Mass Effect 3 PC
User Score
4.7 out of 10

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 4362 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,809 out of 4362
  2. Mixed: 367 out of 4362
  3. Negative: 2,186 out of 4362

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  1. lbtaylor1984
    May 22, 2012
    7
    I'm a little late to the party, but I wished to give a unbiased view of the last instalment of one the best series in modern gaming.

    I played through ME1, ME2 and pulled my saves over before beginning ME3

    Mass Effect 3 suffers from some over sights and issues surrounding its storytelling. There are now time based missions which your never informed of how long you've got, but with fairne    ss to Bioware while annoying probably more accurately represents the galaxy this time round as the Reapers have returned so worlds are falling on a daily basis so missions disappear as the reapers strike, or world situations change. On the subject of worlds scanning planets has changed to a radar pulse from the ship which attracts Reaper attention, while the side missions of merc bases, crash ships etc from ME1 and ME2 have almost completely disappeared, exploration this time has been severely reduced, un fortunately this was one of the merits of Mass Effect that is was a RPG shooter with exploration, your railroaded into following the story with very little room to manoeuvre in the traditional role of exploration, while i'd like to do this with the current state of the Galaxy you'd be hard pressed to be wasting time exploring. The combat system is improved but the streamlined controls seemed to have made setup of hotbars impossible, this i found frustrating in heavy combat as the hotbar layout isn't how i'd have it setup, a minor point but another change to the series. other than that it plays better than previous games, and your loadout of weapons affects your ability cooldown timers, interesting idea as it makes you think about the weapons you need, upposed to taking everything, you also rely on squad mates taking the weapons you don't (you can take everything but your cooldown as twice as long.)

    Story wise Bioware have yet again told a interesting, compelling, and in some respects a very emotional story. My first playthrough I lost friends along the way, and the Voice acting in my opinion was some of the best in the series, those familiar with the series know of the romance options and the romance I had between Shepard and Ashley was truely believable, from the dilogue to the way it was read by the actor, when you loose friends you felt the loss rather than just seeing it, some made me question my decisions. However this brings up one of the flaws that bothered me probably the most in ME3. the dialogue options in alot of situations seemed a little short and didn't cover the questions properly while other times the options simply wouldn't be what I as shepard would have said, there is a particular area of the game, I won't mention that is quite pivotal in the plot and you can mention it to your Love Interest, but they response with one line in a dismissive response, bearing in mind it's relation to the plot it just feels rushed and not fleshed out as needed, infact it would partially explain the end.. Don't let this put you off though the gameplay is good and the commentary is excellent between you and the crew, it just feels some points weren't fully realised by Bioware, or simply pushed through by EA Games.

    Choice from previous Games DO MATTER. Regardless of what people have posted, many things you have done in previous games effect the current game, did you keep the Genophage data from Maelon in ME2? that changes things, did you Romance Ashley in ME1 but someone in ME2 as well? it changes things, does it totally rewrite the story? No. but with this game closing the story on Mass Effect and Shepard it's hard to follow all paths as the ending simply wouldn't be the ending they wrote in fact you'd need about 40 endings to cover it. and you can't really conclude Mass Effect with that regardless of how we feel, if you had 40 endings.

    The Ending;

    I'm not going to ruin it for you, play it youself make your own decision, but it is the opinion on most that when you finally get to the white light into the sky (vague enough) you should shut the game down, and just agree you won and the Reapers lost. The end gameplay is in serious question from long time fans including myself, with a few theories on what actually happened. Bioware have promised free DLC to explain the ending but that should give you a sign of how poorly put together it is. The last 5 minutes ruins probably one of the best gaming series to have been created.

    I give a 7/10 as the exploration and dialogue options has diminished the Mass Effect universe in this release, while the Story (up til the white light into the sky) and the emotional bond with your team are truly the best of the series, combat is the best of the three as is the graphics.    … Expand
  2. rh46tuf
    May 22, 2012
    10
    Best game of the year 10/10. The narrative is amazing, voice over incredible, one of the best games to come out of the year, though the game isnt as good as the previous one, it still remains a great part of a series that has revolutionized the RPG genre in recent years.
  3. Monsieur_Croque
    May 22, 2012
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. It 's more of an interactive story than a mindless shooter and the compelling story line and strong voice acting really make this a memorable experience. My only beef is that it seemed shorter than MEII with fewer supporting missions leading up to the central mission but other than that this was a real gem.
  4. ukwn
    Jun 14, 2012
    0
    How bring any positive opinion about Mass Effect III if we confront the two episodes already out ?
    The first episode is a monument, the second is nice continuation in spite of the game is made of a largest public support.
    the 3th is not a full game, there is no consistent ending, RPG components are missing and the game resume itself being an insipid 3rd person shooter.
    How pretend to c    lose like that a mythic triology, it's a real fail. Profit is the leitmotiv.… Expand
  5. aburnstorm
    May 24, 2012
    10
    This is a truly superb computer game. I admit that I am often very critical of story-telling, character arcs, plots, game-play. I don't have much free time and have to spend it wisely. In addition, I'm not particularly intrigued by Sci-Fi. For all of these reason (and especially after reading the reviews here), I thought I'd better not play this game. I did finally purchase it, however, and have to say that this game was in quite a few ways superior to either Mass Effect 1 or 2 (which I also played recently). I think the philosophy of the ending options are sound and faithful to the overall story arch. It is in fact better thought out than countless other Sci-Fi story endings. The characters are superb, their motivations are typically clear, their dialogue is often hilarious. In short, if more pulp Sci-Fi novels were as good as this game, I'd probably read more of them. I have never spent the time to review a game before on this or really any site, but I am reviewing this game based on the fact that so many people wrote such hate for this game. I cannot account for it and thought I'd add my two cents of response. Buy this game and enjoy it. It deserves a much higher rating than it has received.… Expand
  6. ScrewBF3
    May 26, 2012
    0
    Everything up there is a pile of **** I decided to write 'cause i could. i am actually a nice guy. Here is my top ten movie list: 1o. The Shining. It is absolutely classic. 9. Alien. The first time I saw it i was scared ****less. 8. The Children of the Corn. It is almost as messed up as 'IT'. 7. Shaun of the Dead. Funny. Funny. Funny. 6. Hellraiser. It has a nice plot and Pinhead is awesome.
    5. Sleepaway Camp. Nobody remembers this movie but I reckon it was KICKASS.
    4. Nightmare on Elm Street. Also classic.
    3. Friday the 13th. Jason is almost too KICKASS.
    2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pretty messed up but it kept me on the edge of my seat.
    (Drumrolls)
    1. Halloween. Myers is slightly KICKASS and the movie was brilliant.    … Expand
  7. Dkashola
    Aug 12, 2012
    10
    Gave it a 10 to *try* to balance the score out. Is that the correct and honest thing to do? Probably not, but ME3, especially after the ending DLC doesn't deserve a 4.3 user score, imo, a 7 or 8 would probably be more appropriate.

    Just my opinion, no need to go spreading it around... :P
  8. ty1er
    May 28, 2012
    10
    Most fulfilling gaming experience since ages. In my opinion, also the best part of the triology. while the ending ist debatable, the amount of emotion (i even had to shed a tear once or twice) this game could create amongst the community can speak for itself.
  9. JJackson87
    May 28, 2012
    8
    I think this was a great third game is the best video-game series of this generation. I was disappointed by the ending and hope they can wrap things up better with the coming DLC. Still recommend the game though!
  10. Darkmark
    May 29, 2012
    8
    Besides from the poor class balance and the bad ending, this a great game. And with the epic story and nice gameplay i would say that it's still worth buying.
  11. wildmandan
    May 29, 2012
    6
    If you've enjoyed this series the last 5 minutes of this game may infuriate you. As a capstone to a great franchise this game fails to deliver in the most important area: The end. This is the game that is supposed to bring the Mass Effect story to a close and leave us wanting more. It fails abysmally to deliver on this account.

    The rest of the game however is epic, enjoyable and a testame    nt to what made this series so great, which further compounds the failure of the final chapter. Somehow in the entire series the worst writing has come at the end. Breaking basic tenets of storytelling in the last act is a sure way of losing the admiration of your fans.… Expand
  12. lucienpyrus
    May 30, 2012
    9
    I haven't played the single player (though i did watch my roomate play it), but I have played the mulitplayer so much. I love the mulitplayer and it deserves at least an 8 for that. I watched the ending and I thought it wasn't that bad.
  13. Ghoster
    Aug 20, 2012
    6
    I give this game 6 only because ME2 had 10. It's not a bad game. It's pretty nice game. But TBH it's at least half worse than ME2 so cannot give more points.

    Worst thing about it is that they spoiled all good things they improoved from ME1 to ME2. Starting with map system, shooting, character improvements, ... It's really pitty ME ended with game like that. Could be awesome!
  14. TheFlaminboy
    Jul 21, 2012
    9
    Just finished the Game with the Extended Cut, then compared it on Youtube with the original ending. I can see why many people didn't like the ending, there really are a few too many things left open in the original ending. The Extended Cut is therefore a nice addition to give players more closure. However, I have to say, that this is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played and definitely does not deserve the criticism it got about it's ending. I personally loved all the endings, even though I only chose the bad ending to see what it was like, normally I wouldn't choose it. This game is an amazing and perfect conclusion to the Mass Effect Trilogy and true fans will love it like I did. Mass Effect 1 had the most epic ending, Mass Effect 2 was the most epic game overall and Mass Effect 3 was the most beautiful of them all. Also, since it mainly used music from the first and second game and didn't show that many more additional good soundtracks (apart from the beginning and the end of the game) I give this game a 9 out of 10. Well done Bioware and thank you!… Expand
  15. azefir1
    Jun 5, 2012
    9
    Very dissapointing ending but.... This game is just pure awesomeness. Way better than me2, and as good as me1. Me3 would be perfect if not the ending...
  16. Thaeonblade
    Jun 3, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you that Mass Effect 3 was an excellent game and a great culmination of the Mass Effect series. But I'm going to give it an 8/10, though it's game quality should make it a 9. This is sad, because most of the main problems in this game have to do with things that weren't in the game. 1) The Ending, everyone has talked about it so I'm not going to beat a dead horse. But let's just say that all of your war assets and decisions don't amount to anything meaningful in the game's conclusion. 2) Multi-player requirement, the multiplayer component was actually fun and addictive. I really like the teamwork aspect that gets incorporated into gameplay, rewarding players for working together to take down tough enemies. The problem is that the game forces you to play this mode. If you don't play it enough, then a low readiness rating will shave off a portion of your war assets. Effectively, you're being punished and sabotaged for not playing multiplayer. Not to mention that the readiness meter drops independent of your actions anyway! 3) The Day-One DLC requirement for Javik, a prothean squadmate! Why isn't he in the game? 4) A needleesly smaller rooster with disproportionately arranged screen-time for each member and romance. You'll only have 6 members + Javik with all of the ME 2 squadmates being sidelined for one reason or another. Some have memorable cameos and roles, but the rest were simply put to the side. In addition, you may end up with a minimum of 3 members depending on what you did in previous games or what you do in this one. We could have easily used another squadmate like that british soldier in the trailer, Aria, the "biotic god", or a ME 2 squadmate of our choice. But no, you only have a max total of 7 squadmates, 1 of which is day one dlc and the you can't even get two as full-time squadmates until halfway through the game! On this note of disproportionate screentime, of your many love interests, only the ME 1 love interests have an actual romance scene. Female shepard gets screwed over on the love interest chart because the only romance that carries over from ME2 is Garrus. Jacob cheats on you even though that's very similar to what his own father did, Kelly can die too easily and Thane dies with no way of saving him. 5) The Quest system is terrible, it will never update even when you find what you were looking for. So you have to keep careful track or else you'll end up going to the system where the item was and risk detection by the reapers only to find out that you already had it! 6) High increase in auto-dialogue "Breathes" Okay...now let's move on to the positive thing in this game because there are a lot despite the major contention points that I started with. 1) Squad moments: Despite a needlessly smaller rooster, your party does feel more alive and dynamic. They move around on the ship and can even have conversations with each other and you can choice who to support. I do miss the traditional conversations in ME 2 and ME 1, but this change is welcome. 2) Combat is strongly improved from ME 2 and allows for the return of customization options from ME 1. There's also a lot of variation on how to order abilities to really become effective against even the most heavily armored foe. 3) The Story is pretty solid, the reapers have finally come and Shepard has to get the people of the galaxy together to fight them. Conventional warfare won't work in the long run, so Shepard is also tasked with gathering resources and information about a device known as the Crucible. A weapon that promises a way to defeat the reapers before they destroy the galaxy. Along the way, Shepard will be faced with irrevocable choices. Entire races can be wiped out or screwed over if Shepard makes the wrong move. For instance, if you sabotage the Genophage cure with Wrex in charge, he'll attempt to murder you and call off Krogan support. If you fail to make peace between Geth and Quarians, one will wipe out the other and Tali can commit suicide if you side with the geth. Up until the final mission, I was emotionally engaged in saving this diverse galaxy. 4) Multiplayer is actually really fun. It may not have been needed, but it is a really fun mode to play. You really feel like you're part of a special forces squad when you join three other players. It also forces you to think carefully about the player that you deploy as. 5) While annoying to keep track of, the war asset function is pretty unique. If only the ending didn't invalidate it! 6) Great soundtrack 7) Excellent voicework 8) Choices made in previous games will carry over into this one. Including minor side missions like bring down the sky. So there you have it. The bad things will tick you off and the good things will make you enjoy it. It's kind of a mixed-bag in that sense, but still a really good game. I recommend buying this one, just be aware of its flaws… Expand
  17. Welterweight426
    Jun 4, 2012
    9
    People really need to stop bashing this game. Though the ending is rather bad, the rest of the game is fantastic. The story telling, the gameplay, the writing, its all fantastic. My only complaint to the game, besides the ending, is the lack of content in the multiplayer. Otherwise, this game is a must buy.
  18. Darahas
    Jun 11, 2012
    7
    This game is a very good game, don't get me wrong. I'm not giving this a 7 out of 10 because of the ending, because I actually liked the ending (but that's because I believe in the Indoctrination theory; if you don't know what the Indoctrination theory is, it's a very plausible theory for the ending of the game), and I enjoyed everything else. The reason why is I'm giving this a 7 is because Mass Effect 3 didn't grip me like the others. It didn't suck me into this mass expansive world like Mass Effect 1 did, which I loved. This universe is well put together and I enjoy a good story. Like I've said before, Mass Effect 3 is a extremely well-made game, with enjoyable multiplayer and other elements that make it combine together. It just didn't grip me like the first and second. So I give this a 7 out of 10.… Expand
  19. mondieu12
    Jun 12, 2012
    9
    IT WASN'T THAT BAD. The majority of the game is excellent, with certain character deaths really adding to the overall experience of the series (two in particular). The combat is exciting and fluid, the dialogue well written and well voice acted, and some of the choices are deep, and philosophically challenging. Yes, the ending wasn't what we expected, and I'm as annoyed as everyone else, but we can't let 10 minutes ruin a trilogy which we have passed countless well-spent hours playing!… Expand
  20. Miltan
    Jun 13, 2012
    8
    it' really cool games, however i agree that some faults are there, but not considerable too much.
    actually i found a discount code for the game, so i thought of a trial. i found its good for the price.
    i purchased this game with twenty dollars discount code found at topincoupons coupon website to use on new egg store.
  21. TheTypeOfGuy
    Jun 21, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 was the worst game in the series. While Multiplayer was a nice addition, i think that the singleplayer suffered a lot. Most time there are only two choices (the middle option is missing, except in some parts), the journal system got worse from me2 to 3 (how can that happen?), no vehicle exploration or little mini games and to much Auto-Dialog (Story- and RPG-Mode). Now lets go to the multiplayer. The matchmaking is the worst I have ever seen and the anti-cheating system is overly sensitive (Everyone can report someone and he gets banned even he didnt do anything. Happend to me 2 times already. Had to report these mistakes and got to play multiplayer again). The good Aspects of the Game are that the dialog with your squadmates are unique and funny. You could have though BioWare looked directly into the souls of the fans. Some Missions were so unique and awesome (Tuchanka for example) that it could have redeemed BioWare for all those bad aspects. But the one thing that is the worst piece of yeah i think you know what i mean are these super intelligence-insulting endings. With that ending and the bad aspect of the game bioware not only ruined its reputation but lost a lot of (good) fans. I'd rate this game minus (over)9000 but because of some awesome moments i rate it with good will a 2 out of 10. BioWare please take these critism to heart and change while you still can! I still have faith in you.… Expand
  22. lordythegreat
    Jun 23, 2012
    6
    The main problem with mass effect three compared to the last two is that all these decisions, all those player deaths, all those events and consequences that you have caused to happen in the lead up to this game, most of them seem to have very little final impact on the finale (which was rubbish btw). some plot lines just plain dont make sense (The reapers, a killing race of machines, were sent to destroy us because in the future we would create a race of machines that would end mankind. um wtf?!?!) the build up to the last few battles was nigh on brilliant, all the characthers you fall in love (or hate) with have their fitting stories and some fitting conclusions, but then the final battles and final outcome takes all of those stories, completely discards and disregards them and gives you a supposedly "artistic" end sequence. again i call bs, its a cop out, its like the script writers went on strike for the last month of development so they called in a college psych student to finish it off. I wasnt angry the night i finished it, but sleeping on it i woke up really p-off.

    the combat is improved from number two, and the multiplayer is a nice touch if lacking any real depth, i would say it feels like an experiment rather than a key part of the game. You will find yourself in some explosive chaotic moments that hold you on the edge of your seat, which is great, but the final pay off is just a big nothing, could be the worst ending to a game since metal gear solid 2. In conclusion, its a great end to the series BUT it sacrifices great rpg elements for third person shooting elements that gears of war did better. To add insult to injury bioware is now making dlc to change the ending. So... is that an admittance of failure on your part Bioware? cheers bro    … Expand
  23. Snarky
    Mar 22, 2013
    0
    Mass of Duty 3: console edition! Now available for your PC! Buy now to experience horrible Xbox 360 graphics, low fov and poor controls! Buy now and get a weak ending for free! Buy now and buy dlc later! 0/10 for this garbage.
  24. wisetaner
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just finished playing ME3 with all the available DLC's including the extended cut...so far I played through the "Refusing to choice", Synthesis" and "Destruction" options. The first two while bitter sweet, were rather good. Where as the destruction option, just left me feeling frustrated. Due to where it shows Shepard suddenly taking a breath as though having been out cold. But then the credits begin rolling.

    It just made it seem like more of a teaser to see Shepard's suddenly breath in and then nothing else. I can understand Bioware wanting to leave it up to the gamers imagination...but that teaser, is like torture.

    I just wanted to mention that. But again the other two ending options I played through, those were rather good and while I don't know what the original shorter endings were like, I did appreciate the extended cut version. I just would have liked to have more certainty of Shepard's fate after that breath.

    Heck I really would have enjoyed seeing an option where Shepard rejoins his friends upon the Normandy. But what can be told, aside from just appreciating the fact that at least his friends survived and the she/he got to breath again.

    At any rate, the game overall was amazing...and perhaps I feel that way because I waited until the extended cut DLC became available.    … Expand
  25. Yazour
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    After looking at all the red scores this game has received I have been compelled to speak out. I don't think most users have given this game a fair go. It has received this negative criticism for many reasons. Some of the criticism is fair, but most of it is drivel written by petulant children that didn't get their cookie.

    Firstly there had been unrealistic expectations placed upon i    t. It is the third of an epic trilogy. Not only did it have three times the attention that an original release would have done, but it also carried with it two games worth of changeable back-story that needed working into the plot. That is a serious amount of baggage for any development team to work with. Pleasing everyone was never going to happen if the game was ever going to be released. I am amazed however how smoothly the game plays out having played through it now with three different save game imports. Bioware have done a superlative job in simply getting a coherent story out of two games worth (70 hours worth) of loose threads, and should be commended for their efforts.

    Secondly plot has developed in line with the popular hero trend. If you want your hero    … Expand
  26. jigme
    Jul 9, 2012
    9
    Played the whole series. Loved it. I played through Mass Effect 3 one time, using the extended cut, so I did not get traumatized, it seems. Combat is fun, writing is top-notch. My only complaints: too short, too linear, not enough replay value (also, that Asian villain was REALLY cheesy. REALLY). I forgive it all because I like the Mass Effect universe, and I like Liara too much. I wish it was designed in a way that I could keep playing.… Expand
  27. gambit1892
    Jul 9, 2012
    6
    I' ve played all 3 mass effect games, I believe the first one had the best scenario, the second was also interesting and improved as far as game play is concerned. The third installment left me with mixed emotions, I enjoyed the gameplay which is much more realistic and fun, you have more freedom on the battlefield and a larger variety of moves and enemies. The quest system where you search for Assets on planets is similar to the one M.E. 2 had, I think it is a quite boring, I would prefer to search for Assets with the Mako like in M.E. 1., but I guess that is subjective because others believe you could easily get lost with the Mako in M.E.1 resulting in frustration. Anyway, the weakest element in M.E. 3 is, in my opinion, its scenario and particularly the ending. I do not wish to write in detail about it, somethings are better left for others to judge on their own. However I must point out that it seemed sloppy and hasty, almost like fast food, quickly rushed off the grill and on a plate. I played the normal edition and the extended cut, which was slightly improved but still it just went from hot-dog to burger. I strongly believe EA rushed Bio-ware to launch the game in order to start generating income and unfortunately the end depicted that. I remember some years ago I played and finished Star Wars:Knights of the old Republic, also by Bioware, a great game by my standards mainly for the scenario. But.... KOTOR2 was a different story... published by Lucas Arts and developed by Obsidian because Bioware refused to succumb to the pressure of an early release, anyway that's not the point, the important thing is that when I finished KOTOR2 I realized I didn't understand anything, not just the ending..... So I' ve seen worse cases than M.E. 3, but unfortunately I've also seen better work from Bioware. If only they delayed one more month the game release, M.E. 3 would have had a different, more solid ending I believe, besides, it took them one month to release the extended cut dlc, and it probably cost them more, perhaps not financially, but ethicly and in terms of brand name, I don't think many people will pre order Bioware games from now on.......when glass breaks, it can't be glued, same goes for trust.… Expand
  28. dannytran555
    Jul 11, 2012
    10
    first time i play mass effect 3 i hate the ending but now when bio ware decide to released extended ending DLC i love it again now i will play from part 1 again to write my own story
  29. athleos
    Jul 12, 2012
    6
    I purchased ME1&ME2; but, while I like the game play of ME3 I am protesting it, by not buying it. They got rid of the original story writer, they crapped on the graphics, ruined the game ending and put homosexuals on my ship. Gamers are not defined by gay ideologies or self-righteous straights, for crying out! we are just gamers. Fun games should not be used as devise where staff writers bow to the political right or left. So, with these three negatives I will not buy this game. If the graphics and the game ending were really amazing, I would still not buy it - unless - the ME3 configuration utility allowed me to decide/change the gay/straight themes for my personal game preferences. It is when game developers force you to play their way instead of allowing the gamer to make their own personal choice, then I say **** you Bioware and EA, I will start downloading free games from torrent sites from now on, until you stop nailing gamers up the ass with your nickel and dime DLC and politicking ideology crap. Please stop doing this to gamers.… Expand
  30. MidnightOutlaw
    Jul 13, 2012
    7
    As an honest gamer, I will keep this short and sweet: Mass Effect 3 was an exciting start to the "beginning of the end" for the series. While a lot of problems originated mostly from the ending and a few problems upon launch, the game itself is a remarkable experience. It does what it set out to do: And that was entertain as a cover-based, third-person RPG-shooter. While I disagree with some of the choices made to the story, the game itself was the ending players wanted to Shepards story. And with the multiplayer experience shaping up to be an unforgettable experience (albeit some of the weapons are being fiddled with for no reason) as more and more content is being released free of charge. And to top it off, the Extended Cut is free DLC, allowing everyone to choose which endings they liked best. All in all, I'd say Mass Effect 3 earned it's place in history.… Expand
  31. sandal53
    Jul 19, 2012
    7
    After all that build up of epic choices with people dying and the Illusive Man fighting with Shepard and Anderson and then.... no end boss.... empty promises broken.... Was this really what you wanted to do with one of the best franchises of all time? Is this really your ending to Mass Effect Bioware? And with this "extended cut" dlc is just more **** taped onto the ending... With that said... It was an amazing game all the way up to the ending with Casper and his stupid "choices." Oh how the mighty have fallen in this game. I just hope they do something to make it different change the ending maybe? Probably not but i had such high hopes for Bioware to show us the ending of Shepard's story and how he destroyed the Reapers. A big disappointment. The game was good the ending was terrible so i give this game a 7 the music, game play and story was really good all the way up till the tile floated up into the white and you woke up in front of the so called "catalyst." A solid game that could have been a perfect 10 if they just made the ending better.… Expand
  32. trio3rd
    Jul 23, 2012
    9
    i enjoy the game especially if you upload save game from ME2... maybe the original ending doesn't give much closure, the free extended cut DLC in other hand give much more satisfying ending... ill give an 7/10 but with the extended cut DLC ill give 9/10...
  33. Gqwewqewq
    Aug 27, 2012
    8
    Haven't finished the game yet, but so far I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. The combat is improved (not much, and still not great ofc). They've made the galaxy exploring much better than the last 2 games. And there's a lot of nice touches, like crew members moving around the ship, having conversations etc. Also like that they've focused more on characters who can't accompany you on missions - I always thought that was a stupid self-imposed limitation.
    And the bad..... Dialogue has taken a nose dive (not all the time - some is still pretty good), but worst they've removed a lot of the options you have, moving far too many moments purely into cut-scenes. This was a problem sometimes in Mass Effect 2, and its got worse.
    Basically, certainly a step down from Mass Effect 2, and due to the first games incredible story probably from Mass Effect too. Still a decent game though    … Expand
  34. Horganshwag
    Sep 19, 2012
    10
    Just like almost everyone else who played this game I didn't like the ending or the other disappointments. I cry myself to sleep wishing Shepard was indoctrinated, but this was still one of the best games I have ever played and is by far the most emotional.
  35. Orctownorc
    Oct 4, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect was always 'Shepard's Story', so it was impossible to identify that much with either the game play or the characters. While the overall story is sadly an over-hyped armaggedon (not good), the production values in this game are great, and the voice acting and performances were pretty well flawless. I follow the herd in mourning the way it ends, but personally I don't care as I never invested much in this franchise emotionally. The whole franchise is a long interactive movie. Thank God its over, and lets hope Bioware will take the basis assets and ideas and use them to build some better games that let the players tell their own stories. The cities were always WAY too small in this game. The levelling and RPG elements were never very good. But the visuals, the voices, the NPCs were all phenomenally good. This whole franchise to date has been nothing except design practice. With Mass effect the best is yet to come. Can't wait to see what they can cook up with Mass Effect in terms of a genuine RPG experience!… Expand
  36. Jacsam
    Oct 2, 2012
    9
    If you enjoyed ME 1 and 2 you will enjoy this game. The game looks great and the fighting is fun. I agree that the initial ending was not good but the revamped ending was very good. Also the game was much more action oriented than RPG and the dialogue did not change the story at all. In fact you can play the game without making any choices in the conversation if you pick to play the game as an action game. All in all a great game.… Expand
  37. epic635
    Oct 11, 2012
    9
    Some of you may be new to the mass effect series and want to purchase the game, however the amazingly low score in the user section can be a very big turn off. However do not listen to the user reviews on this site!! or any other site on the internet!! This game ooozes brilliance. Let me shine some light on how the gamer community works, they love to **** about anything, and everything. If a game doesn't innovate, it sucks, if it does innovate, it sucks as well, they can never be pleased, which is why this game has been so badly reviewed, they didn't like the ending. Just because you didn't like the ending does not warrant down grading the ENTIRE game. Mass Effect 3 is a brilliant game, the soundtrack is incredible, the combat is fun and fast paced and (contrary to gamer belief) the story was excellent and I really connected with the characters in the story. I implore you to enter this game with an open mind, not clouded by the hate of the gamer "community" and see this game for what it is, it may have drifted from its RPG roots but I think for the better with my play style, I've thrown hours into ME3 and enjoyed every second of it. The leaving Earth scene is both awesome and saddening at the first time and sets the tone of desperation for the story to come, the Reapers are a terrifying and brilliant foe and the gameplay represents a challenge in many areas of the game. I didn't even think the ending was bad at all, when I finished it I put my controller down in contentment without realising it would be so badly bashed by whiners everywhere. ME3 is well worth a play through for anyone who would rather enjoy a game than complain about it. Bioware really put their heart into this game and it deserves the recognition from the community it never received… Expand
  38. thelighttheligh
    Nov 4, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a person who's played both ME and ME2, I would have to say that this is a welcome addition to the trilogy. There are certainly flaws, but overall the plot is solid, the story is immersive and Bioware has really upped the maturity level. ME3 feels like a more mature, emotional game than ME and ME2 (not saying it's better). The various cutscenes of Shepard running through her dreams after the boy (although being goddamn annoying and slow) added a certain emotional depth. The dialogue is still brillaint, the romances are fun and seem realistic. I definitely liked the reoccurring characters who appear again from ME and ME2. Overall, solid game, great continuation of the story, great graphics.… Expand
  39. RPGFanatic
    Dec 4, 2012
    0
    They should have just stuck to the original writing team from ME1. This bunch of newbie writers perverted the lore of mass effect and had no idea how to plan the trilogy in advance. As a result, they had to do damage control with extended DLC after realizing their folly. But the milk is already sour, you can't make it fresh again.
  40. McCrichierich
    Jan 2, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really enjoyed Mass Effect 3 when it wasn't forcing me to watch an unskippable cut-scene that went on for 50,000 years! I wouldn't mind a few unskippable cut-scenes that are short and don't contain dialogue that is so melodramatic and cheesy that I actually had to turn the game off once or twice. I felt the game tried too hard to be like a film and tried really hard to make me care about the characters, something which they had achieved moderately in the previous 2, but fell so far short this time because of atrocious writing. I found it really difficult to become attached to Shephard at all because he had as much personality as a piece of plain paper with the word "nice" on it. Or he was Satan incarnate whom Cerberus for some reason decided to install a naughty or nice detection chip in his face. (A clear theft from Fable. Although it's acceptable in Fable because it's more cartoony and like a fairytale where witches have hooked noses and good guys are disturbingly aryan.) They also copped out of it as well by putting a heal all scars option in med-bay. Why bother having it in if you can just erase it in a heart beat? Either do it or don't. It just seemed a bit flaky for a game based so tightly on the consequences of actions to literally have an opt out button. I did really like the way the previous choices affected the game. I also liked how they tried to tie up the loose ends with the characters from ME2. Although, it seemed to me that by the end of the game someone points out "Jesus we forgot Jack! Quickly someone put her in!" So their solution was to just have her leap at Shephard and die within 10 seconds and a quick remark from Shephard and team mate to let you know that it really was her. The encounter was actually so brief and dissatisfying that I genuinely thought that it wasn't her and I was about to find out that the Illusive Man had caught her and found a way to make clones of her to fight for him. Then I would have to fight through waves of Jack look-a-likes and find her trapped in a machine being cloned and in need of rescue. Then once rescued she joins the cause or has to sacrifice herself to destroy the station like Mordin and Miranda or something. But no she just leaped at you and died. I thought that the fighting gameplay was very good and got my adrenaline going. Although the going into cover and sprinting was often irritating. I would press A to go into cover nothing would happen so I press it again and he pops into cover then out again so he got shot in the face a lot. I did think that the powers were too strong. You can decimate huge hordes of enemies quite easily without going into cover. All you need to do is use adrenaline rush with 1 power enabled and have EDI and Liara with you to use incinerate and singularity. The galaxy map was well done and I liked the idea of the reapers detecting your scanner if you entered reaper occupied space. The first time I heard the loud buzz indicating their presence I was genuinely intimidated and rushed like hell to get out of there. But after finding out that I could outrun them for ages and that the only consequence of being caught was an "oh no you got caught! Now start again from 20 seconds earlier." There was no real threat and I wound up feeling that their presence was more of a minor inconvenience than a real hazard to be avoided. Now to get to my biggest complaint about the game. It all starts with one little boy who from the second I saw him playing outside I started a stop watch in my head for when he was going to die. It was shamelessly and clumsily trying to make me feel for this boy. I felt nothing but contempt for that flimsy attempt to make me feel emotionally invested. Then they expanded this dung heap of an idea into an agonisingly bad dream sequence which you can't skip and, as far as I can tell, has no relevance to anything whatsoever. It doesn't advance the plot. It didn't make me care about the boy. It didn't make me think Shephard was deep or more relatable. It was irritating, it slowed the game down and I couldn't help shouting at the screen "Hurry up you pretentious idiots!" Overall, I think I would give the game a 2/10 for dialogue. 7 or 8/10 for the story (good idea let down by enamel peelingly bad dialogue) 8 or 9/10 for combat. Martin Sheen as ever gave a 10/10 performance and expertly depicted a man trying to make the right decisions but losing sight of what is right because of his penchant for solitude. Usually I wouldn't score a game for its dialogue because people don't really play games for it. However, since I felt ME3 was trying so hard to be a film it seemed right to include the dialogue in an overall score. This score would be much higher if the game wasn't trying to be a game/film with appalling dialogue.… Expand
  41. Morfiss
    Feb 9, 2013
    2
    Day 1 DLC: Disgraceful. taking content out of the game and selling it,
    Giant Plot Holes: Every 50,000 years the reapers wipe out everyone to stop synthetics from killing everyone.
    Game play: Is so boring it's just run and gun.
    1 Point: Customisation was good and the N7 armour looked cool.
    1 Point: Multiplayer had some simple but fun aspects.
  42. Gargus
    Mar 7, 2013
    1
    I'm not here to rip on ME3 just for the sake of doing so or because its what's cool to do on the internet like so many others.

    Basically ME3 is the worst of the series in every way possible compared to the other 2 games because it doesn't build or improve anything. It simply just tries to hurriedly finish the series for the sake of a cash in on the title.

    1- There is no sense of expl    oration. The game as efficiently as possible holds your hand every step the way and has you actually being on the ground doing things the least amount possible. Side missions are carried out by quickly scanning a planet ala ME2 and then firing a probe. That's it. You don't explore, you don't get to check out uncharted worlds simply for the sake of curiosity or anything. Scan, shoot probe, side mission done all without even leaving the galaxy map. This tactic accounts for the majority of side missions. ME1 you could explore the galaxy drive around in that horribly handling buggy and had a sense of discovering things, ME2 you could land on planets and explore doing side missions with some not even firing a single shot like the crashed cruiser balanced on the mountain peak but all of those things are gone in 3. The game just holds your hand and ushers you from mission to mission.

    2- You don't get to actually chose anything, everything is pre determined for you. Even if you chose the renegade or paragon path you get the exact same result and no one treats you differently and you get no alternative paths depending on your karma scale which makes it all incredibly pointless and just window dressing for the fact the story is entirely linear and so is your character.

    3- The characters are all the same ones, only less compelling. There are a couple new characters but they are highly disposable and not even worth messing with. James for instance is basically just a guy who talks 90% of the time like a generic white guy, 10% of the time he throws out some Mexican phrases like saying "loco" a lot in his generic white guy trying to impersonate a Mexican guy and he looks like he was taken from the show jersey shore. When a old character returns you can see it coming a mile away. For instance you go into a area where the mission briefing talks about geth then you can see 45 minutes before which old character is going to come back. All the characters themselves seem hollow and rushed, they lack the personality that made them endearing in the other games and most are there only long enough to be overly obvious in a very specific mission or they simply show up for 3 minutes of camera time practically winking at the player with a nod and then are gone.

    4- The story compared to the others sucks. The other games had side stories, character stories, side missions with their own short stories and so on. ME3 on the other is basically this "Everything is going to be destroyed". That's pretty much it because no matter where you go or what you do its always about the war specifically and nothing else. I also got sick of hearing phrases like "were here to save lives", "were doing this to save lives", "this weapon will save lives", "we need to stick together to save lives", "billions of lives are on the line and were here to save them", etc and after about 8 hours I was sick of hearing about the war and saving lives.

    5- The game play was basically just one big shooting gallery and hiding behind chest high walls. Every single fight is basically you hiding behind chest high walls to peak out and fire a few rounds only to hide back behind said wall. It was incredibly boring and has been done to death in dozens of other games. The combat was mindless and mediocre. It felt like they put absolutely no effort into the combat at all and rushed you through it in order to get to the next scene of hearing Sheppard say "saving lives".

    6- The ending was atrocious. This is a series that prides itself on story, characters and dialogue. We all spent over 100 bucks playing all 3 games and spent over 100 hours playing all 3 games but bioware seemed to say "This is the end of the trilogy so who cares about the ending". The ending is the most important part of any story of any kind because its the very last thing you leave the person with and its supposed to be a reward, the climax to everything leading up till then, basically the ending is the most important part of any story. But the ending of ME3 was over in just a minute or so despite the dozens of hours of dialogue, cut scenes and story in the rest of the series they got lazy at the end. It gives no satisfaction at all. I can honestly say it is the laziest segment of the series. I did like though they had the balls to do what they did with Sheppard, but the ending still sucks and doesn't make you glad to have finished the series.    … Expand
  43. numaiios
    Feb 23, 2013
    9
    ME3 se divide en dos partes.
    Una, el juego. Otra, la trama.
    Como juego es un mero trámite entre cinemáticas, siendo un shooter lineal y monótono. Tampoco hay elemento RPG destacable alguno.
    Como espectáculo audiovisual es increíble. Posee un guión y desarrollo que supera con creces la más ambiciosa superproducción de Hollywood. No me ruborizo al decir que la historia es impecable y dign    e y digna de culto.
    El desenlace va más allá de lo que nos muestra la pantalla, y al menos yo, necesité videarlo en repetidas ocasiones para captar todo el significado sublimado en detalles que a bote pronto son imperceptibles, logrando que el espectador que haya disfrutado de los anteriores capítulos capte la total sinergia entre ellos.
    Creación sublime de Bioware y muy dificil de superar.    … Expand
  44. behastie
    Mar 5, 2013
    1
    I'm not going to take some kind of moral stance on this game. The gameplay was fun, the ending ruined it for me. I was genuinely very unhappy when I stopped playing the game. That shouldn't happen.
  45. HONOR-IS-ALL
    Mar 8, 2013
    1
    Mass Effect 3 will forever be the game that damaged the series and Bioware's image. There is no way that ME4 sales will ever get close to the sales of ME2 and ME3
  46. TheCuteKitten
    Mar 27, 2013
    4
    The only good thing about this game is the amount of weapons and customization for your skills. The voice acting is brilliant apart from Jessica Chobot. That's it. The story is full of plotholes, contradiction, retcons and downright nonsensical at times. The enemies and AI behaviour is subpar. Everything just bumrushes you and and do not use strategy of any sort. There is too little gameplay and too much cutscenes which makes the game feels like an interactive movie. There is also almost no RP element in the game apart from power customization. Your choices do not matter. The ending introduces new concepts altogether. Unnecessary inclusion of children to create emotions. So yeah, a botched job from Biower.… Expand
  47. yogibbear
    Jul 29, 2012
    10
    Oh my god. No spoilers here. If I explain why this game is PERFECT (even pre-EC) I will ruin the experience for you. Just believe me when I say the gameplay is somewhere between ME1 & ME2. The missions and excitement leading up the end for this trilogy are a lot of fun. The multiplayer works, you don't have to play it, but it is better than I expected. The singleplayer is 10/10 ignoring the MP. The ending made me cry and you got me Bioware, oh how you got me good! You actually made me stop hating you after DAII (oh I'll just pretend like that game doesn't exist). I finally bothered to play this game and I should have done sooner. Somehow avoided all spoilers and I am SO glad that I did. The reason why this game gets a 10/10 and not an 8 or 9 is because the ending is perfection. People complaining about it were not paying attention! Seriously, pure genious! Shutup and take my money!… Expand
  48. Nicoskov
    Aug 9, 2012
    9
    I think it's absorlutly unfair, to give Mass Effect 3 a score under seven, simply based on the ending. Mass Effect 3 is like the other games in the series, an amazing game! Everything that leads up to the ending, is superb, every mission is fantastik, the graphics is fantastik, the characters, the environments, just superb. The ending was patched up by the extendet cut DLC, but yes .. its still not as great as i would have liked, but its definitely acceptable now. The multiplayer is also pretty good. I personatlly play Mass Effect for the single-player, but the multiplayer is a nice feature when you have completed the game, and just need some more Mass Effect.
    All in all, Mass effect 3 is a great game, which is absorlutly worth buying.    … Expand
  49. SpaceyCasey
    Oct 13, 2012
    6
    I played the demo and I'm very disappointed. I would play this game if one of the following were not true: (1) Same graphics; What was very advanced in 2007 (ME1) par in 2010 (ME2) is now simply sub-par in 2012. (2) I like to sit back with a logi/xbox360 style controller. A keyboard, while very good, can limit you in certain situations. While many games released in the past 2 years have instant support for controllers, this game has none. (3) Same engine. ME2 was a great game but I struggled to finish due to the robotic engine. The great story, art, music and characters kept me playing through the bland game. Adding a halo-blade animation to your punch and changing health to blocks instead of bars doesn't change the gameplay. My skills were 90% exactly the same as the last game! (4) horrid user score; from what people are saying, this is a big ME2 expansion, not a $60 new game. Oh Bioware, how far you have fallen.… Expand
  50. Gr33nF00t
    May 24, 2012
    8
    I will begin with this: Mass Effect 3 had so much potential. All throughout the game, there are moments of beauty and brilliance, such as the "Leaving Earth" sequence. I heard how this game was terrible; a huge let down; a major blow to video games as a narrative medium. And for 96% of the game I thought to myself "What are these people talking about?" I really liked it; I felt like I was steam-rolling towards the proper conclusion of my Shep.

    Then the ending happened. It was like watching the U.S. theatrical cut of Blade Runner. Roy gives the "Tears in rain" speech, releases the dove, and dies; and right when you are reaching cerebral climax, Deckard's clumsy voice-over enters your ear-holes to completely ruin your moment like a drunken man-child. ME3's ending by and large completely ignores all the choices you made throughout the previous games. On top of that, all the endings are the EXACT SAME. Sure, there are some very minor differences, but there is no meaningful variation among endings. There is no closure, no denouement.

    I could go on, but I will instead end with this: Were it not for the terribly handled ending this game would be a 10 in my book.    … Expand
  51. intruder313
    Jul 13, 2012
    8
    Bought it cheap but still did not touch the game until the Extended Cut appeared so my review is only of that version - I don't even know what was added to be honest.

    It takes a while to get going but I was rewarded with an occasionally epic midgame and a reasonable ending to the whole saga. The combat scenes are far, far too easy though so I recommend pumping it above normal difficulty    . It's also about the quietest game I've ever played so I had to drive my volume settings to about double what I normally use.

    Also I got the distinct impression that most of my travels were completely pointless since you fairly quickly reach the "Minimum" Force level to complete the game - I doubt greater values matter.

    The galactic readiness map is of course entirely meaningless in the Single Player game but that's not something I recall being made aware of. Just ignore it.    … Expand
  52. HerHavuzun
    May 2, 2012
    9
    Everything in this game is excellent (even multiplayer). But the ending. Yes, the ending. No, I'm not angry about Bioware. Frankly the ending is just too sad for a story with a western cultural background and be more fitting to a chinese movie. It could be even possible, that they liked it there but certainly me not.
  53. DeathSpank
    Aug 19, 2012
    10
    The perfect closure to one of the best game trilogies ever. I guess I was lucky enough to complete the game after the extended edition came out. But regardless, I don't see why multiple users would trash the game simply because of the ending.
  54. roboticsun
    Jul 4, 2012
    8
    Mass Effect 3 is a well made experience to say the least. The overall combat action is very fast and fluid though there are quite a few animation glitches here and there but aren't serious enough to ruin things. The six basic classes are played differently, so the combat itself had replay values. The enemy AI are improved a bit but still feels weak most time. The pause function really ruined this game imo which made this single player game rather easy. The story is epic in scope compare to the previous two entries but some new plots are not well explained. I wont put spoilers here, but the game indeed will confuse you if you ever played the first two mass effect games. the newly released extended cut added more explanations, though I do not feel it helped much.The playable characters are significantly reduced compare to mass effect 2 which leads to a shorter story line. the playable contents in single player part are noticeably less than those in mass effect 2. you should be able to finish most single player contents in 30~35 hours. However, the game did add a quite fun multilayer portion to compensate the shorter single player game. there are lots of unlockables in multilayer, so it should keep you busy for one or two months. despite the flaws, I still would say mass effect 3 is a very solid game combining fun combat, epic storyline and interactive cinema. It's still a memorable adventure and a must play for people who loved storytelling in video games.… Expand
  55. domak
    Jan 16, 2013
    4
    Anyone who played the previous Mass Effect game and still thinks that this one is good in comparison is just a delusional liar, this sad excuse of a game isn't even HALF of what the previous one was and the conclusion of the story is just unbelievably bad I wonder how is it possible to utterly destroy such a promising franchise.
  56. johann1978
    Jul 13, 2012
    9
    Its a gread Game and with the EE worthy of financial statements of the Story. I have cried at the Ending, because it was aware thats now over with my Shepard, 4 Years long i have playes she... Thank your Bioware vor the great Serie, ich love it and i hope you make a good Mass Effect 4.
  57. MustisTheCat
    Aug 1, 2012
    8
    Very good game, but not as good as ME2. First off, it is even more simplified so it is not even a RPG anymore. Second, the searching for resources is dull. The graphics is merely average. There are much less NPCs to interact with and take on missions. The ending is dissapointing, even after the Directors Cut DLC. Where Me3 shines is general gameplay - the fights are very emotional, fast paced and offer a lot of ways to dispatch enemies. It feels like a movie - you interact with many things but you rarely have influence on anything. I`d rather call it an extended First Person Shooter. Nevertheless the multiplayer is very addicting with new stuff coming every few months. Overall the game is satisfying with some of the above average features. Solid title.… Expand
  58. zagorec92
    Jun 3, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ahh, the ending...THE ending...IMHO the "destroy" ending was the best to choose. But after I decided to go with it, I expected some sort of animation-closure fiesta if you know what i mean. Despite all of the negative comments and review regarding the end, I just couldn't believe that is true, so the hope existed. So, let's go with recap - Earth was saved, soldiers were celebrating + ; Normandy crew ended up on some world, we don't know how far from Earth and could they return to the homeworld - ; Were all of our team aboard the Normandy? If not, what happened to them? - ; Mass relays destroyed (ok, we have been warned), but what happens with other races? - ; Guy breathing, people are convinced that's Shepard...so am I + ; Did the people rebuilt the Earth? Or are they somewhere else (next part of ending)? - ; After the credits, there is a kid with his grandfather on unknown world and the grandfather talks about Shepard and what happened while mentioning that was a long time ago. Well, how long has it been? Are the people again unaware of other life forms (actually, I think he mentions something like that), can the people travel throughout the universe (Solar system and beyond, but not far)? - ; Buzz Aldrin's voice (Stargazer) + ; Ending recap conclusion -> +(3), -(4) = - = unacceptable

    But this is game review. The entire game, except the ending, was breathtaking and definitely worth all the playing time invested throughout the series. Mixture of dramatic, bad ass, serious and humorous moment in this game is something all the other games want and hope to achieve. I would give the game 9, maybe 10, but if we account the weak ending, I must decrease my score. I seriously hope the "ending DLC" will bring more info about the aftermath of the game.    … Expand
  59. Levardos
    Apr 19, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really don't feel like writing a lot about this game. But I must say that all of the negative reviews aren't really deserved. Mass Effect 3 offers what Mass Effect 2 did, plus more. AI of opponents is really improved. And we'll face variety of enemies, each using different strategy. Story-wise, the game looks good to me. And people hating on the ending... Well... I think it's just that nowadays, we are used to happy endings. And that's why most of people are so butthurt. Because they didn't receive what they were expecting, and hoping for. The ending has got me really surprised. I heard a lot of negative opinions about it, so I thought it's because it's a cliche of some sort. Like you know, Shepard using the crucible (If that's how it's spelled, played the game with polish subtitles so I am not sure.) to defeat the reapers and then celebrating it on a party with all of his/her friends. But they have offered us something completly different. Something unexpectable. There was no game-series that made me feel so emotional in the end. Sure, I'll admit that I was hoping that all of my choices through the series will have a more important effect at the end... So that is disappointing. And so are the plot holes. Like, why was Joker running away from there. How was Liara already on the normandy when moments earlier she's been with me there, before I teleported... But other than that, I am not really complaining. I felt happy, that I've sacraficed my life to be able to control the reapers, and make them stop the cycle. I felt happy for saving the universe. And at the same time I've been sad, before Shepard died. I've been sad that through the game I've lost Mordin, Tali, and Anderson. I've been sad that mass relays have been destroyed, and nothing will ever be the same in the universe. I've been sad that Liara (Which has been my love interest.) was left without me. Yet at the same time I've been happy seeing her still alive. Well, I sure would like few plot holes explained. But overall, I must say I did enjoy the ending. It was.. something no one could have prepared themselves for. And to be honest about one thing... I did enjoy all of the cutscenes more than I enjoyed killing enemies... Even if improved, it just got slightly repetitive since first Mass Effect. And well, even if my choices through ME1 and ME2 didn't have affect on the ending, they did have affect on things before the ending, and that was nice. As for the graphics, nothing has really changed here. Let's do a quick summary... Pros: -Offers what ME2 did, plus more. -Really surprising ending, even if it isn't what the majority of players hoped for. -Improved overall gameplay. Cons: -Graphics are nice, but they are pretty much the same as in ME2. No improvement here. -Few plotholes regardless the ending.… Expand
  60. SHELOB
    May 5, 2012
    10
    It's a good game, not a great ending for the series. I enjoyed the journey, the cinematic experience and the characters though. The RPG mechanics are too simple for my taste.
  61. xZippy
    Dec 1, 2012
    7
    I love the Mass Effect series, but the third game just didn't have that magic touch like the last two, especially the second one. The movement and combat got a few perks. Some of the new powers/characters/weapons/missions are good, and the story holds up alright, but the extra flare is just not there. The previous games had some great gameplay mechanics, but were sucked out of this game. It's like the game is Mass Effect 2 with some improved graphics, but much lazier organization, atmosphere and character development - it all just feels sloppier. There's no reason an avid Mass Effect should pass this up, as it's not that bad of a game. But it's very watered down. I haven't a damn clue what went through BioWare's heads with the horrible endings.… Expand
  62. MonkofMajere
    Jun 2, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Having played Mass Effect from the first game on, I had high expectations going into Mass Effect 3. Being the conclusion of a trilogy that can only be described as "epic", Mass Effect 3 needed to be a fantastic game to live up to the previous games. In my opinion, Bioware succeeded. There are very few games that keep my attention for long, especially games that are so single player oriented. Mass Effect 3 is one of those few. Probably the best thing about most Bioware games are the characters. The writers at Bioware are excellent at crafting characters that the player cares about, characters that you will not forget. Mass Effect 3 does not deviate from this trend. Even Shepard, the main character of the Mass Effect trilogy, seems to have finally picked up more of a personality. Probably the most defining part of Mass Effect 3 is the music, though. From scene to scene, the music drives the player's emotions, inciting the feeling of sadness or triumph whenever the tone would fit. As for the games newly introduced multiplayer, I admit I was not expecting much when the feature was first introduced. After playing for the first time, I was surprised to find a well crafted mode that requires teamwork in order to survive (especially while playing gold, the modes highest difficulty. Even after a couple of months, I am still very much enjoying the multiplayer. The addition to two free map packs has certainly helped as well. All in all, I have very much enjoyed the final chapter in the Mass Effect trilogy, and would very much recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a well developed sci fi universe with well developed characters and an outstanding story.… Expand
  63. neck
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    I'll make this quick: This game is just as amazing as the previous two. BioWare made some excellent gameplay-wise decisions, the action is fast-paced and intense, the story is intense, too. The soundtrack is awesome, as well. It's the first game since...well, Mass Effect 2 that I actually enjoyed playing. I know that the ending upsets many people BUT rating the game with 3 points or less because you don't like 5% of the game is just childish and, frankly, total BS. I can understand that you don't like the ending, I don't like it too much, either. But that doesn't change the fact that the remaining 95% of the game are simply awesome. Get your sh...stuff together, kids.… Expand
  64. OhTheDerp
    May 29, 2012
    8
    Best game in the whole Mass Effect franchise. I don't give a single **** about the "horrible" ending; the game was perfectly entertaining and impressive in almost every aspect. The only thing I can complain about is how it was not similar to the leveling system of the first game, and I'm not fond at all of having to find clips (There Mass Effect 1 was better and more fun).
  65. jerichoholic123
    May 19, 2012
    9
    The game is awesome until the ending, where... you know. The ending **** sucks. I also didn't like the fact that I couldn't explore homeworlds. And side missions are initiated by eavesdropping. Yeah, that sucked.
  66. Yourself
    May 4, 2012
    9
    Spectacularly good game, with many heart-wrenching and laugh-out-loud moments and solid action. Too bad the ending didn't hold up. You missed the 10 by a hairs breadth, ME3.
  67. vDevilEnd
    Mar 29, 2012
    10
    The game-play is vastly improved and combined from the previous 2 games, it's very fluid & fast paced with the action. The dialogue, characters, writing, and story is/are some of the best in gaming. The voice acting is also some of the very best ever heard. You might want to bring some tissues because the end of the trilogy is one of the most emotional games of all time. If it's you're first time stepping into Mass Effect 3 I would highly suggest picking up the other first two games as well. Multiplayer does not feel tacked on to this game at all, it meshes well with the story, and very fun which was unexpected by many. About the ending, I will touch on it very briefly because everyone here seems to down vote this game into oblivion because of that only. The ending can be confusing, and possibly not offer any true closure but it is open for discussion or speculation, which in my opinion is alright because you can sort of make you're own ending, this is good because I feel nobody will ever really be fully satisfied with what Bioware will put for the ending of this trilogy. In closing the game is worth the money, and keeping as you will want to spend many hours playing Mass Effect 3 and it's 2 previous games which gets better with each game. I highly doubt anybody who isn't trolling will find very few flaws with this game, it's damn near perfect and one of the best games of all time.… Expand
  68. Meldron
    May 22, 2012
    8
    Just finished the game and can't understand this strong complaints about the ending/game. Well, it lost a lot of its RPG roots which is surely sad, but I was very well entertained. The story is really great (at least for me), the presentation is wonderful too, and the shooter part does its work. The ending is definitely not the best I ever saw, but by far not as bad as I expected after all that comments. It's OK - not more and not less.… Collapse
  69. keefbaker
    May 7, 2012
    10
    Brilliantly designed and implemented game with superb depth and design. I wish all these people who were butthurt about the ending hadn't given it bad reviews as it was 40 of the best gameplay hours I've had. Even the multiplayer was superb.
  70. Regal
    Aug 24, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game. Unlike popular opinion. The only gripe i have is of course the ending, purely because it's slightly behind par compared to the endings of other bioware games. But for me I view the game as a series of endings that tie off all the loose threads throughout the series. Which is something most people seem to have difficulty understanding. The gameplay is thoroughly enjoyable and the visual's are usually pretty good as well. Even the multiplayer is surprisingly great. One of the few multiplayers of recent games that I've enjoyed.… Expand
  71. gravothermal
    Aug 22, 2012
    9
    The Mass Effect series contains some of the best character writing in video games, period. You will never feel so close to and feel so deeply about NPCs in any other game. The hatred expressed on this site is a kind of perverse testament to that---people cared so deeply about the game that they are willing to troll because the ending hurt their feelings. But do not make the same mistake: the ending will make you sad and maybe angry, not because of bad writing, but because it is so unconventional and involves so much loss.

    The number of onboard conversations with the crew has exploded since ME2, and I would say the dialogues are the best of the series, save except for the amazing Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC for ME2, whose excellence was not topped in ME3. There were a few too many corny references to famous lines from ME2 such as "calibrations" and "definitely worth it" that slowed down the dialogue at times.

    The gameplay is a slight tweak and improvement on the ME2 experience. I would say that I am about done with the ME style of gameplay---spamming singularity+warp combinations has definitely gotten too old by the end of the game. There is much gnashing of teeth in the endgame on Insanity, but well worth it.

    Well done, Bioware---I hope that you keep true to yourself and don't bend too much to the rage expressed here and elsewhere.    … Expand
  72. ryan_howard
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    Bioware has once again provided a excelent game with mass effect 3. From the amazing storyline, to the perfected shooter experience, the new customizable weapons, and the multiplayer that to be honest i was a little worried about they have came through once again and provided a great game that I would recommend to anyone.
  73. davoid15
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    Despite an anemic ending (mostly corrected by free DLC), still very worth a purchase. The story is still strong, characters well written, and multiplayer very fun. Definitely worth a pick up.
  74. Etrute
    Jun 1, 2012
    9
    Tight controls, beautiful environments, and fluent combat all make ME3 what it is today, a success. The storyline too makes it a beautifully written book. The largest issue to the "mob" seems to be a lackluster ending, an increadibly small price to play considering the 30 hours i'v put into each game in the series (plus the 60 extra hours from playing two other characters on varying difficulties). Considering all the choices made throughout four games, what the hell did people expect? Turian Strippers and Quarian supremecy? For those of you not stuck up on the Single Player, the multiplayer too has lots of fun to be had. Like short war stories one holds the line and moves forward with valid team combat. The idea that Bioware didn't innovate or expand on the original two is amusing, If they had picked any ending beside the one in now, it would be flamed. If They had everyone wear special hats, it would be flamed. The biggest issue i have with the game is the lack of a Mako, it made the game a bit more interesting, stumbling around in the universe in your own casket-box and being quite suprised when you see your first Maw.… Expand
  75. ShadowSaber
    Aug 12, 2012
    10
    One of the most exciting titles of this year, I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of this game, and I simply DO NOT understand why so many people hated it and reviewed it badly. I guess it's just the "first one didn't like it, lets all spit on the game for no reason". Sure, the ending wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but seriously, rating an epic game like this so lowly?
    I recommend thi    s game to all fans of the Mass Effect trilogy, as a great conclusion to the previous two games.… Expand
  76. Knyte
    Dec 10, 2012
    0
    Well... You can really see the difference that EA taking over Bioware has made in this game. Essentially, they improved the visuals, and left everything else by the wayside, making what should have been an outstanding final title in a great series just another mediocre sci-fi shooter. The cutscenes and voice acting are weak compared to ME1 and 2, the storyline, while interesting is not very innovative, especially when they had so much to work with from the previous games. One thing that really annoys me is the combat; it is more twitchy and the controls are not as intuitive as the previous games. Add the ridiculous FPS style hit counters and you get a sub-par combat experience. The game does have some nice visuals and the scale of the combat/war is cool at various points throughout the game, however that isn't nearly enough to redeem this.

    What EA did to this series is a travesty... It could have been so much more, and I have never been so dissapointed with a game. It's really too bad Bioware sold out to the big kids before finishing off one of their signature series.    … Expand
  77. Gil8ert
    May 28, 2012
    7
    Feels more like an expansion than a standalone game which is why I'm giving it a 7. However, I very much enjoyed it, just as I enjoyed Mass Effect 2. It reminds me very much of He-man the cartoon I watched as I was growing up because you do get a lot of morality spat in your face which, whilst at the time can come across as patronising and vomit inducing, actually fleshes out the experience. For the most part you are asked to make decisions which generally don't affect how the game will play, but everynow and then you are faced with making a hum-dinger of a choice which is where Mass Effect always excels. Most games require a simple choice of this or that which doesn't affect the outcome all that much, but here you are faced with choices between entire races which feel like big decisions to make and you might be thinking about the choice for a couple of minutes. And if a game can cause you to pause and think about the consequences of what you're doing for more than a nano-second then it has done good! The game itself is really more about living the story than it is being technically proficient, and I don't remember dying at any point - although I probably did. But if I did then it was only once or twice so it wasn't particulalry challenging. It did feel a little dumbed down from ME2. But for me it was a fine ending to the franchise. Not great, but fine. I would still recommend the whole lot to any gamer out there as an excellent example of an immersive experience.… Expand
  78. magnetite
    Aug 15, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mass Effect 3 is an outstanding game, worthy of Game of the Year. Story is excellent. Combat is very fluid. As for the ending, it's absolutely mind blowing. Although you might have to play the first two games in order to understand it. Not to mention read some of the codex entries, video logs, and other things found throughout the series. Your e-mail also may have some hints. At any rate, the ending may seem a bit off, because it's a dream or hallucination. Or as I like to put it an indoctrination induced nightmare. Given all the evidence provided to you during the course of the trilogy, it makes sense. However you need to look for it, whether that's out on missions or even in your codex (for each game)

    Some other things to note with the game. Now some people said there was a lack of side quests where you'd go exploring planets and such. The way I saw this personally, is that if I was to waste half the game doing side missions on planets, that's several trillion lives I could have saved. The Reapers aren't just some synthetic bad guy. They are billions of years more advanced than we are. It'd be like an ant taking on a giant. That is the kind of enemy you're dealing with. Some people were expecting this to be some sort of kick the Reapers into the black hole where they came from and ride off into the sunset. The ending we received is very fitting, given who the Reapers are. Galaxy in shambles, but gives hope to rebuild everything is a perfect way to end it. I'm personally not big on an ending where everyone lives happily ever after. Bioware tried to do something a little different. There was mention that you didn't get some of your old squadmates to fight with you. You didn't actually have them in your squad, but each of them had their own side mission, so it's kind of the same thing. Not to mention, they will join you when it comes to retake Earth.

    As for war assets not affecting the ending, I did notice some war assets that were used, however, they weren't on Earth. For example the war asset named "Armali Sniper Unit" is only available for Thessia, and you can actually see the snipers in the game. Just an example. The war assets aren't just for Earth. You're also getting them to defend the other planets in the galaxy as well. At any rate, Mass Effect 3 is a must play for anyone looking for intense action, as well as emotional story telling. It's one of the greatest sci-fi masterpieces ever created.    … Expand
  79. AJ6432
    Mar 12, 2012
    9
    Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game, despite a few flaws. Compared to Mass Effect 2, ME3 seems less polished. Graphically, the game looks fantastic, particularly the character animations and faces. However, there are some of the slow-loading textures that plagued the the first game, though not as abundant or drastic looking. I have also sparsely encountered this weird "glitch" where characters heads turn back and forth sporadically during conversations; there have even been one or two incidents where a character is fully glitched out of whole cut-scenes. Overall, though, the presentation is very well done. The sound is superb, from the voice-acting to the orchestral background music, living up to the Mass Effect name. However, the music doesn't stick out to me as well as the music from the second game. In terms of gameplay, the game is the best in the series, with solid shooting, squad, and cover mechanics; my only qualm with it is that the space bar, used for cover, is also used to roll (double-click) and interact with the environment, and when trying to perform one of these actions one may perform one of the others. The menus are more streamlined, except for the journal. Perhaps my biggest issue with ME3 is the journal. In the second game, your journal was separated into two categories: main missions and secondary missions. If you clicked on one of the missions, an outline would appear and display what you should do next in a mission. This is gone in ME3 and all of the mission appear under one category, and are not very organized. The codex is strangely also located under the journal, but this for me is not an issue. There is also the matter of obtaining secondary missions. In the second game, one had to engage in conversation with characters in an area to start sidequests. In ME3, one simply overhears conversations in an area and most of the secondary missions are automatically started. This feels less interactive and, simply, less engaging. My last issue with ME3 is searching the galaxy. While some (or more likely many) did not like the planet scanning/mining feature of the second game, I enjoy it, making me feel that I had to explore the whole galaxy and read all of the lore. In the third game, there a new system that involves avoiding Reapers in the galaxy; if they catch you while you are exploring a system and scanning objects, it's game over. While this system is fun, it also feels limiting. These issues aside, Mass Effect 3 is overall a wonderful game. It is definitely the most emotionally engaging game of the trilogy, and does not skimp on any story-telling quality. It is amazing to see how one's actions in the first two games culminates in the third game. While I do wish that your squad was larger than six options (downloadable content aside), the squadmates in combat and in conversation are seemingly flawless (graphical hitches aside). I highly recommend Mass Effect 3, but I even more highly recommend you play the first two games before this one for a truly emotional, interactive, and exciting experience!… Expand
  80. Sperkowitz
    Mar 25, 2012
    7
    I honestly cannot understand the huge dissatisfaction with the game here. Sure, it's not perfect nor groundbreaking, but nowhere deserving of of a zero or even a 1. However, it may be due to the fact that I am not a hardcore fan of the series so plot holes and other abnormalities are missed by me. I believe there is a lot of passion for the franchise that when it doesn't go in a particular way it is completely dismissed. It is suppose to be the last installment of the series, and it seems many were expecting more. I know I was expecting a better and more grand ending, but I wasn't going to let it completely destroy the other experiences I had. (And, I almost forgot, there was a lot of controversy on the first-day release of DLC. That move by EA caused a lot of anger and probably another reason for the very low scores.)

    The one flaw I felt with this game is that I felt like I wasn't playing anything new. Just a continuation of the last game. The graphics and the game play felt exactly the same. The only difference is the story is continuing. That being said, I still enjoyed the story and what was going on in the Mass Effect universe. That in itself made the game difficult to put down, and it was the only game I played for the week I purchased it.

    To easily summarize: if you've played the first and second game, you will know what to expect with the third installment, with the exception of the boring exploring or scanning on the planets.    … Expand
  81. backfromearth
    Mar 26, 2012
    10
    You like Doom Unreal or similar FPS shooter games merged with Hollywood Sci-Fi films ? Then this game is for you.But if you like real RPG games with encounters making sense and lot of planets to explore, and the feeling that YOU decide where you want to go and what place to explorer, then go back playing Mass effect 1
    I suppose you get sci-fi like scenes after each combat episode because     it's too boring spending your time only on killing monsters ?… Expand
  82. sundog005
    Sep 10, 2012
    10
    i have NO idea why this got so many negative player reviews, from readind some of them you were all playing a differant game, i'm glad i didn't listen to the incessant whining and went ahead and bought this game anyway. From between the ranting and inexplicable rage i gleaned that most of the complaints are unfounded or just unfair and i think that these people wouldn't of been happy with ANYTHING Bioware did.

    Great effing game a classic and worthy as a finale its better than a damn movie guys...eat your heart out B5 and Star Trek...even Star Wars, Mass Effect once the movies are released will be up there with them mark my words. (I didn't say better i said *up there with them* btw)    … Expand
  83. virgilivs
    Jul 4, 2012
    8
    Ok, there are some plot holes and some strange decision were took about ending cinematics, almost identical no matter the choice you pick at the end. But I really don't get why everyone is arguing about the final: that was an epic, perfect epilogue for this marvelous saga. Almost perfect game.
  84. Dheu
    Jun 25, 2012
    7
    So, I share the same gripe that everyone else has with ME3: it only has 3 endings. And by 3 endings I mean 1 ending with 3 different color overlays. Red, green and blue. Now the 1 ending is fine, but I was expecting no less than 6 distinct endings and frankly I was hoping for more like 9 or 12 given all the hype over how our choices would impact the end. But no, all those choices culminate in 1 ending with 3 color overlays...

    That said, ME3 is a great game. Graphics are great, story is great, the soundtrack is excellent. It has in depth character development and ties up all the loose ends. You will meet all the (surviving) characters from the first two episodes and help them out at least one more time. It will make you smile, laugh and cry... or at least look really solemn. The game does NOT deserve a score less than 5 from anyone. It is a shining example of the kind of games the industry should be producing and deserves your vote and purchase. How the user score on this is lower than the likes of Alan Wake or Duke Nukem Forever is beyond me. But yeah, I have to dock it some points for having no visually distinct endings.    … Expand
  85. FemShep
    Jul 1, 2012
    10
    The problems that everyone had with the ending have been fixed with the Extended Cut and additional closure and clarification was added making this game the ideal choice for purchase if you haven't already. :)
  86. Bryjoered
    Jan 31, 2013
    6
    God this game just isn't very good at all and seeing it in the top 10 for 2012 kind of sickens me. Yes, the combat is equally as fun, maybe a little more fun that its predecessors, but the skill system is this stripped down 3rd person shooter now. Also, the great storylines and side missions that were the absolute best part about the first two games are pretty absent from this one. The side missions are so dull and I just rush through them not caring at all about my dialogue choices, and the main story is pretty sub-par as well. Let's all face it, Bioware has sold their souls to make some cheap bucks. It started with the horrendous Dragon Age 2 and now this. Don't even get me started on DA2 and how much of a fail that was considering how phenomenal the first entry was.… Expand
  87. Jouna92
    Jul 31, 2012
    9
    Amazing game! Amazing trilogy! This is story driven game and good one where you choose what is going to happen. This game have epic moments, characters, voice acting, music and more. Many people hates ME3 ending but I think that it aint that bad. Specially the extended cut dlc makes the ending way way MUCH better. It is great ending to the trilogy. One of the best game trilogys
  88. kane148
    Jul 24, 2012
    8
    I really enjoyed this game up until the very end: the last 10 minutes or so were tedious and confusing, and the standard ending leaves you feeling very unfulfilled after all the time you've put into making tough choices and developing relationships with characters. Hopefully the extended edition will fix this problem. For most of the game however, I was happily immersed in the Mass Effect universe, and appreciated the epic scale of this final installment. ME3 seems to have backed away from ME2's simplistic upgrade system and re-introduces different weapon models and mods to allow you to customize your arsenal. I felt that it was a fair compromise between the unwieldy inventory of ME1 and the boring linear upgrades of ME2. While this game does have its share of flaws (lack of exploration, few side-quests, and the usual plot holes), it is a good game overall and well worth playing.… Expand
  89. ImBigking
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    The Mass Effect trilogy is just amazing and Mass Effect 3 is one of my favorite games ever. It shines in every single aspect but one: the ending. Sadly, this outstanding game was slightly ruined by an inconsistent ending. Anyways, the whole experience is really great, and everyone should give it a try.
  90. ArMoRofGOD
    Aug 6, 2012
    9
    There are a few honest reviews on here who are not trolling bioware for the ending of ME3. Heres my honest opinion. Mass effect 2 was a terrific game, it had great progression, great squad missions and an amazing long ending all leading to a pretty great boss fight. One of the best games Ive ever played. Mass effect 3 brought some terrific editions to the series, the best of which is the mutiplayer. That aspect alone gives the game much more credibility but if you just into single player than your still in for a great game but not as great as ME2 but a long shot. The intro is epic, the art is amazing, the music is great, and its optimized so well it runs at an incredibly smooth framerate at 5760 x 1080 resolution which says a lot. The immersion was great during the midgame, missions are very fun and well thought out, the voice acting is great and beleivable, the characters make you care about the universe and saving it so all they needed to do was wrap up this great series with an equally great ending which isnt easy but weve come to expect it. Without spoiling the ending, it had one great moment that I loved and the rest of it fell very short. Nothing at all connected to the player from their choices and it feels very lazy and very non unique to me and left a sort of dissapointment in the end. Despite that though, it was a great experience and the multiplayer ahs kept me coming back fro more for almost 50 hours now. On top of that Bioware has been giving FREE updates with maps, characters, and weapons and they released a better ending for FREE. All this equates to a fair 8.5 or so but ill round up to a 9.… Expand
  91. Noble
    Aug 17, 2012
    9
    I really liked this game and the whole series. The game play was similar if not the same as mass effect 2.
    The only thing that upset me was massive plot holes in the ending and the lack of user input to customize the ending. I liked the story line and dialogue, it was all great. I don't know why people are giving it a 0 .. or anything lower than 5.. If the ending was more powerful with a     lot more effort, this would be an easy 9 or 10.… Expand
  92. TeRRoRiTe
    Aug 18, 2012
    9
    I really enjoy this game and have started and done multiple playthroughs. The one big minus is the ending. It's not a bad ending, but it's simply not as good as the rest of the game, so that does make it feel like an anti-climax. But apart from those final five minutes, I always had a hard time turning off the monitor to go to work, because I was constantly pumped, wanting to see what was next. Yes, it does feel that good while playing. Just those last minutes leave you with a feeling of "That's it?!"

    Mind you, the free Extended Cut DLC did make the ending slightly better, and I can't wait to see what the upcoming Leviathan DLC brings. I don't expect it to be as good as the Shadowbroker DLC from ME2, that would be expecting too much, but I certainly expect it to come close to the Kasumi DLC in quality.    … Expand
  93. Aeryx
    Jan 3, 2013
    5
    Mass effect 3 is solid proof that Bioware has no intention of continuing their honorable tradition of making great games. It's just generic releases now to make the most amount of cash before EA runs this company to the ground. The glaring inconsistencies, bad character writing and poor choices make this a disgraceful sequel to Mass Effect 1 and 2. If you feel that Dragon Age 2 was a downer compared to DA:O, multiply that by 5 and you have Mass Effect 3. How this game got positive reviews from "critics" only shows that they absolutely have no idea of what made the original games great. How the hell do they keep their jobs!? Unbelievable.… Expand
  94. Azurim
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    The game is simply great. I liked ME2 slightly better, so ME2 should get 11, but there is no 11, so both ME2 and ME3 get 10 :) Great graphics and effects, an epic story to remember, detailed character personalities... so many sad and wonderfull and amazing moments to experience. This game actually makes me sentimental
  95. timchandler
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    This game is simply awesome. While the story isn't quite as character focused as ME2, it's still quite good, and the mechanics are wonderful, and the multiplayer option is simply a surprise gift that keeps on giving. Add to that the support for mature relationships, previous game story tie-ins, and a willingness by Bioware to rework the ending to produce a more community pleasing result, and you have a fantastic game. The variety of weapons, powers, races, and classes is simply beyond anything else being done these days.… Expand
  96. ClowLiReed
    Dec 2, 2012
    10
    An amazing game, I can't believe how many people is complaining about the ending. This is my point of view: IT WAS AMAZING! Even if ME3 is much shooter than ME1 (and much less than ME2). It really worth the price. And with the extended cut, is much much better.
  97. ShepardNatural
    Oct 28, 2012
    10
    This stunning game is by far the best of the trilogy. I tried playing the first one like 2 years ago and i couldn't figure out how to do all that stupid rpg crap. I love how this game just lets you run around and kill stuff without all those menus slowing you down. The story was a constant rollercoaster ride that keeps throwing curveballs at you. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole 7 hour campaign. Bioware has released another timeless classic that will be remembered forever. This truly is a company that can do no wrong… Expand
  98. Gman24
    Nov 3, 2012
    9
    Fantastic game - combat and presentation are simply at the best and this game sets a new standard to 3rd person shooter games, for sure! The story itself, while I agree that the ending is confusing somewhat, is still awesome and I don't think it's bad and frankly with the new free "ending" DLC, things feel a lot more clear. Even if you won't like the ending - it's not something that affects the rest of the game IMO and thus you shouldn't miss this game just because of a small section of it!… Expand
  99. Scander
    Nov 3, 2012
    10
    the game brings excellent emotions.
    may be too complex for most of players.
    developer added extended cut of the endings to help not-so-clever players.
  100. RazorDreamz
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    Opening cinematics will set the tone, for what will be an amazing adventure. The story was great, the game play was great. My only complaint was that it was too short, but I suppose the old adage "always leaving them asking for more" probably applies in this instance.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. CPUGamer
    Apr 11, 2012
    90
    BioWare captures the scale of the conflict well, but always focuses on the people involved in it. It's pretty amazing just how badly EA disregarded the heart of the game – the characters and the world – when they began their marking blitzkrieg, but don't worry, it's oh so definitely there – Day 1 DLC, controversial endings, and questionable use of resources be damned. This is a fine, lovingly crafted game with a clear vision despite the realities of corporations and damning business practices.
    Read full review
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 5, 2012
    80
    A game that's more shooter than role-playing, and a conclusion that's more spectacular than dramatic. [Apr 2012, p.47]
    Read full review
  3. Absolute Games
    Mar 31, 2012
    85
    Finishing a trilogy is always difficult. Tying off dozens of story threads which had been woven by players into many different tapestries is a daunting task. Mass Effect 3 is the first game that succeeded at this colossal undertaking.
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