Mass Effect 3: Special Edition Review

The horrid creature standing before you might be a disgusting monstrosity, but you once spared this beast's entire species from annihilation. Do you do so once more, and risk losing a valued squad members and a crucial alliance? Or do you allow an even greater threat to destroy it--effectively committing genocide--so you might make a speedy exit, even though this creature's assistance could turn the tide of a vital galactic battle? In Mass Effect 3, such choices loom large, and not simply because there are many of factors to consider. Your actions often guide the course of events to come, sometimes in ways that see the loss of those nearest and dearest to your heart.

How deeply you grieve those losses depends on whether or not you have played Mass Effect and its sequel, and how close you've grown to the inhabitants of their irresistible universe. This is the first time this role-playing/shooter hybrid series has appeared on a Nintendo console, and it's possible you haven't played a Mass Effect game before. If so, you're at a disadvantage: without a connection to the wonderful characters that have already crossed the playable hero's path, you may place less weight on their ultimate fates. Yet even without that previous connection, it's hard not to be drawn to your comrades in arms. Every character leaps off the screen, thanks to top-notch voice acting and great facial animations that effectively communicate the sting of sorrow and the rush of victory.

Nevertheless, leaping blindly into the final installment of a beloved trilogy requires a degree of faith, and the game at least allows newcomers to catch up on the spacefaring series' plot developments via an interactive comic that has you making a number of decisions that determine the state of the universe prior to beginning the game proper. The attractive comic covers key plot points, and benefits from an outstanding narration. And while it's no substitute for dozens of hours' worth of dramatic storytelling and exciting gameplay, the comic gets the job done as well as could be expected.

Whether or not you're new to the series, it's hard not to be taken in by Mass Effect 3's narrative. You play as the customizable Commander Shepard, galactic hero and star of the first two games. Galactic tensions are high: a sentient race of starships known as reapers are eager to harvest organic species and turn their vibrant planetary homes into lifeless husks. After a short exposition, an opening combat scenario cleverly combines the "big" of a reaper attack on Earth with the "small" of a single death. While there is plenty of action, the game continually subverts expectation. Every so often, the shooting heats up, only to lead to a climax that comes not in the form of an explosion or a boss fight, but in a simple quiet conversation, or a few limping steps.

Brutes got you down? Nothing some biotic powers and a good shotgun can't handle.

The reapers aren't your only adversary in Mass Effect 3: the pro-human organization known as Cerberus, led by the Illusive Man, complicates the conflict. Your ultimate goal is to rid the galaxy of the reaper threat with the use of a superweapon, yet the Illusive Man has different ideas and goes to some disturbing lengths to implement them. Discovering his goals and means is one of Mass Effect 3's better story threads, in part because the Illusive Man is such a strong presence. Actor Martin Sheen brings a calm, chilling strength to the character, but also exudes a touch of vulnerability when the Illusive Man is forced to confront his own demons.

Much has already been made of Mass Effect 3's controversial finale, so you should note that the Special Edition incorporates the Extended Cut ending, which closes some holes left open when the game was originally released on other platforms. And even if you feel ambivalent toward its ending, Mass Effect 3 is hardly lacking in memorable moments. The choices you make during story scenes using the game's dialogue wheel have dramatic implications, and entire quests, conversations, and characters shift as a result of your actions. Other consequences are less sweeping but still emotionally affecting; a lover might fondly recall her previous entanglement with you, while still supporting your new romantic interest, for instance.

As a result, you might be delighted by characters other players never meet, share intimate talks with crewmates other players never interact with, and deal with decisions other players never make. Your entire attitude, governed by Mass Effect 3's morality system (paragon versus renegade) when choosing dialogue options, can drive you to conclusions other players could never consider. Rising personal tensions are enhanced by the game's ominous visual identity. A raging storm encroaches, giving battle an even greater sense of urgency. The sheer darkness of a subterranean ruin enhances the sense of danger. The art is effective, with touches of blue and crimson contrasting the cool apathy of space with the passions of its fearful residents. The Wii U release holds up rather well against the others, with only a few frame rate dips and less-saturated colors sullying an otherwise fluid and attractive experience.

A face only a Shepard could love.

Mass Effect 3 packs in plenty of excitement between story developments. The action plays out as a typical third-person cover shooter, with special tech and biotic powers livening up the core shooting. Mass Effect 3 provides a huge supply of guns and weapon modifications. There are five weapon types and loads of choices within those types, each with its own pros and cons. You find weapons and mods in mission areas and can purchase them from vendors on the space station known as the Citadel or from a terminal on your ship, the Normandy SR-2. You don't just need to consider your play style when choosing weapons prior to battle--you also need to consider how their weight might affect your ability to perform biotic and tech skills. The heavier your loadout, the less often you can send the bad guys flying into the air.