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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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.
  4. 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)
  5. 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.
  6. mcfan
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    Where are the true different endings ? And god damned, where is the exploration ? I always searchâ
  7. BoMBuR
    Mar 11, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 is a big game with detailed universe and environment. But without Drew Karpyshyn story became too simple and dialogues are worse than in first ME game. Another consequence is ridiculous DRAMA, such as story line with the boy, dreams... All these moments looks very unnaturally and clumsy. I think that main problem of ME3 is that it became shooter with RPG elements, butMass Effect 3 is a big game with detailed universe and environment. But without Drew Karpyshyn story became too simple and dialogues are worse than in first ME game. Another consequence is ridiculous DRAMA, such as story line with the boy, dreams... All these moments looks very unnaturally and clumsy. I think that main problem of ME3 is that it became shooter with RPG elements, but honestly shooting never was the reason why everybody played in first Mass Effect.… Expand
  8. 01lduff
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    great game but the last 20 min completely overshadows what good was in this game and as a result i found myself not satisfied with what could of been my fave game ever but i was left disappointing and as a result i will never trust bioware again to deliver on their promises
  9. alukanin
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    Everyone's complaining about the ending, but I don't give a **** about that. The game itself is pretty bad overall. There's almost no RPG in it and the action part is pretty clumsy and tiring. Better not waste time playing this and play Binary Domain instead if you want a good story in a GoW-like 3rd person shooter.
  10. laholi
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    Story, Characters, plot elements, cut scenes..all uninspiring. Combat even on hardcore settings is lack luster. Graphics are not that much improved over Mass Effect 2. Despite that, I loved the game, right up until the end. The very things that made me give most of the game a pass as I played through it, the time I'd invested in Sheapard, my love of the other charactors, my fealing ofStory, Characters, plot elements, cut scenes..all uninspiring. Combat even on hardcore settings is lack luster. Graphics are not that much improved over Mass Effect 2. Despite that, I loved the game, right up until the end. The very things that made me give most of the game a pass as I played through it, the time I'd invested in Sheapard, my love of the other charactors, my fealing of consequences for my actions; were all thrown away at the end. There are people that hate the ending for what it reveals about the reapers, and what "choices" You get to make. But even putting that asside, the feal is off, the quick ending cenimatics are hollow quick...impart no real informations. The game ends but I'm not sure what actualy happened, or if I even care anymore. Mass Effect 3, poorly exectued and contrived, First Day DLC: unforgivable..and Here is a Spoiler for you, They flash a little datapad up on the screen that says keep playing and spending your money buying are DLC's..excuse me? You leave me fealing robbed, then tell me not to worry because you'll be back for more money later?
    Mass effect..you're dead to me, such a loss :-/    … Expand
  11. mrbeavis19
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I didn't come here to flame. I don't want to rant. I just...I don't really know what to say. I'm hurt, I'm disappointed, and I wish desperately that the game could have ended any other way. Everything else about the game and the series was quite simply, amazing...but the end.

    To say it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth is an understatement. As a fan of the series since the moment I picked up the xbox controller and started playing Mass Effect back in 2007, I really just can't feel anything but dissatisfied. Mass Effect was and still is my favorite game of all time. Mass Effect 2, less so (removal of many RPG elements, etc.) but that aside, Mass Effect 3 rekindled my hope that the series may end on a high note after all. The whole theme of the story was hope and survival. To fight, or find another way when there seemed to be no other option. So when the ending of it all boiled down to 3 horrible choices, I was crushed.

    There were so many moments in this game that made me feel something. Made me feel connected to the characters. Whether it was the depth of Shepard's love for Liara, his brotherly comradery and heart-to-hearts with Garrus and Kaidan, or his hatred for Kei Leng and the utter crushing blow of the defeat at Thessia, I felt something. And the dream sequences! They were a beautiful and haunting representation of what the stress must have been on Shepard. But through it all, there was emotional attachment and investment. I felt connected to Shepard. I was vicariously saving the galaxy. As a game design student, I can't overstate how incredible that is. That I became so attached to these characters, to this galaxy, so invested in this game. It was nothing short of incredible, but the same cannot be said for the ending. The ending made me feel too. It made me feel sick. I felt physically ill from the moment Shepard was blasted by Harbinger to the very end of the game. All that hope and sheer force of will...for what? For Shepard to just die like that? He deserves better. The galaxy deserves better. But he stands. He's still alive, if barely. There's still hope right? Then the Marauder. They're just toying with me now. Drawing out this agony. Why?! Then the Citadel. Anderson. I almost had to expect that to happen. I can accept it with a heavy heart. But I did all I possibly could to secure a good ending. But he can't reach the console. He can't be dead. So close. But wait. A light. Now he's on top of the Citadel...ok. Maybe there's still hope. The little kid? What is this? This is the Catalyst? Some cosmic force that created and controls the Reapers. That instantiated the cycle of extinction you're fighting against. And you're supposed to take him at his word when he tells you what to do? Just like that? No "find another way"? Shepard just takes this thing that's tried to kill him at its word and believes in what it has to say?

    And it all came down to those 3 horrible choices.

    Go back on everything you stood for and try to control the creatures you swore to destroy, ending your own life in the process.

    Somehow re-write the DNA of every living thing in the galaxy to achieve synergy with the synthetics? I'm not even going to go into how ridiculous and impossible that is. Oh yeah and that one kills Shepard outright too.

    Or, you can shoot the tube-thingy and kill the Reapers. Everything's cool right? Oh wait, that one kills all the synthetics in the galaxy. You're now effectively betraying EDI and dishonoring Legion's memory, not to mention screwing over the Quarians in their effort to settle Rannoch once again.

    Oh and to make this choice even more horrible and heart-crushing, every choice results in the destruction of not only the Citadel, but all the relays, effectively destroying the galaxy as you know it. The government will inevitably collapse and all the species are now stranded on Earth, where they fought the Reapers, or on their own homeworld or colony, cut off from the rest of the galaxy.

    No matter how you slice it, the end is a defeat. The galaxy is doomed without the relays.

    And then you get to watch color-coded cutscenes with very little variation. Joker leaves Shepard for dead on the Citadel, uncharacteristically fleeing the battle and somehow, Liara, who was with Shepard on the ground, is now stranded with Joker on some alien planet, doomed to a slow death when the Normandy crash lands.

    And the best ending this game can muster for all my efforts acquiring war assets and galactic readiness? Shepard, god knows where, laying in some pile of rubble...takes a breath. How? How would he have survived the explosion on the Citadel? Where the heck did he end up? I don't get it. I'm utterly crushed by how horrible this ending is.

    Had the ending been good, I would undoubtedly have given this game a 10. It was a masterpiece...until the end. It's like the Mona Lisa...with black paint splashed across it. I'm heart-broken.    … Expand
  12. atomiccow
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    Normally it would be impossible for a 5 minutes of cutscenes to ruin 30 hours of gameplay. Unless of course that 5 minutes is the ending to a trilogy spanning 5 years and over 70 hours of playtime.

    If you're a Mass Effect fan who has stuck with the series since the first game then you would do best to stop playing at the last save point and save yourself the hopeless depression that will    Normally it would be impossible for a 5 minutes of cutscenes to ruin 30 hours of gameplay. Unless of course that 5 minutes is the ending to a trilogy spanning 5 years and over 70 hours of playtime.

    If you're a Mass Effect fan who has stuck with the series since the first game then you would do best to stop playing at the last save point and save yourself the hopeless depression that will follow should you play the ending sequence in this game.

    The ending is negligent betrayal by Bioware to its fans on the highest level. You'll be best of imagining your own perfect ending.    … Expand
  13. Xtrepe
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This could have been the crowning achievement in regards to RPG gaming. A game that ends a fantastic sci-fi tale that you can craft over the course of three fantastic games. Every minute of playing this game was a joy. The sorrow and triumph was all I could have asked for and more...until the end. Which utterly erases all the 100's hours of work you have placed in this game. There is no closure, you never find out what your sacrifice brings, aside from the total destruction of the galaxy. All the deeds are turned to dust in less than ten minutes. I must salute you Bioware, you killed the greatest video game trilogy in under ten minutes, bravo.… Expand
  14. Matrixcvd
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    I experienced quite a few bugs, which did impact game, dialogue not working right, etc. Bottom line regardless of what you think of the endings, the build up to the "final" battle was suppose to be the best part "Save Earth", don't bother playing after 20 hours its just not worth it. Think Halo2, its just a joke how awful the back end of this game is, the missions are pathetic, theI experienced quite a few bugs, which did impact game, dialogue not working right, etc. Bottom line regardless of what you think of the endings, the build up to the "final" battle was suppose to be the best part "Save Earth", don't bother playing after 20 hours its just not worth it. Think Halo2, its just a joke how awful the back end of this game is, the missions are pathetic, the content on earth is short, and really just a total let down. So the end gameplay sucks, nothing interesting, or at least content that tries to differentiate itself from bulk, its all bland and boring. Which makes the ending options really forgettable, there is no point in playing through the game differently. So to recap, after the initial sequence on earth, there is nothing emotionally driven about the content, its all vapor, there is no challenging sections (scaled for difficulty), and the endings are loose, trival, and without an emotional connection to tie things apart, or together. I could care less if my character is killed, but its the story that ties the content together and there IS NO STORY to feed off of, 2/3 of the game had me in tears, i blew through the dialogue toward the latter stages and ending because there was nothing there. what a waste of time. I picked up ME series late, after all the DLC hit for ME2, so I knew it was a long slog and a wait to see ME3, but the content for ME2, knowing full well the inconclusive nature was much better than the, "climax" of ME3. If the bar is set high, then sometimes you get hit with the bar, I had more fun toward the end of Kingdoms of Amalur, than this game, which is a terrible mocking. ME3 end with bad taste, disappointment, and general disgust, and not cause of how the game ended, but the quality of the final battle, the lack of emotional/character content, and the complete package just sinks after such a great start.… Expand
  15. BethanyAnne
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's all about the ending. On my playthrough, I had done all but one of the "fetch it" quests, and had an apparently full readiness bar. I felt like it would be hard, but that I had prepared as much as I could. I had a couple of save games to go back to, so I could see if there were different choices I wanted to make.
    It went well, then I got to the Citadel... and WTF? No more team, no armor, no powers.... and a brand new godchild? And then it got bad.
    A "3" is generous. Never again, Bioware. Ya got me twice, first DA2, then this steaming pile. Won't happen again.    … Expand
  16. maverick0023
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    None of my friends have liked the ending. I wish I could meet in person some person who did like the ending and really get a good explanation to how anyone could think how the game ended was a good idea.

    It ruined the franchise for me and now I do not want to touch anything ME related. That being said the gameplay was fun, so ya if you do not care about story (which why would you play ME    None of my friends have liked the ending. I wish I could meet in person some person who did like the ending and really get a good explanation to how anyone could think how the game ended was a good idea.

    It ruined the franchise for me and now I do not want to touch anything ME related.

    That being said the gameplay was fun, so ya if you do not care about story (which why would you play ME then) I guess you can like the game    … Expand
  17. Jimbop47
    Mar 12, 2012
    3
    Best of the series EXCEPT FOR THE ENDING! The foundation of this series was choice and it has been destroyed. Hopefully Bioware has some plans to address this in DLC otherwise ME3 is an epic failure.
  18. hades252
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Honestly I find anyone giving this game a 9 or 10 mind boggling. That ending was completely trite, trash, garbage, the **** worst ending to any game I've ever played. A huge disappointment. It should immediately have 2 points knocked off just for that, and that's being EXTREMELY generous. The game was glorious, I loved every minute of it, until those last 5. The gameplay was good, I loved the story and the action and then... biggest god damn let down of the century. Unless I dunno, you missed out on the rapture or something oops that still hasn't happened. Anyway. Anyone giving this game a 10 either hasn't beaten it, is fan wanking, or is a troll. I absolutely loved the series, easily one of my favorites and then they slap me in the face with the first day DLC which is already on the disc and an ending so abysmal it's forcing me to knock it down to a god damn 3. What they did right, game play was good, I enjoyed the animations, MOST of the story was thoroughly enjoyable and evoked emotion, I was legitimately distraught at the deaths of Mordin, Thane, and Legion, and getting to romance Steven Cortez and Kaiden Alenko as Male Shepard.

    And then... they **** it ALL up, in 5 minutes. Took me over 30 hours to beat the game, all that I loved, and they **** it up in 5 god damn minutes. How is that even possible, how could they have gone so **** wrong. And honestly I don't even care that Shepard dies, I care about the **** trash where we see 3 people get off the Normandy in the aftermath and oops who the **** cares about all the rest. What the **** happened to all the people we spent learning about, building attachments too, we not only are forced to watch Shepard die with that bogus pick your poison ending but we get no closure for more than half of the characters we spent collecting and working with for the preceding games only to become side notes in this one.    … Expand
  19. zurupeto
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    This game was so not what I wanted Mass Effect 3 to be that I was actually shedding tears of frustration by the end of it. As the story unfolded, I lost control of the Shepard I'd spent hours and hours creating through the first two games as he continually did and said things my Shepard would never have done, without any input from me. The narrative has a couple of really goodThis game was so not what I wanted Mass Effect 3 to be that I was actually shedding tears of frustration by the end of it. As the story unfolded, I lost control of the Shepard I'd spent hours and hours creating through the first two games as he continually did and said things my Shepard would never have done, without any input from me. The narrative has a couple of really good highlights, but is weak on the whole, and the available endings are not only dissatisfying, but in many ways nonsensical. The visual and sound design are strong, but aren't enough to carry the rest. Were it not the conclusion to one of the most promising video game franchises of all time, I'd say this game was simply unremarkable. But it is, and it's beyond disappointing, offering me nothing of what I loved from ME1 but lip service. Mass Effect 3 will be remembered in infamy, if at all, and it's release definitely heralds a truth I've been fearing: the death of the Bioware I'd relied on for exceptional games.… Expand
  20. Toyomo
    Mar 14, 2012
    3
    I must agree with many others, the ending ruins the game. I was skeptical that the ending could indeed be as bad as everyone has claimed-I was wrong. Gone is the choice that exemplified this series. Gone is the hours of fun (not work) that preceded this game. Gone is the sense of accomplishment, however minor, that marked the completion of the previous Mass Effect games. Truly, whatI must agree with many others, the ending ruins the game. I was skeptical that the ending could indeed be as bad as everyone has claimed-I was wrong. Gone is the choice that exemplified this series. Gone is the hours of fun (not work) that preceded this game. Gone is the sense of accomplishment, however minor, that marked the completion of the previous Mass Effect games. Truly, what disgusts me about this game is I feel betrayed by the developers. The sense of control over your character's actions, and the consequences of your decisions are for naught. In the end, nothing you have done matters. If you are new to the series, flip a coin for every choice; they are meaningless. Once I was an ardent Bioware supporter, no longer. My ties with bioware are cut, beginning with credit from Gamestop for this game, followed by a cancelling of SWTOR and a refusal to play any other Bioware games.… Expand
  21. thomc
    Mar 15, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. !!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
    I LOVED Mass effect 3 right up until the ending which for me destroyed the replay value of the entire trilogy, since nothing I did during the three titles mattered at all in the end. It was all for nothing. The game premise is about morality, choice and submersion. You end up caring about your Shep, your crew and the entire galaxy almost like a second life outside your daily life. I know I did anyway. The concept of the game I thought, was that the choices we made helped shape the future of you as the hero, your crew and the galaxy. That idea was blown right out the airlock during the last 10 min. or so when my Shep totally caved in and accepted Star Child's three suicide choices. My Shep would never have acted like that. My Shepherd would have pulled his gun and planted on between the eyes of that stupid IA or what ever it was..I really don't know how to finish this last sentence, because the end didn't make any sense to me..I'm not really sure what happened.. Other than that, this was by far the best game in the trilogy, if it wasn't for the lazy written ending. I wanted to give this game a score of 1 just to spite EA and Bioware, but that wouldn't be fare. So I'll give it a 3. If the ending lived up to the rest of the game I would have given it a 10 no doubt.    … Expand
  22. frostajulie
    Mar 16, 2012
    3
    First I have to say in fairness their were emotional highs and lows over the course of this game that have never been matched by a video game in my life I laughed at myself even as I cried when characters I had grown attached to died. But all that goes to crap when you get to the end. The ending makes every single action and choice you have made in the previous 3 games irrelevant. NoFirst I have to say in fairness their were emotional highs and lows over the course of this game that have never been matched by a video game in my life I laughed at myself even as I cried when characters I had grown attached to died. But all that goes to crap when you get to the end. The ending makes every single action and choice you have made in the previous 3 games irrelevant. No matter what everything ends the same and no matter what you do that ending is bad. Full of plot holes and bad. All those promises about choice mattering and a variety of endings are LIES if you don't believe me find the same 3 endings on youtube. All the same all bad. I can't even look at any of the 3 games without feeling sick. The replayability of the entire series ends when this game ends because you know no matter what you do THIS is how it ends and that sucks all the will to play right out of you. Don't ruin your previous 2 games by playing this piece of garbage. There are also a couple of buggy missions where enemies don't spawn and you have to restart and NOT kill the enemies, and Shepard does not run he/she floats with no footfall sound the lip syncing is immersion breaking its so bad. My advice to new fans get a different game. My advice to old fans. RUN AWAY! And don't look back… Expand
  23. RobertLangford
    Mar 17, 2012
    3
    Fans of the game (I was one) are flabbergasted the complete failure to deliver by Bioware. Gamers that, like me, followed this incredible trilogy (ME1, ME2 and ME3) got emotionally involved with the richness of the in-game characters and their interactions. All along and from the beginning of ME1, they were told by Bioware that choices that they made along the story arc would eventuallyFans of the game (I was one) are flabbergasted the complete failure to deliver by Bioware. Gamers that, like me, followed this incredible trilogy (ME1, ME2 and ME3) got emotionally involved with the richness of the in-game characters and their interactions. All along and from the beginning of ME1, they were told by Bioware that choices that they made along the story arc would eventually have an impact on the ending. This was not the case. In the end (the last fifteen minutes or so), the main character of the game is presented with three choices, but these have practically no relationship with the rest of the game and how it was played. The impression is that Bioware decided to cut costs and rush the ending, as the three ending options are equally shoddy, with pseudo-philosophical explanations that don't make much sense. There is no resolution and the players are left with the impression that all they have done up to the end was a complete waste of time and effort. Most importantly, the players are left emotionally empty. It's a very confusing and depressing feeling let me tell you. The game could have had an epic ending with variations from the very bad (everyone dies) to the very good (everyone survives and there's a victory party) and an in-between bittersweet ending with lots of tears... But Bioware dropped the ball just before the finish line. I give this game a score of 3. These points are for the technical and artistic aspects, which are ok and good respectively. The main part of the points in my mind would have gone to the story; it gets 0 for the stupid stupid stupid endings. ME3 should have been the ultimate conclusion to the trilogy, a high point of sorts, but turns out in the end to be a dud.… Expand
  24. KelaSaar
    Mar 17, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 is a marvelous game that manages to destroy the entire trilogy in its last 15 minutes. The first 95% of the game is really quite good. Bioware manages to put together some spectacular set pieces and really fun action scenes. The combat is also for the most part better than it has been in the previous games. They also do a good job brining in things from the previousMass Effect 3 is a marvelous game that manages to destroy the entire trilogy in its last 15 minutes. The first 95% of the game is really quite good. Bioware manages to put together some spectacular set pieces and really fun action scenes. The combat is also for the most part better than it has been in the previous games. They also do a good job brining in things from the previous games, and let you make some really cool decisions. The dialog and voice acting is quite excellent for the most part. There were parts that were hilarious and parts that I will admit I cried at. I did have some minor problems with this portion of the game, though. The â… Expand
  25. gamster1234
    Mar 18, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 is a mere shadow of the game that its predecessors were. There are so many glaringly poor design choices made throughout. Things that worked perfectly well in Mass Effect 2 have been "fixed" so that the overall experience is frustrating. From side quests being dumbed down to poorly updated quest entries on the journal to the limited speech options, it is almost like BiowareMass Effect 3 is a mere shadow of the game that its predecessors were. There are so many glaringly poor design choices made throughout. Things that worked perfectly well in Mass Effect 2 have been "fixed" so that the overall experience is frustrating. From side quests being dumbed down to poorly updated quest entries on the journal to the limited speech options, it is almost like Bioware wanted to ruin this game.… Expand
  26. LeifofRohan
    Mar 19, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Huge Mass effect fan. Took five days off of work to play Mass Effect 3. Great game until the last ten minutes of the game. Where the story does. Complete 180 and your choices don't matter. Ruins the whole build up of the series.… Expand
  27. CheeseHead
    Mar 19, 2012
    3
    While I enjoyed Mass Effect 3 and would recommend it for people to try out, the ending was a crushing blow to the face: none of my decisions mattered, nothing was explained, all the endings were virtually identical, Bioware used a "in your face, deus ex machina" to wrap it all up. The ending did not stay true to the game, the trilogy or the fans. Worst of all, the ending ruins anyWhile I enjoyed Mass Effect 3 and would recommend it for people to try out, the ending was a crushing blow to the face: none of my decisions mattered, nothing was explained, all the endings were virtually identical, Bioware used a "in your face, deus ex machina" to wrap it all up. The ending did not stay true to the game, the trilogy or the fans. Worst of all, the ending ruins any replayability for most fans. Of course there were several positive things to the game, but since many are considered spoilers I will not be posting them. It's painful for me to do this, but since the ending is truly all that stays with you (and not in a good way) I must give this game a negative rating.… Expand
  28. solvill
    Mar 19, 2012
    3
    It's sad to see this great game end this way. The ending, or rather lack of one, is appalling. Absolutely none of the decisions you've made in the game, or in ME1/ME2 make any difference, and the end result is always the same just with different color, it leaves you with a feeling never wanting to touch Mass Effect again. The end of the game offers no closure or what's even worse doesn'tIt's sad to see this great game end this way. The ending, or rather lack of one, is appalling. Absolutely none of the decisions you've made in the game, or in ME1/ME2 make any difference, and the end result is always the same just with different color, it leaves you with a feeling never wanting to touch Mass Effect again. The end of the game offers no closure or what's even worse doesn't make sense at all… Expand
  29. AngryBooch
    Mar 19, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 was the first game I played where the ending ruined the experience of the entire series for me. I've had it happen with television series to a lesser extent such as Lost and Battlestar Gallactica, but the ending to this game goes counter to the entire message of the Mass Effect games before. It's soured me on the entire IP. When developers such as Bungie and Epic can endMass Effect 3 was the first game I played where the ending ruined the experience of the entire series for me. I've had it happen with television series to a lesser extent such as Lost and Battlestar Gallactica, but the ending to this game goes counter to the entire message of the Mass Effect games before. It's soured me on the entire IP. When developers such as Bungie and Epic can end their respective sci-fi trilogies of Halo and Gears of War with actual closure and can better convey the theme of great sacrifice for the sake of tomorrow than the critically acclaimed storytellers at Bioware, something is seriously off.… Expand
  30. freshtoothpaste
    Mar 20, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was a huge fan of the series; it was and is a fun, largely open, mostly RPG game that let you watch characters evolve in a galactic landscape over several fun, exploratory adventures. For me at least, part of the fun was the replayability. As you made different decisions, the ending of the game subtly changed; mostly to the point of how easy or difficult the ending was.

    This game, though, failed to meet the hype associated with it. Mass Effect 2 set up the promise of Mass Effect 3. In ME2, the characters that survived (both main party and secondary) had everything to do with the amount of effort you put into the game. That sets up the promise of ME3, to do the same but on a larger scale. Unfortunately, by the time you get to the end, you end up with a game that's closer to the linear Mass Effect 1 ending. Your decisions, in the last ten minutes, don't really have much effect on the outcome. Even the animations for the ending are identical (except for the color). Now, this wouldn't be a big deal, except that the promise/premise of the entire series has been creating your own moment at the end. Having said all that, though, the ending itself (even having similar ones) isn't that big of a deal. What is a big deal are all the strange inconsistencies in the last part of the game. Squad members who die (or were implied to die) suddenly reappear. Your ship, engaged in battle one moment, is suddenly running from a destructive beam that strands it on a strange planet. The lead character suddenly loses their will to argue, without making note of it, in the last few minutes. I was willing to forgive the glitches in the game. The unfinished, sometimes reused sprites. The overuse of stock photos. The lack of depth in the game. The problems with importing custom lead characters; if you had a custom face for the character, it will likely break when you try to import it.

    I think this game is made mostly for people looking not for an epic RPG, but maybe more of a simple version of Halo style space combat. If that's what you want, just to shoot things in space, then this is probably a good title. You can ignore the story, play multiplayer, and marvel at the backgrounds.

    If, however, you're looking for a satisfying story-based RPG, then this game isn't it. Not really.

    Which leaves me, a former fan, feeling kind of, "meh," about the whole experience. That's probably on purpose; EA loves third person shooters. They're much easier to develop and work on than expansive, multi title RPGs, I'd wager.

    SPOILER - look for yourself. The animations are the same
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPelM2hwhJA    … Expand
  31. illogicalone
    Mar 21, 2012
    3
    Imagine you started reading a "Choose your own adventure" series of books. Then imagine you spent $180 dollars and invested over 100+ hours into the books. Imagine that you had serious decisions to make about things such as who lives and who dies in your story. Imagine that these books were very well written and full of unique encounters and situations. Then imagine no matter whatImagine you started reading a "Choose your own adventure" series of books. Then imagine you spent $180 dollars and invested over 100+ hours into the books. Imagine that you had serious decisions to make about things such as who lives and who dies in your story. Imagine that these books were very well written and full of unique encounters and situations. Then imagine no matter what decisions you made, every storyline ended the same way with a last second twist that you didn't really even care about and contradicted all the decisions you had made previously. Would you recommend these books? Would you go back and reread the books and make different decisions knowing you were going to dislike the ending and your decisions didn't matter? That's the dilemma with Mass Effect 3. It is like reading a good book/trilogy, only to find out the author didn't know how to handle all the different possibilities and ended up with one crappy ending.… Expand
  32. martinj77
    Mar 24, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this game did not deliver. this whole series as been about choices. the whole point of bringing a character from one to 3 and choice impacting the endings. the ending is a kick in the balls. 100 hours+ of gameplay for nothing. the pandered to the casual gamers. it has gone from an rpg to a flaky copy of gears of war with every mission being about suviving rounds of enemys. having invested so much time in this game i and thousands like me feel let down by bioware. ea has got there money grabbing hands all over this. DAY ONE DLC!! that actually is a big part of story. and this horde rip off multiplayer. im sorry but this is not mass effect. not by a long shot. bioware has lost alot of credabillty. dragon age 2 was bad enough now this. the cancer that is ea has spread further. simply put the ending ruins this game. 3 **** choices. where none of you descions in the last 2 games matters. none. red green or blue. and whats with this stupid kid. shepard seen 1000s of people blended in the collecter base. and one kid dying gets to him. there where kids ob the collecter base aswell. plus why is joker leaving in the mass relay. he wouldnt of been able. just leaving shepard to die. plus i brought ashley with me on the last mision. she was right behind me when i was running towards the beam. how did she survive and get to the normandy. plus no reaper forces on the citadel. really. too many holes in the ending. plus geth, turian,krogan,salarian all traped in the solar system with no relays.… Expand
  33. gasparem16
    Mar 30, 2012
    3
    Yeah, I really liked the game, had a few bugs, a few bumps along the ride, but the end....man...the ending is bad on an entirely new dimension.
    Why is it enough to give the hole game this low rating?...because not only this ending is completely unlogical and senseless, it completely destroys everything the series has accomplished since ME1, every squad member in the end gets his    Yeah, I really liked the game, had a few bugs, a few bumps along the ride, but the end....man...the ending is bad on an entirely new dimension.
    Why is it enough to give the hole game this low rating?...because not only this ending is completely unlogical and senseless, it completely destroys everything the series has accomplished since ME1, every squad member in the end gets his personality destroyed, their loyalties obliterated.
    Every little piece of gameplay, every little dialogue, every emotional moment along the hole franchise, got destroyed in less than 20 minutes of non playing gameplay :S    … Expand
  34. bevochan
    Apr 1, 2012
    3
    There should be an audit for the critic reviews for Mass Effect 3. There is no way that you can finish this game and still give a review of 10 out of 10. I don't think majority of the 1st day reviewers for Mass Effect 3 finished the game. The game is about 9 or 10 out of 10, but in the last 10 mins, the entire trilogy become unraveled. I would give this game a 3 or 4.
  35. skylardez
    Apr 2, 2012
    3
    The third game totally betrayed the sense of Discovery, that the 1st on had, and even the second one. i have to echo what has been said here, the animation was AWFUL, and embarrassing for a company of this caliber to release as finished work.
  36. Audiovideodisco
    Apr 4, 2012
    3
    As a big Mass Effect fan, this game was a must have for me. I loved every minute of each game. The action in this part has improved over the second one, the graphics look better and the story is still top notch. While playing the game, i noticed my options (choices) were less than the other parts, but I didn't find it to be a big problem. The thirty or so hours were great, until I got tilAs a big Mass Effect fan, this game was a must have for me. I loved every minute of each game. The action in this part has improved over the second one, the graphics look better and the story is still top notch. While playing the game, i noticed my options (choices) were less than the other parts, but I didn't find it to be a big problem. The thirty or so hours were great, until I got til the ending...

    Sadly but true, the series took a dive I couldn't have seen coming. The ending felt unfinished, non sensical and just plain out of place. Normally, I replay the Mass Effect series multiple times. I haven't felt like playing this one any more. The ending truly was the downfall for the series.    … Expand
  37. cat5alive
    Apr 8, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So seems money's thin. Cerberus Financial reposessing Normandy tomorrow. Gotta wrap quick. Nothing for hero to do but jump in front of the bus. Red one, green one, or yellow one. Decisions. Decisions.… Expand
  38. Zombie_Kid
    Apr 24, 2012
    3
    I was really disappointed with Mass Effect 3 instead of getting what I thought was the 3rd in a line of excellence I got a what felt like a rushed game with weak game play, unrealistic characters, and uninspiring dialog.
    The choose your own actions seems lacking at best of times and extremely dull. The OTT action sequence that are meant to real in the masses aren't that impressive, and    I was really disappointed with Mass Effect 3 instead of getting what I thought was the 3rd in a line of excellence I got a what felt like a rushed game with weak game play, unrealistic characters, and uninspiring dialog.
    The choose your own actions seems lacking at best of times and extremely dull. The OTT action sequence that are meant to real in the masses aren't that impressive, and instantly forgettable. After finishing the first 2 (especially the 1st) I just couldn't help myself in letting everyone around me know how awesome they were. Sadly Mass Effect 3 just didn't have the same impact and never really delivered the game I was looking forward to play for so long. Bioware has ruined the franchise.    … Expand
  39. FatherDoom
    Apr 29, 2012
    3
    I am tired of being nickel and dimed by greedy companies. They should have just added ten bucks to the price of the game. Although I enjoyed the ending I would have liked it ten dollars cheaper.
  40. Broxigar
    Apr 27, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am so sad I had to do this, I never thought I would have to. Mass Effect WAS an epic series. However I cannot condone what they have done with this game. If you don't buy this game new you will have to pay more to access the tacked on multiplayer. Yea, you heard me. There was Disk Locked Content that you had to pay $10 to unlock, which most people were going to given that the character was a Prothean. They promised you would not need to do multiplayer to get all the endings, however the best ending (a five second scene of Shepard taking a breath) is not possible to obtain without doing the multiplayer currently. Excluding 2 or 3 the side quests are atrocious. The gameplay is improved and the characters are great, Garrus being the stand out, but all this is forgotten as you try to figure out what happened in the last 10 minutes and realized it wasn't written by the same people who did the rest of the game. It's a disaster I won't even bother to go into detail as I'm sure every other review hits on it. This is the single worst ending in the history of gaming. It's like Bioware doesn't want anyone to buy from them again. Giving me a terrible ending and adding the text "Buy more dlc" isn't going to make me happy.… Expand
  41. Fatbastad
    Jan 31, 2013
    3
    This game was FANTASTIC all the way to completing the Cerberus base mission. Then, it crashed and burned. It seemed like they poured their talent and resources into this game and ran out of both before they finished it. Both my wife and I played all three games and we both had the same reaction to the end. What interns made this ending? The concept philosophy of the end was right on theThis game was FANTASTIC all the way to completing the Cerberus base mission. Then, it crashed and burned. It seemed like they poured their talent and resources into this game and ran out of both before they finished it. Both my wife and I played all three games and we both had the same reaction to the end. What interns made this ending? The concept philosophy of the end was right on the mark for a Sci-Fi. But it was poorly poorly executed and the choices you made through out the series were rendered completely irrelevant. My wife and I in 20 minutes could brainstorm a better execution of the ending and still leave their philosophical concept intact. What's their excuse?… Expand
  42. GamerPiggy
    May 17, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is a mixed bag. It combines the more classical RPG elements of ME1 with an improved version of the action from ME2; using powers is exhilarating, especially if you take advantage of your ability to micromanage your team mates. The set pieces are awe inspiring and epic. The writing is hit-and-miss, although it has many more hits than misses. Mostly, everything shines.There are, of course, a few elephants in the room: First of all, the day 1 DLC is exploitative and awful. Bioware took a character that serious fans of the series are going to be very interested in, and they made him unavailable, even though he should be included in the game itself. Not worth the money, and only takes advantage of the lore for a cheap buck.

    Secondly, choices from the first two games hold very little impact. The developers simply didn't live up to their word about the story. Yes, the gameplay is great, but ME1 was great too, and it didn't have nearly as good gameplay. Decisions feel weighty during the first playthrough, but it feels cheap on the second. This is because elements and decisions from previous games appear, but any research reveals that they appear anyway. *SPOILERS* For example, I was very excited to see the rachni queen, but then I learned she appears regardless of my decision from ME1. It was great to catch up with old team members, but I found out they are replaced with a doppleganger if I haven't saved them. Finally, the ending. It sucks. None of it gels with the themes of the first two games. If the game developers wanted to include some moral message about how nothing matters once we die, they were successful. But nothing from the previous two games even hint at that kind of theme, and the ending itself is contradictory to many answers the games provide. Don't bother finishing the game, because the ending isn't worth it. Seriously. Just stop playing before you return to earth, and you'll have a much better experience than most players.

    I was super hyped for this game because I had become such a big fan of the series, but this game made me wish I hadn't wasted my time. I honestly wanted to take back the 150+ hours I spent playing the first two games. I wish I never got so entrenched in the lore of the universe, or the stories of the team members. Don't buy this game. Don't even start playing the series. You'll only set yourself up for disappointment.    … Expand
  43. RS13
    May 20, 2012
    3
    Suppose I told you a story: Big bad guys invaded the galaxy, alone hero struggled to unite the galaxy in opposition to the baddies. The baddies weakness is discovered. There's a final showdown with the baddies above the hero's home planet. The baddies lose. Suppose I told you this story: Big bad guys invade the galaxy and no one can stop them. But in the darkest hour plans for a superSuppose I told you a story: Big bad guys invaded the galaxy, alone hero struggled to unite the galaxy in opposition to the baddies. The baddies weakness is discovered. There's a final showdown with the baddies above the hero's home planet. The baddies lose. Suppose I told you this story: Big bad guys invade the galaxy and no one can stop them. But in the darkest hour plans for a super weapon is discovered. Now our heroes must race to complete the weapon, before there's no galaxy left to save.
    The first one's probably a little better, but each is a decent story right?
    Now suppose I told you they were the *same* story. Wait, what?
    And suppose I told you that this story was made by a developer that prides itself on making "Story-based gaming." "Ha!" you'd say "that would be a terrible story. Each story gets to the same conclusion, so putting them together renders half of the story useless."
    "Besides, the stories are really incompatible. The first is more about a single character. The second is more about teams of scientists and engineers and the soldiers who buy them time. In the second the bad guys are unstoppable in the first they're just hard to stop. In the second the galaxy would be throwing everything they had at the enemy, just to slow them down for a bit. In the first, those troops need to be saved for the final battle."



    And now you'd realize this isn't hypothetical. Forget what you've heard about the ending. Mass effect 3's story just isn't any good.

    (And if you're wondering the half that you *play* is the half that gets rendered useless.)
    Toss in the facts that:
    -31 of the 68 ME3 missions are fetch quests (For comparison ME1 had 5 fetch quests and ME2 had 11)
    -The ending you get depends on how many of these fetch quests you do, though not in any narratively coherent way (you get a better ending the more you do).
    -It is impossible to get the best ending without playing multiplayer (YES, that's right. The ending to a three game single player story depends on whether you want to play multiplayer.)
    -Of the 15 possible surviving squad mates you get no more than 4 back.
    -Most of your decisions in ME1 and 2 are irrelevant, including some of the biggest decisions in the game.
    -Your dialogue options are more limited, often including only a top and bottom choice and Shepard sometimes speaks without you having any control over what he says.
    -None of Cerberus's interactions with Shepard make any sense. What's their endgame? Why do they care if Shepard unites the galaxy?
    And of course,
    -The terrible ending.

    To be fair, ME3 did have much better combat than ME1 or 2 and some of the missions (Rannoch and Tuchanka) are among the best in the series, but those two points do not a good game make. Combat's a side issue in Mass Effect and those missions are part of a larger story that utterly fails.    … Expand
  44. Teelo
    May 28, 2012
    3
    A good game until the last 5 minutes. The controls are ok but still bugged at cover. Seeing most of the character from the previous game is very cool. But it will be the only mass effect game I don't want to re play: the end is to crappy. The day one DLC is also a slap in the face. As the fact that playing coop as an impact on the solo game (when i play mass effect, i play a solo game!)
  45. BeatrixKiddo27
    Jun 10, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect was my favorite game series ever. I was a huge fan on Bioware, owning almost all of their games. Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game of all time. I was so excited for the ending to the planned space opera trilogy, and for the most part, it was amazing. Throughout the entire game, I was in awe of the amazing scenes played out. This game was larger than anything before in theMass Effect was my favorite game series ever. I was a huge fan on Bioware, owning almost all of their games. Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game of all time. I was so excited for the ending to the planned space opera trilogy, and for the most part, it was amazing. Throughout the entire game, I was in awe of the amazing scenes played out. This game was larger than anything before in the series, and you face some of the biggest intergalactic issues, such as the Geth & Quarian war. The gameplay is tighter, the character interaction great, 95% of this game is a masterpiece. Then you reach the infamous ending. This ending ruined everything, this game, and the trilogy as a whole. It is somewhat amazing that in 10 minutes, Bioware is able to destroy a series. When you think Mass Effect, you think player choice and impact. This ending takes that all away, and makes literally every choice you made prior pointless.

    Rather than give an ending that made sense, one that was hinted at by the games, they decided to try to transcend the game into an artistic statement. Instead they created plot holes, and divided their fanbase.

    Oh well, there's always Uncharted.    … Expand
  46. marinade_royale
    Jun 16, 2012
    3
    Action scenes bugged, false choices, closed world and linear progression. Whatever i did, i got the same results of my friend who made different choices.
    My only pleasure is when i see my character is better in fight than theirs.
    I won't even talk about the end which made us want to never play it again. Music is good. Probably, i will sell it to someone else like a cursed gift. Oh,    Action scenes bugged, false choices, closed world and linear progression. Whatever i did, i got the same results of my friend who made different choices.
    My only pleasure is when i see my character is better in fight than theirs.
    I won't even talk about the end which made us want to never play it again.

    Music is good.

    Probably, i will sell it to someone else like a cursed gift. Oh, and DLC ? Seriously ?    … Expand
  47. ClockworkSpec
    Jul 7, 2012
    3
    I looked forward to this game with a lot of anticipation. I got nervous about it when I played the demo, and unfortunately it was a sign of what the actual game was going the be like. Bioware/EA really phoned it in in much of this game and particularly in the ending, even after the EC DLC. They failed to match many of the premisses they made for content and atmosphere in the game. TheI looked forward to this game with a lot of anticipation. I got nervous about it when I played the demo, and unfortunately it was a sign of what the actual game was going the be like. Bioware/EA really phoned it in in much of this game and particularly in the ending, even after the EC DLC. They failed to match many of the premisses they made for content and atmosphere in the game. The original ME was amazing and by far the best of the three games, EA is a slow acting poison killing Bioware, it is really a shame. If it were not for a few moments in the game that actually felt genuine and thought through I would be giving this game a zero.… Expand
  48. NateStC
    Jul 24, 2012
    3
    While the story, voice acting, and cinematics may be great, it still doesn't make up for the fact that as a game it is horrible. In ME2 they went for a more tactical combat approach and it worked. This time they tried to throw in some Gears of War style faced paced action into the combat and it completely screwed everything up. Every battle field is littered with cover that your characterWhile the story, voice acting, and cinematics may be great, it still doesn't make up for the fact that as a game it is horrible. In ME2 they went for a more tactical combat approach and it worked. This time they tried to throw in some Gears of War style faced paced action into the combat and it completely screwed everything up. Every battle field is littered with cover that your character gets on the wrong side of half the time, and there is so much debris it makes it nearly impossible to navigate, even outside of combat. To make things even more difficult, the controls are clunky, making it even further difficult to move anywhere.
    Another thing that ruined the tactical combat is that in half of the combat scenarios, you have enemies flanking simultaneously from literally every direction, making it nearly impossible to stay alive even on the easier combat settings.
    Every single combat situation is nothing more than a clusterf***.
    There are tons of side missions, which I love! But alas, they screwed that up as well. There is so much dialogue it is impossible to keep track and even decipher all the tasks you're given. The mission journal offers little to no information on objectives, and don't ever update as you progress.
    This is an incredibly disappointing game. Were I to hold it up against the other games in this franchise, I'd have to give it a 1 out of 10. But to be fair I've graded it on it's own, not up to the hype or expected greatness Bioware commands. Ultimately the game feels unfinished. They focused so much on the dialogue and story it feels like they only got half way through testing the actual gameplay then shipped it to market. I can't imagine it is even fixable through patch. Shame on you EA and Bioware for such a pathetic display.    … Expand
  49. xcoders
    Mar 28, 2013
    3
    Another dumbed down game gone in the wrong direction just to please the masses, this is just unbelievable, I'm tired of companies just ruining great franchises just because they want money. This is just shameful.
  50. ireviewthings1
    Jun 4, 2015
    3
    First they have the audacity to lock a living Prothean (a ancient superior race gone extinct that is absolutely vital core of the story line of the trilogy) behind day one / preorder DLC.
    Then.... wow EA you are the worst, the have the guts to lock the CONTEXTUALIZATION OF WHERE THE REAPERS ARE FROM AND WHY THE REAPERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING behind a DLC paywall as well.    First they have the audacity to lock a living Prothean (a ancient superior race gone extinct that is absolutely vital core of the story line of the trilogy) behind day one / preorder DLC.
    Then.... wow EA you are the worst, the have the guts to lock the CONTEXTUALIZATION OF WHERE THE REAPERS ARE FROM AND WHY THE REAPERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING behind a DLC paywall as well. This is utterly inexcusable. Three full price games and you still put the answer to maybe the most vital questions of the whole saga into DLC. Shame on you EA and shame on you Bioware for selling your soul.
    And yes... the end still makes no sense.

    I love the Mass Effect Trilogy. It is the best stuff Bioware has created in the last 13 years. The Universe and Lore is so good, they could really establish it for a long time and make it a real sci-fi classic. Mass Effect 3 is a very good game on it's own. A RPG actually true to the term role playing game mixed with cover based shooting. Hard to rate this game on it's own without considering how the parts integrate from one to the next. If you have not played the parts before 3 then don't bother.    … Expand
  51. HonestJoe
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    This is the most depressed I have ever felt after playing a video game. I must say I am seriously disappointed with the ending; it's as bad as Deus Ex: Human revolution.

    I was still playing through the game when news of the metacritic review bomb came out. At the time I thought that people were being unreasonable. But now I understand the anger and disappointment being expressed. The    This is the most depressed I have ever felt after playing a video game. I must say I am seriously disappointed with the ending; it's as bad as Deus Ex: Human revolution.

    I was still playing through the game when news of the metacritic review bomb came out. At the time I thought that people were being unreasonable. But now I understand the anger and disappointment being expressed.
    The ending soured the entire experience, to the point where it's the only thing I can think about when asked to give my opinion of the game.

    This will be the first bioware game I don't immediately replay in order to see what happens with different choices. It's an enjoyable game, but not one I will play to the end again.    … Expand
  52. jafc34
    Mar 15, 2012
    2
    Subpar all the way, the boys and girls at Bioware went out to the back shed and slapped this garbage together in their spare time. Instead of investing time and effort into making it a great RPG they tried to make it a shooter, an RPG and a movie to widen its appeal and give them more money. In places ME3 has its moments, but they are few are far between, the graphics are nothing to getSubpar all the way, the boys and girls at Bioware went out to the back shed and slapped this garbage together in their spare time. Instead of investing time and effort into making it a great RPG they tried to make it a shooter, an RPG and a movie to widen its appeal and give them more money. In places ME3 has its moments, but they are few are far between, the graphics are nothing to get excited about, the plot detached and the choices you can make have little or no overall impact regardless of play mode. They have forgotten thier roots and the established lore of thier own game. I would rather pay for and be forced to read all of the twilight novels than play this dreadful game.… Expand
  53. Jayna
    Mar 11, 2012
    2
    What's behind the puzzling endings for such a great game series. Were they artificially trying to make people feel from their game? Were they trying to keep any new games from being made with the same characters? I am not a bot. I am not a EA hater. I am not part of some vast conspiracy. I just hate the endings. If they would fix the endings. I would change my score. But they wont and iWhat's behind the puzzling endings for such a great game series. Were they artificially trying to make people feel from their game? Were they trying to keep any new games from being made with the same characters? I am not a bot. I am not a EA hater. I am not part of some vast conspiracy. I just hate the endings. If they would fix the endings. I would change my score. But they wont and i wont. It deserves a 8 it gets a 2 for such really stupid endings.… Expand
  54. bugbear1
    Mar 16, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Apparently, after DA2 and TORtanic, BioWare have now pinched-out another classic game, enhanced with Day-1 DLC, linear gameplay, ORIGIN for the PC, and a tripartite ending choice that makes many gamers, after having invested dozens upon dozens of hours of gameplay with the franchise, want to commit hari kiri. . . . Apparently, eschewing much player-choice in this latest sequel to the MASS EFFECT series, BioWare have included their "awesome-button" with this dreck, which might be better named MASS APPEAL 3, due to limited exploration, near-complete disregard for historical player-choice and odd design implementation. Aside from some XBOX technical guffaws, such as my femShep falling through the world during the Tuchanka Eve series with the Hammer activations, extensive plot-changing cutscenes with minimal player-input have derailed a MASS EFFECT series that was originally a player-driven RPG and not a combat-heavy, awesome-button homage to stilted dialogue choices with nearly-identical outcomes. How BioWare's continuity department envisioned MASS EFFECT 3's wrangling with philosophical, social and moral issues such as implied xenophobia, homosexuality, interspecies coupling and the biological-species-rule, while omitting or ignoring coherent closure with a myriad of player-driven endings is mind-numbing. Simply put, it is apparent that more design and interplay have been woven into the story arc regarding Shepard's "top or bottom" status than the ending of the entire trilogy. In other words, BioWare had the will, the time and energy to craft homosexual plot threads and allude to interspecies sexual trysts throughout the subtext of MASS EFFECT but could NOT be bothered to make any ending that had consistency with lore, player-choice, the intrinsic MASS EFFECT experience? This following observation might be simplistic; BUT, what kind of DLC should I buy for a universe that no LONGER EXISTS? -In other words, shall I play the game AGAIN and see if it turns out any differently? /facepalm.… Expand
  55. ThommyH
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    The game was absolutely perfect, until the ending. With that ending, they essentially negated every decision you've ever made on any of the three games. Your choices became ultimately pointless. The ending not only didn't make any logical sense, it also contradicted that Bioware promised they'd deliver on the game. There is NOT 16 endings. There are 3 endings. Even that is a generousThe game was absolutely perfect, until the ending. With that ending, they essentially negated every decision you've ever made on any of the three games. Your choices became ultimately pointless. The ending not only didn't make any logical sense, it also contradicted that Bioware promised they'd deliver on the game. There is NOT 16 endings. There are 3 endings. Even that is a generous approximation, more like there is one ending with three different versions. If Mass Effect 3 was a standalone game, then this wouldn't be an issue. Sadly, it isn't. This is a colossal disappointment of an ending to a trilogy that garnered critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. The current ending ruins the entire trilogy. No, I'm not being melodramatic. Mass Effect is about choices, and Casey Hudson has even personally claimed that Shepard (aka, the player) decides the story, thus, there is no canon. However, this is entirely contradicted by the end of Mass Effect 3, there is no choice, no closure and no real 'ending' in the full sense of the term. More questions are raised than answers, there's innumerable plotholes and definite pilfering from other games. The game itself is absolutely incredible, let there be no doubt. UNTIL the ending which essentially brushes the entire series that predicates it aside. Disappointing from Bioware. I, for one, expected better.… Expand
  56. ZenBiker
    Mar 29, 2012
    2
    ME3 is the sad end of a great series. And I don't mean the now-infamous ending of the final Mass Effect game. I mean a series of games from Baldur's Gate, to KotOR, to the first two installments of the Mass Effect trilogy.. I mean the end of BioWare's run as the pre-eminent storyteller in electronic gaming. Many Metacritic users have written fantastic ME3 negative reviews, so I'm notME3 is the sad end of a great series. And I don't mean the now-infamous ending of the final Mass Effect game. I mean a series of games from Baldur's Gate, to KotOR, to the first two installments of the Mass Effect trilogy.. I mean the end of BioWare's run as the pre-eminent storyteller in electronic gaming. Many Metacritic users have written fantastic ME3 negative reviews, so I'm not going to elaborate on those. I recommend traveler's review dated March 29, 2012; it's one of the best examples I've seen. My bottom line: ME3 was destroyed by a Reaper--not Harbinger, but Whoremonger. Whoremonger, who has no passion for story or character. I mean Whoremonger the Money Whore.… Expand
  57. Richie
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    Repetition, repetition, repetition, talking, talking, talking, cut scene, wonky gun fight, cut scene, rinse and repeat. Save your money and buy Mass Effect 2 for a third the price! ME3 is practically the exact same game as ME2, besides the new online multiplayer "horde mode", but even this new multiplayer mode loses it's appeal quick, and i mean QUICK. Wait for ME3 to drop in price, or runRepetition, repetition, repetition, talking, talking, talking, cut scene, wonky gun fight, cut scene, rinse and repeat. Save your money and buy Mass Effect 2 for a third the price! ME3 is practically the exact same game as ME2, besides the new online multiplayer "horde mode", but even this new multiplayer mode loses it's appeal quick, and i mean QUICK. Wait for ME3 to drop in price, or run out and buy ME2 used.… Expand
  58. MrBrown
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    Your choices don't matter as the game pretty much only has one ending. This is terrible for the concluding game in a trilogy. How is it that the developers can market a game as being based in a world that responds to your decisions then pull this stuff! Rent before you buy or just plain rent.
  59. sweatyvols
    Mar 11, 2012
    2
    Wow, this game probably had the worst ending ever. I am not going to give any specifics, but it will be the same no matter what you have done throughout the last two games. The choices you make in this game are also pointless. The futility of choices is somewhat apparent during the game because you only have two options the whole time (paragon is always on top and renegade is always onWow, this game probably had the worst ending ever. I am not going to give any specifics, but it will be the same no matter what you have done throughout the last two games. The choices you make in this game are also pointless. The futility of choices is somewhat apparent during the game because you only have two options the whole time (paragon is always on top and renegade is always on bottom). However, this does not even come close to the nut punch that is the end. I am in no way joking when I say I almost laughed at how bad the ending was. It is apparent that they had no idea how to deal with all the possible choices so they create a deus ex machina that makes it easy for them. Given my disappointment with this game, I am unlikely to ever purchase one of BioWare's games again. This is truly sad because I loved the first two games.

    I will admit that I thought the gameplay was good and the ride was pretty damn fun, but that is essentially negated by the cop-out ending. The game also had several surprising bugs and there were lots of skips during the cinematics (which the game is full of). Aside from the atrociously bad ending, the game suffers from many other instances of terrible writing. This really makes me think the game must have been rushed b/c I loved the story in previous entries. It could be because much of the story is borrowed from science fiction books I like and the writers didn't know what to do when they had to figure out something for themselves, but I am just going to assume they were rushed. If you played the previous mass effects this will likely be one of the biggest disappointments imaginable. If you did not, you will probably not be bothered that much    … Expand
  60. tetraconigo
    Mar 17, 2012
    2
    Waiting for the finale to the epic trilogy that is mass effect was agonizing. All the choices and hours invested over the past two games (and 5 years) were promised to carry over to the final game in a summation of our actions, good and bad, leading up to this point. This promise was completely broken as the ending played out and the obvious disregard for said promise was thrown out theWaiting for the finale to the epic trilogy that is mass effect was agonizing. All the choices and hours invested over the past two games (and 5 years) were promised to carry over to the final game in a summation of our actions, good and bad, leading up to this point. This promise was completely broken as the ending played out and the obvious disregard for said promise was thrown out the window. Instead, you are presented with three choices that are all entirely too similar, rife with plot holes and inconsistencies that would make the Bush administration blush. Major decisions throughout the series were ignored, leaving the player to have no real reason to agonize over the decisions in the first place. We are not entitled, whiny gamers, but simply gamers disappointed with a promise that was not kept. Bioware, make it right.… Expand
  61. Equilibrium2012
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    Third Person Shooter: this is what Mass Effect 3 is. Do you remember Dragon Age 2? Déjà vu.
    Do whatever you want (rent, buy) but don´t expect a good game like ME2 or a masterpiece like ME.
  62. koroshiya_ichi
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    Bioware's shot for a wider audience backfired tremendously. They focused to much about making a story-centric game, only to have the story, the dialogue and especially the ending be absolutely terrible, derivative and at times, off-the-wall nonsensical, from a writer's standpoint. Graphics are barely above the 2nd installment, gameplay is a mix between the first and the second, cutscenesBioware's shot for a wider audience backfired tremendously. They focused to much about making a story-centric game, only to have the story, the dialogue and especially the ending be absolutely terrible, derivative and at times, off-the-wall nonsensical, from a writer's standpoint. Graphics are barely above the 2nd installment, gameplay is a mix between the first and the second, cutscenes absolutely everywhere and absolutely no sense of accomplishment by finishing the game. Couple that with day 1 DLCs and Origin's requirements and you've got the blunder of the year right here. Would not recommend.… Expand
  63. joecool_16
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    Bioware has made a terrible game. Choices from previous games don't matter. Lets see the endings go from bad to absolutely terrible, so much for being an open ended game.
  64. cheeseplease
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    the game is pretty poor with massive plot holes and bioware completely raping the lore of mass effect im pretty pissed at this game. forced relationships horrible bloody ending to a series that really had potential. bioware are a shell of there former selves most of the talent left years ago.
  65. QP-Sizzle
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    Amazing game. Nuff said.

    Yo I'm MC Mass Effect 1, 2 & 3
    I really like those games but the trolls disappoint me
    Martin Sheen, Mark Meer, and Seth Green
    Why all the bad reviews?
    They have a perfect trilogy!
  66. Khosann
    Mar 7, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you like Lost TV show you will love this game. If you hate Lost or Alias for its contrived ambiguous ending and if you think J. J. Abrams or Hollywood as a whole plays the viewers for a fool you will dislike this game. ME3 is a low quality game if you care about story and think your choices in all 3 ME games will matter and determine the game's ending. They won't. Your choices will not change the adventure. You will not meet your love interest, Shepard will die except one ending, galactic civilization will always collapse, Normandy will crash on an unknown planet, no FTL travel will be available, Shepard won't meet the squad or Normandy crew. Aside from that cinematic cutscenes and voice acting are top notch. But dialogs are cliche and full of Hollywood crap. The game is juvenile, not mature. It is also over dramatic and melodramatic. Gameplay is good, action is good but combat mechanics are clumsy because you use the same button nearly for everything. There is no happy ending, but actually there is no ending. You do not know anything about the fate of the galaxy when you hit the end. Crew members and squad's fate are also unknown. Bioware had promised that our choices made in this game and prequels would matter but they don't. You don't get any resolution. Game suddenly ends. Bioware wanted to appeal Call of Duty FPS fans. They don't care about RPG genre or older fans. They think that old people go but there are always teenagers to fool with shocking content. They thought that FPS fans won't care about story so making a bad ending and destroying Mass Effect campaign setting is good because it will allow them to create a dumbed down brainwashed ME MMORPG like the SWTOR. Ambiguous endings will allow an open ended MMORPG where developers and writers don't commit anything. Endings are ambiguous because 1 they want to please everybody so they cannot make a definite choice or ending and 2 shocking endings will appeal to script/plot poor people. Beta leak had better endings like ME2. There you could save your team if you did everything right. But here you die even if you do everything right. ME3 lead writer Mac Walters says journey is everything and destination is nothing. This is the typical volunteered mass consumption slave brainwash and whitewash behavior and an ill attempt of damage control. The contrived endings are probably dictated by Bioware or EA executives at the last moment. Because Lost TV show like endings are very cost effective and since they are not conclusive the producer company can create a totally different sequel which has nothing to do with the original Mass Effect premise but having the same name for branding purposes. So to summarize if you like Lost TV show you will love this game, if you hated Lost for playing the audience for a fool you will probably not like Mass Effect 3.… Expand
  67. ancient_serpent
    Mar 23, 2012
    2
    I wish that the company had been as loyal to the fans as I have been to the series. After all of the gameplay and all of the care I took playing and replaying the first two games, all I get are three crappy choises that all amount to basically the same thing? I won't be wasting any more money or time with Bioware games if they think this is acceptable.
  68. DifferentD
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    The ending is so bad that it almost ruins the previous games. Thank you Bioware for all your empty promises. The choices you make through out the series, really don't matter at all you'll get the same ending.
  69. 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
  70. zombiebait
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ugh, where to begin.
    day 1 dlc with its 2012 and it looks like a launch title for the 360
    characters are extremely one dimensional, and never show any sign of development
    all choice in the game was between red or blue text in a convo
    well at least the series is over, and they can't hype it up more. although I'm sure they will find a way to milk this IP for years to come.    … Expand
  71. Jalt08
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ultimately no matter what path was chosen, what actions were taken, who lived and who died, at the end of this journey, all that remains is your ship and your crew abandon you. The first 95% of the game is amazing, its everything I hoped for and more. The last 5% is the biggest slap in the face imaginable. If you have invested 100's of hours from the first game until this one, you will be left stunned and appalled that none of the choices you made, none of the battles you fought, nothing you did in those 100's of hours ultimately pays off in any of the three endings you can pick from. With the three endings and the DLC on day 1, EA/Bioware show that fan support means nothing more than a dollar symbol to them. While most of the joy lays in the journey to the end of the game, there is no replay value at all in this game, because no matter what journey you take, the ends are all ultimately the same except for color variations and if synthetics live or die.… Expand
  72. 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
  73. TJ295
    Mar 13, 2012
    2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_A7SeawU4

    No, the ending is so not perfect at all. For those who say it is perfect, you are clearly biased and didn't even finish the game yet.
  74. nepos13
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    This is the first time I have ever felt compelled to review a game in my 28 years of gaming. I have played Mass Effect 1 and enjoyed it so much that I refused to trade it. I played Mass Effect 2, multiple times and I kept that one as well. I spent a lot of time working on my character, making the choices, really defining my experience, so I happily purchase my Mass Effect 3. I love theThis is the first time I have ever felt compelled to review a game in my 28 years of gaming. I have played Mass Effect 1 and enjoyed it so much that I refused to trade it. I played Mass Effect 2, multiple times and I kept that one as well. I spent a lot of time working on my character, making the choices, really defining my experience, so I happily purchase my Mass Effect 3. I love the game until the last ten or fifteen minutes. When the ending comes, it is not the disappointment of this series that is over, or joy that my characters journey is complete. It is of course the emptiness that every choice i made in the other games did not matter. I played all the side quests offered, even tried the day one dlc to see if that would make a difference. No... This ending is bad, the three choices offered are horrible. If I had known it would have ended like this, I would never have purchased it or wasted my time in such a manner. I tried changing several variables in the story...to no avail. I don't think I have ever been so let down by an entertainment medium since probably the Star Wars prequels or the Matrix in film.… Expand
  75. mdanielm
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    The last 20 minutes of the game appear as brought over from another game; without any logic or closure. A typical deus ex machina with 3 arbitrary choices, and missing is the logical expected one.
  76. Frostay89
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    Mass Effect has been an amazing series with great storytelling and excellent characters. So I'm dumbfounded with the way Bioware decided to end it all with absolutely no closure and plot holes galore. We didn't need a happy "rainbows and bunnies" ending - just one that makes sense and provides closure. Maybe we the fans don't deserve better - but Mass Effect sure did. For me, the horribleMass Effect has been an amazing series with great storytelling and excellent characters. So I'm dumbfounded with the way Bioware decided to end it all with absolutely no closure and plot holes galore. We didn't need a happy "rainbows and bunnies" ending - just one that makes sense and provides closure. Maybe we the fans don't deserve better - but Mass Effect sure did. For me, the horrible ending ruined the series.… Expand
  77. laledobell
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    the ending really kills the series as a whole. i wanted a better ending to my shepard. too many plot holes. they dont even tell you what happens with yur squadmates, and all the characters you came to love. we played 3 games 100 hours plus on each shep story and this is how you end it for us? sad sad sad :(
  78. Casimyr
    Mar 12, 2012
    2
    Such a waste of a good series. This game is just simply terrible. Sprites and stock photos in a AAA game? Thats unforgivable. however the nail in the coffin for me was the fact that none of your choices matter at all. Massive disappointment.
  79. nengracio
    Mar 13, 2012
    2
    All forms of narrative storytelling (whether it be books, movies, or video games) are judged on the beginning of the narrative and the conclusion of it. With that being said, Mass Effect 3 is a great game until you reach the lackluster ending. When a company such as Bioware creates a game that takes pride in its extraordinary writing, issues with the story are huge because we, theAll forms of narrative storytelling (whether it be books, movies, or video games) are judged on the beginning of the narrative and the conclusion of it. With that being said, Mass Effect 3 is a great game until you reach the lackluster ending. When a company such as Bioware creates a game that takes pride in its extraordinary writing, issues with the story are huge because we, the consumers, expect the best from Bioware. This awful set of ending scenarios is probably another money milking tactic of EA's in order to squeeze more money out of the Mass Effect IP, whether it be in the form of DLC or future sequels (Bioware has already stated that even though Shepard's story is over, the Mass Effect IP may continue in the future).

    It's entirely possible that this series of ending scenarios was made in order to make the writing process for the next trilogy of ME easier, which I hope was the case because apparently they downgraded in that regard. Mass Effect 3 is rather enjoyable except for the last 30 minutes, with that being said, if you prefer to play video games with strong narratives, this game isn't for you. The ending has many plot holes which are not explained and any questions that were to be answered from previous installments were just replaced with new ones (most likely to garner interest in future titles).

    One last note; there are a lot of reviewers here who believe that those who are giving low scores are ignorant or that it's merely a bunch of "trolls". The truth is that this franchise was harmed in the worst way when these terrible endings were implemented. The truth is that for most of the negative reviews (not all of them, but most) there is a player who was expecting an epic conclusion to an epic saga, but was left with a deep feeling of betrayal and disappointment due to a tragic ending of a great trilogy (I do not mind sad endings, by tragic ending I mean an ending of poor taste). I'm not sure if I'm going to buy ME4 (I definitely will not buy it on its day of release, so I can wait to see the reviews before purchasing it) but if they do plan to continue the franchise, I hope they carry it out in a careful manner and return to the roots that made Mass Effect 1 such a great video game. I'm sure those who are loyal to the franchise will agree with me.    … Expand
  80. echoshard
    Mar 13, 2012
    2
    The last 15 minutes negates the previous +90 hours worth of gameplay. It's worse than a mediocre game, it invalidates all of the franchise. Proceed with caution.
  81. spaceraider53
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    Mass Effect 3 was a wild ride but the ending was like punch my (Krogan) quads. I feel utterly betrayed there was no player choice taken into account with the ending. All 16 endings were just a variation on a theme anyhow. The ending boils down to a red/blue/green selection. Don't believe me, check Youtube.
  82. Deklan_Caine
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

    As a prelude, let me just say that I'm a writer, and I make my living writing. I've been a writer since long before Mass Effect came out, and that's a huge part of what drew me to these games. What I loved about the ME series was how masterfully the story was woven in such a way that the authors (Bioware) crafted a tale that actually permitted input from the    WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

    As a prelude, let me just say that I'm a writer, and I make my living writing. I've been a writer since long before Mass Effect came out, and that's a huge part of what drew me to these games. What I loved about the ME series was how masterfully the story was woven in such a way that the authors (Bioware) crafted a tale that actually permitted input from the readers (gamers) to determine how the story progressed. No matter what path you chose, the story was interesting and engaging, but your decisions always had clear consequences in the end, as the decisions of any protagonist should.

    Coming into ME3, I was a little nervous. After all, with the bar being set so high with the other two, could Bioware really deliver a fitting conclusion? I mentally prepared myself for the worst. But then, as I played through the game, my fears were gradually alleviated. Frankly, the experience was Epic with a capital E. I saw how the decisions my character had made in the previous games impacted the galaxy around him. The characters came to life and drew pure emotional responses from me as the plot continued to weave itself together. But the arc of the story was clear: Shepard was not going to survive. I was okay with that, and I was ready for that. And playing through the final mission on Earth, having final conversations with all of Shep's squadmates, the writer in me was satisfied. All the loose ends seemed to be tied up. The ending was in sight, it was just a matter of seeing what exactly would happen.

    I'll spare you the details, but in the last 5 minutes of what had essentially been a hundred hours (or more) of story, that story was destroyed. The sad thing is that the story all made sense, it all fit, except for that last 5 minutes. From the perspective of a player, I failed to accomplish my mission. To quote Ecclesiastes, it was all vanity and grasping after the wind. From a writer's perspective, it's like I crafted a beautifully written and engaging trilogy of novels, but made someone else who didn't know the story or care about the characters write the last paragraph of the last book.

    As I played through the game, I kept thinking: "This is how video games should be." Now, seeing the end, all I can ponder is what could have been. It was so close to being perfect! But it all unraveled in 5 minutes, FIVE minutes! I didn't want a "happy" ending where Shep lives and has kids and blah-blah-blah (although the option would have been nice, admittedly), I just wanted an ending that kept in step with the series and made sense to a reasonable person. But none of the "endings" meet those criteria. It's just that simple, and just that disappointing.

    The endings as they are, if accepted in a straightforward manner, are so nonsensical that anything, even a hallucination or even the Reapers winning, would be more fitting. At the very least I hope Bioware will own up to how mercileslly they butchered the end of such a great story. The optimist in me dares to hope that they actually do something about it; it would not be the first time a game was significantly changed with a patch, or that a game's ending was changed with a DLC pack. No one is going to forget the feeling of being betrayed by the end of ME3, but it would go a long way towards healing those wounds if Bioware would try to make things right somehow.

    As a writer, I understand the argument that the creator of a story has the right to determine the ending as they see fit. And I think it's valid. But even in the realm of printed fiction, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "changed his story" and brought back Sherlock Holmes after the public outcry at the character's death. Even in the realm of literature, there's room for an author here and there to admit they were wrong and change their tune. I earnestly hope Bioware decides to do the same.    … Expand
  83. OGmeatpatty
    Mar 15, 2012
    2
    If it were a stand alone, this game would be pretty good. If you've played through from the beginning at least once (about 60 hours just to get to ME3) this game will be a massive disappointment. Until the last ten minutes it is one of the greatest games I have ever paid. From then on it robs you of any significant choice, throws out years of great writing for over-done cliches piled uponIf it were a stand alone, this game would be pretty good. If you've played through from the beginning at least once (about 60 hours just to get to ME3) this game will be a massive disappointment. Until the last ten minutes it is one of the greatest games I have ever paid. From then on it robs you of any significant choice, throws out years of great writing for over-done cliches piled upon each other and less of a playback of an investment than when Fallout 3 first came out. I have spared three of my friends the let down of this game, and would do so for you the reader. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.… Expand
  84. tacotuesday
    Mar 16, 2012
    2
    I'm reviewing this right after finishing so this may be overly influenced by the ending. Nonetheless, 3 games worth of choices and storytelling were tossed out the window in the final minutes leaving me with a severely bad impression. I don't mind the tone or the darkness. I do mind that it felt like, for the ending, a different group of writers were brought in, given a two-sentence plotI'm reviewing this right after finishing so this may be overly influenced by the ending. Nonetheless, 3 games worth of choices and storytelling were tossed out the window in the final minutes leaving me with a severely bad impression. I don't mind the tone or the darkness. I do mind that it felt like, for the ending, a different group of writers were brought in, given a two-sentence plot summary and told that resources were limited so they should cut as many corners as possible.

    Up until then, I was planning on going back on playing through all three again to see the results of different paths. After I played through the 3 alternate endings thinking I must have just picked the wrong one the first time, I was so annoyed that I just uninstalled it.

    For a game in which the consequences of choices have had real in-game (and emotional) impacts up to that point, to have the ending completely disconnected from any choices you made is ridiculous.    … Expand
  85. Glodis27
    Mar 20, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've played Mass Effect since it first came out. I eagerly awaited Mass Effect 2, ordered books, the collector's edition, even the Prima guide. I've replayed it more times than I can count When Mass Effect 3 was announced, I was ecstatic. I rushed to secure a collector's edition, and by the time March 6th came around I was ready to hole myself in my basement and play til I finished. And I do love BioWare. Because of Mass Effect, I bought Dragon Age and KOTOR. I applaud them for all their brilliance in the past, but I strongly believe they stumbled at the finish line for Mass Effect.

    99% of the game was perfection. I had chills down my spine during the Fall of Thessia, I shed a tear when Mordin and Thane sacrificed themselves. It was such an emotionally gripping game. However, the final 5 minutes is what ruined everything. Casey Hudson promised us that our choices would matter. How do they matter in a simple choice: red, green, or blue explosion? He promised us 16 DIFFERENT endings. The entire series was about choice and consequence. It was about weighing options and making moral decisions. All of this was completely nullified by the introduction of a God Child and the whole Stargazer debacle. The ending is so full of plot holes - why is Joker running away from a fight? Why did my squadmates mysteriously disappear then reappear on the Normandy? How did Anderson get ahead of Shepard when he said he got into the beam after him? How did Hackett know it was Shepard when the chatter says that no one made it to the beam? I personally believe the indoctrination theory, but it becomes difficult to believe when BioWare remains silent. If tanking the metacritic scores, making noise, and banding together is what it takes for BioWare to notice and make a change, then I'm all in. Hold the line.    … Expand
  86. Elevas
    Mar 20, 2012
    2
    A complete departure from the spirit of the series in that there's no impact from your prior decisions on the ending. There are a few great scenes; but overall, it's a travesty.
  87. sclem
    Mar 20, 2012
    2
    I have been a huge fan of the entire Mass Effect trilogy. Most of ME3 carries on the trend, allowing the player to continue identifying with Commander Shepard...until the ending. Unfortunately, all decisions, choices, actions, and events leading up to the finale have no impact on the ultimate end. In addition, though Bioware specifically stated there would be "wildly different endings" andI have been a huge fan of the entire Mass Effect trilogy. Most of ME3 carries on the trend, allowing the player to continue identifying with Commander Shepard...until the ending. Unfortunately, all decisions, choices, actions, and events leading up to the finale have no impact on the ultimate end. In addition, though Bioware specifically stated there would be "wildly different endings" and that the multiplayer would be completely non-obligatory, those statements are false. The multiplayer is essential to gain significant war assets required for the "best" (same ending, slightly different final scene), and the "wildly different endings" is one ending with three different colored explosions that all do the same exact thing with the same exact result.

    #RetakeMassEffect

    Hold the Line.    … Expand
  88. dpark189
    Mar 21, 2012
    2
    just wtf were they thinking? where are shepherd's emotions for his dying "friends," and why are previous decisions just glazed over and ignored? even putting those big issues aside, the ending was one of the most disappointing pieces of garbage I have ever witnessed. you go through 3 games, 5 years total playing this trilogy and you are given 3 choices? what was the point of all thosejust wtf were they thinking? where are shepherd's emotions for his dying "friends," and why are previous decisions just glazed over and ignored? even putting those big issues aside, the ending was one of the most disappointing pieces of garbage I have ever witnessed. you go through 3 games, 5 years total playing this trilogy and you are given 3 choices? what was the point of all those other choices that were posed as "big deals," when they don't even come into play at the end? never mind how screwed everyone is at the end, the ending choices themselves end up screwing everyone or taking away from their autonomy as sapient beings one way or another! How did a game series so good just down right destroy their reputation in one fell swoop? Then there are the plot holes. I won't spoil anything too badly here, but if you have played the game then you know that there are irreconcilable problems with many aspects of the ending. these writers need to go through some kind of common sense seminar or something because this is unacceptable. My recommendation to anyone who has not bought the game is to wait and see if there are any worthwhile dlc's that come out in the future, otherwise you will be angry as a guy who was just sold a turd in the guise of a game.… Expand
  89. Funkin25
    Mar 21, 2012
    2
    The game was perfect... until the last 10 minutes. The combat was awesome, the set pieces were great, war was burning the galaxy. Shepard's decisions were supposed to doom or save the galaxy. Fast forward to the end: you only get 3 endings, the endings have huge plot holes, and turn off the game with immense rage. This game's ending is an abomination compared to the rest of the seriesThe game was perfect... until the last 10 minutes. The combat was awesome, the set pieces were great, war was burning the galaxy. Shepard's decisions were supposed to doom or save the galaxy. Fast forward to the end: you only get 3 endings, the endings have huge plot holes, and turn off the game with immense rage. This game's ending is an abomination compared to the rest of the series (including the rest of ME3). The ending is so bad that I still have to give a score of 2.… Expand
  90. Khadgar323
    Mar 23, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great series and concluding story up until the last 10 minutes, disappointing enough to tarnish the rest of the series as well. What does the game do different than the previous titles? The action has even more fit and finish and is an absolute blast, some customization to weapons is given but a better variety of mods would have been welcomed. Voice acting is great (except for some odd journalist person out of nowhere with a nightmarish outfit) and the story will pluck your heartstrings. Quest tracking is awful, embarrassingly awful when you are unable to view your inventory for a quest item and the quest tracker provides no clue as to whether you've picked it up or not. This might no be an issue if you play this parts in large block of time but if you are taking frequent breaks between these side missions it is hard to keep track of that else you need to do before you return tot he hub. Also there is no announcement of time limited windows for completing side quests, I found out when I saw them disappear and forced me to load a previous save. To sum this up, the game is great, I would have appreciated more dialog conversations but it wasn't a deal breaking....until the end. I don't think this ending is sad, or depressing. It's just bad, cheapens the rest of the story and the universe the game is set in. If this is your first Mass Effect game I don't think the reaction will be as terrible, but if you've fallen in the love with the characters and story, beware.… Expand
  91. roflz1337
    Mar 25, 2012
    2
    While I did enjoy most of Mass Effect 3, there are several issues that I found quite disappointing and has left a severely bad after taste in my mouth. First of all, the move from even further away from its RPG roots. For example, the dumbing down of dialogue. The middle ground options seem to have just been completely removed, only providing you a top or bottom choice most of the time.While I did enjoy most of Mass Effect 3, there are several issues that I found quite disappointing and has left a severely bad after taste in my mouth. First of all, the move from even further away from its RPG roots. For example, the dumbing down of dialogue. The middle ground options seem to have just been completely removed, only providing you a top or bottom choice most of the time. Next, is the lack of exploration. The only place to go to talk to people, a RPG "city" as you will, is the Citadel. Other than that, its pretty much run and gun.

    The other issue I had with it is the day 1 DLC. It is obvious this character was never meant to leave the game. He provides key story information about the previous cycle, why the markers exist, the reapers, and the fate of the Protheans.

    My by far most unforgiving issue and biggest disappointment with the game are the endings. The last 10 minutes of the game introduce a brand new character, creates massive plot holes, provide zero closure to anything you've done, have no way to challenge the new end game character's ridiculously insane logic, and have each ending 98% the same as the others. In addition, no matter what choice you make throughout the entire saga, it will have no effect on the end sequence. You will not get any cut-scenes or any form of text explaining how your choices effected the galaxy or what happens to any of your squad mates. Every Shepard will receive the exact same set of endings regardless of what you do. The only factor that plays any roll on the ending is the "effective military strength". Overall, I found the endings to be so empty, depressingly unsatisfying, and poorly written that they have ruined the entire series. Being a long time Mass Effect fan since the first, I wanted to play from the beginning again, but after seeing and knowing what awaits me at the end of 3, I can't even look at it.

    As I said in the beginning, I did still enjoy most of Mass Effect 3 and could look past its step back from its RPG roots still. Excluding the endings, rating it based soley off the journey up to the end point, i would give the game a 9/10. However, the endings are simply story telling suicide that are so bad they tarnish the entire series greatness. Due to that factor, I give the game overall a 2/10 for the amount of damage the endings do to the franchise along with the depressingly bad after taste it leaves.    … Expand
  92. jimbodean
    Mar 25, 2012
    2
    Been a fan since the first article I read about mass effect 7 years ago. What a disappointment. ME3 has been dumbed down from the great rpg it was. I will agree that the combat is tight and smooth, but thats not the main reason why I chose to play it, even after I started to hear the ugly rumors. Had to find out for myself. "Official" reviews sing praise after praise, even while the fanBeen a fan since the first article I read about mass effect 7 years ago. What a disappointment. ME3 has been dumbed down from the great rpg it was. I will agree that the combat is tight and smooth, but thats not the main reason why I chose to play it, even after I started to hear the ugly rumors. Had to find out for myself. "Official" reviews sing praise after praise, even while the fan base has spoken very loudly of their displeasure. I couldn't agree more, after playing through myself. I don't even want to go into what I thought about the ending. I honestly feel ripped off. Now I see bioware tap-dancing and trying to put a positive spin on a turd, while condemning people's criticisms. Chalk one up for EA. You got my 50 bucks and could care less.… Expand
  93. MajorLeeFubar
    Apr 4, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had purchased Mass Effect 1 and 2 in addition to all the DLCs because the games were very good. The first one focused on the ME universe while the second focused more on your squad. They each had teething problems, but they were well done.

    ME3 had some great scenes such as the Genophage issue between the Krogan and the Salarians as well as the Geth and Qurian conflict, however, after that it seemed to fall apart. It was if two different writing teams were involved. Bioware was pushing this whole idea about take back Earth, instead it was just a straight run with waves of enemies. If you felt you were going to make the tough decisions such as the ME2 sUicide mission, it doesnt even come close. You would think that all the decisions made previously, the major conflict resolution such as the Geth and krogans and the war assets would make an impact at the end. Nope, nothing they are counted as war assets which remain at 50% unless you play the coop multiplayer. They are counted as points and you don't see anything of them, except for the Krogan at the end for a brief cameo. Of course, don't get me started about the ending which Bioware lied about, essentially saying the end will be different and we won't give you a choice A,b or C, when in fact they do, instead they are red, green and blue.

    I could go on, but I am sure by now, you will see the gist of it. I canal understand people who say they played the entire game including the ending, they cannot say that it was rushed or just a complete mess.    … Expand
  94. CrAEckY
    May 3, 2012
    2
    First of all i like to say that "Mass Effect 3" is one of the best games ever made in my opinion, even the whole series is awesome. As the reaction of many gamers shows, i am not alone who expected a marvelous finale at the end of this Sci-Fi Triology! And what have i became? A crappy nonsense telling end, that is it. That was the great announced final? I do not think so, i do not get it!First of all i like to say that "Mass Effect 3" is one of the best games ever made in my opinion, even the whole series is awesome. As the reaction of many gamers shows, i am not alone who expected a marvelous finale at the end of this Sci-Fi Triology! And what have i became? A crappy nonsense telling end, that is it. That was the great announced final? I do not think so, i do not get it! So i have rated the game with 2/10 not in case of the gameplay or atmosphere, i did it, because the ending really pissed me off like most of you and EA/Bioware's Statement handled us, the Fans/Gamers like idiots and ignored our support over the last 5 years. I mean, look at all the feature's they have promised. At the end, none of the decisions i have made during the first two parts is considered. What happened at all? You can choose like in "Deus Ex 3" between 3 endings. Do not tell me that i have to level my readiness til 5000 pts.+ or my renegade/paragon bar to the max. Treat gamers like that is perky and unforgettable! Check out "Angry Joe's" Review or 10 Reasons why the ending really sucks for Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M0Cf864P7E At least Bioware was sold out by Electronic Arts and get's in a row with Companies like Bullfrog, Maxis, Origin, Westwood and some more. It is all about cash and income shares for the Shareholders, nothing else matters. So, i have decided for my own that i will not support such ignorant policy again and i have canceled my SWToR-Account too. I do not buy a game of EA and Bioware again, til that Day "Mass Effect 3" will become some real endings, belongs to the choices i have made! My suggestion for you, do the same! Otherwise EA/Bioware do it again and again...… Expand
  95. marcusJohnson
    May 15, 2012
    2
    Gay ass game I regret buying it. Will pirate it 30 times to damage EA.

    This is my last EA Game, Battlefield 3 sucked so hard man I can't believe they can get money with this even CoD was better
  96. PrimePaladin
    May 22, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all, let me say: this is not about the ending... ... ...oh who the hell am I trying to fool? This is ALL about the ending :) But I will put it in a way that most of the web seems to avoid: like it being something to feel shameful. There is no happy ending. Even picking the "right choices". Even playing for the best. Even spending hours and hours to complete any possible aspect of the game, it is going to end badly. For lots of people (for me of course, I think for many others, and I suspect for a lot of those lamenting for so many rational reasons) it is important to have a chance to make the story "go right". The good wins, the bad sucks, now let's kiss the girl in the sunset and YAY! I can understand all the babbling about "artistic choice" "moral dilemma" "heroic sacrifice" and I can understand that many like them, but I think that after five years, three games and hundreds of hours spent playing, It is hard to chew up, for any of those scorned by the writers choices. This game could have been something epic, making all of the players happy (weel, most of them, let's say); something like the ending of the first Knights of the old republic with a wide variety of possible storylines, After all this is meant as a saga ending: no need for a common point from where to make the story go on. This could have been the "own" ending of every player for how he chose to play the game. Nothing against an indication of that which the authors considered the "true" ending for artistic purposes (or even for a sequel) but respect for any way of playing or feeling the storyline.

    Unfortunately, it has proven to be quite the opposite: they unbelievably matched the (harder I think) result to make any kind of player unhappy about what was going on. Nice shot, nothing to say 'bout it ;)

    The romantic happy ending lovers like me are angry for seeing all we "fought" for collapsed.

    Those interested in gameplay are angry for an anticlimax final fight, with a tedious dramatic walk (which could have been interesting, wouldn't it be so boring...) and... well... no final fight at all...

    Those interested in the story are angry for a turnaround of events almost senseless... (uh? the point of the story was the relation between biological being and machines? WAIT, you never mentioned it before... AND We already solved it a minute ago making peace between Geth and Quarians AND... this is Battlestar Galactica's ending too, isn't it a bit redundant?)

    I could go on fa a while but it is better to stop here: I enjoied playing the saga, but how it turned out made me feel so that the memory I have when I think of the trilogy is no more "ehy it was fun-tastic"... it is "meh, the poor Shepard, so saaaad". I think my point of view is pretty clear right now:.
    GIMME BACK MY DAMN HAPPY ENDING AND QUIT THIS CRAP ABOUT EVERYTHING, FOR BEING APPEALED "ARTISTIC" NEEDING TO BE AN OCEAN OF TEARS. There is already the real world for that: at least in videogames let me dream that a lone hero who tries hard enough can make things go right :)    … Expand
  97. MrDerpking
    Jun 20, 2012
    2
    wow EA just wow ever since you bought bioware they havent made anything great the mass effect games were ok but the ending..... is "special" nothing changes in the ending except Colors WOW! Also jennifer hepler I would like to blame YOU for this travesty.
  98. FLovegrove009
    Oct 15, 2012
    2
    I liked the first installment pretty well; and the second STILL stands as one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had; it showed remarkable improvements from the first in terms of character (richer back-stories, more dialogue), better pacing (no endless roams on the dune-buggy, the mining was maybe tedious but brief), and streamlined game-play (shooting, squad orders; no wonkyI liked the first installment pretty well; and the second STILL stands as one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had; it showed remarkable improvements from the first in terms of character (richer back-stories, more dialogue), better pacing (no endless roams on the dune-buggy, the mining was maybe tedious but brief), and streamlined game-play (shooting, squad orders; no wonky upgrades/menus). This installment started out ... amiss. By the time I reached Rannoch and attempted FAR TOO MANY TIMES to dispatch the Reaper on even the easiest setting (only doing so as a last and final resort, and dying my first two and final attempts barely getting a shot off). So I've quit. I don't know what else to say about it that hasn't already been said. I DO HOPE that EA/Bioware etc. take the time to carefully look into the feedback they've gotten from the fans regarding this franchise and take it to heart... somehow that seems a bit futile too.… Expand
  99. Spidercolt
    Aug 27, 2013
    2
    A huge disappointment. The game was clearly put together in a rush and EA made it blatantly obvious, if you have been following the Mass Effect series since the first game then you will know that it is a very well written space drama that got you immersed within the first hour of playing the first 2 games yet whilst playing Mass Effect 3 the immersion was destroyed on numerous occasions byA huge disappointment. The game was clearly put together in a rush and EA made it blatantly obvious, if you have been following the Mass Effect series since the first game then you will know that it is a very well written space drama that got you immersed within the first hour of playing the first 2 games yet whilst playing Mass Effect 3 the immersion was destroyed on numerous occasions by various mistakes e.g. sprites that have been placed that have no reason for being there and on one occasion a sprite that just walked around in circles.

    I wouldn't suggest this game to anyone as I know it is a poorly made third-person and its bad enough to make fans of the previous games cry.    … Expand
  100. Khaosom
    Apr 8, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to be like alot of people and sugar coat anything. I rated this game fairly low compared to the first two in the series for multiple reasons which will be described here. The game plays just like Mass Effect 2 with an upgraded melee system which isn't a bad thing. Second thing, which is why I didn't rate the game entirely horrid, is the level system changes. Instead of straight skills you no have more choices in how your skills level, if they inflict higher damage or last longer or even have a larger radius. Now on to the part I'm sure most have heard by now but if like me was still hopeful was wrong. Apparently there are multiple endings to the game, but from what I've seen NOTHING you've done in the game or previous others makes a difference, aside from finishing the crucible. At the end of the game no matter how big of a galactic fleet you've acquired, who you have on your side, the side quests you've finished, who lived in part 1 and 2, you're put with 2 choices(from what I've heard pre update was 3) the choices are destroy ALL mechancal life including yourself, or kill yourself and take control of the reapers. Yes in the previous two games the choices are kind of an illusion, that don't have a direct impact, but in this game the choices have no impact. I don't mind them killing off you're character, ending the series, just so they can't pull a Halo, but it would have been nice to have a game where you can win with a third choice of killing the reapers using your own fleet, since apparently all the reapers moved to earth. The second choice for the ending of taking over the reapers is a mind rape to me because apparently you become the Catalyst which was you're objective to find the entire game, and in doing so remain sentient on The Citadel, yet no one can speak to you or know you're there after that. The issue here is that the original Catalyst, the creator of the reapers, is speaking to you, giving you your two choices. So it telling me that I become it yet can't communicate like it does was a huge let down. Aside from this there are several other major things that could have been an ending to the game that would have worked, part 2 and 3 never happened I'll list them here... The first is part 2 and 3 never happened, at the end of part 3 you awaken after being saved from dying in space from the Collector attack on the normandy in part 2. Second is similar but instead of part 2 also being a dream only part 3 is and you awake in a reaper controlled facility and part 3 is an attempt to Indoctrinate Shephard. Third is this game is a dream that you're having while the Alliance tries to figure out how Cerebus rebuilt you in part two.

    All this being said, Bioware really dropped the ball with this game, which honestly seems to have become a forte of the company with their games, see Dragon Age origins, and dragon age 2.    … 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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