My Review of Mass Effect 3 (I love it, and yes i enjoyed the (Extended Cut) ending)

[Snowmoon]

Please note:
This is the Extended Cut version.
I have only glimpsed the original ending via Youtube videos.

Also, i have not played any DLCs campaigns, not even in the older ME1 and ME2. (Well actually just 1, which is "From Ashes" but thats because it comes included in the ME3 Collector's edition.) As such, my review is written from that perspective.

This review will also be FULL of MAJOR spoilers and is meant more for people who have completed the game. Though if you are thinking if you should play the Mass Effect Series, my answer is a very resounding YES! It is a series not to be missed.

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Finally. It all comes down to this.
The final battle for the fate of the galaxy.

Mass Effect 3 is no-holds barred sci-fi action all the way to the conclusion. I really enjoyed how it all comes together and this final game does not disappoint.

The main highlight is definitely the story. Even though it is rather straight forward, it is definitely a worthwhile tale to enjoy. The dizzying highs, the heart wrenching sadness. (Yes i actually teared when Thane and Mordin died...i love those guys so much Mass Effect 3 really blurs the line between a game and a movie.

I really love the way they built up the story, how you will need to go around the galaxy resolving matters, tying up loose ends, even forge unlikely alliances all in the name of unity against a common foe. This is interactive fiction at its finest.

Graphics wise, personally i felt nothing much had changed from ME2, but the locations have alot more variety and looks more imaginative. Music and sound are as crisp as ever.

Now..to the Ending.
I had read all sorts of stories about how it sucks. But personally i thought it was very good. Sure, it does seem abit strange to have a new character suddenly pop in to spout all sorts of technobabble but Synthesis Ending was not too bad at all. Destroy and Control didn't seem to make sense since i approve of Joker and EDI together lol.

Its a pretty good ending considering the Reapers do not have to be destroyed AND they even help rebuild the cities. (They are a tool after all.) The cycle of destruction ends, all mass relays are intact and we all only needed to adapt to new glowy green eyes lol! The ending slideshow and voice over by EDI was absolutely beautiful and definitely showed that the rest of the galaxy did live happily ever after.

Was i sad that Shepard died? Well, yea, but i sorta expected it. Since the start of ME1, i have never expected Shepard to actually survive at the end. It wouldn't have as much emotional impact i think if he had survived all that. The Shepard i know will definitely not hesitate to choose sacrificing himself if it meant that it will end the cycle of destruction.

There was another part of the extended cut i liked alot which was the final "Thank You" message from Bioware. Yea i think this is so much better compared to the original "Thank you, now buy more DLCs" lol

Downsides:
Of course no game is ever perfect and there are a couple of glaring flaws which i didn't like.
1) I totally dislike the new way of getting quests lol, thought it was silly that quests have to be eavesdropped like some creepy stalker.
2) I felt some battles are particularly frustrating, especially Kai Leng because of the stupid mechanism of using 1 key to run/cover/use. I suppose we can only blame the consoles for this.
3) Some bugs here and there such as not being able to complete the quest where i had to take photos, and characters mysteriously disappearing during cutscenes.
4) More story plotholes. Who are the ones who created the Starchild?

In closing, i just wanna say that i really enjoyed the Mass Effect Series and ME3 is to me, personally, the best way to end the story of Commander Shepard.

Overall Rating: 9.5 / 10
Buy it if you haven't already. This is the best space opera game that gaming has to offer (for now). This is the ultimate science fiction epic fantasy that you have always dreamed of watching in the movie theaters.

A beautiful end to a beautiful saga.
Thank you Bioware.

[SPG]

I'm just about to start playing Mass Effect 3. I've tried to avoid reading too much about it till now.

How is the extended cut integrated into the game or is it just tacked on at the end? I mean, does it change any of the original gameplay?

[rad666a]

Originally Posted by SPG

I'm just about to start playing Mass Effect 3. I've tried to avoid reading too much about it till now.

How is the extended cut integrated into the game or is it just tacked on at the end? I mean, does it change any of the original gameplay?

It replaces/adds to the endgame sequence. Anything more would be spoilers.

[Chocolatelove67]

I too don't mind the endings with the extended cut...... In fact I love them and I chose Synthesis because it's green. I like green LOL (just kidding) But seriously yes I chose Synthesis.

I love all the endings and especially that last bit of the "Destroy" ending where you see Shepard in the rubble and she/he gasps for a breath of air.

One thing with the game howcome Jack does not appear in any of the slides if you chose the Destroy ending?

[quickanddead]

Starchild or Catalyst is created by Leviathans to help them to maintain technology bla bla bla and when their time was comming to an end,they wanted to preserve somehow and Catalyst came up with idea to make goo out of everyone and to store them into metal constructions aka Reapers. If you ask me,it has gone out of control and to preserve life by destroying is kinda creepy.

[Solon25]

Originally Posted by SPG

I'm just about to start playing Mass Effect 3. I've tried to avoid reading too much about it till now.

Same here, but i've played already some hours.

To the quests system, they do the same procedure as in ME-2 --> if you do one step to much in mainquest story, you can't do some sub-quest :/

No spoiler, only a warning!!! Don't go to planet "Tuchanka" before you have done some sub-quests.. I only remember one quest i became on the "Normandy" from the technical officer --> buy a piece for the "Normandy" in Citadel. Than do the 2 sub-quests on "Tuchanka" first and look in your questlog, if there's something ready, bring them to the Citadel. Than go back and do the mainquest.

[SPG]

I'm on my second playthrough now. I didn't have enough EMS the first time and only had two choices for the ending. At first I thought, okay, the ending is not too bad, but then as I'm playing through the second time and thinking about it more, I began to realize why people were so upset. All of the endings are a total cop out and supremely fail. It's like the writer just didn't know how to satisfactorily end such a big story.

Mass Effect 3 ending - massive disappointment.

[Dekertt927]

I finished ME3 last night. Through the last 20 mins, I felt like I was watching Matrix 2 and 3 again. It ended in pretty awful disappoint, but w/e. I'll write my own ending and most likely never play them through again or buy whatever next installment they come up with.

After finishing, I read a few articles on the topic and they really criticized Bioware/EA pretty well.

[Chocolatelove67]

Originally Posted by Dekertt927

I finished ME3 last night. Through the last 20 mins, I felt like I was watching Matrix 2 and 3 again. It ended in pretty awful disappoint, but w/e. I'll write my own ending and most likely never play them through again or buy whatever next installment they come up with.

After finishing, I read a few articles on the topic and they really criticized Bioware/EA pretty well.

I think it was EA meddling too much in the game. They were pushing Bioware for a fast release...... They should stick to their sports games.

[SPG]

Originally Posted by Chocolatelove67

In closing, i just wanna say that i really enjoyed the Mass Effect Series and ME3 is to me, personally, the best way to end the story of Commander Shepard.

I have a different view. I don't think it was at all necessary for Shepard to die in order to end his part in the Mass Effect series if their intent is to have a Mass Effect 4 with a new character.

[Chocolatelove67]

Originally Posted by SPG

I have a different view. I don't think it was at all necessary for Shepard to die in order to end his part in the Mass Effect series if their intent is to have a Mass Effect 4 with a new character.

That quote wasn't mine...... It was Snowmoon's

[SPG]

Sorry.......

[Chocolatelove67]

Originally Posted by SPG

Sorry.......

No problem....All good

[Solon25]

Originally Posted by Snowmoon

Was i sad that Shepard died? Well, yea, but i sorta expected it.

I'm through now and i must say, i can't live with that :/ I mean, it is "our" Shepard. We play through ME-1 with him. Imported the character to ME-2, die and Cerberus reanimates us. Play through ME-2, imported the character again. For what? That we die again at the end

I felt some battles are particularly frustrating, especially Kai Leng because of the stupid mechanism of using 1 key to run/cover/use.

Kai Leng is cheap... But i agree for other fights at this stupid run/ automatically cover system. I miss it from ME-1 where we can duck with ctrl by ourself.

ME-3 is a good game, but as i said, i can't live with the end.