Mass Effect 3

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3849 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,035 out of 3849
  2. Mixed: 461 out of 3849
  3. Negative: 1,353 out of 3849
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  1. Heather11
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While most of the game was good. Many plot holes, killing of characters and not being able to save them unless you romanced them in ME2 like Miranda was bogus. Having your LI and crew mates mysteriously appear on the Normandy and the Normandy in a hyperspace jump for no reason and crash landing on a planet for no reason makes no sense. The endings were horrible 7 endings all the same only 1 where Shepard survives and none where she/he ends up with the crew or LI in the end. Shepard essentially just gives up and lets the AI controlling all the reapers tell her/him what to do. This is an insult to fans of video gaming and Mass Effect everywhere. Yes many parts again I say were good but just killing off a character because you didn't romance them was seriously stupid. If you befriended them, got their loyalty in ME2 then you should have a shot at saving them. Yeah... This game doesn't deserve such high reviews from users or critics. In fact it deserves to be thrown in with the worst games of the year because Bioware had 2 years to develop this game. They had 2 years to give us proper endings and instead they just told the fans to go screw themselves they no longer care about us. In the end your choices mean nothing. In the end if you romanced Liara and got the dialogue option to have little blue children with her means nothing. In the end when you tell your LI you love them it means absolutely nothing because your Shepard can't spend the rest of her/his life with said LI. Really bad writing and really bad execution overall. Then there is the auto dialogue, the lack of conversation wheel options that are replaced with renegade and paragon interrupts... They destroyed the series they built and then they have the gall to say "Oh play multiplayer to get the best ending" which is still a crappy ending. And they say "we can still use the universe for more stories." Well there won't be anymore stories without the mass relays since they are destroyed in all but 1 ending. Only way to do that is to set the next game up in the far far future where there are new ways to travel at FTL speeds or in the past before Humanity was in the galactic picture. Either way the game endings have screwed us over. Then there are the romance scenes between FemShep and Traynor. Traynor is in the shower in her underclothing. NO ONE showers like that unless drunk and someone is helping them. Then FemShep enters in her clothing too. That is shoddy romance scene right there. Use artistic filtering and have them out of their clothing but not showing any naughty bits. They can do that easily. Then the one with Liara and FemShep where Liara has no under clothing on but FemShep does. They could have easily removed said under clothing and easily made the naughty bits not seen by anyone. They did it in ME1 and the Traynor/FemShep scene there wasn't much breast shot in the bra anyways so it could have been done there too. Again... poor execution. This game should not have been released in this state. Bioware you've lost a customer.… Expand
  2. zgdelta
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    All my thoughts on the game has already been posted.... It felt like a 3rd person shooter rather than a RPG and I didn't like that there were less squad members and the new members were uninteresting. The second game was far better. I was so disappointed, I almost cried. :( ah well I was waiting for bioshock infinite longer anyway.
  3. cmchris2
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I went into this game with a concentrated effort not to read any reviews or spoilers. Consequently, I was unaware of any controversy until I finished the game and fired up my laptop. I was not surprised to see most of the reviews agreeing with my opinion. The game ended and I literally froze and whispered, "What? No!" I simply could not believe that all the hype, all the buildup, all the emotional investment ended with such a cheap, chintzy ending. None of my in-game choices or my careful maintenance of my paragon rating mattered at all! What is the point of marketing your game as player-driven when none of our choices make any difference?… Expand
  4. mattsearle1897
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    ME3 is an amazing game, it has great graphics and the best combat in the games so far, it delivers on every front, the build up to the final battle provides some of he best story in any game i have ever played. However! the ending to the game is possibly the most anti climactic in a game ever! It feels very streamlined and like a gloryfied quick time event. And out of the 3 choices you canME3 is an amazing game, it has great graphics and the best combat in the games so far, it delivers on every front, the build up to the final battle provides some of he best story in any game i have ever played. However! the ending to the game is possibly the most anti climactic in a game ever! It feels very streamlined and like a gloryfied quick time event. And out of the 3 choices you can make you get pretty much the same ending, each is possibly more depressing than a news report about some child being killed! its that bad! The whole game would have been the best experiance of my life (Better than sex! ;) hehe) but the ending made me feel like id just wasted the 3 days it took me to complete every mission and then the time i spent on the suprisingly good multiplayer trying to increase my readiness for the final battle, it made me feel hollow and empty inside and the real reviewers are making up crap, maby they've been paid off or sumin, but the game offers no closure im still wondering what happend to the normandy crew as the clip they show you is just about as understandable as someone tripping on LSD! all in all just because of 2 scenes in the game it has gone from a 10 to a 6! also, very few of your choices in previous games have any affect aside from one or two cameos, Bioware lied! i would still highly recomend this game as the journy to the final battle is better than any of the other two games but the last moments ruin the mass effect universe for everyone If you want a better ending read this and post it everywhere you can so bioware will take notice! http://social.bioware.com/1183972/polls/29101/… Expand
  5. Re-Age-NT
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    One of the best games ever made. Masterpiece. Even that the ending is not as good as the whole game, it's still 10 of 10 without any doubts.These seires have the best sci-fi atmosphere in games while possessing good plot and actually really nice actors.
  6. somadimrating
    Mar 11, 2012
    1
    I have never been so upset with a form of entertainment in my life. I've disliked books, movies, and games before, but I have never been so disappointed that I felt inspired to review it. The game is amazing until the last 15minutes. And those last 15minutes are so incredibly bad that it ruins the game. It's so disheartening and unexpected that I cannot bring myself to play the gameI have never been so upset with a form of entertainment in my life. I've disliked books, movies, and games before, but I have never been so disappointed that I felt inspired to review it. The game is amazing until the last 15minutes. And those last 15minutes are so incredibly bad that it ruins the game. It's so disheartening and unexpected that I cannot bring myself to play the game again. It has ruined the series for me. I don't even know if I can play ME1 or ME2 again, because in the end nothing matters and you end up with more questions than answer and zero closure. Also, dear Bioware, not all of us enjoy investing hours in a game franchise to be left empty, hollow, and depressed. Why not just say hope is a lie?… Expand
  7. geekofband007
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    When i first read the user reviews on metacritic for this game i thought they were all just trolls. I was playing the game and i loved it! until i got to the end... Here is what happened, the game itself was fantastic. The story was well put together (minus the last 20 minutes) and it felt like each decision you made actually mattered. I felt good being able to unite former enemiesWhen i first read the user reviews on metacritic for this game i thought they were all just trolls. I was playing the game and i loved it! until i got to the end... Here is what happened, the game itself was fantastic. The story was well put together (minus the last 20 minutes) and it felt like each decision you made actually mattered. I felt good being able to unite former enemies against a common enemy and creating the biggest attack force ever. The war assets I spent hours collecting would actually make a difference. The gameplay was fun and challenging, the RPG aspect was present and weapon choice and customization were all well done. The graphics were good (not amazing). I encountered texture pop-ins a lot! The graphics didn't really take away from the overall experience though. It was still a lot of fun to play and experience running into your former team members throughout the game. Everything was great, and I had these great visions for how it would end...then we got to the end. *******MINOR SPOILERS MAY OCCUR. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED****

    It was like, all my decisions, didn't matter. all the war assets, i never actually got to see them used. They were just a number. a statistic. The races i united and saved, i never got to see the fruits of my labor and the successes of the races. I never got to see myself settle down with my LI and live a happy life. I have been playing with a character that i had imported from mass effect 1! a character where i had become connected to and had made hard decisions and gotten attached to other characters. and then it was all thrown away. just like that. all my decisions, all the people i got to know and care about, thrown away. The ending, ruined the trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and with a better ending i would have probably given it a 9.5/10 (graphics issues). The story flowed well and it was very cool to see all the decisions i made in ME1 and ME2 all matter in ME3. I loved be able to unite everyone and create peace between groups that had despised each other for centuries. The RPG elements from ME1 were re-introduced but managed to keep out the excessive micro-managing to create a good blend of ME1 and ME2. The game was great and it felt like you were making a difference and every decision had an impact on the greater good. Until the end. The end ruined the entire game for me and ruined the trilogy. The best way to play Mass Effect 3 is to play all the way up to the last battle, but don't play that if you want to save yourself major disappointing. so, I have to knock off at least 4 points from my actual score because the ending was so unsatisfying and terrible. yes, it brought a conclusion to ME but in the most terrible way possible. I demand that Bioware fix this! We did it with Fallout 3. We can do it with mass effect. Overall, Play this game. just when you get to the last battle, stop! put the game down, or replay it but save yourself the disappointment of the last battle.    … Expand
  8. 247Consoles
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    Though I am nowhere into this game yet, I am giving this 100% just to help kill off the negativity that the 'sexual orientation crew' and 'ending' crew have put on this game. I am disgusted with you all.

    It's time gamers grew up.
  9. scienceproof
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    If you're wondering why this game is so divided in its review scores, it's simple. The people who haven't finished the game are giving it 10's, and they are right to do so - 99% of this game is as damn near perfection as any other game on the market. But when you reach that last 1%, you will realise why this is getting review-bombed. The ending, put simply, is bad. Very bad. Not evenIf you're wondering why this game is so divided in its review scores, it's simple. The people who haven't finished the game are giving it 10's, and they are right to do so - 99% of this game is as damn near perfection as any other game on the market. But when you reach that last 1%, you will realise why this is getting review-bombed. The ending, put simply, is bad. Very bad. Not even 'Matrix Revolutions' bad, I'm talking orders of magnitude worse than that. A quick look at Bioware Social Network will show you the amount of people who have had Mass Effect effectively ruined by the ending. And the fans do deserve better, but more importantly this trilogy of incredible games deserves better. It deserves to go out on a high. So if you're reading this, Bioware employee, DLC. I beg of you. Charge 100$ for it if you like; maybe that's what you planned all along. But do something about it.… Expand
  10. Ziggs14
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    True Mass Effect fan here. The Mass Effect series has been about three things for these past few years 1. a climactic battle with the reapers 2. character involvement and attachment and 3. Choice and knowing that those choices mattered and during the first 40 hours of game play this is EXTREMELY true and amazing. I was sitting on the 8.5-9 rating range as you unite the galaxy under aTrue Mass Effect fan here. The Mass Effect series has been about three things for these past few years 1. a climactic battle with the reapers 2. character involvement and attachment and 3. Choice and knowing that those choices mattered and during the first 40 hours of game play this is EXTREMELY true and amazing. I was sitting on the 8.5-9 rating range as you unite the galaxy under a singular purpose the adrenaline and almost pride you feel as an organic defying a set cycle of thousands of years and fighting the reapers planet to planet seeing the loss and sacrifice and desperate tooth and nail efforts of the galaxy to fight back....It was AMAZING and I congratulate Bioware on making that amazing effort...then I hit the final 20 minutes of the game and the game does a complete 180 degree turn and it goes against EVERYTHING I had just said previous, you are treated with a 5 minute space battle, not knowing what is going on just fighting through a linear path with no choice and at the end you are treated with three choices and I will tell you now, they are all very nearly a color palette swap and that is it. The choices you have made in previous games and this one are made completely and utterly irrelevant. And it leaves you in a dark place with many a more questions and no answers. To clarify Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game if you don't know the story and are just looking for an action game that has great story elements. But if you are a true Mass Effect fan like myself I implore you to stop playing when the ending sequence is started and make your own ending in your head it's the only way you will find closure. My character was was Justin Shepard a powerful vanguard who was fearless and would have gone down fighting next to his friends rather than cop out for the easy way. He deserves better, MASS EFFECT deserves better.… Expand
  11. dbpaul25
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a very worthy final conclusion to a game franchise that has captivated audiences for years. the improved combat mechanics combined with melee attacks create a smooth fast past system that is challenging yet fun. the story was fair and it allowed for ll loose ends to be tied and relationships concluded, and while the ending was a little unsatisfying it didn't take away fromMass Effect 3 is a very worthy final conclusion to a game franchise that has captivated audiences for years. the improved combat mechanics combined with melee attacks create a smooth fast past system that is challenging yet fun. the story was fair and it allowed for ll loose ends to be tied and relationships concluded, and while the ending was a little unsatisfying it didn't take away from the overall experience. the introduction of multyplayer was a refresher for a Bioware game and though not necessary, was a very good addition to be made. Overall Mass Effect 3 was one of the best games i have played in a long time and a worth while buy. after playing through the game i felt a sense of accomplishment and a bitter sweet sensation knowing that a franchise that i personally have loved has finally come to a conclusion.… Expand
  12. masterplan
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    They shipped a broken game. My score for the game reflects that. One of the Mass Effect universes key components was the character import across the games. This now doesn't work. Shame on BioWare & EA.
  13. bluraylover32
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    These negative reviews are very strange. I loved the game! It includes a compelling story and much improved gameplay from the past two games. There is so much to do. I could have done without the need for multiplayer to ready the galaxy for battle and the load times can be annoying, but those are minor. Chill out, haters!
  14. adisen
    Mar 11, 2012
    4
    The whole purpose of postponing release of the game was to further refine it. Unfortunately ME3 still seems to be rushed, especially towards the end. I agree with all the 'haters' out here on the fact that there were barely any consequences to many of the so called important decisions made in ME1 & ME2. At times it felt as if I'm playing a unrelated game altogether. I was quiteThe whole purpose of postponing release of the game was to further refine it. Unfortunately ME3 still seems to be rushed, especially towards the end. I agree with all the 'haters' out here on the fact that there were barely any consequences to many of the so called important decisions made in ME1 & ME2. At times it felt as if I'm playing a unrelated game altogether. I was quite disappointed to see the characters I appreciated (such as thane and jack) having such diminished roles in the game. As far as squadmates go, James and Ash were NOT suitable replacement. The priority missions, particularly the one in Rannoch, were a treat. Graphics wasn't a big improvement from ME2. Gameplay was impressive . Weight restrictions on equipment as well as the omnibalde were nice additions. All in all, I would have rated this game a modest 6/10 IF the last 10 minutes of the game NEVER HAPPENED. Ardent fans of the series who have yet to play this game should prepare for bitter disappointment. In my opinion Bioware could not have made a more horrible ending. After spending so much time on the trilogy and getting attached to your character as well as the NPCs , I feel cheated in the end. Without spoiling anything I will just say that no matter what you choose during the game, you will get almost the same ending. If I know how badly it ends no matter what I do then why should I set myself up for disappointment AGAIN and AGAIN? Therefore 'Replay Value" gets a very low score. I hope Bioware plans on fixing the endings with DLCs. After all, Commander Shepard deserves MORE!… Expand
  15. JESK1985
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    It seems somewhat disingenuous to award a 0, or indeed anything below a 6, just because the last 1% of the game wasn't as good as the preceding 99%. Bioware really isn't going to care that you've taken swipes at them on Metacritic, all you've done is make yourself look petty. If you'd voiced your concerns and given a realistic score (a 6 or maybe a 7), I think they'd have more sympathy,It seems somewhat disingenuous to award a 0, or indeed anything below a 6, just because the last 1% of the game wasn't as good as the preceding 99%. Bioware really isn't going to care that you've taken swipes at them on Metacritic, all you've done is make yourself look petty. If you'd voiced your concerns and given a realistic score (a 6 or maybe a 7), I think they'd have more sympathy, but giving 0 just makes you look spiteful.

    Anyway.

    I enjoyed the game immensely. Good characterisation, rich storytelling, a highly enjoyable experience. In some ways perhaps not matching up to the legacy of its predecessors, in others completely blowing them away.

    I agree the possible endings could be more varied, but in essence it's not all that different from the endings of the previous games. In any case it's certainly not work knocking off more than 1 or two (or if you're feeling really harsh 3) points from the total score.

    A lack of varied endings, plus a few controller mishaps and less "choice" than its predecessors aside, a perfect game. I'll give it an 8/10, though it's probably closer to 8.5    … Expand
  16. submarinex1
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    its mass effect its as good as one and two, try it yourself dont waste time on website heros with stupid reviews. graphics good,sounds good, so far not run into any problems.
  17. a20012322
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved the game and there are many emotional parts to the story but the ending is not one of them.

    It broke the game's reality so bad which is why the score is tentatively set to 0.

    The big bad's logic works like this (You must choose between Red, Green, Blue options that I have setup for you)

    Their whole reason to kill all organics and "uplift them" is to prevent organics from making synthetic life that wipes out organics. (Logical failure is that by uplifting the organics they are making them into synthetic lifeforms that go about every cycle killing all the organics...)

    There is also a lot of space magic where the mass effect itself apparently can rewrite dna to be cyborg, needed to give reapers instructions, hyper selective anti-tech disintegration    … Expand
  18. orion91
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    The first two games where absolutely amazing. Which makes this game an even bigger disappointment. For what ever reason bioware decided that it just didn't care anymore when making the third game. They reveal Tali's face with a poorly edited stock photo, the ending is just a choice of a, b, or c, and the final cinematic is literally just an old wallpaper ("space winter").
  19. atheos
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Don't get me wrong, the game is solid 9/10 game until the very end. Unfortunately, the horribly poor writing and the illusion of choice in the final sequence â… Expand
  20. mcfan
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    Where are the true different endings ? And god damned, where is the exploration ? I always searchâ
  21. Sternesy
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    The game itself was amazing, I had so much fun playing it. The story was such an unforgettable experience and I was captivated the whole time....up until the last 10 minutes. I'm not going to be a jerk and spoil it for anyone, but I played the first two when they launched and have been really excited for the 3rd one to conclude the story. Unfortunately the ending was so bad that not onlyThe game itself was amazing, I had so much fun playing it. The story was such an unforgettable experience and I was captivated the whole time....up until the last 10 minutes. I'm not going to be a jerk and spoil it for anyone, but I played the first two when they launched and have been really excited for the 3rd one to conclude the story. Unfortunately the ending was so bad that not only do I feel cheated but I now have no desire to go back and reply the game again which may not seem bad until you compare it to the first two which I played four times each. I really hope Bioware releases some DLC post ending so give the fans some closure on the story. They do that and I'd give this game a perfect 10.… Expand
  22. TheTruePlayer
    Mar 11, 2012
    10
    This is a Game that every moment i enjoying, one game with action and rpg´s that others want to copy.
    Beautiful envirnoments, Good story, Graphics, talking, and moments that are better that all action games in the last year.
  23. kevin_wolf
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Itâ
  24. Tru2u90210
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Was a HUGE fan, but after the ending, i feel depressed, deprived, angry and sick to my stomach.... Not sure if i'll be able to forgive bioware. If you suffer from depression and love this game, please do NOT get this game, if you have it, don't finish it.
  25. ThinkPplThink
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    Wow, I don't think I've been more mad at a video game than I have right now, after finishing Mass Effect trilogy. What other reviewers are saying is true. If you were a fan of Mass Effect franchise, you are gonna feel like you've been kicked in the balls and f-ed in the a$s by the ending (any 3). It is a great freaking game before that, especially story- and gameplay-wise. I spent 40+Wow, I don't think I've been more mad at a video game than I have right now, after finishing Mass Effect trilogy. What other reviewers are saying is true. If you were a fan of Mass Effect franchise, you are gonna feel like you've been kicked in the balls and f-ed in the a$s by the ending (any 3). It is a great freaking game before that, especially story- and gameplay-wise. I spent 40+ hours completely engrossed by the beautiful environment and choices that I had to make. Combat system is a bit clunky because of flawed cover mechanic, but it's manageable. Multiplayer is pretty fun, too, for around 10 hours (for me). But if you are a fan of Mass Effect franchise and have not bought this game yet, play up to the part after missile is launched on Earth, and use your own imagination. That will save yourself from a LOT of disappointment.… Expand
  26. Dralium
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ending 1 : Die
    Ending 2 : Die
    Ending 3 : Die
    Seriously EA and Bioware? I really waited 2 years for such a pathetic ending? I'm feeling hollow here. I just wanna burn my N7 T-Shirt. What a sad day for RPG's. Choices have no influence... BECAUSE YOU DIE WHATEVER WHAT YOU DO. What a let down.    … Expand
  27. MercilessAlmond
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    This game is almost perfect the story line the choices the friendships the relationships the cultures all of it is more than I could every hope for this game would be a perfect 10/10 if it weren't for one thing...The ending.
    My advice to anyone who is still playing the game when the citadel open turn off your console because this ending is a cancer to a perfect thing just turn it off and    This game is almost perfect the story line the choices the friendships the relationships the cultures all of it is more than I could every hope for this game would be a perfect 10/10 if it weren't for one thing...The ending.
    My advice to anyone who is still playing the game when the citadel open turn off your console because this ending is a cancer to a perfect thing just turn it off and come up with your own ending because chances are it will be better than this steaming pile of #$@&.    … Expand
  28. Shinjitsu
    Mar 11, 2012
    9
    A great sequel, with enhanced gameplay mechanics as well as bringing back aspects of the original that were missed, and a story that does not disappoint.
  29. CaptnShepard
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    I haven't even bought this game or even played it yet, but I'm gonna go ahead and throw out a 10 for this game. I'm doing that because a lot of people seem to think its ok to just give it a 0 because they just wanna. So fair game. Maybe I'll make 20 more new accounts just to help it out. Good day all =)
  30. jackaaustin
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is truly an awesome game. I've read several reviews here, and this is my own take as well as a response to those reviews. Bioware has said all along that this is the end of Shepard's story. We all knew the Reapers were coming, and from the battles in 1 and 2--especially 1--that a mass force of Reapers were going to be near impossible to defend against. There are many complaints that 'your' Shepard is no longer running the show, but think of what's going on: Shepard is one man. He cannot coordinate a galaxy wide war effort. He is back in the Alliance military, playing his part in that machine. He is not on his own personal quest against the Reapers anymore, he is now a cog in a much bigger machine. There are people wishing for some happy ending--I was hoping for one, secretly, but how could there be? There could be 'better' endings, but I can't see any of them being 'happy'. The game really conveys the sense of desperation and near hopelessness of fighting the Reapers. The mood of the game is solemn, serious, moody. There are some spots that will make you grin, maybe even a chuckle, but Armageddon has arrived. Earth has fallen. The Batarians before that. The other major races to follow. Think back to Mass Effect 1: Sovereign took the entire Acturus Fleet (5th and 3rd Fleets I think) to take down, and that wasn't even a quick battle. They sustained fairly major casualties taking down a single Reaper. How well will the Alliance and other races fair against 100s of them? Maybe 1000s! The game makes a point of even a single reaper being a nearly insurmountable foe. Gameplay: The new 'mobility' they talked about is...well, I don't like it. I would have been happy with the same as in ME2, with the addition of unlimited sprinting and the context jumping and ladder climbing. They definitely took cues from COD and other such games, but it pays off: there is a major war on. Major wars have air strikes, explosions, confusing combat situations, and death all around. That is what war is about. The change in your weapon loadouts I love, it allows the player to decide what kind of weapons to bring along on a mission, allowing the player to decide what kind of weapons vs. powers trade off to make rather than being locked into a rigid weapon set determined by your chosen class. I never did like that in ME1 and 2, Shepard is N7, and he can't use an assault rifle (or whatever) just because he isn't a soldier (or whatever) class? Multiplayer: Hate that it impacts the single player game. I've played the multiplayer and I think it is well done, but if I was interested in MP I'd go buy a game that is more oriented around MP gameplay. The single player is nearly penalized for NOT playing multiplayer, but the single player game can still be 'won' without playing multiplayer, you just might have to go on more side missions to get it done (which isn't a big problem in my book, I'd be doing the side missions anyway). Graphics: I found the graphics just as good as ME2, but darker, grittier. It fits the dark, moody tone of the game. Roleplay: decisions in the previous games do have impact on this one, some more notable than others. I was disappointed in some, surprisingly pleased in others. No game is perfect. Ending: A bitter victory is the result of a bitter war. There isn't a 'feel good' ending that I have found. The ending, like much of the game, is dark and emotionally exhausting, and at times, jaw dropping. Overall: 9/10 mostly because of the multiplayer element impacting the single player game.… Expand
  31. Zionnomonus
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    I absolutely love this game, and the trilogy as a whole. It was a fantastic ending to something that I've been enjoying for so many years now, the writing, gameplay, mechanics, graphics and story was top notch. Bringing back many of the elements from ME1 and mixing it together with ME2 made a winning formula gameplay wise. Adding mods to weapons and a bigger rpg system was something that II absolutely love this game, and the trilogy as a whole. It was a fantastic ending to something that I've been enjoying for so many years now, the writing, gameplay, mechanics, graphics and story was top notch. Bringing back many of the elements from ME1 and mixing it together with ME2 made a winning formula gameplay wise. Adding mods to weapons and a bigger rpg system was something that I missed in ME2, so again thanks Bioware for making such an Sci-Fi epic!

    Anyway, I finished the game after 29 hours so there is much to it. And don't take good or bad reviews as an dealbreaker for either buying it or not, just try it. It is so worth it :)

    NOTE: I just wanted to add that I don't think this is actually the end for the ME universe, since my ending had a big Cliffhanger... So there has to be more to it.    … Expand
  32. Seafarinhare
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Everyone loves a good sci-fi game. And that's just it, this game is amazing. The mechanics are fun, the lore is fantastic, and as one of those people that has been following Commander Shepard's exploits since that fateful mission on Eden Prime, I cannot say the same for the story. Where Mass Effect 1 and 2 had several outcomes possible, with choices made affecting the world you experience in Mass Effect 3, I simply can't imagine playing the game without having experienced 1 and 2 first. However, that illusion of choice is shattered with the ending. Despite having 3 branching choices at the ending, and preparations of war to make throughout the game, every choice ends in a similar fashion.

    Don't get me wrong, the game leading up to the end is amazing, and gives you a real sense of severity that this invasion brings, with every civilized race in the galaxy feeling the Reaper's wrath. But, with so much empathy invested in Shepard's story, and his relationship with his peers and possible love interests, the ending was a huge blow. Under any other circumstance, this ending would have been perfectly fine.

    Ending aside, this game is quite amazing, but if you're someone who gets sucked into the world and the characters, and grow to CARE about the outcome, this will likely be hard to swallow. You have been warned.    … Expand
  33. suuusuuu
    Mar 10, 2012
    0
    The ending to an epic trilogy stretched out through 5 years. The build up, the emotional investment, the fun from playing... all is taken away by an ending sequence which doesn't even bother to be longer than 5 minutes. Your choices affect nothing, Your accomplishments are meaningless. Even if you manage to prove them wrong, you're not given a chance to state that. This is an RPG game.The ending to an epic trilogy stretched out through 5 years. The build up, the emotional investment, the fun from playing... all is taken away by an ending sequence which doesn't even bother to be longer than 5 minutes. Your choices affect nothing, Your accomplishments are meaningless. Even if you manage to prove them wrong, you're not given a chance to state that. This is an RPG game. The plot is one of its main components, hell, they even added a narrative mode, where the fights are brain-dead and Shepard can tank missiles forever. To end the trilogy in this way is a joke. It just feels like Bioware suddenly decided to screw over the fans giving them a deus ex machina ending where your decisions don't matter at all.… Expand
  34. RexReqz
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    Felt average and I didn't see anything new. I've played the first two and 3 was not what I expected. The writing didn't have as much depth as previous games. Also there wasn't enough combat to satisfy my gaming need. Too much talking not enough teeth-clenching moments. This game was not memorable in any sense I doubt I'll be looking back years from now and telling myself "Wow MassFelt average and I didn't see anything new. I've played the first two and 3 was not what I expected. The writing didn't have as much depth as previous games. Also there wasn't enough combat to satisfy my gaming need. Too much talking not enough teeth-clenching moments. This game was not memorable in any sense I doubt I'll be looking back years from now and telling myself "Wow Mass Effect 3 was great. Now that's how a series should end.". What horrible endings as well. Not worth 60 dollars.… Expand
  35. crazydangerous
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    I thought I was going to hate this game but in all honesty It's a great game, feels pretty much like me2 but with improved combat although the enemies seem less varied, and story wise everything's decent but it seems like party members have a lot less to say. The endings are retarded monkey garbage but hey at least it's closure(still waiting on shenmue 3 sega). I hate EA and I have noI thought I was going to hate this game but in all honesty It's a great game, feels pretty much like me2 but with improved combat although the enemies seem less varied, and story wise everything's decent but it seems like party members have a lot less to say. The endings are retarded monkey garbage but hey at least it's closure(still waiting on shenmue 3 sega). I hate EA and I have no respect for Bioware as it is now but they made a Game that wasn't nightmarishly terrible which I honestly didn't think was possible after playing DA2 and the tortanic beta. Buy it if you feel like you've come to far to stop.… Expand
  36. EternalGamer2
    Mar 10, 2012
    4
    The quality of the script really went down hill with the third entry. Bioware may think they are making a more "dramatic" game by feature overbearing music cues to pull on your heart strings and having characters deliver short emphatic quips, but all they have really done is take an interesting universe and made it seem more like a generic Hollywood blockbuster. There is still a lot toThe quality of the script really went down hill with the third entry. Bioware may think they are making a more "dramatic" game by feature overbearing music cues to pull on your heart strings and having characters deliver short emphatic quips, but all they have really done is take an interesting universe and made it seem more like a generic Hollywood blockbuster. There is still a lot to admire, but most of it is just inertia from the rich world they have already established.… Expand
  37. jwad
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    It hurts me so much to write this, but I don't know whether I should blame BioWare or EA for this massive disappointment. I have been counting down the days till ME 3 was released, to continue this amazing story, just to see it get raped and dumbed down for, what I like to call, "Call of Duty metal heads." it seems like all the decisions I made in the prior games are being overlooked justIt hurts me so much to write this, but I don't know whether I should blame BioWare or EA for this massive disappointment. I have been counting down the days till ME 3 was released, to continue this amazing story, just to see it get raped and dumbed down for, what I like to call, "Call of Duty metal heads." it seems like all the decisions I made in the prior games are being overlooked just to force the story arch to fall into place. So many scenes are over dramatized, and poorly sequenced. Approximately 65-70% of the side missions are bland, fetch and deliver quests. Also, so many graphical hitches, pop ins, poor texture renderings, voices get cut off mid conversation.

    The only good thing about the game for me is definitely the battle engine. Very smooth and fast paced, guess that's why the CoD metal heads love it.    … Expand
  38. Em-Man
    Mar 10, 2012
    2
    The game featured a promising start. It was exciting to finally see everything you did in the last 2 games make a difference in Mass Effect 3... Only that it didn't. Nothing you did in the game has a result or consequence in this game, not even the stuff you do in Mass Effect 3. You can't do any major choices during the game. The combat feels like a bad version of Gears of War. The endingThe game featured a promising start. It was exciting to finally see everything you did in the last 2 games make a difference in Mass Effect 3... Only that it didn't. Nothing you did in the game has a result or consequence in this game, not even the stuff you do in Mass Effect 3. You can't do any major choices during the game. The combat feels like a bad version of Gears of War. The ending is horrible and makes the whole story of Shepard from the first game to the third feel irrelevant. The games has lots of glitches and feels rushed and unpolished.… Expand
  39. goblue22
    Mar 10, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Terrible endings destroy Mass Effect 3, destroy the series.

    I'm a huge fan of the Mass Effect series, Kotor, SWTOR, and Dragon Age. As I was playing through Mass Effect 3 I thought that this would shape up to be Bioware's best work. The combat is improved and you finally see some conflicts from the first two games resolved. However, all the buildup in this game, indeed all the choices you make in all the previous games are rendered moot. The climax of this game is deterministic, there is no opportunity to make a choice in line with the Shepard that you have developed over three games, this is why I must give Mass Effect 3 a 0/10. The entire series is built on allowing the player to make choices, Mac Walter the lead writer for Mass Effect 3 said in numerous interviews that we would have the opportunity to get a satisfying conclusion. I assure you that if you complete this game the last thing you will feel is satisfaction.

    SPOILERS FOLLOW:
    At the end of the game you encounter some kind of god like figure. It explains that organic life will always create synthetic life, and that synthetic life will always kill their creators. To prevent this from happening the god figure created the reapers to kill all advanced organic life every 50k years or so. I can't comprehend this, the god figure's solution is exactly what it wants to prevent synthetics killing organics. Depending on your war readiness you are given up to three paths to take.

    1. Destroy all synthetic life. This destroys the reapers but will also destroy EDI and the Geth. If you have made any connection with EDI, or made an effort to help the Geth this ending obviously is not in line with your character. To be fair I could see a renegade shep choosing this option.

    2. Synthesis: Sacrifice your life to fuse organic and synthetic life together at the molecular level. This has been described by numerous players as "space magic", it seems apt. I got the sense that this was a "good ending" in that it resolves conflicts between organics and synthetics. However, a recurring theme throughout the series is that forcing people to evolve along a predetermined path is wrong - this is how the reapers/god figure control organic species. Here Shepard would merely do the same thing, what right does he have to molecularity alter every being in the galaxy? It is totally out of line with the Mass Effect series encouraging independent behavior.

    3. Control - Shepard can sacrifice his corporeal form to control the Reapers and become the next god figure. I haven't thought much about this ending so I won't comment on it.

    However, the real kicker is that regardless of what choice is selected Shepard will die (unless destroy is selected with over 4k war assets), your crew is inexplicably stranded on unknown planet (including crew members in your squad on your final mission), and all the mass relays are destroyed.    … Expand
  40. TheTwinTowers
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    When I first started Mass Effect 2, I was absolutely blown away. I was until the end of the game, and couldn't wait for Mass Effect 3. However, I don't feel as captivated as before. It seems while most of what made Mass Effect 2 so amazing was kept - the most important aspect of what made Mass Effect stand out, was dumbed down. The dialogue choices are almost non existent, and when thereWhen I first started Mass Effect 2, I was absolutely blown away. I was until the end of the game, and couldn't wait for Mass Effect 3. However, I don't feel as captivated as before. It seems while most of what made Mass Effect 2 so amazing was kept - the most important aspect of what made Mass Effect stand out, was dumbed down. The dialogue choices are almost non existent, and when there are choices for you to make - it's more a "do it", or "do not" do it that really stands out. There isn't a whole lot of branching out within discussions to learn more about a situation. There are however, cinematic s galore. There are multiple times where your watching one and a question is asked - and you look down to see the conversation wheel. But it doesn't appear. As far as RP elements, it's pretty much lost all of them. This feels more like a super sci fi version of Gears of War with weapon customization. It's not a bad game by any means. But it lost a lot of what made Mass Effect special, and so captivating.… Expand
  41. wastelander75
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    From start to near finish, probably the best ME out of the trilogy, minus a few annoying characters (the Jersey Shore wanna be Freddy Prinze Jr. jerk Jame Vega and the horribly voiced acted Jessica Chobot look a like Diana Allers). And right there, you'd expect it all to mesh nicely and finally end on a high note. The thing is, it doesn't end on a high note. Or a mediocre note. Or even aFrom start to near finish, probably the best ME out of the trilogy, minus a few annoying characters (the Jersey Shore wanna be Freddy Prinze Jr. jerk Jame Vega and the horribly voiced acted Jessica Chobot look a like Diana Allers). And right there, you'd expect it all to mesh nicely and finally end on a high note. The thing is, it doesn't end on a high note. Or a mediocre note. Or even a note that makes any lick of sense whatsoever. There's absolutely nothing that makes me believe that this is how the ME universe was supposed to originally end. If this is what they added in at the last few months that they asked for before releasing earlier this month, then it was the biggest mistake they could have made. Because basically it invalidates everything you've done from ME1, ME2 and most of what you've done through ME3. So you'll excuse me if I think that, despite the overwhelming number of good things in this game, the 90% so to speak, it's that last very heavy and very important 10% at the end that ruins not only the entire franchise/trilogy for me, but the game here as a whole. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving this negative review score here. P.S. I'm not a troll. But I am a very disappointed fan.… Expand
  42. BoTheMastaOfAll
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    I gotta say, this is my favorite Mass Effect so far, except for the last 5 minutes.The ending of this series is so incredibly cheesy and half baked. Honestly this game is a perfect 10 for me, but the ending is horrible. Just have your sibling play the end for you and assume that Sheperd died saving humanity from the reapers, because you will feel so much better about the series if you do.
  43. NobleSpartan312
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    A note to all who hate the ending. It is 15 freaking minutes of horror, out of a 100 hour game (At least). You are all giving it a zero when you probably really never even say the ending for yourself. And the DLC? Who cares, go to the dlc page to rate it bad, not here. All of you dislikers are probably cod players who compulsively dislike.
  44. Deathfire26
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    Now, I noticed that a lot of people are giving this game a really bad score. I personally really enjoyed the game primarily because the Mass Effect Universe is one of the most detailed sci-fi universes to date. Now, this game was fantastic. Story wise, it was there, 100% just as it was in Mass Effect 1. Gameplay wise, it was also there, 100% just as it was in Mass Effect 2. Now, the reasonNow, I noticed that a lot of people are giving this game a really bad score. I personally really enjoyed the game primarily because the Mass Effect Universe is one of the most detailed sci-fi universes to date. Now, this game was fantastic. Story wise, it was there, 100% just as it was in Mass Effect 1. Gameplay wise, it was also there, 100% just as it was in Mass Effect 2. Now, the reason I am not giving this a perfect 10 was that there was something missing. The game did not have enough things to do. 22 missions, including the final missions, 7 N7 missions that were more like side quests, and only a few places to go. Now, in about 20 hours, I completed everything, thinking that this was really short for Mass Effect. Mass Effect 1 was pretty much a pool to swim in and so many things to do. Mass Effect 2 had a lot of scanning and traveling around, plus so many characters to meet. In the third one, it really just did not have as much content as all of the other games, but where it lacked in amount of content, it made up for the sheer joy the game brought me. Going around and taking down the Reapers was a challenge and there were so many satisfying moments throughout the game making it worthwhile. Now the endings were something interesting. I wont spoil it, but they are pretty cool endings if you think about the changes each one brings about to the whole galaxy. A lot of the people that are complaining about the endings are just whining because they really could not end the game on their own terms. That was the sacrifice of taking down the Reapers. There are really no happy endings when you face a powerful force that wipes out all of organic life. **** just aint easy when you are up against that. The scale of the situation makes the whole game seem so epic and the end, even though it is interesting and not an easy ending to deal with, is worth it. I highly suggest playing a very innovative series and a credit to the Sci-fi genre.… Expand
  45. HALover9000
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    I really didn't like this game. I don't know what else to say. The writing was mediocre at best, the gameplay was worse the first two, and it was generally bad.
  46. Accuracy
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 has to be the most disappointing thing since EA's acquisition of Bioware. This game is just so dumbed down to the max. It is not as what the so-called publishers describe it. The only thing good about this game is just seeing the Mass Effect 2 characters.
  47. allquixotic
    Mar 10, 2012
    0
    I have a lot of issues with this game, but these are my biggest issues:

    1. Multiplayer is broken. If you don't have FiOS and live at most a few blocks from Bioware's datacenter, you WILL get disconnected from games, *EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY*. If you're lucky, you can finish 1 out of 10 games. If you think your connection is good enough for online gaming, and can play hundreds of other games    I have a lot of issues with this game, but these are my biggest issues:

    1. Multiplayer is broken. If you don't have FiOS and live at most a few blocks from Bioware's datacenter, you WILL get disconnected from games, *EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY*. If you're lucky, you can finish 1 out of 10 games. If you think your connection is good enough for online gaming, and can play hundreds of other games with zero difficulties whatsoever, think again: this game will absolutely destroy your connection. This is a MASSIVE disappointment coming from such a rich company.

    2. The endings are horrid. Never in my 20 years of PC gaming have I seen a game build up so well, but die out with a putter like that. It made the whole experience sour for me.

    My advise is that if you haven't finished the game yet, but have started, stop now -- don't finish it. And don't play multiplayer. If you avoid these two aspects of the game, you will continue to have faith in the Mass Effect franchise, and will hope for some kind of future game in the Mass Effect universe that isn't such an unmitigated failure.    … Expand
  48. Dikkus
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    While I enjoyed everything about Mass Effect 1 (and to a lesser extent, 2) it is really disappointing to see Bioware put so little effort into the conclusion of what should've been their next Baldur's Gate. The writing is childish, the illusion of choice is offensive, and the homosexuality and DLC is shoved in our face. There is nothing wrong with being homosexual, but when it's done badlyWhile I enjoyed everything about Mass Effect 1 (and to a lesser extent, 2) it is really disappointing to see Bioware put so little effort into the conclusion of what should've been their next Baldur's Gate. The writing is childish, the illusion of choice is offensive, and the homosexuality and DLC is shoved in our face. There is nothing wrong with being homosexual, but when it's done badly it needs to be said. You did not paint homosexuals in a good picture, Bioware, even my gay friend was offended when he saw some of the scenes. This wouldn't be such a large issue had you not made relationships and sexual intercourse such a large part of the game's presentation. The $800 DLC is also unforgivable, when we buy the game we want the full game, not some shabby half-done piece of crap reaking of your laziness. Oh, and while I'm at it, I might as well tell you guys; Your choices in the previous game DO NOT MATTER. If you didn't make the choices they wanted you to make they are instantly retconned and replaced with what they wanted you to choose.

    For shame, Bioware. For shame.    … Expand
  49. YavuzSelim
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really liked the game until the last 15 minutes.The last 15 minute of the game wasn't about the story It was about a crazy alliance soldier seeing a dead child.The endings were worse.I liked the gameplay of deus ex human revolution but it's end really disturb me.And Mass Effect 3's ending wasn't so different there were 3 endings and you are supposed to choose one of them.That wasn't mass effect series system and that's why I liked these games but now it's just another game for me… Expand
  50. ninjaesque
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is not the terrible and horrendous piece of crap that all these folks on here are trying so hard to make it out to be. Sure, the game has some flaws, but to give it a "ZERO" doesn't prove anything, other than some people know how to exaggerate and hop on a bandwagon. I'm currently about 30hrs into the campaign, and so far the only real tangible problems with the game are someMass Effect 3 is not the terrible and horrendous piece of crap that all these folks on here are trying so hard to make it out to be. Sure, the game has some flaws, but to give it a "ZERO" doesn't prove anything, other than some people know how to exaggerate and hop on a bandwagon. I'm currently about 30hrs into the campaign, and so far the only real tangible problems with the game are some minor technical annoyances. Framerate stutters in the beginning cutscenes, talking heads and some dubious cover mechanics. These are established flaws within the game that can be disruptive to the flow and cohesiveness of the experience. However, even with the weight of these issues, they are not heavy enough to mar the experience to such a strong degree that the game becomes a complete and utter failure. Those who've tried so hard to dismiss the game as a "ZERO" or even a "ONE", have every right to do so, but they also will be lacking in a reasonable and compelling argument to justify it. So far most of the negative user reviews are focused on what they see as a horrible story in the game. Fortunately, a game's story and whether it can be called good or not, is completely subjective. If one doesn't like the story arc in Mass Effect 3, then that's fine. But it isn't really the developers fault is it? Our tastes and standards vary, so we can't really dismiss an entire game as crap, just because we didn't love the story. As long as the writers were inspired, and actually tried to craft a entertaining tale, then they've done all they can do. The rest is just preference and opinion. Unfortunately, it seems clear that the real issue here is the matter of EA's decision to include day1 DLC. This to me, is the real reason for all the bandwagoning backlash. It's just too bad that Bioware is suffering the consequences for their greedy publishers shrewd business tactics. Because all they did was release the third installment to a beloved sci-fi saga. The rest is just white noise.… Expand
  51. rastaputin
    Mar 10, 2012
    0
    If you are a Mass Effect fan, DO NOT play this game. After building to what looked to be an incredible, epic conclusion to one of the best videogame trilogies of all time, Bioware has instead released an utter disappointment. While combat and characters may be decent, the horrific ending ruins the entire mass effect saga.
  52. sl33pyt1m3
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played, no other game has ever managed to get emotional responses from me! The story comes full circle in this last instalment and we can truly see the scale of the galactic war. We are treated to some truly neat set-pieces and great characters.
    Many seem to think that this game is somehow worse or more mainstream than the previous Mass Effect games, don't    One of the best games I've ever played, no other game has ever managed to get emotional responses from me! The story comes full circle in this last instalment and we can truly see the scale of the galactic war. We are treated to some truly neat set-pieces and great characters.
    Many seem to think that this game is somehow worse or more mainstream than the previous Mass Effect games, don't let them fool you, this game is more accessible, but it strikes a nice and simple balance between the hefty RPG elements of Mass Effect 1 (which were sometimes cumbersome) and the severed simplicity of Mass Effect 2 (only upgrade purchases, really?). Mass Effect 3 features a plethora of weapons, upgrades, mods and character abilities that you can use to craft your own Shepard, Truly an amazing end for an incredible series, it is worth every penny and every hour!    … Expand
  53. solidsnack
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect 3 is undoubtedly the best game I have ever played. It does a brilliant job of concluding the series and everything you have ever done in the previous games adds up to a smart and satisfying finish. It's combat, never its strongest point, is spot on with tight controls and great action. The rpg elements of the first game are also back, without the terribly annoying inventoryMass Effect 3 is undoubtedly the best game I have ever played. It does a brilliant job of concluding the series and everything you have ever done in the previous games adds up to a smart and satisfying finish. It's combat, never its strongest point, is spot on with tight controls and great action. The rpg elements of the first game are also back, without the terribly annoying inventory clearing required before. The dialogue is also fantastic and your choices have the utmost importance. Occasionally, I did find that some lines were delivered awkwardly, but that was more of an issue with the sound mixer than with the actual voice actors. Furthermore, I have had occasional glitches and bugs as well, but they did not detract from the overall experience. One of the big complaints I have found so far is the ending. In my honest opinion, the ending was fantastic. it challenges the preconceived notion of a happy ending in true scifi form and, while the fate of civilizations and characters are not clearly defined, it is up to the player to conclude these threads with their own imagination, not a wall of text or a montage of cutscenes. Furthermore, there are 16 unique endings, each subtly different from the next and each depends on your actions throughout the games in the form of the EMS meter, which collects war assets gained from allies and friend made in every mass effect game. It isn't as fantastic as every character ever met playing a direct role in your endgame, but honestly, it was a great way to deal with a gargantuan series. Mass Effect 3 is fantastic and before anyone gets turned off by the user score, they should at least give it a try.… Expand
  54. Leftyy
    Mar 10, 2012
    8
    All I have to say on this matter.

    These reviews... they're some of the best trolling I've ever seen! Marvelous. As for the game, it's very good. It also has a poor framerate.
  55. Untamed9889
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    This game would have been a solid 10/10 for me if it were not for those horrid endings. They managed to keep me entertained and invested in the story until the last five minutes. Getting stuck with 3 terrible endings with the same consequences is a terrible way to end one of my favorite game series. Never buying another Bioware product unless this is rectified.
  56. Variable
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game itself adds nothing to the series in terms of gameplay. It's the same old, same old. It doesn't try anything new that impacts the game in a significant way. You can still find better TPS gameplay in Gears (which is saddening really). It's not bad, but enjoyable for what it is.

    The story, dear god. Somehow retcons and ignores what was established in ME1 and ME2. The Reapers built Mass Relays, but can't use them? But in ME1, it's said that the Citadel is a giant Mass Relay, which you shut down before it was fully activated. Also the Prothean/Collectors retcons, and also some decisions not mattering at all. Then there's also the Reaper's motive (preventing synthetic life.. which is pretty stupid by itself); the Geth were created by the Quarians some hundreds of years before the events of the first game. Why didn't the Reapers invade back then? And then ME3 feels like it ignores almost the entirety of ME2 (which was already stupid itself), and you start gathering/making the galaxy ready for the invasion while it's happening. That's stupidity at its finest. And then there's the "galactic readiness bar", that just... feels... too I don't know. Too artificial or mathematical. Or something. The 'readiness' should be measured by achievements (ingame, in sidequests and all that) and the things you do to help, not by a statistic.

    JRPGs have better plots than this mess, and they can do it in one game for less money and no DLC.

    And then there was the "gay" situation. I'm all for gays in my game. I was pretty much surprised and cool with Cortez being openly gay. That's fine, but when you answer him all you get is a paragon romance option and a renegade option. No neutral option. So what, Renegade is the new neutral? And even Kaidan, an established character, turned gay in ME3, hitting on MaleShep. What happened?

    Then there's the general laziness of design. 2D sprites of people? It doesn't do anything to cover them up either, it's just blatant. The previous games used 2D sprites, but they weren't as noticeable. Not to mention that even Wii games can put a bunch of 3D models on the screen without slowdown. Not to mention the lazy photoshop of the Tali picture.

    It's not amazing or good. Just painfully average    … Expand
  57. Rabid
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've always been a Bioware fan. I loved KOTOR, Jade Empire, Dragon Age Origins and the first two Mass Effect games. I consumed them. They shaped me into the gamer I am today. In fact ME2 was the first full retail game I've ever gotten every achievement on. And even with my hesitation after Dragon Age: Awakenings and 2 (which I enjoyed...but didn't particularly care for), I eagerly preordered my CE 360 version of Mass Effect 3. My reasons for going on and on about is this is because I'm trying to stress I've always loved Bioware because I could always count on them on delivering a solid, enjoyable story that while I may not like...I could always respect. What happened Bioware? Let me explain. First off, I can only imagine the technical and programming finesse it would require to fully interpret EVERY player decision one has made in the prior two ME games. I get it, it would be logistically horrific. So I honestly expected some dumbing down. I expected some character interactions between my crew members to be slightly "off" due to some normalization for the public. But what surprised me was how greatly a shift in "spirit" this game seemed to be. While in the past two games, the illusion of choice was always well managed, making you the player feel like you were Shepard. You had the choices, even if they were in reality a carefully constructed plan. In 3, it feels like its just been stripped down a little. Renegade and paragon choices dont quite seem to have as much the significant impact as prior two games did. And if you personally had wanted to follow a particular path in ME2 that you were hoping to lead into ME3? Well good luck with that. What happened to your ME2 crew? Granted I understand that Shepard voluntarily surrendered, but am I to really believe that pretty much all your crew just said, "Later!" without fighting for him/her? Another thing in regards to this that particularly chafes me is how they handled love interests. Liara, Ashley/Kaidan and then Tali/Garrus all get some screen time and have some resolution. Sucks for you if you chose Jack, Miranda, Thane or Jacob. While Thane DOES have a particularly nice resolution that is touching; Jack, Miranda and Jacob are pretty much SOL. Still, despite all that, I enjoyed the game. In fact I've been up till 5AM every morning the past week until this morning (8AM) to finish. And I loved it. Until the last 8 or so minutes. Every illusion of choice that Bioware gave to the players to make me love this series was ultimately thrown against the wall and beaten with a stick. Three ambiguous outcomes? Really? If the point of the past two games was making a Shepard of OUR choice...to be able to choose how we wanted our galaxy to rise(or fall)...don't you think the players would have liked to have more input then what you gave us? The equivalent of close your eyes and pick a door? I loved ME. I loved ME2 more. I played every class, both Shepard and FemShep. And now? I dont know if I even want to try ME3 with my other saves beyond the first one. What's the point if all our actions in the end amount to nothing? To be fair. There were things I did like. Mordin's resolution on Tuchanka was amazing and masterfully crafted. As the first "big" surprise of the game for me, it got my blood pumping thinking about what the rest of the game had in store for me. Thane's resolution on the citadel was also to me very well crafted. I loved exploring some more of the personalities of the various races inhabiting the ME realm. I enjoyed seeing how some of my actions in previous games came to fruition in ME3. Bioware. I still believe in you. I will still give you my money if you want it. But know that you are breaking the very things that I loved about you. My faith in your abilities as storytellers.


    TLDR: If this was just a random RPG, I would be happy. I'd give it a seven or eight. But this is Mass Effect. It's big budget and well made. But I've run into a few technical glitches and the plot just doesn't seem as strong as the first two. And the ending sucked any nerd happiness I had right out of me. I don't mind a sad ending. I was kind of expecting a sad ending. Not a bad one.    … Expand
  58. AlienSpaceBats
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    Undeserving of the unanimously negative user scores its receiving, Mass Effect 3 is a fine game, but is hampered by some sloppy writing and laziness on the behalf of the developers. Irritating things include not being able to import my custom Shepard face from a two year old savegame and some immersion breaking bugs (helmets on, helmets off) but despite this stuff, it's still fun to play,Undeserving of the unanimously negative user scores its receiving, Mass Effect 3 is a fine game, but is hampered by some sloppy writing and laziness on the behalf of the developers. Irritating things include not being able to import my custom Shepard face from a two year old savegame and some immersion breaking bugs (helmets on, helmets off) but despite this stuff, it's still fun to play, which I guess is the most important part. For the sake of a few important details, BioWare have released a game that is above average, when it could have been so very much more.… Expand
  59. Anthrex
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At first I was wondering why the game had such a bad fan review, the game was amazing, I did not care that there was day 1 DLC the combat system was an improvement over mass effect 2, there were more guns to chose from and the graphics were improved. then I got to the last 5 minutes of the game and I find out they did a copy of Deus Ex's ending where all the choices you chose in mass effect 1, 2 and 3 did not matter at all. thank you bioware for wasting 60+ hours of my life and making me spend over $200 on this trilogy that i cant play anymore now that I know the game ends so poorly. If bioware puts a patch that fixes the awful endings (like bethisda did for fallout 3) I would give this game a 10/10.

    -GAMEPLAY 10/10
    -GRAPHICS 9/10 (a bit to dark at some points)
    -STORY(other than ending) 8/10 (would have been a 10/10 if they gave you more chat options like in previous mass effect games)
    -ONLINE 7/10 (it was ok and it came with a story the same length of other mass effects so it can be ignored)
    -ENDING 0/10 (wtf was bioware thinking? this also removes any chances of a new trilogy after this because the mass relays are destroyed.)    … Expand
  60. clay391
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    Great game but the endign needs an epilogue. I would gladly pay $10 for a DLC epilogue.

    1. 3D models need to learn blocking. That is a term used by actors and actresses in theater. Its an illusion that the audience accepts because if the actor actually talked face to face with the other actor then the audience only sees the back of an actorâ
  61. xboxgamer
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    Awesome game. Loved the first two games, and ME3 does not disappoint. Easily a 10 / 10. All of the low scores are shocking. They must not have played the game, or did not play the first two games.
  62. Xanadu_Me
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    Even better than the already near perfect Mass Effect 2. If you enjoy a rich story with awesome characters and smarter than the typical blow everything up shooter then the Mass Effect series is for you. I can't imagine anyone calling themselves a gamer wouldn't love this game.
  63. osimandias
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    The Game is disappointment. This concerns poor writing, dialogue, robotic delivery of lines. You are funneled though the game; the sense of important choices from 1 and 2 is gone, which invalidates those two superb games. The combat is also not well done; even if it resembles 2 it is much more random, the enemies are attacking in hordes and show incredibly poor AI, the one thing that makesThe Game is disappointment. This concerns poor writing, dialogue, robotic delivery of lines. You are funneled though the game; the sense of important choices from 1 and 2 is gone, which invalidates those two superb games. The combat is also not well done; even if it resembles 2 it is much more random, the enemies are attacking in hordes and show incredibly poor AI, the one thing that makes them dangerous is their sheer number and power bar. They also get boring fast (A million husks! Incredible!) Somehow, maybe due to poor mixture of reload times and squad reaction, the combat itself does not work very well, 2 was way better and did not have this crappy balancing of powers and weight of weapons. The overall sense I get from this very dissappointing third entry is that its rushed and heartless, it showcases violence and sexuality in a way thats obnoxious and caters to the casual player. All in all this is not worth buying, the one thing that saves it is the high production values (though wasted) and sheer spectacle of it. This is what Matrix Revolutions was for the Matrix Trilogy: It forgets about 1, ridicules 2 by ignoring any plot points made in it and thus renders the whole series ineffective. I still hope I will wake up, Mass Effect 3 will be coming out tomorrow and be good. But it really is not; and its not because of trolling but because it is a mediocre title. Sad decline!… Expand
  64. randomness1000
    Mar 10, 2012
    1
    Mass effect 3 a epic conclusion? More like a epic disappointment.
    I felt that the ending was a major slap in my face and leave a bitter taste
    in your mouth!
  65. AlexanderW
    Mar 10, 2012
    10
    A great story. A brilliant ending and a masterpiece from Bioware. Ð
  66. ulrith
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    Turned a really fun game and an awesome franchise into dog @#$% in the final 5 minutes. WORST. ENDING. EVER. (and this is from someone who has seen MANY terrible endings)
  67. Sceptic
    Mar 9, 2012
    6
    As with the first the first two titles,Mass Effect 3's strength lies in its story,universe and characters.Though the combat elements have improved,the series will never be remembered for it.Some RPG elements have returned but there seemed to be far less choices,renegade/paragon qte's and exploration in this game which is disappointing.Also the new secondary mission structure was inAs with the first the first two titles,Mass Effect 3's strength lies in its story,universe and characters.Though the combat elements have improved,the series will never be remembered for it.Some RPG elements have returned but there seemed to be far less choices,renegade/paragon qte's and exploration in this game which is disappointing.Also the new secondary mission structure was in turn,repetitve,boring and at times confusing with all missions jammed into a single list.Side missions consist of scanning for stuff,then returning it to the Citadel or gaining War Assets.How dull...As for the multiple endings,it pains me to state that the endings I've experienced are totally unsatisfactory.The final choices are little different and game quickly ends without giving real closure.A minute or two worth of cutscene is a disgrace.I gave the first two games 10.Despite the excellent lore,characters and dialogue,as well as the good combat,this one is not getting that.… Expand
  68. dovacreep
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    overall , if you haven't play the previous series, me3 looks badass. but if you did play me1 or me2, then me3 is bull****. Graphics: can't believe this game uses unreal engine (GOW, Batman AC, unreal tournament3,bulletstorm, etc), well at least why don't you bioware put destructible environtment into combat?it has physX ins't it?. luls movment (either in combat or exploration) animation,overall , if you haven't play the previous series, me3 looks badass. but if you did play me1 or me2, then me3 is bull****. Graphics: can't believe this game uses unreal engine (GOW, Batman AC, unreal tournament3,bulletstorm, etc), well at least why don't you bioware put destructible environtment into combat?it has physX ins't it?. luls movment (either in combat or exploration) animation, awkward face animation (they still using faceFX, peh), ugly textures. Combat : forgiven, but still annoying movement animation ruins it all. Story: bull**** from beginning till I die. First time in menu , i choose "action" so i could save the role-play storytell later. I said" wtf, cutscenes and flows are sucks" hmpf, maybe because i choose "action" so it's like options for retarded who chooses muscle over brain. okay. but when i try to play "RPG" like it should be, " wtf! it's sucks otherwise". so it doesn't matter what you choose, its bull****, conversation are forced into useless lines, this is like encourage people to do sexual harrasmnt, and they enjoying it, and what the hell happened to my previous crew? they're all KIA? Overall, DISAPPOINTING!!! forgive my rudeness, but mass effect franchise deserve better than this. this is why some people chose illegal copy instead. i gave ONE for the bravery bringing battle to earth.… Expand
  69. anterra11
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    This game is a complete disappointment. It was fun up until the last 5 minutes, and those five minutes make the whole series seem like a 100+ hour waste of time. I swear they had a five year old write the ending, and for those of you who think your choices from the last two games matter, they don't, there is only 3 total endings. That's it! Way to Go BioWare, your a joke company to me now.
  70. Regnagleppod
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    Right before you finished the game, this would probably be your favorite game of all time, however, the ending killed it all, a worst possible ending a Mass Effect fans could expect.
  71. UltraD00d
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if    Don't get me wrong, this game is playable and I'm sure if you had no standards or simply didn't care you could pick up this game and have a midly enjoyable experience. BUT the atrocities EA and Bioware committed mean I cannot give this game a decent rating with a good conscience. So what is so bad about this game? Let me tell you:
    1. Day 1 DLC: Whether it was EA or Bioware (Biowhore, if you will) that decided to take this course I don't know, but releasing DLC on the day of release, particularly DLC which is important to the plot, at 1/6 the price of the game itself is unforgivable in of itself. It seems they are laughing in our face as we shell out money for something that should have been on the disc, available to everyone. It is obvious that it was done simply to milk as much money out of the fans as possible.
    2. Casualisation: The game was geared towards Call of Duty players in order to cash in on the series' success, while abandoning the loyal fanbase. Not much else to say here.
    3. Shoddy Writing: Many uninformed people think that the attacks on the Bioware employee Jennifer Hepler was simply a display of hate for the sake of hate. While they certainly did go overboard, it wasn't without good reason. She was the physical manifestation of the quality of writing coming from Bioware. Examples: Dialogue is awkward, the ending is notoriously bad, after seeing so many people die and killing so many himself, Sephard is emotianally effected by the death of a random kid above all. Overall you would expect something better from a Naruto fanfiction. 4. Laziness of Bioware: For a big budget, triple A game you would expect a certain level of effort from the developers. Bioware, however seemed to have taken shortcuts left, right and centre. There are images circulating the internet which demonstrate this quite well. For example, Copying a stock image for the portrait of a character who dies in the game, and copying another 7? year old image lying around in the internet for the ending.
    5. Ininspired Multiplayer: Another cash-in, Wave survival modes have been done to death, nowadays every game seems to have one. It seems this was added in to artificially extend the life of the game and make an excuse for future half-assed DLC releases.
    6. Gay Sex: people reading this may call 'Hurr durr homophobe" - but wait to read my reasoning. Homosexuality IS a sin. Being implemented in such as fashion acts to 'casualise' it, pressing on the impressionable 13 year old minds (whose uninformed mothers will be buying this game) that it is fine and acceptable. I do not hate **** I care about them, just as I do any other person. For this reason I oppose it.
    Even if this is an attempt to cash-in with the gay audience rather than a political agenda, it gets in the way of the average straight player and does not belong. I do not want to have gay passes made to me by my squadmates when I'm playing a game.
    7. Reviewers are sellouts: This goes for every major game release nowadays, but is absolutely appalling. While I'm not implying that EA is necessarily directly paying reviewers to give the game good reviews (not that I'd put it past them) there is certainly a feel that if you don't give it a good review the publisher early access to future releases. I have heard of cases where people have lost their job because they wrote how the felt rather than what they were told to write. This is why I'm writing this review in fact - to help get a bit of truth out.
    Instead of a proper, objective review we are fed tripe with 10/10 would play again bs.

    Due to all these aformentioned problems with Mass Effect 3, I cannot take it seriously, thus it receives a score of 0/10. The only reason it has earned a 1 from me is because the Biodrone tears are absolutely delicious.
    Have a good day sirs.    … Expand
  72. gemini0577
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    I certainly agree with some who say the ending to this game is a bit of a let down considering all the time invested into the characters if you've played all three games. That said, the game in itself, is exciting and a thrilling top off to an excellent series. The game play is, at least in my view, challenging and the story is engaging. The potential romances, including the same sex ones,I certainly agree with some who say the ending to this game is a bit of a let down considering all the time invested into the characters if you've played all three games. That said, the game in itself, is exciting and a thrilling top off to an excellent series. The game play is, at least in my view, challenging and the story is engaging. The potential romances, including the same sex ones, are a welcome break to all the danger and drama. It becomes clear that this game aims to tie up loose ends early on. There are a few devastating losses throughout the progression. This really added to the tension as it made me wary of no one being safe. Some glitches make it a little choppy at times but my biggest complaint is how you cannot save in the final chapter ( a little warning would have been nice... the scene isn't the easiest, nor really all that fun to navigate and it seemed to take forever). The game is beautifully crafted and the cutscenes are spectacular. I loved the reemergence of some key characters from the other two games.… Expand
  73. ME3EndingFAIL
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was awesome. With very few flaws.

    1. Shepard talks for himself WAY TO MUCH.

    2. They kill off key characters that you should have the ability to save or let them die.

    3. The game is half as long as the previous two games. This is fine however since the game is so replayable and delicious.

    "So why are you rating the game zero?"

    Because this game had the most disappointing ending I have ever seen. It was the most disappointing thing that has ever happened in my life (No exaggeration) Everything you have ever done is absolutely pointless at the end of this game; it almost feels like a dream because it is so bad.

    I have no idea how Bioware thought this was a good idea. I would think at least one Bioware employee would be like 'These ending are going to ruin the entire franchise." But no. I hate my life right now, and I hate Bioware.

    I would spend 4000MP on alternate DLC endings, but sadly Bioware is to proud of themselves to let it happen.

    In order for me not to kill myself I had to create my own ending in my mind, that is how bad these ending are. I had 20+ characters waiting to be imported to ME3 and now it all seems worthless :(

    Bioware you officially got 99.9% right, and 0.01% Unforgivably, it was the 0.01% that counted the most, see you in hell Bioware. Signed Cmdr. Shepard    … Expand
  74. archangel7
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Mass effect 3 is simply amazing! Bio ware has done a terrific job with this final installment in the mass effect series. The first mission where the reapers are attacking earth is a thrilling and excellent way to start off the game.
  75. rabidcaveman48
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    This game is worse than bad, it's insulting. As a long time fan of the series, I feel betrayed. Aside from the absolute pants on head retarded conclusion, the writing, voice acting, textures and animations have all gone to hell. None of our choices mattered in the end. It's been casualized and sexualized to death, in the laziest way possible. Look at Tali's face. I honestly wouldn't haveThis game is worse than bad, it's insulting. As a long time fan of the series, I feel betrayed. Aside from the absolute pants on head retarded conclusion, the writing, voice acting, textures and animations have all gone to hell. None of our choices mattered in the end. It's been casualized and sexualized to death, in the laziest way possible. Look at Tali's face. I honestly wouldn't have cared if it wasn't aesthetically appealing. But the fact that they used a badly shopped STOCK PHOTO to reveal the likeness of one of the most speculated about and beloved characters IN THE SERIES, is a testament to how little bioware cares. And why would they? No matter how terrible a triple A release is, "critics" will praise it to no end, and the masses will take their word for it. This is why game journalism is a joke; it's all just thinly veiled marketing. And about the multiplayer pass and day one DLC? The game should come with a "parts sold seperately" sticker.… Expand
  76. Duffizle
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Like many of you I was a big fan of the mass effect series. I always looked forward to each new game, and ME3 was no different. To me, this is one of the most emotionally involving series I've played. Bio-ware certainly seemed to be on a role, allowing us to tailor commander shepherd into who we wanted him to be. Then, when all seems to be going well, you think "yes I've finally made it to the end, lets see what this effort has been worth." I'm left with two main options and a third depending on what i have done, all of which ultimately ends up with the demise of this character I've become so invested in. Some may call this good storytelling ,but is all that build up necessary just for a complete let down? All I, and from what I've seen over the web, many others wanted was a satisfying conclusion to the series. This is not the case...I just feel almost as if this story has been pointless, all that just to realize (with the option i chose) I've kicked everyone back to the stone age (Plus all those races landlocked on earth,unable to return to their own worlds with the loss of the relays). A happier ending would have brought more thorough closure to what good have been a great finale.… Expand
  77. Insid3out
    Mar 9, 2012
    2
    Mass Effect Trilogy

    Explained with the help of a bunch of apples. Imagine if i had one apple, this represnts mass effect 1, its all gravy but its clear it could get better. Imagine if i had two apples, this represents mass effect 2, its made some great improvements and despite some unvaried level design its a great game. Now imagine if i gave you no apples and TOOK A **** ON YOUR    Mass Effect Trilogy

    Explained with the help of a bunch of apples.

    Imagine if i had one apple, this represnts mass effect 1, its all gravy but its clear it could get better.
    Imagine if i had two apples, this represents mass effect 2, its made some great improvements and despite some unvaried level design its a great game.
    Now imagine if i gave you no apples and TOOK A **** ON YOUR FACE.

    This represents mass effect 3, it actually manages to destroy what made it successfull ala modern warfare 3.
    How a team of people actually **** up so MONUMENTALLY, is beyond me.

    In fact its simple there target market has become wider than a hookers oriface and also as ****ING FILTHY AS ONE. DAY ONE DLC, NO CHOICES, EVERYTHINGS ****ING IRRELIVENT, CANNON PLOT,CANNON ROMANCES, SPACE BROKEBACK ****ING MOUNTAIN, AUTO **** IN MY FACE DIALOGUE, THE CAST FROM JERSEY ****ING SHORE, GEARS OF WARS HORD MODE.

    IF YOU ACTUALLY SQUINT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ITS KIND OF LIKE A SPACE BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN GEARS OF WHORES.

    YOU FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU.
    YOU FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME.

    THIS YEAR HAS MADE ME REALISE THAT COD FRANCHISE AND BIOWARE IN GENERALLY AFTER ****ING UP TO MAJOR FRANCHISES, ITLL BE THREE SOON WHEN THEY PUT PINK ****ING ARMY MEN IN COMMAND AND **** YOURSELF. THEY CAN ALL SUCK MY RINGO STAR.    … Expand
  78. Synch
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    The game was fun up until the end, at which point, the fun stopped, and the crushing disappointment set in. Not a proper way to end the trilogy in the least, and all the more disappointing given the quality of the rest of the game.
  79. Laice
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    I was looking forward to Mass effect 3.
    On steam. Since i don't fancy installing the Origin spyware (One that scans your pc to find out all the other games you are using, then adds them to your origin account to stop you using steam?) I Shall not bother.
    As soon as people close their wallets to a company like EA that pumps out DRM after DRM after DRM and RUINS series, the world will be a    I was looking forward to Mass effect 3.
    On steam. Since i don't fancy installing the Origin spyware (One that scans your pc to find out all the other games you are using, then adds them to your origin account to stop you using steam?) I Shall not bother.
    As soon as people close their wallets to a company like EA that pumps out DRM after DRM after DRM and RUINS series, the world will be a better place.
    R.I.P Command and Conquer
    R.I.P Mass Effect

    Oh and do you remember classics such as Theme Hospital? Dungeon Keeper? EA killed off Bullfrog entertainment, Westwood studios, Maxis. I wonder what games we would have seen from them now if they hadn't been gulped up?    … Expand
  80. tototototo
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    Takes the best parts of Dragon Age 2 and combines them with Mass Effect 2 to give you this five-star lesson in why people will read through ANYTHING to finish a story they enjoyed the beginning of, even if they thought the last 2 thirds were...lacking. combat and story feel like 2 seperate games, as if one was thrown in to space out the other, while both being sub-par. 0 replay value.
  81. Adain
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    Its an amazing game all the way up till the last 5 mins. I didn't think it was possible but we have an ending so bad that it ruins the entire series. I can't even think about playing any of the other ME games after watching this ending.

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

    The last 5 mins are so incredibly bad that it pushes the game down to a 4.
  82. tripleb2k
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is a brilliant game. For someone whose played the previous 2, there are lots of nods and implications for previous decisions and interactions. Playing through the game and randomly running into previous squad mates or characters is a treat. The game encourages you to explore and take in everything around you.
    The Multiplayer is a lot of fun but it does have a few short comings. It points out to some of the combat issues that game has had since the beginning. Cover can still be sloppy and reviving can be a pain in the ass. Hopefully these things can be solved in the future with patches.
    The only reason I won't give this game a 10 is the ending. I won't spoil the whole thing, but no matter which ending you pick, the same thing happens. A game that asks you to make your own choices and creates your own path leads to a very linear, scripted ending. I'm left asking more questions and demanding closure in what should have been a perfect 10 game.    … Expand
  83. Tirader
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Having just beat the game I feel like it's still a great game, but I also feel like Bioware has lost their ability to tell a truly amazing story. The whole Cerberus angle doesn't really make a lot sense throughout the game; it seems Cerberus is there just so you have something besides Reaper forces to kill. Several of the interactions you can have with former team mates from ME2 feel fake or out of place, and lastly the ending is just a huge let down. Killing the protagonist is a great way to end a story if it fits, but in this case, it just doesn't work.… Expand
  84. noobcannon
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i've had some time to reflect and punch a few holes in the wall to get my frustration out and i think i'm ready to put into words how i feel 24 hours after the "good" ending in mass effect 3

    to start, my RI was Tali. once i killed the reaper on ranoch i opted to upload the reaper code to the geth via legion. despite tali not wanting me to, i felt this was the best course of action for her, her people, the galaxy, and even the geth. i was able to talk the fleet out of counter attacking the geth while the code was being uploaded and tali still loves me. whew. this got me thinking however, what if my paragon was too low and the quarians did attack the geth. what would happen? i pulled up youtube to find out.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvATTDgDIqU

    this was the most moving and emotional punch in the gut i've ever seen in a video game. assuming this had happened in my playthrough, i'd have been devastated. moments earlier tali told me she loved me and i have just wiped out her entire people. heartbroken, she jumps over the edge. thought i was going to cry.

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

    now, i'll be clear, i wanted a happy ending, but if that's not how it was going to be then fine. i'll get over it. but to do it the way that they did, i, just, uuuuughhh. ......    … Expand
  85. Tudor
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    Before playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents :
    This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jaw    Before playing Mass Effect 3 , i went through the first two installments once more with a completley new character in order to have the "Mass Effect" expirience fresh in my mind and for better or worse i could judge ME 3 better comparing it to the previous games so here are my 2 cents :
    This game confuses the hell out of me in terms of quality , there where plenty of moments where my jaw dropped as the story progressed , and there others that felt out of place , forced upon me (but the bad ones weren't that many in my opinion).While the quality of the story is good , it feels like i've taken more of a backseat in this 3rd game because it is more streamlined (a thing that i do not understand , this was the chance for BW to go all out on decision making since its the last game , and didn't have to worry about the hellish writing that would have entailed into making a 4th installment) .I could go on for some time about the pro's and cons but to make it short : The story is fantastic , the score that accompanies it is marvellous , there are a few plotholes that will annoy fans of the series , don't think will bother those who just want to play this last one.
    The gameplay mechanics are decent , but ME was never supposed to be about the shooting part , they've put in some more rpg elements (not that much really) but its still better then ME2 in that area.
    The graphics are good , definetly not ugly taking into consideration its based on a 7 year old engine.
    The score as i said previously , is fantastic the voice acting is what you would expect from the previous games ( Great) but seems less of it . To be fair , i knew that Bioware had a tough job in front of them in wrapping up this trilogy , they set the bar high with the quality of the previous games and an ever harder job pleasing the fans (myself included) regarding the end of the trilogy . While the game indeed wraps up this fantastic series , and answers many questions it also raised new ones , leaving me longing for more , as such i believe this game should have a place in your collection because it definetly deserves it , but at the same time it does leave you "hanging" .    … Expand
  86. scalan15
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Please ignore all of the trolls faking bad reviews, this game is EPIC, I have 120,000 achievement points on the Xbox 360, and this is the BEST game I've ever played, don't miss out.
  87. goblinprince
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    I've been enjoying the game enormously. Will be replaying in the different modes, and seriously tempted to go back to 1 to give the whole trilogy a marathon play-through. Writing is sharp and good as ever, I like the tweaks to combat and the addition of power combos--gives me more options in my play strategy. And enjoying the new enemy types. There is a little added variety in characterI've been enjoying the game enormously. Will be replaying in the different modes, and seriously tempted to go back to 1 to give the whole trilogy a marathon play-through. Writing is sharp and good as ever, I like the tweaks to combat and the addition of power combos--gives me more options in my play strategy. And enjoying the new enemy types. There is a little added variety in character creation, but would have liked to see even more options or have tools for additional customization. Like the increased options for romantic pairings. I play with both fem and male Sheps and like going through the different story lines with different characters. Very pleased that Bioware is willing to add flexibility there and give gamers more choices to explore. Game is beautiful and hope this isn't the end for the Mass Effect universe. So many stories out there!… Expand
  88. FragCzar
    Mar 9, 2012
    6
    I've paid and played all of Bioware's ME and DA games (and DLCs), and both series have shown a consistent trend away from action RPG and toward something like an interactive movie. DAO and ME1 were standout games -- they had engaging stories, challenging missions, sufficient map variety, interesting characters and companions, *romance*, variable plot lines involving player decisions.I've paid and played all of Bioware's ME and DA games (and DLCs), and both series have shown a consistent trend away from action RPG and toward something like an interactive movie. DAO and ME1 were standout games -- they had engaging stories, challenging missions, sufficient map variety, interesting characters and companions, *romance*, variable plot lines involving player decisions. They were FUN games that left us wanting more (except the Maco -- we had enough of the Maco). ME2 and DA2, and now ME3, are not like those former games. Cinematics have gotten way too long (so they added the flashing LT/RT prompts to try to keep you from skipping them or leaving the room). Maps are tiny and are reused way too much (see DA2 for the worst of it). They try to cover up the scarcity of real playable content with filler side-quests like ME3's inane Citadel terminal hopping nonsense and tedious resource/war-asset scanning. ME3, in particular, adds more content filler by spreading out a simple character management menu over a four level ME3 ship with 30 sec load times between each level (do i really need to go all the way down to the shuttle bay to see my loadout?). And under all that filler the main ME3 mission is a scifi retelling of Henhouse Henery (Warner Bros). DAO and ME1 were well-crafted games that did not suffer for lack of Hollywood glitz or novelty shooter mechanics (not getting caught and killed by the ME3 cover system is the most challenging part of the game). They were compelling and tasty. Sadly, their successors are not -- their successors are Happy Meals.… Expand
  89. ParaVi
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Game is AMAZING! Many emotions, many drive. Find story like in Mass Effec!. Find so fantastic emotions! Find so amazing EPIC You can't find it in Skyrim or Amalur. Free world is not better than GREAT story! So many agressive! Why? Gamers, WAKE UP! Stop it. This game survive is better than 5! It is a LEGEND.
  90. MoGlee
    Mar 9, 2012
    5
    I signed up just to rate this game! I am giving it a 5 because multi-player is kind of fun. But dear Bioware, after Dragon Age 2 and now Mass Effect 3, please be aware you are in risk of losing your hard core audience - people like me who basically buy every single Bioware game they can get their hands on. It is disingenuous to claim multi-player is optional and then make it literallyI signed up just to rate this game! I am giving it a 5 because multi-player is kind of fun. But dear Bioware, after Dragon Age 2 and now Mass Effect 3, please be aware you are in risk of losing your hard core audience - people like me who basically buy every single Bioware game they can get their hands on. It is disingenuous to claim multi-player is optional and then make it literally impossible to get the best ending without playing multi-player. Really bad. I am not the multi-player type and if your multi-player was just a bit worse, I would have rated you zero. I invested hundreds of hours in this character and now to find myself being told that I have to play multi-player, something I do not want to do for getting the best ending is sad.… Expand
  91. DuncanIdahoTPF
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    Seeing the HUMONGOUS disparity between what users are rating this game and what critics rate the game CLEARLY exposes the fraud of some game review sites via bribes. I have seen the instances of these bribes for high profile games increase severely over the past few years. I basically agree with Sheprdlovr's review, this game is very poorly put together overall. The graphics look terribleSeeing the HUMONGOUS disparity between what users are rating this game and what critics rate the game CLEARLY exposes the fraud of some game review sites via bribes. I have seen the instances of these bribes for high profile games increase severely over the past few years. I basically agree with Sheprdlovr's review, this game is very poorly put together overall. The graphics look terrible compared to any decent titles in the past few years. I feel robbed of my 60 bucks for this game, with the Star War's mmo being even worse.… Expand
  92. DavyNichols
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    I cannot in good conscious give Mass Effect 3 a good review. If you are a new fan you may be confused and overwhelmed by the brilliantly created and richly imagined universe and canon that Bioware develops. If you're an old fan then this game will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. If you are strictly concerned with gameplay, then this game will have far too much story-driven plotI cannot in good conscious give Mass Effect 3 a good review. If you are a new fan you may be confused and overwhelmed by the brilliantly created and richly imagined universe and canon that Bioware develops. If you're an old fan then this game will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. If you are strictly concerned with gameplay, then this game will have far too much story-driven plot and dialogue for you. That said the gameplay is solid through and through. Not perfect, but solid. Then again that's not why I picked up the Mass Effect series in the first place. The reason I cannot give this game a good review is that I am a story-concerned and ethical old fan. The ethics comes in with EA's (and Bioware's) shady business ethics. EA has released DLC critical to lore/story (not necessarily plot, there is a difference) and gameplay that you have to pay extra for. Unethical. Bioware's writers, producers and devs have lied to us for the entire production. The endings are not choice-driven and nothing you did in any of the three games matters in the end. The themes at the very end of the game (mind you a lot of the writing was brilliant) contradict the themes for the other two games and anyone who played through all three stories in this "character-driven" series will be nothing short of mortified with the pseudo-intellectual, quasi-philosophical ending (I believe the Russian word is "poshlost" meaning something that is meant to appear intelligent and meaningful without actually being either, thereby baiting critics to laud it so they can show how deep and intellectual they are). If the writers can't admit that they were trying to impress pseudo-intellectual critics instead of loyal fans, then they will lose my respect. If they can admit it, then they simply lose my trust. There are other parts of the game with questionable writing (Example: in the beginning you can practically hear the writers grunts as they try to start the story off in the clumsiest way possible). These are forgiveable blips as they don't ruin the series, but the ending destroyed the replayability value, not only for Mass Effect 3, but the first two games as well, which I was still playing every other month, because I enjoyed them so much. The gameplay, while still clumsy, is the best in not only this game, but any Bioware game to date and was highly enjoyable.

    In summation, I can say that if you are playing this game for gameplay, then there is far too much dialogue and story for that (which I personally love). If you are playing it for story and are new to the series, I'd recommend playing the other games first (or instead). If you are playing it for story and are a veteran of the series, then this game is not highly recommended. Or you can turn it off before the "poshlost ending". I don't expect them to fix the ending, but I don't expect to be buying another Bioware game anytime soon.    … Expand
  93. xMurderotica89
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    Best in the series so far. Ignore all the negative reviews, they complain about small things and are generally dumb reviews. this is some amazing storytelling.
  94. bubblegumNtaffy
    Mar 9, 2012
    8
    It was a fully engaging game. I actually felt stressed out when Shepard would be stressed out. The only thing stopping me from giving this game a better rating was the untied strings at the end. The writing at the end also seemed a bit rushed. More thought and time could have provided a more concise and well thought ending. Instead you get an unsatisfying ending with barely anyIt was a fully engaging game. I actually felt stressed out when Shepard would be stressed out. The only thing stopping me from giving this game a better rating was the untied strings at the end. The writing at the end also seemed a bit rushed. More thought and time could have provided a more concise and well thought ending. Instead you get an unsatisfying ending with barely any explanation. Even the choices at the end are poorly thought out. The game had quite enjoyable combat, and I hated ME2's combat. This game was very similar to ME2 in that you have to find help throughout the whole game. However, the story feels like it progresses forward in this game, as opposed to ME2. Also i thought this "galaxy readiness" thing was going to be awesome. Thinking you'd be able to maneuver troops around and actually fight the reapers using strategy and having to sacrifice certain areas while keeping others alive.... but no. You have to download DLC and i refuse to so I don't even know what it does. This game had the potential to rock everything I loved about videogames but you could still feel a rushed element present. I really did like this game and its a good finish, kind of akin to the ending to Battlestar Galactica or Lost. It's a good buy and an indication that Bioware hasn't (entirely) sold out to EA...yet.… Expand
  95. ExMassEffectFan
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After the sublime perfection that was Mass Effect 2, this game was such a huge disappointment. For starters you're forced to play multiplayer in order to boost your "Galactic Readiness", a score used to determine how likely you are to succeed in defeating the Reapers (the main villians of the Mass Effect trilogy). Even though I completed every side mission I could find (some I could not finish due to bugs) it wasn't enough to get over 4000 needed for Shepard to survive (I was stuck at 3,800-odd). Another disappointment was the lack of returning characters from ME2. Most of the characters popped up during the course of the game, but there was very little chance to interact with them. Worse, the few characters that could be interacted with rarely had dialogue trees where you could choose what to say to them, instead the dialogue was entirely fixed. There were some nice moments, like the interactions with Joker and EDI, but overall this game disappoints compared to ME2. Finally, by far the biggest problem are the endings. At the end you are given the choice of three endings, but all of them are utterly terrible. As the conclusion to a trilogy, this is hugely disappointing. After all the blood, guts and tears the story deserved a much better ending than the ones offered. I would be willing to pay good money for Bioware to make a new ending and release it as DLC. SO DISAPPOINTING. :(… Expand
  96. tryx3
    Mar 9, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love Mass Effect, and I love this installment. It's great. It feels the most polished and entertaining of the series. I don't have any issues with the gay or lesbian scenes, I didn't feel like a political agenda was being shoved down my throat. What I do take issue with, however, is the ending. Without giving too much away, it destroys the universe everyone has come to love over the years. Your choices mean nothing, and, no matter what you do, it will always end in one of the same ways. Even though throughout the entire game, they're pushing you to get as much aide as possible, it doesn't mean anything if you don't get the bar completely filled. Mass effect tries to be Deus Ex, and it does a terrible job of it.


    If something was added to amend the ending, I'd give the game an 8 or a 9. Till then, I left the game feeling cheated of what was an otherwise spectacular experience.    … Expand
  97. Nile3
    Mar 9, 2012
    5
    ME3 did not feel as good as ME2. The story was a bit clumsy, the characters unfriendly and the relationship in-between them vacuous or unrealistic. I felt like I was watching a young girl playing with barbie dolls, but with a science-fiction plot instead of a pink play house. Don't get me wrong, the Sci-Fi idea behind all of ME is epic, I loved it. But this last chapter failed toME3 did not feel as good as ME2. The story was a bit clumsy, the characters unfriendly and the relationship in-between them vacuous or unrealistic. I felt like I was watching a young girl playing with barbie dolls, but with a science-fiction plot instead of a pink play house. Don't get me wrong, the Sci-Fi idea behind all of ME is epic, I loved it. But this last chapter failed to deliver because of the story-telling and the quite repetitive console-like gameplay.

    Here's how you beat the game: Move forward, shoot, repeat. You have nothing to think about or care about to beat the game.    … Expand
  98. alcolica
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    Semplicemente me3 non è all'altezza dei primi due capitoli , la storia fa schifo e il fatto che le proprie scelte non influenzino la storia pernulla è orribile .
    Grazie EA per aver rovinato pure ME3 .
  99. lexs624
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I will start off by saying that this was a very good game up until the last 20 minutes (After Shepard gets beamed up). I wanted my choices to matter and my romance to matter. The relationships you build with your characters are important and the choices made previously are important and that all must come together in the ending. There should be the chance for your romance to finally blossom and be given an ending, the reapers should be given a better ending: such as all destroyed or something like the geth and quarians, peace with mutual benefit but each independent (no synergy), or what would be even grander is that Shepard convinces the catalyst that organic and synthetic can be at peace: the Reapers retreat from the galaxy forever, the cooperation and understanding with the geth proves this point as well as EDI and Joker. I wanted an ending that would bring all my choices and relationships to a grand end. Happiness with whoever you settle down with or if he/she dies, a scene with a memorial and ur love interest there with a child to say good bye.
    I would also like to say that the choices from previous games do show up, but not in ways that I expected. Liked David Archer from Overlord, the reaper base was their but diminished, the geth choice was there but diminished, etc... The choices were there, but they did not manifest in ways that the fanbase expected. I was disappointed but understand how Bioware wanted to cater to a new fan-base.
    I was also looking forward to more exploration and freedom from the first two games with lots of small side-quests and missions, but that is also diminished from the first two. There are a few missions but nothing that aids very much in getting galactic readiness up or that is actually alot of fun. I was expecting in a whole galaxy at war there would be numerous side quests and missions from the various races asking for help but there wasn't. I wish there had been. Also, what about vehicle levels? I missed the Mako and the Hammerhead, they added a breadth of fresh air when you were bored.
    I understand that no one is going to be happy with this game and others will think its great. I thought it was a good but not great game. The DLC will make it better I hope to jack up war readiness and other side quests. It can be fixed and the trilogy can be given an end that it deserves. Perhaps bioware releases a DLC that is only for fans that wraps up the game in a way that the loyal fans expect. I hope that is what happens. I wanted something to wow me and make me happy in the end. With this title I did not get that.    … Expand
  100. thelotmb
    Mar 9, 2012
    10
    People are honestly being ridiculous with this game, it's bizarre. Each of the Mass Effect games differ from one another in little ways, and this one just happens to be more intense and action oriented. HOWEVER I found that the RPG elements are more effective here than they were in Mass Effect 2. Leveling up is more apparent, and XP gains are clear. So I don't get those complaints. Also,People are honestly being ridiculous with this game, it's bizarre. Each of the Mass Effect games differ from one another in little ways, and this one just happens to be more intense and action oriented. HOWEVER I found that the RPG elements are more effective here than they were in Mass Effect 2. Leveling up is more apparent, and XP gains are clear. So I don't get those complaints. Also, the writing is just fine. Sure, this installment is more action oriented, but there are emotional beats at the right moments, and the dialog is smart and logical for the situation, with some humor put in there too. Voice acting is top notch, as usual. Graphics are more fluid than the past games, and the whole weapon deal is much more varied and fun than before. Amazing set pieces as well. The visuals are pretty stunning at times, just in the composition of everything. Fighting geth husks on Menae as we see the Reapers destroying Garrus' home planet was quite a spectacle. Multiplayer is actually fun and fast paced, surprisingly. As for the romance options, well, I'm pretty sure you have to ask for a gay relationship in some way, so the homophobes have nothing to worry about there, unless they choose the right responses that would trigger it, which would seem interesting to me. Overall, if you've enjoyed the other ME games, then buy this without hesitation, just to experience this compelling universe again. I am disappointed in Metacritic gamers, both with the fake, desperately negative reviews, and with the immature, insatiable gamers who can't accept anything different than slower-paced RPG's. This game may not be perfect, but it's pretty darn great.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
14
#14 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 74
  3. Negative: 0 out of 74
  1. Gamer.nl
    May 12, 2012
    95
    Mass Effect 3 is an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of tension and moving moments. The threat of the Reapers make every decision a hard one and your relationship with other characters will be tested. This, in combination with tight gameplay, makes this the complete experience.
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  2. Polygon
    Apr 26, 2012
    100
    As a bombastic action-RPG with no previous context, Mass Effect 3 is a dark, engaging game with great combat, a well-written story, and all the epic space-opera you could want. But for those who have played through Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, it's something much more.
    Read full review
  3. GameFocus
    Apr 18, 2012
    96
    The storytelling itself, the more refined combat, the voicework, the visuals, et all, stand as a fine example of some of the best this industry has to offer, and with my minor complaints aside, there's no doubt that Mass Effect 3 will be deservedly at the top of everyone's list come this year's award season.
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