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Mass Effect 3 review

BioWare’s sci-fi finale is the most action-packed Mass Effect yet

Words: on June 27, 2012
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131 comments

  • Jacko415 - June 27, 2012 6:58 p.m.

    Im sorry, but am I the ONLY one who noticed that the extended cut shows a quarrians face!?

  • hullonotna - June 27, 2012 7:32 p.m.

    I noticed it too. I kind of want to replay with the synthesis ending just to see that ingame. Then again if you romanced Tali in ME2 and ME3 she reveals her face in the form of a picture frame. My opinion is that they look way to pretty and to much like the artist interpretations.

  • Jacko415 - June 27, 2012 11:38 p.m.

    I figured their faces would be more like the turians. What with using the same type of dna and looking so similiar (from the outside of the suits at least).

  • Acerlux - June 28, 2012 5:59 p.m.

    That's kind of what happens when they take a stock photo of a girl on the internet and photoshop it into an "alien". Kind of a wasted opportunity, but whatever.

  • MetroidPrimeRib - June 27, 2012 5:16 p.m.

    "The choices made in the third game are as exciting as ever. By now, BioWare has nearly perfected the craft of weaving morally ambiguous choices throughout its story – but this time our decisions affect the future of entire races, making most of the first game’s choices seem pedestrian in comparison." Complete and Utter Bullshit

  • DrChowder - June 27, 2012 6:38 p.m.

    Maybe, instead of coming off as a gaming-hipster jackass, you might realize that there was more to ME3 than the final ten minutes. Grow up.

  • MetroidPrimeRib - June 27, 2012 7:25 p.m.

    But the choices in the game - the little there are - end up doing nothing to change anything that happens in the game. They end up either being completely ignored or just looped around to a medium point where both choices can be canon. Hell, they even completely removed the option to be a bad guy in Mass Effect 3! The ending will be the same no matter what you do up until the very point you reach it. But all BioWare "choices" are like that, and they've been like that since KOTOR. They're still heralded as gods of storytelling, though. For whatever reason.

  • LordEvan88 - June 28, 2012 12:08 p.m.

    I agree. Choosing between a Rachni Queen that you saved but was indoctrinated by the Reapers and a Rachni Queen that the Reapers cloned is a difference that makes no difference and makes most of the choices you made feel completely inconsequential. The game is exactly the same no matter what you have done, the faces just might change.

  • Fox_Mulder - June 28, 2012 8:08 p.m.

    You say gaming-hipster jackass, I say chode.

  • Redeater - June 27, 2012 4:27 p.m.

    Damn this review is late. j/k One thing I'm surprised this review didn't mention was how great the music was. There seems to be this strange forgotten 70's sci-fi movie music that you never hear in games. Portal 2 and Mass Effect 3 are the only games I can think of that touch on this. The new endings didn't really do anything since I didn't have a problem with them in the first place but hey, anything they want to do to add to the game for free I'm fine with!

  • Eliath - June 27, 2012 4:45 p.m.

    I second this comment. I listen to the ME3 soundtrack constantly. It's in all of my playlists. I also agree with the comment on the ending. It didn't really seem to change anything, which is fine by me as I liked the original endings. If you didn't like the originals, then you might still be disappointed.

  • radiodeaf - June 27, 2012 4:24 p.m.

    ...you lose. You may have survived but billions died, the gates are destroyed and everyone is set back. So basically you lose. The game, was incredible all three. I loved everything, though I never felt it was the expansive choice platform everyone totted. But for what we have...it's the best. Then it comes to a very few "endings" to the whole story. Not just the character development, which I loved. But the story. As stated before you lost. Not a cool way to end your struggle. A good way to make more DLC ... and other such expansions. Greedy. Sheep accept and those who feel let down get ostracized.

  • Hollander_Cooper - June 27, 2012 4:26 p.m.

    There was a systematic genocide spanning back millions of years and killing trillions. You ended it. Success.

  • radiodeaf - June 27, 2012 4:28 p.m.

    actually, I should say trillions. It was all ordained.... we can't fight it. =P Just cruel ending and didn't make me want to pick the game back up.

  • radiodeaf - June 27, 2012 4:33 p.m.

    except almost everyone is dead, so now we have humans if they survived the explosion of the gates (which could wipe out solar systems far from it) , who have gone back to a primitive state of society, that can't connect with other systems ....due to no gate... etc etc. Basically the universe we loved is done. Though I think Earth survived the explosion =) ! we won!

  • Redeater - June 27, 2012 4:39 p.m.

    By gate do you mean the Mass Effect relays? I think your enjoyment of the game might have been tainted by your confusing Mass Effect with Stargate. (Not trying to be a smart ass but that did throw me off as to what you meant for a bit there)

  • radiodeaf - June 27, 2012 4:42 p.m.

    yeesh... saying you aren't being a smart ass while doing so isn't really helpful either. I would say you are almost as bad as grammar/spell trolls, but really it's not that close. I can handle geekdom... I slip and do it myself.

  • radiodeaf - June 27, 2012 4:43 p.m.

    by the way, watching stargate SG1 right now << so yes, confusion LOL, nice catch. thank you Justin!

  • Redeater - June 27, 2012 5:13 p.m.

    Actually I should have clarified that a bit. I was being a smart ass I just didn't want it to come off as insulting because I found it genuinely amusing. You watching Stargate actually compounds my amusement!

  • Hollander_Cooper - June 27, 2012 5:43 p.m.

    They only actually attacked a couple of planets. Billions died, trillions were saved.

  • Sinosaur - June 27, 2012 6:23 p.m.

    The relays don't actually explode in the new ending, they very specifically mention that they are badly damaged, not destroyed, in the extended ending. Based on the ending, conventional FTL is apparently a decent method of travel, just inferior to instantly being shot across the galaxy (so rather than seconds, travel time becomes most likely weeks or months). I was really upset by the original endings, and while I still am not a huge fan of the forced decision with little impact from my decisions, I can accept the new endings as a place from which the universe can continue.

  • Asmodean - June 27, 2012 4:21 p.m.

    Well I didn't really think they need to redo the endings. Quite frankly I feel that these new extended cuts and epilogue, while enjoyable, kinda of detract for the possibilities and paint any squeal into a kind of mythological corner, depending on which one is cannon. Honest though I still feel the the destroy ending is the right choice. There's something sinister about the synth and especial the control endings.

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Excellent
YOU'LL LOVE
  • A very personalized narrative
  • Stellar action segments
  • Extremely fulfilling conclusion
YOU'LL HATE
  • Occasional graphical hiccups
  • Relatively impersonalized ending (compared to ME2)
  • Saying goodbye to Mass Effect
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More Info

Release date: US
Mar 06 2012 (Xbox 360)
Expected release date: US
Fall 2011 (PS3)
Fall 2011 (PC)
UK
03/06/2012 (Xbox 360)
Fall 2011 (PS3)
Fall 2011 (PC)
Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Genre: Role Playing
Published by: Electronic Arts
Developed by: BioWare
Franchise: Mass Effect
ESRB Rating:
Mature: Blood, Mild Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Sexual Content
PEGI Rating:
Rating Pending
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