Before we get into the review, this should have been up two weeks ago, but about 60% of the way through the game, it froze while it was saving corrupting somewhere between 11-13 hours of play time. So, I had to start all the way from the beginning! So much fun! That incident has no affect on the review, so let's get to it.
ME3 represents the final chapter of the Mass Effect Trilogy (though there will probably be more games set in the universe, they will not feature Commander Shepard). What Bioware has done in this trilogy is simply remarkable. The fact that each games decisions carry over to the next and shape your personal experience with that title is unbelievable. Just the fact Bioware was able to do it, and do it well, automatically means Mass Effect is one of the best gaming series of all-time and should be played by every person.
Full disclosure: I played ME3 on Playstation 3 and used my character from ME2. I have never played the first game and do not intend to, though the story seems like it may be the best of the three games. Also, I went full paragon in both games.
Mass Effect 3 starts off on Earth with Shepard awaiting trial for the events of the last piece of DLC from ME2: Arrival. That piece of DLC was absolutely worth playing, but I'm sure not every one played it which caused confusion at the opening. Anyway, the Reapers (sentient deep-space machine/space ships) attack Earth in overwhelming force. The courtroom is blown apart and Shepard is knocked out. The commander and long time friend Captain Anderson escape and eventually find a way to get safety. Anderson orders Shepard to go recruit the other races in the universe for help. Shepard does not want to leave Earth, but follows orders. The scene here is absolutely horrifying and sets the stage for what will be an all-out dog fight for the humans and the galaxy.
I'm not going to get into much of the story since that's the best reason to play Mass Effect, but it is truly a heart-wrenching tale. Most of the decisions in this game are simply tough to make. The hardest one happens around the time my game crashed. Not to spoil anything, but unless you made about five correct decisions in ME2, you're going to lose someone close to Shepard. It was a stomach punch when it happened to me.
Much of the gameplay is the same as ME2, only much, MUCH, better and more refined. It's a cover-based shooter and while the mechanics will never be as good as Gears of War or Uncharted, they still work very well. There is a frustrating problem though. As you run to cover and hit the X button to enter it, sometimes Shepard will roll and not go into cover. Instead, he'll stand up and let the enemies get 3-4 extra shots into him. If you're playing on the Insanity difficulty level, this minor bug is very hazardous. Depending on the enemy, if this happens, you could die.
Speaking of the enemies, Bioware outdid themselves here. There are some hellacious enemies. The Reaper enemies are especially tough. The brute (a hulking half turian/half krogan) is tough to bring down and continually charges you. If he lands a blow, your shields are gone. The toughest non-boss enemy in the game, however is the banshee. She is an asari reaper. She comes packing a barrier and armor. Plus she uses a biotic teleport move that makes her tough to hit. On top of her defense mechanisms lies some hellacious offensive maneuvers. If she grabs you, it's insta-death. She also shoots a ball of energy that wrecks your shields and eats away at your health at the same time. When you hear her scream letting you know she's around, be careful.
The are many more weapons in ME3 than ME2 along with weapon mods which allow you to customize your weapons as you see fit. The RPG elements are much deeper this time around than last time (though not as deep as the first game from what I have read). It takes more experience points to give your character a full power than it did in ME2. It was also great to have all my powers carry over from ME2 and not have to start back at level zero. Very nice touch.
Mass Effect is a beautiful game with gorgeous vistas. There aren't as many visual hiccups as in ME2. Screen tearing was noticed very much. There was some minor texture pop-in during some playing but nothing terrible. There is a visual oddity with some characters eyes, especially Miranda's. She routinely looks like she has her eyes half closed as if in some perpetual state of being high. It's very odd, but nothing that really takes away from the game.
Bioware did a great job of getting all of the characters in the game (provided they didn't die in any of the previous games). I was happy to see them all since I cared about them a lot during my two ME2 play throughs. However there is a new character, James Vega (voiced by the immortal Freddy Prinze Jr. [yes that guy]), who I could not have cared less for. After getting my third party member, I never used him again. I'm not sure if it's because he wasn't in the previous games or if he's actually a bad character, but he never made the team. Outsider.
The ending to the game has been discussed a lot. Many players out there thought it was bad because there wasn't enough resolution. I had no problem with the ending. Could it have been longer? Absolutely, but it's not like you make the final decision and it cuts to black (a la The Sopranos). There was enough of an ending to satisfy me, but I was expecting more since the whole series is built on being a well-told cinematic experience. Bioware is putting out a free piece of DLC in a couple of months that fleshes out the ending for all of you that whined about it.
If you're going to/already playing Mass Effect 3, you probably know what you're getting into. It is a long story-driven game. I can't imagine a person that only plays ME3 will have near as good of a time as someone who played at least ME2. I also concede that players who played through the whole trilogy on Xbox 360 or PC had the best experience as they go to play all three games. Even though I never played the first game, I fell in love with the second and third installments. These games are a true joy to experience. Bioware really showed the rest of the gaming industry how to do things right with a series where all games are tied together. There are literally thousands of differences combined in the three games depending on all your choices. It would be quite difficult for two people to have the same experience independently.
The only minor quibble I have is that the antagonist from ME2, Harbinger, barely shows up in the game. After making him seem like the leader of the Reapers, he makes a tiny appearance right at the end, that if you're not paying attention, you might miss. I was expecting to have to fight him in some way, but it didn't happen.
All in all, Mass Effect is a series that absolutely must be played by every one, not just people that play RPGs. The story is the best story in gaming history and it truly feels like the galaxy is in peril. The gameplay is solid, the graphics, voice acting and music are all top notch. This trilogy deserves its place in gaming history and I can't wait to see what Bioware does with the franchise.
Rating: 9.9/10
