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. rsimmo
    Mar 17, 2012
    9
    No previous video game series has previously affected me as much as the Mass Effect series. The first game set the series up and the second is my favourite ever game bringing the series forward with an epic storyline. This made the third in the series the most anticipated game ever for me and whilst playing through the story it duly delivered. The story sucks you in and keeps you asNo previous video game series has previously affected me as much as the Mass Effect series. The first game set the series up and the second is my favourite ever game bringing the series forward with an epic storyline. This made the third in the series the most anticipated game ever for me and whilst playing through the story it duly delivered. The story sucks you in and keeps you as enthralled if not more than the previous instalments and keeps you striving for more. However, as is mentioned all over the internet is the game's controversial end. I have to admit at first I was with the masses, angry and heartbroken that the series had done such a thing to me. However, is everything as it seems at the end? If looked at and analysed in detail the ending could be seen as incredibly clever and not just sloppy and with potential downloadable content maybe the story of mass effect is set to continue some more. The multiplayer is another new edition to the series and while it may be limited to the single mode of multiplayer it is addictive and keeps you wanting more. All in all the game is definitely one of the most memorable of all time and if rumours of an expanded ending are true it could go down as one of the best games of all time.… Expand
  2. Corvallis
    Mar 17, 2012
    10
    I'm just shocked that players hate the endings so much that they rate this game so low !!! I mean I'm a huge fan of the series, played the first 10 times, the second 22 times, read all the books well you see what I mean. The game is a blast : the cutscenes are way better than in the second lesser bugs, a gameplay that is more playable. Mass Effect 2 without its background and everythingI'm just shocked that players hate the endings so much that they rate this game so low !!! I mean I'm a huge fan of the series, played the first 10 times, the second 22 times, read all the books well you see what I mean. The game is a blast : the cutscenes are way better than in the second lesser bugs, a gameplay that is more playable. Mass Effect 2 without its background and everything would be a pretty **** TPS. Even the questlines are not so great I mean just going to a planet searching for a new squadmate then talk to him and he gives you a quest you do it and once you finished it you realize : well I destroyed the collectors and I fought them 3-4 times even if they are the main enemies ! The mercenaries seem to be the real ennemy in this game ! In the third well it's still not perfect less choices of missions and not many different ennemies, sure it feels it lacks something but I really enjoyed the game it is quite long (on Insanity maybe) 36h to finish everything so I think it is not short for TPS standards, we see old friends, we have a lot of weapons to choose, better armor parts than in the second, we can upgrade weapons without having to search for damn minerals in planet scannings that take hours from you don't get any satisfaction, the storyline is well driven to the end at least we understand what is happening except in the ending. I regret that the game is too action oriented sure but still the game is way better than many of the games we can see released today ! So I'm not getting too much in the details but I want to say that OK the endings are quite disappointing it is not what I expected at all for the ending but you can't think that this game is worse than DNF or less good than Modern Warfare 3 ! I don't want to troll but guys ! Realize what you're saying ! You have the right to be disappointed I totally agree with you guys but don't put a so low rating for this game just because of an ending ! I chose to rate it 10 just because some people think that because of a ending it deserves 1 or 0 ! I would put 8 or 9 I still prefer the second one but the third is a good game not a bad one at all and think that maybe a fourth game will justify the endings. Let's hope it is not a DLC. To conclude this : It is a really good game, worthy of being in the series but with an ending that is not as good than we could expect. Also the dialogues are too simple (two choices most of the time which is not much) and EA did not help to make the game better with **** as Online pass, Day One DLC, future DLC plans. The game could have used 1 more year of development because it ends a trilogy that many loved. So if the game was disappointing to you blame EA first they choose the release date and the time of work put into the game.… Expand
  3. WWWYKI
    Mar 17, 2012
    8
    Arguably the best game I've ever played. The combat is better and the writing is top notch (until the end). The ending left such a bad taste in my mouth that it sort of ruined the whole franchise for me. Other problems include your character talking too much without your input and some characters from Mass Effect 2 do not receive the recognition they deserve. Still a great game, but IArguably the best game I've ever played. The combat is better and the writing is top notch (until the end). The ending left such a bad taste in my mouth that it sort of ruined the whole franchise for me. Other problems include your character talking too much without your input and some characters from Mass Effect 2 do not receive the recognition they deserve. Still a great game, but I believe Mass Effect deserved better than what we got.… Expand
  4. bup487
    Mar 17, 2012
    8
    Bioware managed to avoid the pitfalls of unnecessary exploration, puzzle games, and resource gathering that made the past two entries in the Mass Effect trilogy hard to play and, more importantly, replay. The inclusion of all the extra side missions took the place of the aforementioned pitfalls that nearly ruined the past two games. These side missions are frustrating when you need to lookBioware managed to avoid the pitfalls of unnecessary exploration, puzzle games, and resource gathering that made the past two entries in the Mass Effect trilogy hard to play and, more importantly, replay. The inclusion of all the extra side missions took the place of the aforementioned pitfalls that nearly ruined the past two games. These side missions are frustrating when you need to look at a website to figure out where to get the correct quest item, but this solution is not nearly as bad as strip mining every known planet in the galaxy.

    The rising action that leads up to the final battle is intense enough to bring out many emotions during the final battle. These feelings carry on to the very end where the player has to make a final choice. To keep the player guessing, many of these choices aren't explained. You'll ask yourself what choice is best overall.

    It is understandable that players felt betrayed by the ending that was presented. All the choices that were to have a massive effect went off like a roman candle instead of a nuclear bomb; personally, I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE REAPERS AND WHY THEY WERE KILLING LIFE THAN WHETHER OR NOT MY CHOICES HAD AN IMPACT.

    I'm more invested in the story, you could say.

    As for the content of the ending,    … Expand
  5. Blocksss
    Mar 18, 2012
    10
    what is there to say after 3 very succesfull games Bioware closes the Mass effect trilogy, i only had 2 irritating points in the game.
    1: that all the alian races you had as shepperd in part 2 are gone...
    2: the multiplayer, i cant tell why but i play mass effect for the story,i think the multiplayer is just a sniffing extra and i hope the creators will know that real mass effect fans    what is there to say after 3 very succesfull games Bioware closes the Mass effect trilogy, i only had 2 irritating points in the game.
    1: that all the alian races you had as shepperd in part 2 are gone...
    2: the multiplayer, i cant tell why but i play mass effect for the story,i think the multiplayer is just a sniffing extra and i hope the creators will know that real mass effect fans rather buy more missions than multiplayer maps.
    but i dont think i need to be to negative Bioware has closed 1 of my favorite games, and i enjoyed every second of it.    … Expand
  6. reVICES
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3, as a whole, lives up to the hype of what the ground breaking series has given us so far. The game improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, however it falls short on a few aspects that make this game not the perfect ten it could have been.

    One aspect that this entry greatly improves upon is the combat. You now have many more ways to strategically take down your    Mass Effect 3, as a whole, lives up to the hype of what the ground breaking series has given us so far. The game improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, however it falls short on a few aspects that make this game not the perfect ten it could have been.

    One aspect that this entry greatly improves upon is the combat. You now have many more ways to strategically take down your foes. With the additions of combat rolls and jumping from cover to cover gives you opportunities to dodge devastating enemy attacks and to close in on opponents in ways that were never possible before. Weapons customization gives you the possibility of making combat situations more personalized to the individual gamer's weaknesses, an element that was removed entirely from the second installment. Another great addition is the use of the Xbox 360's Kinect device. The player can now literately shout commands to their squad mates in the heat of battle. Although, one negative can be found in this during the use of the dialogue wheel. If you are having a conversation with someone in the room with you, it may recognize what you say as one of the options, and it could possibly select an undesired choice. Also, I've noticed that it sometimes will pick up conversations from the game itself, and the microphone icon will flash. Melee combat is better evolved but can sometimes be glitch resulting in missing your target entirely.

    On to the RPG elements of the game next. Much like the combat, many improvements were made here, that cannot be said for all aspects though, and this is the root of many of the game's shortcomings. The skill tree in this installment is much larger and includes unique options that were not seen in the previous installments, giving players additional options to think about while leveling their characters.

    The dialogue in the game seems to have taken a major hit from the previous installments. The voice acting was done very well but it doesn't make up for the lack of conversation options throughout the game. In the previous installments you can talk to all of your squad members in between missions and develop the way you want your Shepard to treat that squad member. However, in Mass Effect 3 they have greatly limited these encounters in some cases to one or two times you can choose what to say to your party. It's possible that the creators thought that talking to every party member in between missions was tedious, but developing the individuality of your Shepard is what made the series so ingenious.

    Another RPG element that took a hit in the finale is the side missions. A vast majority of what would've been called "assignments" in the previous installments are nothing but fetch quests in this game. As you travel the Citadel, you will overhear many conversations, and many of them Shepard believes he should take it upon himself to help them. These always require you to fly to system and start scanning, or go to the Spectre Requisitions and just buy something. Despite it helping your overall mission, many of these just come off as unnecessary annoyances.

    The reputation system within the game also seems to have taken a hit since its predecessor. Overall, it almost just seems like it was removed entirely with the exception of a few key decisions. Lastly, the biggest criticism of the game so far, the endings. Theories aside, if they are intended to be interpreted literately this is a major short coming. None of the endings really give the player any closure for a series that many people have participated in from the series beginning. Despite that, one of the selling points of the series is that every choice you make matters. The few endings of the game are all preset and none of the choices Shepard has made effect the ending, taking away any individuality you've given your Shepard throughout the span of the series. Perhaps these issues will be addressed in the near future, and this negative point will no longer be necessary.

    Despite the controversy surrounding the endings, the day one downloadable content, the completely optional same-sex relationship possibilities, this game does deserve universal acclaim. If it wasn't for the few short comings, this would be strongest entry in an already very well done series.    … Expand
  7. warp10ck
    Mar 19, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game that I was most excited for this year but unfortunately there is a lot of elements that ruins the experience, the game seems to be struggling with a identity crisis is it an rpg or a third person shooter with rpg elements ? The first problem with this game is for those who played the first two games and try to import their characters from the previous games at the time of writing this review an issue prevents the game from importing the appearance of your character every other things are imported like who you saved in me 1 and 2 these decisions have and impact depending on who you saved and some decisions you made earlier games have small impact.

    They seem to have focused more on combat and while the combat is fluid and have the gears of war cover system they seem to have forgotten some of the rpg elements. The quest system is really strange every main quest is tracked and easily managed but the secondary quests have no tracking and require you too search around blind, and if you complete one part of the objective you will have to return deliver and then search for the person/alien to deliver said item to.

    Customization is also limited the only armor you can take of your helmet is the N7 armor which is the default armor you begin with.

    Weapons are probably the the things that you can customize the most by upgrading barrels magazines etc etc.

    That being said most people play this for the story and it´s pretty good up to a certain point, you will reunite with many familiar faces that will help you against the reapers.
    Lot´s of great dialog that makes the characters that we all know and love come to life.

    But I can´t neglect to mention what everyone is talking about the endings.
    The game does an incredible job of moving story forward but in the last five minutes the story suddenly takes a strange turn and falls flat, there is not any real choice in the matter there are six endings almost identical. In these last few minutes the game introduces a character that was never in the game earlier and this character is well on his way now on becoming a meme on the web the Jar Jar of video games if you will.

    And the endings is so out of touch with the rest of the story in the game that it actually makes every choices you made in the earlier games seem irrelevant, this is the game biggest weakness and it destroys any replay value since I personally did not feel that I wanted play again because the ending was just too depressing. The plot simply stops making sense the last five minutes and this should not ruin the experience over what is a pretty good game, it should not but it does because it makes the entire journey seem pointless.
    The endings sequence basically tells you that none of your decisions really matter and you have to choose between option a, b or c and they are with minor differences almost identical endings with different colored explosions (reloaded and tried every option) and you just feel empty after the end which is to say the least not what I expected
    .
    It´s incredible how gutted I felt after that ending I had to take a break from gaming entirely and finally could start reviewing other games after a few days.

    And the sad thing is that 99,9% of this game is good the 0.1% really ruins what is over all a great experience.    … Expand
  8. ursa1979
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved this game. For me the best part of the game was the care with which it dealt with the characters that you have grown to love over the course of the 3 games. Each character mission was great (some better than others), but it was the moment at the end where you had a chance to say goodbye to each that really shined. To me this was the true ending. Regarding the "actual" end that has been creating all of the hubbub, I personally that it was solid and interesting. The fact that despite all of your choices (paragon/renegade), which are deeply felt throughout the story, ultimately lead to the same final choice is an interesting take on the concept of destiny/fate. Furthermore, while the three results of the final choice were aesthetically similar (modified color palates), they were dramatically disparate in substance and result in wildly different universes.… Expand
  9. Plaidman86
    Mar 20, 2012
    8
    I thoroughly enjoy the Mass Effect series and I absolutely could not wait to see what was in store for the galaxy with the foreboding presence of the imminent Reaper invasion and all out extermination of all the organic races. This game had so much building up, so much hype, and at first glance all was going so well...until the ending. First off I do say this game has many improvementsI thoroughly enjoy the Mass Effect series and I absolutely could not wait to see what was in store for the galaxy with the foreboding presence of the imminent Reaper invasion and all out extermination of all the organic races. This game had so much building up, so much hype, and at first glance all was going so well...until the ending. First off I do say this game has many improvements from ME2 (storywise and gameplay), I love it how there's more RPG element (leveling, skill trees) and the weapon modding was a very nice welcome which allows you to tailor your guns to different situations. I loved all the cameo appearances from squad mates past and present as well as other characters encountered in past games and including DLC which was very nice. The controls actually seemed a bit worse than 2, I've died so many times due to squad mates being in the way and non-responsive controls. It got really irritating moving from cover to cover or peaking out and being punished for the game having a good 1-2 second delay. I noticed that Shepard can now vault or tumble like Gears of War (I forget if he could do that in 2...) and it seems like Bioware really likes Gears. The galaxy map was just about the same as 2's minus scanning for minerals/resources and having a set amount of probes. However, because the Reapers are out and about it can make scanning annoying. I also liked it how you didn't have a billion squad mates to pick from like 2, and I'm glad to see 3 took a notion of quality vs. quantity. As for the story, I could feel from the start of the game how dark the situation was, and how close the galaxy was to coming closer and closer to failure and ultimate extinction. It got a little irritating dealing with Cerberus a good half of the game, I mean really who is the focus here? Cerberus or the Reapers? Although it was interesting to hear about the humans fighting against themselves as opposed to working together. I also liked making choices to bring the other races together. I thought the story flowed very well, much better than 2's "out of nowhere" plot. Everything just kept building up, but then the ending came... Yes, I do have to hop on the growing band wagon and agree that the ending to ME3 was really not that good. I don't have a problem with the three choices you are presented with at the end and that Shepard dies (so sad and sucks he dies!) but I have a major problem with how short the ending is and the lack of closure on all the supporting characters and the general fate and conclusion of the Mass Effect universe. Not to mention I was also greatly disappointed to see, or NOT see, how my preparations for the final assault didn't even make a difference. I was fairly certain I heard Admiral Hackett go from saying, "We're bogged down" to "We're about even" so I figured maybe this would impact the final mission or ending, but it didn't! So did I make all those choices and finish all those side quests for nothing? I felt nothing but emptiness when the game ended, it reminded me of early reviews of Halo 2 and how many reviewers commented on how the ending left you wanting more. Unfortunately for this series there is no more to be had as it's the last to the trilogy. I find it interesting hearing that the overall dissatisfaction with ME3's ending by many, MANY fans has been well heard, and some has gone so far as to raise a charity to bring awareness and change to 3's ending! Of course Bioware is listening but so far they're saying they have no plans to alter the ending but to only support 3 with future DLC. (Sigh...) I really want to rate this game a 10 as it was enjoyable to play, but the ending just ruins it, especially since your choices and quests during the game have no effect. Because of that, I'm actually having a hard time playing through the game again because I now know whatever I do on the side won't make a difference and won't reward me with extra cutscenes, dialogue, etc. I almost wanna rate this game a 7 but I think that would be a bit steep. Had this game had a perfect ending I would have given it a 10. But that bad ending just creates one hell of a void that really just hampers everything else this game has to offer, and I say all this because this game is an RPG and RPGs are supposed to have critical character and plot development. Overall, good game but not what I had in mind to close such a wonderful series. Here's to hoping future DLC will improve what faults there are.… Expand
  10. Boozerz
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    I really enjoyed the game. The gripes about the ending have been blown way out of proportion. Throughout the entire single player campaign we get closure and resolution for many of the character/story arcs. The ending is a great hardcore sci-fi resolution. This trilogy will be remembered as one of the greats.
  11. cdog
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is an absolutely fantastic experience and great achievement in sci-fi gaming, or at least the first 99% is. The endings are not as bad as most people say, but they are disappointing and are not fulfilling, and really do not give enough closure. There is little difference between any of them, however I do not think it is fair to say your decisions do not matter. Your decisions give war assets, which affect whether or not earth survives. Apart from the disappointing endings, this is the best game in the series. The characters feel more alive and are more fleshed out, the writing (endings excluded) is up there with the quality shown in Mass Effect 1, the gunplay is better then ever, and the universe as a whole is as great as in all the other titles. There are some stunning moments, and also some very emotional moments-a lot of work has been put into creating this epic experience, and there are some very difficult choices along the way. There is no way such a great game deserves 0/10, endings or not, this game is great.

    There are some other flaws. The importing issue and auto-dialogue are both issues, although auto-dialogue is only really in combat missions. It is not nearly as bad as you might expect, though it does make shep feel a tad more pre-defined. (although he already is quite pre-defined) The only real hub is the citadel, but it's a decent hub. Side quests could be better. The day one DLC was also a cheap shot, and soured the taste a bit.

    All in all, these are fairly minor things. This game is brilliant. The only reason I am not giving 10'/10 are the disappointing endings, which is a shame, because this series, and this game, are so good that they really deserve better. If the endings were corrected, this would get the score it deserves.    … Expand
  12. freshtoothpaste
    Mar 20, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was a huge fan of the series; it was and is a fun, largely open, mostly RPG game that let you watch characters evolve in a galactic landscape over several fun, exploratory adventures. For me at least, part of the fun was the replayability. As you made different decisions, the ending of the game subtly changed; mostly to the point of how easy or difficult the ending was.

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

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

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

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

    SPOILER - look for yourself. The animations are the same
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPelM2hwhJA    … Expand
  13. joshiasi
    Mar 20, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For those who thinks the endings make sense are either high or being paid by EA/Bioware to thinking that the ending makes sense. I for one experience such a confusing ending for example on my final push to the port to the Citadel, I had Ashley and Garrus with me then in the ending CGI, Ashley shows up in a planet that the Normandy crashed in without getting scratched by Harbringer's beam. What kind of bad writing is that?

    Such a shame for such a great franchise. The ending just negates all what was good in Mass Effect 3. The ending felt like it was rushed to make deadlines as it did not follow what Mass Effect is all about. The game is about choices you make affecting the outcome. No matter what the choices you make in-game and in the previous installments did not matter at all. Its the same ending with 5% variation.    … Expand
  14. WeenieHutJrs
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ok Mass Effect one of the best game franchises of all time delivered another outstanding game. Minus the less than stellar ending that we all wanted it, the game was fantastic. The action set pieces had me jumping out of my seat. (i.e. the part on Rannoch when you go head to head with a reaper) The story was always engaging and I never skipped a conversation. The multiplayer is fun for what it is but Mass Effect is all about single player. There were a few bugs like pauses between talking with people and enemies stuck in the ground. The overall experience is great and i hope this gets several GOTY awards.… Expand
  15. Johng4
    May 4, 2013
    8
    This is the first mass effect game i have ever played. In short i like it. I have not officially beaten the game but i have played it enough to get the gist of how the game runs. One thing so far i do not like about the game is i just hit disc two and i have done two sections so far in the game where i actually get to shoot things, in between that time are two very long and drawn out partsThis is the first mass effect game i have ever played. In short i like it. I have not officially beaten the game but i have played it enough to get the gist of how the game runs. One thing so far i do not like about the game is i just hit disc two and i have done two sections so far in the game where i actually get to shoot things, in between that time are two very long and drawn out parts where you talk to people on the citadel to recruit new members for the alliance and get resources for the war and get to know the characters, at first i didnt mind then i thought,, hmm i wanna shoot stuff. And the shooting and combat is something i really like about this game its fluid fast and fun and you have alot of options going into batlle. You have your standard stuff like guns and stuff but you also have powers and abilities as do your aliies which you can direct them to do at any given time after the cooldown. The story is good even to someone who hasnt been with the series for the whole ride it does a decent job of getting you up to speed of whats going on, since i havnt played the other mass effects(yet) its safe to say im not getting the whole experience because im pretty sure if had played one and two my decisions in those two games wouldve made the experience completeley different for me because thats how things work in mass effect, your desicions. Over all i like this game and i hate to see all these people knocking it because they didnt like the ending thats not a factor in a game that should determine whether or not it is good or not… Expand
  16. dzy
    Apr 24, 2012
    8
    First off, I understand the hate people have for Mass Effect 3's ending. All the time put into it, getting to know the story and characters only to end up with a problematic ending. For me, I did not hate or love the ending. To be honest I thought it was pretty funny how it ended. It was completely random and unexpected. I'm pretty sure I had a confused smile on my face as I was wrappingFirst off, I understand the hate people have for Mass Effect 3's ending. All the time put into it, getting to know the story and characters only to end up with a problematic ending. For me, I did not hate or love the ending. To be honest I thought it was pretty funny how it ended. It was completely random and unexpected. I'm pretty sure I had a confused smile on my face as I was wrapping up my journey. Anyway, ignoring the ending portion... the game is great. Great gameplay, great cut scenes, and a good story.… Expand
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. traveler
    Mar 29, 2012
    1
    Let me preface this by saying that I was a long time fan of the series and of Bioware games in general; I played both ME1 and ME2 dozens of times over the years (no exaggeration!), and KOTOR until my eyes bled (ok, slight exaggeration; but not by much). So it really does pain me to give this game such a low score.

    The short of it is: the game is rushed and incomplete. Corners were    Let me preface this by saying that I was a long time fan of the series and of Bioware games in general; I played both ME1 and ME2 dozens of times over the years (no exaggeration!), and KOTOR until my eyes bled (ok, slight exaggeration; but not by much). So it really does pain me to give this game such a low score.

    The short of it is: the game is rushed and incomplete. Corners were obviously cut all about, and it shows. Most notably in the classical RPG elements of story and exploration.

    The long of it: in ME3 what you see is that Bioware/EA are quite obviously trying to appeal to the massive consumer base that loves shooter games. Great (and in a sense so was ME1). But the results are that a great deal of time seemed to have been spent copying shooter elements from other games, in an effort to create a fairly mediocre corridor shooter experience, with wonky controls. The glaring thing is what is gone with all this effort. Exploration. Astounding that a game that markets itself as as RPG has so little of it. There are limited hubs, much smaller than those in the previous installments, that provide little interaction for engaging with the world. NPC interaction is either highly scripted, as in, no the player doesn't choose what to say; or it just is a matter of eavesdropping on two people talking in order to get a quest that actually doesn't contain any gaming elements other than go here on the map and press a button. Old RPG standards like equipment and journal logs are streamlined to the point of being non-existent (the journal in particular is totally inept and incomplete; it doesn't update or provide you useful information on the quests - a real step down from the previous games).

    Why? Well, because the game appears to be trying to force you into a linear narrative. In other words, the whole 'choose your own adventure' motif of the brand has taken a backseat for brief corridor shooting experiences punctuated by lengthy cut scenes with limited interaction. Think Gears of War, only worse (and that is saying something!). The plan to do this is so blatant that the game actually has options to switch it from an RPG to a straight story-shooter, right there on its opening screen.

    What is most glaring in this rushed and incomplete experience is the real drop in story telling. Now it is no secret that Bioware was purchased by EA, and that some fans were concerned about how that would effect the culture of the company. But it also is no secret that the people writing this game are not the same ones who wrote the first. And it shows. Lore is forgotten, conversations seem forced, character development can be childish, etc. Its like they inherited a world to write and imagine in that they either didn't understand, or didn't care about. I'm not sure which is worse.

    And don't get me started on that ending....

    OK, DO get me started on that ending. It's here that the evidence of how quickly and with such little care the game was cobbled together is most glaring. Some people have complained that the ending lacks choice (true), and closure (also true), or is confusing (not so much; somebody apparently copied Deus Ex). But the most repugnant aspects of the ending are just how lazy it is. Reused cut scenes, short, simplified conversation options. The whole thing smacks of 'rush it out the door, we have a deadline!' And back to the writers not being the same crop or the same caliber, the ending also doesn't seem to be connected with the rest of the series either in ideas or themes. You remember 'dark energy'? You know, the raison d'etre for Tali's presence on Haestrom, as well as mentioned at other parts of ME2 (like Illium). There was this whole big setup for 'dark energy' throughout ME2, it was foreshadowed as being of some galactic importance. And in ME3. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. The storyline was just abandoned and forgotten. Oops. No dark energy concerns here. This smacks of just lazy writing, and inept plotting.

    (Rumor has it that this was originally to be a part of the buildup for the conclusion - a connection between the middle act of the trilogy and its finale. But was abandoned for.... who knows. Instead you get a series of rushed deus ex machina developments. And then, over.)

    It pains me as a longtime fan and customer of bioware to see how little regard they have for quality here. That was the brand really, immersive RPGs with engaging, high adventure stories. That apparently is not the brand anymore. I don't know what is.

    Finally, I think I should point out the discrepancy between the 'professional critics' and 'user reviews' here and elsewhere. This is amazing. The reasons for the discrepancy are unclear, but I think the ramifications are going to be long reaching. The central question (for me at least) is one of trust: Is there any spirit of consumer protection left in software review or is it just caveat emptor, and have a nice day?    … Expand
  20. Darkleliel
    Mar 30, 2012
    10
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game and thought it was an amazing conclusion to an amazing series. I couldn't help but feel how I was an active part of each and every step, and because of it it made every aspect of the game that much more enjoyable.
  21. IAmRasputin
    Mar 30, 2012
    10
    Absolute perfection. Until the last 5 minutes, this game surpasses everything that its predecessors were, and then some. The ending is a downer (and not in a good way), but that doesn't tke away from the appeal of the game or the series.

    10/10, would bang.
  22. guammybear07
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    Here is a re-post from the site, http://jmstevenson.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/all-that-matters-is-the-ending-part-2-mass-effect-3/, of what I think was the most glaring problem with the ending. He provides an excellent analogy without actually spoiling the ending.
    Imagine Frodo, dangling the One Ring, over the fiery chasm of Mt. Doom. He turns, and says,
  23. shaun8pickles
    Jun 14, 2013
    10
    I LOVED this game, and I LOVE this series, and it so sad that people on here writing reviews (most of them writing their first review?) are still complaining about the ending. I have played through this series 3 times. I have had a fair share of hours in this series. It's not fair to review its game on %1 of it package. Mass Effect 3 has everything, the lip syncing in this game is amazing,I LOVED this game, and I LOVE this series, and it so sad that people on here writing reviews (most of them writing their first review?) are still complaining about the ending. I have played through this series 3 times. I have had a fair share of hours in this series. It's not fair to review its game on %1 of it package. Mass Effect 3 has everything, the lip syncing in this game is amazing, the gun-play is awesome, the monsters are better than ever, and the soundtrack is memorizing. I am and always will be a fan of this series. And its sad to see "so called fans" review this game on just its ending, they really did everything they can to fix it. The Extended Cut DLC was great, and real fans wouldn't ditch a game just because of one thing. Seriously, this game has it all for space fans. I seriously recommend going and picking up the trilogy for those who haven't played all three or are new comers.… Expand
  24. 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
  25. viegasn
    Apr 13, 2012
    9
    This is a great series, unfortunately this final chapter lays much to lose in two crucial moments, the beginning and end of the game. Since the beginning in my opinion the worst moment of the game, and the end is extremely short, not correctly explain the many existing questions, and the player's previous choices are irrevelantes.
    Continues to be a fantastic game, enriched by multiplayer,    This is a great series, unfortunately this final chapter lays much to lose in two crucial moments, the beginning and end of the game. Since the beginning in my opinion the worst moment of the game, and the end is extremely short, not correctly explain the many existing questions, and the player's previous choices are irrevelantes.
    Continues to be a fantastic game, enriched by multiplayer, but they put too much to lose the final common poorly done.    … Expand
  26. sup3lolzx
    Apr 18, 2012
    9
    BEST GAME EVER until the end... Mass Effect 3 i the best si-fi story out there. its so inmersive the characters, the universe, your Shepard, you care and love evry thing and evry one. it haves about 20-28 hours of gameplay if you take your time, if you just play the main missions is about 10-13 hours.
    the gameplay is the best of the series and the cinematics and voice actiing is the best    BEST GAME EVER until the end... Mass Effect 3 i the best si-fi story out there. its so inmersive the characters, the universe, your Shepard, you care and love evry thing and evry one. it haves about 20-28 hours of gameplay if you take your time, if you just play the main missions is about 10-13 hours.
    the gameplay is the best of the series and the cinematics and voice actiing is the best there is.
    Down side
    You have much lees squad members than in ME2 and one of them is a day ONE dlc
    The ending
    OK the ending is full of plotholes, imagine if The Lord Of The Rings would have ended when frodo was about to destroy the ring. and thats it it dosent tell you WTF happend to you, your friends your romance(if you have one), you flet... NOTHING and its EAs fault, the made the game end in a cliffhanger so you buy the next DLC or game is BS i can take the lack of squadmates since when you interact with your squadmates its more intresting than in ME1 or 2 but that ending makes you not want to play the game agin... i went on a FULL ON RAGE QUIT deleted my first save started a new one and not going to finish it agin until the extended cut DLC and hope that the next gamplay DLC it isint pre-end DLC like ME1
    HOLD THE LINE ask for a well explaind ending with no plot holes and pos-ending DLC and more gameplay like in ME2 where you can keep playing after finishing the game. my hope is still up dont give the game a bad score just becuse of the last 10 minutes, they can still fix it , its not like if the problem was gameplay or the whole story its JUST THE LAST 10 MINUTES THAT WE WANT FIXED Bioware
    Have a nice day, and play Multiplayer witch is GREAT until the Extended cut comes out and see whats nex for Our Commander Shepard    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. Mattyice
    Jun 10, 2012
    7
    This is a very fine third person shooter. great graphics, fine gameplay, but very poor use of kinect, no great multiplayer. Buy with major caution..
  29. shoewee
    May 3, 2012
    10
    This is really a great game. I was amazed at how well done the game is and I love the gameplay! Highly highly recommended! Go out and get this game today!
  30. Naapuri
    May 6, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An awesome game! The strange "flaws" in the ending must mean there is more to this story coming on. It is a shame that the choices you made during the trilogy didnt count in the ending but whatever, i loved the feeling of making choices. After all this was one of the best gaming experiences i have had… 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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