Mass Effect 3

 PC
User Score
6.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7228 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,703 out of 7228
  2. Mixed: 1,119 out of 7228
  3. Negative: 2,406 out of 7228
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  1. lolwut6045
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    >hamburger helper
    >bioshit
    >$900 dlc
    >actually uses sex to advance the plot
    >shit ending
    >average third person shooting mechanics
    >console graphics
    0/10 bioware, step it up
  2. skulltac
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    So is Bioware even trying anymore. This game really is just a letdown for me. I really enjoyed Mass Effect 1 a ton, but playing this game is really quite depressing. Everything seems just off. All of the animations are terrible, the voice acting is beyond horrendous. (Seriously I was cringing while listening to some parts.) And one of my biggest complaints is the release day DLC. What thatSo is Bioware even trying anymore. This game really is just a letdown for me. I really enjoyed Mass Effect 1 a ton, but playing this game is really quite depressing. Everything seems just off. All of the animations are terrible, the voice acting is beyond horrendous. (Seriously I was cringing while listening to some parts.) And one of my biggest complaints is the release day DLC. What that essentially means is that they have they content out and ready and it could've been on the disk but whatever I'm sure people would love to spend TEN DOLLARS for a new ending.

    Please don't waste your money on this game. It's almost as big of a let down as TOR which guess what. Was ruined by Bioware.    … Expand
  3. jd579
    Mar 6, 2012
    4
    well, i was totally dissapointed by this game. i loved me 1 and me 2 was even better, i had hoped that they would have fixed the problems in both in me3 and finished the story and it all sounded cool, the way that the game was laid out and how it would progress. i got it today and put it in and the first thing that i noticed was they changed everything about the old games. the graphicswell, i was totally dissapointed by this game. i loved me 1 and me 2 was even better, i had hoped that they would have fixed the problems in both in me3 and finished the story and it all sounded cool, the way that the game was laid out and how it would progress. i got it today and put it in and the first thing that i noticed was they changed everything about the old games. the graphics were realistic in 1 and got more realistic in 2, it looked like a movie. now it looks cartoonish or like an anime. this is probably the worst direction i could think of to go in for me. the first thing i noticed also was the alliance uniforms are different, those things on their shoulders are huge and the little chain thing, it all just screams anime or cartoon to me. i can't stand it. the next thing i noticed was the writing was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy worse than the first two. this is mass effect, its supposed to have excellent writing, like some of the best that you'll find. and i found the intro to be really just, im not sure how to describe it. bad. not on par with mass effect 1 and 2. the dialogue with characters in the game is worse, less detailed, less believeable. the story is just, bad. i mean, it seems like something youd find in some other video games but not mass effect. its not believable. characters just do a 180 from who they were in me2 or 1. they changed a lot of the graphics and the way the game works on missions from me 1 and 2 that didn't need changing. i heard a lot of people left or got fired or something for this game, and, you can definately tell. i heard one of the main writers left or was fired also, and you can definately tell that. at some times you can tell little pieces of the old mass effect series that are good, but mostly its something new and different and just doesn't play well. playing on palavens moon was pretty cool, and the geth ship next to the main battery. overall they just made all of these changes to something that didnt need changing.… Expand
  4. JgamerD
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    I feel as though hype and name generated sales more than quality. That can only last for so long; eventually -no matter how much hype you have, quality does matter. Thatâ
  5. Hurgan
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    A sad confirmation that the company that gave us Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age Origins is gone. People responsible for those excellent RPG's are no longer there, and those left are no longer of the same spirit. Instead of a inspiring, imaginative space-opera RPG, we received a clone of CoD with some SF imagery. We no longer have interesting plots, mysterious enemies, aliens.A sad confirmation that the company that gave us Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age Origins is gone. People responsible for those excellent RPG's are no longer there, and those left are no longer of the same spirit. Instead of a inspiring, imaginative space-opera RPG, we received a clone of CoD with some SF imagery. We no longer have interesting plots, mysterious enemies, aliens. Instead we have cheap romance that is difficult to watch due to its corny lines, and FPS action. This is not the experience I am looking for. All the imaginative, creative elements are gone and what we have is not a fine meal by a renowned chief, but mass produced burger for mass consumption. Thanks but no thanks.… Expand
  6. Bombingburrito
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    This is one of the most disappointing games I've had the misfortune of looking forward to, and the end of a trilogy I regret falling in love with. The creators of the game have cut almost every corner they possibly could have to push this game out as soon as they could. The A.I group up in a single file line in front of my gun, the enemies will randomly break cover for no discernibleThis is one of the most disappointing games I've had the misfortune of looking forward to, and the end of a trilogy I regret falling in love with. The creators of the game have cut almost every corner they possibly could have to push this game out as soon as they could. The A.I group up in a single file line in front of my gun, the enemies will randomly break cover for no discernible reason, when behind cover my camera sometimes starts shacking and falling through the floor, the reduced amount of dialogue choices we get are extremely lacking, interaction with the crew has been reduced, the story is terribly written, much of the lore from the original Mass Effect has been retconned, choices don't change as much as I and many others had hoped for, and all the endings are basically the same with minimal details and colors changed, and no were near as much diversity as you would expect from the ending of a trilogy where choices had initially been used as a selling point. Even the few things they did do better, an example being the much more detailed faces and facial expressions, are wasted by what I assume must be inexperience or lack of care by the developers when used out of context with the situation, or used to so much of an extreme that what little immersion I have is ruined. To add insult to the injury of finding out the game I had been looking forward to for so long had been half assed, they cut out entire parts of the game and attempted to sell them back to me as DLC. This is the last time I make the mistake of putting faith into an Electronic arts or Bioware game, and I would be very concerned about the direction the companies are taking if I was an investor. Screwing over the customer like this will work in the short-term, but the customer base will eventually catch on to the nickle and dimming tactics, and move on to friendlier companies that put out better products. In short, this game deserves a 0 for the price that it is being sold at because of bad developers, greedy publishers, and an overall poor ending to an otherwise great series.… Expand
  7. Pareus
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    If this was a new IP this game would be fine, but it is not a worthy successor to ME1/2. The game makes it very clear that you are playing Bioware's Shepard not your own. Whereas previous games allowed you to choose almost everything Shepard said, here you are railroaded with autodialog and few conversations options through the entire game. The dialogue itself is much worse than previousIf this was a new IP this game would be fine, but it is not a worthy successor to ME1/2. The game makes it very clear that you are playing Bioware's Shepard not your own. Whereas previous games allowed you to choose almost everything Shepard said, here you are railroaded with autodialog and few conversations options through the entire game. The dialogue itself is much worse than previous games as well.
    he game assumes you have read the novels and makes them canon for your Shepard, there is not even a expository line about Anderson stepping down. If you havent played arrival you are similarly left without adequate explanation for the events leading up to ME3. As well, the game is buggy as hell. Expect random freezing/crashes at some missions, missions that wont update, and numerous graphical bugs. You cant even import your ME1 face, I cannot even understand how they thought it was ok to release the game without fixing that one.
    While ME's story has always had a lot of problems with logic and plot holes, the ending to ME3 goes off the deep end. I have no problems with a grim ending, if it is done well, but the ending here, the ending to your Shepard's story now and forever is illogical as hell and poorly written. Nothing you have done throughout the entire series makes a difference in the end, you will be forced into one of three stupid choices, none of which make a damn bit of sense.    … Expand
  8. Dodo22
    Mar 7, 2012
    4
    It is impossible to import your Shepard from the previous games as the new face creation mechanism will not identify the elements from the save file. Importing your save is what has made Mass Effect as prolific as it is. Unplayable until a patch for an issue that should have been resolved during the testing phase. They apparently had the time to make $10 day one DLC but not enough timeIt is impossible to import your Shepard from the previous games as the new face creation mechanism will not identify the elements from the save file. Importing your save is what has made Mass Effect as prolific as it is. Unplayable until a patch for an issue that should have been resolved during the testing phase. They apparently had the time to make $10 day one DLC but not enough time to ensure that a critical component of the main game is functioning properly?

    Aside from this I have played through the first segment with the base Shepard, and it appears to have restored mass effect to initial appeal from the boring outing that was ME2.

    Still I'll go no farther without my Shepard character. Product is in a condition that I reasonably should not have expected. Any other industrial sector and they'd be compelled by law to restore my money, however, software laws let them off the hook. Fix it.    … Expand
  9. IDontknowwhy88
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    This game, and the second one, is a result of poor standards for the gaming industry. A bad plot, and shoehorned in character development. There is no more exploration, no more mystery-it's hallways and FPS action sequences, chased down with unwarrented romance options. This is the same "quality" of work from DA2, and it's not just dissapointing, it is downright insulting to the playersThis game, and the second one, is a result of poor standards for the gaming industry. A bad plot, and shoehorned in character development. There is no more exploration, no more mystery-it's hallways and FPS action sequences, chased down with unwarrented romance options. This is the same "quality" of work from DA2, and it's not just dissapointing, it is downright insulting to the players who've waited for these games.… Expand
  10. EHuntington
    Mar 7, 2012
    4
    Mass Effect 3 is, at best, a disappointing game. At its worst, it's a cliched mess of nonsense dialogue and forced decisions. What's most disappointing for me, is the separated structure of the game. Dialogue happens, then gameplay, then dialogue, then gameplay. There's no fusion. Mass Effect 3 has lengthy fighting sequences and lengthy dialogue and story sequences, but the two never mix.Mass Effect 3 is, at best, a disappointing game. At its worst, it's a cliched mess of nonsense dialogue and forced decisions. What's most disappointing for me, is the separated structure of the game. Dialogue happens, then gameplay, then dialogue, then gameplay. There's no fusion. Mass Effect 3 has lengthy fighting sequences and lengthy dialogue and story sequences, but the two never mix. There's no story in the fight, something happens then something else happens. It's depressing. This game has turned me off to Bioware. I won't be getting their next game.… Expand
  11. lasertank
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is linear and repetative. Decisions made in ME1 & 2 all lead to the 3 similar suck endings. The ending concludes nothing but leaves more problems. All kinds of tragedy are intentionally forced upon players and provides insufficient reasons. The RPG essenses: dialog, history, puzzle, are all missing in ME3. The rushy epilogue disclose how badly bioware wants to kill this game. In ME1 & 2 the length of the ending cinematic last more than 5 minutes, but in ME3 only a less than 1 minute miserable epilogue awaits you.… Expand
  12. zoozooboo
    Mar 8, 2012
    4
    The only thing surprising about the negative reaction to this game is that took you all so long to realize these overpaid basement-dwellers have been making hackneyed, nerd-baiting snoozefests since the overrated Knights of the Old Republic (a game with one of the all-time stupidest twists in any medium). It speaks multitudes of Bioware's lack of creativity that the second they break freeThe only thing surprising about the negative reaction to this game is that took you all so long to realize these overpaid basement-dwellers have been making hackneyed, nerd-baiting snoozefests since the overrated Knights of the Old Republic (a game with one of the all-time stupidest twists in any medium). It speaks multitudes of Bioware's lack of creativity that the second they break free of their D&D and Star Wars licenses (disregarding Jade Empire, which I admittedly haven't played), they jump immediately into creating aesthetically bland space operas and high fantasy romps because the 'spergers can't have their pinned-on mittens ruffled by change or new ideas. Compare the openings of games like Bioshock or Skyrim - games that give you a sense of true mystery and dread, games that prelude to their greater themes and ideas in the first few minutes - to Bioware's uninspired openings: You're standing around as you're totally personal and unique and awesome character (let's just call him/her "M. Sue" for argument's sake) whose super-unique jawline just gives him LOADS of personality, I'm sure, then someone talks your ear off for twenty minutes about PURELY EXPOSITORY BUNK and then whatever they're talking about attacks you in your vanilla spaceship/Game of Thrones field. Sure, you can't judge a game entirely by its opening, but this really illustrates how little Bioware understands about storytelling, tone, or personal expression in art. Their obsession with being "cinematic" is laughable as well, because, 1.) D&D campaigning (the only sort of story structure Bioware seems able to create) is in no way "cinematic," 2.) gaming has reached a level of artistry that most people who take the medium seriously are past trying to just be film's little brother (a reason why the actual gameplay in this developer's titles is so often maligned), and 3.) if this unholy mix of Uncanny Valley Barbie dolls and outdated space opera chic somehow stumbled into the multiplexes, it would tank faster than you could say "The Spirits Within." I'm not one to say you can't make an engrossing game based on going around talking to people... hell, I love the LucasArts adventure games of yesterday. But the difference is those games had style in spades - from the whimsical noir of Grim Fandango to the truly creepy mystery of The Dig - whereas Bioware is simply content to milk easy characterizations and plots (if I ever have to help another space-slut track down her deadbeat space-dad because he owes her space-money or WHATEVER, may I be forced to have sex with a Krogan for the rest of my days), knowing they're working in a field where, until recently, the bar was low enough to get away with it. (It is also interesting to note Dragon Age II, despite its numerous gameplay flaws, was the only Bioware game that comes close to being more than the sum of hastily borrowed parts. And of course it was the start of the internet backlash; nerds don't like it when you slip some beef into their pink slime.) It genuinely makes me angry that the writers try to pass off their totally exploitative (and cringe-worthily awkward) sex scenes as promotions of sexual equality, because they didn't just include hot lesbian action to turn on the fanboys then realize they needed to include some male homosexuality as to not look entirely pandering. The company is skilled at creating an immersive experience, I will give them that, and not every moment spent in their universes is entirely unpleasant. But with schlock writing, unoriginal concepts, and often shoddy gameplay, why do they get a pass for creating a world that's cool to hang out in for a couple hours? That is the bare minimum you're expected to do when creating a piece of narrative entertainment! If you honestly think these games are the pinnacle of any sort of storytelling or characterization, by God, read more books, watch more films, play more games, live more life. Then, come back and see how your Shepard (OMG, does YOUR Shepard Renegade Interrupt people because MY Shepard totally does lololol) and all his dead-eyed and dull-voiced pals relate to things made by people who have seen sunlight in the last ten years. My theory is, they won't.… Expand
  13. Lifewhacker
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    After putting in nearly 100+ hours in the first two Mass Effect games and loving every second of it, Mass Effect 3 left me more than disappointed. The story feels really dumbed down, filled with plot holes and for lack of words, just really bad. There have been tons of technical glitches so far, including issues installing with Origin. (LOTS of texture pop-in, etc on a GTX 260- more thanAfter putting in nearly 100+ hours in the first two Mass Effect games and loving every second of it, Mass Effect 3 left me more than disappointed. The story feels really dumbed down, filled with plot holes and for lack of words, just really bad. There have been tons of technical glitches so far, including issues installing with Origin. (LOTS of texture pop-in, etc on a GTX 260- more than enough to run the game) Bioware has been on a decline lately, and Mass Effect 3 officially lost them an otherwise loyal fan.… Expand
  14. Mekah
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    And series goes out with a whimper. Like the second game we get an extremely pared-down experience with a near total focus on Gears of War-esque shooter gameplay. Linear level design, no exploration, once again a very limited and disappointing Citadel, still not enough skills especially for team members, and just an awful narrative that culminates in one of the most absurdly shortchangedAnd series goes out with a whimper. Like the second game we get an extremely pared-down experience with a near total focus on Gears of War-esque shooter gameplay. Linear level design, no exploration, once again a very limited and disappointing Citadel, still not enough skills especially for team members, and just an awful narrative that culminates in one of the most absurdly shortchanged endings I've ever seen. Manipulated stock photo for one of the big reveals, barely functional journal, broken face import. Feels like a game rushed to completion yet somehow they had the time and budget to provide a multiplayer mode.

    I think I'll go play Mass Effect 1 again and lament that the series will never live up to the potential it had thanks to Bioware.    … Expand
  15. Catbus
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    I loved the first Mass Effect. Bioware has absolutely ruined Mass Effect for me with this latest installment. Horrible endings, writing, etc. What Bioware has done to this series that had so much potential from the first installment is criminal. Avoid this game, avoid this developer.
  16. trunk_slamchest
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. im about 6 hours in...and im gonna flat out say ME 3 has jumped the shark.

    i had just finished playing through ME1 + ME 2 to get hyped for ME 3...and it just feels

    ....like its made for guidos....i legitimately feel dumber for playing Mass Effect 3. the first thing i said when i got on the Normandy was..."what the **** is Ronnie from the Jersey Shore doing on my ****ing ship?"...then i realized it was James, the new guy...frohawk and all...the first hour alone is 95% cutscenes with 100 BAYSPLOSIONS that you have no interaction with.

    the dialogue and voice acting is horribly done....everything feels force and emotionless. every piece of dialogue is centered around THE REAPERS and THE PROTHEAN DEVICE, which aria magically has the only access to..BUT NO ONE KNOWS HOW IT WORKS. garrus is as souless as a polititian. the council dilibrates and discusses things like theyre a group of high school girls. its so ****ing bad its hard to play.

    the interaction with the game feels like its designed for 10 year olds. scanning consists of pinging for THE REAPERS. there is no planet scannign or resource finding...theres WAR ASSETS...loot finding consists of open your eyes and look for the green reticule.

    the illusive man randomly shows up on mars...goes haha im backstabbing you...and dissappears...WITH NO EXPLANATION. you magically get spectre status which grants you a **** ton of cash...THERES NO DEPTH TO THIS GAME. i played as an adept through ME 1 and ME 2 which was ****ing fun...but the gameplay for adept in ME3 is use power + m1 + wait for cooldown + power + m1 + wait for cooldown...while the game throws hoards of enemies at you. its not fun.

    the worst part is...shepard has been pussified beyond belief...i regrettably saved ashley (who went from unattractive in ME1 + ME2 to super hot in ME3 btw) and the first 3 hours of the game surrounds this bull**** love triangle between ashley and aria...and out of no where...this guidette shows up to replace kelly on the normandy and starts getting jealous of EDI because its giving Shepard orders. theres one really obvious boob shot that was the most obvious ploy for guidos to get hooked on the game, it was pathetic. THE SOB STORY WITH THE LITTLE BOY AND THE DREAM SEQUENCES MADE ME FEEL EXTREMELY HOMOSEXUAL AND FEMININE. I DID NOT EVEN HAVE A CHOICE TO SAVE HIM OR NOT. I HAD TO FEEL BAD.

    i know im just ranting...but im gonna keep trying to push through the game til it gets better...but the more i play the more i feel like im getting dick punched in the jaw.    … Expand
  17. Taciter2000
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    I keep messing up my score so let's try again. I can't speak for anyone else but personally, I thought this final episode in the Mass Effect franchise was a colossal betrayal. I have spent a considerable amount of time and money procuring and experiencing every bit of available content for both prior episodes. I have spent countless hours meticulously refining my Shep and his backstoryI keep messing up my score so let's try again. I can't speak for anyone else but personally, I thought this final episode in the Mass Effect franchise was a colossal betrayal. I have spent a considerable amount of time and money procuring and experiencing every bit of available content for both prior episodes. I have spent countless hours meticulously refining my Shep and his backstory only to see my efforts frittered away by a unscrupulous EA board and their erstwhile stooges in BW, both of which are now beyond redemption in my eyes. I was savvy enough to avoid the travesty that is SW:TOR but I surrendered my judgement went I decided to give BW the benefit of the doubt this time round - more fool me. Oh and why are all the the fanbois attacking other posters? It's not their place judge others' critiques.… Expand
  18. noobcannon
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i've had some time to reflect and punch a few holes in the wall to get my frustration out and i think i'm ready to put into words how i feel 24 hours after the "good" ending in mass effect 3

    to start, my RI was Tali. once i killed the reaper on ranoch i opted to upload the reaper code to the geth via legion. despite tali not wanting me to, i felt this was the best course of action for her, her people, the galaxy, and even the geth. i was able to talk the fleet out of counter attacking the geth while the code was being uploaded and tali still loves me. whew. this got me thinking however, what if my paragon was too low and the quarians did attack the geth. what would happen? i pulled up youtube to find out.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvATTDgDIqU

    this was the most moving and emotional punch in the gut i've ever seen in a video game. assuming this had happened in my playthrough, i'd have been devastated. moments earlier tali told me she loved me and i have just wiped out her entire people. heartbroken, she jumps over the edge. thought i was going to cry.

    where the hell was this level of emotion and effort in the ****ing end game bioware? as far as voice acting/ performance go, the quarians being wiped out and tali dying was so difficult to watch, yet so well done, i was completely blown away. that level of devastation and pain should've been put into the endgame and i don't know if i can ever forgive bioware for it. they took maybe the greatest game ever made, at least for me, and complelty half assed the last 5 minutes.

    now, i'll be clear, i wanted a happy ending, but if that's not how it was going to be then fine. i'll get over it. but to do it the way that they did, i, just, uuuuughhh. ......    … Expand
  19. babymaru
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    BW should really stop faking their quality with marketing. This is a bad game.
    They lost their writing. Since they are not good at gameplay or graphics, game is horrible.
    Ending is worst ending I have ever seen. It was very piontless. Mass Effect is not about synthetics vs. organics like Matrix. It's about struggle of galactic society and beauty of the people or their action within it.    BW should really stop faking their quality with marketing. This is a bad game.
    They lost their writing. Since they are not good at gameplay or graphics, game is horrible.
    Ending is worst ending I have ever seen. It was very piontless. Mass Effect is not about synthetics vs. organics like Matrix.
    It's about struggle of galactic society and beauty of the people or their action within it.
    Only good thing I saw was naked Liara. That was truly beautiful. Other than that, this game was completely waste of money and time.
    BW is dead. I will never buy game from this company.
    0/0    … Expand
  20. schweinhundert
    Mar 26, 2012
    0
    Well, I enjoyed the first two games, dunno why this one felt so cheesy and horrible right off the bat to me. Veryconsoley feeling.
    I always found the series a little cheesy, stiff, and b-movie grade, but this one, I couldn't even stomach for more than an hour.
    So there's my uninformative text to allow me to give it a lousy score of one.
    :)
  21. bilwit
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    Gameplay is enjoyable. Plenty of stuff to do. The real problem is the weak and contrived writing. For an RPG, where it's all about the story, it fails miserably on all accounts. All decisions you've made up to your last decision in the game makes virtually no difference, as they slap on the old Hamlet deus ex machina device that completely overwrites everything.
  22. Psychoticspell
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Bioware killed our beloved sci-fi rpg with the help of EA. I could pay for this game even if they make it pure action based. But with this level of retardness level of story and storytelling, it really upsets me as a Mass Effect fan. From now on I decided not to pay for any Bioware game.
  23. Dreskar
    Mar 7, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is good, very good and yet... that ending, oh yes I do mean one ending, they are all the same sadly. [Its a made up story from a man to his son/grandson.] Though you also get to chose one of three endings at the very end that completely invalidates the other two games within the series and is very insulting. It is in essence a Deus Ex Machina moment, and I kid you not it is literally a God Child that created the reapers that shows up at the end and gives you one of three choices, your galactic readiness, your war supplies, and weather you were paragon or renegade means nothing, absolutely nothing to the story. Though if your readiness and supplies are high people survive which is confusing since I thought it would have an impact on the actual fight but it doesn't at all. Ah if you want to play Mass Effect 3, by all means knock yourself out, just stop before you play the final mission if you want to have a great game experience, otherwise play Mass Effect 1 and 2 which are far superior games.… Expand
  24. kishe
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    Dumped down gameplay, dumped down story and dumped down everything. The bioware we used to know and love is dead, replaced by this EA/Bioware abomination that is only interested in profit.
  25. wm746
    Mar 9, 2012
    2
    This is very sad... Better go with Deus Ex: HR, Skyrim or the witcher 2 - A great franchise ruined by greed and ignorance to the buyers. I'm very dissapointed :-/ I hate you EA/BW!!! ME1>ME2>ME3 :-( I have no desire to support companies that don't want my support.
  26. UltraD00d
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if you will) that decided to take this course I don't know, but releasing DLC on the day of release, particularly DLC which is important to the plot, at 1/6 the price of the game itself is unforgivable in of itself. It seems they are laughing in our face as we shell out money for something that should have been on the disc, available to everyone. It is obvious that it was done simply to milk as much money out of the fans as possible.
    2. Casualisation: The game was geared towards Call of Duty players in order to cash in on the series' success, while abandoning the loyal fanbase. Not much else to say here.
    3. Shoddy Writing: Many uninformed people think that the attacks on the Bioware employee Jennifer Hepler was simply a display of hate for the sake of hate. While they certainly did go overboard, it wasn't without good reason. She was the physical manifestation of the quality of writing coming from Bioware. Examples: Dialogue is awkward, the ending is notoriously bad, after seeing so many people die and killing so many himself, Sephard is emotianally effected by the death of a random kid above all. Overall you would expect something better from a Naruto fanfiction. 4. Laziness of Bioware: For a big budget, triple A game you would expect a certain level of effort from the developers. Bioware, however seemed to have taken shortcuts left, right and centre. There are images circulating the internet which demonstrate this quite well. For example, Copying a stock image for the portrait of a character who dies in the game, and copying another 7? year old image lying around in the internet for the ending.
    5. Ininspired Multiplayer: Another cash-in, Wave survival modes have been done to death, nowadays every game seems to have one. It seems this was added in to artificially extend the life of the game and make an excuse for future half-assed DLC releases.
    6. Gay Sex: people reading this may call 'Hurr durr homophobe" - but wait to read my reasoning. Homosexuality IS a sin. Being implemented in such as fashion acts to 'casualise' it, pressing on the impressionable 13 year old minds (whose uninformed mothers will be buying this game) that it is fine and acceptable. I do not hate **** I care about them, just as I do any other person. For this reason I oppose it.
    Even if this is an attempt to cash-in with the gay audience rather than a political agenda, it gets in the way of the average straight player and does not belong. I do not want to have gay passes made to me by my squadmates when I'm playing a game.
    7. Reviewers are sellouts: This goes for every major game release nowadays, but is absolutely appalling. While I'm not implying that EA is necessarily directly paying reviewers to give the game good reviews (not that I'd put it past them) there is certainly a feel that if you don't give it a good review the publisher early access to future releases. I have heard of cases where people have lost their job because they wrote how the felt rather than what they were told to write. This is why I'm writing this review in fact - to help get a bit of truth out.
    Instead of a proper, objective review we are fed tripe with 10/10 would play again bs.

    Due to all these aformentioned problems with Mass Effect 3, I cannot take it seriously, thus it receives a score of 0/10. The only reason it has earned a 1 from me is because the Biodrone tears are absolutely delicious.
    Have a good day sirs.    … Expand
  27. Sirinoeles
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    The trilogy is ruined. This game is worse then ME1 & ME2 in any possible way. And I want to ask: why in the world ppl would kill their best franchise? Why threw away everything their games were loved for and replace it with things that console games are hated for? Do they really think that bad console games are more popular then good pc-games? I'll disappoint u, Bioware, in our countryThe trilogy is ruined. This game is worse then ME1 & ME2 in any possible way. And I want to ask: why in the world ppl would kill their best franchise? Why threw away everything their games were loved for and replace it with things that console games are hated for? Do they really think that bad console games are more popular then good pc-games? I'll disappoint u, Bioware, in our country only 1/4 of all gamers have consoles. Many ppl who can afford console (like me) don't buy it. U know why? Because most of console games are crap! They just are. U wanna make this crap? Ok. But I won't buy it any more. No more mass effect or dragon age - no more disappointments.
    P.S. Kill your writers or buy them new brains.    … Expand
  28. randomness1000
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    Mass effect 3 a epic conclusion? More like a epic disappointment.
    I felt that the ending was a major slap in my face and leave a bitter taste
    in your mouth!
  29. aznrap1st
    Mar 13, 2012
    2
    This was supposed to be the game that completes the mass effect series and gave closure to its loyal fans. Instead, this game was dumbed down to the levels of COD. Mass effect 3 focused more on shaking screens and big explosions than good story/gameplay. Through the whole thing, while we still had choices to make, it felt like my hand was being held between the times we could makeThis was supposed to be the game that completes the mass effect series and gave closure to its loyal fans. Instead, this game was dumbed down to the levels of COD. Mass effect 3 focused more on shaking screens and big explosions than good story/gameplay. Through the whole thing, while we still had choices to make, it felt like my hand was being held between the times we could make choices in dialogue.
    The world was also disappointing. The normandy got smaller with fewer interactable characters and objects, and so did the citadel. There was less time spent exploring new places.
    When shopping for weapons, you don't see the specs of the weapons in the shop compared to the weapons you already own. You'll have to buy the weapons to see how it stacks up against what you already have.
    And like the others have said, the biggest screw up is that the choices that you make during me1, me2, and me3 don't matter in the end. All in all, the game was like a bad movie: They put all the good parts in the trailer, and the rest of the movie sucks.    … Expand
  30. Raynulf
    Mar 26, 2012
    4
    The Mass Effect series as a whole is an amazing piece of storytelling, backed by enjoyable and interesting gameplay and a cast of well crafted characters. The rating given reflects the complete experience of Mass Effect 3. Had the game concluded with the themes and narrative quality of the majority of the game, it would rate 8/10.

    The game is immersive, reasonably well paced and takes    The Mass Effect series as a whole is an amazing piece of storytelling, backed by enjoyable and interesting gameplay and a cast of well crafted characters. The rating given reflects the complete experience of Mass Effect 3. Had the game concluded with the themes and narrative quality of the majority of the game, it would rate 8/10.

    The game is immersive, reasonably well paced and takes pains to reintroduce the majority of 'fan favourite' characters at least for a cameo and is thoroughly enjoyable, if by no means 'perfect'.

    In terms of gameplay, the combat is much improved, with the protagonist being far more mobile on the battlefield - however linking all movement commands to a single button which is interpreted situationally can be immensely frustrating - and the enemies are tactically more varied and force rapid shifts in player tactics. Unfortunately, the opponents are far from varied: Throughout the game there are essentially two factions you fight against in almost every encounter. Despite the focus on one-squad-vs-the-horde throughout the game, it does introduce a little variety in the form of shooting-gallery turret sections and a section in virtual reality.

    As a roleplay game (RPG), Mass Effect 3 is far more restricted than its predecessors, with fewer dialogue options and ultimately less choices, however the immersiveness of the first two acts will cause most players to generally forgive this, at least on their first play-through.

    If there is a complaint to be had (excluding the ending), it is in the fact that little of the prior decisions made in the series are actually taken into account within the Mass Effect 3 storyline: Species the player rendered extinct can be found throughout the game, artifacts the player destroyed utterly can be found on display, and so forth. While it is by no means uncommon or even unusual for sequential games to make assumptions and establish a 'cannon' series of events, the fact that Mass Effect 3 was specifically marketed as this not being the case causes it not to live up to expectations in that regard.

    Additionally, regardless of player choice, Mass Effect 3 will force feed the protagonist with a lot of previously nonpresent anguish over certain events, which is very much out of keeping with the concept of player-determination.

    Still, despite these flaws, it easily rates 8/10 for the first two acts, when viewed on its own merits. And for these first two acts, I would recommend this game to any fan of the Mass Effect series, with the caveat they immediately stop playing the game afterwards, and do not complete it.

    And then, theres the ending.

    On the chance that somehow, someone is not aware of this fact: A lot of customers are not happy with the ending (to put it mildly), and frankly, their dissatisfaction is perfectly justified.

    The final act of the game dismisses the overall game theme of player choice and consequences thereof, railroading the player along a series of events - some agreeable, many not - until the point the game ends. Specifically the game, not the story.

    In the final hour of one of the greatest epics told in the computer game medium, Mass Effect 3 utterly fails to deliver, from a narrative, psychological and philosophical perspective. Themes established from the beginning are discarded, new and inexplicable characters are introduced the very end, illogical and circular 'exposition' contradicts established story and background and last but not least, established characters are forced to act completely against their nature as the player is shoe-horned into an A/B/C choice, regardless of their prior actions through the series. Even the very narrative style is switched in the very last minute.

    To make matters worse: The ending also, for no reason, destroys the entire premise of the game universe with utterly inexplicable and near-identical, emotionless CGI animations.

    So sadly, despite 5 years of excellence in the series, 15 minutes of cutscenes (with no player control) quickly and thoroughly ruin the overall experience, and the game must be rated with that in mind.


    As a disclaimer: Bioware are, and hopefully will continue to be, an excellent developer, who have produced some of the most enjoyable stories in the gaming media, which is one of the reasons the terribly written ending to ME3 is so surprising.

    I would recommend people do NOT boycott the brand, or anything equally extreme, but instead avoid pre-ordering their products or relying on pre-release reviews, and instead wait for peer reviews, such as these here on Metacritic.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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