Game Reviews: Mass Effect 3

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: BioWare

Genre: Role-Playing

Price: €50

Rating: M

Platforms: PC/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3

Earth is burning. The Reapers, a race of synthetics, are determined to rid the galaxy of organics and only one person stands in their way: Commander Shepard.

In Mass Effect, you were sent to stop Saren and his Geth army. In Mass Effect 2, you have to stop the Collectors, who have been abducting human colonies, and go into a suicide mission where the odds of coming back are next to none. Finally, in Mass Effect 3, you have to stop the Reaper invasion from destroying the universe.

Mass Effect was good, but the gameplay was lacking. I loved Mass Effect 2, with its better gameplay, and the weaker story didn’t stop me from enjoying it – it was more focused on characters, which, considering the premise, fitted the game.  I went into Mass Effect 3 with my expectations set high – and they were blown out of the water.

Like the original Mass Effect, the third instalment of the series focuses more on story and Shepard’s hell-bent resolve to stop the Reapers. Some game-play elements such as weapon customization, which were sadly absent from Mass Effect 2, made a welcome comeback and brought Mass Effect 3 closer to the role-playing experience of the original game. Gameplay is still fun, as it was in the second game, but it’s more difficult – which, considering the situation Shepard is in, makes a lot of sense.

Another aspect that has changed from the previous games is how you can “persuade” or “intimidate”. In Mass Effect, you just had to spend points in Charm or Intimidate options; in Mass Effect 2, those options were unlocked according to your Paragon/Renegade score. In Mass Effect 3, it’s your Reputation score that handles that – a score which you can increase by doing several side-missions, talking to party members and so on.

I had a lot of fun during combat sequences, but what really makes Mass Effect 3 so endearing is the story and the tie-ins with previous games. Decisions made previously matter and their consequences are important. You may find yourself at odds with old friends due to the choices you made previously. All major characters, so as long as they made it through Mass Effect 2, make a comeback and when you meet them again, they incite emotions that range from happy to sad – and when you have to say goodbye, it tears at your heart.

The story is filled with tension and there’s a sense of urgency about it. You need all the help you can get to deal with the Reapers and you’re desperate to get it. You can unify old enemies, make peace between organics and synthetics, give a friend their homeworld back… I found certain elements of the plot to be beautiful, really, and very well-written.

Romances were also particularly well taken care off. I didn’t try out all of them (there are just too many options), but the ones I did (Kaidan and Garrus) were spot-on, sweet and heart-wrenching. The way the lines are delivered by the actors, the animations, everything is so… well done. There isn’t a thing I would have changed in the way those romances played out and that’s saying something.

The voice acting is stellar. Although I still find the male Shepard – played by Mark Meer, – lacking, he’s improved. Jennifer Hale, who voices the female Commander Shepard, is brilliant as she was in previous games. All other characters – from the supporting cast to the main cast – are terrific.

The music is nearly flawless. The composers made an OST that fits the game in every aspect, ranging from bittersweet to desperate to downright epic. I believe it is the best soundtrack of all Mass Effect games.

Finally, there’s the matter of the ending. You have three to choose from and the one I chose was so powerfully sad it brought tears to my eyes. It was a definite ending, one that played out beautifully and one that was filled with hope. I wish certain parts of the ending could have gone differently, but when I think about it… The ending was a perfect conclusion to Shepard’s story. It was sad, yes, but it was fitting.

With a gripping plot, amazing characters, great voice-acting and a beautiful soundtrack, Mass Effect 3 is a great ending to a great series. As a journey, the trilogy is among one of my favourite pieces of gaming in history and it proves that video games, when well-written and well-acted, can make you feel all sorts of emotions. You go from a marine to a Spectre, you die and come back to life, you survive a suicide mission and become the strongest force against a threat whose likes the galaxy has never seen. It’s an epic journey and whether you’re a veteran gamer or a novice, I cannot recommend this series enough.

The Good:

Terrific voice acting brings life to the characters

Gripping story

Choices carried from earlier Mass Effect games matter

The Bad:

Fewer dialogue options than previous installments

Final Score: 10/10