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. hostaman
    Dec 28, 2013
    8
    Woah! Hold on! There seem to be a whole lot of 10 scores and 0 scores for this game implying it's either the best game ever or the worst. It's neither.

    Most players giving it a big fat zero are doing so because it didn't live up to the high bar set by ME2, and also that they hated the ending. This doesn't make it a terrible game and using this review thread to vent disappointment in    Woah! Hold on! There seem to be a whole lot of 10 scores and 0 scores for this game implying it's either the best game ever or the worst. It's neither.

    Most players giving it a big fat zero are doing so because it didn't live up to the high bar set by ME2, and also that they hated the ending. This doesn't make it a terrible game and using this review thread to vent disappointment in this way is inappropriate.

    So the review:

    The game is a massive sprawling sci-fi epic, blending RPG elements with shooter game play. For the most part it works very well. The characters are interesting, the story is compelling and the game play is easy enough for noobs and just tough enough for the hardcore gamer. I really enjoyed playing this game and I'm looking forward to ME4, but it's not as good as ME2 and this is where the complainers have a point:

    The story, character development, RPG elements and the ending in ME2 were all much better. Better story, script, characters and a big set piece ending. ME3 discarded much of the fine work in ME2 for a faster pace which left less room for character, nuance and story in favour of a more accessible game for newcomers. Many suspect this was at the hands of EA, but whatever the reason it does diminish the great work done in ME2.

    I personally enjoyed the ending, but I understand those that didn't. Bioware raised gamers expectations too high and failed to deliver the story and ending that diehard fans were hoping for.

    Many of these diehard fans hated the fact that a multiplayer element was added, but it's for this reason that I raised the score from 6 to 8 because the multiplayer game is fantastic. A very simple co-op shooter but so well executed and addictive that I'm still playing it 18 months after the launch!!! Yes it has a few bugs, but name any modern game that doesn't.

    Still a great game, but I hope BW learns some lessons for ME4 which is at the top of my wishlist.    … Expand
  2. bfoore90
    Nov 7, 2016
    8
    When I look at Mass Effect 3, most of the time all that I see is lost and unfulfilled potential followed by empty promises made by the greed of EA and the video game industry. Let me start out by saying that Mass Effect 3, despite its flaws is still a very good game but the problem for me is that it could have been a great game, a game that could have ended Shepard's story the right way.When I look at Mass Effect 3, most of the time all that I see is lost and unfulfilled potential followed by empty promises made by the greed of EA and the video game industry. Let me start out by saying that Mass Effect 3, despite its flaws is still a very good game but the problem for me is that it could have been a great game, a game that could have ended Shepard's story the right way. The game play and graphics are on point and mark some of the best improvements in the franchise, the cast of returning characters (especially Ashley for me) was a delight after the mixed bag with some gems that we got in Mass Effect 2 and the story, up until maybe late in the 2nd half around the time you arrive on Ranncok plays the strings of your heart masterfully as it gives you the sense that this is the end for Shepard and his crew that you've grown to love as family. Mass Effect 3 had all the makings of a classic sci FY epic but unfortunately got lost somewhere in a pissing contest between EA and Bioware. The game's problem's go far beyond the craptastic Deus Ex Machina logic devoided ending that we recieved as the game plays more like a first person shooter than a classic RPG like Mass Effect 1. Also alot of the choices seem to really lack depth, feeling and the consequence and the story is almost too linear as compared to Mass Effect 1; the story also seems to suffer from many choices that almost seemed forced by the storyline than anything else. In regards to the characters, alot of the Mass Effect 2 squad mates are basically reduced to cameos and the returning characters other than maybe Liara (Bioware's golden girl), Garrus and Tali suffer from a lack of decent screentime and proper handling that affects their development at the core. I stayed faithful to Ashley through the first two games and while I enjoyed her relationship in ME3 it almost felt like the writers left out alot of content that could have helped further her character in the long haul. What ultimately hurt Mass Effect 3 for me was, you guessed it, the ending. The ending of this game really destroyed the series as a whole for me, it almost completely feels forced, lazy and filled with plot holes and lack of overall choice. For instance, It's stated in Mass Effect 1, as a major story of the Mass Effect 1 game, that the Citadel is a giant mass relay used by the Reapers as an entry point to the galaxy and that the Keepers of the Citadel are altered by the Protheans so they ignore the Reapers control signals, making their return impossible. However by the end of Mass Effect 3 the player learns that the Catalyst, who controls the Reapers and also the Keepers (who at this point in game are serving the Catalyst in processing the human bodies) is housed on the Citadel itself. That revelation makes the existence of a major ME3 plot point completely irrelevant and useless. You leave the game's ending feeling lost, depressed and drained as the ending almost completely undoes anything this game does good. Bioware/EA were arrogant to rush the production of this game which allowed a very incomplete game to hit the shelves on release day as well as ignorant to think that the Mass Effect fanbase would allow them to get away with this crime unpunished. Its sad because Mass Effect 3 should have been the vehicle to send Shepard and his crew off the right way, instead were left with Shepard in a pile of rubble and people making up indoctrination theories to try and justify just how bad this game was.… Expand
  3. UltraD00d
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if you will) that decided to take this course I don't know, but releasing DLC on the day of release, particularly DLC which is important to the plot, at 1/6 the price of the game itself is unforgivable in of itself. It seems they are laughing in our face as we shell out money for something that should have been on the disc, available to everyone. It is obvious that it was done simply to milk as much money out of the fans as possible.
    2. Casualisation: The game was geared towards Call of Duty players in order to cash in on the series' success, while abandoning the loyal fanbase. Not much else to say here.
    3. Shoddy Writing: Many uninformed people think that the attacks on the Bioware employee Jennifer Hepler was simply a display of hate for the sake of hate. While they certainly did go overboard, it wasn't without good reason. She was the physical manifestation of the quality of writing coming from Bioware. Examples: Dialogue is awkward, the ending is notoriously bad, after seeing so many people die and killing so many himself, Sephard is emotianally effected by the death of a random kid above all. Overall you would expect something better from a Naruto fanfiction. 4. Laziness of Bioware: For a big budget, triple A game you would expect a certain level of effort from the developers. Bioware, however seemed to have taken shortcuts left, right and centre. There are images circulating the internet which demonstrate this quite well. For example, Copying a stock image for the portrait of a character who dies in the game, and copying another 7? year old image lying around in the internet for the ending.
    5. Ininspired Multiplayer: Another cash-in, Wave survival modes have been done to death, nowadays every game seems to have one. It seems this was added in to artificially extend the life of the game and make an excuse for future half-assed DLC releases.
    6. Gay Sex: people reading this may call 'Hurr durr homophobe" - but wait to read my reasoning. Homosexuality IS a sin. Being implemented in such as fashion acts to 'casualise' it, pressing on the impressionable 13 year old minds (whose uninformed mothers will be buying this game) that it is fine and acceptable. I do not hate **** I care about them, just as I do any other person. For this reason I oppose it.
    Even if this is an attempt to cash-in with the gay audience rather than a political agenda, it gets in the way of the average straight player and does not belong. I do not want to have gay passes made to me by my squadmates when I'm playing a game.
    7. Reviewers are sellouts: This goes for every major game release nowadays, but is absolutely appalling. While I'm not implying that EA is necessarily directly paying reviewers to give the game good reviews (not that I'd put it past them) there is certainly a feel that if you don't give it a good review the publisher early access to future releases. I have heard of cases where people have lost their job because they wrote how the felt rather than what they were told to write. This is why I'm writing this review in fact - to help get a bit of truth out.
    Instead of a proper, objective review we are fed tripe with 10/10 would play again bs.

    Due to all these aformentioned problems with Mass Effect 3, I cannot take it seriously, thus it receives a score of 0/10. The only reason it has earned a 1 from me is because the Biodrone tears are absolutely delicious.
    Have a good day sirs.    … Expand
  4. fatoldsun_98
    Mar 21, 2012
    0
    I rented this game and almost threw it into a trash heap after playing it through, thank goodness I didn't or I would have had to buy this piece of junk. RENT do not buy this monstrosity of a movie called a game; pretty pictures, NO SUBSTANCE. I will never buy another Bioware game until user reviews on a subsequent game get a LOT better. Bye Bioware, hello Bethesda and back into Skyrim on my pc.
  5. amateurdude
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    Bioware/EA. Just look at there last few releases and everything that's wrong with them, now add all that onto the fact the series was actually kind of ok, and you have what is akin to.. Say.. A young attractive women who had a wonderful career/life ahead of her, who in one fell swoop, was beaten and raped repeatedly over and over and over until even the dregs of society wouldn't want toBioware/EA. Just look at there last few releases and everything that's wrong with them, now add all that onto the fact the series was actually kind of ok, and you have what is akin to.. Say.. A young attractive women who had a wonderful career/life ahead of her, who in one fell swoop, was beaten and raped repeatedly over and over and over until even the dregs of society wouldn't want to touch her with a ten foot poll in case of catching herpes or aids.

    That's what Mass Effect 3 is like, basically.    … Expand
  6. krotznapopulov
    Mar 19, 2012
    2
    Though a great game, the last few moment ruin the entire experience of the entire ME series. Like so many other players, I really enjoyed Mass Effect 3. If not for the last 15 minutes, I would give this game a 9 or more. However, the ending is so abysmal (plot holes, inconsistencies, unsatisfying explanations, not to mention exactly the same whatever you do throughout all three games...)Though a great game, the last few moment ruin the entire experience of the entire ME series. Like so many other players, I really enjoyed Mass Effect 3. If not for the last 15 minutes, I would give this game a 9 or more. However, the ending is so abysmal (plot holes, inconsistencies, unsatisfying explanations, not to mention exactly the same whatever you do throughout all three games...) that I can't give this game any more than a 2… Expand
  7. MB957
    Mar 19, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ME3, a fantastic game, until the end. I loved it all the way through, until the last bit. To me, the ending is contrived, non sense and just bad. I would give it a 10/10 if not for the ending. It had a couple bug issues, but those were minor. The ending forces the player into basically 3 choices to destroy all life in the galaxy. It is filled with plot holes and does a great injustice to the ME trilogy. The end destroys it for me completely. One drop of poison can ruin the entire well. If you like epic hero, saves the day, then don't get this game. If you like nihilism and depressing endings...then get this game.… Expand
  8. Hellion
    Mar 12, 2012
    0
    The only hint people need is NOT to buy the game. Only way you will get Bioware to take notice of all the crap that is wrong with their series..creatively and technically. Ending terrible..Engine framerate terrible on PS3. No excuse for these companies anymore..its the greedy people at the top of the food chain taking advantage of the consumer by cutting back talented people. Heck I evenThe only hint people need is NOT to buy the game. Only way you will get Bioware to take notice of all the crap that is wrong with their series..creatively and technically. Ending terrible..Engine framerate terrible on PS3. No excuse for these companies anymore..its the greedy people at the top of the food chain taking advantage of the consumer by cutting back talented people. Heck I even loved the terminator boss in ME2..what happened to that? Gamers, consumers, unite and stay clear of anything Bioware puts out in the future.… Expand
  9. Mark10
    Mar 19, 2012
    7
    I had fun playing the game until the very end. I'm saying that the ending was alright but it should have been better. There are problems running the game. Such as glitchy cutscenes, ridiculous amount of loading, and no HDD install. Multiplayer is okay but it wasn't needed in the first place. The game is better off as single player like it supposed to be from the very beginning. It's notI had fun playing the game until the very end. I'm saying that the ending was alright but it should have been better. There are problems running the game. Such as glitchy cutscenes, ridiculous amount of loading, and no HDD install. Multiplayer is okay but it wasn't needed in the first place. The game is better off as single player like it supposed to be from the very beginning. It's not about entitlement or anything like that. It's about how the ending just shot down many of us from an expected sci-fi action rpg trilogy, when it could have ended in a good show of awesome fireworks with a satisfied ending of closure but it didn't.… Expand
  10. tomd64
    Mar 17, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've always been a fan of the series and have played every game in it. So why a five then? Because of the poor ending. The whole time you feel like your builidng up for something spectacular at the end, then you find out that the reapers are machines killing organics so that they wont be killed by machines! The logic is flawed. Great game up until the end though. I feel bioware should have given the player more closure at the end too. In both dragon age games, the epilogue tells you what happened to everyone. I can only hope that the upcoming dlc for this game gives some form of closure to the series.… Expand
  11. piford
    Mar 21, 2012
    9
    This game is pretty amazing. It has great game play, awesome story telling. It has three settings to suit your style of play so it's easy for everyone to play the way they want. One thing that really makes me love this game is the ability to be Gay/Lesbian because I feel like it's a step towards equal rights.
  12. shadowhawk749
    Mar 28, 2012
    1
    Is ME3 really this bad? Yes it is.. If your a fan of the series and spent countless hours within 1 and 2, this purchase will be your biggest regret. IF you don't care about consistency, have not played either of the 1st two, don't care about false advertising, and just want to play a corny game, then this is for you. Gameplay isn't changed too much from the 2nd, although it feels a littleIs ME3 really this bad? Yes it is.. If your a fan of the series and spent countless hours within 1 and 2, this purchase will be your biggest regret. IF you don't care about consistency, have not played either of the 1st two, don't care about false advertising, and just want to play a corny game, then this is for you. Gameplay isn't changed too much from the 2nd, although it feels a little smoother. Graphically nearly identical, no real improvement other then some areas are more shiny. The overwhelming majority has a great distaste for the way EA/Bioware has marketed this game and there tactics throughout the process, along with the obviously rushed and idiotic ending. Any company that states - You've become a legend. To continue, buy extended content - at the end of a game is low, and I hope they file bankruptcy. Day one DLC is bad enough, to boast about it in game is pathetic.. Is that what this gen will leave behind? It's unmistakable foray into each game leaving out gameplay to charge ridiculous amounts for minimum content? The game itself lacks something that 1 and 2 had, that certain level of immersion where you forget or completely ignore the faults of the game, because its plot and characters are that well developed. Something special that makes you remember each encounter and actually care about the decisions you make. The 3rd has none of this. Your choices from 1 and 2 are barely visible in 3, sometimes plot-lines are completely absurd compared to what you had done previously. You put Anderson on the council? Too bad, Udina is on it now with no explanation. Did you kill Wrex in 1? He's back! Let the Rachni die off? They found more! Literally nothing matters.. Every decision you may have made has been streamlined into 1 basic plot that doesn't do the series justice, nor does it even make sense. People and Bioware who are wondering why people are so mad, and think its only because there spoiled and want a happy ending truly have no idea whats going on.. The entire series has been marketed as a decision based trilogy where you were shaping your own story as Shepard, Bioware was just giving you the tools. Mass amounts of interviews were conducted and published promoting this idea and a plethora of different endings were guaranteed (at least 16). Bioware told us every decision would matter... In the end, the only decision that mattered was that they got your money. The end is one singular loop that plays out exactly the same, no matter what you "choose" - they just contain different color filters on the cgi video. Thats lazy developing and a scam for what was marketed to consumers. The end is not art either. This is a business first and foremost. They wouldn't spend millions to make and advertise it if not. Think of it this way. You go to an art show and an artist displays a "new, unique painting that has never been seen before, where its level of obscurity and detail will transcend your mind". It's covered and your not allowed to see it until its purchased and you've brought it home. You buy it.. but once your get it home, you realize its nothing more than a ripped piece of paper with a poop smear.. You'd want your money back. That's false advertising, its not only unethical, but illegal. Just because this is a "game", does not give it the right to abuse consumers. Overall, if you want a recap of the ending, its like this: Your girl/boy friend has cheated on you. You feel betrayed and remember none of the good times, because of the horrible trauma that it's caused you emotionally . The ending is the last thing you see, therefore its the last thing you remember. Bad outweighs the good. It can take years to trust somebody, but 5 seconds to break that.. and this is one of those instances. Nobody cares that Shepard died, its the fact that your decisions and squad mates don't matter and the countless hours of gameplay are useless, along with severe plot crippling holes. Wait for this game to be entirely remade before buying if your a fan of the series and plot.. you will regret your purchase. I was lucky and got away using a friends copy..… Expand
  13. jdeamaral
    Mar 26, 2012
    8
    Wow! Is there that many morons who buy a game and rates it 0 out of 10? What I love about the game is that it is the conclusion to part 2. I hate the few changes they made like scanning a sector before Reapers come and mess you up. I didn't like the journal this time around, or the complete lack of interest I had with most of the characters. The ending is a "mess", with no realWow! Is there that many morons who buy a game and rates it 0 out of 10? What I love about the game is that it is the conclusion to part 2. I hate the few changes they made like scanning a sector before Reapers come and mess you up. I didn't like the journal this time around, or the complete lack of interest I had with most of the characters. The ending is a "mess", with no real satisfaction of victory. They could have had a real good ending, a real bad ending and mediocre mess that is. As it stands though, the game play is the same, with less crew members to help you. If you loved ME2, you will like ME3.… Expand
  14. Amorphous_Blob
    Mar 14, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game would have been a 9.5-10 except for the last ten minutes or so of gameplay. Choice is thrown out of the window and the -SPOILER- galaxy is basically destroyed. No choices you made in the other games (or even this one) ultimately matter. When i first got to the end i thought i had f****ed up somewhere and got a bad ending but no, they are all equally bad...

    In almost all other respects this is a top notch game and i had much fun playing it! There is a vastly improved inventory system, more skill choices on level up and the new features (with the exception of multiplayer) are well developed.

    Final note: forcing me to play multiplayer to increase galactic readiness sucks!    … Expand
  15. Spazgadget
    Mar 13, 2012
    8
    First, the good news: the Mass Effect 3 universe continues one of the most compelling, well-articulated, and deep environments ever put in a console game; a living universe utterly overflowing with locations, species, factions, and cultures. Rarely has a video game world felt so rich, expansive, and detailed, and very, very few games can boast a universe as dizzyingly immersive as MassFirst, the good news: the Mass Effect 3 universe continues one of the most compelling, well-articulated, and deep environments ever put in a console game; a living universe utterly overflowing with locations, species, factions, and cultures. Rarely has a video game world felt so rich, expansive, and detailed, and very, very few games can boast a universe as dizzyingly immersive as Mass Effect's.

    That said, the game isn't without its faults, and while it's an easy game to fall in love with, it is hard to ignore its problems. Graphically, the game has a hard time keeping up with the action more often than not (even in cutscenes) and the constantly sluggish framerate quickly becomes an irritation. Character models, though attractive, don't really show that much improvement from ME2, and character movement in combat is decidedly clumsy, and in a game that requires quick movement and reaction time, is often problematic. For a game this late in a console cycle, these issues rightly should have been resolved at this point. For those who enjoyed the "RPG" side of Mass Effect, you might be slightly disappointed in this entry's turn in direction towards military strategy and shooter mechanics. While you are given the option to play the game one of three ways, favoring different amounts of story over combat, the game largely remains one large preparation for war. While it keeps true to the general plot line of the Mass Effect trilogy, I couldn't help but feeling I was in some jingoistic Army recruitment campaign, something that inescapably rubbed this player the wrong way. As suggested by my score, it is overall a terrific, quality game, with a few problems. It's hard to find fault with Mass Effect 3, but it needs to be noted that the trilogy has become a more aggressive experience tonally, and has not seen suitable improvements in combat, movement, or graphics that one would expect this late into the series. Overall, a winner, but know what you're getting before you buy.    … Expand
  16. miann
    Mar 12, 2012
    0
    When you finish a game you are left with the impression it has given you. I would say the game play was great. The ending was forced and short. Music and cinematic for the ending were great for what they were... but it wasn't left as a cliffhanger or ambiguous.. it left you with a what just happened.. is that it? feeling. Honestly watching youtube... the 'worst' endings actually left theWhen you finish a game you are left with the impression it has given you. I would say the game play was great. The ending was forced and short. Music and cinematic for the ending were great for what they were... but it wasn't left as a cliffhanger or ambiguous.. it left you with a what just happened.. is that it? feeling. Honestly watching youtube... the 'worst' endings actually left the player feeling like they should play again and make it better.. but the worst ending were really just the best endings but with parts cut out... very disappointing. might play multilayer but the game has ZERO replay value. Huge plot holes and no conclusion the any of the characters you had left...

    Movement had some major flaws. The idea of cover was great, but the console feel made the character get stuck by a grenade when you could have clearly ran away and were pressing the cover button to stand up but you just mode to a different wall.    … Expand
  17. Anansi
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Phenominal game. It's great to see all those desisions you made in the first two games come to fruition. The animations are fluid. The shooting is better than ever. To top it all off they even expanded the RPG elements. Great job Bioware.
  18. Trippledeker
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    All of you should chill the **** out this is a great game with a great story and great gameplay sorry that you don't like the ending because it's sad we'll face it the world is a sad dark place and because of this you want bio ware who has crafted this story for seven years to change because you don't like it well **** you then and I'm sorry they made day one dlc and multiplayer they stillAll of you should chill the **** out this is a great game with a great story and great gameplay sorry that you don't like the ending because it's sad we'll face it the world is a sad dark place and because of this you want bio ware who has crafted this story for seven years to change because you don't like it well **** you then and I'm sorry they made day one dlc and multiplayer they still need to make money it cost alot to make a game that all of you just take for ****ing granite.… Expand
  19. 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.
  20. btthegeek
    Mar 9, 2012
    5
    Bioware released an amazing game that is unfortunately tarnished by the ending. The action and leveling system is vastly improved over ME2, but the conclusion to the trilogy ends in a sour note that may disenfranchise all but the hardest Bioware fans.
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. Muad__Dib
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T READ THE REVIEW UNLESS YOU FINISHED THE GAME: Though I feel the developers are trying for a more cinematic approach to the cutscenes and add less of an interaction and more answers and end-game conclusions to all prior interaction in the series, I do miss the more detailed dialogue options of the Mass Effect 2. The overall gameplay seems a balanced hybrid of the first 2 games, as far the stripped down shooter methodology of ME2 and the more expansive RPG elements of the first. The graphics are astounding, with Jordan Cronenweth worthy lighting environments, the ME@ did begin this favorite film-ic technique of mine. All heil the return of lens flare to modern film and games! Thank you J.J. Abrams and thank you, Bioware! The obviously homophobic reactions leveled against the same sex options are ridiculous, because, guess what, if you don't like them, dont pick them! It's absolutely the most childish commentary I've ever seen on this site, and would like to add that metacritic should do a little more in judging the validity of multi-post users responses who are merely "attacking" this game on this ground almost exclusively. There are 3 versions of the game to play and it seems that some users responses on this site also are ignorant of this option and they may have inadvertently chosen the action play through. Oh, it's so hard to read sometimes, isn't it? I don't understand the issue of conclusion options either. it does not truly vary from the ME2 formula where only body count was the difference with loyalty missions. "Its not the destination its the journey." The Catalyst was a little too, "Deus Ex Machina" for my taste, but it didn't really take from the overall magnificence of this game experience. I thought the endings were subtle, but they made sense in the context of the game. My take away is that Shepard's Fate was to some extent inevitable, but his approach to that final decision contained options as to how the user approached his gameplay with Shepard, and Bioware actually gave you the option to decide that final choice rather than have it play out, with control, synthesize, and destroy. If you really pay attention to your dialogue options in PRIOR games, the payoff is hear if your willing to open your eyes. Oh, the blind homo-phobic racist tween gamer, you should not be playing this game. It is not for you. Great games and great job Bioware!

    PS I love that metacritic's own spell check doesn't recognize metacritic as a word. Awesome.    … Expand
  24. rockgrant
    Mar 26, 2012
    9
    Thanks for another great game, Bioware. No I didn't like the ending either, but I'm not some spoiled, entitled brat that thinks 1 hour of poor content automatically taints 29 hours of engaging story and incredible gameplay. This game will melt your face, ultimately leaving you a bit confused about the ending but still happy you got to go on the ride.
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. wesker2012
    Nov 30, 2012
    6
    Boring. Dull combat and story. Design and combat way too repetitive.
  28. 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
  29. Heckom
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    To make a short story short I am a Mass Effect. I played them all more then then I should. I was not going to write a review because that game was IMO close to master piece but after seeing so many 0 review I decided to write one.
    This game its flaw like every games, some other review says its not a RPG anymore, BS, some said that the shooting mechanic was bad, which is totally BS, its    To make a short story short I am a Mass Effect. I played them all more then then I should. I was not going to write a review because that game was IMO close to master piece but after seeing so many 0 review I decided to write one.
    This game its flaw like every games, some other review says its not a RPG anymore, BS, some said that the shooting mechanic was bad, which is totally BS, its improved from the 1st and 2nd ME.
    Some are mad because there is a DLC, just dont buy it, its not mandatory, if you bought the Collectors edition you got it free, otherwise its 10$. Which is not big deal for a game you can play over 50hrs, even without the dlc.
    Those who gave that game a 0 are just unfair to the game, because its not exactly as they want they are mad, some crybabies. My verdict is, definatly worth purchase, that game is awesome, story is good, its immersive and the replay value is great. I havent tried the multiplayer yet but its something that add to the replay value of the game, yes you need a key for online play but once again its no big deal, buy the game new and voila.    … Expand
  30. houjo2000
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    The game plays pretty much exactly like ME2- so if you liked ME2 you'll like this one just as much. The bunch of zeros by the way were planned by **** in their plan to punish BW for having first day DLC- the only realistic scores are from the critics. It's a great game, not as good as ME- but neither was ME2- I prefered the first game's openness, more random combat in more areas, the lackThe game plays pretty much exactly like ME2- so if you liked ME2 you'll like this one just as much. The bunch of zeros by the way were planned by **** in their plan to punish BW for having first day DLC- the only realistic scores are from the critics. It's a great game, not as good as ME- but neither was ME2- I prefered the first game's openness, more random combat in more areas, the lack of cover and the heat mechanic (that said- thank goodness for no more Mako). This game's a 9/10, very well presented and put together, plenty of cameos for fans, decently fast paced. But, still not ME.… 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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