuster with all those troublesome expenses related to quality cut out. The depth of the universe is gone, replaced by petty 3rd party dialogue microcosms that    After the dust had settled and the brutal "star child" wars have been waged, I returned to ME3, and it still serves as the definitively example of how to disappoint on all levels.

    This game must have been designed to be a blockbuster with all those troublesome expenses related to quality cut out. The depth of the universe is gone, replaced by petty 3rd party dialogue microcosms that read like bad soap operas. The gameplay is as simplistic and vapid as the ending- even the hardest levels offer only random chance as a mechanic rather than strategy. Level design, if you can even call it that, is reduced to a corridor with walls to hide behind. If you are on a planet there is a nice background of a vibrant world that you will by no means be able to interact with ever- kind of a final "f-you" from EA.

    There is more, so much more, but I'm getting tired and my love of the first two games can only create so much antipathy towards this one.    … Expand
  17. Rennn
    Jun 27, 2013
    10
    Another masterpiece from Bioware.

    First, I've never played the game without the free Extended Cut DLC, which alters the endings. Keep that it in mind. From what I'm told, the original endings were horrible, but they're not bad with the EC DLC. Many of the complaints are just NOT true. Characters do not randomly die. I imported a save which I'd used in both ME1 and ME2, and all of my    Another masterpiece from Bioware.

    First, I've never played the game without the free Extended Cut DLC, which alters the endings. Keep that it in mind. From what I'm told, the original endings were horrible, but they're not bad with the EC DLC.

    Many of the complaints are just NOT true. Characters do not randomly die. I imported a save which I'd used in both ME1 and ME2, and all of my choices mattered. Mordin lived, Tali lived, Garrus lived. Liara lived, and I was ecstatic to notice that she's back as a permanent companion in ME3, because she was my romance interest in ME1 and ME2. Everyone relevant lived. I even got the Geth and Quarians working together...

    I guess I don't understand the negative reviews for ME3. If you make too many mistakes you'll get everyone killed and be a sad kitty, but if you put some time into the series (all 3 games) your choices really accumulate and you can save virtually everyone.

    The reapers are a galaxy-destroying terror. Yes, it's hard to get the good ending and requires a lot of effort on the players part. You will need to play all three games and get everyone working together. You'll need to mediate disputes between your companions, and you'll need to earn massive amounts of loyalty if you want to survive the reaper onslaught. It wouldn't make sense any other way.

    Maybe modern gamers don't typically understand this, but an epic victory means way more if it's difficult to achieve. The reapers are powerful... It takes a very skilled and diplomatic player to defeat them without your friends dying in the process.

    it's sad to see an amazing game like Mass Effect 3 get bashed simply because players weren't willing to put in the effort to save their favorite companions.    … Expand
  18. Basem101
    Jun 25, 2013
    10
    Mass effect 3 is a pretty damn good game i loved this game so much and i was very attached to it until the ending if you check the indoctrination theory video about the ending you will understand it more in the end it is a great game. worth buying
  19. Lynnux
    Jun 25, 2013
    7
    Obviously the parallel development of Star Wars: The Old Republic took a toll on both games.
    ME 3 seems to be hastily assembled to finish the series in the given time frame. The ending strongly reminds me of another game series of the Cyberpunk genre which I also like. But this ending style is imho not fitting to the ME series.
    The last two missions felt right out of place. But face it:    Obviously the parallel development of Star Wars: The Old Republic took a toll on both games.
    ME 3 seems to be hastily assembled to finish the series in the given time frame. The ending strongly reminds me of another game series of the Cyberpunk genre which I also like. But this ending style is imho not fitting to the ME series.
    The last two missions felt right out of place.
    But face it: these are the most the negative points of the third part. ME3 is still clearly above average and is never worse than a 7.0. No way Sorry, just because you've expected a happy end doesn't make the whole game bad.

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

    My advice to all players who gave a score below 5: play the ME series a second time and you'll see the game a little bit differently.    … Expand
  20. braeden
    Jun 25, 2013
    8
    Again, the user score is more than unfair. Mass Effect 3 is a good game, but it just doesn't live up to the expectations people had after the second part.

    The main problem with Mass Effect 3 is the storytelling which builds up to whole lot of nothing. And with this, I don't mean just the ending which is unsatisfying to say the least. The whole coming back to Earth part seams rushed    Again, the user score is more than unfair. Mass Effect 3 is a good game, but it just doesn't live up to the expectations people had after the second part.

    The main problem with Mass Effect 3 is the storytelling which builds up to whole lot of nothing. And with this, I don't mean just the ending which is unsatisfying to say the least. The whole coming back to Earth part seams rushed after spending the whole game preparing for it. Also one of the main elements of the game, collecting war resources, seems to affect nothing in the end (maybe some cinematic is slightly altered).

    Overall gaming experience is also not quite as immersive as with Mass Effect 2. On several occasions, I couldn't help the feeling that I was just running around completing some random tasks to get to the next place. Also NPC characters didn't feel quite as deep as in Mass Effect 2. However, compared to storytelling these are very minor issues and the overall gaming experience was still very good.

    It's hard to say if this game can be recommended or not. Basically everything, except the storytelling, is done as it should or better. However, one of the worst things game can do is leave players unsatisfied at the end. Thus I wouldn't at least wait some kind of bargain before considering buying this.    … Expand
  21. 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
  22. rehamrick14
    Jun 24, 2013
    9
    Great game. Ending was meh. It definitely improved with the free dlc, but the ending still wasn't great. Other than that though, a simply legendary game worthy of your money. Seriously go buy it. Be sure to play the whole series in order though
  23. Cuz
    Jun 23, 2013
    2
    Over-dramatic and silly plot killed this one for me. I really had to muscle through the last half just to say I finished and this is from a huge fan of the first two games, I would suggest that you stay away if you can... not worth giving Bioware/EA any of your money for this mess.

    The professional reviewers that gave this game such high scores have to be on the payroll, it's just not    Over-dramatic and silly plot killed this one for me. I really had to muscle through the last half just to say I finished and this is from a huge fan of the first two games, I would suggest that you stay away if you can... not worth giving Bioware/EA any of your money for this mess.

    The professional reviewers that gave this game such high scores have to be on the payroll, it's just not a good game. Some of the worst writing I've sat through in years, unbelievable cringe-inducing.    … Expand
  24. EliteAmatuer
    Jun 20, 2013
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a good, good, good game. Yes, the part of the ending with the child makes no sense (not to spoil-y I hope). But other than that, Mass Effect 3 is a great accomplishment in gaming. With ME 3, Bioware found a good balance between action and RPG elements. For RPG fans, there is a long list of skill trees to mess around with and weapon modification to match your gameplayMass Effect 3 is a good, good, good game. Yes, the part of the ending with the child makes no sense (not to spoil-y I hope). But other than that, Mass Effect 3 is a great accomplishment in gaming. With ME 3, Bioware found a good balance between action and RPG elements. For RPG fans, there is a long list of skill trees to mess around with and weapon modification to match your gameplay style. They removed the class limitation on weapons and simply let you choose which of the pistols and rifles you want to use. All of the powers have been balanced so that all classes are equally viable on the hardest difficulties. All in all gameplay has been greatly improved from ME 2. The story is still great. You have less squad members than ME2 but they are more fleshed out. If you haven't played the first two games a lot of the story might be lost on you but for people have played both ME1 and ME2 in order, ME 3 finishes up the Story arcs of each character(s) in a beautiful and cathartic way. You have a lot of influence and involvement with how the stories end which increase the player's investment in the game. I plead with you, dear reader, ignore the bad user reviews and give this game a chance.… Expand
  25. Toffenuff
    Jun 19, 2013
    6
    I cannot, in good conscience, give this game any lower than a 6 because up until the ending the game was superb and truly enjoyable for me. It's epic to gather the fleets of the universe together and to warp into battle like they do in the ending portion of the game. It builds upon the (in my opinion) great and enjoyable gameplay of ME2, and as usual the graphics are beautiful. SplendidI cannot, in good conscience, give this game any lower than a 6 because up until the ending the game was superb and truly enjoyable for me. It's epic to gather the fleets of the universe together and to warp into battle like they do in the ending portion of the game. It builds upon the (in my opinion) great and enjoyable gameplay of ME2, and as usual the graphics are beautiful. Splendid voice acting bring each character to life and the relationships and character development are all there.

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

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

    Amazing game, but horrendous ending that was only partial fixed by the DLC. Would've given this game a 9 were it not for the ending. After dozens of hours of gameplay through various replays of each game to test different combinations of choices... how could you end the game like that? It was just... devastatingly disappointing.    … Expand
  26. Fallrim
    Jun 15, 2013
    8
    We really do need to stop rating this game on its ending. Let's be fair to Bioware, they had a damn difficult task giving us a fitting, satisfying conclusion to a goddamn fantastic franchise, and for the most part, they achieved it. Let's get the positive stuff done first. The game has much improved combat, and the voice acting, dialogue and story (for the most part) are as hard hitting asWe really do need to stop rating this game on its ending. Let's be fair to Bioware, they had a damn difficult task giving us a fitting, satisfying conclusion to a goddamn fantastic franchise, and for the most part, they achieved it. Let's get the positive stuff done first. The game has much improved combat, and the voice acting, dialogue and story (for the most part) are as hard hitting as before, with several emotional scenes being some of the best character endings I have witnessed. The games inclusion of multiplayer should really have been story co-op, but the horde, co-op mode serves as a nice distraction for when you tire of the core game. The music is good as ever, and the graphics have improved. The game does a good job of getting the atmosphere of all out war right, and it feels like the universe is fighting the reapers. Now for the bad stuff. Before we address the ending, there were other things wrong with this game. Some idiot at Bioware for some reason decided to remove mission tracking in journal entries, so we never know how far we are in a certain mission! There does feel like a bit of Michael Bay EXPLOSIONS EVERYWHERE action going off here, but despite this it would have been nicer to see all out battles going on rather than linear small skirmishes. Now, the ending. Yes, it was bad. It was an A, B, or C option like we were explicitly promised would not happen. And yes, it had many plot holes and felt irritating and out of character for Shepherd to go along with it. But honestly, just because 20 minutes of the game was bad, it does not mean the whole game was bad.… Expand
  27. dam1730
    Jun 14, 2013
    9
    First of all, the user score for this game is in no way indicative of the quality of this game. Mass Effect games are very different in the world of gaming as they are a hybrid of several different genres. Obviously Mass Effect games are RPGs, but they also incorporate FPS, adventure, and even strategy elements all into one game. The best part of the Mass Effect series is that you get toFirst of all, the user score for this game is in no way indicative of the quality of this game. Mass Effect games are very different in the world of gaming as they are a hybrid of several different genres. Obviously Mass Effect games are RPGs, but they also incorporate FPS, adventure, and even strategy elements all into one game. The best part of the Mass Effect series is that you get to know the characters well. Whether you like the character or not, you know them very well by the end of the series and become connected to some of them. Another great thing about the series is that every player has their own Shepard that they can come to identify with as well. Their are many things that I like in ME3 when compared to the other games in the series. First of all, the graphics look much better, especially in gameplay itself. The storyline is pretty good. If you've played the first two games of the series, you could probably predict some of what was going to happen, but after putting at least 50-60 hours into the first 2 games, this is probably to be expected since you knew this was the final entry of the trilogy. As far as combat goes, as with the other games, it can be as difficult or as easy as you want it to be. I've found different classes to be much easier to play because certain enemies are overly strong at the higher difficulty levels and certain classes make it much easier to defeat those particular enemies. The decisions of this game are heavily influenced by past actions, much more so than ME2 as ME1 and ME2 actions both have a large effect on decisions in this game. A lot of controversy surrounded the ending of this game, and it did certainly deserve some controversy, as when I first finished the game I sat and stared at the screen for 5 minutes in disbelief. I do encourage every player to look into the ending more, there's a lot of stuff out there which is interesting. For example, I find "indoctrination theory" to be a good explanation. The amount of emotion that this ending caused shows the amount of passion that this series creates. I really believe this series is a must play for anyone who likes games because I think it has a little something for everyone. This game is not perfect, if the ending were better if would be close. I give this game an 8.5, but it will show up as a 9. Lot's of angry people reviewed the game two seconds after they finished it and were upset. There are also people who fell in love with the original game and don't like how 2 and 3 play. ME1 is very different, and ME2 and ME3 are similar but with slight differences.… Expand
  28. Bestpony
    Jun 7, 2013
    8
    There's a whole litany of problems with ME3 and, well, just look at the user score here. That disastrous ending will be remembered 10 years from now (and the Extended Cut DLC doesn't really help), the writing is very uneven, the facial animations are almost nonexistent, the journal is next to useless, and then there's that dreadful business with day 1 DLC adding a character that isThere's a whole litany of problems with ME3 and, well, just look at the user score here. That disastrous ending will be remembered 10 years from now (and the Extended Cut DLC doesn't really help), the writing is very uneven, the facial animations are almost nonexistent, the journal is next to useless, and then there's that dreadful business with day 1 DLC adding a character that is essential to the story and yet ends up being rather boring. And you know what? None of that matters all that much because ME3 still completely delivers on its promise of bringing an end to an epic story and doing so via a tight and very fun to play rpg/shooter game. You meet a ton of old friends (in fact, you meet pretty much everyone from the previous two games), you make some new ones (Vega, Cortez, and Traynor are all great and quite down-to-earth compared to the crazy suicide squad in ME2), there are memorable battles, tough choices, historic events, tragic sacrifices... pretty much everything I wanted from a Mass Effect game. It's a rushed product, made by a team that was obviously tired and wanted to be done with it as quickly as possible, which is unfortunate, but at the end of the day, it's a powerful conclusion to a great trilogy.… Expand
  29. xinsanex81
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    Hello,

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

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

    Regards,

    i.n.s.a.n.e    … Expand
  30. lolfactor100
    May 29, 2013
    9
    I loved this game. The combat is smooth and flows very well. The story is enthralling and pulls you to the edge of your seat, and contrary to what most people say the end is good. It could have been better but I still liked it. Now i never played the game till after the extended cut ending was released so I don't know what it was like before, but the extended ending game me a sense ofI loved this game. The combat is smooth and flows very well. The story is enthralling and pulls you to the edge of your seat, and contrary to what most people say the end is good. It could have been better but I still liked it. Now i never played the game till after the extended cut ending was released so I don't know what it was like before, but the extended ending game me a sense of closure that I need for this series. Ignore the low user rating and play this series from start to finish and enjoy the amazing story that BioWare made for us.… Expand
  31. Megasmith
    May 27, 2013
    10
    No matter how bad the ending was, the game was GREAT. I don't think storytelling this good has ever been in a game like this before. Judge them how they are, but the DLC they release are worth it. They leave you with this feeling of sadness because of how well the told the story. The last lines that Bioware created for Shepard, "Its been a damn good ride" "The best" just makes you think.No matter how bad the ending was, the game was GREAT. I don't think storytelling this good has ever been in a game like this before. Judge them how they are, but the DLC they release are worth it. They leave you with this feeling of sadness because of how well the told the story. The last lines that Bioware created for Shepard, "Its been a damn good ride" "The best" just makes you think. over 6 years this game is great.

    During this game they give you a feeling of urgency. The Reaper attack makes you want to hurry.    … Expand
  32. bobbuttons
    May 26, 2013
    8
    Story 9 great and an appropriate ending for the trilogy;
    Graphics 7 the game being ported from consoles you can clearly see the graphical limitations;
    Gameplay 7 way to simple for an rpg;
  33. AtomicZap
    May 24, 2013
    9
    I must say, this game starts very poorly (even worse than ME2) and it probably has the worst ending of any of the hundreds of games that I have played. It also doesn't provide much direction at the beginning, so if you play without using a wiki (like I did) you can miss out on a lot of content that I would have liked to play. That said, I have no other complaints about this game. WhileI must say, this game starts very poorly (even worse than ME2) and it probably has the worst ending of any of the hundreds of games that I have played. It also doesn't provide much direction at the beginning, so if you play without using a wiki (like I did) you can miss out on a lot of content that I would have liked to play. That said, I have no other complaints about this game. While you don't get as many squad members, you can still develop meaningful relationships with them throughout the game. The world is fantastic. I'm probably going to be crucified for this, but I think the Mass Effect story/universe is superior to both Star Wars and Star Trek. Its not perfect, but it is still a shining example of what sci-fi should be, and is definitely worth a play, just don't have your hopes too high for the ending.… Expand
  34. gyigyo2
    May 18, 2013
    10
    Its easily the Best Game of 2012 i really enjoyed and liked every minute, Yes even the ending was great i nearly cried and this is the only game what could make me cry.Finally not a dissapointment boring always fairy tale happy ending.
  35. PStakhiv
    May 16, 2013
    8
    Yeah, after the outstanding ME1 & 2 this is definitely a let down when it comes to the story! Biggest disappointment of the year with the worst ending in history, but lets be honest it's still one of the best game of the year! They used deus ex machina to resolve the plot not once but twice! But it's not all bad combat is great, characters are still amazing, there are two memorableYeah, after the outstanding ME1 & 2 this is definitely a let down when it comes to the story! Biggest disappointment of the year with the worst ending in history, but lets be honest it's still one of the best game of the year! They used deus ex machina to resolve the plot not once but twice! But it's not all bad combat is great, characters are still amazing, there are two memorable missions(unfortunately only two). Conclusion the game is great, the narrative is And also it send possible sequel in the oblivion… Expand
  36. CaptainCornhole
    May 16, 2013
    10
    No way this should be a 4.7 all the cheep need to get a life and stop being butt hurt over the ending. ME3's ending was absolutely brilliant in terms of semantics and the games overall tone, it is depressing that the majority of asswipes cannot see nor do they care to appreciate that. Bioware fans a truly the scum of the earth.
  37. obscurus166
    May 11, 2013
    6
    Mass Effect 3 is a basically decent game which is irretrievably spoiled by oversimplification and lack of dramatic direction.

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

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

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

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

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

    For all those gripes, there is some fun to be had here, but ME3 deserves to be remembered most for squandered opportunities.    … Expand
  38. davidpiksi
    May 11, 2013
    4
    I don't understand why critics are giving this game good reviews. The story the gameplay and every other mechanic that could be dumbed down was. I was disappointed at the ending because one of my all time favourite RPG games was turned into a third person shooter and not an RPG.
  39. charrudeboy
    May 2, 2013
    10
    Great game, loved every minute of it, except for the ending.

    Ending could have been better but I don't know if I'm just annoyed I wont have any more Mass Effect
  40. AuldWolf
    Apr 30, 2013
    0
    I'd avoid it. If you want a really good RPG, try something by Larian Studios instead. It's mainstream mush... so you won't find any good stories here. BioWare hasn't made a good game in a long time, not since MDK2 or before.
  41. dumle
    Apr 30, 2013
    5
    Mass effect 3 disappoints in several important aspects. The writing in the game is extremely uneven which really drags a game like this down. Sure there are some cool moments here and there but the story is overall really weak and the game is full of awkward and cheaply written moments. And it doesnt help that the conversation wheel is dumbed down too the absurd.

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

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

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

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

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

    Now despite being quite critical of the game i must mention that the game is by no means so bad that some people make it out to be. I would say that its extremely average. The game have a long list of flaws but it also have a decent amount of alright content in it. I picked it up for a cheap price and i dont regret doing that despite the games flaws. if you however go into this game expecting a traditional bioware rpg or a worthy continuation of the mass effect saga then chances are that you will be disappointed. I should also mention that the were some quite shady dlc practices involved with this game. But you should try to make up your own mind regarding that.    … Expand
  42. mckw
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    Apart from the ending, let us not forget that it is still a great experience, I may have many gripes but I still had a fun and enjoyable time with this game. It does hit the high tension mark at times but ultimately it is a step back or two from the previous game. With smaller team roster and less interesting back stories to them (except Legion's which was pretty BA). The quest system isApart from the ending, let us not forget that it is still a great experience, I may have many gripes but I still had a fun and enjoyable time with this game. It does hit the high tension mark at times but ultimately it is a step back or two from the previous game. With smaller team roster and less interesting back stories to them (except Legion's which was pretty BA). The quest system is just bad and was really overlooked by developers, though I do prefer the scanning in this game compared to searching for ores in the previous game. Overall the experience of this franchise is a 10/10, however the end leaves you wanting and very disappointing.… Expand
  43. Logiwonk
    Apr 28, 2013
    4
    This game is a fistula. What is a fistula? In anatomic terms it's an abnormal hole connecting two things that should not be connected. One of the most problematic is obstetric fistula which connects the vagina (awesome) with the bowels (super not-awesome). This game connects amazing writing, good gameplay with a ending.

    You can't fix this game's ending but you can help women world-wide    This game is a fistula. What is a fistula? In anatomic terms it's an abnormal hole connecting two things that should not be connected. One of the most problematic is obstetric fistula which connects the vagina (awesome) with the bowels (super not-awesome). This game connects amazing writing, good gameplay with a ending.

    You can't fix this game's ending but you can help women world-wide suffering from obstetric fistula. Go to http://www.fistulafoundation.org/ and donate today!    … Expand
  44. silverwolf12711
    Apr 28, 2013
    8
    I know many people are very angry at this game, and I understand that. Mass Effect 3 is just as much a step backward as a step forward from the previous iterations of the series. ME3 is much more action-oriented than the previous two games, something which I don't mind, There are more weapons in each category, and each class can now use every weapon. For me this opened up new gameplayI know many people are very angry at this game, and I understand that. Mass Effect 3 is just as much a step backward as a step forward from the previous iterations of the series. ME3 is much more action-oriented than the previous two games, something which I don't mind, There are more weapons in each category, and each class can now use every weapon. For me this opened up new gameplay possibilities. I could be a sentinel with a sniper rifle, a shotgun-wielding adept or engineer. While I like some of the new combat changes, the loss of RPG elements annoys me. Shepard can still pick his/her squad, but now there are only 6 squad members to chose from, 7 if you bought the DAY-ONE dlc, as opposed to the 11-12 there were in ME2. Loyalty mission are also gone, which takes away a personal element. Long-time fans of the series may be a bit disappointed by all this, but ME3 makes up for it in other ways. The Graphics are actually impressive, with nice lighting effects and great CGI space battles. These battles will be in great abundance, as now Shepard is facing the full force of the reaper onslaught against the galaxy. Shepard will have to unite the races of the galaxy, no easy task, to successfully fight off the reaper invasion and recapture earth. Choosing which races to side with, and some actions that Shepard chooses have an effect on and overall "readiness" bar which indicates military strength, and chances of victory in the final battle. Unfortunately, none of the other decisions Shepard has made throughout the other games will have ANY impact on the final ending. The end of the game feels rushed and lazy. For this i find that EA is probably to blame, rushing the game out ahead of schedule. An ending DLC does fix many of these issues, but leaves many unanswered. The fact that there even is an ending DLC to me shows that bioware cares for the universe it created, even if the messed up the first time around. Another good thing is that the awful mining mini games are gone...to be replaced with a less annoying, simpler, "find stuff on planet to help you in the war effort". One final thing that annoyed me about the gameplay was that instead of multiple factions and enemies, there are only three: Cerberus, reapers, and geth. This feels like another move away from more rpg elements to action elements. The AI is adequate; on higher difficulties some of the bigger enemies can be troublesome. Despite the changes, ME3 still feels like Mass Effect, a third person cover shooter.rpg hybrid. Using Shepard's powers and squad mate's powers to effectively combat enemy strengths and weaknesses is something true fans of the series will find fun and familiar. The soundtrack is great, the characters still great, and the story only slightly less than what most expect from Mass Effect.
    Which brings me to the multiplayer. Many people were worried it would take over from the single player, but it doesn't, in fact, it provides a welcome distraction from the reaper attack. Multiplayer is a horde-based mode in which up to four players can fight against waves of enemies of different types as many different races and classes. Ever wanted to play as a quarian engineer? A drell assassin, turian soldier, or even Krogan and Geth? There are also scores of weapons, upgrades, and attachments available. So far all the MP DLCs have been free, but MP still feels like EA trying to make quick cash sometimes. Multiplayer can still be fun, though. All considered, Mass Effect 3 feels a slightly rushed ending to a series dear to many people's hearts. It is still a good, dun game, but lets down in many things fans have come to expect form Bioware and the series as a whole.    … Expand
  45. 48Laws
    Apr 27, 2013
    4
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu731UtTFqo I wish I could have seen this before purchasing ME3.

    Personally, I was a loyal follower of the ME franchise since a year or so after the first game came out. I watched as a high-quality RPG turned into a fun storytelling-driven shooter hybrid. I enjoyed both of the first two games, but worried that Bioware may have been taking too many    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu731UtTFqo I wish I could have seen this before purchasing ME3.

    Personally, I was a loyal follower of the ME franchise since a year or so after the first game came out. I watched as a high-quality RPG turned into a fun storytelling-driven shooter hybrid. I enjoyed both of the first two games, but worried that Bioware may have been taking too many creative liberties with game play design. After DA2 became a malignant tumor on the whole DA franchise, I worried that marketing was steering video games toward a more obviously profit-driven path. I enjoyed seeing some of my favorite characters in ME3, but having the entire series to compare the game to I felt disappointed and wished I hadn't purchased it before it's price plummeted. The game screams linearity, entire plot lines promised to have wildly different conclusions were railroaded and some of the characters with strong convictions pulled a 180 in the (choo-choo) 6-month mandated shore leave Shep was put on after Arrival (whether or not it was even played). James Vega was chosen by Bioware, knowing fewer squad mates would be included in this game, to accommodate newer players and have someone dumber than them on the Normandy. 17% of your squad is new, has no clue what's going on, and was included solely for first-time players; It really sends a message to those who have played the game for 5+ years (notice Vega wasn't made DLC; he must have either been considered more 'essential' than a Prothean by the devs or EA thought nobody would buy it). A broken journal system ensures players will constantly be wondering whether they scanned the right section of space for an item or have yet to drop it off to the NPC on the citadel who's conversation Shep overheard (these are laughably called 'side missions'). After you're confused by wtf just happened after the endings, you can buy all the answers in DLC form for $10 in Leviathan. This game is complete rubbish without the answers in that DLC pack (and even so, the plot further devolves into a joke). What's worst of all for me: this game makes me feel embarrassed for all the recommendations I gave out for the series after ME1 and ME2. I know I've personally brought 6 friends into the Mass Effect world, and only one of them enjoyed the "experience" of ME3. The rest still joke about the endings over a year past the game's release, and according to much of the polling done the majority of the fan base feels the same way. After this debacle, I won't be making that mistake with Bioware products again.    … Expand
  46. voiders
    Apr 26, 2013
    5
    What to say? Im not a totally fan of Mass Effect fan, i bought the the trilogy at origin with a lot of expectations but i could not understand why this game are so famous. The entire series are so regular.
  47. DrunkenWhaler
    Apr 13, 2013
    8
    when i have played the first mass effect then the second mass effect i have enjoyed playing those games and i never stopped playing the second one trust me. until the third one came out and i just got me3 at the start if 2013. now the thing did not bother me much are the gameplay,new weapon designs and the new covering thing is cool! and some old favorite characters! but when i checked mywhen i have played the first mass effect then the second mass effect i have enjoyed playing those games and i never stopped playing the second one trust me. until the third one came out and i just got me3 at the start if 2013. now the thing did not bother me much are the gameplay,new weapon designs and the new covering thing is cool! and some old favorite characters! but when i checked my journal the quest system is broken and that really pissed me off like they wont tell you your progression and like finding war assets and side missions on the citadel. and why is chobot in the game!?!? and the squad roster more smaller then the 2nd one? the thing that really pissed me of is the reveal of tali's face, damn bioware for the photo god dang it! i liked multiplayer but its whored mode (u dont sAY u guys played its before me yes yes yes) also the ending i have heard alot of people talking about the ending god dammit. then here comes mr dlc to save the day! but wait a minute? DLC THE ACTUAL ENDING!?! BULLSH*t EA AND BIOWARE!

    people who gave this game an extremely low score plz and try to understand that mass effect 3 isnt terrible, it is awesome.

    my score is this: you guys would love me to give this game a low score but this is what im giving it.....

    8/10 it is an extremely awesome game.

    if u low me3 scorers hate this score dont judge me there are alot of me3 players out there and you guys should follow.

    final things to say:
    i hope they will make an me4 game and i would be really happy :)

    PS you guys who gave this game a low score its fun and it got around 6-3rd place in best games of 2012!

    by DrunkenWhaler    … Expand
  48. arnror
    Apr 10, 2013
    0
    Oh my dear gaming-god(Tex Murphy)!!
    It's like Elvis would announce his greatest show ever, and then came out on stage naked, fat, drunk, balled, and then urinated on the first row people, slung feces on the rest, gave his finger to all, and then shot all the old people.
    Where did all the talent go, that I trusted with my hopes and dreams for Shepard and his friends. I mean how is this    Oh my dear gaming-god(Tex Murphy)!!
    It's like Elvis would announce his greatest show ever, and then came out on stage naked, fat, drunk, balled, and then urinated on the first row people, slung feces on the rest, gave his finger to all, and then shot all the old people.
    Where did all the talent go, that I trusted with my hopes and dreams for Shepard and his friends.
    I mean how is this possible;
    To write arguably the best story in gaming history(ME1), come up with two of the best bad guys in space(Saren and Sovereign)
    Then go on to make ME2 witch fixed all the problems from the previous game, only lacking bad guys with character.
    And then this.....
    Did they have a stroke, are they smoking crack, did someone replace their head with G.W.B's?

    Now it's all ruined. I cant even replay the first two. Shepard is dead to me now. Why you say??
    BECAUSE YOU'VE KILLED HIM STUPID    … Expand
  49. creotine
    Apr 7, 2013
    5
    Simply put, its a fun 3rd person shooter with rpg elements and a bad ending. The only people who don't think the ending is bad are the fan-boys or those with ADD who didn't pay attention to the story. The choices you make in the game do not affect the outcome of your ending. You get to the end and are presented with A, B, or C choice for an ending like Deus Ex did. On top of it theSimply put, its a fun 3rd person shooter with rpg elements and a bad ending. The only people who don't think the ending is bad are the fan-boys or those with ADD who didn't pay attention to the story. The choices you make in the game do not affect the outcome of your ending. You get to the end and are presented with A, B, or C choice for an ending like Deus Ex did. On top of it the ending makes no sense, and contradicts itself. It's still a fun game but the story does dissapoint.… Expand
  50. skeith
    Apr 5, 2013
    9
    I do not think the story is as bad as most people think it is. I also think it its always up to the developers how to end the story. The overall gameplay is good, it is getting better since ME1 and ME2. Many of the scenes are touching and sad. It is a shame I did not play it on release. Thanks Bioware, for this epic journey.
  51. nkaduthod
    Apr 5, 2013
    6
    As a beloved fan of the Mass Effect series, I was without a doubt quite disappointed with this game. While the game play is good and offers a more fluid experience, I fell that they dumbed the combat down to much. They also took away most of the RPG aspect of the game I loved. The story I felt was really lacking compared to ME1 & ME2. The new characters like Diane and James were veryAs a beloved fan of the Mass Effect series, I was without a doubt quite disappointed with this game. While the game play is good and offers a more fluid experience, I fell that they dumbed the combat down to much. They also took away most of the RPG aspect of the game I loved. The story I felt was really lacking compared to ME1 & ME2. The new characters like Diane and James were very uninteresting and the graphics and animations have barely been touched since ME2. My decisions imported from the first two games didn't really impact the story and I feel like BioWare and EA were turning this game into a clone of Gears of War except in space. And what the is up with Day 1 DLC From Ashes? For a very important character relevant to the entire series and basically what it is based on? EA is obviously trying to pressure BioWare into making a more "mass-appealing game". No!

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

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

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

    All in all, Mass Effect 3 was hyped up to be an excellent, but failed to deliver on so many levels. However, I still enjoyed the game for what it was. But seriously, DLC in this game is pretty OK, but they make it so short for 15.00 im spending for it    … Expand
  52. Mhuang1985
    Apr 3, 2013
    10
    A year after its release, I just wanted to post my review. Mass Effect 3 is a real amazing experience and I would recommend it to everyone who enjoys sci-fi RPGs. I don't usually bother posting reviews, but this was truly one of the finest games of its genre for our generation.
  53. Metacriticfan4
    Mar 30, 2013
    2
    The fan reviews doesn't lie, the ME franchise was ruined with this game. The way the ending was done have completely ruined the great ME experience for me. This a long with other poor choices made in ME 3 has laid a foundation for a terrible game. 2 out of 10 is what I have given it. This development of the franchise really has me fearing for the future of the ME series.
  54. Minigun
    Mar 29, 2013
    8
    Here's a different kind of review: I actually liked the ending!

    Ok, so I started my Mass Effect journey with a bargain purchase of the first game in 2010, followed by a bargain purchase of the second part of series in late 2011 and now the final part in 2013. I still clearly remember the whole story and the feelings I had while playing it, so I can speak both for ME3 and the trilogy as    Here's a different kind of review: I actually liked the ending!

    Ok, so I started my Mass Effect journey with a bargain purchase of the first game in 2010, followed by a bargain purchase of the second part of series in late 2011 and now the final part in 2013. I still clearly remember the whole story and the feelings I had while playing it, so I can speak both for ME3 and the trilogy as a whole.

    Technically speaking, ME3 had superb audio and nice graphics. Very satisfying and enjoyable audiovisually. Game never crashed, I did not encounter any bugs either. Game felt very solid all around. The Origin requirement is a downer, but a small one. The atmosphere of the game (ie. the despair of the war) was a bit forced at times, but in the end held quite nicely. In ME1 I liked the feeling of vastness, how the plot spanned a lot of places on a huge scale. ME2 had perhaps did not have as epic a feel to it, for most of the game you spent hiring squad members from not-so-epic places and fights. I think ME3 went back to the roots in the epicness of scale.

    In ME1 I liked the fighting system and finding and upgrading new weapons. ME2 kind of streamlined the combat, but also removed all those micro-management details such as weapon mods. ME3 took somewhat a middle road in that regard: weapon mods return, but the weapon arsenal is quite limited. The biggest problem in fighting I had was Shepard getting stuck in cover when trying to run, resulting in a couple of unnecessary deaths in some of the harder fights. Other than that, gameplay felt pretty smooth.

    On terms of dialogue I think ME2 was the high point of the series. I really liked especially the female Shepards delivery of her lines. ME3 is not that good, but certainly not bad, either.

    The galaxy map mini-game this time was avoiding reapers, who were alerted by scanning the space for artifacts etc. I think ME1 had the best mini-game in that you actually landed on the planet and searched for stuff, even though it did get quite repetitive after while. In ME2 the mineral scanning was just dumb, as it did really not offer any challenge and there really was no big difference in the tactic you did it. The reaper mini-game in ME3 is again quite unnecessary, but at least you can apply some tactics to it, and it isn't really that much of an annoyance.

    And then there is the ending. I did play the extended cut, but also watched all the original ending videos from YouTube. I didn't really see the necessity of the extended endings, although they were perhaps a bit more satisfying. And the fourth ending type was indeed a smart move, which should have been in the original release also. On a side note, I also have played Eye of the Beholder, which threw you right back into DOS prompt after finishing the game, so I'm used to not having any fancy ending scenes. Anyway, most comments I've read about the ending being bad had two things in them: previous choices in the games had little to no effect, and not everything was explained. I think both are wrong accusitions.

    Choices in the previous games mainly affected your companions: who you were working with. At no point do I recall making any huge decisions directly regardin the forthcoming reaper invasion. Killed or saved the rachni queen in Noveria? Who cares, no one probably even knew she was there in the first place. Killed Wrex or was his best friends? Doesn't matter, there are plenty of krogans to be their leader, and plento of people on Normandy to be your wingmen. My point is, all the choices you made only affected the people around Shepard not things on a galactic scale. Therefore, I don't see how can someone expect so see any huge change in the outcome no matter what they did in the previous games. On the other hand, I still think they did a hell of a job with all the different combinations of who are alive and who you are with: dialogue changes according to the setting, and there are a huge number of different settings, which your previous choices _do_ affect.

    And the other thing, about leaving stuff open. I think the ending tied all the knots there were to be tied regarding galactic scale. Again, what happens to your mates is a different story, and left open. But that was not the point of the big picture. The point was the reaper invasion, and that was concluded in satisfying enough a way.

    The multiplayer requirement for the "better" endings was a stupid move, but I hear it was removed in the extended cut patch. I wouldn't know, as I ended up hacking my save game just to be sure I get the best ending: there were no multiplayer games anymore to boost your rating.

    All in all, a highly recommended game, and nowadays very good entertainment value for the cost: I only paid 9,95 in Origin store. I would give the game 8.5/10, which rounds to 8 just because of the multiplayer thing possibly affecting your single player campaign ending.    … Expand
  55. terbas
    Mar 29, 2013
    9
    I don't know what the people who poorly rated this game were thinking but this is one legendary game. It immersed me in the first couple of hours and I can't leave ME3 for long hours once I start to play it. Despite a few flaws (especially the same button used for cover, running and jumping over obstacles), this game is pure FUN and it surely deserves my score of "9".
  56. AlexFili
    Mar 28, 2013
    10
    Mass Effect 3 takes all of the plot pieces in the previous two games and delivers on a massive scale. The first thing you see is Shepard being put on trial for the events between the previous games. Just as the council get going on their debate, the Reapers launch an assault on the Earth, destroying a large portion of it. Shepard literally has to fight his way off the Earth, gettingMass Effect 3 takes all of the plot pieces in the previous two games and delivers on a massive scale. The first thing you see is Shepard being put on trial for the events between the previous games. Just as the council get going on their debate, the Reapers launch an assault on the Earth, destroying a large portion of it. Shepard literally has to fight his way off the Earth, getting through some Reaper forces and just trying not to get hit by gigantic lasers and all the explosions which are occuring everywhere.

    Once you leave Earth, you have to try to get the support of the alien races to prepare against the Reapers. Unfortunately, the Reapers have already started attacking Palaven, the Turian homeworld and Tuchanka, the Krogan homeworld. You have to get the Krogans on your side for the Turians to help. Later on you’ll be attempting to gain the support of the Salarians, Asari and Quarians.

    There really is a feeling of tension and excitement that the other games didn’t have. For once, the enemy is a large opposing force and the whole galaxy is feeling it’s effects. The war is happening on three fronts. There are the main attack force of the Reapers, which utilise other alien races in their army, such as the Turian-style Marauders and the Asari-style Banshees. Then there are the Cerberus troopers, which are being led by the Illusive Man and are attacking colonies for an unknown reason. On a lesser front you also have the heretic Geth, which are attempting to keep the Perseus Veil under control.

    In most single-player missions you’ll be darting in and out of cover, attempting to pick off enemy forces. The overall intelligence of the enemies in this game has improved dramatically. Different units protect themselves in different ways. For instance, the Nemesis uses a sniper rifle to deal large amounts of damage, while the Phantom attempts to defeat targets instantly with it’s sword. When put together this is a deadly combination. There are also enemies that utilise smoke grenades, shields, turrets and more. Fighting is hectic and tense, using squadmates powers is recommended.

    You have a total of six squadmates in the main storymode and an additional squadmate exclusive in the extra Downloadable Content mission. While there are overall less squadmates than Mass Effect 2, the relationships between them and the character are more pronounced. Between missions characters will move around the ship, get into discussions and think about certain things. In the Citadel, each squad member goes to a different place, where they can talk with the player.

    Commander Shepard is the player character (which can be Male or Female), who is tasked with making lots of choices. Some of the choices are very difficult and will require the player to think forward. The choices made in Mass Effect 1 and 2 will dramatically affect the story. Such as how you dealt with the Rachni Queen or if you saved Maelon’s data on the genophage cure. You have a total of six classes, each with different unique skills and strategies which apply to it.

    For each additional form of support gained in single-player, you will gain another War Asset, with a numerical value. These values effect the strength of the forces attacking the Reapers, determining the overall success of the final attack.

    Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and a definitive Sci-Fi experience. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.    … Expand
  57. TheCuteKitten
    Mar 27, 2013
    4
    The only good thing about this game is the amount of weapons and customization for your skills. The voice acting is brilliant apart from Jessica Chobot. That's it. The story is full of plotholes, contradiction, retcons and downright nonsensical at times. The enemies and AI behaviour is subpar. Everything just bumrushes you and and do not use strategy of any sort. There is too littleThe only good thing about this game is the amount of weapons and customization for your skills. The voice acting is brilliant apart from Jessica Chobot. That's it. The story is full of plotholes, contradiction, retcons and downright nonsensical at times. The enemies and AI behaviour is subpar. Everything just bumrushes you and and do not use strategy of any sort. There is too little gameplay and too much cutscenes which makes the game feels like an interactive movie. There is also almost no RP element in the game apart from power customization. Your choices do not matter. The ending introduces new concepts altogether. Unnecessary inclusion of children to create emotions. So yeah, a botched job from Biower.… Expand
  58. Duskspark
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    A wise man once said "The journey is more important than the destination". Mass Effect 3's ending is far from that what you may have hoped, but the epic and intense overall singleplayer story and the surprisingly well functioning co-operative multiplayer are SO well done that the ending is less than a split-second of importance.
  59. webext
    Mar 13, 2013
    10
    This is one of the best endings that i ever seen! The third part of the trilogy tell us about the all world, not only Shepard's history, and a lot of people can not understand this. But without all DLC the story is not full. I is highly recommending this series to every smart man or woman. Hudson is genius (not every one can understand his mind), and i'm waiting for new part of MassThis is one of the best endings that i ever seen! The third part of the trilogy tell us about the all world, not only Shepard's history, and a lot of people can not understand this. But without all DLC the story is not full. I is highly recommending this series to every smart man or woman. Hudson is genius (not every one can understand his mind), and i'm waiting for new part of Mass Effect, but without Shepard( i hope), because his place ONLY in the trilogy/ I love him, Hudson, Bioware and Mass Effect/ Good LUCK!… Expand
  60. VioletGiraffe
    Mar 10, 2013
    10
    I strongly disagree with the negative reviews. Originally ending was a bit confusing, although it didn't strike me as a bad one. And now, after the expansion ("extended cut") it has become perfect, no less. Note that Bioware didn't change the ending, they've just expanded it by adding more explanations in longer cutscenes. This is easily the best game in the series.
  61. 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
  62. 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
  63. ThE_MarD
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    Heyyo, I can't believe the "checking downloadable content" bug is still in this game! I just bought it finally to finish the Mass Effect Trilogy... and I CAN'T EVEN GET PASSED THE MAIN MENU, IT JUST KEEPS SAYING "CHECKING DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT"!!! I looked on forums and everything and there's no fix other than "disconnect from the internet" which is annoying as heck JUST to play this gameHeyyo, I can't believe the "checking downloadable content" bug is still in this game! I just bought it finally to finish the Mass Effect Trilogy... and I CAN'T EVEN GET PASSED THE MAIN MENU, IT JUST KEEPS SAYING "CHECKING DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT"!!! I looked on forums and everything and there's no fix other than "disconnect from the internet" which is annoying as heck JUST to play this game so that's why it gets such a low review score. Fix your crap BioWare.. I'm an Albertan and I can't believe you guy's haven't fixed this bug still. If there's a problem? Bigger Hammer, Bigger Wrench. Get'r dun.

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

    I'm going to play more of this game... excuse me as I unplug my network cable.     … Expand
  64. RakAttack
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    True. The ending storyline didn't live up the the incredible standards we have become used to with the Mass Effect series. I was upset with the ending the first time I finished the game. But i've completed the game 3 more times(with the slightly improved new ending they made for free DL) and I now realize that the ending is a small 1% of a game that is otherwise a very enjoyable work ofTrue. The ending storyline didn't live up the the incredible standards we have become used to with the Mass Effect series. I was upset with the ending the first time I finished the game. But i've completed the game 3 more times(with the slightly improved new ending they made for free DL) and I now realize that the ending is a small 1% of a game that is otherwise a very enjoyable work of art. 9/10. Loses 1 point for ending storyline.… Expand
  65. Alsvha
    Mar 7, 2013
    6
    It could have been so good, but it fell short.

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

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

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

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

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

    Mass Effect 3 is a decent game. It's not an action-roleplaying as ME1 was. It's a better shooter than ME2, but it's properly too much shooter for many RPG fans, and not enough for the shooter fans. Bioware tried to grab both, but for what it could have been it falls tragically short of the target. Potential but lack of implementation.
    Bioware basically dropped the ball. It's worth a playthrough from the bargain bin, but knowing what I know now, I would not have bought it at release.    … Expand
  66. Beanbag
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When Mass Effect 3 was first released, it truly deserved the poor scores it was getting. Not because of the game technology or graphics. Both of those had improved over ME2 (except the conversations, those still feel terribly clunky). What really earned it such terrible scores was the horrible slap in the face issued to long-time fans by in (my opinion) EA. In what felt very much like a rush job to avoid a launch delay, ME3 was released with an ending sequence that went against every promise that was made to fans since day one, which obviously upset the fans. Now I do understand that newcomers to the franchise have a hard time accepting this concept, but if you hadn't supported BioWare from very early on, and become a fan of this particular story during Mass Effect 1, you likely wouldn't understand. Personally, the original ending left me feeling a little bit empty. Having expected so much and gotten essentially nothing, it felt as if the machines were correct all along. In the end, all the struggles accounted for nothing. However, in a truly groundbreaking move, BioWare listened to it's fans and supporters. As they always had before EA gobbled them up, BioWare cared what we all felt about their creation, understanding our investment in it. In a move that shocked the industry, a new ending sequence was released. It did not solve every problem, nor could anything be expected to do so, but it did answer many, if not all, of the questions left by the original. It seems that this incident has been so quickly forgotten by everyone, but BioWare deserves the proper recognitiion for what they have done. Original review:

    "Having played all three mass effect games, I waited with great hopes for this final installment. We were promised a final conclusion to the story that would leave no loose ends. Instead, we were given the exact opposite. While the gameplay and graphics show minimal improvements over ME2, the storytelling, conversation, and squad relationship systems have all suffered. Mass Effect 3 was truly an epic disappointment, one which concluded with a slap in the face for long time fans and players"    … Expand
  67. 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.
  68. Mudpooch
    Mar 2, 2013
    10
    Amazing game buy it and don't listen to all those haters. As close to perfection as is possible in this day and age to achieve and worth a lot more than its starting price. Its quite sad to see the low user score this game has received just because the ending wasn't to the liking of all the ADHD fps (I need gratification right away and I wish to engage as few braincells as possible to getAmazing game buy it and don't listen to all those haters. As close to perfection as is possible in this day and age to achieve and worth a lot more than its starting price. Its quite sad to see the low user score this game has received just because the ending wasn't to the liking of all the ADHD fps (I need gratification right away and I wish to engage as few braincells as possible to get there) players. In this case I would suggest listening to the professional video game journalists and put aside the red ink haters...… Expand
  69. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    6
    The third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have thatThe third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have that and its not just the ending. Main story is predictable and boring. Last but not least, your companions are simply not interesting this time. Their stories too. An average game, nothing to really set it apart from other shooters.… Expand
  70. Macdealer
    Feb 14, 2013
    10
    Well. We already know everyone hated the end. Okay, okay, the end is not exciting, but forget about the end, this game is great. End the trilogy in amazing way. The game is short comparing to 1 and 2, that's the only problem. And it's kind linear too. Anyway, it's a closing game, and because of that its great. have the flaws, but yet one of the best experience in 2012. And for being one ofWell. We already know everyone hated the end. Okay, okay, the end is not exciting, but forget about the end, this game is great. End the trilogy in amazing way. The game is short comparing to 1 and 2, that's the only problem. And it's kind linear too. Anyway, it's a closing game, and because of that its great. have the flaws, but yet one of the best experience in 2012. And for being one of the best trilogy ever, deserves a 10 points. I'm expecting games like ME soon, it touched my soul. I miss this games.… Expand
  71. Morfiss
    Feb 9, 2013
    2
    Day 1 DLC: Disgraceful. taking content out of the game and selling it,
    Giant Plot Holes: Every 50,000 years the reapers wipe out everyone to stop synthetics from killing everyone.
    Game play: Is so boring it's just run and gun.
    1 Point: Customisation was good and the N7 armour looked cool.
    1 Point: Multiplayer had some simple but fun aspects.
  72. oliver1h
    Feb 7, 2013
    5
    What to say that has not been said already? Importing your save files from the previous games is a must... Meeting old friends, and doing missions with them was the biggest fun for me. The story was decent, even some characters were total clichés (Kai Leng the Asian space ninja for example...). The combat was slightly improved compared to ME1 and ME2, but the cover system remained aWhat to say that has not been said already? Importing your save files from the previous games is a must... Meeting old friends, and doing missions with them was the biggest fun for me. The story was decent, even some characters were total clichés (Kai Leng the Asian space ninja for example...). The combat was slightly improved compared to ME1 and ME2, but the cover system remained a litttle crunchy. RPG elements felt a little less developed than in ME2 (Renegade options for example were pure evil...They could have balanced the reputation system a little more...). Everything else basically remained the same as it were in ME2. I think the developers stayed on a safe ground on purpose. The music and sound effect were really good. Now let's talk about the infamous ending. Well they really screwed this up, and the "Extended cut" did not really makes it much better (When I first finished the ME3 my gaming experience was ruined...They can not make that back anyways with some cheap slide show, sugar coating stuff!) About the indoctrination theory! I think the developers at one point (might ...not sure) wanted to implement it, but they did not....The theory is now refused by Bioware and EA so it is not part of the original Canon. Overall a decent game that stays in the safe path, with a bad ending. Could have been the best science fiction game trilogy ever, but they failed!… Expand
  73. Vilyn117
    Feb 7, 2013
    7
    This game rightfully earns a 7. And while I could just blabber on about the ending, the subpar game mechanics, and most of the horrendous design choices in general, I'll just sum this review up simply. Don't buy this game for a satisfying single player game, but it for co-op with your friends. Co-op is the only reason I own this game, with a whopping 500 hours played on it, it's fantastic.This game rightfully earns a 7. And while I could just blabber on about the ending, the subpar game mechanics, and most of the horrendous design choices in general, I'll just sum this review up simply. Don't buy this game for a satisfying single player game, but it for co-op with your friends. Co-op is the only reason I own this game, with a whopping 500 hours played on it, it's fantastic. And with free DLC content being added, you can't go wrong. The MP is fantastic in my opinion, and while it doesn't feel "like mass effect" because it's a 3rd person horde mode and not a story driven emotional title, it's fantastically done. Do yourself a favor and skip the campaign.… Expand
  74. thatkid1995
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    In my mind, Mass Effect 3 is flawless. The combat is rich and solid, the story is the best I've ever encountered, the characters leave such a raw, visceral sense of emotion that I actually teared up on a few occasions. There is no other game that is such a complete package. The endings were well written and fantastically executed. This is how you make games. BioWare have touched the skyIn my mind, Mass Effect 3 is flawless. The combat is rich and solid, the story is the best I've ever encountered, the characters leave such a raw, visceral sense of emotion that I actually teared up on a few occasions. There is no other game that is such a complete package. The endings were well written and fantastically executed. This is how you make games. BioWare have touched the sky here and there is no turing away from such a well written and well made game… Expand
  75. KillerCornflake
    Feb 5, 2013
    5
    My first experience of the Mass effect series was through the second game in the trilogy, and that really did set the standard high straight from the off. I thought the best idea would most likely be to purchase the 1st game before playing the 3rd one as to account for decisions made throughout the saga. This turned out to be a rather meaningless venture as determined by Mass Effect 3.My first experience of the Mass effect series was through the second game in the trilogy, and that really did set the standard high straight from the off. I thought the best idea would most likely be to purchase the 1st game before playing the 3rd one as to account for decisions made throughout the saga. This turned out to be a rather meaningless venture as determined by Mass Effect 3. With the good, the graphics in this game are neat and arguably the best out of the bunch, it's polished and tidy with a few exceptions that require the gamer to overlook. Combat has been unstuck slightly from what in my view was a more static system in ME2 and ME1, refinement can be observed.

    With the bad then, bearing in mind that most fans of the series will (rightly so) compare this title to it's predecessors, thats what these points are based off. The dialogue options came as a shock to my system, they took away what made the previously fun and exciting conversation choices and beat them down to formulaic two way cutscenes. Even if a player is to explore every single option in a wheel with more than two choices, it merely serves as providing information that mostly accounts for the people who have never played ME before, this trend is also visible with BLATANT repetition of the lore of some species (geth quarian war) that it makes long term players sit and think 'hmm i knew that'. Compared with the other two games, the "sidequests" in ME3 are for the most part dull fetch and return tasks to introduce a feeling of galactic warfare, yet in actual fact it is just another way of EA herding people to spend money in a cash shop to upgrade for the multiplayer seeing as it is the easiest way to increase "galactic readiness" which is ESSENTIAL if you want to end up with a "good ending", i won't get into that one.

    In short ME3 takes a few steps forward in combat and graphics departments, even so these are still not perfect by any means, even small matters of convenience such as in ME2 your squadmate's ability they were using was highlighted on the tactical menu so you could see what you selected, here it's not, little things like that. ME3 takes a major step back in terms of dialogue choice, i can't even talk to my own companions without the game deciding when it it "the right time", even then i can only say a selection of similar phrases. I'd get the game purely for it being ME3 and the end of the series, but don't go in with a high expectation of it matching what you had come to expect.    … Expand
  76. alsec
    Feb 5, 2013
    7
    Mass Effect 3 will not force you to make tough decisions on a galactic scale. The RPG element from the first one has been taken away, and replaced with longer action packed combat. Having 3 games to tell a story, but leaving the player with an ending less desirable, greatly disappoints. If with those gripes, I give it a 7 because it is still a fun game, and the story leading up to theMass Effect 3 will not force you to make tough decisions on a galactic scale. The RPG element from the first one has been taken away, and replaced with longer action packed combat. Having 3 games to tell a story, but leaving the player with an ending less desirable, greatly disappoints. If with those gripes, I give it a 7 because it is still a fun game, and the story leading up to the ending held me with suspense. It is no means as good as the first, or second games in the series, and that does disappoint. But taking a seat back and looking at it for what it is, I enjoyed the game.… Expand
  77. AlienSpaceBats
    Feb 4, 2013
    6
    Painfully disappointing, and I can't have been alone in expecting better. 50% of the game is mindless pandering and fan-service (unnecessary). Corners were cut and the game was clearly rushed out the door, worst: lies were told by members of the development team pre-release. Mass Effect 3 is a minefield of immersion-breaking lazy (or poor) coding, audio and graphic glitches, low resPainfully disappointing, and I can't have been alone in expecting better. 50% of the game is mindless pandering and fan-service (unnecessary). Corners were cut and the game was clearly rushed out the door, worst: lies were told by members of the development team pre-release. Mass Effect 3 is a minefield of immersion-breaking lazy (or poor) coding, audio and graphic glitches, low res textures, no DirectX 11 support, horrible animations and embarassing, fan-fic quality writing. The dialogue wheel is now completely arbitrary and the auto-dialogue is very poor, the journal is an unusable mess (bordering on non-existent) and the game cannot correctly import a character file without it looking FUBAR. In terms of gameplay, the shooter element is better than ever (fluid, fast-paced), and action sequences are great fun (although BioWare's insistence to use the SPACEBAR for everything borders on the ridiculous). Dialogue in general is riddled with clichés (the line "I'll sleep when I'm dead" is actually spoken, without irony) and the less said about the god-awful ending the better. Despite all this, the game is enjoyable at key points and some semblance of what-could-have-been is glimpsed during the Sur'Kesh, Tuchunka and Rannoch missions, however this means the game peaks halfway through before taking a nosedive. Special mention should go to the soundtrack artists (Sam Hulick especially) and the fantastic cut-scene direction, Most surprisingly though, the much dreaded multiplayer (pre-release) turned out to be an excellent addition that for me has extended Mass Effect's life by 9 months (and counting).… Expand
  78. Bryjoered
    Jan 31, 2013
    6
    God this game just isn't very good at all and seeing it in the top 10 for 2012 kind of sickens me. Yes, the combat is equally as fun, maybe a little more fun that its predecessors, but the skill system is this stripped down 3rd person shooter now. Also, the great storylines and side missions that were the absolute best part about the first two games are pretty absent from this one. TheGod this game just isn't very good at all and seeing it in the top 10 for 2012 kind of sickens me. Yes, the combat is equally as fun, maybe a little more fun that its predecessors, but the skill system is this stripped down 3rd person shooter now. Also, the great storylines and side missions that were the absolute best part about the first two games are pretty absent from this one. The side missions are so dull and I just rush through them not caring at all about my dialogue choices, and the main story is pretty sub-par as well. Let's all face it, Bioware has sold their souls to make some cheap bucks. It started with the horrendous Dragon Age 2 and now this. Don't even get me started on DA2 and how much of a fail that was considering how phenomenal the first entry was.… Expand
  79. Ziamboni
    Jan 28, 2013
    8
    Could be perfect, but is only great.
    Positives:
    Main plot is just epic, great and awesome Gameplay is finally refined, making this a fun shooter Emotionally impacting story AMAZING soundtrack As always great voice-acting (especially Mark Meer, Brendan Keener (sp?), Keith David) Javik! Quite good multiplayer, even if lacking Negatives: Scrapping of old characters (most of the    Could be perfect, but is only great.
    Positives:
    Main plot is just epic, great and awesome
    Gameplay is finally refined, making this a fun shooter
    Emotionally impacting story
    AMAZING soundtrack
    As always great voice-acting (especially Mark Meer, Brendan Keener (sp?), Keith David)
    Javik!

    Quite good multiplayer, even if lacking

    Negatives:
    Scrapping of old characters (most of the characters from ME2 are only featured in cameos
    Side-quests aren't as good as they were in ME2 (still better than ME1)
    DAT ENDING, really WTF.
    Some plot points were left hanging (dark energy, proto-reaper from collector base, actually whole collector base decision is nonexistant)
    Handling of MAJOR decisions leaves much to be desired (Rachni queen, already mentioned collector base, rewriting/destroying geth etc)
    Aside from the main ENDING cutscenes, the last mission (priority: earth) which was advertised to DEATH is the worst, most boring missions in whole trilogy. I highly recommend the game, even in its flaws it's an amazing conclusion to epic trilogy.

    TBH, if the last mission (Priority:Earth) wasn't so lack-luster, noone would mind the retarded endings. Here's hoping for Priority:Earth DLC    … Expand
  80. Agrajagg
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    I am sick and tired of the whiny user reviews about the endings. THEY FIXED IT. and if you are still upset about the endings not being that different from each other, then you have not been paying attention to the other endings to the Mass Effect series. These ending are in the same type as the first 2 games. To give the review a 0 just because of the ending is stupid. Here is why, if theI am sick and tired of the whiny user reviews about the endings. THEY FIXED IT. and if you are still upset about the endings not being that different from each other, then you have not been paying attention to the other endings to the Mass Effect series. These ending are in the same type as the first 2 games. To give the review a 0 just because of the ending is stupid. Here is why, if the game was so bad to earn a 0, then you would never finish it to see the endings! The rating is base on and OVERALL experience. The game was a very fun play. I enjoyed the experience and hope that they keep going in the Mass Effect universe.… Expand
  81. BreakingBrad
    Jan 24, 2013
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is an epic and brilliant finale to a great trilogy of games. Let me just note, I am reviewing this game with the Extended Cut ending. The Mass Effect trilogy is the best series of games of all time, mainly because its choices are you choices and we do matters. Some may have found this to be disappointing, but not me.
  82. DeadlyVeggie
    Jan 19, 2013
    9
    Spoilers on the ending:

    Look, moral choices are good, but having a 'Good' and 'Bad' scale to regulate them, is horrible. Thus, the paragon/renegade polarization is a terrible mechanic. HOWEVER, the ending to this series is its redeemer. Having absolutely everything burn is a way to hold up the small moral choices of the series as ultimately pointless. The binary morality of the    Spoilers on the ending:

    Look, moral choices are good, but having a 'Good' and 'Bad' scale to regulate them, is horrible.

    Thus, the paragon/renegade polarization is a terrible mechanic. HOWEVER, the ending to this series is its redeemer. Having absolutely everything burn is a way to hold up the small moral choices of the series as ultimately pointless. The binary morality of the series is therefore undermined.

    I imagine the one brain cell of EA got up on the wrong side of the bed and thought to reinvent Mass Effect at the end, and I for one commend it for its efforts.    … Expand
  83. domak
    Jan 16, 2013
    4
    Anyone who played the previous Mass Effect game and still thinks that this one is good in comparison is just a delusional liar, this sad excuse of a game isn't even HALF of what the previous one was and the conclusion of the story is just unbelievably bad I wonder how is it possible to utterly destroy such a promising franchise.
  84. Xelion
    Jan 15, 2013
    8
    This was almost a great game, it's as good as ME2 with some enhancements. It has many epic missions and moments, yet.. in the end it doesn't even matter. That's why this is not a 10. It's an 8 but including the Extended Cut which really enhanced the game's last moments, though it could have been better.
    I have to admit it has a great optimization as I could fluidly play the game on an    This was almost a great game, it's as good as ME2 with some enhancements. It has many epic missions and moments, yet.. in the end it doesn't even matter. That's why this is not a 10. It's an 8 but including the Extended Cut which really enhanced the game's last moments, though it could have been better.
    I have to admit it has a great optimization as I could fluidly play the game on an old, lowend pc    … Expand
  85. ActionBastard
    Jan 14, 2013
    4
    Perhaps one of the most unfortunate games in existence, both because it could never stand up to the expectations of fans and because it was played off by its creators and dozens of invested parties within gaming journalism as the second coming of Christ. It is a mediocre sequel and a disappointing finale to a well-loved series. Most unfortunate of all, however, is the way in which it andPerhaps one of the most unfortunate games in existence, both because it could never stand up to the expectations of fans and because it was played off by its creators and dozens of invested parties within gaming journalism as the second coming of Christ. It is a mediocre sequel and a disappointing finale to a well-loved series. Most unfortunate of all, however, is the way in which it and several other big-name titles of the last few years have come to represent the baldfaced corruption and lack of integrity within the video game industry. Games should judged as good based on their own merit, not on how many reviewers the publisher can manage to bribe. I give this game a four, for "bad." I would have given it an "average" of 6, but I subtracted one point for the paid-for reviews and one point for the way Bioware instructed journalists to attack their more critical fans. I regret having to look beyond the game itself and into the murk that surrounds it, but as the games industry continue to make video games less about games and more about the surrounding hype and media buzz, I have no choice but to add those factors to my score. Rent and return.… Expand
  86. AlanComek
    Jan 8, 2013
    8
    If you just take the ending out of this, this is another beautiful addition to the Mass Effect series, and (in my opinion), the most refined in terms of gameplay and overall design. Please disregard the hundreds of thousands of babies whining about the ending, which, by the way, is only 15 minutes of your 20-something hour experience.
  87. SympathyChan
    Jan 7, 2013
    7
    My favorite color is red. I like orange too. Choices, choices, choices. Why does life have to be so complicated? Why, Lord? Why? Hristos se rodi, D
  88. vazait
    Jan 5, 2013
    2
    This game is not good as an RPG, it's not good as a cover-based shooter, and it's certainly not good as a hybrid of any sort. This game is atrocious, it truly is. And this comes from someone who liked ME2, despite its flaws. But anyways, what's wrong with the game? Well, I think the ridicilous ending has been covered well enough by a lot of other reviewers, so I won't go into detail on howThis game is not good as an RPG, it's not good as a cover-based shooter, and it's certainly not good as a hybrid of any sort. This game is atrocious, it truly is. And this comes from someone who liked ME2, despite its flaws. But anyways, what's wrong with the game? Well, I think the ridicilous ending has been covered well enough by a lot of other reviewers, so I won't go into detail on how stupid it was. Let's talk about the dumbed down dialogue instead. BioWare and EA apparently thought three choices as a standard was a bit overwhelming when playing ME1&2, so they had to remove the middleground. What is left is the **** and "Good Guy" options, and the occasional Renegade and Paragon option. The Renegade & Paragon system is also pretty stupid. 'If you aren't nice to people, you can't make rational choices'... The **** kind of sense does that make?
    And with the removal of dialogue options, comes the removal of dialogue too. Which I can see makes all kinds of sense. Why would you shift the focus from shooting endless hordes of Cerberus troops, over on the thoughts and psyche of the interesting and beloved crew. We all know thats why we loved the original games, right? It was the neverending cover-based shooting that attracted us all... ... right?
    With all irony aside, I find it pretty annoying that the crew is even less talkable in the third installment, than in the second. In like 19 hours, I had the total of THREE, unique dialogues with Liara (whom I had romanced in the previous games), whereas only TWO of them were private and on the Normandy. That kinda sucks, especially since she's one of my favourite characters in the entire series.
    Also: what's up with the character design? How come everyone dresses in the sexiest "armor" in the entire universe? Don't get me wrong, I am in fact a fan of the female body. But, why did Ashley throw away her giant power armor from ME1, in favor of the sleek, sexy outfit in the third? It looks stupid, and it doesn't make sense. But if she hadn't changed the armor, it would be significantly less time to show of her enlarged bazoongas. I'm not **** you when I say that the size of her **** have been increased from the first game. The entire game is so sexualized it just becomes silly. And to top it all off, they had to make EDI sexy too. I'm actually surprised she isn't a romance option. It would go along with the rest of this **** of a game perfectly. And while we're at EDI: what's her deal? Why does she act so out of character? She's not an AI, but she acts like one. When I think about, practically everyone acts out of character. The only one who doesn't do so, is Harbinger. He does the best job of sticking to his... 'personality' and agenda in the entirety of the game. Even Shepard acts out of character. What's the deal with the homosex-romance? I don't dislike homosexuals in any way, but the sudden change of sexuality is just weird.
    So, is there ANYTHING good about the game, you may ask. Well, kind of. The skill system is decent, better than ME2's (worse than ME1's). The weapons and attachments are pretty good, I prefer it over both the first and second installments' take on it. The armor and armor customization is vastly superior to both 1&2, so there are some good things about the game. One could say it looks pretty too - and I somewhat agree, but you feel like you don't always belong there. The game shows off what it can do and how beautiful it is, and sometimes, one ends up just as a watcher.
    My final complaint is in regards to Cerberus. Why did the story shift the focus away from the Reapers, and onto Cerberus? I don't feel like I'm saving the galaxy most of the time when I'm playing. Battling wave after wave of Cerberus-troops isn't fun, it doesn't make you feel like you're saving the galaxy, and it only makes you wonder why you are bothering with it. Feels kinda like busywork.

    All in all, this is one of the most disappointing games I have ever encountered. Mass Effect was one of my favorite games, and together with sequel one of my favourite game series. But now I can't even thoroughly enjoy the first installments, because I know it will all be in "vain", as this game is so butt****ingly stupid. This game is abominable. Steer clear away from this thing. The only reason this game isn't getting 1/10, is because it has Liara, Tali and Garrus in it (even though none of them want to speak with me).    … Expand
  89. Daverid
    Jan 5, 2013
    4
    These days I play just RPG's (And the occasional session on WoW), I have all but lost faith in the FPS and RTS Genres. Nothing quite sucks me in like an RPG with a; Riveting Plot, Interesting Characters, Good Gameplay and a powerful sense of Immersion. Mass Effect 1, although lacking in the Gameplay department, was 10/10 on every single other aspect of the game. Mass Effect 2 corrected theThese days I play just RPG's (And the occasional session on WoW), I have all but lost faith in the FPS and RTS Genres. Nothing quite sucks me in like an RPG with a; Riveting Plot, Interesting Characters, Good Gameplay and a powerful sense of Immersion. Mass Effect 1, although lacking in the Gameplay department, was 10/10 on every single other aspect of the game. Mass Effect 2 corrected the Gameplay errors that were extremely evident in ME1, however the plot took a MINOR hit, but still was extremely engaging. Then Mass Effect 3 rolled around, and I don't really know what went wrong. People blaming EA, People blaming BioWare... Who knows, all that's evident is this game was nowhere near the sequel we were waiting for.

    The gameplay didn't really improve from Mass Effect 2, but it was good in ME2 so it remains good in ME3. The Characters are still as interesting as ever (and as cool), but of course instead of the massive party selection we got in ME2 it was reduced down to ME1 numbers.
    And the plot, was just ... A mess (And that's giving it credit).

    If there's one thing I can say positive about BioWare, is that at least they still know how to write engaging and interesting characters. I cried several times throughout the game, simply because you get so attached (Or from the previous games) to these 3D people and it's hard to watch some of the tragedies happen, even if you can tell there was going to be casualties in the game. If it wasn't for BioWare still doing such an amazing job in the character department, this game would be lucky to receive a 2 or 3. The plot is just an abysmal mess. You can't really explain the mess without massive spoilers so I'll simply say this. Alot of people (Inlcuding myself) claim that it's 'The Ending' which was at fault, but frankly we just used the Ending as a scapegoat, we didn't/don't want to admit that the problem is in reality the entire game. Singular planet plots like Rannoch and Tuchanka is great, because you're concluding something that was setup in the other games, but the whole 'War Assets' and the nature of the 'Overarching Plot' is just a disgrace. And then after being taken on this wild ride where you go from, 'What the heck this doesn't make sense' ... To 'Omg this is fking awesome we are doing something massive and important' ... Back and forth multiple times, just to end on the 'This doesn't make sense' side of the fence was just the Ash sprinkles on top of the Crap Cake, and it hurt the fans deeply. It's clear alot of the story was designed with players who had been with the series for a long time in mind. Moments that would leave a normal person lifting an eyebrow, was leaving us fans who had been playing since ME1 bawling our eyes out. But then they made this Overarching plot to serve, I don't even know who, because it didn't make sense to the fans and it didn't make sense to anyone else. It was just some kind of strange mess.

    So if you're going to play this regardless of reviews, enjoy the characters, enjoy the locations and enjoy the decent gameplay. Enjoy the Single planet Arcs like Tuchanka and Rannoch, but don't expect to understand the overarching plot, and certainly don't expect to be satisfied and the end, because most likely you won't be.    … Expand
  90. 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.
  91. The_Blackmoore
    Jan 4, 2013
    8
    So the holydays are soon to be over. Every xmas I end up playing old games or trying out titles I skipped when released, sometimes I return to old mmo's or fire up battlefield or COD. This year I ended up buying (among others) the Mass Effect series on the cheap. I played ME1 a couple of years ago, but being a hardcore mmo player the streamlined gameplay somehow left me disappointed backSo the holydays are soon to be over. Every xmas I end up playing old games or trying out titles I skipped when released, sometimes I return to old mmo's or fire up battlefield or COD. This year I ended up buying (among others) the Mass Effect series on the cheap. I played ME1 a couple of years ago, but being a hardcore mmo player the streamlined gameplay somehow left me disappointed back then. Treat it like a interactive book or a movie instead To be honest the problem was, I misunderstood the whole concept and compared it to computer games and mmo gameplay I general. When I returned this winter I choose to treat it as a interactive book or a movie instead - and boy was I in for a ride. I played thru ME1 and ME2 and finally in ME3.

    For the first time I have actually cried during certain moments in a computer game.
    As an interactive movie or book the Mass Effect trilogy is one of the greatest games/stories of our generation. It's a trilogy and should be experienced like one straight up. Gameplay is pretty streamlined, but Bioware leaves you with a ton of hard moral choices within the story itself making the game taking some really different turns depending on how you decide play it. There at least three different endings - each of them depending on the decisions you made during the game(s). The replayability is not all that great, the core of the story will always be the same, but the relations with your comrades, alliances with other races could change dramatically. It's the little things that stand out and stay with you. The deep comradeship with Garrus or the fact that there at least two crewmembers being openly gay. The different romantic relations you can pursue. Or the moments when you have to sacrifice one of you teammates. In my case one who had been with me from ME1

    If you're looking for cheap games on Steam or Origin the Mass Effect series is a great choice if you likes me missed out earlier. It's breath taking.

    The Mass Effect trilogy is one of the greatest games of our generation, and you would be a fool to miss it.    … Expand
  92. Aeryx
    Jan 3, 2013
    5
    Mass effect 3 is solid proof that Bioware has no intention of continuing their honorable tradition of making great games. It's just generic releases now to make the most amount of cash before EA runs this company to the ground. The glaring inconsistencies, bad character writing and poor choices make this a disgraceful sequel to Mass Effect 1 and 2. If you feel that Dragon Age 2 was aMass effect 3 is solid proof that Bioware has no intention of continuing their honorable tradition of making great games. It's just generic releases now to make the most amount of cash before EA runs this company to the ground. The glaring inconsistencies, bad character writing and poor choices make this a disgraceful sequel to Mass Effect 1 and 2. If you feel that Dragon Age 2 was a downer compared to DA:O, multiply that by 5 and you have Mass Effect 3. How this game got positive reviews from "critics" only shows that they absolutely have no idea of what made the original games great. How the hell do they keep their jobs!? Unbelievable.… Expand
  93. McCrichierich
    Jan 2, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really enjoyed Mass Effect 3 when it wasn't forcing me to watch an unskippable cut-scene that went on for 50,000 years! I wouldn't mind a few unskippable cut-scenes that are short and don't contain dialogue that is so melodramatic and cheesy that I actually had to turn the game off once or twice. I felt the game tried too hard to be like a film and tried really hard to make me care about the characters, something which they had achieved moderately in the previous 2, but fell so far short this time because of atrocious writing. I found it really difficult to become attached to Shephard at all because he had as much personality as a piece of plain paper with the word "nice" on it. Or he was Satan incarnate whom Cerberus for some reason decided to install a naughty or nice detection chip in his face. (A clear theft from Fable. Although it's acceptable in Fable because it's more cartoony and like a fairytale where witches have hooked noses and good guys are disturbingly aryan.) They also copped out of it as well by putting a heal all scars option in med-bay. Why bother having it in if you can just erase it in a heart beat? Either do it or don't. It just seemed a bit flaky for a game based so tightly on the consequences of actions to literally have an opt out button. I did really like the way the previous choices affected the game. I also liked how they tried to tie up the loose ends with the characters from ME2. Although, it seemed to me that by the end of the game someone points out "Jesus we forgot Jack! Quickly someone put her in!" So their solution was to just have her leap at Shephard and die within 10 seconds and a quick remark from Shephard and team mate to let you know that it really was her. The encounter was actually so brief and dissatisfying that I genuinely thought that it wasn't her and I was about to find out that the Illusive Man had caught her and found a way to make clones of her to fight for him. Then I would have to fight through waves of Jack look-a-likes and find her trapped in a machine being cloned and in need of rescue. Then once rescued she joins the cause or has to sacrifice herself to destroy the station like Mordin and Miranda or something. But no she just leaped at you and died. I thought that the fighting gameplay was very good and got my adrenaline going. Although the going into cover and sprinting was often irritating. I would press A to go into cover nothing would happen so I press it again and he pops into cover then out again so he got shot in the face a lot. I did think that the powers were too strong. You can decimate huge hordes of enemies quite easily without going into cover. All you need to do is use adrenaline rush with 1 power enabled and have EDI and Liara with you to use incinerate and singularity. The galaxy map was well done and I liked the idea of the reapers detecting your scanner if you entered reaper occupied space. The first time I heard the loud buzz indicating their presence I was genuinely intimidated and rushed like hell to get out of there. But after finding out that I could outrun them for ages and that the only consequence of being caught was an "oh no you got caught! Now start again from 20 seconds earlier." There was no real threat and I wound up feeling that their presence was more of a minor inconvenience than a real hazard to be avoided. Now to get to my biggest complaint about the game. It all starts with one little boy who from the second I saw him playing outside I started a stop watch in my head for when he was going to die. It was shamelessly and clumsily trying to make me feel for this boy. I felt nothing but contempt for that flimsy attempt to make me feel emotionally invested. Then they expanded this dung heap of an idea into an agonisingly bad dream sequence which you can't skip and, as far as I can tell, has no relevance to anything whatsoever. It doesn't advance the plot. It didn't make me care about the boy. It didn't make me think Shephard was deep or more relatable. It was irritating, it slowed the game down and I couldn't help shouting at the screen "Hurry up you pretentious idiots!" Overall, I think I would give the game a 2/10 for dialogue. 7 or 8/10 for the story (good idea let down by enamel peelingly bad dialogue) 8 or 9/10 for combat. Martin Sheen as ever gave a 10/10 performance and expertly depicted a man trying to make the right decisions but losing sight of what is right because of his penchant for solitude. Usually I wouldn't score a game for its dialogue because people don't really play games for it. However, since I felt ME3 was trying so hard to be a film it seemed right to include the dialogue in an overall score. This score would be much higher if the game wasn't trying to be a game/film with appalling dialogue.… Expand
  94. Orlandu84
    Dec 31, 2012
    7
    It wasn't bad, and it wasn't superb either. I cannot comment upon the original ending because I played it with the extended ending. Having said that my complaints with the game have to do more with character interactions, scope, and pacing than anything else. First, unlike Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 never made me care about the characters all that much. The magnitude of the Reaper WarIt wasn't bad, and it wasn't superb either. I cannot comment upon the original ending because I played it with the extended ending. Having said that my complaints with the game have to do more with character interactions, scope, and pacing than anything else. First, unlike Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 never made me care about the characters all that much. The magnitude of the Reaper War made characters and their own personal problems quite trivial. This point begs the question of scope. The game attempts to achieve an epic feel while maintaining familiar with the main characters. Unfortunately, it fails in this respect. Despite its giant space battles, the game never created an atmosphere that conveyed the gravity of the situation the characters found themselves. Then again, this could equally be my failing as much as it is the game's. For after two previous installments of Shepherd saving the cosmos, I am kind of used to the stakes being very high. Lastly, the pacing just felt off to me. The final battles did not seem to build all that much dramatic tension. Also, we learned too many important facts too quickly at the end for their significance to be comprehended. Having said that, the game is still good. The plot does make sense. The voice acting is really good. The action is engaging. I had fun. Unfortunately, it was not the masterpiece most of us were hoping it would be.… Expand
  95. HomeCritic
    Dec 30, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 has probably the most convoluted, lore destructive, narrative disaster of story telling I've seen in recent years. Despite few good episodes involving geth and the krogan it really isn't anything good. Introduction was confusing and not following the lore and events after the Arrival DLC, it's not the best decision if Bioware wanted to market this more towards the masses. Secondly, what was the point of ME2 if only in ME3 we are introduced with probably the most narrative breaking Deus Ex Machina device I have ever seen - the Crucible. No one knows what it does or what its for, except the hope, that this big clunk of metal can defeat antagonists - the Reapers. Shouldn't the trilogy had gone like this:
    ME1 - introducing the threat
    ME2 - learning how to stop a threat
    ME3 - stopping the threat Again, ME2 serves no purpose.
    Cerberus and their motives are as confusing as the whole TIM indoctrination by the reapers. What was the point of reapers letting to play with their mind game toys if they later on they destroyed the whole facility?
    The whole lore is utterly destroyed. Alliance are idiots, Cerberus are idiots, Reapers are idiots and Shepard is an idiot. ME1 epic was changed into ME2 space opera.
    And now the ending... Ugh.. Do I even have to start? It was the worst thing I've ever seen in story telling. The Extended Cut DLC, believe it or not, made it even worse. The ending single hand destroyed the ME1 lore, let me question Alliance strategies how to take down Reapers, and finally made antagonists into complete an utter morons. Not only the main theme was destroyed, but the fact that reapers wants to save us from ourselves by committing mass genocide of entire galaxy is the most logic breaking nonsense I've ever heard. I see what writers tried to do here, showing as much ideas and philosophies in to the main narrative, but they just didn't work, because of poor writing. So what we got is a third person RPG shooter with refined shooter elements, but extremely poor execution of RPG elements. The Quest system is probably the second worst thing in the game, it is completely broken, so is the customization. Multiplayer inclusion wasn't necessary at all.
    Overall its a convoluted package of nonsense. 2/10    … Expand
  96. Wessen
    Dec 29, 2012
    9
    Come one people! i don't normally write reviews, but i felt compelled to, because the game was really enjoyable, no idea why so many are complaining about the ending, it wasn't that bad, i enjoyed the game and found myself captivated throughout my playtime, there's no reason to trash the game if the story line didn't meet your expectations, its a phenomenal experience. i had very littleCome one people! i don't normally write reviews, but i felt compelled to, because the game was really enjoyable, no idea why so many are complaining about the ending, it wasn't that bad, i enjoyed the game and found myself captivated throughout my playtime, there's no reason to trash the game if the story line didn't meet your expectations, its a phenomenal experience. i had very little performance issues, and i highly recommend this if you enjoyed the other two titles, don't let the user reviewed put you off trying this out, for once the game critics got it right.… Expand
  97. Brumbek
    Dec 28, 2012
    5
    What an annoying game to review...the gameplay is solid. The combat is fairly fun and some of the side quest stories are really great. Plus reuniting with old friends is VERY fun. You do feel like you are making a difference as you play to save the galaxy. This game easily packs 50 hours of content. ********** But then there's the ending. No spoilers here, but it is COMPLETELY MORONIC. ItWhat an annoying game to review...the gameplay is solid. The combat is fairly fun and some of the side quest stories are really great. Plus reuniting with old friends is VERY fun. You do feel like you are making a difference as you play to save the galaxy. This game easily packs 50 hours of content. ********** But then there's the ending. No spoilers here, but it is COMPLETELY MORONIC. It pulls a Deus Ex Machina and violates its own lore. If you hated the Matrix 2 & 3's lunatic (Architect) storytelling, you will utterly despise ME3's storytelling. ********** So yeah...the game is great until the end...and the ending is so bad, so utterly insulting to all intelligent beings that I cannot, CANNOT recommend ME3. Like Jar Jar Binks, we wish it never happened.… Expand
  98. fartbarfunkel
    Dec 24, 2012
    0
    Not even taking the endings into consideration, I don't understand how people can actually think this is a good game, let alone a success from BioWare. Mass Effect 1 had its faults, but brought us an expansive, detailed universe and a solid story line. Mass Effect 2 was a disappointment (Cerberus. Stripping RPG elements.) but still had very engaging characters and enjoyable recruitment andNot even taking the endings into consideration, I don't understand how people can actually think this is a good game, let alone a success from BioWare. Mass Effect 1 had its faults, but brought us an expansive, detailed universe and a solid story line. Mass Effect 2 was a disappointment (Cerberus. Stripping RPG elements.) but still had very engaging characters and enjoyable recruitment and loyalty missions. Mass Effect 3 is by far the weakest of the trilogy. It's completely abandoned the things that made the first two games memorable. The characters have largely become caricatures. The most prominent example of this that I can think of is Wrex. Many of his lines are painfully OOC, as if BioWare decided to superimpose Varric from DA2 onto him. The cheesy, cringe-inducing lines are piled on thick. I played through a second time as a full-paragon, and ended up skipping as many of the horrible lines as I could because it was so embarrassing. When the game forced me to listen, there were times when I found myself saying "SHUT UP." The completely blatant fanservice strips the game of sincerity. The entire game I felt like BioWare was just humoring me and those bizarre threads on their forum with pictures of FemShep pregnant with Garrus' baby or whatever. The content is just offensive to those who have been playing since the first game. But the worst thing is that you're forced to play as action-movie protagonist Shepard. The dialogue options are extremely few and far between, the neutral options are gone, the interrupts have been slashed. You watch a character that you may have been creating over the span of three games talk for minutes on end without any input from you. Because of this, the things Shepard says are really odd. Sometimes a full-renegade Shepard spouts bizarre idealistic bleeding-heart lines. And in turn, a full-paragon Shepard can act very insensitive. WITHOUT ANY INPUT. You can't shape anything about Shepard except some of the choices he/she makes, when before you could both shape those choices and WHY Shepard would make them. Obviously there were so many other issues. The PC controls, the animation (FemShep's running animations on the Normandy reminded me of Steamboat Willie or Popeye or something), Origin, Day 1 DLC, the massive plotholes, Shepard is even stupider than usual (WTF is Avina, durr),Cerberus, the missed opportunities. The endings are still stupid with the extended cut, and the giant middle finger of a refusal ending shows you exactly what BioWare thinks of the fans who have brought them here, the ones intelligent and dedicated enough to point out that a paragon Shepard has always found a way to get missions done without sacrificing their beliefs and would never accept the Starchild's logic.

    When Casey Hudson talked about dismissing a final boss fight because it was too "video-gamey" for the endings we received, it all made sense. Hudson just wanted to make an action movie. That's it. But instead of an action movie, or a good game, we got the steaming pile that is Mass Effect 3. This series had so much potential. But its potential AND everything it had already gotten right was squandered in this title in the name of trying to please both action game lovers and bizarre fans with banners begging for fatuous dialogue options, romances, etc, and for the egos of Hudson and Walters.    … Expand
  99. runeron
    Dec 23, 2012
    8
    I bought this game since I've played through both ME1 and ME2. After reading a lot of bad reviews, I didn't play it until recently. I have to say, after finishing it I don't understand why it has gotten so many bad user reviews. Sure, it could have been a lot better in many ways, but the game is fun to play and offers many hours of entertainment. I'm also positively surprised as to how funI bought this game since I've played through both ME1 and ME2. After reading a lot of bad reviews, I didn't play it until recently. I have to say, after finishing it I don't understand why it has gotten so many bad user reviews. Sure, it could have been a lot better in many ways, but the game is fun to play and offers many hours of entertainment. I'm also positively surprised as to how fun the multiplayer is. If you haven't bought the game already, it's well worth the money. Don't rush through the game, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well; It's not all about how good/bad the ending is (the way it is done was actually a bit disappointing). Don't forget to try out multiplayer.… Expand
  100. mbelle_1983
    Dec 23, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 shows us an intense ending of an epic story with good graphics and characters. You have to know part one and two. For all others: It`s a mix of a science fiction action role playing game.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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