With all the hype that’s been surrounding the release of Mass Effect 3, it was hard not to think that BioWare was showing a little too much of their hand. Gameplay trailers, multiple story trailers, staff interviews, and voice cast reveals all started to feel like we were being told exactly what to expect.
The good news is, that would be completely false. Without giving anything away for those of you who haven’t played, it’s my job to get across to you all the reasons you should buy this game.
First on the list, the presentation is phenomenal. I still can’t get over the sound and visual quality in every single moment of this game. Combat dialogue is more interesting and even more realistic and engaging than any “realistic” shooter out there. Every single world is displayed in fantastic detail, and I never once experienced a framerate slowdown. I’m amazed at the ambitiousness of the art design, but even moreso that it was delivered without a hitch. Towering Reapers menace worlds in the background as sounds from the battle echo over the distances, while Shepard simultaneously does combat with five or 10 enemies. Everything is given the perfect sense of scale, and I can’t wait to play through this game again just to stare at the backgrounds more. One last thing I have to mention on this topic: each of the previous installments has had its signature night club locale. ME1 had Chora’s Den, ME2 had Afterlife, and ME3 completely blows the roof off with Purgatory. I often went to visit just to look at the surroundings and listen to the stellar audio.
Next up is the content of the game. I was worried that the weapon system would be like ME2, where certain guns are limited to certain classes. This is no longer a problem, as I played the entire game as an Adept and had the choice to equip all five weapon types (at the price of a higher cooldown penalty). The customization of weapons and armor finds the perfect medium between ME1 and ME2; I never felt overwhelmed at the amount of micromanaging involved, but I never found myself wanting anything more.
Here comes the word fans were afraid of: multiplayer. Well fans, have no fear, as this aspect of the game in fact adds appeal by the truck load. My friends and I have played this mode almost every night since the demo came out in Feb., and it hasn’t gotten old. It is, dare I say, more fun than Call of Duty. The sense of teamwork is satisfying beyond any game of zombies or Spec Ops, and has challenges and unlocks a plenty so you’ll never run out of things to do.
Lastly, the story, which is clearly the most important part. Let’s just say it’s everything you can expect, complete with the overwhelming amount of side quests you’ve come to know and love. (That would be my one nag: you get sidequests simply by overhearing a conversation at times. I often found myself gathering things I didn’t know the purpose of.) Basically, if you were at all invested in the characters and story of the last two, this game will not disappoint.
There is no reason not to buy this game. From the opening cutscene to the end credits, this emotional rollercoaster will have you laughing and crying at intervals, never knowing what to expect, but enjoying every moment regardless.
– Nick Minarik