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. kaleka-veteRrun
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    The beautiful game, a milestone in the history of gaming. The only negative is that the videos and the cutscenes does not affect the passage of side quests and important decisions that you take in the game. 9.0
  2. chickymug
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    BioWare did some great things with Mass Effect 3 in terms of character moments and inclusiveness. It's a shame that the incomprehensible ending overshadows all of it. I can't, in good conscience, recommend a game if I have to add "just stop before the end" on to the recommendation.
  3. Kharador
    Mar 14, 2012
    1
    As someone who really enjoyed the other games in the series, this is a huge let down. From the dumbed down story, terrible animation and graphic issues, and the gaping plot holes this game is just BAD. Truly disappointing.
  4. robinhood1331
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    Played the whole series and each game multiple times. The series as a whole, defined gaming for me. But the ending ruined the franchise and what it stood for. Just read the link below.

    http://www.gamefront.com/mass-effect-3-ending-hatred-5-reasons-the-fans-are-right/2/
  5. dakphillips
    Mar 13, 2012
    4
    While the gameplay has improved since the first game in terms of combat mechanics, ME3 marks a distinctly unsatisfying story. Fans of the first two games who import their characters will be dissapointed in the endings especially compared with the previous two installments. This extremely illogical ending to a great IP is only made worse by the inclusion of an important character to theWhile the gameplay has improved since the first game in terms of combat mechanics, ME3 marks a distinctly unsatisfying story. Fans of the first two games who import their characters will be dissapointed in the endings especially compared with the previous two installments. This extremely illogical ending to a great IP is only made worse by the inclusion of an important character to the lore of the Mass Effect universe as a paid DLC when it is clear that the character was originally meant to be included with the standard game package.… Expand
  6. 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.
  7. iN7
    Mar 13, 2012
    4
    Epic..astonishing..breath-taking..classic - these could`ve been words describing Mass Effect 3. Yet different words come to mind after you see the final scene and start to read credits. Below you will learn why.
    1. Plot Weak at some points, strong in others, total failure by the end. It`s worst parts are these: the starting mission on Earth - Shepard`s totally confused by people running    Epic..astonishing..breath-taking..classic - these could`ve been words describing Mass Effect 3. Yet different words come to mind after you see the final scene and start to read credits. Below you will learn why.
    1. Plot Weak at some points, strong in others, total failure by the end. It`s worst parts are these: the starting mission on Earth - Shepard`s totally confused by people running around and has no clue of what`s going on, yet seconds later is asked by the Commettee about "what`s going on" and "how do we stop them". Shepard`s been locked in his room, had limited contacts, but just one short look on an iPad - and he`s got the answer. Guess it was just written on the Pad`s screen - " The Rippers are here (tragic voice)". Second worst part of the plot - it`s ending. But let`s make it clear: bad ending when Shepard dies is Ok. It fits the situation. But three bad endings is just too much. Shepard deserves good ending too, he deserves to live. His adventures, his decisions, his relations with different persons - it wasn`t always about death and violence. It was also about love, passion, friendship and honor - things that so many people lack these days. And Bioware seems to ignore their value as well, there`s no reward for being good by the end of the game. 2. Graphics
    It`s worse that in ME2. Just install ME2 and you`ll notice the difference at once. ME3 uses the same engine, yet textures are low-res on most objects, except faces. Shadows are totally messed up, they look terrible and tend to disappear from time to time. There`s no "film-grain" effect which was the game`s feature before. Plus the animation..my eyes get red in pain every time I see Shepard charging, it`s the worst running animation I`ve seen in years. Face mimic became weaker too. But again, things were Ok in ME2, so God knows why Bioware ruined the animation part. Got bored with perfection ? 3. Sound/Music
    Sounds are there and are well-made, no doubt about it. Ambient sounds fit locations rather well. Music is on an average level, you will hardly remember most tracks, yet the one named "An end once and for all" is touching. This part of the game is mostly fine.

    4. Multiplayer
    One word - boring. It`s hardly a Mass Effect experience, just a tribute to modern tradition adding multiplayer wherever possible.Here it`s just a silly feature, which is supposed to give you certain benefits in the single-player part of the game. And it`s not interesting. Conclusion:
    The worst part of the trilogy both technically and story-wise. And it`s really hard for me as a fan to write such words. Mass Effect is the universe with GREAT potential. It may become "Star Wars" of the 21st century. Yet it may not.. Bioware must re-think its attitude to this franchise. And stop destroying its own great creation by bad scripts, bad visuals and predator marketing. Bioware must remember, that games are made for players and players have their voice. Some game journalists while protecting the quality of ME3 say, that " this is Bioware`s game, don`t tell them what and how to do". It may be their game, yet they want US to play it and pay OUR money. So we,as customers and fans, deserve quality product as a sign of respect and good will. Don`t we, Bioware?    … Expand
  8. icedemonofozz
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    This game presents ideas about the singularity and a post human future in an approachable way. The story is affecting if you have bothered to invest time in the personal relationships. Playing this game was personally affecting. The ending which so many are complaining about was philosophically and intellectually satisfying. The lack of choice in this game is not a negative because withoutThis game presents ideas about the singularity and a post human future in an approachable way. The story is affecting if you have bothered to invest time in the personal relationships. Playing this game was personally affecting. The ending which so many are complaining about was philosophically and intellectually satisfying. The lack of choice in this game is not a negative because without the restrictions that brings there can be no meaningful narrative. I like this game.… Expand
  9. paynesgray
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    It was the best game I'd ever played, since Pong, but frankly the ending boiled down to Choose Your Own Adventure "Pick a color. All rails lead to Page 37" ruined the game as well as killing the replayability of ME1 and 2 for me. Why bother making a new Shep, with new decisions, if it's all running to one of three railroad tracks? All the Twitter teases about "if you knew what wasIt was the best game I'd ever played, since Pong, but frankly the ending boiled down to Choose Your Own Adventure "Pick a color. All rails lead to Page 37" ruined the game as well as killing the replayability of ME1 and 2 for me. Why bother making a new Shep, with new decisions, if it's all running to one of three railroad tracks? All the Twitter teases about "if you knew what was coming you'd save your copy forever" don't mean much to me. I rate the game by what's on my computer, not what hypothetical DLC that might come later. Many players are also concerned that the 3 endings are a scam to leave players needing to "buy the rest of the ending" in a DLC. If a free DLC comes out that finishes the game logically and in a way that my choices and accomplishments matter again, then I'll change my review.… Expand
  10. purpleoctopus
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    Seriously horrified by the ending. Horrified. This game went from a serious 9-10 to a 3. No joke - it's that infuriating. You play for 100+ hours being told that your choices matter and the game developer, after taking your cash, essentially says "well, sorry, we don't care about your decisions - here's the worst ending of all time. Enjoy." Buy this game used or rent. And you'll probablySeriously horrified by the ending. Horrified. This game went from a serious 9-10 to a 3. No joke - it's that infuriating. You play for 100+ hours being told that your choices matter and the game developer, after taking your cash, essentially says "well, sorry, we don't care about your decisions - here's the worst ending of all time. Enjoy." Buy this game used or rent. And you'll probably want to do the same when they release Dragon Age 3. I know I will.… Expand
  11. Balguren
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    All I can honestly say is I am not impressed this feels rushed in story and graphics. This game takes risks where they didnt need to be taken. Af far as I see it a lot of their choices were for a quick money grab nothing more IE day one DLC etc. The seem to have pushed a whole lot of peoples wrong buttons and enraged/upset etc them I see why in many ways. I honestly loved part one andAll I can honestly say is I am not impressed this feels rushed in story and graphics. This game takes risks where they didnt need to be taken. Af far as I see it a lot of their choices were for a quick money grab nothing more IE day one DLC etc. The seem to have pushed a whole lot of peoples wrong buttons and enraged/upset etc them I see why in many ways. I honestly loved part one and enjoyed part 2...Part 3 is a disgrace and I cant even find enough of interest to finish it..… Expand
  12. Masseffectfail
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. *spoilers*

    Last night I was so excited because I was at the final mission. I was thinking to myself, "This is the best game I have ever played." Tonight I feel saddened because I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. The ending was cheap. I am fine with the 3 choices provided at the end but the execution was miserable. You get 3 almost identical scenes with a lousy text message at the end asking you to buy more DLC. I know the only real way to effect change is to vote with your dollars so I will be boycotting all future bioware games. It's a sad day to be a gamer when it's clear the companies would rather try to exploit you to buy more DLC than provide a good ending to a series they put so much work into.    … Expand
  13. Iconix
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd like to start by suggesting that people ignore all of the knee-jerk 0 or 1 score reviews given to this game, many of which are being written by people who admittedly haven't even played it. Mass Effect 3 is not a bad game, it's not even a mediocre game. It is a FANTASTIC game with an admittedly subpar and unsatisfying ending, and a large number of people are losing sight of the context because of their (understandable) attachment to the series as a whole.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What it comes down to is that Bioware made an incredible game that loses its coherence in the final hours. I'd give the first 90% a 9.5/10 and the ending a 5/10, and I'm hoping that Bioware responds to the criticism and does right by their fans, because this game, and this series as a whole, deserve it.    … Expand
  14. passer_by
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    Mass Effect series is a story heavy game. The ending of the story of Mass Effect had so many things wrong with it that you will wish you never played it to begin with. If you are looking for a shooter, there are much more decent games out there than this anyway. The only reason to buy this, which is the story is unfortunately lacking in ME3. Couple this together with the fact thatMass Effect series is a story heavy game. The ending of the story of Mass Effect had so many things wrong with it that you will wish you never played it to begin with. If you are looking for a shooter, there are much more decent games out there than this anyway. The only reason to buy this, which is the story is unfortunately lacking in ME3. Couple this together with the fact that developers were selling day 1 DLC for $10 which apparently they worked on after the main game was finished. They should have spent that time making a logically coherent ending. As good as every other story element was in the game, all of it is unraveled by a bizarre ending that renders every choice made till then meaningless. You even receive the choice to be a Paragon or Renegade right before the end to just end up with the same variation of an 'ending'. Do yourself a favor and avoid this series. You will be disappointed otherwise.… Expand
  15. Ravenwoods
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    I don't understand what people are talking about. Granted, it is a bit depressing but the best entry in the series. There is so much to it. And the ending isn't disappointing as people are pointing it out. In fact, it was a very suiting one! Don't listen to people, they are nuts!
  16. The_Anti-Saint
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    This is what happens when craptronic arts takes over a good gamehouse; rushed product. This is what happens when a game house has too many projects on its plate and can't handle the load. The ending alone pretty much kills the entire franchise...and for what? Why end a franchise with such potential with such an anticlimactic ending? Downward trend since Dragon Age 2, then Star Wars online,This is what happens when craptronic arts takes over a good gamehouse; rushed product. This is what happens when a game house has too many projects on its plate and can't handle the load. The ending alone pretty much kills the entire franchise...and for what? Why end a franchise with such potential with such an anticlimactic ending? Downward trend since Dragon Age 2, then Star Wars online, and now this...sad, very sad indeed.… Expand
  17. gimmeabreak
    Mar 13, 2012
    2
    The music is very good, but a mixed bag due to the number of different writers. The sound effects are very good but the sound engine doesn't give realistic sound. Going from one room to another (through an opening, not a door) often results in the sound abruptly changing -- no mix of the sounds from the two rooms. The graphics are good to excellent. Animation generally is very buggy. GoingThe music is very good, but a mixed bag due to the number of different writers. The sound effects are very good but the sound engine doesn't give realistic sound. Going from one room to another (through an opening, not a door) often results in the sound abruptly changing -- no mix of the sounds from the two rooms. The graphics are good to excellent. Animation generally is very buggy. Going from cinematic to live action can be laughable. So can going from one cinematic to another. Often the characters will jump into new body positions. The story this time sucks IMO. They put this out way before it was ready!… Expand
  18. jimlock
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    Truly... TRULY disappointing. Unfortunately, Bioware's downfall since DA2 is being grandiosely confirmed with ME3.
    The ending is so badly written and laughs at all players who were living in the illusion of "Choice-Matters".
    Not only choice does not matter, but the single... yes SINGLE ending for all Shepherds out there, is shallow, two dimensional and simplistic (yes... not simple). I    Truly... TRULY disappointing. Unfortunately, Bioware's downfall since DA2 is being grandiosely confirmed with ME3.
    The ending is so badly written and laughs at all players who were living in the illusion of "Choice-Matters".
    Not only choice does not matter, but the single... yes SINGLE ending for all Shepherds out there, is shallow, two dimensional and simplistic (yes... not simple).
    I would love to see an ending rewritten, even though the chances for that to happen are very close to 0.    … Expand
  19. BlackMattDamon
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With the end of the series Bioware wanted to go all out with their final Mass Effect game. This succeeded making you feel a real part of the war with the Reapers. By far this game is the most user friendly finding a cozy spot in between people's frustration with the complicated UI in the first one (I am not one of them) and the simplicity of the second one. Choosing the gun that fits you best, the armor you like most and the skills you like most are now simplified without taking away from the rpg feel. Game play has been sped up with a more emphasis that you are a weapon on the battlefield. Using cover and jumping between has been made much easier but not at all perfect. Shepard will sometimes climb cover head on into battle getting himself killed when clearly you are pressing to the left or right. As usual squad mates are almost useless unless they have powers. The problem that has plagued the game since the beginning is back and worse as ever. In almost all of the cut scenes characters look stiff and awkward. With great voice comes disappointing visual delivery. On the subject of characters I was also disappointed with the number of squad mates and how many of the former squad mates rejected your offer. Having less variety and not a Krogan I found myself not caring who came with me. In Mass Effect 2 you feel more connect to the characters due to the loyalty missions and the ability to talk to them. In Mass Effect 3 you can talk to some of the characters but I feel they only want to talk to you when they approach you, no you approaching them. Other than those minor annoyances the story goes out with a bang and overall worth your money!… Expand
  20. josrod
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    The game, if it stood on its own, would be at least an 8. Its an alright to good game. However, it does not stand on its own. It stands as the final installation of a series that has come to define a generation of games. The game absolutely fails to live up to the series' standards. If you are a fan of the games, you will not be a fan of this game. The way in which Bioware handle's yourThe game, if it stood on its own, would be at least an 8. Its an alright to good game. However, it does not stand on its own. It stands as the final installation of a series that has come to define a generation of games. The game absolutely fails to live up to the series' standards. If you are a fan of the games, you will not be a fan of this game. The way in which Bioware handle's your past experiences with the game is insulting. Without giving spoilers, I will say that absolutely nothing you do matters. What is worse, Bioware and its sponor IGN has been extremely insulting to its fan base to such a degree I cannot in good conscience give this game a good review. IGN, which sponsors having one of its reporters be a character in the game, calls gamers "entitled" for wanting a GOOD game that they paid for. IGN and Bioware are not entitled to a good review or a happy consumers when they insult them and release a poor product.… Expand
  21. yiffy99
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My critical review: *Contains Spoilers

    Combat: 7/10

    + More guns and the improved gun upgrade/customisation is great.
    + More skills and variation of them
    + Combat is still fun and chanllenging especially on higher difficulties
    + Multiplayer is chanllenging and a nice new addition.

    -You seriously can't get mo fore than 9/10 for using mostly the same thing as the last game. It is faster but more intense, but the same old flaw remain.

    -Squadmate AI is crap (they are as useful as 2 extra hp bars and their powers) as usual as you painfully see them walking into obvious traps, hiding cowardly when they can obviously finish a enemy, stand in the open and get shot to smitherines, and so on. In fact, I feel squadmate AI is even worse than ME2, and ME2's squad AI was not great to start with. Hell, I even think the enemy's AI is better than my squadmates who are supposedly battle-harderned well-trained veterans. - What also baffles me is that the great feature of ME2, where your squadmates shouts when they use a power, spots an enemy flanking attempt, or kill an enemy, is almost completely gone.

    Story: Before the ending: 8.5/10, after the ending, 5/10

    +Some nice moments, rescuing Jack, some old reunions.
    +Some nice humor.
    +Some good representations of ethics.

    - Painfully familiar and similar. ME3's main story reminds me of Dragon Age, Origins:
    In Dragon Age: Origins, the hero and his group needs to unite the races of Feralden to defeat the Darkspawns.
    In Mass Effect: 3, the hero and his squaddies need to unite the races of the Milky Way to defeat the Reapers.
    Sounds familiar? You bet.

    -The ending.
    I'm not angry about the lack of logic in the ending, or the fact that it is bittersweet. It could all just be a reaper indoctrination attempt. I hope so. What I am angry about, at the moment, is the incredible lack of effort Bioware put into this ending. This is the end of a wonderful triology, this is the end of an epic story, it deserve more than a 30 second short movie of nosense.

    Hell, I would gladly pay 10 bucks for a 10 minutes epilogue DLC movie that details what really happend with the Normandy, the surviving troops, and the plans for the future without the mass relays.

    Sound and Music: 8/10
    +Music is still great, although a lot more dark and sad for most part of the game, compare to previous titles.
    + Reworked sound effect is good.

    - Why do you remove the squadmate power usage barks? :-(

    Graphics: 8/10
    I dont have a high-end computer so that I can't comment on some of the issues. Overall, rendering looks good.

    Final Verdict: 7/10
    It would've been a great game, but again, the ending is a BIG letdown. I repeat, I'm no philosopher, I don't care how nosensial the space-kid is. I repeat, what make me angry about the ending is the apparent lack of effort. I repeat, the ending of a great triology deserves a little more than a stupid 30second cutscene.

    Overall, a good game, but unfortunately falls below my hype and expectations for a grand finale for a great series.    … Expand
  22. Sirkiko
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    One of the worst endings I've ever seen. To think that a masterpiece like the first Mass Effect has become this pile of excrement, it's heartbreaking.
  23. CursedFeanor
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Be very careful about trusting the reviews of most users here, you might otherwise pass up on one of the best game of all time in Mass Effect 3. For the record, I have just completed the whole game (in about 42 hours of gameplay to do all the side-quests and something like 5 hours of multiplayer). I have played countless games in my life, but very few, if any, have made me actually "feel"Be very careful about trusting the reviews of most users here, you might otherwise pass up on one of the best game of all time in Mass Effect 3. For the record, I have just completed the whole game (in about 42 hours of gameplay to do all the side-quests and something like 5 hours of multiplayer). I have played countless games in my life, but very few, if any, have made me actually "feel" more intense and diverse emotions than the Mass Effect series (I've played all 3, passing along my save file all the way, no problem). You get attached to basically every of the characters and care about what's going to happen to them and their respective races and civilizations. You still get presented with incredibly hard decisions to make if you let yourself get immersed as you should. The combat system is awesome, balanced and fun! The music is gorgeous throughout and so are all the sound-effects and dialogs. I have not encountered any significant bug that would be noteworthy (don't trust the haters). Honestly, I would be hard-pressed to find any negative points about this game, hence the 10/10. I usually hate using that word, but this game actually is an epic masterpiece that you should not miss!… Expand
  24. Ninjastyle
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    Game is Excellent until..... the Ending the last part of the game is rushed and then the ending makes you feel angry, sick og just plain weird as in WTF happend there?

    Plain and simple the game is a total failure that makes the two previous games feel like **** games that had no point to them. such a sad sad ending for what was going to be the most fantastic Trilogy game to date. From    Game is Excellent until..... the Ending the last part of the game is rushed and then the ending makes you feel angry, sick og just plain weird as in WTF happend there?

    Plain and simple the game is a total failure that makes the two previous games feel like **** games that had no point to them.

    such a sad sad ending for what was going to be the most fantastic Trilogy game to date.

    From this point onward I will never buy a bioware game again nor will I sub to their mmos i've allready unsubbed from SWTOR becaus of the utter redicules states these two games have been given to us in.

    I cannot see Bioware being an active game makeing company in 3 years from now if this continues for I for one will Never EVER support this new "EA" direction that Bioware has taken with all their games lately Dragon Age 2 definently started showing this to me directly but just sick I feel now is allmost impossible to describe.

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

    First, the ending does not provide any real closure. In my opinion, as the conclusion to a trilogy that many played 100+ hours of between the three games, ME3 really should at least provide an actual conclusion no matter how the story goes. Even just an epilogue of just text (Which would be really simple to do and something Bioware has done in many previous games) would be sufficient, but the fact that I left this "conclusion to the trilogy" with more question than I started with was really disappointing.
    (1 ending really))
    Finally, and most importantly, the main reason for the ending really ruining the series for me is that none of the choices from previous games matter. Mass effect has always been about having the player create their own story through a multitude of decisions and choices that are given to the player over the course of 100+ hours. This was a main strength of the series, and really drew many people to it. On top of that, the wonderful relationships the player makes with the many amazing(personality-filled) characters of the series just adds to the lasting appeal of Mass Effect. However, all of this is essentially thrown away with the ending, for none of those relationships and choices really mattered at all, which is BS and very disappointing. On top of this, there is essentially one ending, with the only differences really being superficial changes that mean very little. Overall, Mass effect 3 was the most disappointing game I have ever played because the story is basically ruined at,sadly, the very end. I am not denying the amazing moments this game has (I even felt like crying at one great scene) but the ending makes it not really matter(hence the low rating. With the story ruined it is hard to look back on ME3 with a positive light, for, lets be honest, the story is Mass effect's main appeal.    … Expand
  26. aikeno
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    Another great story from the folks at bioware, tons of new things to do and places to explore. A couple weird looking animations that can be obnoxious but do not take away from game play or storyline. as for METACRITIC, the site has gone to the trolls that give every game they can a 0 and most likely don't even own the game.
  27. koodeta
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was really anticipating this game from Bioware. I'm a huge Mass Effect fan but this title was WAAAY off the ball. There were some gaping holes in the plot that really needed to be fixed, graphical errors (shouldn't be too hard to fix in an update), and just the unbelievable lack of care in this. I have played all of the Mass Effect games and this one falls short, QWOP short. The game has progressively moved toward action and less RPG, which is what defines Mass Effect, and more toward Gears of War-ish style of play. True, the story was epic and completes bits of the story left over from other games; but I'm very disappointed in how the game ended. I wanted to play Paragon the whole way through but no, I have to do Renegade actions to even continue the game or I die! At the VERY end of the game I have to choose to control the Reapers, wipe out all synthetic life, or join synthetics and organics together (which just looks nasty at the end picture). These are pretty much all the same choices but enacted in different ways. And after all that Shepard has done, he dies in a giant Michael Bay cliche explosion? Bioware is better than this. It's a terrible way to end the series and I disapprove.… Expand
  28. Jinchuuriki
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    The game is very good even if most of the dialog choice options are cut off. Missions are exciting and I really loved the game.... until last 10 minutes of the game. What a disastrous ending for an epic game! It's full of plotholes and inconsistencies. I can't believe the end of it!
  29. LostInReverie
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm only rating this down so much, because Bioware and EA need to pay attention. The rest of Mass Effect 3 up until the end was great, dare I say even fantastic with a few flaws. The biggest flaw during the main game was how they treated the romances from ME2, especially Thane, Miranda, Jacob and Jack. Thane doesn't even get a Codex entry in the game, for God's sake. His romance is treated almost identically to the friendship path in ME3. But by far the worst part of the game is the end. It's extremely poorly written and seems like it was smashed together with little thought for plot continuity or even coherence. It also relies on one of the biggest and most unforgivable deux ex machina's I've seen in a long time in the god/child/AI, which is ironic because deux ex machina of course means god from the machine. If that was supposed to be a little joke on Bioware's part, it's not funny. I was so disappointed by the end of this game that I felt physically sick. We fans were more than just let down; we were slapped in the face by an ending that seems like little or no thought was put into it at all, that doesn't take into account any of our choices and doesn't fit in with the narrative the previous games had been expanding upon. Bioware, your fans deserve better, and that is not entitlement. It is a simple fact.… Expand
  30. deex
    Mar 13, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The final conclusion of what was an epic series is pathetic and disappointing. As a fan of the Mass Effect games, which were truly inventive, creative and ground breaking, I expected so much more out of the finale. But instead, EA Games and Bioware failed to deliver. For three games, players shaped the fate of the galaxy through their actions, decisions and choices. This was what Mass Effect was at heart, choosing your own path, crafting your own story, and facing the consequences of your actions. And for three games, players expected that their self made paths within the game would determine the fate of the Galaxy. But rather it's the opposite. The last 10-15 minutes of the game throw out the qualities that made the Mass Effect games so amazing. What I mean is, despite all the work and effort you put into the three games, everything you did does not matter. Your actions throughout perhaps 100 hours of gameplay boil down to a general, and universal ending. Despite what it may initially appear, there is only one true ending. Granted this ending has tiny tweaks depending on whether or not you played multiplayer or downloaded some iOS app, but these differences are so puny, so miniscule, that it is almost unnoticeable. This game is a slap in the face to the fans.… 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

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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