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. Reahunt
    Apr 19, 2012
    0
    To have spent so much time in the first 2 games, only to discover that everything you did and stood for would'nt change a tiny bit in the closure of Commander Shepards story is just...
  2. Buba28
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    I give it an 8 instead of 10 just because of the crappy ending, the game is great in every aspect but when you play all 3 parts you get dissapointed in the ending. Definitly worth the money.
  3. SpaceXDebris
    Apr 18, 2012
    0
    I agree with what pretty much everyone else here has said. It's all the more worse because it craps on what I had considered a near masterpiece (ME1). I'm done with Bioware.
  4. Crusader793
    Apr 18, 2012
    7
    I don't think its fair to give Mass Effect 3 a rating purely based on the ending. The first 95% of the game was fantastic, very engaging and fun, I did have issues however with how the player characters voice acting was handled the amount of auto dialogue really took away any feeling that Shepard was actually my character rather than Biowares. Multiplayer is actually surprisingly funI don't think its fair to give Mass Effect 3 a rating purely based on the ending. The first 95% of the game was fantastic, very engaging and fun, I did have issues however with how the player characters voice acting was handled the amount of auto dialogue really took away any feeling that Shepard was actually my character rather than Biowares. Multiplayer is actually surprisingly fun although does have a tenancy to get repetitive. The last 10% of the game about from Priority: Cerberus onwards was a really big let down for me, they didn't do a good job for the finale of the series and this is especially disappointing given how good other sections of the game where. A good game but does not live up to its predecessors.… Expand
  5. SHO1BANG
    Apr 18, 2012
    8
    Let's be clear. The game was really fun. At least for me. I loved the comabt, and for thee first time it didn't bore me (like it often did in ME 1 and ME 2). And the story wasn't too bad either, and trying to unite everyone was interesting and Cerberus was also an intriguing part of the story. -1 for even less dialogue choices ( they already started with this in ME 2). Often it didn't feelLet's be clear. The game was really fun. At least for me. I loved the comabt, and for thee first time it didn't bore me (like it often did in ME 1 and ME 2). And the story wasn't too bad either, and trying to unite everyone was interesting and Cerberus was also an intriguing part of the story. -1 for even less dialogue choices ( they already started with this in ME 2). Often it didn't feel like an interactive RPG. But I can forgive that, it didn't bother me that much, as there were some great interactions with the characters in this game. And -1 for the ending. It's just stupid that you HAVE to do one of these 2 (or 3?) things, none of which leaves me satisfied. It's not TERRIBLE as many people say, but it's still NOT GOOD. I understand the cycle and everything, but you could have thought of something better Bioware... 8/10 for an overall great and fun game, which could have been ended on a higher note than this.… Expand
  6. 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
  7. Soujirop
    Apr 18, 2012
    10
    First, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title aFirst, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title a 0/10 just because of its ending, which represents just the last minute of gameplay. In my opinion, this is very unfair, and can lead people to believe this game is actually bad, when it isn't. In fact, this game is probably one of the bests RPG you will have this year. Graphics: 9/10. With better graphics than its predecessors, ME3 meets perfectly what its expected for a science-fiction title of this generation. Sound: 9/10. This game will probably make you care about the music. Some of the songs really fit the critical moments, making them even more epic and memorable. Of course and as expected, Bioware also made a brilliant work dubbing the game. Gameplay: 10/10. If you though ME was a brilliant mixture of RPG and shooter playstyle, then you will simply love ME3, being even more dynamic and intuitive than its predecesors. The cover system will make u enrage sometimes, but you will be having so much fun that you will easily forget about this. As a negative, ME3 has more "autodialog" than previous bioware titles, which makes you get less involved in conversations, but don't worry, you will still be able to make pretty big choices through the game. Oh and good news for naughty players, ME3 allows same-sex romances, yum! Also, there's a quite addictive multiplayer mode. Story: 8/10. ME3 feels more linear than its predecessors, and it is. It also has less secondary missions and the main quest is probably shorter. Story is still immersive and the narrative is great, becoming quite emotional in some moments and portraying very good a stressed Sheppard, which will show the signs of pressure through the game and have a pretty hard time making some important decisions. It is satisfying to see what the characters of the previous games have become and most of them will return and make u feel the strong friendship they have with the protagonist. As a negative, ME3 story, while still good, fails to exceed that of ME2. The final stage could also have been larger and you will get a very unexpected ending that u may not like at all (I did like it, anyway). If you have played the previous games, then for sure you have to play this one and expect to have your own strong opinion about the end of the saga. If, on the contrary, you haven't playing the previous games, then... What are u doing here? Go to your nearest store and buy this three must-have!… Expand
  8. Flash_Over
    Apr 17, 2012
    6
    Unlike some people who wrote hastily reviews, I on the other hand played the game VERY thoroughly and I have mixed feelings. I will first start with the Pros: Better graphics! Everyone loves better graphics and the improvements are very satisfying specially how the lights falls onto objects almost perfectly. Improved character builder! In the first and second Mass Effect games I was veryUnlike some people who wrote hastily reviews, I on the other hand played the game VERY thoroughly and I have mixed feelings. I will first start with the Pros: Better graphics! Everyone loves better graphics and the improvements are very satisfying specially how the lights falls onto objects almost perfectly. Improved character builder! In the first and second Mass Effect games I was very sick of limited options and the poor quality of the faces especially on the female shepherd that made your character unpleasant to look at. Now in Mass Effect 3, if done correctly you can actually make characters that look tolerable. Weapons! More guns and best of all... these guns are upgradable with attachments and modifications. Plus Mass Effect 3 adds way more guns to the table then before, and guns from every species. Armor sets and more armor types with better color customization! This really brings more authentic RPG feel then before. Also the sounds, talent trees upgrades from leveling have all been improved! Also the plot of the Reapers finally attacking is really gripping and interesting. However the good things in this game end there. Cons: Poor dialog and the LACK of more dialog options compared to ME1&ME2. This kills that classic ME experience and makes you feel your watching a interactive movie.. then actually playing the game. You cant even ask or discuss things with you squad mates like before and when you can.. its limited. Relationships are a bust and pointless, and lack any sort of interest as its more of just one night stands then actually a relationship and feeling for that character. Multiplayer... I never found or figured out why this exists besides egging you on to buy more DLC for unlocks. Besides... the multiplayer is not good compared to other DEDICATED shooters. Day one DLC... that in in itself in self explanatory. This told me that Bioware wanted to milk more money from an already overpriced game. DLCs should be later additions.. not content Stripped from the original version in hopes of charging extra money. Limited sqaud mates. Compared to the first to MEs the lack of squad mates is astounding... even squad mates from an imported character and nothing more, but side story then anything else since none of them want to join you on your missions with the exception of Garrus(Which is was relieving). Poor animations of team members, they have no other movement animation, but one and if they need to run faster... they look like chickens with their legs moving so fast its funny. WAR ASSETS, these are pointless useless and DO NOT effect the final mission ONE BIT. As long as you have the minimal strength to launch the final mission and do all the story missions you will have the SAME ending as if you had ALL the war assets. The bad dreams about shephard over this little boy was... annoying, after all shepard and done and how much death he/she has experienced... this child is what bothers him/her? In order to make this more fitting I made a female shephard since women tend to feel more towards children. Now.. the notorious ending. I had mixed feelings about the ending, however the ending left more questions then conclusion. One thing was certain that the death of shephard and the the old mad at the end story telling to his the child that this has already happened. This tells me ME3 is the END of the series by killing off shephard and telling that this was all in the past. Ending choices... I felt the ending choices were backwards and each decision had a bad outcome, though the least devastating was the 'green' choice to merge synthetic with organic life. Over all I love the new additions this game and improvements this game gave me, though the story and the ending of the ME series was slap in the face to me. I give this game a 5, despite these short coming the game was undeniably still fun to play.… Expand
  9. paul_endymion
    Apr 17, 2012
    10
    So many haters or sad people...Don't listen to them...The game is fantastic. ME3 takes into account all of the choices you've made in ME1 & ME2, ALL of them !...The feeling of immersion is deep, the future of the galaxy is about about to fall into darkness !.
    The ending is what an ending should exactly be to a Sci-Fi epic story like this one !
    Enjoy the game !
  10. Maciej_Krok
    Apr 17, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've just finished Mass Effect 3 and I've decided I'll share my opinin with you guys. I expected Bioware to make ME3 even better than ME2 was, and IMO they did, cause this game is close to perfection. What I liked: 1. Combat experience: faster fights, increased mobility, very versitale enemies (mixed reasonably to increase their effectiveness), tactical elements (smoke, cloaks, towers, generators etc.), increased difficulty level, good multiplayer concepts.
    2. Story: written with taste and balance, it doesn't seem to be unreal in any part: help me and I'll return the favor, we'll help after curing the genophage, we'll help after we'll have a place to put our non-combatants in, and others like these seems logical, natural and they all bind together pretty well around the main topic under the title: â    … Expand
  11. TheBank
    Apr 16, 2012
    5
    Graphics: 8.5/10
    There's nothing that new to see here. The graphics are top notch, but the engine is the same that made the rest of the series. Gameplay: 8/10
    If you enjoyed the other mass effect titles then this won't disappoint. The scan for minerals system is gone, which in my opinion is nice. Story: 7/10 Mass Effect 3 tries to take on completing a very diverse story, and does a pretty    Graphics: 8.5/10
    There's nothing that new to see here. The graphics are top notch, but the engine is the same that made the rest of the series. Gameplay: 8/10
    If you enjoyed the other mass effect titles then this won't disappoint. The scan for minerals system is gone, which in my opinion is nice. Story: 7/10
    Mass Effect 3 tries to take on completing a very diverse story, and does a pretty good job of it. Sound: 8/10
    Many of the same interludes from the previous games are recycled throughout (galaxy map, etc). The main score is very good though.

    Overall: 7/10
    Mass Effect 3 straight out of the box (not the collectors edition) is purposefully incomplete with the hope of making money off DLC. Day zero DLC, along with certain areas in the game that seem lacking will make you appreciate how complete other games by bioware are. This game is worth buying in my opinion, but it might be a better idea to hold out until the all inclusive edition comes out. This games got a lot of minor bugs to be worked out as well (no crashes, just little things like missing dialogue and graphic glitches.) All in all a little bit of a disappointment, but it will probably wind up being amazing when it is actually sold in its entirety (instead of its purposefully amputated form).    … Expand
  12. filby08
    Apr 16, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Playing this game is like finding out that your beautiful, intelligent and sweet girlfriend was really a hooker all along who hated you and was only in it for the cash. I played ME1 once before ME2 came out. After ME2, I played both games in succession about 8 or 9 times. I was so excited when ME3 came out, I was finally going to wrap up all my Shep's stories, and they were all going to have a different ending. Except not. It's the same ending for every single one of them, and it makes no sense. After finishing Mass Effect 3, I felt repulsion to a franchise that I once adored. There are some great moments in the game, almost like Bioware's last shred of integrity was working overtime to outdo all the bad, but it's not enough to redeem it. It's not just the ending, the players who romanced most of the ME2 characters were left sorely disappointed by the lack of character interaction. Ashley, the tough soldier girl, was mirandafied - because apparently the game didn't have enough pornstar looking women in it. The addition of Allers, a badly voiced, do nothing character based on an IGN reporter, was a glorious mistake. Kai Leng, one of the main antagonists, felt like he accidentally walked into the wrong game on his way to Street Fighter or something. Day one DLC is a massive Eff you to the fans (and the "Buy More DLC!" message that pops up while you're trying to process the endings is just awful). The multiplayer, while fun, should have been given less development time. I would have accepted it as a DLC even, if that were possible. I don't know who's idea it was to scap the final boss fight, but that person needs to go sit in a corner and think about what they have done.

    There are some positives, I won't forget them. The voice acting, for the most part, is superb. Some of the character arcs are handled brilliantly (Mordin !), I found the combat system highly enjoyable (coming from someone who fumbled through ME1 on normal). As a card carrying Garrus fangirl, I felt spoilt by the romance subplot. I liked the idea of the EMS, but I wish some of the larger plotlines (Racnhi, for example) were given more in the ending. The squadmate banter was fantastic, and it was great nice to see them recognise each other's existence in the cutscenes. I liked that I could customise my weapons again, even if it did feel a bit pointless.

    But none of this makes up for the fact that it feels like my reward for being a devoted fan is getting treated like a nuisance. My first gut reaction after the ending was "Wow...Bioware must really hate me." It's like they got sick of crafting a masterful story and phoned the rest in to appeal to the COD crowd. I don't like to play the "they dumbed it down to appeal to the masses" card...but that is really how it feels. The worst part, is I am not sure this is all entirely Bioware's fault. The ending, of course, rests solely on their shoulders, but I am not sure about everything else. If the reviews say anything, it's that Bioware now makes games for critics, and not their fans.    … Expand
  13. Whoo71
    Apr 16, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I cannot tell you how excited I was for ME3. I pre-ordered it back in June (first pre-order ever), and replayed the past two games back-to-back up until release. There were some really good parts (the Krogan subplot and Quarian/Geth subplot,) but there are so many bad aspects I'm having a really hard time finishing my second play-though.

    First off, the journal system is broken. You get a quest, and it shows up, but it never updates. I could be in the middle of a quest, leave, come back, and totally forget where I was. This is the smallest problem I have.

    One of the biggest problems is the amount of automated dialogue. Shepard talks a lot by himself, and I mean A LOT. You have a lot less control over what he says, and when you do you you only get two choices: A - I BE GOOD MAN, and B - I EVIL AND RUTHLESS. There is no option to remain neutral in conversations. Auto-dialogue is also rampant among squad-mates. You rarely engage in conversations where you pick what to say. I'd guess 80% of squad-mate conversations are automated.

    My next problem is the story-flow. It's very linear. You're forced to do the "Priority" missions in a specific order. Allowing you to do the missions in a different order would make the game significantly less linear.

    My last, and biggest problem, with ME3 is of course the ending. You're given absurd logic by a "God Child," and you are unable to tell him to go to hell or shoot him in the face. You're forced to pick one ending that can have 1 of 3 colors: blue, green, or red. None of your choices matter, and nothing in the ending makes sense. The announced Extended Cut is just going to be polishing a giant pile of ****

    ME3 is unfinished. Everything from the ending quality, to the bad side-missions, to the horrible animations and textures just makes it evident EA rushed BioWare to meet a deadline. Again. Letting themselves be bought out was the worst choice BioWare ever made. Their products will continue to decline in quality, and soon all traces of the old BioWare will vanish.

    This is the last game I will buy from EA/BioWare. First DA2, then BF3, and now ME3. EA has totally ruined BioWare.    … Expand
  14. AndrewE
    Apr 16, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not just giving this a "10" to attempt to combat all the "0"s out there, I honestly think this game is a ten and it is probably the best game I've played in the last 7-8 years.

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

    Please DO NOT change the ending Bioware. Don't give in to the lowest common denominator. People were expecting a Michael Bay ending and instead were introduced to Andrei Tarkovsky. It's unfortunate that people don't have a far enough reaching intellectual grasp.    … Expand
  15. petarded2
    Apr 16, 2012
    4
    The Mass Effect series started out with Mass Effect 1 as an interactive science fiction epic, reached middle age with Mass Effect 2 as a solid action game with dialogue options, and with Mass Effect 3, develops Alzheimer's disease and becomes Gears of War + occasional purposeless choice.

    I loved this series; the first game's universe and narrative blew me away, and I had a soft spot for    The Mass Effect series started out with Mass Effect 1 as an interactive science fiction epic, reached middle age with Mass Effect 2 as a solid action game with dialogue options, and with Mass Effect 3, develops Alzheimer's disease and becomes Gears of War + occasional purposeless choice.

    I loved this series; the first game's universe and narrative blew me away, and I had a soft spot for Mass Effect 2, even with it's lack of main plot, developed antagonist, or any real sense of purpose. At least Mass Effect 2 was distinguishable from its predecessor. At least Mass Effect 2 introduced and developed a cast of interesting characters. At least Mass Effect 2 didn't *completely* forget the aspects of exploration from Mass Effect 1. I cannot say this much for Mass Effect 3.

    The majority of "player" dialogue in Mass Effect 3 is automatic, and the dialogue wheel *never* has more than 2 options on it, maybe the occasional "inquisitive" option for the rare gamer who wants more than chest-high cover and a big gun. Maybe this would be admissible if the choices had any considerable difference, but typically both options just say the same things in different ways.

    The Citadel in ME3 is much improved over any city in ME2. This struck me as peculiar until I realized that it was literally the *only place* in the entire game where Shepard isn't constantly shooting things (other than the Normandy, of course). It's the only place with stores. The only place that gives nonessential quests, the last remnant of RPG in this series packed into one location.

    The nonessential quests are just insulting. I refuse to dignify them with the title "Side Mission." They are 3 lines of dialogue: (1) "Gee, I wish I had item X," (2) "Here you go," (3) "Thanks." I'm not even exaggerating. Literally 3 lines, every time. You don't even enter into a conversation.

    One impressive feat is that this game manages to find time for all of the immense Mass Effect 2 cast of characters, but these encounters are brief and generally don't provide much closure for the characters (with the notable exceptions of Thane, Mordin, and Legion).

    The combat is an improvement over ME2, that is to say, "it's slightly more like Gears of War." It feels a bit like clunky and you can roll around to your heart's desire. However, it has somehow found a way to be even *more* segregated from the story. You could replace all the combat situations with black screens saying: AND THEN SHEPARD SHOT THE THINGS, and the story would make complete sense. No decisions are made outside of the designated decision-making areas.

    This isn't even touching on the cliched story. After countless generic often-forced self-sacrifice scenes, generic space marine characters, and innumerable poor attempts at adding emotion, the game tries to save itself in the last 15 minutes with a forced twist ending. It'd take over 5000 characters to explain just how many different ways this ending is awful.

    Overall: Lazy game, what little that distinguishes from predecessor is negative, if you liked the previous installments just replay them. Had potential, but extremely poor execution.    … Expand
  16. Doomsdayman
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    Summary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionallySummary: A spectacular game. Well worth the money and time. The combat is unique to the RPG genre and the reason this is the only RGP series (to date) I can stand playing long enough to get into the story. The story is just incredible. The main plot is thrilling by itself, but add the "chose your own adventure book on steroids", aspect and you have a narrative that was so emotionally gripping it had me on the verge of tears at times. On that note, play from ME 1, it's worth it.

    Single player:

    Play/Combat - Excellent: I understand many people do not like the trend of ME away from the traditional RPG standards, but I love it because I venomously HATE several of those standards. Inventories are a cumbersome nuisance that just punish me for not taking time to manage the annoying buggers, and in ME 3 they are happily gone! Learning the intricacies of every single enemy so I know which of my 20 different skills to use is just frustrating (If I want to painstakingly memorize information I'll read a scientific paper on something useful), in ME 3 they simplify this to a reasonable level. On harder difficulties you still have to chose your ammo and prioritize your targets, but you have only a few options to worry about. Granted that can make the game-play a little repetitive. I'm okay with that; part of the reason I enjoyed ME 3 is that it is a first-person shoots, my genre of choice, and any good FPS has to sacrifice a little repetitiveness for well ironed out mechanics and enemies. ME 3 is definitely well ironed out. Which bring us to..... Classes, here I think the 3rd instalment shines. In ME 3 where you put your skill points obviously changes what abilities you have access to and how powerful they are, but quite significantly it entirely changes how effective your play style is. For example I love being a stealthy SOAB, so I play the Infiltrator class. In the last two games, like many others as soon as I chose the class at the start of the game I was stuck as a long range killer with no ability to hold my own in close combat. As it would happen that's how I like to play and so I followed the same path in ME 3, but even as i was doing that I realized that by putting my skills into the other abilities I could make myself a close combat killing machine, appearing in the middle of the enemy, wrecking havoc and beating people to death, only to disappear again. The ability to customize your character to your play-style then is terrific.

    Story -Out of this World: I can't describe it. play the game twice from ME 1 and you'll get two completely different experiences in ME 3, in almost every mission, every interaction I could sense subtle variations based on my previous actions, that level of impact on the narrative is what sets the ME series a head above the rest. I made decisions that made me proud as thanks to me everyone survived, I made decisions that made me cry as my actions caused my team-mates suicide; NO other game has ever made me feel like my choices have an impact on the story, ever. Which bring us to the one reason this review is not a 10. The last 15 mins. Oh YES I hate the ending, but only because the rest of the game was so incredible. After all that impact you had, you're given ending A, B, or C, and all of your previous decision mean squat to how any of them turn out.(On that note I hope the future DLC will fix the ending situation. After all the hard work the writers must have put into weaving the coherent web of different experiences you can get, I have to believe they would have up and quit Bioware if additions/changes to the ending were not planned from even before release. Here's hoping the "Indoctrination Theory" is right)

    And finally

    Multi-player -Good: I haven't played that much of this, but what I have I like. It's not as addictive as Halo, or Call of Duty, but its a solidly fun experience. Grab some friends and blow some enemies away, nothing wrong there. The maps are varied enough to add some diversity and the horde-mode style waves are supper fun to mow down in co-op.    … Expand
  17. lod757
    Apr 15, 2012
    1
    i am still recovering from the shock , the entire game right upto the last ending part was amazing , and then it fails so hard , i don't think there is no excuse for ruining such a awesome game this way , on top of that , they are extending the horrible ending with a dlc nice :X what good is a game if the ending has been a joke
  18. xminus
    Apr 15, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have thought about what could be said about Mass Effect 3. I really wanted to like this game, I believe Mass Effect 1 was and still is the greatest Sci-Fi Rpg ever made. The second Mass Effect improved the fighting system and neutered the Rpg side of the game into oblivion. Mass Effect 2 was an adventure game that was just a fair game. But Bioware made it a lot better with dlc I played it again before the release of Mass Effect 3, it was long, the story made more sense. All in all it turned out to be a good game even though it was not the Rpg Masterpiece Mass Effect 1 was. Mass Effect 3, where does it fit into this? The problem is it does not. Seeing all the characters from the previous games was cool regardless of where the story took us. But the story only took us to the end. The big deal that everyone has made about the end? Silly you say? Bioware started it, the whole game is about the end, even when it is not being said, you feel it this is the end of the story. My seven year old daughter has that figured out. This is Bioware fault for making such a big thing about the end. With every step you know you are closer, with every familiar face you realize this is the last time you are going to see them. That is the story they choose to tell. They choose to shortcut any real story about what was going on, and made it about the journey to the end. If this game was the first in the series you would not see the inflated gamer scores on some of the web sites out there. You know who you are! ( Now Hang Your Head in Shame) this game is the first game that should be scored differently even though the story was bad, really bad. Even though the plot mechanics were bad, like talking to someone turning away and walking away only to find them sitting in the other room. Sliding down the ladder only to see you team at the bottom waiting for you, why did I have to deal with the ladder? And did not get to use magic like my team members? But seriously the art in this game is fantastic, it makes it a must own just for the art and environments the level designers created. The artist and level designers should start there own company. And hire some good writers to showcase their awesome work. They were truly trying to make a great game, this is where the artist integrity was, in the art, not in the lame story or half baked ending. That Bioware is still claiming that was in the writing of the end of a great story that spanned two Mass Effect games and was totally absent in the third one. Can Bioware fix the story, only if they can face the story and plot problems they created. But last I heard they just plan to explain the out of character bad ending just a little better, what ever that means. I am giving Mass Effect 3 a 6 score. I apologize to the artist's for the low score. I apologize to the writers for the high score, twice what you deserved. I really hope the writers can redeem themselves for plot holes that you could drive a truck through. But only time will tell.… Expand
  19. DulyNoted
    Apr 15, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Note: I originally (and accidentally) posted this under the PS3 version when in fact my review pertains to the PC one. Re-posting here.] The first user review I read was a 10 out of 10 and began, "Do not listen to the people rating this game badly. Mass Effect 3 is utterly amazing..." First of all, I agree that ME3 is utterly amazing. And that's what makes its end all the more disappointing. Consider yourself lucky if the endings of ME3 didn't disappoint you--you've been spared a sense of loss and disappointment that dwarfs any feelings of annoyance you must "suffer" when reading fans' complaints. I loved the first game, actually think ME2 was better (though I initially hated what they did in the opening sequence), but found myself thinking I enjoyed playing ME3 more than either of the first two. It really is a fantastic game that I should be able to love and agree deserves a 9 out of 10 score (endings aside, it still had some flaws). BUT... This game was the end of a trilogy. As such, the ending had to not just provide some level of satisfaction for the particular story that began with Shepard escaping Earth, but also the one that began with Shepard being sent to Eden Prime way back when. In other words, there was a lot riding on the ending of this game. There are several very good articles out there articulating why fans are disappointed with the way ME3 ended and I'm not going to rehash them here. Suffice it to say, the options provided to the player at the end of the game as well as the outcomes and consequences of those options left many long-time fans feeling like their investment in Mass Effect ultimately wasn't respected by the developers in the end. More than not just getting a "happy ending", we're left with what can only be described as a bleak, depressing one, in which no matter what option you choose, no one lives happily ever after. Sure, you saved earth from the Reapers as expected, but at what cost? The universe we're left with is a dismal one (two words: Mass Relays). If you read through all the Harry Potter books and got to final few pages of the series and read that Harry destroys Voldemort, but it costs him his life, and all his friends would be forever trapped in the world of Muggles, cut off from ever using magic again, would you feel entitled to be a little disappointed? No? Great for you. But don't go telling everyone not to listen to those who would. Mass Effect 3 was a 9 out of 10 game until the final few minutes. The turn it takes in those few closing seconds, ruined not only the game, but an entire trilogy because when the credits roll and you ask yourself, "Was the cost of saving the universe from the Reapers worth it?" the haunting answer for many of us was, "I don't know. I really don't know."… Expand
  20. crnppscls
    Apr 15, 2012
    2
    Annoying. Bought this off the back of a lot of favourable reviews. Are there any actual reviewers who arent in bed with ea ? The graphics are fine but the writing and some of the gameplay are truly awful. Worst game in the series but on the upside i learned something
  21. Smiley15
    Apr 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Honestly in this game, everything good they add they add something terrible to even it out. The biggest improvement, by far, is the gameplay. They added tons of new weapons, rolling in cover, and to make Trench-Warfare a bit easier, quick-killing(grabbing). The singleplayer isn't as monotonous, in Mass Effect 2 it was recruiting and helping squad mates with the occasional mission against the collectors. However, the squadmates are a let down. Javik and James are the only new ones that haven't been seen before(forgive me if I'm wrong). Garrus, Tali,Liara, and Javik are the only alien squad mates, and there's no Drell or Salarian squad mates, much to my dismay. The graphics and animations are pretty much the same, if not slightly better. You can still upload from Mass Effect 2, so you aren't starting from scratch. For the ending, I am quite furious about it. Anderson is a fixed death (alongside other Mass Effect 2 squadmates like Legion and Thane) and apparently the indestructible Reapers are led by a ghostly kid who is also the Catalyst, a componet for the Crucible that you spend a lot of time looking for. Also, 2 randomly chosen squadmates will appear with Joker on survival island at the ending, not saying a word. However that's something that they're changing, so I will not be giving this game the 6 it deserves with it. As I mentioned before, many former squad mates are fixed deaths and die no matter what you do. However, all of the deaths, even the optional ones, are fitting. Thane dies saving a life rather than removing it. Legion dies either in defense of his species or to save them from annihilation. Mordin CAN(but doesn't have to) die curing the genophage, his biggest mistake. Samara CAN die fulfilling the code. Of course they add a heap of stupid and soulless characters, including a lesbian and a gay person. They also added Kai Leng, which I have concluded is a female after watching Thane hit him in his nonexistent balls 10 times. At least you get to slay him when it's over, I didn't hesitate for a nanosecond about the renegade interrupt. Also, they added Co-op Multiplayer which is the biggest new thing out of all the epic updates. You can FINALLY play as Salarians, Turians, Quarians, Asari, Drell, Geth, Krogan, Batarian, and even as a Asari Justicar. It's hard to implement slow motion attacks like Biotic Charge and such when others don't want random slow-mo, but they executed it very well. And a very prevalent topic is the day 1 DLC. I hated it too, but it's not a good reason for plop a 0 down as your score. The new War Assets idea was brilliant. Now you can do side quests and scanning parties for something more important than research material(removed, sadly). Anomalies and random missions were pretty much worthless in mass effect 2, except being very fun. Now they are fun and benefit you by giving a War Asset. Depending on the final decision in Mass Effect 2(destroying the Collector Base or not) you need a certain amount to keep Shepard alive and to keep Earth from utter destruction. A HUGE problem for me was the enemies. Besides having fairly stupid 1-shot kills (unavoidable once it starts), there's only THREE FACTIONS. It would be fun to have a boss on wave 11 in multiplayer, like a Geth Colossus or a Gunship, but no. In fact, in single player, the final boss is the infamous Marauder Shields, in which you have no choice but to use the limitless ammo M-3 Predator(Which I never used after I found my first Weapons Bench). At least they added gun modifications like extended barrels, and upgrading the guns to I and V and X. All in all, this game is excellent but if you're a poor starving person on the streets, prepare for the attack of the DLC.… Expand
  22. LewisMweiR
    Apr 15, 2012
    3
    Great game until you reach the anti-climax deus ex machina lost ending,the mass effect franchise is one of the best of the game industry and is sad that the trilogy end is such a disappointing way
  23. nyrdl90
    Apr 15, 2012
    5
    All those who don't live in caves in North Africa subsisting entirely on raw meat and the supply of family head lice will know the format of this review. Bluntly expressed: the majority of the game was superb if slightly lacking in narrative depth, while the ending was the biggest pile of tripe since mass seppuku on a japanese poultry farm. The fact that this view has been repeated andAll those who don't live in caves in North Africa subsisting entirely on raw meat and the supply of family head lice will know the format of this review. Bluntly expressed: the majority of the game was superb if slightly lacking in narrative depth, while the ending was the biggest pile of tripe since mass seppuku on a japanese poultry farm. The fact that this view has been repeated and reaffirmed in every civilised country with a stable entertainment economy and a workable internet connection is convincing proof of its validity. Around the world, captivated fans connected with the games' characters and narrative on an unprecedented emotional level, only to receive an ending so irreconcilable with what precedes it as to leave the series effectively unfinished. So many holes are opened in the overarching plot that what finality remains is unfulfilling and unsatisfying. As a series, Mass Effect is established on a set of fundamental points, all of which have come to be both cherished and expected by the gaming community at large: good writing, player choice, and a compelling continuity and flow of narrative. The promised "epic conclusion" of the series consequently shocked and angered players for bluntly denying them these three things; the writing made no sense, what choice players were given had little to no relation to previous events, and the final cinematic left the back-story as devoid of stimulation and open-ended as a limbless corpse. This total reversal of quality is, in many ways, what makes the ending so shockingly and overwhelmingly **** Had the ending been the culmination of "Back Street Tokyo Hand Job Queen 7", the audience feedback would not have been nearly as unanimously negative. Despite making no contextual sense in this scenario, and the illiteracy of any prospective audience, the ending's qualitative relativity would have been a lot less stark. However, arguably more frustrating for hordes of belligerent gamers is the absolute lack of official recognition for this obvious shortcoming. Such critical giants as IGN and Gamespot completely ignore the existence of the game's final sequence in many of their respective reviews, instead brushing over the problem with arbitrary and periphrastic adjectives. Worse still, the developers of the game themselves hide behind the age-old excuse of artistic licence, with the catastrophic final sequence being described as integral to "the team's artistic vision". Certainly, Bioware's errant artistic wankery is evident in their unsubtle use of clichéd visual metaphors and symbols; children representing innocence, naivety, and spiritual purity are possibly only superseded in terms of frequency in Western literature by the colour-coding of blue for good, red for bad. Gamers went in to Mass Effect 3 expecting an ending to which they could play Flight of the Valkyries or the Dies Irae from Vivaldi's Requiem. Instead, they received an ending barely worthy of Messiaen at his most arrhythmic and atonal. In the end, any reviewer's rating is a tip of the scales: to what subjective extent did the final ten minutes outweigh three games' worth of fantastic content? In my personal view, Bioware has unwittingly pushed its three greatest children off a bridge. We can only pray that they follow Conan-Doyle, pull Mass Effect out of the mud, and give it the bad-ass and well-written funeral it deserves.… Expand
  24. Rurouni
    Apr 14, 2012
    3
    The game was a solid 8 for the first third of the game, a 5 as I neared the ending and a 0 at the finale.

    I was really looking forward to ME3 to build on the fantastic experience of ME2. I even bought the collector's edition in anticipation of a fantastic closure to the series. Sadly the plot holes that emerged, as well as a sense that the ending sequences were rushed out led to probably    The game was a solid 8 for the first third of the game, a 5 as I neared the ending and a 0 at the finale.

    I was really looking forward to ME3 to build on the fantastic experience of ME2. I even bought the collector's edition in anticipation of a fantastic closure to the series.

    Sadly the plot holes that emerged, as well as a sense that the ending sequences were rushed out led to probably one of the biggest games related letdown I have experienced in a long while. I can not in good faith recommend this game to anyone.

    I suggest that the game websites that reviewed this game on launch do a before-after review after they have finished the game. I would be interested to see the final score on metacrtic.    … Expand
  25. Qwertie
    Apr 14, 2012
    8
    It's hard to know where to begin with this game. First, prerequisites: ideally you'll play ME1 and ME2 first. The default FOV (field of view) is terribly narrow but you can alter the config files to fix it (google "qscribble fov"). And the game is not designed for stereoscopic 3D vision but fans have hacked it, so it can look great in 3D. I played the game this way on a 10-foot projectorIt's hard to know where to begin with this game. First, prerequisites: ideally you'll play ME1 and ME2 first. The default FOV (field of view) is terribly narrow but you can alter the config files to fix it (google "qscribble fov"). And the game is not designed for stereoscopic 3D vision but fans have hacked it, so it can look great in 3D. I played the game this way on a 10-foot projector screen which makes the whole experience pretty sweet. NOW, it's true what everyone says, the ending is all screwed up (google "5 reasons the fans are right" for spoilers). Luckily, since you know it's screwed up, at least you can prepare for the disappointment in advance. But right up until the ending, ME3 is great. It's fun, production values are high, it contains some momentous choices. Best of all, it respects all the major choices and consequences from ME1 and ME2. Wrex (whom you could have killed) plays a solid role, there is a mission for the Rachni (who you could have wiped out), and there are cameos or better for most of your old crew (any of whom might have died in ME2), and the dialogue sometimes mentions things you did in earlier games. You can find faults if you look, like Cerberus suddenly becoming extremely powerful, the decrease in dialogue options compared to ME1 and ME2, etc., but it wasn't a big problem to me. Bottom line: while I hope the low user scores prompt Bioware to alter the ending, ME3 doesn't deserve a low score. The game is still worth buying if you enjoyed ME2. It's less RPG-like and more shooter-like, but whether that's good or bad depends on who you are. And you might want to wait for the improved ending DLC. I would give this game 10/10 if not for the dumb ending, low FOV, the failure to import my ME2 face, and the obnoxious "Origin" software (you are not allowed to install ME3 from disk until after you install Origin, sign up for an online account and download updates; and they say that if you buy DLC, you can't start single-player without an internet connection!)… Expand
  26. strong1494
    Apr 13, 2012
    10
    Guys this is the best game of 2012 so far. Your low scores is an indicator of confusion the gaming industry. BioWare have created a masterpiece. If you do not understand, I feel sorry for you
  27. Krown90
    Apr 13, 2012
    0
    total **** I hope EA goes bankrupt. Always **** titles.. They are the cancer of the gaming world. STOP!!! Close yours fk*ng offices EA, just do damage and ****
  28. ultraviper
    Apr 13, 2012
    8
    The good: The story kept me not wanting to put the mouse down until I was done. A lot of decisions you made back in the previous 2 games come up in conversations pretty often which is a nice touch. Many cameos from the previous games' characters as well. Graphics are very nice and really well optimized, ran great on my 4 year old PC at 1920x1080 with max settings. The multiplayer is prettyThe good: The story kept me not wanting to put the mouse down until I was done. A lot of decisions you made back in the previous 2 games come up in conversations pretty often which is a nice touch. Many cameos from the previous games' characters as well. Graphics are very nice and really well optimized, ran great on my 4 year old PC at 1920x1080 with max settings. The multiplayer is pretty good, better than what I was expecting it to be like. Much more fun than the combat in the single player mode.

    The bad: Combat got pretty monotonous after the first couple hours. Every fight in the game is the same except for the rare occasions when you get to pilot a mech. The ending was lackluster, yes, but that shouldn't make the game an automatic 0 or 1 score, the ending is just one tiny part of this amazing series.    … Expand
  29. Understated
    Apr 12, 2012
    6
    I have just completed a complete play-through of the Mass Effect series. This following plays of the individual games numerous times including two play-throughs of ME 3. In the complete play-through I migrated a save to each game utilizing the same developing character and important plot points in order to experience story continuity and empathy so highly lauded and promoted by the makerI have just completed a complete play-through of the Mass Effect series. This following plays of the individual games numerous times including two play-throughs of ME 3. In the complete play-through I migrated a save to each game utilizing the same developing character and important plot points in order to experience story continuity and empathy so highly lauded and promoted by the maker Bioware. I found too much disparity comparatively to call this a true trilogy in the better sense of trilogies. Most importantly the writing for this never achieves more than just beyond comic book level writing and they at Bioware could certainly use some people on their team that have more understanding of human behavioral dynamics and interaction. Shepards gestures within the framework of very important decisions was painful and embarrassing to watch! The knuckle breaking just before the choice to perform a levering action was childish and insensitive. His sudden shifts of behavior in dialogue choices and actions was heavy/ham handed. There is the invitation to get more involved with characters along the way only to have that short-shrifted terribly in ME 3. At one point I felt as if Bioware wasn't really capable of handling what they had designed in concept, fully realizing it and fleshing it out. It isn't to my mind and could have been so much more. At this particular juncture I have no real interest in further participation in this series. The bottom has fallen out . I have no interest in any future dlc or ending changes. I am a painter/artist and I wouldn't change the colors, patterns, designs to suit someones taste or to coordinate it with someones sofa. The potential patron can see the results up front and choose. I have no backers I am in collaboration with that would influence quality or choices. But Bioware's efforts, admittedly, do include the players, their hard earned money, time, and energy. Their advertisements are replete with participation rhetoric. ME 3's multi-player for example. So there is a different context and responsibility. I will say lastly, that the way the "Return from Ashes" dlc was presented was a hurtful thing to do! The very important information given up by Javic in various conversations throughout the game, especially during the Thessea mission with Liara, betrays, to my mind, underhanded marketing behavior on the developers/publishers part. Javic's participation seemed crucial to better understanding and meaning in the storytelling. Yes I got the synthetic(order), organic(chaos) dynamic, which has been around and argued about for some time now, nothing new, which is this series's ending note and the other various models of philosophic thought concerning self-awareness and perception. But in the end it all isn't pulled together very convincingly and the end sort of 'hangs' there by itself. For myself I really thought that the Geth involvement and the partial integration of the Geth faction, the Heretics, was going to be the galaxies 'back door' to the Reaper demise. Something a little more classical and redemptive in grand fashion as the end of ME 2 seemed to be heralding. Awe, that would be too simplistic, but more achievable. This also was my last involvement in anything EA. I know that Biowares top generals are also on the board of EA, and I question the future of fairness and consideration for the consumer at this point. Does the proposal for a changed ending to ME 3 have to do with the players opinion of the story or their pocketbooks and falling out of favor?… Expand
  30. survivor_686
    Apr 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning Spoilers ahead:

    I must admit I eagerly awaited Mass Effect 3. I was eager to see how all my decision from the previous game carried across. Needless to say I left Mass Effect 3 with some very mixed feelings. However one thing I can say is that 95% of the game is amazing. The story is tight, the characters feel alive, the environment has come to life and the weapons feel unique and powerful. That is to say however until the last 15 minutes of the game.

    At the ending the player is treated to what happens to be a complete mistake. The ending breaks all the rules of narrative coherence, contradicts several plot points, introduces alien concepts and characters and creates several plot holes. Regardless of how you played your Shepard, all are treated to the same lackluster, half-baked, ending. Were this any other company it would be understandable. This being Bioware; an entity that has prided on its writing skills, this is shocking. Its as if someone decided to add random, metaphysical concepts in order to generate pointless speculation. This is NOT how one ends a story. Perhaps the best simile for Mass Effect 3 is that of a five star, three course meal. The appetizers whetted your palate, the main courses were splendid and then it was time for dessert. Unfortunately it would seem that someone dropped the dessert, scraped it back up and then threw some crap on top of it. Sure you'll remember the other four amazing courses, but its the crappy dessert that will stay with you. I would consign this game to the rental or discount bin.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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