Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Mass Effect's now trademark glossy, clean, high-resolution aesthetic is retained, and like the first two titles this approach leads to some positively stunning planetary and architectural vists. Character art manages to largely avoid "uncanny valley" territory, and the just-launched Wii U has no problem delivering the game with virtually no framerate drops to speak of.

The best sci-fi synth songs from the first two games are back, and continue to convey the emptiness and longing that the vast void of space brings with it. A selection of utterly forgettable and sometimes annoying Hollywood-style orchestral tunes play during battle sequences. The game's voice acting is commendable though, with the entire cast from the first two games returning.

Mass Effect 3 continues the series' shift in emphasis from RPG mechanics to Call of Duty-esque shooting. Outside of a simple skill tree system, it's perhaps a stretch to even call this game an RPG since genre staples, like an inventory and equipment, are barely present. Heck, the developers even removed the ability for the player to holster their gun! Instead, the game's missions essentially involve following linear corridors and taking down enemies while scooping up ammo. The AI is fantastic, but the mission experiences all become a bit too "shootbang" oriented.

Mass Effect 3 isn't a terrible game; the shooting sequences are compelling, and the visuals are very pretty. The pacing is incredibly inconsistent though, and this becomes especially apparent in the game's last five or six hours, which drag on forever. The story is contrived, with so much embarassing fan service thrown in that it's sometimes like reading an online amateur fanfic board. And the game is also way too cinematic, hell bent on shuffling the player from cut-scene to cut-scene for long stretches. Bioware was not on top of its game when developing this title.