Mass Effect 3 Review: Does apocalyptic space drama live up to the hype?
(CBS News) Mass Effect 3 marks the epic conclusion to BioWare's apocalyptic space drama. Finally, all of the weighted decisions and hard calls you've made as Commander Shepard over the past two installments will pay off. And boy, do they in spades.
In fact, so much of the game is wrapped up in delivering the comeuppance of every decision (both large and mundane) your Shepard has made up to this point, that it becomes difficult to see how much of the story could actually be appreciated by a new player.
BioWare does as good a job as could be expected in catching players up - either through convenient exposition or the wonderfully detailed in-game codex - but the truth remains that this is the conclusion of a story driven trilogy. Players who wish to experience this game as it is meant to be should definitely play through the previous two titles first - both excellent games in their own right.
As for the returning faithful - man what a treat is in store. Not only does the main story continue to offer you the kind of opportunities to decide the fate of a life or entire species that the series is known for, but the consequences of these decisions and seemingly every decision made in the past titles will be felt before the end of your adventure. The entire game feels like a huge reward for loyal players.
The only downside here is that instead of spreading some of these consequences out over the duration of the trilogy, BioWare kind of has all their eggs in one basket. It's quite a bang, but means that some characters might not receive all the love and attention that you would want for their final appearance. Many big players are relegated to glorified cameos while some minor characters you may barely remember actually get screen time for some reason.
This, of course, is a difficult balancing act between really showing the player how much they have impacted the shape of the story while still trying to keep the narrative flowing. Unlike Mass Effect 2's often times meandering side quests that drew the player away from the imminent danger threatening the galaxy to go do a personal favor to gain a crew member's support, Mass Effect 3 is a far more streamlined experience. Side quests take a far more minor role, while quests to gain a particular person or faction's favor at least serve more purpose than simply getting them to like you better. Now you're playing galactic politician, scratching backs and settling debts to build the strongest alliance possible to battle the Reapers.
While the overall gameplay may not feel too different from Mass Effect 2, some small changes have been made. The largest and most publicized of these additions is the integration of Microsoft's Kinect for the Xbox 360. Using the Kinect, players can issue voice commands to in game characters. These can range from "open door" to more dynamic battle commands. Done right, this feature can really add some depth for players looking to shout at their TVs, and is probably the most natural integration of the Kinect in a mainstream title we have today.
What doesn't seem to make any sense at all is that these voice commands do not work with a headset. Why not...? Maybe the headset's technology is not as advanced as the Kinect and wouldn't support such abuse or maybe Microsoft is simply trying to push the Kinect's relevance in mainstream games.
Next - and seemingly the subject of much pre-release controversy - is the addition of multiplayer. BioWare was wisely cautious in their implementation of online play. Yes, your actions in the online campaigns do affect your single player story, but only in slightest possible way. You do not have to play multiplayer to get every ounce of story and satisfaction possible from the game.
It is simply a fun diversion that works well enough to give the game some added shelf life. For what it is, the multiplayer experience is rather fleshed out with plenty of upgrades that should make it enjoyable for fans looking to take their Mass Effect experience online.
Another change to gameplay - one that everyone will be most thankful for - is the general overhaul to the planet scanning mini-game from Mass Effect 2. Thank you, BioWare, a million times that we don't have to spend hours searching planets for every last ounce of Element Zero to better fortify our Normandy for the final battle. Thank you.
However, the honor of being the most convenient addition to the series has to be the ability to quick save. By pressing the back or select button on your controller, console gamers can finally enjoy that most time saving of safety nets without having to stop what you're doing to enter the menu. It's a small but very useful addition that other role-playing games (...Bethesda...) could maybe take into consideration for their console titles.
Beyond any major changes to gameplay, Mass Effect 3 does see a nice technical upgrade. This game is beautiful to look at and - aside from the occasional hiccup - runs incredibly smooth. The presentation and voice acting are absolutely top notch and really come together to drive the emotional queues home.
BioWare has managed to tie all the threads together to create a game that feels like the best parts of Mass Effect 1 and 2. All of the weight of the galaxy is on your shoulders and the fate of hundreds of billions will be decided by your actions. Mass Effect 3 will bring Shepard's tale to an end, but you'll decide how to get there.
Mass Effect 3 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. It is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
