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. Sexybeard
    Oct 30, 2012
    9
    allthough the ending wasn't what many would be looking for, this is still the fantastic ending to one of the greatest video game series of our time. You the man shepard
  2. dimbosama
    Oct 28, 2012
    6
    Easily the weakest in the series. I would agree with the general consensus that it is an incredibly dumbed down version of the previous two games, both in game-play and character interaction, however I thoroughly enjoyed the game regardless. In fact I would rate the game higher if not for the fact that the "extended cut" DLC pretty much is an admission that the game was rushed out the doorEasily the weakest in the series. I would agree with the general consensus that it is an incredibly dumbed down version of the previous two games, both in game-play and character interaction, however I thoroughly enjoyed the game regardless. In fact I would rate the game higher if not for the fact that the "extended cut" DLC pretty much is an admission that the game was rushed out the door without a completed ending. The Ultima VIII to ME2's Ultima VII.… Expand
  3. berkough
    Oct 28, 2012
    10
    Despite everyone **** about the ending. This game, stand-alone, is an awesome game. I've never played through a more rich universe, only enhanced by the previous games. Even without the Extended Cut, this game is worth every penny.
  4. kroglor
    Oct 28, 2012
    10
    Loved it loved it.... LOVED IT. MASS EFFECT 3 IS THE BEST GAME OF ALL TIME. OF ALL TIME! ALL TIME! TIME! IME. ME. MASS EFFECT. M. MMM. THIS GAME MAKES ME GO 'MMM'. Miranda's ass alone is a enough reason to buy this game.
  5. DanMaster
    Oct 9, 2012
    9
    It makes me sad to see so many haters. So what if Bioware didn't make a perfect game like we were all expecting? Yes Mass effect 3 has flaws, like a terrible ending to a beloved trilogy. But it has given us much more: hours and hours of gameplay, acción/RPG gameplay, stellar Voice acting/ script, tons of side missions and exploring, lovable/likable/crappy characters, beautifulIt makes me sad to see so many haters. So what if Bioware didn't make a perfect game like we were all expecting? Yes Mass effect 3 has flaws, like a terrible ending to a beloved trilogy. But it has given us much more: hours and hours of gameplay, acción/RPG gameplay, stellar Voice acting/ script, tons of side missions and exploring, lovable/likable/crappy characters, beautiful worlds and lore, dinamic battle system with different classes that totally change the way we play as Shepard, female and male Shepard ( how many games do that). I could go on and on, writing pages about what's to love about mass effect 3, but I guess we all know that. Bioware tried they gave us "Extended Cut" DLC, so yes The Finale was a HUGE dissapointment but we can't turn our back or our heart to the whole trilogy. Once in a lifetime does a Trilogy end like it should, only Back to the Future and Star Wars Return of the Jedi did it right. Matrix 3, Robocop 3, Lord of the Rings 3, all failed. Mass Effect 3 was a bittersweet end to an Epic and memorable Trilogy, perfection is hard to reach in this modern day competitive world and Mass Effect came so close. They set the bar really High with ME 1 and ME2. Thanks for trying Bioware,you succeded in creating a pop world social sensation.… Expand
  6. nemesis0288
    Oct 6, 2012
    9
    Overall, this game delivers most of what it promised. This game (and series, for that matter) offers one of the greatest experiences in terms of story and character development. There were two moments in the game where I literally found myself crying. Yes, the ending was a bit of a disappointment and didn't necessarily offer the closure I was hoping for, but every moment leading up to thatOverall, this game delivers most of what it promised. This game (and series, for that matter) offers one of the greatest experiences in terms of story and character development. There were two moments in the game where I literally found myself crying. Yes, the ending was a bit of a disappointment and didn't necessarily offer the closure I was hoping for, but every moment leading up to that ending was nothing short of brilliant. I almost never give perfect scores to games, but, had the ending been a bit more satisfying, this game would have received a 10 in my book.… Expand
  7. killerclown2143
    Sep 30, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game, the narrative is deep and the rpg elements are rewarding.. The game is easy to sink hours into and will quickly become your go to game for quite awhile. This is a great game, I would highly recommend buying it.
  8. Gureamu
    Sep 29, 2012
    8
    I assumed the internet was overreacting about the ending. However, after investing so much time and emotion into the series, I did end up feeling I deserved something better. However, up until the end, it is an incredible game - full of amazing moments and fantastic ideas. From the epic background action of the first missions to the innovative sonic ideas in the final push, I wasI assumed the internet was overreacting about the ending. However, after investing so much time and emotion into the series, I did end up feeling I deserved something better. However, up until the end, it is an incredible game - full of amazing moments and fantastic ideas. From the epic background action of the first missions to the innovative sonic ideas in the final push, I was frequently just saying "wow" and being completely blown away. The multi-player is solid and fun, but I didn't think it was necessary - and I slightly resented being forced to play it to influence the single-player game. Anyway, basically, it's a very, very good game that could have been 10/10 if it wasn't for the slightly fumbled ending.… Expand
  9. 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
  10. Gonoru
    Sep 7, 2012
    0
    The animations are pitiful, the choices lead you to the same end, and it desperately lacks originality. Do not buy, do not rent, and do not give this game any of your time, unless for mockery's sake.
  11. Watermelon789
    Sep 6, 2012
    9
    The most controversial game for whether the disappointing ending or the satisfying finale . I can't argue more the ending by their different views but what is behind the full package is a worthy trip . The game-play feels like a normal shooter , with a very fluid combat system , better melee feel and the violent sounds of the guns that doesn't sound like the typical * peew * * peew * ofThe most controversial game for whether the disappointing ending or the satisfying finale . I can't argue more the ending by their different views but what is behind the full package is a worthy trip . The game-play feels like a normal shooter , with a very fluid combat system , better melee feel and the violent sounds of the guns that doesn't sound like the typical * peew * * peew * of franchises like Star Wars . Graphically seems more superior than the previous entry and it offers a more intense story-line thanks to the overused Reaper name in the last episodes . The added cut-scenes only brings a little more detail in what happened in certain parts but it isn't something that will blow your sucks off . With the multiplayer dominating this videogame landscapes, ME3 doesn't get behind either but don't expect to be better than other shooters , is simply odd and weird for a RPG game . Try ME3 if you really think it will satisfy you and read many reviews as you can to be sure if this " resolution " will add you peace for your Sheppard or frustration after saving the world countless of times.… Expand
  12. Fluffy-4-Evah
    Sep 5, 2012
    10
    I really love this game, the single player was so awesome and mind blowing, that in the end it really, really made cry for the first time in 12 years, it sucked me into the game's story, and it didn't let me go.

    Despite what other people say, this is really a game for Bioware to be proud of, I'm going to stay loyal to this series, they tried new things, and thats what they need to do,    I really love this game, the single player was so awesome and mind blowing, that in the end it really, really made cry for the first time in 12 years, it sucked me into the game's story, and it didn't let me go.

    Despite what other people say, this is really a game for Bioware to be proud of, I'm going to stay loyal to this series, they tried new things, and thats what they need to do, some people just cant stand changes or new thing, Deal with it, the time is still ticking, and you cannot expect company's to stop experimenting on new features. I really saw the game tech evolve into something more nice and powerful, and it apparently did because i got blown away by not only the story, but also by the awesome effects, the awesome game play, and the awesome, voice acting!

    In short this i a must have, you need to like that the games will *Evolve* to be able get more and more awesome then it is now.

    If you don't like new stuff, sorry but then your really out dated..
    The added the extended cut to make you able to make more choices, and they did, so stop whining, or GTFO.

    10/10 Cant wait for the next related game!

    @ bioware: Great job, i'm still a fan, and i always will, just ignore the whining people, think the ending sucked, that makes it a invalid statement, because you really make be cry, and I'm not even kidding..    … Expand
  13. Isaac_adhd
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    I love the coolness of a pc game-title o n my ps3. I almost feel like a hardcore gamer when playing this game. It looks and plays almost a s good as it does on a real pc system. Crap I don't have 3GB video-memory like they do though. Maybe when I'm good all year I will have a cool system in a year!
  14. Killision
    Sep 2, 2012
    5
    THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW OR ANY ENDING GRIPES Mass Effect 3 is not as advertised. It fails for a few reasons. Firstly it is advertised as an RPG. The truth is that this is a on rails shooter that offers no way to deviate and do things on your own like in the previous two installments. Leveling up does not hold any real benefit like it does in other RPG 's. You don't actuallyTHERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW OR ANY ENDING GRIPES Mass Effect 3 is not as advertised. It fails for a few reasons. Firstly it is advertised as an RPG. The truth is that this is a on rails shooter that offers no way to deviate and do things on your own like in the previous two installments. Leveling up does not hold any real benefit like it does in other RPG 's. You don't actually learn any new abilities or powers (leveling sniper rifle in ME1 so you can actually aim better as an example). Weapons are all very lethal right from the beginning so the game is pretty easy to beat. As far as the game play goes, it is a good third person shooter but brings nothing exceptional or memorable to the genre. The locals in the game would be much more interseting if the were not so linear. Levels in Mass Effect 3 are essentially a series of waves of enemies and corridors that you are funneled down. Not every level but it it makes the ones that are, that much more boring to play. Difficulty make the enemies absorb more bullets/powers and does not make them any smarter. The AI still runs at your bullets.

    As far as story goes, it follows a very tired formula of "Hero with back against the wall" combined with "thank god for the whatever device" to conclude the trilogy in a very cliched fashion. Many titles have done this (Gears of War 3 as an example) and with each "new" title that does this, the genre is diluted a little further. The game feels like it's trying to play it safe by providing a narrative that has been successful in the past in other sci-fi games. This game does offer moments that are fantastic if you have been a fan from the beginning, however Mass Effect 3 is very unfriendly to new players as they will have zero idea of whats happening in the story arc. The advertising is once again misleading in this regard. If you have not played the previous installments, the decisions you are asked to make will make no sense and have no real weight. PC SPECIFIC: I've played this game on the PC and 360 , and I can say that there is no real advantage to owning this game on the PC over console. There is a lack of PC specific support such as XBOX 360 game pad support (some people want to play that way) and remapping keys on the PC you are still left with one key to take care of most actions. The graphics are sub standard as far as a pc game is concerned. Curiously the graphics in Mass Effect 2 on the PC where better that Mass Effect 3. There are also times when the game crashes for no reason and happens at different moments on different playthroughs.    … Expand
  15. quotenneger
    Aug 21, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 manages to reach the greatness of its predecessors, and surpass it.
    All in all, the culmination of the Mass Effect trilogy is not only the pinnacle of the series, but the best game of all time.
  16. peteyboysama
    Aug 19, 2012
    9
    Mass effect 3 is great. Don't let angry self righteous gamers discourage you from playing this game. There is a reason why all the critics rate this game so high. The graphics, story, and game play are great. I've only been playing the since 2, but this game doesn't disappoint. It isn't perfect, but it's great. Must play series, and with the update there is no reason you shouldn't play it.
  17. clear2345
    Aug 11, 2012
    9
    This game is what you expect from a mass effect game and more, which is awesome. The only reason it isnt a ten is because of the ending, which isn't too bad, but enough to make people give it zero's and low scores on metacritic. If you like the series, buy this game, but be warned, the last ten minutes you probably wont like.
  18. yuemoonmagic
    Aug 10, 2012
    9
    A wonderful game with a huge story full of actions, emotions and surprises. The hardiest thing is like a great novel, to be able to tell yourself, at the end of the game "yes this is really the end of this story". Thanks Bioware.

    Un jeu merveilleux avec une histoire énorme pleine d'action d'émotions et de surprise. Le plus difficile, comme avec les bon roman, c'est de    A wonderful game with a huge story full of actions, emotions and surprises. The hardiest thing is like a great novel, to be able to tell yourself, at the end of the game "yes this is really the end of this story". Thanks Bioware.

    Un jeu merveilleux avec une histoire énorme pleine d'action d'émotions et de surprise. Le plus difficile, comme avec les bon roman, c'est de pouvoir se dire "oui, c'est bien la fin de cette histoire". Merci Bioware    … Expand
  19. armil04
    Aug 8, 2012
    6
    Really BIG disappointment. ME2 was more RPG-ish than this part, which is basically nothing more than a TPP shooter WITH some possible upgrade options. Crew-mate interaction is less than poor, making it impossible to create any true feeling of a team fighting 'the ultimate enemy.' But, at least I'm a fan of shooter games...
  20. dam1730
    Aug 2, 2012
    10
    ARE YOU SERIOUS PEOPLE! You can't give a game a terrible score just because you didn't like how it ended. I will agree that overall it isn't as good as Mass Effect 2. But, there is not excuse for giving zeroes to this game. I'm going to give it a ten to try to balance it out. It really deserves an 8.5, which is a solid score. All of these reviews are just angry people who reviewed the gameARE YOU SERIOUS PEOPLE! You can't give a game a terrible score just because you didn't like how it ended. I will agree that overall it isn't as good as Mass Effect 2. But, there is not excuse for giving zeroes to this game. I'm going to give it a ten to try to balance it out. It really deserves an 8.5, which is a solid score. All of these reviews are just angry people who reviewed the game 5 minutes after finishing it and are full of emotion. The amount of zeroes shows how much emotion the game brought out. It is very rare to see a game that has this much of an effect on people, which is a tribute to the writing of the game. I would say this game is definitely a must have for anyone who has played and finished Mass Effect 2. Also, the new ending DLC is out now, so you can pretty much disregard over half of the reviews on metacritic.… Expand
  21. ImBigking
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    The Mass Effect trilogy is just amazing and Mass Effect 3 is one of my favorite games ever. It shines in every single aspect but one: the ending. Sadly, this outstanding game was slightly ruined by an inconsistent ending. Anyways, the whole experience is really great, and everyone should give it a try.
  22. Chilun
    Jul 26, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bioware definitely rushed the game to the point where its not acceptable at all to those who played Mass Effect 1&2 from the very beginning. At first I had high hopes for Mass Effect 3 when I've finished Mass Effect 2 because the ending was sooooo epic, there were so many alternative endings. But when I finished ME3 I felt "Huh? Seriously? Is this going to be the end of Mass Effect?" You just cant compare the two when it comes down to storyline, basically everything you can come up with.… Expand
  23. Talaat
    Jul 25, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is possibly the greatest game I have had the pleasure of playing. The story line is outstanding, best I've ever seen in a game. Game play is great as well but what's really amazing is the story, I just loved it from beginning to end; especially the end, it was great! It is an addictive game, I enjoyed playing it and it was easy to adapt to the controls. I also loved it'sMass Effect 3 is possibly the greatest game I have had the pleasure of playing. The story line is outstanding, best I've ever seen in a game. Game play is great as well but what's really amazing is the story, I just loved it from beginning to end; especially the end, it was great! It is an addictive game, I enjoyed playing it and it was easy to adapt to the controls. I also loved it's features and the interruption ability half way though some of the conversation or game play, very nice. My rating was a 10 without hesitation.… Expand
  24. EnigmaReviews
    Jul 24, 2012
    9
    Well one of the best gaming series ever has come to an end. When I first got my hands on the game I immediatly notices differences from the second game. The first of course is the graphics. Although they don't compare to the those of Uncharted, Gears of War, and Crysis they are still good in their own way. The next thing I noticed is new animations. This is good because in a lot of sequelsWell one of the best gaming series ever has come to an end. When I first got my hands on the game I immediatly notices differences from the second game. The first of course is the graphics. Although they don't compare to the those of Uncharted, Gears of War, and Crysis they are still good in their own way. The next thing I noticed is new animations. This is good because in a lot of sequels devs will recycle the same animation. I got to the story and it was extremely good no suprise there. The gameplay was great, weapons where awesome, and the characters where likeable. The multiplayer isn't that great to be honest. It seem like something they tacked on to add more to the game. Although the free DLC is a bonus it isn't much of a plus. Now here comes the ending drama. (Please note that I am writng this review after the extended cut dlc). This part of the game has gathered a lot of negative feedback. The ending by far was good. The main thing I have a problem with is what Bioware promised. The ending didn't have much variety in them. Also your decisions really don't have zero effect on the ending as well which is a huge let down. Overall this is an amazing game but if you where a fan from the begining them you will feel disapointed at the end. That doesn't take away from the game though. It does so much good that it heavily out weighs the bad. Mass Effect 3 is a 9/10 if they would have got the ending right it would have been a master piece.… Expand
  25. TheWhymsicalOne
    Jul 16, 2012
    8
    This game had tons of hype to live up to. After the astounding experience that was Mass Effect 2, Bioware was tasked with making a final game that would knock everyone's socks off. And it came so close.

    For newcomers to the Mass Effect franchise, the year is 2183, and you play as Commander Shepard, a soldier getting ready to lead the galaxy in a fight against a race of super-machines    This game had tons of hype to live up to. After the astounding experience that was Mass Effect 2, Bioware was tasked with making a final game that would knock everyone's socks off. And it came so close.

    For newcomers to the Mass Effect franchise, the year is 2183, and you play as Commander Shepard, a soldier getting ready to lead the galaxy in a fight against a race of super-machines known as the Reapers, who harvest all advanced civilizations every 50,000 years. Your decisions from Mass Effect 2 will carry over, so I suggest you get that first, as it is a slightly better game.

    Where this game is strong is gameplay. The shooter element has been revamped, with new movements in and out of cover, more ladders and the ability to jump off short drops. This does add a bit of smoothness to the gameplay, especially the cover movement. Another part of gameplay is the dialogue, where you select your answer using the left analog stick. In this it felt.... A bit less natural. In Mass Effect 2 it felt so much more organic with random options, while in this game there was a lot of just "Good/Bad/Details" choices. But Mass Effect 2 is a very high standard to compare it to, so Mass Effect 3 still trumps most other games.

    It's good technically. Graphics are good if not the best, although I felt the characters faces were not as expressive as they should have been, except in some scenes. The Voice acting is of good quality. And the soundtrack is amazing. Some of the games most emotional moments are backed up by breathtakingly chilling music.

    And the storyline is fantastic. It follows a more linear pattern than Mass Effect 2, which gives it more of a base to have a good story. Decisions from the previous games are also factored in. The relationships with characters are sacrificed for a plot that delivers epic twists and turns all the way up to the last 10 minutes. Where it falls flat on it's face. It takes away individual choices, which were massively difficult to make, and instead gives them scores, sticks them into a group called "War Assets" and gives you an ending based on it. And the endings aren't even that different. People who've followed the franchise before this game will be severely disappointed.

    This game is great. It combines a great story and a fantastic decision making system with a quality third-person shooter setup. But compared to it's predecessor, it's a little more linear. And the ending will not make you happy. I'd recommend this to anyone, just as long as you turn it off after the Illusive Man dies.    … Expand
  26. cphi
    Jul 14, 2012
    10
    Woah. Have just completed the best game I've ever played. (I didn't anything would take the title from the circa 1994 System Shock). An evolutionary progression that somehow results in a game a generation on from anything else I've played. Emotionally engaging in a way few films or books and even fewer games manage. Gameplay mechanics are both harder and vastly improved on ME2's (whichWoah. Have just completed the best game I've ever played. (I didn't anything would take the title from the circa 1994 System Shock). An evolutionary progression that somehow results in a game a generation on from anything else I've played. Emotionally engaging in a way few films or books and even fewer games manage. Gameplay mechanics are both harder and vastly improved on ME2's (which were almost embarrassingly bad) and have evolved into a rock solid shooter, while keeping the same richness of story. The narrative is much tighter than ME2's and can feel more limited but the trade off is some truly amazing substories. The ending is a little 'thin' but is interesting enough and can hardly be described as 'disappointing'.… Expand
  27. Jacktheripper99
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    Many people criticize the ending, which really wasn't the main issue for me. The game-play, which from ME1 - ME3 has always been the problem for me, and the main reason why I stay, was because of the story. The enemy AI has always been meh, and ME3 is no different. They claim they improve it, but all I see is UC 2.0 meaning, more enemies on the field spawning, and pinning you down andMany people criticize the ending, which really wasn't the main issue for me. The game-play, which from ME1 - ME3 has always been the problem for me, and the main reason why I stay, was because of the story. The enemy AI has always been meh, and ME3 is no different. They claim they improve it, but all I see is UC 2.0 meaning, more enemies on the field spawning, and pinning you down and throwing perfectly arc grenade at you. Doesn't sound exciting or generally fair doesn't it? The squad AI is still stupid, but there no point in talking about something Bioware clearly think is okay. Plant scanning is still present, which I don't like, but they made it more bearable than ME2, which was ridiculously long, and time consuming, which is the point. ME3 isn't a long game outside investigating questions, new plant scanning system, obnoxious time consuming things in the game, like the scanning from the war room, stuff like that. The story is still great, and with the new extended cut, which wasn't really needed, sense they kept the same endings, and I just overall feel happy I stay with the series till the end, even though I don't like the game-play. The endings is what it is, and like movies, I just accepted it for what it is. It's good, its good, it's bad, it's bad. Overall ME3 is a okay game, but the praise that the series has been getting with all these present issues, mainly the game-play, makes me wonder where these people who rate this game so high, are coming from? There plenty of games that have these issues, and are rated down terribly, but it seems popularity is the main critic here, than a actual critical review, but that just the way I see it.… Expand
  28. Drakko89
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is an above average game. They've tweaked the game play, kept the same high caliber music and the story is above average. Without going into too many details, Commander Shepard is facing off against the reapers who plan on wiping out most sentient life in the universe. It's not the best game in the universe but I enjoyed it. You may disagree with the ending but you can'tMass Effect 3 is an above average game. They've tweaked the game play, kept the same high caliber music and the story is above average. Without going into too many details, Commander Shepard is facing off against the reapers who plan on wiping out most sentient life in the universe. It's not the best game in the universe but I enjoyed it. You may disagree with the ending but you can't argue that the events leading up to it aren't at least pretty good. As for decisions not having immediate or significant impact: the games take place within a small time frame (2-3 years?). How do you expect to see the effects of those decisions within such a small time frame? If they make a follow up within the mass effect universe, it will probably take place a few hundred years after Mass Effect 3. There is no way this game deserves less than a 6 and users that have given it less than that because Bioware didn't make it exactly the way they wanted it are incredibly stupid. I wish I had been able to recruit my ME 2 squad mates, that they had included more neutral options in the dialogue, included more side missions and most importantly, hadn't spent so much time trying to cater to new gamers to the franchise(to name a few things) but I can still say that the game is very good. Not perfect but very good.… Expand
  29. Judgefraps
    Jul 8, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hrm.. positives.. much improved combat and a real sense of an end of everything in the events leading up to a last stand against an all powerful enemy, most of your old favorite crew members make an appearance at some point and you can end many long running story arcs satisfyingly on the path to the end.. oh and the soundtrack is really top notch.
    Negatives.. The ending sucks, the new characters are pretty 'meh' the marine dude is just plain dull.. nowhere near enough customization, rpg elements are really threadbare in this game and god that sucks...    … Expand
  30. FemShep
    Jul 1, 2012
    10
    The problems that everyone had with the ending have been fixed with the Extended Cut and additional closure and clarification was added making this game the ideal choice for purchase if you haven't already. :)
  31. NinerJonny
    Jun 28, 2012
    10
    Do not believe the negative trolls that have taken over this review site. This is one of the best sci-fi games ever produced and comes to an excellent conclusion. The new extended cut makes it that much better. If you pass this game up because of the negative idiots, you have no one to blame but yourself. Try the game and come to your own conclusion...
  32. recentio
    Jun 27, 2012
    8
    With the release of the Extended Cut, I feel a revised review is now in order. The gameplay is improved from ME2. Still not top tier combat gameplay, but fun for someone not hardcore about their shooters (which includes me). The writing is spotty, rising and falling in quality between missions. Some missions are truly some of the best game writing I've played through. Others are meh. TheWith the release of the Extended Cut, I feel a revised review is now in order. The gameplay is improved from ME2. Still not top tier combat gameplay, but fun for someone not hardcore about their shooters (which includes me). The writing is spotty, rising and falling in quality between missions. Some missions are truly some of the best game writing I've played through. Others are meh. The ending may not feel like a natural story progression, depending on whether you play with your focus on characters or on central plot. It's not the greatest game but it's a good game. Worth a play or two, IMO.… Expand
  33. m_elders
    Jun 27, 2012
    10
    I originally gave this game a 9, but now that the DLC is out that fixed the endings, I have to change my score!

    In my opinion, this is the best game ever made. The characters are all well developed, the music helps immerse you in the game, the story's themes run deep, and the gameplay is fun and perfectly balanced between combat, side quests, and RPG-type talking and such. The Mass    I originally gave this game a 9, but now that the DLC is out that fixed the endings, I have to change my score!

    In my opinion, this is the best game ever made. The characters are all well developed, the music helps immerse you in the game, the story's themes run deep, and the gameplay is fun and perfectly balanced between combat, side quests, and RPG-type talking and such.

    The Mass Effect series is a crowning achievement of gaming. It lets the player choose how the main character acts, so they can fully put themselves in his or her shoes. All of this without sacrificing gameplay or story. This is the most immersive game I've ever played. I hope this game influences the gaming industry for years to come.    … Expand
  34. bigbossluna
    Jun 27, 2012
    1
    This game is a joke! Nothing but hype. Combat still sucks. Straight forward corridors with lame guns. Stupid ending that is nothing but a cliffhanger.
  35. medv4380
    Jun 27, 2012
    10
    Once you have the Extended Cut the nonsense of how we got from point A to point C and then to Z goes away. It would have been better if the game had not created major plot holes originally, but the added detail goes a long way to correct the ambiguity. I like what Christopher Nolan said about ambiguity.
    "I
  36. masterooomp
    Jun 17, 2012
    10
    I loved this game!!! I can't understand why people hated the ending. I thought the ending was pretty good because of the choices you can make. Plus, there is so much replayability that i want to go through the game again and again to get a different EMS and pick different choices. Plus, great graphics and amazing gameplay. Overall I just loved this game!!!
  37. boreDudex
    Jun 15, 2012
    10
    There are 2 reasons why most people hate this game or gave it such a low score. 1: The ending, although its not a great ending. This is not burger king. You cant always have things your away. Its still a great game overall. If you gave it such a low score cause of the ending..You need to stop being full of yourself. Still a great game. 2: Gay scenes..If you get offended because of thatThere are 2 reasons why most people hate this game or gave it such a low score. 1: The ending, although its not a great ending. This is not burger king. You cant always have things your away. Its still a great game overall. If you gave it such a low score cause of the ending..You need to stop being full of yourself. Still a great game. 2: Gay scenes..If you get offended because of that there's an easy solution. Its simple..Don't get in a gay romance. Avoid it. You don't have to be in the gay relationship. Don't be ignorant and hate on this game for silly non important things. In life you cant always have things your way. Its a great game which is what matters. Lots of movies, lots of games have really horrible ending and you know what that's okay. The developers wanted that ending so they gave us that ending. We cant be spoil and want everything to be perfect cause nothing in life is perfect. Even if the ending was different people would still find ways to critique this game. Overall..like i said..This is a great game. Im new to the mass effect franchise and this is the first one that i played and i love it. Nothing is wrong with it. Don't let little things or silly things, non important things change your opinion. The game play the overall feel of the game is great. Which is what matters at the end of the day.… Expand
  38. Elbxleon
    Jun 13, 2012
    8
    And here I thought that everyone else was a spoiled gaming troll wanting a game to fulfill their sad hopes and dreams. Yet, know I see why so many have complained. As much as I have truly enjoyed Mass effect 1, 2, and 99% of 3, the horrible ending just destroyed all of that enjoyment. It's as if the writers, creators, developers gave up on the last few minutes of the game. Too manyAnd here I thought that everyone else was a spoiled gaming troll wanting a game to fulfill their sad hopes and dreams. Yet, know I see why so many have complained. As much as I have truly enjoyed Mass effect 1, 2, and 99% of 3, the horrible ending just destroyed all of that enjoyment. It's as if the writers, creators, developers gave up on the last few minutes of the game. Too many loopholes, no closure on any of the characters, and incoherent, vaguely similar ending choices. Mass Effect 1 and 2 were beautifully put together, but this ending of such a fantastic trilogy needs tremendous work.… Expand
  39. 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
  40. hollowfication
    Jun 3, 2012
    1
    game good has feel like previous game but the only thing wrong bout is ending was rubbish it was total let down

    it give us middle finger on ending to everyone around us when we saw this ending it was like creator of the game said ha middle finger lucky i only played xbox 360 version which only sucked more
  41. Veteran_Gamer
    Jun 2, 2012
    1
    I've been a gamer since they first came out, and I have seldom seen such butchery done to a great series such as Mass Effect. It's almost as if the Folk at BioWare and EA wanted to commit financial suicide here. The loyal Customers are pissed, disappointed in the extreme, and... something I've rarely seen done...actually campaigning to have the game FIXED! If $ was the objective of allI've been a gamer since they first came out, and I have seldom seen such butchery done to a great series such as Mass Effect. It's almost as if the Folk at BioWare and EA wanted to commit financial suicide here. The loyal Customers are pissed, disappointed in the extreme, and... something I've rarely seen done...actually campaigning to have the game FIXED! If $ was the objective of all these gimmicks involving DLCs, and the like; then I'd say it has back-fired on them. All too many people like me, simply will not buy the game until they see it wallowing in the "has-been" bin at WalMart for $5 dollars. Way to go on ruining a great series, burning your Customers, and destroying your own reputation.… Expand
  42. JFsushible
    May 29, 2012
    3
    I bought the game right after it came out. It was fun at first but became repetitive and boring with bad textures and shadowing. The combat was improved but still not great. All animations were terrible. This game was obviously rushed and not well made I payed 60$ for it, do not waste your money. Buy an older one (ME1 ME2) they are both better.
  43. Corey77
    May 29, 2012
    7
    The excellent build up set by Mass effect 1 and 2 was ruined in what could of been the game of the year. Mass Effect 3 has some improvements combat wise over the previous instalments but fails to deliver in any other areas. In Mass Effect 3 there is now a single hub world full of small little fetch quests, there is less Dialogue between your crew, Less crew members and more auto-dialogueThe excellent build up set by Mass effect 1 and 2 was ruined in what could of been the game of the year. Mass Effect 3 has some improvements combat wise over the previous instalments but fails to deliver in any other areas. In Mass Effect 3 there is now a single hub world full of small little fetch quests, there is less Dialogue between your crew, Less crew members and more auto-dialogue which really takes away from the experience. All your choices from the previous games that were suppose to drastically effect Mass effect 3 all boiled down to a similar experience. The game cuts corners on many aspects such as your love interest for example and a missing link between Mass effect 2 and 3. But put all it's flaws aside there are some excellent emotional mission sequences that largely finalised and tied up the side plots mass effect 2 created and these were absolutely brilliant and are fascinating, exhilaration and emotion provoking. The combat is even more fluent and it is still a very enjoyable experience but in the end Mass effect 3 was to decide how it all ended and if it's ending was amazing and previously listed faults could have been ignored, except it wasn't it was awful, never before have I cam across an ending that ruined an entire series and basically put me off gaming for a while altogether, everything was thrown out the window in a nonsensical ending riddled with plotholes and loose ends. leaving the player confused and depressed.

    All in all it still has the redeeming qualities that all mass effect games have, it's just the game itself was rushed and really poor in many areas.    … Expand
  44. aidclu06
    May 26, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game and story were brilliant. JUST the VERY VERY ending was a little disappointing.
    If you loved ME1 and ME2 you will undoubtedly like this and ignore all the hate about the ending. I personally did not like the ending either. but 99% of what I played was GREAT. Bioware are changing the game ending and the Indoctrination Theory also is very interesting. So give the closing chapter a last chance.
    Great game    … Expand
  45. Bootador
    May 25, 2012
    9
    Poor ending doesn't hide the fact that this is an excellent game.

    The side quests are weak, but less irritating than in mass effect 2. The main story holds up extremely well until the end. Making multiplayer effect the war effore was a ridiculous choice.
  46. bloodredsaint
    May 24, 2012
    10
    This game was amazing. The gameplay mechanics were better than its predecessors, the graphics look amazing, and it is extremely fun. Most negative reviews come from self-entitled gamers who get angry at the ending or the DLC and give it a 0.
  47. JasonDaPsycho
    May 20, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Some people would say they wouldn't allow the final 15 minutes to ruin an entire series, I guess they have their point. If you ask me, you just can't snap out of being crazy. Same case for me here. I just can't "snap out of" letting 15 minutes ruin the entire series.

    The game is severely overrated in the first place. The game is extremely linear. For an RPG that prides on options, the options feel largely irrelevant. Throughout the game, you're trying to gain war assets, which would determine the no. of options you'll get when time comes for you to choose an ending. High no. of war assets would mean more options. War assets are gained through making right decisions, performing repetitive fetch quests, and playing the dull, uninspired co-op multiplayer. In contrary to what BioWare tells you, multiplayer is mandatory to obtain all of the endings. A few parts of the story are amazing, while some are flat out lazy writing. Most of the parts are just mediocre. Some romances are nicely written (eg Garrus, or Tali) while some are just horrible (eg Jack, and especially Jacob).

    When it comes to gameplay, which is largely a secondary feature of any BioWare game, it's actually a massive improvement. However, it's still not good enough for you to purchase it merely for gameplay value. A large part of the gameplay overhaul comes from the Weapons vs Skills scale. Powerful weapons are heavier and increases your recharge time, and vice versa. So if you just go out there with the default rifle and pistol, and upgrade your skills accordingly, you can just spam on the skills repeatedly. One good example would be the charge -> Nova combo for those who play as vanguards. This combo is virtually unstoppable. With that said, the gameplay is still not good enough to warrant a buy merely for gameplay value. For more satisfying shooting fun, just go get Max Payne 3, or even 2 if you're broke.

    There's also a day one DLC character which BioWare claims is not mandatory. Don't kid yourself. It adds so much more to the storyline. Another attempt by EA to milk you by taking content out of the game and charging you. It's kind of like buying a new car which comes with a manual gearbox that can only shift to first gear, with an option for a proper, normal gearbox. Technically speaking, the car can still run on first gear, but it's certainly not what you would normally pay for, at least not 10 years ago.

    On to the controversial ending. Everything boils down to three colors. Pick your poison. They have no differences whatsoever. BioWare has recently announced that they will make an extended cut to the ending. I will update with a more formal review then. For now, don't even remotely consider shelling out 40 bucks for such a game. Just don't.    … Expand
  48. movieman123
    May 20, 2012
    8
    Everyone is hating the ending but it is not that bad if they could explain which i have heard bioware is planning on doing this summer but over all it is one of the best games I have played and the import makes it a whole new experience overall it's and 8.
  49. SJ555
    May 19, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is hard hitting yet entertainer game ... the one my complaint is with just its Loose ending which could be much better else this game still offer some things which can't be neglected
  50. snowsnows85
    May 19, 2012
    7
    All I play on this game is the multiplayer. I played the story for about an hour and got really bored with it. Seems to me this game offers a much better multiplayer than it does a story. Although they should give you more maps, stronger weapons and power ups for when you play it on gold challenge. I hear the higher n7 level you get, the better the ending, so you half to earn a betterAll I play on this game is the multiplayer. I played the story for about an hour and got really bored with it. Seems to me this game offers a much better multiplayer than it does a story. Although they should give you more maps, stronger weapons and power ups for when you play it on gold challenge. I hear the higher n7 level you get, the better the ending, so you half to earn a better ending from what I understand, that's mainly why people were let down from this game. But to me the story was just boring.… Expand
  51. Hybridiction
    May 18, 2012
    9
    This is the score the game actually deserves. Now before you down-vote me, you will find if you average around the fifty + critic scores the game received it would be around the 89-93 area. Take off the moronic user score feature metacritic, it is used as a tool by a bunch of forum trolls and butthurt fanboys who really have no clue how to review a game. Of course this review will beThis is the score the game actually deserves. Now before you down-vote me, you will find if you average around the fifty + critic scores the game received it would be around the 89-93 area. Take off the moronic user score feature metacritic, it is used as a tool by a bunch of forum trolls and butthurt fanboys who really have no clue how to review a game. Of course this review will be down-voted by them, and I'll probably be called a "suck up" to the gaming media, but let's look at the facts first. High expectations almost always lead to disappointment, and those who have insanely high expectations will always be disappointed. This is why when you look at a game objectively, or rather as it is, instead of what you wanted it to be, you would find that it truly is a good game. Whether you disagreed with the ending or had problems because you "Felt" that the choices you made in the previous installments weren't reflected enough, it really doesn't matter. It's no reason to give this game a score below 7, and the fact that this game is rated a 3.9 is really quite pathetic. To even think that this game is only worth a "3.9" you would have to be some grumpy old man living in some old folks home or some kid who stays in his room all day, has no friends and doesn't know how to enjoy quality entertainment. The decisions you made in the previous games do reflect in this one, and yes they matter. Characters that die in ME2 wont be around, characters you saved in ME1 do make an appearance and yes your choices DID have reflect in ME3. Name a game that carries the choices you made from game to game on the same level mass effect has? You cant, there is only stand alone games with choices like the witcher 2, but what game from sequel to sequel to sequel does what the ME series has?. The fact people cry because they feel that their choices never meant anything is LAUGHABLE seeing as how they have nothing to compare it to. Give mass effect some credit, it has done a pretty damned good job. The ending to the series is fine, and honestly it really doesn't matter what bioware did people would have cried and crapped their pants. Everybody has a different idea of how it should have "ended" Bioware cant possibly meet everybody's expectations. The gameplay was much improved from the previous two, they added in some more RPG elements, still not as robust as ME1 but pretty close with the talent choices, weapon mods and tons of armor and loot to find. Mass effect 3 is a good game that sold well and that the majority of people enjoyed playing, don't listen to the vocal minority of idiots on here who probably pirated the game or never even played it at all and are just jumping on the hate bandwagon to hate the game like it's some "fad" to do so or makes them "cool and different" Stfu, sit down and enjoy the game. End of story. and....advice to metacritic......implement a system where people need to enter the serial code of the game they bought in order to actually review it. See how many of these idiots are still around after that......you wont find many… Expand
  52. kevlar4
    May 18, 2012
    9
    im guna say it mass effect 3 is dissapointing it is not as good as me2 but is is still really good the story has moments that can be games onto itself the combat is improved the music is the best in the series but be warned the ending is ****
  53. javierich0
    May 17, 2012
    7
    Soooooooo many plot holes, the decisions you made through the series pretty much don't count towards the ending. You can skip the first two games and you won't miss anything.
  54. TomatoTornado
    May 17, 2012
    8
    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH, DAY 1 DLC......waaaaaahhh.......so don't buy the DLC. Not so hard, is it?

    Good Lord there are a lot of whiny butts in here.
  55. Tokyochuchu
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 has some notable bumps on it's road; It has limited freedom when compared to it's predecessors, some technical instabilities (mostly glitches & framerate issues) and a confusingly muddled ending that has stirred up a hornet's nest of internet trolls. That said, these are all moot points in the face of what Mass Effect 3 delivers to the player, which is the best Sci-Fi actionMass Effect 3 has some notable bumps on it's road; It has limited freedom when compared to it's predecessors, some technical instabilities (mostly glitches & framerate issues) and a confusingly muddled ending that has stirred up a hornet's nest of internet trolls. That said, these are all moot points in the face of what Mass Effect 3 delivers to the player, which is the best Sci-Fi action game ever made. The things you get to see and experience in ME3 are totally amazing! There are so many unforgettable moments to be had. The plot is excellent and the script keeps the emotional connections fixed in the spotlight. The result is an action game with a true sense of meaning and consequence. The afore mentioned ending is both blunt and strange, but it's mystery's beg for debate just like all classic Sci-Fi should (2001: A space Odyssey springs to mind). Mass Effect 3 is a series high and one of the best games I have ever played in my 20+ years of gaming.… Expand
  56. xfcrowman
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Great game, and an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. If you haven't played it yet, do yourself a favor and ignore all the overblown reactions of others and judge the quality of the game for yourself. I deliberately ignored all the hype/complaints, played through the game, and loved every minute of it, including the ending and the from ashes dlc. Afterwards, I read through the crazedGreat game, and an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. If you haven't played it yet, do yourself a favor and ignore all the overblown reactions of others and judge the quality of the game for yourself. I deliberately ignored all the hype/complaints, played through the game, and loved every minute of it, including the ending and the from ashes dlc. Afterwards, I read through the crazed fan reactions and was surprised with all the hate.

    This game is a great example of when the professional critics have it right for a change - this game is one of the best releases of this generation, and it would be a mistake to miss it.    … Expand
  57. bears
    May 15, 2012
    10
    First off, I'm not going to comment on the low scores & brain farts that the wise ol' tweens left to tarnish the user review score. That would be just silly. What I will comment on however, pertains to one of the best titles I've yet to encounter in my 30 years of gaming.. period. For those familiar the series, ME isn't a game, it's an experience unlike anything out there. Yes, high praiseFirst off, I'm not going to comment on the low scores & brain farts that the wise ol' tweens left to tarnish the user review score. That would be just silly. What I will comment on however, pertains to one of the best titles I've yet to encounter in my 30 years of gaming.. period. For those familiar the series, ME isn't a game, it's an experience unlike anything out there. Yes, high praise should go out to titles like GTA4, MGS4 and RED Dead, but in terms of a series, (and I rarely use this word).. Epic best sums up what you should expect from the final chapter with Shepard and crew. It's as close to perfect as perfect gets and even if you've yet to touch the franchise, you owe it to yourself to pick up this title today. (I'd also highly recommend playing the first instalments if possible) as the story will carry much more weight in doing so. In a world where the single player campaign and story is being overlooked by the ADD multiplayer shooters, Mass Effect 3 is marvellous and is up the in my top 10 games of all time. Do yourself a favour and borrow, buy or 'whatever' this gem of a game. Yes, it's that good.… Expand
  58. Jgraves12
    May 13, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is one of the best games I have ever played up until the final ten minutes. The series is predicated on cause and effect, but despite your best efforts, there is no true positive ending. I had fun playing this game, but the ending ruined this game, and all prior mass effect games for me.… Expand
  59. vixvicco
    May 12, 2012
    9
    The game was great, I think the ratings on here are really inaccurate. I would not put down a whole game based on the last ten minutes of the game. Everyone who is boycotting the game is ruining it for everyone else who may have gotten a chance to play this fantastic game. It is a vast improvement on its predecessors, the graphics are amazing, especially on the PS3 and Xbox and everythingThe game was great, I think the ratings on here are really inaccurate. I would not put down a whole game based on the last ten minutes of the game. Everyone who is boycotting the game is ruining it for everyone else who may have gotten a chance to play this fantastic game. It is a vast improvement on its predecessors, the graphics are amazing, especially on the PS3 and Xbox and everything about it feels polished. If you are a true fan of the series, or even someone new to the series, I would not give this one a miss.… Expand
  60. Rosco
    May 10, 2012
    8
    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
  61. drewj311
    May 5, 2012
    10
    This game does not deserve such a low rating. To me this series stands out as the greatest Sci-Fi creation since Star Wars. The story and character development, combined with tight game-play make the Mass Effect series the greatest gaming experience I have ever had. I see a bunch of gaming-elitist whiners in these negative reviews. Sure ME3 had some flaws, the RPG elements were tonedThis game does not deserve such a low rating. To me this series stands out as the greatest Sci-Fi creation since Star Wars. The story and character development, combined with tight game-play make the Mass Effect series the greatest gaming experience I have ever had. I see a bunch of gaming-elitist whiners in these negative reviews. Sure ME3 had some flaws, the RPG elements were toned way down and the ending was abrupt and left me wanting more. But I had to speak up, lest one person be discouraged from trying out this amazing series.… Expand
  62. ThaaBusines
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Haters are always going to hate. Yes the ending was bad but the whole game is still in my top three of my favorite games ever, its a classic and I hope the ending DLC will make the ending awesome so that this game can take the deserved place of my favorite game of all time.
  63. bundykins
    Apr 30, 2012
    7
    Yeah it's a good game, all the geeks online moaning about the ending need to go get girlfriends or something.
    My mate lent me this, cant say I really understood the space soap opera plot, but the combat is tight, the upgrades meaty, and the sci-fi styling as it should be.

    My favourite game so far in 2012 (but probably wont be come christmas).
  64. my3dlife
    Apr 29, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A plus 10 game ruined by a a minus 10 ending. I threw them a bone for some awesome stories before the ending.

    Mass Effect is the ultimate game for 2.99 games. I played them never having read of any controversy surrounding ME3. ME3's ending doesn't just ruin one game, it ruins all 3. Replayability is dead.

    The ending breaks all rules of basic, good story-telling. So much for artistic vision. The artist had his eyes glued shut here. A heretofore unknown super being antagonist is introduced at the end and offers up circular logic as the reason for the bad guys, the reapers. Synthetics will destroy you so to keep that from happening, we will destroy you. Thanks a lot.

    Metacritic points out that the Shepard you create is basically you. That's right. And the characters you meet often become your friends. You make decisions that really affect them and you care. The game introduces not only the star kid, but a "real" version of him at the beginning of the game. I didn't like him too much throughout the game, but once I got "the ending" with his glowing counterpart, I hated him. He isn't what I've been fighting for-that's the characters, my family, Jack, Garrus, Liara, Tali, and so on. Not some kid. He is forced upon me. Shepard winces and shows more emotion for this than for the self-sacrifice of others I do care about. Even so, I could live with this if the starkid didn't exist as is at the end. Maybe.

    The endings are cookie cutter cutscenes based upon 3 stupid choices that themselves are based on some flawed "logic". This logic is disproved elsewhere within the game and would make at the very least a 4th choice or rejection of the 3 given not only possible, but required. Shepard would not make a choice from 3 genocidal options and not at least say, "wait a minute!"

    Chronology of end events don't match up, nor do the actions of certain characters. Joker, fighting for Earth wouldn't, but also couldn't run away with characters that were with Shepard on Earth when s/he got nearly burned to a crisp. Some see the Jungle planet as an allegory for Eden with Adam and Eve. Nice work if the ones that get off the Normandy are Joker, Vega, and Garrus-all male and not all human.

    Back to the kid. In order to buy in to what he's selling I at least need to be able to make a good case for why he's there. The game doesn't. My enemy, the antagonist has been something that looks more like, I don't know, a REAPER. Satisfaction comes from being involved at some gut level with the defeat of the antagonist. Not some push of a button in a galaxy far away. Ok, a shot from an infinite ammo pistol that magically appeared in my hand.

    Basically, I spent the whole game building up war assets that I don't use and don't get to see at the end and that really have little meaning, except that I might get a really bad ending (you know worse than me dying after creating genocide) where the Earth vaporizes. Ok, this should happen anyway, given your choices.

    And those characters I loved throughout the series...well if I had a romance with a certain blue girl, she gives me a gift before I toddle off to mostly die. I have no idea what it is because I'm just floating in stars. Ok, I can use my imagination, but it seems like it was cut. But there's a precedence for this. This blue girl was mostly missing from ME2, but did get a tacked on storyline. Once you finish that DLC though, blue girl is gone from the game. That's ME2. As to the other characters and that awesome first main reunion we all have where we get to push together to fight off those nasty reapers, well forget it. Some are there in London saying goodbye, but some you get to make a phone call to. So satisfying. I don't even get to see Jack and her bionic kids raising hell.

    Then we come to the end end. It's like you fell off a cliff. There's no context as to what just happened. No chance to see the impact, no place to hang a feeling. Most of the choices result in your (Shepard's) death, except for one incredulous piece that suspends all reality. A gasp-available with high EMS-those war assets and basically multiplayer factored in. Ok, so that means you get to see what it means to people if Shepard dies or lives right? Nope, no. Nothing. Most that are unhappy with the ending want choices that add up to the possibility of worst and best case scenarios and they want to see the impact on the galaxy, the Earth, their friends, and their love interest. They want a choice to make sacrifices that make sense and a chance to live and see the aftermath. And have choices then as to where Shepard goes afterward. Choice the game has always given.

    Bioware gave Mass Effect a pulse, Shepard gave it a face, the characters in it gave it a heart, players gave it a soul. With this ending, Bioware used ME3 to kill Mass Effect. The creator rebelled against and killed the created. Drink your ovaltine.    … Expand
  65. NoireroboT
    Apr 29, 2012
    10
    Everybody reviewing this and giving it a bad rating are plainly stupid.They are all hardcore fans of this series.If fact,i am one too.BUT,i never expected from BioWare to just make EXACTLY what i wanted,in exactly the way i wanted it.Also,most people give this game a 0-3 just because of the ending.Really?So,you do not rate the game,you just rate the ending and that is it.You don't rate theEverybody reviewing this and giving it a bad rating are plainly stupid.They are all hardcore fans of this series.If fact,i am one too.BUT,i never expected from BioWare to just make EXACTLY what i wanted,in exactly the way i wanted it.Also,most people give this game a 0-3 just because of the ending.Really?So,you do not rate the game,you just rate the ending and that is it.You don't rate the fantastic gameplay,the customization,the powers and everything else.You just rate the ending?I agree,there are some flaws such as the fact that the characters seem to be ok with one big friend of their dying and there are some dumb deaths is this game too.The dialogues some times are dumb too but i don't really care.I have picked the RPG style of gameplay,which yes,had been dumbed down.Also,another thing i did not expect with the most annoying being the unexplained FPS drops on Ps3(haven't seen any on the XBOX).BUT,all this does not matter to me,a hardcore fan.The gameplay is excellent and the powers are also a good addition to the game.Also,i like how i can be emotionally connected with a character,the way the game makes that happen is great.Also,there are many decisions to be made,for example,with who will you make a romance or whether you will chose the ''good guy'' path or the ''bad guy'' path(decided by the dialogues).The side missions are a bit annoying,with the majority of them(after some time)being in the Citadel.I will not talk about the multiplayer since i don't really play it.
    This game deserves an 8+ rating,BioWare did a good job.The ending could be better yes,BUT a game is NEVER judge by its ending only.    … Expand
  66. VidsRule
    Apr 28, 2012
    10
    When this happened to cod3, at least I could say 'it makes some sense, it's kinda the same thing again'. Even though I was still wrong. But this game? You whining crybabies, this is an amazing piece of entertainment. METACRITIC, why are you letting this happen? You will lose ALL CREDIBILITY. This kind of stuff will destroy all great developers. People giving this a zero? That shows peopleWhen this happened to cod3, at least I could say 'it makes some sense, it's kinda the same thing again'. Even though I was still wrong. But this game? You whining crybabies, this is an amazing piece of entertainment. METACRITIC, why are you letting this happen? You will lose ALL CREDIBILITY. This kind of stuff will destroy all great developers. People giving this a zero? That shows people want this industry to collapse.… Expand
  67. OarSmaN
    Apr 27, 2012
    7
    After 2 successful pieces this one was a little bit disappointing... especially ending.. plus poor rpg features.. scanning planets for resources... but overall i can say i had to play and see how the story ended...
  68. 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
  69. djrussell
    Apr 24, 2012
    8
    A really cool game. Dont listen to any of the bad reviews - the ending does NOT spoil the experience, but I can admit it could have been better. Anyone who says it ruined all 3 games is just being a tool (I admit! It wasnt the best, but it wasnt as bad as I was lead to believe before actually playing the game). While its not my favourite game in the series, it is certainly worth a playA really cool game. Dont listen to any of the bad reviews - the ending does NOT spoil the experience, but I can admit it could have been better. Anyone who says it ruined all 3 games is just being a tool (I admit! It wasnt the best, but it wasnt as bad as I was lead to believe before actually playing the game). While its not my favourite game in the series, it is certainly worth a play through if you've managed the other games. It drops a lot of its newer ME2 gameplay mechanics (like mining), but it is streamlined for the most part in terms of story. Play it for yourself and make your own mind up. Don't be discouraged though by the people giving it 0/10 -- thats just plain stupid.… Expand
  70. Zenvo_ST1
    Apr 24, 2012
    6
    The ending was so bad you cannot even explain it. What a joke....especially for a build up and empty promises of 3 games. Aside from that it is a great game though. Bad developing and bugs are the reasons I am not giving this game a 10.
  71. DefeatTheSerum
    Apr 23, 2012
    9
    First let me start off by saying that despite the controversy, Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game. It is true that In some fields it does come up short when compared to it's predecessors (ie. Side-quests) but it also not only matches but excels past the first two games in other fields such as voice acting, plot coherency, character development, and the ability to draw out real emotion fromFirst let me start off by saying that despite the controversy, Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game. It is true that In some fields it does come up short when compared to it's predecessors (ie. Side-quests) but it also not only matches but excels past the first two games in other fields such as voice acting, plot coherency, character development, and the ability to draw out real emotion from it's audience. In terms of gameplay I don't think many would argue that it has far surpassed the second game in terms of tight, fluid shooting mechanics and has surged light-years past the original. While RPG elements in terms of ability and class customization in both the second and third installments are lacking when compared to the first game, ME3 seems to find a good balance of taking the streamlined elements of the second game and enhancing them to more closely resemble that of the first game (ie. Branching ability paths, weapon customization, and armor customization). One of the larger gripes among critics of the game is that autodialogue is more present in the third game. And this is true. While some saw this as a step back in terms of interactive storytelling I personally saw it as a way to allow the story to flow a bit more smoothly in conversation (my personal opinion of course), that's not to say that you won't still be able to make your own choices throughout the game. You will, but you will also see your Shepard speak more on his/her own. It is enjoyable to see (again, despite popular belief) many of your choices from the previous two games affect the story as you progress THROUGH the game, which brings me to the part of the game that many feel is a deal-breaker. While the game as a larger whole is affected by what you did in the previous two games it is hard to argue that choices you made throughout the series affect the ending in any real way (other than the amount of war assets you accumulate), although BioWare has announced they plan to rectify this in their upcoming "Extended Cut" DLC (free of charge). While I may not be one of the people who seem to have made it their mission to hate the ending in any outlet they can find, I do have to admit the ending is weak. Gamebreakingly weak? Absolutely not. But it is weak. All of that's not touching on multiplayer which is a fun, ableit repetitive distraction. So all in all Mass Effect 3 and the Mass Effect series in general is without a doubt a gaming triumph worthy of having a look at by anyone who enjoys the gaming medium, or anyone who is looking for an overall rich and immersive gaming experience.… Expand
  72. w_underwood
    Apr 22, 2012
    6
    I just don't know what to think of this game. I was hoping to play a game that would leave me impressed when it was over but I was not impressed at all nor really enthusiastic to finish it. So many parts in this game had the potential to be worth the price but most fell short and I was disappointed in finding myself watching a cut scene instead of playing it out myself. By the way, I don'tI just don't know what to think of this game. I was hoping to play a game that would leave me impressed when it was over but I was not impressed at all nor really enthusiastic to finish it. So many parts in this game had the potential to be worth the price but most fell short and I was disappointed in finding myself watching a cut scene instead of playing it out myself. By the way, I don't remember having seen so many cutscenes in the first two games. This game is apparently the best way they could end a series that had so much potential. I find it kind of hard to believe this was the best Bioware along with EA's support could do.… Expand
  73. acisawesome
    Apr 21, 2012
    10
    Ah yes "Mass Effect is an awful game series", I have dismissed that claim. ME3 brings in quite a few innovations to the table since ME2, and I think that it brings in almost all of your major choices from previous games amazingly. The combat is quite similar to the untrained eye, and, even though that would be a good thing anyway (ME2's combat system was sublime) it's not true. Combat itAh yes "Mass Effect is an awful game series", I have dismissed that claim. ME3 brings in quite a few innovations to the table since ME2, and I think that it brings in almost all of your major choices from previous games amazingly. The combat is quite similar to the untrained eye, and, even though that would be a good thing anyway (ME2's combat system was sublime) it's not true. Combat it ME3 is much more brutal, difficult and it forces you to make use of its environments (which are a much more 3-dimensional setting than previous games. One mission in it particular forces you to pull out every trick you have in an attempt to survive long enough to finish (immensely difficult on insanity). The combat it also much more cinematic, being able to pull enemies over cover near you at either stab them, crush them, or a variety of other things much to my humor. The story (ending excluded, is one of, if not the best writing in games I have ever played, pulling at emotional heart strings, but with enough witty dialogue to keep it from being depressing. In response to the ending controversy, is the ending good, god no, does it makes sense, again no, but does it ruin the entire series, or even the game? No, do you know what I did when I finished ME3? I sat down and played it again. Then I went out and bought the "From Ashes" DLC, (not necessary, but I would recommend it, it adds to the story and adds some interesting dialogue) got that onto the game, but I didn't play it as soon as I got that. I went back the ME1 comic and started the whole series again (that's about 40 hours a game, 50 if your going for everything like I was). And I still loved the journey as Commander Shepard, even though the ending was lack luster. The multiplayer is surprisingly good, and I found myself surprised at how much I was enjoying it, though it is harder than the single player campaign, and with the free "Resensurgence" DLC that was released earlier, its only getting better, the only fault is it doesn't show your total play time, but I can forgive that. So, in the end Mass Effect 3 is a modern triumph in games, with some faults (ending, and loss of SOME dialogue options (though you still retain most of them)). Take this review from a fan who has put over a thousand hours into Mass Effect, over a thousand hours into EACH Mass Effect and that isn't including the multiplayer, this game is great, perfect? No, but still a modern miracle in the gaming. As a side note, all of these awful reviews (the 0, and 1's) are from fans who feel cheated by the ending, and are so angry that they cant see that the journey there is magnificent. Some of them are right about it, but they have far to harshly judged it. e.g. the ending is awful, I can never play Mass Effect again 0/10; which I proved wasn't always true in this review. All I can do now is urge you to buy this game (and the others as well, they make it better, especially if you choose save a guy called Wrex from the first game, his dialogue is amazing)… Expand
  74. ZexenVatenkeist
    Apr 19, 2012
    9
    The conclusion of the epic sci-fi + shooter + RPG trilogy, there was a lot of hype and pressure surrounding the release of Mass Effect 3. And from the very start, it is obvious Bioware was not afraid to be bold: the game kicks off with a heavy dose of story, action and Reaper destruction. From there, it falls to you to travel through the galaxy building up an army for the counter-attack onThe conclusion of the epic sci-fi + shooter + RPG trilogy, there was a lot of hype and pressure surrounding the release of Mass Effect 3. And from the very start, it is obvious Bioware was not afraid to be bold: the game kicks off with a heavy dose of story, action and Reaper destruction. From there, it falls to you to travel through the galaxy building up an army for the counter-attack on Earth; and trying to solve all interplanetary political conflicts in the meantime. This is very well done, and progression is smooth and maintains the same level of tension through the whole game. Graphics are amazing (albeit a bit buggy at times), with Reapers on the background ravaging almost every planet you visit. Dialogue is well-built and the voice acting is great. Gameplay remains almost the same, which is also great. Playing the game on harder difficulty levels is a much bigger challenge than in the previous installments, as most combat areas are circular and you are constantly flanked; a good thing for those who, like me, found Mass Effect 2 a bit too easy. The only flaw in Mass Effect 3 is the end. It is not as terrible as you might have heard, but it is confusing, has many plot holes and simply discards all the morality choices you made through the whole series: you may be the most terrible Renegade who ever lived and still choose the Paragon finale. Despite this serious flaw Mass Effect 3 is still a great game and a fitting end to an epic trilogy altogether.… Expand
  75. 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.
  76. CuseGirl
    Apr 18, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Graphics: Really good for most of the game. Only issues were the cutscenes. Cutscenes are "in-engine", so anytime a movie-like scene takes place, it's with the same system as the gameplay. During some cutscenes, you have some clipping and for many reasons, your characters aren't holding their assigned weapons. But overall the game looks great.

    Sound: The music is perfect, the sound effects (shooting, explosions) were great too. The voice work was mostly great as well.

    Story: The story is pretty good until the middle of what I would call the "Third Act". The Third Act starts with the Thessia mission. This is where plot armor rears it ugly head and really drags the story down. Also, use of characters from Mass Effect 2 was weak throughout most of the game (outside of Mordin, Tali, and Garrus). The 2 biggest issues I had with the story/writing is to not include a former high ranking Cerberus officer, Miranda Lawson, in the invasion of her former employers space station. It makes no sense that there's no confrontation between Miranda and TiM or a discussion about her resignation or a discussion about TiM running Sanctuary.

    And after Cronos station....the Ending mission and it's cinematics just don't make sense. Either the writers were trying to fool the player and then planned to let us download the real ending later or the writers thought they were gonna come up with some philosophical in a sci-fi game and it just looks bad. No matter how you slice the ending, it simply unravels boatloads of story threads that were already sewn up. It leaves the player feeling very confused and empty inside. Not a good way to end a trilogy and the ending really ruins the replay value.    … Expand
  77. Soujirop
    Apr 18, 2012
    10
    First, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title aFirst, I want to warn you who didn't play this game, that it is not a good movement to trust the user reviews (and I will include myself in this). This is because this game is so controversial, that have made a lot of people enrage about it. This people, which didn't like the ending of the game, and therefore the ending of the franchise, are so frustrated that will easily give this title a 0/10 just because of its ending, which represents just the last minute of gameplay. In my opinion, this is very unfair, and can lead people to believe this game is actually bad, when it isn't. In fact, this game is probably one of the bests RPG you will have this year. Graphics: 9/10. With better graphics than its predecessors, ME3 meets perfectly what its expected for a science-fiction title of this generation. Sound: 9/10. This game will probably make you care about the music. Some of the songs really fit the critical moments, making them even more epic and memorable. Of course and as expected, Bioware also made a brilliant work dubbing the game. Gameplay: 10/10. If you though ME was a brilliant mixture of RPG and shooter playstyle, then you will simply love ME3, being even more dynamic and intuitive than its predecesors. The cover system will make u enrage sometimes, but you will be having so much fun that you will easily forget about this. As a negative, ME3 has more "autodialog" than previous bioware titles, which makes you get less involved in conversations, but don't worry, you will still be able to make pretty big choices through the game. Oh and good news for naughty players, ME3 allows same-sex romances, yum! Also, there's a quite addictive multiplayer mode. Story: 8/10. ME3 feels more linear than its predecessors, and it is. It also has less secondary missions and the main quest is probably shorter. Story is still immersive and the narrative is great, becoming quite emotional in some moments and portraying very good a stressed Sheppard, which will show the signs of pressure through the game and have a pretty hard time making some important decisions. It is satisfying to see what the characters of the previous games have become and most of them will return and make u feel the strong friendship they have with the protagonist. As a negative, ME3 story, while still good, fails to exceed that of ME2. The final stage could also have been larger and you will get a very unexpected ending that u may not like at all (I did like it, anyway). If you have played the previous games, then for sure you have to play this one and expect to have your own strong opinion about the end of the saga. If, on the contrary, you haven't playing the previous games, then... What are u doing here? Go to your nearest store and buy this three must-have!… Expand
  78. Old-Jim
    Apr 17, 2012
    2
    Well, I finished ME3 last week and then spent a week in my spare time reading all about the travesty that was the ME3 ending. Yup, it was beyond awful. It really killed the entire ME experience for me; yes, all three games; five years; all dead. Here are my thoughtsâ
  79. ADIL
    Apr 17, 2012
    7
    A good, but not serious
    Mean a problem in the beam!!! The control problem in personal hero!! The problem in the comments!!!
    The game is not important to the required level never ....
  80. Tachikoma
    Apr 16, 2012
    9
    Before clicking to write a review of my own, I checked the current reviews of the game from other people and can see something very sad already.
    Many people have given it a low score purely out of hatred for ME2 and yet clearly have not played ME3! I, before giving ME3 a chance would have verbally given this a low score myself but having given it a chance I see my error.
    Now to start, I    Before clicking to write a review of my own, I checked the current reviews of the game from other people and can see something very sad already.
    Many people have given it a low score purely out of hatred for ME2 and yet clearly have not played ME3! I, before giving ME3 a chance would have verbally given this a low score myself but having given it a chance I see my error.
    Now to start, I played the demo first..and I hated it. It felt awful to play and showed no RPG elements at all but after my friend Brad said I needed to play it I went out and bought it anyway..how right he was.
    What I found was an excellent game with brilliant mechanics, a wonderful story and great selection of missions. Everything has been improved over ME2 (which was a travesty) and the story is nicely wrapped up in the end.
    Yes the endings were not great, and it did feel like trying so hard to get as many troops as possible was pointless in the end but, all things aside, this game blew me away.
    So I ask that those of you who have written negative reviews and given low scores based purely on nay-sayers in forums, stop being sheep, think for yourselves and actually give the game a go!    … Expand
  81. AndrewE
    Apr 16, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not just giving this a "10" to attempt to combat all the "0"s out there, I honestly think this game is a 10 and it is probably the best game I've played in the last 7-8 years. I was genuinely astounded... as to how WONDERFUL the ending was. The controversy is ridiculous. It basically boils down to unintelligent individuals who need to have everything explained to them very slowly to be satisfied, and intelligent people who are capable of inferring their own ideas for the future of the galaxy. Shepard did his job, he sacrificed himself not only for the galaxy, but every single life that will ever come into existence in the future. That is amazing. The specifics of what happened after his death are no longer his concern. Please DO NOT change the ending Bioware. Don't give in to the lowest common denominator. People were expecting a Michael Bay ending and instead were introduced to Andrei Tarkovsky. It's unfortunate that people don't have a far enough reaching intellectual grasp.… Expand
  82. ozu213
    Apr 16, 2012
    10
    good.........................................................................................................................................................................................
  83. DulyNoted
    Apr 15, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first user review I read was a 10 out of 10 and began, "Do not listen to the people rating this game badly. Mass Effect 3 is utterly amazing..."

    First of all, I agree that ME3 is utterly amazing. And that's what makes its end all the more disappointing. Consider yourself lucky if the endings of ME3 didn't disappoint you--you've been spared a sense of loss and disappointment that dwarfs any feelings of annoyance you must "suffer" when reading fans' complaints.

    I loved the first game, actually think ME2 was better (though I initially hated what they did in the opening sequence), but found myself thinking I enjoyed playing ME3 more than either of the first two. It really is a fantastic game that I should be able to love and agree deserves a 9 out of 10 score (endings aside, it still had some flaws).

    BUT...

    This game was the end of a trilogy. As such, the ending had to not just provide some level of satisfaction for the particular story that began with Shepard escaping Earth, but also the one that began with Shepard being sent to Eden Prime way back when. In other words, there was a lot riding on the ending of this game.

    There are several very good articles out there articulating why fans are disappointed with the way ME3 ended and I'm not going to rehash them here. Suffice it to say, the options provided to the player at the end of the game as well as the outcomes and consequences of those options left many long-time fans feeling like their investment Mass Effect ultimately wasn't respected by the developers in the end. More than not just getting a "happy ending", we're left with what can only be described as a bleak, depressing one, in which no matter what option you choose, no one lives happily ever after. Sure, you saved earth from the Reapers as expected, but at what cost? The universe we're left with is a dismal one (two words: Mass Relays).

    If you read through all the Harry Potter books and got to final few pages of the series and read that Harry destroys Voldemort, but it costs him his life, and all his friends would be forever trapped in the world of Muggles, cut off from ever using magic again, would you feel entitled to be a little disappointed?

    No? Great for you. But don't go telling everyone not to listen to those who would.

    Mass Effect 3 was a 9 out of 10 game until the final few minutes. The turn it takes in those few closing seconds, ruined not only the game, but an entire trilogy because when the credits roll and you ask yourself, "Was the cost of saving the universe from the Reapers worth it?" the haunting answer for many of us was, "I don't know. I really don't know."    … Expand
  84. sparriskrigaren
    Apr 13, 2012
    5
    I think 5 is fair. The ending isn't worse than the rest of the game, to be honest? The first game was very good, but since then the series has turned into a mediocre 3rd person shooter for casual gamers. Where are the RPG elements? Gone.
  85. DarkSoul89
    Apr 12, 2012
    10
    Ending & day 1 DLC aside, why has no one mentioned how bland the core gameplay is? Its soo boring, it feels like a generic shooter that has plagued this modern generation of gaming :/. Sure some of the biotic powers are cool but this doesn't mean **** when most of the time is spent cowering behind a wall with ur weak sounding space invader assault rifle. It doesnt feel satisfying to killEnding & day 1 DLC aside, why has no one mentioned how bland the core gameplay is? Its soo boring, it feels like a generic shooter that has plagued this modern generation of gaming :/. Sure some of the biotic powers are cool but this doesn't mean **** when most of the time is spent cowering behind a wall with ur weak sounding space invader assault rifle. It doesnt feel satisfying to kill someone, it feels simplistic (except when u melee some1 from cover which is rare). This coupled with the boring story & tedious fetch quests is whats wrong with this game & doesn't do justice to its concept & slick presentation.… Expand
  86. metus999
    Apr 12, 2012
    9
    This is a great game. the gameplay is better than mass effect 2,but the story and characters are weaker and the game forgets that it's a third person shooter RPG. but it's a really good game.
  87. Belthus
    Apr 10, 2012
    9
    Yes, the ending is lame. However, if you can get past the disappointment in the last five minutes of the story (which you can watch by searching on YouTube), the gameplay is almost identical to ME2. The story, for all the (justified) gripes about the ending, is in other respects even better than in ME2. Multiplayer is a fun yet minor addition.
  88. vidar430
    Apr 9, 2012
    8
    I had a great time while playing mass effect 3 the ending gave me mixed feeling but all in all i had a great time while playing. To those people who thing this game is a 0 you are wrong it is a great experience and should be played for the just the enjoyment. While I liked mass effect 2 more than 3 I still can have fun playing a game just for the journey alone not the ending.
  89. 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
  90. TheEverglow
    Apr 9, 2012
    0
    What a joke. Mass Effect 2 was easily my favorite game this gen and I couldn't have been more letdown playing through this game the first time. I'm working through my second play through and I just can't make it. I'm selling it back and never buying a Mass Effect game again. Easily the worst and most disappointing ending of a game I've ever seen and I refuse to pay EA for a better ending.What a joke. Mass Effect 2 was easily my favorite game this gen and I couldn't have been more letdown playing through this game the first time. I'm working through my second play through and I just can't make it. I'm selling it back and never buying a Mass Effect game again. Easily the worst and most disappointing ending of a game I've ever seen and I refuse to pay EA for a better ending. They ruined it for themselves and I'm not letting them get any more of my money.… Expand
  91. Chatmak
    Apr 6, 2012
    9
    First of all, graphically speaking, Mass Effect 3 only improves on its predecessors. The frame rate is much better (especially on PS3), the character models are fantastic as usual and the overall look of the game is much crisper. There are a few glitches, such as freezing on loading screens (which have been slightly shortened), but it doesnâ
  92. LuckyMcSpanko
    Apr 5, 2012
    0
    Five years of an amazing story in a highly detailed universe with great characters and dynamic choices... all crapped upon in the last 20 minutes of this game. ALL HAIL MARAUDER SHIELDS! He tried to save us from the ending. Down with the rEApers!
  93. Kadeemluvmusic
    Apr 5, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 definitely brings a whole new meaning to the words "final chapter." I don't know why some users at Metacritic doesn't even like the game, but can't you see it has a 92 out of 100? Can't you even read what the critics are saying? Although the ending needs a little fixture and BioWare has to solve this problem and fast. I know some fans aren't happy about the ending (Warning:Mass Effect 3 definitely brings a whole new meaning to the words "final chapter." I don't know why some users at Metacritic doesn't even like the game, but can't you see it has a 92 out of 100? Can't you even read what the critics are saying? Although the ending needs a little fixture and BioWare has to solve this problem and fast. I know some fans aren't happy about the ending (Warning: Don't even read the spoilers or you're dead), but I hope they'll make a DLC to the ending sometime soon to get this right and finally Commander Sheppard (Male or Female) couldn't be any more proud than the ladies. Commander Sheppard's romance scenes looked identical than Kratos's kinky side in the God of War series where they featured Mini Sex games. Not bad for a geek who drools over the TV and staring at naked women! Anyway, Mass Effect 3 is perfect. The entire cast, the action, gameplay, life-changing decisions, and everything is fine and dandy except the ending. So I'm still waiting for a low price on the game just the same as Mass Effect 2 and when I buy the game, hopefully I can still get more updates on the ending if there's a DLC or an Expansion Pack in the works. But "Mass Effect 3" is no biggie. Just pick up the game, if not, download it on the PS3 Store. Hopefully, I wonder if they could make a XXX parody of the game without the "M" on it. Hustler, Vivid, anything! Miranda and FemShep still looks H-O-T!… Expand
  94. 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
  95. Mattaclysm
    Apr 5, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I didn't want to bother reviewing this game until I played through it at least one whole play through. I was too into the game I would have given it a 10 just because I was having too much fun. I'll start off by saying there is a lot of bugs. That's what killed it for me. Bugs ranging from fish swimming in the air in shepard's cabin to enemies and allies sliding around motionless with their arms spread out but still can shoot guns. Even some bugs that caused me to have to reload saves like sprinting to cover and getting stuck in my team mates bodies. Also I would run into bugs/glitches not sure what to call this where enemies would get stuck on invisible walls. The good would be the music - I think it's the best soundtrack of any of the mass effects. The story - everything is exciting and epic right until the ending then you're given a kick to the head by someone who decided to end the game in the worst possible manner they possibly could., The gameplay - I wouldn't have minded seeing new skills/more guns/equipment but for what it's worth the RPG elements are always addicting to me, I wish more games had RPG elements like the ME games have it gives me something more to do. I don't know how anyone could deny that this was a good game. I did notice a ton of plot holes between ME2 and ME3 and fortunately I did some research and I think I found out why. The writer decided to incorporate characters and stuff from the Mass Effect books into the game. I never read the books so whenever I'd see a name like Grayson or something else pop up I'd say to myself "who the hell is grayson?" "what the hell is red sand?" Times like that you can be fortunate for google and the ME wiki. I can't tell you about the multiplayer portion of this game as I only played the demo and I didn't think it was anything to write home about. It seemed like survival waves with no story. In closing though I did enjoy this game - it's a good game. It deserves more credit.… Expand
  96. Skawt
    Apr 4, 2012
    0
    Okay, first off I have to say that this game, despite its flaws is no where near being a zero, so enough of your and all of the pouty fanboy **** in the world couldn't convince me otherwise. This game is such an improvement in so many ways; my only real complaint would be the ending . Despite your earlier decisions Shepard's story seems to end at the conclusion of this game. And theOkay, first off I have to say that this game, despite its flaws is no where near being a zero, so enough of your and all of the pouty fanboy **** in the world couldn't convince me otherwise. This game is such an improvement in so many ways; my only real complaint would be the ending . Despite your earlier decisions Shepard's story seems to end at the conclusion of this game. And the ending itself veers off much much too far into the realm of fantasy for my taste (or most people's tastes given the low scores). The ending of ME3 probably rates as one of the biggest letdowns in video game history in fact, because the three games were all so fun with such rich backstories and great characters. I am saddened to see Mass Effect go out this way, but cmon you all know it deserves better than a one or a zero. 8/10… Expand
  97. Bitek
    Apr 3, 2012
    10
    I just do not get all these 0 scores. The game is just great. If you love Mass Effect 2 you will love Mass Effect 3. 3rd installment is just as good if not better than Mass Effect 2. I've been playing the game for about 4 hours now and I just started ! There is so much to do in this game. Reportedly there is 40 hours of game play in Mass Effect 3 plus multiplayer that i frankly do not careI just do not get all these 0 scores. The game is just great. If you love Mass Effect 2 you will love Mass Effect 3. 3rd installment is just as good if not better than Mass Effect 2. I've been playing the game for about 4 hours now and I just started ! There is so much to do in this game. Reportedly there is 40 hours of game play in Mass Effect 3 plus multiplayer that i frankly do not care much about. I've heard that many have problem with the game ending but this is not the reason to give this game 0 score. Graphics are solid, animations are solid. Bioware put a lot of effort into this game. Once I started playing the game i could not stop. I got hooked up on it instantaneously. Controls are pretty much the same as in ME2 so the learning curve was short for me. Overall great title. 10 out of 10. Do not listen to all these 0 reviews. Just pick up the game and you will love it.… Expand
  98. jstevo
    Apr 3, 2012
    10
    Simply brilliant. Great action, sense of suspense. Has everything, strongly recommended. Have played all the Mass Effect games and was initially nervous about the Multiplayer, but its excellent. PSN: jstevo.
  99. Narcysst
    Apr 1, 2012
    9
    As a dedicated ME fan, but otherwise an irregular player of games, I have to say the very end was disappointing- rushed, jarringly out of step with the rest of the game and series. I came away feeling pretty glum. But DO NOT let this put you off playing what is otherwise a stunning piece of interactive entertainment. Taken as a whole, ME3 is a masterfully put together story, with amazingAs a dedicated ME fan, but otherwise an irregular player of games, I have to say the very end was disappointing- rushed, jarringly out of step with the rest of the game and series. I came away feeling pretty glum. But DO NOT let this put you off playing what is otherwise a stunning piece of interactive entertainment. Taken as a whole, ME3 is a masterfully put together story, with amazing music, deep relationships and excellent and diverse combat. Yes there are holes, and yes the ending takes something away from it, but it is still a game I would wholeheartedly recommend. And who knows, perhaps there will be a more satisfying end.… Expand
  100. RT_ViraL
    Apr 1, 2012
    9
    The story of Mass Effect was a story I can relive countless times over, a game where choices are made from the heart. This game embodies what it is to be a human. A choice of how decisions can alter the present, and alter the future. This game is what that stands for. Epic, surreal and incredibly engaging, the entirety of this game should not be missed, regardless of the ending. It is aThe story of Mass Effect was a story I can relive countless times over, a game where choices are made from the heart. This game embodies what it is to be a human. A choice of how decisions can alter the present, and alter the future. This game is what that stands for. Epic, surreal and incredibly engaging, the entirety of this game should not be missed, regardless of the ending. It is a perfect game in storytelling and gripping fashion. The ending didn't ruin the series for me, but dampened it. But not as badly as most people are saying. You are missing out on a game that defines this generation's lust for story. Buy this game, and it will learn to love you back.

    A 9/10.    … 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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