Reviews// Mass Effect 3

There are some missions that stick out amongst others, but the overall quality is extremely high. My personal favourite involves the future of the Krogan race and left me pondering the outcome and the choices I made for several hours after the game and been turned off. What the game puts you through will most likely stay with you for the rest of your gaming life and you can't give much higher praise than that.

The Story
With all the technical work in check, Mass Effect 3 falls down to two things - its story and the characters within it.

The plot in Mass Effect 3 starts simple. Your goal is to fight the Reapers who are trying to exterminate the human race. From there it spirals out of control with political conflicts and the involvement of your past employer 'Cerberus'.

As with the previous games the plot can branch depending on the choices you make and the mind begins to boggle when considering the amount of options Bioware has to consider when putting it all together. Everything seems so tailor-made to fit with how you have played through the series, you'll never feel that Bioware uses cheap cop outs to cover as many possibilities as it can in one hit. It's a truly-adapted, wonderfully executed plot and one that you'll be just as personally attached to as the protagonist within it.

Surprisingly there is a lot more reliance on cut scenes than there was in the previous two games. Most are done well, but there are some that could have worked within the in-game engine and I felt that I was a little robbed of some truly exciting moments as they played out before my eyes without any input from me.

Talking to other characters in the game is the same as it's always been. There will still be moments where you'll make your choice of what to say based on a short sentence only to hear Shepard express his or her self in a completely inappropriate and unanticipated manner. There's also the problem of signposting your Renegade and Paragon options, with the conversation option at top right being a Paragon and bottom right being Renegade. Story games should let gamers make mistakes. If I accidentally say something a bit Renegade then so be it.

But that doesn't make the choices you make any easier. There are times where I went against my Paragon instinct because I thought that the Renegade option was the right thing to do. Knowing that you're heading towards the end of the series, you want it to be good but that will only depend on which path you've taken. This only adds pressure and weight on your every move.

Characters
My only real disappointment with Mass Effect 3 is that I've found it hard to fall in love with some of the new characters as much as I did with the old ones. That could be partly down to the amount of time I've spent with the old ones, but I just don't care for a lot of the new ones.

If a major character of old has died in any of the previous games, their plot points are delivered by a new place holder character and unfortunately that's all they are. Non of them have the emotional attachment you had with the original, and neither do they try to earn it. Some of the conclusions to the missions you're on can fall a little flat because of this.

James, for example, is pretty one-dimensional. A body building republican of the Alliance force who seems to want to punch everything all the time. There's also the inclusion of one of my least favourite characters in the entire series, and a Cerberus assassin who sticks out like a sore thumb and is as clichéd as a haggis-eating kilt.

Ultimately though the majority of the time in the game is spent amongst friends, all of whom carry over their charm and traits from the previous games. These are characters you really care about and ones that will put you through a mix of emotions during your time with the game.

Multiplayer
The inclusion of a multiplayer mode left some scratching their heads. Most felt that it wasn't needed and could impact on the development of the main game.

To be honest, it isn't needed. The single-player game does more than enough to justify your purchase both in terms of content and experience. Thankfully, though, the Multi-player in Mass Effect 3 is a delicious cherry on top.

Most will compare it to Gears of War's hoard mode, and they will be right to do so. However, what this game does is take that concept and introduces character building, unlocks and customisation. It's hoard mode but with more of a game to back it up and is completely worthy of your attention.

Mass Effect 3 is like no other game I've ever played. It's engaging, fun and impressive. It takes interactive story telling to a whole new level and ends the series on a high.

Newcomers may find themselves lost, but those who have played the previous games will be emotionally attached to every twist and turn. To experience the full payoff you need to know how you got there and if you haven't then go and buy all three games, struggle through the deeply flawed first and from then on you'll experience some of the best gaming there is to be had.

This is a game that I'll remember forever. It's a game that I hold up there with some of the best of all time. It's exactly the direction I'd like to see gaming go. It's a well told story that feels unique to me. It feels so interactive that I can't imagine that other players could possibly understand what I've been through.

Simply put, Mass Effect 3 is a masterpiece.

Pros
+ Engaging and emotional plot.
+ Fun and deep combat system.
+ Exceptional use of sound and music.

Cons
- Some of the new characters aren't as well thought out as the old ones.
- Disc swapping on the 360 version of the game can be a pain.
- Renegade and Paragon options are too signposted.

SPOnG Score: 10/10