Commander Shepherd to the rescue!

 

 

Mass Effect 3

Reapers are coming and they’re leaving a trail of destruction in their wake in the quest to rid the universe of organic life. Bioware epic third instalment of the epic Mass Effect series puts you once again into the galactic shoes of Commander Shepherd who in Mass Effect 2 had gone beyond the call of duty in ridding the collectors under the guise of Cerebrus. In Mass Effect 3 Commander Shepherd is about to meet the greatest challenge with Earth coming under an immense attack from the Reapers and having to form alliances to quell the threat.

If you’re a fan of the two previous games then you know what to expect, a storyline and script which rivals any soap opera that plays as a third person shooter and has the character depth of the best RPG’s. With this being the third and last instalment, ME3 keeps its conventional control system as its predecessors but you notice the extra slickness and polish in the tweaks which have been made.

Gone are the loyalty quests but even more as before the conversations and choices you make will affect the characters you come into contact with and greatly impact the outcome of the game. By coming to the aid of individuals, governments and alliances you form assets that become an integral part of your success or failure. Side missions can pop up by hearing conversations on the Citadel.

 The story is as expected if you’re a ME fan. It is full of twists and random missions and the ability to import and use your previous save and character from ME2. If you are a newbie to the series you will be amazed by how your choice of interaction shapes future conversations and adds richness to the story. The layout of Cerebrus has changed somewhat and Bioware has dispensed of the mining facility which is replaced by salvage missions and theAlliancefunding you.

Your choice of class and squad selection affects the nature of your fire-fight and the weapon customisation has been upgraded with the ability to specialise your guns e.g. increasing the stability of your sniper rifle. Shepherd’s movement is now more fluid and the ability to jump and roll is an essential by employing different strategies when being flanked by very good enemy AI.

 

While ME3 is without a doubt the mecca of single playing games, the new optional co-op mode which has up to 4 players affects your ‘Galactic readiness’. The news of this feature did initially worry a lot of fans of the series but they need not worry - it is fun to play with the levelling up and the purchasing of upgrades is truly satisfying.

 Visually the graphics are an improvement on ME2 and the atmospheric music score and voice acting is tremendous. The production of this game simply shouts out ‘BIG’ and with no expense being spared concerning the story development you do feel that you’re playing a character in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Mass Effect 3 is a perfect complement to the series and an epic game to end the trilogy.

 

 PGR Rating: 10/10