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. Wildtigaah
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    What a obvious part of trolls here. Bunch of greedy kids that are disappointed. This game is really good and I will explain about my personal opinion of how this game is with positives and negatives.

    + Nice graphic, including facial expressions and that sort of things. And nice design och the characters as well. + Very good voice actors, nice to have the old ones coming back from mass    What a obvious part of trolls here. Bunch of greedy kids that are disappointed. This game is really good and I will explain about my personal opinion of how this game is with positives and negatives.

    + Nice graphic, including facial expressions and that sort of things. And nice design och the characters as well.
    + Very good voice actors, nice to have the old ones coming back from mass effect 1 and 2.
    + Polished at some parts that definitely needed it from the older games (like mass effects combat system). + Fantastic sounds on the guns. Even the music is very good especially at the citadel.
    The Citadel is bigger and gives you a welcoming feeling every time you enter there.

    - Sometimes I'm speechless, I don't have the ability to pick my own reaction, but that's not always though.
    - It didn't felt like it was so many touching side quests, It was like - alright another one, combat, combat...
    - And the worst **** ever is the map. Can't find for a **** and if you scan for objects It's like "You found oil" is that suppose to make me happy or what? No don't use that crap bores the hell out of me.

    If you never played any Mass Effect game you should ABSOLUTELY not start with this one. You need the whole background, to build up this personal feeling. At least play trough Mass Effect 2.
    I would also like to point out that you don't need to worry about the ending, it was alright nothing special. I mean how would people it to end anyways?    … Expand
  2. marv418
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    Totaly awesome game and perfect ending of epic trilogy. I really like the this game of the partially returned to the first games RPG elements and the impact of all decisions of the previous games.
  3. ThomasBerg
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    After reading most of these user reviews while playing the game i couldnt belive what i was seeing. I thought the sheer production value and epicness of the game/scope and how promising the end was stunning to say the least and while i missed most of the exploration and RPG elements from ME1 and ME2 i understood why they were dumbed down since you have more pressing matters to attend toAfter reading most of these user reviews while playing the game i couldnt belive what i was seeing. I thought the sheer production value and epicness of the game/scope and how promising the end was stunning to say the least and while i missed most of the exploration and RPG elements from ME1 and ME2 i understood why they were dumbed down since you have more pressing matters to attend to and running around wasting time would break my immersion. I wasnt suprised when i saw that the from ashes dlc would be an extra feature, i am a bit puzzled as to why they chose a prothean for this DLC, while not critical to the plot, it does answer a lot of the main questions i had about the epos. Since they made such a huge deal around the protheans and its mysticism, the more i talked with my prothean squadmate and got immersed into his story i was more and more suprised why this wasnt part of the main game.
    Ive been a fan of the mass effect genre since the first game came out, ive read all the comics, books studied the lore and i even loved mass effect 2, perhaps not for the dumbed down RPG elements, but the game was genuinly challenging and fun, characters and storytelling and voice acting was stellar.

    When i looked at my time played how it felt and how my war asset bar was nearly full, thats when i first started to worry.
    After a certain cuscene with tali i was so moved i nearly broke a tear, thats how immersive the game was.

    As i progressed feeling soon my long pondered, unanswered questions would or would not come to a close, i got more and more worried since the last hours felt somewhat rushed but was put to a rest when i got the grand epic feeling when the fleets arrived at earth. I was nearly standing in my chair, awed at the greatness of the moment.

    Then came the final assault on earth. This was also grand in scale. Ive wanted to see earth in mass effect ever since i glared at its magnifisence on the lunar base mission in ME1. The war torn earth looked grim and desperate and upheld my expectations. Then came the ending. Not since the conclusion to the ace seeries, sopranos have i felt such a black hole in my stomache. I felt betrayed at first waiting til after the credits. I searched all the forums i could about what i did wrong how i could get this abysmal ending and how i could fix it, seeing as i had nearly 100% completion and full paragon. Was this a bug? A mistake on my part on an important desicion? I pondered this for many hours until i was forced to accept, that was it. This was the ending to the biggest sci-fi epos in gaming history.    … Expand
  4. canadianrugby
    May 21, 2012
    10
    I'll start with the bad. The game feels small. There is way less exploration of the galaxy to do compared to the first two games. Less side missions. Uhh... and that's about it.

    Now for the good. Everything has been improved: The combat, graphics, powers, weapons, cut scenes. The same great sometimes cheesy story comes to an epic end. Most of the negative ratings seem to be    I'll start with the bad. The game feels small. There is way less exploration of the galaxy to do compared to the first two games. Less side missions. Uhh... and that's about it.

    Now for the good. Everything has been improved: The combat, graphics, powers, weapons, cut scenes. The same great sometimes cheesy story comes to an epic end. Most of the negative ratings seem to be because of the ending, but just because it doesn't end the way you wanted it to doesn't make it a bad ending. They're making this into a movie, and I can't wait.    … Expand
  5. joker1991
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    I was afraid that Bioware might ruin at some point the whole mass effect magical and absorbing universe.My fears came true.Where should I start? I played the PC version and I was really disappointed in game's graphics.There are obvious signs that the game's graphics were done in some kind of a rush.Awful textures in some points during the game.For a 2012 game they look really bad .OnceI was afraid that Bioware might ruin at some point the whole mass effect magical and absorbing universe.My fears came true.Where should I start? I played the PC version and I was really disappointed in game's graphics.There are obvious signs that the game's graphics were done in some kind of a rush.Awful textures in some points during the game.For a 2012 game they look really bad .Once again PC gets a port.I am no complaining about performance since FPS rate is stable,but these textures look really ugly nowadays.What about gameplay? They made it more action,more Michael Bay style look.As a result we have bad written dialogues and on top of that we can't make a lot of real decisions during the dialogues.All this negative stuff, was obviously done for action's sake and gameplay feels a lot like GOW series.Thus, the mass effect magic is lost in the third installment of the franchise.
    Moreover,I can't understand the whole multiplayer point,Mass effect was always a trully single player experience,why ruin this now? The worst of this addition is that multiplayer affects the game's final battle.What were they thinking? Usually people play first the single player part then the multi.It's simply irrational.As for war assets feature it seemed to me quite cool in the beginning but afterwards I understood that it don't count as it should.
    Last but not least,there is a really messy badly written ending in the end of the game.Bioware gives us 3 options which all lead to an unpleasant ending.I don't say that I wanted an ending taken from children's tales where everyone lives and stays happy at the end.Though,it's really harsh to watch that all the decisions that were made in previous games simply don't count at all.This is the part why many Mass Effect's fans got angry.They can't just so simply erase our actions.It's ironic that they were saying all these years to keep the save games as they will change the whole experience in the 3rd game of the franchise.They were **** about thousands of factors that will make a difference.
    All in all,I realized in the end that spent 100 hours in Mass Effect universe,I made hard decisions,I bonded emotionally with game's characters and finally I made the impossible to unite galaxy's races only for nothing.Even the war assets don't count a lot,you have fleet of Turians,Geth,QuariansHuman,Asari and all this for nothing.    … Expand
  6. Zoso
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The MISSING ending(!) is definitly the greatest story-telling/marketing/... twist in the history of gaming. I think Indocrination Theory nails it, and the negative fan feedback has been anticipated by BioWare in order to gain general media attention. Marlk my words, I'm 100% sure the ending DLC is ready and is soon going to be released.

    That alone would be worth 10+, even hough there are some minor issues with the game like: * the cover/run/look-aound-the-corner functionality getting mixed up at times * coop matches where you suddenly can't reload or do damage any more
    * some formerm team mates just being ticked off (i.e. there's no real story for some of them)
    * combat is too easy even on insanity * most of the missions are too short (shorter than ME2 missions)

    But ME3 is also the first game ever to make me cry (Mordin humming his song...), and all the bigger parts of the story (Tuchanka, Geth/Quarians, AND THE ENDING) work really really well.    … Expand
  7. ShadowRamen
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Why is everyone giving this game terrible scores based on the ending alone? these people really don't deserve to use Metacritic if they're just going to abuse it like children. I honestly thought the game was fantastic throughout, and although i wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, i thought it was a very interesting and unique way to end the series. If that's what they were stillWhy is everyone giving this game terrible scores based on the ending alone? these people really don't deserve to use Metacritic if they're just going to abuse it like children. I honestly thought the game was fantastic throughout, and although i wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, i thought it was a very interesting and unique way to end the series. If that's what they were still planning on doing with this game. that being said, im still not sure which one i like the most out of the series. while the last game was great, this one has so much more life to it. the characters, your squadmates, they feel real to interact with. i remember in the last game, each one would simply stay in their designated areas, not moving, and only talking to you when you engaged in a conversation. now they all do there own thing. they interact with the other characters and there environment even while your not around. they even leave the ship with you when you go to the citidel to explore it for themselves. this also carrys over into combat as well, infact combat is so much more improved than the last game, it makes the last two feel sad in comparison. you can now perform many new maneuvers, and the cover system is greatly improved. the enemies are also much smarter and will now even work out ways to flank you and split your squad up. probably my favorite part about mass effect 3, is the story, obviously. everything is written so well, and is so believable, it makes me wonder how they got the game finnished, even by the date it was released. i mean yes, there are a lot of bugs, but when the game is such a large scale, you come to expect them. although i still wish they would have checked the game more thoroughly. i also keep hearing people complain about the romance options almost as much as the ending which is strange because it really isnt that different from the last 2 titles in the series. but im really not very sure of how its changed, because i didnt actually romance anyone in my first playthrough. it was an accident, somehow.… Expand
  8. Tudor
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    Before playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents : This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jawBefore playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents : This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jaw dropped as the story progressed , and there others that felt out of place , forced upon me (but the bad ones weren't that many in my opinion).While the quality of the story is good , it feels like i've taken more of a backseat in this 3rd game because it is more streamlined (a thing that i do not understand , this was the chance for BW to go all out on decision making since its the last game , and didn't have to worry about the hellish writing that would have entailed into making a 4th installment) .I could go on for some time about the pro's and cons but to make it short : The story is fantastic , the score that accompanies it is marvellous , there are a few plotholes that will annoy fans of the series , don't think will bother those who just want to play this last one. The gameplay mechanics are decent , but ME was never supposed to be about the shooting part , they've put in some more rpg elements (not that much really) but its still better then ME2 in that area. The graphics are good , definetly not ugly taking into consideration its based on a 7 year old engine. The score as i said previously , is fantastic the voice acting is what you would expect from the previous games ( Great) but seems less of it . To be fair , i knew that Bioware had a tough job in front of them in wrapping up this trilogy , they set the bar high with the quality of the previous games and an ever harder job pleasing the fans (myself included) regarding the end of the trilogy . While the game indeed wraps up this fantastic series , and answers many questions it also raised new ones , leaving me longing for more , as such i believe this game should have a place in your collection because it definetly deserves it , but at the same time it does leave you "hanging"… Expand
  9. souledgar
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    I haven't had such an emotional experience from a sci-fi game before, and believe me, I've played quite a few of them. Mass Effect 3 is where everything in ME1 and ME2 falls into place. While not completely perfect, its still one of the best games I've played. Heres a comprehensive breakdown of what I think about the game:

    Graphics: Its engine is pretty much the same as Mass Effect 2's,    I haven't had such an emotional experience from a sci-fi game before, and believe me, I've played quite a few of them. Mass Effect 3 is where everything in ME1 and ME2 falls into place. While not completely perfect, its still one of the best games I've played. Heres a comprehensive breakdown of what I think about the game:

    Graphics:
    Its engine is pretty much the same as Mass Effect 2's, with a small overall tweak to make everything prettier when it needs to, and bleaker when the situation calls for it. Weapons firing, explosions all have that oomph and everything looks very polished from beginning to the end. It may not have reached the standards that the latest and greatest have, but it still looks very nice. I've noticed a few texture loading issues, but it doesn't detract from the overall experience too much. Lip synch is an occasional issue as well, slightly amplified by the game's focus on dialogue, but really, it doesn't really damage the game all that much.

    Story
    I wonder why everyone hates the last 5 minutes. Personally, I thought it was such a powerful and emotional experience. I get that your 'training' didn't matter, but it IS a partial RPG game, not a pure shooter. Anyway, the whole thing was epic, powerful, and got me quite emotionally invested. Unexpected twists in unexpected places that involve unexpected people constantly kept me from being bored, and many situations and repercussions from the first two games kept the nostalgia going. There are some plot points that didn't satisfy me, but these are minor details. The ending was quite unexpected from a game like this, and personally it was quite satisfying. It does however hurt replay value, since it is quite drawn out.

    Gameplay
    Bioware seems to have taken the shooter portion of ME3 all the way. Headshots, accuracy, cover.. all the bells and whistles of the modern shooter seems to have found its way into the game. Improved AI made fighting a more interesting experience then before. There are some questionable decisions like rocket troopers and snipers that take your shield down nearly immediately, making it life difficult players who want to charge in and melee everything. The new player skill-centric combat also makes the previously useful allies less effective. Often, the only reason I take a character over another in a mission is because I believed they would have some interesting reaction to the mission (e.g. original cast in a familiar place), or, if there is no such connections, a single ability I would like to use against specific enemies, like Overload against shields. Its still fun, but its less ... Mass Effect, for lack of a better phrase. The improved AI also made some biotic skills really powerful, and some really useless. For example, in my playthrough, Shockwave has become so difficult to hit anything that I stopped leveling it, while Overload, being instant and potentially kills anything with one hit, became really powerful. I really hate the new husks by the way, they're annoying and doesn't give any sense of satisfaction.

    Sound
    Great music, great sound effects. The orchestral score, with the techy feel, adds to the impact of the whole game. No game quite moved me the way the end of the first sequence did, especially with the emotionally charged music playing. One can find that portion of the game in the free demo, just a quick fyi. Sound effects pack punch, gun fire, lasers, huge ass cannons, grenades, all explode and shoot with the oomph that one expects from a Bioware game. Voices are done very well, with the all star cast performing admirably. There is this odd need where I had to crank my speakers way up, but that might just be my setup.

    Multiplayer
    I've never really played Horde mode before, so I don't really know what most reviewers are talking about. Anyway, ME3 Multiplayer has you teaming up with three other guys to fight waves after waves of enemies. Your performance is determined as a team, how well you did, with things like not dying as bonuses, headshotting alot, using a certain weapon, etc. Its limited to a single mode, with a bunch of maps. Each wave can consist of different objectives, including kill everything, defend a point, kill specific targets, activate a bunch of nodes. Its not as exciting as a PVP multiplayer, but it entertains for awhile. It has a side goal of increasing Galactic Readiness percentage, which may or may not impact the ending you get. I'm not really sure if its possible to get the best ending without multiplayer, but looking at my own playthrough its a tall order.

    Conclusion
    Its not the best game ever made, but it certainly doesn't deserve the 1s and 2s that meta users are giving it. I liked how they took ME1 and 2 decisions into considerations, and it boggles my mind how much data it needed to take into consideration, since I'm a game programmer. In short, its a great last entry to a great trilogy. =)    … Expand
  10. WaneY
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd    Firstly I am really annoyed that an 'essential Priority Mission' has been charged extra and packaged as a Day 1 DLC. If it was cheap then it would have been acceptable, but it is way over priced for what is something that improves the (back)story. Squad mate AI seems worse then in ME2 and makes the game harder then it could have been.

    There are a few other small issues such as the odd bug, game crash and game stalling upon Exiting.

    But such is the quality of the game, I still give ME3 10 out of 10. Totally refined and a joy to play    … Expand
  11. Baknik
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    This game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fansThis game wrapped up many of the plot lines from ME1 and ME2 very well. The only reason I'm not giving this game a 10 is because of the graphical bugs scattered throughout the game (none of them game-breaking). I'd like players to realize that the ending to the mass effect series is not the last 10 minutes of ME3, but instead the ENTIRETY of ME3. I would highly recommend this for true fans of the series.… Expand
  12. keefbaker
    May 7, 2012
    10
    Brilliantly designed and implemented game with superb depth and design. I wish all these people who were butthurt about the ending hadn't given it bad reviews as it was 40 of the best gameplay hours I've had. Even the multiplayer was superb.
  13. Spoy
    Mar 21, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am deeply dissapointed with all the other reviews on this site, most of them focus on one thing. or 2

    First off you don't give your rating to a game because of it's ending and it's ending only. Don't do that, nor day 1 DLC that does not matter of the quality of the game only the price.

    A good review focuses on 3 Main things

    -Graphics
    -Story
    And most importantly
    - The gameplay.

    They give all the Pros and Cons of all 3 main things.
    Now what's with the people bashing on CoD on a Mass Effect 3 Review? seriously? you can mention a game on a review only IF the game has something to do about it. But i'm afraid that Mass Effect 3 has NOTHING to do with Call Of Duty. So enough

    Now for my Review: (I will only review the singleplayer for now)

    Part 1-

    The Graphics

    The Graphics got some detail improvements that you can't really notice untill you look at it. The textures on the character resolutions are better, the shadows are crisper than mass effect 2. The level designs are sound way less linear, it gives you some space to move around in many different places, and they look good

    However, there are some 2D pictures you can see at the beggining of the game that really dissapoints you. Apparently Bioware haven't spent much time improving the background details that they should have.
    The running animation doesn't look natural, it looks more like "Creature-ish". However the Cutscene animations are better than the in-game ones.

    Summing the Graphics up

    + Higher resolution character detail
    +Better shadowing +Better level design
    - Bad Background
    - Bad In-game animations

    Lets go to the Story Part

    The Space Opera is back with another good story, but let's not jump to the ending now ok?

    Mass Effect 3 Story overall gives ou a bunch of hard decisions that may change your game ending forever, the story may develop differently along the choices you make along the game.
    Yes not all things that you did on ME2 or ME1 matter on the final game. but some REALLY do per example some Things related to legion might bring you peace between the Quarians and the Geth.

    Giving you 2 powerfull allies for the battle of the Earth.
    The most thrilling and exciting parts of the game are the quiet ones, they actually make you feel like if you were commander Shepard. The cutscenes are very well made and match with the soundtrack that gives it it's proper feel.

    Now the ending was a major Dissapointment to everyone who played it, there are multiple plotholes and the lack of choices in it.

    Story Overall

    +Variety of decisions (before the ending)
    +Good cutscenes.
    +Good Quiet parts of the game with excelent Combination of soundtrack
    - Bad Endings
    - Only a few of the decisions you make on the previous games matter a bunch Gameplay: The gameplay is the same as mass effect 2 with some improvements Like a better melee combat, Variety of modifiable weapons and armor. Letting you customize your shepard as you want. and a better level geometry, not so linear anymore. But the AI is dumb as always +Better melee combat +Modifying weapons and armor +Better levels -Bad AI I'll give Mass Effect 3 an 8 out of 10 because that's what i think it deserves because selling DLC on day 1 SHOULDN'T involve on reviews    … Expand
  14. Dragoic
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The time is 3:41 and I've just completed Mass Effect 3.

    So. What do I think about the game?. Strange enough and with all the down talk and spoilers I've heard and the massive red negative score it has been given. I would say it deserve 9. It entertained me for 4 days (Without too many off quests) and the ending (I chose the good side) was.... well, sadden, but somehow I found both my choice and the way to end it to my liking. Even if the choice were quite hard.

    Now down to the Positive and the negative

    Positive Story: Acceptable. I would highly recommend playing both ME1 and ME 2 and use the same character all the way, it gives it a little more touch and characters just means a lot more to the way you want to end thing. Instead of just throwing the nearest character into the pit of fire while just raising your shoulders while saying â    … Expand
  15. FallJono
    Mar 28, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This opinion is mine and does contain spoilers. Mass effect 3 is one of the best games I have played start to finish, they took what they learned in mass effect 1 and 2 meshed it together into an awesome game. It will be hard for any game to live up to it. everything from the last DLC for ME 2 "arrival" where you have to make the hard choice of whether or not to destroy the Batarian colony to buy time for everyone on the reaper invasion. To the first hard choice let Wrex know the plan to sabotage the cure for genophage and letting Moridin the Salarina scientist who developed the modified version for the plague. Now the most debated part the ending. Some people absolutely hated it. I loved it, they teased that this choice was coming up 3 times during the game the debate of sacrifice 10 million to save 20 million. The choice sacrifice 1 to save trillions some find this choice hard me the math adds up it is for the greater good 1 person must die but will save the galaxy. Some people want the game to play a certain way but I like those endings that you know is the only way it will end. The only debate I have is to start a second play through right away or wait till the DLC comes out and see what changes… Expand
  16. Khaos25
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    Unlike most people here, I took my time with the game. I have only just finished my first play-through of the game and have thought really long and hard before writing this review. Mass Effect 3 is brilliant, I'll say. The scale is massive and I really felt the pressure of having to save the galaxy being overrun by the Reapers. It was a blast to see old characters again and the storyUnlike most people here, I took my time with the game. I have only just finished my first play-through of the game and have thought really long and hard before writing this review. Mass Effect 3 is brilliant, I'll say. The scale is massive and I really felt the pressure of having to save the galaxy being overrun by the Reapers. It was a blast to see old characters again and the story is very well written even though I'll admit the dialogue is rather cheesy in most parts. Combat in the game is fun, a little bit repetitive but fun. Nothing better than pulling out the omni-blade and jamming it into an enemy (very satisfying). But the heavy melee could have been implemented better, it looked cheap and lame if compared to other games like Deus Ex Human Revolution. Not only that, the sidequests in this game was horrible!!! Not only are they vague, they are more a pain than actual reasons to explore the galaxy. You just go around scanning for lost items and such. Only good thing, no more tedious scanning like in the second game. Multiplayer is fun but it gets old after a while, Mass Effect is not really meant to be a multiplayer game and the controls obviously show that. And yes, the endings. The endings are exactly what everyone is complaining about. Not only is it inconsistent to the plot, its abrupt!!! Its like: BOOM, finish, thank you, goodbye. Feels like all your time you put out out into all three games was wasted the effort. Outside the game, the **** Origin client system was also a pain for me, took me 4 hours just to get the game up and running although I have not had any problems for the past few weeks. So, why give an 8? ME3 is not going to win Game of the Year nor will it gain legacy as one of the best sequels ever. It is however, just plain fun to play ME3. Its fun to be on one last adventure with your favourite characters even though by now you know, it will end in huge disappointment. But, now Bioware is making an attempt to address the issue and as for me, I will be replaying the game with a vastly different Shepard of mine. Did I waste my money buying this game? I don't think so, I am keeping this game. As for you guys, I say either you take a chance buying this game or you find somewhere willing to give you a refund or exchange in case you really don't like the game. This game is one I think all ME fans should get regardless of the ending, just steel your hearts when you see the ending, that is all.… Expand
  17. MemoryCrow
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3: A truly wonderful and terrible game.

    "Why?" you may ask me. Now before you jump to the conclusion that this is a rant about the fiasco concerning ME 3's (Mass Effect 3's) ending i would like to tell you it isn't, not entirely. this is actually a rant (yes... a rant) partly concerning ME 3, Bioware and EA. So, with that said, lets continue.

    Why do i dislike this amazing game? was it because the ending was terrible? that you need an online pass to even touch the multiplayer? that the multiplayer has the potential to be (so far beyond) astronomically better than it actually is? or perhaps you may guess that it's because i'm just generally PO'd at this game. All of these are correct.

    But lets get a little more into the details, shall we?

    Reason #1 "YES, we know! the ending was awful!" okay, okay, i'll keep this one short. yeah, it's pretty bad, horrible actually. it's just there, in your face like pile of elephant crap in your livingroom. you simply can't ignore it because no one else will let you and it gnaws at the back of your mind after you see it, like some kind of parasitic insect.

    Reason #2 the online pass... Really? Seriously? Bioware isn't trying to win a popularity contest, that's for damn sure. maybe you guys are okay with this but Bioware isn't wining points in my book for this one. but who does the blame really go to here? shall i blame Bioware for this? for cowing down to EA or should i blame EA themselves and their disgusting lust for profit at the expense of all else? i choose both. why? because i can. AND before you say i'm angry because i had to pay for the online pass, you are wrong sir/madam. i bought an unused copy of ME3 and had to pay for no such thing. this pisses me off purely out of principle. it's simply >wrong    … Expand
  18. November_152
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    Magnificent game. Real dramatic ending, which shows that the hero will go to the end to save the world. If you review separately Mass effect 3, it's a bit worse than the last part. I played all three parts and I think that the developers have done everything like it should be. Especially cooperative game part is very good.
  19. ty1er
    May 28, 2012
    10
    Most fulfilling gaming experience since ages. In my opinion, also the best part of the triology. while the ending ist debatable, the amount of emotion (i even had to shed a tear once or twice) this game could create amongst the community can speak for itself.
  20. Jagdpanther
    Jun 29, 2012
    1
    Horrible scenario, horrible missons, horrible teammates, horrible endings, horrible controlling, horrible and very long dialogs and War Assests... Mass Effect 3 is horrible. Mass Effect 2 is the best.
  21. derOlifant
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    First, since the question of the genre seems to be so important to a lot of people, I want to say that I do not usually play action games. My favourite genres are roleplaying and turn-based strategy, and I think two of the most brilliant games ever developed are "Baldur's Gate 2" and "Planscape: Torment".
    "Mass Effect 3" is no classical RPG like BG2 or Torment, but neither can you do it    First, since the question of the genre seems to be so important to a lot of people, I want to say that I do not usually play action games. My favourite genres are roleplaying and turn-based strategy, and I think two of the most brilliant games ever developed are "Baldur's Gate 2" and "Planscape: Torment".
    "Mass Effect 3" is no classical RPG like BG2 or Torment, but neither can you do it justice by labelling it a simple or even "dumbed-down" action game. Sure, there are lots of action in ME3. Few care to mention, however, how well this action is implemented into the overall concept of the game and how utterly believable it feels. This is no action for action's sake. This is no Roland Emmerich kind of action, spectacular but hollow once the smoke of the explosions has settled. The game makes you care about this universe in danger and creates an atmosphere of extreme urgency and desperation that is manifest in almost every single action sequence. The fights are not very tactical, but neither are they too easy or banal. They feel grim and desperate and immensely important (and what is equally important: they are a lot of fun and very satisfying). Characters you care about (and many of whom already appeared in the previous games) die, and their deaths really leave you shocked and sad, because this is something one does not normally expect in this kind of game, but also because the characters around you actually feel like real living people (or aliens). And this is where the game really shines. After or during missions, the patient listener is rewarded with lots of dialogue. The writers avoided almost every cliché you'd expect and deliver very good â    … Expand
  22. Templar19
    Mar 22, 2012
    8
    Overall this was an amazing and emotional game. It is a lot different from 1 and 2, the graphics are beautiful and the game play and combat are more fun, however it seems really dumbed down compared to the other games, more like a gears of war style adventure game. Had there been more rpg elements, better quests, and a better ending i would give it a 10/10, the ending did ruin the entireOverall this was an amazing and emotional game. It is a lot different from 1 and 2, the graphics are beautiful and the game play and combat are more fun, however it seems really dumbed down compared to the other games, more like a gears of war style adventure game. Had there been more rpg elements, better quests, and a better ending i would give it a 10/10, the ending did ruin the entire series for me though...… Expand
  23. kriskizlyk
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The only thing that ruined my gaming experience of Mass Effect 3 was checking Metacritic and seeing everyone reviews. I actually really enjoyed the game all the way through. It seems no one really has any imagination anymore to figure out an ending because all people are used to is I kill...I win.… Expand
  24. NTripleD
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    I thought the game was enjoyable, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics are good. With that being said, ME3 is nothing close to the game that ME2 & ME1 were. There is a feeling of inevitability throughout the course of the game, it is far too linear. The endings are the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced in any game that I've ever played. I got the "perfect" ending, and itI thought the game was enjoyable, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics are good. With that being said, ME3 is nothing close to the game that ME2 & ME1 were. There is a feeling of inevitability throughout the course of the game, it is far too linear. The endings are the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced in any game that I've ever played. I got the "perfect" ending, and it still left me feeling queasy.

    There are only 3 reasons I give the game a positive rating at all:

    1. The universe/storyline that Mass Effect is set in is so great that even screwing it up it is still solid. 2. The length of the game is about perfect, I hate games that are too short, and this isn't one of them.
    3. The "final battle" is great, it was very intense, and I was about to forgive all of this game's failings after it (until I got to the crappy endings).

    Also, in spite of the complaining, the Multi-Player is actually very fun.    … Expand
  25. WingedAnomaly
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to address the game so much as the public's response to it.

    The game is incredible, don't get me wrong. The graphics show up anything else even approximating this size and scope, the writing and voice acting is off the charts, the story is deep and involving, and the entire gameplay system has finally been honed down to a razor edge.

    Now let me address the complaints.

    1: The ending. Everyone is complaining about the ending. They criticize its writing, its pacing, how previous decisions affect it... but really, they're just angry because it didn't end the way they wanted. Well, I'm sorry if you didn't get your sunshine and bunnies, you got an emotional, intense ending that made you FEEL something. Would you have remembered it if Shepard blew all the Reapers away, nobody died and they all sang kumbaya? No. Nobody would. So shut the f**k up and take your whining elsewhere.

    2: Character placement and day 1 dlc. Do you honestly think Bioware had a say in this? Bioware creates Mass Effect, money-grubbing EA forces them to include Diana Allers, forces them to include multiplayer, forces them to include day 1 DLC. They handled it with grace, incorporating these elements without ruining the basic principles Mass Effect has always stood upon.

    3: Past decisions. I'm not sure what's going on here. Maybe people are surprisingly forgetful. Maybe they imported the wrong save. I'm seeing a lot of people complaining about inconsistency, but for me, everything was perfect. The only skip in the road was the game not explaining how Anderson went from Councilor to Admiral. Everything else was handled exceptionally well; I loved how the way you treated characters in Mass Effect 2 directly affected the way certain missions turned out in Mass Effect 3.

    4: Length. I don't see this one as much because the people who complain about it are just idiotic. This game was a HELL of a lot longer than Mass Effect 1, and the only reason Mass Effect 2 was longer was because you spent ten hours scrounging for minerals on every planet in the galaxy. If it took you less than 25 hours to complete this game, you were doing something wrong.

    I'm tired of scrounging through the 'ones' and 'zeroes' for complaints. And if you posted a 'one' or a 'zero', shame on you. Seriously. Even if you don't like the ending, even if you think it's short, even if you find SOMETHING wrong with it, you can't deny that this game did almost everything right. Compare it to Duke Nukem Forever. That game deserved low ratings. This one did not.

    So go find something else to pick on you pathetic vultures and stop tainting the public's opinion of an excellent game.    … Expand
  26. coloradosarge
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    I thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games andI thought the game was awesome up until the end. I hating the ending and I think BW can do much better. That said, the triology was still one of the most awesome gaming experiences that I've ever had and will be much better if they change the ending. While I think the real score I would rate this is about a 7 or 8 I am giving it a 10 based on the rest of the game and previous games and to try and offset the other people trolling on here that are obviously marking the score low because of the ending. I think BW deserves a fair score.… Expand
  27. spitfiremk87
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen. BUT As you may heard about the endings.    Spoilers below.

    I have played all 3 of the series over the span of 5 years. I have invested countless time and effort into my character and the universe. I really enjoyed this last game in the series. It brought elements from the first and second games together nicely. It also had some of the best storytelling in just about any game I've seen.

    BUT

    As you may heard about the endings. They are HORRIBLE. Plot holes galore, your choices never mattered and they literally detract from the series after you've played them. Nothing is ever explained in the endings at all. As far as multiple endings are concerned, there are basically three choices that coincide with almost the exact same CG sequence at the end, with the only difference being the color of explosions you get. I hope that Bioware will show their fans some respect and fix the endings or add to them in some way. The Mass Effect series did not deserve this ending.    … Expand
  28. MikeMaximus
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, and sadly it is mostly bad. Yes the game comes with day 1 dlc, but if you've bought a big release EA game in the last 3 or 4 years you should be used to this by now. It's not worth coming on here and giving a zero over no matter how much it sucks. The biggest fault of ME3 is that it feels even more linear in comparison to the previous games,Lets get the bad stuff out of the way first, and sadly it is mostly bad. Yes the game comes with day 1 dlc, but if you've bought a big release EA game in the last 3 or 4 years you should be used to this by now. It's not worth coming on here and giving a zero over no matter how much it sucks. The biggest fault of ME3 is that it feels even more linear in comparison to the previous games, you are funnelled along a set path of main quests with other systems only randomly appearing on your map once you reach a certain place in the story line. It's almost like a linear FPS trying to pretend that it's still an RPG. The side quests are also extremely lame fetch types that you generally come across while running by conversations in the citadel with the odd extra N7 mission during your journey. Mining has been replaced with another "scanning" mini-game to find extra resources for your war effort, it feels like a cheap waste of time, mostly because there isn't much to explore really and it could have been a lot more interesting. Thankfully the hacking and circuit mini-games from ME2 have been removed completely. The story & dialog is really hit and miss, mostly miss, your choices from the previous games don't seem to have any kind of large meaningful impact on the big picture, but I need to test this more with multiple playthroughs. The differences between your paragon and renegade choices seemed, odd to me in a lot of cases, almost like they were mixed up. It seems a lot less thought went into story, dialog and character development this time around, or it was rushed. Now the good things, the combat has been streamlined and in my opinion it's probably the best out of the series. It's a little faster, there are more powers and they are fun to use. The production values are extremely high, it looks good, sounds good and the voice actors all did an incredible job for the most part. It isn't much of a boost technically when compared to ME2, but it is still an improvement in most areas, my only issue is some of the animations, especially running, just looks wrong. Now oddly enough my personal saving grace for this game is what most think is blasphemy, the multiplayer. I find the multiplayer extremely well done over all, it's easy to hop into, it's fun and addicting and provides a good challenge. It also gives a little boost to your single player campaign but it ISN'T required to get the best ending as some idiots on here have been giving a 1 or 0 over.… Expand
  29. naomha
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Overall, great story. Some minor annoyances in plot, some minor twists that make you scratch your head, but all in all, very well done. Gameplay mechanics are good, AI is still mostly dumb. Using powers is still a boatload of fun to be had. Adding vertical elements to the gameplay is a nice touch. Jumping into Cmdr. Shepherds shoes again is always a blast. Not sure what all the naysayersOverall, great story. Some minor annoyances in plot, some minor twists that make you scratch your head, but all in all, very well done. Gameplay mechanics are good, AI is still mostly dumb. Using powers is still a boatload of fun to be had. Adding vertical elements to the gameplay is a nice touch. Jumping into Cmdr. Shepherds shoes again is always a blast. Not sure what all the naysayers are complaining about. Seriously. Gaping holes in the plot? Really? In case you didn't know, DLC is not included in main plot arcs because a lot of people may not have bought the DLC. Anyway, the world is pretty enough, runs great and hasn't crashed once. Some minor clipping issues and framerate dips, but, for the most part, a solid game. I still appreciate the hybrid gameplay, although I wish it had stayed true to the ME1 formula, but that is just personal opinion and doesn't take anything away from the game at all. Solid voice work by everyone in the game. Even Jessica does ok. Lots and lots of guns and mods and armor to choose from. Makes things worth investing in to see the outcome of what you can come up with. The ending DOESN'T SUCK! Seriously. The ending, while not being what the majority of people seem to have wanted, does not spoil the game at all. In my personal opinion, all those 0's and 1's are definitely not earned justly. The story is not "dumb downed", the gameplay in certain parts certainly has been "amped" up and overall, this is a fantastic game. DON'T LISTEN TO THE HATERS. Just don't do it. This is a quality game deserving of your playtime and you won't be disappointed. Looking forward to playing through again in a different class and on the "hard" setting. I'm giving it a 10 to try to negate these ridiculous low scores that are undeserving and just downright nasty.… Expand
  30. HendelMasad
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This is a powerful and moving story about sacrifice and selflessness. I highly recommend it. The complaints that your choices in this or previous games don't matter, ring hollow with me. Would I welcome a follow up where the character's fates are resolved? Sure thing, but its lack did not diminish my enjoyment of the game.
  31. BadlyBrowned
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    The game is an absolute masterpiece through through the beginning to the climax. However, in the end it becomes apparent that the writers had a vision for a sort of Greek tragedy for the series, complete with a deus ex machina and endings that vary from "really dark" to "kinda dark." There is no happy ending, no real catharsis for Shepard. However, it is not the darkness that bothers me asThe game is an absolute masterpiece through through the beginning to the climax. However, in the end it becomes apparent that the writers had a vision for a sort of Greek tragedy for the series, complete with a deus ex machina and endings that vary from "really dark" to "kinda dark." There is no happy ending, no real catharsis for Shepard. However, it is not the darkness that bothers me as much as the execution of the resolution. It feels so convoluted and illogical considering the themes and narratives that have taken place through the 3 games. In fact, it would make more sense to me if the so called "resolution" turned out to all be a dream. The game itself is very good. The level design was much improved over previous installments, and storytelling wise they generally did an excellent job creating a story that could account for all the possible Shepards. Not everyone from previous games are available as squadmates, but I felt they generally all got enough screen time to do good by the fans. Overall, it was a very engrossing and enjoyable experience, up until the last 5 minutes or so. Because of that, I have to bump it down from a 10/10 to an 8/10.… Expand
  32. zazen27
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **(Possible Spoilers)**

    So like many other here on Metacritic, I am a huge fan of this series from the get-go. I found this game to very engrossing and live up to the exceptions we've come to expect in a Mass Effect game. I really did enjoy the over-arching narrative that gives conclusion to many of the characters in the game. I was also pleased with the level system and the weapons upgrade and customization system. They both feel balanced, but flexible at the same time giving the player plenty of room to try out new powers and weapons without a lot of hassle. The graphics are clean and crisp although there is some rendering problems from time to time, but it's so short it's barely noticeable. I was please overall with the game, the story, and the class system, but I should touch on the subject that has polarized every ME fan: the Ending.

    No spoilers here, but I just want to put on record that I think the execution of the ending is what was a major let down for me, and not the actual ending itself. If you had done the game through 100% you get some interesting extras at the end credits. The ending of this series feels like the end of "2001: A Space Odyssey" both the film and the book. There is this interesting technological philosophical idea that Bioware is attempting to play with at the end that they have been trying to get at for the past few games. Bioware is trying this idea out in an interesting form, but the execution falls flat for me, but this is a little glimpse of hope out there for Shepard's end that may come in the form of more DLC. Aside from the ending of the game, I couldn't have asked for anything more out of this game. Given all of the hype and build-up for the last 2 years this game wasn't going to live up to everyone's exceptions and this wasn't going to be a perfect game by any means. I enjoyed my play-through of the game and it makes me pine to go back and relive all of Shepard's adventures again from the start. For those that have decided to abandon the series entirely just for the last 15 minutes of a 100+ hour series is completely ludicrous.The simple fact that the game ends on a much different note that it has created so much talk is something I find inspiring and exhilarating. I was more interesting in the story or the process than the end. I'll remember my Shepard through all narratives and friendships build up and lost. I get great joy knowing that my Shepard said "I love you" to Liara. i take comfort in knowing that Wrex is leader of the Krogans and is having a child. I also am delightfully surprised to see Tali and Garrus and EDI and Joker together. I am happy with MY STORY of Shepard. We were so focused on the destination, we completely forgot about the journey we had taken to get there. I am happy with the Mass Effect series ending, while the final credits rolled in the late hours of the night. The journey felt complete...that is until so DLC comes out and I start all over again.    … Expand
  33. yogibbear
    Jul 29, 2012
    10
    Oh my god. No spoilers here. If I explain why this game is PERFECT (even pre-EC) I will ruin the experience for you. Just believe me when I say the gameplay is somewhere between ME1 & ME2. The missions and excitement leading up the end for this trilogy are a lot of fun. The multiplayer works, you don't have to play it, but it is better than I expected. The singleplayer is 10/10 ignoringOh my god. No spoilers here. If I explain why this game is PERFECT (even pre-EC) I will ruin the experience for you. Just believe me when I say the gameplay is somewhere between ME1 & ME2. The missions and excitement leading up the end for this trilogy are a lot of fun. The multiplayer works, you don't have to play it, but it is better than I expected. The singleplayer is 10/10 ignoring the MP. The ending made me cry and you got me Bioware, oh how you got me good! You actually made me stop hating you after DAII (oh I'll just pretend like that game doesn't exist). I finally bothered to play this game and I should have done sooner. Somehow avoided all spoilers and I am SO glad that I did. The reason why this game gets a 10/10 and not an 8 or 9 is because the ending is perfection. People complaining about it were not paying attention! Seriously, pure genious! Shutup and take my money!… Expand
  34. Lockie
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    Just in a few words: this game was killed by crappy ending.. I like everything in this game, from the beginnig and up to the end. Awesome cut scenes, good writing, interesting plot-everything we loved in previous games of this series. Also, graphics and combat system were improved. It's very dynamic and spectacular. Everything was alright.. until the ending. It kills not only this game.Just in a few words: this game was killed by crappy ending.. I like everything in this game, from the beginnig and up to the end. Awesome cut scenes, good writing, interesting plot-everything we loved in previous games of this series. Also, graphics and combat system were improved. It's very dynamic and spectacular. Everything was alright.. until the ending. It kills not only this game. It kills every game of the series at all. It kills every decision i've done from the first part. I didn't expected to see happy end, it would be too naive, but i didn't expected to see THIS! (Despite the fact that i had the best ending). Every ending is awful, i saw it on youtube. I was a biggest fan of BioWare.. Until now. Go to hell, Mass Effect 3, you made me cry..… Expand
  35. AzureSkies
    Mar 18, 2012
    8
    Okay, I get it. You didn't like the ending. You didn't have that many choices. I understand. People fail to realize that this game is about the art of story telling that has player input, not that this is a story that the player has control of, making it dance like a marionette. This game is a beautiful work of art with fast-paced and innovative gameplay. The three-game story arc immersesOkay, I get it. You didn't like the ending. You didn't have that many choices. I understand. People fail to realize that this game is about the art of story telling that has player input, not that this is a story that the player has control of, making it dance like a marionette. This game is a beautiful work of art with fast-paced and innovative gameplay. The three-game story arc immerses you in a world that is so detailed and lifelike that you can't help get lost in it, and to me, that's what's important. Meaningful characters, intricate gameplay, and RPG-style player input all add together to create probably my favorite game of all time. And remember, folks: the ending of the game isn't the entire game.… Expand
  36. robotrevolution
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILERS

    SPOILERS

    I love the Mass Effect series. The gameplay in ME3 far outshines ME1 and even ME2, providing a vast improvement in the tactics, inventory, and general aesthetic of nearly every aspect of the user experience. The storytelling is grand and vast, the dialogue is great, the sound is among the best I've ever heard in any video game period. I'd go so far as to say ME3 has the best sound of any game ever.

    There are points to nitpick. Ashley's outfit is boobtastic and unnecessarily so. Other gratuitous T&A moments distract from the narrative flow. At least the Mass Effect universe gives women (semi-)realistic armor, unlike most comic books.

    Perhaps Mass Effect 3's only downfall is the ending. Many, many fans of the game are disappointed with how lousy it is and, for the most part, they're right. It's important to understand that fans aren't just jonesing for a happy ending where Shepard gets to ride off into the sunset. Fans don't want that - they want an ending that makes sense, doesn't break with the lore established in the previous games (and even in the third game itself), and provides the same sense of catharsis we achieved at the ends of the first two games.

    ME3's ending doesn't even involve an end boss. There is an end boss, of sorts, about an hour earlier in the game, but at the time, the thought that "oh, I'm fighting the end boss now" doesn't even cross your mind.

    Overall, I love ME3. I think it's a brilliant game. I would recommend it to anyone. It's only flaw, it's only crucial error, was the horrible no-good lore-destroying closed-off decision-less ending that invalidates pretty much every major decision made across the previous three games.

    Finally, it's amusing the Reapers believed it necessary to kill highly developed organic life every fifty thousand years to prevent organics from creating races of synthetic life forms that would eventually turn on them and wipe them out, when the Salarians did nearly the same exact thing WITH ORGANIC LIFE FORMS. The Krogan are organics and would, in the Reapers' world view, hold the same sort of threat viability as the Geth.

    WHICH IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS AARRRRGGGGHHHH MY BRAIN ASPLODED    … Expand
  37. FormicSapien
    Apr 6, 2012
    10
    Don't pay attention to the low scores. This game is a masterpiece. The reason for the extremely high amount of low scores is because BIOWARE mad the mistake of creating an ending that people didn't expect, and when people get something they didn't expect, they don't like it instinctively. I played through all 3 games start to finish, and if this weren't in the hands ofDon't pay attention to the low scores. This game is a masterpiece. The reason for the extremely high amount of low scores is because BIOWARE mad the mistake of creating an ending that people didn't expect, and when people get something they didn't expect, they don't like it instinctively. I played through all 3 games start to finish, and if this weren't in the hands of call-of-duty-playing gamers and it was in the form of a film or book series it would be heralded as one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever made.… Expand
  38. theGrey
    Apr 23, 2012
    10
    I honestly don't know what the problem is with all these negative reviews. I've played ME1, ME2 and ME3 back-to-back (on PC) and let me tell you, ME3 is my favourite alongside ME2. The controls are smooth, the dialogue has all the depth I've come to love and all of my choices from previous MEs carried through 100%. I think the visuals and audio are truly epic and what I came to expect fromI honestly don't know what the problem is with all these negative reviews. I've played ME1, ME2 and ME3 back-to-back (on PC) and let me tell you, ME3 is my favourite alongside ME2. The controls are smooth, the dialogue has all the depth I've come to love and all of my choices from previous MEs carried through 100%. I think the visuals and audio are truly epic and what I came to expect from a 2012 game. A big thumbs up from me. These user scores of 1 and 0 etc are obviously false or fabricated. It's unthinkable that someone could give this game such a low score.… Expand
  39. The_Gooser
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    Re-reviewing the game based on the Extended Cut and Leviathan DLC. These two single player additions as well as a couple weapon packs and free multiplayer add-ons have really won me over. I was a skeptic at first, having gone through the game for a third time, I am reminded as to why I love the series so much. I cannot wait for the Omega DLC.

    The multiplayer aspect is really well    Re-reviewing the game based on the Extended Cut and Leviathan DLC. These two single player additions as well as a couple weapon packs and free multiplayer add-ons have really won me over. I was a skeptic at first, having gone through the game for a third time, I am reminded as to why I love the series so much. I cannot wait for the Omega DLC.

    The multiplayer aspect is really well done and extremely addicting, the new achievement system is fantastic.    … Expand
  40. Rosco
    May 8, 2012
    7
    First of all, I would say that Mass Effect 2 isn't just the greatest RPG ever to grace the console but it's arguably the greatest game ever made. It delivered such a compelling, deep, rich, atmospheric experience that continues to live long in the memory. So my expectations where probabaly over ambitious for the third outing. And after playing the game over and over again, devoted hours ofFirst of all, I would say that Mass Effect 2 isn't just the greatest RPG ever to grace the console but it's arguably the greatest game ever made. It delivered such a compelling, deep, rich, atmospheric experience that continues to live long in the memory. So my expectations where probabaly over ambitious for the third outing. And after playing the game over and over again, devoted hours of life I can understand the disapproval the game has gathered but would definetly say that Mass Effect 3 is by no means a game worthy of a '0.' Picking up from where the ME2 DLC Arrival left off, ME3 see's Shepard relieved of his duties as the consequences of his actions during the DLC, whilst on Earth the Reapers have launched an overwhelming onslaught leading Admiral Anderson to set Shepard the mission of uniting the galaxy's forces. Ofcourse the gameplay unfolds from here and you are able to import your saved data meaning that anyone who didn't make it from ME1&2 won't be in ME3. However, an early discovery is made after saving Liara, where she reveals that there is a potential weapon capable of destroying the Reapers; The Crucible. From here that's what it's all about. Travelling across the galaxy uniting forces whilst making major decisions along the way regarding the future of the Krogan race, the Geth and Quarians, aswell as taking care of personal loose ends including romantic options where you can decide who Shepard finally ends up with. Cerberus are also heavily involved under the guidance of The Illusive Man (TIM) who believes the Reapers should be controlled and not destroyed and throughout you have to deal with their attempts to take the Citadel as well as mounting an attack on their headquarters as a starting point towards the final battle. Your decisions along the way as you will already know are important in determining the ending to the game however even more vital is Effective Military Strength (EMS) which has a huge impact in final outcome of your Shepard's journey, this is mainly gained through online play. Regardless of who you sacrifice or save it all leads down to Citadel where a battered and blooded Shepard faces a final showdown with TIM,ultimately resulting in an old friends death, before all is finally revealed and the fate of the galaxy sealed. Lets just say you are in for rude awakening if you thought every decision you had to make was going to be crucial in determining how Mass Effect 3 ends. As you are transported to the pinnacle of the Citadel, the Catalyst approaches you in the shape of the young boy who dies at the start of the game who explains everything. Unfortunately the explanation isn't anything i could have possibly imagined but nonetheless he reveals that the Reaper cycle is an attempt to prevent organic life from wiping itself out by creating synthetic life leading you to face three options; 'Destroy,' 'Control,' or 'Convert.' All three result in the apparent death of Shepard however if you choose 'Destroy' and have the correct amount of EMS you can gain the 'perfect' ending where it shows a potentially alive Shepard breathing amongst the ruins of the destruction which results in the mass relays being destroyed and the Normandy ending up stranded on another planet... then after the credits have rolled an old man is shown with a young boy, who asks the elderly gent to tell him more stories about 'the Shepard' implying that Shepard's legend lives on. We all know the controversy regarding the ending and initially I felt as though I had been well and truly conned as all the assurances BioWare has given simply weren't on show. But after taking my time going through things again I'm not as bummed as I first was. The gameplay is awesome. It was always going to be the introduction of new weapons is cool and the shooting system worked superbly well in ME2 so only a few minor tweaks were needed in that department so I didn't have any complains there. The Normandy was fine although you don't get enough of it. Graphically it's not exactly a blockbuster movie. There are annoying glitches along the way but they don't prevent you from playing on, they just frustrate you at times. The plot. Well not so much the story as the ending(s). Let's face it BioWare sold us all short big time! Shepard dying doesn't bother me as much as others, sure it would've been great for him to get that happily ever after but it's the fact they have disregarded everything a player has gone through and delivered such a pointless and worthless ending that a trilogy such as Mass Effect doesn't deserve. Multiplayer was unnecessary but I was relatively impressed but not addicted to it as other games, but is a vital component for those of us seeking that 'perfect' ending. Simply, ME3 is a tremendous game with a terrible ending and as a result is one of the biggest disappointments to date. I await the extended epilogue in the hope of some REAL closure.… Expand
  41. ebo974
    Apr 25, 2012
    7
    Ahhhh sad... i'm sad. The 1 was great, the 2 good... And that 3 is just average... Not bad, mainly because we love the caracteres. We are attached with them. Some scenes are still great, as a nice space opera.
    But that game is far poorer than the two others. It is very contemplative game... Like a story we read, but not as a good video game should be.
    I don't complaint against the ends. I    Ahhhh sad... i'm sad. The 1 was great, the 2 good... And that 3 is just average... Not bad, mainly because we love the caracteres. We are attached with them. Some scenes are still great, as a nice space opera.
    But that game is far poorer than the two others. It is very contemplative game... Like a story we read, but not as a good video game should be.
    I don't complaint against the ends. I can understand them and I accept the dev's choice.

    It's hard finishing such trilogy like that...    … Expand
  42. Mudget
    Jul 23, 2012
    8
    A great finish to a great story. This is indeed a series worth playing through from top-to-bottom. It's pathetic, truly pathetic, that this game has gotten such a low user score here at Metacritc. Seeing Mass Effect 3 in the "4" point range is enough to make anybody who has played and enjoyed the game as thoroughly as most people have avoid places like Metacritic for informationA great finish to a great story. This is indeed a series worth playing through from top-to-bottom. It's pathetic, truly pathetic, that this game has gotten such a low user score here at Metacritc. Seeing Mass Effect 3 in the "4" point range is enough to make anybody who has played and enjoyed the game as thoroughly as most people have avoid places like Metacritic for information altogether. Games get "4'"s because they were rushed, crappy, or broken, and ME3 is none of these. It is a solid conclusion to a remarkable and already classic series of games. A definite videogame highlight of 2011. If you've never played the series at all, start with part 1 and move your way on through. This is good sci-fi in a big-budget, impeccably-crafted RPG game.… Expand
  43. moonjo
    Mar 12, 2012
    4
    Despite its shortcomings, I did enjoy ME3 and wished it didn't end. The biggest issue for everyone is the conclusion of this great series. It feels like Bioware just gave up trying to make the ending mean something.
    They improved combat mechanics but the battles/missions are still same old, kill all, survive, get to point A, etc.. In the final mission I expected to utilize all of my squad,    Despite its shortcomings, I did enjoy ME3 and wished it didn't end. The biggest issue for everyone is the conclusion of this great series. It feels like Bioware just gave up trying to make the ending mean something.
    They improved combat mechanics but the battles/missions are still same old, kill all, survive, get to point A, etc.. In the final mission I expected to utilize all of my squad, since they build up this huge battle with entire galaxy joining forces. No, you pick 2 of your squad members and that's it. Although I hate DLCs, I wouldn't give it a 2nd thought of buying if Bioware released a TRUE ending DLC.    … Expand
  44. 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
  45. BrightCandle
    Apr 5, 2012
    1
    Major technical problems including inability to set vsync on, stuttering with high performance graphics and zero support for eyefinity. Unplayable due to the stuttering
  46. VectorX
    Apr 5, 2012
    9
    The people writing about the horrible ending have a point, but it isn't as extreme as many people peg it to be. There are seven endings and the perfect ending requires a lot of work. Honestly, the ending wasn't all that bad (I've seen far worse) and it wasn't a plot breaker or an ending that made no sense. The developers created an ending that brought closure to the entire universe. InThe people writing about the horrible ending have a point, but it isn't as extreme as many people peg it to be. There are seven endings and the perfect ending requires a lot of work. Honestly, the ending wasn't all that bad (I've seen far worse) and it wasn't a plot breaker or an ending that made no sense. The developers created an ending that brought closure to the entire universe. In order to avoid the spoilers check, I won't go into what actually happened.

    Still, in terms of an ending, it was very well done (It has a modular ending much like the Fallout series, where what you do affects the outcome). The plot was stellar and the character development (following the same style as Mass Effect and Mass Effect II had the Paragon/Renegade dichotomy) was incredible. The all inclusive relationship system between the people your character interacts with was very strong and the ability to cultivate a relationship with anybody of any gender of any race was a very interesting aspect.

    The combat mechanics were solid. I found the third person shooting style very conducive to the game, and while I am a die hard FPS fan, it was necessary to allow you to control your team mate AI while being able to keep aware of your combat situational awareness. I found the battle mechanics addictive. I literally found myself skipping the intro scenes to less important missions just to get into the fight. Being able to try out all the different battle styles also made me play through the game multiple times.

    I highly recommend this game for people who want a mix between good plot lines and good shooting mechanics. For those people who rate the game down because of the ending, you need to realize this game isn't YOUR story, it's the developers. That's how they chose to end the series, get over it. For the people who say your choices in the previous installments don't matter, have you played the game through without using your save data? Things happen VERY differently...including your ability to cultivate relationships with certain characters and your ability to influence the outcomes of intergalactic politics...    … Expand
  47. GoneTomrrow
    Apr 29, 2012
    5
  48. Rrate
    May 3, 2012
    9
    End of a great trilogy.
    Truly leaves a sad feeling when you know there is not going to be ME4.
    Just loved this game.
    Multiplayer is amazingly addicting!

    Gave it 9 because the ending wasnt what i hoped for. If it would have been i think i would have been dissapointed anyway because i dont want this game to have ending at all.
  49. ScrewBF3
    May 26, 2012
    0
    Everything up there is a pile of **** I decided to write 'cause i could.
    i am actually a nice guy. Here is my top ten movie list:
    1o. The Shining. It is absolutely classic. 9. Alien. The first time I saw it i was scared ****less. 8. The Children of the Corn. It is almost as messed up as 'IT'. 7. Shaun of the Dead. Funny. Funny. Funny. 6. Hellraiser. It has a nice plot and Pinhead is    Everything up there is a pile of **** I decided to write 'cause i could.
    i am actually a nice guy. Here is my top ten movie list:
    1o. The Shining. It is absolutely classic.
    9. Alien. The first time I saw it i was scared ****less.
    8. The Children of the Corn. It is almost as messed up as 'IT'.
    7. Shaun of the Dead. Funny. Funny. Funny.
    6. Hellraiser. It has a nice plot and Pinhead is awesome.
    5. Sleepaway Camp. Nobody remembers this movie but I reckon it was KICKASS.
    4. Nightmare on Elm Street. Also classic.
    3. Friday the 13th. Jason is almost too KICKASS.
    2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pretty messed up but it kept me on the edge of my seat.
    (Drumrolls)
    1. Halloween. Myers is slightly KICKASS and the movie was brilliant.    … Expand
  50. JJackson87
    May 28, 2012
    8
    I think this was a great third game is the best video-game series of this generation. I was disappointed by the ending and hope they can wrap things up better with the coming DLC. Still recommend the game though!
  51. Darkmark
    May 29, 2012
    8
    Besides from the poor class balance and the bad ending, this a great game. And with the epic story and nice gameplay i would say that it's still worth buying.
  52. Jacsam
    Oct 2, 2012
    9
    If you enjoyed ME 1 and 2 you will enjoy this game. The game looks great and the fighting is fun. I agree that the initial ending was not good but the revamped ending was very good. Also the game was much more action oriented than RPG and the dialogue did not change the story at all. In fact you can play the game without making any choices in the conversation if you pick to play the gameIf you enjoyed ME 1 and 2 you will enjoy this game. The game looks great and the fighting is fun. I agree that the initial ending was not good but the revamped ending was very good. Also the game was much more action oriented than RPG and the dialogue did not change the story at all. In fact you can play the game without making any choices in the conversation if you pick to play the game as an action game. All in all a great game.… Expand
  53. DizzyKa
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 puts the cap ( or does it ) on one of my favorite series. Its been a long time since a game entered my favorites list, a long long time. Its also been a long time since I've been so emotionally invested in the characters and cared for their well being and futures. I credit this fact, at least in Shepard's case to Bioware's attention to the female Shepard option in 3. As aMass Effect 3 puts the cap ( or does it ) on one of my favorite series. Its been a long time since a game entered my favorites list, a long long time. Its also been a long time since I've been so emotionally invested in the characters and cared for their well being and futures. I credit this fact, at least in Shepard's case to Bioware's attention to the female Shepard option in 3. As a female gamer I felt very included, and to top it off I finally have a protagonist in a major gaming franchise that I can relate to. I can look at the box ( provided I've flipped the reverseable cover art ) and see something of myself in the hero on that cover staring back at me. I've seen the galaxy through Shepards eyes. I saw it as a young commander taking a ship for a test run picking up other rag tag young people along the way. I saw it as an emerging hero, responsibility beginning to weigh on my friends and my decisions. Finally, I saw it all burn. I saw the desperation in my friends eyes as we fought for what we all knew was impossible. It was an amazing journey. A lot of people are angry over the DLC. I for one was also irked by it, but its worth looking past. A lot of people are irked by the ending. I urge you, look deeper, its a lot better than you probably though. Its not as it seems.… Expand
  54. maik_kel
    Mar 23, 2012
    10
    Why does everyone hate the Ending so much? To me it felt just right! I don't care if they're not that different from each other. For me it really is the journey there that counts. And what a journey that was. This is clearly the best game series i've ever played. Nothing else got me so emotionally connected to the story and characters. I don't easily give 10s, but this one deserves it inWhy does everyone hate the Ending so much? To me it felt just right! I don't care if they're not that different from each other. For me it really is the journey there that counts. And what a journey that was. This is clearly the best game series i've ever played. Nothing else got me so emotionally connected to the story and characters. I don't easily give 10s, but this one deserves it in my opinion. Its one of the rare cases where the game got better with each iteration (after Dragon Age 2 I didn't have much hope left for ME3, but was proven wrong)… Expand
  55. Mashley
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game. Right up until the end I was so engaged in the gameplay, the story, the characters that I was literally on the end of my seat. Which is why the terrible endings were such a kick in the balls. I really wish BioWare could have provided some sort of effect for what you had done, and closure for the characters you'd grown to love. Nothing you do matters evenMass Effect 3 is a fantastic game. Right up until the end I was so engaged in the gameplay, the story, the characters that I was literally on the end of my seat. Which is why the terrible endings were such a kick in the balls. I really wish BioWare could have provided some sort of effect for what you had done, and closure for the characters you'd grown to love. Nothing you do matters even a bit in the end. Everything you do in the series was building up to that and to have it limited to a choice of 3 cutscenes with no consideration of what had happened before. The game itself is fantastic as I said, and I do think you should buy it but just... close the game before the ending and think of the ending you want. Because it will be better than everything BioWare come up with.… Expand
  56. Honeymonstis
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    All in all a decent game, nothing special. Good voice acting, decent graphics/sound, memorable charcarters (good and bad) and a somewhat thought through story. I dont get the why people are so angry about the endings? Yeah they arent happy, with kittens on the top, but so what? I would rate this game at 6, but since Lance Henriksen is thrown into the mix.... I cant help it: 8 points to Mr. Bishop.
  57. conlaw
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    This game was awesome. All these people can complaining about the plot but nI felt thoroughly satisfied with the game. Probably the best trilogy ever made!
  58. andvaree
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    ME3 took 36 hours of my life to complete, but it was well worth it. One of the best, most heart wrenching, sci-fi storytelling experiences of my life - video game, movie, book or otherwise. ...and - for me - the best video game ever!
  59. bernlin2000
    Nov 12, 2012
    3
    A disappointing game that plays with the edges of the fundamentals of M1 and M2, but otherwise is non innovative. The major problem, though, is the plot, particularly the finale, which is very disappointing considering all the time and effort I (and many other players) put into the entire series. The ending is simplistic and the lead-up to it is long and tiring (the fight to the towerA disappointing game that plays with the edges of the fundamentals of M1 and M2, but otherwise is non innovative. The major problem, though, is the plot, particularly the finale, which is very disappointing considering all the time and effort I (and many other players) put into the entire series. The ending is simplistic and the lead-up to it is long and tiring (the fight to the tower never seemed to end). If you've played the other two in the series, I don't think I'd recommend completing it...this is just too disappointing of an ending to recommend to anyone.… Expand
  60. Gladio77
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    I liked the first two very much. Although this is not a bad game it again is a dissapointment.
    I think because Bioware was such a good company in the past we all expected them to continue this forever.

    I conclude that after dragon age 2, knights of the new republic and this that they have lost their touch. Luckily enough with games as skyrim we have other options. A 7 for effort.
  61. PapaShroom
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    An absolutely amazing finish to one of the greatest sci-fi trilogy's ever. The game brings all of what makes Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 great and rolls it up into one epic game. For all of you who dont understand the ending you really should open your eyes a bit more. This game was incredible this entire series was amazing and will be lauded for years to come.
  62. aeuk
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just finished ME3. Overall I'd say ME3 is certainly one of The games in 2012. I imported my character from ME2 and I didn't experience anything ill / illogical (as have been claimed) as a result. Everything felt logical story'wise. When it comes to ME3 itself, there aren't much you can honestly critisize in the game; animation of the characters (especially lip movement / speech sync) isn't exactly great work, and the hunting for artifacts / war assets isn't that exciting (probably the most dull part of game). During the 30 hours I played the game, I didn't experience much any bigger bugs (and zero fatal crashes) - I experienced much more bugs in ME2. In ME3 the main story, missions, characters, dialogs, choices you can make, graphics in general, soundworks ... all in all it creates a truly impressive (and addictive) scifi world that takes you in. It feels like you'd be playing a blockbuster scifi movie. When it comes to the ending of the game, I can't understand all the negative feedback of it. Perhaps it annoys people that the main character "does not always live happily ever after", dunno, but I'll only recommend this game to anyone who likes hardcore scifi. The last time action game felt as much movie'like and entertaining in all aspects to me, was Half-Life 2 and its' episodes.… Expand
  63. Txsnowman
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    Im surprised by the user review of this game. Even though i believe the critic review is normally to high, or "bought out", this game is by no means a 10, but is also by no means a 0-5. It isnt perfect, but its a fun game, the story falls short of the first 2, but the game play is right up there. I think the people giving the low scores are focusing their entire reviews around the few badIm surprised by the user review of this game. Even though i believe the critic review is normally to high, or "bought out", this game is by no means a 10, but is also by no means a 0-5. It isnt perfect, but its a fun game, the story falls short of the first 2, but the game play is right up there. I think the people giving the low scores are focusing their entire reviews around the few bad things about the game. I had a very enjoyable 30 hours my first time through and i plan to do it again right away! Would recommend this game to all action/rpg fans, and even more so to previous ME fans!… Expand
  64. Peturd
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    I actually waited to play the game before commenting on it. I thought it was outstanding. I tried not to look at it as the game it could have been if they had of stuck with and refined the RPG elements. I would have liked that. The squeaky wheel got the grease though, and ME2 was more of a shooter. ME3 brought back a bit more RPG depth. So I'm not sure why the hate. It was an improvementI actually waited to play the game before commenting on it. I thought it was outstanding. I tried not to look at it as the game it could have been if they had of stuck with and refined the RPG elements. I would have liked that. The squeaky wheel got the grease though, and ME2 was more of a shooter. ME3 brought back a bit more RPG depth. So I'm not sure why the hate. It was an improvement as a shooter from ME1 and an improvement as an RPG from ME2. The experience was greater then the sum of it's parts.

    The story, individual plots within the story, the music, sound effects and voice acting were all great. The graphics weren't top notch on my PC, but it's limited by the consoles, and lower end machines. This was countered greatly by the overall aesthetic choices I've loved from the start. Some animations were a little weird. Sometimes it seems a characters hands or other things are moving just for the sake of having animation to make them seem more life like, ironically making them dip down in the uncanny valley. Overall the animations were very good though. Very visceral, and gave a great sense of impact. The animations of the powers make the game much more splashy. Others might find it a bit less boring to watch you play as compared to ME1 and ME2.

    Finally, the changes we have seen are a direct result of YOU, the consumer. Game makers make games. They then sell them to make money, so they can go on to make more games. Without money they have to get other jobs, and can't make the games they want. So they compromise on what they want to do with what the consumer wants to buy. This way they have money to get to make things that are 70% of their vision, and 30% what the market wants. If people had of supported Mass Effect 1 better, and bought it, they would have stayed true to it. It's not like traditional art with little monetary input needed to produce a final product.

    TL;DR:
    Haters are ridiculous. This is by far the best Mass Effect game of the three. Refined, improved, and well executed in almost all regards. Deserving of the critical acclaim it is receiving, not the petty down votes from spoiled kids.    … Expand
  65. vDevilEnd
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    The game-play is vastly improved and combined from the previous 2 games, it's very fluid & fast paced with the action. The dialogue, characters, writing, and story is/are some of the best in gaming. The voice acting is also some of the very best ever heard. You might want to bring some tissues because the end of the trilogy is one of the most emotional games of all time. If it's you'reThe game-play is vastly improved and combined from the previous 2 games, it's very fluid & fast paced with the action. The dialogue, characters, writing, and story is/are some of the best in gaming. The voice acting is also some of the very best ever heard. You might want to bring some tissues because the end of the trilogy is one of the most emotional games of all time. If it's you're first time stepping into Mass Effect 3 I would highly suggest picking up the other first two games as well. Multiplayer does not feel tacked on to this game at all, it meshes well with the story, and very fun which was unexpected by many. About the ending, I will touch on it very briefly because everyone here seems to down vote this game into oblivion because of that only. The ending can be confusing, and possibly not offer any true closure but it is open for discussion or speculation, which in my opinion is alright because you can sort of make you're own ending, this is good because I feel nobody will ever really be fully satisfied with what Bioware will put for the ending of this trilogy. In closing the game is worth the money, and keeping as you will want to spend many hours playing Mass Effect 3 and it's 2 previous games which gets better with each game. I highly doubt anybody who isn't trolling will find very few flaws with this game, it's damn near perfect and one of the best games of all time.… Expand
  66. 410MaXiMuS
    May 14, 2012
    10
    I'm going to be very blunt about this situation. The only reason this game is receiving low user scores is because your average joe simply isn't smart enough to understand the point of the story. SPOILER AHEAD:

    The Reapers are a sentient lifeform created long ago to wipe out & harvest every race in "cycles". At the end of each cycle, The Reapers come and destroy all natural life, except    I'm going to be very blunt about this situation. The only reason this game is receiving low user scores is because your average joe simply isn't smart enough to understand the point of the story. SPOILER AHEAD:

    The Reapers are a sentient lifeform created long ago to wipe out & harvest every race in "cycles". At the end of each cycle, The Reapers come and destroy all natural life, except what is needed to re-populate each species. They were created in the hope that eventually the cycles would condition the various races of the galaxy to work together and be able to safely evolve / co-exist without supervision. At the end of Mass Effect 3, Shepard has proved that the races can co-exist independently without interference. The Reapers will never return.    … Expand
  67. Panther117
    Mar 30, 2012
    9
    â
  68. ThePalacePlayer
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    I do not understand why everybody apparently hate this game. Apart from Journey, this is without a doubt the best game of 2012 so far, and I don't see any game in the horizon to top it (maybe Bioshock Infinite). The story is great, the gameplay mechanics is improved from ME 2, and the voice acting is just as great as you would expect from a BioWare game. Even though I doesn't playI do not understand why everybody apparently hate this game. Apart from Journey, this is without a doubt the best game of 2012 so far, and I don't see any game in the horizon to top it (maybe Bioshock Infinite). The story is great, the gameplay mechanics is improved from ME 2, and the voice acting is just as great as you would expect from a BioWare game. Even though I doesn't play multiplayer and had really low expectations to the multiplayer in a ME title, the multiplayer is actually great and something that will make me come back to the game every so often. A worthy conclusion to the best game trilogy ever made. Ever!!… Expand
  69. Sirithariel
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    The haters are idiots, if the indoctrination theory is true then the ending is pure genius and not just rubbish, everyone buy this game! Don't believe the stupid 0 and 1 star ratings people who don't understand the ending are giving it.
  70. 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
  71. rh46tuf
    May 22, 2012
    10
    Best game of the year 10/10. The narrative is amazing, voice over incredible, one of the best games to come out of the year, though the game isnt as good as the previous one, it still remains a great part of a series that has revolutionized the RPG genre in recent years.
  72. Ziviz
    Jun 6, 2015
    0
    After 2 or 3 years and 2 computers, I still cannot even truly start this game. Near the beginning, during the tutorial there is a door. It refuses to open. I can't fairly rate the rest of the game, but so far what I have personally experienced is:
    Un-skippable cutscenes
    Poor Controls A game breaking bug at the beginning of the game Weird physics and general glitchyness (Sheppard    After 2 or 3 years and 2 computers, I still cannot even truly start this game. Near the beginning, during the tutorial there is a door. It refuses to open. I can't fairly rate the rest of the game, but so far what I have personally experienced is:
    Un-skippable cutscenes
    Poor Controls
    A game breaking bug at the beginning of the game
    Weird physics and general glitchyness (Sheppard noticeably sunk into the floor for example)
    Poor graphics control (Got motion sickness? Good luck.)    … Expand
  73. nirax
    Mar 18, 2012
    1
    i wrote a review before finalizing the game. unfortunately the game ending as it stands ruins everything. dont play/buy it until it gets fixed. the writes somehow thought it would be cool to change a (Great) mainstream popcorn emotional decision driven action-rpg to a linear pace ending with three "pick your color" option endings (completely meaningless) trying to move to "art" and noti wrote a review before finalizing the game. unfortunately the game ending as it stands ruins everything. dont play/buy it until it gets fixed. the writes somehow thought it would be cool to change a (Great) mainstream popcorn emotional decision driven action-rpg to a linear pace ending with three "pick your color" option endings (completely meaningless) trying to move to "art" and not closing anything.
    its very unsatisfactory and dumb. AVOID.    … Expand
  74. 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 !
  75. 4110
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety,Seriously? The hate surprises if it's legitimate. Yes the choices weren't so rewarding as they should be, but the story was epic and the game play was quite awesome. By far the best in the series. My only major gripe was the companions weren't as colorful as previously, but I seriously enjoyed the big levels and more relentless game play. There is greater amount of action, more variety, the narrative of the characters tied in nicely with huge story. Tons of guns. The negative feedback feels like a bandwagon jump and an exaggeration of the let down of the choices, but purely on a game point standpoint there was a great deal of dynamic content that I'm definitely looking forward to replaying.… Expand
  76. chriseggroll
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is a great game. It has the expansiveness of the first one, the improvements on the combat system of ME2, and has the great story and character depth you would expect from a Mass Effect game. All the class powers have been tweaked enough to feel fresh and the new weight capacity dynamic gives you lots of flexibility. Want to focus on using powers? Fine, just take one weapon and boom, 200% bonus cooldown reduction. Want to use mainly weapons? Fine, pick one of everything if you want. The multiplayer adds a new bit of flexibility into the game as well, allowing you to skip some side missions if you want and still get a good war asset score. It's also pretty addicting if you actually try and play it, though it really IS totally optional. I will say that you will have to be pretty exhaustive with the side quests if you want to do only single player, and it might not be possible to get a high score without an imported Shepard. As far as the ending goes, I will admit to being pretty disappointed and would have given this game a 10 rating otherwise. Since the whole game is thrilling and a joy to play, I only took off 1 point, but if the conclusion is all you care about, don't get your hopes up too high. The Mass Effect Trilogy is definitely no fairy tale, but the ending scene doesn't seem to offer much closure as far as how your companions fared, let alone the rest of the galaxy or even Shepard himself. I think some people have definitely gone overboard with their outrage, but as a longtime fan of the series, I did feel let down by the too-short conclusion of a three-game trilogy.… Expand
  77. jamielikesyou
    Mar 18, 2012
    10
    I have a hard time believing this game is scoring so low just out of spite for the last 10 mins of an epic three game opera. Battlestar Galactica (2003) scores 9.5 here despite similarities between its story progression and Mass Effect. This is a polished, well written, produced, directed and acted game. The pacing is fantastic with more frequent, desperate combat sequences interspersedI have a hard time believing this game is scoring so low just out of spite for the last 10 mins of an epic three game opera. Battlestar Galactica (2003) scores 9.5 here despite similarities between its story progression and Mass Effect. This is a polished, well written, produced, directed and acted game. The pacing is fantastic with more frequent, desperate combat sequences interspersed with meaningful interactive story segments. Major plotlines are wrapped up, sometimes joyfully and sometimes heart wrenchingly. Game performance on PC is tight with few bugs (I only had to restart a mission once due to a bug.) Graphically little has changed between 2 and 3 (on a bargain-mid system.) The sound effects are consistent from previous episodes. The tedious hacking/bypassing minigames are gone but another dreary scanning minigame (sorta) replaces ME:2's equally dull scanning game. There are few 'boss fights' and more scenarios forcing the player to outlast waves of enemies (i ddin't mind this but some may prefer more traditional game bosses.) Other negatives include the shoe-horned additions of Jessica Chobot and Freddy Prinze Jr. Their voice acting does not come close to matching the quality of the other cast like Jessica Hale, Brandon Keener, Seth Green or Carrie-Ann Moss.

    Overall, this franchise succeeds at what Bioware do best, write stories about characters that endear well beyond the games themselves. Sheppard, Tali, Liara, Mordin, Garrus, Joker now join with Revan, Bastila, Morrigan, Duncan, Minsk and Boo.    … Expand
  78. j0kup4sk4n1m1
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    Okay just finished the game. And I really feared for bad ending noticing all the negative reviews and all, but now that I have finished this...
    What's wrong with people these days? It seems that every game that has come out lately has been flooded with criticism and called ****.
    I played ME1,ME2 and now ME3 and I REALLY think this actually was the best of the series. At first I thought    Okay just finished the game. And I really feared for bad ending noticing all the negative reviews and all, but now that I have finished this...
    What's wrong with people these days? It seems that every game that has come out lately has been flooded with criticism and called ****.
    I played ME1,ME2 and now ME3 and I REALLY think this actually was the best of the series.
    At first I thought this is going to be bad game,but closer to the end the more I enjoyed.
    Maybe I didn't some characters in my team I would have wanted,but so what? They still were connected to story well enough for me and the side-quests were linked to main story very good (buggy quests and quest list was somehow hard to look at but meh).
    Oh and the day 1 DLC,yea smells like cashing on fans.BUT I actually bought it, and its not in anyway "must have dlc" story doesn't change and all that one team member does is insult everyone and tell how salarians licked they'r eyes and catched flies in his time.
    I loved the ending, haters can hate and if you got the "wrong ending" sucks to be you.
    I'm giving this game 10 because all of you sad haters out there, really I would give this game 9/10 and this was great ending for great series.

    Thank you.    … Expand
  79. Jobles
    Mar 22, 2012
    9
    The beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was nearThe beginning starts with that which you have been fighting to keep away from your world, the Reapers have come to Earth. Shepard has been grounded and stripped of his status because of what he did during the event of Arrival (ME2 DLC) The combat system has been improved slightly, making it easier to go from cover to cover, as well as easier running, unlike ME2, where running was near impossible if you're avoiding something or trying to run around corners. ME 3 allows faster, unlimited running, and you can run around corners easily, which helps if you're trying to run to much better cover. The weapons are customizable this time, as well as there being more weapons, not as many as ME1, but you receive plenty to choose from, especially if you're a PC user. The modifications are back as well, but these are limited compared to its ME1 predecessors. Story is just as good as it was before. There's certain points where, if you've played the games in succession, you will cry. On a bad note, there's some things that are not good. While throughout the game you gather Alliance strength for the final battle, it seems like gathering a lot doesn't matter. As you're fighting, you don't see the Rachni Queen's people on the ground (if you saved her). You don't see Turians, Asari, Batarians, Krogan(if you saved Wrex in the first game, and helped Wrex and the Turians become allies this game). Which is a huge let-down. I wanted to see everyone on the line with me. I wanted to go through the battles, and see these people, and creatures, fighting with me while we assaulted the ground units of the Reapers. Another bad thing is the day one DLC. Paying 10 dollars for the content locked on disc. It's a horrible business practice which companies need to STOP. The character is worth it, though, because unlike Kasumi and Zaeed, the DLC character has a story. He's interactive inside and outside the ship. You talk to him, you have choices. Your shipmates talk to him, NPCs on the Citadel talk to him at one point. If those two are worth 5 bucks, and you don't even interact with them aside from they spout something, without a conversation wheel popping up to interact with them. The DLC character for 3, has all that, and he's a great fighter. All in all, this game was great. It was almost perfect, however I do understand why people are giving this game a terrible rating. The ending(s) are why. However, almost every question is answered thanks to what is fan-researched: The Indoctrination Theory. When you finish this game, if you have questions still, go to YouTube, look up the 22 minute video Mass Effect 3 - Shepard's Indoctrination by ACAVYOS. This will explain SO MUCH. It ties into the endings easily, and it helps explain them as well. Again, this is a great game, and well worth every cent.… Expand
  80. CiaranPM
    Mar 23, 2012
    9
    Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well.Frankly, I don't see why everybody is giving this game 0 ratings because of the ending. Yes, I agree, it was odd, and I didn't really like it, but the ending shouldn't determine the game or the series. Every aspect of this game is remarkably well done - the characters are believable, the voice acting is good, the sound effects are good, the graphics are good, the combat flows very well. The only downside with this game is the exploration. It was overdone in Mass Effect 1, but in Mass Effect 2, visiting three major cities made the game feel more expansive. While Mass Effect 3 is substantial, only being able to visit one major city made the non-combat aspect of the game feel somewhat small. This, of course, is only a personal preference. All in all, aside from the odd ending (which Bioware claims to be fixing), Mass Effect 3 is a very solid game.… Expand
  81. BlackMattDamon
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With the end of the series Bioware wanted to go all out with their final Mass Effect game. This succeeded making you feel a real part of the war with the Reapers. By far this game is the most user friendly finding a cozy spot in between people's frustration with the complicated UI in the first one (I am not one of them) and the simplicity of the second one. Choosing the gun that fits you best, the armor you like most and the skills you like most are now simplified without taking away from the rpg feel. Game play has been sped up with a more emphasis that you are a weapon on the battlefield. Using cover and jumping between has been made much easier but not at all perfect. Shepard will sometimes climb cover head on into battle getting himself killed when clearly you are pressing to the left or right. As usual squad mates are almost useless unless they have powers. The problem that has plagued the game since the beginning is back and worse as ever. In almost all of the cut scenes characters look stiff and awkward. With great voice comes disappointing visual delivery. On the subject of characters I was also disappointed with the number of squad mates and how many of the former squad mates rejected your offer. Having less variety and not a Krogan I found myself not caring who came with me. In Mass Effect 2 you feel more connect to the characters due to the loyalty missions and the ability to talk to them. In Mass Effect 3 you can talk to some of the characters but I feel they only want to talk to you when they approach you, no you approaching them. Other than those minor annoyances the story goes out with a bang and overall worth your money!… Expand
  82. grahamsccs
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    Absolutely stunning game. Best of the trilogy. I started off not liking the first Mass Effect, but really enjoyed the second. The third is even better still, with extremely high production values.
  83. Anferny159
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    I registered simply to put perspective on the rampant INTJ and pseudo-nerd-computer-hugging personalities that have absolutely infected this review page.

    Mass Effect 3 is not only the strongest game in the series, but also the most thoroughly put together. It, unlike 1 and to a lesser extent 2, is incredibly streamlined and much deeper as a result. The vast majority of negative opinion    I registered simply to put perspective on the rampant INTJ and pseudo-nerd-computer-hugging personalities that have absolutely infected this review page.

    Mass Effect 3 is not only the strongest game in the series, but also the most thoroughly put together. It, unlike 1 and to a lesser extent 2, is incredibly streamlined and much deeper as a result. The vast majority of negative opinion seems to revolve around the ending of the series. That being said, anyone with a brain can assume that hours 1-25+ of Mass Effect 3 will enjoy one of the most incredible experiences a video game can offer.

    Now, ignoring spoilers, the ending is fantastic. It's reception has, so far, been very similar to that of the TV series Lost. A show which drew people in with it's cool Sci-Fi mysteries, but actually MATTERED because of it's human content and ambiguous sense of good and evil. Mass Effect ends in much the same way. If you truly think about it all, the series could not have ended effectively otherwise. The whole series wasn't about choice, but the implications of fate versus freedom and consequences of our decisions. These are HUGE existential question for a video game to approach.

    I CAN and will say, with almost 100 percent certainty, that the backlash originates from a socially inept and ridiculously over invested group of computer geeks. There simply is no other way to put it. If the kids/ gamers that rated this game anything less than a 7 would have written the ending, be it collaboratively or otherwise, it would have been a **** technical-filled-SciFi-Channel-Uber-Geek nightmare with no sense of poetic understanding. I seriously called this sort of ending from game 1. The tone for it has always been there, but unfortunately the personality types of most scifi-douche-bag-couldn't-talk-to-you-about-anything-but-manufacturing-procedures from-the"mars"-series-of-books prevent any sort of large scale understanding of what the game is about.

    Don't deprive yourself. Play the finale and enjoy this great game.    … Expand
  84. AbhorsenJay
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    The bad:
    1) Relationships were pretty rubbish
    2) Jack and Miranda barely had any lines 3) You can't have a Krogan on your squad 4) Some graphics glitches Other than that, I think it was the best game in the series by far. I can see where everyone is coming from when they criticize the ending, but that is because they're basing their reviews on some ludicrously high imaginary standard. As    The bad:
    1) Relationships were pretty rubbish
    2) Jack and Miranda barely had any lines
    3) You can't have a Krogan on your squad
    4) Some graphics glitches

    Other than that, I think it was the best game in the series by far. I can see where everyone is coming from when they criticize the ending, but that is because they're basing their reviews on some ludicrously high imaginary standard. As it is bioware has put out an excellent game that is still far superior to most other games on the market right now. Other people seem to be upset because their shepherd decisions ultimately don't impact the ending - to which I can only respond - *obviously*. You're in a life or death conflict on a galactic scale. I don't see why your petty conversations should impact the fate of the *galaxy*. I enjoyed this game a lot, and the multiplayer is loads of fun. Storyline was great, had a good buildup, and handled suspense very well. My only criticism, in addition to the list above would be that I felt there could have been more. It was a phenomenal game, but knowing bioware I think they could have done better. For that reason and the reasons above I give this game an 8/10.    … Expand
  85. infallibleineff
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Is there some sort of smear campaign going on here? This game is way better than it's current user score of 3.5. I've played about 7 hours of this game, and so far it seems every bit as solid as ME2 (and, as ME2, better than ME1). In fact, in some ways it's better - improved voice acting, better musical score (Clint Mansell owns Jack Wall - seriously), better combat, and the cutscenes areIs there some sort of smear campaign going on here? This game is way better than it's current user score of 3.5. I've played about 7 hours of this game, and so far it seems every bit as solid as ME2 (and, as ME2, better than ME1). In fact, in some ways it's better - improved voice acting, better musical score (Clint Mansell owns Jack Wall - seriously), better combat, and the cutscenes are more fun to watch. There are a few minor bugs and glitches - but not enough to ruin the experience, and I'm sure they'll be fixed soon.… Expand
  86. Aemony
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    Great journey, great story, amazing storytelling and satisfying narration. Too bad the disastrous, illogical, inconclusive, retarded and shameful ending(s) brought down not only the whole game but also your whole adventure through all three games. In the final minutes of the amazing story of Shepard, the critically acclaimed choices made through all games are forgotten in favor of anGreat journey, great story, amazing storytelling and satisfying narration. Too bad the disastrous, illogical, inconclusive, retarded and shameful ending(s) brought down not only the whole game but also your whole adventure through all three games. In the final minutes of the amazing story of Shepard, the critically acclaimed choices made through all games are forgotten in favor of an arbitrary choice between three generic and uninspiring endings.… Expand
  87. Samiba
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    The whole game was being marketed with the promise that every decision you have made matters. Well that is nice, the only problem is, it is not true. Of course the story becomes a little bit different with each and every one of your decisions, but in the end it will not matter. Think about it like this, you can go to work in a 100 different ways, but when you are there, will it matter howThe whole game was being marketed with the promise that every decision you have made matters. Well that is nice, the only problem is, it is not true. Of course the story becomes a little bit different with each and every one of your decisions, but in the end it will not matter. Think about it like this, you can go to work in a 100 different ways, but when you are there, will it matter how you got there? No. You will still have to do, what you are told. Sadly this is the case in Mass Effect 3 as well.

    The War Assets system. Sounds good, seems good, even smells good, but it does not taste well, why? Because Bioware forces you to play multiplayer in order for you to basically achieve a perfect or even good playthrough. Why? Because they were probably afraid that people will not play it. How does multiplayer reflect in the actual game? Simple, your Effective Military Strength ( which in theory decides the outcome of the game ) is calculated via your Total Military Strength * your Galactic Readiness, which can be increased by playing the multiplayer. (It will start off at 50% and you lose 1% each day, tough it can not go under 50%) The conversations. The script is great, but that is expected from Bioware. My only take on it is that it feels way too binary sometimes, of course most of the time it makes sense, but I still feel like that there was some laziness on Bioware's part in this matter.
    The scanning. It's an improvement from Mass Effect 2's abysmal scanning system, but I still find it somewhat boring after the first couple "catch me if you can"s. And the fact that you have to do 90% of the sidequests this way does not make it any better.

    If you have read this review so far, you might wonder why I gave the game the score I did. That is because gameplay wise the game runs very smooth, the combat system is great, and the graphics are nice. Also where I live we have a saying:"The path you take is more important than the destination". And while I was disappointed in the ending of the game, I think the way the whole game plays out and actually integrates the story of other Mass Effect media in the game is amazing. I can also understand why the community is mad at Bioware and EA. The DLC in my opinion has either the greatest integration of a DLC ever known to man, or was really cut from the actual game. I want to believe that it is the first, but the way corporations and people work today I feel that it might be the latter. Overall, it is a good game, but I am sure Bioware could have done better.    … Expand
  88. HarveyD
    Mar 19, 2012
    10
    Game was quite good actually. I thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay, they story and the ending. Everyone is just sad that a great series is finally over, so they are giving bad reviews. It's a grief cycle, and they'll eventually get through it. If anyone can tell me an ending they thought was super great and better than the rest of the movie/story/game, I'll give 'em a medal. The journeyGame was quite good actually. I thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay, they story and the ending. Everyone is just sad that a great series is finally over, so they are giving bad reviews. It's a grief cycle, and they'll eventually get through it. If anyone can tell me an ending they thought was super great and better than the rest of the movie/story/game, I'll give 'em a medal. The journey there, not the destination, was what was important, and it was a journey for the ages.… Expand
  89. enworbo
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, i don't really think this game deserves 10/10, but nor does it deserve 3.4, where it's currently at.
    It's also hardly a role playing game, ultimately, the decisions you made count for nothing, apart from a few of them being literally converted into numbers, and the plot is almost completely linear.
    But, I was OK with this. I was ready to just assume all of these low scores were the EA hate. But then, I met the catalyst. Here I was, looking forward to see exactly how my decisions shaped the war, like in ME2 where I watched my squad-mates live or die based solely on my decisions (whether i'd picked the right person for the job, or whether i'd bought the right ship upgrade). Instead, I'm presented with 3 choices.
    My Shepard, was just expected to trust this catalyst? Regardless, I chose to control the reapers. Arguably the biggest decision of the entire series. And what do I get? A prerendered cutscene of reapers retreating after a blue flash, and the normandy crash landing on a planet, and a moongazer telling a story about "The Shepard" (honestly, we'd gone almost 3 games without that pun being used, why use it now?).
    I was left completely speechless. A game about decisions and consequence, without being shown any of the consequence. I talked to friends who had chosen different options, for which the only differences were the colours of the bangs, and where the reapers went. I'm mostly fine with the depressing endings themselves, but the presentation just felt lazy, and rushed, and I can't bring myself to play through it again (I played through me2 at least 4 times).    … Expand
  90. Raewin
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    Not only the best Mass effect game of the series by far, but probably the best game of all time.

    You will see lots of whining about the ending of the game. Ignore it. You should play this game, even the cry babies willl agree that 90% of this game is pure undiluted awesome. As for the end, judge for yourself, but if you think that a game with an atmosphere of grim dark hopelessness    Not only the best Mass effect game of the series by far, but probably the best game of all time.

    You will see lots of whining about the ending of the game. Ignore it. You should play this game, even the cry babies willl agree that 90% of this game is pure undiluted awesome.

    As for the end, judge for yourself, but if you think that a game with an atmosphere of grim dark hopelessness is all of a sudden, at the end, going to burst out into a song while Volus dance around a campfire and fireworks go off in the background because shepard beat the reapers, you are deluded.    … Expand
  91. mr_fails
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    There are so many people who claim that this game was a huge letdown from two because the RPG elements are even further gone. After playing this game for about 10 hours, i can say that in my opinion, that is a gigantic load of crap. The choices for equip-able armor are more true to the ones of mass effect with their brand names, the weapon upgrade system is much better now, seeing as theyThere are so many people who claim that this game was a huge letdown from two because the RPG elements are even further gone. After playing this game for about 10 hours, i can say that in my opinion, that is a gigantic load of crap. The choices for equip-able armor are more true to the ones of mass effect with their brand names, the weapon upgrade system is much better now, seeing as they actually have upgrades instead of some **** computer and the need to scan planets to gather resources. Some of the characters, like James , are undeveloped but can you really blame the guy? He came in on the last game of a fully established trilogy. As for the story, yes, compared to mass effect 1 it is dumbed down but compared to mass effect 2 it is much better. I enjoyed mass effect 2 because of the game-play, not because of the story. In ME 3 you are tasked with journeying around the galaxy and creating a united banner under which to combat the reapers in the final showdown. Compared to the ME2 plot line of get some random mother **** to travel to their possible death with you, its a lot better.

    As for other elements, i love the challenge ME3 brings. in ME2 you could stand behind cover and trow warp at people and never get hurt. ME3 brings a much greater challenge. It requires players to actually use strategy rather than sit behind an impenetrable wall for years. The combat mechanics are much more refined than 2 and the return of grenades is a very welcome mechanic. Overall, ME3 deserves around an 8.5 where ME1 would receive a 9.75 and ME2 would receive an 8 just to give you an idea of where i stand. Its not GOTY material but ME3 is a good game that deserves at least one play-through. As for its shortcomings, which are by no means non-existent, blame the EA devil that is turning the gaming industry into a corporate machine rather than a place where creative developers meet to make something amazing and unique, not BioWare.    … Expand
  92. charlie45690
    Mar 16, 2012
    10
    What a fantastic game just finished it enjoyed all of it. Now playing multilayer which is just as good. The game is definitely worth buying it has a good solid story and strong game play, as far as the ending goes for me I didn't mind it at all it was definitely unexpected. Anyway a message to all the haters and trollers who rate this game 0,1 out of 10 get a life. You dont know how toWhat a fantastic game just finished it enjoyed all of it. Now playing multilayer which is just as good. The game is definitely worth buying it has a good solid story and strong game play, as far as the ending goes for me I didn't mind it at all it was definitely unexpected. Anyway a message to all the haters and trollers who rate this game 0,1 out of 10 get a life. You dont know how to write a review. Pathetic minority of people.
    Fantastic game :)    … Expand
  93. ProNada
    Mar 24, 2012
    10
    THE BEST OF THE SERIES! I'm 90% completed with the game, and didn't want to play through the ending before writing my review. Reason being, I don't want to change the overall game score (which is damn near perfect) based on what happens with the end of the story line. Basically... this game balances the best of the first two and adds a ton of choices on top to change the way the gameTHE BEST OF THE SERIES! I'm 90% completed with the game, and didn't want to play through the ending before writing my review. Reason being, I don't want to change the overall game score (which is damn near perfect) based on what happens with the end of the story line. Basically... this game balances the best of the first two and adds a ton of choices on top to change the way the game plays out. Each decision weighs heavily on the outcome... not merely for kicks, it actually affects your ability to fight the reapers! I am playing through as an Adept and have played the same class since ME1... the new abilities are tweaked perfectly and with armor customization, I'm able to achieve the exact build type I wanted (pure Biotic). The game makes it easy to jump in with no backstory at all, if someone wanted to start playing the series in this last adventure, however it's recommended that you at least play through ME2 so you have an understanding as to what major events pre-curse the scene you're entering. I do have a Gripe though.. the cover system isn't perfect by any stretch. I've gotten caught between covering between two objects involunteerily... just trying to come out of cover on one and jumping right behind the next. The aiming is tightened, the battles themselves are very exciting, and many times it forces you to be strategic on your placement of the squad to avoid flanking. It's impossible to play this game and not have fun in the combat. Of course the story line is amazing... the characters and dialogue continue to be the heart of this game, whether it be Joker falling for EDI (the artificial intelligence that takes on a hot robot form), or Anderson talking about how hard the reapers are hitting Earth... it all blends together so well and becomes immersive! Amazing game. Don't hesitate buying it based on these user reviews complaining about the ending... BAH, you'll miss out on an amazing experience. Two thumbs up!… Expand
  94. Xdos216
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    This is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of aThis is the first time I played the mass effect games. Got to say for a first time user I'm really satisfied with this game. Never being a fan at R P Gs I didn't know what to expect with this game. Being a fan of F P S I been use to the run on gun thing didn't know if this game would be for me. Mass effect has done a good job of giving me an adventure of a rpg wit sweet battles of a fps . On top of the cool shoot outs the graphics are top notch for console. This game also has great voice overs . I'm my opinion it's one of the best games to make the characters seem human with all the interaction you get . This review is my personal thoughts on this game. But I will say if u tired of the same old same old games and u never played any of the mass effects give this one a chance u might discover something new and fun… Expand
  95. ruttunen
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    In short greatest Sci-Fi RPG`s evolution to cover based action game with RPG elements that offers straight line shooting without puzzles and occasional glitches, bugs and missing puzzle sections. Not the best ending to series.

    First the bad stuff. Graphical bugs that show how hastily this was made, including missing walls, low quality textures, performance lowdown on bizarre occasions.    In short greatest Sci-Fi RPG`s evolution to cover based action game with RPG elements that offers straight line shooting without puzzles and occasional glitches, bugs and missing puzzle sections. Not the best ending to series.

    First the bad stuff. Graphical bugs that show how hastily this was made, including missing walls, low quality textures, performance lowdown on bizarre occasions. Just bugs include, getting stuck on bizarre locations on bizarre conditions, falling through floor when dying, endlesly looping music on occasions etc. Removal of minigames like hacking just holding spacebar is about exciting as watching an egg boil no make that less exciting. Side quests are reduced mostly to get an item X from scanning an planet. The whole quest line is direct copy paste job from ME2 in lines of gather forces for final battle. All main quest locations are straight lines from A to B. Gameplay mechanics. The one button does all configuration does not work well I played on hardest setting and most of my deaths came from dying because Shepard was rolling between two covers facing enemies while they were blasting at him because awesome button. The talents are well what you would expect in such streamlined Action game with RPG elements. I was left with ~40 unused talentpoints because there was nothing worth putting them in. The lack of any puzzle sections baffles me its just constant pipeline fighting without any mental challenge. Even the one obivious part to use puzzles ( inside AI ) was reduced to very very very dull gun play mechanic that was about as exciting as licking week old ketchup from kitchen floor. The story is the same old thing from ME2 get your forces for last battle. The characters were mostly Good or OK, but what the hell one of the most unsatisfying ending(s) ever. I mean from the ME1 you had an chance to make something great and you went with this...? Just baffling. The whole feeling of war against more advanced reapers was OK with the whole the dark and gloomy feeling, but there was still some baffling plot holes and unexplained things.

    The DLC. My god what on earth was EA thinking. The prothean DLC should have been free day one DLC. And it really fills in at least some of the caps and is rather good. But really 10$ for making the game what it should have been?    … Expand
  96. Matuka
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this game! Mass Effect 3!
    I enjoyed ME2 a lot. I haven't played ME1. Its too outdated graphics looking old game. ME3 has a good solid story and RPG ish elements. I like the combat system a lot with the power abilities. Many classes.
    I love Garrus    … Expand
  97. Zelx
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Is this the grand game we have been waiting for? Sorta?
    A good game but nowhere near perfect
    Good:
    Gameplay-Like Mass Effect 2 it has very solid gameplay(besides the ammo clips)
    Story-Unlike Mass Effect 2 the story is much better and feels more vital and important like in Mass Effect 1
    Dialog-Some characters have very good dialog(Garus) but others don't(will get on that later
    Exploring-They removed the awful planet scanning in ME2 and simplified it for the better, Plus reaper attacks while exploring is fun

    Bad:
    Dialog-Some of the Dialog is dreadful to listen to, its repetitive or stupid(send ships to save earth! But our own planets are under siege too. I dont care save Earth!)
    The Child-Bad attempt to make you emotionally attached, you know nothing about him and don't care, he is probably one of millions who are dieing, so why care
    ME2 crew-Your crew from ME2(probably the best and well developed crew) barely are in there and don't even join back up with you, so you get stuck down with very few crew members who are mostly from the first game
    Jersey Shore Characters-Do they really need to be here? I mean they are uninteresting and serve only points to fans of the show(which im not), they could have put in old or more interesting characters
    Blatant ripoffs from the internet and games-Endings ripoff Deus EX pretty badly, pictures from the internet directly shown and Photoshopped models

    Overall is it good, Yes, There are more bad complaints I made but most are minor to the whole thing, better not to ignore them then let them slip over our heads    … Expand
  98. artheck
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    It's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user scoreIt's fun to play, the game is beautiful and very addictive. Maybe the story is a bit too linear, but on the other hand I didn't expect this game to be similar to Skyrim. I don't understand s many negative opinions about this game - I have signed up for a metacritic account especially to provide my review as I have very positive feeling about this game - and I think the average user score is way too low. Sorry but I must go -going back to the gameplay ;)… Expand
  99. Nerfrose
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    i love game because Mass Effect 3 is a good romance and game, sometime it made you feel bad because ur a loyal characters die, ur a loyal friends die.. i hate it, i miss tali/legion but yeah good game
  100. TheSlakey
    Mar 19, 2012
    8
    Community drama and imagined personal slights aside, it's a really good game that suffers from a general lack of production rigor. If you've played any recent Bioware game, you should have some feel for what I mean. Gameplay is excellent except for the buggy/grind filled ME1 style side quests and journal problems, though not as bad as ME1. The dialog and cinematics are some of the bestCommunity drama and imagined personal slights aside, it's a really good game that suffers from a general lack of production rigor. If you've played any recent Bioware game, you should have some feel for what I mean. Gameplay is excellent except for the buggy/grind filled ME1 style side quests and journal problems, though not as bad as ME1. The dialog and cinematics are some of the best in the series. The dialog can be hackneyed in places, and there are some cinematic bugs, but it's 90% gravy. The last 10 minutes of the game have some really bad presentation issues, and they tread roughshod over sensitive ground. Watch the ending(s) on YouTube before you play if you're a fan of the series.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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