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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. 4110
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety,Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety, the narrative of the characters tied in nicely with huge story. Tons of guns. The negative feedback feels like a bandwagon jump and an exaggeration of the let down of the choices, but purely on a game point standpoint there was a great deal of dynamic content that I'm definitely looking forward to replaying.… Expand
  2. BlueReckloose
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    The game is a very good step up on the story telling from Mass Effect 2, there is just more to the telling this particularly go around, lots of dialogue. It's definitely better on story telling than the first, where you get snippits and bits constantly, instead of running up to characters only to have them drop an encyclopedia out of there mouth like what happened in the first one.

    I'm    The game is a very good step up on the story telling from Mass Effect 2, there is just more to the telling this particularly go around, lots of dialogue. It's definitely better on story telling than the first, where you get snippits and bits constantly, instead of running up to characters only to have them drop an encyclopedia out of there mouth like what happened in the first one.

    I'm also really liking that the whole encyclopedia effect has been relegated to being more optional, as it does sometimes pop up, but after the important conversation. So, you end up getting back story after actually meeting a character, and you don't feel some prescient need to roll through it all.

    The way items works feels a great deal more in depth than ME2. There just seem to be more options, which is good. I still preferred the item system from the first, but ME3's items are superior to the seemingly non existent options of ME2.

    The expanded romance options from the first two games are really nice. I always felt left out and somewhat prudish playing the first two with having so few options. And for all the people complaining about "gay romance" ruining the game, it's low key, fitted incredibly well to the game and story. Nothing feels out of place, it's just part of the world. I really liked randomly running into a few NPC's that would briefly touch on their own relationships as well. It makes the world feel more alive than the previous two titles.    … Expand
  3. Khalisto
    Sep 2, 2014
    9
    Top notch graphics, sounds, music and story. Love the character development among the companions and the story that each brought to the mass effect universe. I love the writing and hope there is more DLC to come.
  4. Kokanee
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    I've played ME3 for about two hours now, so far I'm absolutely loving it. I honestly don't know why some many players here are **** about the game; I only finished ME2 a few weeks ago (yes I was late to the party) and to me ME3 just seems like more of the same awesome that ME3 was. Gameplay is great, really enjoying the new tactics and challenging AI (flanking, grenades etc). Running thisI've played ME3 for about two hours now, so far I'm absolutely loving it. I honestly don't know why some many players here are **** about the game; I only finished ME2 a few weeks ago (yes I was late to the party) and to me ME3 just seems like more of the same awesome that ME3 was. Gameplay is great, really enjoying the new tactics and challenging AI (flanking, grenades etc). Running this on an HP ENVY 17 and it looks fantastic; everyone complaining about the "overdone shadows" is simply revealing their ignorance of the game, you have to turn on "dynamic shadows" and then it looks great, otherwise yes everything looks blacked out in pools of inky black shadow. If your rig can't handle this setting, upgrade, end of story.

    In summary, very pleased so far and looking forward to getting deeper into this game, sad it's the last one in the series.    … Expand
  5. Shermos
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles,I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles, they are a bit small to read from a distance which is for people who don't have English as their first language. Lastly, the running animations. They look a bit ridiculous, but are okay once you get used to them. Mass effect was never about the game play for me anyway.

    The face importing issue is a real let down, but don't worry too much about this, Bioware have promised to get a fix out ASAP. Make your first play through a new game instead of an import and by the time you're ready to do an import for your second game, the issue will likely be worked out. Now to what I liked. The plot and characters were both really good, and that includes the endings which a lot of people seem to hate. Without spoiling the game, Shepard's story ends, but there isn't complete closure. Some questions are left open to be answered in a future Mass Effect game. You're left to imagine what might happen and look forward to whatever Bioware comes up with next. The game is also much funnier and more emotional than the previous games. I almost got a bit teary in places. The writers did a really good job at making players invest emotions into the characters and races of the universe. To some up, please please, please ignore any rating which goes below 5 or 6. All these ones and zeroes are totally uncalled for and coming from people who either haven't played the game, or hate the developer. I can promise that you'll enjoy ME3 if you give it a try.    … Expand
  6. chriseggroll
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is a great game. It has the expansiveness of the first one, the improvements on the combat system of ME2, and has the great story and character depth you would expect from a Mass Effect game. All the class powers have been tweaked enough to feel fresh and the new weight capacity dynamic gives you lots of flexibility. Want to focus on using powers? Fine, just take one weapon and boom, 200% bonus cooldown reduction. Want to use mainly weapons? Fine, pick one of everything if you want. The multiplayer adds a new bit of flexibility into the game as well, allowing you to skip some side missions if you want and still get a good war asset score. It's also pretty addicting if you actually try and play it, though it really IS totally optional. I will say that you will have to be pretty exhaustive with the side quests if you want to do only single player, and it might not be possible to get a high score without an imported Shepard. As far as the ending goes, I will admit to being pretty disappointed and would have given this game a 10 rating otherwise. Since the whole game is thrilling and a joy to play, I only took off 1 point, but if the conclusion is all you care about, don't get your hopes up too high. The Mass Effect Trilogy is definitely no fairy tale, but the ending scene doesn't seem to offer much closure as far as how your companions fared, let alone the rest of the galaxy or even Shepard himself. I think some people have definitely gone overboard with their outrage, but as a longtime fan of the series, I did feel let down by the too-short conclusion of a three-game trilogy.… Expand
  7. Dexter
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    Mass effect 3 is a really good game, the story is written very well.
    the ending is a drawback though. the day one DLC is also a problem, because its should have in game.
    but all together mass effect 3 have a lot to offer including a multiplayer mod which is pretty good if I do say so myself - and I do.
  8. AJ6432
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game, despite a few flaws. Compared to Mass Effect 2, ME3 seems less polished. Graphically, the game looks fantastic, particularly the character animations and faces. However, there are some of the slow-loading textures that plagued the the first game, though not as abundant or drastic looking. I have also sparsely encountered this weird "glitch" whereMass Effect 3 is a fantastic game, despite a few flaws. Compared to Mass Effect 2, ME3 seems less polished. Graphically, the game looks fantastic, particularly the character animations and faces. However, there are some of the slow-loading textures that plagued the the first game, though not as abundant or drastic looking. I have also sparsely encountered this weird "glitch" where characters heads turn back and forth sporadically during conversations; there have even been one or two incidents where a character is fully glitched out of whole cut-scenes. Overall, though, the presentation is very well done. The sound is superb, from the voice-acting to the orchestral background music, living up to the Mass Effect name. However, the music doesn't stick out to me as well as the music from the second game. In terms of gameplay, the game is the best in the series, with solid shooting, squad, and cover mechanics; my only qualm with it is that the space bar, used for cover, is also used to roll (double-click) and interact with the environment, and when trying to perform one of these actions one may perform one of the others. The menus are more streamlined, except for the journal. Perhaps my biggest issue with ME3 is the journal. In the second game, your journal was separated into two categories: main missions and secondary missions. If you clicked on one of the missions, an outline would appear and display what you should do next in a mission. This is gone in ME3 and all of the mission appear under one category, and are not very organized. The codex is strangely also located under the journal, but this for me is not an issue. There is also the matter of obtaining secondary missions. In the second game, one had to engage in conversation with characters in an area to start sidequests. In ME3, one simply overhears conversations in an area and most of the secondary missions are automatically started. This feels less interactive and, simply, less engaging. My last issue with ME3 is searching the galaxy. While some (or more likely many) did not like the planet scanning/mining feature of the second game, I enjoy it, making me feel that I had to explore the whole galaxy and read all of the lore. In the third game, there a new system that involves avoiding Reapers in the galaxy; if they catch you while you are exploring a system and scanning objects, it's game over. While this system is fun, it also feels limiting. These issues aside, Mass Effect 3 is overall a wonderful game. It is definitely the most emotionally engaging game of the trilogy, and does not skimp on any story-telling quality. It is amazing to see how one's actions in the first two games culminates in the third game. While I do wish that your squad was larger than six options (downloadable content aside), the squadmates in combat and in conversation are seemingly flawless (graphical hitches aside). I highly recommend Mass Effect 3, but I even more highly recommend you play the first two games before this one for a truly emotional, interactive, and exciting experience!… Expand
  9. DukeGrimm
    Jun 27, 2012
    9
    Bioware stepped up and made the changes that bring the game to what it should have been. The game is not complete. As such my rating is what I feel the product should be alloted based on its story, gameplay, and functionality.
  10. artheck
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    It's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user scoreIt's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user score is way too low. Sorry but I must go -going back to the gameplay ;)… Expand
  11. Xdos216
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of aThis is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of a fps . On top of the cool shoot outs the graphics are top notch for console. This game also has great voice overs . I'm my opinion it's one of the best games to make the characters seem human with all the interaction you get . This review is my personal thoughts on this game. But I will say if u tired of the same old same old games and u never played any of the mass effects give this one a chance u might discover something new and fun… Expand
  12. Poizun85
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    %99 masterpiece and 1% of an ending that leaves much to be desired. Don't listen to all the QQ's about this game it is absolutely amazing and a great ride through the end. All your choices matter in what forces you can recruit to save Earth. The combat is streamlined and there are plenty of weapons. Lots of emotions run rampant throughout the game and really dig deep, but in a good way. I%99 masterpiece and 1% of an ending that leaves much to be desired. Don't listen to all the QQ's about this game it is absolutely amazing and a great ride through the end. All your choices matter in what forces you can recruit to save Earth. The combat is streamlined and there are plenty of weapons. Lots of emotions run rampant throughout the game and really dig deep, but in a good way. I was a bit weary on the multiplayer aspect but it actually delivers as a fun " BLOPS zombie" type gaming experience. Fantastic game I would recommend to everyone that is a fan of RPG's.… Expand
  13. Iconix
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd like to start by suggesting that people ignore all of the knee-jerk 0 or 1 score reviews given to this game, many of which are being written by people who admittedly haven't even played it. Mass Effect 3 is not a bad game, it's not even a mediocre game. It is a FANTASTIC game with an admittedly subpar and unsatisfying ending, and a large number of people are losing sight of the context because of their (understandable) attachment to the series as a whole.

    To begin, let me state my biggest pros and cons from the previous two games:

    Mass Effect 1:
    Pros: Fantastic, engaging, compelling story with interesting characters and a rich background.
    Cons: Clunky mechanics and gameplay

    Mass Effect 2:
    Pros: Vastly improved gameplay mechanics, well-developed character-oriented stories
    Cons: Main storyline is underdeveloped in comparison to all the time you spend on the individual character stories, RPG customization elements severely dumbed down

    Now let me say what Mass Effect 3 did about the problems in the previous games, first regarding the gameplay mechanics and the RPG customization elements:
    The gameplay in ME3 is the best in the series by far. While the cover controls are somewhat clunky at first, they aren't difficult to get used to. ME2 was absurdly easy even on the hardest difficulties, and there was very little variation in enemy tactics, while ME3 is far more challenging and presents much more differences between the tactics and abilities of different enemies.

    The RPG elements of ME3 are far better than either of the previous two installations of the series. Instead of having an enormous, confusing pile of weapons and equipment with no easy way to sort(ME1), or having almost no choices to make whatsoever because each new item you get is a clear upgrade over the last(ME2), you get a system of interchangeable weapons with varying stats, each suiting different preferences, and each can be modified further to allow everyone to create a customized setup that suits their playstyle. Instead of having tons of skill points to split among tiny incremental updates to two dozen skills(ME1), or having a meager set of abilities with only four ranks and one minor specialization each(ME2), you now have a healthy mix of both active and passive abilities, with each giving three opportunities for further specialization, allowing two people playing the same character class to end up with drastically different abilities.

    Now, to the most important part of Mass Effect, the story. I'll try to keep the spoilers as generic as possible. ME3 made two big improvements over ME2 in this regard. First, it made the story drive the game again like ME1, instead of the characters like ME2. Second, it managed to make everything feel connected to a larger purpose. Everything you do in ME3, even down to the most seemingly menial tasks, all has a feeling of being part of the greater aim of preparing the galaxy for war. I did every side mission I could find while I was playing ME3 and never once did I feel like I was doing something that felt out of place in my effort to prepare the galaxy to fight the Reapers. Within the main story missions, the writing is great, the characters are compelling, and there are far more choices that leave you stuck thinking about a morally gray outcome than many of the more black-and-white choices of the previous games. I know many people are upset at the fact that many ME2 characters get little more than a short token appearance, and some of them die in unavoidable fashion, but I think these people are missing the point that A) all of them could have died in ME2 so there's no way they could all be written into major roles, and B) part of the impact of ME3 is showing that death is an unavoidable consequence of war. On the whole I found the main storyline to be exciting, compelling, and well worth the price of admission.

    My gripes with Mass Effect 3, like many others, regard the ending. First of all, I think the segment of the game on Earth is much too short. For the amount of time we spent building these assets I expected a bigger and more complex finale, which is one area where ME2 excelled by breaking up the final mission into the various segments with different goals. The finale on the citadel, while it does bring closure to the storyline, is unsatisfying mainly for its lack of connection to all the choices you made previously. The player is left to imagine the ramifications of Shepard's last choice and legacy of other decisions but doesn't get any of the exposition we were all hoping for. The war assets also have much too little an effect at the very end.

    What it comes down to is that Bioware made an incredible game that loses its coherence in the final hours. I'd give the first 90% a 9.5/10 and the ending a 5/10, and I'm hoping that Bioware responds to the criticism and does right by their fans, because this game, and this series as a whole, deserve it.    … Expand
  14. kaleka-veteRrun
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    The beautiful game, a milestone in the history of gaming. The only negative is that the videos and the cutscenes does not affect the passage of side quests and important decisions that you take in the game. 9.0
  15. SapphireSnake
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    the beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre lookthe beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre look it up). the only bad thing I really have to say against the ending is that you never get any good explanation of what happens to the rest of the crew, however I think this is a minor annoyance in comparision to the whole game and I felt that the tird installment was more about shepard rescuing the galaxy than shepard rescuing the galaxy with h*s crew!

    it's an epic game and few games has ever given such strong emotions of happines, sorrow and most of all longing as the whole mass effect series has done!    … Expand
  16. taicleis
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    First of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and playedFirst of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and played them non-stop the minute they were mine. I pore over each game. I love Mass Effect - all three games - more than any other franchise. ME3 isn't perfect, but anyone giving it anything less than a 5 or 6 is just being unreasonable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The game is a massive undertaking and is the farthest thing from simple, whether or not the people spoiled by YouTube videos and online walkthroughs can see that. Love it or hate it, it deserves a very high score. Professional reviewers can see that. If you can't, don't review the damn game. Learn to count instead.    … Expand
  17. CBoudreau
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    ME3 is a fantastic game. It's true, the ending leaves something to be desired, but the journey throughout the rest of the game is just so amazing and emotionally gripping. Do yourself a favor and at least give it a shot to form your own opinion, don't just blindly adhere to the enraged horde's opinions.
  18. Drekor
    Mar 16, 2012
    9
    This game is a great example of people expecting more than is possible. The game continues with the same story, same theme and same style as the previous ones. Expands on the character customization available in the previous two, makes "scanning" much less ridiculous and introduces a lot more choices which shift how you travel to the end.

    The ending certainly was not the greatest, it    This game is a great example of people expecting more than is possible. The game continues with the same story, same theme and same style as the previous ones. Expands on the character customization available in the previous two, makes "scanning" much less ridiculous and introduces a lot more choices which shift how you travel to the end.

    The ending certainly was not the greatest, it seems like it was a scene that should have been played over several hours rather than 10 minutes but that doesn't detract from the fact the rest of the game was well done. Many people are upset because they feel your choices don't matter, which I don't agree with, the way your journey progresses through the game as well as dialogue is heavily influenced by your previous choices. I think again people were expecting too much and that the ending would have a variation for every combination of choices out there ... which would be absurd.    … Expand
  19. Bobnik
    Mar 17, 2012
    9
    People, are you serious? You can't give a REALLY bad score just because endings are bad and textures are loading not so well. I agree, this game is a little letdown, and Mass Effect 2 is still the best Mass Effect game. However, I don't agree about endings. They're not bad. They're just not like any other ending from different games. And I like it a lot. Sure, endings are a bitPeople, are you serious? You can't give a REALLY bad score just because endings are bad and textures are loading not so well. I agree, this game is a little letdown, and Mass Effect 2 is still the best Mass Effect game. However, I don't agree about endings. They're not bad. They're just not like any other ending from different games. And I like it a lot. Sure, endings are a bit disappointing, but they are not bad. What about graphics... I don't care, actually. But everything else is great: story, gameplay, combat etc. That's why I give this game 9 out of 10.… Expand
  20. Ghostryderflyby
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    I wrote an earlier review giving the game a 7 because of the disappointing ending. I've decided to amend that score. The game itself is stellar, with a terrific story, environment, voice acting and musical score. Game play is damned fun and the game really draws you into the story. The ability to see your choices across all three of the games affect what alliances you are able to build inI wrote an earlier review giving the game a 7 because of the disappointing ending. I've decided to amend that score. The game itself is stellar, with a terrific story, environment, voice acting and musical score. Game play is damned fun and the game really draws you into the story. The ability to see your choices across all three of the games affect what alliances you are able to build in the final chapter is an accomplishment by Bioware and very satisfying to the player. Single player is a blast, and multiplayer is surprisingly quite fun and well implemented. Everything about the game is amazing, so I can't continue to knock it down just because the creative vision of the writers for the ending doesn't match my idea of a good ending. I'd still prefer a much better ending, but the game is terrific through 95% of it and deserves a good score for the 95% they did right. So I'm amending my score to a 9.5.… Expand
  21. Umberto
    Apr 18, 2012
    9
    Even though there are many negative reviews, and i didn't like the game as much as ME1 and ME2, it remains a good game, with an intriguing story, a charismatic character and an enjoyable gameplay
  22. Baknik
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    This game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fansThis game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fans of the series.… Expand
  23. devil_92
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    i will simply say that it is an awesome game,Bioware listend to the feedback from mass effect 2 and highly improved the general gameplay,and added many customisation options that was lacking in mass effect 2 there is just 1 negative thing i can say about mass effect 3 and that is the bad ending,other then that it was great,multiplayer great,series great, totally worth the money i put downi will simply say that it is an awesome game,Bioware listend to the feedback from mass effect 2 and highly improved the general gameplay,and added many customisation options that was lacking in mass effect 2 there is just 1 negative thing i can say about mass effect 3 and that is the bad ending,other then that it was great,multiplayer great,series great, totally worth the money i put down on the digital deluxe edition :)… Expand
  24. JimmyWhistles
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    I was seriously enjoying this game for 95% of the time I played it. In fact, if I could have, I would have given it an 11 out of 10. But then I reached the end. Don't worry, no spoilers, but let's just say the ending seriously leaves something to be desired. The gameplay aspect is just as good as that of Mass Effect 2, and the story itself (except the end) is nearly flawless. Mass Effect 2I was seriously enjoying this game for 95% of the time I played it. In fact, if I could have, I would have given it an 11 out of 10. But then I reached the end. Don't worry, no spoilers, but let's just say the ending seriously leaves something to be desired. The gameplay aspect is just as good as that of Mass Effect 2, and the story itself (except the end) is nearly flawless. Mass Effect 2 is absolutely my favorite game ever played, and Mass Effect 3 (Singleplayer) is a great game with a flawed ending. What bumps this game from the 8/10 I would have given it to the 9/10 I am giving it is the multiplayer. While it isn't the main focus of the game (not for me anyway), I foresee it entertaining me for a while while I rank up all the various classes. In summation, it would be a 10 from me, but the ending was flawed at best, so it's a 9.… Expand
  25. Jobles
    Mar 22, 2012
    9
    The beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was nearThe beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was near impossible if you're avoiding something or trying to run around corners. ME 3 allows faster, unlimited running, and you can run around corners easily, which helps if you're trying to run to much better cover. The weapons are customizable this time, as well as there being more weapons, not as many as ME1, but you receive plenty to choose from, especially if you're a PC user. The modifications are back as well, but these are limited compared to its ME1 predecessors. Story is just as good as it was before. There's certain points where, if you've played the games in succession, you will cry. On a bad note, there's some things that are not good. While throughout the game you gather Alliance strength for the final battle, it seems like gathering a lot doesn't matter. As you're fighting, you don't see the Rachni Queen's people on the ground (if you saved her). You don't see Turians, Asari, Batarians, Krogan(if you saved Wrex in the first game, and helped Wrex and the Turians become allies this game). Which is a huge let-down. I wanted to see everyone on the line with me. I wanted to go through the battles, and see these people, and creatures, fighting with me while we assaulted the ground units of the Reapers. Another bad thing is the day one DLC. Paying 10 dollars for the content locked on disc. It's a horrible business practice which companies need to STOP. The character is worth it, though, because unlike Kasumi and Zaeed, the DLC character has a story. He's interactive inside and outside the ship. You talk to him, you have choices. Your shipmates talk to him, NPCs on the Citadel talk to him at one point. If those two are worth 5 bucks, and you don't even interact with them aside from they spout something, without a conversation wheel popping up to interact with them. The DLC character for 3, has all that, and he's a great fighter. All in all, this game was great. It was almost perfect, however I do understand why people are giving this game a terrible rating. The ending(s) are why. However, almost every question is answered thanks to what is fan-researched: The Indoctrination Theory. When you finish this game, if you have questions still, go to YouTube, look up the 22 minute video Mass Effect 3 - Shepard's Indoctrination by ACAVYOS. This will explain SO MUCH. It ties into the endings easily, and it helps explain them as well. Again, this is a great game, and well worth every cent.… Expand
  26. yellowpride
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While some elements of the game were less than great, I think the game as a whole was one of the best that I've played in a while. My biggest complaint is probably the changes to the dialogue system. There are almost no neutral options for conversations and each dialogue option you choose accounts for a longer part of the conversation, whereas it was usually only one or two lines in the previous two games. To compensate for it, they seem to have put in a lot more paragon and renegade interrupts, which are nice in that they give you a bit more control over what your Shepard says and does.

    Another drawback, for me, was the system for gauging your military strength. Unlike in Mass Effect 2, where each loyalty or upgrade you got was used for a specific purpose, this game just gives you a gross total that doesn't factor in either the source or the type of the resource. You also don't really see how it affects the ending of the game, beyond you, as the player, knowing that you got a certain total which allowed you to have certain possibilities.

    Without going into detail, I'll just say that the ending, to me, was pretty disappointing. As someone who's played both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 several times, I was unhappy with the way they chose to conclude the final chapter of the trilogy. That being said, I still think the positive elements of this game far outweigh the negative.

    One of the first things I noticed about this game was the improved look. They took a lot of what was great about Mass Effect 2 (the vibrant scenery, the dynamic cut-scenes) and added more of the texture detail from the first game and a nice grittiness that seemed fitting for the tone of this game. While a few of the scenes (especially on the Normandy) were poorly lit, that was more the exception than the rule.

    Probably the biggest improvement, in my mind, was the change to the weapons system. Much like in Mass Effect 2, there is no working inventory, so when you find a certain gun, it's then available for the whole squad. However, unlike Mass Effect 2, the different weapons aren't direct upgrades of each other. Instead, each one has a specific feel and is suited to a different style of play. Once you figure out which one will work best for you, you can upgrade and customize it to further fit your needs. Beyond that, the combat system is pretty similar to Mass Effect 2, with a few small improvements, so if you liked it in Mass Effect 2, you'll like it here. The multiplayer campaign is also a nice addition to the experience as a whole, even if it's more of a side dish than a meal on its own.

    Also, I would probably consider this game the strongest of the series as far as use of time. Whereas the first game had a lot of random side quests to make the game longer and the second game sometimes lost the urgency of the main quest between all the loyalty and recruitment missions, Mass Effect 3 is much more clearly focused on gathering resources to use against the Reapers. While the game as a whole was at least a few hours shorter than the other two, a lot more of that time was spent on the main mission. Overall, while there were a few things that I was less than happy about, this game is still definitely worth playing.    … Expand
  27. mzROnin
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    I played all the previous Mass Effect games as well and enjoyed them all. True the ending is not great ( the more i think about it - it actually kind of sucks) But it is nevertheless one of the best games i´ve ever played. Such a great story, such great characters, such fun gameplay - awesome. **** the last 10 minutes, you´ll have easily 30h of high quality fun.
  28. Dragoic
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The time is 3:41 and I've just completed Mass Effect 3.

    So. What do I think about the game?. Strange enough and with all the down talk and spoilers I've heard and the massive red negative score it has been given. I would say it deserve 9. It entertained me for 4 days (Without too many off quests) and the ending (I chose the good side) was.... well, sadden, but somehow I found both my choice and the way to end it to my liking. Even if the choice were quite hard.

    Now down to the Positive and the negative

    Positive Story: Acceptable. I would highly recommend playing both ME1 and ME 2 and use the same character all the way, it gives it a little more touch and characters just means a lot more to the way you want to end thing. Instead of just throwing the nearest character into the pit of fire while just raising your shoulders while saying â    … Expand
  29. CiaranPM
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well.Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well. The only downside with this game is the exploration. It was overdone in Mass Effect 1, but in Mass Effect 2, visiting three major cities made the game feel more expansive. While Mass Effect 3 is substantial, only being able to visit one major city made the non-combat aspect of the game feel somewhat small. This, of course, is only a personal preference. All in all, aside from the odd ending (which Bioware claims to be fixing), Mass Effect 3 is a very solid game.… Expand
  30. Panjandrum
    Mar 24, 2012
    9
    Despite the final ten to fifteen minutes being something of a mess, this is an excellent, engaging game that manages to live up to the high standards set by the previous two entries in the Mass Effect series. Steven Spielberg famously stated that he would consider games as art "when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17," which is something that Mass Effect 3 certainly achieves. IDespite the final ten to fifteen minutes being something of a mess, this is an excellent, engaging game that manages to live up to the high standards set by the previous two entries in the Mass Effect series. Steven Spielberg famously stated that he would consider games as art "when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17," which is something that Mass Effect 3 certainly achieves. I know that I cannot be the only player to shed a tear on Tuchanka, or at a particular scene in a Citadel hospital. For that matter, I cannot be the only one to have laughed like a madman during many of the private talks with squadmates on board the Normandy. The reason for such emotional engagement shows how this game lives up to its predecessors - the interesting and well-explored characters at Shepard's side have always been a strength in the Mass Effect series, and number 3 does not disappoint on that front. On top of that, the settings are pretty, gameplay is varied and interesting (who needs cover based shooting when you can rain down biotic destruction on your enemies' heads?) and many of the set pieces are nothing short of breathtaking.

    In summary then, this game leads you on an adventure across the galaxy, gives you a range of interesting characters and really shows that your decisions matter in shaping the future of life, the universe and everything for 39 hours and 45 minutes, before going what is technically referred to as "balls-out crazy" in the final quarter of an hour. However, the good far outweighs the bad, and I would thoroughly recommend Mass Effect 3 to anyone.    … Expand
  31. Darkeffect777
    Mar 25, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 - great game, but not this brilliant, as Mass Effect 2. Gameplay great, hard battle and tactical with good level. But dialogue low and bad story, which doesn't line with Mass Effect 2 kill nice story. End Mass Effect 3 and first six hours me don't nice. Mass Effect 1-3 great series in our day, but 3 part kill this name "great series". I want new end, because I have epicMass Effect 3 - great game, but not this brilliant, as Mass Effect 2. Gameplay great, hard battle and tactical with good level. But dialogue low and bad story, which doesn't line with Mass Effect 2 kill nice story. End Mass Effect 3 and first six hours me don't nice. Mass Effect 1-3 great series in our day, but 3 part kill this name "great series". I want new end, because I have epic final of Mass Effect. If Bioware submit "DLC End" money, I don't love Bioware.… Expand
  32. PictoPirate
    May 17, 2017
    9
    This was as close to a perfect score as I've ever given it feels like Bioware has trimmed what little fat was left in Mass Effect 2 and what is left is as slick and focused as a RPG/Action cover shooter thingy is ever likely to get. The story is outstanding, the characters deep and real and the combat as good as anything that has come before it. On its own Mass Effect 3 is a superb gameThis was as close to a perfect score as I've ever given it feels like Bioware has trimmed what little fat was left in Mass Effect 2 and what is left is as slick and focused as a RPG/Action cover shooter thingy is ever likely to get. The story is outstanding, the characters deep and real and the combat as good as anything that has come before it. On its own Mass Effect 3 is a superb game but played as a trilogy seeing the evolution from one game to the next it is nothing short of a masterpiece.… Expand
  33. Gamecrafter
    Mar 28, 2012
    9
    Enough already! Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean you get to act like a child and call yourself valid. Ok, you don't like the ending - it wasn't what you expected or wanted. That's fine, and I can somewhat understand. But you know what that means? You played this somewhat lengthy adventure game to its completion, hell you probably completed the entire trilogy.Enough already! Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean you get to act like a child and call yourself valid. Ok, you don't like the ending - it wasn't what you expected or wanted. That's fine, and I can somewhat understand. But you know what that means? You played this somewhat lengthy adventure game to its completion, hell you probably completed the entire trilogy. SUCKY GAMES DON'T GET COMPLETED. You play them for ten minutes and then you're out. So I'm calling on you crybabies to man up and admit that the game is GREAT ENTERTAINMENT which is why you got to the ending. It's awesome in fact. So you can't turn around and give it a sucky score simply because you have a problem only with the creative decisions of its ending. What you're doing is literally like ordering a meal at a restaurant, finishing it through dessert, and then saying - "I wanted ice cream not cake, I'm not paying for any of this! This meal sucks!" Ridiculous! The journey was the value. And I loved it, and I know many that do. Don't be a whiney hater, admit that Mass Effect was awesome soup to nuts. MP alone is worth the price of admission. I for one thank Bioware and EA for it. One of the best gaming franchises ever.… Expand
  34. Varnor
    Mar 29, 2012
    9
    I have characters that I have imported from ME1 and 2 and have truly enjoyed ever minute of the game, having spent almost 50 hours so far in the single player mode alone. It's not perfect, it doesn't deserve a 10, no game ever does but to see emails and have things mentioned in the game that span back to the 1st and second games, even extremely minor things is fun to see, as is theI have characters that I have imported from ME1 and 2 and have truly enjoyed ever minute of the game, having spent almost 50 hours so far in the single player mode alone. It's not perfect, it doesn't deserve a 10, no game ever does but to see emails and have things mentioned in the game that span back to the 1st and second games, even extremely minor things is fun to see, as is the abundance of text background, found everywhere from the Journal to datapads during missions, to Broker and Spectre emails that flesh out the background. The game also references at least one of the Mass Effect books (Retribution) and introduces a character from it

    How your character behaves towards others and during missions alters what you can eventually use against the Reapers is great, the fact that there is now no Mako or Mineral scanning is more of a plus really, it was only ever a time filler to make the game last longer anyway. There are brief planet scanning jobs to look for War Assets but these take little more than around 10 seconds to complete, work the same way that searching for an anomaly on a planet did in ME2, and are not compulsory

    The graphics are as excellent as ever (although I've seen a few minor clipping issues and once Garrus "vanished" during a conversation, lol) as is the sound and voice acting

    I was very skeptical about the Multi Player side of ME3, the previous 2 being completely Single Player, but have to admit I have enjoyed it greatly! Currently it's up to 4 player co-op against Cerberus, Geth or Reapers. Your characters level up, allowing you to put points into Biotic / Tech / etc skills, you earn in-game money which can be spent on Packs that provide everything from medi-gel and spare ammo to disposable missile launchers, new main weapons, attachments, etc

    In a market where high street stores sting the developer by reselling their games at pure profit, I can't blame them for releasing DLC and having Online Passes. I always buy brand new copies anyway and don't mind paying for DLC so that doesn't affect the scoring at all to me

    I don't place much faith in Metacritic User reviews, and the pure volume of release date scores of 0/10 speak volumes to me. If I spent 35+ hours on the game the first time round, then Day 1 reviewers have missed at least 65% of content, and that's without DLC    … Expand
  35. EzraIngram
    Mar 29, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My only real beef with the ending is that it doesn't matter what you do, your crew still ends up on a planet and when it is all over you get back on the Normandy like nothing happened and the galaxy is full of Reapers again. Drives me up the wall, there were two very distinct sets of animations made detailing different consequences depending on the choice you made, but I don't think the choice was inherently bad. Look, you want to be the king you have to face those, NOT 'cake or death' choices. You know the ones where it sucks no matter what you do, and you knew it was coming, but you slug on because that's "who you are" type choices. Yeah, that;s what you have to make, and yeah I like that you die, I think it is good. What did you want it to go on forever. Oh and anyone who can seriously look at me with a straight face and say: "Well there was no way that we possibly could have forseen a super AI or ghost in the machine coming, I mean how could that have been an option even?" To you I say, "You sir are an idiot, if you didn't notice the whole sapient AI theme going on in Mass Effect" The combat system is ok. Could you do better? Probably not, I know I have been trying and it takes a lot of work so... probably not. Still, the whole alive after I died thing and no explanation, drives me nuts guys, just a little explanation and I would have suspended my disbelief entirely. "Hey I'm a Shepard Synthetic construct created by the Shepard controlling the machines!" "Hey a freakin' rift opened when the citadel was destroyed and I fell through on my but smack dab in the Normandy and here is an animation to prove it, I swear!" Anything, really, I would have been happy, So you are not getting full credit. But mostly full.… Expand
  36. Topbanana
    May 16, 2012
    9
    One of the most emotionally engaging games of all time especially if you've played the sequels, a ton of fun to be had and an amazing sci-fi setting. The end left my feelings all tied up though
  37. VectorX
    Apr 5, 2012
    9
    The people writing about the horrible ending have a point, but it isn't as extreme as many people peg it to be. There are seven endings and the perfect ending requires a lot of work. Honestly, the ending wasn't all that bad (I've seen far worse) and it wasn't a plot breaker or an ending that made no sense. The developers created an ending that brought closure to the entire universe. InThe people writing about the horrible ending have a point, but it isn't as extreme as many people peg it to be. There are seven endings and the perfect ending requires a lot of work. Honestly, the ending wasn't all that bad (I've seen far worse) and it wasn't a plot breaker or an ending that made no sense. The developers created an ending that brought closure to the entire universe. In order to avoid the spoilers check, I won't go into what actually happened.

    Still, in terms of an ending, it was very well done (It has a modular ending much like the Fallout series, where what you do affects the outcome). The plot was stellar and the character development (following the same style as Mass Effect and Mass Effect II had the Paragon/Renegade dichotomy) was incredible. The all inclusive relationship system between the people your character interacts with was very strong and the ability to cultivate a relationship with anybody of any gender of any race was a very interesting aspect.

    The combat mechanics were solid. I found the third person shooting style very conducive to the game, and while I am a die hard FPS fan, it was necessary to allow you to control your team mate AI while being able to keep aware of your combat situational awareness. I found the battle mechanics addictive. I literally found myself skipping the intro scenes to less important missions just to get into the fight. Being able to try out all the different battle styles also made me play through the game multiple times.

    I highly recommend this game for people who want a mix between good plot lines and good shooting mechanics. For those people who rate the game down because of the ending, you need to realize this game isn't YOUR story, it's the developers. That's how they chose to end the series, get over it. For the people who say your choices in the previous installments don't matter, have you played the game through without using your save data? Things happen VERY differently...including your ability to cultivate relationships with certain characters and your ability to influence the outcomes of intergalactic politics...    … Expand
  38. AndrewGL
    Jun 27, 2012
    9
    With the new Extended CUT DLC, while the endings could be better, it brings this game back up to its deserved 10/10 (it still gets 9 because... I had to wait 4 months to get this ending, but if it shipped like this, it would have been a 10). It provides closure, has some really touching scenes, and overall just allows the player to sit back think "my work here is finished". Before we knewWith the new Extended CUT DLC, while the endings could be better, it brings this game back up to its deserved 10/10 (it still gets 9 because... I had to wait 4 months to get this ending, but if it shipped like this, it would have been a 10). It provides closure, has some really touching scenes, and overall just allows the player to sit back think "my work here is finished". Before we knew nothing, and it felt like a slap in the face. All I have to say is Bioware, I knew you had it in you! Next time just do this from the get-go =(… Expand
  39. josiahlo
    Apr 9, 2012
    9
    The game itself was quite amazing, your choices in the first 2 games did affect outcomes in the 3rd game. It did not affect the ending unfortunately. The ending outrage is overblown. Personally I did not like the ending but the game itself is amazing and the multiplayer is quite enjoyable. Giving it a 9 instead of a 10 just because of the ending
  40. OcelotFox
    Apr 9, 2012
    9
    Though the ending may sour the taste of an otherwise amazing experience, BioWare must be applauded for creating a tale that has engrossed the minds of many through its compelling storytelling, varied gameplay, beautifully-realized universe, and incredible characters. Mass Effect 3 isn't the pinnacle of the series, but it's certainly not the terrible ending that so many people would makeThough the ending may sour the taste of an otherwise amazing experience, BioWare must be applauded for creating a tale that has engrossed the minds of many through its compelling storytelling, varied gameplay, beautifully-realized universe, and incredible characters. Mass Effect 3 isn't the pinnacle of the series, but it's certainly not the terrible ending that so many people would make it out to be. That said, BioWare, that last 15 minutes was pretty awful.… Expand
  41. Doomsdayman
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Summary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionallySummary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionally gripping it had me on the verge of tears at times. On that note, play from ME 1, it's worth it.

    Single player:

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

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

    And finally

    Multi-player -Good: I haven't played that much of this, but what I have I like. It's not as addictive as Halo, or Call of Duty, but its a solidly fun experience. Grab some friends and blow some enemies away, nothing wrong there. The maps are varied enough to add some diversity and the horde-mode style waves are supper fun to mow down in co-op.    … Expand
  42. Maciej_Krok
    Apr 17, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've just finished Mass Effect 3 and I've decided I'll share my opinin with you guys. I expected Bioware to make ME3 even better than ME2 was, and IMO they did, cause this game is close to perfection. What I liked: 1. Combat experience: faster fights, increased mobility, very versitale enemies (mixed reasonably to increase their effectiveness), tactical elements (smoke, cloaks, towers, generators etc.), increased difficulty level, good multiplayer concepts.
    2. Story: written with taste and balance, it doesn't seem to be unreal in any part: help me and I'll return the favor, we'll help after curing the genophage, we'll help after we'll have a place to put our non-combatants in, and others like these seems logical, natural and they all bind together pretty well around the main topic under the title: â    … Expand
  43. Muchomexicano
    Oct 8, 2012
    9
    Mass effect 3 has his flaws but overall it's a great game. Bioware has exceeded as always with their story telling till the end. If you ever think that is a unfair assumption then consider the fact that their biggest selling point of the game since day one is that your actions matter. This is completely taken away in my opinion by the progress bar instead of adding as many upgrades orMass effect 3 has his flaws but overall it's a great game. Bioware has exceeded as always with their story telling till the end. If you ever think that is a unfair assumption then consider the fact that their biggest selling point of the game since day one is that your actions matter. This is completely taken away in my opinion by the progress bar instead of adding as many upgrades or doing hero missions and hoping for the best. Also in accordance to the ending I would've preferred a sequence of screen-caps and text like fallout did which would go over your choices and their consequences in more detail instead of being rewarded your choice of 3 different colors. Ignoring the dismal ending the story and universe in my opinion is more realized and alive then any other game or even movie for that matter, I'm a Star Wars fanboy and I enjoy the mass effect universe better. The game play through the games have gotten simpler and more casual per sequel but the gameplay is still as strong as ever. That's why I give this game a 9 of 10… Expand
  44. alexnode
    Apr 26, 2012
    9
    The game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from dayThe game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from day one, ripping off people ... The ending was rushed for the release and it left a bitter after taste. In a way you built suspense for 3 episodes to end up with a bit of undersigned ending. Unfortunately we have seen things like that before ... still the overall experience was really nice. Somehow I feel that people wanted more. To be honest Mass Effect, one of the best games ever ,is behind in terms of dialogue and plot from a good film or book. As games in general still are. Regarding changing the ending to suit the needs and ideas of the players I believe is completely unacceptable, the designers of Mass Effect decided on three endings ( unpolished endings) that were interesting but unfinished. I completely agree if they want to polish it but not to change it. Sometimes you like the ending sometimes you don't like them. But artistic democracy or design by committee, is usually dull and sterilized. If I like something is to go the other way around... to complete let them actually design the ending properly as they originally imagined ... let the accountants screaming about the target audience and demographic and do the right thing ! I have the impression that EA as usual is behind rushed endings and despicable DLC ... I give the game 8 instead of 10 because of the DLC and the rushed ending. By the way in the age of intergalactic travel I am quite sure guns will not need ammo. I know that legions of players play all those U.S army games and they troll around about the combat system but things don't always have to be the same with these boring shooters. Nevertheless after Dragon Age 2 I stopped pre-ordering EA games ... it is a gamble.… Expand
  45. SaH
    Apr 30, 2012
    9
    The Mass Effect 3 is the ending of the WHOLE saga, don't listen to other ppl and if You like ME1 and ME2 - then You should play ME3.
    Game is much like ME2, with better graphic, some more interesting quests and companions. I was very enjoying the game, with some minor bugs, but the general feeling very, very good.
  46. 1Crazyman1
    May 2, 2012
    9
    So there are enough bad reviews of this game already which all (pretty much all of them) boil down to the ending.

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

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

    Giving it a score of 10 would be going overboard, but I actually missed ME3 after I finished playing it. And despite being on "quit" an old engine, the graphics look good, the animations look good and the characters (bar for textures) look good.    … Expand
  47. Rrate
    May 3, 2012
    9
    End of a great trilogy.
    Truly leaves a sad feeling when you know there is not going to be ME4.
    Just loved this game.
    Multiplayer is amazingly addicting!

    Gave it 9 because the ending wasnt what i hoped for. If it would have been i think i would have been dissapointed anyway because i dont want this game to have ending at all.
  48. elhive
    Jun 4, 2012
    9
    The way people are talking about Mass effect 3 seems harsh. I believe the game was just as good as the second,while the first being more of a classic then it's sequals. The dialog was excellent and on the same level with the second game, I would say. The moral choices are also very appealing and varied, and it feels like the stakes are higher with each choice you make because,well, theThe way people are talking about Mass effect 3 seems harsh. I believe the game was just as good as the second,while the first being more of a classic then it's sequals. The dialog was excellent and on the same level with the second game, I would say. The moral choices are also very appealing and varied, and it feels like the stakes are higher with each choice you make because,well, the entire living galactic population is on the verge of annihilation. The gameplay elements are mostly identical to mass effect 2's which means the game plays very intense and spactacular. People might complain that the characters don't offer as much variety and quality in the dialoge but I dissagree. Most of these characters have already made their full appearance in the last games, so you can't really expand too much on more then established characters(like Garrus, for example). The plot is very cinematic and the game feels like a giant dramatic Sci-fi movie that always keeps you on your toes. The major problem people have with this game is the ending. At first I felt the same;I thought this ending is ridiculous, but as I looked in the internet, I saw a brilliant explenation to that odd and unfulfilling ending. I won't give out spoilers but I think the entire game seems a lot more clear when you see it in the right angle. This game is fantastic, it truly is. I can understand the angry fans who wanted a closure, but to me the game made sense and I hope it will for you as well.… Expand
  49. RangerGxi
    Jun 24, 2012
    9
    This game was amazing! The character was deep and the final conclusion made my boner rip through my pants. The gameplay was solid, with great innovation from EA but the game still holding to it's roots. I really don't understand all the hatred this game receives. If you read into the indoctrination theory and follow the correct ending you will probably see the ending as one of the greatestThis game was amazing! The character was deep and the final conclusion made my boner rip through my pants. The gameplay was solid, with great innovation from EA but the game still holding to it's roots. I really don't understand all the hatred this game receives. If you read into the indoctrination theory and follow the correct ending you will probably see the ending as one of the greatest ending's of all time. The ending ranks high on my favorite endings, among Fallout 3, Bioshock, etc.

    People who hate this ending are self-entitled brats giant expectations that are unrealistic. Each ending PERFECTLY reflected your decisions throughout the game. lol    … Expand
  50. caralho
    Mar 16, 2014
    9
    I'll try to make this short: if you are into ME games, you must buy this one. Simply because the game is pretty great. I'd risk saying its the best one of the series but the ending kinda killed the joy of many players around the world. Could've been better, but crap happens. Some people might understand it, some won't. Still, a great game and deserves the respect of being a good ME game.I'll try to make this short: if you are into ME games, you must buy this one. Simply because the game is pretty great. I'd risk saying its the best one of the series but the ending kinda killed the joy of many players around the world. Could've been better, but crap happens. Some people might understand it, some won't. Still, a great game and deserves the respect of being a good ME game. Hopefully EA/Bioware will learn from their mistakes and not screw up their next installment. By that I mean, not making redundant, bleak endings and launching day 1 DLC's.… Expand
  51. Inuart
    May 16, 2012
    9
    When they looked at all the possible endings of ME2 they said something like "Too many variables! Too many variables!" so they created a points system to reduce the number of endings to ONLY ONE which is why user score is mostly red.
    BUT you will not realize you are being tricked until the last 3 minutes of the game so apart from these last moments the game is absolutely awesome.
  52. Lesquid
    May 16, 2012
    9
    Improved customization mechanics. Builds on choices from previous two games through (most of) the epic story. Great replay value and adds enjoyable multi-player.
    Vast tracts of great cutscenes and dialog (although not for many trivial side quests) make for a dramatic and touching conclusion to the ME series.
    Last couple of minutes (scheduled to to be expanded with DLC) and a retarded    Improved customization mechanics. Builds on choices from previous two games through (most of) the epic story. Great replay value and adds enjoyable multi-player.
    Vast tracts of great cutscenes and dialog (although not for many trivial side quests) make for a dramatic and touching conclusion to the ME series.
    Last couple of minutes (scheduled to to be expanded with DLC) and a retarded quest log mar otherwise superb game.    … Expand
  53. NDMania
    May 19, 2012
    9
    -------STORY 9.0------- This is one of the few games in which talking about the quality of the game's story instead of the trilogy doesn't make sense. If anyone plays this game without having played the previous 2 games... they're doing it wrong! The story plot is amazingly well written and really makes you care for your followers, it has what most games don't: It sucks you into the world-------STORY 9.0------- This is one of the few games in which talking about the quality of the game's story instead of the trilogy doesn't make sense. If anyone plays this game without having played the previous 2 games... they're doing it wrong! The story plot is amazingly well written and really makes you care for your followers, it has what most games don't: It sucks you into the world of Mass Effect turning it into a Star Wars of the Gaming Industry. Definitely not a game for children, not that it has too much violence or strong language, but because it's really emotional, the difficult choices you made until this game will hunt you down and will be reflected on the game's direction. What made the fans so mad was the fact that these choices don't affect the end of the game. Being a renegade or a paragon player the ending is always the same, not that the game developers don't have the right to control the ending but at least the decisions should be reflect in a more intense way. Instead of being a whole, the plot of ME3 is divided in individual smaller plots that don't connect with each other, being the final one only related to Shepard and the fate of the universe. -------SOUND: 10.0------- More than in the previous games, the soundtrack binds you to the game in such a strong way that makes this game one of the best games I've ever played. With time I've come to notice the importance of music and sound effects in movies but even more in games. It's subtle, but it's the final and most important connection between the game and the gamer. The soundtrack doesn't need to be good while listening to it separately, it wasn't made with that intention, it was made to emphasize the emotions or even create them for a more realist and/or dramatic way. A true piece or art. -------GAMEPLAY: 8.0------- I wouldn't say it's just another shooter, cause it isn't, since you have that interaction with your teammates, special abilities (aka biotic powers), etc... it's just that it could be better, I really don't know what to write. The cover system is better but still with some problems, the existence of the heavy melee attack and over-the-cover melee gives a cool and rapid-pace feeling to the game as well as brutal, but it alone doesn't change much, I think the best new addition to the gameplay was the roll / evade move, that really lets you go all-out in a stylish way against your enemies. In non-combat situations the game gets too rpg for my taste, not that I don't mind making little errands but, specially in this game where the fate of earth is in your hands, chilling out in a bar may not be the best idea. In conclusion, you can play the game for fun as well as for interest in the story plot. -------GRAPHICS: 7.5------- Good, solid, could be better in humans, much better... It's OK for me but it's not what makes the game pop out. Don't get me wrong, though. I think it's a little better than in the previous games as it should be. -------ART-WORK: 9.5------- This is a special note that I don't think I'll be using in future reviews, but I bought the Art work book of ME3, and it is amazing. It really shows the readers the Universe and it's every detail, it shows what the players don't see while running through the lands of Tuchanka (for example...) it's really revealing. It's those things that make the game big. I really can't understand it fully but it's really impressive. Thanks for that Bioware. -------CONCLUSION------- For anyone who hasn't played it yet... please, for your own good... buy the Mass Effect games. It's a generation, it's a MUST-HAVE… Expand
  54. Metalock
    May 19, 2012
    9
    I don't care about Day 1 DLC issues or how bad Origin is. The point is this game is fun. The multiplayer brings hours of replayability and the singleplayer finishes the awesome trilogy that is Mass Effect. I don't care about the ending controversy either. I have faith in BioWare fixing it with the Extended Cut update.
  55. X19
    May 22, 2012
    9
    Who knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought thisWho knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought this into full scale. It's one thing to go up against a seemingly invincible force, but it's another to do it with people you feel you would care about and even die for. I won't spoil more, but if you want the best possible experience; I recommend going through the first two games before this one. Gameplay has always seemed an afterthought in Bioware games, but it's not disregarded here. You feel like a complete bad*** when you stride through the field of battle sliding over cover and occasionally rolling into cover when hurt, all the while shooting at menacing foes who do not fear death or pain. The way Shepard holds his pistol is pretty awkward looking, especially in the first part of the game, but that's it. Finally, the ending. What did I think? I thought it was terrible. It made no sense whatsoever. It defiled all logic and everything you fought for. It just seemed like a marketing stunt by EA for expansions and sequels. Did it ruin all those hours I put into ME1 and 2? Absolutely not. I didn't regret a single second of my time spent in this game or it's predecessors. Would I buy ME4? No, Bioware did screw up with the ending. Even if the indoctrination theory were true, the ending is total nonsense. Play the other games, buy this one, but stop at the point when Shepard levitates up into the ending. (You'll know it when you see it.) Quit game and draw your own conclusions. That's the best way to experience this game.… Expand
  56. lucienpyrus
    May 30, 2012
    9
    I haven't played the single player (though i did watch my roomate play it), but I have played the mulitplayer so much. I love the mulitplayer and it deserves at least an 8 for that. I watched the ending and I thought it wasn't that bad.
  57. TheFlaminboy
    Jul 21, 2012
    9
    Just finished the Game with the Extended Cut, then compared it on Youtube with the original ending. I can see why many people didn't like the ending, there really are a few too many things left open in the original ending. The Extended Cut is therefore a nice addition to give players more closure. However, I have to say, that this is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played andJust finished the Game with the Extended Cut, then compared it on Youtube with the original ending. I can see why many people didn't like the ending, there really are a few too many things left open in the original ending. The Extended Cut is therefore a nice addition to give players more closure. However, I have to say, that this is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played and definitely does not deserve the criticism it got about it's ending. I personally loved all the endings, even though I only chose the bad ending to see what it was like, normally I wouldn't choose it. This game is an amazing and perfect conclusion to the Mass Effect Trilogy and true fans will love it like I did. Mass Effect 1 had the most epic ending, Mass Effect 2 was the most epic game overall and Mass Effect 3 was the most beautiful of them all. Also, since it mainly used music from the first and second game and didn't show that many more additional good soundtracks (apart from the beginning and the end of the game) I give this game a 9 out of 10. Well done Bioware and thank you!… Expand
  58. azefir1
    Jun 5, 2012
    9
    Very dissapointing ending but.... This game is just pure awesomeness. Way better than me2, and as good as me1. Me3 would be perfect if not the ending...
  59. Welterweight426
    Jun 4, 2012
    9
    People really need to stop bashing this game. Though the ending is rather bad, the rest of the game is fantastic. The story telling, the gameplay, the writing, its all fantastic. My only complaint to the game, besides the ending, is the lack of content in the multiplayer. Otherwise, this game is a must buy.
  60. ZaPaAl
    Jun 10, 2012
    9
    I have not been a fan of Bioware since the Dragon Age 2 disaster or the ME series. Especially ME 2 with it's nerve wrecking harvesting, story unlikeliness and blank environments had me building up high levels of denial against it.

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

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

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

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

    NEGATIVE:
    A few more customization options for armor would have been nice, currently I'd regard them as mainly cosmetic.
    Character relation's were a bit of focus this time.
    It had to end, and i would have preferred a stronger and more personal ending, but honestly i'm ok with it. Large scale problems do call for uncompromising solutions.    … Expand
  61. mondieu12
    Jun 12, 2012
    9
    IT WASN'T THAT BAD. The majority of the game is excellent, with certain character deaths really adding to the overall experience of the series (two in particular). The combat is exciting and fluid, the dialogue well written and well voice acted, and some of the choices are deep, and philosophically challenging. Yes, the ending wasn't what we expected, and I'm as annoyed as everyone else,IT WASN'T THAT BAD. The majority of the game is excellent, with certain character deaths really adding to the overall experience of the series (two in particular). The combat is exciting and fluid, the dialogue well written and well voice acted, and some of the choices are deep, and philosophically challenging. Yes, the ending wasn't what we expected, and I'm as annoyed as everyone else, but we can't let 10 minutes ruin a trilogy which we have passed countless well-spent hours playing!… Expand
  62. unlimitednk
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    I loved both Mass Effect games that came before this one. I kept saves all the way from 1 through 2. After finishing Mass Effect 3 I understand why people are upset. I thought "Bioware won't let me down" I wanted to see this trilogy through to the end. I got to the end and it didn't matter, because there are no differences between the endings.
  63. TheTypeOfGuy
    Jun 21, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 was the worst game in the series. While Multiplayer was a nice addition, i think that the singleplayer suffered a lot. Most time there are only two choices (the middle option is missing, except in some parts), the journal system got worse from me2 to 3 (how can that happen?), no vehicle exploration or little mini games and to much Auto-Dialog (Story- and RPG-Mode). Now letsMass Effect 3 was the worst game in the series. While Multiplayer was a nice addition, i think that the singleplayer suffered a lot. Most time there are only two choices (the middle option is missing, except in some parts), the journal system got worse from me2 to 3 (how can that happen?), no vehicle exploration or little mini games and to much Auto-Dialog (Story- and RPG-Mode). Now lets go to the multiplayer. The matchmaking is the worst I have ever seen and the anti-cheating system is overly sensitive (Everyone can report someone and he gets banned even he didnt do anything. Happend to me 2 times already. Had to report these mistakes and got to play multiplayer again). The good Aspects of the Game are that the dialog with your squadmates are unique and funny. You could have though BioWare looked directly into the souls of the fans. Some Missions were so unique and awesome (Tuchanka for example) that it could have redeemed BioWare for all those bad aspects. But the one thing that is the worst piece of yeah i think you know what i mean are these super intelligence-insulting endings. With that ending and the bad aspect of the game bioware not only ruined its reputation but lost a lot of (good) fans. I'd rate this game minus (over)9000 but because of some awesome moments i rate it with good will a 2 out of 10. BioWare please take these critism to heart and change while you still can! I still have faith in you.… Expand
  64. AgeofLeon
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    Mass effect as a trilogy is by far one of the better action RPGs out there. Mass effect 3 is an excellent addition to it, though its ending may leave you feeling unsatisfied. You play as Commander Shepard, on a quest to save the galaxy from the Reapers, who are these ancient synthetic aliens hell bent on wiping out all organic life. It's a shooter RPG, and while the gameplay is quite niceMass effect as a trilogy is by far one of the better action RPGs out there. Mass effect 3 is an excellent addition to it, though its ending may leave you feeling unsatisfied. You play as Commander Shepard, on a quest to save the galaxy from the Reapers, who are these ancient synthetic aliens hell bent on wiping out all organic life. It's a shooter RPG, and while the gameplay is quite nice especially compared to earlier mass effect editions, the heart and soul of this game is not in its gameplay but in its story and characterization. You'll care about your squad members in a way you wouldn't in other games. You'll actually want to know what happens to them. This is bioware's strength: creating games with characters you actually like and want to know more about. For most of the game and especially the Tuchanka mission, the game is an absolute blast. It is more challenging than Mass effect 1 and 2 in a good way, and they've removed the distracting mini games. There has been much written about Mass effect 3's ending and for good reason, if you are like the majority you will wonder what the hell happened. Its ending is not its strength, but don't let that dissuade you. It's mostly a really great game. To get the most out of it, I highly recommend playing mass effect 1 and 2 first, as your choices will carry over into 3 and make it that much more meaningful.… Expand
  65. wisetaner
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just finished playing ME3 with all the available DLC's including the extended cut...so far I played through the "Refusing to choice", Synthesis" and "Destruction" options. The first two while bitter sweet, were rather good. Where as the destruction option, just left me feeling frustrated. Due to where it shows Shepard suddenly taking a breath as though having been out cold. But then the credits begin rolling.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Secondly plot has developed in line with the popular hero trend. If you want your hero    … Expand
  67. jigme
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    Played the whole series. Loved it. I played through Mass Effect 3 one time, using the extended cut, so I did not get traumatized, it seems. Combat is fun, writing is top-notch. My only complaints: too short, too linear, not enough replay value (also, that Asian villain was REALLY cheesy. REALLY). I forgive it all because I like the Mass Effect universe, and I like Liara too much. I wish itPlayed the whole series. Loved it. I played through Mass Effect 3 one time, using the extended cut, so I did not get traumatized, it seems. Combat is fun, writing is top-notch. My only complaints: too short, too linear, not enough replay value (also, that Asian villain was REALLY cheesy. REALLY). I forgive it all because I like the Mass Effect universe, and I like Liara too much. I wish it was designed in a way that I could keep playing.… Expand
  68. 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
  69. trio3rd
    Jul 23, 2012
    9
    i enjoy the game especially if you upload save game from ME2... maybe the original ending doesn't give much closure, the free extended cut DLC in other hand give much more satisfying ending... ill give an 7/10 but with the extended cut DLC ill give 9/10...
  70. ImBigking
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    The Mass Effect trilogy is just amazing and Mass Effect 3 is one of my favorite games ever. It shines in every single aspect but one: the ending. Sadly, this outstanding game was slightly ruined by an inconsistent ending. Anyways, the whole experience is really great, and everyone should give it a try.
  71. ArMoRofGOD
    Aug 6, 2012
    9
    There are a few honest reviews on here who are not trolling bioware for the ending of ME3. Heres my honest opinion. Mass effect 2 was a terrific game, it had great progression, great squad missions and an amazing long ending all leading to a pretty great boss fight. One of the best games Ive ever played. Mass effect 3 brought some terrific editions to the series, the best of which isThere are a few honest reviews on here who are not trolling bioware for the ending of ME3. Heres my honest opinion. Mass effect 2 was a terrific game, it had great progression, great squad missions and an amazing long ending all leading to a pretty great boss fight. One of the best games Ive ever played. Mass effect 3 brought some terrific editions to the series, the best of which is the mutiplayer. That aspect alone gives the game much more credibility but if you just into single player than your still in for a great game but not as great as ME2 but a long shot. The intro is epic, the art is amazing, the music is great, and its optimized so well it runs at an incredibly smooth framerate at 5760 x 1080 resolution which says a lot. The immersion was great during the midgame, missions are very fun and well thought out, the voice acting is great and beleivable, the characters make you care about the universe and saving it so all they needed to do was wrap up this great series with an equally great ending which isnt easy but weve come to expect it. Without spoiling the ending, it had one great moment that I loved and the rest of it fell very short. Nothing at all connected to the player from their choices and it feels very lazy and very non unique to me and left a sort of dissapointment in the end. Despite that though, it was a great experience and the multiplayer ahs kept me coming back fro more for almost 50 hours now. On top of that Bioware has been giving FREE updates with maps, characters, and weapons and they released a better ending for FREE. All this equates to a fair 8.5 or so but ill round up to a 9.… Expand
  72. Noble
    Aug 17, 2012
    9
    I really liked this game and the whole series. The game play was similar if not the same as mass effect 2.
    The only thing that upset me was massive plot holes in the ending and the lack of user input to customize the ending. I liked the story line and dialogue, it was all great. I don't know why people are giving it a 0 .. or anything lower than 5.. If the ending was more powerful with a    I really liked this game and the whole series. The game play was similar if not the same as mass effect 2.
    The only thing that upset me was massive plot holes in the ending and the lack of user input to customize the ending. I liked the story line and dialogue, it was all great. I don't know why people are giving it a 0 .. or anything lower than 5.. If the ending was more powerful with a lot more effort, this would be an easy 9 or 10.    … Expand
  73. TeRRoRiTe
    Aug 18, 2012
    9
    I really enjoy this game and have started and done multiple playthroughs. The one big minus is the ending. It's not a bad ending, but it's simply not as good as the rest of the game, so that does make it feel like an anti-climax. But apart from those final five minutes, I always had a hard time turning off the monitor to go to work, because I was constantly pumped, wanting to see what wasI really enjoy this game and have started and done multiple playthroughs. The one big minus is the ending. It's not a bad ending, but it's simply not as good as the rest of the game, so that does make it feel like an anti-climax. But apart from those final five minutes, I always had a hard time turning off the monitor to go to work, because I was constantly pumped, wanting to see what was next. Yes, it does feel that good while playing. Just those last minutes leave you with a feeling of "That's it?!"

    Mind you, the free Extended Cut DLC did make the ending slightly better, and I can't wait to see what the upcoming Leviathan DLC brings. I don't expect it to be as good as the Shadowbroker DLC from ME2, that would be expecting too much, but I certainly expect it to come close to the Kasumi DLC in quality.    … Expand
  74. Nataraja
    Oct 2, 2012
    9
    I have enjoyed the ME franchise as it progressed and liked each one a bit more than its predecessor. The game, if you play it to its fullest, is as long and complex as its predecessors and the story is well written. I know that there were a lot of people who felt let down by the ending but I found it to be not only appropriate but tense and meaningful. I have yet to play the revisedI have enjoyed the ME franchise as it progressed and liked each one a bit more than its predecessor. The game, if you play it to its fullest, is as long and complex as its predecessors and the story is well written. I know that there were a lot of people who felt let down by the ending but I found it to be not only appropriate but tense and meaningful. I have yet to play the revised ending and have picked up the DLCs but not played those yet either. The multiplayer is an interesting addition and quite fun as an addition to the game. I guess, given the visceral negative reviews, that the mere presence of EA has given rise to instant dismissal of what I think is a well done game.… Expand
  75. Jacsam
    Oct 2, 2012
    9
    If you enjoyed ME 1 and 2 you will enjoy this game. The game looks great and the fighting is fun. I agree that the initial ending was not good but the revamped ending was very good. Also the game was much more action oriented than RPG and the dialogue did not change the story at all. In fact you can play the game without making any choices in the conversation if you pick to play the gameIf you enjoyed ME 1 and 2 you will enjoy this game. The game looks great and the fighting is fun. I agree that the initial ending was not good but the revamped ending was very good. Also the game was much more action oriented than RPG and the dialogue did not change the story at all. In fact you can play the game without making any choices in the conversation if you pick to play the game as an action game. All in all a great game.… Expand
  76. epic635
    Oct 11, 2012
    9
    Some of you may be new to the mass effect series and want to purchase the game, however the amazingly low score in the user section can be a very big turn off. However do not listen to the user reviews on this site!! or any other site on the internet!! This game ooozes brilliance. Let me shine some light on how the gamer community works, they love to **** about anything, and everything. IfSome of you may be new to the mass effect series and want to purchase the game, however the amazingly low score in the user section can be a very big turn off. However do not listen to the user reviews on this site!! or any other site on the internet!! This game ooozes brilliance. Let me shine some light on how the gamer community works, they love to **** about anything, and everything. If a game doesn't innovate, it sucks, if it does innovate, it sucks as well, they can never be pleased, which is why this game has been so badly reviewed, they didn't like the ending. Just because you didn't like the ending does not warrant down grading the ENTIRE game. Mass Effect 3 is a brilliant game, the soundtrack is incredible, the combat is fun and fast paced and (contrary to gamer belief) the story was excellent and I really connected with the characters in the story. I implore you to enter this game with an open mind, not clouded by the hate of the gamer "community" and see this game for what it is, it may have drifted from its RPG roots but I think for the better with my play style, I've thrown hours into ME3 and enjoyed every second of it. The leaving Earth scene is both awesome and saddening at the first time and sets the tone of desperation for the story to come, the Reapers are a terrifying and brilliant foe and the gameplay represents a challenge in many areas of the game. I didn't even think the ending was bad at all, when I finished it I put my controller down in contentment without realising it would be so badly bashed by whiners everywhere. ME3 is well worth a play through for anyone who would rather enjoy a game than complain about it. Bioware really put their heart into this game and it deserves the recognition from the community it never received… Expand
  77. Dalesworth
    Feb 27, 2014
    9
    It's not perfect, but Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game. It improved on ME2 in several ways and took some steps back in others, but at its core, I feel like it's a slightly different kind of game. 2 had a very personal and intimate feel, assembling an elite team for a deadly mission. 3 is much more grand and sweeping in its scale and scope, and therefore has a less focused story.

    The    It's not perfect, but Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game. It improved on ME2 in several ways and took some steps back in others, but at its core, I feel like it's a slightly different kind of game. 2 had a very personal and intimate feel, assembling an elite team for a deadly mission. 3 is much more grand and sweeping in its scale and scope, and therefore has a less focused story.

    The gameplay has seen a steady sense of improvement throughout the series (remember how awkward the first one was to actually play?) and the RPG elements make a more pronounced appearance in the third game, though it is still largely a shooter with some skill progression. The shooting mechanics are more fluid and the weapons and abilities more diverse. The sound design and voice acting are both fantastic (mostly), as is the art design.

    As for the writing, I feel like the writers manage the the more intimate and moment-to-moment writing more effectively than the large, overarching plot. the way the Normandy's crew interact with each other and move around on board makes the ship feel much more alive than ever before. There were plenty of nice touches, from meeting old friends to little in-jokes and fan service. Unfortunately it seems like the team wrote themselves into a corner with all of the branching decisions in past games, and not all of them paid off in meaningful ways.

    And finally, there's the ending. I didn't like it. I thought it was a cop-out and honestly it made next to no sense and was very thematically different from the rest of the story. It was unsatisfying and some of the fan-made theories that cropped up afterwards were much better. However, I respect the creative team's position and think that DEMANDING a new ending is childish and a sign of "gamer entitlement." The extended cut made the ending as good as it could have been without fundamentally changing it and in the end, it really is about the journey and not the destination. I had a blast playing though this game as well as the whole series. ten minutes of unsatisfying drivel at the end is a bummer, but this is still one of my favourite series of all time, and I wont let that ruin the hundreds of hours that I've poured into it.

    All in all, this is a Mass Effect game and I can look past awkward design choices and some poor writing to just enjoy the ride and hope for more in the future.    … Expand
  78. Gman24
    Nov 3, 2012
    9
    Fantastic game - combat and presentation are simply at the best and this game sets a new standard to 3rd person shooter games, for sure! The story itself, while I agree that the ending is confusing somewhat, is still awesome and I don't think it's bad and frankly with the new free "ending" DLC, things feel a lot more clear. Even if you won't like the ending - it's not something thatFantastic game - combat and presentation are simply at the best and this game sets a new standard to 3rd person shooter games, for sure! The story itself, while I agree that the ending is confusing somewhat, is still awesome and I don't think it's bad and frankly with the new free "ending" DLC, things feel a lot more clear. Even if you won't like the ending - it's not something that affects the rest of the game IMO and thus you shouldn't miss this game just because of a small section of it!… Expand
  79. RazorDreamz
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    Opening cinematics will set the tone, for what will be an amazing adventure. The story was great, the game play was great. My only complaint was that it was too short, but I suppose the old adage "always leaving them asking for more" probably applies in this instance.
  80. Samjagstang28
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    One of my favorite game trilogies of this generation, Mass Effect 3 is a fun action RPG game although it's definitely more action then RPG now, The story is fantastic, the characters are some of the best in any game series and the combat, classes and gameplay in general are very enjoyable, the ending was definitely a low point for the series, but since playing the free extended cut DLC forOne of my favorite game trilogies of this generation, Mass Effect 3 is a fun action RPG game although it's definitely more action then RPG now, The story is fantastic, the characters are some of the best in any game series and the combat, classes and gameplay in general are very enjoyable, the ending was definitely a low point for the series, but since playing the free extended cut DLC for it I am happy with where mass effect 3 has ended for Shepard's trilogy and I look forward to seeing where they go with Mass effect 4. As I said, Mass effect is probably my favorite series from this generation and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story with deep and interesting characters whilst also having good length and good gameplay.… Expand
  81. Efferkongen
    Jul 7, 2015
    9
    I am a HUGE Mass Effect fan, and I got so say that the third is the best. It's combat system has been improved a lot, it's amount of dialogues are numerous, it's humor is great, and it's story awesome!

    However, a few mentions about it's flaws: It's a shame that it doesn't give you the chance to involve any of your previous party members from the second game. Even if some of them has    I am a HUGE Mass Effect fan, and I got so say that the third is the best. It's combat system has been improved a lot, it's amount of dialogues are numerous, it's humor is great, and it's story awesome!

    However, a few mentions about it's flaws:

    It's a shame that it doesn't give you the chance to involve any of your previous party members from the second game. Even if some of them has good reasons, it should still be an option to include them, and take the consequences of them joining you.
    The ending which a lot of people are mad about are worth mentioning as well. I personally love the explanation of why the reapers do the cycles, it makes sense, especially from a machines cold couculations. However, what disappointed me the most, what the unresolved matter with the Illusive man. Everything in 2 and 3 points to that he has a plan with the reapers that could be useful and effective, but morally screwed, but he is just indoctrinated for no reason, which is a huge letdown for me.

    Those are the two main reasons that I don't give this game a 10/10, because it just remove some of the best things in Mass Effect that could have made it completely epic.    … Expand
  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. 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
  84. ssenginss
    Jan 5, 2014
    9
    I did not played this before extended cut expansion DLC so i don't know old ending. The game is a fair Mass effect game its content may not be as rich as ME2 but it is fun to play as a continuation.
  85. 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
  86. 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
  87. 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
  88. 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
  89. 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
  90. 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
  91. 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
  92. 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
  93. Ruston
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    To be honest...in my opinion...Mass Effect 3 isn't worse than 1 or 2. All games of Mass Effect's Trilogy are on the same level. I must say I didn't feel dissapointed playing this game, I was having fun since the first action to the last one. I can't understand why there are so many negative opinions.
    The main plot is nothing special but it's still good. Don't forget there are secondary    To be honest...in my opinion...Mass Effect 3 isn't worse than 1 or 2. All games of Mass Effect's Trilogy are on the same level. I must say I didn't feel dissapointed playing this game, I was having fun since the first action to the last one. I can't understand why there are so many negative opinions.
    The main plot is nothing special but it's still good. Don't forget there are secondary missions which are just the cherry on the cake.
    "Terrible writing" I don't agree. For sure the best one is in Mass Effect 1 but we can't ignore this game because of it.
    Graphics Really Why we must care about it so hard... Anyway it doesn't look so bad and I am sure it's gonna be better in the next one. I am just worried about the fact "Shepard Era" is over. That's the only 1 thing which can hurts..
    Give this game a chance and don't forget it's part of trilogy even if you don't like it so much.    … Expand
  94. LairdEJM
    Sep 9, 2013
    9
    As we all know the anger is there over the ending, and when I first played through it I was as vocal in my displeasure as anyone else. But after adding the extended cut, (which if nothing else tries to help things) and playing it through with readjusted expectations as part of the trilogy, I have come to love 90% of it. Visually it is superb, the overall story keeps you engaged and theAs we all know the anger is there over the ending, and when I first played through it I was as vocal in my displeasure as anyone else. But after adding the extended cut, (which if nothing else tries to help things) and playing it through with readjusted expectations as part of the trilogy, I have come to love 90% of it. Visually it is superb, the overall story keeps you engaged and the characters you know and love don't disappoint.

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

    But don't get this game wrong, it IS Mass Effect and IS a very, very high quality game.    … Expand
  95. Chr0m3
    Sep 24, 2014
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a phenomenal experience, and a fitting end to the Mass Effect trilogy. The stakes have never been higher, the action never as intense, and by the end of the game, when you arrive back at Earth with every fleet you've gathered and finally bring the fight to the Reapers, it would be hard to not at least cheer for the Galaxy that you've known and loved for three games,Mass Effect 3 is a phenomenal experience, and a fitting end to the Mass Effect trilogy. The stakes have never been higher, the action never as intense, and by the end of the game, when you arrive back at Earth with every fleet you've gathered and finally bring the fight to the Reapers, it would be hard to not at least cheer for the Galaxy that you've known and loved for three games, finally putting aside old grudges and conflicts to work together as a united force. Bioware also hasn't held back in the emotional scenes of Mass Effect 3, from the opening scene where a Reapers destroyer mercilessly destroys a shuttle escaping with a child on board, to the deaths of many main characters and the nightmares that Shepard goes through, this game really pulled at my heartstrings. Of course, there is the ending, which caused much controversy for its abrupt end without providing resolution to long time fans of the series, however as I only played the game after the release of the Extended Cut DLC, I was satisfied with the ending, it was not the best way to end the series, but it was fine in my honest opinion, and overall, Mass Effect 3 was one of the most amazing and compelling games I have ever had the pleasure of playing.… Expand
  96. Supernova722
    Sep 18, 2013
    9
    I'm not go to sit here and tell you Mass Effect 3 is perfect. I won't sit back in my chair and explain how it "Doesn't follow a storyline." Spoiler yes it does, as with Mass Effect 2, discussion you made all the way back in Mass Effect come into play. This is whole heartedly Mass Effect. Now dos the Arrival DLC give some crap intro to the next game? Yes. Does it matter that they wanted toI'm not go to sit here and tell you Mass Effect 3 is perfect. I won't sit back in my chair and explain how it "Doesn't follow a storyline." Spoiler yes it does, as with Mass Effect 2, discussion you made all the way back in Mass Effect come into play. This is whole heartedly Mass Effect. Now dos the Arrival DLC give some crap intro to the next game? Yes. Does it matter that they wanted to explain it at all and release several online and magazine based articles detailing the events for those who didn't want to play? Also yes. They wanted to take the intense Third Person shooting that we saw in Mass Effect 2 and the more heavily driven RPG that we saw in Mass Effect, they then added meaningful weapon customization, upgraded cover, armor, and shield elements, and spiked the difficult. After playing ME3 on hardcore ME2 insanity was a picnic.

    But then we come to the elephant in the room. What about the endings? Are all those who felt betrayed be an ending 5 years old. I didn't have one problem with how they did the ending. They we trying to be artful and mysterious much like Kubrick in the movies. In fact movies have several examples of why you don't need to see every little detail. Do I like the new endings, yes. Well now for the outrange that was a relatively good (maybe great) horde mode multiplayer. I got 4500 force because I made go choices in the other 2 games. I still went through the multiplayer because it was fun, do you need to micro purchase. Well do you need to make them in any other multiplayer. It's not just EA every major multiplayer has come out with something like this so you can not and may not fault them.

    And now I come to the part where I get to be an mean. I don't know when you preordered your copies... but my collector editions were reserved for 9 months. I was one of the first if not the first to Pre-order the collector's edition from GameStop. It was $100 to get it day one and I was happy to pay every bit of it. It made my year along with Skyrim it was my top play game.    … Expand
  97. Mahdiar
    Jul 6, 2016
    9
    Gameplay : 9
    Graphics : 9
    Story : 8
    Sound : 9
    **********************************************************************************
    Overall : 9
  98. n_dhruvo
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    Me 3 is the final installment of shepard trilogy. A satisfying conclusion and the last good mass effect in the franchise. The ending was very disappointing which made the fans upset. But i refuse to accept that a poorly written ending can destroy an entire trilogy. The game is a good good balance between cover based shooting and rpg. U can also import ur save files from other two me gamesMe 3 is the final installment of shepard trilogy. A satisfying conclusion and the last good mass effect in the franchise. The ending was very disappointing which made the fans upset. But i refuse to accept that a poorly written ending can destroy an entire trilogy. The game is a good good balance between cover based shooting and rpg. U can also import ur save files from other two me games and story will change according to choices. Overall the game is great.… Expand
  99. tigerskin84
    Dec 1, 2015
    9
    Great game, the decisions, the music its a shame that the cr@ppy ending wasnt fixed with the dlc but it its a good game overall, people need to realize that besides that ending it has been a good ride with shepard and his crew...
  100. MarsLars
    Nov 26, 2013
    9
    It's been a year since this game was released, and still people cannot get over the ending. If I ask someone if they've ever played Mass Effect, the answer is usually a no, because they're uncultured swine, or because "The ending of 3 sucked, so I never started." I am truly disappointed with BioWare's fans. This studio gave us one of the greatest sci-fi stories (and universes) of allIt's been a year since this game was released, and still people cannot get over the ending. If I ask someone if they've ever played Mass Effect, the answer is usually a no, because they're uncultured swine, or because "The ending of 3 sucked, so I never started." I am truly disappointed with BioWare's fans. This studio gave us one of the greatest sci-fi stories (and universes) of all time. It was lauded by critics and consumers alike. People developed actually feelings toward these characters. All of this is overshadowed by an ending that disappointed. Mass Effect 3 is a good game. There, I said it! Come at me Internet! Yes, it is a little more action/shooter oriented than the previous two, but hey, it's the third installment of a trilogy. This game was aimed at hard core fans (don't you dare disagree!) and those who were breaking in to the franchise, so it's obvious that they would want to up the ante, to appeal to those action game junkies (Thanks, Activision.). But why, WHY all the hate? Please everyone, don't penalize the experience just because of a conclusion that you didn't enjoy. People would've been distraught not matter what they did. I feel like most of these negative reviews are people just getting wrapped up in the internet fervor, not actual, unbiased reviews. I personally loved the ending up through the final choice, though I feel the results should have been expanded, but guess what? They did! BioWare appeased the masses with a free-of-charge expansion that provides better clarity. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, if, by chance, someone reads this, I hope I can inform some lucky person with an interest in RPG's to not worry and to have fun, to see through all the bitterness. I can sleep better at night knowing I introduced someone to a new, exciting world. Thanks BioWare, and Reader, ENJOY!… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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