Mass Effect 3

Greetings, Mass Effect 3 is the final chapter in the story of the protagonist Commander Shepard. As you can imagine it was one of my most anticipated games as I loved the universe of Mass Effect, the well developed characters the likes of which are hard to find in any entertainment, a plot of huge proportions and hard choices that will test your morality. Therefore I was intrigued to see how it would end as the entire storyline was building up to this final confrontation since Mass Effect began back on the planet Eden Prime.

The plot begins with the consequences of the Mass Effect 2DLC Arrival in which Commander Shepard has to make the hard decision of destroying a Relay which would wipe out many colonies belonging to the Batarian race in order to prevent the Reapers from invading Citadel space. The delay worked but after the suicide mission of Mass Effect 2 Shepard is under house arrest while he is being judged by an Alliance court in Vancouver over the devastation caused by the explosion. As he explains what happens an emergency call from Alliance UK headquarters interrupts the meeting. In the transmission it is seen that London is under attack from the Reapers.

As the communication continues the building in which Shepard and his friend as well as ex-superior David Anderson is eradicated by the Reapers. They both survive and fight their way to the Normandy against Reaper ground forces, however Anderson doesn’t get in as he decides to set up the resistance on Earth. As Shepard is reinstated to his position of Spectre he attempts to rally the races of the galaxy against the threat of which he had warned against long ago but had gone unheeded. He encounters many problems such as a disunited fighting force and adversaries including Cerberus lead by the Illusive Man. Shepard must gather back his old and new friends to help stop the Reaper threat as it begins to conquer all known civilizations.

While I absolutely love Mass Effect I am beginning to worry about EA’s influence over BioWare. It is more than likely to blame for the excessive use of DLCs in which characters are being withheld such as Javik in the Day One DLC. I am under the impression EA is keeping parts of the game out in order for gamers to buy the DLC for a fuller experience. It also contains an online multiplayer campaign, something I believe is totally against the principals of the game. Mass Effect’s single player is the principal reason why people are playing it.

Now we come to the controversy over the ending, I won’t spoil it for you but many fans were so upset with it that they launched a campaign demanding it to be changed. Therefore BioWare released the free Extened Cut DLC to keep the gamers content. I recommend you get it is easier to swallow than what I have read about the original ending which sounded rushed and with little to no explanation of what happens. The last twenty minutes are so feel very different from the rest of the game and not in a good way but I was annoyed by something that occurred before the final conclusion. It really relies on your interpretation of what is the best ending. BioWare is losing its loyal fan base, their image is being tarnished due to some mistakes they have made recently and is resulting in senior personnel to leave the company. Many people including myself are becoming a little disillusioned over what is happening to BioWare. I have strong conflicting emotions over the conclusion, unable to understand how I feel about it.

However in the end, Mass Effect will be one of my favourite game series of all time. The last few minutes of the game do not reflect the incredible experience and enjoyment it has brought me through the years. The music by new composer Clint Mansell is incredibly emotional and suits the storyline very well, capturing the greatness of the universe and of my unique relationships with the characters. Therefore it deserves the title of Super Duper fantastic 100% the best, following its predecessors. Overall it is a beautiful masterpiece that I will remember fondly. The eighth episode of the Adventures of Fletch and Roman is up at Warehouse 17.

Plot=10/10

Characters=10/10

Graphics=10/10

Overall-10/10

Quote of the day

We fight, or we die. That's the plan!

Commander Shepard

Mass Effect 3