Mass Effect 3

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7186 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,666 out of 7186
  2. Mixed: 1,116 out of 7186
  3. Negative: 2,404 out of 7186
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. lumakker
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    This review is not against the game, it is against How the game is sold. First of all: Origin only is completely unacceptable. I bought both Mass Effect 1 and 2 on Steam and i want to complete my collection in the same drawer. I really love the Mass Effect series but EAs DLC policy as well as the "action-oriented" direction the game is progressing towards to appeal to the CoD audience areThis review is not against the game, it is against How the game is sold. First of all: Origin only is completely unacceptable. I bought both Mass Effect 1 and 2 on Steam and i want to complete my collection in the same drawer. I really love the Mass Effect series but EAs DLC policy as well as the "action-oriented" direction the game is progressing towards to appeal to the CoD audience are the reasons why i will not buy Mass Effect 3. A game has to include everything in the already way too high 60â… Expand
  2. NarcolepticPyro
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    I was honestly expecting more from this game. The awkward homosex seemed forced, the scenery in the ending is a blatant ripoff of a random wallpaper (Google "space winter"), there's much less dialogue options, the morality is still good vs evil as opposed to several differing factors of morality, and the ending was just a horrible knock-off of Deus Ex, characters can no longer be importedI was honestly expecting more from this game. The awkward homosex seemed forced, the scenery in the ending is a blatant ripoff of a random wallpaper (Google "space winter"), there's much less dialogue options, the morality is still good vs evil as opposed to several differing factors of morality, and the ending was just a horrible knock-off of Deus Ex, characters can no longer be imported properly, and the game has even less RPG elements than the previous games. If that wasn't bad enough, Bioware removed a core part of the story and sold it separately for $10. This is one of the biggest flops in the industry, worse than Duke Nukem.… Expand
  3. VanFanel1980mx
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    There was been a lot of negative reaction about the three gameplay modes implemented in this installment, while I find the RPG mode just as the usual Mass Effect while the Action mode is more straightforward and just goes for a predetermined outcome most of the time, but Story Mode is not even what we expected, for one it is not even as Hepler's critics thought, you have to actually fightThere was been a lot of negative reaction about the three gameplay modes implemented in this installment, while I find the RPG mode just as the usual Mass Effect while the Action mode is more straightforward and just goes for a predetermined outcome most of the time, but Story Mode is not even what we expected, for one it is not even as Hepler's critics thought, you have to actually fight your way through the game BUT the difficulty is dumbed down to the point of having no inmersion or sense of urgency, if you want to see how the story goes you are better off watching someone else play it on You Tube, otherwise you will be bothered by gameplay a lot.

    The Story is what you could expect and let's leave it at that, the ending was too predictable and as always you can expect another sequel, the "diversity" stuff has been criticized but that's for whoever wants to play it that way, nothing breath taking, more akin to a typical fanfiction.

    For an action game it is an OK game, for an RPG is below average.    … Expand
  4. UpsetGamer
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    I can't believe "news" sites are saying ME3 is hated because of homophobic gamers.This is just the EA/Bioware propaganda talking, hiding behind a homophobia accusation when in fact this game is absolutely horrible.Everything is recycled content, graphics are worse, boring story, boring gameplay and yes boring sexual relationship.The great majority of gamers hate how sexuality is presentedI can't believe "news" sites are saying ME3 is hated because of homophobic gamers.This is just the EA/Bioware propaganda talking, hiding behind a homophobia accusation when in fact this game is absolutely horrible.Everything is recycled content, graphics are worse, boring story, boring gameplay and yes boring sexual relationship.The great majority of gamers hate how sexuality is presented in this game because it's stereotypical, boring and forced down our throat, there have been plenty of gay characters in games before and nobody cared, It isn't about that, it's about turning a game into a political platform and making us pay for it by falsely hypeing it up.We knew there was going to be gay romance and nobody cared, what we didn't know was that the game was going to **** this much.… Expand
  5. vish
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    This is atrocity. 1. DLC 'From ashes' already on the disc of collector's edition at least.
    2. Problems with new facial system. I bought 2 collector's editions of Mass Effect 1 and 2. I lived with my character for 4 years already. And now what? I just have to wait for BioWare doing their job correctly? 2 years of development and this is how you treat paying customers?
    Thank you Electronic    This is atrocity. 1. DLC 'From ashes' already on the disc of collector's edition at least.
    2. Problems with new facial system. I bought 2 collector's editions of Mass Effect 1 and 2. I lived with my character for 4 years already. And now what? I just have to wait for BioWare doing their job correctly? 2 years of development and this is how you treat paying customers?

    Thank you Electronic Arts for making the BioWare company it is today. Great games, great crappy performance, great greed.

    Lights out.    … Expand
  6. stargategod1989
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    i had already read the spoilers for this but i decided to pick it up just to check it out im sorry i did and will be taking it back for a full return since it "somehow" stopped working. this is a terrible game, with a terrilbe plot and a horrible ending that sucks any tiny enjoyment one got from the game
  7. ancient_serpent
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    Hey Eric Kain, believe it or not, my negative review has nothing to do with any gay or lesbian choices. It has to do with the terrible endings that absolutely negate any choices I made in the previous two games. hours getting those exactly the way I wanted. You know why? Because I cared about the characters and the results of my characters decisions. The ending choices are a non-choice. IHey Eric Kain, believe it or not, my negative review has nothing to do with any gay or lesbian choices. It has to do with the terrible endings that absolutely negate any choices I made in the previous two games. hours getting those exactly the way I wanted. You know why? Because I cared about the characters and the results of my characters decisions. The ending choices are a non-choice. I will never support Bioware or the freaking retard Helper that wrote this abominations with my money again. To everyone saying "Oh, they're just mad at the gay sex": Grow up. This has nothign to do with you wanting to be a victim, it has everything to do with poor writing, crappy endings and the disloyalty Bioware has shown ME fans.… Expand
  8. diula3
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    this is very disappointing lack of variety of combat elements. just shoot and run shoot and run and thats it binding every action into one key responsible for run,pick, cover, heal is absolutely retarded this will get you killed very often when you try to run but it ducks into some ridiculous cover rpg elements are ridiculously insufficient. poor graphics on pc lack quality anti aliasing ,this is very disappointing lack of variety of combat elements. just shoot and run shoot and run and thats it binding every action into one key responsible for run,pick, cover, heal is absolutely retarded this will get you killed very often when you try to run but it ducks into some ridiculous cover rpg elements are ridiculously insufficient. poor graphics on pc lack quality anti aliasing , just some ridiculously blurry silly fxaa instead of msaa and high texture also lacking no match for skyrim and previous mass effect titles what a shame bioware such a huge let down… Expand
  9. Molotova
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    ----The bad:
    1/ The decisions from ME1 and ME2 have very little impact on ME3. Most are decisions are hacked away to funnel one down the story path. 2/ Romance is forced upon the player. In ME1 and 2, I always picked up "lets focus on the mission, no time for that kindof stuff with whole galaxy at stakes" option. Garrus who was the companion I had with me the most in ME2, except for when I    ----The bad:
    1/ The decisions from ME1 and ME2 have very little impact on ME3. Most are decisions are hacked away to funnel one down the story path. 2/ Romance is forced upon the player. In ME1 and 2, I always picked up "lets focus on the mission, no time for that kindof stuff with whole galaxy at stakes" option. Garrus who was the companion I had with me the most in ME2, except for when I gave him the lead of the fire squad and the like in the suicide mission. All of a sudden he jumps out of the closet and wants a homosexual relationship !? That is insulting even to homosexuals... makes no sense, breaks the immersion.
    3/ The ending is bad. Seemed to be stolen from Deus Ex, except in Deus Ex they made sense.
    4/ The Game of Thronesque knack for killing off characters/companions the reader/player has grown attached to advance the story and for some canned emotional factor. Except for a novel when it happens the story advances and it is nice. In a RPG the player just feels helpless, conned and like it is a means to shove another cut scene down the throat.
    ----- The good: The multiplayer part. It is a nice addition to the game, although unnecessary if the single player game had any appeal or replayability ---- The ugly: Day 1 DLC. I am less bothered about it than most, for me it just translates into a quite expensive full game. Still it is a blatantly ugly move by BW/EA, and their cover up PR BS is just as ugly.    … Expand
  10. AshenPhoenix
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bioware has now proven that they are entirely incapable of delivering sequels nowadays. After the catastrophe that was DA2, which left me with a great feeling of dissapointment, I was vary, but since I thought the ME series had other developers than DA2, I still thought I didn't need to worry. But it seems everyone at Bioware has read the same game developer book, "How to ruin promising IPs". I truly loved DA:O and ME1, I liked ME2 although I was worried of the direction. But this game and DA2 is pure crap.

    Worst of all is Biowares inability to deliver satisfying endings although that is far from all there is. I thought DA2's ending was the worst, but ME3's "Different Colors" endings are a slap in the face of ALL humanity. Take those two games and add in SW:TOR and you can see how badly Bioware manages these days, and the only reason they are still succesfull is because of past glories. To Bioware: Anyone can see that you don't want anything to do with the RPG community anymore so stop trying, leave RPG out of your game making PR and just go make braindead shooters and try to compete with MW and BF series.    … Expand
  11. Metaldaze
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    Not just a terrible way to end the franchise, peoples choices seem to actively be shamed or spit on. Certain LI's are barely in the game and you are pidgeon-holed into how the game will end. The beginning was amazing, especially as a hardcore ME1 & ME2 fan but at the end of the game you end up with a sour taste in your mouth as if you've been sucker punched in the face and made to thinkNot just a terrible way to end the franchise, peoples choices seem to actively be shamed or spit on. Certain LI's are barely in the game and you are pidgeon-holed into how the game will end. The beginning was amazing, especially as a hardcore ME1 & ME2 fan but at the end of the game you end up with a sour taste in your mouth as if you've been sucker punched in the face and made to think you wasted your time.… Expand
  12. kriosis
    Mar 8, 2012
    4
    After playing Mass Effect 1 & 2 I had high hopes for ME3. Sadly this game did not live up to the hype. While there was improvement there is also far more problems that can't be overlooked. I'll cover the improvements first. Pros.
    1) Certain combat mechanics have been refined. Building your character works similar to the previous games but a lot more skills a far more useful this time    After playing Mass Effect 1 & 2 I had high hopes for ME3. Sadly this game did not live up to the hype. While there was improvement there is also far more problems that can't be overlooked. I'll cover the improvements first. Pros.
    1) Certain combat mechanics have been refined. Building your character works similar to the previous games but a lot more skills a far more useful this time around. Allowing more customization to how we would prefer our abilities to work as we progress was a really great idea.

    2) Weapon Customization and the Weight system are in my opinion the best part of this game. Which is sad with all things considered. I prefer to carry few weapons. I used the heavy pistol and the sniper rifle. Because of this I was very light allowing for quick power cool downs. I maintained 200% cool down reduction due to the customization. Customization was various, you could increase weapon damage, accuracy, stability, penetration and a few other helpful additions. 3.) Reputation was a welcome change. I was getting tired of Paragon and Renegade responses only having an effect on anything. Here there is that grey choice/response and it actually contributes.

    4.) It was nice to see many of those that survived the previous two games, even if those reunions are unbelievably short, seeming almost rushed. We'll get to that last one in a bit.

    Cons.

    1.) I already said combat was somewhat refined. But it also has its issues. One of those biggest issues being the combat can be incredibly clunky. Space bar does almost everything. You sprint with it, you pick up things with it, you dive and evade with it, you get into and out of cover with it, it does far to much and doesn't always do what you want it to.

    2.)Missions and journal tracking are poorly executed here. Most missions are picked up by eavesdropping on random people aboard the Citadel. This becomes troublesome because you'll often find yourself sitting there listening to conversations while not entirely sure it'll have anything for you. There were a few times I ended up running past them because the area was so cluttered I couldn't make out where it was coming from, especially when there are multiple NPC's engaging in conversation around you. Most you can do is just stand there wait for something to be added to your journal. Secondly the journal is terrible. It's very vague and remains that way through out missions. A mission that reads "find Cerberus Documents" will always say "find Cerberus Documents" even after finding them, there is no reliable way to check your progress in it. It does however update with "New" beside missions, but this is easily over looked when scrolling through the missions tab or forgetting to mark it as viewed when you get the missions. 3.) The call of duty audience, Bioware really wants them, so much so that they're sacrificing choice in every game mode. I played through RPG mode, the traditional "mode" we're familiar with when it comes to BioWare titles. I was surprised when the conversation radial rarely appeared. It seemed most of Shepard's responses were automated. 4.) Lets talk about a lot of returning squad mates. While I was happy to see them, that feeling was short lived. After browsing through ME3 romances I noticed they were far more in depth. So if your LI (love interest) was exclusively in ME2 prepare to be disappointed. As an example I romanced Miranda, the LI scene was short and quick, you were in, you talked, fade to black, you're out of the room. No time to talk after, say good bye, nothing. The last time I seen her was near the end where she played a pretty major role in the plot. But even here, being reunited for the last time lacked any form of communication or closure. Maybe it's not this way with all of them, but I was pretty disappointed.

    5.)Tali's face is so original. Oh no, it's an image taken from google then photoshoped. I didn't romance Tali, if you did I really feel bad for you. I'd be pissed at the lack of effort put into her and her race as a whole. They're humans in space suits with no immunities. 5.) I'm running out of room. So lets get to the obvious. The ending, holy hell are they familiar. After doing some digging it seems they pretty much ripped the ending right away from Deus Ex Human Revolution. While it worked for that game. It does not work here. This is what we've been building up to? Technically 3 endings where the only difference is 3-4 seconds and changes in color? There was absolutely no closure here, nothing.was.solved. You're screwed no matter what you pick. This is not what the player wants to feel after so much time in this series. Like Tali's face, the ending background was stolen, from a Windows wallpaper. TL:DR Wait until it's in the bargain bin. Even then, you're better off imagining your own ending. Dream about it if you have to. Dream seems sum up the ending in more then one way.    … Expand
  13. JJDrakken
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    Your lured & lulled into a sense you'll finally make a difference. When you get to end you realize nothing you did matters, your herded into endings that no matter what will leave very bad taste in your mouth. They have flat out ruined emotional investment in the series you may of put into it.
  14. HateApe
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    Disappointing, derivative and convoluted. BioWare tries to make things deep and emotional but with their Bayesque approach to storytelling it just ends up utterly pretentious. You'd expect better from the supposed masters of interactive storytelling. Speaking of interacting there is barely room for it in Mass Effect 3's dialogue system. With the cinematic presentation taken too far youDisappointing, derivative and convoluted. BioWare tries to make things deep and emotional but with their Bayesque approach to storytelling it just ends up utterly pretentious. You'd expect better from the supposed masters of interactive storytelling. Speaking of interacting there is barely room for it in Mass Effect 3's dialogue system. With the cinematic presentation taken too far you will be watching Shepard go on and on without any form of player input almost as if you were really at the cinema. While the generic shoot and stop gameplay isn't necessarily bad it doesn't begin to make up for the rancid conclusion of this maudlin space opera.

    Do yourself a favor and play Deus Ex instead.    … Expand
  15. Haelium
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    From the hamfisted forced drama to the endings taken straight from Deus Ex and re-branded, Mass Effect 3 is evidence that Bioware is finished. Between The Old Republic and Dragon Age 2, Bioware have either forgotten what made their games great, or they are being forced to make bad decisions by EA.

    The animations are an embarrassment to say the least, the sprinting animation in    From the hamfisted forced drama to the endings taken straight from Deus Ex and re-branded, Mass Effect 3 is evidence that Bioware is finished. Between The Old Republic and Dragon Age 2, Bioware have either forgotten what made their games great, or they are being forced to make bad decisions by EA.

    The animations are an embarrassment to say the least, the sprinting animation in particular.
    Gameplay is a carbon copy of Mass Effect 2, but with an inferior level design.
    Choices made in Mass Effect 1 and 2 are barely noticeable, which was a major selling point for this game.    … Expand
  16. Electro-Delic
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    EA treats players like retards, while they are the biggest one, and should be taken care of. They may be thinking that they are in such comfortable and stable position that no matter what they say wont have any effect on whatever they do. Wrong! Players remember and don't forget.
  17. fosuno
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    After playing Mass effect one and two for hours on end I was heartbroken when I lost my save-files, So I decided before this came out too marathon through the first two games. However I later found out that wasn't even necessary as with the dumbed down choices and for the most part Ignoring of past decisions playing the first 2 games was not even necessary at this point. This was a hugeAfter playing Mass effect one and two for hours on end I was heartbroken when I lost my save-files, So I decided before this came out too marathon through the first two games. However I later found out that wasn't even necessary as with the dumbed down choices and for the most part Ignoring of past decisions playing the first 2 games was not even necessary at this point. This was a huge let down because ME2 showed us just how important our choices were. as for the game it self Multi-player is decently fun however sacrificing the quality of single player to add it is a extreme let down. Overall If you enjoyed the overall feel of the first two games this will feel like a let down however if you just want a bro-op game wait for it to go on sale and it should give you some hours with a friend.… Expand
  18. JaimeRaz
    Mar 10, 2012
    4
    I was so eagerly waiting for this game to come out since I finished ME2 . I was literally counting the days to get it, and play it with all my 5 different Shepards. I was counting on to experience all my different choices, coming to life with different variations and stories. I definitely thought that this game was going to have a big re-playability value, based on what Bioware sold usI was so eagerly waiting for this game to come out since I finished ME2 . I was literally counting the days to get it, and play it with all my 5 different Shepards. I was counting on to experience all my different choices, coming to life with different variations and stories. I definitely thought that this game was going to have a big re-playability value, based on what Bioware sold us that their games give the players the possibility to make those stories yours. So I couldn't wait to play this game over and over, and explore all the different ramifications that it had to offer, but after finding out how the endings were and that we weren't really capable of modifying those things it became a very frustrating experience. This was supposed to be like " The greatest game of the century" and Oh boy had I known what was coming with ME3. First off the game is too linear, the story is set upon a path from where you can't diverge, and it doesn't feel like any of my actions from the previous games mattered at all. You get some benefits that don't really make that much of a difference when it comes to the endings haunted with a fleet of plot holes and bad writing. The game had some good moments I won't deny that , but what really killed it was the fact that it's fallen so low as to what it could have been. Characters' development in this last chapter of the trilogy was bad, it felt like Bioware didn't care anymore about making a good game. The romances thing were really dull and uninspiring. Also the terrible endings were a big screw you, for all of us people who loved the series and were following every detail when it was under development. I just don't know what happened, but this game as mentioned before has been dumbed down and made into a POP game to appeal the masses of people that don't even care about it, and in the process it lost its soul. So what's left is just a carcass of what could have been " The ultimate game of the century " Today I mourn the dead of ME series, and I won't be buying any other EAware titles after this " Screw you " title. Thanks EAware.… Expand
  19. Shep260982
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    Total disappointment. Mass Effect 3 universe is dead. I spent more time in ME/ME2 reading the Codex and discovering the well-built sci-fi world. But here... This is some sort of B-rated movie, CoD from BW
  20. notyourproblem
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    EA and their Origin service have raped the good name of Bioware. Not only they pumping money with their **** websites, their customer service suck. With their so-called piracy protections, normal customers have problems playing the game they used money on. Prepare to pay up and get nothing in return when you're dealing with these guys.
  21. Biowarelol
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    This is a terrible letdown. One of the greatest dissapointments in my history with video games. Gameplay is solid, but for ruining the game with plot holes and idiotic ending, I give it a zero. Not to mention the Day 1 DLC. This is the last thing I bought coming from Bioware.
  22. paketep
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    Origin, content removed to make gamers pay even more from the game, multiplayer that affects your single player ending, absolutely **** ending. This game is the poster boy of how EA has sunk the mighty Bioware.

    Wait until you get a 90% discount if you want to finish the trilogy. Avoid like the plague otherwise.
  23. muchacho
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    A shining example of what a terrible job Bioware does when porting console games to PC. Space bar is used to do four functions, the fov is terrible making it hard to explore the game environment and the textures are a lower quality than the ones in Mass Effect 2.
  24. koodeta
    Mar 13, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was really anticipating this game from Bioware. I'm a huge Mass Effect fan but this title was WAAAY off the ball. There were some gaping holes in the plot that really needed to be fixed, graphical errors (shouldn't be too hard to fix in an update), and just the unbelievable lack of care in this. I have played all of the Mass Effect games and this one falls short, QWOP short. The game has progressively moved toward action and less RPG, which is what defines Mass Effect, and more toward Gears of War-ish style of play. True, the story was epic and completes bits of the story left over from other games; but I'm very disappointed in how the game ended. I wanted to play Paragon the whole way through but no, I have to do Renegade actions to even continue the game or I die! At the VERY end of the game I have to choose to control the Reapers, wipe out all synthetic life, or join synthetics and organics together (which just looks nasty at the end picture). These are pretty much all the same choices but enacted in different ways. And after all that Shepard has done, he dies in a giant Michael Bay cliche explosion? Bioware is better than this. It's a terrible way to end the series and I disapprove.… Expand
  25. stefanakisgr
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    Mass Effect was great . The story , the characters , the combat system . Pure brilliance . Then came Mass effect 2 , which took a step back from the rpg part , but made it up somehow with richer companion stories , great voice overs , and a story build up to the 3rd part , that while weaker than the 1st , gave a sense of continuity and a promise of great adventure to come with mass effectMass Effect was great . The story , the characters , the combat system . Pure brilliance . Then came Mass effect 2 , which took a step back from the rpg part , but made it up somehow with richer companion stories , great voice overs , and a story build up to the 3rd part , that while weaker than the 1st , gave a sense of continuity and a promise of great adventure to come with mass effect 3 . Well crap . This is the biggest disappointment in the history of gaming . Don't be fooled by the critics , I honestly think they either took money or they didn't play the game AT ALL . Its terribly linear , your choices are choices only in name , they affect nothing . Graphics glitches everywhere that break immersion constantly , the story is just stupid , and the ending ? REALLY ? The Kotor2 ending was a masterpiece compared to this . And while they are at the business of ruining a great game , how about cutting a very important piece of the story and charge extra for it from day 1 ? Yep they did that too .

    Bioware , you are dead to me ....    … Expand
  26. exliontamer
    Mar 24, 2012
    5
    Setting aside the ending (which has been covered to death), there are too many flaws in this game to give it anything higher than a 6. The journal, for example, which defaults to the middle or bottom every time you open it, rather than the latest quest you've received; the dozens of "find my long lost doohicky on some random planet" quests which amount to simply scanning a planet toSetting aside the ending (which has been covered to death), there are too many flaws in this game to give it anything higher than a 6. The journal, for example, which defaults to the middle or bottom every time you open it, rather than the latest quest you've received; the dozens of "find my long lost doohicky on some random planet" quests which amount to simply scanning a planet to resolve; and ultimately the fact that most of your efforts to save the galaxy boil down to adding 50 points to some vague number which you're trying to get as high as possible before the final battle. And this arbitrary number results in minor little changes to the cutscene you watch at the end -- and none of it really matters. It feels incredibly empty -- wow, sure glad I saved that guy back in ME1 so I could end up with a higher Military Readiness number at the end of ME3 so I could... um what exactly did it change? Oh yeah, Big Ben didn't get vaporized in the cutscene at the end! Yay! That and the fact that every decision you made didn't really matter: let the big bug queen live in ME1? Great! She's back and happy to help you! Killed her? Great! A cyborg version of her is back and happy to help you (or not... but does it really matter?).

    None of this would matter all that much if Bioware promoted ME3 as Gears of War in Space, but they piled on the hype about every one of your decisions meaning something BIG, about all your questions being answered in the end, etc.    … Expand
  27. exuwarshow
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the worst game I have ever played. Biggest let down in my gaming career. There was no happy ending, only **** If you watched BSG you know what I mean: an epic scifi tale with huge moral crises and battles and epic confrontations, ruined because some writers thought that they should get all existential at the end. I'll sum it up: there are 3 endings, all of which involve Shepard and Anderson dieing and the Mass Relay network being destroyed, resulting in organic life being sent back to the stone age. 1 is the reapers leave the galaxy forever, but an EMP destroys all electronics and the mass relays are gone, so there is basically no point in intelligent life. 2 is the reapers leave, but humans and geth are fused to make a new race of reapers for when the cycle begins again. And 3 is nuke everything, geth, reapers, humans, relays.

    There is no victory over the reapers, and a new age of galactic peace and cooperation, prosperity, etc. Only dead Shepard and dead dreams.    … Expand
  28. Cordelayne
    Mar 14, 2012
    0
    I signed up at metacritic just to write this review. It's awful that metacritic gives this game a 93 rating on some top screens, based on the reviews of 13 "critics." The spread here between a 9.3 critic score and a 3.6 user score is the largest I've ever seen. This game is the most annoying game I've ever seen.

    I'm going to this trouble because I absolutely loved Mass Effect 1 and 2,    I signed up at metacritic just to write this review. It's awful that metacritic gives this game a 93 rating on some top screens, based on the reviews of 13 "critics." The spread here between a 9.3 critic score and a 3.6 user score is the largest I've ever seen. This game is the most annoying game I've ever seen.

    I'm going to this trouble because I absolutely loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, and I was really pumped for 3. But 3 is a DISASTER!

    1. Paid $50 for store version plus $25 for game guide. I can't return it because I wrote my Origin password on the insert with the validation code. The game guide got a cracked spine the first time I opened it! Low quality all the way.

    2. I'm a sophisticated computer game player and computer programmer, with more than 25 years of experience. This darned game took me 2.5 hours to install! All kinds of problems.

    3. I was so beat down after that, I punted after about 15 minutes. I just didn't like the feel of the initial sequence.

    4. The game expects you to buy DLC content concerning a critical element of the game (the precursor aliens) right off the bat! The DLC was promoted the day the game was released! That is incredibly greedy and stupid. I never buy DLC unless I really like a game AND have finished what I bought at high price.

    5. The Origin intermediary program is insane! Having selected an option at some point during the install to have this automatically start when I reboot my computer, there is no way to turn it off.

    6. The game is almost impossible to run. After getting a successful install, off the $50 of DVDs I purchased, it takes 15 minutes or more to start the game! You can't just play the game you bought. You have to have Origin running (Electronic Arts's version of Steam) and it takes forever for it to log on and validate your password. Then, after the game loads, it doesn't start until it logs onto separate Electronic Arts servers. That can take more than 30 minutes!!!!! In my case this morning, it took about 8 minutes, but I've seen people complaining that at high-volume periods like Saturday night it can take more than 30 minutes. What in the heck is up with that??? Why do I need to be logged onto EA at all to play the game I just bought!!!???

    7. After a full install, it is impossible to run the game offline. Most civilized systems permit this. For example, I bought Skyrim in November and was able to run it for four months offline of Steam, after getting the initial patch. Origin is a very stupid program.

    8. I'm on a crappy satellite Internet location in a rural location, and the Internet connection goes down rather regularly during rough weather. But I can't play Mass Effect 3 during bad weather. That sucks. I paid $75 to buy the game and the game guide. I should be able to play it offline! (And I should be able to play it on a laptop during travel, etc.)

    9. When I tried to start the game this morning, Origin insisted I had to install a 16 GB update!!! WTF? I just bought the game with physical DVDs a few days ago. No way is such a patch required. The stupid Origin program obviously thinks I need to download the entire darned game, even though I've already got it installed! By the by, on my Hughes satellite Internet connection, if I did a download like that, it would knock me off the Internet for a couple of days.

    10. Finally, in the ever-growing list of fantastic aggravations, I learn from the manual and the initial game screens that I start out with all of my "war assets" in the "galactic war" set at 50%. That means ALL of the essential allies I am gathered are gimped to one-half. The ONLY ways that can be upgraded is to start with an end-game save from Mass Effect 2, or to play many, many hours of mulitiplayer combats.

    Well, I can't import a Mass Effect 2 save, because the computer I was using for that was destroyed by a particularly virulent virus. And I don't want to play multiplayer combat exercises, and I couldn't do it even if I wanted to, due to my current crappy and laggy satellite Internet connection.

    So, in other words, this crappy game, after collecting so much money, forces me to have such inferior troops that it may be impossible to win the game.

    ************* I'm VERY sore about this! I feel VERY ripped off and abused by a greedy and stupid company.    … Expand
  29. Kordaris
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Terrible, terrible game. Gone is the excellent space climate of the first ME1. In is the cheap shooting and shallow plot more fitting a dumbed down shooter. Once interesting villains have been turned into "Evil Robots" completely lacking any imagination from the part of creators. Unfortunately Bioware is long gone as a company capable of creating interesting new plots, characters orTerrible, terrible game. Gone is the excellent space climate of the first ME1. In is the cheap shooting and shallow plot more fitting a dumbed down shooter. Once interesting villains have been turned into "Evil Robots" completely lacking any imagination from the part of creators. Unfortunately Bioware is long gone as a company capable of creating interesting new plots, characters or adventures. Too many people with talent seem to have left, and we are left with ones who are inspired by "Twilight"(and in the case of Mass Effect 3, it also seems to be Jersey Shore). This is very sad, since the universe of ME had such a great potential, which was completely wasted.… Expand
  30. Honeybadgers
    Mar 11, 2012
    1
    I'm not one to just bomb a game for silly reasons. I can find redeeming features in almost any game to at least call it mediocre. But Mass Effect 3 is the biggest letdown in PC gaming history. ME1 was plagued with wonky, unintuitive controls and menu navigation, but painted a rich, colorful universe that just demanded exploring. And explore we did. The Mass Effect universe was second onlyI'm not one to just bomb a game for silly reasons. I can find redeeming features in almost any game to at least call it mediocre. But Mass Effect 3 is the biggest letdown in PC gaming history. ME1 was plagued with wonky, unintuitive controls and menu navigation, but painted a rich, colorful universe that just demanded exploring. And explore we did. The Mass Effect universe was second only to Dune. The storytelling and acting were deep and meaningful, and the game just FELT enormous, even if it wasn't. You had so much freedom to do things your way, that it was mind boggling.

    The sequel narrowed the scope to your ship and your companions, telling a deeper, more personal story that blended wonderfully with the broad moral strokes in the first. Sure, you had to be a completion junkie to get the perfect ending, but the characters were fascinating, their stories meaningful, and the voice acting was superb. I really cared about the people I went to battle with, so much that I happily replayed it entirely just to make sure that one crew member survived.

    And then comes three. It starts out very serious, if a bit disjointed. You have saved the galaxy twice, and you still got court-marshaled? Your estranged companion is thrust upon you and then taken away. Relevant members jump in and out at complete random, you have no control over whether or not people live or die, and the woefully limited, boring citadel (seriously? How do you make the CITADEL boring this time?) is just a place where you go to get side quests that are essentially a dull minigame that doesn't even encourage exploration. Your companions are very mismatched, with Garrus and EDI being the only really meaty characters. Joker is thrust into some disjointed, ultra-serious role, and the animations make his eyes look downright crazed. All the animations are pathetically stiff and wooden. Why not simply use the wonderfully animated SWTOR engine and simply transplant the gorgeous textures? The stories are short, the side quests are almost meaningless and always presented exactly the same way. You either fly around collecting items whose relevance is never explained, and running from reapers in the minigame, or you are on a tiny, repetitive map fighting for equally irrelevant resources. The combat is okay, but feels so sluggish and imprecise that you can feel the "controller-itis" in its DNA. So low marks there. Also, I don't know about the other classes, but the Vanguard feels downright worthless, with absolutely no synergy in its skills, whereas in the first two, it was a fast paced engine of destruction.

    The new relationships are shallow, jerky, and forced upon you so quickly and back-to-back that it's laughable.

    And then the whole story draws to a conclusion. All that work you did to unite the galaxy, seems to have no impact or weight whatsoever. The final mission is disjointed, and all it appears to change is the length of your cutscenes, because it all boils down to the ending. The choices you're presented with mirror nothing that makes sense, let alone what your goal was. No matter what type of person you chose to play in the Mass Effect series, the ending presents nothing that you have any interest in pursuing. Not to mention glaring plot holes and absurdities. The ending was so bad, it single handedly ruined the entire series for me. After learning how things turned out, I will probably never pick up a Mass Effect title again. Nothing you can do will alter the eventual outcome, either. Finally, we get to the day one DLC. I didn't knock off a point from Portal 2 for having it. That DLC was cosmetic and completely unnecessary. But the DLC that adds 1% to the game and costs 20% of its retail cost and should have OBVIOUSLY been included, is the final nail in the coffin for bioware. I don't like making broad generalizations, but after the awfulness that was I can't help but get the feeling that EA has finally destroyed what was once my favorite RPG makers. The Mass Effect universe was the most astonishingly well-conceived, lore-ridden universe in gaming history, and EA just destroyed it. The user score (and it's not like the /v/ bombing of portal 2, which I stood against) clearly shows that EA just pays for ratings, because while barely tolerable as a game itself, the second you finish it, there is no way you can seriously sit back and think "That made sense. That ending was totally logical."    … Expand
  31. Khallighanm
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    First EA decides to remove Mass Effect from Steam and make it an Origin exclusive. Them EA starts supporting SOPA. Them Bioware spits on its fans, by releasing a extremely relevant DLC on day one. It is very clear that they want to maximize their profits... but, who doesn't? Every single developer of every single company wants to "milk their fans". The problem with EA is that they do itFirst EA decides to remove Mass Effect from Steam and make it an Origin exclusive. Them EA starts supporting SOPA. Them Bioware spits on its fans, by releasing a extremely relevant DLC on day one. It is very clear that they want to maximize their profits... but, who doesn't? Every single developer of every single company wants to "milk their fans". The problem with EA is that they do it in a way that we feel exploited. I dont care about wasting 60 dollars on a good game. But buying a game for 60 bucks, on a EXTREMELY worse online platform than Steam, and feeling that my game is missing a very important part of the story unless i spend another 10 dollars, it is too much. I bought Mass Effect 1 and 2, and I`m not going to buy the 3rd game. Shame on you Bioware!… Expand
  32. RPGROB
    Mar 17, 2012
    0
    This game is a prime example of why the video game industry is dying--not by sales, but by soul. Release day DLC is an insult to consumers and this is exactly what this game has done. 60 Dollars isn't enough, they want more of your money upfront for the "full" experience, but we all know they will release DLC after DLC to try and milk as much money as possible from you. Just play MassThis game is a prime example of why the video game industry is dying--not by sales, but by soul. Release day DLC is an insult to consumers and this is exactly what this game has done. 60 Dollars isn't enough, they want more of your money upfront for the "full" experience, but we all know they will release DLC after DLC to try and milk as much money as possible from you. Just play Mass Effect 1 and leave it at that.… Expand
  33. halfcentaur
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Absolutely terrible game. This game is every fan fic writer's wet dream. Over 20 minutes of a single cutscene, then 5 minutes of gameplay, and then right back to more cutscenes. The game has zero gameplay value whatsoever. Recycled combat system, useless squad based choices, you're basically just a rambo that has to carry about 3 retards throughout the entire game. The reviews of this gameAbsolutely terrible game. This game is every fan fic writer's wet dream. Over 20 minutes of a single cutscene, then 5 minutes of gameplay, and then right back to more cutscenes. The game has zero gameplay value whatsoever. Recycled combat system, useless squad based choices, you're basically just a rambo that has to carry about 3 retards throughout the entire game. The reviews of this game from the mass media are just the perfect example of how EA buys out reviewers. The reviews are 95% fluff and buzzwords, 2% actual reviewing, and then the rest is just them trying to make up for the small criticisms they've given it. No really. I saw a review that complained about graphic glitches and problems with having to restart missions entirely for no reason, and then they go, "THE CHARACTERIZATION IS CHILLING THOUGH" as if it had anything to do with what they were saying. This game is a virtual choose your own adventure, where your choices don't actually end the story or change it in any way.… Expand
  34. TheChecker
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    So, there's a lot of problems, like Day 1 DLC of content that Bioware blatantly removed from the game to sell as DLC, trying to make us feel sorry for a kid when our Shepherd have probably encountered worse tragedies, the incredibly lazy photo of unmasked, which is pretty much just a stock photo of a woman that had twenty minutes max in photoshop, the depressingly disappointing endings,So, there's a lot of problems, like Day 1 DLC of content that Bioware blatantly removed from the game to sell as DLC, trying to make us feel sorry for a kid when our Shepherd have probably encountered worse tragedies, the incredibly lazy photo of unmasked, which is pretty much just a stock photo of a woman that had twenty minutes max in photoshop, the depressingly disappointing endings, when Bioware told us that there would be a happy ending that we would have to fight hard for, and so many more. Not to mention being exclusive to Origin, which is a massive sin in itself.

    I would have given this game just a five, as it's just that, an average game. However, since it's clear that Bioware bribed journalists and reviewers to give their game a good review, I decided to counter the inflated reviewer scores and give this game a zero.

    Criticism and feedback is one of the most important things for a game developer. Unfortunately, it seems fanboys nowadays views criticism as a direct attack at them or the developers. Fanboys. Understand that criticism is the only way for a game developer to get better. Bioware probably suffered a overblown ego from the fanboys, which results in declining quality for their games. From a fan who enjoyed Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, Mass Effect and even Dragon Age: Origins, it's just depressing to see all of this unfold. I can only hope that Bioware will return to their senses and start making quality games without Day 1 DLC. Also, DLC is a horrendous blight on the gaming industry and should never be supported ever unless it's purely cosmetic. Sincerely, The Checker.    … Expand
  35. Ansatsu83
    Mar 9, 2012
    2
    My review is based on the game as a whole. It is poorly planned, buggy, storyline left many unanswered gaps. The multiplayer is mediocre at best, the whole game is an extreme disappointment to the franchise. Bioware should have stopped focusing on that failure of a game known as "The Old Republic" and planned this one and given it their soul.

    The storyline just did not seem intriging, the    My review is based on the game as a whole. It is poorly planned, buggy, storyline left many unanswered gaps. The multiplayer is mediocre at best, the whole game is an extreme disappointment to the franchise. Bioware should have stopped focusing on that failure of a game known as "The Old Republic" and planned this one and given it their soul.

    The storyline just did not seem intriging, the multiplayer has bugs where you can lose unlocked characters and equipment that you buy, sometimes for real money. A lot of players have lost a lot and are pretty angry at bioware.

    I encountered a bug when importing a character from me1, to 2, to 3. I romanced liara in 1, but it said I romanced ashley, which is false. I have never romanced Ashley in any of my play throughs. I loaded the same me2 file into me2 and played the storyline, it was definitely Liara as well.

    On top of this the game has horrible controls. I have no idea which moron decided to put the action button the same as the roll and take cover button but all I tend to do is barrel roll all over the place or stick into cover I don't want to while I try to activate a door or revive a team mate who was in cover.

    I recently lost every bit of gear I had unlocked on multiplayer, a level 4 pistol, a quarian engineer, a salarian engineer, multiple level 3 sniper rifles and assault rifles with multiple level 2 mods, a turian character, an asari vanguard, etc. I am done with mass effect 3 and I highly recommend every gamer stay away from this.

    The only reasons I am giving this a two out of ten, the graphics are still not bad, the worlds seem well constructed despite the controls being terrible. And you get to see Tali's face for once.

    I am sorry Bioware, you have failed us a second time in a couple of months, you have lost your edge just like Bill Roper and his constant failure of game development after Diablo 2. Some advise to bioware, leave your industry...    … Expand
  36. Sharky70
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    Loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, this is a linear piece of **** I find myself watching TV in the background simply to keep myself somewhat entertained. Characters lack emotion, and don't have the same feeling in the previous games. Bioware pretends that the criticism is purely hate, when by looking at the negative reviews, this is clearly not true. Dialogue options are simplified and boring,Loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, this is a linear piece of **** I find myself watching TV in the background simply to keep myself somewhat entertained. Characters lack emotion, and don't have the same feeling in the previous games. Bioware pretends that the criticism is purely hate, when by looking at the negative reviews, this is clearly not true. Dialogue options are simplified and boring, combat is about the same, hardly any improvements, and explore-able environments have completely disappeared. This game is a giant joke. Personally, I'm pretending that Mass Effect 1 and 2 are true to the series, and 3 never happened. This is what the Crystal Skull movie did to the Indiana Jones series, it raped it.… Expand
  37. RanleyStoo
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    Mass Effect 3 is yet the latest disappointment from BioWare. Gone are the days of a solid RPG setting taking the foreground and a plausible story in the background. With the addition of Autodialogue you are now forced to witness a story first and a game second. Calling this an RPG is an insult to real RPG's like Planescape, Fallout, Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights. The first MassMass Effect 3 is yet the latest disappointment from BioWare. Gone are the days of a solid RPG setting taking the foreground and a plausible story in the background. With the addition of Autodialogue you are now forced to witness a story first and a game second. Calling this an RPG is an insult to real RPG's like Planescape, Fallout, Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights. The first Mass Effect game was truly great, it had the classic RPG elements and focus while still telling a good story. The second game began to discard RPG elements for a more Gears of War style shooting game. By the time the third arrived all hope was lost, the "decisions" you make can be skipped over in auto-dailogue mode, the reprecussions of the decisions have little to no impact upon the endings except at the very end. ME3 will be heralded by many as some truly great game in a series of great games. Perhaps, and for that it earns at least 3 points from me. However, to see it called an RPG and created by the same people who were responsible for great ones such as NWN BG2 and DAO it's a massive step backwards and thus lost 7 points.

    But you know what? You'll just ignore all of this and claim I'm being a homophobe instead.    … Expand
  38. Mindflow
    Mar 12, 2012
    5
    I really love all the games (ME1+2+3) and spend lots of time for perfect savegames, but the ending of ME3 is the worst ending i ever saw in a computer game! It ruins the story of the whole trilogy! I was planning to get myself a N7 tattoo (not only because i like ME, but also because i'm playing computer games since 1990) ... but the ending of part 3 destroyed that idea... what have youI really love all the games (ME1+2+3) and spend lots of time for perfect savegames, but the ending of ME3 is the worst ending i ever saw in a computer game! It ruins the story of the whole trilogy! I was planning to get myself a N7 tattoo (not only because i like ME, but also because i'm playing computer games since 1990) ... but the ending of part 3 destroyed that idea... what have you done, bioware?… Expand
  39. sympathy4saren2
    Mar 16, 2012
    0
    This game is a slap in the face to Mass Effect fans and rpg gamers alike. This game is so bad not only does it make for a horrible game, it completely derails the entire franchise with its massive failure during the climax and massive plot craters with extremely weak writing. The intense talent of Drew Karpyshyn and the masterful writing he penned in gone and now dudebro one liners andThis game is a slap in the face to Mass Effect fans and rpg gamers alike. This game is so bad not only does it make for a horrible game, it completely derails the entire franchise with its massive failure during the climax and massive plot craters with extremely weak writing. The intense talent of Drew Karpyshyn and the masterful writing he penned in gone and now dudebro one liners and weak dialogue and plot abound. Choices mean nothing, the loot system is weak and insulting, there is no inventory....this game is a complete mess. Do not buy, avoid this game at all costs… Expand
  40. Aiden_Cora
    Mar 10, 2012
    3
    I can't believe I'm actually going to say this but... the game is rather bad. Or rather, the endings (all of them) spoil the entire game and story experience. After ME 2 (which I rather liked) I did not expect an increase in RPG elements, nor the return of a proper inventory system. I was prepared for more of ME 2 play style and in that regard the game delivered what it promised. The storyI can't believe I'm actually going to say this but... the game is rather bad. Or rather, the endings (all of them) spoil the entire game and story experience. After ME 2 (which I rather liked) I did not expect an increase in RPG elements, nor the return of a proper inventory system. I was prepared for more of ME 2 play style and in that regard the game delivered what it promised. The story is decent (as far as I'm concerned) and the side quests make more sense than in ME 1, but the ending... OH MY GOD!! I am a grown man, I realize that this is just a game but still, the disappointment is really very very high. Totally uninspired, plot holes all over the place plus the whole Catalyst idea pulled right out of someones a*ss! Unbelievable, and totally unacceptable. Shame on you!… Expand
  41. Zpiff
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    I absolutely loved the game, felt emotionally attached to all my characters and couldn't wait to see how my favorite gaming series of the last decade would be concluded... Now I wish I had stopped ten minutes before I did.

    The ending has completely ruined the experience for me, not only for ME3, but also the first two games. It's impossibly difficult to invest in a game you know will    I absolutely loved the game, felt emotionally attached to all my characters and couldn't wait to see how my favorite gaming series of the last decade would be concluded... Now I wish I had stopped ten minutes before I did.

    The ending has completely ruined the experience for me, not only for ME3, but also the first two games. It's impossibly difficult to invest in a game you know will leave you an empty and broken husk at the end.

    As someone so bluntly put it in a forum post: It's like eating a magnificent three-course dinner, only to be served fecal matter for dessert, forcing your body to expunge it all at a lethal velocity. No matter how good the rest of the meal tasted, you'll leave on an empty stomach and with a terrible taste in your mouth. I wish this wasn't true. I really do.    … Expand
  42. Holo_Benkai
    Mar 13, 2012
    1
    False advertising, lies and an ending that ruined the entire franchise. Nice work! I only gave it a 1 as the game up to the ending was fun - for a 3rd person shooter. If I had never played ME before and chose "action" mode over RPG and did not give care about the characters, I would have scored it an 8+ but as it stands, it's a travesty and a slap in the face.
  43. LLB
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After buying Mass Effect 1 recently with the full intention of going through the full Mass Effect trilogy, I really got captivated and engaged by the series' gripping plot, well-written characters and fluent, pseudo-realistic story. The controls on the PC were brilliantly tailor-made (this goes for both 1 and 2) and I really enjoyed my time with them.

    Then this comes along.

    After the disappointments of Dragon Age 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic, I got some worrying thoughts about this game from the start, and this was admittedly down to the completely negative effect EA have had on Bioware. This is to an extent that EA's CoD-centred demographic has affected Bioware to an extent that Baldur's Gate 2 is 10x more in depth than this game.

    Baldur's Gate 2 was released 12 years ago.

    That's unacceptable.

    Horrendous controls, frankly stupid mechanics and omissions courtesy of Bioware, catastrophic textures which are clearly ported over from the Xbox, sub-par voice acting, torrid animations (Anderson's running animation is a particular highlight), almost complete lack of RPG elements which aren't backed up by the porrly orchestrated action sequences and an absolutely APPALLING storyline and script.

    Here's a particular example.

    My particular hand crafted Shepard character is a hardened war-hero. He's seen some **** to put it informally, he's seen countless squadmates...

    But ONE death. Of a child (of which there already would've been many during this Reaper fight) who has no relation to him. THIS, forms the stimulus for the plot. It's unbelievable storytelling from Bioware, in that they would obviously try to be edgy whilst forgetting that their plot in the previous games was already gritty and edgy- in a good way.

    Overall this has left me incredibly disappointed at what could have been, and also that the Bioware of old is gone. This is the future of their development, but they are guaranteed perfect scores from most media outlets because they're Bioware. They're famous. Regardless of quality they are who they are and apparently that makes them more worthy of other masterpieces which are much more worthy of people's time- The Witcher 2 is a perfect example of a beautifully crafted RPG.

    This doesn't come close. Absolutely appalling game.    … Expand
  44. MassEffectFShep
    Mar 8, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had to wait a few hours after finishing the game before writing a review because I wanted to take some time to look back on ME1/ME2 and be as fair and objective as possible when collecting my thoughts on ME3. This game is amazing in several ways: (1) dialogue between familiar (and to some extent unfamiliar) characters feels more real and natural, (2) combat is a lot more interesting and, in some scenes, more challenging than both ME1 and ME2, (3) the cinematic scenes depicting various key events in the story are visually engaging and easy to connect with emotionally, (4) the romance interactions between Shepard and his/her LI is a vast improvement from both ME1 and ME2, and (5) the overall visual element of the game (the Citadel, the new worlds that you visit--Rannoch and Thessia for example, and the characters themselves) made it really easy to immerse yourself in the game. Having been a huge fan of ME1 and ME2, I was happy to see that Bioware came through in these areas. I had moments where I laughed, moments where I felt giddy, and plenty of moments where I cried (e.g., Thane's death). That being said, I was incredibly surprised at how much the ending affected me. Up until the very last moments in the game (I would say up until the part where the destroyer reaper vaporizes people around you while you painfully drag yourself toward the beam), I would have given the game a 10/10 hands down. I would have bowed down to Bioware for telling the greatest story ever told. And then there was the ending: (1) The number of plot holes left is an insult to the bajillion hours that I invested in the first two games, (2) the Deus Ex-style ending completely chaffed my soul, and (3) I received next to NO closure on all of the relationships that I've been building up until the point. What happened to the people on the citadel (e.g., Bailey, the council, etc.) What happens to my team? What happens to the two squadmates that I took with me in the final battle scene? What happens to the races that I just spent hours trying to unite in hopes of a more relevant and fitting ending? I loved the Deus Ex ending in Deus Ex because it fit with what the story was about up until the end; Mass Effect was more than just a morally ambiguous thought exercise on organic vs. synthetic existence--it's SO much more than that--so why condense it all to that? I don't need Shepard to live in the end (and I certainly don't need a happily-ever-after ending where nobody dies and everyone is all smiles at the end of the reaper invasion), but I sure as hell was under the impression that I'd have the choice. I put so much thought into paragon vs. renegade, which is arguably the main driving force in the plot up until the very last scene, and it seems like no matter what you do you are boxed into an ending that's uncomfortable, unclear, and unnervingly disappointing. I was amazed at how emotionally connected I felt to the Mass Effect series, and spent what felt like an eternity looking forward to the final part of the trilogy. In terms of ME3, I felt completely satisfied with the exception of the ending, which seemed totally out of place and unnecessarily broke my enthusiasm and passion for the game. Do I hate the entire series now because of the way it ends? No. Will I deny that all 3 games are amazing in multiple ways and have allowed me to be a part of an epic story? No. Can I jump on the 10/10 bandwagon for ME3? Absolutely not, because the ending of such a huge story is critical, and in my opinion it was an epic fail in this game. If I could go back in time, I would probably have not played the game past Shepard's last speech to his/her team--at least at that point you were excited/terrified/scared, but you also had the hope that other characters instilled in you, and the hope that you spent so much time instilling into other characters. So in the end, I can't give this game a positive review, although it kills me to know that it would have been such an easy thing to do if the ending had (a) more variation and more of an actual decision-making component to it (such that all endings aren't essentially the same--I know there is room for argument here, but I maintain that it can all boil down the same basic ending), (b) incorporated more of the choices that you have been making for the past three games, (c) more relevance to the personal side of Shepard (e.g., how Shepard has evolved over time and who Shepard has become), and (d) more closure on all of the characters, relationships, and decisions that you just spent three games experiencing. You almost did it, Bioware. So close and yet so far.… Expand
  45. Lord_Dorkon
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    What happened to Mass Effect? This was supposed to be the thrilling conclusion to a wonderful space epic. Instead we are given a game which feels like it was written by two different groups. The first 90% of the game (story wise) is compelling and exciting. However the ending and the last hour or so leading up to feel like they were written by someone with no understanding of how to trulyWhat happened to Mass Effect? This was supposed to be the thrilling conclusion to a wonderful space epic. Instead we are given a game which feels like it was written by two different groups. The first 90% of the game (story wise) is compelling and exciting. However the ending and the last hour or so leading up to feel like they were written by someone with no understanding of how to truly write at all. Plot holes opening up all around you and with the endings ripped off from Deus Ex makes me wonder what exactly Bioware/EA were thinking when the final script was approved. The endings completely go against the spirit of the series and more than that they are all essentially the same my making every other choice up to that point completely null. I find it even more offensive that almost all of the RPG elements have become so watered down as to be unrecognisable. The conversation wheel which longtime fans of the series such as myself have come to know and love rarely shows up now. And even when it does all it offers is two ways to say the same thing. Even worse, your choices in the previous two make no really substantial difference in this entry either. Even the illusion of choice is gone. You almost don't get to converse with your crew at all. Instead your interaction is mostly limited to selecting them like you do with Zaeed Massani in ME2 and they talk a little bit while you just stand there. This becomes a big problem because ME3 throws in with no real introduction or background characters who are completely new or have only been featured in the Expanded Universe. I like the voice acting and appreciate that the world feels more alive now with background characters talking to one another when you walk by, that is when the sound doesn't drop out. It's unfortunate that the coders haven't learned anything, all the cut scene glitches are back in full force. Including the one where everyone uses the same assault rifle during the cut scene, regardless of whether or not they can even use one. It's nice to see all characters from the first two one last time, a little family reunion if you will. It's a shame that almost none of them will be joining your squad again. I do like the direction ground combat has taken though the removal of heavy weapons is another negative in my book. The day one DLC feels more like game content that was cut out rather than an actual add on. And having this nearly story essential DLC on day one is just plain greedy.

    Mostly though I just can't get around the endings. It feels like a punch in the gut to those of us who were big fans of the first two. It's so out of left field that I almost expect M. Night Shyamalan to be responsible for this travesty. It's almost like ending The Lord of the Rings with Frodo riding a nuke into Barad-dûr with a cowboy hat on. I almost wish it would have been a Dallas-"It was all a dream" ending.    … Expand
  46. TekFox
    Mar 9, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was great. I started out smiling, excited to get back into the universe of Mass Effect and the armored shoes of Commander Shepard. I continued smiling and grinning the whole game, everything was well written and made more or less sense, sure there were some McGuffins in the writing, but whatever, it's hard to write everything perfectly . Then the ending rolled around, we get a some sort of Deus Ex Machina, Shepard looses all of his character. The worst is that none of your choices matter, doesn't matter whether you went full-on renegade or paragon, whether you made sure every side quest was complete, whether you did everything right or everything wrong throughout the rest of the game and the other games, you get the same option of three endings that everyone else got. Congrats Bioware, you used to be my favorite game developer (You've held that spot since VALVe fell from grace). Guess I'll look for shelter in the arms of Bethesda now.… Expand
  47. gregathit
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    I admit to being a bioware fanboy for darn ever......until now. I was willing to over look plot holes and other issues as every game has them. But to be railroaded into the worst end of a video game I have ever heard of....inexcusable!!! This whole series has been about rallying the galaxy to fight the reapers. It has been about choices. Then at the end...none of it matters. ChooseI admit to being a bioware fanboy for darn ever......until now. I was willing to over look plot holes and other issues as every game has them. But to be railroaded into the worst end of a video game I have ever heard of....inexcusable!!! This whole series has been about rallying the galaxy to fight the reapers. It has been about choices. Then at the end...none of it matters. Choose your color of pretty lights red, blue or green and by the way...everything is destroyed. Where is the button to press to kill the reapers without killing the Geth, EDI and yourself? Hell, the whole thing has space magic happening all over the place so why don't we have this option too? Why can't I have my CAKE!!!! :)

    The only way we who have already spent our money have to vent is by down rating this game. Besides, with the endings that are currently in place no impartial reviewer would rate this game any higher than an 80. I would gladly rate this game a 10/10 if the endings didn't suck so hard. I have lost count of how many times I have played ME1 and ME2. With the ending of ME3 I can't work up the desire to make another play through. I don't even want to play the first 2 games as I know that it is just a waste of time in the end.

    Bioware...fix this train wreck! I beg you, fix it now or say goodbye to many future customers.    … Expand
  48. Valc
    Mar 9, 2012
    3
    The ending. Oh god. THE ENDING.

    Why Bioware, WHY!?!?

    I loved this game, seeing all my old comrades, everything leading up to the deciding moment where I'd save Earth and ultimately the galaxy. Then Bioware took a dump on my monitor.
  49. sanora
    Mar 10, 2012
    0
    Do you want to play one of the most engaging stories of this era? Do you want to become emotionally invested in your characters?

    Do you want that all to amount to a Dixie cup filled with cold diarrhea because of the final 10 minutes of the series? Mass Effect 3, and by extension Mass Effect 1 and 2, are some of the most engaging pieces of fiction I've ever had the absolute joy in    Do you want to play one of the most engaging stories of this era? Do you want to become emotionally invested in your characters?

    Do you want that all to amount to a Dixie cup filled with cold diarrhea because of the final 10 minutes of the series?

    Mass Effect 3, and by extension Mass Effect 1 and 2, are some of the most engaging pieces of fiction I've ever had the absolute joy in partaking in. However the final ending, and I say it singular because essentially there is only one, is so bitterly disgusting and so insulting that it has ruined this player's experience entirely. Any subsequent play throughs will be halted before the final 10 minutes take place. It really is that insulting.    … Expand
  50. jimbo32
    Mar 15, 2012
    1
    The train-wreck of an ending combined with the single-player storyline results depending (somewhat) on multiplayer participation make this - easily imo - the worst BioWare game I have ever played. I've been playing BioWare games on my PC for nearly 15 years, and have never been so disappointed. Combined with the Day One $10 DLC and the company's accompanying lies, I'll be thinking hardThe train-wreck of an ending combined with the single-player storyline results depending (somewhat) on multiplayer participation make this - easily imo - the worst BioWare game I have ever played. I've been playing BioWare games on my PC for nearly 15 years, and have never been so disappointed. Combined with the Day One $10 DLC and the company's accompanying lies, I'll be thinking hard before ever buying another one of their games. (For those not aware, BioWare stated that the "From Ashes" DLC was developed after the game was finished and in QA. Players poking around in the data files on the game disks have since found a bunch of the DLC-related models and voice-overs.)

    Edit:
    With all the speculation regarding the endings pretty much done due to BioWare's recent statements, I'm revising my review downward. This is the ending the company wanted, and this is the ending we need to accept. So ME3 now gets a 1/10 from me. If they do something about it at some point, I may revisit the score. But as of now, I'll never be buying another EA title again.    … Expand
  51. lucian01
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    What a crap game! Bioware has done it again! Crap characters, crap story and crap setting. I don't understand all the positive reaction from users. They can't be playing the same game as I am. Either that or they are running a smear campaign against the public because they think we're homophobes. If that is the case - GET A LIFE!
  52. Rubenh
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    Painful. I loved the Mass Effect saga, but this installment utterly ruins it. It's an insult to gamers worldwide. Bioware approaches the story telling as if they are attempting to make a brain damaged turtle comprehend. Consequently, it is HIGHLY flawed, simplistic and lacking. An awful result. Addtionally, they have taken a break from anything that made the previous installmentsPainful. I loved the Mass Effect saga, but this installment utterly ruins it. It's an insult to gamers worldwide. Bioware approaches the story telling as if they are attempting to make a brain damaged turtle comprehend. Consequently, it is HIGHLY flawed, simplistic and lacking. An awful result. Addtionally, they have taken a break from anything that made the previous installments interesting and unique(choice-based storytelling; intriguing plot turns; emotional commitment) and replaced it with blatantly ostentatious cinematics that would only impress the aforementioned ''turtle-minded''. It's not just a shame, it's an insult. Bioware has gravely insulted and disappointed me by ruining what used to be such a great story. Don't go look for it and don't buy it. The only thing this game has to offer is a lesson in how blatant greed can ruin absolutely anything.… Expand
  53. Sigvatr
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    Synopsis review: Mass Effect 3 sure looks great (Models look nice, both characters and levels, and no visible textures problems on the main characters/levels.), yet it has many deep flaws that cannot be forgiven, these flaws are: The ending was horrible, a lot of issues story wise, very weak animations, the level design is mediocre (I said it looked nice, but design of a level does notSynopsis review: Mass Effect 3 sure looks great (Models look nice, both characters and levels, and no visible textures problems on the main characters/levels.), yet it has many deep flaws that cannot be forgiven, these flaws are: The ending was horrible, a lot of issues story wise, very weak animations, the level design is mediocre (I said it looked nice, but design of a level does not equal the quality of the models/textures/UVs.) and to round this list off; There are some issues cornering the gameplay. While being a resident of the Netherlands, I was obliged to actual download this new, and fresh game from Bioware: Through the Piratebay. (Your jimmy can remain unrustled, it is legal here to do so.) Yes, really the Dutch law allows for downloading of everything. Look into our Wetboek van Strafrecht if you don not believe it, Biodrones. Warning: Spoilers. Anyway, time for the main review: After the start-up the menu looked clean and normal, and even for a console-port it had many options within the options menu. I could actually change AA-options, any many other things to! (Poly amount of the characters and levels, resolution of the textures, etc.) I applaud the people who designed the menu, I consider this menu one of the better things of the game. And after playing the game itself I noticed that the animations are very weak, the NPC's walk and run like any random Bethesda character. (For the scrubs, this means that when a NPC decides to run his upper body doesn't show any sign of the running that is going on, it's horrible.) The level design is also pretty bad, while not as bad as the animations, it's still weak. The potential of the nice models/textures isn't fully used in the design of many levels. This might be because of the CoD approach, yet it feels more like a corridor shooter then a game where a full blown assault is launched against the ENTIRE universe. (The last levels really show this off.) For instance take the level where you join up with the Turians: There is a very tiny space where you can walk and find/talk with NPC's. One reaper walking somewhere near the base, and a small vista here and there. It should be: A big and well designed fighter base. This is not the case. That's a bit sucky, Bioware, sucky indeed. Story and gameplay then: The two most important thing in games ever. Story wise everything comes to an end. This is ok, yet it feels cheap: Tali jumping of a cliff, Miranda dying, that doctor alien dying, these NPC's survived almost two games, and now they all die by jumping off a cliff. Blergh. Also some other NPCs are poorly written, from characters that are really stereotypical gay (In a game that takes itself very serious this feels strange and awkward, it's just as bad a stereotypical straight character.) and two NPCs that keep making talking gestures yet they do not speak. And I found this couple of mime players throughout the game, perfect for movies, weak for games. Toke me out of the immersion. My final note is on the very low rating, while Bioware/EA deserves this. ME 3 would get a 5 maybe a 6 out of 10. Yet this very low grade it due to a few events, first off all: Dear Bioware, hiring people who do not like to play video games will get you a 3.2 for your 20+ $ million game. For sure. And going after the CoD audience is even worse, the average gamer is 32 years old, Caucasian, semi-Atheist/christian, that raises the question: Was this game created for the average gamer? In my opinion: Nope. Leave this game be, and if you see it in the shop, place another game in front off it so people don't throw away their money. Sigvatr out.


    Edit: After playing the game some more I have seen a lot of sprites. Lowering the score to a zero because of that. Sprites in a 3D game? Almost in front of the player, Bioware please! Shameful Display!    … Expand
  54. Vatolicious
    Mar 16, 2012
    1
    This was a miserable ending to a great trilogy. Simplified to the most basic possible level, one would imagine they would have time to make a good ending. There are no RPG elements in this game, its miserable. There is no exploring planets, the citidel is very small and not open. ME2 made the game more basic, but ME3 took it down to a stupid level. This is NOT what we expected/wanted fromThis was a miserable ending to a great trilogy. Simplified to the most basic possible level, one would imagine they would have time to make a good ending. There are no RPG elements in this game, its miserable. There is no exploring planets, the citidel is very small and not open. ME2 made the game more basic, but ME3 took it down to a stupid level. This is NOT what we expected/wanted from bioware. And the ending is not at all based on anything you did in any game what so ever. I repeat not at all based on your choices. Several things in the game happen in cutscense. Meaning that you dont have full control over the choices shepard makes. Not that it matters. Avoid. A miserable ending to a great series.… Expand
  55. ryn
    May 15, 2012
    4
    There are many areas where ME3 has improved upon it's predecessors. Unfortunately, the price for all of these improvements was too high. Let me start by saying that the ME universe has never felt so small. The Citadel is the only hub "world"Â
  56. Scritty
    Mar 17, 2012
    0
    Every iteration of Mass Effect BIoware seem to actively looking to "simplfy gameplay". From the herady heights of Baldurs Gate 14 years ago - to this generic simpletons game "Gears of War Lite". In another 20 years Bioware will be releasing a stunning graphical representation of Pong - and still having the nerve to call it an RPG. There is so little to Mass Effect 3 - gameplay wise I wouldEvery iteration of Mass Effect BIoware seem to actively looking to "simplfy gameplay". From the herady heights of Baldurs Gate 14 years ago - to this generic simpletons game "Gears of War Lite". In another 20 years Bioware will be releasing a stunning graphical representation of Pong - and still having the nerve to call it an RPG. There is so little to Mass Effect 3 - gameplay wise I would rather spend my time on one of those free Java game sites. Rubbish - and made all the worse by the fact it bears the name of the once mighty Bioware - Along with the generic and shallow "Star Wars t OR" this game goes straight to the back of my games cupboard, to be tossed out when the day comes that I don't wince at the waste of £35… Expand
  57. wijse
    Mar 6, 2012
    4
    Mass Effect 1 is the best PC port in the trilogy. more customizable keyboard bindings , walking stance on/off, you can holster your gun, better writing, better fov. This game is lacks all of these, they don't even care about PC players anymore. I can not fathom why they do not want to take advantage of the power of the PC and release high resolution textures, like they did with DA II. TheMass Effect 1 is the best PC port in the trilogy. more customizable keyboard bindings , walking stance on/off, you can holster your gun, better writing, better fov. This game is lacks all of these, they don't even care about PC players anymore. I can not fathom why they do not want to take advantage of the power of the PC and release high resolution textures, like they did with DA II. The game also has fewer dialogue options and more auto dialogue, they really really want the Gears of War derpy console market.… Expand
  58. DosFerret
    Mar 10, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With stunning cinematic displays, horribly dumbed down gameplay and the ability for gay luvinz, you might think this title a shoe in for GotY. Unfortunately the story feels like your on rails with only 1 or 2 side missions popping up between main story plot points. If your bringing in a past love interest from ME1 or 2 I hope it's Kaiden, Ashley or Liara, Tali'Zora STAYS masked for all intents and purposes (search it and you'll find the photo is a stock model pic w/ lines drawn on it), Miranda's is ok, the rest are basically in there for bioware to say we did it without putting thought there. Most all of this I could forgive IF they had put ANY thought behind the ending. Controls are pretty smooth but due to almost every action being mapped to the spacebar you will find yourself rolling and taking cover alot instead of picking up that gun mod or looking at a datapad. they completely removed all minigames replacing it with cover your squad mate mechanics.

    Voice acting is still good with few exceptions (femshep is the better actor again) Character models have changed for some, and not for others. Ashley looks like Miranda, Jacob got 10 yrs younger, Zaeed got a personal trainer and a ton of ink, and then there are 2 new people from the Jersey Shore aboard your ship, Tali also looks like Miranda in the picture she gives you.

    Story premise was good until Shep crawled away from Anderson, when that happens turn off the game and just use your imagination to end it how you like. OR So you got the whole universe to work together, collected all the resources, followed paragon/renegade choices like a religion? you can look forward to the Exact same story ending as someone who rushed through the story and got squat (1 ending with 3 color differences) BTW Shep dies and your crew is stranded on a tropic island.

    Character development - I shouldn't have to even go here due to the other games were building the characters we know and love, but alas they screwed this up too in ways I won't get into. in short Bioware and EA rushed this didn't get a full game out (Day 1 Paid DLC) made an action game that a 4 yo can play and a rpg story that makes no sense with an ending sure to piss off anyone who plays it.    … Expand
  59. Kyrgsh
    Jul 17, 2012
    4
    Possibly the most disappointing release I've ever played. I will, in all honesty, never forgive the developer for taking narrative control away from a character I'd spent _years_ with and forcing her to engage in the least satisfying ending- and least in-character actions- imaginable. I haven't even logged into multiplayer in months. Regardless of how many new "cool" weapons andPossibly the most disappointing release I've ever played. I will, in all honesty, never forgive the developer for taking narrative control away from a character I'd spent _years_ with and forcing her to engage in the least satisfying ending- and least in-character actions- imaginable. I haven't even logged into multiplayer in months. Regardless of how many new "cool" weapons and commendation packs they throw at me, the game is dead to me. I paid for it and have no interest in ever going back. And all those "critics" who gave the game a 10/10...I doubt I'll be trusting your opinions from here on out.… Expand
  60. valero
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Played it for an hour. It's completely unfun. The levels are EXTREMELY linear. There's no sense of discovery or anything, just a generated static level with a few objects thrown in, and a straight line to follow. If I were 8 again, I would still be getting bored by how uninteresting the levels and objectives are.

    The main quest is just a compilation of side quests where you meet    Played it for an hour. It's completely unfun. The levels are EXTREMELY linear. There's no sense of discovery or anything, just a generated static level with a few objects thrown in, and a straight line to follow. If I were 8 again, I would still be getting bored by how uninteresting the levels and objectives are.

    The main quest is just a compilation of side quests where you meet characters from Mass Effect 2. You might ask "how can you know if you only played for an hour?" It's easy to tell since it's the exact formula from Mass Effect 2 (which I actually played through, somehow). You do a billion "data retrieval" quests where you just infiltrate some building that has data in it, kill a billion enemies that you couldn't possibly die to even with the highest difficulty on, and then go back to your ship and make some sort of progression.

    It's disgusting that you can actually just rush a game and expect to make money. I'm sure they'll sell 80 billion copies somehow, even though it's really nothing more than a 65$ expansion pack.

    I give it a 0/10 because I'm actually annoyed even though I played it at a friend's house, and didn't pay for it. I haven't been this disappointed for a game since Dragon Age 2 (ANOTHER BIOWARE TITLE!, WHAT A SURPRISE?!).    … Expand
  61. MusAddict
    Mar 7, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm rating this a steady 4. Aesthetics are amazing compared to the first 2 games, but that's pretty much where the pros end. Paragon/Renegade are useless now (they are joined together into "Reputation"), the spacebar for everything got me killed a few times, diplomacy between the Geth and Quarians is not possible, etc. I could handle misc team members from ME2 dying if you didn't help them in time, I could handle that you only have 6 squad members, but the thing that turned me off to the whole series is the lack of effort given in the final ultimatum... Such terrible, non-redeeming options. It makes me not want to replay the series because I know the end is not worth it.… Expand
  62. HotdogAssistant
    Mar 6, 2012
    3
    What can I say? This is a HUGE letdown.

    It's one step forward and three steps back for Bioware. The Production values, graphics and coverbased shooting is bigger and better the ever. But at the cost of EVERYTHING else. Mack Walters Human-centric story telling is even more pronounced then in ME2. Cheap Melodrama is everywhere. Choices from previous games are just explained away in a    What can I say? This is a HUGE letdown.

    It's one step forward and three steps back for Bioware.

    The Production values, graphics and coverbased shooting is bigger and better the ever.
    But at the cost of EVERYTHING else.

    Mack Walters Human-centric story telling is even more pronounced then in ME2.
    Cheap Melodrama is everywhere.
    Choices from previous games are just explained away in a sentence to get things the same for everyone.
    You need to have played ALL the DLC from ME2, as well needing the novels to "get" this game due to all the changes and ret-cons.
    By the end of the game, I was sick of seeing that kid that died at the beginning. Why does this traumatize Shepard when the death of his lover, his family, his friends and even himself have NO effect on him? Gotta get those Cawwadooty kiddies right?

    The endings are a **** cop out, that serve no purpose but to set up the MMO. The vision was compromised and the narrative is now clearly driven by EA suits, and hack writers trying to push their agendas in the subtext.

    I'm just....sad that it came to this. The talent has left Bioware it seems.    … Expand
  63. alban
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    Well. Mass effect started great. We all know how good the first mass effect was and how much fun we all had playing it. Mass effect 2 went down hill big time but it was still playable, still fun. Not nearly as good as the first game but we let it go since we were just happy to have a sequel of the game we love. Mass effect 3. Well. I'm not sure what to say about this game. How? how couldWell. Mass effect started great. We all know how good the first mass effect was and how much fun we all had playing it. Mass effect 2 went down hill big time but it was still playable, still fun. Not nearly as good as the first game but we let it go since we were just happy to have a sequel of the game we love. Mass effect 3. Well. I'm not sure what to say about this game. How? how could they mess this series up this much? Where did they go wrong and why? I could list the reasons but I won't since I only have 5000 characters to write this review. So I will make it short and sweet. Bioware stopped loving their games. That's all. They have become less interested in making games that are actually good and more interested in selling games to the mindless masses so that they can make more money. Simple really. Look at their latest games and tell me i'm wrong.… Expand
  64. MassEffete
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    I registered just to warn people away from this game.

    The dialogue is on auto-pilot, the new characters are terrible, and your old decisions don't matter. There are plot holes so huge in places it feels like Bioware never PLAYED the first two games. It's painfully obvious that the development time spent on a (terrible) multi-player mode that no one wanted, in addition to the story/action    I registered just to warn people away from this game.

    The dialogue is on auto-pilot, the new characters are terrible, and your old decisions don't matter. There are plot holes so huge in places it feels like Bioware never PLAYED the first two games. It's painfully obvious that the development time spent on a (terrible) multi-player mode that no one wanted, in addition to the story/action mode options, really hurt the game in other areas.

    ME 1&2 did something really, really well. ME3 tried to do that and like six other things, and given another few years might have been able to. As it stands, though, it failed at all of them.    … Expand
  65. Hebelecan
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    I LOVED ME 1's story. The second one was pretty great too. But this game; where you are forced to have gay sex in order to be ''good'', where your actions barely influence the outcome. Plot holes are everywhere. RPG elements dumbed down so much it just looks like a damn third person shooter. Not to mention the Day 1 DLC that was CUT OUT from the game. I can't even fathom why some peopleI LOVED ME 1's story. The second one was pretty great too. But this game; where you are forced to have gay sex in order to be ''good'', where your actions barely influence the outcome. Plot holes are everywhere. RPG elements dumbed down so much it just looks like a damn third person shooter. Not to mention the Day 1 DLC that was CUT OUT from the game. I can't even fathom why some people actually accept this, you basically produce content that you can release WITH the game (and it's a LIVE PROTHEAN, jeez) but you choose to SELL it as DLC. This is flat out unacceptable. Instead of the usual **** EA spews out every year maybe you guys should try to make a good, full game that I can purchase, and actually feel good about it. I'm gonna sell this game, make the guy I sold it to sell it too just so you guys lose an extra sale.… Expand
  66. saroDimz
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Hundreds of day 1 DLC's, explosions like a Michael Bay movie, bad story, bad ending, mediocre gameplay. Do NOT buy. This game was marketed only for the COD fanboys and is just a sad attempt at cashing in. Shame on you Bioware.
  67. perfect
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    I registered to metacritic just to rate this piece of trash. Bioware is officially dead and buried to me and I am not buying anything from that company ever again. Signs of Bioware going down the drain were there but I refused to believe it, wanted to give them a chance after massive failure that was DA2. People can't even inform themselves about the game, is it any good or what becauseI registered to metacritic just to rate this piece of trash. Bioware is officially dead and buried to me and I am not buying anything from that company ever again. Signs of Bioware going down the drain were there but I refused to believe it, wanted to give them a chance after massive failure that was DA2. People can't even inform themselves about the game, is it any good or what because the internet is full of paid off reviews. In short, the game story is terrible and full of holes. Animations are ridiculous and dialogues are dumber than in DA2, complete travesty compared to ME1.… Expand
  68. CMASC
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    If you're a fan of the Mass Effect series, you'll be disappointed by this third installment and I'll just note the things cons straight away:

    -Having the multiplayer or co-op tied to the outcome of your single player campaign ending (DRM) therefore forcing you to play multiplayer just to get the best single player endings. -Absolute rubbish ending for the series, and there's no after    If you're a fan of the Mass Effect series, you'll be disappointed by this third installment and I'll just note the things cons straight away:

    -Having the multiplayer or co-op tied to the outcome of your single player campaign ending (DRM) therefore forcing you to play multiplayer just to get the best single player endings.
    -Absolute rubbish ending for the series, and there's no after story narrative either.
    -Having to pay extra money just to get a DLC that should have been free in the game at the first place since it has essential information and part of the plot for the game.

    Those are just few of the many other things that makes this a total disappointment for me and about everyone else, I just feel cheated and betrayed by Bioware and EA, want my money back.    … Expand
  69. vaultboy26
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    I've register there to say: I'm finished ME1 and 2 several times and I still a big fan of them but this game is really sucks. Ending messed up everything. I just finished a game and I'm in shock... For me - this game equals to Dragon Age 2. both of them - **** Bioware, what's happening to you!?
  70. Cifie
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    This was my favorite game ever, until I got to the end. The end ruined the whole series for me and made it so I could never play any of the games again.
  71. Mikimax
    Mar 14, 2012
    2
    Bioware continues to dumb down their games.
    This game is everything but an RPG. In order to make the game appealing for everybody they stripped everything from it, everything, creating a hollow shell of the first game (a Reaper Husk) I played it through only because of the story.
  72. Atech66
    Mar 11, 2012
    0
    Thank God.. this is why i use Meta for everything... no BS no paid off journalism just the freakin truth. We have been getting screwed this whole year .. Bethesda kicked my teeth in with Rag(e) and B(usted)rink and now EA screws the biggest pooch of all.. way to F go you money hungry half azzed dumb sh*ts. greed has taken over the entire damn industry without Indie games i almostThank God.. this is why i use Meta for everything... no BS no paid off journalism just the freakin truth. We have been getting screwed this whole year .. Bethesda kicked my teeth in with Rag(e) and B(usted)rink and now EA screws the biggest pooch of all.. way to F go you money hungry half azzed dumb sh*ts. greed has taken over the entire damn industry without Indie games i almost didnt have a gaming year.. EA you suck.. if Diablo 3 is screwed up ( nothing to do with EA) Im giving up.… Expand
  73. Ghostrider
    Mar 14, 2012
    4
    10 for all of the game up until the ending. 1 for the ending. Bioware managed to destroy 100+ hours of great gameplay across all 3 parts of the trilogy with last 10 minutes of the game. Impressive achievement, but I don't like it.

    The game is awesome in every aspect up until the very end. Don't know why Bioware did this but they did. They killed DA franchise with DA2 and now this.    10 for all of the game up until the ending. 1 for the ending. Bioware managed to destroy 100+ hours of great gameplay across all 3 parts of the trilogy with last 10 minutes of the game. Impressive achievement, but I don't like it.

    The game is awesome in every aspect up until the very end. Don't know why Bioware did this but they did.

    They killed DA franchise with DA2 and now this. Not pre-ordering any Bioware game. Will wait until reviews come in.    … Expand
  74. Lessi
    Mar 9, 2012
    0
    Too little ammo, global cooldown on all abilities defeating use of them in place of fireaarms. Removal of barrier and biotics only having thier full effect on weak enemies.

    The ending didn't tie in with the rest of the game at all.

    Frankly I advise everyone to play Mass Effect 1 and then write their own ending. The spin off on the story that began in Mass Effect 2 isn't worthy of it.
  75. oso
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    Right now iam not able to play the game because it keeps telling me i had somehow entered a wrong cerebrus code... i have no idea what that is supposed to mean but as long as im not allowed to play this **** legitimate buyed copy of ME3 it is a ZERO POINTS for me.
  76. Yandaton
    Mar 20, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Being a huge Mass Effect fan, I can safely say I am disappointed at the "final" of the trilogy. The first game was practically a new genre, a new step in video games that gave a sense of awe, the second game followed this and near matched the sense of awe and continued the genre breaking gameplay but the third game almost takes a step back from the action-roleplay and becomes more 'Gears of War' by focusing on combat, with pretty much all new mechanics revolving around improving the combat system. A step backwards with an action-roleplaying game, the previous games were fantastic and this game broke the trend. The awe inspiring is still here in this game however, when the Victory fleet flew through the mass relay and the final space battle began I was in awe there is no doubt about it, when I talk to all the characters I have bonded with over the previous games, it brought tears to my eyes, it was almost poetic but then my emotions turn to confusion and anger at the finally of the game. We were promised vastly different endings, there would be no A, B, C options and that your choices mattered but in the end, you get 3 options to end the game with no matter of the choices you have made in the previous games, no matter how high your War Assets were (which was a silly mechanic). It really comes down to what is your favourite colour? Blue, Green or Red which is what the 3 endings are, the same ending in different colours, so in reality there is only 1 ending that has filters put over it and tweaked. Even at the end of this sillyness, there is no closure to all those relationships you have developed, you never know if Garrus retired some place tropical or if Tali built her house on Rannoch or if Liara had little blue children. I don't mind Shepard dying, a bittersweet ending can be good if executed properly, this was not executed properly and it fails for it. As we had learned before, the destruction of a mass relay causes a supernova like explosion and destroys a whole system so you have just destroyed practically all life in the galaxy which is worse than the reapers. Even putting that aside, the destruction of the mass relays means everyone is stranded where they where, including the Victory fleet which will now starve to death. Joker fleeing the battle for no reason, it just doesn't make sense.

    Now apart from the endings, there is a lot of other discouraging things to be mentioned. A day 1 DLC that "was developed by a different team after the main game was finished" yet if you change 1 line of code on the game files, you can get the Prothean on your game without the DLC. A DLC that costs $10.00 for the most interesting character and one of the best guns in the game. The reveal of Tali's face, being a slightly edited stockphoto from google images. Reputation having no physical effect on the game apart from the terminator look, going so far of having to do renegade actions to save your own life? Wat. Even if Bioware was to release a new DLC for a different ending which I highly doubt, why do they need to release a new ending, it should have been on the disk, it should not have sucked so badly that it has distressed the whole of the mass effect community and destroyed the metacritic score for it. I'll be even more amazed if they make you pay for it. I however don't see why people are complaining there is multiplayer, it is a great thing to play with your friends every now and then and it adds more value to your money however integrating multiplayer into singleplayer and forcing you to play it so you can get the 'best' ending in the singleplayer is just pathetic and whoever organized that should lose their job.

    So yeah, the journey was still interesting and thrilling at times but the destination and cheap cashing in's just ruined everything that we had been working up to.    … Expand
  77. Article_Reader
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    The gameplay hasn't changed at all!!! Same crappy overused generic cover system!!

    This is supposed to be a sequel! Innovation is needed to keep the public interested!! I returned my copy this morning, the only thing I cared about was the story and it turns out that no matter what you do in game, the choices don't effect the ending; then what's the point of having a interactive sequence?    The gameplay hasn't changed at all!!! Same crappy overused generic cover system!!

    This is supposed to be a sequel! Innovation is needed to keep the public interested!! I returned my copy this morning, the only thing I cared about was the story and it turns out that no matter what you do in game, the choices don't effect the ending;

    then what's the point of having a interactive sequence?

    I'll just watch a let's play instead and still keep my money    … Expand
  78. Conradverner
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    Bioware has turned their attention to the COD crowd, and by doing so have taken that same approach to making games. Recycled plots, horrible cliche characters and now gone the way of DA2 by making all of your choices throughout the trilogy close to irrelevant. The fact that I give this a 1 is because the cd worked, everything else is deplorable.
  79. d0man
    Mar 6, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just want to say this before I begin: I loved Mass Effect 1 and I loved Mass Effect 2, despite how streamlined it was. Characterization was excellent and I felt like I was accomplishing something everywhere I went. That just doesn't happen in Mass Effect 3.

    I'm about 15 hours into the game and I've been really, really trying to enjoy it, but none of the content really feels "right." You're fighting a war to defend the galaxy from total extinction but no one will help you until you clean their noses and make sure the dishes are tucked away nicely. It's ridiculous. Combat has been simplified even further, but instead of enemies dying in a few hits like they did in ME2 which allowed for good flow they are all bullet sponges. Eventually I just gave up on using my guns and punched everyone to death because it was faster and actually did damage.

    Animations are absolutely hideous. Running, walking, talking, everything is just freaking awful. When you run your arms flail around ridiculously and everything is stiff. Just go watch Anderson running in the demo to see how bad it is.

    Characterization has also taken a big hit. You get bulk mcbigguy who randomly switches between English and Spanish at will, bland Asari, etc. Mordin's voice actor was replaced with someone who lacks the same charm as the original and they even managed to butcher Garrus. That's not even mentioning how bad the dialog is. Here are some examples without spoilers:

    Shepard: How are things?
    Person: Bad [specific details].
    Shepard: That bad?
    Person: Yes.
    ----
    Shepard: How are you holding up?
    Person: It's tough, you know?
    Shepard (Paragon): There was this kid back on Earth, I watched him die before your eyes.
    Person: That sucks.
    ----

    I am truly disappointed. I didn't believe that Bioware could mess up this badly after Dragon Age 2, I thought they learned their lesson. I was wrong.    … Expand
  80. Daemien
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    Given the potential of the first two games, and all the news and promises, I really thought BioWare couldn't go wrong with this game. Man, I was wrong.

    From the terrible dialogue, to the obviously rushed and illogical plot "twist" and the endings ripped-off from Deus Ex, Mass Effect 3 not only proved to be a poor game but it also made me feel like I wasted countless hours playing and    Given the potential of the first two games, and all the news and promises, I really thought BioWare couldn't go wrong with this game. Man, I was wrong.

    From the terrible dialogue, to the obviously rushed and illogical plot "twist" and the endings ripped-off from Deus Ex, Mass Effect 3 not only proved to be a poor game but it also made me feel like I wasted countless hours playing and replaying the first two games.

    Talking about the first two games, playing them is completely optional, given that no matter what (thousands) of different choices you made, the end-game is strictly the same for everyone. Nothing you do really matters. Yet again, we were only given the illusion of choice.Despite all the false advertisement by BioWare, we are playing THEIR (poorly written) story, not ours.

    And not only they ruined the story, but the gameplay experience continues to move towards the generic-3rd-person-fps path, with dumbed down dialogue, less choices to be made, characters introduced to appease the teenage boys and girls and the (profit-aimed and unnecessary) addition of multiplayer. BioWare definitely wants new target market - one in which I'm certainly not included.    … Expand
  81. donkeygames
    Mar 7, 2012
    3
    WOW,after dragon age 2 i didnt think bioware could go any lower than that...day one DLC's,even worse animation than bethesda.2D SPRITES IN 2012,talis face is just bioware at their prime,lazy as hell and trying to milk buyers like...jesus christ,an important character is in the dlc
    this game doesnt deserve the 3 i'm giving it
  82. Bannu
    Mar 7, 2012
    0
    This score is based on the view of the build up to Mass Effect 3. If Mass Effect 3 was a stand alone title, with no prequel or setting up of a sequel, then I'd give it maybe a 5. But this game is utter trash as far as gaming standards are concerned. First off, the gameplay experience is weak. Is it fun? It's time consuming and better than doing homework, sure, but is it actually fun? NotThis score is based on the view of the build up to Mass Effect 3. If Mass Effect 3 was a stand alone title, with no prequel or setting up of a sequel, then I'd give it maybe a 5. But this game is utter trash as far as gaming standards are concerned. First off, the gameplay experience is weak. Is it fun? It's time consuming and better than doing homework, sure, but is it actually fun? Not for me, I am sure plenty of drones will enjoy this game for what it is, but looking beyond it, it's just a 3rd person shooter, with a leveling system, and a plot-holed filled story-line. And here comes the problem and why anytime I reach the point where I can say: This game isn't that bad, I realize that this game has a story and it's insulting my intelligence. Mass Effect 1 set up this neat little plot/mythology about Reapers and their times in history where they'd come out and wipe everything out. Through the entire game you kind of feared the Reapers, if not, out right terrified of the idea of them. There are tales of how merciless and prompt they were, wiping out civilizations in a matter of moments. They seemed omniscent. Pretty good stuff. Mass Effect 2, it did nothing for the plot really, but at least it had some fun forever-alone stuff you could do in it. Like continue developing relationships with characters, explore, etc. And the Reapers seemed to be scarcely mentioned. Now in ME3, the Reapers are finally here, in the hour of twilight. And what do they do? They suck at their job. They come off as inefficient. They seem like machines given AI to wipe out stuff, but in a rather slow and terrible fashion. I won't spoil anything, but yea, the Reapers, for having this reputation of being amazing, are terrible at everything, even dying. Sure, if you play it as a game, most everyone will like this. If you play it with the mind set that you want to play a video game worth your/my money, and you have an ounce of intelligence, you will find this game disappointing on all levels. Bioware has proven to not care about you, being innovative, or ethics.… Expand
  83. tsargon420
    Mar 7, 2012
    2
    It has good elements, and the gameplay itself is generally fun, but the awful characters, writing, plot, the fact that its about 15 hours long and features 4 companions while claiming to be a rpg along with the whole dlc catastrophe drags this guy down to a 2.
  84. Slit
    Mar 8, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What a train wreck! I got the feeling all the writers got sacked once ME2 was done and the script was written by marketing department. Writing is THAT bad.
    1) Dialogues. Shep can only spew epic nonsense like "This is EAAAAARTH! There is way to much grandeur and epicness in every line, often completely inappropriate, and they took away all the neutral options.
    2) Retconning. You'd think that when they planned Mass Effect to be a trilogy from day 1 of ME1 development they wouldn't have to introduce major villains half way through the 3rd installment, use MacGuffin as a motivator or have a ton of plot holes.
    3) Ending(s). Um yea, some will be happy that those piss off Disney, lived-happily-ever-after, audience. I'm kinda with them myself. But at the same time they have no difference between them except for special effects color, they invalidate completely every choice the player has made over the course of the trilogy, provide zero closure and have more plot holes than a Michael Bay movie.

    Not to mention that MOST of the arsenal is distributed via DLCs now, Origin is forced down your throat and so is a rather poor Multiplayer. And how could I forget the infuriating 1 button control that always does something other than what you wanted?

    How could experienced and talented developers on a huge budget get every single thing wrong? I guess working on DA2 and SW:TOR at the same time as ME3 didn't help. BioWare bit off more than it could chew and the customers ended up paying.    … Expand
  85. Bossk-Office
    Mar 28, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a big fan of Mass Effect who loved the first two games. And this game certainly delivered, just the way I had hoped â… Expand
  86. Martell
    Apr 9, 2012
    1
    After Dragon Age 2 you thought EA would stop.. but no!! they did it again!! let's be honest the game is a let down compared to ME2 and the fact that the reviewing sites acclaim this with a 10/10 or a 9/10, it's just ridicolous. the game is fine until you discover that your decisions, the allies you find along the way and the difficulties you overcome during the game have no weight in theAfter Dragon Age 2 you thought EA would stop.. but no!! they did it again!! let's be honest the game is a let down compared to ME2 and the fact that the reviewing sites acclaim this with a 10/10 or a 9/10, it's just ridicolous. the game is fine until you discover that your decisions, the allies you find along the way and the difficulties you overcome during the game have no weight in the final battle. if you expect something similar to the suicide mission in ME2 where your choice mattered you'll be very disappointed!… Expand
  87. Asher
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    Don't be fooled, use your brain and think: Why would the "critics" all like this game but most of the public hates it? Easy answer: Either said critics are on EAs payroll or they fear the future repercussions from EA (no interviews/early copies) if they give it a bad review. These sorts of things happen in the vidya industry, the bigger the publisher, the more likely it is to happen.Don't be fooled, use your brain and think: Why would the "critics" all like this game but most of the public hates it? Easy answer: Either said critics are on EAs payroll or they fear the future repercussions from EA (no interviews/early copies) if they give it a bad review. These sorts of things happen in the vidya industry, the bigger the publisher, the more likely it is to happen.

    Awkward animations, hamfisted dialogue, 2008 graphics, cheap plot mechanics, recasting much-loved VAs...it's like Bioware went out of their way to make this game horrible. Also don't forget the NO HOLSTERING and the excuse given for it: "we ran out of memory" LOL! They ran out of memory on the ps3 version ONLY, they could've EASILY put holstering in the 360 or PC version but decided to keep the shortcoming, if that doesn't scream INCOMPETENCE, I don't know what does...

    I can understand the urge to finish off the story after you saved your ME2 save file for months now but whatever you do, DON'T PAY FOR THIS GAME, otherwise you're telling Bioware that a half-assed effort is okay.    … Expand
  88. JunglePredator
    Mar 8, 2012
    2
    I've already scored this low on the gaming store's site I bought it from & will actually give point form why it gets low scores here.
    -EA conducting aggressive anti-consumer behaviour against users who display "discontent behaviour" in any official forum. Lowers enjoyment of playing game.
    -Significant day 1 DLC/add-on items that should be part of the game but EA is requiring cash for.    I've already scored this low on the gaming store's site I bought it from & will actually give point form why it gets low scores here.
    -EA conducting aggressive anti-consumer behaviour against users who display "discontent behaviour" in any official forum. Lowers enjoyment of playing game.
    -Significant day 1 DLC/add-on items that should be part of the game but EA is requiring cash for. (i.e. the Razer branded item's bonus guns)
    -"Professional" reviewers seem to have been paid off for positive reviews
    -Graphics toted as being "top notch". It's Unreal Engine... I haven't played a game using this engine that HASN'T looked good. ME3 is just average when placed beside many of its competitors
    -Over aggressive DRM (yes it effects the game score as it affects how often & where I can play the game)
    -Game is not a 10 out of 10 by a long shot so it should consider itself lucky to be getting the 2 I'm giving given the negatives.
    Disclosure: I have only played the demo; am still working on my Mass Effect 1 play through before proceeding to ME2 then ME3. Own most the content for all 3 (lacking Razor rifle for ME3 at this point)
    Example of Unreal Engine 3 games I've played for comparison: Alpha Protocol, Batman: Arkham City, Blacklight: Tango Down, BlackSite: Area 51, Borderlands, Frontlines: Fuel of War, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. (Probably more too)    … Expand
  89. Tata
    Mar 14, 2012
    5
    Updated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new charactersUpdated Review: I saw the warnings here about the ending, so I thought I should be prepared for a really bad ending, but you can't prepare for this. It was much worse than I thought It would be. And people said that Witcher 2 had a bad ending (which I couldn't understand because I thought It was great). Well, atleast other parts of the game were from good to mediocre. The new characters are pretty good, with few exception. I was actually surprised that James is an actually great character, because I expected him to be flat. The combat is more like Witcher 2 with the rolling and finishing moves (which is a good thing!), if only it's a bit too easy on Insanity, but It's still affected by the bugs from Mass Effect 2 like ling of sight shooting, getting stuck or character not doing what you want (do 100 things with one button is not a good idea). The romance, well.. My romance option was Liara, and the first half of her romance was disastrous, but the second was very good. Note that I'm not homophobic or anything, but there is no way to detest or condemn a character that is gay, lesbian or not. Again, I don't have anything against homosexuality, but there is no choice given to you about this, unlike in Dragon Age where you could decide how you approach something like this, and here's another problem. Lack of choice. The paragon and renegade meter is finally mixed, but only like 1% of the dialogues have a middle option, making that pointless. The interrupts were most of the times, good. The cutscenes: A lot of them are good, but then, a lot of them is unnecessary, especially at the beginning of the game. There's also a lot of time where you can't interrupt the dialogue or the cutscene, hindering the replay value. There are also serious problems with smoke effects, as It can make even the best computers lag like hell. The character animations are probably the worst I've ever seen. There is a part where you have the option to hug a friend, but because of bad animation, you end up hugging the air. Really? The graphics are mostly good, but the background is a train-wreck. If you pay attention to the background, you can see a lot of low-res textures, or even immobile people, even if they are about to step, making them look like statues.
    While I had high expectation with this game, It's far from that, but still, It's much better than Dragon Age 2. My advice: Prepare for the worst ending you can possibly imagine (or you wouldn't dare to even imagine).    … Expand
  90. Jaitsu
    Mar 8, 2012
    4
    The gameplay is great and all, and the story is as good and ever, but BioWare/EA made a huge mistake in essentially FORCING the player to play a ton of the multiplayer to get a halfway decent ending for the single-player. Bioware claims that the game can be beat without playing the multiplayer, but that's mostly lip service; you CAN beat the game without the MP, but you're going to get aThe gameplay is great and all, and the story is as good and ever, but BioWare/EA made a huge mistake in essentially FORCING the player to play a ton of the multiplayer to get a halfway decent ending for the single-player. Bioware claims that the game can be beat without playing the multiplayer, but that's mostly lip service; you CAN beat the game without the MP, but you're going to get a terrible ending if you didn't go and do EVERYTHING possible in the SP, and even if you do, you can't get better than a subpar ending. That's a really, really bad design decision - especially considering how bad the MP is. It doesn't encourage teamwork, it encourages leaving your teammates to die so you can take all the kills and you don't have to fight for cover or deal with them drawing fire to your location when you're trying to be sneaky.… Expand
  91. bigsby_major
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Worse game of the series, not to mention Origin deepthroats flaccid donkey penis to the max. Do yourself a favour and avoid this garbage and the pos spyware EA wants to force you to install.
  92. cr4ckbone
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Its a plataform game, and for PC dont have controller support, this is ridiculus....Wrong move bioware!
    So simple dont u think?Put some support for xbox controller, why this dont have?Strange...
  93. Kenmei
    Mar 27, 2012
    6
    I feel like the biggest problem with this game was the blatant disregard for the consumer when they put together the story for this final piece. While I didn't think it was the worst ending to a Sci-Fi trilogy (Hello Matrix), I do think there were a few things that they could have done differently. The biggest problems I had with this game though were alot of the things they missed. TheI feel like the biggest problem with this game was the blatant disregard for the consumer when they put together the story for this final piece. While I didn't think it was the worst ending to a Sci-Fi trilogy (Hello Matrix), I do think there were a few things that they could have done differently. The biggest problems I had with this game though were alot of the things they missed. The lack of side missions, the lack of places to explore, and the fact that Bioware thinks we are all idiots with the issue with the DLC really puts a stain on this otherwise great gaming trilogy. I am glad that they are going back to address the issue of the ending but, with everything else that accompanied this game, the series really took a step back from ME 2, which I still think is one of the best sequels of all time. Bioware really lost touch with their consumers with this game and I do believe that is the EA influence doing the devil's work. The issue with the DLC will forever taint this game, no matter what they do with the ending. Still the ending of this series can be salvaged and the fans can be appeased somewhat with an ending they might like. However, in it's current form and even if the ending somehow changes everyone's mind about this game, this is still the worst game in the Mass Effect series and it's truly disappointing for me to write that. The utter disrespect shown to us players by Bioware with the DLC is the worst thing about this game and that will never go away no matter what they do with the ending. Still, if you've gone this far with the series, I would advise you to give it a chance just to see what you think. Just know that this definitely doesn't live up to the first two games in the slightest.… Expand
  94. Vigil
    Mar 7, 2012
    1
    To me, the Mass Effect franchise was something that symbolised and epitomised what a sci-fi video game could be. The only other francise to have captured my mind in the Science Fiction videogame genre like this was Homeworld. I have fond memories of the original Mass Effect; ones that I'll likely never forget, like meeting Vigil on Ilos the first time and hearing the fate of theTo me, the Mass Effect franchise was something that symbolised and epitomised what a sci-fi video game could be. The only other francise to have captured my mind in the Science Fiction videogame genre like this was Homeworld. I have fond memories of the original Mass Effect; ones that I'll likely never forget, like meeting Vigil on Ilos the first time and hearing the fate of the Protheans.

    ...and now we have a Prothean as a squad member. Drew Karpyshyn must be able to taste the bile in the back of his throat.

    Where to begin with Mass Effect 3? Origin? Sexualisation of characters that don't need sexualisation? The Jersey Shore effect? Day 1 story integral paid DLC? Dumbing down of gameplay mechanics? Two choice conversations? Your decisions mean nothing? When in doubt, retcon earlier games? Cerberus? Mac Walters? Forced emotional engagement? Shepard having post traumatic stress disorder about things that should be water of a ducks back? The list goes on, and on, and on.

    There is a lot wrong with Mass Effect 3. A lot. It's the whore direction the francise has taken. Bioware, I am disappoint. I'm giving ME3 a 1/10. It's the best I can do.    … Expand
  95. EasilyAnnoyed
    Mar 8, 2012
    0
    Oh my. Where to start? As badly burned as I was by SW:TOR, my wife bought this for me anyway. I think it was a mistake. Day one, I install the thing just because I love Mass Effect and decide to give EAWare one more chance. As soon as I load my save carried over from ME and ME2, my Shepard's face DOESN'T EVEN PORT OVER CORRECTLY! Are you kidding me? The cornerstone of the ME series, yourOh my. Where to start? As badly burned as I was by SW:TOR, my wife bought this for me anyway. I think it was a mistake. Day one, I install the thing just because I love Mass Effect and decide to give EAWare one more chance. As soon as I load my save carried over from ME and ME2, my Shepard's face DOESN'T EVEN PORT OVER CORRECTLY! Are you kidding me? The cornerstone of the ME series, your choices carry over doesn't even get past the freaking FIRST TIME I see my Shepard? WTF? Yeah, your choices come across but we haven't tested jack s***.

    Day one DLC for $10 featuring something pivotal to the series...yeah, no thanks.

    Bioware's actions in the last few months are the biggest letdown in my long history of gaming. Good riddance, and I hope your company dies a very rapid and painful death.    … Expand
  96. gerbano
    Mar 8, 2012
    1
    Is it me or reviewers didn't play this game enough to notice how badly written and designed ME3 is? At first I didn't understand how a game could earn such different ratings from critics and gamers but then I played it... If you played Dragon Age 2 and felt disappointed, wait and play this one. Dumbed down mechanics and a badly written story apparently are the norm for every new gameIs it me or reviewers didn't play this game enough to notice how badly written and designed ME3 is? At first I didn't understand how a game could earn such different ratings from critics and gamers but then I played it... If you played Dragon Age 2 and felt disappointed, wait and play this one. Dumbed down mechanics and a badly written story apparently are the norm for every new game Bioware. I won't waste my time (and money) with them anymore and I strongly recommend you do the same.… Expand
  97. levoldemortface
    Mar 6, 2012
    1
    YA Blew It

    This game really nose dived faster than the Titanic. Horrible clunky control, bad user interface, and just plain embarrassingly horrible writing. The RPG elements are completely gone, the game feels like COWADOOTY GEARS OF WAR IN SPACE with homosexual references shoved down my throat. Now I consider my self a post modernist moral relativist secular-humanist transgender in the    YA Blew It

    This game really nose dived faster than the Titanic. Horrible clunky control, bad user interface, and just plain embarrassingly horrible writing. The RPG elements are completely gone, the game feels like COWADOOTY GEARS OF WAR IN SPACE with homosexual references shoved down my throat. Now I consider my self a post modernist moral relativist secular-humanist transgender in the embodiment of female form but the homosexual references about how Commander Shepherd sucks the best dick on board the ship etc, etc is just way to forced. I personally blame Jennifer "the land whale" Helper, she is not a true ally of the QUILTBAG (Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex, Lesbian, Trans, Bisexual, Asexual, Gay) movement. Some respected sources such as Alex Jones even suggest that she is confirmed Mossad spy sent by Yugoslavia to damage the image of us QUILTBAGs. To me it seems plausible, just look at bad ME 3 portrays homosexuals and it's not too hard to believe. That's about it, pretty much glad it's over.    … Expand
  98. Bum_Tickley
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    What a letdown. Coming out of the other mass effect games with high hopes and expectations, I was completely disappointed. The story was sloppy, the graphics took a step back and the game-play was severely reduced. I also heard there is DLC from day one? What the flying duck?
  99. ThirteenthOwl
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    Even after the tragedy that was Star Wars: The Old Republic I thought my favorite game developers at Bioware couldn't be able to mess up another game, I mean every band has at least one bad album and every studio a bad movie right? Well turns out the Bioware I knew and loved died with SW:TOR as their most recent release ME3 has created a new level of failure in video game development. TheEven after the tragedy that was Star Wars: The Old Republic I thought my favorite game developers at Bioware couldn't be able to mess up another game, I mean every band has at least one bad album and every studio a bad movie right? Well turns out the Bioware I knew and loved died with SW:TOR as their most recent release ME3 has created a new level of failure in video game development. The animations are terrible compared to those of any game post 2005, and the sky is a single jpeg. I could have forced my way through the **** that is this game if only to hear what would happen to the characters i had grown to love from past games, but the story took a turn for the worse from moment one. Bland dialog and expressionless faces were everywhere, how could it be that they actually managed to take a step back in animation and writing from their previous games? Combat is bland and what you choose to do does not matter in the end as the story funnels back to where Bioware wants it to be (unless of course you buy the $100 non-****ty ending DLC[available on the disk at launch of course]) I mean now they are forcing you to decide whether you are hetero/homosexual IN THE ACTUAL GAME not in some pre-game customization but in the actual story completely breaking what little immersion the game held at that point. Does Shep have amnesia? did you forget if you liked men or women until that very moment? no. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS GAME.… Expand
  100. chevhok
    Mar 6, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was a gigantic disappointment. What the hell was the point of ME2 if all of the people you recruited die pointless deaths or are generally useless as **** The graphics were terrible (oh my god, that water looked like sludge) the animations were laughably bad, (fem-shep's running animation is just plain silly) and the plot looked like something a fifteen year old girl would write. It was full of plot holes and retconned information, and I feel as though a very minimal amount of effort was put into the entire thing. I've returned my copy already.… Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PC Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
5
#5 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »