Retawes Review: Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 3 - 18.5/20

We've ventured through space for several occasions, but can Bioware's Sci-Fi Action RPG/Third Person Shooter cope with the pressure of the finale of one of the most critically aclaimed "GOTY" nominationated space games ever, Mass Effect?


Story and Setting 9.5/10

The third game in the series once again, puts you in command of Commander Shepard as he enrolls not only squadmates, but mass armies and whole species in order to defeat the Reapers and Cerberus. Throughout the game, you meet several returning characters such as Garrus, Tali, etc. These characters felt like they were from my Mass Effect story as they had the varied conversations and views with my imported Shep compared to the 'speeches' they had with my newly created "Fem Shep".

~Tali and Fem Shep sitting in a tree~

Speaking of Shepard, I still find that "Fem Shep" (Female Shepard) is so much more emotional and courageous compared to the her mono-tone voiced, incompetent lump of muscle that is "Male Shep". This is most likely due to Fem Shep having a better voice andportrays more of a supportive and compassionate leadership role whilts still being sturn, confident and serious.

Incidentally, like fellow Mass Effect titles, ME3 has the "renigade/paradode" meter where you can alter the story simply by picking a different dialogue option.
The Mass Effect franchise can come across as a Star Trek/Star Wars influenced dramatic/romantic Science Fiction 'movie' due to the occasional sex scenes and multi-specied relationships, but it should really be remmebered for it's galatic politics, life-changing decisions, backstories and intiuging and unique characters.



I'm sorry sir, but I don't answer to no Cat-Prawn! (Turian)

These decisions alter diverse races and characters at your disposal that may or may not assist you based on your actions in the previous games/character customization options. SPOILER ALERT. For instance, when I had to recover a biotic specialising school, I met Jack and due to my ME2 relationship with her we started making out like little "love birds". Although these previous decisions can cause negative affects to the storyline. Due to Miranda's death in my ME2 suicide mission, (Along with Thane and Grunt!) the scenario involving Miranda's father played very differently and disconnected compared to when I played as my ME3 exclusive female protagonist, "Jem Shepard" where Miranda was alive yet Jack, Samara and Ashley were all deceased. SPOILER FINISHED.


Ooooh, Pretty Lights......Oh No Meteors, "lol jks" it's a Reaper, SHIT!

Futhermore, ME3's music is poetically a huge boost of adrenaline. Whether you're fighting against the Reapers on the Turian's moon or defending a Human base situated on Mars from Cerberus, there is always a "heart-pumping" aura that surrounds your environment that you play in.

Speaking of the environment, the areas that the Normandy (Shepard's ship) travels to is awingly varied and not to mention beautiful. These vary from the holy luminiscent temples of Asarian homeworld, Thessia, to the gloomy morbid "No-Man's Land" of the Reaper invaded Earth.

Graphics and Gameplay 9/10



Imported my ME2 character and within 2 hours I was lvl 30!

Mass Effect 3 contains all of what I adored from it's predescessor but slightly improved and tweaked for a broader audience. These include a vastly action oriented cover/shooting system, an engaging spaceship simulator that is astonishingly amazing and an assortive range of powers and skills classified by classes at your disposal. Although, the multiplayer is what I personally believe is a failure and complete dissapointment, even if it was an added bonus/apology for Dragon Age 2.

ME3 gives a huge "dump" onto most third person shooters (Specifically Gears of War 3) as it has a far more superior and sophisticated AI, span of weapons and loads of creative combinations in upgrading/modding your weapons. For instance, I modded a rifle which had about estimatively 60 damage per bullet and gave it 17.50% more damage and a scope to image the gun as a sniper. Slightly more so, the AI are properly structered and feel like real aliens as in obscure, smoothly animated unique creatures that a majority of their species provide fetch quests were you must "scan" a galaxy for an artefact, book, etc which will result in a larger army for the "Final Attack" on the Reapers. This "Final Attack" causes several completely different endings and gradually resolves or unravels historical events in the Mass Effect universe.

Speaking of the past Mass Effects, ME3 has the same class structure as the games prior to the big "Trio". There are six playable classes that are slightly related to another class. These include: The Biotic who can push/pull objects and create forcefields; the gadjet fixated tech specialist who can turn invisible/in possession of several grenades (Fire/Sticky); The "weapon specialist" who has can manipulate the ammo he/she uses for instance, armour splitting ammo and several other classes. Athough Shepard isn't the only person in the galaxy that uses this 'class system'. A majority of enemies (Excluding the Reapers) has a specific characteristic from a class and as you level up your squad, you will improve their class' capabilities.


*Retawes died from... LAG!*

However, the multiplayer of the game is poorly executed and disastrous. In theory, it's a co-operative 'survival' mode in which you defeat enemies, hack devices and other activities to progress into the mission. In practice I didn't enjoy the multi-player to the slightest due to the "regular" tremendous disconnection scenarios (Continous American hosts is dispicable. No offence America!) and the irrational requirement of leveling up excessively to use any other race that isn't human or to use more than 2 weapons or 3 skills. In the end though, I played about four matches (A match takes 15-20. You do the maths.) specifically for the single-player contribution which resulted in a pointless addition of 200 soldiers which is nothing compared to my already 5860 troops.


Overall - 18.5/20

To summarise my whole Mass Effect 3 playthrough, the game is sub par to many action rpgs/ space shooters and will be 'gossiped' for a few years (A 2012 GOTY nominee no doubt!) due to its immerse galaxies of diverse and creative environments, clever cover system, impressive AI and continuity with fans. However, many gamers will feel very frustrated and patriotic for their fanbase due to the 'DLC' issue, numerous un-climaxive endings and incredibly dull disinteresting multiplayer that many had "high hopes" for.