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. marc5477
    Jan 15, 2015
    4
    Preface: I played the original game without any DLC. For the most part, the game feels like Mass Effect 2. Combat is basically the same and RPG elements are still reduced to minimal. It really does play more like a shooter or adventure game than an RPG. Loot is still minimal and customization is basically non-existent aside from choosing from a very limited number of weapons and armor,Preface: I played the original game without any DLC. For the most part, the game feels like Mass Effect 2. Combat is basically the same and RPG elements are still reduced to minimal. It really does play more like a shooter or adventure game than an RPG. Loot is still minimal and customization is basically non-existent aside from choosing from a very limited number of weapons and armor, many of which were very similar to each other. There is never a feeling of progression that is associated with RPG's but for what its worth, combat was actually fun in the same way that shooters are fun.

    Many things annoyed me in this game aside from not going back to its ME1 RPG roots. The biggest is the planet exploration... if we can even call it that. Orbit a planet, click a button and thats is all there is to it. Very silly and reminded me of playing ET on the Atari. The only challenge to it is to escape from the flying Reapers which was entirely trivial and mind numbingly boring.

    I liked how they tried to make every mission have an impact on the ending of the game. The more you complete the better your odds of getting a better ending. Unfortunately they completely dropped the ball on the impact of the score on the story as all the endings were pretty much the same regardless of score. I also hated the fact that you cannot get the best ending without playing multiplayer. I do not want to play with others in a 1 player game. Yet I could not get my readiness high enough to get the best ending. Besides, by the time I reached the end, I was so bored of the game I just wanted to end it not play more with people I never met.

    Next, I thought the ending was rushed. As it turns out, much of what you do in the game was not necessary because the endings would be about the same if you rushed through the game anyway. You are always presented with the same options and there is very little difference between the high readiness endings and the minimal endings. It felt like I wasted my time running around finishing missions especially since there was minimal RPG progression. I dont think the endings are terrible, but they were definitely not as exciting as I would have expected them to be given it was a trilogy.

    Last, there is only 1 real boss battle in the entire game and it was too easy. Most of the other battle finales were not really bosses but rather assignments like painting a target or surviving a few minutes. There were no imposing battles at any point in the game and I never felt like I was in danger. There were a few battles that were cheap since you did not know where the enemies were coming from but after you saw it once it became trivial. Which brings me to annoyance, there is no mini map. If you want to see the map you have to bring it up manually and it still did not show enemy position thus taking away any form of strategy you might want to employ. its kind of ironic that there was no mini map but you could always see your mission objective target painted clearly without the map.

    I ran into two game breaking bugs that could have ended my games early (and neither were ever fixed). One was on the deck of the ship. Shepard simply gets stuck near Joker and cannot move no matter what you do. This bug can happen any time in the game. It is a well known bug and has not been fixed. The only way to work around it is through loading a previous save and making sure to save before entering the area. If you quick-saved while stuck hoping a reload would fix the issue, then you can really mess up your game because you will load into the game stuck. The only other solution is to get a 3rd party save game editor where you have to manually edit your save and change your save position.

    The other game breaking crash happened while on a mission. At some point, as you progressed, you walk through a door and the game simply crashes every time. This is also a common bug and has not been fixed. Luckily there was a work around. You have to inch through the door and continuously quick save until the game crashes. If you quick saved inside the room, you will be able to load the new save inside the room and the crash will stop. Still, its unbelievable that this has not been fixed.

    Overall, the game was not great. It lacked any innovation compared to parts 1 and 2 and felt rushed when you account for the game breaking bugs, lazy endings, lack of exciting fights/bosses, and weak story tie ins. Essentially, all your decisions ultimately did not matter very much from previous games, and much of what you do in ME3 is pointless since the ending are all very similar. Its not a horrible game but it was definitely boring after the 1st hour due to lack of RPG progression and lack of gameplay-story impact. I do not recommend this game if you are looking for an RPG. If you are a heavy FPS fan I would give this a 6/10 instead of a 4/10.    … Expand
  2. Pallowin
    Oct 16, 2014
    4
    This used to be my favorite franchise. I have put at least 500 hours into ME1 and ME2, all in preparation for ME3. I wanted to have the perfect save file ready, so I could see how my choices would add up in ME3.

    What I got, however, was a rushed mess, that didn't even deliver on half of the promises made. The game knew that it had a lot of knots to tie, relating to the different side    This used to be my favorite franchise. I have put at least 500 hours into ME1 and ME2, all in preparation for ME3. I wanted to have the perfect save file ready, so I could see how my choices would add up in ME3.

    What I got, however, was a rushed mess, that didn't even deliver on half of the promises made.

    The game knew that it had a lot of knots to tie, relating to the different side missions and characters I had interacted with in my many playthroughs of ME1+2. This was solved mostly by lazily sending an email to you ingame, telling you that "This char did this, and now he/she is dead" or "Hello, I am xxx you helped my with yyy a while back, thanks"

    The characters didn't feel like the characters from the first two games, they felt a little "off". Like they were written by a different person (which turned out to be correct). This became blatantly obvious the farther I got. I often had the feeling that "this person would not say this" or "this person would not do this"

    The zones/planets/places you visited felt small and confined, I felt like I traversed one long corridor with no option to explore or branch off the given path.

    Decisions you made felt superficial, and I didn't feel like I had an impact on the world, contrary to the two previous games, This was mostly because the game focused on completing old storylines, poorly, instead of creating some new ones as well.

    The whole game I had a bad feeling about these occurrences, and when I reached the end, the game simply caved in on itself. I could only sit there and stare at the screen completely silent. Then, as something I can only assume was a joke, the DLC message popped up: "Commander Shepard has become a legend by ending the Reaper threat. Now you can continue to build that legend through further gameplay and downloadable content"

    I simply shut the game off, uninstalled Origin, and I haven't touched an EA game since. The fact that I stumbled over this in late 2014 and still feel angry, is a testament to how much this game disappointed me.

    This game has ruined my love for the two previous ones as well, as I sit back with a "what's to point" feeling whenever I feel like playing ME1 or ME2.

    If you haven't played the Mass Effect series, I would recommend you to only play the first two games, and forget that this stinker exists.

    ...And lastly, looking at the professional critic score, is a perfect indicator of what is wrong with game journalism today.    … Expand
  3. BiribiriUC
    Mar 25, 2015
    4
    I loved this franchise, but they really crashed and burned this game, no longer do you feel like you're going on an adventure exploring a galaxy, no longer you get the feeling of your choices making an impact in your game
    Most redeeming feature is the Multiplayer, that's still pretty fun
  4. Inheritance92
    Nov 23, 2018
    4
    The game is one big, unskippable cutscene. Most sidequests deal with your former party members, the space exploration is ruined, and it feels like a big nostalgia train.
    Many mechanics from ME1 are back, there are climbable ladders, and the Sheppard can (finally) move between covers and jump over the obstacles.
    It is a specimen of technical mastery combined with creative impotence.
  5. zbysiek123456
    Sep 16, 2019
    4
    The weakest part of trilogy of Shepard. We get almost identical game like ME2. But this time we have feeling like we saw this somwhere else. Again we need to buy tons of DLC (And some of them was brutally cut from game and you are able to activate some parts with no buying DLC because it is in base game but locked. For example Javik :/) Quest are good, story is also good but after fightingThe weakest part of trilogy of Shepard. We get almost identical game like ME2. But this time we have feeling like we saw this somwhere else. Again we need to buy tons of DLC (And some of them was brutally cut from game and you are able to activate some parts with no buying DLC because it is in base game but locked. For example Javik :/) Quest are good, story is also good but after fighting for many hours in ME, ME2 and this game we going to point where ending is disappointed and have nothing to our decisions in past 2 game and even in what you was doing in 3 :(… Expand
  6. Evil_User
    Jul 6, 2020
    4
    It would be a good game, if not for the ending. She puts an end to all parts of the game. You can safely follow the path of the apostate from the first part, because in the end there will still be garbage that will cover all the good that you tried to do for the world and your team. 4 precisely because of the ending. so would put 9
  7. vova22379
    Jan 30, 2023
    4
    ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  8. Ltom
    Sep 24, 2021
    4
    Mass Effect 3 is a mess of overdesign and copying from other games it has no job copying from. For clarities sake, I played this game right after I finished Mass Effect 1 and 2. And I got to say, it is by far the weakest Mass Effect game I've played. Playing this game feels like seeing a good friend go down a depression spiral, it's unfocused, it's pacing is trash, character'sMass Effect 3 is a mess of overdesign and copying from other games it has no job copying from. For clarities sake, I played this game right after I finished Mass Effect 1 and 2. And I got to say, it is by far the weakest Mass Effect game I've played. Playing this game feels like seeing a good friend go down a depression spiral, it's unfocused, it's pacing is trash, character's personalities are changed to make this whole game feel more like gears of war and the expendables, instead of what Mass Effect was. It's not all bad of course, it does have it's moments, like any other game does. And it is a really good experience when it wants to be. The problem is, it doesn't want to be good often. The new characters are also painfully bad, such as james who I wish I could let die from the first mission. Or cortez who is a semi replacement for joker, only worse and way more annoying than he has any right to be (but he can die on the final mission so that gave me a smile at least).

    When Mass Effect 3 is good is when it is actually Mass Effect. When you hang around with Garrus, Tali, Liara. You know, the usual suspects, and have fun. It does happen a lot and before playing the casino DLC party ending, I was going to give this game a 1 or 0 out of 10. But I have to admit that, no matter how disappointed I am in this game, and no matter how much I disliked most of the game. It does have those moments that put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye. So, for that alone I'll give it a 4. I don't think it worth more than that and I will get into it later. For now, let's focus on the pros and cons.

    Pros: Biotics have nicer effects and some biotics that used to not have much impact in the game now feel a lot better.
    Gunplay is arguably better.

    Cons: The characters introduced in the third game are borderline horrendous, with the exception of traynor. Other than that, they are either forgettable or asinine.

    The pacing of the story is way off, it tries to give this sense of urgency that is destroyed the moment you stop to find cables for some random schmuck

    Old characters you know and love turn into action movie protagonist level of dumb and annoying sometimes. Something that's fine for the new ones (since that's what they are supposed to be I guess), but not for the older ones who where never like that.

    Shepard feels weird when compared to other games of the series. He feels disconnected and turns into a military **** only to make a 180 in the final mission. Which leads me to believe that there was some push from EA to make him like that. But I wouldn't know and assuming gets us nowhere (nor does it change the fact).

    Side missions and companions feel "weaker" than in previous titles (not combat wise, story wise).

    That's for the big ones, in my opinion. I could go on about how the gameplay feels clunky and a bad ripoff from gears of war, or how the game forces you to interact with characters you don't want to, or how everybody talks too much all the **** time. "Oh, here's a ladder, oh here's the door) it's like a constant tutorial. A constant tutorials I didn't and for and don't want. Or how military mumbo jumbo makes every dialogue feel stupid and annoying and how there are less than half dialogue options, compared to ME2. But, I digress.

    The main problem with ME3 is that it trying to be something it's not. It's trying to be gears of war and the expendables, when it should have just be something more akin to band of brothers. And it works when it is more like it, that's the frustrating part, they know how to make the game good and just didn't. The voice acting is a toss frankly, some voice acting is amazing and some is trash with everything in between. The ending is something that will divide opinions a lot. As a starters, I love bitter endings. I like it when the ending puts a tear in my eye, when someone isn't making it back this time. The last hurrah! If you will. So the ending isn't something I completely dislikes and there is some amazing award worthy voice acting in the final mission in my opinion. But that is not enough to carry this one home I'm afraid. For context. I 100% this game in 35 hours (roughly 3-4 I was afk but just go with it) and for 20-24 of them I was out of my mind, pissed off with how they treated the old characters and the fact that I had to interact with the new, annoying, boring, pieces of **** they put in the story. I got the """good""" ending with 8000 military strength points (you don't need that much you need 7400 I believe) and I would be lying if I said that I didn't like doing any of it. Or that I wasn't sentimental in the final mission. But it's just not enough. So, I can't in good faith recommend this game. If you want to play it for the trilogy, do it. However, be prepared to be disappointed a lot of times. That's that... Hopefully the new one will be better though I wouldn't hold my breath. Oh, one last thing. ME Andromeda was way **** better than ME3    … Expand
  9. bernlin2000
    Nov 12, 2012
    3
    A disappointing game that plays with the edges of the fundamentals of M1 and M2, but otherwise is non innovative. The major problem, though, is the plot, particularly the finale, which is very disappointing considering all the time and effort I (and many other players) put into the entire series. The ending is simplistic and the lead-up to it is long and tiring (the fight to the towerA disappointing game that plays with the edges of the fundamentals of M1 and M2, but otherwise is non innovative. The major problem, though, is the plot, particularly the finale, which is very disappointing considering all the time and effort I (and many other players) put into the entire series. The ending is simplistic and the lead-up to it is long and tiring (the fight to the tower never seemed to end). If you've played the other two in the series, I don't think I'd recommend completing it...this is just too disappointing of an ending to recommend to anyone.… Expand
  10. CazicLFD
    Mar 8, 2012
    3
    This game was a huge dissapointment for me. The soundtrack was terrible compared to what was in me1 and me2, the animations are awful, most of the writing is absolutely horrid. The way they handled the characters from me2(besides garrus and tali) in this game was also a big let down. What pissed me off the most about this game was the story however, more specifically the ending. I wontThis game was a huge dissapointment for me. The soundtrack was terrible compared to what was in me1 and me2, the animations are awful, most of the writing is absolutely horrid. The way they handled the characters from me2(besides garrus and tali) in this game was also a big let down. What pissed me off the most about this game was the story however, more specifically the ending. I wont give away spoilers, if you enjoyed ME1 and ME2, stick with those, dont waste your time with ME3, because when you finish it you will be thoroughly dissapointed with the entire series because of the ending.… Expand
  11. 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
  12. agotmanov
    Apr 30, 2012
    3
    I have but one issue with this game - the writing. I mean really, how hard can it be? ME2 was no freaking masterpiece, but the story was compelling enough to make action meaningful, and occasional stupidities were just something to laugh about and forget. In short, it was fun. I think in general RPG fans (including me) have relatively low standards when it comes to writing, and it's ok. ItI have but one issue with this game - the writing. I mean really, how hard can it be? ME2 was no freaking masterpiece, but the story was compelling enough to make action meaningful, and occasional stupidities were just something to laugh about and forget. In short, it was fun. I think in general RPG fans (including me) have relatively low standards when it comes to writing, and it's ok. It should be just solid enough so that it doesn't spoil the game.

    Somehow (miraculously) ME3 fails to deliver. Writing-wise it's a non-stop *facepalm*. How hard is it to come up with a response that wouldn't sound dumb or out of place? After first 30min I started to suspect that somewhere between the end of ME2 and the beginning of ME3 commander Sheppard got a lobotomy. Or maybe he is a husk? Or secretly mind-controlled by Cerberus and they *make him* say all these things? That would be a cool plot. I'd play that game. Apparently, ME3 is a different one, and it stinks. Bioware, what the hell!?    … Expand
  13. jadelith
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    99% of the game is very well done and quite fun. Before the ending I was thoroughly enjoying myself (which is why it gets a 3 and not a 0) I even liked the multiplayer.

    Until the ending hit. I don't want to spoil anything, but no matter what you do in the 3 games, you lose, and the ending simply leaves you hanging. and that's absolutely unacceptable. Do yourself a favor, and don't play    99% of the game is very well done and quite fun. Before the ending I was thoroughly enjoying myself (which is why it gets a 3 and not a 0) I even liked the multiplayer.

    Until the ending hit. I don't want to spoil anything, but no matter what you do in the 3 games, you lose, and the ending simply leaves you hanging. and that's absolutely unacceptable.

    Do yourself a favor, and don't play this game - especially if you've played the first 2 games. It will ruin the series for you    … Expand
  14. 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
  15. anubite
    Mar 8, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 is a bitter disappointment. I will do my best to briefly explain its flaws without spoiling anything.

    1. Very little care was paid to the story. There are many nagging plot holes that will distract you throughout the game. Glaring logical flaws that have existed since Mass Effect 2 and even Mass Effect 1. More importantly, characters behave very erratically in this game,    Mass Effect 3 is a bitter disappointment. I will do my best to briefly explain its flaws without spoiling anything.

    1. Very little care was paid to the story. There are many nagging plot holes that will distract you throughout the game. Glaring logical flaws that have existed since Mass Effect 2 and even Mass Effect 1. More importantly, characters behave very erratically in this game, seldom true to their original characterization in the previous games. BioWare took the easy way out in most cases, killing off characters at obvious moment. The plot is predictable (I found myself calling out what would happen hours before it did) and the characters and concepts new to Mass Effect 3 are either ridiculous (Kai Leng, the future space ninja) to just shallow (James Vega, token mexican-american space marine). The endings, suffice to say, will leave you in shock with how lazy they were crafted.

    BioWare did impress me with how it handled some of its lesser side characters though, I did not expect so many of them to return as cameos and not simply emails saying, "Hi, remember me?"

    2. None of your choices impact much in ME3. If you played the previous games, you'll find ME3 a little easier to play with some difficult decisions removed (such as choosing one character or another to live), but overall very little changes depending upon your choices in the previous two games. Almost nothing changes based on your choices in ME3, which is a bit surprising. Not even your paragon/renegade status really seems to influence anything.

    This is really wrenching. Major decisions like letting the Rachni living in the first game or not, have no bearing on the game's events in any meaningful manner. But also, deciding who you ally or help or not in ME3 really has no effect on the game's ending... or really much of anything.

    3. This game is ugly. BioWare really outsourced its artwork this time. Facial animations and modeling are inferior to ME2. Many big game reveals (a picture of Tali's face) are stock photo touchups (and by that, I mean literally importing a stock photo into photoshop and putting a lens flare over it). Level design is not as creative as in the original ME. There are occasionally some good in-game environments (such as a certain vegetated piece of Tuchanka) but they are few and far between. In order save memory consumption, BW even had to remove the ability to holster your weapon in combat areas. This broke immersion for me, with my character always hunched over looking down the barrel of their gun.

    Whoever designed Diana Allers' "dress" should be shot.

    4. The voice acting in this game is tolerable, though there are some spotty moments (Wrex stands out at times).

    5. The dialogue wheel is horribly dumbed down in this game - I was shocked. Immensely. There is always a "top" or "bottom" choice to pick (two choices) and every once in a while you'll get an 'investigate' option with 3-5 choices there, but less than 10% of the time do you ever get a "middle" option to pursue in dialogue. You're either paragon or renegade in this game, you can't walk the line through any situation. You're either on their side, or you're not.

    6. The gunplay is a little improved. Some of the new abilities are interesting. However, level design has not been improved from ME2/Me1, I'd say it's gotten worse actually. A lot of corridors, people constantly shouting at you to keep moving -- you can't even stop to look around and enjoy the scenery you like, or even plan an approach to your enemy. Corridors and guns are pretty much all you can expect in this game.

    I did enjoy the aspect of building up an army to fight the reapers though, and for a moment (towards the beginning of the game), I felt a little desperate as to whether I would be able to reach maximum army strength. I thought that the more time I dawdled on side missions, the less chance I would have at beating the game. But I shouldn't have been so silly - of course not. Why challenge the player?

    7. The multiplayer is trashy and I don't understand why they wasted development time on it -- besides marketing purposes anyway.

    8. The different difficulty selections are nice, but narrative is immersion breaking and insanity is pretty much 'dumb' in some instances of the game, where enemies zerg you.

    9. The AI is atrocious. Many encounters in the game are made easy when enemies funnel in through drop points or doorways - you can't just stun them all with a Biotic spell. AI tend to just get behind something and shoot from it.

    10. Not a single boss fight was designed well. They feel really tacked on and lame.    … Expand
  16. TwsitedComplex
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    Very sad for a once great company.
    Bad dialog
    Using sprites for background characters
    Can't import faces from ME1
    The ending is literally copy/paste from Deus Ex
    Tali's face is a bad photoshop from a models website
    The vast majority of the time there are only 2 dialog options
    The list goes on

    It really is quite pathetic
  17. RyanAbes
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    Honestly, this game was an utter disappointment. It was going somewhat well (would have got maybe a 6-7 from me) up until the ending. The endings are so bad, so... well... completely out-of-place and unsatisfying, that it justifiably knocks 3-4 points off of it's entire score. Yes, there is fan outrage. And I think justifiably so. It is a short game, it ignores all of your decisionsHonestly, this game was an utter disappointment. It was going somewhat well (would have got maybe a 6-7 from me) up until the ending. The endings are so bad, so... well... completely out-of-place and unsatisfying, that it justifiably knocks 3-4 points off of it's entire score. Yes, there is fan outrage. And I think justifiably so. It is a short game, it ignores all of your decisions (uniting species that have been warring for hundreds, if not thousands of years); there is no reason to be a completionist in this game, it honestly isn't worth it.

    Want to find out what happened with your LI's? Search youtube. Want to know how the series ends... search youtube. Want to buy the game? Don't bother, search youtube...

    The most disappointing end to one of the best series that has come out in the past few years. My biggest regret is there are no returns for PC games.    … Expand
  18. velimrius
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    Im glad i didnt spent cent on this, go to hell bioware with ur employed game designers whom hates gaming and want option to skip combat....

    First ME was awesome to me, second was good too, but this is disgrace!
  19. tonytopete
    Apr 29, 2012
    3
    Well, one more franchise destroyed by EA. Where they put their hands, they destroy. Dumb animations, low res textures made for consoles, weapons sounds all messed up... Ill never buy another game that have EA in it...
  20. gotthammer
    Mar 16, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect was a great game, the only complaints I can recall being performance (optimization?) issues and the rather clunky inventory.
    Mass Effect 2, counting the DLCs (esp. Lair of the Shadow Broker), was also a great game. It wasn't perfect : some aspects felt over-simplified when compared to the first game, and the resolution of the main story could have used more choices. Still, a    Mass Effect was a great game, the only complaints I can recall being performance (optimization?) issues and the rather clunky inventory.
    Mass Effect 2, counting the DLCs (esp. Lair of the Shadow Broker), was also a great game. It wasn't perfect : some aspects felt over-simplified when compared to the first game, and the resolution of the main story could have used more choices. Still, a great game.
    Mass Effect 3, the finale of a trilogy, was also a great game, for the most part. Decent graphics. Great looking locations/environments. Pretty cinematics/FMVs. Dramatic (if a bit overly so, at times) sequences. Superb score/soundtrack. The dialogue, like the previous game, was mostly solid (ok, there were some cheesy/seeming forced/heavy-handed bits, like a few speeches). The plot was 'ok', but could use some beefing up/more work, but it was, for the most part, 'ok' (not counting the ending). Almost everything was great. Almost.
    The ending, IMHO, ruins, not just the game, but, as it is the ending of a trilogy, the franchise as well.
    The ending doesn't feel to be 'in character' with the setting or even the overall feel of the game and the franchise. The ending seemingly negates any choice and also disregards (or doesn't reward) the efforts of the player throughout the game. It is very, very disappointing.
    The ending alone makes me unable to, in good conscience, recommend the game to anyone I know. Unless Bioware were to 'fix' the endings by providing more options/choices, as well as clarifying the mess that is the current set of endings, I won't recommend the game, nor will I purchase any downloadable content for Mass Effect 3.

    Pros: Visuals, environment, soundtrack, dialogue/voice acting/humor, cinematics/FMVs, quantity of weapons

    Cons: Ending, fewer squad mates, graphics options too limited, lack of inventory/over-simplification of RPG elements, some dialogue, quantity of armor choices, lack of other 'hubs' (there's only the Citadel), some aspects feel rushed (example: under utilization of some characters, the ending, etc.)    … Expand
  21. Tweete
    Apr 5, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect was a great game. Mass Effect 2 was very simple but still a good game. Mass Effect 3 is just not very good. It seems like Bioware is on a crusade to address every social issue known to man and squeeze it into a 40 hour game. I play to have a good time and get away from real world crap. I wont comment on the terrible ending as thats been covered.
  22. moarx
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    For being a AAA title, Mass Effect 3 seems to be very cheaply made. Somehow the graphics seem to have gotten worse since Mass Effect 2, and it's very noticeable throughout the entire game. Textures are fairly low res (even on the PC version), animations are clunkier than ever, and most levels are very linear/claustrophobic but still lack detail (incredibly small maps with poorly madeFor being a AAA title, Mass Effect 3 seems to be very cheaply made. Somehow the graphics seem to have gotten worse since Mass Effect 2, and it's very noticeable throughout the entire game. Textures are fairly low res (even on the PC version), animations are clunkier than ever, and most levels are very linear/claustrophobic but still lack detail (incredibly small maps with poorly made skyboxes).

    The dialogue is far worse than in the first 2 Mass Effect games, seemingly taking a lesson from Dragon Age 2's writers. The central plot is better, though the disappointing ending(s) and seemingly random character deaths manage to ruin it. Bioware has introduced more of the character customization found in Mass Effect 1, but at the same time the combat is worse than ME2's. The controls are extremely clunky, you'll often find yourself dying due to getting stuck in/randomly leaving cover due to having the space bar bound to several different actions. The AI is fairly basic, generally leaving themselves out in the open though Bioware have given them more shields/health to add artificial difficulty.    … Expand
  23. camoe
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    Do not listen to the people giving this game a 10 they are lying or bioware ea employers or just plain stupid this game is horrible its the worst in the series bye far their are no RPG elements left in the game at all even when you pick to play the game as an RPG they don't are about the pc you an not use your mouse wheel to scroll you ant access the journal with the j button on yourDo not listen to the people giving this game a 10 they are lying or bioware ea employers or just plain stupid this game is horrible its the worst in the series bye far their are no RPG elements left in the game at all even when you pick to play the game as an RPG they don't are about the pc you an not use your mouse wheel to scroll you ant access the journal with the j button on your keyboard you cant crouch any more like you could in the first game witch i liked the graphics and textures are appalling if you have any sense you will not bye this game if you do wait for it to be on sale or rents it other wise you are wasting your money honestly.… Expand
  24. North
    Mar 18, 2012
    3
    I can't believe you Bioware! How dare you insult your fanbase with such dimwitted story progression, and worst of all, with an idiotic ending that pissed off everyone as hellfire !! Do you guys have any idea how many people are invested in this game, to see their stories achieve a more fulfilling end? What a logically insulting end, with loads of plot-holes?

    The only positive thing about    I can't believe you Bioware! How dare you insult your fanbase with such dimwitted story progression, and worst of all, with an idiotic ending that pissed off everyone as hellfire !! Do you guys have any idea how many people are invested in this game, to see their stories achieve a more fulfilling end? What a logically insulting end, with loads of plot-holes?

    The only positive thing about this game was the entire process of rallying allies. Because I am a more RPG oriented player, rather than bang bang, pow pow... Yet even at that, I couldn't see any satisfying plot writing. The whole marketing hype, day one DLC, and Xbox kinnect components were already indications that something was off about this game. And yet you were so sure that this would be the best game in the series. EPIC FAIL, by literal definition! You probably can't fall deeper than this. Nonetheless, I gave you 3 for your blood and sweat poured into the making of the game. Please get a grip and revitalize yourselves before the shame becomes too unbearable. But first, get rid of that EA leech! There are a lot better publishers out there, smaller, yes, but treat their developers with respect. My suggestion: strike a deal with Valve or create your own publishing company. The Bioware I have known is capable of doing this.    … Expand
  25. spiderfish
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    Literally goes from a 10/10 to a 3/10 in the last 10 minutes of the game. What color would you like to destroy the universe with? I literally wasted hundreds of hours wasted on this trilogy.
  26. Powderkeg40
    Mar 27, 2012
    3
    If I had turned the game off instead of playing the last 5 minutes it may have earned a 5. They took an amazing series and ruined it. I lost track of how many times I played ME1 and ME2 all the way through. With ME3 there doesn't seem to be any point at all. I'm not sure if it was hurried out too fast or the designers got lazy. None of the choices you've made in the previous gamesIf I had turned the game off instead of playing the last 5 minutes it may have earned a 5. They took an amazing series and ruined it. I lost track of how many times I played ME1 and ME2 all the way through. With ME3 there doesn't seem to be any point at all. I'm not sure if it was hurried out too fast or the designers got lazy. None of the choices you've made in the previous games really matter at all. Fine myself wishing it hadn't been released yet so I could still be anxiously awaiting what I believed would be a great game.… Expand
  27. MadclownJack
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I honestly did not get what all the fuss was about, until i took it upon myself to "dive" into the story and see for myself. And boy was it a shallow dive. First, the story. The story is so simple it verges on pointless. Hell, I'd go so far as to say this is the worst, blandest story of ANY game i have played so far. This is very, very bad. I won't go "spoiling" it for you, because frankly, i CAN'T. I don't remember what i did in this game, aside from amassing an army! I don't remember anything interesting about the missions, nor the side-quests. The Gameplay. Or in this case, the arduous art of playing a very boring game. I'd like to warn future players to finish EVERY side quest, before you take on a priority mission, because then you lose all the side quests you didn't finish, and with that vital characters. Read the manual. That is a **** move to keep you replaying the game and seeing how the gameplay is more of a unsatisfying chore as opposed to a fun experience, you'd do well to remember that if you wish to finish it. Pick your covers, because Shepard can't aim well and will get confused sometimes and get out of cover without your command. Also he's sluggish and badly centered so have in mind that shepard's shoulder or head can get in the way of your aim. The visual experience is the only thing that carries this game across. SOMETIMES. There was only one instance that i remember, while playing the game, that actually got me excited a bit. That's the Tresher Maw vs. Reaper on Tuchanka. It was a lovely sequence that kept me going, hoping there would be more such sequences. There weren't any. There was a mass of cliches and uninspiring story elements though. The graphics are just a little polished, nothing new. The animation is stiff and sluggish. Rent or Beware.

    Bioware, I **** on your honor. EA, I hope you lying, money grubbing bastards get your just deserts. And i hope you choke on it and rid us all of your blight upon this world.    … Expand
  28. WitcherGabriel
    Mar 8, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me put it this way - after this game I'm pretty much done with Bioware as my favorite RPG develoeprs. Lets go from the beginning. First of all - why is ENTIRE crew from Mass Effect 2 left you?! I mean they said that they with Shepard till the end no matter what. They with Shepard till Reapers destroyed. And bam! You have no one. If you romanced the most fragile and complex character in the ME2 - she's not in Me3. Why? Shepard fixed her, Shepard was her fortress sort of speak. And she left him right on trial... what's the point of Vega? I mean he has no idea what is going on with Shepard and other crew members, he has kinda no idea who is Shepard. So Vega is 5th wheel in all that. Also boxing scene is pathetic because of how very slow they were boxing and how repeatetive moves were. And council... I sacrificed them and placed Anderson in there and yet here we are... council is the freaking same and Udina is there (default option if you don't import save game). What was the point of doing what I did? I finished maybe something like 1/4 or 1/5th of the game and honestly I don't want to come back. Also - it's origin only with clumsy controls. So bottom line - I am VEEEEERY disapointed in this.… Expand
  29. Piapia
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    Never has a game dropped the ball so INCREDIBLY; it is beautifully wrought and so well done that you will overlook many of the plot holes it does have and a lot of the laziness that went into the game; from BioWare's use of stock images to well over a hundred graphical and audio errors and various glitches that will sometimes even make your quest bug out and you can't finish it. ErrorsNever has a game dropped the ball so INCREDIBLY; it is beautifully wrought and so well done that you will overlook many of the plot holes it does have and a lot of the laziness that went into the game; from BioWare's use of stock images to well over a hundred graphical and audio errors and various glitches that will sometimes even make your quest bug out and you can't finish it. Errors with importing save games an inability to even transfer your custom faces over... so many things wrong, but the visceral gameplay and climactic build-up of the game, the choices and the story, well... you' be willing to overlook it... almost. You might have cringed at times and facepalmed at others but chances were, you'd still enjoy it and still had a good game.

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

    With content cut from the game so it could be sold at day one, them finishing the game early enough so you could actually download it before release (as I did) if you pre-ordered but STILL having a host of technical issues... and an ending that would have fit better in an obscure Japanese Anime (and has been known to make fans of that genre just as mad anyway; check out Neon Genesis Evangelion for a reference example) the game has literally dropped the ball on all marks and BioWare has fumbled their chance to make history (beyond being the butt of what will likely be a long standing joke). If you were looking for something to finally dethrone the CoD franchise or Halo or other gaming giants, this game is NOT your champion. And if you DO like those games? Better you stick to them and avoid ME3.    … Expand
  30. JamesX
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My previews review after 30 minutes I gave it a 4, now I am revising it to give it a 3.

    All the holes in the plot just gets bigger and bigger. They sacrifice character consistency for cheap cinematic moments that felt as empty as it is cliche.

    Sad moment where refugee gets wiped out by the Invaders? Would be sad if you don't realize that the main character is standing there dumbfounded on top of a WAR SHIP with GUNS that can easily take out the enemy or at the very lease get the transports time to get away.

    A moment of polarization that set you against Cerebus? Would be motivational if you realize that Shepard (which mine did) had Singularity (or that Liara could do the same). The whole thing with Ashley being disabled is a dumb founding moment as Shepard is once again, yep, stand there mouth gaping dumbfounded, as the opponent RADIOS IN and WAITS for conformation from Elusive Man.

    This pattern repeats through out the whole movie and VASTLY distracts from the plausibility of the story, and is expanded upon things like

    The World is being destroyed, and what does your companions say in the Lift while Alliance Personnel are being slaughtered... "Well.. Shepard... I am not sure I can trust you.... can you comfort me and make me feel better?" all this is within the first 30-60 minute of the game.

    The dialogue is so horrendous, the plot so forced, it is a WORSE attempt at Action RPG than the Dragon Age 2 fiasco. At least Dragon Age 2 isn't a patch work of one liners that can be used on advertising posters.

    Going to struggle through to the end like I did with Dragon Age 2, but so far it does not bode well.    … 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.
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  2. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 5, 2012
    80
    A game that's more shooter than role-playing, and a conclusion that's more spectacular than dramatic. [Apr 2012, p.47]
    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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