Mass Effect 3

 PlayStation 3
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2029 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,067 out of 2029
  2. Mixed: 218 out of 2029
  3. Negative: 744 out of 2029
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  1. Leftyy
    Mar 21, 2012
    4
    In short, I never believed that the ending was as bad as everyone said it could be, turns out I was wrong. When you're actually playing the end, it doesn't feel as awful as most would make it out to be. But in the moments after the game ends and you ponder what you've just finished, you will realize your true disappointment in the ending of the game. The elimination of any type of endingIn short, I never believed that the ending was as bad as everyone said it could be, turns out I was wrong. When you're actually playing the end, it doesn't feel as awful as most would make it out to be. But in the moments after the game ends and you ponder what you've just finished, you will realize your true disappointment in the ending of the game. The elimination of any type of ending variation, lack of closure, and a short, lazy little cutscene filled with unanswered plotholes should answer your question as to why it's so awful without spoiling anything. In short, the ending was just bad, and it takes away from the exciting couple of hours that lead up to it.

    I might give this a higher score, but honestly, I can't say the ending was the only problem. Never mind the dlc, who cares about that. My beef lies with the technical points of the game and the gunplay itself. Obviously most of you enjoy the gunplay and I know I'll get flak for this, but even in Mass Effect 2 I found it to be boring and unoriginal, it feels like a stiff cover shooter that seems like a dumbed down version of Uncharted except with those gimmicky biotic powers. Also, the game has a really poor framerate that will annoy you throughout much of the game, terrible lip-syncing, and to top it all off the game froze on me a few times and I had to reboot my PS3.

    To be honest, I don't think was an abysmal game, but it will never live up to the second chapter in the series' greatness nor will it ever be considered one of the great video games of this generation. Although I think it deserves all this hate, I find it sad that Bioware was stubborn enough to butcher its greatest franchise, and what's even more sad is that it's probably EA's fault for making Bioware rush the ending so that they could get it out before the end of the fiscal quarter. That's just plain wrong. I don't care whether they're going to patch the ending or not, I'm selling this game before the price takes a nose dive when no one wants to buy this piece of garbage.    … Expand
  2. Yasuchika
    Mar 6, 2012
    4
    I feel awfully betrayed that the series went from and expansive sci-fi space opera with consequential choices; to a fairly streamlined action adventure with RPG elements. Its attempts at emotional manipulation are slightly hamfisted, not ineffective but very clumsily implemented and unrelated to my character's background - which I imagine Bioware has forgotten about at this point. TheI feel awfully betrayed that the series went from and expansive sci-fi space opera with consequential choices; to a fairly streamlined action adventure with RPG elements. Its attempts at emotional manipulation are slightly hamfisted, not ineffective but very clumsily implemented and unrelated to my character's background - which I imagine Bioware has forgotten about at this point. The writing and designs for some characters also seems out of place, Vega is expected to be a bulky man but not to the extent that he's a jersey Shore cast member, the addition of Jessica Chobot and redesign for Ashley also complement this lovely little tan-orange motif. My largest qualm is with the Day 1 DLC - which I strongly oppose - by all means create new characters that are not plot-integral. But when you create a squad member who is heaily tied to the universe's lore and mystique and then aim to charge an extra $10 for it on top of the game's already hefty pricetag you know you fit a stereotype.The romance system is fine, although I'd like to be able to talk to my companions without the intention of making out with them. I wonÃ… Expand
  3. karmasleeper
    Jan 21, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 possess decent cover based shooting mechanics and varied weapons and abilities. This is where the game's positives mainly end. Streamlined galactic exploration (though much less tedious than ME2), ham fisted writing, gaping plot holes, retconned story elements, and hilariously bad character design make what would otherwise be the capstone to a respected franchise a case study in how to ruin a game and piss off your fans.

    One of the most appealing aspects of Mass Effect has been the characters. While some key characters like Ashley Williams return, her Victoria Secret makeover and physical redesign simply feel off. Worse still is James Vega, the Jersey Shore meat mule who is simply "loco" and IGN's Jessica Chobot's military journalist character who looks more like a thinner Snooky. Even worse is the unnecessarily sexy EDI and her camel toe. Borderline insulting is Kai Leng, the Asian samurai/ninja assassin who wears a slant eyed (no joke) Zorro type mask and wields a katana. The last two examples are particularly shocking especially coming from a studio which gloats over its inclusiveness and respect toward women and minorities (not that I care about representation in games, I point this out because Bioware is hypocritical). Every character is a two dimensional husk.

    Mass Effect 3's writing is easily the worst in the series. This is due mainly to many of the people involved in the writing of Mass Effect 1 and 2 having nothing to do with the third installment and manifests itself in fanfiction quality scenes and horribly delivered lines. The same awkward and jerky character animations that have been in every Mass Effect game only highlight the lack of soul this game has. It also manifests itself in the form of cavernous plot holes. One portion of the game has you resolving the conflict between the quarians (organics) and geth (synthetics). One possible result of your actions is lasting peace and cooperation between both parties. Yet, at the end of the game, it is revealed the Reapers (synthetics) purge the galaxy in great cycles of war to prevent organics and synthetics from warring with each other which we are told is inevitable and unavoidable DESPITE THE FACT that your character has achieved peace between one group of organics and synthetics and thus ended a devastating war between the two peoples. And this brings us to the ending. The last 10 minutes of the game involve a deus ex machina explaining why the Reapers purge the galaxy of advanced life leaving young races alone - to prevent these advanced races from creating synthetics they will inevitably go to war with. So in order to preserve life the Reapers were created to destroy life. **** retarded. Initially, there was immense backlash over the sloppy ending cutscenes which only differed in colored effects despite the outcomes being different. Bioware released an extended ending which, while not changing the potential outcomes of the game, adds more detail to the consequences of the player's chosen actions and fills the role of an epilogue. I have to admit I found it satisfying and much more preferable to the original ending cutscenes. Regrettably, none of this changes the fact that the game's climax is absolute crap. Multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 takes an interesting concept but falters a bit in execution. You can engage in co-op missions with other players which consist of surviving waves of enemies while occasionally completing varied objectives. Survive a mission and you increase the "galactic readiness" of the galaxy. This value affects your military assets, a component of the single player game. Every asset you acquire has a numeric rating. Multiply that number by the percentage of your galactic readiness and you have your effective military strength which affects the outcome of the game. So if you acquire an asset valued at 1000, but your readiness is 50%, your effective military strength is 500. The player acquires these assets by completing the main and side quests of the game. It's a neat concept to integrate two gameplay elements but galactic readiness declines over time. This means you have to take time away from the single player game just to play multiplayer in order to get the most out of the military assets you find. However, the best possible endings only require a military strength rating of 4,000 or higher, so it is possible to never play multiplayer and still get the best ending, though this means you will have to spend more time completing side missions and painstakingly exploring the galaxy for every asset that might help. Overall, the shooting of ME3 is nearly identical to ME2. If you enjoyed that and don't care about the story you will enjoy this game as there is more replayability with the multiplayer. If you were previously invested in the Mass Effect saga, be warned, and prepare for disappointment.    … Expand
  4. Protectereli
    Mar 10, 2012
    4
    Im a big fan of the ME series, sadly i only own a ps3 so i never got to experience the first game but i loved the second game and beat it mulitple times, the combat is amazing and the customization is amazing in mass effect 3 but wow bioware you completely dropped the ball on the endings, i can understand sad endings, but there needs to be a way to get a good ending, thats why theIm a big fan of the ME series, sadly i only own a ps3 so i never got to experience the first game but i loved the second game and beat it mulitple times, the combat is amazing and the customization is amazing in mass effect 3 but wow bioware you completely dropped the ball on the endings, i can understand sad endings, but there needs to be a way to get a good ending, thats why the previous mass effect games were so good, you knew you could get a bad ending, but if you did everything correctly everything would turn out okay, playing commander shepard for years and developing in game relationships makes you feel like you are commander shepard, and giving him the endings avaiable was a complete fail and ruined this amazing game franchise for me.… Expand
  5. DarkFantasyLust
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    I really wanted to like this game, but it didn't live up to my expectations at all. Knowing BioWare, i thought they could pull out a real big one here, especially considering the fact that the production for this game started before Mass Effect 2 even released. Here is a list of the game's Cons: 1) It really annoys me that Shepherd always walks around with his gun pointed in front.
    2)    I really wanted to like this game, but it didn't live up to my expectations at all. Knowing BioWare, i thought they could pull out a real big one here, especially considering the fact that the production for this game started before Mass Effect 2 even released. Here is a list of the game's Cons: 1) It really annoys me that Shepherd always walks around with his gun pointed in front.
    2) RPG, Story or Action? Seriously?
    3) Adding Multiplayer would have been quite good if the Single Player story lived up to the hype. But nooo, looks like money wins here.
    4) Without spoiling anything i can honestly say this game has the worst ending than any other game which i have ever played.

    The only Reason i'am giving this a 4 is because of the Tenney effort BioWare actually put into this game.    … Expand
  6. Adain
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    Its an amazing game all the way up till the last 5 mins. I didn't think it was possible but we have an ending so bad that it ruins the entire series. I can't even think about playing any of the other ME games after watching this ending.

    So in short its a 9 up til the last 5 mins

    The last 5 mins are so incredibly bad that it pushes the game down to a 4.
  7. mythandoryx
    Mar 18, 2012
    4
    Don't get me wrong, ME3 is an AMAZING GAME! It's just the ending that pisses me of. I've spent five years on this franchise working hard to make all the right choice in order to have a closure that suits my expectations! However, the ending made me feel as if none of that mattered! I've lost interest in continuing the game or even replay anywhere in the near future. I was also frustratedDon't get me wrong, ME3 is an AMAZING GAME! It's just the ending that pisses me of. I've spent five years on this franchise working hard to make all the right choice in order to have a closure that suits my expectations! However, the ending made me feel as if none of that mattered! I've lost interest in continuing the game or even replay anywhere in the near future. I was also frustrated by BW's day-one DLC policy! It made me feel cheep! As I'm nothing but money-milking mating for the Big Gaming Kahunas. THE ENDING MUST BE CORRECTED! BW is a great company that makes great RPG's. I'm confident that they won't disappoint their fans for long. Maybe!… Expand
  8. chujfugh
    Jun 7, 2012
    4
    I am not going to talk about the ending, because that doesn't matter. I'll just say one thing: First impressions are everything. I rented the game, and played at least 10 hours of it. It was boring. I didn't think it was worth it. The cover-based shooting mechanics were bland, and compared to Uncharted 3, ME3 was a load of old wank. But, it's not a shooter, it's an RPG, so how is thatI am not going to talk about the ending, because that doesn't matter. I'll just say one thing: First impressions are everything. I rented the game, and played at least 10 hours of it. It was boring. I didn't think it was worth it. The cover-based shooting mechanics were bland, and compared to Uncharted 3, ME3 was a load of old wank. But, it's not a shooter, it's an RPG, so how is that doing? Well, too many cutscenes. I. Hate. Cutscenes. You should be able to tell a story without interrupting gameplay, that's how the whole 'game' thing works, you have to weave exposition into the narrative, not hand the audience a **** glossary as they walk in. The conversation thing works pretty well, it has some good writing, and the character customization is hilarious, but you can get all this in the demo. I highly recommend getting the demo instead of the game itself. I'm not one of those twitching, instant-gratification gamers who are never satisfied if they haven't killed anything in 5 seconds, I love 'games are art' games, but ME3 just feels unpolished as RPG, I would also recommend Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning over this (though I do hate EA) or even Fallout 3 over this. The best WRPG I've played is either Fallout 3 or Skyrim, so take your pick instead of this one. I'm a new-comer to the series, this was the first time I've played a Mass Effect game, so whether this is inviting to new-comers is up for debate. EA released an unfinished game, and released the rest of the game, the full version of it, as day-one DLC. Think about that. EA went to far with it, they tried to rape our wallets as much as they could, and since I hate the EA marketing department (how they marketed Dante's Inferno and Dead Space 2 was despicable) and the douche company in general, this deserves all the hate it gets.… Expand
  9. JPG127
    Dec 4, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Where to begin. the overall execution of the game was good. The mechanics from 2 stayed relatively unchanged. The graphics were overall good, the scanning much less painful and they chose a good starting point for the story. Now I will get into my various complaints (controversies will be saved until the end). The graphics were sketchy at times (people talking to you when their heads are turned in the opposite direction). The game forces you to play as a Paragon instead of allowing you to play renegade. The side quests do not impact the final mission and are basically scan this or approve that. The dialogue options are oversimplified (no middle option). Fewer team members to choose from for missions. All new characters are kind of lame. Only two true boss battles (excluding DLC). Now, the controversies. First, I don't care they had a gay option. But don't make paragon choices (comforting Cortez or buying Kaiden a drink) intertwined. Finally, that ending. This spit in the face of everyone who played the game from Mass Effect 1 to now. The goal was always to destroy the Reapers before they wiped out all sentient life. But if you chose to destroy the reapers, you kill your Geth allies? No, this is **** them simply means they will be around forever and synthesis is the forced lets make everyone the good guy ending. Another gripe. While not all endings have to be happy to be good, why couldn't Shepard have survived the final assault. Why, after all the (possibly) good decisions could Shepard have not had a single chance to escape and live out the rest of his life with whomever he/she romanced? The extended endings simply showed an epilogue with little genuine concern for the fans. The war assets collected has no impact whatsoever on the final outcome. EA and the critics treat the series its fans like brats using dismissive phrases like they should grow up. But the reality is the endings were genuinely awful. Remember the end to the Grey or Godfather 3 (the entire movie). Up to these points, both were good if not great experiences. But like the aforementioned movies, Bioware and EA dropped the ball. EA has a tendency to buy certain properties and run them into the ground (Timesplitters, Mercenaries, Command and Conquer, etc). Now they have done the same thing to the Mass Effect series. From this point on, I will not buy another Mass Effect game only to experience the same disappointment again when the next series ends.… Expand
  10. xdschuetz
    Jul 17, 2014
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game's theme is none other than “sacrifice”. But all this game did sacrifice was good storytelling and the somewhat modest RPG-elements that were left in Mass Effect 2. I, like everyone else who played Mass Effect 2, was eager to see how the story was going to evolve from the end of the thousands of Batarian lives that Shepard sacrificed (which is never brought up again) in order to delay the Reapers’ arrival. The beginning of the game is that Commander Shepard is grounded on Earth for the sixth month in a row (Isn't he a Spectre? How can he get grounded?). You are again telling the Council about the Reapers when – surprisingly – the Reapers attack. After being told how to run and shoot you get picked up by the Normandy and fly into space to gather enough forces so that you can save Earth. Yes! The Normandy is back! What about all the interesting crew members you bonded with through the course of the second game? Well forget most of them – from the 10 or 12 characters there are only 4 left. You see some of them for one story mission as NPCs - that’s it. What do we get instead? We are introduced to some uninteresting characters that should have been nothing more than one-time occurrences in the game (One of them is the famous Prothean from the day-1-DLC joke).
    Now for the villain – because we all know: A hero is only as good as his villain. The entire second game was basically building up the coming of the Reapers led by Harbinger. Harbinger is nothing more than a background in this game (I’m unfortunately not kidding). He has even lost the ability to speak - instead he makes the all-so-reoccurring trumpet-sound that is used in every movie nowadays. The villain in this game is instead the Illusive Man. No wait that’s not right - the actual villain you are going to fight is a space-ninja. And yes – if you now thought that a space-ninja doesn’t quite feel right in the Mass Effect universe you are absolutely right. But he is working for the Illusive Man – maybe through him we can learn more about the Illusive Man. I mean Cerberus has an interesting background – it was once a rogue Alliance BlackOps unit much like what Shepard and his team has become. Nope the Illusive Man appears to say three lines and disappears. You get that three times in game – that’s all you will ever know.
    Now, for the gameplay: It is pretty much the same as it was in Mass Effect 2 – you duck, you shoot and you do that until all the enemies are dead. Are the enemies smart? Well I wouldn’t call it smart if they just hide behind cover and spam you with grenades. Is there anything else to do? Well you have turret-sessions from time to time which are unfortunately as boring as they sound. Sure you can still fly around with the Normandy and they improved the mining system (You now don’t have to visit every planet. You just send out a ping and interesting objects in the perimeter show up – thus evading uninteresting space ), BUT there is NOTHING interesting to find in the galaxy – all side missions are just about scanning a planet and receiving some fleet power that DOESN’T MATTER in the end. There is a mini-game present in which you have to evade Reapers but it felt as a missed oportunity and in return the hacking mini-games were left out.
    If anyone wondered why I haven’t mentioned the RPG-elements yet, that’s because there are none. There are custom-weapons and more powers for each character, but RPG is more about what you do with the given characters story-wise. And this is the games biggest flaw - It is the most straightforward and linear of all the three games. One can argue that there is war which makes the games progress linear, but that is just an excuse people bring up to make the game better. Others argue that Mass Effect 2 also cut almost all of the RPG elements. Well that is true, but it did that in favor of character and choice. Despite the famous three-color-ending (and don't get me wrong: I hate this option) there is not much choice left that truly matters. Did you manage to save both Geth and Quarian (which is one of the highlights in this game)? Well it doesn’t matter because the only “good” ending is sacrificing them off-screen. And yes there is an option to turn off choice and skip all of the dialogue – wait I have to rephrase: the little dialogue that is left to choose from. In this game the options during conversations are almost taken away. And the side-quest don't even have talk-able NPCs. This should enhance the movie-esque feeling the developers were going for, but all it really did was taking away the player’s choice.
    Multiplayer - it is as slapped on as can be. All the other FPS that are built around that gimmick are all way better in that aspect. But who would buy Mass effect, a game famous for the character-driven-single-player, for multiplayer anyway?
    So is it bad? Sure it has bugs, but it's still a good game. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that in comparison to its predecessors its a disappointment.    … Expand
  11. mixxalot
    Feb 24, 2017
    3
    Major dud of a game. My complaints:

    1. Almost the entire game is **** cutscenes I kid you not! 2. Graphics subpar compared to other games like COD and Halo 3. Lack of exploration and dialogue choices. Most NPC are lifeless. 4. No ability to fly space ships and control vehicles like Far Cry games Seriously, the game sucks bad. At least in games like Far Cry 3 and Fallout series,    Major dud of a game. My complaints:

    1. Almost the entire game is **** cutscenes I kid you not!
    2. Graphics subpar compared to other games like COD and Halo
    3. Lack of exploration and dialogue choices. Most NPC are lifeless.
    4. No ability to fly space ships and control vehicles like Far Cry games

    Seriously, the game sucks bad. At least in games like Far Cry 3 and Fallout series, you can craft items, talk to anyone without lame cut scenes and drive or fly vehicles. This game sucks bad and I really do not get the high rave reviews from critics?    … Expand
  12. noobcannon
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i've had some time to reflect and punch a few holes in the wall to get my frustration out and i think i'm ready to put into words how i feel 24 hours after the "good" ending in mass effect 3

    to start, my RI was Tali. once i killed the reaper on ranoch i opted to upload the reaper code to the geth via legion. despite tali not wanting me to, i felt this was the best course of action for her, her people, the galaxy, and even the geth. i was able to talk the fleet out of counter attacking the geth while the code was being uploaded and tali still loves me. whew. this got me thinking however, what if my paragon was too low and the quarians did attack the geth. what would happen? i pulled up youtube to find out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvATTDgDIqU this was the most moving and emotional punch in the gut i've ever seen in a video game. assuming this had happened in my playthrough, i'd have been devastated. moments earlier tali told me she loved me and i have just wiped out her entire people. heartbroken, she jumps over the edge. thought i was going to cry.

    where the hell was this level of emotion and effort in the ****ing end game bioware? as far as voice acting/ performance go, the quarians being wiped out and tali dying was so difficult to watch, yet so well done, i was completely blown away. that level of devastation and pain should've been put into the endgame and i don't know if i can ever forgive bioware for it. they took maybe the greatest game ever made, at least for me, and complelty half assed the last 5 minutes.

    now, i'll be clear, i wanted a happy ending, but if that's not how it was going to be then fine. i'll get over it. but to do it the way that they did, i, just, uuuuughhh. ......    … Expand
  13. Piapia
    Apr 9, 2012
    3
    Do not listen to the people rating this game good. Mass Effect 3 is utterly amazing until the last five minutes and if you liked the first 2, you will be god awfully disappointed. Some of the people writing on here seem to think BioWare couldn't pull off something they've pulled off plenty of times before in the previous two games; having your choices matter. Get this game only used, andDo not listen to the people rating this game good. Mass Effect 3 is utterly amazing until the last five minutes and if you liked the first 2, you will be god awfully disappointed. Some of the people writing on here seem to think BioWare couldn't pull off something they've pulled off plenty of times before in the previous two games; having your choices matter. Get this game only used, and ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. ME3 is riddled with plot holes and technical issues from lack of properly importing your character to ignoring choices you made in the first two games (in many cases they hand wave you away). The PS3 port is no exception, and it plays awfully on the system. BioWare and EA managed to create the biggest disappointment in gaming history. An epic trilogy filled with deep and meaningful story that you build through your choices... ending in a game that takes account of your choices as much as a rail shooter. The diverse endings they promised don't exist (you get one, with a slight variation in the cinematic at the end; they change the color), your squad from the previous two games largely only get cameos except for a handful, your choices have no effect or ability to change the outcome of the ending (like such as if you make peace with the Geth and Quarians the Catalyst still tells you synthetics and organics can't live together). It's filled with technical issues (textures malfunctioning and glitching out, models breaking in game, the use of 2d sprites instead of 3d [if that bothers you, trust me, you'll notice it]). Even with the bastardization of the story being ignored, it's just a disappointment of a game. You could ignore some of it though if it wasn't for the abysmal ending. Ignore people who tell you it's good... they're the same kind of people who thought the Star Wars prequels had no problems what so ever.… Expand
  14. neoncritic
    Mar 15, 2013
    3
    Despite having the production heft of a blockbuster action flick, this game feels like a lobotomized, squeaky-clean re-tread. The overall artistic direction is weak and uninspired. This is the worst kind of science fiction. Ripping of huge slabs of Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Star Trek, then cobbling them together feels almost shameful. Worst still, the combat controls feelDespite having the production heft of a blockbuster action flick, this game feels like a lobotomized, squeaky-clean re-tread. The overall artistic direction is weak and uninspired. This is the worst kind of science fiction. Ripping of huge slabs of Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Star Trek, then cobbling them together feels almost shameful. Worst still, the combat controls feel clunky and dated. Why do I have to double-tap jump just to surmount a knee high barrier? Oh, you wanted to run and change direction at the same time? Not in this game you won't. Shocking steps backward for the already awful interplanetary resource collection and the inclusion of a new war room mechanic feel like absurd missteps. Worst of all, this game is just plain, dull, monotony, lacking any of the spark of the previous installment.… Expand
  15. oatzsquatz
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    PROS:
    - Shiny new cutscenes
    - Wonderful Clint Mansell soundtrack - Better combat, particularly melee (plays like the melee in Dragon Age 2, one button does everything), improved powers - Smarter enemy AIs CONS: - One button does everything in combat - Ridiculously **** dialogue - Forces sexuality into everything (I could give concrete examples, but I may give away spoilers). I will say    PROS:
    - Shiny new cutscenes
    - Wonderful Clint Mansell soundtrack
    - Better combat, particularly melee (plays like the melee in Dragon Age 2, one button does everything), improved powers
    - Smarter enemy AIs

    CONS:
    - One button does everything in combat
    - Ridiculously **** dialogue
    - Forces sexuality into everything (I could give concrete examples, but I may give away spoilers). I will say this much: EDI, and, this small segment of dialogue:
    Shepherd: I hope you're alright, Kaiden
    Kaiden: Are you flirting with me, Commander? This is literal dialogue and not a joke
    - Rubbish, rubbish, dialogue. Cringe worthy. Nearly all the time. Some characters do save the ****show, like Garrus.
    - They actually used a voice changer (blatantly obvious) to use less voice actors (if you don't believe me, once you get to the Citadel you will be able to hear it)
    - Rehashed animations from the last game (lack of innovation)
    -Filters, filters everywhere
    -Cheap emotional pulls and attempts at emotional manipulation EVERYWHERE. It's like they used this to replace bad writing.
    - SEVERELY LIMITED DIALOGUE OPTIONS. If I wanted to play a shooter, I would have. Two dialogue options? Most dialogues with no options whatsoever? Poor show.
    -Totally retconns the lore established in the previous games

    Overall this game shows a shocking lack of attention to detail and blatantly ignores what the fans wanted (contrary to what the developers claim all the time. No one wanted this). The voice acting is stiff and so is the animation. Complete lack of innovation and the only thing they improved was the fighting - to add to this, they even used well-known stock images as some of their sources and the copies are glaring - look up "winter on mars" and you should see what I mean, if you've beaten the game. They force sexuality on the player, and if you reject it then the characters hate yours. This series has ended on a bad note. For fans of the series, it sucks majorly. For people who want a shooter, play Call of Duty or Gears of War instead.    … Expand
  16. thejackolantern
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    I have been following 'Mass Effect' since the first game, and have been a supportive fan of the series. The game has corrected several of the animations and included multi-player, but has failed in so many other ways to sadden me to only be able to rate it a '3'.

    First and foremost, it seemed the MP content was more important than developing the story from the previous games, specifically    I have been following 'Mass Effect' since the first game, and have been a supportive fan of the series. The game has corrected several of the animations and included multi-player, but has failed in so many other ways to sadden me to only be able to rate it a '3'.

    First and foremost, it seemed the MP content was more important than developing the story from the previous games, specifically the completely glossing over of 'Mass Effect 2'. The strength of any trilogy is the ability to draw all the pieces of storyline together, which ME3 did not accomplish.

    Secondly, the entire genre is space opera, which means that even if developers felt the endings provided were necessary, they should have included additional alternatives. The endings I feel are a large part of my problem with game 3.

    Third, while the idea of creating a smaller squad may appeal from logistics, the fact is, many players like the characters that were introduced previously, and have great attachments to them. By limiting their roles, and in some cases eliminating them all-together except for 'walk-on' parts, the game effectively eliminates the level of characterization we've all enjoyed. The game is bleak, the endings are bleaker, and the real issue is the apparent lack of concern that EA/BioWare has with its player base, especially console players. I cannot stress this enough: 'Mass Effect 3' feels more like an solid attempt to garner MP rather than a successful sequel and ending to a series, and it falls short of that. In some ways, the feel of ME3 is very similar to Dragon Age 2, and that's not necessarily a good thing.

    Could DLC correct my rating? Certainly...but I'd have to pay for the mistakes made in storytelling, design, and glitches. I'm not sure that is appropriate from a game which has been eagerly anticipated by players and fans, myself included.

    I think for now however, I sadly must only rate ME3 a 3, good attempt, but by no means the game it needs to be.    … Expand
  17. Nichtswisser
    Mar 8, 2012
    3
    Welcome to the future of Bioware.. It really seems that all those guys which know what they were doing left Bioware and were replaced by characters inspired by the movie "Ideocracy". There is that otaku women responsible for the romances which probably is a virgin and who seems to have a yaoi (gay male romances) fetish. Than there is that crazy dude I saw in a DA2 video and who came upWelcome to the future of Bioware.. It really seems that all those guys which know what they were doing left Bioware and were replaced by characters inspired by the movie "Ideocracy". There is that otaku women responsible for the romances which probably is a virgin and who seems to have a yaoi (gay male romances) fetish. Than there is that crazy dude I saw in a DA2 video and who came up with the "awesome button". And there is probably one EA suit dude who is never without his statistics why call of duty is so successful and who spams his opinion in every meeting that more explosions are needed. And with those 3 responsible for game design, ME3 is what we got. Lots and lots of gay romances, just as much explosions, and the evolution of the "awesome button", the "awesome does all button"! And it really is awesome when you try to run away and instead take cover with your back exposed to the enemy! Yet just like with DA2, the most "awesome" button is the one which removes this **** from your hdd!… Expand
  18. bkp360
    Mar 8, 2012
    3
    It appears the people at BioWare forgot that first and foremost they are making entertainment. Ugly choices, steady personal loss and grief, and an ending which is, to say the least, horrific; left me feeling awlful. Like most I've anticipated this game and a return the ME universe. I wish I hadn't. I'll never go back there again. I could list all kinds of petty gripes such asI wasIt appears the people at BioWare forgot that first and foremost they are making entertainment. Ugly choices, steady personal loss and grief, and an ending which is, to say the least, horrific; left me feeling awlful. Like most I've anticipated this game and a return the ME universe. I wish I hadn't. I'll never go back there again. I could list all kinds of petty gripes such asI was faithful to Tali through ME1, 2 and 3 and I never got to see her face direct. Just a picture which is fine as she's hot but never that personal experience of looking directly at her... You get the idea. But these could all be forgiven if the story was satisfying but it wasn't even close.

    And aside from a few references to prior games and a few side plots playing out there was little sense of ME1 or ME2 affecting this game much.

    I am not a spambot and I approved this Message.    … Expand
  19. FHansson
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning! This review contains heavy SPOILERS!

    Ah, Mass Effect! The first Mass Effect, a science fiction, space opera, with a wonderful story that made you want to play until the day you die. And along comes Mass Effect 2. The game play has been refined and polished but the story dropped a bit of its impact in this one. It's a great game none the less.
    And in steps Mass Effect 3. I'd really hate to say this, but what happened?! This game is rushed and milked beyond belief.

    Let's start out with point one. The DLC. From Ashes stars a critically lore heavy and story driven character that will fight for you, and they sell you this for ten dollars. This is not acceptable! Those who play Mass Effect play it for the story mostly and now Bioware and EA wants you to pay extra to get more out of the story from Mass Effect 3?! Stupid!

    Point two. The combat. The combat is clumsy and more dumbed down. You stick easily to walls and you end up rolling to the side when you would like to sprint. This could've been fixed with the ability to rebind the cover, dodge, sprint and interact keys to different buttons or keys or whatever. This ruins the flow of the game and it just sucks to talk so bad about this game. Point three. The side missions and the ending. The side missions... Are basically not useful at all, because no matter what you do, you end up with the EXACT ending in all possible ways. Only two endings. One renegade and one paragon. This is just disappointing. Point four The story. The story, I hate to say is a disappointment, but it's dumbed down. The vastness of the story is large and but it's still lagging far behind the first and second Mass Effect. However... Unfortunately the story has alot of plotholes and the explanation to the reapers ways make no sense, and some of the things in the story just leave you asking... "Why?!". Lastly. Overall. I don't like ratings, but if I have to slap one on, I'd give it a three. This is being generous! The major downfall of this is its story and its ending. The story is rushed and underdeveloped, and those who expect a good one will should not expect it. The game play is rather lousy and if I could sum up the game in one word, it would be "rushed". However, the only reason I give the game anything higher than a 1 is because I admit it. After playing my character E.G. Shepard through ME1 and 2 and then seeing the wrapup. I had tears whelling in my eyes by the beginning of the ending cinematic. I choose the Paragon way, because, really... Unless you're just experimenting, nobody would pick the Renegade ending when they actually follow their heart on what to do. Because that one is just cruel!    … Expand
  20. Electromatic
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    There's no denying the fact that BioWare has created a truly vivid and unique world with the mass effect Universe, a galaxy composed of memorable and lovable characters that have drawn in fans all over of the world. Generally speaking, the majority of Mass Effect 3 was well paced, with emotional twists that seem to make the player truly care about the fates of all the characters aroundThere's no denying the fact that BioWare has created a truly vivid and unique world with the mass effect Universe, a galaxy composed of memorable and lovable characters that have drawn in fans all over of the world. Generally speaking, the majority of Mass Effect 3 was well paced, with emotional twists that seem to make the player truly care about the fates of all the characters around him/her. Yet the Ending seems to undermine all of that. It seems as though BioWare forgot the fact that the last two games took a more romanticized approach, that if the player sacrifices enough, whether it be by decisions alone, or by cranking out as many hours as possible on side quests, there's a chance for success, even if it has to be bittersweet. This concept failed to present itself at the end of ME3, which changed the whole concept of hope and brotherhood, which was a constant factor throughout the whole series. I don't believe that the ending deserved a "they all lived happily ever-after", but if enough reinforcements are gathered, a bittersweet ending with severe losses, and an epilogue would of added the needed closure to this trilogy.… Expand
  21. Illanair
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was it - the big and long awaited conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy. So did I enjoy it? Yes - Did I feel cheated after the final credits had rolled past? Most certainly yes.

    The combat felt pretty good for an RPG/FPS hybrid. They've learnt from their mistakes in ME2 and brought back a few fan favourites from ME1 such as being able to put modifies on weapons to make them feel/perform differently. The game still has that cinematic feel that Bioware is known for - though the "Paragon/Renegade" system has been taken even further, making most "conflicting" dialogue options moot. Want to get the "optimal" result of a dialogue scene? Just press either the blue or the red text - provided that you've either acted like a do gooder or a downright arse. The concept of "bad / good" choice has been completely removed in favour of this.

    The story was/is a mess. This big finale was supposed to tie up loose ends and have a conclusion that would be different depending on your choices in the earlier game - but all "we" are given are 2 (or 3 if you go for the extra curricular classes) endings that leave you with more questions than answers, and feel like a real cop out decision.

    Live or die, rescue or kill - all these small and big choices are supposed to shape your universe - but in the end most of these "consequences" will play out exactly the same no matter if you saved someone or killed them, since they all have to tie into the very "on rails" plot that Bioware went for with the game.

    The whole "kid who happens to look like the big end baddie" / nightmare sequence was pointless and added nothing to the game. And massive plotholes doesn't help the game either.

    Summary: Is ME3 a good game on its own? Yes - it is worth playing. Is it a worthy ending to a long running series of "deep" roleplaying? No, not in the slightest. In fact I feel a little insulted at the "This is how we want your story to end, and nothing you have chosen or done in the prequels matter in the least" road they've gone down.

    3 of 10 (Since I don't believe in giving "great" games a perfect 10 - The typical "GOTY" game would get a 7 or 8 at most in my book. 10s are reserved for the classic rare gems that only appear once every so often)    … Expand
  22. dab87
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    I bought this game after reading multiple game site reviews all giving this game a high rating, rationalizing it through saying that the scope and conceptual design of this game make it a quality product. I am here to say I am no longer going to purchase a game based on "critic" reviews. This game ruined the Mass Effect series for me. BioWare has clearly sold its soul to EA and noI bought this game after reading multiple game site reviews all giving this game a high rating, rationalizing it through saying that the scope and conceptual design of this game make it a quality product. I am here to say I am no longer going to purchase a game based on "critic" reviews. This game ruined the Mass Effect series for me. BioWare has clearly sold its soul to EA and no longer cares about the quality writing and storytelling that existed in this games predecessors. This game is like Dragon Age 2 all over again. As I played through I began to care less and less about the decisions I made and simply wanted to finish the game. Nothing was compelling enough to have me play through it again and I will definitely be selling this game the second I beat it as to ensure I get the most money back. I can say nothing more than that I am frustrated and completely disappointed in BioWare, and will boycott game that include DAY 1 DLC for as long as they continue to come out. $74 for a game with DAY ONE... DAY ONE... dlc is outrageous, especially for a "dumbed down" product. Sorry BioWare, but you have tarnished my once high opinion of you and have lost a customer.… Expand
  23. wutani
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    The two previous Mass Effect games were excellent, the third game fell flat in the later sections of the game, copy paste textures galore all over London some of which are laughably bad. The biggest disappointment in the third game was the ending,all of our actions and choices during all of the games had zero impact on the endings of the third game, the endings created plotholes all overThe two previous Mass Effect games were excellent, the third game fell flat in the later sections of the game, copy paste textures galore all over London some of which are laughably bad. The biggest disappointment in the third game was the ending,all of our actions and choices during all of the games had zero impact on the endings of the third game, the endings created plotholes all over the place.… Expand
  24. SirYakalot
    Mar 18, 2012
    3
    Fantastic design, everything else lacks. This game suffers hugely from the same thing that fable 2 and 3 did - we loved the first one and forgave its flaws simply because it was a first game, but it's the third game now and the flaws are still there. I honestly want to love this game, I really really do, but honestly it just feels like a mess.
  25. Versidious
    Apr 5, 2012
    3
    This is not the worst game ever, but it is certainly the most disappointing.

    It is not just the ending, which is admittedly dismal both emotionally and narratively, but the game in general feels rushed. It provides excellent emotional scenes, demonstrating that Bioware has learned much of linear narration and emotional direction, with some fantastic set-pieces, and has the most enjoyable    This is not the worst game ever, but it is certainly the most disappointing.

    It is not just the ending, which is admittedly dismal both emotionally and narratively, but the game in general feels rushed. It provides excellent emotional scenes, demonstrating that Bioware has learned much of linear narration and emotional direction, with some fantastic set-pieces, and has the most enjoyable action of all the trilogy, along with probably the best soundtrack. But that's where the good parts end.

    Bioware have betrayed their roots, and the series, stripping down player choice to a bare minimum of instances which have little effect on the game's wider world. Dialogue is much reduced, in many cases providing nothing but prerecorded 'click to continue' conversations, which I think we can all agree is a step back of about twenty years in gaming as a whole. The rest provide you with a Shepard of binary character and single beliefs, completely contrary to the previous two games, where the lead character's personality and outlook is decided by the user. There are many short cuts that Bioware have made - perhaps the most glaring is that a multi-million dollar games studio apparently lacks artists to at least create a *decent* picture of a masked character, 'Tali', and surely should have been able to create a full face model, given that the existing model already has a vague face. Perhaps if it had been a minor character, this would have been acceptable. But Tali is a fan favourite, and a central character in all three games. Bioware finally chooses to 'reveal' her face by colouring in a free stock photo from the internet and photoshopping out a couple of the model's fingers. It really is as bad as it sounds.
    A major villain from ME2, who hunted Shepard and seeks his death constantly and tauntingly throughout that game, plays next to no part in Mass Effect 3, despite being a major character in the background, and again, a fan favourite for his arrogant sinister monologues. The final, seemingly critical choice from the end of Mass Effect 2 also plays very little part. Nor does the final critical choice of Mass Effect 1. In short, Bioware ignores player choice and establishes its own canon instead, not only removing player choice in Mass Effect 3, counter to the spirit of the series so far, but making the player choices in Mass Effect 1 and 2 irrelevant. In this respect, it commits the worst atrocity a finale can make - making the previous instalments irrelevant, taking any meaning away from the preceding journey. And it does this seemingly out of laziness.

    As for the endings... The motives of the Reapers make you feel like both previous games were actually a waste of time. Attempting to avoid spoilers, there is now no real reason to the actions of the main Reaper antagonists of Mass Effect 1 or 2. The game's final twist (if you could call deus ex machina devices 'twists') could have performed the ME1 antagonist's job for it, and the motives for the Reaperss are revealed as something that makes the antagonists actions in ME2 irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The game's purported 'multiple endings' are essentially colour-coded explosions, with some different consequences, but also some identical ones. The game's much purported Readiness level changes how many of these choices you get. Hint: None of them are actually good. The game's developer have called it art. I disagree, and cannot get into that now without copious spoilers, but sufficed to say most of the 'art' is in the music, which remains as perfect as it does throughout the game, and provides false tension and emotion, all of which were pretty out of sync with what I was feeling by that point. Everything else is tired, deliberately depressing sci-fi trope, which removes even more player choice than before (The lack of dialogue here is astonishing, given the stakes). Ultimately, what you do in the rest of the game, or the rest of the trilogy, doesn't matter - it is extremely hard not to get all three choices, especially if you play multiplayer.

    It is astonishing what a drop in quality this is in terms of basic games design and writing, even as the game is the shiniest Bioware game yet. I would not recommend it, and I would no longer recommend any of this doomed trilogy, which is a shame. The promise in ME1&2 was immense, it's just a shame that Bioware fell so hard at the final hurdle...    … Expand
  26. Dee7
    Apr 19, 2012
    3
    It had been said in detail plenty already, but I have to add my own vote to the score. A brilliant game withsome annoying flaws for the most part. Then an ending so bad it not only ruins the game but the entire franchise.
  27. Broxigar
    Apr 27, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am so sad I had to do this, I never thought I would have to. Mass Effect WAS an epic series. However I cannot condone what they have done with this game. If you don't buy this game new you will have to pay more to access the tacked on multiplayer. Yea, you heard me. There was Disk Locked Content that you had to pay $10 to unlock, which most people were going to given that the character was a Prothean. They promised you would not need to do multiplayer to get all the endings, however the best ending (a five second scene of Shepard taking a breath) is not possible to obtain without doing the multiplayer currently. Excluding 2 or 3 the side quests are atrocious. The gameplay is improved and the characters are great, Garrus being the stand out, but all this is forgotten as you try to figure out what happened in the last 10 minutes and realized it wasn't written by the same people who did the rest of the game. It's a disaster I won't even bother to go into detail as I'm sure every other review hits on it. This is the single worst ending in the history of gaming. It's like Bioware doesn't want anyone to buy from them again. Giving me a terrible ending and adding the text "Buy more dlc" isn't going to make me happy.… Expand
  28. JFsushible
    May 29, 2012
    3
    I bought the game right after it came out. It was fun at first but became repetitive and boring with bad textures and shadowing. The combat was improved but still not great. All animations were terrible. This game was obviously rushed and not well made I payed 60$ for it, do not waste your money. Buy an older one (ME1 ME2) they are both better.
  29. Marmalade
    Sep 29, 2012
    3
    I honestly don't know WHAT to rate this game, because the first 99% of the game was mostly great, with the exception of a few things I'll get into. Don't hate me, but I love, LOVE the multiplayer aspect of the game (even though in principle I know I shouldn't, because it likely took away from the development of core aspects of the single player game, but I'm just going to be honest here).I honestly don't know WHAT to rate this game, because the first 99% of the game was mostly great, with the exception of a few things I'll get into. Don't hate me, but I love, LOVE the multiplayer aspect of the game (even though in principle I know I shouldn't, because it likely took away from the development of core aspects of the single player game, but I'm just going to be honest here). Though I admit that after three or four play-throughs the multiplayer can get boring and repetitive, I don't do it every day and I enjoy just being able to go in and shoot stuff with other players when the mood strikes me (as long as they're not some nerd with a headset who screams at everyone in the group - that's when I leave and requeue). That being said, I DON'T like how multiplayer ties into the single player aspect of the game with the whole Galactic Readiness crap and how your GR degrades every few hours if you don't grind through dozens of multiplayer games. I like playing a few sessions of multiplayer now and then, but I don't like HAVING to play it because it will affect the outcome of my single-player campaign (because there are SO many outcomes...right? ;) Cupcakes anyone?). This was a horrible idea on Bioware's part, because it forces the player to grind battlegrounds in multiplayer to the point where it gets boring and tedious - I'd rather play it when I want and not feel compelled to. Another problem I have with the game is the lack of depth of my relationships with my companions. I didn't feel as connected to my companions as I did in other Bioware games - I think they did a better job in DAO and SWTOR in that you actively fostered relationships with your companions, which unlocked more conversation options. I know this isn't as big of a part of the ME franchise, but my relationships in the first ME felt deeper and more involved. I also hated that I had to pay an extra $10 to get the Prothean as a part of the story - something that should have been included in the game, not day 1 DLC. I bought it anyway, because I wanted the full experience and after the fact I feel that the story of ME3 would have been less complex without him - but I WILL NOT be buying any future DLC for this game in the future. Ever. After experiencing the boatload of epic fail that was the ending - I won't invest my money or time in another Bioware game in the future. The story had so much build-up, so much drama, and so much choice - only to be screwed in the end by some random star child that was introduced in the last 10 minutes of the game who gave you three choices that all ended up causing a literary dissonance in the context of the series and made every choice you made mean nothing. Yes, I hated the ending. I actually watched the (three) endings before I actually played through the game, because I read a lot about how much uproar they caused. I'd never played the ME series before, so I took the time to go through the series to see if the ending made any sense in the context of the series - and no, it didn't. The writing of the ending was sloppy, and even with the "extended cut" it was still the same ending and haphazard writing - it just gave a false sense of closure. I won't rate the game 0 because there were so many great moments in the game - but the ending completely screwed everything it built up to, and the blatant false advertising of this game NOT having "Choice A, B or C" as an ending has made me lose all faith in Bioware as a company (though let's face it - they're EA now and not Bioware anymore, which is sad because they used to put out high quality games that engaged me as a player, inspired me and blew my freakin' mind). I'll still play multiplayer every now and then, and I'll make up my own ending in my own head, which I feel is just as valid (if not more) than the crap we were given.… Expand
  30. halo_on
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    Mass Effect 3 suffers from two major mistakes made by Bioware's game directors and I'm starting to notice an unfortunate trend in their sequels. The first problem is that ME3 plays like Dragon Age 2. Both games were rushed to market and seem to ignore what the fans loved most about the first title. The second issue is the addition of a multiplayer component to the game. It obviouslyMass Effect 3 suffers from two major mistakes made by Bioware's game directors and I'm starting to notice an unfortunate trend in their sequels. The first problem is that ME3 plays like Dragon Age 2. Both games were rushed to market and seem to ignore what the fans loved most about the first title. The second issue is the addition of a multiplayer component to the game. It obviously detracted from time spent on the overall quality of the game. Todd Howard, game director for Skyrim put it beautifully when asked why Bethesda didn't include a cooperative feature in their latest Elder Scrolls game: "We always look into multiplayer, put lots of ideas on the whiteboard, and it always loses. It's not that we don't like it. I can think of ways it would be a lot of fun, but at the end of the day, that dev[eloper] time is going to take away from doing the best single-player game we can, and that's where our hearts are." Enough said.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS3 Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
6
#6 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Apr 10, 2012
    100
    Mass Effect 3 is an amazing experience in and of itself. It's also the perfect capstone to a true AAA franchise, offering a poignant conclusion that'll stick long after the credits have rolled. You're standing on the precipice of one of the best games Earth money can buy. [April 2012, p.60]
  2. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Apr 3, 2012
    90
    If ever a game was more about the journey than the destination, it's Mass Effect 3. And what a journey it is. [May 2012, p.71]
  3. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Apr 2, 2012
    95
    The RGP elements have been toned down considerably in favour of more action. For some this will sound like a bad thing, but trust us when we say that Bioware has thought this through. With the Reapers invading, it would be kind off silly to go on a shopping spree on the citadel. [April 2012, p.60]
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