Is Mass Effect 3 worth playing?

[Clover]

Edit 2: I've finished it myself and it's definitely worth playing, it's a great game. That being said I do think it's the worst of the trilogy.

Edit: Thanks for the responses, I plan on playing it next time I find it on sale.

This is a serious question, because I've heard a lot of bad things about it. I really loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, but I don't want to be in a rush to play ME3 if it's going to leave a sour taste in my mouth after the first two games. Aside from all the bad things I've heard about it, I'm also concerned that it suffers from the same flaws as Dragon Age 2 since they released roughly around the same time. And I'm not saying that DA2 is a bad game, but it certainly has issues and it's not a great follow-up to Origins, which is what I'm worried ME3 will be as well.

I've heard the ending is terrible, I'm not so concerned about that as I am with the gameplay and writing. If it's like Dragon Age 2 I may not even feel like finishing it right after playing ME1 and ME2.

[AbedsBrother]

Mass Effect 3's combat gameplay is fantastic, and is easily the best of the trilogy. The writing around big plot points - like the resolution of the genophage and the Geth / Quarian conflict - is excellent as well. I don't find the ending bad either with the Extended Cut DLC (which is free). Not finding the ending bad makes me rather an outlier among forum regulars, and there are plenty of good reasons why people are dissatisfied with the ending. It focuses more on "feels" than completely dovetailing with the main Reaper plot, if that helps.

Not all characters are served equally well. If you liked Liara, Tali, Garrus, or Ashley / Kaidan, then you're fine. Miranda, Thane, Jacob, Samara, Grunt, Kasumi, Zaeed or even Kelly? They appear, and some even play crucial roles at certain points in the game, but generally only have small roles to play. At least Aria got a major role in an add-on (Omega DLC).

Worth playing? Absolutely.


Re: Dragon Age II The only real problem I had it was the re-used levels (which is not an issue in Mass Effect 3).

[Raider]

>9.5/10 - IGN
>93% Metacritic
>9/10 Gamespot
>90% PC Gamer

Seriously, reviews will tell you much more than even we can sometimes. Yes, it's good.

[Clover]

Originally posted by Raider:

>9.5/10 - IGN
>93% Metacritic
>9/10 Gamespot
>90% PC Gamer

Seriously, reviews will tell you much more than even we can sometimes. Yes, it's good.

And they also gave Dragon Age 2 and 3 good reviews? I'm not asking if it did well critically, I'm asking what people here think about it. I will play it someday and find out myself, but I'd just like to know if it's a lesser experience than the previous two titles like others have said. If it is I'll find something else to do because I don't want to sour the enjoyment I've had with the first two titles. (Edit: Which is what happened with Dragon Age)

[Raider]

Originally posted by hype:

Originally posted by Raider:

>9.5/10 - IGN
>93% Metacritic
>9/10 Gamespot
>90% PC Gamer

Seriously, reviews will tell you much more than even we can sometimes. Yes, it's good.

And they also gave Dragon Age 2 and 3 good reviews? I'm not asking if it did well critically, I'm asking what people here think about it. I will play it someday and find out myself, but I'd just like to know if it's a lesser experience than the previous two titles like others have said. If it is I'll find something else to do because I don't want to sour the enjoyment I've had with the first two titles.

If you enjoyed the first 2 I see no reason not to get the third one.

Also, Dragon Age 2 and 3 didnt do nearly as well critically as the first one. Mass Effect 3 on the other hand, had the same or better reviews.

If you want my opinion, ME3 is the best one in the series.

[EliteSarge]

ME3 is worth playing. The DLC is good, the Omega DLC is forgettable at times but if you like Aria then you'll love it. Citadel is amazing because its a last "Hoorah" for the crew and Shepards story and there are many memorable and hilarious moments.

The combat is the best of the trilogy and the story is amazing at times and other times its somewhat good. The extended cut adds on to the endings which make them a little better but I only choose one ending for spoiler reasons with or without the extended cut.

You shouldn't really base what you might do on what you hear based on the ending alone. Its not as bad as people make it out to be and besides its all about the journey and experiences that you have and make throughout the trilogy and ME3 has some of the best of those, especially in the Citadel DLC.

[meep_meep]

Mass Effect 3 has a lot of problems generally stemming from it being really rushed to market, including the nonsensical ending, only having 1 hub area, the quest log being broken, some story beats not getting enough attention (Thessia especially), some side missions being boring planet-scanning quests, and some of the ME2 characters getting the shaft (especially if you were trying to romance a new ME2 character like Miranda, Jack, or Jacob).

That said, when ME3 is good, it's AMAZING. A lot of the character interaction you do get is really poignant and memorable (especially in the Citadel DLC), the combat is excellent, many of the setpieces are mindblowing, the overall sense of desperation you get from many of the squad characters and NPCs is really well-done, and you can bang me in the shower if you want.

Overall, is it worth the money and time? Yeah, definitely. It's not perfect, but go into it with the attitude of "this is another opportunity to spend some time with the characters I've come to care about," and you'll have a good time.

You should absolutely get the From Ashes, Leviathan, and Citadel DLCs as they add immensely to the story. The Omega DLC you can do without, though it does give you a nice ability (flare).

As for the ending, it's probably best to experience the "official" ending at least once (with the Extended Cut DLC, which is free). That said, I still think the official ending is nonsense so since then I have always used a modded ending. Thank god for the PC Master Race, fixing EA's messes for the last 200 years.

[Whitney Spears]

99.5% of the game is great if not better than the previous games. It's just that .5% that is the ending that pisses some people off. There's a chance you won't mind or will like the ending though. So should you play it? Abso-freaking-lutely.

[Simple Man]

Your concerns are all legitimate, whoever said bad things must have liked the game as much as you did, and wrote it as a troubled fan. IGN can give it 18 out of 10, doesn't change a thing. Much like you said, they also thought Dragon Age Inquisition was some sort of gem.

Its easily the worst of the 3 games, its the game where the writing can get so bad, that you'll listen to Anderson cussing like a sailor, saying things like "with the ♥♥♥♥ you did in X, you're lucky that Y", or commander shepard, when Bailey, the guy from c-sec tells him "i'll see you around Shepard", to which the galant, much respected savior of the galaxy responds with "no doubt". It feels like, at least some of ME3 was written by someone in the cast of Jersey Shore.

Other downsides to ME3, the difficulty was pushed down, Insanity on ME3 is nothing compared to ME2, skills were dumbed down, things like overload now will hit barriers AND shields, so the average casual doesn't have to wear out his 4 braincells trying to figure out the best skill for the current situation, the ending, that even with "extended cut" is just one big "WTF" for anyone that played the whole trilogy just to get that, James Vega just falls out of the sky into your squad (if you were wondering if Jersey Shore had any influence on the game, now you know), and calls you Loco if you're a guy, or Lola if you're Femshep, and Diana Allers, that was utterly sutffed into the game just to promote Jessica Chobot, when all along we could have gotten any of the journalists we already had in 1 and 2. Last but not least, branching and/or decisions have the weight of hot air in this game.

The good about ME3 tho, is that it still managed to retain some of Mass Effect and any fan is going to cherish that, you're still gonna closely relate to your old mates, be it Garrus, Tali, Mordin, Ashley/Kaidan, Wrex (or not), Liara and the lot. There are some good missions, the combat i think is a bit over the top (could have stayed like ME2, which was fine) like it was trying to please the COD crowd with all the special effects and rolling around but its still pretty acceptable and good overall, aaaaand yea, thats bout it. Citadel DLC is great if you want more time with your squadmates, Leviathan is very good, From Ashes is good and disgusting at the same time, as it should have been in your game from the very start.

Get the game in a promo, finish your ME Trilogy, you'll like some things, probably dislike some others. Its not like DA2 or DA3 that had near zero to do with Origins, ME3 manages to hit closer to home than that, go for it.

[Clover]

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

its the game where the writing can get so bad, that you'll listen to Anderson cussing like a sailor, saying things like "with the ♥♥♥♥ you did in X, you're lucky that Y", or commander shepard, when Bailey, the guy from c-sec tells him "i'll see you around Shepard", to which the galant, much respected savior of the galaxy responds with "no doubt". It feels like, at least some of ME3 was written by someone in the cast of Jersey Shore.

This is the complaint I've seen that worries me the most, that certain characters are written very out of character. There was also something about a picture of Tali just being a stock photo from google, which I have trouble believing but I've sure seen a lot of complaining about it. Almost more complaining than about the ending.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

Other downsides to ME3, the difficulty was pushed down,

I'll be honest, I played ME1 on the lowest difficulty because the combat was annoying the hell out of me, and 2 I'm playing on whatever default is. I could stand 2 being a little more difficult but I don't really play Bioware games for difficulty honestly. If I want something hard I'll go flail around in Dark Souls for a while.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

it should have been in your game from the very start.

I feel that way about most of Bioware's DLC, which is why I refuse to buy any of it. The stuff that does feel like legit extra content is usually unpolished and not very fun. Bioware has terrible DLC practices in general in my opinion and I refuse to support it.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

DA2 or DA3 that had near zero to do with Origins, ME3 manages to hit closer to home than that, go for it.

See though that's not what I didn't like about Dragon Age 2. I didn't like the needless art changes, the weird disjointed dialogue, the removal of the character creation system, the repeated side areas, or the Ubisoft style sexual comments for no reason other than "Woo edgy game devs pls buy game." It's adorable when Ubisoft does it, but it's annoying when people who write good stories start doing it.

---

Anyway I've been thinking about it and honestly I think playing another Mass Effect game directly after doing ME1 and ME2 back to back is probably a bad idea. I'm not really feeling burnt out yet but I can tell I'm starting to get there, another 30 hours probably won't help. I think I'll just wait for the holiday sales and hopefully get it cheap, and play it then. Thanks for the responses!

[Craftian]

Great responses by everyone so far, so I'll try to avoid repeating what's been said.

As someone who has held Mass Effect 2 as an unmatched personal favourite for many years now, there's quite a lot that can be said about ME3 improving on the formula, even if it has taken a few steps back. Combat is definitely the best the series has seen, with fast-paced and satisfying action and the writing in particular is, for the most part, top-notch. While the missions on Rannoch, Tuchanka, Cronos Station and Earth feature sprawling and epic battles with a tonne of emotional weight, a lot of the time the smaller missions and side-quests take centre stage.

These serve to really capture the scale of the galactic war, and the personal toll of the many sacrifices that everyone has had to make. Sound design, especially the soundtrack, is fantastic.

There's plenty of returning characters for the squad, as well as some surprising throwbacks to the previous games. Romance is more fleshed out and there's plenty of dialogue that is among the best BioWare has written.

Both Leviathan and Omega are enjoyable, but Citadel is easily some of the best DLC out there, providing the closure and cheesy fan service that a lot of people were hoping for. Javik/From Ashes is worth checking out, despite the fact that it should've been in the shipped game to begin with.

Multiplayer is surprisingly enjoyable too; I still play it from time to time.

The debacle and subsequent backlash in regards to the ending and eventual Extended Cut was colossal and will probably remain infamous for many years to come. While I don't hate it with a passion, it certainly could've been better. That being said though, is it really worth letting the last 15 minutes of a 100+ hour trilogy ruin the experience?

(You can always check out the IT for a well-crafted fanbase explanation.)

Coming from a studio that had crafted the likes of Baldur's Gate, KOTOR and Origins, Dragon Age 2 was remarkably disappointing. A short and mostly uninspired narrative with recycled environments, dull MMO-style combat and poor visual design all around, your apprehension is understandable but not warranted for the Mass Effect series. The third game may not be perfect and it certainly shows signs of cutting corners and rushed development, but it is absolutely worth your time.

[Exarch_Alpha]

ME3 with all DLCs is a fantastic game. The Citadel DLC alone makes all the BS that came before regarding the bad original ending, worth it.

[meep_meep]

Originally posted by hype:

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

it should have been in your game from the very start.

I feel that way about most of Bioware's DLC, which is why I refuse to buy any of it. The stuff that does feel like legit extra content is usually unpolished and not very fun. Bioware has terrible DLC practices in general in my opinion and I refuse to support it.

I totally understand this attitude and I know I come off like a corporate shill for saying this, but the DLC in ME3 is really worth buying/playing, at least Leviathan, From Ashes, and Citadel. These three missions alone are better than 90% of the base game.

[Raider]

Originally posted by Samantha Traynor:

Originally posted by hype:

I feel that way about most of Bioware's DLC, which is why I refuse to buy any of it. The stuff that does feel like legit extra content is usually unpolished and not very fun. Bioware has terrible DLC practices in general in my opinion and I refuse to support it.

I totally understand this attitude and I know I come off like a corporate shill for saying this, but the DLC in ME3 is really worth buying/playing, at least Leviathan, From Ashes, and Citadel. These three missions alone are better than 90% of the base game.

The thing is, the DLC's story and gameplay are so different sometimes (not From Ashes) that they don't feel like the main game. Take Lair of the Shadow Broker for example. You got a playable Skycar, a whole new race just for 1 mission, a whole new ship, and you get to play with Liara for the DLC. That doesn't feel like something they'd put in the main game because the quality of the DLC is better than most base game missions. That's why imo, I'd buy the DLCs.

[Raider]

Originally posted by hype:

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

its the game where the writing can get so bad, that you'll listen to Anderson cussing like a sailor, saying things like "with the ♥♥♥♥ you did in X, you're lucky that Y", or commander shepard, when Bailey, the guy from c-sec tells him "i'll see you around Shepard", to which the galant, much respected savior of the galaxy responds with "no doubt". It feels like, at least some of ME3 was written by someone in the cast of Jersey Shore.

This is the complaint I've seen that worries me the most, that certain characters are written very out of character. There was also something about a picture of Tali just being a stock photo from google, which I have trouble believing but I've sure seen a lot of complaining about it. Almost more complaining than about the ending.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

Other downsides to ME3, the difficulty was pushed down,

I'll be honest, I played ME1 on the lowest difficulty because the combat was annoying the hell out of me, and 2 I'm playing on whatever default is. I could stand 2 being a little more difficult but I don't really play Bioware games for difficulty honestly. If I want something hard I'll go flail around in Dark Souls for a while.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

it should have been in your game from the very start.

I feel that way about most of Bioware's DLC, which is why I refuse to buy any of it. The stuff that does feel like legit extra content is usually unpolished and not very fun. Bioware has terrible DLC practices in general in my opinion and I refuse to support it.

Originally posted by combat cockroach:

DA2 or DA3 that had near zero to do with Origins, ME3 manages to hit closer to home than that, go for it.

See though that's not what I didn't like about Dragon Age 2. I didn't like the needless art changes, the weird disjointed dialogue, the removal of the character creation system, the repeated side areas, or the Ubisoft style sexual comments for no reason other than "Woo edgy game devs pls buy game." It's adorable when Ubisoft does it, but it's annoying when people who write good stories start doing it.

---

Anyway I've been thinking about it and honestly I think playing another Mass Effect game directly after doing ME1 and ME2 back to back is probably a bad idea. I'm not really feeling burnt out yet but I can tell I'm starting to get there, another 30 hours probably won't help. I think I'll just wait for the holiday sales and hopefully get it cheap, and play it then. Thanks for the responses!

Im sorry but you are really stupid. You ignore ALL the other people telling you it's a great game, but you only focus on ONE person who didn't like it. Also playing the ME games one after another is the best way to do it, as BioWare puts carefully crafted details that carry over from ME1 and ME2 (Conrad Verner, for example). Idk mate, your loss. I honestly can't see how you can get burned out on a STORY BASED game. How do you get burned out on a story?

[Clover]

Originally posted by Raider:

Im sorry but you are really stupid. You ignore ALL the other people telling you it's a great game, but you only focus on ONE person who didn't like it.

I did no such thing, what makes you think I ignored anything that anyone said? I responded to what I felt like I needed to respond to. Also I don't think that person didn't like the game, in fact he or she suggested playing it.

Originally posted by Raider:

Also playing the ME games one after another is the best way to do it, as BioWare puts carefully crafted details that carry over from ME1 and ME2 (Conrad Verner, for example).

Maybe for you? I'd like to take a bit of a break after 50 hours of the same game. I'm not sure how you think you're entitled to tell me how I should be spending my time. Like I appreciate the responses, if I didn't make this thread I probably wouldn't even buy the game honestly. I was just going to stop with ME2 and maybe get back to it someday but this thread made me feel comfortable buying it next time it's on sale.

Originally posted by Raider:

Idk mate, your loss. I honestly can't see how you can get burned out on a STORY BASED game. How do you get burned out on a story?

Maybe I want to play a different game next? Or do something that isn't a video game? I don't have unlimited time to do nothing but play video games. I don't see how taking a break before playing ME3 is a loss.