Mass Effect 3 Review

Note: This review is of the Xbox 360 version of the game. The PS3 version is apparently busted in some spots, and the PC version is also busted because it requires Origin.

Overview:

Developer: Bioware

Publisher: EA

Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC (Origin)

Mass Effect 3 is a good game.

I feel like I shouldn't have to preface this review with that statement, but after all the negative reactions and hate surrounding the game, I think I should be upfront with my general opinion. That being said, there are still problems with the conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy, making some of the anger generated by the hardcore fans warranted in spots. Does that make Mass Effect 3 a bad game? Of course not! Does that make this game worth being continually bashed resulting in the fan-base rallying a call-to-arms against it? That's up to you to decide.

In fact, I wish I could simply talk around a lot of the things people are furious over, although one cannot simply ignore some of the details making this game one of the most controversial releases in recent history. For now, I will say that Mass Effect 3 is a great experience on its own and is a must play for anyone who is invested in the series. It is a shame, however, that not everything came together the way it should have, and some parts stumble in making the game a strong closer to the trilogy.

If you played the previous games in the series but skipped the "Arrival' DLC for Mass Effect 2, you might be a bit lost. Just know that Commander Shepard has been court marshaled and is about to be put on trial until the Reapers, the main enemies from the first two games, invade Earth. It is at this point where Shepard must unite all of the main races against a common threat and save humanity, as well as the entire galaxy.

Visuals/Presentation:

The Reapers mean business.

Mass Effect is a series that is known for having quality visuals, especially when it comes to its alien designs. Mass Effect 3 looks noticeably better than 2, although it is apparent that the hardware running the game is beginning to show its age. Some of the human's facial structures look a bit odd, particularly when they are talking. Speaking of faces, I was faced (no pun intended) with a bug when importing my character. I was unable to import my Shepard's face and was forced to switch to the default Shepard. This wasn't too big of a deal since I was starting to get sick of my stupid looking Shepard, but he was still MY stupid looking Shepard! The default look was fairly similar to my custom guy, so I justified it by saying he got a haircut and trimmed his beard. The rest of the alien species look sharp and full of detail, making each race seem completely lifelike. As for the environments, each world Shepard encounters has a distinct look and interesting visuals.

Mass Effect 3 has some of the best 

and most memorable characters of 

any game. Guess which 

one I romanced with?

On the presentation side, this is an area where the Mass Effect games have succeeded far above most of the competition, and 3 is no exception. Every planet, race, and event has its own back story, which can be viewed in the in-game codex. If you want to know everything there is to know about Elcors (and believe me,  who doesnt!?), you totally can! Not only is the world extremely well developed, the story and characters are also enthralling. I felt a deep connection with many of the characters, and having Shepard serve as the architect for bringing all of the major alien races together is a great concept. Without giving too much away, some of the things you do in the game will serve as payoff for people who have been with the series since the beginning. If you are among the people who have experienced the series from Day 1, the choices you made in the previous 2 games will result in events and characters appearing that can greatly differ from someone else's game.

Now, most of you are probably well aware of the controversy surrounding the game's ending, and you're probably wondering what my stance on the issue is. Let me lay it on you right now:

It's not that bad.

While I can understand on a certain level why long time fans of the series would be upset with the ending(s), I thought that it served its purpose and provided enough closure to the overall story. Granted, it could have been a lot better, and there was a part right before the very end that left me more confused than angry. Still, I think the people demanding to have the ending changed are overreacting and I hope Bioware doesn't fall victim to the pressure.

Score: 8/10

Music/Sound:

If you were sick of the galaxy map music in ME2, get used to
hearing it some more!

Like its worlds and characters, the Mass Effect series contains distinct music and sounds. Whether it's Blade Runner-esque synthesizers or full orchestras playing, the music of Mass Effect 3 feels appropriate to its settings and situations. Some of music from Mass Effect 2 is reused here, particularly the galaxy exploration theme, which isn't really a bad thing. Many of the weapon's sounds are different, although a lot of the same sound effects are used from previous games.

The voice acting is also top notch, and the Elcor sound as lively as ever! The rest of the main characters also provide some interesting dialogue. This time around, your squad mates have their own unique dialogue depending on who you bring into each mission. This really helps flesh out the characters and serves as commentary for the current situation.

Score: 9/10

Gameplay:

When talking about the Mass Effect series, the gameplay usually isn't the first thing that is discussed. While the gameplay in Mass Effect 3 is the best it has ever been, it is still not the game's strong suite. The shooting is a bit snappier and moving between cover is more elegant. The new omni-blade is effective in close range situations, when you can properly align it with your target. Grenades have also been brought back which can definitely help when facing large groups of enemies. Unfortunately, there are still too many combat scenarios, and missions feel like they go on for too long most of the time. The side missions that basically serve as survival modes are repetitive and uninteresting. There are a good amount of missions, though, that are engaging and feature characters both old and new.

The omni-blade works great when you can actually hit someone with it.

The main campaign of Mass Effect 3 is fun enough, although playing it probably isn't what you're going to remember the most. Even though it feels good to play, the story and characters heavily outweigh the act of playing the game. There are also several issues with the gameplay. The UI for the side mission log isn't the greatest, making it sometimes difficult to know exactly what you are supposed to do and where. There are also times when walking around the Citadel where you'll overhear people talking and a side quest will be added to your codex. These missions usually require you to collect some item or artifact, although the game does a poor job in informing the player if they already possess what they need. Aside from the initial facial import bug, I also ran into a glitch that prevented me from entering a door and had to restart the mission.

Slight disappointment: Mass Effect 3 

succeeds in the areas where it 

counts, despite failing in a 

few important spots.

The multiplayer, unnecessary as it may seem, isn't terrible. They essentially took the single player wave-based survival missions and let the player team up with 3 other people. The player creates a new character and can choose to play as any of the main races. Unfortunately, Elcor is not a playable race at the time of this review. Although the muliplayer is serviceable, the core gameplay of Mass Effect 3 isn't quite good enough to carry it through an entire multiplayer mode. It is nice that the rewards for finishing a match tie back into the single player, with war assets that you unlock raising your military effectiveness. Still, multiplayer is not what most people come to Mass Effect for, and players will still feel like they have had a complete experience if they choose to skip it.


Score: 7/10

TL;DR

Visuals/Presentation: The Mass Effect universe is fleshed out and the narrative is as strong as it has ever been. The ending could have been better, though.
8/10
Music/Sound: Great music and sounds add another layer to the distinct feel of the series.
9/10
Gameplay: The shooting is the best in the series, although the combat is still one of the weaker aspects. The multiplayer is also present but uninteresting. Did I mention the Elcors!?
7/10

Overall: 8/10