Mass Effect 3

The third game in the highly popular Mass Effect series from Bioware, Mass Effect 3 deals with the end of a trilogy, and the end of an era. The Reapers, an ancient race of sentient machines have made their way into the galaxy with the intent of wiping out all organic life. The only thing that stands between organic civilization and utter destruction is Commander Shepard, a soldier who has been trying to convince the various galactic governments of the imminent arrival of the Reapers for the last few years.

Mass Effect 3 is a game that prides itself on choices. Not only do you get to decide the race, gender and looks of your Commander Shepard, you also make choices that affect not only Shepard and his/her crew, but the galaxy at large.

Conversations move smoothly, the conversation wheel from the previous two games making a return. Mass Effect 3 is the first in the series to offer ambient dialogue, which adds a level of richness to the world around you. These are people who are not directly important to your game, but you will easily find yourself stopping to listen in on how the war is affecting their lives.

Combat has been greatly improved. Shifting from the more RPG based Mass Effect 1 to a third person shooter based Mass Effect 2 left some fans unhappy. In Mass Effect 3, Bioware has found the perfect middle ground. The players are offered a skill tree, with points given at each level to beef up the skills and stats that they find important. Better button mapping and fluid motion make the real time combat impressive and enjoyable no matter if you are a novice or a seasoned veteran.

The game has greatly improved the difficulty settings, allowing for a story based game play system for players who are not fond of the third person shooter mechanics. On the other end of the spectrum, there is a difficulty setting for those more interested in the shooter gameplay, and less into the conversation choices. The game is also the first in the series to offer online multiplayer.

Overall, Mass Effect 3 is a fitting end to a well loved trilogy. Bioware has proven that they can mesh game styles to please both old fans and new, while still delivering the amazing story and personality rich characters that they are known for.