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. meediocre
    Apr 1, 2012
    8
    The good: great galactic apocalyptic story (albeit a bit weird at the end), excellent third-person shooter action with varied enemies and situations, lush environments, excellent voice-acting, multi-player is surprisingly addictive and frenetic.

    Slightly annoying: wearing a type of armour that boosts your shields has a visor, meaning that in some of the "emotional" cut-scenes you can't    The good: great galactic apocalyptic story (albeit a bit weird at the end), excellent third-person shooter action with varied enemies and situations, lush environments, excellent voice-acting, multi-player is surprisingly addictive and frenetic.

    Slightly annoying: wearing a type of armour that boosts your shields has a visor, meaning that in some of the "emotional" cut-scenes you can't see Shephard's face! Also, I hate not having a button specific to "cover". The amount of times I got stuck to a wall or something and I didn't want to! Also, when you're speeding around in the Normandy and get spotted by the Reapers, it's not much fun trying to evade them as their ships are somehow faster. Finally my one criticism of the multi-player option is that the environments could have been more varied, plus it would have been nice to have to fight a combination of enemies, such as Cerberus and Reapers etc ..

    The bad: The game is possibly a little too easy, so it could have been slightly more challenging, especially at the end. The ending is, as you all know by now, a little bit "WTF", and I agree that its ambiguity is ultimately a bit frustrating.    … Expand
  2. breyant
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I'd give the game a 9 but I'm bumping it up to a 10 due to all the ridiculous reviews here.

    Awesome game, everything I was hoping for minus an epilogue, and I'm sure with the outrage all over the internet, Bioware will eventually release something to clarify.
  3. Harpy9
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to give the game a very low score because of the ending, but if not for the ending I would have given it a 9 or 10 out of 10.

    They did a great job with the dialog, music, animation, character development and most of the story -- Then we faced the end and so much disappointment. I didn't think it could get much worse after the destruction of the Asari homeworld. That made me feel so down, but it also reminded me how much I enjoy the series. The ending made me angry and disappointed -- But I really just sat dumbfounded after finishing the game.

    The end seemed so disconnected from the rest of the storyline. And the last thing I wanted to think about was Shepard becoming basically a lifeless organism that controlled the Reapers. I mean, that's just a horrible way to end it all.

    All we can really hope for now is some DLC to correct the upsetting and disappointing ending. There are a lot of angry fans out there already and with the game being out less than a week, in the next few weeks there's going to be a whole lot more. I feel that Bioware really needs to do some damage control or the entire legacy of the game will be ruined.    … Expand
  4. Nemo888
    Sep 4, 2012
    10
    YOU MUST GET ALL THE DLC. With that this is the best Mass Effect. EA stripped out 5GB of content for the initial release. That is about one third of the game. Without it the game is total crap and deserved to get panned.. When a gold edition comes out in a year or so with all the DLC at a good price get this title for sure.
  5. NorBdelta
    Apr 29, 2012
    10
    To start off I have -1 point due to the lack of narrative coherence at the end (a few changes would be welcome to help erase the lack of closure and finality with descent reasoning). OK now I have been holding back for quite a while to write an informed review about Mass Effect 3 in its entirety. I have finished every mission, every side quest and all of the romance options (including maleTo start off I have -1 point due to the lack of narrative coherence at the end (a few changes would be welcome to help erase the lack of closure and finality with descent reasoning). OK now I have been holding back for quite a while to write an informed review about Mass Effect 3 in its entirety. I have finished every mission, every side quest and all of the romance options (including male Shepard and Cortez) apart from one as I did not want to play all three games again for Kaidan. Now I was extremely saddened by the ending but not a disappointed sadness, a sadness that stems from watching my character grow from the beginning till the end, the music accompanied by all of his actions and his selflessness truly struck a soft-spot in my blood soaked, bullet ridden game favoring heart. I did not for one moment desire the ending to be different, the ending provided a truly satisfying if not a little sad close to a game that has spanned several years and three games. The combat worked, there are fewer team-usable characters than the previous games but this is not a hindrance, many of the previous qualms in the galaxy can be resolved or deepened by your characters actions, many forms of galactic closure can be achieved via the right actions all of which I found perfect (Geth, Quarians, Krogen, etc). Many people are dissatisfied by the endings but I suspect they have not dedicated themselves to the game and played enough to warrant suitable endings. Now the multi-player does affect the single player campaign and ending to a degree. The multi-player adds to the Galactic Readiness Rating which affect single player Readiness that affect the campaign. It is not necessary to play but means that playing it mean less single player items need to be fulfilled to get certain endings. Again I found it very enjoyable to play the multi-player in between campaign missions. The unlocks are very appropriate, not to unbalanced, and has room for many combat styles and strategies. I have certainly had closure, it is a shame others have slammed it to the point of worthlessness. As Bioware are adding a extended ending I am curious as to what it is and hope it does not add purely to satisfy a few closed minded individuals. As with the previous two games I highly recommend playing the First Second and this game.… Expand
  6. Maias227
    May 27, 2012
    10
    If you liked the two previous game you're likely going to like this game as well. It wraps up a lot of story lines and its a marvel to watch the very fate of races being decided but whatever you feel like doing. The production values are high all across the board, brilliant musical score and typical bioware style writting. The graphics does take a bit getting used to as they differ a lotIf you liked the two previous game you're likely going to like this game as well. It wraps up a lot of story lines and its a marvel to watch the very fate of races being decided but whatever you feel like doing. The production values are high all across the board, brilliant musical score and typical bioware style writting. The graphics does take a bit getting used to as they differ a lot from the previous games. Yes yes the ending is maybe not the best part of the game but definitely not some that make this game deserve a 4.0 it easily beats what otherwise on market right now.… Expand
  7. CaptainChaos
    Apr 27, 2012
    9
    This game was excellent. Amazing art work, fun game play, excellent save points. Good story for the most part, sometimes really excellent depending on choices. Yah the ending was a tad confusing at best, but it's no excuse to rate the game that poorly otherwise. I could have done with less exposition; sometimes I felt like I was watching TV at times rather than playing the game, butThis game was excellent. Amazing art work, fun game play, excellent save points. Good story for the most part, sometimes really excellent depending on choices. Yah the ending was a tad confusing at best, but it's no excuse to rate the game that poorly otherwise. I could have done with less exposition; sometimes I felt like I was watching TV at times rather than playing the game, but otherwise everything you could have wanted in a ME game. And the multiplayer gimmick was annoying but unnecessary - I achieved full War Assets even with only a 50% War Readiness rating. Overall, I would say ME2 was my favorite, but this was a worthy successor.… Expand
  8. Greggor
    Mar 14, 2012
    7
    I am giving this game a 7 instead of a 10 because of the ending. We were promised 14 different endings, tailored to your character archetype, how you played the game, and the decisions you made. Instead, we got two different endings. You can win, or you can lose. This depends only on whether or not you have completed enough missions by the end of the game. If you win, you can very slightlyI am giving this game a 7 instead of a 10 because of the ending. We were promised 14 different endings, tailored to your character archetype, how you played the game, and the decisions you made. Instead, we got two different endings. You can win, or you can lose. This depends only on whether or not you have completed enough missions by the end of the game. If you win, you can very slightly alter the end-cinematic depending on the choice you make after the final battle. Your decision, however, has no impact on the story, and everything that you did in the game is basically invalidated by this frustrating conclusion. It's a highly disappointing end to the series, which is why so many people are upset about it. Now that the bad stuff's out of the way, let's move on to the good. The game was very fun. I beat it in three days, and I slept only a few hours each night because I simply couldn't put the game away. The story was extremely captivating, the combat was really visceral, and the dialogue was fascinating as always. This game does credit to its predecessors, which were also paragons of the shooter RPG subgenre. It's a real shame that they ended the series on such a terrible note, but that doesn't detract completely from the game's other virtues. It was fun, and I have no trouble recommending it to friends.… Expand
  9. SHELOB
    May 5, 2012
    10
    It's a good game, not a great ending for the series. I enjoyed the journey, the cinematic experience and the characters though. The RPG mechanics are too simple for my taste.
  10. makseffect
    Mar 21, 2012
    5
    the game Mass Effect is excellent, but Mass Effect is a complete disappointment (((In the pursuit of a new audience Bioware f*** up a second time and this time of thing will not spoil. As a fan of the first part I do not believe them anymore. Let them do simulations gay. It's what they are now able to
  11. vlado_work
    Jun 7, 2012
    10
    Before I started ME3, I had finished both ME and ME2 a few times, including DLCs. Based on rather negative comments, I was worried that ME3 will be a big disappointment... but it's not! If you liked ME and ME2, you'll surely like ME3 too. Amazing story and adventure continues and it is not true that the end doesn't make sense, as many complain. It does. It may just require a bit moreBefore I started ME3, I had finished both ME and ME2 a few times, including DLCs. Based on rather negative comments, I was worried that ME3 will be a big disappointment... but it's not! If you liked ME and ME2, you'll surely like ME3 too. Amazing story and adventure continues and it is not true that the end doesn't make sense, as many complain. It does. It may just require a bit more thinking. I recommend the game!… Expand
  12. anilanar
    Jun 5, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has one of the best endings ever. Bioware is going to release an Epilogue DLC soon. I can't believe this game is criticized so much for its ending. For those who didn't like it, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck… Expand
  13. mikefromsaskato
    Jun 16, 2012
    10
    This series is an epic masterpiece, like what Star Wars should have been.

    Ignore the haters -- the ending is odd and disappointing, but these people are just freaking out. Probably the same people who do the hate-fest with the whole COD vs BF3 idiocy.
  14. RobDYoung
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The short version: As an action game, Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic success thanks to its improved combat system. As an RPG, it's less phenomenal, due to a pulled-by-teeth story, rampant sentimentalism, and limited options for character development. Even so, this game could have been fantastic all around if it weren't for an ending that undermined much of what the first two games accomplished.

    Combat: 8/10

    While the game could have used a bit more polish on controls, the new combat pacing, wide array of enemies, and the improved cover system are all phenomenal. Two complaints: 1) Spontaneous dialogue is often left incomplete because you run so quickly from Point A to Point B that the next dialogue interrupts the previous one. 2) We still have a global cooldown on abilities that makes combos or even training multiple abilities feel useless.

    Non-combat Systems: 6.5/10

    In an attempt to hybridize the weapon and armor system of the first and second games, ME 3 gave us the flaws of both worlds. While it was great having weapon statistics and upgrade options again, the methods for upgrading were too complex and tangled to be fun.

    The map system of ME2 is, more or less, back as expected. They eliminated the annoying probe/scan system, but didn't implement anything truly interesting in return. Still, it's a step up.

    Role-playing elements: 6/10

    As far as actually leveling up, improving abilities, and using them in combat, this game did a great job. Top marks overall â    … Expand
  15. SoManyGames
    Mar 11, 2012
    2
    I dont know...I just dont even know. Like the first two, this game is a bland slow game about a space marine fighting a space evil bent killing stuff. You fight it by slowly walking down hallways and slowly aiming at slow moving targets. "fun". I kinda enjoyed the other two...even though they had odd unneeded limitations and were relatively bland, they could have been worse. ThisI dont know...I just dont even know. Like the first two, this game is a bland slow game about a space marine fighting a space evil bent killing stuff. You fight it by slowly walking down hallways and slowly aiming at slow moving targets. "fun". I kinda enjoyed the other two...even though they had odd unneeded limitations and were relatively bland, they could have been worse. This one...I couldnt get into this one. It was particularly poorly written. Without getting into specifics, the "fixes" to the other game's issues were half-assed. The game felt like it was forced, with some kind of agenda...I just dont know. I guess I could give it a higher score based on graphics and production values...but I feel I have to rate this game in comparison to the others, which I already consider average (5)… Expand
  16. kzotra
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    Being one of the people who had prepared my game files ME2 just the way I wanted them, I was very happy when playing the game. I think the game is very good, and a lot of the changes are for the better, especially the loading times.

    However there is one huge letdown; the ending is terrible. Even if the ending was half-assed, I would have given the game a 10, but the ending is so bad I    Being one of the people who had prepared my game files ME2 just the way I wanted them, I was very happy when playing the game. I think the game is very good, and a lot of the changes are for the better, especially the loading times.

    However there is one huge letdown; the ending is terrible. Even if the ending was half-assed, I would have given the game a 10, but the ending is so bad I give it a 7 instead.    … Expand
  17. Scotsman1706
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Until the end of this game, it was the greatest thing that I ever played. The endings made all my work for naught, I believe that I have been cheated and lied to. "I don't want to live on this planet anymore." - Professor Farnsworth
  18. DeGinner
    Mar 22, 2012
    7
    While this game is way off the mark from ME1 and ME2 this is still a good game. The story can be a bit forced and it's clear were you are going, but I still enjoyed the journey, and the same can be said for the ending, poor ending but I enjoyed the journey to get to it. This Mass Effect is not more of a Action Shooter with RPG elements but it is competent (if not spectacular) at both.
  19. kiminkwon
    Apr 3, 2012
    10
    best freaking game ever!!! =D it deserves an 11/10 score xD.... although personally i kind of think the 2nd part was a little bit better idk why ppl dont understand the ending... imho it was perfect....
  20. Doomsdayman
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Summary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionallySummary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionally gripping it had me on the verge of tears at times. On that note, play from ME 1, it's worth it.

    Single player:

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

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

    And finally

    Multi-player -Good: I haven't played that much of this, but what I have I like. It's not as addictive as Halo, or Call of Duty, but its a solidly fun experience. Grab some friends and blow some enemies away, nothing wrong there. The maps are varied enough to add some diversity and the horde-mode style waves are supper fun to mow down in co-op.    … Expand
  21. alexnode
    Apr 26, 2012
    9
    The game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from dayThe game was very interesting, and had a lot of unique ideas. It was a bit dumped down in comparison with the first one but overall it was an epic experience. There is always a misunderstanding between streamlined and simplistic! Pro: Intergalactic science fiction rpg with worlds to explore, characters to meet, intrigue, sex and frantic action. Yeaaay ... Con: Rushed ending, DLC from day one, ripping off people ... The ending was rushed for the release and it left a bitter after taste. In a way you built suspense for 3 episodes to end up with a bit of undersigned ending. Unfortunately we have seen things like that before ... still the overall experience was really nice. Somehow I feel that people wanted more. To be honest Mass Effect, one of the best games ever ,is behind in terms of dialogue and plot from a good film or book. As games in general still are. Regarding changing the ending to suit the needs and ideas of the players I believe is completely unacceptable, the designers of Mass Effect decided on three endings ( unpolished endings) that were interesting but unfinished. I completely agree if they want to polish it but not to change it. Sometimes you like the ending sometimes you don't like them. But artistic democracy or design by committee, is usually dull and sterilized. If I like something is to go the other way around... to complete let them actually design the ending properly as they originally imagined ... let the accountants screaming about the target audience and demographic and do the right thing ! I have the impression that EA as usual is behind rushed endings and despicable DLC ... I give the game 8 instead of 10 because of the DLC and the rushed ending. By the way in the age of intergalactic travel I am quite sure guns will not need ammo. I know that legions of players play all those U.S army games and they troll around about the combat system but things don't always have to be the same with these boring shooters. Nevertheless after Dragon Age 2 I stopped pre-ordering EA games ... it is a gamble.… Expand
  22. Flamingcanine
    Apr 30, 2012
    1
    This game completely ignores the cannon of the last few games. One of the most serious grievances is the ending, which ignores stated cannon so as not to render shephard a worse war criminal then any before.

    To those who did not buy the Arrival DLC for the second game, you are left staring and wondering "What did shephard do?" Even then, shephard being reinstated as a spectre is something    This game completely ignores the cannon of the last few games. One of the most serious grievances is the ending, which ignores stated cannon so as not to render shephard a worse war criminal then any before.

    To those who did not buy the Arrival DLC for the second game, you are left staring and wondering "What did shephard do?" Even then, shephard being reinstated as a spectre is something that would have applied to the situation.

    From the Day 1 DLC that has conversations that run the entire game to non sequitors and poor writing throughout the plot. The required aspect of multiplayer is frustrating for those who were sold on the idea of "Not having to play that aspect of the game."

    Furthermore: the multiplayer is bland and uninteresting, relying on a single game mode in small arena maps with laggy and buggy gameplay. combined with the touch and go of searching for a lobby resulting in failing to find a game three out of ten times, makes it more a display in frustration then fun.

    The quality of the game resembles that of a call of duty clone more then a game relying on single-player experiences, making it feel unrelated to the first two.    … Expand
  23. Viridian
    May 15, 2012
    0
    faults, not a good game. The writing, poor and drab, the quality is bad. Now we have an awful game. What will we do? Never buy an EA game again. Sorry and goodbye
  24. Stalkerone
    May 16, 2012
    10
    The universe of Mass Effect is inspired by all the great science fiction films of the past like star trek and adds a phenomenal story and gameplay.
    ME3 is the culmination of the saga most beautiful ever seen on PC.
    Is perfect in every way
  25. Dymarrr
    May 20, 2012
    10
    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 â
  26. X19
    May 22, 2012
    9
    Who knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought thisWho knew 15 minutes could turn a game worthy of a 9 drop down to a 4? It's ridiculous as this game deserves so much more. I have never felt so emotionally connected to a video game before this. I actually cared about the characters. I was on the brink of tears at one point and I'm not one who cries easily. Mass Effect 3 has always been about the characters for me. ME2 really brought this into full scale. It's one thing to go up against a seemingly invincible force, but it's another to do it with people you feel you would care about and even die for. I won't spoil more, but if you want the best possible experience; I recommend going through the first two games before this one. Gameplay has always seemed an afterthought in Bioware games, but it's not disregarded here. You feel like a complete bad*** when you stride through the field of battle sliding over cover and occasionally rolling into cover when hurt, all the while shooting at menacing foes who do not fear death or pain. The way Shepard holds his pistol is pretty awkward looking, especially in the first part of the game, but that's it. Finally, the ending. What did I think? I thought it was terrible. It made no sense whatsoever. It defiled all logic and everything you fought for. It just seemed like a marketing stunt by EA for expansions and sequels. Did it ruin all those hours I put into ME1 and 2? Absolutely not. I didn't regret a single second of my time spent in this game or it's predecessors. Would I buy ME4? No, Bioware did screw up with the ending. Even if the indoctrination theory were true, the ending is total nonsense. Play the other games, buy this one, but stop at the point when Shepard levitates up into the ending. (You'll know it when you see it.) Quit game and draw your own conclusions. That's the best way to experience this game.… Expand
  27. naznomarn
    Jun 13, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Brilliant game.
    I honestly can't really see why people are complaining so much. I've managed to get 45 hours of play out of this game, and I've not even played the multiplayer yet.
    The story is fantastic, the decisions you make DO affect the game and story.
    But yes, the ending was a little lacking, but what did everyone expect? A 20 minute film? It's a game, people. You play games... for the game. Not the cinematics. If you wanted a cinematic, go to the cinema or play Final Fantasy. Oh wait. You slated that for being too cinematic. Make up your minds already.

    Honestly, I didn't find these plot holes everyone's been banging on about. The biggest one they talk about is "how come the Normandy and crew got out of there alive!? D:" But it's kind of obvious. They did what they do on every mission in the entire game so far - escape just before everything goes kaboom.
    The crew's just seen Shepard blown to smithereens in a giant death ray. Personally, I'd be running the heck out of there too.
    And when a ginormous space station is about to blow up, Joker does exactly what Shepard told him to do - run the heck out of there instead of trying to go down with the ship.
    So plot hole? Not really. It's just people expecting to have everything spoon-fed to them.

    Now on to the "multi-player affects single player" gripe. Personally, I think it's a good thing if multiplayer affects the ending. Otherwise you completely separate the game in multiplayer and single player.

    Next, the "Deus Ex Machina" problem people mention, it's not there. Right from the first game they established that the Citadel summoned the Reapers. Which part of that don't people get?
    And then the "but if the justification is to stop the robots rising up... why're the Reapers robots!? D:" well... because they're machines without AI. Seeing as the Geth missions were all compulsory, and explained this plot point, and went through it several times over saying "but what if they rise up and destroy us!?" I'd've hoped people who played the game and didn't just read someone's ill-informed rant would have noticed that that's what the Citadel was trying to stop. And that the Reapers were 1. Organic / synthetics like Shepard, 2. Under the control of the Citadel, and 3. Didn't have an AI to rise up against the Citadel.
    People are also complaining about the day-one DLC that explains "major plot points". For the record - I've played it. Twice. And it doesn't. The character in it essentially says "I'm a soldier, not a scientist. What did you expect me to know? Moron." Everything else in it is already covered elsewhere in the game.

    But anyhow. The game has a few problems in it. The mission tracker thing doesn't update which can be really annoying, and the pre-rendered cinematics are of low quality. On the other hand, there are hundreds of side-quests, each with their own micro-story. At the end it would have been nice to have a quick montage of how the final choice affected the galaxy, but otherwise - no need for all the negative reviews. Yes, it's disappointing that there are only really three ways the game can end, and none of them have distinct cinematics at the end, but I played this game for the story and the game play. Not the cinematics.
    The end's half-baked, but does that really warrant 2,000 negative reviews that say "I loved the game. Until the end. Have a 0 Bioware. The game was worse than any I've ever played".

    Oh, and the graphics were great. I played ME2 and ME3 back-to-back. There was an improvement. If they weren't good enough for you, buy a proper graphics card and put it on full.    … Expand
  28. yrogerg123
    May 24, 2012
    9
    I actually find it pretty absurd that ME3 gets as much hate as it does. It's different from the first two games, but in no way is it worse. There is less emphasis on inventory, less emphasis on fetch quests, and those are not bad things. I certainly don't miss hacking minigames, and I definitely don't miss mining. ME3 cuts out the stuff that was unnecessary, improves on the core elements,I actually find it pretty absurd that ME3 gets as much hate as it does. It's different from the first two games, but in no way is it worse. There is less emphasis on inventory, less emphasis on fetch quests, and those are not bad things. I certainly don't miss hacking minigames, and I definitely don't miss mining. ME3 cuts out the stuff that was unnecessary, improves on the core elements, and the result is a very good installment to a great series.

    The story is focused but creative and you are moving towards the ultimate goal at all times. As with all ME games, the scale of the game is impressive. In ME3 there is much less emphasis on sidequests, which is good because I always got the feeling I was up against the clock and didn't need to be running around doing favors for people you barely know. You constantly feel like what you are doing is important, like it needs to be done and you're the only one who can do it. "Do this so my species' army will stand beside you" just makes a lot more sense than do this so you can have some credits/move one step closer to 100% completion. And the gameplay: it's awesome. Vast improvement over any other installment. It plays not just like a shooter, but like a very good shooter. It stands alone as one of the best FPS games I've ever played. Coupled with the elements that make ME great, like the character interactions and the story, and you have a near flawless game.

    Of course, the ending is horrendous, but I played through the game in 25 hours and the last twenty minutes doesn't undo everything that came before it. This is a great, great game, and I find it sort of baffling that the general consensus is that it's not a great game. It deserves to be thought of in the same ways as the first two. The series evolved as it went along, but again, that's not a bad thing. As much as I enjoy being able to wander around aimlessly looking for things to do, sometimes a game benefits from cutting out the time wasters and sticking to the core story that it is trying to tell. That is exactly what ME3 did, and it did it well.    … Expand
  29. thenthomwaslike
    May 2, 2012
    5
    i would have given it a 10 if i could bind my key for sprinting, taking cover, exiting cover, rolling, entering dialogue, interacting with objects, climbing up ledges, jumping off of ledges/ ladders and whatever the hell else the spacebar did in this game to separate keys. we have 128 keys, allow us to use them to avoid this ridiculously clumsy control scheme. I would have given it a 9 ifi would have given it a 10 if i could bind my key for sprinting, taking cover, exiting cover, rolling, entering dialogue, interacting with objects, climbing up ledges, jumping off of ledges/ ladders and whatever the hell else the spacebar did in this game to separate keys. we have 128 keys, allow us to use them to avoid this ridiculously clumsy control scheme. I would have given it a 9 if their were any graphical options besides the resolution and anti-aliasing.

    i would have given it an 8 if day one dlc was not inside of the files and COMPLETELY necessary to the story.

    I would have given it a 7 if online multiplayer was optional to having a good story in the single player ( after finishing ALL of the fetch quests in the entire game i still had only 3200 "war assets" and thus was damned into receiving...

    the WORST ending of any trilogy i've ever seen/read/played. (this now drops the score TWO MORE points because it is a carnal sin in my book to destroy a story with a bad ending.) It's so illogical, anti-lore oriented, and obviously rushed. We are now at a score of 5. Since Bioware is responding to the outcry about how disappointed people were by the game by releasing free dlc to add clarity to the ending, this review will absolutely be subject to change.    … Expand
  30. ChoicestGames
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    It
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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]
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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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