Bioware/EA. Just look at there last few releases and everything that's wrong with them, now add all that onto the fact the series was actually kind of ok, and you have what is akin to.. Say.. A young attractive women who had a wonderful career/life ahead of her, who in one fell swoop, was beaten and raped repeatedly over and over and over until even the dregs of society wouldn't want to touch her with a ten foot poll in case of catching herpes or aids.

That's what Mass Effect 3 is like, basically.… Expand

I did NOT play the single player yet, because I will play it on my xbox - as if you have no savegame, your previous standard choices are as sh*tty as possible. But I played a LOT of the multiplayer, and despite the amazing gameplay, it is plagued by so many bugs, sometimes you just give up. You will fall from the map, become immortal, enemies will turn invisible, be teleported into the scenario, the server will crash midgame, you get an error when trying to buy things.... For an AAA game that costs 70 Bucks (with the "optional" DLC), this is unforgivable. So disappointed with Bioware....… Expand

Bioware released an amazing game that is unfortunately tarnished by the ending. The action and leveling system is vastly improved over ME2, but the conclusion to the trilogy ends in a sour note that may disenfranchise all but the hardest Bioware fans.

Installation went smoothly. This is it, the end of the triology. ME 1 was a masterpiece. ME 2 was a bland cover-based shooter. But that was ok, I wanted to see how this thing would end. Booted it up, went into graphical options to change some things. Ok, where is the FOV option? Oh, so no FOV for me then. Unistalled and returned. What score should I give a game that makes me physically ill when I'm playing? Oh yeah. 0… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What could have been a fantastic game is ruined by it's utterly dire ending. It's just incomprehensible that the bioware writers thought it was a good idea - hmm, let's finish this amazing trilogy by forcing players to pick one of three slightly different endings, of which none of your previous choices will impact. Let's deliver these endings in the most clichéd and contrived manner possible. To top it off, lets pretend in our marketing spiels that this isn't the case, so we don't put people off from giving us lots of money.… Expand

This review contains spoilers. I feel like I just ate the perfect sub, except the ends were made out of the worst thing you can imagine.

First the From Ashes DLC (which isn't DLC it's ULC as in Unlockable Content, since it's already on the disk) which just botched it from the start, then I get into the game and it's awesome, I was engaged so many things I had done in the previous games affected my War Assets which would help me in the end to get a truly fitting ending for Commander John Shepard, we reach earth, the crucible is done, our chances are low but measurable, We already destroyed a Reaper and are ready to launch the final attack to take back the citadel and use it as the catalyst for the crucible to defeat the reapers. And then the Harbinger lands! Finally I get to face down my enemy that haunted me throughout the second third of the epic adventure that is Mass Effect, but we say **** it!" and charge for the catalyst in a suicide run, I felt like I had actually gotten the assets to defeat the harbinger, I had Jack and her bionic artillery, I had that Volar Bombing Fleet and some other assets I can't remember off the top of my head. I accept it, the Crucible is inbound for earth and we really don't have the time to fight the Harbinger as epic as that fight would have been.

It's a suicide run, people dying left and right, I can't even see the rest of my 3-man cell of my lovable girlfriend Tali'Zorah nar Rayya vas Normandy and long time friend in arms Garrus Vakarian, I fear that they might have been killed already, but I press on having already lost too many friends to let the reapers win. I'm almost there and I get hit, I can't see. I wake up, body aches, bleeding, my armor is a mess, so is my already scar-riddled face, I get up, with my last strength I destroy the resistance along the last stretch and I board the Citadel. There's dead bodies everywhere, none of them slaves of the reapers, I feel weird, I had helped C-sec setting up defensive turrets, I had organised a Citadel Militia, resistance should have been made, I push on and this is where it all goes to hell, The Ilusive Man, Anderson that somehow made it on board after me but is ahead of me in a linear walkway, the white light as the crucible won't fire. I meet the Catalyst that gives me 2 **** options out of 3 **** options there are, I fullfill my mission, I destroy the reapers dying in the process, and as Commander John Shepard dies and I see the results unfold a bit of myself dies as everything, the preliminary creation of my characters personality (not paragon/renegade but actual character personality creation) saving Garrus as Archangel, Mordin's sacrifice, the technology recovered from the collector base, saving the rachni queen, getting a fleet, forming an inter-species galaxy-spanning alliance, the largest fleet ever seen, the most unified defence, helping all those people, all those diplomatic relations, sacrificing the geth and killing Legion so the Quarian counter-attack won't get decimated, all those things, and what can i get for it? a little more effort and I would get to see Shepard twitch as he is probably dying of blood loss. Nothing I did meant anything in the end, the entire ending is a hollow gesture, all my time meant nothing in the end. This ending is so horrible that it actually affects my experience of the earlier games... I had so much about gameplay I could think about, there's goods and bad but the only thing that pops up when I think about Mass Effect is that ending.… Collapse

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ok first off i would like to say well done bioware on finishing the game all be it poorly the ending was a bit naff and sucked a tad i felt sorry for joker.
Now down to the nitty gritty bioware I found the game amazing in some areas heart wrenching in others and down right funny in parts i did find joker's sarcasm and witt to have been toned down and having a prothean for the final battle made me choose tarvik and edi all the time, having said that the game is a ending to what has been an epic 5 year run for bioware however there have been some flaws. 1 the frame rate on the game is at sometimes disgusting any game that runs 20fps native at 720p should be sent back to the developers with a note saying must try harder. 2 the story lacked the grip of me2 making you wonder what is the illusive man up to when is sheppard going to bed miranda and what the hell is cerburus. 3 the ui for me3 on ps3 is just messy infact very messy. 4 the loading times are not acceptable or good and the lack of install to ps3 hard disk isnt clever either.

All in all the pro's equal the cons however it made me feel a bit naff that you cant acheive the true ending without playing the mp or if you have 100% completion in me1 and me2 and imported your character again a bit poor… Expand

Breaks cannon, massive plot holes, incomplete game. While this is the final chapter in one of my most cherished series, there is very little that remains after a botched ending that can be considered good.

Fantastic design, everything else lacks. This game suffers hugely from the same thing that fable 2 and 3 did - we loved the first one and forgave its flaws simply because it was a first game, but it's the third game now and the flaws are still there. I honestly want to love this game, I really really do, but honestly it just feels like a mess.

Don't get me wrong, ME3 is an AMAZING GAME! It's just the ending that pisses me of. I've spent five years on this franchise working hard to make all the right choice in order to have a closure that suits my expectations! However, the ending made me feel as if none of that mattered! I've lost interest in continuing the game or even replay anywhere in the near future. I was also frustrated by BW's day-one DLC policy! It made me feel cheep! As I'm nothing but money-milking mating for the Big Gaming Kahunas. THE ENDING MUST BE CORRECTED! BW is a great company that makes great RPG's. I'm confident that they won't disappoint their fans for long. Maybe!… Expand

I can start with frame rate falling extremely in ps3 version. It's even worse than it was in ME2. Then we have small problems with ME2 Love Interests almost entirely omitted, Tali face ..... but it still leaves a solid game. But the biggest disappointment is the ending. I don't know who thought this sorry excuse for an ending would cause any positive reaction. Sure, it works for some... maybe for 9% of players. I loved the series... but now i hate it. I won't be playing any BioWare game soon.

Indoctrination theory is dead, and so is our hope of getting decent ending. Apparently writers are happy with what they did... I'm speechless, but still Holding the Line...

PS. sorry for my English… Expand

Though a great game, the last few moment ruin the entire experience of the entire ME series. Like so many other players, I really enjoyed Mass Effect 3. If not for the last 15 minutes, I would give this game a 9 or more. However, the ending is so abysmal (plot holes, inconsistencies, unsatisfying explanations, not to mention exactly the same whatever you do throughout all three games...) that I can't give this game any more than a 2… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ME3, a fantastic game, until the end. I loved it all the way through, until the last bit. To me, the ending is contrived, non sense and just bad. I would give it a 10/10 if not for the ending. It had a couple bug issues, but those were minor. The ending forces the player into basically 3 choices to destroy all life in the galaxy. It is filled with plot holes and does a great injustice to the ME trilogy. The end destroys it for me completely. One drop of poison can ruin the entire well. If you like epic hero, saves the day, then don't get this game. If you like nihilism and depressing endings...then get this game.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Considering the amount of time you are likely to have sunk into the series as a whole, can I, hand on heart recommend you play through the third game? No. I would advise you to steer clear.

Not through any misguided rant over the (extremely poor) ending, but rather more sensible reasons. The whole premise of Mass Effect is how the decisions you make affect what happens in the game world, expanding or contracting the story, tailored to how you want it to pan out. So, when the last 15-30 minutes of the game throw everything you've toiled over over the last five or so years, out of the airlock and reduce the finale to a choice of three simple decisions (all of which have basically the same outcome, at least visually) then it makes it very hard to tell people to buy this game. There's also the glaring contradictions to past characters behavior and Mass Effect lore. If, you are still determined to play the game, do so, as the majority of it is excellent, but be prepared to cut your losses with the series as it doesn't just leave a 'bittersweet' taste in the mouth, but a nasty sour one.… Expand

This game is excellent...until the last 15 minutes or so. The ending (there is only one with different colors) destroyed one of my favorite video game franchises. Mass Effect appealed to me because the choices that you made had weight, they affected the story in a tangible way, but no matter what you did in any of the games you always get the same choice of endings. Red, blue, or green.

Mass Effect & Mass Effect 2 are amazing, the way your choices matter, then things you do has an impact. These choices matter in Mass Effect 3, and some of the events in ME3 are wonderful. BUT, Stop playing when you are asked to go to the Asari Homeworld, because after that everything you have done for the last 5 years doesn't matter at all. Really bad writing, plot holes, and some very strange team mate choices, things just don't feel right. Such a shame.… Expand

The only hint people need is NOT to buy the game. Only way you will get Bioware to take notice of all the crap that is wrong with their series..creatively and technically. Ending terrible..Engine framerate terrible on PS3. No excuse for these companies anymore..its the greedy people at the top of the food chain taking advantage of the consumer by cutting back talented people. Heck I even loved the terminator boss in ME2..what happened to that? Gamers, consumers, unite and stay clear of anything Bioware puts out in the future.… Expand

The ending was so bad you cannot even explain it. What a joke....especially for a build up and empty promises of 3 games. Aside from that it is a great game though. Bad developing and bugs are the reasons I am not giving this game a 10.

First of all, graphically speaking, Mass Effect 3 only improves on its predecessors. The frame rate is much better (especially on PS3), the character models are fantastic as usual and the overall look of the game is much crisper. There are a few glitches, such as freezing on loading screens (which have been slightly shortened), but it doesnâ

Don't get me wrong on a score this low. I love Mass Effect 3.... The gameplay and most of the story at least. The reason for the low score? The ending. Bioware needs to listen to fans and consider changing the endings or adding more content to them.

The two previous Mass Effect games were excellent, the third game fell flat in the later sections of the game, copy paste textures galore all over London some of which are laughably bad. The biggest disappointment in the third game was the ending,all of our actions and choices during all of the games had zero impact on the endings of the third game, the endings created plotholes all over the place.… Expand

Simplified, outraged, DLC on the first day, an inconclusive ending, and apparently are going to see more dlc, just Fu$% You Bioware you let me down, thank you for this true masterpiece of crap.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you're a big fan of the original Mass Effect and didn't quite catch Mass Effect 2, you'll be wondering if you're playing the right game when you start Mass Effect 3. A thing that bugged me a lot right away was the fact that it auto-picks dialogue for you (the entire opening cutscene, Commander Shepard is friendly and a bit sarcastic, regardless of how you've been playing him/her during the past games), taking control out of your hands. They also did away with all of the neutral choices, forcing you to be Renegade or Paragon the entire way through. The game has some breathtaking set pieces, but they feel like distractions. The gameplay is essentially identical to Mass Effect 2 with some small improvements, such as more guns, and a streamlined power system.

The story is interesting and fun up until the last twenty minutes or so. The ending of the game felt like Bioware had been casually writing a decent story before realizing they had a deadline, and so they rushed everything into an A, B, or C ending. Quite literally, nothing you've done in the past games matters during these last few parts. As long as you have 5,000 war assets and 100% readiness, they let you pick whatever ending you want. Literally. You're presented with the Paragon choice, the Renegade choice, and then a strange, over-the-top Neutral choice, and you simply pick one and watch the 10 minute cutscene of confusion roll out.

Characters, major and minor, from the entire trilogy return. Some of them have sidequests, whereas others show up in small cameos in major missions. You may find yourself wanting to accumulate your dream team from Mass Effect 1 or 2, but the squad selection is incredibly sparse, the smallest squad in the entire series, which consists almost entirely of Mass Effect 1 squad members.

The story makes almost no sense right out of the starting gate if you didn't play the DLC in Mass Effect 2. A DLC in Mass Effect 2 involves Shepard trying to slow down The Reapers after defeating The Collectors, destroying an entire star system in the process. This lands him with his/her Specter status revoked, his ship grounded, his/her rank being stripped, and him/her in jail. If you did not play this DLC, they do not explain it to you, and actually state later in the game that someone else ended up doing this because Shepard didn't. Why are you in jail, then? No explanation is given.

Furthering the DLC issue, Bioware actually stripped endings, multiplayer characters, companions, and sidequests from the base Mass Effect 3 game, meaning you'll need to pay another ten or twenty dollars to have a legitimately 'full' game, and as such, the entire experience. This may not be a big deal to some gamers, but I felt offended by the nickel and dime aspect of it, and so I felt that it deserved mention, for any potential buyers.

The Multiplayer is arguably the best part of the game. It involves you and up to three of your friends playing on a map, fighting off 11 waves of either Reapers, Geth, or Cerberus, completing Objectives along the way, before fighting off hordes of enemies at the Landing Zone as you wait for extraction. You'll find it quickly becomes predictable and repetitive, but the Collectable Card Game style of unlocking things will keep you hooked. You level up your unique Multiplayer characters with Experience, but after every game you also get money, which you use to buy Packs of varying price and value. Each pack comes with new equipment and attachments, with chances for new characters and weapons as well. It's fun and addictive, and also plays a role for your single player experience, adding to your army and galactic readiness.

The downside of Multiplayer is that, to get the best ending, you need to play it. I am aware that Bioware claims you don't, but it is an absolute fact that you do. You start out with 50% Galactic Readiness in Single Player, and it goes down by 3% every in-game day. You need 100% to have full access to the army you gain, and the only way to raise your galactic readiness is to play multiplayer. As such, it is literally impossible to have full reign of your army, and as such, the best ending, without playing Multiplayer.

Overall, Mass Effect 3 is a disappointment. It's not a terrible game, by any means, but it makes far too many promises, and delivers on far too few. Die-hard fans of the series will enjoy it, but will look back on the days of Mass Effect 1 and wonder 'What happened to the game series I fell in love with?'… Expand

As a dedicated ME fan, but otherwise an irregular player of games, I have to say the very end was disappointing- rushed, jarringly out of step with the rest of the game and series. I came away feeling pretty glum. But DO NOT let this put you off playing what is otherwise a stunning piece of interactive entertainment. Taken as a whole, ME3 is a masterfully put together story, with amazing music, deep relationships and excellent and diverse combat. Yes there are holes, and yes the ending takes something away from it, but it is still a game I would wholeheartedly recommend. And who knows, perhaps there will be a more satisfying end.… Expand

Excellent game. The story is superior and the voice acting sets the standard for other games. I'm not thrilled with the way it ends, but Bioware is apparently addressing that very soon. Otherwise, it's very enjoyable, with excellent graphics and good pacing. Commander Shepard remains one of the most fully realized characters in gaming and Mass Effect 3 is a joy to play.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Can a game's score really be dropped that low by having an awful ending? Absolutely, especially if it retroactively makes you no longer want to play the earlier games.

Gameplay wise its alright, though Bioware really needs to stop having random NPC chatter intrude with regular chat. The sidequests are also a little boring, though still more enjoyable than mineral mining. Also again Bioware makes there more stuff to buy than there is money to be earned which will always irk me as a packrat gamer. Still these are nitpicks.

The first real damning issue is the fact that multiplayer must constantly be played to ensure oneself the best ending. Multiplayer intruding into singleplay is a giant no-no, at least in this method. Obviously co-op and such is fine so long as it isn't required in what's supposed to be a single-player game, but this is generic multiplayer, that is also quite buggy and has seen players dropped from games for no clear reason, and they decided it would be a good idea to tie it to single-player. And yes, it isn't just play or forget, you have to keep playing to keep your score where it needs to be. This was after it was promised you wouldn't have to play it to do this.

And then there's the damn ending. People have compared it to Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report and so on, saying there's layers. That really doesn't matter in the end. The fact is, at face value you get a terrible conclusion that doesn't use any gameplay mechanics properly as well as ignores the narrative as it was built up until then. If you buy into such gems as the indoctrination theory, its still terrible, because a game that has been about unity and ending long-standing grudges suddenly decides to get overly artsy and interpretational. That is a massive tonal backlash, and it furthermore fails as art since it fails to convey its intent. Knowing that this is where all the games had been taking me is just horrifying. Shepard dying isn't an issue, it just flat out makes all your decisions amount to diddly squat because the writer wanted to get an interpretational sci-fi ending. Those kinds of endings can work, but not in this series, and especially not with what came before it in the game itself. It's not just building a lead balloon, its building one and throwing it against spikes hoping it only be penetrated. It just doesn't work.… Expand

I have been a fan of the series for half a decade, and I was really looking forward to the third installment of Mass Effect 3. As a result the game managed to disappoint me beyond what I thought was possible. Bioware has created something so awful that retroactively makes the whole series pointless, and I doubt I will ever bother with this series again. Add in shameless day 1 DLC, which clearly was an important part of the game to begin with, and you have one of the worst sequels in RPG history… Expand

When this happened to cod3, at least I could say 'it makes some sense, it's kinda the same thing again'. Even though I was still wrong. But this game? You whining crybabies, this is an amazing piece of entertainment. METACRITIC, why are you letting this happen? You will lose ALL CREDIBILITY. This kind of stuff will destroy all great developers. People giving this a zero? That shows people want this industry to collapse.… Expand

this game was awesome, no other game keeps you as emotioally attached the story, and i felt the ending was quite fitting despite all these protests. The action was improved and the multiplayer was surprisingly fun, if a little unnecessary

Mass Effect 3 definitely brings a whole new meaning to the words "final chapter." I don't know why some users at Metacritic doesn't even like the game, but can't you see it has a 92 out of 100? Can't you even read what the critics are saying? Although the ending needs a little fixture and BioWare has to solve this problem and fast. I know some fans aren't happy about the ending (Warning: Don't even read the spoilers or you're dead), but I hope they'll make a DLC to the ending sometime soon to get this right and finally Commander Sheppard (Male or Female) couldn't be any more proud than the ladies. Commander Sheppard's romance scenes looked identical than Kratos's kinky side in the God of War series where they featured Mini Sex games. Not bad for a geek who drools over the TV and staring at naked women! Anyway, Mass Effect 3 is perfect. The entire cast, the action, gameplay, life-changing decisions, and everything is fine and dandy except the ending. So I'm still waiting for a low price on the game just the same as Mass Effect 2 and when I buy the game, hopefully I can still get more updates on the ending if there's a DLC or an Expansion Pack in the works. But "Mass Effect 3" is no biggie. Just pick up the game, if not, download it on the PS3 Store. Hopefully, I wonder if they could make a XXX parody of the game without the "M" on it. Hustler, Vivid, anything! Miranda and FemShep still looks H-O-T!… Expand

Well i will start by saying that im amazed that critics scored this game nearly perfect but not many went into detail about ending, never mention it @ all or simply (and boldly) allowed readers to think the game was great from start to finish, then i happened 2 go "outside the bubble" and found smaller, more obscure reviews and the score factored in that the ending was "literary suicide" as one wrote. as quoted by r. ebert "if you had to ask what it symbolized, then it didnt" and i can say that this very much sums up the ending, struck in awe like many, i wasnt even sure if i had beat the game and had to check mt trophy in order to sort out if i did. thats just it, i felt like i did not know what had just happened and had to wait for the credits to scroll to know its over,and so i convince myself that ok maybe i just did not see the right ending and maybe i got the bad ending, "yes that must be it, w/ so many endings i must have screwed up along the way and got the bad ending" come to find out i got the desired and the most "definative" ending.. so then i go back and replay the mission etc and all the other endings are pretty much identical beside a different color or "end sequence" which consisted of a minute or so animation of walking another direction etc. i wont get into conspiracy theories or anything which is out of context but its kind of hard not to fall prey or offer self to some distraction or debate because we not only invested time, we invested emotion.. hours upon hours of carefully making right choices for a desired import etc, and for what? if i kind of got a heads up from critics that "decisions do not play as significant a role in mass 3 as it did in the prior 2" then i wouldve been able to prepare,lol.. but we are hearing words like art, story telling masterpiece also we were told by bioware that this would have multiple endings, a deeper consequence/decision mechanic, an end which would the opposite from lost, well no it may actually take the belt away from lost for the wtf just happened moment but the fact is that i shouldve known that a game which has a formula that works almost seamlessly, based primarily on decisions as well as story driven sequences which make the gamer care, think and DECIDE, it works so good that while i played every mass efect i made every decision carefully to prep my shep for the import into the next game, so if i am playing a game and already thinking of the next one then the system is almost flawless imo.. BUT it is obvious E.A had a bit of influence and brings me back to my point with this "formula", they deserted it and decided for MASS APPEAL rather than mass effect and i noticed this during the demo and how much emphasis was put on how one can play the game how one wishes and that the game can be toggled to suit any style, dont like stories? choose combat.. hate decisions? well you can toggle that too.. but wait, isnt that the part of mass effect which makes it like few others? and isnt that what i have spent many hours doing to have a desired and effective playthrough as well as end? was it just me or did it feel silly to scan planets this time around? as to say "hey dont want to waste time scanning for elements, well we fixed that too" huh? call me a loser, call me what you want BUT i enjoyed taking my time scanning for minerals and elements and launching probes with a feeling of purpose, because that was one of the many things which made me love this game, felt like what i did mattered and fulfilling. i can understand E.A 's stance from a business perspective, their knowledge and tactics of knowing that the fanbase of mass effect are going to buy this game regardless so lets find some fresh blood, but did the solid core and fan base have to feel jipped, let down, disappointed, confused and as well as angry in exchange for new profits/gains? well the core, the fans well we are mass effect. it breaths because we let it, we let it because it was great ,brought quality and emotion and stood apart from many other games and the exp was one like few others. but as much respect a game/developer may get through time can be undone in ten minutes.. i can not say that mass effect 3 was a bad game, but after putting in hours of decisions, careful choices to have it not effect anything in regards to the end , other than the war assets and "co-op"readiness , well i feel like it was more of a "okay hurry up and get this over with and go play co-op after" the fact remains that mass effect 3 is still a solid game, but an ending which was promised to be the finale we dream about also being admittedly rushed well how does anything rushed ever result to anything other than sub par to par? a game is about the exp,
mass effect is about a unique and gripping exp BUT the end ruined both..
its obvious a lot has changed in the gaming industry in the past 5 years, mass effect supports this in every respect, reapers went from FEAR INDUCING to PAWNS.… Expand

I had fun playing the game until the very end. I'm saying that the ending was alright but it should have been better. There are problems running the game. Such as glitchy cutscenes, ridiculous amount of loading, and no HDD install. Multiplayer is okay but it wasn't needed in the first place. The game is better off as single player like it supposed to be from the very beginning. It's not about entitlement or anything like that. It's about how the ending just shot down many of us from an expected sci-fi action rpg trilogy, when it could have ended in a good show of awesome fireworks with a satisfied ending of closure but it didn't.… Expand

To make a short story short I am a Mass Effect. I played them all more then then I should. I was not going to write a review because that game was IMO close to master piece but after seeing so many 0 review I decided to write one.
This game its flaw like every games, some other review says its not a RPG anymore, BS, some said that the shooting mechanic was bad, which is totally BS, its improved from the 1st and 2nd ME.
Some are mad because there is a DLC, just dont buy it, its not mandatory, if you bought the Collectors edition you got it free, otherwise its 10$. Which is not big deal for a game you can play over 50hrs, even without the dlc.
Those who gave that game a 0 are just unfair to the game, because its not exactly as they want they are mad, some crybabies. My verdict is, definatly worth purchase, that game is awesome, story is good, its immersive and the replay value is great. I havent tried the multiplayer yet but its something that add to the replay value of the game, yes you need a key for online play but once again its no big deal, buy the game new and voila.… Expand

I read a lot of the ratings posted by others and realized that a lot of the low ratings are because of the DLC. I generally don't pay for additional DLC content, but other reviewers suggested that it the content has a somewhat large impact on the story, which suggests that Bioware should have included it in the original game. That being said, the rating of the game shouldn't be deducted just because of this. This game feels very similar to Mass Effect 2. The ship, the interactions with people and even the way you travel around the world. In some ways, I think its more like an expansion than a full game. This being said, I am not yet finished the game so this is based on what I've played so far. The combat system has been suuped up. There are specific classes to specialize in which gives special abilities, which allows you to fight how you want to. This customization is definitely an improvement to the old game. The voice acting is pretty good, very similar to mass effect 2 (which was also very good) The cinematics are not bad, and the game does focus on these more than actual gameplay. Gameplay seems to have lost some depth.

I can't comment on the story yet, but it seems to build on the story lore that mass effect 2 first explored. (I didn't play mass effect 1). The music and sound are pretty good. They match the cinematics and game play very well. Overall, the game isn't revolutionary. But there are improvements from Mass Effect 2. However, I feel the depth in story telling of Mass Effect 2 was better, but will see how it goes on as I continue the game...… Expand

I'll admit it right now, I'm biased towards the Mass Effect games, I see them as mediocre games with little RPG to them... Then I played the second game, it had flaws, boring at times but the character interaction was fun and worked well. I was also surprised how good it was to play as a character you pretty much created and then chose how he was going to be like. Most of this remains true for Mass Effect 3, it's slightly tuned down though, as an example the "good or bad" options don't matter as much. I still got into it, the gameplay feels very good, but that might be a downside... They've focused on making it feel like a smoother TPS experience, and that they have succeeded with, but the choices have been trimmed down and the RPG elements have yet become even more shallow. The game is still a true Mass Effect game, I'm just saying that if you buy it expecting a brilliant RPG instead of a decent shooter then you will probably be disappointed. Now to the controversy that's surrounding Mass Effect 3, the day one DLC, gay relationship and the ending, don't worry no spoilers! The DLC, while I assume you don't have to buy it I did and it worked well with the rest of the game except you get an overpowered weapon with infinite ammo. I would like to see how it all plays out without the prothean, because in my playthough he did affect the game in pretty interesting ways, although 10 bucks for the DLC was a stretch... Ok, so the gay relationships, if you have a problem with that you are an **** who don't deserve nice things anyway, so if that ruins the game for you, good, that's karma. No more comments on that, moving to the ending! Once again, no spoilers, while MANY fans are pretty pissed about it I'm not a true fan, I thought it was... Okay, I mean it could have been alot better but if nothing else it concluded the story. I mean, it didn't make much sense, it felt pretty half assed but I don't think they'll be making any weird sequels from this, and that I must say I respect. So is it worth your money? Well read my review again and find out, if you don't have any problems with anything I've said then go ahead, I don't regret buying it for one! I played the Ps3 version, and while there were slight lag in some cutscenes it was nothing serious and the gameplay itself was pretty smooth. Thanks for reading!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've always been a fan of the series and have played every game in it. So why a five then? Because of the poor ending. The whole time you feel like your builidng up for something spectacular at the end, then you find out that the reapers are machines killing organics so that they wont be killed by machines! The logic is flawed. Great game up until the end though. I feel bioware should have given the player more closure at the end too. In both dragon age games, the epilogue tells you what happened to everyone. I can only hope that the upcoming dlc for this game gives some form of closure to the series.… Expand

im guna say it mass effect 3 is dissapointing it is not as good as me2 but is is still really good the story has moments that can be games onto itself the combat is improved the music is the best in the series but be warned the ending is ****

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.

The game plays pretty much exactly like ME2- so if you liked ME2 you'll like this one just as much. The bunch of zeros by the way were planned by **** in their plan to punish BW for having first day DLC- the only realistic scores are from the critics. It's a great game, not as good as ME- but neither was ME2- I prefered the first game's openness, more random combat in more areas, the lack of cover and the heat mechanic (that said- thank goodness for no more Mako). This game's a 9/10, very well presented and put together, plenty of cameos for fans, decently fast paced. But, still not ME.… Expand

The conclusion of the epic sci-fi + shooter + RPG trilogy, there was a lot of hype and pressure surrounding the release of Mass Effect 3. And from the very start, it is obvious Bioware was not afraid to be bold: the game kicks off with a heavy dose of story, action and Reaper destruction. From there, it falls to you to travel through the galaxy building up an army for the counter-attack on Earth; and trying to solve all interplanetary political conflicts in the meantime. This is very well done, and progression is smooth and maintains the same level of tension through the whole game. Graphics are amazing (albeit a bit buggy at times), with Reapers on the background ravaging almost every planet you visit. Dialogue is well-built and the voice acting is great. Gameplay remains almost the same, which is also great. Playing the game on harder difficulty levels is a much bigger challenge than in the previous installments, as most combat areas are circular and you are constantly flanked; a good thing for those who, like me, found Mass Effect 2 a bit too easy. The only flaw in Mass Effect 3 is the end. It is not as terrible as you might have heard, but it is confusing, has many plot holes and simply discards all the morality choices you made through the whole series: you may be the most terrible Renegade who ever lived and still choose the Paragon finale. Despite this serious flaw Mass Effect 3 is still a great game and a fitting end to an epic trilogy altogether.… Expand

This game is pretty amazing. It has great game play, awesome story telling. It has three settings to suit your style of play so it's easy for everyone to play the way they want. One thing that really makes me love this game is the ability to be Gay/Lesbian because I feel like it's a step towards equal rights.

I love this game. Even with 0-day DLC, even with some glitches and slowdowns. I love it. Although, I didn't get to the end, I believe that I will stay in love with Mass Effect anyway, no matter of what ending Bioware writers have chosen.
Cause ME3 is the most intriguing and intensive game with fun shooting :). I also think the story and how we make choices in this game can really open our eyes on what is doing in our world. It's a great useful experience for me.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This has been some ride, since Mass Effect first grabbed my attention. I have played through every bit of the first two games, and loved every minute. Now the final comes, and I feel equal parts excited and sad. Sad that it will have to end, but thrilled to get a chance to play it. And it does not disappoint. The emotion - always the strong point of Mass Effect - is brought to another level. The characters that I have come to care so much about are even more fleshed out. And the goosebumps at certain points of the game...well, I won't spoil. Just get it.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not just "a game" This is the best virtual entertainment you will ever play. I love Sci-fi and I love shooters, so naturally this franchise has always caught my attention with its striking images and tales of a great story mixed with intense action however one thing always scared me for whatever reason, that being the term "RPG" I have always been an impatient gamer, attracted to heavy action such as the Uncharted series, God of War and Killzone but recent games like Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect have started to change me. I'm now completing side quests, Mining planets for materials and going through every option in a conversation to see where it leads. I say all this to hopefully help any other gamer out there that's on the fence about this game or intimidated by the Role Playing aspect. Mass Effect is worth your time and money and I'm positive that it will blow you away.… Expand

Instead of just complaining because of day 1 DLC and not helping readers actually get a sense of what this game is about, here's an ACTUAL review! First off, if you loved the first two games, odds are that you'll enjoy this one as well. Wraps up the series nicely, with closure on all ends. You can customize your weapons more so than the previous game, and shooting bad guys feels much more satisfying in this game than in the past games. Heart breaking decisions, your squad could be gone at any moment. The writing is as good as ever. Take a chance on this game.… Expand

Looking forward to playing out the final part of this trilogy. Judging by the demo, it's gonna be great.

You might just find that the majority off the people criticizing the game and scoring it a big fat 0 are Staff from GAME and GAME-STATION in the UK.

Of what I've played so far the game is quite good. I'm liking the story, characters and the new aditions they made to the gameplay. On one side it's a great game and, IMO, a great final chapter for one of the most important IPs of this console generation.

Then, why a 5???.
Because performance sucks on Ps3 with no real reason for it and there are hundreds of people complaining and bioware won't even respond us.
Most cinematics run at 20 fps and when there is a lot of action it can even drop to 15. Gameplay runs a bit smoother but does also have constant drops to 20fps which have been confirmed (by digital foundry) to produce controller input lag. Having the game run so badly interferes with the enjoyment of the story and gameplay and that just can't be there on a game I payed 60 bucks for like everyone else. Yes, the Ps3 hardware is hard to work with and yes the Unreal engine was built with the Xbox and PC in mind, but If you can't pull off your game on the hardware, then don't release it, that's just how it is.

So if you are in the lucky situation to be ablte to choose on which system to get this game, don't get it for Ps3. And even if Ps3 is your only gaming system, I ask and recommend you to wait a bit and get an used copy. Sadly, this people won't care about the consumer until it starts hurting their wallet. If they keep making millions with poor quality ports they will just keep them comming.… Expand

Brilliant game, I love the storyline the gameplay, the cutscenes. It was everything I wanted in the game. The fact that you can choose between male and female characters to be with is a significant advancement in the games like these. Thank you BioWare -- 10/10!

The Ending. It is bad. Believe the hype. Ruins the game but not the series. Each game in the Mass Effect series is unique and Its best to treat them as such, because lets be real if ME1 didn't make money ME2 wouldn't exist, if ME2 didn't make money ME3 wouldn't exist. Similar plot lines may run through all three but obviously it was made up as they went along. They are totally abstract from one another and clearly made by different people and processes. This one fell flat half way through then went very very dark, obscure, even morbid. Then hits you with the totally ridiculous ending. Yuk… Expand

Mass Effect 3 is a very very good game. It's not an RPG, it's an action game with some RPG elements, ie levelling up powers and some moral choices. I admit I've not had time to finish it yet but I'm enjoying the ride. If you enjoyed ME2 this is more of the same, you meet some old friends and watch some die. On the PS3 version there are a lot of glitches, especially in cut scenes but it is a big game. Weapons are varied and powers are very useful in tight situations. After the initial battle on earth it calms down and sometimes feels a bit mellow considering the situation facing all living beings. I've had some great battles but I've also had a lot of walking about doing nothing. There are some missed opportunities that Bioware should have grasped with both hands but it's still a great game. Some of the game feels like an afterthought, like somebody said, hey lets drive an Atlas, for a very short time! The multiplayer is good fun as well but I've suffered a lot of disconnections, and they seem to be when I'm top of the leaderboard and on wave 10, ho hum. I recommend this game and it's much more fun than MW3 and BF3.… Expand

Mass Effect 3
Great- Story. Commander Shepard is fully fleshed out as a character and the game makes you care about its end. Each story is fully developed and every decision influences the next. - Customization. Let's you choose everything from gender,weapons, and abilities. Exploring them demands multiple playthroughs. - Side Missions. The amount of missions affect the ending but aren't necessary. The length can vary from mission to mission so it's always an unexpected and never tedious.

Mixed - The Ending. I played Mass effect 2 prior to playing this one, so I was already invested. The ending did not leave me incredibly unsatisfied. I didn't fly off the handle looking for some kind of consolation. It was a bit incomplete but like the other things I invested hours in like, Lost, Seinfeld, and The Sopranos it was the journey that made it worth it. - Frame rate. The graphics were spectacular and it was definitely an upgrade over the second, but it not only would suffer slowdown in hectic areas, but during key moments which could be a little off putting. - Squad selection. The amount of characters in Mass Effect 2 was astounding, but not all necessary. Here it's cut down to more than half which is better yet with its faults. It does limit your choices making missions frustrating if you don't realize your preferences early on.

Amiss - Load times. Realizing that a game of this size would require some patience was understandable. Yet some of the areas of the game defied logic with its constant load times. One specific area was the ship which would let you pass through inconsistently between five and sometimes thirty seconds. - Difficulty. Not complaining about the difficulty at all. I chose hardcore and enjoyed the rush. It was the spike in difficulty that irked me. One area early on had me trying for two hours while the next I cruised through. This happens a couple of times and seems to be to just lengthen the game which doesn't really need to. - Shopping. The amount of items are great but by the time you can buy the most expensive weaponry, your guns are already equipped with the best upgrades that can match them or exceed it. It becomes purely a accessory like the fish or models.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Graphics: Really good for most of the game. Only issues were the cutscenes. Cutscenes are "in-engine", so anytime a movie-like scene takes place, it's with the same system as the gameplay. During some cutscenes, you have some clipping and for many reasons, your characters aren't holding their assigned weapons. But overall the game looks great.

Sound: The music is perfect, the sound effects (shooting, explosions) were great too. The voice work was mostly great as well.

Story: The story is pretty good until the middle of what I would call the "Third Act". The Third Act starts with the Thessia mission. This is where plot armor rears it ugly head and really drags the story down. Also, use of characters from Mass Effect 2 was weak throughout most of the game (outside of Mordin, Tali, and Garrus). The 2 biggest issues I had with the story/writing is to not include a former high ranking Cerberus officer, Miranda Lawson, in the invasion of her former employers space station. It makes no sense that there's no confrontation between Miranda and TiM or a discussion about her resignation or a discussion about TiM running Sanctuary.

And after Cronos station....the Ending mission and it's cinematics just don't make sense. Either the writers were trying to fool the player and then planned to let us download the real ending later or the writers thought they were gonna come up with some philosophical in a sci-fi game and it just looks bad. No matter how you slice the ending, it simply unravels boatloads of story threads that were already sewn up. It leaves the player feeling very confused and empty inside. Not a good way to end a trilogy and the ending really ruins the replay value.… Expand

The game is awesome!!! If you really want to feel the game, you have to start from the first or second Mass Effect. If you only buy Masss Effect 3 and make an SLOPPY walkthrough you will not like he ending.
All the game trilogy is awesome. The people that says the ending sucks are kids or ignorant, because they really didn't try to understand how DEEP the game actually is, they just played the game and made decisions they didn't understand and got a **** ending.… Expand

Mass Effect 3 is hard hitting yet entertainer game ... the one my complaint is with just its Loose ending which could be much better else this game still offer some things which can't be neglected

yknow i was excited for this game...i really was. In my opinon EA is one of the only gaming companies that actually makes games equal on both consoles. Dead Space 2, Bioshock 2 both looked and played great on both consoles. Well I think EA finally went the way of Bethesda(Skyrim) and Rockstar(Red Dead Redemption). In other words, not giving a $h!t about the ps3. Its freaking awful. Now i would be more mad if this game didn't suck in comparison to the last one. I just dont see why ps3 gets so neglected all the time. Game gets a 1 because i dont like how politically correct it is, plotholes and just a bad storyline. it gives a whole new meaning to all in your face about being gay, and man did they go all out.… Expand

Make sure you have autosave on when playing the Playstation 3 version, as it freezes constantly due to the horrible fps. The dialogue is rather autistic, considering there is nothing humorous or witty throughout the game. The side-quests feel like a chore and Commander Shepherd doesn't act like a bad ass anymore. I felt like I was playing a lighter version of the original Gears of War.

Haven't played it but I know it doesn't deserve a 3.6, and I only played the demo. I guess I'm only putting this up here because I see so many children crying about their beloved franchise going to s**t with the ending this game supposedly had. God you people are lame.

I love it, gotten goosebumps playing this game more than I can ever recall from a video game. Seeing how so many characters that I care about have grown, is fantastic. I love the job the writers did with many of the characters. Certain ones that I felt lacked emotion early on in the series and didn't like as much as others, really seem to have evolved. Very pleased with Mass Effect 3.

Is ME3 really this bad? Yes it is.. If your a fan of the series and spent countless hours within 1 and 2, this purchase will be your biggest regret. IF you don't care about consistency, have not played either of the 1st two, don't care about false advertising, and just want to play a corny game, then this is for you. Gameplay isn't changed too much from the 2nd, although it feels a little smoother. Graphically nearly identical, no real improvement other then some areas are more shiny. The overwhelming majority has a great distaste for the way EA/Bioware has marketed this game and there tactics throughout the process, along with the obviously rushed and idiotic ending. Any company that states - You've become a legend. To continue, buy extended content - at the end of a game is low, and I hope they file bankruptcy. Day one DLC is bad enough, to boast about it in game is pathetic.. Is that what this gen will leave behind? It's unmistakable foray into each game leaving out gameplay to charge ridiculous amounts for minimum content? The game itself lacks something that 1 and 2 had, that certain level of immersion where you forget or completely ignore the faults of the game, because its plot and characters are that well developed. Something special that makes you remember each encounter and actually care about the decisions you make. The 3rd has none of this. Your choices from 1 and 2 are barely visible in 3, sometimes plot-lines are completely absurd compared to what you had done previously. You put Anderson on the council? Too bad, Udina is on it now with no explanation. Did you kill Wrex in 1? He's back! Let the Rachni die off? They found more! Literally nothing matters.. Every decision you may have made has been streamlined into 1 basic plot that doesn't do the series justice, nor does it even make sense. People and Bioware who are wondering why people are so mad, and think its only because there spoiled and want a happy ending truly have no idea whats going on.. The entire series has been marketed as a decision based trilogy where you were shaping your own story as Shepard, Bioware was just giving you the tools. Mass amounts of interviews were conducted and published promoting this idea and a plethora of different endings were guaranteed (at least 16). Bioware told us every decision would matter... In the end, the only decision that mattered was that they got your money. The end is one singular loop that plays out exactly the same, no matter what you "choose" - they just contain different color filters on the cgi video. Thats lazy developing and a scam for what was marketed to consumers. The end is not art either. This is a business first and foremost. They wouldn't spend millions to make and advertise it if not. Think of it this way. You go to an art show and an artist displays a "new, unique painting that has never been seen before, where its level of obscurity and detail will transcend your mind". It's covered and your not allowed to see it until its purchased and you've brought it home. You buy it.. but once your get it home, you realize its nothing more than a ripped piece of paper with a poop smear.. You'd want your money back. That's false advertising, its not only unethical, but illegal. Just because this is a "game", does not give it the right to abuse consumers. Overall, if you want a recap of the ending, its like this: Your girl/boy friend has cheated on you. You feel betrayed and remember none of the good times, because of the horrible trauma that it's caused you emotionally . The ending is the last thing you see, therefore its the last thing you remember. Bad outweighs the good. It can take years to trust somebody, but 5 seconds to break that.. and this is one of those instances. Nobody cares that Shepard died, its the fact that your decisions and squad mates don't matter and the countless hours of gameplay are useless, along with severe plot crippling holes. Wait for this game to be entirely remade before buying if your a fan of the series and plot.. you will regret your purchase. I was lucky and got away using a friends copy..… Expand

Loved it loved it.... LOVED IT. MASS EFFECT 3 IS THE BEST GAME OF ALL TIME. OF ALL TIME! ALL TIME! TIME! IME. ME. MASS EFFECT. M. MMM. THIS GAME MAKES ME GO 'MMM'. Miranda's ass alone is a enough reason to buy this game.

After completing the game one has to wonder whether Bioware diverted all their resources to Star Wars - The Old Republic. One can only hope that is the excuse for this ending to the series. Regardless of the excuses or, perish the thought these "endings" were actually planned out, the Nihilistic ending made me regret having spent time even bothering to develop a character. Perhaps it's a joke. Or a calculated business move to offer DLC that lets you have an ending where you actually have some impact. As such this mess is such a shame for what had been such a promising series. In my humble opinion it is that bad. And it's sad. Not the sadness of any ending but the saddest thing in the world: Wasted potential. The wasted potential from a sloppy meaningless ending to an otherwise previously well executed series. I have lost the will to replay Mass Effect due to the ending. If that was Bioware's (and/or EA's) intentions, then well played EA/Bioware. I won't bother to return. If this is the same attention they plan for other games then I wish them well. I will not be playing them.… Expand

The story of Mass Effect was a story I can relive countless times over, a game where choices are made from the heart. This game embodies what it is to be a human. A choice of how decisions can alter the present, and alter the future. This game is what that stands for. Epic, surreal and incredibly engaging, the entirety of this game should not be missed, regardless of the ending. It is a perfect game in storytelling and gripping fashion. The ending didn't ruin the series for me, but dampened it. But not as badly as most people are saying. You are missing out on a game that defines this generation's lust for story. Buy this game, and it will learn to love you back.

A 9/10.… Expand

Definitely a fun and great game, the multiplayer "horde-like" mode is a great touch and adds a great amount of replayability. The game still features a handful of bugs, slowest loading times around (Roughly 10-30 seconds), and the ending of the game is simply disappointing. The overall game has been changed in some areas, Combat feels better than ever, while the RPG conversational part has been toned down a lot. It's great, but it needed to be a lot better. I am disappointed in those who want Bioware to change the ending, that's like asking an artist to change his painting because he didn't like how it looked. Other than the complainers and some parts of the game, it's definitely a great game.… Expand

Graphics are top notch, some framerate issues but nothing game breaking. Shooting is clunky, but characters and RPG elements are excellent.

Wow! Is there that many morons who buy a game and rates it 0 out of 10? What I love about the game is that it is the conclusion to part 2. I hate the few changes they made like scanning a sector before Reapers come and mess you up. I didn't like the journal this time around, or the complete lack of interest I had with most of the characters. The ending is a "mess", with no real satisfaction of victory. They could have had a real good ending, a real bad ending and mediocre mess that is. As it stands though, the game play is the same, with less crew members to help you. If you loved ME2, you will like ME3.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Game was great don't care about fps or some other minor bull**** but please change the ending because the way it is now it's like all our actions from ME1 and ME2 and ME3 didn't matter at all because they don't have an impact on the ending. That was the main point of the series, you make a decision and then you have to live with it but now whatever decision we make we still get the same results.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has been dumbed down by the people making it, there is a lot of auto dialogue and some of the renegade choices of the dialogue wheel have been dumbed down too(for example when Ashley asked me to join the normandy I said no and my shep gave her a wrong reason my shep either doesnt need or reason or it because your causing problems). And the ending is something one should witness one his/her own and decide for your self. And they promised your romance would be solved, it was but not nearly in a way i hoped, in fact you can even miss it. And you being in a romance with for example liara she will be calling you her friend until you tell you want more,that after you tell you want in the beginning of the game. wtf? And alot of kasumi style conversations… Expand

Its obvious the xbox fanboys come on here and give the ps3 and pc versoins of games bad scores because they dont want to affect their beloved sad platform. This game is near on a masterpiece and no one gives a crap about day 1 dlc its nothing to do with the game itself which is completely outstanding. I swear everyone just bashes on everything these days.

Mass Effect 3 took the best elements of ME 2 and combined them with better encounters, stronger performances, a vastly better AI system and a larger feeling of accomplishment. The final fights are much tougher than ME 2, and Shepherd's new abilities while moving around are well received and really add to the experience. As far as the ending, personally I enjoyed it (even after being with the series since ME 1, which I completed on PC), and left the game feeling both sad for the characters I watched grow and sad that the trilogy has at last come to a close. Hopefully more games are in the works, because this is one series that I just can't get enough of. Maybe a prequel?… Expand

As usual, every single butthurt moron who calls themselves "fans" is complaining and shredding this game to pieces, much like the other Bioware games, but the fact is this. This is one of the best games to come out in this console generation. I've seen people comparing it to Skyrim, and saying that Skyrim is better, but it isn't. In Mass Effect 3, everything feels important. Everything you do has some end goal. In Skyrim, your side quests feel like nothing but filler, to make the game appear "grand" in scale. Bioware has done it again. They remain one of the top developers to ever bless our consoles, and Mass Effect 3 is not only GOTY contender, but GOTD (decade).… Expand

Seems like there is alot of trollers here on metacritic.. giving the game a 0 is not fair by any means.. i am a true fan of the game and has been since ME 1 and seeing it from a "player eyes" of view i see, Great Graph, Great Storyline where hard choices HAS to bee made, great characters and some of the most heartbreaking, fun, sad and epic cut scenes and conversations.. the game is not perfect, with an ending witch seems hurried and unfinished you dont get the feeling of havin achieved something great.. but despite the ending, this game is an epic one and a game of witch competes for the Game Of The Year 2012… Expand

A terrific game.Bioware has really outdone itself in this final installment.Everything including the game play, the story and the music has been improved. This has got to be the most emotionally compelling experience in video game history. The ending though was depressing and I would would have preferred a happier ending. If anyone deserved a happy ending it was Shepard but it was still beautiful. My favorite Mass Effect game and deserves a perfect 10.… Expand

Best series/game/narrative/story I've ever had the pleasure of playing. The way Bioware has been able to connect the strings throughout this complicated trilogy is amazing. Every mission has something that people who have played the whole series will love, some are so minuscule you might not even notice or remember. It should be illegal to play this game without playing the previous entries. I'm not here to give a full review, I just came here to give it a 10 to combat all these kids who read the ending and can't handle it. This is easlily the BEST GAME I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Thank you Bioware!… Expand

Okay so this isnt quite a ten. Ill tell you why. Because it isn't the gameplay: with better enemy AI and combat flow I really enjoyed playing both good combat sequences (at last) and great RPG elements. But lets get to the point. Galactic Readiness pisses the living **** out of me - I go get war assets and lose much more later. REALLY? Also the damn ending! JESUS CHRIST, NO NEED TO MAKE IT CLEVER! WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT THE REAPER ORIGIN! ID HAVE BEEN MORE HAPPY IF IT WAS LEFT A MYSTERY. THERE SHOULD ONLY HAVE BEEN ONE ENDING TBH, DESTROY DA **** REAPERS! But apart from these, a very strong game.… Expand

There isn't a lot of side quest, but it doesn't break the game. Combat is more dynamic (for me, ME2 was too slow in terms of movement), and it's new features are quite addictive - side roll and unlimited run time (ough, finally, N7 graduate that actually can run), in particular.
Yes, it's not so RPG (neither ME2 was), and advertisement trailers are just lies (i'm talking about "interactive storytelling" one here). Dialogs (and dialog options) are fewer and shorter.
There are some annoying things (like scanner between CIC and war room, that stops you for about 5 seconds every time - goddamn thing, why is it here?), some bugs (most of them are sound or interface related - displaying incorrect info), and framerate drops - in intensive cutscenes, usually.
Sure, it's all understandable and forgivable. Earth is under siege, so why are you chatting down here? It could be a [hidden] timer for how much more Earth can sustain, but there is no such a thing. Perhaps it's for the better.
I was worried about music - but it fits well. And no more sound warping (heeeeavy doppler effect) when running, at last. Voice acting and lip sync are good.
Many people complaining about they haven't got any answers in ending. Perhaps they lack perception, knowledge of basic physics or just don't want to think, i can't guess. For me, the only question i've left was "why the hell Normandy engaged FTL drives?". Ending is good for me (well, at least the one i have chosen - and almost without any doubts), and closing cinematic is very emotional.… Expand

It seems like most of the criticisms of this game I hear are by people who didn't like how the story ended, but I think whether or not someone likes how the story goes is just a matter of taste. Overall as a game this is a very cool original action-rpg sci-fi game and not only that but it is the first (as far as I know) major rpg to have a really cool co-op multiplayer horde mode added on. all together this game a great choice for both those who want an expansive universe and story filled with relationships and time-killing quests as well as for a taste of the fast-paced online play that's so popular nowadays to sweeten the deal… Expand

The reapers are here and commander shepard is ready to kick ass and save earth! Remember when this game orginally came out and it was relatively unknown with little to no expectations. Well now it has grown to the biggest and most respected game of this generation. Don't let the demo fool you with its framerate issues, graphicial problems and awkward mechanics. The full game is spectacular and not to be missed by any fan of the series from day one or PS3 gamers that picked up at ME2. From the storytelling, to the graphical improvements and overall gameplay mechanics. This game is what everyone expected after finishing ME2 and doesnt disappoint in any category. The Star Wars of the video games is prepared to suck you in once again and not let you go until you completed the quest to end reapers. Please don't let others mislead you on its overall quality, if you played the first or the second you'll definitely enjoy this and want to relive it all over again. Move over Luke skywalker, captain kirk, and hon solo Commander Shepard is the new man in town. Greatest sci fi story ever told and marks a new standard for what we come to expect from video games. Beautiful game all aroujnd. No need for the collectors edition either just purchase the standard 60dollar game and be prepared to never leave your seat. Normandy is back!!… Expand

I would bet Square or Bethesda is at the bottom of these rampant negative user scores. What a shame... I think the game is outstanding, yes it bothers me about the DLC available for $10 but really didn't bother me enough to prevent my purchase of the DLC at the same time I picked up the game. 99% of the 0 scores don't carry a bit of weight!

I really liked the game. It feels quite a bit like ME2 to be honest though, the combat mechanics really have not changed very much. I was disappointed because I wanted to see a bit more, but nonetheless, I still love the game. I actually traded in terrible mw3 to get this game and I have no regrets doing it, I know I will playing the game for a while from now and attempt to get every trophy possible. One aspect I do not like is that the game is not entirely free world, the maps are somewhat small but still, how could you make space an open world because this is not SWTOR. I would recommend this game to anyone, although I would read up on the previous games if you have not played any of the others.… Expand

I guess sometimes there are no absolutes. I've seen enough player reviews on this game, on this site, to assume that there are MANY players who didn't play this game prior to writing a review. They simply assumed how it would be, even down to the graphics. You know, I told myself many times that I would never point out differences between casual gamers and original gamers. But, i find myself having to do just that. Casual gamers will say: "it has terrible animations and an outdated storyline". Gamers who have been around for a while (say, 20+ years), will focus on gameplay, knowing the visuals are just cake icing. Bottom line: intense plot, stunning visuals for a game this size, and a gameplay mechanism that weaves into the story perfectly make ME3 the perfect sci-fi rpg. Blizzard couldn't even do better than this, and that is something special. Perfect 10, just like I gave Skyrim.… Expand

Loved the game. I have played Mass Effect 1 and 2 each 8 times. I just beat part 3 today and loved it. Sure it has a bunch of issues.....but I think that everyone was expecting an 11/10 and since they didn't get it they are giving it a 0.

Also, people need to get over the whole DLC thing. It will be a good story but it is NOT needed to get the full story of Mass Effect 3.

To those of you who reviewed this on March 6, 2012 - How can you make a fair and educated rating of the game without having played it? I for one, am in love with this game. I'm about 30 hours through now, and I don't see the end any time soon, which says a lot in terms of amount of gameplay in comparison to other releases nowadays. In addition - I have never cried as many times, or as hard, as I have while playing this game. Sure, some of the dialogue is hokey at times, but the way BioWare designed this game definitely instills you with a feeling of "Wow, this is really the end."

That being said, my only complaint about the game thus far is that I feel as though Cerberus is the main enemy, not the Reapers. That being said, there are some things that allude to the latter, but I will not mention them here because of spoilers.… Expand

This game is a great game, tis very sad that people are complaining about it being dumbed down; when in fact they are complaining about the very things they wanted gone. Like the mining and how it took so long. Now they say they do not like the whole send a probe down on a planet.... Also the graphics are much better than 2, either people just want to give this a bad review, because it is not like the first 2 or they have an SDTV or just being a troll. Of course all games are going to change, yes I dislike Skyrim very much, and love Morrowind much more, but it does not mean other people think Skyrim is good. The only peeve I have with Skyrim, is lack of spellcrafting, and little to non black soul gems, because you cannot make them now....… Expand

What a bunch of whining babies. The idiots complaining about the RPG aspect being stripped away either never played 2 which had little to none of that or never played the series at all and are just bulls*%$^g because they believe every flame and lie they read on a message board. Don't even get me started on the people tanking the score because of the option for a gay story line! THIS IS 2012 YOU IGNORANT PEABRAINS! You're a disgrace, and people have been asking for this option to be included since the first game!

I really love the PS# but I have to admit that most of these scores are probably coming from PS3 users who never bothered to play 2 after it was released for the system and bought the game based on hype alone, not knowing anything about it or it's history. A bunch of idiot meatheads who should just wait for the next COD or Madden piece o' crud and in the meantime keep their heads up their asses where they belong.

As far as the day one DLC, this content was fully available to those who per-ordered and got collector's editions of the game. I personally just traded in a few games and got everything FOR FREE. Extra content like this has been a staple of video games for years now. Arkham City had a ton of day one DLC that was only available through per-order and no-one **** about that because it wasn't EA.

This game is great, like I said- it continues the story and the game truthfully and faithfully. If you're tanking the reviews of this game just out of spite or homophobia then you deserve to be miserable.… Expand

Hate the player not the game. 
I was expecting product placement, weak writing, and an ending where Shepherd says awe sucks, we did  it.  I can understand the hate people may have for the creators of this game. But you must stick with it. The ending, my ending due to my choices, makes it all worth while. 
I understand not wanted to buy dlc, then don't. It's not necessary, just background story that probably should have came out later as an addition.  
It's a 9.6 Not perfect by far. If had been perfect, where every single decision you made over three games counted precisely...
this game would have cost more than any console every made. … Expand

I bought this game after reading multiple game site reviews all giving this game a high rating, rationalizing it through saying that the scope and conceptual design of this game make it a quality product. I am here to say I am no longer going to purchase a game based on "critic" reviews. This game ruined the Mass Effect series for me. BioWare has clearly sold its soul to EA and no longer cares about the quality writing and storytelling that existed in this games predecessors. This game is like Dragon Age 2 all over again. As I played through I began to care less and less about the decisions I made and simply wanted to finish the game. Nothing was compelling enough to have me play through it again and I will definitely be selling this game the second I beat it as to ensure I get the most money back. I can say nothing more than that I am frustrated and completely disappointed in BioWare, and will boycott game that include DAY 1 DLC for as long as they continue to come out. $74 for a game with DAY ONE... DAY ONE... dlc is outrageous, especially for a "dumbed down" product. Sorry BioWare, but you have tarnished my once high opinion of you and have lost a customer.… Expand

Take away the compelling story from the mass effect series and what are you left with? Most people would agree we're left with little more than a sub-par shooter. Bioware often gets a pass on this because the story elements are so strong and interesting. NOT THIS TIME OUT. The story and especially the incomprehensible nonsense ending make for a tale that sucks the awesome not only out of this game, but also out of the rest of the franchise which have been building up to an epic ending, where literally NONE of your choices throughout the entire series make an impact. Not having this strong story to keep you going, be prepared to suffer through this sub-par shooter… Expand

I have enjoyed Mass Effect 3 a lot. It's nice to see so many of my decisions in 1 and 2 show up again, even if it's just a character referred to in a news broadcast. I fail to see the basis for a lot of the dialogue and plot complaints. Though the dialogue trees in conversation are mostly "choose either paragon or renegade", only 2 optoins, which is annoying. The storytelling is good as usual, and some of the scenes are very well done.

Normally I don't give 10s, but looking at the scores, a binary "0 or 10" seems to be the way to go. So, since I liked this game, 10 it is.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The first 95% of this game is incredible and worth playing. It introduces new characters and themes while (for the most part) successfully wrapping up story lines from the previous two games. Unfortunately the last 10-15 minutes of the game undermine everything that has happened up to that point. All your decisions are rendered meaningless and random plot hole after random plot hole end what up to that point had been one of the greatest games I have ever played. What is most insulting is that the ending feels cheap and tacked on, almost as if the developer ran out of time and resources and just threw some random stuff together hoping no one would notice. This game is not worth buying until the developer removes the glaring plot holes and fixes the ending to reflect the character's choices throughout this game and the previous two.… Expand

One of the greatest games of all time and i believe it will definetly win game of the year with awesome action/story and everything good about a game. Don't listen to the bad reviews they are all wrong listen to the positive ones cause they are the awesome reviews. At the end it was a bit un satisfactory but only a bit. I really look forward to a Mass Effect 4 if they do make one which I really, really, REALLY hope they do. This game is a must play essential game which you HAVE TO PLAY. It is hard to say much without spoiling things and because im not the most descriptive person, but I will leave you with these words BEST GAME EVER!!!!… Expand

Owning a PS3 i have only played ME2 before this. Its an extremely engrossing EPIC story and great gameplay, until the end. without spoiling anything the last 30 minutes or so are the most disappointing in recent history, in fact their is a internet uprising to change the end. Apart from that and a few bugs that will be cleared up via patches in the future the rest of the game is outstanding. Great characters and a good 30-40 hrs of single player gameplay. At the moment it is not as good as its predecessor but future DLC and patches may change that. I gave it an 8 out of 10 because in spite of my personal disappointment, and because there may be changes coming, it is still a great experience.… Expand

mass effect was epic.
mass effect 2 was powerful.
mass effect 3 just kill the trilogy.

put 2 point because they are good things in this game but you lose so much with your multi-player who is necessary to the solo and this horrible end!

When you finish a game you are left with the impression it has given you. I would say the game play was great. The ending was forced and short. Music and cinematic for the ending were great for what they were... but it wasn't left as a cliffhanger or ambiguous.. it left you with a what just happened.. is that it? feeling. Honestly watching youtube... the 'worst' endings actually left the player feeling like they should play again and make it better.. but the worst ending were really just the best endings but with parts cut out... very disappointing. might play multilayer but the game has ZERO replay value. Huge plot holes and no conclusion the any of the characters you had left...

Movement had some major flaws. The idea of cover was great, but the console feel made the character get stuck by a grenade when you could have clearly ran away and were pressing the cover button to stand up but you just mode to a different wall.… Expand

Terrible animations, graphics, and gameplay. All wrapped together in the first game that allows you to skip the game. The clear worst in the series, and everything wrong with modern videogames.

Too good to miss. Ignore the user negative reviews. They have nothing to do with the game. This trilogy is one of the best gaming experiences I've had. There are some quibbles, but it's hard to complain about a game who's story makes me care.

Phenominal game. It's great to see all those desisions you made in the first two games come to fruition. The animations are fluid. The shooting is better than ever. To top it all off they even expanded the RPG elements. Great job Bioware.

WHY THE HATE FOR THIS GAME????


Geezz gamers in this day are stupid -___-
SHM,did people expect? 20+ vastly different endings?

And loyal fans?Please.I adore Mass Effect, I'm just as loyal as others, but I'm not crying over the endings. I personally don't see what the big problem is.

All of you should chill the **** out this is a great game with a great story and great gameplay sorry that you don't like the ending because it's sad we'll face it the world is a sad dark place and because of this you want bio ware who has crafted this story for seven years to change because you don't like it well **** you then and I'm sorry they made day one dlc and multiplayer they still need to make money it cost alot to make a game that all of you just take for ****ing granite.… Expand