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. PosMatic
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    Let's start by saying that Mass Effect is an amazing franchise! A game that TRULY let you feel that you are a part of it. that you decide who and what you will be. And here it is, the so-called the "end" of it... I've finished every game in the series more then 5 times , making sure that every decision stands to my needs and was hoping that normally, the third part of this amazing gameLet's start by saying that Mass Effect is an amazing franchise! A game that TRULY let you feel that you are a part of it. that you decide who and what you will be. And here it is, the so-called the "end" of it... I've finished every game in the series more then 5 times , making sure that every decision stands to my needs and was hoping that normally, the third part of this amazing game will give me peace as a TRUE dedicated ME played, a closure no matter what will happen - And now, That i've finished the game, i feel nausea. i stared at the screen for 5 minutes, while the credits were rolling, and i kept asking myself "But why? why to end like that?" Well, just look at all this hatred for the third game... It is not just a coincidence that so many people hate it. And don't even look at the critics, i personally could smell the BS even before i bought the game. Beside the ending, the game offers a lot. The fighting in game are really fun, dodging attacks by jumping from side to side, forward and backwards, adjusting your weapon by adding 2 attachments to it that will have a certain effect. improving the weapon itself in a certain terminal in the ship. Character improvements that reminds me of ME 1. Cut scenes and plot development are REALLY good during the game. Lots of emotions that touched me. really. I find the side missions pretty fun, they are not that complicated - "Search this planet, look at this planet. check this planet", But still, i this that BioWare could do better. The weapons and the gear in game had lots of improvements! You have a lot of armors to chose so you can make adjustments just to fill your needs, and so do weapons. And all this REALLY fun, i am not going to "Kill" a game because its last 10 minutes BUT, you prepare ~30 hours, making the right adjustments, the right gear, decisions that you feel whole with them, and then, nothing. That is right, nothing. You need to understand that i am not some FanBoy that hate right away because a little thing in-game did not satisfy me, i try to be mature and make a sence out of things, but this is not case in the ending of Mass Effect 3. From one side, though, i can understand WHY to make this ending, But from other side, i feel nausea. Betrayed. Even though i understand and try to accept.… Expand
  2. SOAR21
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    I've played this series since game 1, and I've read a lot of the negative reviews. While I was disappointed with this game, and while I did note many (most) of the mentioned issues with the game. Yes, Bioware should've foreseen the fallout of the DLC, and just released it as part of the game. Corporate world; welcome to it. It's not like this is uncommon these days in the industry (or anyI've played this series since game 1, and I've read a lot of the negative reviews. While I was disappointed with this game, and while I did note many (most) of the mentioned issues with the game. Yes, Bioware should've foreseen the fallout of the DLC, and just released it as part of the game. Corporate world; welcome to it. It's not like this is uncommon these days in the industry (or any industry). However, I think lamentations of the writing issues and gameplay have been blown out of proportion. When I finished the game I was quite disappointed since I don't think I've played a game with higher expectations. My main issues were the stub of a story they called the main plot. I did reach 25 hours or so of singleplayer gameplay, but a lot of it was chasing war assets in every cluster of the universe. Also, the half-hearted ending that made me feel like my 100 or so hours of ME gameplay were wasted. Multiplayer is not required for the best ending. I played 25 hours of singleplayer and got the best possible ending, though admittedly collecting war assets was quite tedious. They could've done more with the characters; I only lost Kaidan in ME1, yet, felt like all my efforts saving my team were useless since I saw some characters only a few times. The new party member they add is a complete joke, a dead-end of a character. However this game is not a 0 out of 10. Anyone who rated a 0 is someone who underwent the same feeling of disappointment I did then just lashed back. Story-wise, definitely the worst game of the series. Characters come and go in a blur; relationships consist of just a few conversations. Gameplay-wise, however, ME3 is much better in my opinion. Harder fights, more varied enemies, smarter enemies, more organic-feeling powers. More customization than ME2, thankfully, but also thankfully less than the smothering options in ME1. Environments were very varied, as were the situations. Multiplayer is just coop wave gameplay over and over again, but the combat is good enough that I'm finding myself playing a lot of multiplayer and still not getting bored, as are thousands of others. I don't expect to log that much more time on multiplayer, but it'll last me longer than such a simple system should, and that is because of the excellent combat. I am still a great fan of the series though this one dropped the ball a little. I'm considering another playthrough from the very start. All in all, a feasible buy, but hardly the game of the year.… Expand
  3. RobDYoung
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The short version: As an action game, Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic success thanks to its improved combat system. As an RPG, it's less phenomenal, due to a pulled-by-teeth story, rampant sentimentalism, and limited options for character development. Even so, this game could have been fantastic all around if it weren't for an ending that undermined much of what the first two games accomplished.

    Combat: 8/10

    While the game could have used a bit more polish on controls, the new combat pacing, wide array of enemies, and the improved cover system are all phenomenal. Two complaints: 1) Spontaneous dialogue is often left incomplete because you run so quickly from Point A to Point B that the next dialogue interrupts the previous one. 2) We still have a global cooldown on abilities that makes combos or even training multiple abilities feel useless.

    Non-combat Systems: 6.5/10

    In an attempt to hybridize the weapon and armor system of the first and second games, ME 3 gave us the flaws of both worlds. While it was great having weapon statistics and upgrade options again, the methods for upgrading were too complex and tangled to be fun.

    The map system of ME2 is, more or less, back as expected. They eliminated the annoying probe/scan system, but didn't implement anything truly interesting in return. Still, it's a step up.

    Role-playing elements: 6/10

    As far as actually leveling up, improving abilities, and using them in combat, this game did a great job. Top marks overall â    … Expand
  4. MarqsS
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I finished the game twice. First time with standard Bioware settings and it felt empty and lacking. It just wasn't 'it'. But when I loaded my save from Mass Effect 2 game changed a lot. There was more meaning to what I did, some random NPC-s were changed to my old squad mates and game became suddenly very, emotional and entertaining.

    It was very enjoyable experience until ending came... Then I just realised how would it feel to be punched in the... well, you know where by Mike Tyson... three times...

    Three nearly identical endings, every one of them equally terrible. There was no meaning to your choices, no consequences, nothing! And then lack of epilogue hit me in the face. Not even some text like in Dragon Age, just small pop-up "Yay! You have become a legend! Now go and buy our DLC-s!"... Worst ending I ever experienced in my 10 years of gaming... So to sum it up, 9/10 for the game, 1/10 for the ending... Just play the game, it;s great... but just before the end turn it off, you won't be heartbroken as I was...    … Expand
  5. Cottonswab
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    Overall, not a bad game but that being said it's not a good game either. Game play is nearly identical to mass effect 2 which in and of itself is not bad as ME2 had great game play. Level design is more open than in ME2 where at times it felt like a series of narrow hallways. Where the game falls short is in the storyline especially the ending. There are numerous plot holes depending onOverall, not a bad game but that being said it's not a good game either. Game play is nearly identical to mass effect 2 which in and of itself is not bad as ME2 had great game play. Level design is more open than in ME2 where at times it felt like a series of narrow hallways. Where the game falls short is in the storyline especially the ending. There are numerous plot holes depending on the choices made in the earlier games. As for the endings, there are 3, but the choices made in game have no effect on which one you get, you simply choose one after the final mission. The end also has virtually no closure for your squad members or any of the other races involved in the war. Voice acting ranges from good to bad. A decent game but not what I've come to expect from the Mass Effect series.… Expand
  6. Sealance
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a sci-fi fan and lover of the Mass Effect series and universe I found myself just contemplating what to say about the game.

    I personally like the graphics and it feels much more detailed than the previous games. Animations didn't bother me much. There were however a few annoying bugs. The one that mainly pissed me off was the inability to import my custom face from ME1 and 2. There were also issues with squad members becoming stuck and "blocked".

    Combat is much more intense and although the multiplayer is kind of weak, it is something that I enjoy. I personally don't think it's worthy of being called co-op. Co-op for me is playing through a story campaign (such as Left 4 Dead, Dead Island and Aliens - Colonial Marines)

    *SPOILERS*

    The story in Mass Effect 3 is brutal and the Normandy retrofit gives it a dark and foreboding feeling. Since my custom face wouldn't import properly I tried to re-create it, but I ended up with someone looking like a cross between Dominic Purcell (from Prison Break) and Jason Statham. It is clear that the events of Arrival took a heavy emotional toll on Shepherd and the early parts of the game does leave emotional scars. For me, his haunted look shines through when looking at Tali's photo frame in the cabin. It was nice to see Tali's face but the manner of which they showed her face was very disappointing, and to top it off it was a photoshopped "free license" photo from the internet. I had a vague recollection of seeing it before, until someone posted an actual link.

    Looking at the story up until the ending, I think it is actually well-written and very tense. It is too bad that it has been streamlined. The dialogs and voice acting are very good and I like the character interactions. I laughed when Tali got drunk and complained about the "induction tube".. "Tali.. it's a straw!"

    Mass Effect 3 is a beautiful game, and I have very mixed feelings about the ending. I got the "best" ending where Shepherd apparantly survived.

    It's difficult to see how they would make a sequel when every relay gets destroyed.. How they would make an MMO out of this mess is beyond me, unless some clever writer comes up with something clever.

    Liara mentioned something about multiple effects in parallell universes (or something like that.. i don't remember exactly) so perhaps that is a faint clue of what's to come (if anything).

    Perhaps they could discover some abandoned Cerberus project relating to FTL travel without the need of relays, such as an obsolete cruiser with a prototype FTL drive that was inactive during the events that destroyed the relays.

    The "aftermath" storyline could be something relating to this and trying to rebuild and reconnect the galaxy again.

    Speculations.. thoughts.. hopes.

    For now, with the ending that ME3 got, I can't give it more than a 5-6 ish on the scale. It MAY deserve an alteration if Bioware does something about it. I understand why alot of people are unhappy with the game. It's like uncovering a Mona Lisa only to have someone spill a bucket of paint on it.    … Expand
  7. BuuGz
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well let me start by saying the game feels rushed out in every aspect of the game.

    Now moving on with the story portion, there are so many things that just kick you out of the immersion, like for instance when you see legion in the battle for earth even tho he "died" back in the Quarian home world , then there is the Rachni queen lol she is so angry at the Reapers and tell you shes gonna beat em up or w/e and then you find out she just helps with the Device, etc... To be honest i think the director had to cut corners to put the game out faster, i mean it just feels so cramped, so much story for potentially 1 or 2 more ME games put into 1, I got to say though i enjoyed interaction among the characters and with Shepard.

    Now something about the combat well first off yes its buggy but nothing game breaking although i gotta say even since ME1 the squad commands and its AI are just plain bad yes in ME3 is better than ME1 but almost the same as in ME2, i really never liked controlling where to position the team members the only control i want is tell them what to focus and what power to use and when i tell them to use a Flipping shotgun i want them to go up close and make use of it cuz shotguns ain't snipers and vice verse and also there is so little combat for my liking i mean its supposed to be the huge frigging war and i barely see any of it, also fights with the reapers are a joke to say the least and i won't bother with that. So all in all the combat should have been present a but more considering the scale of the war, squad commands are painful and not needed.

    Some words about the graphics, Well let me start by saying that consoles have ruined PC gaming and i really would appreciate if developers would try and separate PC games and treat it a tad differently from their Console counterpart because i think PC gamers would be grateful because pc games have different requirements to be enjoyable. Anyway the graphics in the game are very good, animations are just ok one that i really hate is the running animation on Sheppard its just plain stupid and i hate it wish they did a better job on it but hell its nothing game breaking....
    About the sound, well can't say anything bad because since the first ME voice acting , sound effects and the music are just amazing, The only thing bad about the sound is in ME games in general is the balance between all those 3 things, i tried tinkering a bit with dialogue/sound effect/music but its always screwed up its either to laud or to low, in the Overlord mission in ME2 my ears bleed and i had to turn on the subs so i wouldn't be deaf for the rest of my life.
    Ok now let me finish by saying its not a bad game at all i really had fun with it but i got to say that I'm really disappointed how could BioWare screw up such a amazing Game, i don't know if EA pushed them so hard to finish this game that they did so much wrong that it made me sad, i really think ME3 should have been just the preparation faze and gathering allies and all that other cool stuff between the races and then on ME4 a full on plain combat 90% and story 10% for an epic end game and not some half ass ending that we got in ME3, i mean I cured the Krogan from the genophage and made them help the Turians, also brought peace between The Geth and Quarians after 3000 years of war between them and all i get is 3-5 min vid vid when they enter earth's orbit telling you who arrived rofl. And don't get me started on the ending god dammit 3 different choices that apparently only change the color of the beam. I really don't know if EA is to blame for this or what but screw you whoever did it for ruining a beautiful game that has an amazing universe, to bad it was in the hands of the wrong people it seems, I really admired you BioWare but not anymore.


    Off topic a bit, The thing i never understood why BioWare made me choose just 2 team members for each mission is beyond me. I'm pretty sure technology allows more than 10 characters onscreen, i kinda loved what they did in the ME2's final mission but still it makes no sense to make me find those ppl and doing so much so i can gain their trust and then when i go to a mission only 2 come with me the rest jerks off in the Normandy rofl. just saying
    So ye i could write the whole day about the game because it really pisses me off seeing such an amazing game being torn to peaces by EA.    … Expand
  8. OrangeJinjo
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think most of the reviews other people are giving this game are unfair.
    I don't think any game is fitting of a 0, and 10s are extremely difficult to achieve as well.

    I am just as angry about the ending as a lot of people are, but if you think about it, it was an extremely well crafted game up until that point. Tuchanka and Thessia were both amazing moments in the game. (Not to say the rest of the game wasn't good)
    I'm not going to rate 3 based on the entire trilogy, but they did an amazing job of making me feel attached emotionally to the characters.
    It's easy to give a game a poor rating based on the ending, because it's the most fresh memory in your mind. But in all truth, the game deserves so much more than that.
    However, the ending of a trilogy (ESPECIALLY one of my favourite games) should have went out with a bang, not with a whimper.    … Expand
  9. Soonerfan2006
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    I know many people are upset with the ending of this game, it's no secret. Even I was disappointed in the way everything played out. However, as a fan of the Mass Effect series since Mass Effect 1, I can't be over-critical of just the ending. I also need to give credit to the fact that Mass Effect 3 was a great game for 99% of the content. It had a very full continuation to the story ofI know many people are upset with the ending of this game, it's no secret. Even I was disappointed in the way everything played out. However, as a fan of the Mass Effect series since Mass Effect 1, I can't be over-critical of just the ending. I also need to give credit to the fact that Mass Effect 3 was a great game for 99% of the content. It had a very full continuation to the story of Shepard and there were seamless improvements to many of the features that I dreaded in ME/ME2. On top of the fantastic story that was presented there was also the Multiplayer function that was added. While it may only appeal to some people, it has been very well received overall. It's very addicting, and it can really be a great time sink for you and your friends. It promotes teamwork and punishes those who do not communicate. I hope to see some DLC in the future for the MP feature at some point, it has a near limitless expansion area. Back to the single player campaign, I can't rate this game lower than a 6 in good conscience just based on the ending, I won't lie, it's very upsetting and with that said 4 points off a perfect 10, which could have easily been achieved without that hole-filled ending, is quite a hit to the score without getting too over emotional. While I hope that Bioware will at least make a statement to appease us, I feel that the damage has already been done, damage which cannot be undone with simple means. A patch/DLC to add an alternate ending is possible, but the question will always remain as to why it was even needed in the first place. Bioware has talented writers and I praise them on creating the Mass Effect universe, but I wonder how they honestly thought this would play out in the end. In closing, Mass Effect 3 was a fantastic game, filled with combat and rich story-telling. It's sure to satisfy you right up until the end, where it drops the ball. Be warned if you decide to continue your Shepard's story as you may be left feeling ill.… Expand
  10. gigaidioticus
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    In the interest of obviously keeping this spoiler free - I'll just say that the game was good up until the last bit. I enjoyed the new'ish combat and being able to upgrade weapons and powers almost entirely as how I saw fit. The graphics were good (on console) and the new team member(s) were, for the most part, well fleshed out. The story was - almost - phenomenal, although I didIn the interest of obviously keeping this spoiler free - I'll just say that the game was good up until the last bit. I enjoyed the new'ish combat and being able to upgrade weapons and powers almost entirely as how I saw fit. The graphics were good (on console) and the new team member(s) were, for the most part, well fleshed out. The story was - almost - phenomenal, although I did encounter a few glitches that made some side missions unplayable (which will likely be fixed in a patch, hopefully). Anyway - I gave it a 6/10, which could have easily been a 9/10 had the last portion not left me so unfulfilled.… Expand
  11. fitscotgaymer
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game... It is easiily a solid 8.5/9 for me as it goes, at least up until you hit the last 20 to 30 minutes of the game and it quite literally all falls apart.
    The game itself:- The combat mechanics are a lot more shootery than I am used to but still fun and enjoyable, and they feel like a natural evolution. The dialogue and interactions with NPCs is deep, rewarding, and emotive IMO (I totally fell in love with Kaidan all over again, and the game made me really miss Ashley too). And the locations like the Citadel feel bigger, more live a the massive places they are supposed to be. The graphics are decently done (though not fantastic). And the quests and storyline while on the short side is solidly done.
    And then we hit that ending. An ending so horrific that I couldn't face doing another playthru (importing my other 5 Shepards into the game. An ending filled with plot holes so big you could fly a house through them. I was critical of Dragon Age 2's ending, but at least it was coherent and made sense even if it wasn't great; this ending is just an incoherent nonsensical mess. The ending quite literally ruined the game for me, ruined the trilogy for me. It's that bad.
    It's that bad that it doesn't just ruin the game or the trilogy, but it literally destroys the whole franchise's future. It literally ends all galactic civilization with no clear reason for it. It felt like Bioware was taking out their anger about the game/script being leaked on the fanbase, and giving us a giant F'U with this ending.
    I don't mind at all that Shepard had to die, to be honest I kind of expected that he wouldn't make it out of the trilogy alive. But to destroy all galactic civilization too? And as a consequence the whole franchise? It boggles my mind.
    I can't in good concience give this game any more than what I gave DA2 (a 7 btw), just because of this appalling ending.    … Expand
  12. Hurzt
    Mar 25, 2012
    6
    Looking back, I enjoyed playing Mass Effect 2 the most; to me the story, gameplay and atmosphere rocked big time, giving me a cineastic experience and a feeling of immersion only few games have given me so far. Although ME2 was mostly linear, the sheer variety of satisfying setpieces and well-done scripts/dialogues made "collecting" character for character (your team/allies) and theLooking back, I enjoyed playing Mass Effect 2 the most; to me the story, gameplay and atmosphere rocked big time, giving me a cineastic experience and a feeling of immersion only few games have given me so far. Although ME2 was mostly linear, the sheer variety of satisfying setpieces and well-done scripts/dialogues made "collecting" character for character (your team/allies) and the over-arcing story much fun. I went to every location and even scanned most of the planets for resources, although it was quite tedious. After a few hours in Mass Effect 3 and some satisfying hours in the multiplayer mode (never played 'Gears') I began to realize there was "something missing". And then I started to feel like "please let me just get through this and don't annoy me too much". Kudos to Bioware for creating a great SF-lore/galaxy with many great characters, but in ME3, the whole recipe felt sooo "been there, done that". I went to earth (in order to finish the game) as soon as I could. There were some great moments and some sparks flying on the way to the ending, too, but most of them had to do with already well established characters. "On the way to the ending" kind of expresses it, too. It should feel like "the end is closing in, but I don't want it to end!". All in all, I enjoyed this game but can only repeat there's "something missing". It could have been so much more... Oh, and all the military stuff with Hackett, war map, soldier talk etc.? Boooooooring -.- Of course it's also difficult so begin a story with an invasion which seems to erase a whole planet's population within hours, just to then start flying through a whole galaxy for weeks(?) in order to be able to "fight back"...… Expand
  13. Woleslagle
    Mar 14, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What should I say about Mass Effect 3? Well, the game itself is fantastic. The art, characters, and everything about the game is great in that aspect. However, if you are a huge fan of the series, this game is going to really let you down. The first thing that really made me mad about this game was the fact that they redid the ship...it didn't need to be done. The Normandy from Mass Effect 2 was nearly perfect, maybe if they would have added a few things to it, it would have been better. They took things away including great party members. Granted, I understand the point of this game is around Shepard dealing with the Reaper threat, but come on Bioware, great characters could have played bigger roles in this game. Curing the Genophage was awesome, creating an alliance with the galaxy was awesome, and have another great romance was awesome. But, where Bioware really completely fails to deliver is the ending. No matter what choices you make throughout the game the ending just completely sucks to be quite frank. It is horrible. Your character dies. I mean, sure the Reapers either die or become allies, but come on. If Bioware wants to make this up to fans and keep customers in the future, they should have changed the ending or at least had one where your character lives and you see him live and the Galaxy remains united. That would have been a "happily ever after" ending, and I certainly feel like that would have appeased a lot more people than Bioware's self-sacrificial ending.… Expand
  14. Bacong
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    Honestly it's a good game but I'm giving it a 6 because:

    1. Screw EA.
    2. WTF @ the textures? EA is the most "evil" company in gaming today and the things they do is changing gaming for the worse.
  15. bronzerev
    Mar 17, 2012
    6
    On the whole, this is a fantastic game with a clear improvement in combat mechanics, conversation structure and graphics. Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) and Sam Hulick (Mass Effect 1 & 2, Red Orchestra 2) provide a powerful and emotive soundtrack; however Jack Wallâ
  16. XnoX
    Mar 20, 2012
    6
    Even more dumbed down and railroaded than ME2, complete with stripped content.

    Sorry, Shepard, but the real ending is in another citadel.

    Oh, and buy moar DLC!
  17. Kenathon
    Mar 21, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is good, don't get me wrong. Compared to its predecessors ME3 has an improved and enjoyable interface, the shooting fells good, the story is amazing and the dramatic moments in the game are touching. Everything is well done, except the endings. I will try not to spoil too much, but let's say that every ending is basic the same thing, just in different colors. It's like Bioware didn't give a damn about the ending, not a damn about how much you work to gather an army to get better chances of survival! No matter what you do, the endings are the same!
    *SPOILER* : In every ending, the Mass Relays are destroyed and your Shepard dies(except for one ending which you can get after you play the game again with an ME3 import, also known as the plus mode for the game, or so it is called by the people I know). Some people think that Shepard should have lived, I would have been happy to but I was already prepared to suffer the pain caused by his death, so that wasn't a problem for me and it shouldn't be a problem for anyone else. Shepard is sacrificing himself for the sake of the galaxy, that isn't something wrong to do. The problem is this:

    Every ending is refusing to answer the questions everyone is having:

    1. What happened to my companions?
    2. What happened to the galaxy?
    3. What happened with the armies stuck on Earth?
    4. Did the destruction of the Mass Relays killed everyone on the planets near them like it did with the batarians?
    6. How did that old man in the end knew what I did in the citadel?

    And many more questions. So after what I said here, I have to ask you:
    Why would Bioware do something like this to the game and series everyone loves? Why did Bioware worked so much on the story if the current endings apparently do not need one? Is it because they want to launch a Mass Effect 4? Is it because they want to launch a DLC to clarify everything? Is it because they don't care anymore? No matter the answer, the game in its current state does not deserve to be bought because it is going to be a huge disappointment to everyone who looked for the end of the story and answers. If you just want a good 3rd. person shooter then it will satisfy your expectations.

    I really hope Bioware fixes the endings.    … Expand
  18. wombatman10
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    Good combat and fresh characters are sadly ruined by the lack of meaning for long term fans. Major decisions from the first two games are made so meaningless they are expressed with single dialogues and some (rachni and Councillor) are completely ignored and explained with an unsatisfactory explanation. Possibly a good standalone game but fans of the Mass Effect series can only be leftGood combat and fresh characters are sadly ruined by the lack of meaning for long term fans. Major decisions from the first two games are made so meaningless they are expressed with single dialogues and some (rachni and Councillor) are completely ignored and explained with an unsatisfactory explanation. Possibly a good standalone game but fans of the Mass Effect series can only be left feeling disappointed and wanting more.… Expand
  19. mmadbzfan
    Mar 25, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all I like this games single player and love the multiplayer and glad they added it. Making Shepard die is bs and day one dlc just makes me rage. If there was a good ending and no dlc this game is a 10 but EA's greed has made it to a 6.… Expand
  20. wigglybacon
    Apr 4, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gameplay - The Good: The combat is much faster paced, being able to use any weapon but balanced by the weight factor is a nice improvement, being able to dive/roll is a nice improvement. The enemy variety, particularly the Cerberus troops with their deployable turrets and shield generators, as well as high priority targets and dangerous melee opponents forces much more tactical and engaging combat. The mounted turret combat and the mech you can pilot are nice breaks from the cover shooter gameplay. Powers are also a bit more responsive and easy to use. The Bad: still the annoying problem of 1 button does about 6 different things. and now roll is added to the list making it even more annoying when your Shepard doesn't do what you want because everything is the same button. The quest log is an absolute disaster, every single stage of every quest is static text for that quest. there is no way to tell if you have an item for a fetch quest or not. you may end up flying around systems dodging reapers looking for something only to realize you already have it, and then you have to go and find the person that needs it, and the quest tracking is sketchy at best, and non-existent most of the rest of the time. There are also about half the squad members as the previous game. Squad AI is still pretty dumb. Also. the multiplayer is required to get the best ending for singleplayer... this is absolute garbage, I don't intend to ever play multiplayer and trying to force me to play it so you can try to milk more cash with the "buy the mystery box" thing? seriously? f*** you. disconnect singlplayer and multiplayer and I would have no problems with it, despite the obvious money grab. Graphics, atmosphere and technical - The Good: Facial Textures are improved, and the game runs a lot cooler on my system, so an optimization improvement only a couple crashes in around 45 hours. the music may be composed by someone else but its still very good and captures moods well. The voice acting is top notch as always, and the characters are as good as ever. The Bad: some blocky shadows and some really low res textures every now and then particularly distant textures with a bit of texture pop-in but nothing terrible. The Story- The Good: 98% of the game is just as brilliant as the other 2 games in the series, you can see all the effects of your choices from the previous 2 games, characters may help you out if you saved them in a previous game ect... the war assets system is quite good as it gives an additional bonus to just fetching something, it adds the number, and a little flavor text making it feel like everything you do is helping the war effort. and the entire tone and pace of the game are very desperate, as it should be for a war against super machines of doom. The Bad: THE ENDING... omfg the ending is appalling. suffice it to say, all the negativity about the ending is well founded. full of plot holes, ignores all choices made and comes down to choose a color, but it doesn't even matter they're all the same. Other than the ending, the rest of the game is brilliant and well made. Another complaint I have is the complete removal of the neutral option from the conversation wheel, its only paragon or renegade now and there seem to be fewer conversation choices during cut scenes overall. kind of annoying but not game breaking, and it doesn't take much away from the story. Also, why is Shepard being so bothered by some little kid's death after all the s*** hes seen? Also, Tali's Face... wtf is that Bioware? couldn't be bothered to make a 3d model? Now you may be wondering, why the 6/10? 5 reasons. 1. the ending is a steaming sack of s*** -1 2. After the crap ending there is a screen telling me to buy DLC... rubs salt in a fresh wound -.5 3. forcing multiplayer that effects singleplayer -1 4. Have to deal with that pile of crap called origin to play it. -.5 5. Day one DLC on the Disc, just to be greedy and milk consumers with corrupt business practices. -1 The only serious issues with the game itself is the ending and the forced multiplayer. But I can't stand by and deal with such horrid business practices, part of the product being reviewed is the purchasing options and service, and these should be included in the rating ihmo. I blame EA for these failings of service, Bioware made a great sequel to a great series (minus the ending) and EA mired the whole thing with their greedy corruption. EA, gtfo, and bioware, fix the damn ending, and disconnect multiplayer and singleplayer please… Expand
  21. heinz
    Apr 4, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Game was good up until Priority:Earth. Felt very rushed then.
    Engaging combat.
    Well written and acted story arcs.
    Citadel as a hub was well done.
    Bottle shooting with Garrus was incredible.
    Emotionally engaging.

    Cerberus missions felt repetitive.
    Character interaction was sub par to ME2 and ME1;
    Tali's face reveal was very poorly handled,
    Romancing Liara felt forced and is also bugged.
    Fetch quests and war asset gathering was a chore.
    Gaping plot holes and no closure.
    Shortest game of the trilogy.

    Conclusion:
    Scrapping elements which made both previous game truly great in favor of targeting a broader audience wasted the potential of being a worthy ending to a great trilogy.
    The gaping plot holes, nonsensical ending and butchered role playing system transformed a once great action-RPG into a mere TPS with remnants of its former franchise.

    Rating: 6/10    … Expand
  22. 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
  23. Iger
    Apr 20, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a fair game. I loved ME1, was not disappointed by ME2 and, generally, considered myself quite a fan of the series. The gameplay basically stays the same as in ME2, with the main exception being planet scanning, which was drastically improved. Still, the main cons go like this: - Some central plot point choices are illogical and, actually, hard to believe.
    - Animations are average - the cutscenes have huge pauses in the dialogues which is quite strange for a game so heavily reliant on these
    - Quest journal is technically inadequate. Although the side quests are not central to the game you have no idea what state of the quest are you in.
    - Some storylines are uninvolving and feel like these were only implemented to formally check off some loose ends.
    - Multiplayer necessary for the "better" endings. (I wonder if my memory fails me - I was sure I read somewhere, that it won't...)

    Still, the gameplay is quite adequate (if not new). The setting quite often drives you forward and the involving pieces of the scenario are scattered here and there. And the best part (for me) of the series - the characters are, for the most part, still very good. Unfortunately, the whole experience is kinda let down by the ending. After reading a lot of opinions and hearing Bioware's promises on "improving the experience" in a free DLC I must say, that although the steps promised is the only acceptable course of action these are still not enough to bind me back to the series. Someone compared the current state of affairs with pulling off a plaster - this describes my feelings quite well.    … Expand
  24. ultramontane
    Nov 19, 2013
    6
    I had to do it. I had to give in. I had too much invested in this game for the ending NOT to affect my score.

    The story, game play, voice acting, all of it is 10/10. The build up from the first in the series, a solid follow-up with number 2 and it's chance to hit a home run, bases loaded with the 3rd installment; it was all there. Hell, I even went full nerd and read the books. I just    I had to do it. I had to give in. I had too much invested in this game for the ending NOT to affect my score.

    The story, game play, voice acting, all of it is 10/10. The build up from the first in the series, a solid follow-up with number 2 and it's chance to hit a home run, bases loaded with the 3rd installment; it was all there. Hell, I even went full nerd and read the books. I just couldn't do it.

    I won't spoil the end, but it might as well been a "Thanks for playing!" message.

    For those who have played the first 2, just play this one and get it over with.    … Expand
  25. vhati
    Apr 26, 2012
    6
    Mass Effect 3 is an average game.

    Is it fun, yeah, in the same way that most other games where the story doesn't matter is fun. That is where ME3 fails. The story. Guess what every choice you made in mass effect #1 #2 and #3 don't matter. You get the same ending as everyone else. With no closure. Let it be perfectly clear, your choices mean absolutely nothing. If someone died in a    Mass Effect 3 is an average game.

    Is it fun, yeah, in the same way that most other games where the story doesn't matter is fun. That is where ME3 fails. The story. Guess what every choice you made in mass effect #1 #2 and #3 don't matter. You get the same ending as everyone else. With no closure.

    Let it be perfectly clear, your choices mean absolutely nothing. If someone died in a previous game, someone who is basically that person only a stunt double shows up and says basically the same thing and does the same thing.

    Does having geth as allies matter over krogen? No it doesnt. You dont ever fight beside your allies, the they only show up in a single cutscene. How many endings are there? Just 1 regardless of what people tell you, all 3 endings are 99% the same, as regardless of the choices you make, the exact same things happen. The game plays just like all other bioware games, where they are a series of short stories tied to a larger story, but the short stories have no effect on any other the other stories in the book, or the larger story of the book.

    Do i recommend the game. For a budget purchase, yeah, you will get some fun out of it. If you can put aside the weak story and terrible ending. The game lacks that something that shows up when a developer really cares about their product. Take the witcher 2 for example. The witcher 2 is a better game in every area when compared to ME3. Bioware should be ashamed, their game comes off soulless when compared to TW2.    … Expand
  26. Burnsidhe
    May 7, 2012
    6
    Decent game play, carrying forward the tradition of ME 2. Adding options for powers, weapons, a good step in the direction of RPGs. However, only one hub location hurts, as does the feeling of a small universe. It's understandable in terms of the story, and I don't miss endless exploration, but having more places to stop and look around would be nice. The characterization is excellent,Decent game play, carrying forward the tradition of ME 2. Adding options for powers, weapons, a good step in the direction of RPGs. However, only one hub location hurts, as does the feeling of a small universe. It's understandable in terms of the story, and I don't miss endless exploration, but having more places to stop and look around would be nice. The characterization is excellent, except for things like pandering to IGN in the form of Jessica Chobot being included in the game. Characters do react well, and appropriately to their established personalities. Shepard even shows signs of the strain of forming alliances between groups that don't want to work together. The downside is that some Renegade choices are more "puppy-kicking evil" than ruthless pragmatism. However, choices ultimately don't matter. Everything boils down to a single number. The ending is horrible, not coherent with the story of the trilogy to this point, and actually invalidates previous game plots entirely. It puts the player into an emotionally numb free fall after some very powerful scenes. The final splash-screen message that ends with "Purchase future DLC!" is exceptionally insulting. Rumor has it that Casey Hudson and Mac Walters wrote the endings in isolation, and that the rest of the writing team was not allowed to review and critique it. If this is true, they should be ashamed and apologize for failing to understand basic storytelling. I'm giving it a 6. The game play was good without being frenetic or relying on enemies dancing around like crickets on a hot steel plate for difficulty. The story, up until a certain point at the end, was exceptionally good. But the ending (singular, there's just one that's been palette swapped) is depressing and inconclusive; the story stops but it doesn't *end*.… Expand
  27. ivanovich101
    May 9, 2012
    6
    For me the game was mostly a disappointment. My decisions mattered, but not necessarily in the way I thought they would. They affect how the game plays and not the ending. Which I am generally okay with this. The ending was actually really good, I wish they had personalized it about your crew and the people you had met. However, that isn't necessary just would have been nice.

    What    For me the game was mostly a disappointment. My decisions mattered, but not necessarily in the way I thought they would. They affect how the game plays and not the ending. Which I am generally okay with this. The ending was actually really good, I wish they had personalized it about your crew and the people you had met. However, that isn't necessary just would have been nice.

    What bothered me was that the series has gone from an RPG based on FPS elements to an FPS with a little bit of RPG elements thrown in. If this game hadn't been mass effect 3 I wouldn't have even thought of buying it.    … Expand
  28. gotaman
    May 9, 2012
    6
    don't buy this if you are a fan of the series. I waited off buying it, and finally gave in. I felt cheated that is all i can say. After Dragons age 2 and this I will not buy another Bioware game again.
  29. Gothic90
    Aug 24, 2013
    6
    Due to length constraint, I'll just talk about a few non-ending problems I have with ME3. I still don't think EC writes a good ending, because Bioware tries to use the ending purely to make a point about human vs machines, rather than make an ending to a story.

    Problems are here. 1) Horrible controls. 5 conflicting functions bound to the same space bar. Especially frustrating in    Due to length constraint, I'll just talk about a few non-ending problems I have with ME3. I still don't think EC writes a good ending, because Bioware tries to use the ending purely to make a point about human vs machines, rather than make an ending to a story.

    Problems are here.

    1) Horrible controls. 5 conflicting functions bound to the same space bar. Especially frustrating in multiplayer.
    2) A large number of boring fetch quests as side quests, with unhelpful quest entries that have no progress indications.
    3) The so called return of RPG elements. Turns out to be looking for upgrades scattered everywhere. I am okay with both ME1's loot and ME2's lack of RPG elements, but this is garbage.
    4) Stereotypes, stereotypes everywhere. Suddenly there are stereotypical stereotypical weak and annoying Asian, and a football jock and etc. To appeal to the masses? Seriously?
    5) A lot of miscellaneous things that I would find quite repulsive. Like they purposely put them there just to disgust people.

    Other than that ME3 is fine. Parts of the story are still good. Some characters are still good, but not as much fun as the other two games in the series.    … Expand
  30. WaterWoman
    May 18, 2012
    6
    This game was, well, whatever. I didn't play 1 or 2, so I didn't care if the ending was "bad". It was more like watching a movie than playing a game, but some of the guns were OK. I thought this game would be great, but the more I played the less I cared. I did like the female voices, and never understood the war map. Never cared either.
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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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