As a game certainly, but given the ending, that Bioware has chosen to both compromise yet stand by it on terms of artistic integrity while exploiting it to make more money via LDC, I don't see why I'd buy it for its story.

I would replay it again, but since I know what it leads to...all that work leading to that. :/

The game is awesome up until the ending. Totally worth a play-through. I'm going to replay it when they release the new ending stuff this summer.

I did the campaign twice, haven't touched it in about a month. Haven't touched the MP since the last event nearly 2 weeks ago, and even then it was only briefly. Least replay value of any game in the trilogy for me.

Edit - Longer than a month. My last campaign save is from March 18th.

The game is a complete letdown imo.

Borderlands is still more RPG than Mass Effect...no inventory, no means of selling junk, no meaningful stat tracking...

Gimped number of squad mates.

No exploration.

No vehicles, though I suspect Bioware will be selling vehicle missions as DLC.

The most linear Mass Effect to date....why can't I recruit the Quarians before the Krogan? Why, because f*** having choices.

You can only interact with people when the game wants you to.

Too many worthless new characters like Cortez and Diana Allers MCchobot.

Floating doll glitch at least twice a playthrough.

Lip synch is way off.

Bioware really wants you to play ME2/ME1. You can't start relationships with older characters unless you import a character that had a relationship with them from previous titles. What's another $20 or $40 bucks right?

Too many plot holes like...****spoiler*****

The Sol system's Mass Relay is near pluto and the crucible/citadel are both near Earth. Why did Joker leave with the whole damn crew when the only battle that matters is taking place on Earth. Since the relay is near Pluto, it's not like he accidently jumped to where ever they were going...

And lastly, Choices made over the course of 3 games mean nothing. For example:

I sacrificed the Council in the previous game so a new set of aliens take their place. This is brought up in one conversation to make you feel bad for being alien racist and never mentioned again.

I installed Anderson as Alliance council, and he was in ME2, but since Bioware stripped away choices that clash with the story, Anderson is now an Admiral and Udina has the job.

Giving the collector base to Cerberus or destroying both have the same outcome.

Whether you're at 100% readiness or 50%, you still end up with the 3 colored lights of doom...and minor changes like Big Ben surviving and....that's all.

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The multiplayer is bare bones but it's mostly stable and decent fun. The only issue there is how many points you have to spend to unlock weapons and equipment.

All it is really is an excuse to offer an online pass..

Not a terrible game but it's damn sure not GoTY material like the posters above seem to be suggesting...

Here's an idea for a story..

Mass Effect 3 Articles: Are They Still Worth Writing?

Maybe if you've played literally every other game out there. Twice.

Even then...

I kid. Though personally I sold the game back within the week I got it and haven't looked back since. Here's hoping Bioware tries better with their next game. Keyword being tries.

I found ME3 too depressing to really enjoy it. ME2 is more fun to play, even if the gameplay itself is less so. ME3 pretty much kills off everyone I like and makes me wait to see characters I cared about, and all my old squad are only with you for one mission really. Even then, they're not 'with you' since they're not part of your squad, just on the sidelines. There's a mission for each character to remind you "hey, remember me from ME2? I was in your squad. Good times, huh? Anyway, bye!"

Some of them made sense, plotwise. but for the most part none of them have a good excuse to not be a squad member. I thought Kusami's reason was rather odd. Her "I cant do another suicide mission, its not in me" makes sense, I mean, shes a thief, I always though it was odd in ME2 that she was part of the squad given that she was a thief, but she was all "honestly Im surprised you didnt come to me sooner" - in ME3 shes "no way you're not recruiting me Shep, nope not happening." I guess she had a change of heart.

Have to love how so very few of your choices actually carry over. Did you tell Kasumi to destroy the graybox in ME2? She still gets to the same point in ME3 because "meh I was curious so I rebuilt it anyway". No repercussions for your choices, no change. The only subtle change I noticed, as in not a major plot element or anything, is Char and his "Blue Rose of Illium." If you got them to hook up in ME2, they're in ME3. I was surprised to see that they had a little appearance. No one else did. We didn't even get to see Kal'Reeger again, just a text message.