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. brabb555
    Mar 13, 2012
    10
    Haven't played it but I know it doesn't deserve a 3.6, and I only played the demo. I guess I'm only putting this up here because I see so many children crying about their beloved franchise going to s**t with the ending this game supposedly had. God you people are lame.
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. crackajaxx
    Mar 20, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can sum this entire review in three words: f*#k this game. anyway read below for the TLDR

    Once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away. There was a game series known as Mass Effect. This game series was unique in the sense that it told a compelling sci fi story and it let you influence the course of the story through your very own character. You made the decisions, and it was essentially YOUR story. Mass Effect 1 was a smash hit back in 2007, gameplay like this was never done on this level before. Mass Effect 2 was released in 2010 (I think), and it was even better than it's predecessor. Granted the story in Mass Effect 2 was a waste of time.. however it did develop the characters and that was great and all, but I digress.

    In steps the highly anticipated Mass Effect 3, I can't tell you how much freaking HYPE there was for this game it was nuts. It gets released, and at first it's everything ME3 was meant to be, it was the freakin' third installment of the mass effect series. Then you start noticing little things... little shortcuts the devs took that progressively stack up as you play your way through the game. Why are the civilians 2D sprites? Why did they use a poorly photoshopped googled stock photo to reveal a major character? Why did they nullify many important choices that you made throughout the series? Why did they restrict dialogue to only 2 choices 90% of the game? who.. what.. why.. then it hits you, this game was rushed. Good old fashioned EA nonsense if you will. What kind of is this?? Why it's EA of course, these guys are the MASTERS of let me tell you. but wait it gets worse. specifically towards the end of the game, during the last 2 or 3 hours or so, the story begins.. well frankly.. to fall apart. Many important plot elements just go completely unexplained, many characters appear in places they shouldn't be with zero explanation at all, large space stations are moved across the galaxy all of a sudden, no explanation at all. but wait, it gets worse! during the final part of the game, the plot starts to look like swiss cheese no joke, disappearing characters, reappearing characters, characters get magic powers all of a sudden. all with zero explanation.

    and the cherry on top of this sunday, and I think you know it... the ending. It honestly can't get much worse than this ending. It makes no god damned sense, it retcons the entire trilogy essentially, it makes you pick your favorite color, and your characters dies in almost all of them. and NONE of your choices mattered. the end. That's seriously the ending, some big red green or blue explosion happens, you either become god of the universe for no reason, turn the galaxy into robots and everyone's happy.. cuz robots are awesome I guess, or shoot a tube and land in a pile of bricks somehow, depends on what your favorite color is. there's also a 4th ending but in this ending, everyone dies the end that's it. Bioware put that ending in JUST TO SPITE ppl that didn't like this trash heap of an ending. Oh don't even get me started on biowarEA's condescending attitude towards this whole situation. They would rather sit back and call everybody a bunch of entitled whiners rather than fix their broke ass game. yeah, that's good customer relations ISN'T IT. They lead people on to believe that something more than meets the eye was going on with this ending, but nope, fooled them again, the ending is just as bad as it looks, nothing more nothing less. If you like it, buy my dlc, if not then EVERYBODY DIES GTFO.. artistic integrity indeed.

    anyway, it also comes with multiplayer for some fuc#$%ing reason. Remember what made Mass Effect 1 and 2 great? the multiplayer right? NO THERE WAS NO MULTIPLAYER wtf are these people thinking. this game was never about multiplayer it was about an awesome singleplayer experience, which they effectively destroyed in the last 10 minutes so scratch that. EA strikes back, avoid them at all costs. They'll take your cash.

    This game gets a 1/10 because as much as a pile of it is, there are some genuinely good parts of it, that's the other writers, you know.. the talented people.. doing their thing. I feel really bad for them, having all their work overshadowed by lazy and retarded executive producers and lead writers. The music is really good so I'll give it a 2/10.

    Don't buy this game. Don't play this game. Don't let your friends play this game. it will leave a very sour taste in your mouth afterwards, particularly if you're a mass effect fan. nearly destroyed my interest in gaming entirely.    … Expand
  6. otiz26
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    I think if you fan of 1 mass effect this game for you will be a peace of s**t but if you are a fan of 2 mass effect you will enjoy this game a lot.Briliant story,cool characters,great action this are waiting for you
  7. moui
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    It's great. More of ME2, which is what I wanted. The ending may be disappointing to a certain extent -- but how can it not be? It's the end of ME! Very fun game.

    Giving a low score because of day 1 DLC or Origin is dumb.
  8. Apotts
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    Do yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews that come from angry haters who have not played this game. The User score has more to do with anger about DLC and does not fairly reflect what this game has to offer. I picked up this game yesterday morning, put it in my system and spent the entire day with a giant smile on my face. The game is that good! It felt wonderful to be backDo yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews that come from angry haters who have not played this game. The User score has more to do with anger about DLC and does not fairly reflect what this game has to offer. I picked up this game yesterday morning, put it in my system and spent the entire day with a giant smile on my face. The game is that good! It felt wonderful to be back in the Normandy, surrounded by old friends as well as new faces. If you enjoyed the first two games, you will have a hard time not enjoying this game... well... unless you are one of those gamers who can't handle change, and if that is the case enjoy your bitterness.

    Things to know that might help you decide if you want this game: 1) A lot of the negativity comes from the Day1 DLC ($10 cost), fans feel the DLC was pulled from the full game and sold separately to unfairly make a profit. After playing the DLC mission I have to agree that the DLC should have been part of the game, or at the very least it should have been cheaper. This was one of the first missions I played, and although I suppose you can do without it, I really felt it was an important part of the story. On the other hand after getting the Prothean character I have yet to be able to bring him along on a mission, for some reason he is blacked out every time. Not sure why that is, but I suppose he will unlock later on in the game, like Sebastian did in DA2, but after paying $10 extra for a character I would kinda like the option to bring him along on every mission if I should so chose.

    2) The game feels more combat focused with less focus on exploration. One of the great things about the first 2 ME games was the feeling that you were on an amazing adventure and the whole galaxy was yours to discover. So far ME3 seems very limited in exploration, but I am still early into the story, so perhaps that will change. I really hope that will change, but I am starting to wonder.

    3) Weapon system... kinda confusing. They keep changing this, and I am never really sure why. I was lost the first few times that I tried to equip a new weapon, maybe it is just me, but I found it very confusing and ended up accidentally missing out on opportunities to equip new weapons during the first mission. Once you get control of the ship though you are able to play with this and figure out what you need to know, but I was somewhat put off by this.

    4) No more hacking. ME 1 & 2 had you doing little puzzles to hack doors and safes, and ME3 has done away with that chore. I think this was a good move, since hacking got boring after a while, but if you are someone who likes the hacking this might be missed. 5) For those people who have not played the first two games, I would recommend playing them first. I suppose you can jump into the story with ME3, but I think much of the story will be lost on you. Plus the wow moments would probably be a lot less wow if I didn't know the back story.    … Expand
  9. linksmaster
    Mar 18, 2012
    10
    After completing the game one has to wonder whether Bioware diverted all their resources to Star Wars - The Old Republic. One can only hope that is the excuse for this ending to the series. Regardless of the excuses or, perish the thought these "endings" were actually planned out, the Nihilistic ending made me regret having spent time even bothering to develop a character. Perhaps it's aAfter completing the game one has to wonder whether Bioware diverted all their resources to Star Wars - The Old Republic. One can only hope that is the excuse for this ending to the series. Regardless of the excuses or, perish the thought these "endings" were actually planned out, the Nihilistic ending made me regret having spent time even bothering to develop a character. Perhaps it's a joke. Or a calculated business move to offer DLC that lets you have an ending where you actually have some impact. As such this mess is such a shame for what had been such a promising series. In my humble opinion it is that bad. And it's sad. Not the sadness of any ending but the saddest thing in the world: Wasted potential. The wasted potential from a sloppy meaningless ending to an otherwise previously well executed series. I have lost the will to replay Mass Effect due to the ending. If that was Bioware's (and/or EA's) intentions, then well played EA/Bioware. I won't bother to return. If this is the same attention they plan for other games then I wish them well. I will not be playing them.… Expand
  10. Slva911
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    Nothing less then perfection. I managed to get a copy a few days early and I never thought the story and game could top what the last two games have delivered, but this keeps getting better and better! You really do feel the weight of those decisions you made. Its great to finally see the outcome of these shaping after waiting for 5 years in curiosity as to what would happen.
  11. ShockwaveXP
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    A 10 from me since it doesn't deserve the negative reviews its getting, I don't want this to turn out just like Modern Warfare 3 did an this is a game i actually like.
  12. BioFan12
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    Bioware retrurns to the stage to provide a magnificent end to an epic series!

    Mass Effect 3 provides beautiful scenery, invigorating combat, heart wrenching stories and an all around immersive experience. Bioware has once again proven that they are one of the greatest developers around! Check out Mass Effect 3 available on EA Origin alongside other great hits such as: Battlefield 3, The    Bioware retrurns to the stage to provide a magnificent end to an epic series!

    Mass Effect 3 provides beautiful scenery, invigorating combat, heart wrenching stories and an all around immersive experience. Bioware has once again proven that they are one of the greatest developers around!

    Check out Mass Effect 3 available on EA Origin alongside other great hits such as: Battlefield 3, The Sims 3, annd Star Wars - The Old Republic!    … Expand
  13. RaptorZ
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing, it combines the things i loved about the first 2 games into a highly entertaining experience. Some hardcore RPG fans may be put off because of the higher emphasis on action but most of the things that made the first 2 great are here. The game doesn't deserve this user rating i dont get what people could possibly complain about, it is the conclusion to oneThis game is absolutely amazing, it combines the things i loved about the first 2 games into a highly entertaining experience. Some hardcore RPG fans may be put off because of the higher emphasis on action but most of the things that made the first 2 great are here. The game doesn't deserve this user rating i dont get what people could possibly complain about, it is the conclusion to one of the greatest franchises of all time. Stop spamming and **** about this game cause it doesn't deserve it.… Expand
  14. allsevens777
    Mar 12, 2012
    8
    The homophobic comments on this site are disheartening and violate the spirit and themes of the Mass Effect trilogy at its core. Those that make such comments here are most likely only a handful of ignorant and idiotic spammers. This game is as fun as the others. Importing a ME2 save makes the game much better. However, I will say the ending feels incomplete, even if you get the bestThe homophobic comments on this site are disheartening and violate the spirit and themes of the Mass Effect trilogy at its core. Those that make such comments here are most likely only a handful of ignorant and idiotic spammers. This game is as fun as the others. Importing a ME2 save makes the game much better. However, I will say the ending feels incomplete, even if you get the best ending.There is no forced gay relationship in this game. It's odd that they would take issue against a gay relationship but be totally cool with sleeping with an alien. As a gay gamer, I loved that I could continue what I started with Kaidan in ME1. It's refreshing to build a character/life to reflect my own real-world hopes and dreams. I miss Kaidan already.… Expand
  15. Avidita
    Mar 8, 2012
    9
    To those of you who reviewed this on March 6, 2012 - How can you make a fair and educated rating of the game without having played it? I for one, am in love with this game. I'm about 30 hours through now, and I don't see the end any time soon, which says a lot in terms of amount of gameplay in comparison to other releases nowadays. In addition - I have never cried as many times, or asTo those of you who reviewed this on March 6, 2012 - How can you make a fair and educated rating of the game without having played it? I for one, am in love with this game. I'm about 30 hours through now, and I don't see the end any time soon, which says a lot in terms of amount of gameplay in comparison to other releases nowadays. In addition - I have never cried as many times, or as hard, as I have while playing this game. Sure, some of the dialogue is hokey at times, but the way BioWare designed this game definitely instills you with a feeling of "Wow, this is really the end."

    That being said, my only complaint about the game thus far is that I feel as though Cerberus is the main enemy, not the Reapers. That being said, there are some things that allude to the latter, but I will not mention them here because of spoilers.    … Expand
  16. DanielFarah
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    Fantastic end to the series, these people griping are crazy! Story is fantastic and against popular decisions think the ending it perfect for the tone of the game and the story... Do yourself a favour and get this game, you will not be disappointed!
  17. SkilgannonPT
    Mar 31, 2012
    1
    Loved all the mass effect games, why would they destroy such a wonderfull series with such a blatantly illogical LAST 5 MIN... I justify my score with the following articles and videos:

    1- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M0Cf864P7E
    2-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs


    Fix this ending plz.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. ParagonRenegade
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    One of the better games I've played in the last decade; Mass Effect 3 improves on the other preceding titles in virtually all manners barring some subjective ways others may deem inaccurate or useless. To explain: The combat is much better and smoother, conversations are more realistic and just in general top-notch, the characters both new & old are vastly improved, voice actingOne of the better games I've played in the last decade; Mass Effect 3 improves on the other preceding titles in virtually all manners barring some subjective ways others may deem inaccurate or useless. To explain: The combat is much better and smoother, conversations are more realistic and just in general top-notch, the characters both new & old are vastly improved, voice acting (especially from Mark Meer) is vastly superior and the emotion runs high in the story throughout. Most importantly, the story is much better than Mass Effect 2's, although it falls short (barely) of Mass Effect 1. I strongly suggest buying it for these reasons alone, but there is more...

    The multiplayer, which is unexpected to say the very least, had me underwhelmed when I first saw it disclosed, but when I played the demo, and now in the retail, I have grown to see it as an integral component to the game and like the rest of it is of massive quality. The supplementary "Galaxy at War" is also interesting, if underdeveloped, and I would like to see it improved in future DLC.

    Lastly, I should mention what I found to be bad:

    -Animations when taking cover can sometimes glitch and freeze characters or make them look lifeless (i.e. you have full control but while on the wall they don't breath etc)
    -Some old friends in the textures popping up; this is rare, and happens almost universally after you finish an N7 mission.
    -I would have liked if it was more difficult, it's easy (to an extent) for a gamer of my skill (Average, possibly slightly above-average).
    -A few plot holes, easily forgivable given their minimal impact/enjoyable repercussions

    Other than those small gripes, the game is outstanding, and is well worth the price of the retail and even the Collector's edition; if you own an Xbox or PC (I do not recommend for Playstation due to lack of Mass Effect 1) you owe it to yourself to play -experience- Mass Effect 3 for yourself. Don't listen to the 10's who blindly love the game, or the reds/0's who give their gripes with EA/Bioware/DLC as reasons for hate, carefully evaluate what the critics say and compare it with a rental or a purchase; I promise you will not regret it.    … Expand
  21. ZengxDoWx
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    It's a great game with a great story line. The only thing that I don't like about the game is that because I like to be perfect, I usually would spend hours just going back and choose all the choices that are given which is a pain in the ass. But other than that, it's a great game and I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy this genre of games.
  22. ARTHURIUSS
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    A terrific game.Bioware has really outdone itself in this final installment.Everything including the game play, the story and the music has been improved. This has got to be the most emotionally compelling experience in video game history. The ending though was depressing and I would would have preferred a happier ending. If anyone deserved a happy ending it was Shepard but it was stillA terrific game.Bioware has really outdone itself in this final installment.Everything including the game play, the story and the music has been improved. This has got to be the most emotionally compelling experience in video game history. The ending though was depressing and I would would have preferred a happier ending. If anyone deserved a happy ending it was Shepard but it was still beautiful. My favorite Mass Effect game and deserves a perfect 10.… Expand
  23. chrisindc
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Best series/game/narrative/story I've ever had the pleasure of playing. The way Bioware has been able to connect the strings throughout this complicated trilogy is amazing. Every mission has something that people who have played the whole series will love, some are so minuscule you might not even notice or remember. It should be illegal to play this game without playing the previousBest series/game/narrative/story I've ever had the pleasure of playing. The way Bioware has been able to connect the strings throughout this complicated trilogy is amazing. Every mission has something that people who have played the whole series will love, some are so minuscule you might not even notice or remember. It should be illegal to play this game without playing the previous entries. I'm not here to give a full review, I just came here to give it a 10 to combat all these kids who read the ending and can't handle it. This is easlily the BEST GAME I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Thank you Bioware!… Expand
  24. Amory
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    Loved the game. I have played Mass Effect 1 and 2 each 8 times. I just beat part 3 today and loved it. Sure it has a bunch of issues.....but I think that everyone was expecting an 11/10 and since they didn't get it they are giving it a 0.

    Also, people need to get over the whole DLC thing. It will be a good story but it is NOT needed to get the full story of Mass Effect 3.
  25. Rion_Katsuna
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    This game is a great game, tis very sad that people are complaining about it being dumbed down; when in fact they are complaining about the very things they wanted gone. Like the mining and how it took so long. Now they say they do not like the whole send a probe down on a planet.... Also the graphics are much better than 2, either people just want to give this a bad review, because it isThis game is a great game, tis very sad that people are complaining about it being dumbed down; when in fact they are complaining about the very things they wanted gone. Like the mining and how it took so long. Now they say they do not like the whole send a probe down on a planet.... Also the graphics are much better than 2, either people just want to give this a bad review, because it is not like the first 2 or they have an SDTV or just being a troll. Of course all games are going to change, yes I dislike Skyrim very much, and love Morrowind much more, but it does not mean other people think Skyrim is good. The only peeve I have with Skyrim, is lack of spellcrafting, and little to non black soul gems, because you cannot make them now....… Expand
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. sazhman
    Jul 19, 2013
    0
    If it would have been just another random separate game, I would've gave him 8, but being "Mass Effect", it don't deserve any score. After Brilliant Legend Mass Effect 1, which I played 6 or 7 times, and good Mass Effect 2, 3rd part destroyed the whole series. When it comes down to finish the trilogy, everything is Garbage. it's hard to believe that developers backed down, dropped theirIf it would have been just another random separate game, I would've gave him 8, but being "Mass Effect", it don't deserve any score. After Brilliant Legend Mass Effect 1, which I played 6 or 7 times, and good Mass Effect 2, 3rd part destroyed the whole series. When it comes down to finish the trilogy, everything is Garbage. it's hard to believe that developers backed down, dropped their quality bars so much, for just making money as possible. If they would've worked on it 1 year more, maybe everything would've been ok, but no, BioWare stood against every principle that they had, and ruined the BEST SERIES IN THE HISTORY, to whom it was given to be.… Expand
  29. Alvis269
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    I guess sometimes there are no absolutes. I've seen enough player reviews on this game, on this site, to assume that there are MANY players who didn't play this game prior to writing a review. They simply assumed how it would be, even down to the graphics. You know, I told myself many times that I would never point out differences between casual gamers and original gamers. But, i findI guess sometimes there are no absolutes. I've seen enough player reviews on this game, on this site, to assume that there are MANY players who didn't play this game prior to writing a review. They simply assumed how it would be, even down to the graphics. You know, I told myself many times that I would never point out differences between casual gamers and original gamers. But, i find myself having to do just that. Casual gamers will say: "it has terrible animations and an outdated storyline". Gamers who have been around for a while (say, 20+ years), will focus on gameplay, knowing the visuals are just cake icing. Bottom line: intense plot, stunning visuals for a game this size, and a gameplay mechanism that weaves into the story perfectly make ME3 the perfect sci-fi rpg. Blizzard couldn't even do better than this, and that is something special. Perfect 10, just like I gave Skyrim.… Expand
  30. IcarusLives
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    As usual, every single butthurt moron who calls themselves "fans" is complaining and shredding this game to pieces, much like the other Bioware games, but the fact is this. This is one of the best games to come out in this console generation. I've seen people comparing it to Skyrim, and saying that Skyrim is better, but it isn't. In Mass Effect 3, everything feels important. EverythingAs usual, every single butthurt moron who calls themselves "fans" is complaining and shredding this game to pieces, much like the other Bioware games, but the fact is this. This is one of the best games to come out in this console generation. I've seen people comparing it to Skyrim, and saying that Skyrim is better, but it isn't. In Mass Effect 3, everything feels important. Everything you do has some end goal. In Skyrim, your side quests feel like nothing but filler, to make the game appear "grand" in scale. Bioware has done it again. They remain one of the top developers to ever bless our consoles, and Mass Effect 3 is not only GOTY contender, but GOTD (decade).… Expand
  31. SeanMcGunnigle
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    The reapers are here and commander shepard is ready to kick ass and save earth! Remember when this game orginally came out and it was relatively unknown with little to no expectations. Well now it has grown to the biggest and most respected game of this generation. Don't let the demo fool you with its framerate issues, graphicial problems and awkward mechanics. The full game is spectacularThe reapers are here and commander shepard is ready to kick ass and save earth! Remember when this game orginally came out and it was relatively unknown with little to no expectations. Well now it has grown to the biggest and most respected game of this generation. Don't let the demo fool you with its framerate issues, graphicial problems and awkward mechanics. The full game is spectacular and not to be missed by any fan of the series from day one or PS3 gamers that picked up at ME2. From the storytelling, to the graphical improvements and overall gameplay mechanics. This game is what everyone expected after finishing ME2 and doesnt disappoint in any category. The Star Wars of the video games is prepared to suck you in once again and not let you go until you completed the quest to end reapers. Please don't let others mislead you on its overall quality, if you played the first or the second you'll definitely enjoy this and want to relive it all over again. Move over Luke skywalker, captain kirk, and hon solo Commander Shepard is the new man in town. Greatest sci fi story ever told and marks a new standard for what we come to expect from video games. Beautiful game all aroujnd. No need for the collectors edition either just purchase the standard 60dollar game and be prepared to never leave your seat. Normandy is back!!… Expand
  32. Dredd731
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    I would bet Square or Bethesda is at the bottom of these rampant negative user scores. What a shame... I think the game is outstanding, yes it bothers me about the DLC available for $10 but really didn't bother me enough to prevent my purchase of the DLC at the same time I picked up the game. 99% of the 0 scores don't carry a bit of weight!
  33. vorhese81
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not just "a game" This is the best virtual entertainment you will ever play. I love Sci-fi and I love shooters, so naturally this franchise has always caught my attention with its striking images and tales of a great story mixed with intense action however one thing always scared me for whatever reason, that being the term "RPG" I have always been an impatient gamer, attracted to heavy action such as the Uncharted series, God of War and Killzone but recent games like Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect have started to change me. I'm now completing side quests, Mining planets for materials and going through every option in a conversation to see where it leads. I say all this to hopefully help any other gamer out there that's on the fence about this game or intimidated by the Role Playing aspect. Mass Effect is worth your time and money and I'm positive that it will blow you away.… Expand
  34. mixtapecasualty
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    Instead of just complaining because of day 1 DLC and not helping readers actually get a sense of what this game is about, here's an ACTUAL review! First off, if you loved the first two games, odds are that you'll enjoy this one as well. Wraps up the series nicely, with closure on all ends. You can customize your weapons more so than the previous game, and shooting bad guys feels much moreInstead of just complaining because of day 1 DLC and not helping readers actually get a sense of what this game is about, here's an ACTUAL review! First off, if you loved the first two games, odds are that you'll enjoy this one as well. Wraps up the series nicely, with closure on all ends. You can customize your weapons more so than the previous game, and shooting bad guys feels much more satisfying in this game than in the past games. Heart breaking decisions, your squad could be gone at any moment. The writing is as good as ever. Take a chance on this game.… Expand
  35. McStorm
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    Looking forward to playing out the final part of this trilogy. Judging by the demo, it's gonna be great.

    You might just find that the majority off the people criticizing the game and scoring it a big fat 0 are Staff from GAME and GAME-STATION in the UK.
  36. parrisgg
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    I really liked the game. It feels quite a bit like ME2 to be honest though, the combat mechanics really have not changed very much. I was disappointed because I wanted to see a bit more, but nonetheless, I still love the game. I actually traded in terrible mw3 to get this game and I have no regrets doing it, I know I will playing the game for a while from now and attempt to get everyI really liked the game. It feels quite a bit like ME2 to be honest though, the combat mechanics really have not changed very much. I was disappointed because I wanted to see a bit more, but nonetheless, I still love the game. I actually traded in terrible mw3 to get this game and I have no regrets doing it, I know I will playing the game for a while from now and attempt to get every trophy possible. One aspect I do not like is that the game is not entirely free world, the maps are somewhat small but still, how could you make space an open world because this is not SWTOR. I would recommend this game to anyone, although I would read up on the previous games if you have not played any of the others.… Expand
  37. Edmank
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This has been some ride, since Mass Effect first grabbed my attention. I have played through every bit of the first two games, and loved every minute. Now the final comes, and I feel equal parts excited and sad. Sad that it will have to end, but thrilled to get a chance to play it. And it does not disappoint. The emotion - always the strong point of Mass Effect - is brought to another level. The characters that I have come to care so much about are even more fleshed out. And the goosebumps at certain points of the game...well, I won't spoil. Just get it.… Expand
  38. TheAwesomer
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Incredible game, I find that their is a lot of fanboys who are just out to hate, sure you loved the first ME but games change over time.. deal with it. This is a beautiful game with a really intense story line. Ginger Shepard FTW
  39. HL2EPThree
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Incredible game. Filled with excitement. Great graphics, incredible story. People shouldn't play Mass Effect 3. They should live it. It's incredible, more than we could have hoped for.
  40. 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.
  41. crazyhoot
    Mar 24, 2012
    6
    Having just beat mass effect 3, I really don't get what all the nerds were pissing and moaning about. The game wasn't the best in the world, but the ending made sense in the context of what had happened across three games. Did they want the developers to come to their house and personally felate them or something?
  42. artur
    Jul 10, 2013
    10
    the game is cool and fan
    ~jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
  43. TheKerbinator
    Apr 10, 2013
    5
    This Game Started off so brightly the gameplay and many features had been greatly improved upon from mass effect 2 but then dramatically started going downhill. I Liked the idea of having to bring together all the races to fight but then in the final assault you don't actually see any of them. The thing that annoyed me most however was the fact that to get a decent war asset level youThis Game Started off so brightly the gameplay and many features had been greatly improved upon from mass effect 2 but then dramatically started going downhill. I Liked the idea of having to bring together all the races to fight but then in the final assault you don't actually see any of them. The thing that annoyed me most however was the fact that to get a decent war asset level you needed to play online otherwise your level is terrible. this would of been an annoyance but i bought the game second hand so i had no online pass so i couldn't do this... this resulted in everything in the final assault going up and everyone id ever met on the game dying including Garrus which was the final straw really. Other points are that the squad system is lacking i only had the choice of four, there are no recruitment or loyalty missions. Altogether a huge let down… Expand
  44. karmasleeper
    Jan 21, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 possess decent cover based shooting mechanics and varied weapons and abilities. This is where the game's positives mainly end. Streamlined galactic exploration (though much less tedious than ME2), ham fisted writing, gaping plot holes, retconned story elements, and hilariously bad character design make what would otherwise be the capstone to a respected franchise a case study in how to ruin a game and piss off your fans.

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

    Mass Effect 3's writing is easily the worst in the series. This is due mainly to many of the people involved in the writing of Mass Effect 1 and 2 having nothing to do with the third installment and manifests itself in fanfiction quality scenes and horribly delivered lines. The same awkward and jerky character animations that have been in every Mass Effect game only highlight the lack of soul this game has. It also manifests itself in the form of cavernous plot holes. One portion of the game has you resolving the conflict between the quarians (organics) and geth (synthetics). One possible result of your actions is lasting peace and cooperation between both parties. Yet, at the end of the game, it is revealed the Reapers (synthetics) purge the galaxy in great cycles of war to prevent organics and synthetics from warring with each other which we are told is inevitable and unavoidable DESPITE THE FACT that your character has achieved peace between one group of organics and synthetics and thus ended a devastating war between the two peoples. And this brings us to the ending. The last 10 minutes of the game involve a deus ex machina explaining why the Reapers purge the galaxy of advanced life leaving young races alone - to prevent these advanced races from creating synthetics they will inevitably go to war with. So in order to preserve life the Reapers were created to destroy life. **** retarded. Initially, there was immense backlash over the sloppy ending cutscenes which only differed in colored effects despite the outcomes being different. Bioware released an extended ending which, while not changing the potential outcomes of the game, adds more detail to the consequences of the player's chosen actions and fills the role of an epilogue. I have to admit I found it satisfying and much more preferable to the original ending cutscenes. Regrettably, none of this changes the fact that the game's climax is absolute crap. Multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 takes an interesting concept but falters a bit in execution. You can engage in co-op missions with other players which consist of surviving waves of enemies while occasionally completing varied objectives. Survive a mission and you increase the "galactic readiness" of the galaxy. This value affects your military assets, a component of the single player game. Every asset you acquire has a numeric rating. Multiply that number by the percentage of your galactic readiness and you have your effective military strength which affects the outcome of the game. So if you acquire an asset valued at 1000, but your readiness is 50%, your effective military strength is 500. The player acquires these assets by completing the main and side quests of the game. It's a neat concept to integrate two gameplay elements but galactic readiness declines over time. This means you have to take time away from the single player game just to play multiplayer in order to get the most out of the military assets you find. However, the best possible endings only require a military strength rating of 4,000 or higher, so it is possible to never play multiplayer and still get the best ending, though this means you will have to spend more time completing side missions and painstakingly exploring the galaxy for every asset that might help. Overall, the shooting of ME3 is nearly identical to ME2. If you enjoyed that and don't care about the story you will enjoy this game as there is more replayability with the multiplayer. If you were previously invested in the Mass Effect saga, be warned, and prepare for disappointment.    … Expand
  45. jeanphilt
    Feb 10, 2015
    9
    Many people seems to complain because they compare to ME1 and ME2. I did not played ME1 but enjoyed ME2. It might not be as good as ME1, but I think it's still quite good if you compare to other games.
  46. 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.
  47. neoncritic
    Mar 15, 2013
    3
    Despite having the production heft of a blockbuster action flick, this game feels like a lobotomized, squeaky-clean re-tread. The overall artistic direction is weak and uninspired. This is the worst kind of science fiction. Ripping of huge slabs of Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Star Trek, then cobbling them together feels almost shameful. Worst still, the combat controls feelDespite having the production heft of a blockbuster action flick, this game feels like a lobotomized, squeaky-clean re-tread. The overall artistic direction is weak and uninspired. This is the worst kind of science fiction. Ripping of huge slabs of Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars and Star Trek, then cobbling them together feels almost shameful. Worst still, the combat controls feel clunky and dated. Why do I have to double-tap jump just to surmount a knee high barrier? Oh, you wanted to run and change direction at the same time? Not in this game you won't. Shocking steps backward for the already awful interplanetary resource collection and the inclusion of a new war room mechanic feel like absurd missteps. Worst of all, this game is just plain, dull, monotony, lacking any of the spark of the previous installment.… Expand
  48. 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
  49. 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.
  50. 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
  51. JPG127
    Dec 4, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Where to begin. the overall execution of the game was good. The mechanics from 2 stayed relatively unchanged. The graphics were overall good, the scanning much less painful and they chose a good starting point for the story. Now I will get into my various complaints (controversies will be saved until the end). The graphics were sketchy at times (people talking to you when their heads are turned in the opposite direction). The game forces you to play as a Paragon instead of allowing you to play renegade. The side quests do not impact the final mission and are basically scan this or approve that. The dialogue options are oversimplified (no middle option). Fewer team members to choose from for missions. All new characters are kind of lame. Only two true boss battles (excluding DLC). Now, the controversies. First, I don't care they had a gay option. But don't make paragon choices (comforting Cortez or buying Kaiden a drink) intertwined. Finally, that ending. This spit in the face of everyone who played the game from Mass Effect 1 to now. The goal was always to destroy the Reapers before they wiped out all sentient life. But if you chose to destroy the reapers, you kill your Geth allies? No, this is **** them simply means they will be around forever and synthesis is the forced lets make everyone the good guy ending. Another gripe. While not all endings have to be happy to be good, why couldn't Shepard have survived the final assault. Why, after all the (possibly) good decisions could Shepard have not had a single chance to escape and live out the rest of his life with whomever he/she romanced? The extended endings simply showed an epilogue with little genuine concern for the fans. The war assets collected has no impact whatsoever on the final outcome. EA and the critics treat the series its fans like brats using dismissive phrases like they should grow up. But the reality is the endings were genuinely awful. Remember the end to the Grey or Godfather 3 (the entire movie). Up to these points, both were good if not great experiences. But like the aforementioned movies, Bioware and EA dropped the ball. EA has a tendency to buy certain properties and run them into the ground (Timesplitters, Mercenaries, Command and Conquer, etc). Now they have done the same thing to the Mass Effect series. From this point on, I will not buy another Mass Effect game only to experience the same disappointment again when the next series ends.… Expand
  52. davidplays3
    Apr 13, 2017
    10
    i really enjoyed this game completed it like 4 times with the DLC i think i liked it more than the previous Mass Effect's the only bad thing is that in PS3 sometimes the cinematics kind of freeze and theres only sound is really weird but other than that great game a must play for previous gen and in my opinion the best game series ever.
  53. RodrigoroRex
    Dec 21, 2020
    10
    "Mass Effect 3": Amazing game, it provides an amazing experience for the player. 7 out of 7. Played it on PlayStation 3.
  54. Bjorn77
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    I don't understand why everybody is complaining about this game. I bought the CE last year and never played the game. So 2 weeks ago the ME3 CE box stared at me me and said: "You bought me to stand around here or are you going to play me?". So I started playing ME 3 and I liked it, I liked it a lot. The second day of playing I went to PSN and bought all DLC because I really had a goodI don't understand why everybody is complaining about this game. I bought the CE last year and never played the game. So 2 weeks ago the ME3 CE box stared at me me and said: "You bought me to stand around here or are you going to play me?". So I started playing ME 3 and I liked it, I liked it a lot. The second day of playing I went to PSN and bought all DLC because I really had a good time. I would give it a 9 but now i give it a 10 to somewhat correct the absurd low scores.… Expand
  55. mixxalot
    Feb 24, 2017
    3
    Major dud of a game. My complaints:

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

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

    Seriously, the game sucks bad. At least in games like Far Cry 3 and Fallout series, you can craft items, talk to anyone without lame cut scenes and drive or fly vehicles. This game sucks bad and I really do not get the high rave reviews from critics?    … Expand
  56. tbagurdrumset94
    Sep 17, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After nearly 70 hours of gameplay spread out over 2 games and an interactive comic book, The Mass Effect Trilogy has finally come to a conclusion for me. For the entire duration of the series, I had completely lost myself to the story, the characters and the places that Bioware has created.

    The series has given me a lot of joy, but also plenty of sadness and even distress. It was so easy to personalize Shepard to such an extant that it was pretty much me in the game. I had developed a great fondness for the supporting characters as one does when they are watching a great film. I have never felt so much while playing a game, and for that, I commend Bioware greatly.

    So, how do I feel now that it's over? Not entirely satisfied, but not entirely displeased either. The game's engine is nearly identical to ME2, which is a good thing, since the responsive guns and powers are still there, and the cover system is effective 9 times out of 10; honestly, I didn't go into this game looking for huge gameplay innovations, I simply wanted to be enthralled by the story.

    And the story is indeed enthralling. A few hours in, I was as lost in the game as I had been with ME2. The world is a fully realized, fully populated ecosystem with diverse characters and a multitude of options that define Shepard's journey... but not necessarily his fate.

    There's the rub... the ending. The ambition of Mass Effect must have put intense pressure on the developers to think of a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. I actually don't have an issue with the concept of having to choose between 3 options in order to end the Reaper war. I think it's ballsy and it makes sense with respect to the science fiction aspect of Mass Effect; any developer could devise an ending that goes off with no unexpected occurrences, whether the Galaxy is saved or not. Every choice ends the war, but comes with some kind of catch that will pain your conscience no matter what. And ultimately there are a lot more questions than answers... but that's how the best sci fi works.

    However, a lot of the questions that I was left with were the wrong questions. Like, how did my team end up back on the Normandy at the end? Why isn't my death being mourned? Why isn't there more emphasis on the character that I romanced? Why does it all feel so brief and sudden (which doesn't fit with a series of games that can ultimately add up to 100 hours)? I wanted to see my team and some other key characters deal with the immediate aftermath of the war.

    I'm okay with not knowing anything about what the Catalyst is, or why it is so concerned with chaos, or more general information concerning the Reapers' and the Catalyst's roles in the creation/destruction/evolution of life. That information was rightly left to my imagination. But, when the credits rolled, I did not feel a sense of closure with Shepard and his allies. It made me sad and a little disappointed. And I do wish that all the choices that I had made had at least modified how the ending played out, even in subtle ways. Other than that, I like the concept of the three choices.

    So, the story is brought to a reasonable, if somewhat flawed conclusion. At first, I was frustrated. But, looking back, the journey itself was incredible and more engaging than any other game I've ever played. I would have appreciated a few loose ends getting tied up concerning the characters, but I think that Mass Effect 3 is, for the most part, a great success.    … Expand
  57. DGDrocks7
    Jan 5, 2014
    9
    Finally, I have acquired copy of ME3 for Christmas. I was unable to get it for many reasons (mostly because I was skeptic about the ending). So, here we go.

    In order to reach a wider audience, Bioware made Shepard do most of the talking in order to focus on making the game more action-like. Bioware should have know better than this. And this is where the game loses its one (and only)    Finally, I have acquired copy of ME3 for Christmas. I was unable to get it for many reasons (mostly because I was skeptic about the ending). So, here we go.

    In order to reach a wider audience, Bioware made Shepard do most of the talking in order to focus on making the game more action-like. Bioware should have know better than this. And this is where the game loses its one (and only) point. Yet you will still make the major decisions that will greatly affect the story; just the small talk has been automated (though this make the story less personal than the first two games). Don't be fooled, this story MUST be experienced before you die. And your old friends from ME1 and ME2 still have their stories to tell, and this is the game where you finally see how they turn out.

    The combat mechanics are...well, I don't know. It's not bad, but I really hate the motion blur when you turn. But there is no more fully rechargeable health like in ME2. Your health is divided. If one portion is gone, the only way to replenish it is by using med-gel. Now that's the best of both worlds (why can't many games do this?) There are more varieties of weapons, and the customization is quite deep.

    Now here is where we get to the most controversial thing about the game...the endings. First, DOWNLOAD THE EXTENDED CUT, or you'll get mad. And that's it, you can put your anger to rest. The Extended Cut won't change the endings, but will expand on them. The ending I chose was really emotional, it wrapped up everything, and it was satisfying (thanks to the Extended Cut hehe)

    Never touched multiplayer yet, but that just a bonus. Besides nobody plays Mass Effect for multiplayer, so why start now?

    Yes, Shepard will talk most of the time, but you still have the power to direct your story. And as long as you have the Extended Cut, there one of the endings ought to satisfy you. Thank you, Commander Shepard, the galaxy salutes you.    … Expand
  58. Michael_vince_1
    Feb 22, 2013
    10
    Despite alot of criticism, Mass Effect 3 remains one of the greatest rpg/fps games available, the ending really angered me, but after Bioware dlc was released for an extended ending i believe it to be better. Not perfect but better. As a hardcore fan of the franchise i have played each game several times with different outcomes and the choices you make have huge impact on the story.Despite alot of criticism, Mass Effect 3 remains one of the greatest rpg/fps games available, the ending really angered me, but after Bioware dlc was released for an extended ending i believe it to be better. Not perfect but better. As a hardcore fan of the franchise i have played each game several times with different outcomes and the choices you make have huge impact on the story. Despite alot of criticism this is a personal favourite. 8.5/10… Expand
  59. jackmcready
    Mar 14, 2013
    8
    As someone who hasn't played the first two games my question was: can I still enjoy Mass Effect 3? The answer is: yes! Sure, "everyone" said I would miss out on so much depth and I wouldn't be able to understand all the connections to various characters. To be honest, I didn't care and just took it for what it was. Which is: the universe is threathened by a group called "the reapers" andAs someone who hasn't played the first two games my question was: can I still enjoy Mass Effect 3? The answer is: yes! Sure, "everyone" said I would miss out on so much depth and I wouldn't be able to understand all the connections to various characters. To be honest, I didn't care and just took it for what it was. Which is: the universe is threathened by a group called "the reapers" and it's up to you to stop them. Simple as that. Whatever I don't understand I just leave it at that, it's not that important. I use my imagination and come up with more or less plausible back stories instead. I haven't finished the game just yet but I feel I'm getting there. I really like how the Mass Effect universe feels like. I like travelling between stars and planets and I like the missions. There's not too much of the "do this 100 times" missions, which usually are common i RPG:s. I will keep this review short and just add one more thing. The choices you make and how they affect the outcome. Since I haven't even finished the game once I can't say how much my choices really affects the game, but what's relevant is that I FEEL like my choices matter. It's all I could ask for. However I get the feeling that some choices I made early on was more important than the ones I've made more recently. And finally, the multiplayer (survival mode) is really enjoyable. At least when you play with friends.… Expand
  60. mrnice
    Oct 20, 2014
    6
    Linear and hand-holding. Puzzles have been cut out completely in every way, so the game could almost be played by a chimpanzee. Dialogue options minimized and in-consequential. The story isn't reeeaaally needed and most of the time feels like explosions are all the game cares about. No depth in characters, little realism in outcomes or power structures. But mainly the game is about runningLinear and hand-holding. Puzzles have been cut out completely in every way, so the game could almost be played by a chimpanzee. Dialogue options minimized and in-consequential. The story isn't reeeaaally needed and most of the time feels like explosions are all the game cares about. No depth in characters, little realism in outcomes or power structures. But mainly the game is about running and gunning, so why even care about other aspects if you need a game that does that.… Expand
  61. projectahmed
    Nov 24, 2012
    9
    One of the most Greatest and Experiencble Games I've Ever played. The Great Story, Characters, Choices and Everything. Though having a small number squad members, but large number of weapons, This game has everything than mass effect 2. So your gonna love this game only if you import a save file.
  62. Lord_Blacknemp
    Jul 8, 2013
    9
    It is an excellent game, a fitting end to the story of Commander Shepard. The only downside is that the original ending is difficult to understand, and leaves many questions in the air and you have no other need to download the extended ending (when download was free, not now). But if you download the Extended Final, and if you can buy the DLC (recommended in my opinion), the game is aIt is an excellent game, a fitting end to the story of Commander Shepard. The only downside is that the original ending is difficult to understand, and leaves many questions in the air and you have no other need to download the extended ending (when download was free, not now). But if you download the Extended Final, and if you can buy the DLC (recommended in my opinion), the game is a masterpiece, and certainly the best of this console generation.

    Es un excelente juego, un digno final a la historia de la Comandante Shepard. La unica pega es que el final original es dificil de entender, y deja muchas dudas al aire, y no te queda de otra que descargar el final extendido (que cuando descargue era gratuito, no se ahora). Pero si descargas el Final Extendido, y si puedes compras los DLC (recomendados en mi opinion), el juego es una obra maestra, y sin duda de los mejores de esta generacion de consola.    … Expand
  63. Makorov
    Oct 31, 2012
    7
    Truly amazing game with great graphics and everything else for that matter, but the ending was beyond crap, so spend another 9.99 on a knew one. No thanks.
  64. 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.
  65. mmrventricle
    Feb 12, 2014
    9
    why so many haters wtf? I know I cant talk any sense into those morons who give this game a 0 just because of the ending but ARE YOU FAKING KIDDING ME? HOW CAN 10 MINUTES IN A 30 HOUR GAME LIKE MASS EFFECT 3 LOWER ITS RATING FROM 9/10 TO 4/10 OR EVEN LOWER? WTF? Feel free to thumb down but get this shame on u all who claim urselves as "fans" but are infact nothing but ragers.
    Mass Effect    why so many haters wtf? I know I cant talk any sense into those morons who give this game a 0 just because of the ending but ARE YOU FAKING KIDDING ME? HOW CAN 10 MINUTES IN A 30 HOUR GAME LIKE MASS EFFECT 3 LOWER ITS RATING FROM 9/10 TO 4/10 OR EVEN LOWER? WTF? Feel free to thumb down but get this shame on u all who claim urselves as "fans" but are infact nothing but ragers.
    Mass Effect 3 is an RPG with the gameplay of an action game. The new combat system is so much fun to play. In ME2 combat becomes a lot less interesting if u choose classes like sentinel that can only use 2 of the 6 weapon types; abilities are also less powerful so soldier is definitely a go-to class. In Mass Effect 3 however not only did EA double the number of weapons from 29 in me2 to 72, the new combo system is also very fun (hitting the same enemy with 2 specific abilities in succession will lead to an explosion dealing tons of dmg). As an RPG ME3 did hell of a good job in making combat fun.
    ME3 takes place after ME2. The reaper has invaded and shepard must again travel around the galaxy to save humanity and other species as well this time. You will meet new friends as well as old, fight the powerful invaders that want nothing but extinction of all sentient species. (Trust me those are not just promotion this game really is that exciting)
    But in some other aspects, Mass Effect 3 takes a step back. The errand missions (which are the majority of side missions in this game) are boring and does not make any sense, the planet scanning system is removed, and of course the ending. It is seriously pretty disgusting, I must admit, but it is only because it is supposed to be awesome, for Mass Effect 3 is such an anticipated and massive game. It is still better than many, and I must give credit to bioware who tried their best to fix the ending once they realized its problem.
    At this point whoever that is here either has already played ME3 or is not interested and will probably never play ME. So if you are also a rager go ahead, write a 0/10 review. It just doesn't matter any more. BTW thanks for reading to the end.    … Expand
  66. 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
  67. Magnifico
    Jun 4, 2013
    9
    Mass Effect 3 plays just as great as ME2, but I feel the story was lacking in places and didn't give that same sense of urgency that the 2nd one truely captured. But the gameplay and dialogue once again got me hooked and till the very end I was dreading the fate of Command Shepard who I have come to love throughout the trilogy.
  68. Darrius
    Mar 16, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm glad critics judged this game. It was great in every aspect. the combat was refined, the faces looked more lively. The ending had maybe two explainable plot holes, but they are minor and are easily over sought. Some complaints were the ending was too dark. The ending killed Shepherd, but his actions saved the galaxy, which leads to complaint two. People feel their actions just make no difference from the previous games. But point one, if specific characters are dead from me2, than that adds a different character we haven't seen in their place. Point two, your choices will not matter, why? because this isn't ultimately about Commander Shepard, it is about galactic safety. Whether you saved the citadel or not, will not matter at the end of the game because the whole plot of getting the reapers is bigger than that. Overall the game play is way better, there are more weapons and suit upgrades, and many emotional turns, had you played the game the whole series.… Expand
  69. alex82101
    Feb 4, 2013
    9
    I have played mass effect 2 and I can tell you that people that give this game a low score are just stupid fanboys who are 13 years old and judge the game by its ending. The game is a huge improvement from Mass Effect 2. The combat is hugely improved and everything feels more fresh to me. The level up system is more logic and more fun allowing you to experiment more. ME 2 was sometimesI have played mass effect 2 and I can tell you that people that give this game a low score are just stupid fanboys who are 13 years old and judge the game by its ending. The game is a huge improvement from Mass Effect 2. The combat is hugely improved and everything feels more fresh to me. The level up system is more logic and more fun allowing you to experiment more. ME 2 was sometimes getting boring because there wasn't a lot of guns. Here you have more than thirty guns and each gun class has class mods! Its more fun to create gun based on your playstyle. The combat is a HUGE improvement. When I played ME 2 I felt like a robot on a battlefield that was all stiff and moved like a dummy. ME 3 complete opposite. u can jump,leap,do a roll, YOU JUST feel like a human! And this game has a multiplayer too!. Dont listen to the negative user reviews and buy this excellent game.… Expand
  70. WASABIP29
    Dec 26, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you ignore the ending, Mass Effect 3 is the best game of the series. The combat, the decision making, the interactions with the game's characters are all top notch. Bioware removed the tedious planet exploring/scanning from previous games, and ensured that side quests are actually fun to play. The choices you make in-game have enormous and satisfying effects on the game's story right up until the games ending. It's this ending that has so many players up in arms against the title. I personally think that most people are over reacting. It's not that bad, in fact, it's actually pretty good if you look at it like any other game. It's artistic, it's satisfying and it sums up and ties off the series' story. The problem is that it barely changes depending on what you've done in the past three games and that's what people were looking forward to most. The only thing the game takes into account during the ending is your galactic readiness score which varies only slightly depending on what choices you've made. This is disappointing, but I wouldn't say it's a game breaker. And the rest of the game more than makes up for it. If you buy this game I would recommend also downloading the extended cut. This helps flesh out the ending a little more. Also, enjoy the game as you're playing through it, don't get you're hopes up on the end.… Expand
  71. ExiledChaos
    Feb 7, 2013
    8
    People didn't like Mass Effect 3 because the ending was different from what they expected. Yeah, the ending was a bit of a bummer, but they (eventually) released FREE DLC that fixed that. If you are undecided still on ME3, I recommend that you check it out. It has some top notch characters and development, it has some great voice-acting and some great missions, but the combat IS slightlyPeople didn't like Mass Effect 3 because the ending was different from what they expected. Yeah, the ending was a bit of a bummer, but they (eventually) released FREE DLC that fixed that. If you are undecided still on ME3, I recommend that you check it out. It has some top notch characters and development, it has some great voice-acting and some great missions, but the combat IS slightly repetitive. For £15-20 you can buy it now, so I'd check it out.… Expand
  72. MisterBrown
    Feb 19, 2013
    10
    Sorry to join one of the two extremist camps, but this game is absolutely brilliant, and much of that is due to what the majority of haters...well, hate. The ending is, in fact, BRILLIANT, which is because, as many of your know, the Indoctrination Theory is true. The Extended Cut DLC supports it. Go watch any of Julian Kluk's thoughtful documentaries on YouTube or CleverNoob.com; he hasSorry to join one of the two extremist camps, but this game is absolutely brilliant, and much of that is due to what the majority of haters...well, hate. The ending is, in fact, BRILLIANT, which is because, as many of your know, the Indoctrination Theory is true. The Extended Cut DLC supports it. Go watch any of Julian Kluk's thoughtful documentaries on YouTube or CleverNoob.com; he has 4 1/2 hours of footage supporting it, and it's incredibly convincing and makes disbelieving the Theory more illogical and ignorant than ANY "wrong" endings critics think Bioware made.

    Therefore, with a risky, smart, and artistic ending, on TOP of the best story, emotion, and mechanics in the series yet, how can you have anything but a masterpiece?    … Expand
  73. Joryn282
    Feb 19, 2013
    10
    Mass Effect 3 was an amazing game and an excellent ending to the trilogy. At first the ending was a little disappointing but not enough to ruin the game for me, and with the Ending Content DLC it was improved significantly. I look forward to the next game to see where Bioware takes it.
  74. Ether813
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    People need to get over ending and stop trashing a game that is clearly 9 out of 10. Great Suspense, and great story, ending could have been better but when factoring that the ending contained cut scenes and not just screen caps with text, i think it is well worth it. Honestly if you want the full experience, buy the trilogy and wait for all the DLC to be released. It is a fun ride, wellPeople need to get over ending and stop trashing a game that is clearly 9 out of 10. Great Suspense, and great story, ending could have been better but when factoring that the ending contained cut scenes and not just screen caps with text, i think it is well worth it. Honestly if you want the full experience, buy the trilogy and wait for all the DLC to be released. It is a fun ride, well worth the purchase...… Expand
  75. glinkot
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    I really enjoyed this return to the series. Very rarely do I play a whole series of games, but this one kept me in. 56 hours of play reported against this one, so they must have done something right!

    The same quality of story and voices seems to have been maintained throughout this chapter. Well done bioware.
  76. sJagstang
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is a game that obviously caused a lot of controversy when it released last year due to it's bad ending, I agree that the ending was bad but I don't think it took enough away from the game for me as I was really enjoying the game up to the last 20 minutes. The gameplay is great with fast paced combat and the story is interesting with some great choices to be made throughoutMass Effect 3 is a game that obviously caused a lot of controversy when it released last year due to it's bad ending, I agree that the ending was bad but I don't think it took enough away from the game for me as I was really enjoying the game up to the last 20 minutes. The gameplay is great with fast paced combat and the story is interesting with some great choices to be made throughout the game, It's a good game, The ending was obviously very disappointing for a lot of fans and rightly so, But the Mass Effect Trilogy still has some of the best story and characters of this generation and should not be missed, download the Extended Cut DLC which will soften the blow a bit even though it is still a pretty lackluster ending even with it.… Expand
  77. Displacement
    Mar 19, 2013
    10
    OK, so the ending isn't "omg ur awesome here trophy." That doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most immersive, emotionally demanding games ever produced. There are 2 minute snips of overheard dialogue on the Citadel that carry more emotional weight than 95% of games produced today. If you play games for their story this game simply cannot be matched. If you play games forOK, so the ending isn't "omg ur awesome here trophy." That doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most immersive, emotionally demanding games ever produced. There are 2 minute snips of overheard dialogue on the Citadel that carry more emotional weight than 95% of games produced today. If you play games for their story this game simply cannot be matched. If you play games for action there are some very demanding fights and the bellow of the Reapers as they do their best to annihilate you is straight up terrifying. Considering how easy it is to get this game for $15 or so right now, you'd be insane to let the people who didn't like the ending keep you from playing it.… Expand
  78. dbxhaz
    Apr 21, 2013
    9
    this an awesome game for every mass effect fan the storyline is solid and the multiplayer is fun but i wont talk about the ending just play the game and enjoy it
  79. TheHollaway
    Apr 23, 2013
    9
    What else can be said? One of the greatest stories in the history of the video game industry came to an end. Whether or not you loved the ending (I personally did not), you cannot argue that the adventure of the trilogy didn’t give you one of the best experiences in your gaming life. When I first put in the disc, nay when ME3 was first announced, I would have sworn to you that this wouldWhat else can be said? One of the greatest stories in the history of the video game industry came to an end. Whether or not you loved the ending (I personally did not), you cannot argue that the adventure of the trilogy didn’t give you one of the best experiences in your gaming life. When I first put in the disc, nay when ME3 was first announced, I would have sworn to you that this would be getting my 2012 Game of the Year vote, but sitting pretty here at #4 only shows that this was indeed incredible. The perfect blend of RPG and Shooter is a concoction that so many strive for, but a tale of characters I care about while in a vast, enveloping world make it transcend it’s near flawless gameplay.… Expand
  80. ravensfan1996
    Jul 27, 2013
    5
    This game really does have great gameplay, the main campaign missions are long, challenging, and engaging, and the gunplay is not too difficult. The character development, as we've come to expect from this series, is great, and the side missions all feel like they matter to the larger purpose of the game.

    However, as fun as the game itself is, factors that are beyond the player's    This game really does have great gameplay, the main campaign missions are long, challenging, and engaging, and the gunplay is not too difficult. The character development, as we've come to expect from this series, is great, and the side missions all feel like they matter to the larger purpose of the game.

    However, as fun as the game itself is, factors that are beyond the player's control bring this game down a huge step, the game is touted as being an RPG, but your choices that you make throughout the game have very little effect on the ending to the game. Also, the fact that multiplayer is necessary to get the best ending is absurd, I bought the game used, and was completely enraged when I learned I had to shell out another $15 dollars just to get the best ending, regardless of how well I played the single player campaign. This, and the day 1 DLC make it impossible for this game to receive the score its gameplay earns.

    But for all its flaws, playing this game was incredibly enjoyable (until the ending), and if you aren't one to care about your ending and just want to play a fun sci-fi shooter, I would absolutely recommend this game.    … Expand
  81. funtimz
    Jul 10, 2013
    9
    Yes, the ending is bad. We have to keep in mind that the ending is about 20-30 mins long where the game is 25+hours long (only singe player). If the ending was epic this game would easily been 10/10. The story is about uniting the galaxy and it is presented in an awesome way. The gameplay is vastly improved in me3, combat fast and satisfying, weapon variety is also welcomed. TheYes, the ending is bad. We have to keep in mind that the ending is about 20-30 mins long where the game is 25+hours long (only singe player). If the ending was epic this game would easily been 10/10. The story is about uniting the galaxy and it is presented in an awesome way. The gameplay is vastly improved in me3, combat fast and satisfying, weapon variety is also welcomed. The mutiplayer is very strong with huge amount of depth. With 5 free multiplayer dlc's bioware has done a great fan service. These mutiplayer packs added characters, weapons, maps, platinum difficulty and new enemy faction. Mass Effect series is truly a master piece.… Expand
  82. Mudville
    Oct 21, 2013
    8
    Im a huge fan of the ME series I've beaten all three games multiple times but if I had to pick my least favorite it would have to be the this one. For one reason and one reason only the ending. When I chose my ending I wasn't satisfied. So I looked up other ones and realized that their all the same. It made me feel like what I chose did't matter at all.
  83. Krizuwe
    Nov 20, 2013
    5
    Uno de los juegos mas sobre valorados que he probado, tenia muy buenas criticas, nunca pensé en comprarlo, tuve la oportunidad de probarlo por cortesía de Playstation Plus y pude cerciorarme de lo grandiosamente juego que parecía ser y lo malo que en realidad es, nefasto, tragarte escenas con subtitulos super ultra enanos es una vergüenza, los gráficos son muy malos para ser un juego deUno de los juegos mas sobre valorados que he probado, tenia muy buenas criticas, nunca pensé en comprarlo, tuve la oportunidad de probarlo por cortesía de Playstation Plus y pude cerciorarme de lo grandiosamente juego que parecía ser y lo malo que en realidad es, nefasto, tragarte escenas con subtitulos super ultra enanos es una vergüenza, los gráficos son muy malos para ser un juego de Playstation 3, ni que decir de la jugabilidad, es muy mala también, en definitiva, no merece la pena jugarlo, es horrible, no lo recomiendo.… Expand
  84. mr10123
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    A marvelous game damaged only by a sup-par ending, Mass Effect 3 is one of the most significant games of this generation. The combat is now is now truly enjoyable, and the added customization is appreciated.
    Overall, there's a reason the critic reviews are radically different than the user reviews: critics are paid to make thoughtful, accurate reviews, while some users seem to mindlessly    A marvelous game damaged only by a sup-par ending, Mass Effect 3 is one of the most significant games of this generation. The combat is now is now truly enjoyable, and the added customization is appreciated.
    Overall, there's a reason the critic reviews are radically different than the user reviews: critics are paid to make thoughtful, accurate reviews, while some users seem to mindlessly give "0's" because they didn't like 1% of the game.    … Expand
  85. SyrupForDragons
    Jun 13, 2014
    7
    This game isn't bad, but its ending is -- it very literally has the worst ending in the history of endings & it takes away from everything else the game did right. Everything you do in the 1st 2.9 games is rendered obsolete by this joke of ending; even w/ the extended cut.
  86. erhanz
    Jun 30, 2014
    8
    Finished the last installment on this sci-fi series last week.
    So basically i play the game and load my save files from ME2. So my review is going to be based on my storyline.
    Shepard was detained back on earth because he sacrificed a batarian's planet to delay the reaper invasion. In the meantime, every species is getting ready for the war with the reaper. Suddenly the Reaper invades    Finished the last installment on this sci-fi series last week.
    So basically i play the game and load my save files from ME2. So my review is going to be based on my storyline.

    Shepard was detained back on earth because he sacrificed a batarian's planet to delay the reaper invasion. In the meantime, every species is getting ready for the war with the reaper. Suddenly the Reaper invades Earth.
    Shepard, once again go back to the outer space to get help from all species in the galaxy. Can Shepard make it? Will he get back in time with the help needed? Play and find out yourself.

    Plus point:
    - A total upgrade in the graphic level. The main characters' expression and details are much much better in this game. Also the new weapon and armor system, makes the game more interesting.
    - If you load the save files from the previous game, whatever you did on the prequels, will affect the story on this game. And there are so many reccuring characters from the trilogy.
    - Great conclusion to the story. I finished the game with the perfect ending within my first gameplay. Well, of course while finishing all of the other DLCs, such as Omega, From The Ashes, Citadel, Leviathan. It's like every creatures on the galaxy is lending a hand to shepard for the war with the Reaper. The game is full pf actions, i mean you fight a gigantic reaper with only Scanning Laser Gun for an all out attack? That's intense and awesome.
    - Garrus, Garrus, Garrus! My partner since ME1 and the best and coolest characters of ME Trilogy, and he's back once again.

    Minus Point:
    - I played the game on PS3, so the game is not that smooth. Sometimes there are some jaggy scene, i guess the console itself isn't powerful enough for this game, which is such a letdown.
    - You can choose your ending! Well although only one leads to Perfect Ending, and of course if you have enough Paragon points and Effective Military Strength for it. But that's kinda ignoring our play style of paragon or renegade. Because in the end they gave you a choice for the ending.
    It'll be better if you play as Paragon, you automatically gets the Paragon ending, without choosing other options.
    - Well, not exactly a minus point, but almost all of the characters on ME2 won't join as playable characters. I kinda miss Thane.

    The Verdict:
    I must say, i'm not much of a fan of sci-fi, but this series totally blew my mind. ME3 is a full action pack game with great stories. We could see how desparate Shepard is to save Earth from the Reaper, His love story with Ashley, His sadness when losing comrades, this game is not just a simple game with shoot and destroy, but it brings some of the emotional feeling in it. I totally love ME trilogy and one of the best game i ever played. If only they could fix the frame rate problem, then this game is flawless. 8.5/10    … Expand
  87. Kai82
    Jan 31, 2020
    1
    It is the Game of Thrones ending equivalent in video games. I asked myself: Can an ending ruin a game? Yes. A trilogy? Yes. A franchise? Maybe, but Mass Effect Andromeda hurt the franchise (and BioWare) at least as much. The Mass Effect trilogy was about decisions and we discussed about our decisions and outcomes. Then we finished Mass Effect 3 and nearly everyone was disappointed. BioWareIt is the Game of Thrones ending equivalent in video games. I asked myself: Can an ending ruin a game? Yes. A trilogy? Yes. A franchise? Maybe, but Mass Effect Andromeda hurt the franchise (and BioWare) at least as much. The Mass Effect trilogy was about decisions and we discussed about our decisions and outcomes. Then we finished Mass Effect 3 and nearly everyone was disappointed. BioWare made even a survey about the ending on their website which they removed quickly and silently because of the results. I haven't touched my Mass Effect games since then (I replay my favourite games once in a while) and we didn't discuss any-more. They rushed the game and don't know how to finish it. BioWare did a better job in Baldurs Gate 2 and Dragon Age. Here they showed you the outcomes for your characters and decisions in a meaningful way. Back to the game: It does a lot right. You can say “The playtime is over”. Now the real **** starts. You will be thrown in a dire battle for survival as the whole galaxy is struggling. It creates this feeling of dread as you proceed trough the story. You are the archiver of miracles and bane to your enemy's but you don't turn the tide of war just that easy. The main and side stories are really good with some exceptions. Some outcomes are insignificant at best while others are simply amazing (Wont spoil). You recruit again old friends and a new character (or 2 depends on point of view). My favourites are again Liara, Garrus, Joker, EDI, Anderson, Aria, Thane and Steven Hacket. What harms this game is the Illusive Man. He did an awesome job in Mass Effect 2 but should not be in the role he is in this game. Also Kai Lang is a waste of a character and has no real purpose (He was originally from a Mass Effect book and there he was a badass and interesting character). I will also mention that this game has the best final attack (motivational) speech in video games history. There are also so many good and sad emotional moments. I had tears in my eyes at some points. This are clearly signs of a great game and I will defend this statement as much as I will complain about the ending. The battle system is working well but is a decline from Mass Effect 2. I will also mentioned that I had some bugs in this game and could even not finish a quest because of it (Overall the number was tolerable). There were also many good branches for decisions from Mass Effect 1 / 2. I will praise this. Lets get to my final verdict: This is a great game which is an 8-9/10. Then comes the abysmal ending that ruins this trilogy. It crushes all expectations and destroyed the replayability. For details see the list of the famous YouTuber Angry Joe or watch the YouTube video which compares all endings (at once) and you will see what got the community enraged. They later tried to fix this with a free DLC (Really good material) but it was to late. The reviving with Mass Effect Andromeda failed miserable (The “My face is tired” meme is hilarious). It could have been the Star Wars for video games and I liked the characters (Some would be in my top 10 list), lore, history, races and nearly everything in the games. I will give 1/10 because I don't believe in a 0/10 rating except for Fallout 76 which fully deserves this rating.… Expand
  88. SuperkenGaming
    May 25, 2021
    8
    Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    Go google pictures of Mirandas butt
    Mass Effect 3 is the final chapter of Sheards story youre off to end the reapers, this race of beings that threaten the existence of the universe as you know it… I didn’t play the original version, but here in Mass Effect 3 you have the option to play RPG style or action style… as someone that played the last 2 games I    Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    Go google pictures of Mirandas butt
    Mass Effect 3 is the final chapter of Sheards story
    youre off to end the reapers, this race of beings that threaten the existence of the universe as you know it…
    I didn’t play the original version, but here in Mass Effect 3 you have the option to play RPG style or action style… as someone that played the last 2 games I love the choice aspect of this series so I chose to mainline the story with the rpg elements here.. choosing my dialog.. unfortunately though the game doesn’t make it hard for you to just b line to the end in about 12 hours.
    Why? Because this just ist the least interesting game in the trilogy.. it just is.. you already know which charcters you like in this universe.. and there aren’t really anymore to fall in love with before the big showfdown.. so I just didn’t care to do the side missions, especially with just how repetitive the main campaign felt.. why would i? I had no insentive to explore and go do more.. that being said mass Efect 3 is decently enjoyable to play through.. You will get more squadmembers as the story goes on, youll be picking out their special abilities, and they do become an important part of your arsenal.. for example Liara was a stple for me to deal with annoying shielded enemies, I loved how on command I could have her just throw any enmy in the eir right in front of me.. so it really is up to you to baance your squad of 3 to your play style.. I do wish however there was more information given to me before a mission s maybe I was more throughful about the 2nd member… if I ever had anyone different it was mostly because the tory forced it on me.. in general mass effect 3 does an awful job at pre gaming… you have to chose your loadout before you go in.. having no idea what youll be dealing with ahead of time.. it makes literally 0 sense for me to not change my loadout based on my current situation on the fly… it ultimately lead to me not relly trying out any guns after I had one I was pretty satisfied…
    If mass Effect 3 werent the bow ontop of a series I had to see the end of after a huge investment into 1 and 2… I probably wouldn’t have been so invested to see it through.. it lies on the shoulders of the success of the perevious games and sadly doesn’t live up to the world building standards they set…
    While I did enjoy going through this campaign and putting an end to this intergalactic war… by itself, mass effect 3 isnt all that great.
    I give Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  89. narikolives
    Jan 18, 2015
    9
    Here's a simple analysis: the fan reviews are so emotionally polarized that they're essentially useless.

    Quite a few are outright lies (a review below this one states "The dialogue is gone, even with full decisions on it's like watching a movie instead of an interactive story" -this is a blatant falsehood unless the reviewer had the sound off and subtitles disabled) and too many are    Here's a simple analysis: the fan reviews are so emotionally polarized that they're essentially useless.

    Quite a few are outright lies (a review below this one states "The dialogue is gone, even with full decisions on it's like watching a movie instead of an interactive story" -this is a blatant falsehood unless the reviewer had the sound off and subtitles disabled) and too many are backlash up-votes in the same vein as their rage-driven down-vote counterparts.

    Read the critical reviews if you're after actual information.

    For my money it's an excellent game critically tarnished by EA's terrifyingly stupid decision to push for a quick ending over just finishing it up to the standards of the rest of the game (and series).    … Expand
  90. Heisenberg93
    Apr 6, 2015
    8
    When I started playing Mass Effect 3 I was afraid: some said it was a masterpiece, others that it was a bad game, many said that the ending was not nice. I did not know where the truth was, I knew that I would find the truth only playing the game. I'll start talking about the gameplay, graphics and then finally the plot. This is the report.

    The gameplay of ME 3 is confused: the rpg    When I started playing Mass Effect 3 I was afraid: some said it was a masterpiece, others that it was a bad game, many said that the ending was not nice. I did not know where the truth was, I knew that I would find the truth only playing the game. I'll start talking about the gameplay, graphics and then finally the plot. This is the report.

    The gameplay of ME 3 is confused: the rpg section of the game is now almost non-existent. Exploration is reduced to ridiculous levels and has been completely removed the planetary extraction of minerals. Even the player's mastery in handling the dialogue has been reduced to the bone, even the dialogue options are reduced. The codex and the management of the missions is stupid: not only I can not examine in detail the current mission, but there isn't a division between primary mission and side quests. The only component revalued were the stats of weapons and power-ups, which had been removed in ME 2, and an interesting addition were the War Assets, useful in managing the resources acquired to be used in the final battle against the Reapers. The longevity of the game is reduced compared to the first and second chapter. What to say? It is confusing, in fact. I don't understand why BioWare doesn't know just to make things better, and why do back and forth between the elements of gameplay, between a chapter and the next. Adds something, but removes something else. It is not that the game is not fun, but in this way the game appears to be inconsistent.

    The graphics of the game is really beautiful, BioWare has taken advantage of the Unreal Engine 3 giving the game a look good. The best thing in the game. The soundtrack, as usual, is very beautiful.

    The plot of Mass Effect 3 was not bad. I liked how things were going, and even if the story had been a little slow at the start, I was having fun and seemed destined to end in an epic way. In fact I loved the plot of Mass Effect 3 from the first minute to the last one. The endings and the choices available are good. The problem is their explanation. Regardless of the ending obtained, there isn't a real explanation for what has happened throughout the game. And no one knows what really happens after. When I saw it for the first time I was blown away: I've been thinking for days, checking other opinions on the Internet, asking the cause of everything. Then I heard about the Extended Cut, a free dlc released by BioWare that should had answer to unresolved questions. It should had an explanation of all that happened. Actually I already knew about this dlc but, sinning of naivete, I decided not to download it and to leave the game in its original form. Maybe I was right, maybe not. The fact is that the Extended Cut ends the saga of Mass Effect in a more than decent way, giving the necessary explanations. The only question is: why a dlc? Why BioWare did not include the Extended Cut directly into the game? Why BioWare did not think immediately to put it in the game?

    So in conclusion? Mass Effect 3 is a good game, not loyal to what was the first chapter, but fun and with a beautiful plot from start to finish. Too bad that the game doesn't explain anything to the endings, and to explain decently the end of the game is served a dlc. I understand the anger of many fans. Too bad it went how it went.    … Expand
  91. Lustwaffel
    May 25, 2015
    1
    Between the time of 2007 and 2014 I, due to life and career happenings,
    and neither time nor interest in the subject, I did not play any games.
    Before that, too much. But I thought I should try and see how it feels again, with the state of things as they are now and with a little time on my hands. So I, not only but mostly, played Mass Effect 2 and 3 three, consequtively.    Between the time of 2007 and 2014 I, due to life and career happenings,
    and neither time nor interest in the subject, I did not play any games.
    Before that, too much.

    But I thought I should try and see how it feels again, with the state of things as they are now and with a little time on my hands.

    So I, not only but mostly, played Mass Effect 2 and 3 three, consequtively.

    Bascialy, what I have to say is...

    I am shocked with the arrogance of game makers that I feel is there when I look at the way the third game comes to a close. Even with the extended cut DLC.

    What a TRAUMATIC experience...

    So you walk around the galaxy, interact with so many people, espcially on the citadel and then...
    uuuups, by the way,
    everyone is dead.
    And here they are, littered around on the ground in big heaps...
    Now get over it.

    I am quite proud of my, still largely, intact emotional anntenas.

    If I wanted this kind of thing I could have watched several Holocaust Documentaries.
    But that would hardly go through as "Entertainment".

    The world is a dark place and there are a lot of horrible conflicts in it.

    To me, this kind of game should not be made.

    There might be some completely dettached individuals or groups of individuals who deem otherwise, but those shurley have neither really lived nor known anyone who has. With all of its variables.

    I really can t cope with that kind of punishment that seems to be such a viable method for dealing with the gamer in the gaming experience now a days...or your peoples perception of entertainment.

    But looking at the scores I can see that I am not completely alone.

    A bug prevented me from making a the choice in the very last part of the game and in a forum a guy wrote:
    "Dont worry, the game is trying to prevent you from seeing the ending thereby saving valulble IQ points..."

    I feel, I shouldnt even have come that far.

    It is really all rather embarrasing.

    When people invest so much effort in making you emotionaly attached to rip out our heart in the last second I presume only the masochistcly inclined would truly be satisfied.

    I was...
    disgusted.

    Shame on you.    … Expand
  92. Asellas
    Jul 26, 2015
    7
    Ok, well I can say that I did enjoy the game as a whole. It has a great story to it, that does mostly conclude the series. The main issue for me was though is the ending itself. The ending is well with the so called Extended DLC they shouldn't have had to do in the first place, was just three seperate color lapses over one another. Of course you can also not choose any of the three endingsOk, well I can say that I did enjoy the game as a whole. It has a great story to it, that does mostly conclude the series. The main issue for me was though is the ending itself. The ending is well with the so called Extended DLC they shouldn't have had to do in the first place, was just three seperate color lapses over one another. Of course you can also not choose any of the three endings and then just all die for nothing basically. Anyways, I careless about Shep living or dying...For me I just wanted something far more expansive and less lazy than the mass relays blowing up and the crew putting up a memorial. In fact to me the ending just left me with doubt on Biowares next series for Mass Effect frankly since they just lost all steam with that worthless end. The ending aside, the companions were definitely lack luster. Instead of getting the awesome companions from MAss Effect 2 back you get some prothean that's so elitist it's not even funny, a Robot just so Joker gets some romance going on, and the overly hardcore stereotyped soldier man in Vega, thats about it. You do get Garrus, Liara, Tali, & Ash or Kaiden depending on who was left alive. Kasumi, Zaeed, Miranda, Jack, Jacob....Anyone else you fell in love with as characters in the second game are basically gone save for a few meet ups...I really wish they came back to be companions again, instead of just random cameos. I can understand a few old characters not coming back sure, the story needed that, but for none of the others? Come on...Don't give us great characters just to turn around and take them back...Anyhow, that rant being done I enjoyed the game...It ran well and even was great in wrapping some things up. So I give it a 7...Since the ending and companions definitely put a damper on it for me.… Expand
  93. kyle20ellis
    Mar 10, 2022
    10
    Greetings from Lithuania.

    "Mass Effect 3" (2012) is a superb game for everyone who enjoyed the previous two installments. Maybe it is not as addictive as Mass Effect 2, but it is a superb game in every direction, with amazing story, great game play, great RPG elements ant etc. There are some issues with controls in close combat, but those are mind issues in comparison to a whole view -    Greetings from Lithuania.

    "Mass Effect 3" (2012) is a superb game for everyone who enjoyed the previous two installments. Maybe it is not as addictive as Mass Effect 2, but it is a superb game in every direction, with amazing story, great game play, great RPG elements ant etc. There are some issues with controls in close combat, but those are mind issues in comparison to a whole view - a SCI epic on biggest proportions. I do loved the original ending, never played alternative one.

    Overall, "Mass Effect 3" is a great game and a great conclusion of a saga. There will be a new one, sure, but this installment is the culmination, and it is worth every minute of it.    … Expand
  94. AlexGaming
    Sep 21, 2015
    1
    This is so bad. It doesn't have good graphics. When you walk you HAVE to be aiming AL THE FRICKIN' TIME. It may have gotten good reviews but I don't personally like it at all. I saw a child die in the first mission.I was depressed after seeing that. I used 1 box of tissues because i was crying.BAD GAME
  95. RunePl
    May 27, 2016
    9
    Worth slogging through the tedious first and second games for this. You need to do that to truly care about the events in this game, although ultimately your decisions only have to do with who lives and dies(and the decisions on life or death in the first two games were usually unclear as to the result anyway).

    The pacing and plot were done exactly right. This was the first game where    Worth slogging through the tedious first and second games for this. You need to do that to truly care about the events in this game, although ultimately your decisions only have to do with who lives and dies(and the decisions on life or death in the first two games were usually unclear as to the result anyway).

    The pacing and plot were done exactly right. This was the first game where decisions actually seemed to matter, and I legitimately had to think over. Most importantly, your decision had the intended consequence, including dialogue(opposite of the Mass Effect 2 guessing game). This never happened in the second game, and rarely in the first. the graphics are unreal and totally immersive. Same with the sound and voice acting.

    As far as the negatives. The endings were basically ripoffs of the Deus Ex endings, not THAT bad except you don't get a choice in the ending unless you grind side quests. The only steps back I'd say were the gameplay(Press X for anything so it never does what you want it to, and the weapons although diversified had no kick to them like in the first two), and the world building(took a step back from the quest hubs in ME 2). Enemy and Team AI was much better this time around.    … Expand
  96. SrPepe
    Oct 29, 2017
    9
    Si bien el rol de este juego es bastante nulo, y las decisiones siempre serán buenas si tienes mucha virtud/rebeldía, Mass Effect 3 es el juego más épico que jugué en mi vida.
  97. Empyrea
    May 19, 2018
    10
    I give it a 10 because it's full of haters although my true rate would be an 8,5 or 8 but not less. Although for me the Mass Effect 2 was better this one is good as well and it's the last of the trilogy. I think they could have improved some technical things. The first days I didn't have internet so I wasn't able to upload the upgrades. Probably because of this I had to stand twice seeingI give it a 10 because it's full of haters although my true rate would be an 8,5 or 8 but not less. Although for me the Mass Effect 2 was better this one is good as well and it's the last of the trilogy. I think they could have improved some technical things. The first days I didn't have internet so I wasn't able to upload the upgrades. Probably because of this I had to stand twice seeing my character talking to I don't know who. But even when I upgraded the game I still found a few issues. Nothing big but still, they could have fix that. A part from this when you change the floor in your ship the first seconds you see the screen dark and you have to wait before moving, they could have fix that as well. But if you forgive this tiny things you will enjoy another great game with Shepard. In this game you'll see that everything is the same with a few different things because games have always to be different. To sum up, if you liked Mass Effect 2 you definitely need to buy this game. Plus, when you start this game you can decide to continue with the information of the previous game or not. I did and they did a good work giving you that choice. It took me 28 hours having done most things so it can take you 20-25 if you go directly to the main story. Hackett out.… Expand
  98. KayVen17
    Jan 4, 2017
    9
    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln verstanden?
    Dann sind hier meine Punkte.

    Mein persönlicher Score = 86/100
    Mein User Score = 9/10    … Expand
  99. GmoBarrientos
    Mar 20, 2017
    9
    Pros: La mejor jugabilidad de la trilogía, historia bien interesante, los Reaper en su máxima expresión y gravedad
    Contras: los DLC "leviatan" y Javik jamás debió ser contenido "adicional"; por la relevancia en la historia, deberían haberse incluído por defecto
    Respecto del final, el final "parchado" esta bien, pese a la polémica,la situación a la que llegan los acontecimientos era tan    Pros: La mejor jugabilidad de la trilogía, historia bien interesante, los Reaper en su máxima expresión y gravedad
    Contras: los DLC "leviatan" y Javik jamás debió ser contenido "adicional"; por la relevancia en la historia, deberían haberse incluído por defecto
    Respecto del final, el final "parchado" esta bien, pese a la polémica,la situación a la que llegan los acontecimientos era tan grave que tampoco podía esperarse un final "Disney". Lo malo es que muchas decisiones terminan maquillándolo, pero no afectandolo como debería. Pero fue un final interesante desde otros puntos de vista.
    Con todo, el conjunto es muy bueno    … Expand
  100. Jaleo
    Jan 13, 2017
    7
    While it should have improved ME2, it didn't. Well, the gameplay improved, and other very little details. Where all were expecting it to be a mix between ME1 and ME2 (more exploring, more RPG) it ended up being the typical 3rd person shooter, with dialogues and options. Talking about these, they ended up being not so important, all those decisions you took in ME1 and 2, had littleWhile it should have improved ME2, it didn't. Well, the gameplay improved, and other very little details. Where all were expecting it to be a mix between ME1 and ME2 (more exploring, more RPG) it ended up being the typical 3rd person shooter, with dialogues and options. Talking about these, they ended up being not so important, all those decisions you took in ME1 and 2, had little repercussion in ME3. Thankfully the sounding system was removed, but also way too simplified. Same goes with exploring. And all you do is fight humans or reapers, you miss fighting other species. And well, let's not talk about those endings before the update... big slap in people's faces. I tend to think that lately games don't have those 20 min endings like before, that the whole gaming experience is the ending itself. But we still want to sit back and enjoy a little movie for 15 min. And then they came up with that... thing. They kinda tried to fix it afterwards, but the damage was done... On the other hand it included an interesting online mode, which they tried to prolongate its life with updates and packs but I guess it died soon. Let's hope ME Andromeda wont follow ME3 steps...… 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

All reviews »
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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