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. 4110
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety,Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety, the narrative of the characters tied in nicely with huge story. Tons of guns. The negative feedback feels like a bandwagon jump and an exaggeration of the let down of the choices, but purely on a game point standpoint there was a great deal of dynamic content that I'm definitely looking forward to replaying.… Expand
  2. BlueReckloose
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    The game is a very good step up on the story telling from Mass Effect 2, there is just more to the telling this particularly go around, lots of dialogue. It's definitely better on story telling than the first, where you get snippits and bits constantly, instead of running up to characters only to have them drop an encyclopedia out of there mouth like what happened in the first one.

    I'm    The game is a very good step up on the story telling from Mass Effect 2, there is just more to the telling this particularly go around, lots of dialogue. It's definitely better on story telling than the first, where you get snippits and bits constantly, instead of running up to characters only to have them drop an encyclopedia out of there mouth like what happened in the first one.

    I'm also really liking that the whole encyclopedia effect has been relegated to being more optional, as it does sometimes pop up, but after the important conversation. So, you end up getting back story after actually meeting a character, and you don't feel some prescient need to roll through it all.

    The way items works feels a great deal more in depth than ME2. There just seem to be more options, which is good. I still preferred the item system from the first, but ME3's items are superior to the seemingly non existent options of ME2.

    The expanded romance options from the first two games are really nice. I always felt left out and somewhat prudish playing the first two with having so few options. And for all the people complaining about "gay romance" ruining the game, it's low key, fitted incredibly well to the game and story. Nothing feels out of place, it's just part of the world. I really liked randomly running into a few NPC's that would briefly touch on their own relationships as well. It makes the world feel more alive than the previous two titles.    … Expand
  3. Khalisto
    Sep 2, 2014
    9
    Top notch graphics, sounds, music and story. Love the character development among the companions and the story that each brought to the mass effect universe. I love the writing and hope there is more DLC to come.
  4. Kokanee
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    I've played ME3 for about two hours now, so far I'm absolutely loving it. I honestly don't know why some many players here are **** about the game; I only finished ME2 a few weeks ago (yes I was late to the party) and to me ME3 just seems like more of the same awesome that ME3 was. Gameplay is great, really enjoying the new tactics and challenging AI (flanking, grenades etc). Running thisI've played ME3 for about two hours now, so far I'm absolutely loving it. I honestly don't know why some many players here are **** about the game; I only finished ME2 a few weeks ago (yes I was late to the party) and to me ME3 just seems like more of the same awesome that ME3 was. Gameplay is great, really enjoying the new tactics and challenging AI (flanking, grenades etc). Running this on an HP ENVY 17 and it looks fantastic; everyone complaining about the "overdone shadows" is simply revealing their ignorance of the game, you have to turn on "dynamic shadows" and then it looks great, otherwise yes everything looks blacked out in pools of inky black shadow. If your rig can't handle this setting, upgrade, end of story.

    In summary, very pleased so far and looking forward to getting deeper into this game, sad it's the last one in the series.    … Expand
  5. Shermos
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles,I really enjoyed Mass Effect. It's by far the best out of the series in my judgement. I'll start off with my problems with it because they are only few and minor. The biggest one being the space button for cover and running... It takes a bit of getting used to. My Shep died a few times because he took cover instead of running away from a blood thirsty husk. The second one is the subtitles, they are a bit small to read from a distance which is for people who don't have English as their first language. Lastly, the running animations. They look a bit ridiculous, but are okay once you get used to them. Mass effect was never about the game play for me anyway.

    The face importing issue is a real let down, but don't worry too much about this, Bioware have promised to get a fix out ASAP. Make your first play through a new game instead of an import and by the time you're ready to do an import for your second game, the issue will likely be worked out. Now to what I liked. The plot and characters were both really good, and that includes the endings which a lot of people seem to hate. Without spoiling the game, Shepard's story ends, but there isn't complete closure. Some questions are left open to be answered in a future Mass Effect game. You're left to imagine what might happen and look forward to whatever Bioware comes up with next. The game is also much funnier and more emotional than the previous games. I almost got a bit teary in places. The writers did a really good job at making players invest emotions into the characters and races of the universe. To some up, please please, please ignore any rating which goes below 5 or 6. All these ones and zeroes are totally uncalled for and coming from people who either haven't played the game, or hate the developer. I can promise that you'll enjoy ME3 if you give it a try.    … Expand
  6. chriseggroll
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is a great game. It has the expansiveness of the first one, the improvements on the combat system of ME2, and has the great story and character depth you would expect from a Mass Effect game. All the class powers have been tweaked enough to feel fresh and the new weight capacity dynamic gives you lots of flexibility. Want to focus on using powers? Fine, just take one weapon and boom, 200% bonus cooldown reduction. Want to use mainly weapons? Fine, pick one of everything if you want. The multiplayer adds a new bit of flexibility into the game as well, allowing you to skip some side missions if you want and still get a good war asset score. It's also pretty addicting if you actually try and play it, though it really IS totally optional. I will say that you will have to be pretty exhaustive with the side quests if you want to do only single player, and it might not be possible to get a high score without an imported Shepard. As far as the ending goes, I will admit to being pretty disappointed and would have given this game a 10 rating otherwise. Since the whole game is thrilling and a joy to play, I only took off 1 point, but if the conclusion is all you care about, don't get your hopes up too high. The Mass Effect Trilogy is definitely no fairy tale, but the ending scene doesn't seem to offer much closure as far as how your companions fared, let alone the rest of the galaxy or even Shepard himself. I think some people have definitely gone overboard with their outrage, but as a longtime fan of the series, I did feel let down by the too-short conclusion of a three-game trilogy.… Expand
  7. Dexter
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    Mass effect 3 is a really good game, the story is written very well.
    the ending is a drawback though. the day one DLC is also a problem, because its should have in game.
    but all together mass effect 3 have a lot to offer including a multiplayer mod which is pretty good if I do say so myself - and I do.
  8. AJ6432
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game, despite a few flaws. Compared to Mass Effect 2, ME3 seems less polished. Graphically, the game looks fantastic, particularly the character animations and faces. However, there are some of the slow-loading textures that plagued the the first game, though not as abundant or drastic looking. I have also sparsely encountered this weird "glitch" whereMass Effect 3 is a fantastic game, despite a few flaws. Compared to Mass Effect 2, ME3 seems less polished. Graphically, the game looks fantastic, particularly the character animations and faces. However, there are some of the slow-loading textures that plagued the the first game, though not as abundant or drastic looking. I have also sparsely encountered this weird "glitch" where characters heads turn back and forth sporadically during conversations; there have even been one or two incidents where a character is fully glitched out of whole cut-scenes. Overall, though, the presentation is very well done. The sound is superb, from the voice-acting to the orchestral background music, living up to the Mass Effect name. However, the music doesn't stick out to me as well as the music from the second game. In terms of gameplay, the game is the best in the series, with solid shooting, squad, and cover mechanics; my only qualm with it is that the space bar, used for cover, is also used to roll (double-click) and interact with the environment, and when trying to perform one of these actions one may perform one of the others. The menus are more streamlined, except for the journal. Perhaps my biggest issue with ME3 is the journal. In the second game, your journal was separated into two categories: main missions and secondary missions. If you clicked on one of the missions, an outline would appear and display what you should do next in a mission. This is gone in ME3 and all of the mission appear under one category, and are not very organized. The codex is strangely also located under the journal, but this for me is not an issue. There is also the matter of obtaining secondary missions. In the second game, one had to engage in conversation with characters in an area to start sidequests. In ME3, one simply overhears conversations in an area and most of the secondary missions are automatically started. This feels less interactive and, simply, less engaging. My last issue with ME3 is searching the galaxy. While some (or more likely many) did not like the planet scanning/mining feature of the second game, I enjoy it, making me feel that I had to explore the whole galaxy and read all of the lore. In the third game, there a new system that involves avoiding Reapers in the galaxy; if they catch you while you are exploring a system and scanning objects, it's game over. While this system is fun, it also feels limiting. These issues aside, Mass Effect 3 is overall a wonderful game. It is definitely the most emotionally engaging game of the trilogy, and does not skimp on any story-telling quality. It is amazing to see how one's actions in the first two games culminates in the third game. While I do wish that your squad was larger than six options (downloadable content aside), the squadmates in combat and in conversation are seemingly flawless (graphical hitches aside). I highly recommend Mass Effect 3, but I even more highly recommend you play the first two games before this one for a truly emotional, interactive, and exciting experience!… Expand
  9. DukeGrimm
    Jun 27, 2012
    9
    Bioware stepped up and made the changes that bring the game to what it should have been. The game is not complete. As such my rating is what I feel the product should be alloted based on its story, gameplay, and functionality.
  10. artheck
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    It's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user scoreIt's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user score is way too low. Sorry but I must go -going back to the gameplay ;)… Expand
  11. Xdos216
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of aThis is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of a fps . On top of the cool shoot outs the graphics are top notch for console. This game also has great voice overs . I'm my opinion it's one of the best games to make the characters seem human with all the interaction you get . This review is my personal thoughts on this game. But I will say if u tired of the same old same old games and u never played any of the mass effects give this one a chance u might discover something new and fun… Expand
  12. Poizun85
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    %99 masterpiece and 1% of an ending that leaves much to be desired. Don't listen to all the QQ's about this game it is absolutely amazing and a great ride through the end. All your choices matter in what forces you can recruit to save Earth. The combat is streamlined and there are plenty of weapons. Lots of emotions run rampant throughout the game and really dig deep, but in a good way. I%99 masterpiece and 1% of an ending that leaves much to be desired. Don't listen to all the QQ's about this game it is absolutely amazing and a great ride through the end. All your choices matter in what forces you can recruit to save Earth. The combat is streamlined and there are plenty of weapons. Lots of emotions run rampant throughout the game and really dig deep, but in a good way. I was a bit weary on the multiplayer aspect but it actually delivers as a fun " BLOPS zombie" type gaming experience. Fantastic game I would recommend to everyone that is a fan of RPG's.… Expand
  13. Iconix
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd like to start by suggesting that people ignore all of the knee-jerk 0 or 1 score reviews given to this game, many of which are being written by people who admittedly haven't even played it. Mass Effect 3 is not a bad game, it's not even a mediocre game. It is a FANTASTIC game with an admittedly subpar and unsatisfying ending, and a large number of people are losing sight of the context because of their (understandable) attachment to the series as a whole.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What it comes down to is that Bioware made an incredible game that loses its coherence in the final hours. I'd give the first 90% a 9.5/10 and the ending a 5/10, and I'm hoping that Bioware responds to the criticism and does right by their fans, because this game, and this series as a whole, deserve it.    … Expand
  14. kaleka-veteRrun
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    The beautiful game, a milestone in the history of gaming. The only negative is that the videos and the cutscenes does not affect the passage of side quests and important decisions that you take in the game. 9.0
  15. SapphireSnake
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    the beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre lookthe beginning of of the game doesn't set the tone of the game as well as the other two however this changes very quickly after the episode of earth. it's a fantastic game and I think the end is actually really good to end the series. it kinda reminds me of the epic greek tragedies which has similar style and in my opinion the game goes out with this sense of greek tragedy (the genre look it up). the only bad thing I really have to say against the ending is that you never get any good explanation of what happens to the rest of the crew, however I think this is a minor annoyance in comparision to the whole game and I felt that the tird installment was more about shepard rescuing the galaxy than shepard rescuing the galaxy with h*s crew!

    it's an epic game and few games has ever given such strong emotions of happines, sorrow and most of all longing as the whole mass effect series has done!    … Expand
  16. taicleis
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    First of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and playedFirst of all, this is a fantastic game, and is primarily being assaulted by the gaming community equivalent of indie hipsters. "I liked them before you knew about them" and "they're too mainstream" is basically all they are saying. What's more, not all ME fans feel that way - not by a long shot. I've been an obsessed ME fan since ME1 came out on PC. I've preordered both sequels and played them non-stop the minute they were mine. I pore over each game. I love Mass Effect - all three games - more than any other franchise. ME3 isn't perfect, but anyone giving it anything less than a 5 or 6 is just being unreasonable.

    If you rate ME3 a 1/10, what the hell do you rate "Barbie's Beach Adventure"? What score does "Deer Hunting Safari" get?

    There are 10 numbers to choose from for a reason. Okay, you didn't like the story details. You didn't like the combat. How do they compare to Deer Hunting Safari though? How about the graphics? Do they look like Deer Hunter? Look at the environments. How about the music? The sound? The cutscenes? The replay value?

    Even if I hated ME3 (and I love it), I could never justify anything below a 5. The game has too much content, too much polish, and attempts something never before done with a trilogy. I can't look at the cinematic flair of the environments and give that a 1. They're beautiful. I can't listen to the stunning soundtrack and give that a 1. It's breathtaking. Even if you hate the story, even if you hate the combat, there is content in this game that is not a 1. Therefore, giving it a 1 is impossible unless you are not actually reviewing the game.

    If you are not capable of actual analytical reasoning - of looking objectively at the game's strengths and weaknesses, why you liked it and why you didn't like it - then you shouldn't be reviewing it. In MY opinion, the only real weakness the game suffers is that the parts where they chose DLC-character-style dialogue can at times make things awkward. Sidequest acquisition, for example, often occurs when I'm no longer any where near the person asking for help - all I did was run by on my way somewhere else - and now I have a quest I know nothing about. It's possible to miss conversations entirely this way. Overall, it's not a huge problem but it can be annoying every now and then.

    I had some concerns coming into ME3, but really, none of them were realised. I was concerned about whether my past decisions would really play into the story - they do. Forget what you heard. Your choices make a difference. Not just in who is alive to be a part of ME3, but who survives ME3 as well. Another thing that your past choices influence a lot is CONTENT. People playing the game the first time through, who aren't familiar with Bioware's tradition of storytelling rich in details, might have no idea of how many moments, dialogues, and details they have missed either by having lost a party member somewhere or by having made a different choice long ago. In this day and age of YouTube, people are content to just watch every alternate possibility online - not taking the hours and hours to get it for themselves - and say that the game is too linear or that their choices didn't make a difference in the content of the story, not realising that one of the greatest strengths of Mass Effect is the multi-faceted nature of the story that provides a thousand versions of the same story with a thousand different scripts and content. I won't spoil the endings, but I really don't see the problem with them. I saw them coming. The overall theme of the game is sacrifice. The mission on Tuchanka gives a clear example (and I use very vague wording here to keep it spoilerless): there is a good sacrifice with a happy result, a sacrifice with additional death that could have been prevented, another TYPE of sacrifice that involves betrayal and an unforeseen cost, or a betrayal which costs nearly everything but manages to get the job done somehow.

    ME3 is all about sacrifice and which sacrifices you are willing to make, and which sacrifices those choices will make necessary down the line. Even if you don't like that - even if you hated the way that worked - it took a lot more work, a lot more vision, and a lot more planning and execution than Deer Hunter. Giving it a low score even on those grounds alone is childish.

    The game is a massive undertaking and is the farthest thing from simple, whether or not the people spoiled by YouTube videos and online walkthroughs can see that. Love it or hate it, it deserves a very high score. Professional reviewers can see that. If you can't, don't review the damn game. Learn to count instead.    … Expand
  17. CBoudreau
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    ME3 is a fantastic game. It's true, the ending leaves something to be desired, but the journey throughout the rest of the game is just so amazing and emotionally gripping. Do yourself a favor and at least give it a shot to form your own opinion, don't just blindly adhere to the enraged horde's opinions.
  18. Drekor
    Mar 16, 2012
    9
    This game is a great example of people expecting more than is possible. The game continues with the same story, same theme and same style as the previous ones. Expands on the character customization available in the previous two, makes "scanning" much less ridiculous and introduces a lot more choices which shift how you travel to the end.

    The ending certainly was not the greatest, it    This game is a great example of people expecting more than is possible. The game continues with the same story, same theme and same style as the previous ones. Expands on the character customization available in the previous two, makes "scanning" much less ridiculous and introduces a lot more choices which shift how you travel to the end.

    The ending certainly was not the greatest, it seems like it was a scene that should have been played over several hours rather than 10 minutes but that doesn't detract from the fact the rest of the game was well done. Many people are upset because they feel your choices don't matter, which I don't agree with, the way your journey progresses through the game as well as dialogue is heavily influenced by your previous choices. I think again people were expecting too much and that the ending would have a variation for every combination of choices out there ... which would be absurd.    … Expand
  19. Bobnik
    Mar 17, 2012
    9
    People, are you serious? You can't give a REALLY bad score just because endings are bad and textures are loading not so well. I agree, this game is a little letdown, and Mass Effect 2 is still the best Mass Effect game. However, I don't agree about endings. They're not bad. They're just not like any other ending from different games. And I like it a lot. Sure, endings are a bitPeople, are you serious? You can't give a REALLY bad score just because endings are bad and textures are loading not so well. I agree, this game is a little letdown, and Mass Effect 2 is still the best Mass Effect game. However, I don't agree about endings. They're not bad. They're just not like any other ending from different games. And I like it a lot. Sure, endings are a bit disappointing, but they are not bad. What about graphics... I don't care, actually. But everything else is great: story, gameplay, combat etc. That's why I give this game 9 out of 10.… Expand
  20. Ghostryderflyby
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    I wrote an earlier review giving the game a 7 because of the disappointing ending. I've decided to amend that score. The game itself is stellar, with a terrific story, environment, voice acting and musical score. Game play is damned fun and the game really draws you into the story. The ability to see your choices across all three of the games affect what alliances you are able to build inI wrote an earlier review giving the game a 7 because of the disappointing ending. I've decided to amend that score. The game itself is stellar, with a terrific story, environment, voice acting and musical score. Game play is damned fun and the game really draws you into the story. The ability to see your choices across all three of the games affect what alliances you are able to build in the final chapter is an accomplishment by Bioware and very satisfying to the player. Single player is a blast, and multiplayer is surprisingly quite fun and well implemented. Everything about the game is amazing, so I can't continue to knock it down just because the creative vision of the writers for the ending doesn't match my idea of a good ending. I'd still prefer a much better ending, but the game is terrific through 95% of it and deserves a good score for the 95% they did right. So I'm amending my score to a 9.5.… Expand
  21. Umberto
    Apr 18, 2012
    9
    Even though there are many negative reviews, and i didn't like the game as much as ME1 and ME2, it remains a good game, with an intriguing story, a charismatic character and an enjoyable gameplay
  22. 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
  23. devil_92
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    i will simply say that it is an awesome game,Bioware listend to the feedback from mass effect 2 and highly improved the general gameplay,and added many customisation options that was lacking in mass effect 2 there is just 1 negative thing i can say about mass effect 3 and that is the bad ending,other then that it was great,multiplayer great,series great, totally worth the money i put downi will simply say that it is an awesome game,Bioware listend to the feedback from mass effect 2 and highly improved the general gameplay,and added many customisation options that was lacking in mass effect 2 there is just 1 negative thing i can say about mass effect 3 and that is the bad ending,other then that it was great,multiplayer great,series great, totally worth the money i put down on the digital deluxe edition :)… Expand
  24. JimmyWhistles
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    I was seriously enjoying this game for 95% of the time I played it. In fact, if I could have, I would have given it an 11 out of 10. But then I reached the end. Don't worry, no spoilers, but let's just say the ending seriously leaves something to be desired. The gameplay aspect is just as good as that of Mass Effect 2, and the story itself (except the end) is nearly flawless. Mass Effect 2I was seriously enjoying this game for 95% of the time I played it. In fact, if I could have, I would have given it an 11 out of 10. But then I reached the end. Don't worry, no spoilers, but let's just say the ending seriously leaves something to be desired. The gameplay aspect is just as good as that of Mass Effect 2, and the story itself (except the end) is nearly flawless. Mass Effect 2 is absolutely my favorite game ever played, and Mass Effect 3 (Singleplayer) is a great game with a flawed ending. What bumps this game from the 8/10 I would have given it to the 9/10 I am giving it is the multiplayer. While it isn't the main focus of the game (not for me anyway), I foresee it entertaining me for a while while I rank up all the various classes. In summation, it would be a 10 from me, but the ending was flawed at best, so it's a 9.… Expand
  25. Jobles
    Mar 22, 2012
    9
    The beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was nearThe beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was near impossible if you're avoiding something or trying to run around corners. ME 3 allows faster, unlimited running, and you can run around corners easily, which helps if you're trying to run to much better cover. The weapons are customizable this time, as well as there being more weapons, not as many as ME1, but you receive plenty to choose from, especially if you're a PC user. The modifications are back as well, but these are limited compared to its ME1 predecessors. Story is just as good as it was before. There's certain points where, if you've played the games in succession, you will cry. On a bad note, there's some things that are not good. While throughout the game you gather Alliance strength for the final battle, it seems like gathering a lot doesn't matter. As you're fighting, you don't see the Rachni Queen's people on the ground (if you saved her). You don't see Turians, Asari, Batarians, Krogan(if you saved Wrex in the first game, and helped Wrex and the Turians become allies this game). Which is a huge let-down. I wanted to see everyone on the line with me. I wanted to go through the battles, and see these people, and creatures, fighting with me while we assaulted the ground units of the Reapers. Another bad thing is the day one DLC. Paying 10 dollars for the content locked on disc. It's a horrible business practice which companies need to STOP. The character is worth it, though, because unlike Kasumi and Zaeed, the DLC character has a story. He's interactive inside and outside the ship. You talk to him, you have choices. Your shipmates talk to him, NPCs on the Citadel talk to him at one point. If those two are worth 5 bucks, and you don't even interact with them aside from they spout something, without a conversation wheel popping up to interact with them. The DLC character for 3, has all that, and he's a great fighter. All in all, this game was great. It was almost perfect, however I do understand why people are giving this game a terrible rating. The ending(s) are why. However, almost every question is answered thanks to what is fan-researched: The Indoctrination Theory. When you finish this game, if you have questions still, go to YouTube, look up the 22 minute video Mass Effect 3 - Shepard's Indoctrination by ACAVYOS. This will explain SO MUCH. It ties into the endings easily, and it helps explain them as well. Again, this is a great game, and well worth every cent.… Expand
  26. yellowpride
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While some elements of the game were less than great, I think the game as a whole was one of the best that I've played in a while. My biggest complaint is probably the changes to the dialogue system. There are almost no neutral options for conversations and each dialogue option you choose accounts for a longer part of the conversation, whereas it was usually only one or two lines in the previous two games. To compensate for it, they seem to have put in a lot more paragon and renegade interrupts, which are nice in that they give you a bit more control over what your Shepard says and does.

    Another drawback, for me, was the system for gauging your military strength. Unlike in Mass Effect 2, where each loyalty or upgrade you got was used for a specific purpose, this game just gives you a gross total that doesn't factor in either the source or the type of the resource. You also don't really see how it affects the ending of the game, beyond you, as the player, knowing that you got a certain total which allowed you to have certain possibilities.

    Without going into detail, I'll just say that the ending, to me, was pretty disappointing. As someone who's played both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 several times, I was unhappy with the way they chose to conclude the final chapter of the trilogy. That being said, I still think the positive elements of this game far outweigh the negative.

    One of the first things I noticed about this game was the improved look. They took a lot of what was great about Mass Effect 2 (the vibrant scenery, the dynamic cut-scenes) and added more of the texture detail from the first game and a nice grittiness that seemed fitting for the tone of this game. While a few of the scenes (especially on the Normandy) were poorly lit, that was more the exception than the rule.

    Probably the biggest improvement, in my mind, was the change to the weapons system. Much like in Mass Effect 2, there is no working inventory, so when you find a certain gun, it's then available for the whole squad. However, unlike Mass Effect 2, the different weapons aren't direct upgrades of each other. Instead, each one has a specific feel and is suited to a different style of play. Once you figure out which one will work best for you, you can upgrade and customize it to further fit your needs. Beyond that, the combat system is pretty similar to Mass Effect 2, with a few small improvements, so if you liked it in Mass Effect 2, you'll like it here. The multiplayer campaign is also a nice addition to the experience as a whole, even if it's more of a side dish than a meal on its own.

    Also, I would probably consider this game the strongest of the series as far as use of time. Whereas the first game had a lot of random side quests to make the game longer and the second game sometimes lost the urgency of the main quest between all the loyalty and recruitment missions, Mass Effect 3 is much more clearly focused on gathering resources to use against the Reapers. While the game as a whole was at least a few hours shorter than the other two, a lot more of that time was spent on the main mission. Overall, while there were a few things that I was less than happy about, this game is still definitely worth playing.    … Expand
  27. mzROnin
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    I played all the previous Mass Effect games as well and enjoyed them all. True the ending is not great ( the more i think about it - it actually kind of sucks) But it is nevertheless one of the best games i´ve ever played. Such a great story, such great characters, such fun gameplay - awesome. **** the last 10 minutes, you´ll have easily 30h of high quality fun.
  28. 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
  29. CiaranPM
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well.Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well. The only downside with this game is the exploration. It was overdone in Mass Effect 1, but in Mass Effect 2, visiting three major cities made the game feel more expansive. While Mass Effect 3 is substantial, only being able to visit one major city made the non-combat aspect of the game feel somewhat small. This, of course, is only a personal preference. All in all, aside from the odd ending (which Bioware claims to be fixing), Mass Effect 3 is a very solid game.… Expand
  30. Panjandrum
    Mar 24, 2012
    9
    Despite the final ten to fifteen minutes being something of a mess, this is an excellent, engaging game that manages to live up to the high standards set by the previous two entries in the Mass Effect series. Steven Spielberg famously stated that he would consider games as art "when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17," which is something that Mass Effect 3 certainly achieves. IDespite the final ten to fifteen minutes being something of a mess, this is an excellent, engaging game that manages to live up to the high standards set by the previous two entries in the Mass Effect series. Steven Spielberg famously stated that he would consider games as art "when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17," which is something that Mass Effect 3 certainly achieves. I know that I cannot be the only player to shed a tear on Tuchanka, or at a particular scene in a Citadel hospital. For that matter, I cannot be the only one to have laughed like a madman during many of the private talks with squadmates on board the Normandy. The reason for such emotional engagement shows how this game lives up to its predecessors - the interesting and well-explored characters at Shepard's side have always been a strength in the Mass Effect series, and number 3 does not disappoint on that front. On top of that, the settings are pretty, gameplay is varied and interesting (who needs cover based shooting when you can rain down biotic destruction on your enemies' heads?) and many of the set pieces are nothing short of breathtaking.

    In summary then, this game leads you on an adventure across the galaxy, gives you a range of interesting characters and really shows that your decisions matter in shaping the future of life, the universe and everything for 39 hours and 45 minutes, before going what is technically referred to as "balls-out crazy" in the final quarter of an hour. However, the good far outweighs the bad, and I would thoroughly recommend Mass Effect 3 to anyone.    … 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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