The problem is style and theme.

Plenty of Youtube people have explained it better than I can, but basically Mass Effect 3 betrays the core thematic principles of the series (which had always been about triumphing over adversity through cooperation), betrays the core mechanics of the game (gimping the dialog system and essentially removing the innovative interrupt system), and betrays genre conventions by reducing sidequests to offline multiplayer arena battles.

That the main plot is nothing more than a MacGuffin Hunt followed by a Deus ex Machina ending really doesn't matter when the rest of the game, proper, isn't up to snuff.

I'm not saying there aren't some really great moments in ME3--there are--butit's the WHOLE game that matters, and the whole game is rubbish.

Sorry, pal, but I'm afraid you're in the minority here.

Metacritic user average = 5/10
Amazon.com user average = 6/10

You'll also note how critics are able to articulate a plethora of arguments as to the game's (lack of) quality, whereas those who claim to like the game really only ever say, "Well, I liked it, so clearly it must be a good game."

Fun fact #1: it is entirely possible to enjoy a terrible game! Most people do!
Fun fact #2: you are not, nor will you ever be, able to speak for anyone but yourself.
Fun fact #3: insulting other people never, never, never strengthens your argument.

....

From what I've seen, experienced gamers (IE people who've played enough games over a long enough period of time to develop a "refined taste") tend to dislike ME3 quite a bit, whereas less experienced gamers (or those who simply didn't understand or like the primary gamic elements of the first two games) are more accepting of the games faults (and also more willing to make the mistake of assuming that it's only possible to enjoy a good game, and that their personal enjoyment is the only valid measure for criticism).

....

But that's just me trying to interject some reason into things. Feel free, everyone, to ignore this post and keep on RAGING about whatever the hell you've got a fanboy/hateboy boner for this week.

I feel pretty close the same way... My fear is cashing in that beautiful rich backdrop in favor of becoming simply "another shooter". I want Bioware to look at the first mass effect and augment the ideas in that game. The openness of it, the interspecies tension, the customization... Bring the mako back! It wasn't a bad idea in any way shape or for, just not perfectly implemented. I don't want another kill one or halo... I want Mass Effect.