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. Wildtigaah
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    What a obvious part of trolls here. Bunch of greedy kids that are disappointed. This game is really good and I will explain about my personal opinion of how this game is with positives and negatives.

    + Nice graphic, including facial expressions and that sort of things. And nice design och the characters as well. + Very good voice actors, nice to have the old ones coming back from mass    What a obvious part of trolls here. Bunch of greedy kids that are disappointed. This game is really good and I will explain about my personal opinion of how this game is with positives and negatives.

    + Nice graphic, including facial expressions and that sort of things. And nice design och the characters as well.
    + Very good voice actors, nice to have the old ones coming back from mass effect 1 and 2.
    + Polished at some parts that definitely needed it from the older games (like mass effects combat system). + Fantastic sounds on the guns. Even the music is very good especially at the citadel.
    The Citadel is bigger and gives you a welcoming feeling every time you enter there.

    - Sometimes I'm speechless, I don't have the ability to pick my own reaction, but that's not always though.
    - It didn't felt like it was so many touching side quests, It was like - alright another one, combat, combat...
    - And the worst **** ever is the map. Can't find for a **** and if you scan for objects It's like "You found oil" is that suppose to make me happy or what? No don't use that crap bores the hell out of me.

    If you never played any Mass Effect game you should ABSOLUTELY not start with this one. You need the whole background, to build up this personal feeling. At least play trough Mass Effect 2.
    I would also like to point out that you don't need to worry about the ending, it was alright nothing special. I mean how would people it to end anyways?    … Expand
  2. marv418
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    Totaly awesome game and perfect ending of epic trilogy. I really like the this game of the partially returned to the first games RPG elements and the impact of all decisions of the previous games.
  3. ThomasBerg
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    After reading most of these user reviews while playing the game i couldnt belive what i was seeing. I thought the sheer production value and epicness of the game/scope and how promising the end was stunning to say the least and while i missed most of the exploration and RPG elements from ME1 and ME2 i understood why they were dumbed down since you have more pressing matters to attend toAfter reading most of these user reviews while playing the game i couldnt belive what i was seeing. I thought the sheer production value and epicness of the game/scope and how promising the end was stunning to say the least and while i missed most of the exploration and RPG elements from ME1 and ME2 i understood why they were dumbed down since you have more pressing matters to attend to and running around wasting time would break my immersion. I wasnt suprised when i saw that the from ashes dlc would be an extra feature, i am a bit puzzled as to why they chose a prothean for this DLC, while not critical to the plot, it does answer a lot of the main questions i had about the epos. Since they made such a huge deal around the protheans and its mysticism, the more i talked with my prothean squadmate and got immersed into his story i was more and more suprised why this wasnt part of the main game.
    Ive been a fan of the mass effect genre since the first game came out, ive read all the comics, books studied the lore and i even loved mass effect 2, perhaps not for the dumbed down RPG elements, but the game was genuinly challenging and fun, characters and storytelling and voice acting was stellar.

    When i looked at my time played how it felt and how my war asset bar was nearly full, thats when i first started to worry.
    After a certain cuscene with tali i was so moved i nearly broke a tear, thats how immersive the game was.

    As i progressed feeling soon my long pondered, unanswered questions would or would not come to a close, i got more and more worried since the last hours felt somewhat rushed but was put to a rest when i got the grand epic feeling when the fleets arrived at earth. I was nearly standing in my chair, awed at the greatness of the moment.

    Then came the final assault on earth. This was also grand in scale. Ive wanted to see earth in mass effect ever since i glared at its magnifisence on the lunar base mission in ME1. The war torn earth looked grim and desperate and upheld my expectations. Then came the ending. Not since the conclusion to the ace seeries, sopranos have i felt such a black hole in my stomache. I felt betrayed at first waiting til after the credits. I searched all the forums i could about what i did wrong how i could get this abysmal ending and how i could fix it, seeing as i had nearly 100% completion and full paragon. Was this a bug? A mistake on my part on an important desicion? I pondered this for many hours until i was forced to accept, that was it. This was the ending to the biggest sci-fi epos in gaming history.    … Expand
  4. canadianrugby
    May 21, 2012
    10
    I'll start with the bad. The game feels small. There is way less exploration of the galaxy to do compared to the first two games. Less side missions. Uhh... and that's about it.

    Now for the good. Everything has been improved: The combat, graphics, powers, weapons, cut scenes. The same great sometimes cheesy story comes to an epic end. Most of the negative ratings seem to be    I'll start with the bad. The game feels small. There is way less exploration of the galaxy to do compared to the first two games. Less side missions. Uhh... and that's about it.

    Now for the good. Everything has been improved: The combat, graphics, powers, weapons, cut scenes. The same great sometimes cheesy story comes to an epic end. Most of the negative ratings seem to be because of the ending, but just because it doesn't end the way you wanted it to doesn't make it a bad ending. They're making this into a movie, and I can't wait.    … Expand
  5. joker1991
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    I was afraid that Bioware might ruin at some point the whole mass effect magical and absorbing universe.My fears came true.Where should I start? I played the PC version and I was really disappointed in game's graphics.There are obvious signs that the game's graphics were done in some kind of a rush.Awful textures in some points during the game.For a 2012 game they look really bad .OnceI was afraid that Bioware might ruin at some point the whole mass effect magical and absorbing universe.My fears came true.Where should I start? I played the PC version and I was really disappointed in game's graphics.There are obvious signs that the game's graphics were done in some kind of a rush.Awful textures in some points during the game.For a 2012 game they look really bad .Once again PC gets a port.I am no complaining about performance since FPS rate is stable,but these textures look really ugly nowadays.What about gameplay? They made it more action,more Michael Bay style look.As a result we have bad written dialogues and on top of that we can't make a lot of real decisions during the dialogues.All this negative stuff, was obviously done for action's sake and gameplay feels a lot like GOW series.Thus, the mass effect magic is lost in the third installment of the franchise.
    Moreover,I can't understand the whole multiplayer point,Mass effect was always a trully single player experience,why ruin this now? The worst of this addition is that multiplayer affects the game's final battle.What were they thinking? Usually people play first the single player part then the multi.It's simply irrational.As for war assets feature it seemed to me quite cool in the beginning but afterwards I understood that it don't count as it should.
    Last but not least,there is a really messy badly written ending in the end of the game.Bioware gives us 3 options which all lead to an unpleasant ending.I don't say that I wanted an ending taken from children's tales where everyone lives and stays happy at the end.Though,it's really harsh to watch that all the decisions that were made in previous games simply don't count at all.This is the part why many Mass Effect's fans got angry.They can't just so simply erase our actions.It's ironic that they were saying all these years to keep the save games as they will change the whole experience in the 3rd game of the franchise.They were **** about thousands of factors that will make a difference.
    All in all,I realized in the end that spent 100 hours in Mass Effect universe,I made hard decisions,I bonded emotionally with game's characters and finally I made the impossible to unite galaxy's races only for nothing.Even the war assets don't count a lot,you have fleet of Turians,Geth,QuariansHuman,Asari and all this for nothing.    … Expand
  6. Zoso
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The MISSING ending(!) is definitly the greatest story-telling/marketing/... twist in the history of gaming. I think Indocrination Theory nails it, and the negative fan feedback has been anticipated by BioWare in order to gain general media attention. Marlk my words, I'm 100% sure the ending DLC is ready and is soon going to be released.

    That alone would be worth 10+, even hough there are some minor issues with the game like: * the cover/run/look-aound-the-corner functionality getting mixed up at times * coop matches where you suddenly can't reload or do damage any more
    * some formerm team mates just being ticked off (i.e. there's no real story for some of them)
    * combat is too easy even on insanity * most of the missions are too short (shorter than ME2 missions)

    But ME3 is also the first game ever to make me cry (Mordin humming his song...), and all the bigger parts of the story (Tuchanka, Geth/Quarians, AND THE ENDING) work really really well.    … Expand
  7. ShadowRamen
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Why is everyone giving this game terrible scores based on the ending alone? these people really don't deserve to use Metacritic if they're just going to abuse it like children. I honestly thought the game was fantastic throughout, and although i wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, i thought it was a very interesting and unique way to end the series. If that's what they were stillWhy is everyone giving this game terrible scores based on the ending alone? these people really don't deserve to use Metacritic if they're just going to abuse it like children. I honestly thought the game was fantastic throughout, and although i wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, i thought it was a very interesting and unique way to end the series. If that's what they were still planning on doing with this game. that being said, im still not sure which one i like the most out of the series. while the last game was great, this one has so much more life to it. the characters, your squadmates, they feel real to interact with. i remember in the last game, each one would simply stay in their designated areas, not moving, and only talking to you when you engaged in a conversation. now they all do there own thing. they interact with the other characters and there environment even while your not around. they even leave the ship with you when you go to the citidel to explore it for themselves. this also carrys over into combat as well, infact combat is so much more improved than the last game, it makes the last two feel sad in comparison. you can now perform many new maneuvers, and the cover system is greatly improved. the enemies are also much smarter and will now even work out ways to flank you and split your squad up. probably my favorite part about mass effect 3, is the story, obviously. everything is written so well, and is so believable, it makes me wonder how they got the game finnished, even by the date it was released. i mean yes, there are a lot of bugs, but when the game is such a large scale, you come to expect them. although i still wish they would have checked the game more thoroughly. i also keep hearing people complain about the romance options almost as much as the ending which is strange because it really isnt that different from the last 2 titles in the series. but im really not very sure of how its changed, because i didnt actually romance anyone in my first playthrough. it was an accident, somehow.… Expand
  8. Tudor
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    Before playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents : This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jawBefore playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents : This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jaw dropped as the story progressed , and there others that felt out of place , forced upon me (but the bad ones weren't that many in my opinion).While the quality of the story is good , it feels like i've taken more of a backseat in this 3rd game because it is more streamlined (a thing that i do not understand , this was the chance for BW to go all out on decision making since its the last game , and didn't have to worry about the hellish writing that would have entailed into making a 4th installment) .I could go on for some time about the pro's and cons but to make it short : The story is fantastic , the score that accompanies it is marvellous , there are a few plotholes that will annoy fans of the series , don't think will bother those who just want to play this last one. The gameplay mechanics are decent , but ME was never supposed to be about the shooting part , they've put in some more rpg elements (not that much really) but its still better then ME2 in that area. The graphics are good , definetly not ugly taking into consideration its based on a 7 year old engine. The score as i said previously , is fantastic the voice acting is what you would expect from the previous games ( Great) but seems less of it . To be fair , i knew that Bioware had a tough job in front of them in wrapping up this trilogy , they set the bar high with the quality of the previous games and an ever harder job pleasing the fans (myself included) regarding the end of the trilogy . While the game indeed wraps up this fantastic series , and answers many questions it also raised new ones , leaving me longing for more , as such i believe this game should have a place in your collection because it definetly deserves it , but at the same time it does leave you "hanging"… Expand
  9. souledgar
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    I haven't had such an emotional experience from a sci-fi game before, and believe me, I've played quite a few of them. Mass Effect 3 is where everything in ME1 and ME2 falls into place. While not completely perfect, its still one of the best games I've played. Heres a comprehensive breakdown of what I think about the game:

    Graphics: Its engine is pretty much the same as Mass Effect 2's,    I haven't had such an emotional experience from a sci-fi game before, and believe me, I've played quite a few of them. Mass Effect 3 is where everything in ME1 and ME2 falls into place. While not completely perfect, its still one of the best games I've played. Heres a comprehensive breakdown of what I think about the game:

    Graphics:
    Its engine is pretty much the same as Mass Effect 2's, with a small overall tweak to make everything prettier when it needs to, and bleaker when the situation calls for it. Weapons firing, explosions all have that oomph and everything looks very polished from beginning to the end. It may not have reached the standards that the latest and greatest have, but it still looks very nice. I've noticed a few texture loading issues, but it doesn't detract from the overall experience too much. Lip synch is an occasional issue as well, slightly amplified by the game's focus on dialogue, but really, it doesn't really damage the game all that much.

    Story
    I wonder why everyone hates the last 5 minutes. Personally, I thought it was such a powerful and emotional experience. I get that your 'training' didn't matter, but it IS a partial RPG game, not a pure shooter. Anyway, the whole thing was epic, powerful, and got me quite emotionally invested. Unexpected twists in unexpected places that involve unexpected people constantly kept me from being bored, and many situations and repercussions from the first two games kept the nostalgia going. There are some plot points that didn't satisfy me, but these are minor details. The ending was quite unexpected from a game like this, and personally it was quite satisfying. It does however hurt replay value, since it is quite drawn out.

    Gameplay
    Bioware seems to have taken the shooter portion of ME3 all the way. Headshots, accuracy, cover.. all the bells and whistles of the modern shooter seems to have found its way into the game. Improved AI made fighting a more interesting experience then before. There are some questionable decisions like rocket troopers and snipers that take your shield down nearly immediately, making it life difficult players who want to charge in and melee everything. The new player skill-centric combat also makes the previously useful allies less effective. Often, the only reason I take a character over another in a mission is because I believed they would have some interesting reaction to the mission (e.g. original cast in a familiar place), or, if there is no such connections, a single ability I would like to use against specific enemies, like Overload against shields. Its still fun, but its less ... Mass Effect, for lack of a better phrase. The improved AI also made some biotic skills really powerful, and some really useless. For example, in my playthrough, Shockwave has become so difficult to hit anything that I stopped leveling it, while Overload, being instant and potentially kills anything with one hit, became really powerful. I really hate the new husks by the way, they're annoying and doesn't give any sense of satisfaction.

    Sound
    Great music, great sound effects. The orchestral score, with the techy feel, adds to the impact of the whole game. No game quite moved me the way the end of the first sequence did, especially with the emotionally charged music playing. One can find that portion of the game in the free demo, just a quick fyi. Sound effects pack punch, gun fire, lasers, huge ass cannons, grenades, all explode and shoot with the oomph that one expects from a Bioware game. Voices are done very well, with the all star cast performing admirably. There is this odd need where I had to crank my speakers way up, but that might just be my setup.

    Multiplayer
    I've never really played Horde mode before, so I don't really know what most reviewers are talking about. Anyway, ME3 Multiplayer has you teaming up with three other guys to fight waves after waves of enemies. Your performance is determined as a team, how well you did, with things like not dying as bonuses, headshotting alot, using a certain weapon, etc. Its limited to a single mode, with a bunch of maps. Each wave can consist of different objectives, including kill everything, defend a point, kill specific targets, activate a bunch of nodes. Its not as exciting as a PVP multiplayer, but it entertains for awhile. It has a side goal of increasing Galactic Readiness percentage, which may or may not impact the ending you get. I'm not really sure if its possible to get the best ending without multiplayer, but looking at my own playthrough its a tall order.

    Conclusion
    Its not the best game ever made, but it certainly doesn't deserve the 1s and 2s that meta users are giving it. I liked how they took ME1 and 2 decisions into considerations, and it boggles my mind how much data it needed to take into consideration, since I'm a game programmer. In short, its a great last entry to a great trilogy. =)    … Expand
  10. WaneY
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd bug, game crash and game stalling upon Exiting.

    But such is the quality of the game, I still give ME3 10 out of 10. Totally refined and a joy to play    … Expand
  11. Baknik
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    This game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fansThis game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fans of the series.… Expand
  12. keefbaker
    May 7, 2012
    10
    Brilliantly designed and implemented game with superb depth and design. I wish all these people who were butthurt about the ending hadn't given it bad reviews as it was 40 of the best gameplay hours I've had. Even the multiplayer was superb.
  13. Spoy
    Mar 21, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am deeply dissapointed with all the other reviews on this site, most of them focus on one thing. or 2

    First off you don't give your rating to a game because of it's ending and it's ending only. Don't do that, nor day 1 DLC that does not matter of the quality of the game only the price.

    A good review focuses on 3 Main things

    -Graphics
    -Story
    And most importantly
    - The gameplay.

    They give all the Pros and Cons of all 3 main things.
    Now what's with the people bashing on CoD on a Mass Effect 3 Review? seriously? you can mention a game on a review only IF the game has something to do about it. But i'm afraid that Mass Effect 3 has NOTHING to do with Call Of Duty. So enough

    Now for my Review: (I will only review the singleplayer for now)

    Part 1-

    The Graphics

    The Graphics got some detail improvements that you can't really notice untill you look at it. The textures on the character resolutions are better, the shadows are crisper than mass effect 2. The level designs are sound way less linear, it gives you some space to move around in many different places, and they look good

    However, there are some 2D pictures you can see at the beggining of the game that really dissapoints you. Apparently Bioware haven't spent much time improving the background details that they should have.
    The running animation doesn't look natural, it looks more like "Creature-ish". However the Cutscene animations are better than the in-game ones.

    Summing the Graphics up

    + Higher resolution character detail
    +Better shadowing +Better level design
    - Bad Background
    - Bad In-game animations

    Lets go to the Story Part

    The Space Opera is back with another good story, but let's not jump to the ending now ok?

    Mass Effect 3 Story overall gives ou a bunch of hard decisions that may change your game ending forever, the story may develop differently along the choices you make along the game.
    Yes not all things that you did on ME2 or ME1 matter on the final game. but some REALLY do per example some Things related to legion might bring you peace between the Quarians and the Geth.

    Giving you 2 powerfull allies for the battle of the Earth.
    The most thrilling and exciting parts of the game are the quiet ones, they actually make you feel like if you were commander Shepard. The cutscenes are very well made and match with the soundtrack that gives it it's proper feel.

    Now the ending was a major Dissapointment to everyone who played it, there are multiple plotholes and the lack of choices in it.

    Story Overall

    +Variety of decisions (before the ending)
    +Good cutscenes.
    +Good Quiet parts of the game with excelent Combination of soundtrack
    - Bad Endings
    - Only a few of the decisions you make on the previous games matter a bunch Gameplay: The gameplay is the same as mass effect 2 with some improvements Like a better melee combat, Variety of modifiable weapons and armor. Letting you customize your shepard as you want. and a better level geometry, not so linear anymore. But the AI is dumb as always +Better melee combat +Modifying weapons and armor +Better levels -Bad AI I'll give Mass Effect 3 an 8 out of 10 because that's what i think it deserves because selling DLC on day 1 SHOULDN'T involve on reviews    … Expand
  14. Dragoic
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The time is 3:41 and I've just completed Mass Effect 3.

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

    Now down to the Positive and the negative

    Positive Story: Acceptable. I would highly recommend playing both ME1 and ME 2 and use the same character all the way, it gives it a little more touch and characters just means a lot more to the way you want to end thing. Instead of just throwing the nearest character into the pit of fire while just raising your shoulders while saying â    … Expand
  15. FallJono
    Mar 28, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This opinion is mine and does contain spoilers. Mass effect 3 is one of the best games I have played start to finish, they took what they learned in mass effect 1 and 2 meshed it together into an awesome game. It will be hard for any game to live up to it. everything from the last DLC for ME 2 "arrival" where you have to make the hard choice of whether or not to destroy the Batarian colony to buy time for everyone on the reaper invasion. To the first hard choice let Wrex know the plan to sabotage the cure for genophage and letting Moridin the Salarina scientist who developed the modified version for the plague. Now the most debated part the ending. Some people absolutely hated it. I loved it, they teased that this choice was coming up 3 times during the game the debate of sacrifice 10 million to save 20 million. The choice sacrifice 1 to save trillions some find this choice hard me the math adds up it is for the greater good 1 person must die but will save the galaxy. Some people want the game to play a certain way but I like those endings that you know is the only way it will end. The only debate I have is to start a second play through right away or wait till the DLC comes out and see what changes… Expand
  16. Khaos25
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    Unlike most people here, I took my time with the game. I have only just finished my first play-through of the game and have thought really long and hard before writing this review. Mass Effect 3 is brilliant, I'll say. The scale is massive and I really felt the pressure of having to save the galaxy being overrun by the Reapers. It was a blast to see old characters again and the storyUnlike most people here, I took my time with the game. I have only just finished my first play-through of the game and have thought really long and hard before writing this review. Mass Effect 3 is brilliant, I'll say. The scale is massive and I really felt the pressure of having to save the galaxy being overrun by the Reapers. It was a blast to see old characters again and the story is very well written even though I'll admit the dialogue is rather cheesy in most parts. Combat in the game is fun, a little bit repetitive but fun. Nothing better than pulling out the omni-blade and jamming it into an enemy (very satisfying). But the heavy melee could have been implemented better, it looked cheap and lame if compared to other games like Deus Ex Human Revolution. Not only that, the sidequests in this game was horrible!!! Not only are they vague, they are more a pain than actual reasons to explore the galaxy. You just go around scanning for lost items and such. Only good thing, no more tedious scanning like in the second game. Multiplayer is fun but it gets old after a while, Mass Effect is not really meant to be a multiplayer game and the controls obviously show that. And yes, the endings. The endings are exactly what everyone is complaining about. Not only is it inconsistent to the plot, its abrupt!!! Its like: BOOM, finish, thank you, goodbye. Feels like all your time you put out out into all three games was wasted the effort. Outside the game, the **** Origin client system was also a pain for me, took me 4 hours just to get the game up and running although I have not had any problems for the past few weeks. So, why give an 8? ME3 is not going to win Game of the Year nor will it gain legacy as one of the best sequels ever. It is however, just plain fun to play ME3. Its fun to be on one last adventure with your favourite characters even though by now you know, it will end in huge disappointment. But, now Bioware is making an attempt to address the issue and as for me, I will be replaying the game with a vastly different Shepard of mine. Did I waste my money buying this game? I don't think so, I am keeping this game. As for you guys, I say either you take a chance buying this game or you find somewhere willing to give you a refund or exchange in case you really don't like the game. This game is one I think all ME fans should get regardless of the ending, just steel your hearts when you see the ending, that is all.… Expand
  17. MemoryCrow
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3: A truly wonderful and terrible game.

    "Why?" you may ask me. Now before you jump to the conclusion that this is a rant about the fiasco concerning ME 3's (Mass Effect 3's) ending i would like to tell you it isn't, not entirely. this is actually a rant (yes... a rant) partly concerning ME 3, Bioware and EA. So, with that said, lets continue.

    Why do i dislike this amazing game? was it because the ending was terrible? that you need an online pass to even touch the multiplayer? that the multiplayer has the potential to be (so far beyond) astronomically better than it actually is? or perhaps you may guess that it's because i'm just generally PO'd at this game. All of these are correct.

    But lets get a little more into the details, shall we?

    Reason #1 "YES, we know! the ending was awful!" okay, okay, i'll keep this one short. yeah, it's pretty bad, horrible actually. it's just there, in your face like pile of elephant crap in your livingroom. you simply can't ignore it because no one else will let you and it gnaws at the back of your mind after you see it, like some kind of parasitic insect.

    Reason #2 the online pass... Really? Seriously? Bioware isn't trying to win a popularity contest, that's for damn sure. maybe you guys are okay with this but Bioware isn't wining points in my book for this one. but who does the blame really go to here? shall i blame Bioware for this? for cowing down to EA or should i blame EA themselves and their disgusting lust for profit at the expense of all else? i choose both. why? because i can. AND before you say i'm angry because i had to pay for the online pass, you are wrong sir/madam. i bought an unused copy of ME3 and had to pay for no such thing. this pisses me off purely out of principle. it's simply >wrong    … Expand
  18. November_152
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    Magnificent game. Real dramatic ending, which shows that the hero will go to the end to save the world. If you review separately Mass effect 3, it's a bit worse than the last part. I played all three parts and I think that the developers have done everything like it should be. Especially cooperative game part is very good.
  19. ty1er
    May 28, 2012
    10
    Most fulfilling gaming experience since ages. In my opinion, also the best part of the triology. while the ending ist debatable, the amount of emotion (i even had to shed a tear once or twice) this game could create amongst the community can speak for itself.
  20. Jagdpanther
    Jun 29, 2012
    1
    Horrible scenario, horrible missons, horrible teammates, horrible endings, horrible controlling, horrible and very long dialogs and War Assests... Mass Effect 3 is horrible. Mass Effect 2 is the best.
  21. derOlifant
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    First, since the question of the genre seems to be so important to a lot of people, I want to say that I do not usually play action games. My favourite genres are roleplaying and turn-based strategy, and I think two of the most brilliant games ever developed are "Baldur's Gate 2" and "Planscape: Torment".
    "Mass Effect 3" is no classical RPG like BG2 or Torment, but neither can you do it    First, since the question of the genre seems to be so important to a lot of people, I want to say that I do not usually play action games. My favourite genres are roleplaying and turn-based strategy, and I think two of the most brilliant games ever developed are "Baldur's Gate 2" and "Planscape: Torment".
    "Mass Effect 3" is no classical RPG like BG2 or Torment, but neither can you do it justice by labelling it a simple or even "dumbed-down" action game. Sure, there are lots of action in ME3. Few care to mention, however, how well this action is implemented into the overall concept of the game and how utterly believable it feels. This is no action for action's sake. This is no Roland Emmerich kind of action, spectacular but hollow once the smoke of the explosions has settled. The game makes you care about this universe in danger and creates an atmosphere of extreme urgency and desperation that is manifest in almost every single action sequence. The fights are not very tactical, but neither are they too easy or banal. They feel grim and desperate and immensely important (and what is equally important: they are a lot of fun and very satisfying). Characters you care about (and many of whom already appeared in the previous games) die, and their deaths really leave you shocked and sad, because this is something one does not normally expect in this kind of game, but also because the characters around you actually feel like real living people (or aliens). And this is where the game really shines. After or during missions, the patient listener is rewarded with lots of dialogue. The writers avoided almost every cliché you'd expect and deliver very good â    … Expand
  22. Templar19
    Mar 22, 2012
    8
    Overall this was an amazing and emotional game. It is a lot different from 1 and 2, the graphics are beautiful and the game play and combat are more fun, however it seems really dumbed down compared to the other games, more like a gears of war style adventure game. Had there been more rpg elements, better quests, and a better ending i would give it a 10/10, the ending did ruin the entireOverall this was an amazing and emotional game. It is a lot different from 1 and 2, the graphics are beautiful and the game play and combat are more fun, however it seems really dumbed down compared to the other games, more like a gears of war style adventure game. Had there been more rpg elements, better quests, and a better ending i would give it a 10/10, the ending did ruin the entire series for me though...… Expand
  23. kriskizlyk
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The only thing that ruined my gaming experience of Mass Effect 3 was checking Metacritic and seeing everyone reviews. I actually really enjoyed the game all the way through. It seems no one really has any imagination anymore to figure out an ending because all people are used to is I kill...I win.… Expand
  24. NTripleD
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    I thought the game was enjoyable, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics are good. With that being said, ME3 is nothing close to the game that ME2 & ME1 were. There is a feeling of inevitability throughout the course of the game, it is far too linear. The endings are the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced in any game that I've ever played. I got the "perfect" ending, and itI thought the game was enjoyable, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics are good. With that being said, ME3 is nothing close to the game that ME2 & ME1 were. There is a feeling of inevitability throughout the course of the game, it is far too linear. The endings are the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced in any game that I've ever played. I got the "perfect" ending, and it still left me feeling queasy.

    There are only 3 reasons I give the game a positive rating at all:

    1. The universe/storyline that Mass Effect is set in is so great that even screwing it up it is still solid. 2. The length of the game is about perfect, I hate games that are too short, and this isn't one of them.
    3. The "final battle" is great, it was very intense, and I was about to forgive all of this game's failings after it (until I got to the crappy endings).

    Also, in spite of the complaining, the Multi-Player is actually very fun.    … Expand
  25. WingedAnomaly
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to address the game so much as the public's response to it.

    The game is incredible, don't get me wrong. The graphics show up anything else even approximating this size and scope, the writing and voice acting is off the charts, the story is deep and involving, and the entire gameplay system has finally been honed down to a razor edge.

    Now let me address the complaints.

    1: The ending. Everyone is complaining about the ending. They criticize its writing, its pacing, how previous decisions affect it... but really, they're just angry because it didn't end the way they wanted. Well, I'm sorry if you didn't get your sunshine and bunnies, you got an emotional, intense ending that made you FEEL something. Would you have remembered it if Shepard blew all the Reapers away, nobody died and they all sang kumbaya? No. Nobody would. So shut the f**k up and take your whining elsewhere.

    2: Character placement and day 1 dlc. Do you honestly think Bioware had a say in this? Bioware creates Mass Effect, money-grubbing EA forces them to include Diana Allers, forces them to include multiplayer, forces them to include day 1 DLC. They handled it with grace, incorporating these elements without ruining the basic principles Mass Effect has always stood upon.

    3: Past decisions. I'm not sure what's going on here. Maybe people are surprisingly forgetful. Maybe they imported the wrong save. I'm seeing a lot of people complaining about inconsistency, but for me, everything was perfect. The only skip in the road was the game not explaining how Anderson went from Councilor to Admiral. Everything else was handled exceptionally well; I loved how the way you treated characters in Mass Effect 2 directly affected the way certain missions turned out in Mass Effect 3.

    4: Length. I don't see this one as much because the people who complain about it are just idiotic. This game was a HELL of a lot longer than Mass Effect 1, and the only reason Mass Effect 2 was longer was because you spent ten hours scrounging for minerals on every planet in the galaxy. If it took you less than 25 hours to complete this game, you were doing something wrong.

    I'm tired of scrounging through the 'ones' and 'zeroes' for complaints. And if you posted a 'one' or a 'zero', shame on you. Seriously. Even if you don't like the ending, even if you think it's short, even if you find SOMETHING wrong with it, you can't deny that this game did almost everything right. Compare it to Duke Nukem Forever. That game deserved low ratings. This one did not.

    So go find something else to pick on you pathetic vultures and stop tainting the public's opinion of an excellent game.    … Expand
  26. coloradosarge
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games andI thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games and to try and offset the other people trolling on here that are obviously marking the score low because of the ending. I think BW deserves a fair score.… Expand
  27. spitfiremk87
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen. BUT As you may heard about the endings.    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen.

    BUT

    As you may heard about the endings. They are HORRIBLE. Plot holes galore, your choices never mattered and they literally detract from the series after you've played them. Nothing is ever explained in the endings at all. As far as multiple endings are concerned, there are basically three choices that coincide with almost the exact same CG sequence at the end, with the only difference being the color of explosions you get. I hope that Bioware will show their fans some respect and fix the endings or add to them in some way. The Mass Effect series did not deserve this ending.    … Expand
  28. MikeMaximus
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, and sadly it is mostly bad. Yes the game comes with day 1 dlc, but if you've bought a big release EA game in the last 3 or 4 years you should be used to this by now. It's not worth coming on here and giving a zero over no matter how much it sucks. The biggest fault of ME3 is that it feels even more linear in comparison to the previous games,Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, and sadly it is mostly bad. Yes the game comes with day 1 dlc, but if you've bought a big release EA game in the last 3 or 4 years you should be used to this by now. It's not worth coming on here and giving a zero over no matter how much it sucks. The biggest fault of ME3 is that it feels even more linear in comparison to the previous games, you are funnelled along a set path of main quests with other systems only randomly appearing on your map once you reach a certain place in the story line. It's almost like a linear FPS trying to pretend that it's still an RPG. The side quests are also extremely lame fetch types that you generally come across while running by conversations in the citadel with the odd extra N7 mission during your journey. Mining has been replaced with another "scanning" mini-game to find extra resources for your war effort, it feels like a cheap waste of time, mostly because there isn't much to explore really and it could have been a lot more interesting. Thankfully the hacking and circuit mini-games from ME2 have been removed completely. The story & dialog is really hit and miss, mostly miss, your choices from the previous games don't seem to have any kind of large meaningful impact on the big picture, but I need to test this more with multiple playthroughs. The differences between your paragon and renegade choices seemed, odd to me in a lot of cases, almost like they were mixed up. It seems a lot less thought went into story, dialog and character development this time around, or it was rushed. Now the good things, the combat has been streamlined and in my opinion it's probably the best out of the series. It's a little faster, there are more powers and they are fun to use. The production values are extremely high, it looks good, sounds good and the voice actors all did an incredible job for the most part. It isn't much of a boost technically when compared to ME2, but it is still an improvement in most areas, my only issue is some of the animations, especially running, just looks wrong. Now oddly enough my personal saving grace for this game is what most think is blasphemy, the multiplayer. I find the multiplayer extremely well done over all, it's easy to hop into, it's fun and addicting and provides a good challenge. It also gives a little boost to your single player campaign but it ISN'T required to get the best ending as some idiots on here have been giving a 1 or 0 over.… Expand
  29. naomha
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Overall, great story. Some minor annoyances in plot, some minor twists that make you scratch your head, but all in all, very well done. Gameplay mechanics are good, AI is still mostly dumb. Using powers is still a boatload of fun to be had. Adding vertical elements to the gameplay is a nice touch. Jumping into Cmdr. Shepherds shoes again is always a blast. Not sure what all the naysayersOverall, great story. Some minor annoyances in plot, some minor twists that make you scratch your head, but all in all, very well done. Gameplay mechanics are good, AI is still mostly dumb. Using powers is still a boatload of fun to be had. Adding vertical elements to the gameplay is a nice touch. Jumping into Cmdr. Shepherds shoes again is always a blast. Not sure what all the naysayers are complaining about. Seriously. Gaping holes in the plot? Really? In case you didn't know, DLC is not included in main plot arcs because a lot of people may not have bought the DLC. Anyway, the world is pretty enough, runs great and hasn't crashed once. Some minor clipping issues and framerate dips, but, for the most part, a solid game. I still appreciate the hybrid gameplay, although I wish it had stayed true to the ME1 formula, but that is just personal opinion and doesn't take anything away from the game at all. Solid voice work by everyone in the game. Even Jessica does ok. Lots and lots of guns and mods and armor to choose from. Makes things worth investing in to see the outcome of what you can come up with. The ending DOESN'T SUCK! Seriously. The ending, while not being what the majority of people seem to have wanted, does not spoil the game at all. In my personal opinion, all those 0's and 1's are definitely not earned justly. The story is not "dumb downed", the gameplay in certain parts certainly has been "amped" up and overall, this is a fantastic game. DON'T LISTEN TO THE HATERS. Just don't do it. This is a quality game deserving of your playtime and you won't be disappointed. Looking forward to playing through again in a different class and on the "hard" setting. I'm giving it a 10 to try to negate these ridiculous low scores that are undeserving and just downright nasty.… Expand
  30. HendelMasad
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This is a powerful and moving story about sacrifice and selflessness. I highly recommend it. The complaints that your choices in this or previous games don't matter, ring hollow with me. Would I welcome a follow up where the character's fates are resolved? Sure thing, but its lack did not diminish my enjoyment of the game.
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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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