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Mass Effect 3 is the final instalment in Bioware’s sci-fi action RPG trilogy. Following on from the events of Mass Effect 1 and 2, the Reapers have finally begun their assault on the galaxy in order to destroy all civilised life. The responsibility of saving the galaxy falls on Commander Shepard and his crew, who must unite the galactic community to put an end to the Reaper threat once and for all. Just a warning to those who haven’t played Mass Effect 3 yet and intend to, this review will contain major storyline spoilers. (My character was a male Shepard so I’ll be referring to him as such but player’s of course can have a female Shepard as well.)
Mass Effect 3 begins on Earth where Commander Shepard has been grounded, when without warning, the Reapers begin their assault. The situation quickly deteriorates and while Shepard tries to make his way through the carnage to contact help, he meets a young boy who he tries to coax to safety but fails. Shepard has no other choice but to evacuate Earth in hope of enlisting the rest of the galaxy to help fight the Reapers. However, as the Normandy flies to safety, Shepard sees two evac shuttle filling with survivors, including the young boy, and can only watch helplessly as the Reapers destroy the shuttles as they attempt to escape. This moment will haunt Shepard for the rest of the game and from here on in, you know you’re in for a hell of a ride.
London’s burning… Hopefully no Reapers will make an appearance at the Olympics.
From there on, Shepard’s main mission is to gather as many war assets as possible to launch a final attack on the Reapers. Something easier said than done as Shepard must play the diplomat as well as soldier within a galaxy full of old grudges and resentment. Players will be happy to see the consequences of the decisions they’ve made in the previous two games come to fruition here. Bioware has done an excellent job at creating an immersive and interactive story and to take full advantage of it, it’s best to import a save game character from the first two games. There are some massive decisions to make in this game and the outcomes of these are dependent on how you played through the first two games. The great thing about the Mass Effect games is, no play through will ever be the same — there are so many different options in how you can shape the fate of the galaxy.
There’s a sense of finality throughout Mass Effect 3. You can feel story arcs that have been present the length of the series come to a resolution and it creates some great storytelling. One of my favourite storylines to play through was the war between the quarians and the geth. I managed to broker peace between the quarians and the geth and it was actually quite moving to see two former foes lay down their weapons and agree to help each other in the hopes of ensuring they can build a future together. It was nice to see the quarians finally back on their homeworld after years in exile as well as get insight into the beginnings of the geth. This all added up to make the final resolution even more satisfying in my play through and is, in my opinion, one of the nicest moments in the Mass Effect series.
Nothing like the end of the galaxy to bring everyone together!
Throughout the game, it’s obvious the attention the studio has put into their storytelling and character development. Shepard has never been as fleshed out as a character as he is in Mass Effect 3. He’s not this invincible-galaxy-saving hero, but he’s human too and this war has taken a toll on him as well. Shepard is constantly haunted by the people who have died and you feel this sense of failure as inherently as he does. The continuity between characters from across the whole series is delightful and for those who have invested themselves into this universe, it really adds a nice touch to see Shepard interacting with his squad mates as old pals who have seen and been through so much together.
All the previous characters are back in some way, shape or form, as long as they survived the events of the earlier two games. There are countless touching moments within the game that are dedicated to the relationships and friendships that Shepard has formed. My favourite would have to be the bromance scene between Shepard and Garrus. Garrus has been with Shepard from the very start and it’s an awesome moment that shows the respect and understanding these two have with one another. The camaraderie present amongst the crew is also wonderful to see — you get a real sense of togetherness within your squad mates as there’s tons of background chatter and banter with references from the previous games. It is definitely worth your while to make sure you interact with all the characters as much as possible.
Bromance at it’s best.
The ending sequence of Mass Effect 3 has been a major talking point within the gaming community since the game’s release. I went into the game with an open mind and for the most part ignored the negative reaction since I wanted to avoid spoilers. Therefore, after 40 or so hours of playing the game, I didn’t quite understand the righteous anger and indignation that a majority of the Mass Effect fans seemed to have towards the game’s ending and creators at Bioware. Yes, the ending sequence was a little anti-climatic and wrapped things up rather quickly but I didn’t agree with the gamers who argued that the player didn’t get enough choice or their decisions throughout the game weren’t represented in the ending sequence. To me, the whole of Mass Effect 3 was an ending — a 40 hour finale that wrapped up all the events of the Mass Effect universe and its characters. I saw how all my decisions played out in the different story arcs that were resolved and I felt closure with the other squad members through Shepard’s interactions with them throughout the game.
However, I do understand that some fans were disgruntled with the plot holes and questions that the ending did raise. There has been many different theories out there trying to find meaning in the ending, the most popular being the theory that Shepard was actually indoctrinated by the Reapers during the ending of the game. This theory has some pretty solid evidence backing it up but Bioware have refused to comment on this or the actual ending. However, they will be releasing an additional DLC to delve more into the results and consequences of the game’s ending to appease the fans who were disappointed. On the one hand, I like that Bioware obviously listen to their fans and aim to please them, but on the other hand, I was disappointed that they gave into the angry mob of gamers. I felt it took away a touch of their creative and storytelling integrity to have to reshape the ending just because some angry gamers had a whinge. If every movie-goer demanded a better ending for every movie they weren’t happy with – what would the creative power of the movie industry be like?
Bioware haven’t changed much with how the game’s interface or mechanics work throughout the series but have noticeably improved these areas with each game resulting in Mass Effect 3 being a slick and polished final product. Visually, the game is stunning with sharp graphics, beautiful environments and breathtaking cutscenes. While all the old characters retain the same designs, the amount of extra detail that has been put into their faces and outfits is amazing, making them look as real as they’ll ever be. From planet to planet, the environments that Shepard is thrown into are all refreshingly different and very very pretty, whether it be the tranquil home of the Salarians, or the devastation of Thessia as the Reapers invade.
Look at the lovely textures and details on our clothes…. Shiny….
The actions of Shepard feel smooth and moving in and out of cover has come a long way since the first Mass Effect. The third person shooting felt realistic and snappy, with varying amounts of gun recoil depending on the weapon you choose adding a nice effect. Weapon modifications also made a welcome reappearance, giving the player more control in how they wanted to approach the shooter elements of the game. Multiplayer was a new addition to the series and added an online component as well as extra replayability. Completing multiplayer missions grants credits that players can then use to unlock different characters, weapons and equipment. Players are also encouraged to give multiplayer a try as it does have an effect on the single player campaign. However, after a few rounds the missions do get repetitive as the objectives remain the same in each mission, though Bioware have been releasing new map packs to keep things fresh.
Without a doubt, Mass Effect 3 is a magnificent game and a fitting final chapter to such an epic series. The scale and the scope of the story, the different worlds, the endearing cast of characters, and the relationships formed throughout makes the Mass Effect series one of the greatest sci-fi games of all time. While some people will undeniably be disappointed with how Mass Effect 3 ended, for me, I couldn’t have asked for a better send off for Shepard and co and for me to say goodbye to the Mass Effect universe.
Mass Effect 3 on Amazon
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Wonderful read! Well worth the wait in anticipation for this post. Makes me want to play through Mass Effect again!
Tenks a lot!
One day, I will play through the whole series again as well!