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. sft
    Feb 26, 2017
    8
    Still not quite the full kilo

    I have a somewhat ambivalent relationship with the Mass Effect games. I’ve enjoyed all of them but that enjoyment has been tempered by frustration, mostly with the combat mechanics. MASS EFFECT 3 is no exception to this rule. The cover mechanics in ME2 were an improvement over those in the original game but in ME3 they have messed them up. For some crazy    Still not quite the full kilo

    I have a somewhat ambivalent relationship with the Mass Effect games. I’ve enjoyed all of them but that enjoyment has been tempered by frustration, mostly with the combat mechanics. MASS EFFECT 3 is no exception to this rule. The cover mechanics in ME2 were an improvement over those in the original game but in ME3 they have messed them up. For some crazy reason they’ve bound 3 vital actions (cover, roll, and storm (sprint)) to a single key (I believe this may also have been the case with ME2 but I don’t recall it being so annoying). This is a monumentally stupid design choice. (Now that I’ve finished the game I discover that there is a work around for the PC version – if only I’d looked earlier.) And yet, despite this, I still had fun battling the Reapers and their cronies. Aside from this the RPG elements seem to have been played down a little and there’s an option to water them down even more, so that it plays as more of an action game (I didn’t try this option, so I don’t know exactly how different the experience is). Personally, I don’t see the point in this as this is where the Mass Effect games score highly – in the RPG elements. It’s the characters, the strong story, and the detailed universe that draw you in, and make you become invested in the outcome for all concerned. And ME3 is very effective in all these areas. As always there’s lots of background information to absorb as well, if you choose to do so. The graphics are reasonable for a 2012 game (although they don’t stand out as exceptional in any way) and the voice acting is good for the most part. Overall ME3 is a worthy addition to the franchise (I won’t get into the debate regarding the ending, as this is not the ideal platform) and I look forward to Mass Effect: Andromeda.    … Expand
  2. Pendra
    Jan 21, 2017
    9
    Great storytelling and a breath taking finale offsets the gameplay shortcomings.

    The gameplay has more RPG elements than ME2 but still not as good as in ME1. The weapon upgrades and mods are nice. Unfortunately, all but 1-2 maps were dumbed down to rail shooter territory. The quest system is a little bit of a setback compared to ME1-2. The less handholding is nice but it is hard to    Great storytelling and a breath taking finale offsets the gameplay shortcomings.

    The gameplay has more RPG elements than ME2 but still not as good as in ME1. The weapon upgrades and mods are nice. Unfortunately, all but 1-2 maps were dumbed down to rail shooter territory.
    The quest system is a little bit of a setback compared to ME1-2. The less handholding is nice but it is hard to tell if the mission is even completable at that point of the game. Some stuff is way too vague and gives no hint. This leaves their completion up to dumb luck.

    The discussion options are dumbed down to the point of being eliminated completely in some casual conversations. This usually leaves a Paragon option and a Renegade option without middle ground. Finally, some conversation option results completely out of character continuation.

    While many criticize the ending, I found them fantastic (extended cut). No cleat good or bad. From a moral point of view, all can be supported and dismissed. They are almost in philosophical heights. It is also very bold. Not your usual "happily ever after" fluff. It delivers proper dramatic writing.

    Without the endings, the game would be 5-6. With that 15-16. The only reason I can't give 10 is the handling of DLC. It is, hm, poor and even insulting.    … Expand
  3. toddzy
    Dec 21, 2016
    10
    Key: 1 = Poor, 3 = Average, 5 = Great

    Graphics 5
    Audio 5
    Characters 5
    Story 4, the ending was a minor let down, but reasonably improved in a later release. Overall one of the best stories I've journeyed through, even years later tugs on the heart string. Such a great adventure.
    Controls 5
    Intuitiveness 5
  4. munkybushwa
    Nov 17, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game spat in the face of all true Mass Effect fans. My carefully chosen choices from the previous ME games didn't matter in the end. I refuse to play a Mass Effect game without Shepard. Shepard IS Mass Effect.… Expand
  5. dandalis
    Oct 26, 2016
    8
    Despite the ending its a still bloody great game. They brought back some of the RPG bits from original Mass Effect which is nice. Combat now feels like in a proper third person shooter. There are some writing decisions i find difficult to understand and why they were taken, but then again im nor the developer nor a writer and its their creation and their decisions which i can respect atDespite the ending its a still bloody great game. They brought back some of the RPG bits from original Mass Effect which is nice. Combat now feels like in a proper third person shooter. There are some writing decisions i find difficult to understand and why they were taken, but then again im nor the developer nor a writer and its their creation and their decisions which i can respect at that, but not fully accept.

    Game once again takes you a memorable journey with characters you love and some new ones you might not like at all, but even after the somewhat anti climatic ending i still love this game and the emotions it pulled me through i wont forget.

    You cannot bash it and call it a bad game simply because of its ending, if you do so, youre a bloody fool who's an embarrassment to the Mass Effect fanbase and damaging its reputation for no good.    … Expand
  6. mitsosgk22
    Oct 22, 2016
    9
    I'm a huge fan of the Mass Effect series. I love Mass Effect 3, not as much as Mass Effect 2 though. Despite the ending (I modified it. I didn't want to finish the game with the original one.), the decent multiplayer and the confusing quest system, the game was fantastic. The graphics and gameplay feel very polished. The decision making was so INTENSE! The story was PERFECT! Okay, I wouldI'm a huge fan of the Mass Effect series. I love Mass Effect 3, not as much as Mass Effect 2 though. Despite the ending (I modified it. I didn't want to finish the game with the original one.), the decent multiplayer and the confusing quest system, the game was fantastic. The graphics and gameplay feel very polished. The decision making was so INTENSE! The story was PERFECT! Okay, I would probably give it an 8 because of the marketing decisions, but I know that this wasn't Bioware's fault. Neither the ending.… Expand
  7. AlexsanderL
    Sep 11, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is the most stupid story and bad graphics (technically).In the story there are inconsistencies:What boy?What kind of catalyst,like a boy?Why did you decide to kill Shepard?Why at the end of destruction,when Shepard survived the destruction of the reapers in the video Shepard (Fe)Male alive,the ending was not added in the Extended Cut DLC?As one of the passions I realized that he(She) still alive?Why are the eyes of Shepard in the Control ending and Synthesis lit?And why they made a new ending Failure?After all, they said they don't want to create a new ending?These questions are not answered.That strange in-game Shepard's dream of those who were lost, and even in the final at the shepherd appeared hallucinations,even the Extended Cut DLC,the developers have added that was justified by the "Theory of Indoctrination" from the fans.I don't understand the game made a profit of 1.85 million copies,but for some reason they decided to do the alternate ending,or they are too lazy to do that or they decided to do it to spite fans of the series.I don't care what Casey Hudson decided to kill the main character,in a few years ago,a person should be their choice and I'm glad that a fan of Mr.Fob to do the alternate ending MEHEM.Mass Effect 3 is one of the worst games of 2012.… Expand
  8. FacundoCritics
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A pesar de todas las criticas me pareció un gran final a la historia de Shepard, muchos momentos épicos, derrame muchas lagrimas, tal vez después de tanto arriesgarse esperaba un final cliché feliz, aunque hubiera sido obvio prefería eso, pero bueno tiene sus cosas buenas cada final. Muchos diálogos, las misiones secundarias son muy mejorables, gráficamente no es nada del otro mundo pero es bonito de ver.
    Los DLC son una obra maestra (mas el de la Ciudadela), un gran final para esta saga.    … Expand
  9. JaapStam
    Jul 22, 2016
    10
    I speak of game with all DLCs. The end of the game is unimaginable in previous Mass Effect, but very original and interesting. The graphics are more than enough, and it is noteworthy that works twice fluid Mass Effect 2 on the same PC.
  10. SVS
    Jul 15, 2016
    0
    Когда я думаю о "МЕ3", у меня в воображении непременно возникает такая примерно сцена:

    Центральный офис "Биовар". На стене - огромное табло с надписью: "До релиза - N дней". Все суетятся, носятся, сталкиваются друг с другом. В собственном кабинете сидит Начальник - глаз дергается, руки дрожат, всюду бумажки и прочий хлам. Появляется такой же взмыленный Помощник. П.: Босс, у нас    Когда я думаю о "МЕ3", у меня в воображении непременно возникает такая примерно сцена:

    Центральный офис "Биовар". На стене - огромное табло с надписью: "До релиза - N дней". Все суетятся, носятся, сталкиваются друг с другом. В собственном кабинете сидит Начальник - глаз дергается, руки дрожат, всюду бумажки и прочий хлам. Появляется такой же взмыленный Помощник.
    П.: Босс, у нас проблемы!
    Н.(ядовито): Да неужели?
    П. (протягивает Боссу очередные бумаги): Вот! Никак не успеваем закончить в срок эту линию.
    Н. (нервно): Ну так постарайтесь!
    П.: Уже сделали все возможное.
    Н.: Так сделайте невозможное!
    П.: А на невозможное ни людей нет, ни денег.
    Н. (Хватаясь за голову): Ох ты, Господи! Ну, ладно, что ж делать. Вырезаем линию.
    П.: Так ведь, босс... Без нее половина сюжета летит вверх тормашками.
    Н.: А то я сам не знаю! Ну, напряги сценаристов. Поставь им ведро кофе, пусть ночь не поспят и к завтра что-то придумают.
    П.: Да что они придумают за ночь-то, да на кофеине?
    Н.: Без разницы, лишь бы к утру готово было.
    П.: А тут еще проблемка, босс. Вот, здесь в миссии этот момент какой-то корявый получается...
    Н. (не дослушав): Да ты прикалываешься! Мы тут основной сюжет бензопилой кромсаем, а ты ко мне пристаешь с какой-то побочной миссией. Оставляй все как есть или убирай на фиг, как хочешь, но чтобы при мне о такой чепухе и не заикался!..
    Ну и т. д.

    Вот за такое отношение к делу - заслуженная оценка 0/10.    … Expand
  11. Mahdiar
    Jul 6, 2016
    9
    Gameplay : 9
    Graphics : 9
    Story : 8
    Sound : 9
    **********************************************************************************
    Overall : 9
  12. zampaconi
    Jul 3, 2016
    10
    Mass Effect 3 è brillante. E' esattamente tutto quello di buono che è stato costruito con i primi due capitoli, meno le noiose esplorazioni di pianeti vuoti (del primo) e noiose (e dannose per il tunnel carpale) scansioni per la raccolta di risorse.
    Quindi: gameplay OTTIMO e vario (perchè permette sia l'approccio più action di un TPS che quello strategico della gestione di risorse sul    Mass Effect 3 è brillante. E' esattamente tutto quello di buono che è stato costruito con i primi due capitoli, meno le noiose esplorazioni di pianeti vuoti (del primo) e noiose (e dannose per il tunnel carpale) scansioni per la raccolta di risorse.
    Quindi: gameplay OTTIMO e vario (perchè permette sia l'approccio più action di un TPS che quello strategico della gestione di risorse sul campo), storia mai banale dall'inizio ALLA FINE (lo sottolineo, visto che la più grande critica mossa a Mass Effect 3 è che il finale non rispecchia le azioni intraprese dal giocatore - anche se fosse, si confonde un videogioco con un film, il videogioco non è la destinazione ma il viaggio che si intraprende), aspetti tecnici sia video che audio OTTIMI, atmosfera eccellente, aspetti RPG sicuramente non hardcore ma comunque efficaci. Pertanto, Mass Effect 3 è un MASTERPIECE.    … Expand
  13. GAGMR
    May 20, 2016
    0
    An insult & slap in the face to anyone who played the first two games in the series. It takes everything that made the first two games great & throws it out the window for some stupid multiplayer cover shooter Gears of War clone. And the ending is the absolute most disgusting thing I've ever seen in any modern video game to date. Even with the so called "Remastered Ending" that stainAn insult & slap in the face to anyone who played the first two games in the series. It takes everything that made the first two games great & throws it out the window for some stupid multiplayer cover shooter Gears of War clone. And the ending is the absolute most disgusting thing I've ever seen in any modern video game to date. Even with the so called "Remastered Ending" that stain will never be wiped from anyone's mind who experienced it. Every time I think "Mass Effect" now, all I can see is that Go Buy DLC message. Never buying another Bioware or EA game again.… Expand
  14. ShadowLink101
    Apr 26, 2016
    9
    This Review is not paid by EA. This review is my personal opinion of the game itself.

    Ever since I started playing Mass Effect, the very first one I love the beauty Bioware has put in this game. Even though EA rushed the ending and Bioware had to fix it up with the extended cut, I feel like: "What an Amazing Ride and Wonder does the series give me. I loved the trilogy so much that its    This Review is not paid by EA. This review is my personal opinion of the game itself.

    Ever since I started playing Mass Effect, the very first one I love the beauty Bioware has put in this game. Even though EA rushed the ending and Bioware had to fix it up with the extended cut, I feel like: "What an Amazing Ride and Wonder does the series give me. I loved the trilogy so much that its like another Star Wars DVDs on Blu-Ray 1080p. Although I will miss my favorite characters: Garrus, Tali, Liara, Wrex, Grunt, Miranda, Leigon, Thane, Joker and Kaidan. My own Avengers team in a Mass Effect game. I will miss them so much. I hope in the future Bioware will put some references to our favorite characters (mine and yours) in the following future of Mass Effect games. I cannot wait to see what comes up next to our next Adventure: Mass Effect: Andromeda.

    9/10 (I was not paid by EA, this is my own opinion and review of the game itself. If I were paid by EA I would make a Youtube Video about it.)    … Expand
  15. moonlight_shado
    Apr 25, 2016
    6
    Way better than ME2 imo. It has some strong points and weak points but the biggest let down is the well known crappy ending, where all your choices didn't count which makes it one of the most unsatisfying endings in video games history. Plus the plot holes and things that are not right with the game codex.
  16. Klewer
    Apr 3, 2016
    8
    A marvelous game in it's own right, it has been it's own worst enemy in becoming so popular and the focus on the monetization of the game. A decent end to the series, but it just falls short of being perfect.
  17. Ninja_Se7eN
    Mar 26, 2016
    8
    Disclaimer:
    I've played the first and second Mass Effects with all of the story DLCs and played 55 hours of Mass Effect 3 clearing the story and all story related DLC. RPGs are one of my favourite genres.
    Intro: On Mass Effect 3 we once again take the role of Commander Shepard tasked yet again to save the universe from a threat we've been warning them about for the past 3 years and    Disclaimer:
    I've played the first and second Mass Effects with all of the story DLCs and played 55 hours of Mass Effect 3 clearing the story and all story related DLC. RPGs are one of my favourite genres.

    Intro:
    On Mass Effect 3 we once again take the role of Commander Shepard tasked yet again to save the universe from a threat we've been warning them about for the past 3 years and almost everyone chose to ignore the warnings.

    What I liked:
    - The story - it's a good story except for the ending, more on that later.
    - Decisions that I made on ME1 and ME2 impacted how the story developed in ME3.
    - Minor improvements to the TPS mechanics.
    - I just had a single crash during my 55h of gameplay. This was a great improvement over ME2 where it crashed a lot!

    What I didn't like:
    - The ending - this is a really bad ending, on a series based upon choice and consequences and after ME2's ending being based upon on decisions of the entire game this ending just doesn't fit the game. Basically every choice you ever made is thrown out of the window and you get to choose between 4 default endings. Worse than that, none of the endings fitted my playstyle because I was the ultimate paragon, my Shepard made peace everywhere and saved everyone and there's not a single ending good enough for the good I've been doing to the Mass Effect universe.
    - No menu hotkeys: a hotkey for the journal and squad menus were much appreciated in the first Mass Effect. Why aren't they in the second game? Why isn't there any way to add them?
    - Graphics seem somehow worse than Mass Effect 2. This may be because the Alliance's colour theme is darker but overall I got some weird shadows and graphical glitches.

    Conclusion:
    This game is good if you completely ignore the ending. I really enjoyed closing the sub-plots of the different alien species in the universe and I absolutely loved the climax of my romance with Liara.
    The ending just ruins what was a great experience until then.    … Expand
  18. mevsthevoices
    Feb 29, 2016
    7
    Considering what's sometimes said about it, I've never found it all that bad, the lack of controller support for PC is by far my largest dissapointment, but, so did 1 and 2 lack it, and like 2, there's a pretty solid mod out there to give it you back.Things I like, the combat in this is much improved over 1/2, it works smoother, there's more characters and more to do. Things I don't, theConsidering what's sometimes said about it, I've never found it all that bad, the lack of controller support for PC is by far my largest dissapointment, but, so did 1 and 2 lack it, and like 2, there's a pretty solid mod out there to give it you back.Things I like, the combat in this is much improved over 1/2, it works smoother, there's more characters and more to do. Things I don't, the characters are at times remarkably shallow, and so are their corresponding plots, the climax is, a little unclimatic to say the least. But, overall, gotta say I had alot of fun playing this, and in a world where there's slim pickings as far as RPGs are concerned, it's certainly one of the better ones… Expand
  19. ankittoms
    Feb 21, 2016
    10
    Amazing sci-fi story. Like playing Star Trek with your own ship. Past Decisions carry over.

    Graphics: 9
    Game play : 10
    World Design: 9
    Content: 9
    Immersion: 10
    Story: 10
  20. 19bufordcarl
    Feb 14, 2016
    10
    The weapon customization isn't perfect, neither is the fighting, it is all third person cover based, and the original ending was a little confusing. I know that this is not a generally agreed on opinion, but I think that after all of the free dlc fixing some of the plot points I actually quite like ME3 and thought it was satisfying and very fun and I have played through it multiple timesThe weapon customization isn't perfect, neither is the fighting, it is all third person cover based, and the original ending was a little confusing. I know that this is not a generally agreed on opinion, but I think that after all of the free dlc fixing some of the plot points I actually quite like ME3 and thought it was satisfying and very fun and I have played through it multiple times and it always provides at least a somewhat new experience. I know many still dislike the "Extended wrist cut ending" but I thought it was pretty good.… Expand
  21. Sirik_Matak
    Jan 22, 2016
    4
    Mass Effect 3 is a schizohprenic conclusion of the serie's contradiction. The Mass Effect, seeing it in its full spectrum, seems to go in two separate ways - backwards and forward at the same time. While the gameplay part of the series was progressing into more and more competent pop-a-mole TPS, reaching a strong mediocrity with moderate speed of the fights and a better encounters' design;Mass Effect 3 is a schizohprenic conclusion of the serie's contradiction. The Mass Effect, seeing it in its full spectrum, seems to go in two separate ways - backwards and forward at the same time. While the gameplay part of the series was progressing into more and more competent pop-a-mole TPS, reaching a strong mediocrity with moderate speed of the fights and a better encounters' design; the storytelling and writing departments were slipping into the pit of awfulness of tumblr level of quality. No, really. I hope you didn't cringe too much at the "persuasion" of Saren in the first game, because Mass Effect 3 is really thousand times worse. It's so bad, that they even copy-pasted the said scene with the Illusive Man. There are still some average bits that can be counted in favor, like solving the Genophage and uniting the Geth with their old folks - in fact they feel like they were written by absolutely different people that wrote the major parts of the main quest - like the wunderwaffe, a living Protean or the Reapers invasion itself, not to mention the ending. I think it's enough to said that they efficiently turned the Reapers from vague masterminds of unknown, through the "I will get you next time Gadget!" cartoony villains, into space dragons with their own zombie hordes. What I'm saying is that the premise that was present in the first game, a premise for fantasy space-opera with s-f paint all over it was lost in favor of generic high-fantasy shlock where tumblrian fan-service was more important than its integrity itself. Enough said that the first two games are absolutely irrelevant after the first minute of the third game, since apparently all the Reapers needed were 5 years to reach the galaxy and take it in a matter of weeks. Sovereign and Harbringer are pretty dumb, if they tried to pull some more elaborate schemes (it's a fan-fic level of quality I've mentioned earlier) that were equally pointless and stupid. Why to activate the Citadel and uncover yourself in trying to do so, if in other case you need and extra 5 years to reach all of the Galaxy? Why to collect people to "build" a Reaper (there's some cartoon science right there) and then when you finally have material, time and safety to do so (after the invasion) to abandon the idea all together and just sit there doing nothing?
    Do you know what's the biggest irony here? That despite the absolutely garbage writing with some cherries among it, I enjoyed the third game the most of the three, The pop-a-mole part keeps you involved enough to finish the game, assuming you start on the Insane difficulty (anything less is pointless). It's the worst game overall, because the ratio of good vs bad is off the chart, unlikely to the first Mass Effect, that is sitting in one circle of mediocrity altogether.
    You can see that there was little thought and work put into the technical side of the game. The texture quality was really sub-par, voice acting is just terrible (accompanied by awfully written lines it gives a really bad outcime) and don't even let me start to talk about animations.    … Expand
  22. Vinayaiyappa
    Dec 31, 2015
    0
    This game is a massive shift towards the worse, after the great first two games. The RPG element is completely gone, exploring is gone, character development is gone, all your decisions in the first two games are for squat as you get the same, **** rage-inducing ending. All those great choices you had to make, the Rachni's survival, Wrex, Samara/Morinth, Mordin's data, they are allThis game is a massive shift towards the worse, after the great first two games. The RPG element is completely gone, exploring is gone, character development is gone, all your decisions in the first two games are for squat as you get the same, **** rage-inducing ending. All those great choices you had to make, the Rachni's survival, Wrex, Samara/Morinth, Mordin's data, they are all inconsequential as you get the same **** ending anyway. Don't get me started about the ending, it's got to be the worst ending to one of the most anticipated games ever. I was worried about ME3 after the horrible experience of Dragon Age 2, and all my fears have come true. This is a rushed, terribly dumbed down game which feels like an insult to the dedicated fan base that Mass Effect had built in the past. All in all, the worst possible experience possible if you were a fan of the first two games. Please stay away.… Expand
  23. tigerskin84
    Dec 1, 2015
    9
    Great game, the decisions, the music its a shame that the cr@ppy ending wasnt fixed with the dlc but it its a good game overall, people need to realize that besides that ending it has been a good ride with shepard and his crew...
  24. Nojbee
    Nov 29, 2015
    8
    I don't understand the bad critics. This is a good game. Maybe the ending is not the best, but not as bad as they say. Sure I will play with it some times.
  25. sefrabu
    Nov 17, 2015
    8
    I've come across this comment on the "Mass Effect 3 ending controversy" - "I didn't know the ending was bad until I read it on the Internet".

    This is a "review" inspired by my yet another walkthrough, when - yet again - the story for almost each character was unique, the different class choice resulted in very different playing experience, and the ending provoked some thought. One of    I've come across this comment on the "Mass Effect 3 ending controversy" - "I didn't know the ending was bad until I read it on the Internet".

    This is a "review" inspired by my yet another walkthrough, when - yet again - the story for almost each character was unique, the different class choice resulted in very different playing experience, and the ending provoked some thought.

    One of the best games I played.    … Expand
  26. T3chstepper
    Nov 12, 2015
    6
    Well, I'm sorry, but this is disgrace to franchise. So, let's be reasonable and mark pluses and minuses of this game
    Pluses:
    - The Soundtrack. Marvelous - Graphics. It's ok, but who care about graphics anyway? - Feeling of Galaxy united. Game has some closure Minuses: - Plot holes, plot holes everywhere (Fixed with EC DLC) - Combat and Role-Play systems sucks. It's action-RPG, not    Well, I'm sorry, but this is disgrace to franchise. So, let's be reasonable and mark pluses and minuses of this game
    Pluses:
    - The Soundtrack. Marvelous
    - Graphics. It's ok, but who care about graphics anyway?
    - Feeling of Galaxy united. Game has some closure

    Minuses:
    - Plot holes, plot holes everywhere (Fixed with EC DLC)
    - Combat and Role-Play systems sucks. It's action-RPG, not Call of Duty. The best of all 3 games this system was in original Mass Effect.
    - Galactic map. Fly to the system, collect artifact and then escape the Reapers - it's so redundant.
    - And of course, that ending. Now, in the end of year 2015, when Mass Effect Andromeda teaser revealed, I never re-completed Mass Effect 3 after Extension Cut DLC release. For me, franchise is ruined with that ending    … Expand
  27. Varrick
    Nov 2, 2015
    7
    The game has the best combat out of the series and is probably the most fun when it comes to weapon and armor choices. NEVER play the game to completion without the extended ending and even then you will probably just choose to make up an ending for it. No your choices in the other games rarely mattered despite what they told us.

    The game does deserve a better score if you decide to    The game has the best combat out of the series and is probably the most fun when it comes to weapon and armor choices. NEVER play the game to completion without the extended ending and even then you will probably just choose to make up an ending for it. No your choices in the other games rarely mattered despite what they told us.

    The game does deserve a better score if you decide to play just this one game in the series probably a 10 out of 10. If you decided to play the entire series you will wish this game never existed due to the ending they gave us. The ending however is not the sole reason a game should be scored however it did kill my 10/10 down to a 7/10.

    Multiplayer is extremely fun and addicting I literally bought a used PS3 to play it with my brother for a while on his ps3.    … Expand
  28. Mattyx22
    Oct 24, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The awesome game series with nice story... destroyed by the ending...
    In every minute of the game I was so excited. Even at the last mission. But the last few minutes of game was terrible. It made that I'm still confused because the ending was weird?
    Anyway. Good game destroyed by the ending. The worst ending in game ever.    … Expand
  29. tonycmac
    Oct 16, 2015
    0
    I rate this game at a zero out of ten. I loved ME 1 and 2. I loved the character interactions, the choices, the worlds they made. ME1 had amazing words and vistas to see, and lots of them. ME2 had better game-play and amazing voice acting. Both games filled me with suspense and trepidation concerning the Reapers and the all out battle to come. ME3 did not deliver for this all out, beI rate this game at a zero out of ten. I loved ME 1 and 2. I loved the character interactions, the choices, the worlds they made. ME1 had amazing words and vistas to see, and lots of them. ME2 had better game-play and amazing voice acting. Both games filled me with suspense and trepidation concerning the Reapers and the all out battle to come. ME3 did not deliver for this all out, be all- end all battle with the Sentient machines. The ending(s) were the biggest letdown I have ever experienced. My recommendation: Do not get this game.

    For all of the hype, the writing was appalling, thanks to the lead writer Mac Walters. The entire mood of the game, the characters and interactions, even the ending was nothing but pathetic doom and gloom. There is no "win", merely completion of the game (which has absolutely zero replay value). What could have been the best game in history turned out to be a massive let down that leaves you wondering if you messed something up to get such a disgraceful ending.

    BioWare has lost the spark. Sadly, the talent that made wonderful and fun games have all left. While the visual artists did a good job (with the exception of 8-bit running models and worse graphics than ME2) the stories that brought us joy and fun and the feeling of fresh and new worlds are simply not there in ME3. The overall arc/plot of this game is horrendous - clearly indicating a lack of skill and / or talent from the writing leads.    … Expand
  30. Thylbanus
    Sep 23, 2015
    4
    Now that I have been able to actually play it, I thought I'd post about the actual game. I'm not going to go into any spoilers, but I will address some of the furor about the game in the end.

    First off, the gameplay is probably the worst in the series. Control is a mess. A single control is used for running, ducking into cover, mantling, and using. Nothing is worse than running    Now that I have been able to actually play it, I thought I'd post about the actual game. I'm not going to go into any spoilers, but I will address some of the furor about the game in the end.

    First off, the gameplay is probably the worst in the series.

    Control is a mess. A single control is used for running, ducking into cover, mantling, and using. Nothing is worse than running down a hallway to put some distance between you and an opponent and get caught near a wall or ledge and duck into cover, or having to stop to use an interactable object. Simply stupid. There still is no jump option, but a double click of the said "universal" button will cause you to make a dive roll. While melee attacks make an appearance, it's totally useless with the "universal" button, except in surprise.

    Missions finally received a notification on the map, but only the important ones. Hell, you have to actually keep track of side quests on your own. You woun't know if you completed a sidequest until you try to go back and do it again. There is no notification that you have what you need and are allowed to turn it in. Some of these are actually worth turning in for the assets they provide.

    Inventory is even more opaque than ME2. While they did have a comparison guide that showed the difference between your equipped item and an observed item, it's done in bars and not numbers. Call me simple, but I prefer numbers to bar graphs. This is where ease of information ends. Once you have a certain brand of weapon, you can then purchase the next in the series (I, II, III, IV, V), but all it says is that it improves the item. Doesn't give any specifics on what is improved, or give comparisons to justify the cost. WHEN you find the weapon makes no difference in it's ability. The crappiest shotgun in the game isn't found until late the second act and it costs more than the better selections to upgrade. So price does not equal benefit.

    Level design is questionable, at best. Some is just downright mindboggling. It's like the level designers had no idea how the mechanics of the game would function. Few are designed reasonably well, good flow and logical objectives with just enough variety to allow for varied gameplay. Most of the time, run and gun is simply the best option. After a while, you get locked into the mindset of run and gun when they try to force you into a different mindset and you have to die before realising that you needed to go easy this time. There was simply more bad than good here.

    Saying that the difficulty was cranked up is a like saying 1.01 is technically greater than 1.

    For all the complaints about the ending, it's not really a surprise that it ends the way it does. This game promised unprecedented agency, but realistically speaking couldn't deliver within the formats it was targeting. The ending, viewed through a lense of time and complaints past, really highlights that it was a big furor for all the wrong reasons. The ending was completely viable as an ending. An anticlimactic ending. The omissions in narrative aside, the whole story was well done. This is about the only thing that was.

    The rest of the game is what was messed up. This whole climactic build up that was pretty much spent in a cutscene. A cutscene that is the same in every way, no matter what the play though. No, I'm not talking about the red/green/blue ending, but the assault on Earth. All the running around you did meant nothing to the game other that what color ending you got. There is no pitched battle for Earth. I honestly expected some movement around the globe to take back strongholds and then finally attack the the main objective.

    Nope, just a final board upon landing. The moments of fighting among the your various rallied troops is but a passing nod to what you did. The real loss of the illusion of agency wasn't the ending, it's everything that built up to it. None of it mattered. If you rallied factions A, B, C, E, and G and lost D and F. No biggie. Didn't cost you anything, but MAYBE a missing person to talk to. Hell, one faction is pretty much completely missing even if you had not done any of the others.

    Maybe if each faction was tasked with taking back a part of Earth and was as long as the final objective and the final objective was twice as long, it might have felt like an accomplishment. As it is, the final level is noticeably short and plainly evident that what you did meant nothing. I never once thought to myself, "I'm sure glad I have faction X at my side in this fight!" Doesn't matter. That is the real problem.

    TL:DR - Story good. Gameplay bad. EA failed to deliver in gameplay what the excellent narrative provided.

    Shame.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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