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Mass Effect 3
PlayStation 3
Who Reaps the Reapers?
4/5 stars
I'm a bit late to the party on the final game in the original Mass Effect trilogy, but maybe it's for the better. When it first came out, the Internet essentially went in to rage mode over the original ending, which was both unsatisfying and ambiguous. BioWare even had to release a free Ending DLC patch that "fixed" their mistake and, by and large, I think the new ending works (for me anyway). Mass Effect has always tried to merge action with RPG elements, while also delivering a strong story and interesting characters. While Mass Effect 3 may occasionally overstep its reach and try a little TOO much, it's a satisfying conclusion and works better than the second entry in my book.
Presentation: For a PS3 generation game, it holds up well. The facial animation and cut-scenes are very well done. The voice acting (and talent) continues to be impeccable and I encountered no crashes whatsoever in my playthrough. There are some odd clipping issues (hair going through faces, ships going through ships and such) but that is par for the course for this era of games and didn't lead to any sever issues on my end. Joining the already-talented voice cast includes Jessica Chobot as reporter Diana Allers, Lance Henriksen as Admiral Steven Hackett, Matthew Del Negro as Lieutenant Steve Cortez, Freddie Prinze Jr. as Lt. James Vega and Alix Wilton Regan as Comm Specialist Samantha Traynor and, if you get to the end, a special appearance from one of the true heroes of the space age, Buzz Aldrin himself.
Mass Effect 3 does everything solid, while the enemies haven't been changed up that much from the second entry, everything just seems to be a bit more polished. Combat feels more fluid, you still have a great mix of weapons and powers to choose from, and if you import your Mass Effect 2 save, you get to keep all your levels and unlocks as well. Overall, the game runs and looks great, even for a game that came out in 2012.
Story: Following the events of Mass Effect 2, Shepard (I played as a female, though you can be male as well) is back on Earth awaiting her day in court for the events that proceeded. Despite her repeated warnings, the game opens with a Reaper attack on Earth - something that no one is prepared for and they, in short order, destroy pretty much everything around you. Escaping on the Normandy by the skin of your teeth, your mission is essentially to rally the entire galaxy around you - including feuding factions of races that have fought for millennia - and unite them into a fighting force that can take on the Reapers. You are also charged with building a weapon known only as the Catalyst - a weapon designed by the long-ancient race of Protheans (who also designed the Mass Effect relays that allow for instant interstellar travel), who were wiped out by the Reapers before they could get the weapon online.
Most of the game has you running to different locations and helping out some old friends - the Krogans, Quarians, Geth, Turian and various other factions can be recruited to your cause. The game gives you choices that can have a huge outcome on how the war plays out, depending on if you side with one faction or another (often at the expense of making one or the other happy). As I played the good "Paragon" role, I usually sided with bringing people together rather than driving them apart. One-off missions often feature characters from Mass Effect 2, including Jack, Miranda Lawson and Jacob - much of of your crew is either new or from the first Mass Effect game meaning you have fewer choices, but a deeper relationship can be formed with them.
While the story is set on a massive scale, I can't help but feel that certain aspects seem rushed as getting the entire known galaxy together (through essentially one person) seems a bit forced. Still, I understand why they went this route and it still has an impact, especially as not all your friends will make it out alive. The ending (as it stands with the additional content) is not as disappointing as I was led to believe, but I have a feeling the original end (without the fix) left much more open and unresolved and that's why so many people were up in arms over it. It's still not a perfect ending and I'm unsure what the paid DLC adds to it, but I was happy enough with the results.
Gameplay: The game plays pretty much along the lines of Mass Effect 2, but as I stated, it seems much more stream-lined. You're still in a third-person shooter, with the ability to add your biotic powers as you see fit. You can still choose what play style you like (tank, melee, ranged and such) and you can even choose something different over Mass Effect 2 as you still keep all your points, but can re-distribute them as you see fit. Levels are pretty linear, giving you a set path to follow with some more open areas. Most of the game is split between you fighting Reapers or Cerberus (the pro-human group run by the Illusive Man) who, for most of the game, is trying to stay one step ahead of you and seems to be in league with the Reapers for reasons unknown (but you eventually find out).
The game still keeps the planet scanning, though this time you are looking out for war assets instead of minerals. You also don't have to scan every planet - a new pulse identifies targets but it also attracts Reaper ships. Usually you only get three to four pulses before the enemy shows up, though you get a reset after each of the main missions, so there really is no way to miss anything in the long run. You can also complete several side missions, usually through overhearing various conversations, that also give you vital war assets. The Citadel is the main hub of activity, and you'll be going back there a lot. If there is one complaint, it's the massive amount of loading that has to be done between the areas. It gets old fast.
The game is still also set between either being good (Paragon) or an ass (Renegade) with little middle ground, ever. It's not perfect by any means, but is still better than Fallout 4. Even though I was playing straight Paragon, I threw in a few Renegade options now and then - usually to kill people I really thought should die. The line of thinking is flawed but it didn't have a huge affect on the outcome in my mind.
Replayability: Because there are choices to make, people who can live or die and different people you can totally sleep with - there is a lot to go back to for another round (or two), not to mention the difficulty settings and multiplayer aspects (that I never took part in myself).
Overall: Mass Effect is certainly one of the most important series to come out in the last decade. While the ending may have left people cold, BioWare did their best to clear things up and I think in large part it worked. If you haven't experienced it yet, what are you waiting for?
Presentation: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replayability: 4/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
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