ME3 has all the reminiscing arousals from the previous installments. It is a shame that this falls short at the end.
Mass Effect 1:
- Vanguard (Twice, completionist run(s); male)
- Infiltrator (Rush-through; female)
- Adept (Completionist run; male)
- Soldier (Rush-through; male)
- Engineer (Rush-through; female)
*I have never played Bring Down the Sky DLC.
Mass Effect 2:
- Vanguard (Completionist run; male)
- Infiltrator (Completionist run; female)
- Soldier (Rush-through; male)
- Adept (Incomplete; male)
*Aside from Arrival, all DLC completed, including weapons DLC.
Mass Effect 3:
- Vanguard (Completionist run; male)
*Played Day-One DLC
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It has been 5 years since the first Mass Effect came to life with Bioware's innovation in creating perhaps what is now the best Sci-fi RPG series. Mass Effect 3 marks the end of this epic trilogy. While the developers were clear at address the reminiscence of the previous two games, including old characters, soundtracks and even planets, and that it addresses many of the previous installments gameplay issues, Mass Effect 3 falls short in its finale after over building the hype with over 100 hours (depending on your gamelength on the previous games) of gameplay.
To start off Mass Effect 3 is simple. The threat of the Reaper invasion that everyone has been talking (or ignoring) about has finally come. Invasion has started, and the galaxy is facing extinction. However, the story isn't that simple. Newcomers will no doubt have difficulties facing all these previously addressed political, cultural and social controversies that the two previous installments have been addressing. Furthermore, you WILL miss out most of the content and character development, as Mass Effect 3 relies heavily on developing beyond the Main story and side quests from the previous two games. That being said, Mass Effect 3 relies heavily on the player's knowledge, which includes acknowledging all the DLC that was released for both games. Money-milking arguments aside, this game serves best with a veteran player. Unless you would like to spend a few hours reading a very lengthy codex that explains the Mass Effect Universe.
The gameplay of Mass Effect 3 is almost a replica from Mass Effect 2. However, the essence and highlights from the first game have returned: weapon modding. Mass Effect 3 features great customization, including class, armor, weapons and squads. Combinations are now the key, and depending on your mix of biotics (science-magic) and heavy-weaponary, the game can be very fun as you unleash a chain of commands that results in a satisfying annihilation of an enemy squad. Personalization is extremely high this time around; even if you're just the average gun nut and just go guns blazing with automatic fire, there are still many aspects you can customize to your liking. That could include stability, firing rate, ammo capacity or even putting scopes. Mass Effect 3 features the most versatile range of weaponary (As opposed to Mass Effect 1 which has the largest but most repetitive arsenal). Regardless of your choice of weaponary (Assault-Rfiles, Snipers, Shotguns, Sub-machine guns, Pistols), there are variants that are good at something and lesser at another. Even though you will receive better and crazier weapons as you progress, your early weapons will still have an edge and advantage over a specific aspect when compared to the late-tier weapons.
Combat is simple, and again, the same as Mass Effect 2. You still command two squadmates of your choice, and almost all of the biotic powers from Mass Effect 2 have been duplicated over (aside from a few new squadmates who have new abilities). Combat isn't challenging in Mass Effect 3, unless you really stack yourself against the odds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as Mass Effect 3 does have a very expansive range of enemies. The husks from Mass Effect 1 are back, your Collector buddies from Mass Effect 2 are back. There are also other alien races that you will encounter, which will demand different (but specific) tactics in dealing with each and one of them. Combined, they do provide an interesting challenge (at Insanity level), though it is a shame that combinations only occur at very late stages of the game, meaning that probably for the first twenty hours it will be a cakewalk for most shooter veterans.
Exploration, again, is the same as Mass Effect 2. However, probes no longer cost money, and you have to "scan" around star systems for points of interest, which will also attract reaper attention (in which, they simply chase you pointlessly till you leave the system). Your rewards consist of war assets (which affect the game's ending), credits or fuel. It is much simpler and better from the resource gathering from the previous game, though on a personal level, I would still prefer the ground exploration with the Mako from Mass Effect 1.
That being said, Mass Effect 3 surprisingly does make a lot of references to Mass Effect 1. Sovereign and Vigil's theme returns, and you get to revisit Eden Prime, Feros and a few colonies. They even poke fun of the Mako. The soundtrack is as excellent as ever; the sound effects of guns blazing, ships flying and explosions from far distances make a creat symphony of carnage and destruction. Visually, Mass Effect 3 doesn't improve much from Mass Effect 2. The visual bugs remain, though some of them have been rectified. Color issues, texture filtering can still be delayed, and sometimes Shepard flips his eyes in dialogue. These are mostly forgivable and don't really damage the gameplay. It should be noted though, on the PC the optimization remains excellents, and even though I use a very old PC ( a 4 year old mid-spec), I still managed to run at very high settings.
The new squad members are mostly interesting. Whether you want your Prothean squad member for ten dollars is ultimately your choice, but it does offer some new dimension to the perception of the main story. Dialogue remains to be the bulk of the gameplay, you will see all the known characters from Mass Effect 1 and 2 (unless you let them die), and you will have a chance of speaking to everyone of them. It is surprising though, that paragon and renegade options no longer have effects. Many times the games actually force you on renegade choices (which if you ignore, will result in your death), and regardless of your style and method, it bears no consequence in the actual story. That isn't to say that you won't make any big choices in the game. The Krogan problem returns, and so does the Geth. You will ultimately be confronted with a big choice after hours of development and listening to both side's perspective; however, your choice will no longer be narrowed down because of your previous choices. Example (MINOR SPOILER ALERT): Even if you have destroyed Maelon's data from the previous game, you will still receive a chance of curing the genophage (END OF MINOR SPOILER). On one hand it is arguable that the story is much more forgiving to the player, so that you do not need to replay 5 hours of progress just so you can make your big choice. However, on the other hand Shepard is absolutely lacking in character this time. You can be a paragon one minute, and renegade the other. There is no longer consistency within your path.
Which perhaps leads to the biggest controversy of the game. The ending (Don't worry, this paragraph will not contain any spoilers). For an end battle that should conclude over 100 hours of storyline, this one is pretty short. The final mission lasts for approximately 90 minutes (no kidding), but the resolution itself only takes approximately five minutes, plus ten minutes of staggering around. Regardless of any of choices you have made the first game, the second game or this game, it has no effect. At the end of the day, you are suddenly zapped to another universe, where you are introduced a new set of rules, story and setting that is barely tangible to the storyline, and then you are given approximately thirty seconds to decide on the outcome. That being said, the endings aren't terrible by their concept....but they are simply...short and intangible. There are three main endings, and according to IGN, there are 16 different outcomes. But they don't even matter or differentiate between each other. The events will turn out the same, aside from having a different color (that's not important, don't worry). You would expect a resolution for all your teammates, the races or perhaps even the fate of the galaxy itself. But there's none. Many of argued about the artistic integrity and that it should be up to the player's interpretation/ imagination. That would be a commendable argument, if not for the fact that the last ten minutes of the game completely contradicts the Mass Effect Universe. While this review cannot explain it due to spoiler issues, there is absolutely no denying that regardless of your choice, nothing changes.
Perhaps it could not be solely blamed on Bioware. After all, the consequences from Mass Effect 1 were mostly felt from the main story of Mass Effect 2, and that gave time to develop upon the final revelations at Mass Effect 1 (same for Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3). There is no doubt Bioware made a mistake by using the same format from the previous two games, because there is no Mass Effect 4 (unless, they intend to milk money just like the Halo series) to explain and develop from the final revelation of Mass Effect 3. It is a shame, because there is no doubt that Mass Effect 3 has managed to mention every single side quest/ DLC choice from the previous two games and developed beyond it, and it has some heartbreaking moments with the emotional upheaval it makes with such a beautiful story. It would seem suddenly, the last 90 minutes is a completely different game that is no longer Mass Effect.
Regardless, there is no doubt on a technical level, that Mass Effect 3 is the best in the series. It addresses all of its predecessors' faults, and improved to make the most versatile and ranged customization for its gameplay. It makes a lot of homages that will no doubt put a smile on every Mass Effect veteran's face, but it is a shame that its epic resolution offers no resolution aside from briefly concluding your epic quest. With this shortcoming, many Mass Effect veterans will be disappointed, but that doesn't stop Mass Effect 3 from being one of the best sci-fi RPG games of all time.