Mass Effect 3

The Mass Effect games were almost immediately elevated to the halls of RPG perfection with the release of the first game, which not only incorporated great gameplay and action, but an interactive story with real, measurable consequences based on your decisions throughout the game. Mass Effect 2 built upon this formula, streamlining the gameplay and offering up a great continuation to the story established in the first game. Now, with Mass Effect 3, the player reaches a metaphorical "precipice," if you will; knowing that the game is the end of a trilogy brings closure to the story, though it is bittersweet in itself, as the characters and connections that the player has undoubtedly built over the course of three games disappear with the scrolling of the credits. It is not much of an exaggeration, then, to say that Bioware faced its biggest challenge with the design of Mass Effect 3, not only to convince gamers to take the plunge, but to make them happy they did so. Whether or not Bioware accomplished this goal is the basis of this review.

The story of Mass Effect 3 continues on the cliffhanger of Mass Effect 2, and though the plot may seem somewhat cliche (alien invasion, fight for human survival, etc. Think Battlestar Galactica), it is well-written, and fits perfectly within the detailed Mass Effect universe. The player regains control of Shepherd through several disparate means. The preferred option, save import, allows you to not only import your Shepherd from the previous games, battle stats and all, but also the decisions you made as Shepherd in the previous two games. For instance, your decision to save either Ashley Williams or Kaiden Alenko in the original game makes its impact in this game, as you will encounter the one you saved. Not only do the characters return, but so do your relationships with them- a romance with one of the characters of the first two games brings up additional talking points that otherwise would not be there. I felt this import system was very well-done, not only providing a backstory for your character, but also hooking you deeper into the universe, with seemingly tangible relationships with characters that you've known for years forcing you to place an emotional stake in the universe (provided that you've not only played the original games but also played them a few years apart, or at least long enough for the "reunion" to feel more like a reunion). I won't go into the story, but I will say it is one of the best stories written for a video game in recent years. Bioware has clearly evolved past the "good vs. evil" stories (as present in Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire), and moved on to complex, thought-provoking narratives that connect with the player in a deeper fashion. Even if one hasn't played the original games, Mass Effect 3 provides a great prologue (to itself, that is) that will leave a new player as emotionally invested in the story as a series veteran. Mass Effect 3's story can be considered a hallmark amongst video game narratives, and only reinforces the opinion that Bioware is truly the master of story-telling in video games.

Even the greatest story, however, does not comprise a video game. One needs only look at Heavy Rain to realize that there does need to be some playability and interactivity past button presses and quick-time events to keep the player interested in the story. Mass Effect 3 executes this task with a flourish, providing a deep and customizable experience that mixes combat and exploration to near-perfection. The combat is fairly simple; it is very akin to that of Gears of War (third-person, a cover system, multiple weapons, etc.). However, with multiple classes, different powers associated with these classes, and squadmates with powers, the combat becomes quite tactical. For instance, the soldier class receives powers for armor-piercing rounds and disruptor rounds. Enemies that have armor are, obviously, taken out with AP rounds, and enemies with shields are taken out with disruptor rounds. Switching between powers for different situations and enemies helps distill the de rigueur of combat. As for the exploration side, Shepherd is able to find new armor pieces, new weapons, and, of most import, information that helps in the war effort and in simple (yet optional) story expansion. Outside of the combat and exploration, the player is able to pilot the Normandy, a modern, state-of-the-art stealth ship in and around star systems to search for aid, artifacts (to be sold) and to get from storypoint to storypoint. Though not much more than a simple top-down little minigame of sorts, it aids in reinforcing the fact that as Shephered, you are the commander, not just the lackey following directions.

To go on about the Mass Effect universe would take eons. Bioware has designed races that are unique and not at all cliched "space monsters". Each race has its own traits and peculiarities that make them all the more memorable. Many of your squadmates are of different races, and, more so than the previous games, race will factor in more heavily to the overall story, a well-executed and smart decision, reinforcing the fact that Bioware is making games that go far beyond the perceptions many have of what a video game story can be.

The whole Mass Effect experience as a package is hard not to recommend. As a sci-fi fan, I was enthralled by the attention to detail of the designers in designing spanning, futuristic utopias and sleek starships. Whilst playing Mass Effect 3 I felt like I was living out a science-fiction story in itself, and not just experiencing one told to me. Even someone not a fan of science fiction will find the science fiction unassuming and undaunting, as much of it is located in optional journal sidepages that are not "required reading," as it were.

With all this waxing eloquent about the game, one may wonder why it received the score it did. While a 9 is nothing to laugh at, it is not perfect, and this is for a few but small details. One of my complaints is that many of the sidequests were simple fetch-quests that required the player to travel to a particular planet, scan it, and locate the artifact in question, to be returned for credits and additional assistance in the war effort. There are only a few "real" sidequests that involve a bit of story and real interaction, though these are few and far between. Next, I was dismayed that additional purchases were required to get the best endings in the game. While I do not wish to spoil anything, some of the better endings are only unlocked by completing two Ipad/Iphone games that, you guessed it, are not free. (The other option is to play the multiplayer, but I believe single-player and multi-player experiences should be kept as separate as possible). While the designers likely did not design this as a quick cash-grab, it certainly feels like one, and leaves the player with an ending that he or she may not appreciate. This leads into a discussion on the ending, that supposedly "horrible" ending. True, the three endings really are just different colors of explosion, but there is a bit more to them (which I will refrain from detailing). With the free Extended Cut DLC, a bit more information about the endings is revealed, an attempt to appease the player base that complained that hours upon hours of combat, exploration and story involvement boiled down to a uniform set of choices that did not take into account the consequences of previous game decisions. While I too was dismayed at this lack of endings that complement your unique (at least in my mind) game decisions, ultimately Bioware decided to go down a different path that was perhaps a bit too broad for many gamers. It really is up to the player to decide if he or she enjoys the endings (updated or not) to really decide whether Bioware made a tragic mistake or was merely trying to move past the expected, all-comprehensive ending that leaves nothing to the imagination.

Without going into a lengthy tirade that basically sums up what I have already stated, Mass Effect 3 is a definite must-buy. It is one of those games that sets itself apart from the throng of mindless shooters and action games out there and really tries to be something more than a game, but an experience, a lofty goal that it accomplishes admirably. Thank you.