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. 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
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. albasile
    Mar 29, 2017
    8
    The final story of the Mass Effect Trilogy delivers on the long anticipated main villains that were pulling the strings from the last two games. The lore and conspiracies that surrounded these puppet masters are now gone, with the long awaited arrival and mass invasion of the Reapers. It's very clear that this is a fight for the survival of the galaxy with an "us vs. them" mentality thatThe final story of the Mass Effect Trilogy delivers on the long anticipated main villains that were pulling the strings from the last two games. The lore and conspiracies that surrounded these puppet masters are now gone, with the long awaited arrival and mass invasion of the Reapers. It's very clear that this is a fight for the survival of the galaxy with an "us vs. them" mentality that puts Commander Shepard in the heart of an all-out galactic war with the Reapers.
    Game play, the graphics and soundtrack are all top notch. The combat mechanics have under gone more improvements from the cover based system of its predecessor. Combat is much quicker and more accurate with a new grab melee attack system, the ability to sprint without fatigue, and a dodge roll capability that all help make combat more fluid in ME3.
    Mass Effect has always been about the characters, conversation, story, and exploration with the characters being ME3’s strongest attribute. Most of your previous characters return just as fleshed out as they were with the second game. There are a couple of newbies: James Vega, and another (Spoiler) who both have interesting personalities and backstories but their characters suffer only from being introduced so late in the series. There are no loyalty missions, so most of the bonding Shepard has with his/her squad mates have already been established by their history together.
    The story although an improvement on ME2's, still has its plot holes. (Examples: Kai Leng, and ME3's ending of course). The Plot of the story is good and it immerses the player for much of the game until the last 40-60 minutes of the story with the plot faltering completely by the game’s conclusion.
    One of ME3’s biggest drawbacks is the stripping down of the ME conversation abilities that Shepard has had in previous games. Conversations have been deprived to just two choices for much of the game with many conversations taking place without any player interaction. This leaves the player with less involvement in making decisions and it streamlines responses of other characters or events. Exploration has been completely gutted from ME3. It’s understandably so giving that there is a full scale galactic war going on, but it is something that is noticeably lacking given that it has always been part of ME’s formula.
    Lastly, ME3’s ending is one of the biggest misfires ever seen in a story’s ending with an incoherent plot, its inability to tie up loose ends, and give a satisfying and logical conclusion. The ending leaves much to be desired and it puts a huge black mark on an otherwise well-made and emotional story. In short, the ending is terrible.
    Mass Effect 3 had the potential to surpass even the original ME had the conversation ability been intact, less plot holes in the story, and had a good conclusion; ME3 could have easily been the best of the trilogy, but instead it's the weakest. Even with its setbacks, ME3 is still a good solid game 8/10    … Expand
  5. Colbigdog67
    Apr 29, 2017
    8
    Just finished the game last night. I am still processing everything so I may come back later and add/edit this. I played ME:A all the way through and then decided to binge-play the trilogy as I never completed it in the past. It was well worth the 2 weeks or so it took me to get through the entire trilogy. Here are my thoughts:

    This was the first time I actually wept from playing a    Just finished the game last night. I am still processing everything so I may come back later and add/edit this. I played ME:A all the way through and then decided to binge-play the trilogy as I never completed it in the past. It was well worth the 2 weeks or so it took me to get through the entire trilogy. Here are my thoughts:

    This was the first time I actually wept from playing a video game. No other game has tugged on the heart strings like this game and I am not the type to cry over movies and games. The music in 2 & especially 3 is just phenomenal and really works well to bring out the emo's.

    Yes, there are problems with the game but it's the characters hands-down that make this game great. More than the story, more than the combat (which is pretty fun in 2 &3 ), more than the graphics, it's the relationships that you develop with the characters that are unforgettable. You really do care about them and if/when one if these characters is killed, you feel the loss for real.

    Regarding romance, it tore me up that I had to choose between 3 women, all of whom I really loved. I had to chose one and it killed me to break the hearts of the other two. This is not a bad thing as it illustrates the emotional impact the game has on you.

    As for the story, it's difficult to say much about it here without spoilers. Overall, I think BW did a good job with it. Especially in making you feel like things were utterly hopeless at times, going against insurmountable odds. I was disappointed in my own ending the first time through playing it blind. I felt a little cheated by my choice for reasons that I can't really divulge here. After the game ended, I went back through the long ending sequence a few more times selecting the other endings and then spent several more hours researching the endings and their meanings.

    Combat was kind of "meh" in 1 but became fun in 2 and was polished up in 3. I played on normal difficulty as I was more into the game for the story and characters than the fighting but wanted to have some challenge to the fights. Most encounters were pretty easy to get through but there were a few times that I had to work for it. If I replay the series at some point, I'll probably go insane mode. Also, I was vanguard all the way through.

    There were things about the game that disappointed and frustrated me as well which is why I am not giving it anything higher than an 8. I think the DLC is way too expensive for a 5 year old game. I played the digital deluxe edition with the included DLC and I decided to purchase the Kasumi DLC as I really liked her character but opted not to pay the high price for the other stuff.

    It should be noted that I watched Christopher Odd play the series along with my own play through, only watching him after I completed the missions first so I was able to experience some of the missing DLC through him. If I decide to replay the series in the future, I may spring for some of the other DLCs but I've already purchased 1 & 2 on Steam back in the day and paid for the Origin annual sub so I feel like EA has gotten enough of my $.

    In conclusion, whether or not I ever play the series again, it will leave a lasting impact and I will consider the trilogy to be one of my most memorable gaming experiences.    … Expand
  6. Greko03
    May 9, 2018
    8
    Claro que no esta a la altura de mass effect 2, pero en ningún aspecto es mal juego, muy disfrutable con grandes momentos que son inolvidables para mi, quizá el final no fue lo esperado, pero eso no justifica notas tan bajas de algunos jugadores exagerados.
  7. yota71
    Jan 10, 2020
    8
    Not as good as ME2 but this is a solid game that leaves a sign, this is a game (one of the few) that i played more than two time, yes maybe the end was weak, but not that bad
  8. CoKronakan
    Feb 12, 2018
    8
    I'm purely rating this game for it's amazing game-play, overall awesome coherent story, character writing and amazing characters that offer a lot of content. Obviously the ending didn't satisfy many fans but considering the scale of the war which the story depicts, became 10 fold in size since the first game, we could all appreciate the somewhat realistic ending. In terms of innovation,I'm purely rating this game for it's amazing game-play, overall awesome coherent story, character writing and amazing characters that offer a lot of content. Obviously the ending didn't satisfy many fans but considering the scale of the war which the story depicts, became 10 fold in size since the first game, we could all appreciate the somewhat realistic ending. In terms of innovation, not much happened, but was there it was definitely quality over quantity.… Expand
  9. FrostormNidhegg
    Nov 16, 2018
    8
    Игра понравилась, а концовки - ну, подход издателя абсолютно скотский, ту-самую-концовку получить без доната почти невозможно. Другой момент - я выбрал слияние органики и синтетиков (чтоб получились Строгги), для меня эта концовка самая логичная. Как игра - хороша. Но политика издателя мерзкая, не поспоришьИгра понравилась, а концовки - ну, подход издателя абсолютно скотский, ту-самую-концовку получить без доната почти невозможно. Другой момент - я выбрал слияние органики и синтетиков (чтоб получились Строгги), для меня эта концовка самая логичная. Как игра - хороша. Но политика издателя мерзкая, не поспоришь
  10. 4ya5h1
    Jun 7, 2021
    8
    i dont understand why so many people doesnt like the ending of this great trilogy, in my opinion its pretty good. the reason why it is only 6.0/10 is only people's expectations, which are their problem. if you didnt played ME saga yet, dont listen to them and make your own opinion
  11. Babylon6
    Feb 25, 2019
    8
    Well, Bioware totally ruined the ending of this great franchise, but there is a fix if you play it on PC anyway. Just install one of the various "happy ending" MODS. It's not a simply "make it happy" Mod, instead it allows you to have different endings ranging from pretty bad to very good, depending on your choices in the game - like it should have been made by Bioware themselves. GOODWell, Bioware totally ruined the ending of this great franchise, but there is a fix if you play it on PC anyway. Just install one of the various "happy ending" MODS. It's not a simply "make it happy" Mod, instead it allows you to have different endings ranging from pretty bad to very good, depending on your choices in the game - like it should have been made by Bioware themselves. GOOD STUFF!
    It makes you actually want to replay the game, unlike what Bioware produced by themselves. PRAISE THE MOD SCENE!    … Expand
  12. FrpMan
    Dec 19, 2020
    8
    Sonuyla hayal kırıklığı yaratsa da oynanış olarak yine güzel bir oyundu. Sonu hakikaten kötüydü ama.
  13. Wweald
    Jul 7, 2021
    8
    Don't get the hate for this game, it lived up to the other two games imo. The only issue I had with 3 is that the majority of the side quests are empty fetch quests. And the mission journal didn't show updates on progression which bothered me. I prefer me2 but this one was really good as well. It had a lot of epic moments, some of them might have been too out there in terms of realism butDon't get the hate for this game, it lived up to the other two games imo. The only issue I had with 3 is that the majority of the side quests are empty fetch quests. And the mission journal didn't show updates on progression which bothered me. I prefer me2 but this one was really good as well. It had a lot of epic moments, some of them might have been too out there in terms of realism but I didn't mind. Felt it was a good ending that tied up things nicely.… Expand
  14. MaxmilianKohler
    Sep 24, 2019
    8
    Part of a wonderful series.

    Better than ME2: Dialog skipping finally doesn't accidentally trigger. Worse than ME2: Mission statuses don't update in the journal, meaning that you have to check online to see what the next step is. You get missions that you can't complete till later in the game, but no telling when or where. They let you do all this f*ggitty male on male    Part of a wonderful series.

    Better than ME2:
    Dialog skipping finally doesn't accidentally trigger.

    Worse than ME2:
    Mission statuses don't update in the journal, meaning that you have to check online to see what the next step is.
    You get missions that you can't complete till later in the game, but no telling when or where.

    They let you do all this f*ggitty male on male degeneracy, but if I wanna be a hot little femshep slut that sleeps around with my whole crew somehow that's immoral. Slut shaming c*nts.    … Expand
  15. PeetApiwat
    Feb 2, 2021
    8
    It continues what is good from the Mass Effect 2, but just not as great. On the plus side, there's Liara.
  16. Genek13
    Nov 19, 2019
    8
    Conclusion to beloved Shepherd, hero of Mass Effect series, which was disappointing on the end...
    Every other aspect of this game is EPIC as was on previous installment.
  17. Gearetic
    Dec 3, 2019
    8
    I've recently taken it upon myself to replay through the entire trilogy back to back and I suppose I have to be the one to say it:

    Mass Effect 3 is not a bad game. Shocking, I know. The user review score would have you believe this is some sort of failure but you have to understand the context of these reviews, especially now, years after release when everything has settled. Mass    I've recently taken it upon myself to replay through the entire trilogy back to back and I suppose I have to be the one to say it:

    Mass Effect 3 is not a bad game.

    Shocking, I know. The user review score would have you believe this is some sort of failure but you have to understand the context of these reviews, especially now, years after release when everything has settled. Mass Effect 3 was the very first sign of EA's descent into madness that Bioware unfortunately got caught up in. This is the first single player game that featured the now notorious micro-transaction system we all despise. These monetization methods and publisher meddling have proven to be game killers, and Mass Effect 3 was the first warning we got. Couple that with an unfortunate handling of the game's ending sequence that resulted in the outrage and barrage of negative reviews you now see before you. With all that said, I can now begin to explain why this game is actually fantastic and still worth your time.

    VIsuals:
    The visuals in ME3 are a significant upgrade to the previous entries. Although it definitely is not ahead of it's time in any way, we have to remember that ME1 came out in 2007 and somehow looked worse than a lot of games from 2 years prior. This is a third person RPG, meaning that it is not beholden to the standards of a linear FPS, let's say. Even so, the visuals in ME3 somehow manage not to look particularly dated even close to 2020. That said, there are still some issues that permeate throughout the entire trilogy. The animations tend to look very stiff and awkward a lot of the time and the facial animations leave a lot to be desired. In fact, I can't say the quality of the animations changed much at all since the first game, leaving most of the characters looking pretty deadpan even in an RPG that is 80% all about character interactions. Another issue are all the character models besides the important, handcrafted ones. All the ME games have used the same shoddy system of generating side characters that ends up making human NPC's look laughably unrealistic compared to any of the main characters. Everything else, however, the visual style, textures, lighting, environments and most of the models do their job well.

    Gameplay:
    This is where ME3 truly surpasses its predecessors. The previous games have been little more in terms of their gameplay than sitting behind cover, poping up to shoot every now and then and casting the odd ability to kill things faster. Sometimes you would have to leave cover and find a different place to shoot from. It felt horrendous in ME1, it was significantly changed and improved in ME2 and ME3 combines elements of both and improves them further. While ME1's RPG mechanics were certainly more fleshed out than the actual combat, ME2 was kind of in reverse, with less options for customization and more emphasis on quality of combat, which worked surprisingly well in that game. ME3 has both, with more options and returning features from the original along with a much tighter and more intense combat system that gives enough wiggle room to actually become good at the game. With the now much expanded arsenal of weapons, mods and equipment, all of which feel different to use, they give you the freedom to tailor your experience to your preferred play style. Firing weapons in this game feels amazing and chaining that with dodging, running, meleeing, and using powers all flow wonderfully together. My only issue is that the enemies feel a bit too bullet-spongey.

    Story:
    This is where it gets tricky. The overall quality of the writing is about the same as in ME2. So that's great. Right?
    Well, it is but the caveat here is that ending. I've never actually experienced the endings of the vanilla game, which was said to be not only lacking in variety, but also confusing and open-ended. Not good for capping off a complete trilogy. That's the thing though, they actually IMPROVED the ending via DLC by changing or providing additional scenes and context. That's something at least and they didn't need to do it either. They could have just left it where it was and not bother correcting their mistake so I appreciate their corrective efforts with the added complaint that it did not need to happen in the first place if they had done it properly the first time. It is not unfair to mention that ME3 has some of the most memorable and epic moments in the series and features what is probably one of my all time favorite DLC campaigns. The one in question is the Citadel DLC, which is absolutely bonkers in terms of its tone and narrative compared to anything we've seen in the series and I love it.

    To sum up, ME3 is an excellent game that has made some mistakes and rectified a lot of them. So long as you get the version of the game that includes all of the DLC and ignore any and all MTX's, you are in for a great experience, provided you've played the previous games of course    … Expand
  18. AlexeySoltan
    Nov 6, 2021
    8
    there is only one thing u should know about this game: it must have been 12/10 but an awfull final destroyed everything((
  19. Corefitz
    Feb 15, 2020
    8
    Everything from Mass Effect 2 survived and Bioware added what needed to be added, polished what should have been and basically did everything right...

    Until the ending.
    And some alternate ending cooked up as a 3rd option isn't going to make up for how much you destroyed.
  20. GraysonUA
    Mar 31, 2020
    8
    В принципі той самий Mass effect 2, тільки веде до завершення трилогії. Мінус нічого особливо нового.
  21. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    8
    still a great mass effect. the ending is not good, but until then you can have a great time
  22. MattKingsbury
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    When you look back at Mass Effect 3, after all the DLC was released, the game is a much stronger package than it was at release. You can't help but feel that the game was rushed: streamlined journal, repeating multiplayer maps in singleplayer, few dialogue options. And despite all its flaws, and all the controversy, Mass Effect 3 is still an enjoyable game until its conclusion. A shameWhen you look back at Mass Effect 3, after all the DLC was released, the game is a much stronger package than it was at release. You can't help but feel that the game was rushed: streamlined journal, repeating multiplayer maps in singleplayer, few dialogue options. And despite all its flaws, and all the controversy, Mass Effect 3 is still an enjoyable game until its conclusion. A shame that such a ground-breaking series ends on such a hollow note, however it is the journey that counts...and the journey is truly something special.… Expand
  23. Blint31
    Aug 13, 2020
    8
    Mass Effect 3

    Positives
    -Great characters
    -Choices which have consequences
    -Cinematic cutscenes
    -Great soundtrack

    Negatives
    -The ending is weird
    -Gameplay doesn't feel very good

    Overall Mass Effect 3 is a great end to the trilogy and I really enjoyed it.
  24. dempzeez
    Jul 20, 2020
    8
    The end leave a bit to be desired, but overall, it's an amazing experience!
  25. ahrek
    Jun 22, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. masterful videogame. though not perfect. needed more missions on alien homeworlds and to allow the use of vehicles that were available in the ME1 and ME2. music, story, and gameplay are amazing. hard to believe that the only females of alien species that finally show up are just two turians. and only one nameless child. why is it that the entire galaxy seems to be made up exclusively out of adults? also the game should have resolved the mystery of Haestrom's sun.

    the whole drama with Tali's photograph and the presence of Diana Allers on the ship is well deserved. someone did not have their priorities straight.    … Expand
  26. apokalipto
    Aug 9, 2023
    8
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  27. mikesgold2K
    Jan 11, 2023
    8
    W zasadzie to 8,5 dałbym. Bardzo dobre zwieńczenie trylogii, satysfakcjonujące zakończenie wielu wątków, rozgrywka przyjemna jak w poprzedniczce. Ogólnie fajna
  28. Antictra
    Mar 7, 2021
    8
    9 years after: I played the game just when it was released in march 2012, had a part in the "ending war" with EA and Bioware, replayed game again anno domini 2021 under covid curfews. My vision did not change that much since 2012: Mass Effect 3 was a magnificent ride as it followed and given a closure to so many emotional story arcs, just like a flawless "Rachnia sound symphony" just up to9 years after: I played the game just when it was released in march 2012, had a part in the "ending war" with EA and Bioware, replayed game again anno domini 2021 under covid curfews. My vision did not change that much since 2012: Mass Effect 3 was a magnificent ride as it followed and given a closure to so many emotional story arcs, just like a flawless "Rachnia sound symphony" just up to the last 5 minutes of the game spoiled and corrupted by the "reapers". Whoever they were, they were severely punished back in 2012 and then again for Anthem occasion.

    The inconsistent pacing of the very ending with the rest of game is still there and will remain forever, even though certain mods give the possibility to somehow limit it's "cliffhanger feeling". I would describe it as solipsistic, not because of the sense of its' different variants but because of its delivery, completely out of place and logic of the rest of the game.

    Beyond that ME3 has the very nice flow both in gameplay mechanics and storytelling, while giving a certain liberty of action, influence on the events and characters in that vibrant, fascinating world. Stylistically original it will remain for a long time in the minds and hearts of the players. Clearly I recommend to play the game for itself, while being prepared for not satisfying ending.

    Remaining and recurrent problem with EA's game is its intrusive DRM and selling the 9 years old bare game with no DLC. Now they plan their new legendary edition, yet, while it may be interesting for new players, for old ones it risks to be an expensive acquisition (and still with intrusive DRM).    … Expand
  29. marijn2112
    May 17, 2021
    8
    Combat is simple but well implemented, choices are sometimes too extreme but genuinely interesting, the maps look cool and the other story aspects are just good except the ending which makes me lower it to an 8
  30. IronWolfFang
    Sep 30, 2022
    8
    I do love this game, there are some brilliant moments. For example, the use of the song 'Leaving Earth' gives me chills to this day. One thing I would note is that playing the other two games in the series makes the game so much fun as you can meet all of your past friends and I think thats how it should be played. Ending was meh to be honest but its hard to compete with mass effect twosI do love this game, there are some brilliant moments. For example, the use of the song 'Leaving Earth' gives me chills to this day. One thing I would note is that playing the other two games in the series makes the game so much fun as you can meet all of your past friends and I think thats how it should be played. Ending was meh to be honest but its hard to compete with mass effect twos beginning and end.… 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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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