Mass Effect 3 gets first review

The first Mass Effect 3 review has emerged from the latest issue of German magazine GameStar.

[Relientk77]

It sounds like Mass Effect 3 is awesome

[BakedGoods]

Yeah! This game is going to be incredible.

[jony_dols]

This source doesn't even have Gamestar's verdict & score, but here it is from a different site:

Story: 10/10
+ exciting and excellent plot twists in the main quest
+ epic story
+ lots of creepy moments
+ fantastic ending
Sound: 10/10
Balance: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Longevity: 9/10
Quests: 10/10
Character System: 10/10
Combat System: 8/10
Items: 9/10

Overall: 9.3/10

(To put that in perspective, Gamestar gave ME1: 8.5/10 and ME2: 8.7/10)

[EVILDEAD360]

Review numbers only added to the anticipation level...

LOL @ people so bent on hating the game that they are now breaking down the phiosophy of reviews...CLASSIC

This is literally the only game that will finally break me away from Skyrim.

March 6th can't come soon enough..

Mass Effect 3 FTW..

Evil

[nveenio]

I've actually always hated Mass Effect. I have lots of good reasons, too. It's not well polished, the engine (PC) needed a lot of work on advanced effects, facial animations were robotic, cinematic/dialog sequences were too long, etc. But I hate that I've hated it because SOOOOOO many people think it's fabulous.

So, I re-purchased both ME1 and ME2 a few days ago and got both copies in the mail. I'm starting with ME1 (of course) and I'm actually not minding it this time. It's better than I remember, but I think that's mostly because I'm forcing myself to sit through all of the dialog.

Now, my only complaint is that the dialog in ME1 can not be paused. That's a big deal for a guy with three kids always hounding him. I hope ME2 allows me to pause the dialog. If they're going to make me sit through 5-10 minutes of it at a time, I should be able to pause it at will.

[sllshrm]

@inveni0

I'm sorry to say, you cant pause dialogue in ME2...

I personally hated the game at my first playthrough, but my friend's constant praise for that game made me sit through the end and all I can say is that, it was WORTH EVERY MINUTE!

Damn the story blew me away! It is beyond epic! SO i suggest sit through it till the end...you are in for a treat ;)

[nveenio]

That's what I'm finding. I like a well thought out story, and ME1 has a lot of little details that are nice. I think it's the initial acclimation to the lore of the universe of Mass Effect that always put me off before. There are still some gameplay elements that were overlooked that shouldn't have been, but the sci-fi saga storyline helps to mask those issues.

Right now, I'm only as far into the story as Peak 15, but I can see myself getting into it more.

As weird as it sounds, one reason I really decided to give it another go was in order to play on Mars in ME3. I like Mars.

[Canary]

No, it really doesn't. Every notice how reviews for big name games always follow the SAME pattern?

Every review prior to release is roughly perfect--it's the best game ever! Buy it! Buy it! Then every review during the first week or two of release is mostly perfect--it's got a few flaws, but it's still really good! Buy it! Buy it!

And then once it's been out for a few weeks... only then do legitimate reviews surface--ones that actually criticize the game. Sure, ME3 could be a 10/10 game... but it could also be a 3/10 game. No early review is going to tell us because the people reviewing games this soon are people who recieved copies from EA--and they like playing games early and aren't going to do anything to jeopardize that relationships.

Because even if they don't recieve money from EA directly, early reviews = more traffic = more money from EA indirectly.

The ONLY thing we have from which we can legitimately draw any qualitative judgments about ME3 is the rather unimpressive demo. If you think ANY review you see between now and mid-March is worth anything, you are what they call a "natural born sucker."

[vortis]

WTF do you get disagrees for? You're spot on.

The only thing is, early reviews = breaking embargo. The only way to maintain positive relations while breaking embargo is to do what you mentioned: give it a perfect or near perfect score.

All the reviews for Syndicate say that the game isn't bad but it's really short, trite, predictable and repetitive yet the game scores 9.5s and 9s from most places...WTF? How do you justify a 4-6 hour single player campaign for $60? Several points should be knocked off right here.

It's unfortunate reviews aren't entirely honest these days, they only tell gamers to "buy, buy, buy" and I don't think I've ever come across a review from an AAA website that said the game wasn't worth buying, except for Jeff Gerstmann review of Kane & Lynch that got him fired.

[MsclMexican]

@vortis

It may be due to Canary being very negative on Me3... but I do agree with his views on reviews.

Some publishers do shady dealings for their games to get good scores

Example: Bethesda not giving a single reviewer the PS3 version of Skyrim, because THEY KNEW it was broken to begin with.

Playstation magazine bought their copy of Skyrim to review.. and gave it the lowest score for the game. A 7

But Canary has been peaved with all of the ME3 dlc and thinks it is Bioware's fault.

I mean, it is not like all those skin packs and DlC's are needed to enjoy the game. Even that Prothean DLC people have complained about are not really needed.

I think what you are getting with Me3 is justifiable with the 60 bucks you are spending unlike games like Syndicate

[da_2pacalypse]

Yup, anybody disagreeing with this guy is a moron. Because this guy is 100% right!

[knifefight]

Yep.
The very first import review of Final Fantasy 13 was a 7/10 and people were calling the reviewer a troll. Then look what happened.

Exceptions like that are very rare, mostly because you get attacked if you say anything even remotely negative about a game that's not out yet.

Any game with a huge ad budget will get nothing but 90%'s and above for a week before and week after release. Only then do we really get an idea of what's up.

[morganfell]

@canary,

Why is that. There was a question asked in an article here a day or two ago. The question was, "What is the Biggest Ripoff in Gaming?" I'll reply now as I did then.

Over blown disproportionate influence in the gaming world awarded to biased, hit hungry, flame-baiting websites and magazines that have absolutely no published and enforced standards.

These entities are absent of any editorial policy whatsoever and reek of corruption and bribery.

Lastly they see fit to employ talentless hacks as writers who wouldn't understand objectivity if it popped out of the toilet and bit them in the ass. They are entirely devoid of even a modicum, the merest scrap of journalistic integrity, and have long since bartered away insightful writing in favor of shallow sensationalistic tripe.

And I certainly agree with your demo remarks. The demo was a lackluster affair which can only indicate either a poor tactical choice at choosing the worst part of the game to release or is reveals the game may simply be worn material. Only a handful of developers are able to deliver on the same story line and keep it fresh.

Bioware fell into the simplification for the masses trap and quite frankly isn't one of those devs.

[xflo360]

I honestly dont get why people like mass effect. For me its bland and the gameplay is rigid.
I played mass effect 1&2 for about an hour and was bored to tears.
Not bein a fanboy its just not my cup of tea.

[Canary]

"It may be due to Canary being very negative on Me3... but I do agree with his views on reviews."

Since when is considering something "unimpressive" the same as "being very negative?"

I'm getting disagrees for the opposite reason: I'm not being (irrationally) effusively positive about Mass Effect 3.

Head on over to any Vita or 3DS article and say something like, "Gee, guys, I'm not sure this handheld is the single best piece of gaming machinery ever created," and you'll get much the same kneejerk response. N4G's agree/disagree system is designer solely to cater to the fanboys too inarticulate to properly voice their own, crude opinions.

[adorie]

The information was enough for me. This review should hold some kind of standard, because it sounded balanced and was informative.

I wonder if EA's sequels that are "3" will hit Steam at any time in the foreseeable future. I'll wait before purchasing the game, if that is the case or move on and
toss a copy on my boat.

I'll wait a year.

[NeoBasch]

Just like Mass Effect 2. *rolls eyes*

[deep_fried_bum_cake]

Great, looking forward to it. Hate that we never actually get to see these first reviews though.

[despair]

I have been in a complete ME3 blackout for about 2 months now, saw 1 gameplay demo alone since the game was announced and I didn't play the demo released either. So what the hell am I doing here now...must...not...read...can& #39;t wait...much...longer..

[MsclMexican]

2 more weeks mate... or you could swim around in the pacific ocean for the space edition that was supposed to be there

[DeFFeR]

They found that one in a tree.

[Gazondaily]

Lol despair....exact same situation here. What am I doing here?!

[Godmars290]

A review without a review score? Just plot reveals and game details like length?

Should this have been approved?

@Below:
So spoilers are better than what might be a bias score that will likely raise complaints?

[boogeyman999]

People bitch about review scores and how there should not be any and then there are comments like this? olawd

[TheGameFoxJTV]

I wonder if people realize that reviews are just peoples opinions, and it makes 0 sense to take all your feeling and fit them into a number. Whoever started the number or star system just made people lazy.

[TheOtherTheoG]

a) A review score is not necessary for a review to be good, it's why Rock Paper Shotgun and Zero Punctuation are so popular, among others.

b) It has a review score, it's a 9.

[slavish]

I wonder how much more is in the co-op from the full game compared to the demo?

[--Onilink--]

well just by looking at the info shown in the demo, there are quite a few maps missing, and several enemy types as well

[honkyjesus]

"Being able to play all the content on the disc - 1/10"

[deep_fried_bum_cake]

Hmm I don't see that anywhere so I don't know what you're quoting. Get over it, they are just doing what most game companies do nowadays, if you have such a problem with it then don't buy it. I don't like it much either but I don't cry like a (insert word that would get me bubbled down here) about it.

[SAE]

Agree with you DeFFeR , no one should buy a day one dlc , it's just stupid from the people but no need to act like that :) , they prefer to support the developers in any way even if it's stealing , people that smart these days , they are too lazy to say there opinions about these things and rejecting them

same happen in my school , the government put rules in everything , even the stairs xD , because people saying they can't do anything but it's there fault for not rejecting it and saying there opinions , befor the government couldn't do anything to put stupid rules that efficts students wishes because if they did the student would have beated anyone who do that to them , if they get expeled the students go and destroy the car and beat the resposable and he get beack to school XD

[TheOtherTheoG]

The From Ashes content isn't on the disk, they made it whilst the game was in QA and certification.

[Imalwaysright]

Wow just because there is a market for it doesnt mean that i should sit by and let companies like EA/Bioware abuse us. Go ahead bend over and get comfortably numb while EA fucks you in the ass but i have to much pride to let them get away with it. Im going to pirate the game and all the DLC.

[mynameisEvil]

BioWare and EA's little stint with the DLC is the reason why something like capitalism has such a bad name.

In normal capitalism, a man produces a product that meets certain demands. The consumer typically knows what they are going to get out of the product and will buy it as long as the know that all demands are met and kept. This is how, for a long time, capitalism worked. That is, very well.

These days, they pull this crap. They don't meet the demands of the product (aka, "Taking out a chunk of the unraveling mystery of the Protheans , the largest part of the ME storyline) and then force people to pay extra just to meet the damands the producer should've met in the first place...

And people let this crap happen, then go back later and bitch about how unfair it is when they let it happen in the first place.

I'm not a fan of the series, so I'm not even going to pirate it, but still... The less money we give to these greedy pricks, the better.

[SeraphimBlade]

Well, for all the DLC/Origin/Collector's Edition/celebrity appearance/multiplayer/silly action mode/script leak BS it got caught up in, good to see the game itself is still pretty awesome... mostly because it's already pre-ordered. Yeah, I was still gonna play this even if the game case was loaded with live bees.

[nik666uk]

Why can't he judge graphics or controls without seeing the PC version?

[TheGameFoxJTV]

Because it will be the best looking version.

[Hicken]

That's subject to the capabilities of the PC, isn't it?

And that's still no justification for not judging the controls.

[theeg]

cause the console version has zero chance of looking amazing, it's 8 year old hardware, we saw long, long ago the max these things could do. (uncharted 2 is the peak for ps3 {part 3 was a downgrade visually}, gears 1/2 for 360)

pc does amazing things everyday, just check out recent mod pages to see, the envelope of possibilities is constantly being pushed in pc gaming.

not that i think me3 will be a benchmark of anykind on pc, but it will certainly blow anything on console out of the park.

pc is two generations beyond ps3/360

[DOOMZ]

MINE!!!!

[starchild]

Can't wait.

[ginsunuva]

I bet $500 Bioware will make us choose between Tali and Garrus dying.

[STONEY4]

Nah. But I can tell you that there IS something involving them that I don't want to spoil. It's not a choice or a death thing though. Unless that pops up later in the game, since I haven't read the leaked script or seen any major spoilers, but I doubt they'll do another Virmire situation with them.

[DeFFeR]

STOP TALKING. STOP TALKING RIGHT NOW.

[AHall88]

Someone takes a leap off a cliff if you're mean enough. ;)

[masa2009]

"shortcomings in level design, which are similar to ME2"

Mmmm, precisely why I disliked ME2.
ME1 had larger, more varied levels, with more dialogue hubs. Combat and dialogue were mixed better, like RPG quests.
In ME2, it was just a bunch of corridors with cut and paste scenery.
That's precisely what I was hoping they'd change, but deep down I kinda knew they wouldn't, cause that's one of the most difficult things to do.

I guess I'll wait and see, maybe at a reduced price...
I found the action stages of ME2 very, very dull. Always the same boxed crates, the same bland panels.

[Brosy]

Actually ME1 was the game that had the same cut & paste levels. ME2 was way more varied in it's action levels.However the planets were cooler in ME1, because you could land on almost all of them. But the buildings were almost all the same design.

[Ravenor]

But you could roll around in a big barren, randomly thrown together "planet" that was cool...right? Maybe come across some buildings with the EXACT same floor plan as the building...on that other planet.

[giovonni]

I'm getting it! I do want to try it with Kinect

[m23]

I don't know why you got so many disagrees, they must all be haters of Kinect even though they've never tried it.

I've played the demo with Kinect and it works pretty well, its more useful for the combat since you don't have to continuously pause the game to choose the powers you want to use. You can even tell your squad members what to do using your voice.

[giovonni]

I know, but it comes with the Territory around these parts. I haven't tried it yet (demo). my work schedule is too crazy right now.

[urwifeminder]

This game will be popular so cue the hate,air is also popular shame some guys dont boycott that air sheep confirmed.

[MysticStrummer]

Being popular has never meant a game was good, and it never will. Sheep buy a game because it's popular, they don't go against the crowd.

[urwifeminder]

I never said that popular means good keep breathing.

[jdktech2010]

It could score a 1 with everyone and I'm still buying this (obviously it won't even get close but you get the point).

This series has been nothing less than stellar in my opinion and I can't wait for March 3rd.

[m23]

March 3rd? Where do you get it that early, I have to wait til the 6th and I'm in Canada.

[jdktech2010]

or March 6th....it would help if I paid attention.

Guess I was just trying to make it release sooner

[jaymart2k]

40hrs for everything. So it's the length of Skyrim's intro.

[TheGameFoxJTV]

This is a story driven game, Skyrim is an open world type game. You're comparing apple to Ducks.

[jaymart2k]

There both RPG's that's why I'm comparing.

[Aloren]

@jaymart2k

so ?

[steve30x]

40 hours is longer than most games being released lately

[MasterD919]

The most important thing of all WAS answered...No loose ends...and I hate to spoil things for those hoping this is the last ME but its quite clear that there is something after the credits that all of us will want to see.

[baboom223]

The demo was.. good. It will never beat the truly hardcore game ME1 was though.

[Plagasx]

God damn I came.

[Ezio2048]

AWESOME!!!!!!! =D=D

[Frodosmugins]

seriously %90 of gamers cant think for themselves. Im almost 30 and I know wat type of games I like, I dont need a review to tell me to buy a game or not.

For the purposes of my view and for this MS3 post. Im not big in to Scifi games I tried to play MS1 couldnt get in to the whole Scifi thing so I decided not to spend my money on this game....

Even though my human instincts get me all hyped up over the advertisment,reviews etc of this game I will still not buy it cos its not a game for me I dont care what review this game gets!!

[ilovemyps3]

I just stopped playing me2 on ps3,after a 3 hours session. Just saved garrus, and explored a few planets, and crashed Normandy 1.

So far,its amazing,on my top list,along with uncharteds, god of war 3 and killzone.

I hope I can finish the 2, so I can grab the 3, in 2 weeks.
I don't give a fuck about the reviews it will get. I know it can only be BETTER than me2,with more contnt,more action,more everything.graphics on 2 are already perfect for me,don't need changes.perfect.textures are amazing,even close,unlike rage,and a few other games.

People are notching about me3 dlc.what is all that fuzz about? If it can bring more stuff,more missions,more weapons,more everything,why not.ok,it could come with the full game. Well, by now,we should all know how business work... Passes,dlc...complaining won't change anything.

Instead of complaining, we should prepare to welcome me3.march gonna be a great month for gamers,great titles being released in 30 days.

I'm sure me3 will get hundreds 9 and 10's. After 1 and 2, they can't make a bad game,even on purpose,it would be impossible.

I think I will even get the black t shirt from me3 :) loos cool.

Ok guys, chill out, and don't stop living because a review,or embargo,or score, of me3. Instead, prepare yourself for the 40+ hours,with mister Sheppard.

See ya

[hudsoniscool]

i agree man.

[Zephol]

cant wait

[Dfooster]

I wonder if it still has conveniently placed 3 foot high walls to hide behind every time you are going to be engaged in combat.

I thought that was a big let down of the first two games. The levels in ME3 need to be more organic

[Aloren]

Every cover based game has conveniently placed 3 foot high walls though.

[hadouken007]

I was thinking bout buying the game, but the demo of the game didn't wow me at all,but the commercials look sweet, now it'$ another near perfect game score, straight turn off!

[steve30x]

I dont rely on videos or reviews of games anynmore , because its somebody elses view of a game. I played Syndicate and would give it 9/10 but I just saw a review giving it 50%. What I find interesting in a game and games that I really enjoy wont be the same for everybody else.