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. PlanByHero
    Apr 26, 2012
    6
    LOVE the game! HATE the ending!

    There has to be more to it than what we're being told. The whole thing is so completely out of place in the context of the previous games that it has to be some sort of clever ploy by Bioware so they can spring some DLC with the real ending. If this is the actual ending then it's an absolute disgrace and a complete slap in the face for fans. If & when they    LOVE the game! HATE the ending!

    There has to be more to it than what we're being told. The whole thing is so completely out of place in the context of the previous games that it has to be some sort of clever ploy by Bioware so they can spring some DLC with the real ending.

    If this is the actual ending then it's an absolute disgrace and a complete slap in the face for fans. If & when they fix the ending I'll adjust my score.    … Expand
  2. greywolf00
    Jan 6, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Been a long time fan of the series but I feel this is by far the worst of the trilogy. I'd give it a 6.5 if I could. Spoilers below but will try to keep it vague.

    Pros: Felt like they did a good job building up to an epic conclusion.
    A lot of dialogue and the decision about the genophage was the hardest decision I had in the series.
    For me, ending did a good job tugging on emotions.

    Cons: They completely killed any meaning behind choices. Choices from previous games are whittled down to very small/short parts which are then boiled down to a readiness number for ending purposes.
    In the end you really realize there was no purpose behind any choice.
    Ending does a poor job of wrapping up the series and really felt flat.    … Expand
  3. Rexnos
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    It's really unfortunate that Bioware decided to end their series like this. As enjoyable as the first 2/3rds of the game was, it will only be remembered for its WTF ending. The coop was also a solid addition in my opinion. I'd love to see more horde modes with RPG mechanics.
  4. ChriM3
    Mar 16, 2012
    6
    I am a huge fan of Sci-fi and RPGs, but this one is such a boring experience...can't believe it got a great score by all critics.
    It's a full load of cinematics (which can't even be skipped) and then when you finally get to play, you have to do always the same old stuff you did in ME1 and ME2 over and over again.
    Played for 5 hours and don't know if I wanna play it again...pure boredom :(
  5. TheTelePlus
    Apr 22, 2012
    6
    Coming into ME3 I was very much expecting a car crash, an unplayable, uninteresting mess not even worth my time. I guess that shows you really can't trust either end of the spectrum these days, Critics were praising it as the second coming of the Christ where as the vast majority of fans were claiming it was the worst game since Superman64. In reality ME3 is neither of these. Where as ME1Coming into ME3 I was very much expecting a car crash, an unplayable, uninteresting mess not even worth my time. I guess that shows you really can't trust either end of the spectrum these days, Critics were praising it as the second coming of the Christ where as the vast majority of fans were claiming it was the worst game since Superman64. In reality ME3 is neither of these. Where as ME1 was an RPG that felt like a bad TPS and ME2 was just plain bad ME3 strikes the perfect balance between being an RPG and TPS, significantly more weapons and armour than ME2 also offer some nice replay value for completionists looking to collect everything. Unfortunately the story seems to have gotten worse in pretty much every way conceivable, sure there are some great scenes that tap into the ME1 and to a lesser extent ME2 nostalgia but they're just that, scenes. ME3 has the least amount of interactive conversations of the entire series, which just plain sucks. Most scenes play out similar to the Normandy conversations with Zaeed in ME2, the frequency of these is kind of annoying when you look back at ME1 which had an abundance of in-depth conversations with most of the throw-away characters, this in conjunction with it's terrible, terrible ending mean it's hard to recommend ME3 to fans of the series and really there are a great deal more, and better story driven TPS out there if you're coming to ME3 for a shooter. Then there's the multiplayer, let me sum up the multiplayer with a single clause. The multiplayer clearly detracted from the quality of the single-player and ME3 would have been a better game had it not existed. Overall It's hard to recommend ME3 to anyone, it relies too heavily on series nostalgia to be enjoyable for people looking to get into the series this late and isn't a particularly great shooter either. ME3 is one of the most severe cases of wasted potential I've seen in a while. Mediocre at best - 6/10… Expand
  6. Notv
    Mar 6, 2012
    6
    Bioware has done it again. The mediocrity and senselessness of the series has been revamped in order to attract the CoD audience. In this they probably succeeded. Unfortunately the graphics area diamond dozen. It is a doggy dog world when the reapers win at the end, leading to a crippling defeat of your entire crew. Scattered across the universe or committing suicide, Shepard has noBioware has done it again. The mediocrity and senselessness of the series has been revamped in order to attract the CoD audience. In this they probably succeeded. Unfortunately the graphics area diamond dozen. It is a doggy dog world when the reapers win at the end, leading to a crippling defeat of your entire crew. Scattered across the universe or committing suicide, Shepard has no choice but to do the best he can and end the game before Bioware tries to create another sequel. He commits shamefur Dispray by not doing much in the game and instead focusing on the tacked on multi-player portion and the tablet applications sold separate.

    Overall a fantastic way to waste some time and money. If you are one gamers who use Facebook, Reddit, 9gag, Something Awful, or Twitter, get this game. You will not regret it.    … Expand
  7. YavuzSelim
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really liked the game until the last 15 minutes.The last 15 minute of the game wasn't about the story It was about a crazy alliance soldier seeing a dead child.The endings were worse.I liked the gameplay of deus ex human revolution but it's end really disturb me.And Mass Effect 3's ending wasn't so different there were 3 endings and you are supposed to choose one of them.That wasn't mass effect series system and that's why I liked these games but now it's just another game for me… Expand
  8. Zigalicious
    Mar 7, 2012
    6
    The 3rd and final chapter in the Mass Effect series has some great scenery, outstanding combat lifted from part 2 and a decent, if cliched story but is marred by day one DLC(are you kidding me?) stunted facial animations and decisions that mean much less in this game than they did in the previous two. It still stands as a decent Bioware title, but you will be thinking the entire timeThe 3rd and final chapter in the Mass Effect series has some great scenery, outstanding combat lifted from part 2 and a decent, if cliched story but is marred by day one DLC(are you kidding me?) stunted facial animations and decisions that mean much less in this game than they did in the previous two. It still stands as a decent Bioware title, but you will be thinking the entire time that it could have been a little bit better.… Expand
  9. jamofalifetime
    Mar 7, 2012
    6
    The past year has not been of Bioware's finest. Dragon Age 2 and The Old Republic were both slated to be AAA titles and had some commercial success, but felt to me rather lackluster overall. Mass Effect 3 has proved to be just as lackluster. Whether it's the poorly decided business choice of adding day one DLC or the glaringly obvious retcons, it's hard to find much good to say aboutThe past year has not been of Bioware's finest. Dragon Age 2 and The Old Republic were both slated to be AAA titles and had some commercial success, but felt to me rather lackluster overall. Mass Effect 3 has proved to be just as lackluster. Whether it's the poorly decided business choice of adding day one DLC or the glaringly obvious retcons, it's hard to find much good to say about Mass Effect 3. The gameplay mechanics are much smoother and the multiplayer helps keep this game from getting too negative a review. It's not terrible, but a rather average effort.… Expand
  10. SierraTango
    Mar 8, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Graphics: 9/10
    Controls:9/10
    Replay: 9/10
    Story: 5/10

    I've played every ME since it came out back in '07. I remember buying the collectors edition when I was a senior in high school and putting more time into that game than Oblivion. I am truly invested in the series and have likened it to the star wars of my time. Now, as a senior in college, I've spent far more hours than I should have replaying both to truly get the fullest experience I can out of this series. I love each character and have never been more connected to these fictional individuals. This is the first time I've ever written a review on any game, usually I don't have the time for it. This game has really given me mixed emotions. Those of you who have completed the game understand where most of the anger is coming from, but all have to agree that overall it is a great capstone to a groundbreaking series. The graphics are crisp, controls are far tighter than that of ME 1 or 2, and most of the story is rock solid. My first major disappointment with the game was my inability to have my custom character properly port into ME 3. I had the same character, whose appearance I agonized over in ME 1, since the beginning and was hugely let down by this bug. Hopefully Bioware will find a fix, but its a poor way to initially start. Everything else is great as I stated above, but when that final 10 minutes roles through I was speechless. A game that I invested alot of time and energy in left me with mixed emotions when the credits rolled. My character maintained a LI with Ashley from the first game, something I was hugely excited for. I wanted to see this relationship evolve and grow and it did for the most part. The end threw this completely out the window. I have no knowledge of what happened to her or any of my other squad-mates, just a lack luster CGI video that's 90% the same, with minor endings (that last couple of seconds is wonderful if you get the perfect ending), but its anticlimactic. I'm not a juvenile so I don't expect happy endings, but closure would be nice. I'd be fine if Shepard, whose life I sculpted over 3 games and had the privilege to be involved in, lived or died. Its just upsetting that 3 ridiculous decisions that came way out of left field serve as the ending. For those few who read this completely just know that you should most certainly play the game. Its a treasure and one of the most powerful media experiences I've had short of the Terminator 2 ending (haha). Don't let that last five minutes dissuade you from enjoying the fruits of your labor, as Bioware ties up just about everything very well. Thane's story was quite touching as was Legion's and most assuredly Mordin. The memorial wall in the Normandy is also a nice touch. But please, if someone from Bioware reads this, or if someone else sees this, know that the ending greatly disappointed me. Instead of being an end, clear cut, it left me with more questions and over analysis. Overall its a wonderful game, but it seems that those story leaks earlier in the development phase really took a toll. It really seems like the ending was just thrown in there as a quick fix. Good gaming everyone and thanks for reading one guy's opinion.    … Expand
  11. animalrat
    Mar 9, 2012
    6
    The game simply falls short of expectation. If ME3 was a standalone game, it would be deserving of an 8 or 9, but Bioware had many reusable assets from the previous two games (engine, textures, character models, etc.), and it felt like all they did was add new dialogue to complete the trilogy. - Huge plot holes from the beginning
    - $10 DLC that's worth about $2 and should have been    The game simply falls short of expectation. If ME3 was a standalone game, it would be deserving of an 8 or 9, but Bioware had many reusable assets from the previous two games (engine, textures, character models, etc.), and it felt like all they did was add new dialogue to complete the trilogy. - Huge plot holes from the beginning
    - $10 DLC that's worth about $2 and should have been included with the game
    - Lack of character depth left me not caring about deaths
    - Reaper interaction was extremely limited
    - The galaxy, citadel, and things to do felt smaller than the previous games
    - 26 hours including DLC, side missions, and war assets

    This game could have been a lot more. I'm not hating on the series. I loved it as a whole, but the final installment left me feeling indifferent and was not the climactic ending I was anticipating. Perhaps I let the hype build my expectations too high, but I think it has more to do with the game being stripped of mechanics with each installment and publishers wanting to crank out profits every 1-2 years rather than letting developers invest time on quality.    … Expand
  12. Ticklefist
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    Great and amazing game until the last 10 minutes. This isn't fan rage. It's simply a warning. You won't understand what everyone was complaining about until it's too late. The real tragedy is that Mass Effect 1 and 2 get caught in the blast wave and become worse games in the process.
  13. osimandias
    Mar 10, 2012
    6
    The Game is disappointment. This concerns poor writing, dialogue, robotic delivery of lines. You are funneled though the game; the sense of important choices from 1 and 2 is gone, which invalidates those two superb games. The combat is also not well done; even if it resembles 2 it is much more random, the enemies are attacking in hordes and show incredibly poor AI, the one thing that makesThe Game is disappointment. This concerns poor writing, dialogue, robotic delivery of lines. You are funneled though the game; the sense of important choices from 1 and 2 is gone, which invalidates those two superb games. The combat is also not well done; even if it resembles 2 it is much more random, the enemies are attacking in hordes and show incredibly poor AI, the one thing that makes them dangerous is their sheer number and power bar. They also get boring fast (A million husks! Incredible!) Somehow, maybe due to poor mixture of reload times and squad reaction, the combat itself does not work very well, 2 was way better and did not have this crappy balancing of powers and weight of weapons. The overall sense I get from this very dissappointing third entry is that its rushed and heartless, it showcases violence and sexuality in a way thats obnoxious and caters to the casual player. All in all this is not worth buying, the one thing that saves it is the high production values (though wasted) and sheer spectacle of it. This is what Matrix Revolutions was for the Matrix Trilogy: It forgets about 1, ridicules 2 by ignoring any plot points made in it and thus renders the whole series ineffective. I still hope I will wake up, Mass Effect 3 will be coming out tomorrow and be good. But it really is not; and its not because of trolling but because it is a mediocre title. Sad decline!… Expand
  14. Ziggs14
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    True Mass Effect fan here. The Mass Effect series has been about three things for these past few years 1. a climactic battle with the reapers 2. character involvement and attachment and 3. Choice and knowing that those choices mattered and during the first 40 hours of game play this is EXTREMELY true and amazing. I was sitting on the 8.5-9 rating range as you unite the galaxy under aTrue Mass Effect fan here. The Mass Effect series has been about three things for these past few years 1. a climactic battle with the reapers 2. character involvement and attachment and 3. Choice and knowing that those choices mattered and during the first 40 hours of game play this is EXTREMELY true and amazing. I was sitting on the 8.5-9 rating range as you unite the galaxy under a singular purpose the adrenaline and almost pride you feel as an organic defying a set cycle of thousands of years and fighting the reapers planet to planet seeing the loss and sacrifice and desperate tooth and nail efforts of the galaxy to fight back....It was AMAZING and I congratulate Bioware on making that amazing effort...then I hit the final 20 minutes of the game and the game does a complete 180 degree turn and it goes against EVERYTHING I had just said previous, you are treated with a 5 minute space battle, not knowing what is going on just fighting through a linear path with no choice and at the end you are treated with three choices and I will tell you now, they are all very nearly a color palette swap and that is it. The choices you have made in previous games and this one are made completely and utterly irrelevant. And it leaves you in a dark place with many a more questions and no answers. To clarify Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game if you don't know the story and are just looking for an action game that has great story elements. But if you are a true Mass Effect fan like myself I implore you to stop playing when the ending sequence is started and make your own ending in your head it's the only way you will find closure. My character was was Justin Shepard a powerful vanguard who was fearless and would have gone down fighting next to his friends rather than cop out for the easy way. He deserves better, MASS EFFECT deserves better.… Expand
  15. mattsearle1897
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    ME3 is an amazing game, it has great graphics and the best combat in the games so far, it delivers on every front, the build up to the final battle provides some of he best story in any game i have ever played. However! the ending to the game is possibly the most anti climactic in a game ever! It feels very streamlined and like a gloryfied quick time event. And out of the 3 choices you canME3 is an amazing game, it has great graphics and the best combat in the games so far, it delivers on every front, the build up to the final battle provides some of he best story in any game i have ever played. However! the ending to the game is possibly the most anti climactic in a game ever! It feels very streamlined and like a gloryfied quick time event. And out of the 3 choices you can make you get pretty much the same ending, each is possibly more depressing than a news report about some child being killed! its that bad! The whole game would have been the best experiance of my life (Better than sex! ;) hehe) but the ending made me feel like id just wasted the 3 days it took me to complete every mission and then the time i spent on the suprisingly good multiplayer trying to increase my readiness for the final battle, it made me feel hollow and empty inside and the real reviewers are making up crap, maby they've been paid off or sumin, but the game offers no closure im still wondering what happend to the normandy crew as the clip they show you is just about as understandable as someone tripping on LSD! all in all just because of 2 scenes in the game it has gone from a 10 to a 6! also, very few of your choices in previous games have any affect aside from one or two cameos, Bioware lied! i would still highly recomend this game as the journy to the final battle is better than any of the other two games but the last moments ruin the mass effect universe for everyone If you want a better ending read this and post it everywhere you can so bioware will take notice! http://social.bioware.com/1183972/polls/29101/… Expand
  16. Knjo0101
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I gave this game a mixed review because it left me with mixed feelings the ending left a sour taste in my mouth. The combat in this game is relatively unchanged from the second. Many people complained that the choices made in the previous games are not well fleshed out in this game. That is somewhat true. If you did not save the council they are not present. If you killed Wrex on Virmire he is still dead in this game. Most of the characters from mass effect 2 make only a cameo appearance in this game which I though was somewhat of a let down. If you choose to have a romance option with characters in Mass Effect 2 (such as Miranda) and continue them in mass effect 3 they feel less that satisfying. If you continue with characters who are in this game such as Kaidan, Ashley or Liara they are much better. So to sum it choices from the other games matter is some areas and not so much in others which is part of my mixed feelings for the game. I did not think the graphics where all that bad, but some of the animations were terrible. For example watch Shepard puch Khalisa-al-Jilani for the third time in the Tabloid Journalism segment. That was a horrible animation and just one of a few. The other thing I do not understand is making Shepard gay. I know they probably did this for politically correct reasons and that fine I guess, but when he was not gay in the previous 2 games and they decide to just all of sudden let him decide he or she is gay in this game does not make a shred of sense. Mutilplayer is for the first time is an option and is not really a make or break deal for me. It is somewhat of a toned down version of horde mode on gears of war. You must survive waves of enemies with intermittent objective in some rounds to earn credits. They can be used to purchase packs which contain items, weapons, or other characters that can be unlocked to play as. It is actually a fun option to play multiplayer to see how some of the other classes play, and it is fun to play as other races for once. Overall the multiplayer is a way to boost your "galatic readiness." rating which can help to achieve a better ending. Its simple and fun but is not required to get a better ending so I was ok with having the option in the game. Now for the story of the game itself. For the most part it is fun helping solve the different political turmoils of the other races of the galaxy in an effort to take back earth and rid the galaxy of the reapers and there cycle of harvesting life every 50,000 or so years which was the theme of the entire game. Rallying your allies and fighting the reapers along the way seems like it is building towards an epic conclusion. The dialog and other scenes along the way I felt helped to convey the moral turmoil of just how grim the situation was for the entire galaxy. Completing these sequences and doing sidequets boosts effective military strength which(EMS) which can bemodified to be higher if you play mutiplayer. Sidequests in this game are underwhelming compared to the other games though. Fetch quests essentially. Once you get to the ending there is very little to be happy about though. The last 10 mins of the game are horrible. Supposedly there is up to 17 endings but they all revolve around one of three choices you must make. Destroy the reapers, control them, or sythesize with them. Dues Ex rip off anyone? once you make your choice the very short cut scenes vary slightly depending on your total EMS. The explanation for the reapers is also stupid. They are a race of all powerful hybrid synthetic and organic beings sent every 50,000 years to harvest advanced life to prevent it from creating synthetic life that will overtake organic life. By harvesting advanced organic life it ascends to an advanced organic existence as a reaper and ultimately saves organic life in the process? Really? How did your Normandy allies back on this ship crash landed on a some jungle planet after you activate the catalyst? The endings are so confusing and offer little variance. Previous choices seem to matter none. Why were the mass relays destoryed? What happens to everyone because of that? I would have loved to have seen what happens with Shepard and his or her love interest and the other races of the galaxy There is so much thats is bad and confusing about this ending and it is filled with plot holes. To be honest I would have preferred a good happy ending where Shepard settle down and lives out his or her life as hero. This is like what if the lord of the rings just ended with Sam and Frodo swallowed up by lava and the fate of everyone that helped them is left in limbo and they said the end. That is essentially what you get here. There is a hint if you had a high enough EMS the Shepard is still alive if you choose destroy option which I hope they expand on to fix the crappy ending to this game. This would have been a 9 if not for the bad confusing ending.… Expand
  17. RGM79
    Mar 12, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed the game for the most part. But there were some mistakes made, so I'm going to talk about what I liked AND what I didn't like. There are SPOILERS in this review.

    I enjoyed the actual playing of the game immensely. We were able to customize our gear to a reasonable extent, the planet scanning thing was at least made more interesting and not nearly as time consuming, the action was intense and fun, etc. I also really liked the characters and (most of) the story. The crew on the Normandy always had something to say, and I thought them wandering around the ship at times and interacting with one another was a great touch. And the events on Palaven's moon, Tuchanka, the Citadel, Rannoch, Thessia, hunting Cerberus, and Earth were great. Thessia was a bit of a railroad, but the way the characters reacted to a genuine mission failure was interesting to see. And the development of Shepard throughout the story as a character who is (Paragon or Renegade) starting to become worn down by everything was well done. I laughed, I got a little teary-eyed, I celebrated, I got angry. I thought that the mission log just not updating was a huge pain in the neck. Especially with the fetch quests. 'Find A and Bring it to Bob'. Okay, sure, it's an RPG. These things are easy to make fun of but are pretty much expected. Except I might find A in the middle of a firefight, grab it, forget about it, and then have no idea it's time to go find Bob. I largely had to visit the Citadel and check the map to see if there was anybody who needed anything I'd found. This became particularly egregious when you had to go to the Spectre office AFTER the mission to Benning in order to get what you needed; I spent a good little while scouring the Benning map trying to find what I needed, eventually giving up the quest as lost and only happening to visit the office much later in the game. There's also the resistance mission from the DLC, which costs you an achievement since the log doesn't tell you what you need to be doing. Alright. The DLC thing. I got the CE version, and didn't really get the DLC complaining. I think Day One DLC in the manner of 'you bought our game new, here's this stuff' is actually a great idea. It encourages people to buy new and later at least gives the developers and producers a cut of the used game market. When I realized that the From Ashes DLC was ONLY for the CE version, I understood why people were so angry. I want to point out that this may not be Bioware's fault, as EA are the folks who are actually selling it. But after taking the Prothean to Thessia and seeing how much he could change story events, I think it's shameful that people who bought the regular version of the game new had to pay money to get him. Is it WORTH the amount of money? Yes, it's very good DLC. But the execution is, as I said, shameful.

    Now, the endings. OH BOY the endings. If you're reading this you have probably noticed that the internet is in flames over this issue. Again, I remind you, I really enjoyed this game. TIM's whole thing, Anderson dying, Shepard opening the citadel and starting to bleed out? I'm still enjoying it. It's past that where things go wonky. If you know what a Gainax ending is, you know what I mean. Suddenly the Catalyst shows up, and if you've done a good enough job you get to pick one of three endings (if you didn't do a good job you don't even get the choice, but I suppose that's what you had coming). But the endings are pretty much all the same, all riddled with plot holes, and all give you pretty much no closure. Why was the Normandy in FTL travel in the first place? If Shepard controlled the Reapers, what happened next? Why did the relays get destroyed in all three endings when only the Destroy ending explicitly said that that would happen? Even the 'good' Destroy ending has a stinger with Shepard being alive, but if so what then? Why couldn't Shepard just die with Anderson, the Crucible goes off, the rest of the party find him there, and then we get a decent epilogue? I'm fine with Shepard dying. I don't need a perfect riding-a-ship-made-of-dreams-into-friendship ending, I just wanted an ending.

    The glaring flaw? Remember Fallout 3, where you died of radiation poisoning when someone immune to radiation was in your party? Same thing here. When the Catalyst goes all "Yo dawg, I heard you donâ    … Expand
  18. Truthful_Gamer
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    I'm at the end of the game, and the frustration is overwhelming. My squad mates are so stupid they couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. Even though I'm manually telling them to use their abilities.

    One hit kills abound from the reaper nearby, or the many banshees that close in on me because my squad keeps going down. And I'm playing on normal. The combat has been modified,    I'm at the end of the game, and the frustration is overwhelming. My squad mates are so stupid they couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. Even though I'm manually telling them to use their abilities.

    One hit kills abound from the reaper nearby, or the many banshees that close in on me because my squad keeps going down. And I'm playing on normal. The combat has been modified, they may call it improved but it's a poor attempt at "Gearsifying" Mass Effect. Shep is now one of the clunkiest characters i've ever played, but BioWare seemed to think the new abilities of diving around and swat turns make him capable of taking down multiple Geth Primes in close quarters, or multiple Phantoms with Nemisis support without breaking a sweat. What i'm trying to convey here is that BioWare have overestimated their combat tweaks. I'm playing as an engineer, using my abilities as much and as tactical as I did during the first two games, but it's making no difference. My sister is playing as a soldier class, she is finding it much easier, which leads me to believe this game is tailored for action. Not RPG. And i've finished the first two on insanity, so I know it's not my skill that's the problem here, just that I appear to be playing with the wrong character.

    Dialogue options are minimal. Your limited to saying pretty much what the writers want you to say. Your choices from the previous games amount to very little. I should have known this was going to be hugely dissapointing when I went to import my character and I received the error that my facial data could not be recognised. Seriously, that should have been sorted out early on in development. It's what Mass Effect is about, "your" Shepard, "your" choices. Some choices did carry through, with pleasing effects, but others were just worthless. I saw very little to do with homosexuality in this game, though I have NO problem with homosexuality. So there is little to worry about for the homophobes out there. There was one character, and I liked him. You may not, but then you don't have to speak to him if you don't want to. Another thing with squad mate interaction is there are a lot of instances of conversations like the ones you had with Zaeed, where you'll press A to talk but they just say "good to see you", but even worse is they'll have full conversations with you, you dont choose what you say, you just have a pre-destined converation. Like with Zaeed. This will happen more than you'd like.

    And don't get me started on that hideously cliched Cerberus assasin. At least killing that Jackass was satisfying.

    Overall A clunky action game, which may be enjoyed by newcomers to the series. For the followers this game may enrage you. I'll leave you with this piece of dialog from the game. Tali: I love you. Shepard: Keela se'lai. Really? How about a simple "I love you too"?    … Expand
  19. fitscotgaymer
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game... It is easiily a solid 8.5/9 for me as it goes, at least up until you hit the last 20 to 30 minutes of the game and it quite literally all falls apart. The game itself:- The combat mechanics are a lot more shootery than I am used to but still fun and enjoyable, and they feel like a natural evolution. The dialogue and interactions with NPCs is deep, rewarding, and emotive IMO (I totally fell in love with Kaidan all over again, and the game made me really miss Ashley too). And the locations like the Citadel feel bigger, more live a the massive places they are supposed to be. The graphics are decently done (though not fantastic). And the quests and storyline while on the short side is solidly done. And then we hit that ending. An ending so horrific that I couldn't face doing another playthru (importing my other 5 Shepards into the game. An ending filled with plot holes so big you could fly a house through them. I was critical of Dragon Age 2's ending, but at least it was coherent and made sense even if it wasn't great; this ending is just an incoherent nonsensical mess. The ending quite literally ruined the game for me, ruined the trilogy for me. It's that bad. It's that bad that it doesn't just ruin the game or the trilogy, but it literally destroys the whole franchise's future. It literally ends all galactic civilization with no clear reason for it. It felt like Bioware was taking out their anger about the game/script being leaked on the fanbase, and giving us a giant F'U with this ending. I don't mind at all that Shepard had to die, to be honest I kind of expected that he wouldn't make it out of the trilogy alive. But to destroy all galactic civilization too? And as a consequence the whole franchise? It boggles my mind. I can't in good concience give this game any more than what I gave DA2 (a 7 btw), just because of this appalling ending.… Expand
  20. hungryfellow
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    It may as well have been the best game I have ever played in my life and I have been gaming all my life. Everything they do is PERFECT... until the last 10 minutes. The last 10-15min of the game is the thing I have ever come across in gaming it takes the greatest series of all time(in my mind) and just runs all 3 games into the ground for no apparent reason. Bioware has lied to andIt may as well have been the best game I have ever played in my life and I have been gaming all my life. Everything they do is PERFECT... until the last 10 minutes. The last 10-15min of the game is the thing I have ever come across in gaming it takes the greatest series of all time(in my mind) and just runs all 3 games into the ground for no apparent reason. Bioware has lied to and now turned on their fans who only ever truly cared about the ME series. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME WHATEVER YOU DO UNTIL... Bioware undoes the mistakes they made with the ending. Please don't pay them to screw over their fans.
    Thanks you everyone. :D    … Expand
  21. unknownhero1123
    Mar 15, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In general Mass Effect 3 is a good game. However static journal entries, day one DLC that contained a very important lore character, and an ending that leaves questions without answers ruins this game. The ending is the major flaw in the game as it makes any choice you made during the whole trilogy void not to mention it's plot-hole heavy. you won't feel like making another playthrough after you beat the game for the first time.… Expand
  22. JBurnes3
    Mar 16, 2012
    6
    In a sense this game is like you're on a roller-coaster and at the end your feet catch a wire somewhere and get cut off. It was fun right there till the end, and now you're just like f*** that s***. Other than the ending my biggest complaint about this game is that they totally screwed up the "Mission Journal" (those of you that have played know what I'm talking about), however that canIn a sense this game is like you're on a roller-coaster and at the end your feet catch a wire somewhere and get cut off. It was fun right there till the end, and now you're just like f*** that s***. Other than the ending my biggest complaint about this game is that they totally screwed up the "Mission Journal" (those of you that have played know what I'm talking about), however that can be overlooked. Other than that the only thing left to complain about is how much less dialog choices there are compared to previous games, but I can overlook that too given how good the game is other than the ending(of course). There's more things I could complain about, but after that it's just more being nit-picky than anything else.

    Also contrary to popular opinion the day-one DLC is not actually crucial to the game, it certainly adds to the experience, but it needs to be criticized for being overpriced more than anything else.

    In summarization: the game is almost a masterpiece up until the surprise Cleveland Steamer you get at the end.    … Expand
  23. Kyriene
    Mar 19, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the game until about the last 20 minutes to hour. The action kept me right on the edge of my seat, the entire game was an emotional roller coaster. The game had me laughing until I could not breathe and turning around and bawling like a baby. I really could not have asked for a better game for the ending of this series.

    Then I got to the end of the game. I was prepared for an epic battle against the Reapers, I got a rainbow choice. None of the 'choices' presented to me were in anyway true to Commander Shepard, at least not the Commander Shepard that I came to know and love through three games. Though in the end there was really only a single choice with three different flavors.

    Now a lot of people think I am unhappy because I didn't get a 'happy' ending, or was unhappy getting a 'bittersweet' ending. That could not be further from the truth. I expected a bittersweet ending, where you had to choose between saving most people and saving Shepard, or Shepard's friends. I was expecting there to be hard choices, as there had been through out the previous games. I expected that if I didn't manage to have done everything right through the three games, I would have problems at the end. I fully expected to have to sacrifice my Shepard for the good of everyone. I hoped there would be a way for Shepard to live and go about her/his way with LI and friends, but I was never counting on that.

    What I never wanted to see, was the circular logic that the Reapers became, an AI god child controlling everything. The Galaxy set back at least decades, more like centuries, with the destruction of the Relays. I surely never thought I would see Shepard's crew leave her/him and run away, getting marooned on some planet we have no idea where. All in all the game was a 10/10 the ending killed that for me. I really wish Bioware had thought that out more than they did. I hope they will think things further through and do right by their fans and at least add explanations to the rainbow.

    Thanks.    … Expand
  24. wizark
    Mar 21, 2012
    6
    In one word: disappointing. Where to even start with this game? I went into it still riding high on the fond memories of Mass Effect 1 and 2, expecting the advertised "spectacular conclusion to the series", but what I got fell terribly short. Honestly, I had to give this game as much as a 6 purely for the stunning graphics, it looks amazing. The storytelling is pretty bad, characters go toIn one word: disappointing. Where to even start with this game? I went into it still riding high on the fond memories of Mass Effect 1 and 2, expecting the advertised "spectacular conclusion to the series", but what I got fell terribly short. Honestly, I had to give this game as much as a 6 purely for the stunning graphics, it looks amazing. The storytelling is pretty bad, characters go to severe waste, and the whole thing is incredibly dumbed down from the RPG that Mass Effect 1 was. First off: dialogue. Throughout most of the game, I felt like my dialogue options were limited to "say X or say X while sounding a little more like jerk." There was hardly a decision to be made here. Apart from the limited options, the dialogue its self was poor. I thought I was playing a game based on my character's choices, but more often than not , Shepard took off on his own little non-interactive cutscenes with other characters. I'm sure many of us remember being disappointed with the way we could interact with the DLC squad mates (Kasumi/Zaeed) on the Normandy. In ME3, that's pretty much the way it works with everyone. You don't enter into conversations with them, you don't get to investigate any of their stuff in their rooms even. Shepard just stands there and talks to them in pre-done conversations on his own. Lame. I guess Bioware seemed to think that Shepard had grown a mind of his/her own and didn't need any input from the player. Past decisions were factored in minimally I felt, plot holes all around, things just happen and there's no real feeling of meaning to them. I know there's a galaxy wide war for survival going on, but that doesn't mean everyone in the galaxy is just going to change and roll along with it for you. Come on Bioware, are you even trying anymore? Oh, and Tali's "gift", seriously?… Expand
  25. Segameister
    Mar 28, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, I'm definitely a Fanboy of Mass Effect - FOR NOW. I'm desperately holding out hope that the ending changes or at least gives a decent option that is truer to Shepard's character and the series, as that will be the ONLY WAY that Bioware gets more of my $$ in the future. It completely fails on both fronts. I'm still replaying the game and really enjoying the multiplayer, but that ending really damages the series. Outside of the ending. The graphics and cutscenes on the Xbox look fantast and run very smoothly. The (shooter) gameplay is the best of the series, and while I like that the mining from ME2 was replaced with scanning in ME3, too many of the extra missions can be resolved by simply scanning the systems and avoiding reapers. In the end it shortens gameplay and is too cookie cutter. Up until the last scene and the 'vanilla' ending options, even the story was true to what the other games in the series offered for depth, although the Edi / Jeff thing felt rushed (better writing needed there), the rest of the game is geat storywise. Downside: the ending of a trilogy of this caliber is an abomination to the concept of writing. Don't let Bioware defense fool you, this ending is not 'artistic'. Artistic license should not be used as an excuse for making such a terrible ending.

    Overall though, this game doesn't rate a 1 or 2 / 10. The strengths put it up to a 6. I wouldn't recommend rushing out and buying it just yet if you were waiting. Let the price go down first.    … Expand
  26. Jayosh
    Apr 12, 2012
    6
    Mass Effect has been an extremely amazing series, and Bioware hyped this game as the extremely exciting climax to the series. I think they deliver to a certain degree. I want to praise the actual combat in this game and even though people are whining about the lack of RPG elements I do think it's still a very fun system. It also does a really good task at dealing with a lot of theMass Effect has been an extremely amazing series, and Bioware hyped this game as the extremely exciting climax to the series. I think they deliver to a certain degree. I want to praise the actual combat in this game and even though people are whining about the lack of RPG elements I do think it's still a very fun system. It also does a really good task at dealing with a lot of the perpetual issues presented in both 1 and 2 (Krogan genophage, Geth quarian relationship, etc.). I would want to get the game after reading what I said its just, so half finished. No clue how Bioware put so little work into this game and still took so long. There are some GREAT story missions, very exciting. It's just everything else is so rushed. This game fails to appease the newcomers of the series and even the veterans who love this series with a burning passion. Interested in this game? Play Mass Effect 1 & 2 they are great games. I would recommend this game but be aware of what EA did to destroy one of my favorite franchises.… Expand
  27. MentalKase6288
    Apr 14, 2012
    6
    Overall I give the 6 and here is why:

    Story: Excellent! Well up until the last 10min. Pretty much when you play this game and you meet the glowing child. Just restart your Xbox and you won't have the fanchise ruined. Gameplay: Good. Single Player: The power combinations come in handy for some of the more difficult enemies. Still don't care about the limited ammo becuase it goes    Overall I give the 6 and here is why:

    Story: Excellent! Well up until the last 10min. Pretty much when you play this game and you meet the glowing child. Just restart your Xbox and you won't have the fanchise ruined.

    Gameplay: Good. Single Player: The power combinations come in handy for some of the more difficult enemies. Still don't care about the limited ammo becuase it goes against the first game, exploration was significantly reduced. Miss some of the puzzle games that were introduced to in the last game (ME2). Also you seem to need to switch between disc a lot more than in Mass Effect 2

    Multiplayer: Fun. No PvP, all PvE. Focus's on teamwork. Biggest complaint is the "Store". All new characters and weapons are random with different pack just increasing your odds. Unfortunately you don't know what items, weapons or characters are Common, Uncommon, Rare, or Ultra Rare.

    Bugs: A few but Significant

    Most notable the face import issue for characters created in Mass Effect 1 and 2. None of my characters faces I generated imported into Mass Effect 3. Even post patch, just released 4/11, imported in properly. Many gamer have experienced items being re-lock in multiplayer and game freezes.

    This game is a must play but not necessarily a must buy for the casual gamer.    … Expand
  28. MrDaikon
    Apr 28, 2012
    6
    I expect more from this game ... being the final game in the series and all.. It was good until half way in and it seems like they recycle the same setup over and overall again, throwing in a banshee here and there. I didn't expect the game to take in all the decision and choices from the last 2 game, but to randomly throw email and phone-calls from past members is lazy. At least giveI expect more from this game ... being the final game in the series and all.. It was good until half way in and it seems like they recycle the same setup over and overall again, throwing in a banshee here and there. I didn't expect the game to take in all the decision and choices from the last 2 game, but to randomly throw email and phone-calls from past members is lazy. At least give me a scene where all my buddies and I run into the battlefield together. Being in a galactic war, the battle certainly didn't feel like it. still the same skirmish battles and is anything but epic. And there is no need for me to talk about the ending :(… Expand
  29. shachenau
    Apr 29, 2012
    6
    The gameplay itself is a vast improvement on its predecessors, keeping the actiony flow of Mass Effect 2 while both bringing back the more in-depth RPG elements of the first Mass Effect and relaxing some of the series' questionable class-based weapon restrictions. It is long, and for the most part, it is enjoyable, with a surprisingly well-implemented multiplayer facet that is vaguelyThe gameplay itself is a vast improvement on its predecessors, keeping the actiony flow of Mass Effect 2 while both bringing back the more in-depth RPG elements of the first Mass Effect and relaxing some of the series' questionable class-based weapon restrictions. It is long, and for the most part, it is enjoyable, with a surprisingly well-implemented multiplayer facet that is vaguely reminiscent of Payday: The Heist. These technical improvements do not stop it from being the weakest and least inspiring installation of the series, however, decorating its plot with a slew of empty "consequences" of actions past and its exploration with an absence of content-- Mako exploration was ill-received, and planet-scanning was ill-received, but instead of attempting a compromise or a new system, exploration was mostly rendered inconsequential. The Citadel remains the only re-visitable area of interest, while galactic exploration is turned into a mild annoyance and the rest of the explorable galaxy is turned into setpieces. There is one critical mistake made in this game, and that is that the integrity of the gameplay was sacrificed for the integrity of the setting and plot. The steps taken to make the Reapers feel like an actual threat simply serve to make various segments of the game annoying at best and frustrating at worst. Players invested in the first two games have a pretty substantial likelihood of being frustrated and upset by Bioware's insistence on compromising the more rewarding aspects of decision-making and exploration in exchange for a more "believable" setting, improved combat being the only net positive of this trilogy-ender.… Expand
  30. Exo212
    May 13, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In all honesty, Mass Effect wasn't exactly the game it could have been. After creating to previous games, Bioware seemed to stop trying with the third. the only reason this isn't a five is that they brought Liara back. She was always a very engaging character with many dimensions, unlike Kaiden who only seemed to be a "canadian man-hunk" and Ash who was more the "Gun-babe". The non-cinematic cut-scenes left much to be desired, with frequent glitches such as my favorite-"the invisible eyelid"... you just can't engage in the emotion of a scene when you can see the entirety of someone's eyeball... In addition, none of the choices made in ME3 seem to make any difference, beyond how many "color-choices" you get at the end. It was gratifying to see how choices in previous games affected ME3, but the perceived *lack* of choice in the third game is infuriating, and the lack of follow-up from your choices beyond the color of a galaxy-wide explosion gains the ire of me and many more fans of the series. Highly disappointing, but I shouldn't have been surprised when I saw Dragon Age 2, but I thought that was a one-time thing... now I'm not so sure.… Expand
  31. Tehsoupman12
    Jun 27, 2012
    6
    As much as I really wanted to enjoy Mass Effect 3, there really is the feeling of this game getting rushed out of the door. In comparison to the first two, the story is paper thin, revolving around priority missions which somehow or another result in a main character being killed, much to my extreme disdain. The combat, I feel, isn't as well done or even fun as its predecessors, and by theAs much as I really wanted to enjoy Mass Effect 3, there really is the feeling of this game getting rushed out of the door. In comparison to the first two, the story is paper thin, revolving around priority missions which somehow or another result in a main character being killed, much to my extreme disdain. The combat, I feel, isn't as well done or even fun as its predecessors, and by the time the nonsensical ending came along, I was so ready to be done, that I didn't even care. Truly one of the most disappointing sequels I've ever experienced.… Expand
  32. jcorreia
    Nov 2, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (continued)
    And no more is this evident than in the ending    … Expand
  33. RavenEyry
    Dec 25, 2012
    6
    Even without the infamous ending, this game is still a mess. The patches and DLC have made improvements but many plot problems still stand. It's still an enjoyable game but could have been so much better, and the ending can ruin what preceeded for many people.
  34. SirMauz
    Apr 30, 2013
    6
    Well, again a mixed bag. The game is quite amazing up until that dang ending man. MP is fun, even a year into it, and still rolling on. The one thing that holds this game down is that crap ending.
  35. WyattTheAwesome
    May 30, 2013
    6
    Mass Effect 3 was a great improvement from Mass Effect 2, but it falls flat in a lot of areas. To its credit, Mass Effect 3 has much more intelligent A.I and your enemies use more coordinated attacks and aren't as predictable but this game still continues to be mediocre. I liked the campaign, because once again it had great characters and side missions that weren't delivery missions, butMass Effect 3 was a great improvement from Mass Effect 2, but it falls flat in a lot of areas. To its credit, Mass Effect 3 has much more intelligent A.I and your enemies use more coordinated attacks and aren't as predictable but this game still continues to be mediocre. I liked the campaign, because once again it had great characters and side missions that weren't delivery missions, but without ripping apart its ending, Mass Effect 3 doesn't have the same appeal as Mass Effect 1. It seems that they're straying away from its original RPG elements and becoming more of a tactical shooter. It's not bad in that setting, but I loved the original for being its own unique little adventure. This isn't a bad game, but not my favorite.… Expand
  36. WhiskeyStories
    Dec 3, 2017
    6
    /sigh/ Move along, there's no charm or sci-fi here. While Mass Effect 3 is an undeniably fun game it's not a worthy conclusion at all. The fact that the clunky but sincere sci-fi of the original is unashamedly traded in for a full-blown action game is not what breaks the game. As I said the gameplay is fun, but the story... the story is just dogsh#t. I'm sorry, but it's true. I still enjoy/sigh/ Move along, there's no charm or sci-fi here. While Mass Effect 3 is an undeniably fun game it's not a worthy conclusion at all. The fact that the clunky but sincere sci-fi of the original is unashamedly traded in for a full-blown action game is not what breaks the game. As I said the gameplay is fun, but the story... the story is just dogsh#t. I'm sorry, but it's true. I still enjoy the first 2/3rds of the game to a certain extent, but by the finale Mass Effect 3 completely crashes and burns and its clear that the writers had no idea what they were doing.… Expand
  37. ERR0RMACR0
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    Just here to add to the hate for this game and how it was handled. Of course, this game is a critics darling--funny how the same critics have damned games that have day 1 DLC, but ME gets a free pass. Critics are inconsistent, and in no way objective about their reviews. They play favorites and do not hold all games to the same standards. I seriously used to read critic reviews to makeJust here to add to the hate for this game and how it was handled. Of course, this game is a critics darling--funny how the same critics have damned games that have day 1 DLC, but ME gets a free pass. Critics are inconsistent, and in no way objective about their reviews. They play favorites and do not hold all games to the same standards. I seriously used to read critic reviews to make informed purchases, but recently I've been avoiding them entirely. The past 3-4 games that I've enjoyed were slammed by critics for **** stupid reasons, and other games like this that shouldn't be forgiven or embraced, the critics gush over. Mass Effect was a great series, but this DLC garbage needs to stop. EA/Bioware, Capcom, Rockstar you seriously all need to stop cutting content out to sell to us later. We've had enough.… Expand
  38. SUPERFLY
    Mar 17, 2012
    5
    I'm going to get straight to the point with this. It is OVER now EA / Bioware. You will get not one single penny more from me. EA / Biowares shameless and cynical manipulation of loyal gamers has gone too far. I've been with this series from the very start. Mass Effect 1 was a triumph even with its flaws. Mass Effect 2 was good, but it lacked some of the heart of the original and it wasI'm going to get straight to the point with this. It is OVER now EA / Bioware. You will get not one single penny more from me. EA / Biowares shameless and cynical manipulation of loyal gamers has gone too far. I've been with this series from the very start. Mass Effect 1 was a triumph even with its flaws. Mass Effect 2 was good, but it lacked some of the heart of the original and it was also the beginning of the money grabbing EA is notorious for. Mass Effect 3 is good, but has had almost all its heart and soul ripped away (with a few exceptions) and has finally confirmed what everyone knew, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! There is so much I want to rant about but I'm just going to stick with one example. DAY ONE DLC. Why is this not in my game already? Why am I paying an extra £7 for access to this on top of the £40 I've already spent for the game? With the script leaks and art book leaks everyone knows that this character was part of the game. Yet still EA / Bioware deny. How stupid do they think we are? I know that I don't have to buy this content. I know that I can say "no". It's the manipulation and disrespect that EA shows to gamers that angers me. I would of given this game 8 out of 10 if I wasn't feeling quite so furious. I just hope that someone within EA / Bioware can put their ruthless pursuit of profit aside long enough to show some respect to customers and start making truly great, innovative, RPGs again.… Expand
  39. Sumie
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved Mass Effect 1 and 2 (okay, loathed the Mako and all that crap, but apart from that...) Mass Effect 3? Is a highly polished turd in comparison. The gameplay itself is better, smoother, prettier. The artwork is amazing. The plot? Ahahaha. BioWare decided to go all grimdark; nothing you do matters in the end, and you don't get a proper epilogue that tells you what happened to all your squadmates. No, you get a dude telling his grandson a story about "the Shepard." There is supposed to be some sort of payoff for the sense of urgency the game conveys so well, but no. You and your squaddies just get the shaft because of some badly written Space Magic. It's pretty much "a wizard did it."

    Another couple of words I think I'll just leave here, because everyone will know what I mean: Jessica Chobot. :P

    I won't be buying any more BioWare games on release day, and they've made it very obvious with their DLC and other marketing that they find the pay-to-win scenario extremely lucrative and worth continuing. So, sale rack it is from now on. For what it's worth, Garrus is one of my favorite characters ever in a game. That I enjoyed the characters (when they weren't being completely screwed over in ME3) is one of the reasons I'm not quitting BioWare completely.    … Expand
  40. Joaftheloaf
    Mar 17, 2012
    5
    I'm torn, and deeply saddened by the ending. Mass effect 2 was the best game I've ever played to date, and I flat out loved every second of that game. I absolutely loved mass effect three practically the entire game. Loved the voice acting, combat, and much of the writing, but the ending just flat out disappointing me. I was expecting the endings to be vastly different from each other, butI'm torn, and deeply saddened by the ending. Mass effect 2 was the best game I've ever played to date, and I flat out loved every second of that game. I absolutely loved mass effect three practically the entire game. Loved the voice acting, combat, and much of the writing, but the ending just flat out disappointing me. I was expecting the endings to be vastly different from each other, but they're pretty much the exact same ending over and over again. I feel like the choices I made in the previous two games really didn't matter at all. Regardless of the giant letdown at the ending, I still loved the game and enjoyed every second of it to ending.… Expand
  41. sg1fan75
    Jul 27, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ME3 was a good game the combat was fun and most of the story was good. The problems start with no ME2 squad mates on the Normandy, the love interests have very limited interactions, and less for ME2 li, we don't get to see Tali's face, etc. The star-child is forced into the story, and all the endings are anti-heroic in my opinion even with the extended cut it still sucks. But you should try for yourself.… Expand
  42. Kdall
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    Boy I never thought I would have to rate a mass effect game below a 9, but in all honestly, I loved the game up until the very end, yes they did dumb it down quite a bit from ME1, and even that was acceptable to me. But the ending was so atrocious that after I just kept thinking "WTF just happened" in my head. I also felt like one of the coolest thing about bioware games, the moralBoy I never thought I would have to rate a mass effect game below a 9, but in all honestly, I loved the game up until the very end, yes they did dumb it down quite a bit from ME1, and even that was acceptable to me. But the ending was so atrocious that after I just kept thinking "WTF just happened" in my head. I also felt like one of the coolest thing about bioware games, the moral choices you are presented with, were completely pointless, the ending I recieved had absolutely nothing to do with any of my choices, nor did it make any sense what so ever. I will gladly state that I would of rather of seen a cliche action movie ending than what I saw.

    PS. I've played both KOTOR 1/2, DA 1/2, Jade Empire, and ME 1/2/3, I'm not a bioware hater considering I've pretty much bought every game they've made for the last 10 years, it's just shameful how bad the ending was...    … Expand
  43. AsmodeusAzarak
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    An incredible game ruined by a very poor ending. If you don't care about the story you may have a great time, but if story is important to you, and you have been following the series you will be disappointed.
  44. TheAngryN00b
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    Cons: Interactive movie on wheels, extremely linear, and predictable. Another sub par EA game. Pros: Cost:Hours of Gameplay ratio still better than other forms of entertainment, but if you're short on cash borrow or rent this humdrum game.
  45. nix1331
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    well im about 15 hours in and so far not so good. there are some technical issues on consoles but i guess that could be overlooked if the game looked a bit nicer, but ya the graphics are not that good especially the face and mouth work,which normally would not be a big deal but ME3 focuses a lot on character interaction and watching npc robot faces all with such similar voices too.ughhh.well im about 15 hours in and so far not so good. there are some technical issues on consoles but i guess that could be overlooked if the game looked a bit nicer, but ya the graphics are not that good especially the face and mouth work,which normally would not be a big deal but ME3 focuses a lot on character interaction and watching npc robot faces all with such similar voices too.ughhh. on pc im sure it will look considerably better but not on consoles.the combat is good and it seems they really focused on that instead of the story.....o the story.....its ok i guess but not anywhere as good as the final mass effect deserves and is incredibly easy....i dont know why game developers are making games with no challenge anymore.....why have a difficulty setting when only a retard would struggle with anything less than hard.....i guess people want an interactive movie more than a real game with challenge. multiplayer is pretty good but nothing we havent seen before in other big games. i keep reading that all the questions left open from the other games would be answered.....but sadly that does not seem to be the case, so far any attempt at this is has been short and dry. i really hope this picks up as i progress right now its pretty disappointing and from what i hear of the different endings (that they suck and rip off the first dues ex game) that disappointment seems like it may continue to the end… Expand
  46. Nile3
    Mar 9, 2012
    5
    ME3 did not feel as good as ME2. The story was a bit clumsy, the characters unfriendly and the relationship in-between them vacuous or unrealistic. I felt like I was watching a young girl playing with barbie dolls, but with a science-fiction plot instead of a pink play house. Don't get me wrong, the Sci-Fi idea behind all of ME is epic, I loved it. But this last chapter failed toME3 did not feel as good as ME2. The story was a bit clumsy, the characters unfriendly and the relationship in-between them vacuous or unrealistic. I felt like I was watching a young girl playing with barbie dolls, but with a science-fiction plot instead of a pink play house. Don't get me wrong, the Sci-Fi idea behind all of ME is epic, I loved it. But this last chapter failed to deliver because of the story-telling and the quite repetitive console-like gameplay.

    Here's how you beat the game: Move forward, shoot, repeat. You have nothing to think about or care about to beat the game.    … Expand
  47. geekofband007
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    When i first read the user reviews on metacritic for this game i thought they were all just trolls. I was playing the game and i loved it! until i got to the end... Here is what happened, the game itself was fantastic. The story was well put together (minus the last 20 minutes) and it felt like each decision you made actually mattered. I felt good being able to unite former enemiesWhen i first read the user reviews on metacritic for this game i thought they were all just trolls. I was playing the game and i loved it! until i got to the end... Here is what happened, the game itself was fantastic. The story was well put together (minus the last 20 minutes) and it felt like each decision you made actually mattered. I felt good being able to unite former enemies against a common enemy and creating the biggest attack force ever. The war assets I spent hours collecting would actually make a difference. The gameplay was fun and challenging, the RPG aspect was present and weapon choice and customization were all well done. The graphics were good (not amazing). I encountered texture pop-ins a lot! The graphics didn't really take away from the overall experience though. It was still a lot of fun to play and experience running into your former team members throughout the game. Everything was great, and I had these great visions for how it would end...then we got to the end. *******MINOR SPOILERS MAY OCCUR. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED****

    It was like, all my decisions, didn't matter. all the war assets, i never actually got to see them used. They were just a number. a statistic. The races i united and saved, i never got to see the fruits of my labor and the successes of the races. I never got to see myself settle down with my LI and live a happy life. I have been playing with a character that i had imported from mass effect 1! a character where i had become connected to and had made hard decisions and gotten attached to other characters. and then it was all thrown away. just like that. all my decisions, all the people i got to know and care about, thrown away. The ending, ruined the trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and with a better ending i would have probably given it a 9.5/10 (graphics issues). The story flowed well and it was very cool to see all the decisions i made in ME1 and ME2 all matter in ME3. I loved be able to unite everyone and create peace between groups that had despised each other for centuries. The RPG elements from ME1 were re-introduced but managed to keep out the excessive micro-managing to create a good blend of ME1 and ME2. The game was great and it felt like you were making a difference and every decision had an impact on the greater good. Until the end. The end ruined the entire game for me and ruined the trilogy. The best way to play Mass Effect 3 is to play all the way up to the last battle, but don't play that if you want to save yourself major disappointing. so, I have to knock off at least 4 points from my actual score because the ending was so unsatisfying and terrible. yes, it brought a conclusion to ME but in the most terrible way possible. I demand that Bioware fix this! We did it with Fallout 3. We can do it with mass effect. Overall, Play this game. just when you get to the last battle, stop! put the game down, or replay it but save yourself the disappointment of the last battle.    … Expand
  48. terbas
    Mar 29, 2013
    5
    I don't know what the people who poorly rated this game were thinking but this is one legendary game. It immersed me in the first couple of hours and I can't leave ME3 for long hours once I start to play it. Despite a few flaws (especially the same button used for cover, running and jumping over obstacles), this game is pure FUN and it surely deserves my score of "9".
  49. Allions
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, like Mass Effect 2 and 3. But too many damned bugs (2 mission impossible to get accomplished) and i got a bit disappointed with the ending. The ending itself is OK, but... all the choices made in 3 games became... nothing! Or at least, nothing i can see in the end. I would give it 10 if all the bugs are corrected and a decent ending (maybe the same ending but with many consequences made by previous decisions)… Expand
  50. ReviewCritic
    Mar 20, 2012
    5
    Let me explain to you what all of this hype is about: the ending. The last 10 minutes. I mean, until the ending, the game was O.K., not as good as the rest of the series, but still pretty good. AND THEN THE ENDING. IT WAS HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE.
  51. AnonXD
    Jul 17, 2012
    5
    Mass Effect 3... I patiently waited to play you, holding back my urge to play demo's and watch gameplay so that this final experience would be special. And it was very special, until the end. Gameplay and combat wise, Mass Effect 3 absolutely excels. I had a blast playing through all of the missions and it scores a 9.5 here. As for the plot (before the end), It was solid but they couldMass Effect 3... I patiently waited to play you, holding back my urge to play demo's and watch gameplay so that this final experience would be special. And it was very special, until the end. Gameplay and combat wise, Mass Effect 3 absolutely excels. I had a blast playing through all of the missions and it scores a 9.5 here. As for the plot (before the end), It was solid but they could have worked a lot more of the intricacies developed early in the series into this final story, it scores an 8.5 here. The end... oh the disappointing end. Even after the director's cut extended ending, I found myself saying "why Bioware?" Essentially, they added a insipid slideshow recapping what you just accomplished, that's all. This ending to my favorite sci-fi trilogy nearly shattered my love of the games. This ending scores a 2. Mass Effect 3 was supposed to end it all, and end it well. I would have taken sub-par gameplay and no multiplayer in a heartbeat for at least a decent ending.… Expand
  52. zgdelta
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    All my thoughts on the game has already been posted.... It felt like a 3rd person shooter rather than a RPG and I didn't like that there were less squad members and the new members were uninteresting. The second game was far better. I was so disappointed, I almost cried. :( ah well I was waiting for bioshock infinite longer anyway.
  53. bluejay3463
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    The endings are terrible, there are numerous bugs with missions, and frequent frame rate problems and game freezes. Poor writing. The well crafted and interesting story from the two previous games is replaced with blatant and ineffective emotional ploys. It's as if every character in the game is going through an Emo Goth phase.

    The beginning of the game doesn't even make sense unless you    The endings are terrible, there are numerous bugs with missions, and frequent frame rate problems and game freezes. Poor writing. The well crafted and interesting story from the two previous games is replaced with blatant and ineffective emotional ploys. It's as if every character in the game is going through an Emo Goth phase.

    The beginning of the game doesn't even make sense unless you opted to buy the last Mass Effect 2 DLC. Your storyline should not be dependent on option DLC.

    ME1 and ME2 are in my top 10 favorite games of all time. ME3 is a failure and a strong indication that Bioware studios has lost it's way.    … Expand
  54. Loonestar
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    Two words: AUTO DIALOGUE - even in story or RPG mode, the game rips away the controls and choices given to the player in the previous games. Want Shepard to say "x"? Too bad, he's going to spout cliched action movie lines for 5 minutes whether you like it or not. The spoken dialogue of the rest of the cast is just as bad. The absolute disdain for the player is obvious the entire time:Two words: AUTO DIALOGUE - even in story or RPG mode, the game rips away the controls and choices given to the player in the previous games. Want Shepard to say "x"? Too bad, he's going to spout cliched action movie lines for 5 minutes whether you like it or not. The spoken dialogue of the rest of the cast is just as bad. The absolute disdain for the player is obvious the entire time: This game thinks you are a moron, and has done everything it can to take away any opportunity for you to have fun with it. The action is dull, formulaic and predictable. The story is the worst type of pandering to the people Bioware want to play their games, i.e. the pubescent teenagers and creepy talimancers. Mac Walters has to be the worst game writer of his generation. This game blows.… Expand
  55. Sload
    Jul 13, 2012
    5
    Won't be buying any more Mass Effect games in the future. Bought this one and expected a good rpg experience, instead I got a third-person shooter with some tacked on "rpg" elements, crappy cover mechanics and aim-assist that you couldn't turn off. Thank you very much BioWare/EA for ruining a good sci-fi rpg, it had so much potential but you had to go and **** it up so you could sell more copies.
  56. Rabid
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've always been a Bioware fan. I loved KOTOR, Jade Empire, Dragon Age Origins and the first two Mass Effect games. I consumed them. They shaped me into the gamer I am today. In fact ME2 was the first full retail game I've ever gotten every achievement on. And even with my hesitation after Dragon Age: Awakenings and 2 (which I enjoyed...but didn't particularly care for), I eagerly preordered my CE 360 version of Mass Effect 3. My reasons for going on and on about is this is because I'm trying to stress I've always loved Bioware because I could always count on them on delivering a solid, enjoyable story that while I may not like...I could always respect. What happened Bioware? Let me explain. First off, I can only imagine the technical and programming finesse it would require to fully interpret EVERY player decision one has made in the prior two ME games. I get it, it would be logistically horrific. So I honestly expected some dumbing down. I expected some character interactions between my crew members to be slightly "off" due to some normalization for the public. But what surprised me was how greatly a shift in "spirit" this game seemed to be. While in the past two games, the illusion of choice was always well managed, making you the player feel like you were Shepard. You had the choices, even if they were in reality a carefully constructed plan. In 3, it feels like its just been stripped down a little. Renegade and paragon choices dont quite seem to have as much the significant impact as prior two games did. And if you personally had wanted to follow a particular path in ME2 that you were hoping to lead into ME3? Well good luck with that. What happened to your ME2 crew? Granted I understand that Shepard voluntarily surrendered, but am I to really believe that pretty much all your crew just said, "Later!" without fighting for him/her? Another thing in regards to this that particularly chafes me is how they handled love interests. Liara, Ashley/Kaidan and then Tali/Garrus all get some screen time and have some resolution. Sucks for you if you chose Jack, Miranda, Thane or Jacob. While Thane DOES have a particularly nice resolution that is touching; Jack, Miranda and Jacob are pretty much SOL. Still, despite all that, I enjoyed the game. In fact I've been up till 5AM every morning the past week until this morning (8AM) to finish. And I loved it. Until the last 8 or so minutes. Every illusion of choice that Bioware gave to the players to make me love this series was ultimately thrown against the wall and beaten with a stick. Three ambiguous outcomes? Really? If the point of the past two games was making a Shepard of OUR choice...to be able to choose how we wanted our galaxy to rise(or fall)...don't you think the players would have liked to have more input then what you gave us? The equivalent of close your eyes and pick a door? I loved ME. I loved ME2 more. I played every class, both Shepard and FemShep. And now? I dont know if I even want to try ME3 with my other saves beyond the first one. What's the point if all our actions in the end amount to nothing? To be fair. There were things I did like. Mordin's resolution on Tuchanka was amazing and masterfully crafted. As the first "big" surprise of the game for me, it got my blood pumping thinking about what the rest of the game had in store for me. Thane's resolution on the citadel was also to me very well crafted. I loved exploring some more of the personalities of the various races inhabiting the ME realm. I enjoyed seeing how some of my actions in previous games came to fruition in ME3. Bioware. I still believe in you. I will still give you my money if you want it. But know that you are breaking the very things that I loved about you. My faith in your abilities as storytellers.


    TLDR: If this was just a random RPG, I would be happy. I'd give it a seven or eight. But this is Mass Effect. It's big budget and well made. But I've run into a few technical glitches and the plot just doesn't seem as strong as the first two. And the ending sucked any nerd happiness I had right out of me. I don't mind a sad ending. I was kind of expecting a sad ending. Not a bad one.    … Expand
  57. PepperedShrimp
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    Gameplay was so-so, I felt it was slightly clunky. It was fun using the biotic moves, but it felt a bit too easy, might try it on a harder difficulty next playthrough.
    When it came down to story, it seemed as if they were shaping the ideas yet it came together badly, the ending felt unfufilling and there was no subtle denoument. It felt rushed and over-complicated the condition of the    Gameplay was so-so, I felt it was slightly clunky. It was fun using the biotic moves, but it felt a bit too easy, might try it on a harder difficulty next playthrough.
    When it came down to story, it seemed as if they were shaping the ideas yet it came together badly, the ending felt unfufilling and there was no subtle denoument. It felt rushed and over-complicated the condition of the Reapers, it would've done well sticking with simple concepts but taken through with more creativity.
    Graphics are quite well done. the pre-rendered cutscenes were nice to watch. I noticed some areas were re-skinned from ME2 though. And some animations were also taken from the second Mass Effect. Also, there are noticeably less dialogue choices than in the first two games, and some didn't carry on the way I had intended. I don't know if this was done purposefully or to perpetuate hopelessness but it wasn't as satisfying.
    If you have some spare change and you want something different, please go ahead and play the game. I suggest to start with the first one though and make your opinion as you progress. Not BioWare's best, but not exactly its worst either.    … Expand
  58. MatDiF
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    Mass Effect 3 is the latest installment of Biowareâ
  59. iloveME
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is near perfection to me. Gameplay is fantastic, the set pieces beautiful, even the auto-dialogue isn't as bad as I thought. But then you get to the ending and... what the heck were they thinking? Now, don't get me wrong: the endings aren't THAT bad. The problem lies with the lack of closure that comes right after 'em. Is our happy ending really a 2 second clip of Shepard gasping in the midst of rubble and the Normandy crew gazing wistfully at a new horizon? There simply should be more. I need to see Shepard get up. I need to see the Normandy crew on Earth, re-uniting with their Commander. But we don't. I suppose this "happy ending" can imply that all these things are happening but a good story shouldn't end with blanks that need your imagination to fill in. If it weren't for these endings, I would give this game a 9. It would have knocked ME1 right of its throne as my number 1 game. Unfortunately, BioWare decided to half-ass the ending of an RPG trilogy. It shouldn't end with more questions! I dislike the lack of closure so much that I'm starting to have doubts if I can ever return to ME1 & 2. I wish, I wish... an extra cut scene or two.… Expand
  60. fusdorah54352
    Mar 6, 2012
    5
    i guess me3 is aite



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  61. Tom_Weiss
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    the developers forgot the most important aspect of their own game - the face that the user creates for his/her Shepard, which cannot be imported. And the face mesh in ME3 looks cartoonish - the game looks like it was developed by a completely different crew that did not bother to give visual continuity to the game.

    And if that was not enough - several key characters look unlike anything    the developers forgot the most important aspect of their own game - the face that the user creates for his/her Shepard, which cannot be imported. And the face mesh in ME3 looks cartoonish - the game looks like it was developed by a completely different crew that did not bother to give visual continuity to the game.

    And if that was not enough - several key characters look unlike anything in ME1 and ME2, one, Ashley, looks like a transvestite so bad the model is.    … Expand
  62. Tudelnips
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    While the shooting mechanics and gameplay are solid if a bit uninspired, the major selling point for this game, namely the freedom of choice associated with this title, have been stripped down by a considerable degree in comparison with the first two titles. The RPG elements (such as looting, exploration, ect) have been reduced to clicking the left trigger button and launching a pod, ifWhile the shooting mechanics and gameplay are solid if a bit uninspired, the major selling point for this game, namely the freedom of choice associated with this title, have been stripped down by a considerable degree in comparison with the first two titles. The RPG elements (such as looting, exploration, ect) have been reduced to clicking the left trigger button and launching a pod, if you're lucky enough to find anything (at least it beats scanning the planets...that really sucked). Contrary to the opinions of other reviewers, I thought the plethora of unhappy endings for this game were appropriate (after all, the Reapers are supposed to be a serious threat to existence, kind of like Hitler was to the rest of the World); however, some of the plotholes in the series make the storyline intolerable at places. Did you destroy the Rachni Queen in Mass Effect? Well, regardless of your decision in the first game, you get to look forward to seeing her again. This is the only plothole I have verified, but based on the lividness of other reviewers I have no doubt that more of them await me in a second playthrough.
    If plotholes and a lack of the RPG experience was not enough, I have learned now that in order to increase my "galactic readiness" level in the single player campaign, I must play the "Galaxy At War" multiplayer. Now, I'm not against multiplayer games or the multiplayer experience, but I bought this game with the (I believe reasonable) expectation that I would be able to completely control my virtual galaxy's fate (at least to the degree of control that my virtual Shepard could exert) without having to go through a (usually repetitive if not sometimes entertaining) multiplayer platform to achieve the results. Perhaps the Call of Duty franchise could have benefitted from this type of multiplayer-to-singleplayer tie-in, but a franchise that has grounded itself in a rewarding single player experience making a move like this is beyond risky from a business perspective, and IMO a downright disappointment. Perhaps the biggest flaw of this game is the choice of squadmates. I understand limiting the number of them to facilitate a deeper connections with the NPCs through more detailed dialogue, but with a series that has introduced me to such an overwhelming number of interesting characters already, why would I want to parade about the galaxy with Ronnie Coleman? Seriously, James Vega is easily one of the stupidest, flattest, and stereotypical characters I have ever had the displeasure to interact with virtually, and it was a very bad decision on Bioware's part to introduce him in the series when any, and I mean any, of the other characters I had previously been exposed to could have filled his spot on that limited roster. Combine those with two new "character introductions", and now my ship in this galaxy has been filled with quite a displeasing number of people that I would rather throw out the airlock than interact with on a deep, meaningful level. So I've said a lot of negative crap about this game and yet I am still giving it a five. Despite these flaws, which have pretty much ruined the experience for me, I understand that I am the only human being here with my very specific tastes and expectations, and that while some other hardcore fans of this series may be able to relate to my opinions about the ending to this trilogy, EA's sickening influence over this franchise has successfully introduced it to a large number of very different gamers. If you like contrived, mindless shooting like what you see in certain James Cameron movies and in too many games being rushed into production these days, then please go ahead and purchase this game; you will certainly not be disappointed in what this game has to offer. And while you're at it, buy the day-one DLC as well, which is an embarrassing stain on the gaming industry as a whole that will likely lead me to pirating one in every six games I buy, just to level the score for raping my wallet. But if you are like me, and you are a huge fan of the first game in this series, and at least a loyal fan despite watching EA's influence mar the quality of the second game in this series, then I would highly recommend you wait until this game is in the twenty-dollar bin at your local gaming store before you buy it because this game will be one disappointment after another from start to finish. Or better yet, don't buy it at all and let Bioware know that we, as fans of their effort on the first game in this series, will not buy any more of the garbage from the money-grubbing scum that like to call themselves Electronic Arts, and that includes Bioware games if they choose to remain associated with them. It really is a shame that a franchise with as much potential as this one was ultimately destroyed by greedy idiots trying to appeal to a larger audience despite the franchise's financial and critical success from jump street...    … Expand
  63. aimlessgun
    Mar 8, 2012
    5
    Most of the game is amazing:
    -Good combat
    -Great atmosphere -Amazingly done little details -A lot of very emotional moments -Some of the toughest and most heart wrenching decisions I've had to make -Thoroughly addicting and enjoyable (until the end). So-so stuff: -Slightly too much autodialogue. Not a huge deal though. -Effect of many previous choices given mention but not explicitly    Most of the game is amazing:
    -Good combat
    -Great atmosphere
    -Amazingly done little details
    -A lot of very emotional moments
    -Some of the toughest and most heart wrenching decisions I've had to make -Thoroughly addicting and enjoyable (until the end).
    So-so stuff:
    -Slightly too much autodialogue. Not a huge deal though.
    -Effect of many previous choices given mention but not explicitly detailed, left to your imagination (works for some)
    -Dialogue ranges from great to cringe inducing

    The horrible:
    -Ending is some of the worst writing/storytelling of all time. NOT because it is a "sad" ending. Because it comes out of nowhere and makes no sense. It would take an essay to detail everything that is wrong with it. 90% of the game is awesome. By that measure, I could give it a 9/10. But endings are important.

    Worth buying and playing.    … Expand
  64. Seruko
    Mar 8, 2012
    5
    The Story arch is not a fitting end to the series.
    Multiplayer is a requirement for unlocking 25% of the ending content.
    The weapon choices are 75% useless. 1-2 best choices in every category. Battles are heavily scripted and generally very good, occasionally scripting problems, like enemies popping into existence. Plot relies heavily on cut scenes, which are often extremely frustrating    The Story arch is not a fitting end to the series.
    Multiplayer is a requirement for unlocking 25% of the ending content.
    The weapon choices are 75% useless. 1-2 best choices in every category.
    Battles are heavily scripted and generally very good, occasionally scripting problems, like enemies popping into existence.
    Plot relies heavily on cut scenes, which are often extremely frustrating and invalidate player choices.
    Bioware keeps currency mini-game which is often nonsensical.
    Pacing is awful. No sense of urgency. Game often punishes player for not performing fed-ex style quests.
    RPG system feels tacked on to a mediocre shooter.    … Expand
  65. MoGlee
    Mar 9, 2012
    5
    I signed up just to rate this game! I am giving it a 5 because multi-player is kind of fun. But dear Bioware, after Dragon Age 2 and now Mass Effect 3, please be aware you are in risk of losing your hard core audience - people like me who basically buy every single Bioware game they can get their hands on. It is disingenuous to claim multi-player is optional and then make it literallyI signed up just to rate this game! I am giving it a 5 because multi-player is kind of fun. But dear Bioware, after Dragon Age 2 and now Mass Effect 3, please be aware you are in risk of losing your hard core audience - people like me who basically buy every single Bioware game they can get their hands on. It is disingenuous to claim multi-player is optional and then make it literally impossible to get the best ending without playing multi-player. Really bad. I am not the multi-player type and if your multi-player was just a bit worse, I would have rated you zero. I invested hundreds of hours in this character and now to find myself being told that I have to play multi-player, something I do not want to do for getting the best ending is sad.… Expand
  66. clay391
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    Great game but the endign needs an epilogue. I would gladly pay $10 for a DLC epilogue.

    1. 3D models need to learn blocking. That is a term used by actors and actresses in theater. Its an illusion that the audience accepts because if the actor actually talked face to face with the other actor then the audience only sees the back of an actorâ
  67. Variable
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game itself adds nothing to the series in terms of gameplay. It's the same old, same old. It doesn't try anything new that impacts the game in a significant way. You can still find better TPS gameplay in Gears (which is saddening really). It's not bad, but enjoyable for what it is.

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

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

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

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

    It's not amazing or good. Just painfully average    … Expand
  68. Sternesy
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    The game itself was amazing, I had so much fun playing it. The story was such an unforgettable experience and I was captivated the whole time....up until the last 10 minutes. I'm not going to be a jerk and spoil it for anyone, but I played the first two when they launched and have been really excited for the 3rd one to conclude the story. Unfortunately the ending was so bad that not onlyThe game itself was amazing, I had so much fun playing it. The story was such an unforgettable experience and I was captivated the whole time....up until the last 10 minutes. I'm not going to be a jerk and spoil it for anyone, but I played the first two when they launched and have been really excited for the 3rd one to conclude the story. Unfortunately the ending was so bad that not only do I feel cheated but I now have no desire to go back and reply the game again which may not seem bad until you compare it to the first two which I played four times each. I really hope Bioware releases some DLC post ending so give the fans some closure on the story. They do that and I'd give this game a perfect 10.… Expand
  69. Darman-1136
    Mar 11, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's hard for me to decide how to put a number rating on Mass Effect 3 (ME3). I'd been gleefully anticipating the release of the game the day I completed Mass Effect 2 (ME2) and as slowly progressed through ME3, I could barely contain my joy at finally seeing the end of a game where MY choice mattered. What I got was a punch to the stomach and a feeling of despair that won't diminish for the foreseeable future. The ending makes a complete mockery of all the choices I've made this past five years of the course of three games that I poured my heart and soul into. ME3 is an amazing game. Until the last five minutes. You're given the choice (depending upon your effective military rating; the endings differ slightly depending the score) of either controlling the Reapers, destroying the Reapers, or Synthesis; which means the Citadel (which happens to be the Catalyst you've been hunting for during the game to complete the Crucible) absorbs your part synthetic/part organic essence and channels it throughout the galaxy via the Mass Relays to make all life a half and half hybrid. What? If you choose to control the Reapers, you must become one. You choose to destroy the Reapers, it kills ALL synthetic life in the galaxy; including the geth and the Mass Relays are destroyed. You choose synthesis you die. No closure. The game ends in a cutscene with the Normandy outrunning the Mass Relays destruction, which makes no sense as Earth is saved with this option and the Reapers flee, so what are you running from? The Normandy then crashes onto an unknown planet with some of the crew leaving the ship, and I'm assuming starting a new life? Cutscene ends with an old man and young child. The old man is telling your story, the story of "the Shepard," and how you saved the galaxy from destruction. This game, I'm sure, was a lifelong dream to make for the folks at Bioware. This has been they're baby for almost a decade and they are the creators, so they're voice carries weight when it comes to how they want the game to end. But as a fan who has put so much into this series I cannot wrap my head around how they thought these choices were a viable option to end a game of this magnitude. We get to make all these decisions with the life of the galaxy hanging in the balance and then at the end we don't get to see the fruits of our efforts? What happens to all the alliances we forged? Does peace reign? Do petty hatreds resume? My Shepard doesn't get to settle down and live his life with Ash (my choice of romantic interest in my main play through)? The ending to this game, for me, ruins further playthroughs I might attempt starting with replaying Mass Effect 1 (ME1.) Why would I waste time making the galactic decisions I do when there's no closure at the end. Maybe these endings give the folks at Bioware closure, but it doesn't for me. I guess I'll rate it a five. ME3 is a 9.5 game. If you discount the last five minutes. My grade: Disappointed, but for numbers sake I'll give it a five. I guess.… Expand
  70. Armiga21
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    As a fan of the previous two games, I was disappointed with this final installment. The third installment is unfortunately rifled with a lot of dumbing down of the franchise. Conversation choices have been severely limited, as have the number of dialog choices; especially those which actually matter. This comes into play for the worst in the ending which is a huge disappointment, to sayAs a fan of the previous two games, I was disappointed with this final installment. The third installment is unfortunately rifled with a lot of dumbing down of the franchise. Conversation choices have been severely limited, as have the number of dialog choices; especially those which actually matter. This comes into play for the worst in the ending which is a huge disappointment, to say the least. The series hailed itself as choice since the beginning, but the way your choices end up affecting the ending seem to be arbitrary at best. It's also unfortunate multiplayer is required to get the best ending possible. I believe you can get it if you make very specific choices in the campaign (i.e. not all Paragon or all Renegade, you need a guide in your lap to mix and choose very specific ones) but chances are you won't get it without a guide. Multiplayer itself feels very tacked on and more of a mandate by the publisher, similar to how I felt on Multiplayer in Bioshock 2.… Expand
  71. micro4
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    Let me be vary clear i am not going to complain about the graphics the Homosexuality or the glitches. With the level of coding needed to facilitate a game like this with so many choices and paths to take it is expected. If you want a gay or lesbian Shepard more power to you. As a matter of fact on My second play-through i may just try that with my Female renegade, but we shall see.
    What    Let me be vary clear i am not going to complain about the graphics the Homosexuality or the glitches. With the level of coding needed to facilitate a game like this with so many choices and paths to take it is expected. If you want a gay or lesbian Shepard more power to you. As a matter of fact on My second play-through i may just try that with my Female renegade, but we shall see.
    What really made me drop to my knees and cry what really killed this game for me was the ending.
    Without giving anything away let me explain.
    All those choices that you made, all those people you met, all those romances you had, AMOUNT TO NOTHING. No mention no nothing. Let me be clear i have no problem with a bittersweet ending. If lets say Shepard had no choice and all he could do to save his world and the Woman/Man he loves is to end his own life then sure by all means but treat it as such. Better yet do it gently. Or make it after a grand final battle. No such thing happens. A lot of people were complaining about the negativity of the ending. If the end would have been handled with a little more care i would not be as angry sad and frustrated. Let me be clear this games took me 35 hours to complete combining the game play from all three that led to this finally i had a grand total of 126 hours of game-play mostly from 1 and 2 respectively. To then tell me that all that work and toil and sweat and sleepless nights amounts to nothing is more then just saddening. It is a swift kick to the nuts. A sudden pain radiating up your back toward your stomach. I actually played the ending again the first time just to make sure i did not make a mistake, and then a played it a third time just to be sure. I actually contemplated throwing this game out the window. Something i had never done before. However if you let your anger subside as i did after about a day. You will go back watch the end again let the credits finish rolling and hear how what you have done throughout the game has become the stuff of legend. Many cry foul at this but i see it as a nod from Bioware to keep going and persevere and try again. That and the Game itself leading up to the last ten minutes are what kept me from giving this thing anything less then a five. You will like the game, up untill you make your final push for the transporter. After that you will cry, you will be angry, you will be speechless. You will try again and again to find the truth and you will fail. Bioware has tried and failed to resist EA Greed. First Red Alert 3 and now this. I am done with you EA. Here is a quick list of the game series EA has ruined.
    Command and Conquer: RED ALERT
    Mass Effect 3
    007
    Command and Conquer
    Dungeon Master
    Sim (name here)

    These are just the ones I've played.
    These are big series too.
    Congrats EA with this you have pissed off Sci-Fi fans across the world.

    Bioware resist the EA greed and keep making good games .

    the following is for EA:

    **** YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  72. Eradith
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    The ending ruins an otherwise great game. It makes no sense and BioWare did not live up to their hype nor promises at this point. I hope they will either explain it or fix it, because I'm not getting where they are trying to go with it. The worst of it, is that you could have done absolutely nothing in the previous two games or even in this one and would probably still get the same oldThe ending ruins an otherwise great game. It makes no sense and BioWare did not live up to their hype nor promises at this point. I hope they will either explain it or fix it, because I'm not getting where they are trying to go with it. The worst of it, is that you could have done absolutely nothing in the previous two games or even in this one and would probably still get the same old ending. Kinda sad considering the promises made in interviews.… Expand
  73. ikevi
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    Truth be told I loved the all but the last 10 minutes of the game. And those 10 minutes left me with such a feeling of distastes that it basically ruined the whole game for me. When a game is founded off of the users decisions over 3 games, why did BioWare decide to ignore all those choices at the end of the game and force me to pick 3 choices that don't make sense with how I played theTruth be told I loved the all but the last 10 minutes of the game. And those 10 minutes left me with such a feeling of distastes that it basically ruined the whole game for me. When a game is founded off of the users decisions over 3 games, why did BioWare decide to ignore all those choices at the end of the game and force me to pick 3 choices that don't make sense with how I played the game? (Let alone the unanswered questions.) My guess is that BioWare had a very ambitious set of multiple endings planned, but that due to time concerns they scrapped them and left us with an unfinished game with a token ending that they plan to flesh out with dlc.… Expand
  74. Trainwhistle
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    I loved this series! I've put so many hours into the each of the games, hearing that they will all factor in during the grand finale. However, this was not the case. The story telling was good in this game the same as it was in all the others. Until the ending. *spoilers* Once i reached the ending i was given 3 options. All pretty much the same. No matter what combination of War AssetsI loved this series! I've put so many hours into the each of the games, hearing that they will all factor in during the grand finale. However, this was not the case. The story telling was good in this game the same as it was in all the others. Until the ending. *spoilers* Once i reached the ending i was given 3 options. All pretty much the same. No matter what combination of War Assets achieved. You could beat this game with 0 War assets and have the same ending I did. Also, the choices I made were not reflected at all. Which was Biowares big deal for this series. I am severally disappointed. On the good side. Combat was amazing the best its been in any of the other games. But that's about the only plus side to this game. Very Sad. Very sad.… Expand
  75. Tyrannis1964
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    I loved every mass effect game up to this one I enjoyed this ones gameplay and combat but the story writing and endings hurt. such a great series has ended in literal sadness for a series I really and truly loved.
  76. Thuggster
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Game was everything I had hoped... Until the end. No way would Shepard have accepted The Catalyst's beliefs, not when Shepard has experienced first hand organics and synthetics coexisting and working together. I was sad and disappointed at the end of this game. As a film ending it would be bitter sweet and might be acceptable. With a game I think companies DO have to pander more to the consumers, because we are far more invested in the characters than we would be in film or print, this is OUR commander Shepard and he/she deserved better!… Expand
  77. Gashmania
    Mar 16, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a massive ME fan I loved the first two games and played them countless times and put so many hours into these games and I was obviously excited when ME3 was announced thinking of what to expect from one if not the best sci fi games of all time. Then I played me3...I am not even going to speak about the ending as I think everybody has that covered. But this review is about everything else that I was annoyed with. In ME3 it felt rushed not like the other Mass Effect games because they were so well thought out and you could lose yourself in the great adventures that Shepard and the crew got into. Picking the way conversations flowed and picking to be a bad a$$ or a good guy in certain situations. It felt like Bioware got bored or ran out of ideas for ME3 and just pushed you all the way to the end with no real structure to the game. There wasnâ… Expand
  78. surrealismed
    Mar 16, 2012
    5
    An otherwise flawless game marred by a lack of catharsis. On the gameplay front, this is a perfect game: everything you do in combat feels right, and even the recently added multiplayer is sleek as hell. For the most part, the story is just as fantastic, using five years of built tension to masterful effect. However, the ending features a mind screw of a plot twist that feels wrong givenAn otherwise flawless game marred by a lack of catharsis. On the gameplay front, this is a perfect game: everything you do in combat feels right, and even the recently added multiplayer is sleek as hell. For the most part, the story is just as fantastic, using five years of built tension to masterful effect. However, the ending features a mind screw of a plot twist that feels wrong given the context. In no way does the ending fulfill the expectations laid out by the prior two games or the promises of the devs, instead resembling a rejected premise from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. My advice? Stop playing before the final mission and wait until BioWare rectifies the conclusion.… Expand
  79. Maslakoff
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    ME3 is an outstanding game, don't get me wrong. Each clue episode is as heart-touching as ever, dialogues are excellently written (for the most part), and the whole emotional impact is so huge, that i couldn't handle myself and cried several times. But...
    But. The ending. It's not bad at all. It's even metaphorical and very surrealistic. OK. But i personally play Mass Effect not for it's    ME3 is an outstanding game, don't get me wrong. Each clue episode is as heart-touching as ever, dialogues are excellently written (for the most part), and the whole emotional impact is so huge, that i couldn't handle myself and cried several times. But...
    But. The ending. It's not bad at all. It's even metaphorical and very surrealistic. OK. But i personally play Mass Effect not for it's symbolical content, but for it's straightness with a player. It's deep connection with you and the Big Story is one of the most important parts of the series. The motivation is important. This ending has no motivation at all. It feels unfinished and frustrating. Why do we play 85+ hours of the greatest adventure in gaming history? We were given the right to choose. And it was very well made, indeed. The ending of ME3 doesn't give you a satisfaction, because there is no choice at all. Some pointless images, highly metaphorical (and profoundly disconnected with the whole series) scenes, and then... It ends. Are you really sure?..
    It's supposed to be a trilogy, right? And why do i feel, that the last scenes are bad jokes? It seems for me, that the "Epilogue" DLC will be the right decision.
    Please, Bio Ware. There is nothing to be ashamed. You did a great job. But the ending confused too many of us. You may not rewrite it, but you still can correct it.
    I still recommend this game to everyone with a good taste and open heart and mind. But, first of all, play the previous two installations, and then proceed to this one. Maybe, by the time you finish it, we'll get the proper ending...    … Expand
  80. geeksquared
    Mar 19, 2012
    5
    A fantastic story, well written with some of the best voice acting in the history of gaming. Tragically let down by buggy cover mechanics, graphic glitches, and an ending sequence that sours the entire series.
  81. Neoimperialist
    Mar 24, 2012
    5
    Right this minute, Bioware is holding the future of narrative video gaming by the tail. They have been holding it for five years, but the future is a rough beast and Bioware must seize it soon or it will break their grip and scamper away for someone else to catch. Bioware didn't just create a series of games in Mass Effect, they created a phenomenon in video gaming. Perhaps withoutRight this minute, Bioware is holding the future of narrative video gaming by the tail. They have been holding it for five years, but the future is a rough beast and Bioware must seize it soon or it will break their grip and scamper away for someone else to catch. Bioware didn't just create a series of games in Mass Effect, they created a phenomenon in video gaming. Perhaps without understanding it fully, they created the concept of a game that could be entirely dependent on the actions of the player. When taken to a futuristic conclusion, it implies a game series in which not merely the narrative conclusions are dependent on player actions, but one in which the story itself that the player experiences depends on them. A game that offers multiple stories and experiences rather than one that simply tweaks conclusions. A narrative template comprising a whole universe that could be enriched over and over with new content. It is a breathtaking idea if only Bioware has the vision to see it. Mass Effect is a prototype, an imperfect exemplar of what such a game series could be. It was a good enough illustration of the concept that it was immediately embraced by gamers all over the world, but it is nothing like a complete realization. The technology will certainly require improvement before complete realization can be achieved.

    The problem here, is not so much that the end was that bad. I believe that it was a horrible narrative choice, but ultimately that comes down to a matter of taste. The problem here is that at the eleventh hour, Bioware lost sight of the brilliance of their own concept and fell back on the past and on a final gimmick that turned the game's agile feet into clay. The prototype game of the future was hobbled by antiquated marketing notions. They wanted that last game to be all things to all people without taking into account just why the concept was revolutionary by itself. At the same time, though, they wanted it to be completely unique. Unforgettable was the word that Casey used. It was this awkward combination of marketing goals that was the downfall of the game. The multiple play modes.were, in fact, a stroke of genius. Had the mission structure lived up to the concept of the series ME3 would have been astonishing rather than merely very good. Had the game ended with multiple reflections of previous actions, the game would have been a nearly perfect experience instead of a trauma for so many. They didn't need the gimmick at the end to make the game unique, because they already had uniqueness built into the concept. Someone forgot that the concept depends on the player creating his own uniqueness.. In fact, this is a game concept in which the player creates his own experience. This is what mystifies me about Bioware's protestations regarding their alleged sole proprietary interest in the creative process. In creating this gaming concept, they gave up a bit of narrative creative interest to the gamer himself, so now I see little sense in miming surprise over this current controversy. In over 25 years of video gaming I have never seen anything to match the depth of emotional investment this game series has elicited from its fan base. I very much wonder whether the suits at EA have any genuine appreciation at all of the magnitude of Bioware's accomplishment in that regard.

    With all that, Bioware is still on the razor's edge of inventing a whole new future for narrative video gaming if Bioware will commit themselves to seizing it. I have opined elsewhere that the franchise may be ruined already. That may or may not be the case, but the concept is alive and well if only Bioware will embrace it fully.    … Expand
  82. mxfox408
    Mar 20, 2012
    5
    I have loved the mass effect series since the first game, and Bioware had created something unique and amazing. The game was designed to be a trilogy, and it has an amazing story and unique way of playing. The third and final installment to the trilogy had some amazing gameplay and some solid action as well as recapturing some great amazing moments between your love interists. HoweverI have loved the mass effect series since the first game, and Bioware had created something unique and amazing. The game was designed to be a trilogy, and it has an amazing story and unique way of playing. The third and final installment to the trilogy had some amazing gameplay and some solid action as well as recapturing some great amazing moments between your love interists. However there are several plotholes as well reguarding some of the lore. The closure was also a very poorly executed thing is this game making little to no sense what so ever. in essense Mass Effect 3 was an amazing game but in the end fails to live up to the previous games in the series and fails t measure up to the hype. Before the ending 9/10, after the ending 5/10.… Expand
  83. Eldanildiel
    Mar 19, 2012
    5
    Had it not been for the ending, Mass Effect 3 would have gotten a solid 10/10 from me. I loved the franchise. I loved the emotional impact of 98% of the final installment in this trilogy. Unfortunately, the ending completely negated any choices you've made over the course of nearly 120 hours of game investment. I don't play action RPGs by Bioware expecting for them to drop the ball thisHad it not been for the ending, Mass Effect 3 would have gotten a solid 10/10 from me. I loved the franchise. I loved the emotional impact of 98% of the final installment in this trilogy. Unfortunately, the ending completely negated any choices you've made over the course of nearly 120 hours of game investment. I don't play action RPGs by Bioware expecting for them to drop the ball this profoundly in the finale. So disappointed that they chose to go this route.… Expand
  84. SacredShepard
    Mar 20, 2012
    5
    I loved this game, truely loved it.....except the ending.

    I have loved this series since it started, I really hope that Bioware can think about adding alternate endings on, and save the series, because with the way it is now....it might just kill the series and the company.
  85. Fumi-chan
    Mar 21, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The uproar about this game is as legit as it can get. To sum it up in a few words: the game is glorious until the 10 last minutes. I'm not even gonna take into consideration the day 1 DLC locked in the disk and all the stock photos like Tali's face and the easter egg secret ending, those are small potatoes compared to the last few minutes of the game.

    It's funny how websites and game reviewers that earn from ad revenue have decided to paint every single person who's dissatisfied with how the end of the game was handled as simple angry nerds with entitlement problems and simply refuse to acknowledge any problems in the series. And the worst part about this is how your average normal gamer, who isn't as invested in gaming as the most passionate fans end up buying the whole story, as those are still the most viewed and sought after websites when it comes to reviews and gaming news. You guys just miss the point.

    So, how did the ending ruin the entire series? Firstly, one can argue that many retcons in the second and third installments already ruined a good chunk of the game, but I disagree. Retcons happen all the time in most if not all of these expansive fictional universes. There's no way someone can think of the entire universe and have all the answers for everything and full compatibility between all plot elements. It's simply impossible. And even with retcons, you still have a very solid base for all the story elements, you know almost exactly how everything works. And this is why the ending disappointed so many: in about 10 minutes, it managed to negate everything you've learned in the span of 3 games. Everything you knew was a lie, and Shepard simply accepts that fact with open arms. And after you make your Deus Ex-esque decision, everything that follows simply refuse to make sense, having characters teleport from the battle to inside the Normandy, having Joker escape with the Normandy in the middle of the decisive battle for the future of the entire galaxy and not giving you any information about what happens next, what happened to your crew and all the characters you cared about for 3 games and doesn't even give us any clear information about what happened to the all the races and if the galaxy will be fine or if everything is over. To quote Mac's own note, "Lots of speculation from everyone" was their pick to finish this epic trilogy as opposed to a concise and satisfying ending. And this is where MOST of you apologists miss the point: people who complain about this ending aren't sad because Shepard dies. They're not sad because of the dark tone it took, we ALL knew this war was gonna take many sacrifices. Hell, we've seen it throughout the whole game: Mordin sacrifices himself to cure the Genophage; depending on how you played the game, Grunt also dies protecting the Rachni queen, Thane dies protecting the council, etc etc. Millions of people are dying all over the galaxy. I'm pretty sure most people EXPECTED Shepard to die heroically at the end. So this is not the problem with the ending at all. This is the "fan" side of the problem.

    The other side of the problem is the consumer side. As a consumer, you expect a company to live up to its promises, and Bioware has failed immensely in this department. We've been promised - and I quote - "wildly different endings", each which would be influenced by important choices we made throughout the entire series. Did our important choices matter during Mass Effect 3? For the most part yes, I suppose. But the ending just completely nullifies all of your decisions and gives you 3 choices which only change the color of the explosion at the end. This video illustrates it perfectly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rPelM2hwhJA. So as consumers, many people feel like they've been fooled and robbed of their money. And really? Did you forget how a "game with wildly different endings" work? Remember Chrono Trigger? That game had many different endings with completely different outcomes, with one of them being considered canon. Even if you lose the final battle, instead of a simple game over screen, you get a real ending where Lavos simply destroys the world. So for all of you defending Bioware's "creative rights", keep that in mind. Is this what they want as their canon ending to their series? Great, why not att alternate endings for all the other players with different kinds of choices? This is how games used to be handled back in the day and this is how Japanese media such as Visual Novels STILL handle it.

    And this is all the disappointed fans want. We don't want our own headcanon or ME fanfiction to become reality, we just want to either get a concise ending (which fans already did for Bioware with the indoctrination theory), or the promised 16 wildly different endings according to our decisions. If you want to make God-child catalyst canon, go ahead, Bioware. Just give us the choice you promised we'd have.    … Expand
  86. ASHIRAH
    Mar 27, 2012
    5
    ME 1 was smashing. Story, characters, everything. ME 2 was poor. Story, characters, everything. ME 3 is disappointing.
    Hey guys, isn't it time to stop building dumb arenas? It's the ADULT gaming era, ain't it? Conclusion, ME is a license that won't stay in my mind as one of the best ever (which ME 1 made me look forward to).
  87. Deez123
    Mar 28, 2012
    5
    I feel this game on a whole was a letdown. Like most others reviewing this game i've Played mass effect 1&2 several times over and 3 does not come close to matching either experience. The side quest are a joke, the vast majority of them being stupid fetch quests. The only Place to buy/explore/talk to people is the citadel and even that seems poorly done. It just seems incomplete, likeI feel this game on a whole was a letdown. Like most others reviewing this game i've Played mass effect 1&2 several times over and 3 does not come close to matching either experience. The side quest are a joke, the vast majority of them being stupid fetch quests. The only Place to buy/explore/talk to people is the citadel and even that seems poorly done. It just seems incomplete, like chunks of story and quests were taken out of it - bet there will be a TON of DLC for this game. It IS a decent game but nowhere near the level of 1&2. The ending sucked at first for me but after reading some of the theories out there if seems kinda cool. I just can't shake the feeling that this game was mutilated and several important parts of it will be sold as DLC because it's a cash cow. Total, complete, letdown of a game.… Expand
  88. DukeofWaffles
    Mar 30, 2012
    5
    90% of this game is a masterpiece. The other 10% is so bad that it ruins the game. The biggest problem is the nonsensical, plot hole ridden, open to speculation "endings" which is really one cutscene which uses 95% of the same assets and different colored explosions. In addition Bioware used various shortcuts which really hurt the game in the end. The side quest missions weren't really90% of this game is a masterpiece. The other 10% is so bad that it ruins the game. The biggest problem is the nonsensical, plot hole ridden, open to speculation "endings" which is really one cutscene which uses 95% of the same assets and different colored explosions. In addition Bioware used various shortcuts which really hurt the game in the end. The side quest missions weren't really missions at all, more like a find a needle in a haystack type of game. There is no quest tracking, and tali's face was google photoshopped in. The cutting of corners wouldn't have diminished the rating so much as the fact that the ending negates the point of the entire series "player choice." The day one Dlc was also controversial and a money-grab. I would recommend renting the game if your a fan, and not buying it.… Expand
  89. DavidB
    Apr 6, 2012
    5
    Despite the general critical acclaim, I thought this was a terribly disappointing game. I loved the first two Mass Effect games - the second one is an absolute masterpiece - and it's baffling how Bioware - who got everything so right in Mass Effect 2 - could get so many things wrong in this final part of the series. The focus is on combat - and other aspects of the game have suffered.Despite the general critical acclaim, I thought this was a terribly disappointing game. I loved the first two Mass Effect games - the second one is an absolute masterpiece - and it's baffling how Bioware - who got everything so right in Mass Effect 2 - could get so many things wrong in this final part of the series. The focus is on combat - and other aspects of the game have suffered. Gone is the feeling of freedom and expansiveness of having a whole galaxy to explore - aside from main quest missions, there are no planets on which you can land, no hidden adventures to discover. And too many of the main quest missions felt unremarkable to me, indistinguishable from each other, and at times it was hard to care about what was going on. The way that side missions have been implemented in the game feels very unsatisfactory and doesn't feel fully realised at all. Don't even get me started on the way the journal works - or doesn't work; it's virtually impossible to stay on top of what you need to do, or where you need to go to do it. Item management is also a nightmare: you need to buy weapons in the game, but you're buying them in the dark, because the game offers nothing as useful as being able to compare what's on sale with the weapons your squad already has. Item management, quest management, the way that side missions work, all felt poorly realised to me. There are no new characters - oh no, sorry, there's one: a hulking space marine whose name I've forgotten he's so unremarkable. He's like a cast-off from Gears of War, dull as dishwater, as out of place in a Mass Effect game as Jack Bauer would be in an episode of The Wire. It's not all bad - the game does throw up some memorable moments, and it looks stunning - the graphics and lighting effects are excellent. But there are not enough memorable moments, and too much of the game feels like a betrayal of all that has gone before it. Mass Effect 3 feels like a game trying to be all things to all people, and ending up as a bit of a dog's breakfast. If I'm being honest, this game broke my heart. And I haven't even mentioned the ending...… Expand
  90. domyalex
    Apr 8, 2012
    5
    Big, big fan of Mass Effect 1 & 2, but 3 is a huge let down; feels more of a shooter than an RPG (resembles Gears of War in space) and the ending... gaw...
  91. Udead
    Apr 9, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It pains me to give this game such a low rating. Most of the game deserves a higher score, but the ending is simply unforgivable. In the several minutes it took for the ending to conclude all my desire to play this game and the previous two games was wiped away. I thought it would only last a few days, but sadly it seems my wonderful journey with this franchises is finished. I feel cheated that it ended so sourly for me and that I was not even given the option to save the universe that I had fallen in love with. The player choice that was promised was ultimately not fulfilled.… Expand
  92. TStout
    Apr 17, 2012
    5
    This review may be a bit biased in light of a few facts: I love the previous installments in the series so much that I had really high expectations for this game, the conversation mechanic didn't feel as important in this installment as in previous games in the series since halfway through the game you don't really choose dialogue anymore, and the ending of this game turned me way offThis review may be a bit biased in light of a few facts: I love the previous installments in the series so much that I had really high expectations for this game, the conversation mechanic didn't feel as important in this installment as in previous games in the series since halfway through the game you don't really choose dialogue anymore, and the ending of this game turned me way off because there were too many unanswered questions. Basically all three endings were based on the last decision you make, so if you logged serious hours in the series, be ready for disappointment. There is one exception in which your Galaxy at War progress and your single player preparation come into play, but even in that case, there are an unsatisfactory amount of answers compared to my expectations for the conclusion. I do enjoy the multiplayer, but it is difficult to find matches at times which is a fatal flaw for any online cooperative play. Overall, if I didn't already own this title, I would only rent it long enough to beat the game, and I would probably wait until all the DLC packs are out so I could make the most efficient use of my time.… Expand
  93. NATED066
    Apr 21, 2012
    5
    I'm giving this game a 5 out of 10. For context, my review for both Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect is 9.5 out of 10. Storyline aside, my rationale for giving the low score is due to the fact that they have changed an important game mechanic... the ability to holster your weapon during breaks in combat. This is something that was available in ME1 and ME2, and the lack of it in ME3 seriouslyI'm giving this game a 5 out of 10. For context, my review for both Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect is 9.5 out of 10. Storyline aside, my rationale for giving the low score is due to the fact that they have changed an important game mechanic... the ability to holster your weapon during breaks in combat. This is something that was available in ME1 and ME2, and the lack of it in ME3 seriously breaks the flow and makes the game less enjoyable. In the previous installments you would have a battle, then holster you gun and explore, then if more baddies cropped up, you would draw your gun again. This is much more realistic than ALWAYS having your gun drawn. Fighting bad guys? Gun drawn. No bad guys around? Gun drawn. Exploring crates? Gun drawn. Talking to teammates? Gun drawn. No one else on your team has their gun drawn? Gun drawn. It is a HUGE flaw in an otherwise good game, and I am shocked that Bioware removed it. Whoever decided that removing the ability to holster was a good idea should be fired.… Expand
  94. TheMailman98
    May 21, 2012
    5
    Rated a five because of the lacking single player. I'm fine with the addition of multiplayer and the ability to play as another species in the online mode it a nice touch, but it seems to take away from what Mass effect is all about. The single player. With half of the game basically based on multiplayer, the other half focused on single player isn't nearly as interesting to play as theRated a five because of the lacking single player. I'm fine with the addition of multiplayer and the ability to play as another species in the online mode it a nice touch, but it seems to take away from what Mass effect is all about. The single player. With half of the game basically based on multiplayer, the other half focused on single player isn't nearly as interesting to play as the previous two games. If you want a good co-op multiplayer game then go ahead and get it, but the single player isn't as good as Mass effect one and two so don't get too excited.… Expand
  95. niketnb
    Jun 11, 2012
    5
    There have many reviews about this game, and most of them are commenting about the poor ending of this game. But I think this game is definite a worth to buy game, the reason because of the multi-player. How the graphics were superb with a very dandy covering system, going through every corners, sprinting and cover from enemies firing. There just had many ways to play your own style ofThere have many reviews about this game, and most of them are commenting about the poor ending of this game. But I think this game is definite a worth to buy game, the reason because of the multi-player. How the graphics were superb with a very dandy covering system, going through every corners, sprinting and cover from enemies firing. There just had many ways to play your own style of game, with a lot of selection of characters and using different abilities. On the other hand, limited maps and difficulty were the main problem in multiplayer which lower the score. For professional gamers, I think gold challenge was a bit too easy due to the fact that there were too much ways to play this game, entertaining with communicating with four players. Moreover, multiplayer only have 5-6 maps weren't enough to last the gameplay long, which only for maximum 1 month or so. Increasing the varies or mods in multiplayer can improve the overall rating since that the single player's ending was weak. Overall, I think this game's selling was just for multiplayer, if gamers were just waiting for the single player, this game won't be your choice.… Expand
  96. Keltic
    Jun 29, 2012
    5
    The EC just expanded the current endings, while it did make them better or in honesty just made them the endings they should have been on release day it does not address the issues that many people have in that the endings are set in stone and really all your effort in previous games was for nothing. Also if Bioware was going to make a genuine effort to appease fans of the series surelyThe EC just expanded the current endings, while it did make them better or in honesty just made them the endings they should have been on release day it does not address the issues that many people have in that the endings are set in stone and really all your effort in previous games was for nothing. Also if Bioware was going to make a genuine effort to appease fans of the series surely they could have provided a few more endings with the possibility of happier conclusion, It is after all a fantasy/sci fi game and not based on reality.
    I gave 5 out of ten for ME3 purely due to what i felt was the shortness of the game and what i felt were poor endings.    … Expand
  97. TheGamer31
    Dec 14, 2012
    5
    This game was good, I enjoyed most of it. Mainly because by the time it kept getting closer to then end, it got a little retarded. For some reason, an anchor lady knows Kung-Fu. I laughed my head off at that part, and then the endings were AWFUL. They were bland, or at least that's what I though, and they were all way too similar, only with slight differences.
  98. kigl
    Jan 17, 2013
    5
    As a fan of the series, this game deviated from its original roots as a predominant RPG with shooter elements to now a predominately a shooter with a skin of a RPG elements. Even neglecting the rampant on disk DLC and plot hole ridden ending, the game is blatantly average. As a shooter it is adequate offering the staple cover shooter. However, the cover mechanics are often clunky inAs a fan of the series, this game deviated from its original roots as a predominant RPG with shooter elements to now a predominately a shooter with a skin of a RPG elements. Even neglecting the rampant on disk DLC and plot hole ridden ending, the game is blatantly average. As a shooter it is adequate offering the staple cover shooter. However, the cover mechanics are often clunky in comparison to other games in the same genre. The game has roughly the same RPG elements as Mass Effect 2, while limiting, adds at least some flavor to the shooter Bioware/EA have turned the series into. The gameplay is not where Mass Effect 3 does poorly. It is the practices regarding story-necessary DLC and essentially the last 20 minutes of the game's story. The game wraps up many of the persisting conflicts of the series, only to introduce rampant deus ex machina and plot holes in the games final minutes. The altered Extended Cut DLC fails to address many of these plot holes as well. Bioware games are usually renown for their story and setting, but this game essentially throws this all to the wayside and leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many fans of the franchise. In all, the end result is an average cover-shooter and a series whose universe is tarnished in the name of "artistic integrity".… Expand
  99. Jangster
    Feb 11, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Positives:
    -Story is engaging and ties subplots together well
    -Refined game play mechanics
    -Character leveling is well balanced
    -Most choices made in ME1 2 are reflected (some much more than others)
    -Multiplayer is well executed

    Negatives:
    -Day of release DLC (800 MS Points)
    -Freddy Prinze Jr
    -Shoehorned Jessica Chobot cameo
    -Several loose ends in the story are "tied" up with e-mails
    -Citadel is still (circa ME2) confined to a few small areas of exploration
    -Insignificance of War Assets!!!!

    The game is centered around the final battle between the Reapers and a unified army of races. Shepard must gain as many 'war assets' as possible before the showdown begins. This is why ME3 is fun. It's up to you to resolve long standing conflicts and issues so that a unified galaxy will stand against the invincible Repears. All the time, narrative and game play involved in series builds up to a finale that thousands of fans have imagined for over 5 years. Yet, this is where Bioware fell short, so very very short.

    It's not so much that I am essentially given three identical options for how the game will end. Rather, it's the fact that nothing I did since ME1 resulted in any kind of variance for the ending. Where are the mercs I secured through Aria? What about the friggin Krogan and Salarians? Why doesn't anything I accomplished matter?

    Bioware released DLC in an effort to shed more light on the "ending they wanted to tell". This failed since the ending they wanted to tell sucked in the first place. Shedding more light on a pile of dog sh*t won't make it more pleasant to smell.

    For such an engaging and fun series, ME was not granted the resolution it deserves. I don't know why Bioware chose the route that it did. Unfortunately, you can't unsee what has already been seen.    … Expand
  100. EddieHokie
    Feb 11, 2013
    5
    Boy, talk about a game developer living by the idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". This could easily be a Mass Effect 2 expansion pack as it plays, feels, and looks just like the previous game. And although this would seem like a good thing, the story is now bogged down by too many chance encounters and contrived story telling. I don't want to by chance run into everything characterBoy, talk about a game developer living by the idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". This could easily be a Mass Effect 2 expansion pack as it plays, feels, and looks just like the previous game. And although this would seem like a good thing, the story is now bogged down by too many chance encounters and contrived story telling. I don't want to by chance run into everything character I ran with in the previous game in a massive universe unless it makes sense to and ME 3 forces me to see my fellow squad mates in the most random and coincidental ways that it makes it all feel icky.
    The game has been replaced by all out action which will keep some people happy. It just lacks the heart of the first 2 games. Which is odd because its supposed to be a game the deals with the possible idea of extinction and instead of dealing with that, Im babbling politics with a krogan and turian? Boo    … 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.
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  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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