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. Alpha_Nexus
    Mar 16, 2012
    7
    The game is has changed a lot from ME1 and ME2 for both good and bad.

    The Story is engaging and the way the reveals bits of story without a cutscene is great, like hearing NPCs talk as you walk around. I find myself stopping between 2 NPCs chatting just to find out more about the backstory. However, the story is more linear than previous games and doesn't feel like you're making Shepard    The game is has changed a lot from ME1 and ME2 for both good and bad.

    The Story is engaging and the way the reveals bits of story without a cutscene is great, like hearing NPCs talk as you walk around. I find myself stopping between 2 NPCs chatting just to find out more about the backstory. However, the story is more linear than previous games and doesn't feel like you're making Shepard your own character. Basically your dialogue choices don't really affect the ending, instead it relies on your collecting "War Assets" (setup alliances, completing side quests, scan planets for items, etc...) for slightly different endings. Even then, the endings only differ with your choices in the last few minutes of the game. It makes it feel like your actions through the game really doesn't matter.
    I like how Bioware allows players to customize how they prefer to play the game by giving them options to ignore selecting dialogue to focus on action or make shooting easier to focus just on story. The War Readiness system is an interesting idea that I like in theory but it makes the game feel more "grindy" because you have to do all these side quests and scan all these planets. It also feels like a cash grab by Bioware/EA because you can increase the Readiness by buying their iPhone game or, in multiplayer, you can buy upgrade packs with real money. You can get the Readiness to 100% without paying extra or multiplayer but you would have to do a lot of side quests and exploration. The Multiplayer feels a little less "grindy" because it has a good variety of maps and enemies and you can unlock new weapons and upgrades by using in-game currency (gained by playing online games). The co-op multiplayer is a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of playing Uncharted 2 Multiplayer with swarms of enemies and little objectives to complete (assassinate targets, defend an area, activate devices). I had alot of fun with friends playing the game. There are some bugs with multiplayer that makes it annoying. It would be nice to be able to reorder your quickbar skills like in Singleplayer and the button for cover/activate is unreliable. I get stuck in a nearby cover instead of activating an objective.

    The cover system is worse in this game than ME2, my character sticks to places too easily. If Bioware tone down the distance of when to automatically stick to cover, it would make it alot more tolerable. The shooting elements feel good but nothing like a hardcore FPS. Getting a gib kill feels good and the aiming system feels right with the right setting (I had to turn off "Mouse Dampening" to feel better). The simplified inventory system, shopping system, and weapon upgrading is a lot better in this game than the previous games.

    The From Ashes DLC, is great. It seamlessly integrates with the main game and feels like part of the main game. It gives such an important background information about the Mass Effect Universe. The DLC character is great and the conversions with the character is worthwhile. I honestly cannot see how this DLC be excluded from the main game, the content adds so much depth the game. This DLC should have been available to all players who brought the game new, it feels like it's such a key component to the Mass Effect story. Shame on EA/Bioware for making this a paid DLC on Day 1, instead of working on bugs or improvements. Also, the idea that you can spend real money to unlock random stuff in multiplayer (with no guarantee of getting everything) adds to the feeling that EA/Bioware are trying to squeeze cash from their fans.
    Conclusion:
    The game mechanics definitely improved overall, but the story doesn't feel like a classic Bioware RPG where you have complete control over Shepard's development. I cannot give this game a perfect score because of some bugs and the Day 1 DLC (From Ashes) should have been free to all players that brought the game, like in Dragon Age 2 with Shale. It integrates so nicely to the game that it should have been part of the game from the start. This also gives the impression that EA/Bioware trying to squeeze as much money out of their loyal fans. When they should have spent that extra time polishing the cover system, speech system, animation system, or fixing save game importing instead of making this Day 1 DLC. If they had even waited a month to push out that DLC, it would have made less fans feel like they're getting robbed for supporting the franchise.    … Expand
  2. Mogul
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    I'm a bit surprised by how many people seem to hate this game. In terms of gameplay, there are only minor differences between Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect 2. The characters are still interesting, the combat is fun, and the overall story is solid (despite several annoying plot holes). There were several moments during the game where I had to step back a bit, and just look around andI'm a bit surprised by how many people seem to hate this game. In terms of gameplay, there are only minor differences between Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect 2. The characters are still interesting, the combat is fun, and the overall story is solid (despite several annoying plot holes). There were several moments during the game where I had to step back a bit, and just look around and absorb how awesome something was. Sure, there are a number of things that I found annoying. For example, I loathe the new James Vega character. The new multiplayer mode is very repetitive, and generally stupid. There is also the incredibly awful ending, and the annoying fact that one of the best squad members is only available through day one DLC. This checklist of negatives, however, does not make Mass Effect 3 a bad game. I still found it to be well worth playing, and a quality addition to the Mass Effect series.… Expand
  3. SOAR21
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    I've played this series since game 1, and I've read a lot of the negative reviews. While I was disappointed with this game, and while I did note many (most) of the mentioned issues with the game. Yes, Bioware should've foreseen the fallout of the DLC, and just released it as part of the game. Corporate world; welcome to it. It's not like this is uncommon these days in the industry (or anyI've played this series since game 1, and I've read a lot of the negative reviews. While I was disappointed with this game, and while I did note many (most) of the mentioned issues with the game. Yes, Bioware should've foreseen the fallout of the DLC, and just released it as part of the game. Corporate world; welcome to it. It's not like this is uncommon these days in the industry (or any industry). However, I think lamentations of the writing issues and gameplay have been blown out of proportion. When I finished the game I was quite disappointed since I don't think I've played a game with higher expectations. My main issues were the stub of a story they called the main plot. I did reach 25 hours or so of singleplayer gameplay, but a lot of it was chasing war assets in every cluster of the universe. Also, the half-hearted ending that made me feel like my 100 or so hours of ME gameplay were wasted. Multiplayer is not required for the best ending. I played 25 hours of singleplayer and got the best possible ending, though admittedly collecting war assets was quite tedious. They could've done more with the characters; I only lost Kaidan in ME1, yet, felt like all my efforts saving my team were useless since I saw some characters only a few times. The new party member they add is a complete joke, a dead-end of a character. However this game is not a 0 out of 10. Anyone who rated a 0 is someone who underwent the same feeling of disappointment I did then just lashed back. Story-wise, definitely the worst game of the series. Characters come and go in a blur; relationships consist of just a few conversations. Gameplay-wise, however, ME3 is much better in my opinion. Harder fights, more varied enemies, smarter enemies, more organic-feeling powers. More customization than ME2, thankfully, but also thankfully less than the smothering options in ME1. Environments were very varied, as were the situations. Multiplayer is just coop wave gameplay over and over again, but the combat is good enough that I'm finding myself playing a lot of multiplayer and still not getting bored, as are thousands of others. I don't expect to log that much more time on multiplayer, but it'll last me longer than such a simple system should, and that is because of the excellent combat. I am still a great fan of the series though this one dropped the ball a little. I'm considering another playthrough from the very start. All in all, a feasible buy, but hardly the game of the year.… Expand
  4. AndrewE
    Apr 16, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not just giving this a "10" to attempt to combat all the "0"s out there, I honestly think this game is a ten and it is probably the best game I've played in the last 7-8 years.

    I was genuinely astounded... as to how WONDERFUL the ending was. The controversy is ridiculous. It basically boils down to unintelligent individuals who need to have everything explained to them very slowly to be satisfied, and intelligent people who are capable of inferring their own ideas for the future of the galaxy. Shepard did his job, he sacrificed himself not only for the galaxy, but every single life that will ever come into existence in the future. That is amazing. The specifics of what happened after his death are no longer his concern.

    Please DO NOT change the ending Bioware. Don't give in to the lowest common denominator. People were expecting a Michael Bay ending and instead were introduced to Andrei Tarkovsky. It's unfortunate that people don't have a far enough reaching intellectual grasp.    … Expand
  5. Monsieur_Croque
    May 22, 2012
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. It 's more of an interactive story than a mindless shooter and the compelling story line and strong voice acting really make this a memorable experience. My only beef is that it seemed shorter than MEII with fewer supporting missions leading up to the central mission but other than that this was a real gem.
  6. tekshow
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    Thanks Bioware for a fantastic epic. This game is slightly impaired by lofty expectations and warm fuzzy feelings provided by the first two games. As the trilogy moved on it had become more and more streamlined from a gameplay perspective. RPG elements have been whittled down to a small skill tree that quickly maxes out in nearly every area. Is this a problem? Not really, unless you wantThanks Bioware for a fantastic epic. This game is slightly impaired by lofty expectations and warm fuzzy feelings provided by the first two games. As the trilogy moved on it had become more and more streamlined from a gameplay perspective. RPG elements have been whittled down to a small skill tree that quickly maxes out in nearly every area. Is this a problem? Not really, unless you want to play the same games over again. I feel like Mass Effect 2 was the culmination for the series in terms of gameplay, space travel, rpg elements, and fleshed out mechanics that drove the experience like bypassing doors and farming planet minerals mini games. The latter of which might not seem like a big deal but when it's absent it's very noticeable. What mass effect 3 has going for it is a breakneck pace of reaper fighting badassery. It all happens so fast you won't even notice clipping through a 25-30 hour game. Deep relationships are found, love lost, and many companions bear great sacrifice. It's some f the finest story telling in the medium. The ending needs a little work, but the core game is breathless from start to final assault. Want more, the combat is finely fine tuned and it's Sci-Fi gears of war approach is very fitting. As a person who doesn't regularly play shooters and enjoys RPGs more, ME3 delivers a tremendous variety in play style over its predecessors. Not the least of which is thrilling drop in multiplayer that actually effects the man game! Co-op multiple player makes a four man group of strangers band together to fight common enemies. It's a kick seeing all the species and character types in action with all their respective tactics.


    It's a great game, a cap off to the series,they only real negative is that like most trilogies the second title remains the best In the bunch.    … Expand
  7. kjc001
    Apr 6, 2012
    8
    I think Mass Effect 3 is a good game overall. It could use more filler content and more creativity/variety with the ending, but the game is decent. All these people complaining about the ending and rating the game extremely low still played through the entire game to see the ending. If a game is bad enough for me to rate below a 5 I'm definitely not going to be finishing it. I like theI think Mass Effect 3 is a good game overall. It could use more filler content and more creativity/variety with the ending, but the game is decent. All these people complaining about the ending and rating the game extremely low still played through the entire game to see the ending. If a game is bad enough for me to rate below a 5 I'm definitely not going to be finishing it. I like the addition of multiplayer as well. It could use some different game modes, more maps and general variety, but it's fun as is for a while at least.… Expand
  8. kendiara
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its pretty bad when a series can destroy itself in the last 10 minutes of a trilogy, but ME managed it. I loved the game (even with the bad cover quirks and the occasional everyone breaks their neck staring off stage left while having a conversation), but the ending pretty well scorched it. The writers at Bio-Ware are still top notch, and it was fun seeing who did and didn't make it in from the previous games. The standing conversations with teammates felt more natural, and having the opportunity to advance your relationships was done well. And then the ending. Remember Fallout with that huge plot-hole about being with a guy immune to radiation and yet you can't send him into the radiated room to hit the button so you have to sacrifice yourself? Yeah its worse than that.… Expand
  9. Varnor
    Mar 29, 2012
    9
    I have characters that I have imported from ME1 and 2 and have truly enjoyed ever minute of the game, having spent almost 50 hours so far in the single player mode alone. It's not perfect, it doesn't deserve a 10, no game ever does but to see emails and have things mentioned in the game that span back to the 1st and second games, even extremely minor things is fun to see, as is theI have characters that I have imported from ME1 and 2 and have truly enjoyed ever minute of the game, having spent almost 50 hours so far in the single player mode alone. It's not perfect, it doesn't deserve a 10, no game ever does but to see emails and have things mentioned in the game that span back to the 1st and second games, even extremely minor things is fun to see, as is the abundance of text background, found everywhere from the Journal to datapads during missions, to Broker and Spectre emails that flesh out the background. The game also references at least one of the Mass Effect books (Retribution) and introduces a character from it

    How your character behaves towards others and during missions alters what you can eventually use against the Reapers is great, the fact that there is now no Mako or Mineral scanning is more of a plus really, it was only ever a time filler to make the game last longer anyway. There are brief planet scanning jobs to look for War Assets but these take little more than around 10 seconds to complete, work the same way that searching for an anomaly on a planet did in ME2, and are not compulsory

    The graphics are as excellent as ever (although I've seen a few minor clipping issues and once Garrus "vanished" during a conversation, lol) as is the sound and voice acting

    I was very skeptical about the Multi Player side of ME3, the previous 2 being completely Single Player, but have to admit I have enjoyed it greatly! Currently it's up to 4 player co-op against Cerberus, Geth or Reapers. Your characters level up, allowing you to put points into Biotic / Tech / etc skills, you earn in-game money which can be spent on Packs that provide everything from medi-gel and spare ammo to disposable missile launchers, new main weapons, attachments, etc

    In a market where high street stores sting the developer by reselling their games at pure profit, I can't blame them for releasing DLC and having Online Passes. I always buy brand new copies anyway and don't mind paying for DLC so that doesn't affect the scoring at all to me

    I don't place much faith in Metacritic User reviews, and the pure volume of release date scores of 0/10 speak volumes to me. If I spent 35+ hours on the game the first time round, then Day 1 reviewers have missed at least 65% of content, and that's without DLC    … Expand
  10. josiahlo
    Apr 9, 2012
    9
    The game itself was quite amazing, your choices in the first 2 games did affect outcomes in the 3rd game. It did not affect the ending unfortunately. The ending outrage is overblown. Personally I did not like the ending but the game itself is amazing and the multiplayer is quite enjoyable. Giving it a 9 instead of a 10 just because of the ending
  11. TheFlaminboy
    Jul 21, 2012
    9
    Just finished the Game with the Extended Cut, then compared it on Youtube with the original ending. I can see why many people didn't like the ending, there really are a few too many things left open in the original ending. The Extended Cut is therefore a nice addition to give players more closure. However, I have to say, that this is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played andJust finished the Game with the Extended Cut, then compared it on Youtube with the original ending. I can see why many people didn't like the ending, there really are a few too many things left open in the original ending. The Extended Cut is therefore a nice addition to give players more closure. However, I have to say, that this is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played and definitely does not deserve the criticism it got about it's ending. I personally loved all the endings, even though I only chose the bad ending to see what it was like, normally I wouldn't choose it. This game is an amazing and perfect conclusion to the Mass Effect Trilogy and true fans will love it like I did. Mass Effect 1 had the most epic ending, Mass Effect 2 was the most epic game overall and Mass Effect 3 was the most beautiful of them all. Also, since it mainly used music from the first and second game and didn't show that many more additional good soundtracks (apart from the beginning and the end of the game) I give this game a 9 out of 10. Well done Bioware and thank you!… Expand
  12. Thaeonblade
    Jun 3, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you that Mass Effect 3 was an excellent game and a great culmination of the Mass Effect series.

    But I'm going to give it an 8/10, though it's game quality should make it a 9. This is sad, because most of the main problems in this game have to do with things that weren't in the game.

    1) The Ending, everyone has talked about it so I'm not going to beat a dead horse. But let's just say that all of your war assets and decisions don't amount to anything meaningful in the game's conclusion.

    2) Multi-player requirement, the multiplayer component was actually fun and addictive. I really like the teamwork aspect that gets incorporated into gameplay, rewarding players for working together to take down tough enemies.

    The problem is that the game forces you to play this mode. If you don't play it enough, then a low readiness rating will shave off a portion of your war assets. Effectively, you're being punished and sabotaged for not playing multiplayer. Not to mention that the readiness meter drops independent of your actions anyway!

    3) The Day-One DLC requirement for Javik, a prothean squadmate! Why isn't he in the game?

    4) A needleesly smaller rooster with disproportionately arranged screen-time for each member and romance. You'll only have 6 members + Javik with all of the ME 2 squadmates being sidelined for one reason or another. Some have memorable cameos and roles, but the rest were simply put to the side. In addition, you may end up with a minimum of 3 members depending on what you did in previous games or what you do in this one. We could have easily used another squadmate like that british soldier in the trailer, Aria, the "biotic god", or a ME 2 squadmate of our choice.

    But no, you only have a max total of 7 squadmates, 1 of which is day one dlc and the you can't even get two as full-time squadmates until halfway through the game!

    On this note of disproportionate screentime, of your many love interests, only the ME 1 love interests have an actual romance scene. Female shepard gets screwed over on the love interest chart because the only romance that carries over from ME2 is Garrus. Jacob cheats on you even though that's very similar to what his own father did, Kelly can die too easily and Thane dies with no way of saving him.

    5) The Quest system is terrible, it will never update even when you find what you were looking for. So you have to keep careful track or else you'll end up going to the system where the item was and risk detection by the reapers only to find out that you already had it!

    6) High increase in auto-dialogue

    "Breathes"

    Okay...now let's move on to the positive thing in this game because there are a lot despite the major contention points that I started with.

    1) Squad moments: Despite a needlessly smaller rooster, your party does feel more alive and dynamic. They move around on the ship and can even have conversations with each other and you can choice who to support. I do miss the traditional conversations in ME 2 and ME 1, but this change is welcome.

    2) Combat is strongly improved from ME 2 and allows for the return of customization options from ME 1. There's also a lot of variation on how to order abilities to really become effective against even the most heavily armored foe.

    3) The Story is pretty solid, the reapers have finally come and Shepard has to get the people of the galaxy together to fight them. Conventional warfare won't work in the long run, so Shepard is also tasked with gathering resources and information about a device known as the Crucible. A weapon that promises a way to defeat the reapers before they destroy the galaxy.

    Along the way, Shepard will be faced with irrevocable choices. Entire races can be wiped out or screwed over if Shepard makes the wrong move. For instance, if you sabotage the Genophage cure with Wrex in charge, he'll attempt to murder you and call off Krogan support. If you fail to make peace between Geth and Quarians, one will wipe out the other and Tali can commit suicide if you side with the geth.

    Up until the final mission, I was emotionally engaged in saving this diverse galaxy.

    4) Multiplayer is actually really fun. It may not have been needed, but it is a really fun mode to play. You really feel like you're part of a special forces squad when you join three other players. It also forces you to think carefully about the player that you deploy as.

    5) While annoying to keep track of, the war asset function is pretty unique. If only the ending didn't invalidate it!

    6) Great soundtrack

    7) Excellent voicework

    8) Choices made in previous games will carry over into this one. Including minor side missions like bring down the sky.

    So there you have it. The bad things will tick you off and the good things will make you enjoy it. It's kind of a mixed-bag in that sense, but still a really good game. I recommend buying this one, just be aware of its flaws    … Expand
  13. Orctownorc
    Oct 4, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect was always 'Shepard's Story', so it was impossible to identify that much with either the game play or the characters. While the overall story is sadly an over-hyped armaggedon (not good), the production values in this game are great, and the voice acting and performances were pretty well flawless. I follow the herd in mourning the way it ends, but personally I don't care as IMass Effect was always 'Shepard's Story', so it was impossible to identify that much with either the game play or the characters. While the overall story is sadly an over-hyped armaggedon (not good), the production values in this game are great, and the voice acting and performances were pretty well flawless. I follow the herd in mourning the way it ends, but personally I don't care as I never invested much in this franchise emotionally. The whole franchise is a long interactive movie. Thank God its over, and lets hope Bioware will take the basis assets and ideas and use them to build some better games that let the players tell their own stories. The cities were always WAY too small in this game. The levelling and RPG elements were never very good. But the visuals, the voices, the NPCs were all phenomenally good. This whole franchise to date has been nothing except design practice. With Mass effect the best is yet to come. Can't wait to see what they can cook up with Mass Effect in terms of a genuine RPG experience!… Expand
  14. Zenzukai
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    I wish I could give it a 9.6. The -0.4 for an ending that stood in juxtaposition to one of the most masterful RPG gaming experiences so far. Similar mechanics to the 2nd, with less in common with the first. But the game is more than a rpg shooter with neat looking effects, it's among the best unique to video game narratives and should be played by anyone who likes science fiction,I wish I could give it a 9.6. The -0.4 for an ending that stood in juxtaposition to one of the most masterful RPG gaming experiences so far. Similar mechanics to the 2nd, with less in common with the first. But the game is more than a rpg shooter with neat looking effects, it's among the best unique to video game narratives and should be played by anyone who likes science fiction, involved dialogue, philosophy, social commentary.… Expand
  15. SpaceyCasey
    Oct 13, 2012
    6
    I played the demo and I'm very disappointed. I would play this game if one of the following were not true: (1) Same graphics; What was very advanced in 2007 (ME1) par in 2010 (ME2) is now simply sub-par in 2012. (2) I like to sit back with a logi/xbox360 style controller. A keyboard, while very good, can limit you in certain situations. While many games released in the past 2 years haveI played the demo and I'm very disappointed. I would play this game if one of the following were not true: (1) Same graphics; What was very advanced in 2007 (ME1) par in 2010 (ME2) is now simply sub-par in 2012. (2) I like to sit back with a logi/xbox360 style controller. A keyboard, while very good, can limit you in certain situations. While many games released in the past 2 years have instant support for controllers, this game has none. (3) Same engine. ME2 was a great game but I struggled to finish due to the robotic engine. The great story, art, music and characters kept me playing through the bland game. Adding a halo-blade animation to your punch and changing health to blocks instead of bars doesn't change the gameplay. My skills were 90% exactly the same as the last game! (4) horrid user score; from what people are saying, this is a big ME2 expansion, not a $60 new game. Oh Bioware, how far you have fallen.… Expand
  16. kane148
    Jul 24, 2012
    8
    I really enjoyed this game up until the very end: the last 10 minutes or so were tedious and confusing, and the standard ending leaves you feeling very unfulfilled after all the time you've put into making tough choices and developing relationships with characters. Hopefully the extended edition will fix this problem. For most of the game however, I was happily immersed in the Mass EffectI really enjoyed this game up until the very end: the last 10 minutes or so were tedious and confusing, and the standard ending leaves you feeling very unfulfilled after all the time you've put into making tough choices and developing relationships with characters. Hopefully the extended edition will fix this problem. For most of the game however, I was happily immersed in the Mass Effect universe, and appreciated the epic scale of this final installment. ME3 seems to have backed away from ME2's simplistic upgrade system and re-introduces different weapon models and mods to allow you to customize your arsenal. I felt that it was a fair compromise between the unwieldy inventory of ME1 and the boring linear upgrades of ME2. While this game does have its share of flaws (lack of exploration, few side-quests, and the usual plot holes), it is a good game overall and well worth playing.… Expand
  17. thatkid1995
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    In my mind, Mass Effect 3 is flawless. The combat is rich and solid, the story is the best I've ever encountered, the characters leave such a raw, visceral sense of emotion that I actually teared up on a few occasions. There is no other game that is such a complete package. The endings were well written and fantastically executed. This is how you make games. BioWare have touched the skyIn my mind, Mass Effect 3 is flawless. The combat is rich and solid, the story is the best I've ever encountered, the characters leave such a raw, visceral sense of emotion that I actually teared up on a few occasions. There is no other game that is such a complete package. The endings were well written and fantastically executed. This is how you make games. BioWare have touched the sky here and there is no turing away from such a well written and well made game… Expand
  18. Peikkonaama
    Dec 5, 2012
    10
    Absolutely loved this game. Well-written and presented sci-fi story in the form of a video game. Hint: you should play the prequels with all available DLC:s to get most out of ME3 - all on insane difficulty, of course. I really do not get people who complain about the possible endings. I found them satisfying. The only flaw I found in this game was that I could not holster Shepards weapon.Absolutely loved this game. Well-written and presented sci-fi story in the form of a video game. Hint: you should play the prequels with all available DLC:s to get most out of ME3 - all on insane difficulty, of course. I really do not get people who complain about the possible endings. I found them satisfying. The only flaw I found in this game was that I could not holster Shepards weapon. Compare that to the mountains of bugs, lack of challenge and interesting content & overall childisness in titles like Skyrim and Fallout 3 & NV, Mass Effect 3 is brilliant game for adults. Hard choises, bad hair days and end of the worlds in galactic scale - just wow!… Expand
  19. Daverid
    Jan 5, 2013
    4
    These days I play just RPG's (And the occasional session on WoW), I have all but lost faith in the FPS and RTS Genres. Nothing quite sucks me in like an RPG with a; Riveting Plot, Interesting Characters, Good Gameplay and a powerful sense of Immersion. Mass Effect 1, although lacking in the Gameplay department, was 10/10 on every single other aspect of the game. Mass Effect 2 corrected theThese days I play just RPG's (And the occasional session on WoW), I have all but lost faith in the FPS and RTS Genres. Nothing quite sucks me in like an RPG with a; Riveting Plot, Interesting Characters, Good Gameplay and a powerful sense of Immersion. Mass Effect 1, although lacking in the Gameplay department, was 10/10 on every single other aspect of the game. Mass Effect 2 corrected the Gameplay errors that were extremely evident in ME1, however the plot took a MINOR hit, but still was extremely engaging. Then Mass Effect 3 rolled around, and I don't really know what went wrong. People blaming EA, People blaming BioWare... Who knows, all that's evident is this game was nowhere near the sequel we were waiting for.

    The gameplay didn't really improve from Mass Effect 2, but it was good in ME2 so it remains good in ME3. The Characters are still as interesting as ever (and as cool), but of course instead of the massive party selection we got in ME2 it was reduced down to ME1 numbers.
    And the plot, was just ... A mess (And that's giving it credit).

    If there's one thing I can say positive about BioWare, is that at least they still know how to write engaging and interesting characters. I cried several times throughout the game, simply because you get so attached (Or from the previous games) to these 3D people and it's hard to watch some of the tragedies happen, even if you can tell there was going to be casualties in the game. If it wasn't for BioWare still doing such an amazing job in the character department, this game would be lucky to receive a 2 or 3. The plot is just an abysmal mess. You can't really explain the mess without massive spoilers so I'll simply say this. Alot of people (Inlcuding myself) claim that it's 'The Ending' which was at fault, but frankly we just used the Ending as a scapegoat, we didn't/don't want to admit that the problem is in reality the entire game. Singular planet plots like Rannoch and Tuchanka is great, because you're concluding something that was setup in the other games, but the whole 'War Assets' and the nature of the 'Overarching Plot' is just a disgrace. And then after being taken on this wild ride where you go from, 'What the heck this doesn't make sense' ... To 'Omg this is fking awesome we are doing something massive and important' ... Back and forth multiple times, just to end on the 'This doesn't make sense' side of the fence was just the Ash sprinkles on top of the Crap Cake, and it hurt the fans deeply. It's clear alot of the story was designed with players who had been with the series for a long time in mind. Moments that would leave a normal person lifting an eyebrow, was leaving us fans who had been playing since ME1 bawling our eyes out. But then they made this Overarching plot to serve, I don't even know who, because it didn't make sense to the fans and it didn't make sense to anyone else. It was just some kind of strange mess.

    So if you're going to play this regardless of reviews, enjoy the characters, enjoy the locations and enjoy the decent gameplay. Enjoy the Single planet Arcs like Tuchanka and Rannoch, but don't expect to understand the overarching plot, and certainly don't expect to be satisfied and the end, because most likely you won't be.    … Expand
  20. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    6
    The third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have thatThe third part of the ME trilogy had to compete with two masterpieces. It failed. Combat is ok, but combat was never its strong point. The trend to remove RPG components like ME2 did, continues. For example in order to get side quests you don't even talk to NPCs anymore, you simply overhear conversations. But ME2 had a saving grace, its story was still very strong. ME3 doesn't have that and its not just the ending. Main story is predictable and boring. Last but not least, your companions are simply not interesting this time. Their stories too. An average game, nothing to really set it apart from other shooters.… Expand
  21. Duskspark
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    A wise man once said "The journey is more important than the destination". Mass Effect 3's ending is far from that what you may have hoped, but the epic and intense overall singleplayer story and the surprisingly well functioning co-operative multiplayer are SO well done that the ending is less than a split-second of importance.
  22. MrDeath651
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is a great game, and although the endings are bad the rest is awesome. And people should stop giving this game 3 and 2 just beacuse they didn't like the endings
  23. COMThing
    Jan 12, 2014
    8
    Excellent game with much a more fluid combat experience than the previous 2 games.

    The Good: - Customisation is much improved over ME2. The number of weapons available has been greatly increased to roughly 8 per category and the upgrade system includes weapon mods/attachments. Amour is very customisable with interchangeable parts and a much more user-friendly customisation interface    Excellent game with much a more fluid combat experience than the previous 2 games.

    The Good:
    - Customisation is much improved over ME2. The number of weapons available has been greatly increased to roughly 8 per category and the upgrade system includes weapon mods/attachments.
    Amour is very customisable with interchangeable parts and a much more user-friendly customisation interface than ME2

    - Combat is much more fluid and ammunition isn't really a problem (no more 15 rounds total carrying capacity for a certain shotgun) compared to ME2. The addition of heavy melee is another factor to consider when choosing your class and adds more combos.

    - Dialogue and voice acting is very well done overall, often times making up for the number of plot holes

    - Probably the best soundtrack of the series

    The Bad:
    - Lacks a decent inventory system: Picking up 1 weapon and being able to equip everybody with it makes it seem more shallow than ME1. In addition, not being able to sell items of any sort takes away from the role-playing experience

    - Side missions have very little reward and offer very little replay value. When they do have a useful function, they usually end up being tedious and are too simple to actually feel like a mission (Sometimes very close to being as short as the cutscene and dialogue that introduces the mission)

    - The plot has many holes in it and none of the DLCs fix these issues; rather just add more holes. Skip this game if you require a somewhat believable story. SIDE NOTE - there is a community edited cinematic ending that greatly improves the experience

    - Squad AI is still terrible and the limited interactions you can do with them just makes them a distraction so you don't die too quickly    … Expand
  24. Troublewalking
    Mar 6, 2014
    8
    I got this game free for my Origin account as part of the debacle that was the release of SimCity. To make up for that mess, Origin gave us a choice of one free game. I chose Mass Effect 3.

    Up till then I had Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 1. Though I have to admit I was never really a fan of Mass Effect 1, as I didn't discover it until way past it's due date. And by then the once top    I got this game free for my Origin account as part of the debacle that was the release of SimCity. To make up for that mess, Origin gave us a choice of one free game. I chose Mass Effect 3.

    Up till then I had Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 1. Though I have to admit I was never really a fan of Mass Effect 1, as I didn't discover it until way past it's due date. And by then the once top of the line graphics were horrendous to deal with.

    However, I think Mass Effect 2 explains why so many people love this series. For it's time the graphics were amazing. The mini games which added to the fun were classic. You got to chose good or bad options. You got to choose your class and skill set, and upgrade as you saw fit. The team member stories were pretty good. And it was just a solid game.

    So when I got Mass Effect 3, I had high expectations. However the reason I never purchased the game before was that I heard EA had dropped the ball on Mass Effect 3.

    Now there are certainly things that were disappointing about Mass Effect 3. But these disappointments need to be tampered by whether your a fan of the series or not. Obviously disappointed fans of the series would give this game much harsher than needed reviews of the game. Which needs to be kept in mind, because if I had never played a Mass Effect game. Mass Effect 3 would be considered a 10 to me. But seeing the drop in quality from iMass Effect 3 compared to Mass Effect 2 I can understand some of the fans strong feelings against the game. And is the main reason I give the game only an 8.

    In short Mass Effect 3 just is missing some of the core things which made the Mass Effect series so great. The mini games were gone. They tweaked the classes, mostly in a bad way. They all but eliminated the companions or team member side stories. They didn't really have tie ins with the team members you grew to love in the other stories. And then to add insult to injury the ending seems like EA was trying to put an abrupt end to the series.

    So you need to understand that the majority of the bad reviews are from loyal fans of the series who felt they were robbed by the direction EA chose to go with the game for Mass Effect 3. Again as a stand alone game for someone new to the franchise it is definitely worth getting. But as the 3rd in the series it unapologetically tries to rip the heart of the franchise out and stomp on it. They probably imagined they would win all kinds of awards for a hardcore story. But instead made a lot of fans unhappy.

    Fortunately EA tried to do some face saving and put in some patches that allow for some happy endings. Though it seems like you have to farm points to make that happen. And that takes away from the story. And story is one of the things Mass Effect is great at.

    So even though Mass Effect 3 is not nearly as good as Mass Effect in my opinion. It is still a solid game. Just terribly disappointing if your a fan of the franchise.

    The game is good enough to keep enjoying. I have all 3 on my computer. And purchased a cheap 1-3 Xbox 360 version. Also if your a fan of KOTOR the games are very similar. It's the freedom to choose the way you want to play, and the way your skills level up. Along with story, companion stories and fun mini games that makes these EA games so beloved.    … Expand
  25. DegenCutter
    Jun 17, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As the follow up to probably my favorite game of all time and the conclusion to an epic trilogy that gripped me from its first moments, Mass Effect 3 had a lot to live up to in my eyes. Now several years removed from its release and the controversy over the ending, I feel like I can finally look back on it objectively. The game gripped me from the first moments of play and had me on the edge of my seat up until about the Thessia mission. Kai "Plot Missiles" Leng was the first sign of danger and by the time I got to the end, I experienced pretty crushing disappointment. In trying so hard not to go for a conventional ending, Bioware fumbled at the goal line in the last play of the Superbowl. I was devastated. They could have given us the ending everyone expected - Shepard dies but destroys the Reapers and saves the galaxy - and that would have been good enough for me even if cliched and expected. Instead, we were left with a mess that was only marginally improved when they released the extended ending dlc. So why the high rating? Two things primarily. First, the multiplayer, which I went in not expecting to care for but came to love. It was slick, fun, and engaging, with great gameplay and I had so many hours of fun with it. Second, despite the fumbled ending, most of the game was indeed great. I didn't love the ending, no, but this game was still worth it, and it is still part of probably the greatest video game series of all time in my humble opinion.… Expand
  26. MillersWeeb
    Nov 16, 2018
    0
    Ну это вообще говно из говна. Сюжет говно, боевка говно, геймплей говно, аддоны говно, концовки просто пиздец какое говно.
  27. Haartian
    Mar 8, 2012
    10
    The game itself - in terms of graphics, narrative, combat, general atmosphere and gameplay - is close to perfect. There are incredible moments in the story arc, and the game delivers a truly cinematic experience.

    I'd risk saying it's the best space opera cRPG ever, beating even the previous two to the title. Well, there's just one 'but'. ME3 *would* be the best space opera cRPG ever, if    The game itself - in terms of graphics, narrative, combat, general atmosphere and gameplay - is close to perfect. There are incredible moments in the story arc, and the game delivers a truly cinematic experience.

    I'd risk saying it's the best space opera cRPG ever, beating even the previous two to the title. Well, there's just one 'but'.

    ME3 *would* be the best space opera cRPG ever, if not for its ending.
    WIthout spoiling too much - the three possible endings of Mass Effect 3 are more than just bad. They are atrocious. Even though Bioware claims that there are 16 possible endgame options, the difference between them comes down to... colour change. That's it.

    The ending of ME3 ruins the whole saga experience. It will leave you dry and dispassionate, and drain all joy from re-playing ME 1&2 and ME3 itself.

    If you're a fan of the series, DON'T BUY THIS. At least until Bioware changes the endings.    … Expand
  28. Mugumaster
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    I'm glad I didn't buy this game and listened to my gut feeling. I downloaded it and thought "if it can stand up to the rest of the series I will buy it afterwards...." No money from me here! This game is a total letdown! And what dissapoints me the most is that EVERY gamemagazine gives it a rating of 90+. This clearly shows that those game magazines just write what they are told from theI'm glad I didn't buy this game and listened to my gut feeling. I downloaded it and thought "if it can stand up to the rest of the series I will buy it afterwards...." No money from me here! This game is a total letdown! And what dissapoints me the most is that EVERY gamemagazine gives it a rating of 90+. This clearly shows that those game magazines just write what they are told from the gamecompanys .... very sad indeed.

    Now for Mass Effect 3:
    - Horrible long cutscenes with uneeded explosions everywhere to beef it up
    - Most of the time you had only 2 dialogue choices (Paragon, Renegade) and it was obvious which was what since paragon was always the upper choice and renegade the bottom choice
    - Missions were at first interesting but after 1-2 hours you get the feeling that there is no more innovation. Either you fight enemy waves, defend a point and fight off enemy waves, reach a checkpoint and survive while fighting enemy waves or fight enemy waves to push a button to fight more enemy waves ....
    - Combat system was a total letdown, I played as a biotic but most of the time i just used a sniperrifle or a slow firing rifle because it just owns everything else.
    - Biotic skills were totaly useless, I ended up reskilling and learn the talents my teammates gave me like infernogrenade or carnage
    - Flying around searching for stuff to beef up the army while avoiding the reapers got VERY boring VERY fast
    - The dialogue choices you had with your squadmates were too dull and you weren't able to bond a connection to them like in the previous games
    - Storywriting was bad, tried to skip all the time after a while since it just was plain bad
    - No matter which choices you made (like fake cure or real cure for krogans, save geth or quarians, save the arachniqueen, recruit alien races etc.) nothing did matter at the end. There was nothing that said what happened afterwards and the only reason to gather allied forces is only to make the end a little less bad than it already is.
    - The endings were a complete rippoff from deus ex
    - The endings were ALL bad, basicly you watched the same clip with a different coloured explosion and small changes but basicly all the ends lead to the same result without explaining ANYTHING

    I could go on with this list but I guess you get the point I'm trying to make clear ..    … Expand
  29. froZn1991
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    The Game was awesome, never played something better or equal before ------ and then i come to the end, now i hate it .... WHY BIOWARE WHY!!!?!?! i dont have the heart do play this a 2nd time :(
  30. savagess2546
    Apr 5, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After finishing the game, I do have to say that the ending was good and bad. It really struck home in the emotional aspect but the fact that there's no way to save Shepard and that fact that all three endings are identical besides some colors and graphics overlays, makes me disappointed. It also seems like NOTHING I did throughout the game really had any effect on the ending. All that time spent gathering resources and military strength didn't really do anything except unlock ending options. I still loved the entire game but it definitely could have been better.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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