Mass Effect 3: Metacritic users strikes again, gets a lot of negative reviews

Mass Effect 3 is getting a very negative reception from Metacritic users. In what almost seems like a repeat of Dragon Age II’s negative user reception, despite the fact that the game is getting a lot of glowing reviews from the critics.

[EVILDEAD360]

But ZERO negative reviews from the critics and that's ALL that matters from that site.

Evil

[hardcore1912]

But there is no smoke without fire. I'm pretty sure that the game is amazing, but how Bioware handled DLC is bad.

[torchic]

I've been reading the user reviews for about half an hour now.

not only are people complaining about DLC, but there seems to be general discontent about decision making, the way the plot unfolds (the ending) and performance and graphical issues. I think a lot of people are just genuinely not happy with the game. I've never finished any Mass Effect games, just not my type of game so this is coming from an "outsider's" point of view.

but yes the DLC issue and the homosexual scenes seem to be the most hated things about the game.

[BrutallyBlunt]

All this proves is one thing and that one thing is what I have been trying to exploit for quite some time. People are idiots with nothing better to do.

So whether it's some idiotic teenager who feels it's his/her duty to troll Mass Effect or Call of Duty games on Metacritic or the constant influx of trolls on N4G, they are just showing sour grapes.

It's getting worse not better. People have easy access to post crap. Thoughtful and meaningful discussions are being trumped by the flock of losers who crave attention.

[Tonester925]

@LevelHead Have you played the game yet?

[STONEY4]

The user reviews are full of crap. There was a flood of them yesterday, before the game was even released, complaining about endings. Yeah.

I don't even get the "worse than ME2 graphics" complaints, they're DEFINITELY better than ME2 in so many ways. I'm playing on PC, so obviously I don't have framerate problems, but the graphics are a good step up.

Anyways, I have the game, And I can say alot of these complaints are poor. It's definitely the best ME game yet. Just by reading some of the Metacritic user reviews, I know they haven't played the game due to nonexistent complaints.

[Bimkoblerutso]

@Tonester925

Do you actually think the vast majority of those reader reviewers have played the game yet? How many do you think have actually BEATEN the game, given the amount of whining there is about the ending? At some point, you have to be able to call BS on hundreds of reviews claiming that they don't like the ending of a game that was released TODAY.

Yeah, this DLC crap is a real kick in the nuts, but this is just one more example of the stupidity of so many gamers when it comes to protesting.

[SilentNegotiator]

"The user reviews are full of crap. There was a flood of them yesterday, before the game was even released, complaining about endings. Yeah"

...And? The story is the biggest part of the Mass Effect series. A bad ending....that's kind of big. Like, REALLY big.

[joab777]

I don't think so. Not at all. Everyome has the ability to not purchase the game. That is how u speak out. Writing an obviously bogus review is stupid. It does nothing but prove that u r petty and angry. Angry at what? If the dlc was free, u woulda loved it? So, u hate paying a publisher another $10 for content for a game u love that they've spent millions on and years creating. Im sure u had no problem paying a monthly subscription to get get endless fetch quests or $15 to get a few more maps to play on.

Its a reflection of the entitlement society we live in. We create imaginary guidelines concerning what we r entitled to for $60. Well, i hate to break it to u but $60 6 years ago isn't $60 today. Have u bought gas lately or gone out to eat? Im sure u didn't bitch when the pipeline was shut down the same week iran threatened to cut off oil supplies? Or, did u bitch the last time a steak went up a dollar?

This is the final game of a generation defining trilogy. Can u blame them for trying to maximize profits? I do believe that they are continuing to invest in and create games after this. We r the reason that this ability to generate revenue even exists. They do it because it is proven. Sure, we can bitch and they will stop. Do u want them to stop making dlc for great games? As far as graphics...really? It's exactly what i expected. If u have a problem with the story, that's legitimate, but enough to give it a 0-5. Cmon. They improved combat, brought back rpg elements, added a very good mutilated, and everything we love is still there.

It is very irritating to see this. It reminds me of my nephew when he gets pissed off and won't eat because he can't open a new toy until he finishes his cereal. He has an excuse...he is two. Just do what he does when he finally gets his toy...stop crying, open it, and play the hell out of it...with a smile on ur face and thanks in ur heart.

[da_2pacalypse]

The game is very dumbed down. reminds of a michael bay movie. Not to say it's bad, it's just not really what I was looking for.

[Godmars290]

Think the real problem is that they didn't give themselves the time to do the job they needed on ME2 muchless ME3. ME2 certainly lacked ME1's atmospheric setting, made the Elcor and Hannar less than scenic characters, and the third probably treats them or the universe no better.

If Bioware should take anything away from complaints its that if they're going to continue to advertise that the choices players make matter and effect a story, then they should effect the story.

Not that they'll hear anything but sale numbers.

[slimy the g8ter]

You are such a biodrone. I have seen 4 comments of yours talking about nothing but high scores. Mass effect 3 has a very good story but some terrible gameplay trying to be a third person shooter.

[EVILDEAD360]

'You are such a biodrone. I have seen 4 comments of yours talking about nothing but high scores

LMAO @ me talking about high review scores in high review articles..it's called on-topic.

The hypocrisy is you jumping in every high score Mass effect review just to whine about them...guess that make you 'such a Bio-hater'

Either way..great reception from a great franchise..Metacritic user reviews bashing a game is nothing new. At then end of the day, no one cares about day one user reviews from fan kiddies doing what they always do best.

Evil

[A-Glorious-Dawn]

Evil, I was planning to get the game but I may hold off now, its not just metacritic but many communities are generally dissapointed.

I hold the gamers opinion higher than the critics......

[EVILDEAD360]

'I hold the gamers opinion higher than the critics'

Good for you..but on Metacritic I hold the overall consensus of critics higher than the internet ducktales from 'day one' gamers who clearly don't own the game yet.

But, if you believe that they got the game played 30 hours plus and created a constructive review day one..then more power to you.

As a fan of the franchise, it's good to see even the jaded press give this game high accolades. Out of town , but I'm chomping at the bit to get time with my copy

Evil

[Andronix]

The journalists reviews are outstanding. The user reviews are terrible, probably written by people who have never played the game. However there is one common denominator with the user reviews and that is that they are all protesting against Day 1 DLC. Maybe publishers will learn from this?

The good thing is Metacritic user reviews don't affect sales.

[DFresh]

Reviews are opinions that's it.
ex.)
Some people love Grand Theft Auto I hate that series compared to Max Payne and Red Dead: Redemption.

[gigreen]

R.I.P. Mass Effect series.

[hellvaguy]

Wasn't the same score given to the last CoD which went on to break every video game sales records? Sad that groups of emo gamers can get together to wreck the scores of games they don't percieve as being "cool".

Totally wrecks the integrity of metascores as well.

[TheUnbiasedLion]

And they are Emo how? Your logic makes no sense.

Maybe some people are unhappy with Biowares money grrabbing DLC plan, maybe others are just trolls but i have no idea why you made them all out to be emo, thats sucha 12 year old response.

[hellvaguy]

Calling somes opinon a 12 years response, is king of all responses that a true 12 year would say.

And i do stand by its wrong to give a game 0/10 just because some of these people dont like 1 particular aspect of a game.

[TheUnbiasedLion]

How is it? your comment you made reminds me of a narrow minded 12 year old hence why i made the refrence.

I think we can both agree that low scores by users is stupid if its unjustified, no even DLC thing warrents this low of a score.

I just hate when people decide someones reason for doing such a thing is based on how they act or who they want to be, espcially when there is no such proof.

[humbleopinion]

If people are unhappy with the DLC they should simply vote with their wallets and refrain from buying the DLC.
But scoring a game you never played (and most of the user reviews are from people who never played it) is plain dumb and as effective as writing your review in the snow. Nobody even bothers to read user reviews in Metacritic except perhaps for the comic value anyway.

Until there is a better trust system for user reviews (for example, linking to people profiles and achivements/trophies to see that they actually played the game), expert reviews and recommendations from people you actually know are the only thing that matters.

[AusRogo]

Probably because of the dlc. Dont care what reviewers or user reviews say, it looks awesome.

[AusRogo]

Disagreeing because I actually dont care for what other people say as long as I enjoy it? Just a bunch of sooks with alot of spare time posting negative reviews.

[00]

NO it's because of the ending.

[iamnsuperman]

Ignore metacritic user reviews. Simple as that really. Not sure why people do this but its a little sad. Happened with MW3 because of BF3

[dazzrazz]

Happened with MW3 because it was garbage

[slimy the g8ter]

I forgot its cool to hate on success, I understand. While you sit at home hating mw3,the developers are making millions and millions of dollars. Must make you feel better to hate eh

[Rainstorm81]

The devs making millions doesnt speak to the quality of the game....MW3 was a rehash of other MW games and is probably the worst COD this gen but since it sold well i guess that makes it fine.

I bought the game for my son and thats who loves it most teens and those guys who dont know any better and only know COD.

A friend of mine was a COD:MW die hard but once he played BF3 a few times he realized it was just a better overall FPS...

Everything isnt Hating....some people have ACTUAL gripes about some games

[torchic]

I hate when people defend MW3 community reaction.

if you put 150+ hours into one game like a lot of CoD players, then get excited for the sequel only to realize that the sequel is the exact same game to the one that you put 150+ hours into, you have every reason to be angry and give 0 scores on Metacritic, especially after dropping €70 ($100) on that game. MW3's copy paste is undefendable.

[Kohven]

I had gotten mw3 for free when it came out...and it sucked. Within a week I went in gamestop and a friend of mine who is high in position gave me a full refund...so I made 60 bucks...and it was awesome. You know what I spent that money on? A real successful game called Skyrim.

[PhantomTommy]

Can we drop the dlc thing already? Batman did the same thing and no one cares anymore, fuck sake it's hard to enjoy anything these days with dickheads like this complaining all the time.

[Imalwaysright]

Yeah who cares? Lets start paying € 100 to experience the full game. Games are so inexpensive that no one should give a flying fuck and we should help companies like EA because theyre almost bankrupt! In fact we dont even need the game. Lets just donate them our money because they deserve it, for having the trouble of cuting content from the game and sell it as DLC and for trying to abuse us!

[PhantomTommy]

You don't need the extra mission, if they released it a month from now you wouldn't give a shit, I know it's a bad idea but that's EA for you, and a few user reviews on Metacritic won't make them see the error of their ways.

[Imalwaysright]

Theyre releasing it now because it was cut from the game to sell it as DLC so dont give me bullshit replies. This is not some custome pack that Bioware made 1 month after the release. And yes i need the dlc because after spending € 140 and countless hours on the 1st 2 games i think that having the last damn Prothean alive in the game is key to understand the story of it.

[glennco]

sux for bioware but EA have done this and worse too many times. they are the ariginal DLC dairy farmers. Activision, on the other hand, are the original game-series dairy farmers. between them both of them they excel at screwing their customers

[WitWolfy]

Batman AC didnt really do the same... Batman AC gave The Catwoman DLC with every new game purchased for both CE and normal editions. Where Mass Effect 3 only gave the DLC to every new CE edition purchased, leaving every normal edition owner with a sour taste in their mouth...

Kinda sad really

[PhantomTommy]

Yeah you're right, it's a shame but writing 'Mass Effect 3 is shit' on some website won't change anything if you still go out and purchase the game afterwards.

[Kran]

The funny thing is, they give it 0 and they really only comment on 1 or 2 bad things. They also say things like: OH ENDING IS BAD YATATATATATA. - The game has only been out for mere hours in the US so i doubt they've even reached it.

And if they got review copies, shame of them for not even making proper reviews.

0 should mean the game is playable. Im pretty sure the game is playable from start to finish... :/

[Kingdom Come]

Funny, a member of Bioware was found out to be rating his own game 10/10 and then later discovered to have rated "The Witcher 2" 0/10. Links on my comment below...

[floetry101]

Gamers are the worst offenders when it comes to pre-conceived notions. Bioware's DLC decision is shaky to say the least, but it doesn't mean they've produced a horrible product. By all accounts, it certainly isn't bad.

People will disagree with reviews before a game is even released. "This didn't deserve a 9.5, it's an 8 at best" or "Are they trolling? 7 for a game that should have easily been 8.5 or 9".

Pre-conceived notions are not opinions.

[Rainstorm81]

I agree

I dont like the day 1 DLC but my brief time with the demo let me know ME3 is a day 1 buy, DLC doesnt speak to the quality of the full game.

I finished ME 1 & 2 and loved those games, i had my small gripes here and there but to give ME3 a 0/10 is absolutly ridiculous.

Most havent even played ME3 or any othe MZE for that matter

[FCOLitsjustagame]

Funny, click "all this user's reviews" and you can see a lot of these guys reviewed just this one game, multiple times. If the rant starts off level headed I will read it, but most of these people are just angry beavers.

[Liperto]

Watch the f*** out while reading those f****** user reviews.
Some idiots wrote the main plot of the ending in there!!!!

:(

[Clayman]

Thanks for the heads up.

[WitWolfy]

WTF!!! why would they DO THAT!?!?! Here's hoping their entertainment systems brick!

[krazykombatant]

ouch thats sucks man... I'm steering clear of anything that might spoil the story for me, since I won't be buying this game for another 3 weeks.

[Kingdom Come]

To be honest, Bioware won't be able to criticise User Reviewers, it'd be the ultimate case of the "Pot calling the kettle black", with themselves having been found numerous times scoring their own games favourably and others negatively:
http://www.kotaku.com.au/20...

And lets not forget:
http://uk.gamespot.com/drag...

@ Liperto
Thanks for the warning.

[Aloren]

"numerous times" ?

[No_Pantaloons]

Good, teach em a lesson, everyone knows "From ashes" should have been on the disk and MP should have been the day 1 dlc, if you treat your customers with disrespect then be ready to accept your beating.

As for scores, no one should be reading them anyways, critics of course will be giving it 9 or above, not saying its not a good game, but the writings been on the wall for AAA titles getting nothing less regardless of quality. Other peoples ratings mean nothing nowdays.

[donsterydo]

Haters gonna hate, pirates gonna pirate :p They probably watched the ending on youtube and didn't like it. So lame that it hurts.

[LAWSON72]

Ppl need a life

[00]

Not surprising really, 90% of the time Shepard speaks without player input, and the ending is a big F*CK YOU from bioware to fans of both ME1 and ME2.

[krazykombatant]

I'm not planning on buying the game till 3 weeks from now, but I've seen you say how its ridiculous ending.... I felt that they would probably kill of Shepard or some heroic death. But then again I was also pondering if no matter what reapers win. Seems interesting, however, remember there are multiple endings... or did you knock everything out in the little amount of time since its release. Plz like I said no spoilers just trying to get your input on the game.

[portugamer]

Damn, guys,

You pay 60 bucks for a black ops single mission, which lasts about 5 hours, and don't complain.
You pay 60 bucks for gold live subscription, so you can play online against your friends, when this should be free, but you don't complain.
You pay 3 bucks for a dynamic theme which consists in a looped 3 seconds video, but you don't complain.
You pay 1 $ or less for an avatar,but you don't complain.
You pay every year 60 bucks for another call of duty update, which is just a few different maps, but you don't complain.
Many of you buy and smoke 40 cigarretes every day, which just blows your health, and costs you 100-200$ each month, but you don't complain.
Many of you will go to a party/pub and will pay 100$ for that bottle of alcohol,which costs 5$ in a shop, but you don't complain.
I could give 100 more examples where gamers spend their hard money, but they don't complain.

But then, you do complain and don't sleep because of a dlc that nobody forces you to buy, which costs only maybe 10$, that will increase me3 even more. You pay 60 bucks for a game that will provide you 40 or even more hours,if you don't rush, of epic gameplay, with a plot many blockbusters movie writters will be jealous of, all that controlled by your hands and personal tastes. All these hours that you will remember forever, as long as you're alive. A game and a serie even dead people would return to live, even for 1 week, and they would spend their time playing it.
A game that will make you cry,love, feel Sheppard is really you, and not a textured polygons. A game you may play 10 times, and each time can be different from the previous game. A game so beautiful, that you will want you kids to play, when they are older.

Sorry for this wall of words, guys, but its not I don't understand these guys who are complaining, and all the haters who are criticizing this masterpiece, not, it goes beyond my understanding. They simply disgust me. People have the right to complain about they want, yes. But in the case, its NOT justified.
And all the fuzz about the dlc is just as stupid.

I bet 90% of the guys complaining are just kids who can't afford the game, and only play the only game daddy could buy them : call of duty. These kids are just too immature to play, understand and enjoy a masterpiece like me3.

Having nothing better to do, they just sit down and throw all the shit they can, against me3, bioware and their dlc.

Please guys, go back to your cod game, where you don't need do take decisions that can totally change the way a +40 hours game/movie shows at the screen.

************1/2********** comment continue below

[theDECAY]

If some one charged me an extra dollar for the last 2oz in my pint, I'd be pissed. I don't NEED that part of the beer to enjoy the rest of it. It's just that I should have had it from the beginning.

[portugamer]

******** 2/2****** last part of my comment

Please guys, save your money and buy another cod game, or elite shit, and don't buy any me3 game, Sheppard don't need you, bioware don't need you, society don't need you, maybe nobody in the world will never need you.

That's why its better if you keep away from this game, you guys are simply too idiot and immature, that even in a videogame, you wouldn't be able to save the universe.

So please, kids, haters, whoever, don't even come close to the mass effect universe, keep buying your perks, weapons and shoting 10000000 times the same guy in the same place with the same weapon, keep paying 60 bucks(I mean your daddy, since you're too young) for Microsoft so they let you join an online game, but please, please, please guys, don't even try to spoil our experience with Sheppard, and don't lose your time trying, because we don't care about your complains, we don't care about your lives, we don't care about you.

I may get 50 disagrees and get reported, but Hell, I can't stand those haters anymore. If they don't understand and don't like the game, just stfu. Just like the million websites and journalists about me3 failing to fail or not failing to not fail, of failing to not fail, you too, stfu, the only failure here is your work and yourself.. Too much shit is too much shit. So please shut up.

Sorry guys, I'm was a bit upset when writing this comment, but I simply can't stand those guys, haters and dumb websites anymore.

Now, I'm going to continue my first playthrought on me2, and in a few days, or a week, I will get the best me3 game edition available, to support my pleasure, happiness and Bioware. Thank you, bioware guys, thank you so much.

[Tonester925]

Well, may I comment?

Doesn't matter.

Ahem

That game you speak of called Mass Effect is not as EPIC as you're making it.

[portugamer]

let me guess :
the bezzzt gamezz in the universe is cod, halo and gears, which are 25 out of 10, or 250% games.

mass effect games, a 8/10.
i guess, uncharted 2 and 3, for you, it's 6/10 games.

god of war 3, for you, it's a 4.5/10 game, right ?

i don't know if you have played me2, but for me, its an incredible game. when you visit the planets, just stop a few seconds and watch those thousands different and crispy textures, with great backgrounds. dialog is simply great. among many many many qualities. ok, it's not a 60fps game, exploring stars are a bit boring ? don't stop at those 2 minor faults, and pay attention to the 200 qualities.

i don't care getting disagrees :) we know i'm right, that's what really counts to me.

ok, enough said, don't wanna bother you and the guys who disagreed, i just let you go back to metacritics, now, good luck for reaching the user score of 10%, on mass effect 3.

[pandehz]

Bashing Metacritic on launch day is a kind of mini game.

Maybe developers should implement achievements depending on the depth of trolling involved.

[miamicanesruleall]

More user loser crybabies. I repeat... losers.

[KontryBoy706]

EA screwed people with the DLC. What they SHOULD HAVE done was gave it to everyone who bought the game new. Not some special edition. Second hand buyers should have to pay for it. The fact they want to charge extra day 1... is an insult to gamers. If people are fine with continuing to accept things like this... just imagine where the game industry is going to continue to take this? Would you be fine with all games coming with day one DLC for a price rather you bought the game new or not? CODs $15 standard for DLC of maps have become a standard now. People are willing to pay for and are fine with it. Hell people are now even justifying COD elite. WE are the problem with the nickle and dime type business. WE continue to be ok with it... so will they.

[dorron]

Being honest, Mass Effect games are a 85/100 at best. Good games, just not that great.

[Da_Evil_Monkey]

While metacritic user ratings are handy, you should really use a wide array of sources before you form a pre-concieved idea of any game. Play the demo (if possible), read reviews, look at user scores, watch gameplay; then from that decide whether you (and only you) will enjoy the game.

The user ratings are flawed anyway, because people don't have to own the game to rate it, which results in abundant trolling, and you see a lot of "I rated this game 0 becuase it doesn't deserve a 10 and I want to drag the score down".

[jdfoster]

Good way to show your real feelings about the game and to send a message to the developer that things need to change especially in MW3'S case... I gave it a 0 to send a message that things need a change! Need to change now! (but ME3 is quite good! (looks it anyway and have innovated unlike cod!) (although blops was okay - ish)

[AHall88]

Meh, I've got little under 11 hours played and I've loved just about every second of it.
Then again I didn't expect it to be tailored written to what I wanted, I just wanted a fun game and I got one.

[Venjense]

Honestly people need better things to do with their time than downgrade games half of them probably never even played.

[SITH]

The dlc for mass effect 3 sucks, I got a lot of it and they do not compare to exceed the quality of mass effect 2's.

Other than that the game is amazing. I love multiplayer.

[glennco]

dragon age 2 got great critic reviews and the game was a chore to play. the whole time i was playing it i wanted to just turn it off so i eventually did and never put it on again. all reviews are subjective and you can't trust any of them

but hey, if it gets the message across to EA then maybe this is a good thing afterall

[Rivitur]

Trollolololololololol...

[tigertron]

All I know is that the users on there have been trolling giving the game a 0 score and spoiling major plot points, so I wouldn't go on there.

[Rachel_Alucard]

Users who give 0/10 scores do so because most of them have the ideal of All or Nothing. Its either a good game or bad game to most even if its something small. Its already been proven this games scores were rigged by critics from the swtor fiasco. Honestly, in todays industry the user reviews are more reliable than critic scores based on whats been going on as of late and especially with sites like IGN still existing after seeing how they handle some of their reviews. Its all an example of how idiotic the consumer for this product is. All I'm saying is control your addiction

[Rachel_Alucard]

And to add further I will add the excuse saying that you need to own the game in order to rate is flawed because I've seen this female IGN reviwer in a stream play 1 hour of dark souls, dies a ton, gives the controller to the other person, then she reviewed the game the next day and gave it low score. If a critic on IGN who cant even play video games review a game like dark souls, Why cant somone who actually plays video games as a hobby review a game based on hours put into a demo or seen from previews and word of mouth.

[Jirachi]

honestly people take to much stock in reviews. You have games getting way too high of scores Like shantae risky's revenge,is it a good game yes is it the best dsi ware game probally,but 10 out of ten for a 12 dollar game you can beat in under 5 hours is ridicolus imo. You also get games that get bad reviews even though there not that bad.

[n4gisatroll]

Someone spoiled the ending for me, and I think bioware pulled an ending from another one of their games. :/ lets just say, if what I found out is true...its disappointing.

[stumpa]

Seems to me you can only write a credible review for a game once you have played it to completion simple as

[theDECAY]

I might just play Dark Souls again?

[Kemicalbeliefs]

Like many of us, I tried the demo out and loved it. I played ME2 last year on my PS3 and before I did, I couldn't see the excitement about it. Afterwards, I was hooked.
Once I'd tried the demo I was hooked again. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into many hours of a really excellent genre.
So when it comes to touchy gamers spitting dummies out with a really pathetic protest, stuff em. Won't stop us enjoying it.

[JoeRowland]

Okay this game is ok, not as terrible as people make out.
Problems

1. I have nothing against homosexuality, but I felt like if I was nice to the same sex they automatically wanted my bumhole.

2. The game seems to have no depth i.e It's hard to tell what effect you are having on returning and new members of your crew.

3. Claims of the graphics being improved is BS ME1 was just as good graphics wise.

4. RPG Elements still minimized.

5. Hard to understand or get to know crew members without having a sexual relationship, or them hitting on you. Instead of a backstory they seem to have gone for relationships, in a... GAME.

6. Crucial day 1 DLC that has a huge link to the history of the game instead of just including it on the disc.

Good points.

1. You don't have to buy it.