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. S0me_Guy
    Apr 7, 2014
    10
    GOOD: Great story(obviously, it's BioWare); Awesome and funny characters and the game did a great job of making me care about them; Fixed the terrible ending and 2 things you'll notice after seeing the new ending: first, most of the choices you made in the past games and this game actually matter and second, it shows how BioWare cares about their fans by making a new ending that the fansGOOD: Great story(obviously, it's BioWare); Awesome and funny characters and the game did a great job of making me care about them; Fixed the terrible ending and 2 things you'll notice after seeing the new ending: first, most of the choices you made in the past games and this game actually matter and second, it shows how BioWare cares about their fans by making a new ending that the fans deserved; All of the notable characters in the past games at least make a cameo; improved and faster combat system; No more class restrictions on weapons; New romance options; New and better weapons; New weapon customization; Added new powers to use and all are good; New Gears Of War type of melee animations; New stuff to buy at shops; New and improved leveling system(like a combination of the leveling systems of the first 2 games); Your ship is larger; Reapers have been added to the galaxy map; Throughout the game, you'll gain war assets which will help the final mission; Awesome boss battle with a Reaper on Rannoch; 35-40 hours campaign; Tons of replay ability with multiple classes and being good or bad(just like the past 2 games); Surprisingly fun multiplayer with playing as different races and teamwork is important(level capped at 20); Free multiplayer DLCs with new races, upgrades, weapons, enemies, and maps

    BAD: The original ending got me pissed off(thankfully they changed it); The Prothean was on a day one DLC(bullcrap because that is one of the most important characters of the entire series); There is no final boss battle; No space combat(even though there are cutscenes of your ship in the middle of huge space battles); Can't use the Hammerhead vehicle which was the best in the series; Character customization is still not that good

    FINAL VERDICT: This game is amazing with a ton of improvements, it does have problems but the game itself is great. I was going to give this game a 9/10, but BioWare actually care about their fans to make a new ending which is why it will end up as a 10/10. If you are an action game fan or an RPG fan, you must own this game forever. In my opinion, it is the best game of 2012!    … Expand
  2. HPSPhoenix
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    The best game in the best franchise that has ever been, and likely will ever be. Although a lot of people seem to dislike the ending(s), with the Extended Cut they're fixed. They weren't as bad as you've been led to believe, anyway. This game has better combat, more great moments, better squadmates, (maybe) better DLC and, most importantly, the best story.
    That's not to say it's without    The best game in the best franchise that has ever been, and likely will ever be. Although a lot of people seem to dislike the ending(s), with the Extended Cut they're fixed. They weren't as bad as you've been led to believe, anyway. This game has better combat, more great moments, better squadmates, (maybe) better DLC and, most importantly, the best story.
    That's not to say it's without its flaws - what isn't? There are a LOT more automated conversations in this game, as in, there are more conversations in which you can't make choices. However, the choices you do make in this game are probably the most morally challenging and best in the entire game. If I were to count down the trilogy's greatest moments, most would be from Mass Effect 3.
    I would advise buying all of the DLC. It may be pricey, but it's completely worth the money. From Ashes is probably the best, though.    … Expand
  3. Togepix
    Jun 3, 2014
    10
    It's sad how people can give this game SUCH negative ratings. I mean, if you truly are a Mass Effect fan you can't do anything but love this game, even though the ending wasn't as expected. It looks great, the story is so tense all the time, but at the same time you can chillout. It still felt like I made strong bonds with characters, like in Mass Effect 2, which is always a plus for me.It's sad how people can give this game SUCH negative ratings. I mean, if you truly are a Mass Effect fan you can't do anything but love this game, even though the ending wasn't as expected. It looks great, the story is so tense all the time, but at the same time you can chillout. It still felt like I made strong bonds with characters, like in Mass Effect 2, which is always a plus for me.

    This is still a 10 for me, cause everything was still so well done. Cried my eyes out several times. Get real, people.    … Expand
  4. SipauFade
    Jun 27, 2014
    10
    All aspects of the game are improvements from the previous 2 games. Combat is as rewarding as some of the other traditional shooters. The stories strength lies in it's subtlety, which allows the gamer to truly personalize the game. I felt the ending to be inspiring because it was open ended enough to allow me to fill in the blanks and place my own personal motivations and beliefs into theAll aspects of the game are improvements from the previous 2 games. Combat is as rewarding as some of the other traditional shooters. The stories strength lies in it's subtlety, which allows the gamer to truly personalize the game. I felt the ending to be inspiring because it was open ended enough to allow me to fill in the blanks and place my own personal motivations and beliefs into the story. It is sad the game caught such a bad rap for the ending. It actually effected my perception of the game when i initially played it. Now that I've come back to playing it, I appreciate it more for what it is. An amazing achievement in storytelling, game play and taking chances with an audience even if they aren't ready to be challenged.… Expand
  5. tmims44
    Jul 6, 2014
    10
    People complain about this game far too much, since they updated the ending this game has become a full fledged conclusion to the trilogy instead of the retarded third child it once was. the game play from 2 to 3 was much improved and the online multi-player was non-stop fun (provided you will need to have at least 1-2 friends in your life to enjoy it) Best game of the series by far. IfPeople complain about this game far too much, since they updated the ending this game has become a full fledged conclusion to the trilogy instead of the retarded third child it once was. the game play from 2 to 3 was much improved and the online multi-player was non-stop fun (provided you will need to have at least 1-2 friends in your life to enjoy it) Best game of the series by far. If you don't believe go drive in a goddamn Mako for a few hours then return.

    Don't believe the Haters!    … Expand
  6. AliasAndrew
    Jul 11, 2014
    10
    If you haven't played this already stop reading and do so. NOW! Ignore the **** that gave it a 'zero'. The ending may not be what was promised but is generally satisfying and the journey to get there is epic. Do yourself a favor and conclude the best trilogy in video games. NOW!!!!
  7. DragonEffect4
    Jul 17, 2014
    10
    No point of a long review, just play the whole trilogy and you'll love it. The ending isn't as bad as they say it is (watch the indoctrination theory after finishing).
  8. Saqwana
    Jul 23, 2014
    8
    i really like the game though i recognize its faults. my main complaint would the lack of different body types for Sheppard and the hands looking far older then they should with these characters. i also thin the should have been at least 12 companions in the game it would have added more variation. the lack of a solid sentinel can be an issue for some builds. the ending isn't great but ii really like the game though i recognize its faults. my main complaint would the lack of different body types for Sheppard and the hands looking far older then they should with these characters. i also thin the should have been at least 12 companions in the game it would have added more variation. the lack of a solid sentinel can be an issue for some builds. the ending isn't great but i was fine with it before the extended cut. i think the extended cut adds more context to the ending which is nice. so overall it was a good solid game but not a great one.… Expand
  9. crusher351
    Sep 4, 2018
    8
    To start off, I'm going to mention something that has been said a hundred times before; the ending was weak. For all of the effort and time that I (and many others) have put into this trilogy, the ending should and could have been 100% better. However, during my current play through of the game and its DLC's, I realized something; despite having a mediocre ending, this is one of theTo start off, I'm going to mention something that has been said a hundred times before; the ending was weak. For all of the effort and time that I (and many others) have put into this trilogy, the ending should and could have been 100% better. However, during my current play through of the game and its DLC's, I realized something; despite having a mediocre ending, this is one of the greatest experiences in gaming. I have to say that this game had a lot of good improvements over the last two. The ability to have a serious melee attack was nice as was the ability to jump over gaps. The amount of weapons to choose from was also a nice bonus, and the customization of said weapons just added to it. The combat is improved slightly over the last game, and feels smoother and faster. The characters are back and look better than ever. Honestly, this game still holds on a graphics front today. One of the features from the last game that I'm glad they got rid of is the scanning of planets for resources. Yes, you still have to scan, but you don't have to go to each planet one at a time. Instead you scan while flying the Normandy, and if something comes up, then you go to the planet and scan it. This, despite the ending, is one of the greatest stories of all time, and just proves how good Bioware used to be.… Expand
  10. aidanpscott
    Feb 14, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. To this day, I believe that Mass Effect 3 could have been, and SHOULD have been, one of the greatest games of all time. Instead, what we got was, not only a disappointing sequel, but one of the most disappointing games of all time.

    Let's get the big issue out of the way: the endings. They sucked when they launched and yes, they sucked after the DLC. But everything that can be said about these endings has been said many times over and I don't want to beat a dead horse. Still, if you want to know exactly why, I did a review of the old and new endings in my review of the extended cut DLC on this site as well.

    The reason I don't want to focus on the endings is because, while they are objectively the worst aspect of the game, they are by no means the only bad thing about this game and most people seem to skim over many of the major flaws the game has largely because of how utterly awful the endings were.

    Let's start with the good:

    The multiplayer. While not traditional PvP like most people wanted and were expecting, the wave based multiplayer is a TON of fun and allows you to experiment with different races and class setups you wouldn't get in the campaign. While the single player campaign is severely flawed, there are a ton of really excellent character moments with your squad mates. The Citadel DLC is excellent as well.

    The bad:

    The game was severely rushed (only had 2 years to develop the game) and many of its key staff, including legendary writer Drew Karypshan (lead writer of KotOR) left after Mass Effect 2. Of the 10 writers of Mass Effect 3, only 2 worked on the previous 2 titles and one of them (Mac Walters) is not a particularly good writer. Keep that in mind.

    The single player campaign, while it has some good moments, is filled with plot holes that completely break the world and lore. The dialogue is significantly worse in this game. Not only is most of the dialogue chosen for you without a dialogue wheel, but the neutral option is completely removed from the game and much of the dialogue doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The characters are constantly reference passed events from the previous two games as though you are completely new to the franchise and it is really off-putting.

    Most of the decisions you made in passed games DO NOT MATTER AT ALL and/or are completely thrown out the window as though they do not exist. Some examples: The Rachni Queen decision from Mass Effect 1, you have the chose to either kill her or free her. If you free her, she gets captured by the reapers and is enslaved, forced to give birth to rachni that the reapers turn into husks and force to fight in their armies. Actually, that sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? Well, here's why that's not the case. Let's say you killed her instead, well it doesn't matter because another queen is captured by the reapers to do the same deed. No matter what you did in ME1, the outcome is the same. Your decision did not matter. Other examples include what you did with Maelon's data, what you chose to do with the geth heretics, etc.

    Mass Effect is a game about choice. Aside from the fact that most of your choices did not matter, you are limited in your choices in this game and, in some cases, don't have any choice at all. Mordin, Thane, and Legion all die in this game and while they are good deaths, they are unavoidable. Going back to Mass Effect 2, ME2 is a game where you build a squad and your decisions can either save them or kill them. There is a best-case scenario (everyone lives) and a worse case scenario (everyone, including Shepard, dies). In this game, their is no best case scenario, not truly, and it's a damn shame.

    Cerberus is the villain and, somehow, the Illusive Man is indoctrinated and has been since before Mass Effect 2. This makes no sense as he helped you literally destroy the collector base and ruin the reapers plans. Kai Leng is a deus ex villain with no personality and is only there to provide an artificial challenge for you. Whenever you lose to Kai Leng, bad choices aren't the reason, and good choices don't prevent it. For half the game, you aren't even fighting reapers, you're fighting Cerberus. Why?!

    The game is also tonally inconsistent as it wants to portray the reapers as this invincible, overwhelming doom that can't be defeated by conventional means, but is constantly switching to we can beat the reapers if we work together.

    Many of the games romances are underwhelming or insulting. If you romanced Jacob in ME2, he cheats on you with someone else, which goes against who he is as a character completely (Jacob is honest). Tali's face is revealed as a STOCK PHOTO and not through gameplay. Thane dies, etc.

    I would say more, but this review is limited to 5000 characters only. I'll finish with this: Is Mass Effect 3 an enjoyable game? Yes, absolutely. There's fun to be had. Is Mass Effect 3 a good game? Not even close. Is Mass Effect 3 a bad game? Close enough.    … Expand
  11. Mediawatcher
    Jan 26, 2015
    10
    Mass effect 3 is a masterpiece and it is one of my all time favorites. It has a fantasticly written story and amazing new characters as well as giving the old ones some depth. It is an achievement all on its own and it gets a 10 out of 10 from me. Even with its **** ending and extremely confusing plot holes(which was fixed a year later), it still amazed me on every aspect.
  12. Tomn8er
    Mar 18, 2015
    10
    People who give this game a low score must be impossible to please because this is one of the best games ever made. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the graphics, the soundtrack, the replayability, this game has it all. If you liked ME2 you should love this game. It takes everything that was good about that and builds on it. The story really raises the stakes. Instead of assemblingPeople who give this game a low score must be impossible to please because this is one of the best games ever made. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the graphics, the soundtrack, the replayability, this game has it all. If you liked ME2 you should love this game. It takes everything that was good about that and builds on it. The story really raises the stakes. Instead of assembling a small crew to take out a Collector base, you're assembling entire species to take on the Reapers at large. The combat has been improved and is easily the best in the series. Gone are the tedious planet scanning from ME2 and Mako-roving from ME1. The presentation, which was already stellar in ME2, is even more impressive here, with incredible cutscenes and artistic environmental backdrops that will make you say just stare and say wow as you take in the scenery. It even adds multiplayer in the form of one of the best cooperative horde modes I've ever played. Amazingly, it even stacks up well against designated FPS games like Halo Reach's firefight mode.

    The one thing people seem to gripe about endlessly is the ending. Having come late to the party and hearing about the general backlash, I was bracing myself for the worst... and it never came. The ending might leave you scratching your head a bit and wanting more, but it's hardly the series-ruining catastrophe many people make it out to be. The worst I can say about it is that it does feel a little rushed, it lacks some closure and perhaps there weren't enough choices. So while it is slightly unsatisfying, it hardly ruins an otherwise near-perfect game. Even the DLC in this game is well worth the money IMO. If I was to rate all the Mass Effect games overall I'd give the first an 8, the second a 9 and this one a 10. I would place the Mass Effect firmly in the top series of the past console generation along with the Elder Scrolls, Halo, and Arkham games. This is must-buy material for any fan of SF, shooters, or RPGs.    … Expand
  13. conker1
    Mar 4, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It may not be better than Mass Effect 2 but the third is just as good. Except for the STAR CHILD comes out of nowhere and just tells you that he created the reapers and gives you three choices or three endings. If you happen to be Renegade then the control ending and the synthesis ending sucks your blood. Very awful endings but at least the DESTROY ENDING but it doesn't explain what happen to the other races. Until they finally released the EXTENDED CUT that makes the destroy ending better. But I don't see all the consequences I made in the original Mass Effect since I am a renegade. Is bad but at least if you are paragon, you can see that Shepard is alive but almost dead and it gives me hope for Mass Effect 4 without THE SHEPARD.… Expand
  14. Termin8ter
    Jul 3, 2017
    8
    While Mass Effect 3 is a mostly well done game, and completes the long running trilogy in a mostly satisfying fashion, the nagging fact is that the absolutely terrible ending completely ruins the entire Mass Effect Trilogy in it's entirety, which is very sad, because this franchise deserves to be remembered, but this absolutely horrendous ending nearly, just nearly altered that. Aside fromWhile Mass Effect 3 is a mostly well done game, and completes the long running trilogy in a mostly satisfying fashion, the nagging fact is that the absolutely terrible ending completely ruins the entire Mass Effect Trilogy in it's entirety, which is very sad, because this franchise deserves to be remembered, but this absolutely horrendous ending nearly, just nearly altered that. Aside from that though, ME3 is a good enough game worth a playthrough.… Expand
  15. Epik_Ninnja
    May 22, 2015
    9
    The culmination of the incredible sci-fi epic, Mass Effect 3 takes place a year or so after the second game. The Reapers have arrived and it’s your job to unite the military forces of the galaxy to fight them (and to help save Earth). The fate of entire species depend upon the decisions you make. Combat has been refined again to include heavy melees, combat rolls, etc. and the powerThe culmination of the incredible sci-fi epic, Mass Effect 3 takes place a year or so after the second game. The Reapers have arrived and it’s your job to unite the military forces of the galaxy to fight them (and to help save Earth). The fate of entire species depend upon the decisions you make. Combat has been refined again to include heavy melees, combat rolls, etc. and the power upgrading system is better than ever. This is also the first Mass Effect to include any multiplayer mode. Sure, the ending was a letdown but that doesn’t ruin the whole game by any means. You can appreciate this game for its customization options and combat without playing 1 and 2, but in the scheme of the trilogy, as the epic finale to this large-scale interactive story that shows you how important characters throughout the series end up, which can vary drastically depending on your actions, it becomes something truly great. I'll admit the ending was pretty lackluster, the multiplayer pales in comparison to the single player, and there are less decisions in the dialogue this time around. These flaws do not warrant all of the low-scoring reviews. I honeslty enjoyed this game more than the second game (but just barely). I'd say it's a 9.3 (whereas 2 would be a 9.2, in my opinion). Upon playing it in 2013, it was my favorite game and still might be.… Expand
  16. DarkStarFactory
    May 23, 2015
    9
    Intricate honourable and epic experiences awaits you in the most fluid and aggressive gameplay-design of the series to date. Inhumanly emotional and immersive. The third title stands unrivaled in design as well as popularity in the Action RPG genre.
  17. SGOrion
    Mar 23, 2018
    9
    I just finished playing all of the Mass Effect games. The first time, I let the council die, destroyed the collector base, romanced Tali, miss all of ME3 DLC, and chose the synthesis ending. This time I saved the council, kept the collector base, romanced Ashley, and chose the destroy ending. I actually don't dislike the ending as much as a lot of these reviews do. I understand why peopleI just finished playing all of the Mass Effect games. The first time, I let the council die, destroyed the collector base, romanced Tali, miss all of ME3 DLC, and chose the synthesis ending. This time I saved the council, kept the collector base, romanced Ashley, and chose the destroy ending. I actually don't dislike the ending as much as a lot of these reviews do. I understand why people did not like the way it ended with three choices, but it actually makes more sense than they think. One thing life has taught us, is that you can make all the right choices, and still not have control of a certain situation. The reviews here make the mistake of assuming humanity should have 100% control over their fate because they made the right choices. While the choices they made did have consequences, such as being able to save both the geth and quarians, cure the genophage, etc, we must realize that we were never in complete control over the fate galaxy. Meeting the construct, TIM, it is he that has complete control. He is the catalyst, he has made sure the cycle has continued for millions of years, and only through his decision can it be broken. A threat that is as powerful and ever lasting as this one, is not going to be ended without some hard choices. I thought it was extremely fitting that the cycle was ended through the one who started it. The choices we made allowed us to get this far, and we must choose between the three ways that TIM believes will end the cycle. I found the emotional pieces very moving, and I thought they did a great job of wrapping up the personal endings for each character. The only thing I wish, is that after you get the ending that Shepard is alive, that there is more than just him breathing within the rubble. Mass Effect still remains my favorite games series of all time up to this point.… Expand
  18. Twigball
    Jul 1, 2018
    10
    Like most people I thought this game was just brilliant apart from the terrible ending from which we deserved better after playing all 3 games. But It still deserves a 10 because of the sheer scale and the amount of enjoyable hours I've sunk playing it.
  19. RafaelBarrera
    Nov 19, 2018
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is a villyfied game just because of one thing: its ending. I think it is a bit unfair to the game, the ending can't destroy the whole game experience even tho it was the close up to the whole saga ( which is why it is so hatred ). If we don't take into account the ending, this game is an improvement of what we saw in Mass Effect 2: combat system, space mining, graphics,Mass Effect 3 is a villyfied game just because of one thing: its ending. I think it is a bit unfair to the game, the ending can't destroy the whole game experience even tho it was the close up to the whole saga ( which is why it is so hatred ). If we don't take into account the ending, this game is an improvement of what we saw in Mass Effect 2: combat system, space mining, graphics, variety in weapons, etc... The game could perfectly be a 10/10 , but as I said: the ending is horrible. It's just so mad but at the same time appreciable because of the risk the developers took ( it went wrong, obviously ), maybe it was an original idea, maybe they didn't know how to finish the saga, anyway, it's a really good game with non deserved ending.
    It still is a ''must game'' for me.    … Expand
  20. Filmanwalt
    Oct 27, 2021
    10
    The commander's journey ends. Shepard has accompanied me for a long time and again and again. With part 3, the trilogy comes to a worthy end for me!

    story The reaper threat has arrived, after you could still prevent entry in the Arrival DLC in Mass Effect 2, the galaxy-wide threat has now arrived. And this feeling of doom runs through the entire game, it puts you in a position to    The commander's journey ends. Shepard has accompanied me for a long time and again and again. With part 3, the trilogy comes to a worthy end for me!

    story

    The reaper threat has arrived, after you could still prevent entry in the Arrival DLC in Mass Effect 2, the galaxy-wide threat has now arrived. And this feeling of doom runs through the entire game, it puts you in a position to make every possible effort to take down the Reaper.

    This very action-packed and warlike scenario is staged by breathtakingly good missions. It's about the solution of ancient conflicts, the alliance of the individual species ... the creation of a common armed force to prevent the destruction by the Reaper. Bioware has told a very exciting story, which in the end leads to a door 1, 2 or 3 decision, but personally I am compliant with the selectable outcomes. Only the representation, albeit understandable, of the last part of the anti-reaper weapon takes a lot of getting used to (catalyst).

    Once again, very strong dialogues are created that really take your breath away (Tali and Legion, Liara, Javik DLC, etc.). The bond with the characters is only strengthened and you just have the feeling of fighting for something together.

    Gameplay

    The best gameplay in the trilogy. Very strong combo game play, many different skills and occasional skill options. A lot of weapons, mods and upgrades as well as some armor are fun for every tinkerer. It could have been deeper, but that was enough for me. The shooting around of biotic abilities combined with the very well-functioning squad game play is always new fun.

    There are also a lot of missions, although unfortunately a few of the side missions are limited to pure scanning. Here I would have liked more staging. The constant growth of the war assets makes it clear again in which position the galaxy is and must be in order to exist.

    graphic

    Atmospherically, musically, and staged simply breathtakingly. The many cut scenes in the last mission alone still give you massive goosebumps.

    Conclusion

    It is very important to play DLC again. The Citadel DLC in particular is one of the best DLC that has ever existed. But Leviathan is also very instructive. One can only thank Bioware for this trip! 10/10 crew members.    … Expand
  21. Capulingo
    Apr 3, 2020
    0
    absolutely **** game had to reload hours of progress for a mission I don't want to
  22. StonePwnReviews
    Nov 18, 2021
    9
    A well done game up until the final hour of the main story. ME3 had me believing I was playing one of the most dynamic RPG's I've ever touched until none of my actions mattered in the end.
  23. Kostas_Spirou
    Dec 29, 2021
    8
    I honestly think this game is actually great, the gameplay mechanics are exceptional, the different types of ammunition and weapons make the gameplay feel fresh and rewarding, without ruining the pacing.

    Story-wise it does have some flaws but for most of the time it's pretty interesting, and it has some fantastic moments. Most characters are likeable and charming. Even though the game    I honestly think this game is actually great, the gameplay mechanics are exceptional, the different types of ammunition and weapons make the gameplay feel fresh and rewarding, without ruining the pacing.

    Story-wise it does have some flaws but for most of the time it's pretty interesting, and it has some fantastic moments.

    Most characters are likeable and charming. Even though the game lacks some RPG elements, like every other Mass Effect game the characters are the highlight of the game.

    And about the infamous ending, it's indeed quite rushed, but it didn't ruin my experience, everything else in this game is very good and that's all that matters.

    Final Rating: "Great" ~ 8/10.    … Expand
  24. VengeanceUK
    May 19, 2012
    7
    Both good and bad. Plenty of settings to keep noobs and experts happy. The problem with this game though is that at points you can run round aimlessly and the pace is so slow it's really annoying, but then the game steps up everal gears and the pace becomes frenetic. The biggest gripe however are the endings, despite having 3 on offer, no matter which you chose, 90% of the ending isBoth good and bad. Plenty of settings to keep noobs and experts happy. The problem with this game though is that at points you can run round aimlessly and the pace is so slow it's really annoying, but then the game steps up everal gears and the pace becomes frenetic. The biggest gripe however are the endings, despite having 3 on offer, no matter which you chose, 90% of the ending is EXACTLY THE SAME.… Expand
  25. Jerik02
    Jul 26, 2013
    0
    Casey Hudson ruined Mass Effect. The ending is terrible, but the combat mechanics are simply awful. Tapping a button to get into and out of cover is buggy and more often than not doesn't do what you need it to. The third person camera does a terrible job of maintaining a clear view and often clips into the wall. Mass effect 3 is a perfect example of how EA ruins games. It is no wonder theCasey Hudson ruined Mass Effect. The ending is terrible, but the combat mechanics are simply awful. Tapping a button to get into and out of cover is buggy and more often than not doesn't do what you need it to. The third person camera does a terrible job of maintaining a clear view and often clips into the wall. Mass effect 3 is a perfect example of how EA ruins games. It is no wonder the founders of BioWare quit during the resulting Mass Effect 3 outrage from the players. It is silly really a game marketed as allowing you to tell your own story was ruined because an egotistical (seriously, go look at his web page), childish Casey Hudson wanted to end the story his way denying players what they loved about the game. Like a petulant child, Casey Hudson locked out the other writers to make his own ending and as an EA employee put it, "it shows". Couldn't agree more. Way to alienate a core fan base, tarnish what was a successful IP, and further prove to players why EA cannot be trusted. Even the extended DLC content doesn't fix the plot holes in the ending. It is simply a few more lame slides, that don't really improve anything.… Expand
  26. M3ta
    Aug 31, 2012
    6
    The gameplay (i.e. combat) is good. The graphics are amazing. The presentation and story is bad. Sidequests involve either flying somewhere and shooting Cerberus people in a combat zone, or using the Galaxy map to scan planets. That's it - scan planets. You don't actually VISIT the planets, you just scan them, which allows to to magically recover artifacts, and rescue entire races. ByThe gameplay (i.e. combat) is good. The graphics are amazing. The presentation and story is bad. Sidequests involve either flying somewhere and shooting Cerberus people in a combat zone, or using the Galaxy map to scan planets. That's it - scan planets. You don't actually VISIT the planets, you just scan them, which allows to to magically recover artifacts, and rescue entire races. By pressing the scan button. These sidequests are picked up by eavesdropping on people's conversations in the Citadel (which, by the way, is the ONLY hub in the entire game... funny how everyone wants to meet you on the Citadel - there's nowhere else to go). "Hey dude, heard you talking on the phone to your buddy, saying you needed an antidote to a Reaper poison... I just happened to travel to a planet, and bring you back the antidote... here ya go." "Orly? Thats... awfully convenient... thanks?" You do get to meet your allies from Mass Effect 2, but it's more like "Oh hey Grunt/ Samara/ Jacob, how're things? What's that, you'd like me to kill some stuff for you? Sure. OK, we've killed all the stuff... guess I'll catch you later." It is nice to see how small decisions from ME1/2 played out, but you only really get to see it in small ways, like extranet messages. And finally, the ending seems to have been written by someone with no grasp of concepts like "logic", and is probably the most unsatisfying experience I've ever had with a franchise I used to love. Oh, and the DLC? With ME2, DLC like Shadow Broker was great since it added to the game and expanded on the universe and the characters - this Leviathan DLC is basically pointless for people who have finished the game. In short, the game looks great, but really disappoints - the polar oppoosite to the game that started it off, the first Mass Effect.… Expand
  27. miramax123
    Aug 17, 2013
    7
    At first, I gave this game a 9 for the fact that the music wasn't as rushed as ME2 majority of sounndtracks, for their aesthetically-compensating atmosphere, the moderate depth in characters' feelings about the Reaper War and the improved gameplay movement, flow, speed and resolution, although the power recharge system is still there which was kind of a bummer since ME2 you can'tAt first, I gave this game a 9 for the fact that the music wasn't as rushed as ME2 majority of sounndtracks, for their aesthetically-compensating atmosphere, the moderate depth in characters' feelings about the Reaper War and the improved gameplay movement, flow, speed and resolution, although the power recharge system is still there which was kind of a bummer since ME2 you can't constantly use powers without having them all charging just to use one power. And the soundtracks were absoulute emotional originality! However, despite thinking and thinking more about how MUCH potential this game seriously had, I realized that the EA gaining full control of the franchise after ME2 was just middle finger to veteran fans and a cynical step TOO FAR! The flaws are established; The villains weren't at their most authentic evil, like Kai Leng, who I thought was a superficial rather than a dangerous assassins, Harbinger not getting enough establishment at all, Sovereign was by far the most terrifying verbally and villanous character in the trilogy from ME1, no planetary exploration and instead like ME2, you get an even worse and less captivating side missions just to prolong the original game time, storyline was the main crap that was a bloody punch to the face by Bioware to all of us ME fans, the vaguely rushed, inexplicable and confusing endings were just a mockery to the entire trilogy!! Bioware needs to get their magic back that once manifested in ME and ME... ME3 just had NO diversity in missions, not enough ndifferent enemies, and the most ridiculous of them all, is on the Insanity mode, you instantly get cheap deaths by three randomly stupid husks and a ridiculously annoying Marauder shooting at you while your Shepard is annoyingly shaking from the targetting system, preventing you to kill that last idiot! Bioware just shoved their heads down with EA, not enough impact from decision making from the previous ME and ME2 decisions, although the Javik and Citadel party DLC's were fun, this was just overall bullcrap to me. Satisfactory for gameplay, but replay value for story and real gameplay is no worth whatsoever. BIOWARE MAKE MASS EFFECT 4 COUNT whatever you tend to call the next game!… Expand
  28. Deleran
    Oct 10, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've had a long time to ruminate on this one, having beat the game shortly after it came out. Firstly: the ending stinks, badly. It felt completely jarring and totally unearned and incongruent, especially on my play-through. Also the entire starchild plot is terrible. His presence in the tutorial, the dream sequences, all of it: crap. That being said, everything else about this game is excellent. I've been playing the Multiplayer quite a bit, and I think that alone is worth the price of admission. The shooting mechanics are hands down the best in the series, and when paired with the mostly thoughtful class and enemy design, creates an excellent experience in both single and multiplayer. The story, excepting the parts mentioned above, is excellent, allowing for all sorts of different payoffs from the previous games in the series. If you're willing to grit your teeth and bear a crap ending, or if you're just interested in the unique and innovative shooting mechanics that make the multiplayer so fun, its definitely worth your time and money.… Expand
  29. drlowdon
    Mar 25, 2020
    8
    Continuing from the events of the previous game Mass Effect 3 opens with the Reapers attacking Earth and, having narrowly escaped with his life, Commander Shepard yet again finds himself as humanity's last hope for survival.

    Series veterans will be instantly familiar with the games concept in which a series of core and side missions can be accessed from the Normandy's galaxy map. This    Continuing from the events of the previous game Mass Effect 3 opens with the Reapers attacking Earth and, having narrowly escaped with his life, Commander Shepard yet again finds himself as humanity's last hope for survival.

    Series veterans will be instantly familiar with the games concept in which a series of core and side missions can be accessed from the Normandy's galaxy map. This time around however it is not just a case of recruiting allies to your cause. Depending on how each mission is handled vital resources, such as fleets of warships, can be gained to aid in the final battle against the Reapers. As has always been the case many of these missions allows for a great deal of freedom with a number of, sometimes very difficult, choices being afforded to the player. The series strong combat remains virtually unchanged from the series second entry and still plays like a simplified version of Gears of War. Responding to audience criticisms a number of features have been tweaked however. While the popular Mako may not make a return the weapon and armour customisation has returned and the dull planet scanning all but removed. For the first time in the Mass Effect series multiplayer has also been included. To be honest it offers only a minor diversion from the main campaign with only one mode (imagine Horde mode from Gears of War or Halo) and six small maps to play in co-op with up to three other players. Since the playing multiplayer aids in preparing for the Reaper assault in the main game however it is worth investing some time in.

    And so to the much criticised ending to the game. In my personal opinion some of this criticism is justified as it certainly leaves several plot holes and very much jars with the philosophy of Mass Effect. A few fans have certainly gone overboard however as when you consider the huge influence you are able to wield throughout the game the disappointing final ten minutes in no way spoils the 20+ hours that come before or the epic series as a whole.    … Expand
  30. Legotwin
    Mar 26, 2013
    6
    I absolutely LOVED this game, but the only problem I have, and this was a HUGE problem, is the ending. The ending was just SO terrible it's not even funny. I was so disappointed.
  31. 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".
  32. CalebPeter
    Nov 2, 2012
    8
    I really enjoyed this game when i played it. The Story is fantasitc, as with every other Mass Effect, and the gameplay has improved, but not by much. There has been a lot of hype over the ending of the game. The ending really was terrible. When I finished the game, I was horrified. But Bioware not only fixed it up, they fixed it for free, and came out with many other DLC's, for FREE. OtherI really enjoyed this game when i played it. The Story is fantasitc, as with every other Mass Effect, and the gameplay has improved, but not by much. There has been a lot of hype over the ending of the game. The ending really was terrible. When I finished the game, I was horrified. But Bioware not only fixed it up, they fixed it for free, and came out with many other DLC's, for FREE. Other than that, the gameplay is good, the story is excellent, but not as good as Mass Effect 2, which is still my favorite game of all time. Also, Mass Effect manages what most games can't. The game has you really caring about the characters of the game. Especially the second and third game. Overall I give this game a 8, because it is a really well made game, and I can't wait for the movie, and Mass Effect 4.… Expand
  33. MrBlack
    Jul 2, 2013
    0
    I have to say, the first 95% of the game, leading right up to the very last 15min or so, was excellent. Gameplay was improved, and I actually enjoyed the war asset strategy much as I had enjoyed the overall structure of Mass Effect 2. And this is why it is so astonishing how the final sequence is all it takes to make this very good game into a very bad one. All the excitement that had beenI have to say, the first 95% of the game, leading right up to the very last 15min or so, was excellent. Gameplay was improved, and I actually enjoyed the war asset strategy much as I had enjoyed the overall structure of Mass Effect 2. And this is why it is so astonishing how the final sequence is all it takes to make this very good game into a very bad one. All the excitement that had been building up over the course of the game, and also it's two predecessors, is extinguished immediately and in the worst way, leaving you with the inescapable feeling of being ripped off. The worst part is that there is absolutely no closure to any aspect of the story. The ending didn't just ruin Mass Effect 3, it ruined the entire series. For this, I can not justify any other score.… Expand
  34. Benti86
    May 8, 2012
    7
    I used to praise this game, but I never commented after I beat it I was that upset. I won't give this game a bad review because of all the things the only thing that really irks me is the ending controversy and some of the multiplayer.... other than that gameplay is mostly fine, but honestly the amount of plot holes is ridiculous and the negligence of the lore is sickening. I won'tI used to praise this game, but I never commented after I beat it I was that upset. I won't give this game a bad review because of all the things the only thing that really irks me is the ending controversy and some of the multiplayer.... other than that gameplay is mostly fine, but honestly the amount of plot holes is ridiculous and the negligence of the lore is sickening. I won't mention these things as most people already know about these issues and I don't want to spoil. I have every DLC for every Mass Effect and the conclusions literally just tossed it all out of the window...as for multiplayer, it isn't bad, but it isn't good either. Lack of different modes coupled with a small selection of maps with few enemy variations is just too repetitive. Bioware also hasn't helped by openly criticizing the fans for caring and one said that the fans "aren't producers!" This is true, but following the atrocious ending (in my opinion) Bioware should've looked more closely at it, from a fan's point of view. How can you miss your own lore!? The free multiplayer release didn't really help and the extended ending won't fix what most of the fans have problems with, nor will these free DLCs lighten my mood for paying 10$ for a half hour mission. I am sorry, but that is where I stand...… Expand
  35. Bruce722
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Ignore all of the idiots hating on this game. They are trolls and probably never even played the game. The truth is, this might be the single greatest game in the history of gaming. People complain about the ending, and while I was a bit disappointed, if you actually played all of the game and made the necessary decisions required, the ending you got wasn't perfect but it was still outstanding.
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. xGAMERxx
    May 20, 2012
    9
    Bioware has outdone themselves, this is an amazing game. But of course nothing is perfect. Like most other people, I too was disappointed with the terrible ending. But aside from the last 15 minutes or so, this game was truly amazing. Mass effect 3 starts where 2 left off. The reapers are coming at full force and it's up to Shepard to save the entire galaxy. If you haven't already, IBioware has outdone themselves, this is an amazing game. But of course nothing is perfect. Like most other people, I too was disappointed with the terrible ending. But aside from the last 15 minutes or so, this game was truly amazing. Mass effect 3 starts where 2 left off. The reapers are coming at full force and it's up to Shepard to save the entire galaxy. If you haven't already, I suggest that you pick up mass effect 1 and 2 and play them in order so everything falls into place, just so you won't end up confused (and you will get to meet some awesome characters along the way.) The thing I love most about mass effect is the characters. You actually start caring for the characters, each character has their own individual personality, you feel sad for the character, happy, and hey you might even be attracted to them. You could continue relationships from Mass effect 1-2 and it is really satisfying to see your character, and others develop. As i've said before the story is great aside from the last 15 mins. It really pulls you in and you just can't wait to see what happens next. The gameplay is a lot more fast paced compared to its predecessors but it works. All in all Mass effect 3 is a great game. it's a lot of fun, from seeing all of the awesome characters develop, to choosing to be a hero or a jerk, to the combat. This game receives a 9 from me. I took a point off for the unsatisfying ending.… Expand
  39. John117
    May 20, 2012
    0
    This game was a huge disappointment. The combat was boring, the story was terrible, and the ending essentially ruined the previous two games for me. Mass effect 2 was dumbed down from ME1, but it was still a pretty good game. This one takes it ten steps further. "Action mode" says it all. The graphics are worse as well, many of the landscapes look blocky, the water looks awful...theThis game was a huge disappointment. The combat was boring, the story was terrible, and the ending essentially ruined the previous two games for me. Mass effect 2 was dumbed down from ME1, but it was still a pretty good game. This one takes it ten steps further. "Action mode" says it all. The graphics are worse as well, many of the landscapes look blocky, the water looks awful...the list goes on. I don't know what happened, if some of the better writers left between games, but the story in this one is cringe-worthy at every turn with few exceptions. I'd have rather this game had not even came out, which is saying a lot since I'd been looking forward to this conclusion of commander Shepard's story for the past 5 years or so. Don't buy this game.… Expand
  40. 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
  41. CaptKai
    Mar 20, 2012
    4
    I just watched what was a phenomenal, even cinematic franchise commit inexcusable storytelling suicide. It's not that the ending is depressing or even bittersweet, as PR would have it spun; The ending makes zero sense - it flies in the face of it's own canon and creates numerous plot holes in the last ten minutes alone. To top it all off, the defining element of Mass Effect, choice, isI just watched what was a phenomenal, even cinematic franchise commit inexcusable storytelling suicide. It's not that the ending is depressing or even bittersweet, as PR would have it spun; The ending makes zero sense - it flies in the face of it's own canon and creates numerous plot holes in the last ten minutes alone. To top it all off, the defining element of Mass Effect, choice, is stripped away from you. No choice you agonized over has any consequence.
    .
    If you're a fan of the series and absolutely cannot bring yourself to wait to play this, do yourself a favor and either rent ME3, or purchase a used copy at your local Gamestop and return it before seven days are up to get your money back. I admit it can be a relatively fun game, up to a point, but you will regret paying full retail price for this disaster.    … Expand
  42. martinmiggs
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    Great game, and one of the best (if not the best) trilogies in gaming. I just wanted to add my two cents as there are some very strange reviews on Metacritic. I found that the choices I made throughout the series hugely satisfactory down the line. I also feel the ending was great. You can achieve the "best" ending without jumping through any or the peripheral hoops EA set up. TheGreat game, and one of the best (if not the best) trilogies in gaming. I just wanted to add my two cents as there are some very strange reviews on Metacritic. I found that the choices I made throughout the series hugely satisfactory down the line. I also feel the ending was great. You can achieve the "best" ending without jumping through any or the peripheral hoops EA set up. The aforementioned ending has emotional weight and payoff. Brilliant. ME4 please Bioware!… Expand
  43. 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.
  44. czombie
    Mar 20, 2012
    4
    This game obviously doesn't deserve a 0 or 1 rating, but to say that the ending was extremely disappointing is an understatement. At the game's end, I felt like I didn't really have a choice at all, despite what was advertised by Bioware and what consistently occurred throughout all three of the titles in the series. I think it's apparent that they are eventually going to make anThis game obviously doesn't deserve a 0 or 1 rating, but to say that the ending was extremely disappointing is an understatement. At the game's end, I felt like I didn't really have a choice at all, despite what was advertised by Bioware and what consistently occurred throughout all three of the titles in the series. I think it's apparent that they are eventually going to make an alternate ending with more choices, as they are going to lose a ton of money in DLC if they don't. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks that this was their plan all along, to get more people to buy a better ending as DLC. If the DLC costs anything, I'm done with Bioware, but a free DLC alternate ending with some actual choices will let me forgive them because, besides the ending, this is a good game.… Expand
  45. MantonX2
    Mar 20, 2012
    4
    If you are here trying to decide if you want to buy this game, then do yourself a favor. Honestly, any review you see that gives this game a 10 and calls it perfection, ignore. That's not realistic. Likewise, any review that says it's utter garbage and a 0, ignore. It to is not driven by reality. The rating system is not complex enough here for me to give a visual score so I will putIf you are here trying to decide if you want to buy this game, then do yourself a favor. Honestly, any review you see that gives this game a 10 and calls it perfection, ignore. That's not realistic. Likewise, any review that says it's utter garbage and a 0, ignore. It to is not driven by reality. The rating system is not complex enough here for me to give a visual score so I will put it here. Assume the game takes 30hours to beat. If I were to score the first 29hrs and 50mins this game would easily get an 7-8. If I curb my desire to have more RPG elements that were closer to the first ME then I could easily give it an 8-9. In a nutshell, the majority of players are going to love those first 29hrs and 50mins. It's a wild and at times emotional ride full of action and loss. The graphics aren't ground breaking, but they are more than enough to carry this game and convey the enormity of it all. The final battle is epic in scale and amazing even if I wanted to see so much more of it and all of those assets that I put into place during the game.

    That said, the final 10mins completely undoes everything that comes before it and that the franchise stands for. You go from being an active participant in the story of -your- Commander Shepard to a bystander. In those ten minutes, they undo almost every important fact that they disclosed and you realize that all of those huge and small decisions you made over 3 games and 5 years brings you to the exact same place as everyone else who played with only very small variations to the same exact ending. And in the process, they have ruined the entire franchise for me. For that, the ending gets a 0.

    Combined, I can't give ME3 more than a 4 even if it hurts my heart. Some are going to say that giving the ending a 0 is ridiculous, but let me ask you this. Ignoring the plot holes, inconsistencies, spurious and circular logic and the rest; does it seem right that I take my "Everyone Lives/Super Paragon Blew Up The Collector Base" ending ME2 Shepard into ME3 and my friend takes his "Man I screwed up and almost every squad member died and I handed over the Collector Base" joke ME2 Shepard and we both get the exact same ending without variation? For a franchise like ME, that's a completely broken end system and doesn't deserve a good or even mediocre score.    … Expand
  46. watithink123
    Sep 21, 2012
    9
    Okay the ending sucked bloody balls! But guys forget about those last 15 Minutes, think of the fun you had with this game before those last 15 minutes, great gameplay, story and many other great things. If only they din't strew up the ending, this game would be almost as good as Mass Effect 2. So far my game of the year but with the ending... I don't think it deserve's it. But I ave highOkay the ending sucked bloody balls! But guys forget about those last 15 Minutes, think of the fun you had with this game before those last 15 minutes, great gameplay, story and many other great things. If only they din't strew up the ending, this game would be almost as good as Mass Effect 2. So far my game of the year but with the ending... I don't think it deserve's it. But I ave high hopes for Halo 4 , Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3 and many other games. Mass Effect 3; 9.0/10… Expand
  47. 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
  48. Harthacnut
    Apr 17, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **Please be aware my review does contain minor spoilers**

    I've been a big fan of Mass Effect ever since the game first launched on the xbox back in 2007. Its fair to say i haven't been a fan of some of the changes through the trilogies history so it was with trepidation that i awaited the release of the conclusion.
    Since Mass Effect 3 was launched i have meticulously played through it twice to try and see what the consequences of my different decisions for my male and female character would have on the conclusion. I start with this point because for me it is the biggest failure of the game and the games as a whole. I think i would have much rather the developers not given us these big choices between games because unfortunately all they were doing was setting themselves up for a fall. If your going to do something as involving and dynamic as offering choice it needs to be done well. The problem you have is simply its lack of consequence because regardless of what choices you've made the alternative would only be a slight tweak. A good example is If you saved the Rachni Queen from the original game then she turns up in ME3 and you have the choice to save her again which is all well and good. However if you choose to kill her then she turns up again in ME3?? ok so technically she isn't the same apparently she's a creation of the reapers but the point is the character model, the dialogue and the choices are almost 100% identical. Just using the same skin and calling it something else is just lazy. What made it even worse was on the shuttle after the mission my renegade femshep who killed the Rachni in the original game had a discussion with Garrus who said i had saved her in the first game when i didn't! Talk about breaking my immersion. The Rachni incident isn't the main culprit of this because the alternative skin method is used throughout the game. Sure extra dialogue options and slighlty different skins textures are used to disguise this but for the most part once you've done one play through the outcome of your consequences for the plots elements will be the same. There are some differences and if you don't have tali on your team in ME3 you'll know what i mean when it comes to the Quarian homeworld missions but for the most part there is little difference. In fairness to the game this happened in ME2 as well although not nearly to the same extent.
    Another issue i have which i briefly touched on is the sheer number of bugs in the game. The worst one being that anyone on xbox can't import their original character from the first game. Yes it has now been patched but its still very rough around the edges. Other bugs to name a few include, getting stuck in the environment, the wrong voice acting used for certain characters at points in the game, talking to characters who aren't there (jacob mission), character head turning 180degrees during a conversation, eyeballs from hell and the game freezing on many occasions to name but a few.
    Obviously one of the biggest flaws of the game is its ending. I won't say much because everyone keeps going on about it, but it is very poor and i think just lazily written. Forget artistic integrity because you lose that when you put out an ending out as bad as the one on ME3. Yet despite all these issues (and there are plenty more i haven't listed) the game in its self plays very well. The shooter mechanics are an improvement over the last game. The graphics are slightly better. The character development is very good for the most part (there are a few notable exceptions) and missions themselves are exciting and interesting. The level design is the best its been since the first game and towards the end the difficulty really does ramp up (which is good) and the music is excellent (especially the Clint Mansell tracks).
    Therefore ultimately it is a fun game thats worth playing, perhaps more so if you haven't played either of the preceeding two. If you have there is still alot of good in the game but you will be disappointed. Not least because of the promise the game had, it could have been amazing instead it was just lazy, very lazy which is a real shame.    … Expand
  49. Fatbastad
    Jan 31, 2013
    3
    This game was FANTASTIC all the way to completing the Cerberus base mission. Then, it crashed and burned. It seemed like they poured their talent and resources into this game and ran out of both before they finished it. Both my wife and I played all three games and we both had the same reaction to the end. What interns made this ending? The concept philosophy of the end was right on theThis game was FANTASTIC all the way to completing the Cerberus base mission. Then, it crashed and burned. It seemed like they poured their talent and resources into this game and ran out of both before they finished it. Both my wife and I played all three games and we both had the same reaction to the end. What interns made this ending? The concept philosophy of the end was right on the mark for a Sci-Fi. But it was poorly poorly executed and the choices you made through out the series were rendered completely irrelevant. My wife and I in 20 minutes could brainstorm a better execution of the ending and still leave their philosophical concept intact. What's their excuse?… Expand
  50. 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
  51. marcusJohnson
    May 15, 2012
    2
    Gay ass game I regret buying it. Will pirate it 30 times to damage EA.

    This is my last EA Game, Battlefield 3 sucked so hard man I can't believe they can get money with this even CoD was better
  52. 1voiceoreason
    May 15, 2012
    8
    Great game and a fine way to end the journey that was the mass effect series. The Inclusion of "horde-mode" multiplayer was great because it only added to the experience and using those cool powers in a multiplayer setting was enjoyable. Of course the big topic was the ending... i didn't love it but i understood the direction and think it was perfectly mediocre. Still a great game thoughGreat game and a fine way to end the journey that was the mass effect series. The Inclusion of "horde-mode" multiplayer was great because it only added to the experience and using those cool powers in a multiplayer setting was enjoyable. Of course the big topic was the ending... i didn't love it but i understood the direction and think it was perfectly mediocre. Still a great game though and look forward to playing more in this universe.… Expand
  53. Nizzy
    May 16, 2012
    7
    If you are looking for a game that gives you a real sense of accomplishment at the end, ME3 is not the game for you. That being said, the rest of the game is top-notch. I would have liked more characters as well, but complaining about wanting more out of your game says a lot about how well what is there really is. Multiplayer gameplay in particular is superb with a simple design thatIf you are looking for a game that gives you a real sense of accomplishment at the end, ME3 is not the game for you. That being said, the rest of the game is top-notch. I would have liked more characters as well, but complaining about wanting more out of your game says a lot about how well what is there really is. Multiplayer gameplay in particular is superb with a simple design that nonetheless manages to remain fresh and different every match. Add to that the sound quality which is phenomenal; monsters sound monstrous, robots and technology sounds are totally immursive, and the voicework is entirely organic with no sense of separate sound stages strung together.

    Is the last 10 minutes bad enough to ruin the rest of the game? Maybe. I don't really have any argument against the opinions of all those who gave it a "0," but for me it remains a solid game I'll probably play again; I just try not to think about the emptiness I know will come when I am done.    … Expand
  54. enFenix
    May 16, 2012
    8
    Despite having a rough start, with some hiccups along the way, and a troubled finish to the series, I thoroughly enjoyed the game.

    Granted, I went into playing this game being aware that there was a very large outcry of complaints regarding the endings available in the game. With that in mind, I was prepped for a very disappointing ending to the title and the series. Regarding the    Despite having a rough start, with some hiccups along the way, and a troubled finish to the series, I thoroughly enjoyed the game.

    Granted, I went into playing this game being aware that there was a very large outcry of complaints regarding the endings available in the game. With that in mind, I was prepped for a very disappointing ending to the title and the series. Regarding the endings, I will say this one non-spoiling thing: They're not half as bad as the die-hards are suggesting. The game makes suggestions throughout it's entire story about what would be on the table in the last few moments of the story, so I'm unaware why people were so shocked.

    The diversity of endings, in my opinion, were nothing different from the previous installations. Mass Effect 1 & 2 both had endings which varried SLIGHTLY depending on many of the players decisions throughout the titles, however the major results of each of the original 2 titles endings never changed. The diversity was in supporting details. So my thoughts regarding the backlash of the chosen ending of the game is for people to stop complaining and enjoy the game for what it is.

    Outside of the more controversial issue, the story of the game is wonderfully written, and incorporates many facets of the original 2 games, including the decisions made by the player in the original titles.

    The details surrounding the core plot of the game during my play-through vastly differed from that of my friends experience. I was impressed by the games potential for diversity in ancillary details.

    Graphically, to be honest, I feel the engine has hit it's apex and is beginning to age. However, it was still a visually-enjoyable game.

    The game-play experience itself was well fleshed-out, although I feel the second instalment of the series takes the crown in this category. The side-quest of searching through the galaxy for bonus resources/items/etc was very basic and un-interesting. The combat system seemed to be a little flawed this time around, where actions I expected my character would make were not, well, made. The voice-recognition for the Kinect was fun for a bit, but then become an irritation. That is my own personal experience, others may enjoy it greatly.

    Overall, I suggest you be aware that the ending has some controversy around it, and otherwise enjoy this game for everything it offers between the start and the finish.    … Expand
  55. ConnKon
    Oct 9, 2020
    10
    Combat is easily the best of the 3. Played with extended cut ending, sure, wasn't the best ending in the world, but it was fine. Story throughout the game was top notch.
  56. TheShakyMatty
    Aug 16, 2012
    7
    Mass Effect 3 is a journey that tugs at heart strings, makes you ask big questions and ends multiple story archs. The Mass Effect trilogy has been phenomenal, and has excelled in scope and story telling although the illusion of choice is ever present. While I invested my time in Mass Effect 3 it soon became clear that the game was telling an end of the story from the very beginning. ThisMass Effect 3 is a journey that tugs at heart strings, makes you ask big questions and ends multiple story archs. The Mass Effect trilogy has been phenomenal, and has excelled in scope and story telling although the illusion of choice is ever present. While I invested my time in Mass Effect 3 it soon became clear that the game was telling an end of the story from the very beginning. This is how I suggest you treat the game.The multiplayer is a fun edition and greatly expands the life of the product it was not somthing I asked for but fun regardless. It is not without fault so i cannot in good conscience give it a amazing score cause it is not. These faults are very minor and do not subtract from the game very much i.e. Trouble finding quest related people on map, lackluster epilogue, your choices do not feel as important as it could be and multiplayer connection problems. The game is great overall and deserves a 7/10 I recommend you buy it, you could do a lot worse.… Expand
  57. PatrykG
    Jan 2, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ME3 is one the best games of the year, but there are huge problems also like the dialouge circle doesn't much through out the story and the biggest problem was the ending, in ME1 & ME2 your decisions matter for the sake of the story but in ME3 just takes that out completly and the ending you have 3 options : Control Reapers, Destroy all synthethic life, or synthesize all organic and synthetic life together and all the endings
    are the same and are different only alittle. The good things about ME3 is THE GRAPHICS, THE CAMPAIGN, THE GAMEPLAY. But I say that ME3 is my least fave ME game.    … Expand
  58. mailordermonstr
    Nov 11, 2012
    8
    BEST ENDING EVER!!!! OK, I'm just fooling around. But honestly, the ending isn't that horrible. You'll hear a lot of people complain about lack of options. This is somewhat true, but what do you expect? With the amount of choices made throughout the ME series, it would've taken individually customized endings for the thousands of different outcomes. But enough about all those whiny ****BEST ENDING EVER!!!! OK, I'm just fooling around. But honestly, the ending isn't that horrible. You'll hear a lot of people complain about lack of options. This is somewhat true, but what do you expect? With the amount of choices made throughout the ME series, it would've taken individually customized endings for the thousands of different outcomes. But enough about all those whiny **** lets get to the review. If you've played the previous ME games, then you'll know pretty much what to expect when it comes to game play, graphics and sound. They're all top-notch. You'll likely run into all the characters you met in previous ME games, though your team will be made mostly of new people. The area where this installment detours is the story. Your goal in ME3 is to rally the troops for galactic war. Doesn't make for much of a story in its self, but rather offers various smaller stories as well as some closure to past stories. Will it leave you with some unanswered questions? Probably. The ME universe is simply too large for everything to be easily explained. And remember, this may be the end of Shepard's story line, but it's not the end of the ME universe. Also gone from ME is the tedious planet scanning found in ME2. Another addition of ME3 is the multiplayer. It's basically a horde mode. I had lots of fun with this and fortunately Bioware has shown a great deal of support with free DLC maps and characters. If you enjoy the combat in ME you'll enjoy this mode. If you enjoyed previous ME games, you'll enjoy this one. If you haven't played the previous games, than why are you reading this? And if you're one of those people that hated the ending (again, why are you reading this?), go pick up a book. Those things are nothing but story.… Expand
  59. OverLordLuigi
    Aug 12, 2012
    4
    This game is some of the worst work Bioware has done. For a game focused on decision making, there isn't that many decisions in most cases you are only granted 2 options that are obviously Renegade or Paragon choices and nothing neutral. Very rarely do you even get a 3rd option in dialogue. There are also less RPG elements than before making this game more of a 3rd person shooter than anThis game is some of the worst work Bioware has done. For a game focused on decision making, there isn't that many decisions in most cases you are only granted 2 options that are obviously Renegade or Paragon choices and nothing neutral. Very rarely do you even get a 3rd option in dialogue. There are also less RPG elements than before making this game more of a 3rd person shooter than an RPG. The new squad members were not nearly as interesting as the previous ones. Finally the two worst parts the ending which the extended cut did not fix that well you, just get a 5 minute slideshow and of course **** day 1 DLC .… Expand
  60. norborb
    Aug 16, 2012
    0
    A watered down experience with many cut corners, Mass Effect 3 needed to be something better. A rushed production, on disc DLC, and strong handed DRM are not acceptable. The Mass Effect trilogy could have really been more than this.
  61. ferarco1
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3: Mass Disappointment
    The game controls and AI are average but this series was living on the story so what have they done...ruined that too, bioware lied time and time again, insted of supporting the fans they spit in face of anyone who gave a damm for the series, the ending does not reflect any choices you have made, if anyone played ME1 and ME2 with imported characters in the end of ME3 it doesnt count for nothing, the choices you made are irrelevant because in the end you have to choose from 4possible outcomes and guess what you die in all of them and you stay witlh more doubts because so much is left unsplained.

    But Bioware seeing this as lauched a DLC ( because everyone in EA belives that everybody who bought de game has the console conected to the internet... ) and guess what insted of making something usefull like adressing what the comunity has said, no...its the same thing but now adicional slides of information without changing nothing...the gamers for whom you made a DLC did not wanted a narration, just a decent closure, and for the users who said they liked the game as it was, the delivering of the DLC proves that bioware realized the crap they did...but even knowing they still insisted on it...

    this is the ultimate insult to anyone who played since the first game and invested hours and hours in it, and for those who play mass effect 3 for the first time without de previous game its mediocre because this series lived on the story and not in the controls, people can say the motion capture is this and sound is that, anyone in this time and after all these years in corrent generation of consoles expects no less...what is to be expected is a good game and a good history from a company that brougt us games like KOTOR almost a decade ago and now fails to provide...a game to avoid    … Expand
  62. Wiffyjustus
    Aug 27, 2012
    1
    The journey over all three games was fantastic. The destination sucked. I loved this game, until I got to the end. I respect Bioware's adherence to their 'artistic vision', but I whole-heartedly disagree with it. The endings felt like a spit in the face to all the hours invested in this series by the consumer. It must be worse for those who worked tirelessly on this series to see suchThe journey over all three games was fantastic. The destination sucked. I loved this game, until I got to the end. I respect Bioware's adherence to their 'artistic vision', but I whole-heartedly disagree with it. The endings felt like a spit in the face to all the hours invested in this series by the consumer. It must be worse for those who worked tirelessly on this series to see such negative fan reaction. Sadly, I believe the negative reaction is warranted.… Expand
  63. dosmax
    Sep 4, 2012
    10
    Despite what people have said about the ending, I thought it was an epic close to an epic series. This game marks that Shepard's story is at an end and that's exactly what the ending accomplishes. The unmarked side missions are my biggest complaint and I still didn't find them too annoying because if you just walked around you would easily acquire them and complete them. The game play wasDespite what people have said about the ending, I thought it was an epic close to an epic series. This game marks that Shepard's story is at an end and that's exactly what the ending accomplishes. The unmarked side missions are my biggest complaint and I still didn't find them too annoying because if you just walked around you would easily acquire them and complete them. The game play was the smoothest of the series and the graphics were great. There were moments that made you want to jump up in anger and in joy as well as moments that drew a tear. It was a beautiful story, and I think it was an amazing ending for one of the best series ever produced.… Expand
  64. VIPER117
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    Great game storyline is great as well as game play,graphics, and characters.but the end was so horrible they made the game so different from every other one allowed you to make choices build relationships and left you hanging other than that great trilogy and from rumors maybe not done
  65. Philip261
    Sep 19, 2012
    9
    To say Mass Effect 3 is a bad game is completely wrong, it gets some things that it shouldn't wrong but these cloud over the positives, I will lay this out so it is easier to read, I will leave the multiplayer out for the moment.
    POSITIVE
    - The combat is an improvement on Mass Effect 2, it is much more fluid and enjoyable. -The story (up until the final 20 minutes) is pretty good -The    To say Mass Effect 3 is a bad game is completely wrong, it gets some things that it shouldn't wrong but these cloud over the positives, I will lay this out so it is easier to read, I will leave the multiplayer out for the moment.
    POSITIVE
    - The combat is an improvement on Mass Effect 2, it is much more fluid and enjoyable.
    -The story (up until the final 20 minutes) is pretty good
    -The weapon choice is nearly as large as ME1 but all the guns are different and offer great variety
    -Set pieces are great
    NEGATIVE
    - The ending, although not as bad as some claim (now thanks to the extended cut free DLC it makes sense), it also leaves room for Bioware to implement the "Indoctrination Theory" (For more info go to Clever Noob Network on YouTube, they have 3 hour and a half documentries on this concept)
    -Some of the animations are poor, (Shepard often does a shoulder pat that looks like it's from the 90s
    - There are also marks that the game was rushed, e.g on mission one on Earth, when on the skyscrapers look down, the images of husks running below you looks terrible)
    -The combat, though very well polished is a little too easy, the ability to unleash ridiculously powerful explosions with biotics makes insanity really too easy in parts.
    -I found the fact that you can't go into true conversation with squadmates on the Normandy anytime a tad annoying but then again the banter that is thrown between them better them more than makes up for it

    STORY OVER

    MULTIPLAYER
    Without multiplayer I would have probably given this game a 6 or 7
    It is the better part of the game and has very few flaws, for those who don't know the multiplayer is a horde mode (wave defence) with 11 rounds, however at 3,6 and 10 there is an objective to complete, this earns you credits to buy equipment. The 11th wave is an extraction wave where you have to survive for two mins and get to an extraction zone.
    You can play as a many different races and classes, there are lots of maps and you can fight Cerberus, geth or Reapers on either bronze (easy), Silver (normal) or Gold (hard), the number of credits increases the harder difficulty, they added a platinum difficulty in a free dlc where you fight all the factions at once who are at full strength at wave one.
    The multiplayer has been attacked by some critics but is actually incredible and adds huge replay value to the game

    For those interested I played Mass Effect 2 first, it was so well reviewed I felt compelled to play it. I then got Mass Effect 3 and earlier this year I got Mass Effect 1. So no I am not a "true" fan of the series but given i put 40 hours into ME3 within a week of owning it and am probably well past 200 hours of total play time on ME3 alone, I feel I am qualified to judge this game, unlike those who just played the game once and stopped playing due to the ending.    … Expand
  66. AJ_antipop
    Apr 15, 2014
    8
    Is the ending disappointing? Yes, very much so. Does that alone make this game awful as a whole? Absolutely not. The characters are all still just as likeable, the dialogue is top-notch, the graphics are both gorgeous and fitting, and the majority of the plot is incredibly intense and riveting, not to mention the gameplay (mainly gunfights) remaining fun, accessible, and dare-I-say,Is the ending disappointing? Yes, very much so. Does that alone make this game awful as a whole? Absolutely not. The characters are all still just as likeable, the dialogue is top-notch, the graphics are both gorgeous and fitting, and the majority of the plot is incredibly intense and riveting, not to mention the gameplay (mainly gunfights) remaining fun, accessible, and dare-I-say, perhaps even a bit more challenging than before, with the inclusion of many new difficult and powerful enemies.

    Overall, this is still an excellent game, but the ending (even with the free DLC) does hinder it a bit. I can certainly see why people were so mind-numbingly upset before the DLC came out, as the original ending has an extreme lack of details. I'd still recommend it to fans and anyone who likes RPG's and/or shooters, but BE SURE to download the DLC Ending, as I feel that's part of the reason I wasn't as furious as many others.    … Expand
  67. Diwvsen
    Oct 4, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is a great game with some truly emotional moments and an overall better combat-system than the previous ME games. Commander Shephard and many of the iconic characters are back to save the galaxy when the Reaper invasion finally arives during the very beginning of the game. The quest to save all life from certain annihilation takes you to many different locations, includingMass Effect 3 is a great game with some truly emotional moments and an overall better combat-system than the previous ME games. Commander Shephard and many of the iconic characters are back to save the galaxy when the Reaper invasion finally arives during the very beginning of the game. The quest to save all life from certain annihilation takes you to many different locations, including some you already know and some you've never seen. The graphics are great, offering great environmental variety and good character-animations. There are, however, some techical issues dragging the game slightly down. Don't expect the technical leap from ME2 to this game to be as dramatic as the one between the first two games was - ME3 in many ways looks and plays the same as the second installment in the franchise. The combat system works better than ever, and this time around it feels more like an RPG-shooter than the second game did, without being as clumsy as the first one. There is a lot of emphasis on weapon, armor and skill customization, which gives you a lot of ways to experiment with various playstyles until you find one thats suits you. Enemy AI has also been significantly improved. Not only are there now a lot more different enemies, they also behave very differently and will do everything from flanking you with shields, charging you and throwing grenades at you to expose you and take you down. The level design is also much better. Fighting areas are much bigger, which gives you more mobility and makes it easier to move from cover to cover. The classes work very differently and offer in themselves reason enough to replay the game. There are a lot of ways to experiment with your skill upgrades (as skills can evolve in many different ways), and this time around every class can use every weapon type at the cost of power-cooldown, which is a great addition. The Citadel is back and very atmospheric, but unfortunately it is quite boring to hang around, as sidequests are often fetch-quests that does not fit the conflict of the game.
    On to the story, which of course, is the most important part of this finale. The story and conflict is epic in scale and offers some truly emotional moments and powerful choices as you resolve some of the conflicts that have been brewing throughout all three games. A lot of the characters from previous games return, some as squadmates and others as sidecharacters helping you on your quest. There are also some new characters introduced, which I think is unneccesary, since there already are so many great characters available from the previous games. Don't expect as great a cast of characters, or as great character development, as that of ME2. Despite the scale of the conflict there a lot of fetch-quest in this game. Shepard often has to drop in to save an important person, or retrieve and object, in order to get help from someone, which can feel poor from time to time. You'll also grow sick of the mission debriefings with Hacket that follows every mission. These are shallow and serves as a way to mark the end of a mission, thus giving you the feel of a game divided into levels, which does not suit the game. Choices from past games are well implemented in the way that characters respond to them, however, it is dissapointing that many past choices result in the same outcomes in this game. Mass Effect 3 also introduces multiplayer, which is very unneccesary. This is your typical Gears of War Horde mode clone, only it doesn't work as well and becomes boring after a while. It doesn\\\'t help that you have to play it in order to unlock the best endings possible. Mass Effect is best suited as a single-player experience, and should have remained one.
    The ending of the game is emotional and clever, but it doesn't give you that epic conclusion that you would expect after such a long journey. Don't expect moments as moving and pumping as Shephard's speech during the finale of ME2. The biggest dissapointment here is that none of your previous choices really affect that ending, and that you have to play multiplayer to get the perfect variable. The inclusion of day-one dlc also drags the game down, especially since the character and his tale included are much needed to understand the story and universe.
    Overall this game is an emotional experience that improves upon gameplay, but one that doesn't quite reach the heights of the previous games in terms of story and characters. Multiplayer shouldn't exist and the DLC should just have been a part of the game. The ending could have used more time and doesn't quite leave you with a satisfying conclusion as it should do after three games. Choices, both past and new, should have more impact as they did in previous games. Despite these isses, ME3 is an emotional and ambitious game that will likely hook you from beginning to end. If you are a hardcore ME fan, chances are you will be dissapoint    … Expand
  68. bigbiscits
    Oct 9, 2012
    8
    The true over reaction of thousands of gamers has marred this amazing genre. No this game does not live up to its predecessors in anyway. The story OPTIONS feel more streamlined than before, the game play was the same as Mass Effect 2's, and of course the polarizing ending that crushed so many individuals.

    The story line content felt more rushed and "to the point". Each mission was just    The true over reaction of thousands of gamers has marred this amazing genre. No this game does not live up to its predecessors in anyway. The story OPTIONS feel more streamlined than before, the game play was the same as Mass Effect 2's, and of course the polarizing ending that crushed so many individuals.

    The story line content felt more rushed and "to the point". Each mission was just pick A or B until the end. (pick A, B, or C). This was a turn off and the side missions were very boring, most of the time I would pick them up and not even know how I had since they were triggered by random conversations going on in the world as you walked by. This was a big step down from the previous titles and took away from the experience. And of course the ending...The insanely overly infamous, polarizing ending. I personally did not like the ending along with everyone else. It was not what I wanted for my character. I do understand that this ending is what the writer's had in mind and I respect that and wish that they had not altered it. I understand this was their masterpiece that we were getting to take part in and what they want is what ultimately will happen. I think the majority of us understood that and reluctantly accept it. What stung so much though is that we didn't know it until the end. We felt like this was OUR masterpiece. Our story, to end how WE see fit. Unfortunately it was not. The game is still great even with the less than stellar ending. PEOPLE DO NOT LET THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS SCARE YOU!!!! They are all mostly from people very (understandably) disappointed with the ending. If you have not given the Mass Effect series a try I can not recommend it to you enough. Please go get Mass Effect 1 and start from the very beginning. Go through this massive, incredible story and decide for yourself. Even if the ending is upsetting, I would not take back a single second of my experience with the series. It is by far the best story in the history of gaming, bad ending or not.    … Expand
  69. Gr_Leon
    Oct 10, 2012
    10
    There are billions of stars. Each one of them might have a different world within them. Each world might be the home for different species of life. And every life has a different story to tell from history. I know you wish on them when you look at them at the night sky, I know because I do wish on them too and my prayers find response in galaxy as a whole. The details might have been lostThere are billions of stars. Each one of them might have a different world within them. Each world might be the home for different species of life. And every life has a different story to tell from history. I know you wish on them when you look at them at the night sky, I know because I do wish on them too and my prayers find response in galaxy as a whole. The details might have been lost in time, everything might have become so much older or simply we might not have translated the signs correctly. I make a step forward in order to comprehend this wish, and who knows? By starting on this journey, it might not be impossible or it might not have even started… Expand
  70. guest1321
    Oct 11, 2012
    10
    From the start I felt a sensation of profound responsibility placed on my shoulders. At times the stories urgency seemed to drift away but it never hurt slowed the story progression or deteriorate the plot. I went into it considering how annoyed I was with Mass Effect 2 and the feeling that the game was one big checklist. I never really had that feeling in Mass Effect 3 and the missionsFrom the start I felt a sensation of profound responsibility placed on my shoulders. At times the stories urgency seemed to drift away but it never hurt slowed the story progression or deteriorate the plot. I went into it considering how annoyed I was with Mass Effect 2 and the feeling that the game was one big checklist. I never really had that feeling in Mass Effect 3 and the missions seemed to link together (main quests) and tie in (side quests) really well and that was something I truly appreciated. The emotion that Mass Effect 3 inspired in me was unlike any game I've played before. I felt pulled in to consider the feelings of the characters and try to understand what they where going through. The decisions felt meaningful and weighted with no clear option that would seem fitting of the stereotypical Sheppard. As for the mechanics of the game I was extremely impressed. Combat felt good and I hardly ever ran out of ammo which I was frustrated with at first, for having removed the authenticity of the situation, but later came to appreciate as it allowed me to focus on the game. Being able to customize weapons to the extent and ease at which Mass Effect 3 allowed was highly enjoyable. I loved being able to go from a shop which sells upgrades to buying new guns to then choosing my gun set up and finally to customizing my armor all within an area aboard the normandy. I only caught glimpses of the environment in between the action but from what I saw I was extremely impressed. Every planet I visited felt distinct aesthetically as well as layout. Sure the game had a set path for you but when the path looked as good as it did I had no issues with it. Graphically the game was a step up from its predecessor but by no means a highlight of this generation. The audio however was truly an immersive experience. The ability of the music and soundstage to go from a casual point A to point B moment and then scale up to an epic fast paced section and pull me right in was brilliant. The audio was definitely something that will bring me back to this game just for the sheer feeling of grandeur and tragedy that it invoked in me. Now that I have beat the campaign once I have been playing a lot of the multiplayer and while I was initially concerned it was going to be another online shooter it really has taken on its own form and done it in a way that suits Mass Effect very well. The fact that it ties back into the single player is also a nice feature that while probably won't have a huge effect on my play style and where I devote my time I like the fact that the two are not totally disjoint. After finishing this game I could not help but want more, something that I have not felt from a game in a while, and something that helps this game earn a perfect score in my book.… Expand
  71. FLovegrove009
    Oct 15, 2012
    2
    I liked the first installment pretty well; and the second STILL stands as one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had; it showed remarkable improvements from the first in terms of character (richer back-stories, more dialogue), better pacing (no endless roams on the dune-buggy, the mining was maybe tedious but brief), and streamlined game-play (shooting, squad orders; no wonkyI liked the first installment pretty well; and the second STILL stands as one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had; it showed remarkable improvements from the first in terms of character (richer back-stories, more dialogue), better pacing (no endless roams on the dune-buggy, the mining was maybe tedious but brief), and streamlined game-play (shooting, squad orders; no wonky upgrades/menus). This installment started out ... amiss. By the time I reached Rannoch and attempted FAR TOO MANY TIMES to dispatch the Reaper on even the easiest setting (only doing so as a last and final resort, and dying my first two and final attempts barely getting a shot off). So I've quit. I don't know what else to say about it that hasn't already been said. I DO HOPE that EA/Bioware etc. take the time to carefully look into the feedback they've gotten from the fans regarding this franchise and take it to heart... somehow that seems a bit futile too.… Expand
  72. CKRI
    Oct 16, 2012
    7
    The closing epic Mass Effect trilogy is here, and with it we deserved conclusion to five years of prodigious adventures. The latest saga of Commander Shepard is up to the quality standards of the saga of BioWare, and despite some complaints interpelarle can focus their efforts almost exclusively on the main story, the fact is that it is a wonderful event and uploaded action and emotionalThe closing epic Mass Effect trilogy is here, and with it we deserved conclusion to five years of prodigious adventures. The latest saga of Commander Shepard is up to the quality standards of the saga of BioWare, and despite some complaints interpelarle can focus their efforts almost exclusively on the main story, the fact is that it is a wonderful event and uploaded action and emotional moments. A good game say what you say.… Expand
  73. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    10
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: AWESOME.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: AWESOME.
    Music/Sound: AWESOME.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  74. 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
  75. McFungus
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    How dare you Bioware! How dare you release a game that was awesome but not as awesome as it should have been! How dare you even toy with the notion of giving players options and then not have a unique ending for every single player that picks up a controller and enjoys every your enormous trilogy? How dare you actually CREATE something and try things instead of churning out the same stapleHow dare you Bioware! How dare you release a game that was awesome but not as awesome as it should have been! How dare you even toy with the notion of giving players options and then not have a unique ending for every single player that picks up a controller and enjoys every your enormous trilogy? How dare you actually CREATE something and try things instead of churning out the same staple crap year in and year out. How dare you omit details like what quarians look like under their suits, but instead give us the unknown origins of krogan and geth civilisations.
    Bah, this is like Ewoks in Jedi all over again!    … Expand
  76. dreweastwood
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    The thig that makes this game is not it (Ending) but its jorney to the ending through all the trilogy you sould have played the first two games and discover a magnifasent world and fromed real relationships with characters, and this game makes all your choise`s and relationships count and complets a journy that you have cherished for so long and showed your true emotions and feelings thatThe thig that makes this game is not it (Ending) but its jorney to the ending through all the trilogy you sould have played the first two games and discover a magnifasent world and fromed real relationships with characters, and this game makes all your choise`s and relationships count and complets a journy that you have cherished for so long and showed your true emotions and feelings that you have made and it makes you feel sad to leave your world for this last installment of your character. The best part of the game is its story and how you must form the races of all worlds and planets in the universe to fight your ulterment enemy that is threating your world in which you must leave to save at the end. Its a very hard feeling to have while enjoying yourself in the Mass Effect world and keeps you worrying and heartfelled. All the characers in this installment make there last and ultimate feeling of being a charcter who you have come to love and hate truly spectacular this feeling. The music score for the game has never been better, the music lifts you up and makes you fight and can also despress you down and make you feel helpless truly masterpiece of a score. Overall this is the greatest Mass Effect game of the trilogy and a must have for everyone who loves to play RPGs and also video games. i give Mass Effect 3 its perfect send off with a 10.… Expand
  77. Fabtech23
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    FULL DISCLOSURE: I am writing this review post "ending patch." Mass Effect 3 (and more importantly the entire series) is a triumph in video game story telling. This series has shown that interactive media can stand up to Hollywood and bring an emotional and compelling story into our living rooms and allow us to control the decisions made. The first Mass Effect revolutionized player choice.FULL DISCLOSURE: I am writing this review post "ending patch." Mass Effect 3 (and more importantly the entire series) is a triumph in video game story telling. This series has shown that interactive media can stand up to Hollywood and bring an emotional and compelling story into our living rooms and allow us to control the decisions made. The first Mass Effect revolutionized player choice. Mass Effect 2 expanded on this allowing you to completely ignore characters and their side quests, thus changing the outcome of the game, which would in turn change how Mass Effect 3 played out. Now on to Mass Effect 3. The controls are tight, the weapons have weight to them, and the story is emotionally gripping. Never once through the entire campaign did I think "meh, well come out on top and win this." BioWare wanted to project that sense of helplessness, and they did it well. Now, i stopped playing the game after hearing about the ending fiasco. I didnt want to see it. I didnt want the game series I loved so dearly to be ruined. I waited, and waited, and waited, and when that patch dropped, I fired my xbox up and finished the game. I was aware of how the ending played out, and with this patch applied, the ending gets a huge boost. Without it though I dont felt it would have ruined the game, not enough to justify a 0. The last 5% of the game sucking does not justify giving the first 95% a bad score. Thats not how reviews work. Mass Effect 3 is a polished, emotionally gripping, fun sci-fi rpg/shooter that will make you feel for your characters, and make you think about every decision presented to you. You owe it to yourself to play this game (and the first two)… Expand
  78. nicoelcainri
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    ME3 is a real good game. I preferred the first ME but it's not the same context : In the third ME , we don't have really the time to explorate the universe because the earth is in danger. It makes sense. The original end is the only "black spot" , but with the extended cut , it's much better. I don't understand the others : do you know a lot of games where there are several different endsME3 is a real good game. I preferred the first ME but it's not the same context : In the third ME , we don't have really the time to explorate the universe because the earth is in danger. It makes sense. The original end is the only "black spot" , but with the extended cut , it's much better. I don't understand the others : do you know a lot of games where there are several different ends and when you can play more than 20 hours for only one end? Don't hesitate to buy it if you loved this franchise, you will not regret it!… Expand
  79. BelgianTofu
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    Mass Effect is to games as "The Godfather" is to movies, it will be one of the few to be remembered by future generations.

    I could ramble on about the great graphics, intuitive game-play, and fun multi-player, but I will not, as that would distract you from the greatest draw of the game. It is a literary masterpiece, an epic of our times. Full of rich characters, grave loss, and hope.    Mass Effect is to games as "The Godfather" is to movies, it will be one of the few to be remembered by future generations.

    I could ramble on about the great graphics, intuitive game-play, and fun multi-player, but I will not, as that would distract you from the greatest draw of the game. It is a literary masterpiece, an epic of our times. Full of rich characters, grave loss, and hope. (Think Braveheart)
    . Many people dislike the ending to the story, much as many despise the classics of literature. I think the main cause of this is that the ending fills you with grief, something very few games can do. The fact that it causes you a negative emotion in the first place shows that there is literary power here.

    This is not game of the year people, this is the ending to the series of the decade. It's been a hell of a ride.    … Expand
  80. souljah77
    Dec 2, 2012
    0
    I loved ME1 and ME2. The story was superb and the gaming experience was fantastic. However, I recently purchased ME3 and after several days of trying to get the disc to work, I've given up and returned it. My low review is not related to the ME3 content or the ending, I never got that far. I spent hours scouring the forums and web for fixes, but ME3 was simply unplayable on my XBOX 360I loved ME1 and ME2. The story was superb and the gaming experience was fantastic. However, I recently purchased ME3 and after several days of trying to get the disc to work, I've given up and returned it. My low review is not related to the ME3 content or the ending, I never got that far. I spent hours scouring the forums and web for fixes, but ME3 was simply unplayable on my XBOX 360 even after the Oct patch. I encountered multiple locking and freezing issues on the first night. Then, I was able to get it to work past the intro but the following day, none of my saved games would load.… Expand
  81. evilspoons
    Feb 11, 2013
    10
    Played this through for the first time with the free extended cut DLC (I haven't played the "original" that everyone is complaining about.) The Mass Effect trilogy is quite possibly the best science fiction story I've seen in a game, and a pretty good sci fi anyway. I found the ending was fairly satisfactory, and the voice acting (as female Shepherd) was solid almost all the way through. IPlayed this through for the first time with the free extended cut DLC (I haven't played the "original" that everyone is complaining about.) The Mass Effect trilogy is quite possibly the best science fiction story I've seen in a game, and a pretty good sci fi anyway. I found the ending was fairly satisfactory, and the voice acting (as female Shepherd) was solid almost all the way through. I have a couple complaints about gameplay elements, but they're not enough to detract from a 10/10. Seriously what game have you played that delivers an epic story with so much background better than the Mass Effect trilogy?… Expand
  82. neilrieck
    Jan 27, 2013
    10
    I should probably mention that I am a huge science-fiction nut so when a game comes along blending "outer space themes", "human life in the future", and "alien worlds and/or cultures" then you can count me in. Now I have played "a lot" of top rated games in the past 12-months and I never felt ripped off by any of them which I usually get through (in story mode) in about 5-7 days (althoughI should probably mention that I am a huge science-fiction nut so when a game comes along blending "outer space themes", "human life in the future", and "alien worlds and/or cultures" then you can count me in. Now I have played "a lot" of top rated games in the past 12-months and I never felt ripped off by any of them which I usually get through (in story mode) in about 5-7 days (although recently, "Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2" seemed a little on the short side). So imagine my surprise when I stumbled onto "Mass Effect 3" with its stunning graphics (I play on a PS3 connected to a 61-inch JVC hi-def display) which I bought for half the price of BO2 but am still playing in story mode two weeks later. The only negative thing I will say about this game is that many of your smaller alien opponents are not as realistic looking as the primary characters. But if you are playing on a smaller screen then maybe you won't even notice this. Just my 2-cents worth.… Expand
  83. 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.
  84. jul320
    Dec 26, 2012
    7
    Mediocre end to a great. I am a fan of the ME world, but ME3 was just above average. The importing of character relationships and decisions was great, but how they showed what your actions only made me go "ok, cool". And kinect didn't help much... But even with all that, I enjoyed myself quite a bit.
  85. Seamus100
    Jan 3, 2014
    7
    Overall I enjoyed this game and the prior series. I've played it multiple times as a new game and importing a previously played character from ME1, ME2, and ME3, and as a male and female, and that had full Paragon and Renegade so I got my moneys worth out of it.
    What I found disappointing is that not all of the choices I made in ME1 and ME2 affected my ME3 character. For example: I know    Overall I enjoyed this game and the prior series. I've played it multiple times as a new game and importing a previously played character from ME1, ME2, and ME3, and as a male and female, and that had full Paragon and Renegade so I got my moneys worth out of it.
    What I found disappointing is that not all of the choices I made in ME1 and ME2 affected my ME3 character. For example: I know I destroyed the Collector base, but in my imported game it said I saved it, and the illusive man even mentions it in conversation that I saved it, but I know I destroyed it.
    I also didn't like they way they changed the look of Ashley! She looks like Miranda.
    I didn't have a problem with the graphics or sound. I think they were good. I don't recall if there was music, but if so I usually turn off the music in my games so I can't comment on it.
    I bought and downloaded the weapons packages only to find out that in some of the missions you get better ones, like rescuing the student on the space station (where Jack is teaching, if you saved Jack) so that DLC was a waste of money.
    The searching for minerals was rather tedious, but better then ME1's way of collecting them.
    And the other DLC missions should have been part of the game or at least free to download/add on.
    I'm really torn between giving this game a 7 or 8. I'd like to give the game a 7.5. Maybe I'm cheap, but I'm going to give a 7 just because the DLC weapons, additional uniform, and mission should have been part of the game or available for download.    … Expand
  86. mesmerised
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    For me the best game on xbox and the best trilogy ever made.. People will have differnt opinions on the ending of the game and to be honest when i first seen it i had mixed emotions on it. I first felt liked they ripped my heart out thinking how they could this to a beloved franchise knowing ive spent over 100hrs on this but they brought out the EC and all was forgiven in my eyes iFor me the best game on xbox and the best trilogy ever made.. People will have differnt opinions on the ending of the game and to be honest when i first seen it i had mixed emotions on it. I first felt liked they ripped my heart out thinking how they could this to a beloved franchise knowing ive spent over 100hrs on this but they brought out the EC and all was forgiven in my eyes i understand peoples frustration on this but 10 min on an ending cant justify low scores on a trilogy masterpiece.… Expand
  87. FierroSuave
    Jan 20, 2013
    4
    I let my Mass Effect 3 experience sit and gestate for nearly a year before I felt I could properly describe the sensations that it evoked. It was a single feeling, it was like somebody with less knowledge of the source material was telling a condensed ending over mouthfuls of hamburger in a high school cafeteria. True there were parts that ended exactly as they should and it played exactlyI let my Mass Effect 3 experience sit and gestate for nearly a year before I felt I could properly describe the sensations that it evoked. It was a single feeling, it was like somebody with less knowledge of the source material was telling a condensed ending over mouthfuls of hamburger in a high school cafeteria. True there were parts that ended exactly as they should and it played exactly like I expected it to with multiplayer in the mix. Just felt as though there was more to the story than fist bumps and Freddie Prinze Jr. would allow,… Expand
  88. suporman1312
    Jan 25, 2013
    10
    I like ths game the reason why is so different its because of u the casual gamer they listened to u instead the people who love hardcore rpg but now thanks to you the game is different maybe instead of bashing here's a thought dont buy it
  89. MetalTree
    Feb 2, 2013
    9
    Personally, I don't quite understand all the negative fuss about the ending. It's original, was hard to predict, and far from most Hollywood-sauce game endings, which is a very good thing.
    It's the gameplay that really matters, and for me, who appreciates more action than lengthly (and sometimes cheesy) dialogues, Mass Effect 3 just delivers.
    The combat parts are improved from ME2:    Personally, I don't quite understand all the negative fuss about the ending. It's original, was hard to predict, and far from most Hollywood-sauce game endings, which is a very good thing.
    It's the gameplay that really matters, and for me, who appreciates more action than lengthly (and sometimes cheesy) dialogues, Mass Effect 3 just delivers.
    The combat parts are improved from ME2: better graphics, better (though not perfect) controls, and much more fun.
    Overall, it's a must-buy, fan of the series or not.
    The plus:
    - Really good and unpredictable story
    - Addictive combat scenes: after beating the game, I just wanted to go back to my saved missions and do the action parts again an again. So good that after playing a few hours of Halo4 (yawn...), I came back to ME3.
    - Incredible character design at the beginning (well like other MEs)
    - The Banshees: OMG...
    - The sound (music is okay; sound effects are great)
    - Terrific voice acting, and ...Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man, again.
    - The unbelievable richness of the ME universe (All credible species, civilization, planets, etc. up to nauseating details in the Codex... wow.)

    The minus:
    - Earth final mission rarely looks as a huge battlefield. I would have liked flanking dozens of allied fighters against the same amount of Reapers in the action sequences. Instead, it's always you and your 2 teammates against hordes of the same monsters, over and over, and cut scenes in between with huge battlefields to make you think you are part of a planetary war...Um failed.
    - Some lazy rip-offs from science fiction movies: Dune, Aliens, Star Wars. But hey, that's forgiveable.
    - Controls that still get in the way sometimes: trying to punch an enemy sometimes lets you 'slip' in front of him (use a kind of lock-on mechanism next time, please), just to get stabbed in the back after.
    - AI that is most of the time excellent, but sometimes strange: Cerberus soldiers are so strong, I don't see why they are not more aggressive (even in Insanity mode), and why they don't come more directly at you instead of retreating most of the time and hiding for long periods. If you are separated from them by a single obstacle, they will flee instead of jumping over to kick your ass. Sometimes, you are standing in front of a soldier, and... he does nothing, no shooting at all. Okay for easier modes, but unforgiveable for Insanity.    … Expand
  90. optimusprime69
    Feb 5, 2013
    9
    one of the best of the year even though the ending has AWFUL this game was still amazing i love the characters the gameplay and the conversation the people giving this game a zero becuase of the end are retarded buy this game
  91. SilentSputnik
    Feb 8, 2013
    7
    Decent. The multiplayer addition is basically crap. It's just a whole lot of forced grinding against standard waves of enemies. The single player was great but the ending was absolutely embarrassingly bad. Bioware's PR is atrocious as well.
  92. 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
  93. 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
  94. Tofusin
    Feb 21, 2013
    8
    The end to a Legend. Mass effect 3, the conclusion to the story of Commander (insert first name here) Shepard. Been a hell of a ride, from Eden Prime to Omega, and everywhere in-between. Mass Effect 3 beings after the events of the Arrival DLC for Mass Effect 2. Cmdr. Shepard having been arrested, and facing trial,on Earth, is interrupted with the Reaper's invasion. And Shepard is givenThe end to a Legend. Mass effect 3, the conclusion to the story of Commander (insert first name here) Shepard. Been a hell of a ride, from Eden Prime to Omega, and everywhere in-between. Mass Effect 3 beings after the events of the Arrival DLC for Mass Effect 2. Cmdr. Shepard having been arrested, and facing trial,on Earth, is interrupted with the Reaper's invasion. And Shepard is given one final mission: Unite the Galaxy to combat them. No easy task, but years have been spent for this very moment. Shepard is faster and stronger now. With combat rolls, cover vaults and devastating melee attacks. He/She is joined by a smaller (But more vocal) squad. All previous squad-mates, main characters from previous games return. Though some are placed in corners, and given little screen-time. The weapon crafting system is a fun little addition, even if you won't be using it much. The mining mini-game is gone, (Hurray!) and planet scanning is simplified. The game leads through many emotional moments, some of anger and hate. Others of happiness, and joy. But the leading is pressure, desperation and tragedy. Keep tissues near you for this game. A work of art for 99% of the game...and you've heard it a million times. The ending, while improved with the "Extended Cut" free DLC, is still...unsatisfying. A game everyone should try once, but sadly will be remembered for its ending.… Expand
  95. StUnNeR_H2K
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Don't let the rumors of the terrible ending turn you away from this game.

    If you played the first two Mass Effect games and want to enjoy more then don't be turned off my the rumors of the ending. While the ending is not anything you would expect, at it's core the gameplay is by far the best ever in Mass Effect 3. The multi-player is also an added bonus. Originally everyone was    Don't let the rumors of the terrible ending turn you away from this game.

    If you played the first two Mass Effect games and want to enjoy more then don't be turned off my the rumors of the ending. While the ending is not anything you would expect, at it's core the gameplay is by far the best ever in Mass Effect 3.

    The multi-player is also an added bonus. Originally everyone was skeptical about the mutli-player component, but with an assortment of free DLC associated with it you can't go wrong playing some Mass Effect co-op with friends.

    Why not give it a 10? Well simple due to the narrow focused missions, and lack of true exploration in an RPG. Plus the ending could have been better.    … Expand
  96. 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
  97. endings
    Jun 9, 2013
    7
    I think what hurts this game most is its own hype. By being the final installment of a trilogy, it has a tremendous amount of pressure to tie all loose ends and satisfy story arcs so that gamers will be whetted for a new hero and new series.
    If one plays this stand-alone, which I think is a ridiculous idea, but the game is set up to accustom one for such a scenario it would rank much    I think what hurts this game most is its own hype. By being the final installment of a trilogy, it has a tremendous amount of pressure to tie all loose ends and satisfy story arcs so that gamers will be whetted for a new hero and new series.
    If one plays this stand-alone, which I think is a ridiculous idea, but the game is set up to accustom one for such a scenario it would rank much higher.
    But as part of a set and the end of that set, it grades lower. The ending, is such a punch, It really robs the whole theme of the trilogy, perseverance. There was an attempt to fix it, and it works for some, not for others.
    There is good here, it doesn't deserve the absolute bottom of the barrel scores. The Multiplayer gets little mention but has a lot of options as far as if you play an alien, guns, level buildup. When the game was young MP was bustling, but now is old enough the updates have stopped it will be a slow death for it.    … Expand
  98. ClassyDromedary
    Aug 19, 2013
    10
    Mass Effect is to games as "The Godfather" is to movies, it will be one of the few to be remembered by future generations.

    I could ramble on about the great graphics, intuitive game-play, and fun multi-player, but I will not, as that would distract you from the greatest draw of the game. It is a literary masterpiece, an epic of our times. Full of rich characters, grave loss, and hope.    Mass Effect is to games as "The Godfather" is to movies, it will be one of the few to be remembered by future generations.

    I could ramble on about the great graphics, intuitive game-play, and fun multi-player, but I will not, as that would distract you from the greatest draw of the game. It is a literary masterpiece, an epic of our times. Full of rich characters, grave loss, and hope. (Think Braveheart)
    . Many people dislike the ending to the story, much as many despise the classics of literature. I think the main cause of this is that the ending fills you with grief, something very few games can do. The fact that it causes you a negative emotion in the first place shows that there is literary power here.

    This is not game of the year people, this is the ending to the series of the decade. It's been a hell of a ride.    … Expand
  99. SuperkenGaming
    May 25, 2021
    8
    Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    Go google pictures of Mirandas butt
    Mass Effect 3 is the final chapter of Sheards story youre off to end the reapers, this race of beings that threaten the existence of the universe as you know it… I didn’t play the original version, but here in Mass Effect 3 you have the option to play RPG style or action style… as someone that played the last 2 games I    Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    Go google pictures of Mirandas butt
    Mass Effect 3 is the final chapter of Sheards story
    youre off to end the reapers, this race of beings that threaten the existence of the universe as you know it…
    I didn’t play the original version, but here in Mass Effect 3 you have the option to play RPG style or action style… as someone that played the last 2 games I love the choice aspect of this series so I chose to mainline the story with the rpg elements here.. choosing my dialog.. unfortunately though the game doesn’t make it hard for you to just b line to the end in about 12 hours.
    Why? Because this just ist the least interesting game in the trilogy.. it just is.. you already know which charcters you like in this universe.. and there aren’t really anymore to fall in love with before the big showfdown.. so I just didn’t care to do the side missions, especially with just how repetitive the main campaign felt.. why would i? I had no insentive to explore and go do more.. that being said mass Efect 3 is decently enjoyable to play through.. You will get more squadmembers as the story goes on, youll be picking out their special abilities, and they do become an important part of your arsenal.. for example Liara was a stple for me to deal with annoying shielded enemies, I loved how on command I could have her just throw any enmy in the eir right in front of me.. so it really is up to you to baance your squad of 3 to your play style.. I do wish however there was more information given to me before a mission s maybe I was more throughful about the 2nd member… if I ever had anyone different it was mostly because the tory forced it on me.. in general mass effect 3 does an awful job at pre gaming… you have to chose your loadout before you go in.. having no idea what youll be dealing with ahead of time.. it makes literally 0 sense for me to not change my loadout based on my current situation on the fly… it ultimately lead to me not relly trying out any guns after I had one I was pretty satisfied…
    If mass Effect 3 werent the bow ontop of a series I had to see the end of after a huge investment into 1 and 2… I probably wouldn’t have been so invested to see it through.. it lies on the shoulders of the success of the perevious games and sadly doesn’t live up to the world building standards they set…
    While I did enjoy going through this campaign and putting an end to this intergalactic war… by itself, mass effect 3 isnt all that great.
    I give Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  100. kyle20ellis
    Mar 10, 2022
    10
    Greetings from Lithuania.

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

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

    Overall, "Mass Effect 3" is a great game and a great conclusion of a saga. There will be a new one, sure, but this installment is the culmination, and it is worth every minute of it.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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