Mass Effect 3

Title: Mass Effect 3
Media: Video Game (Xbox 360 version)
Rating: Four and a Half Spaceships

Mission Report:
I should probably start with all the negative points first, so I can end this review on a  good note. This game had a problem from the first game... they just threw you into things! Well, sort of. It was better than the original Mass Effect, since you knew the main storyline much better and had more knowledge of the universe then you did, but still! It was still throwing, and no explanations!
I had no idea why Shepard was suddenly in "retirement". Now I know it probably has to do with the Arrival DLC (downloadable content) and all relating lore and stuff to it... in fact, I'm next to sure about it! But I didn't during my first playthrough! The fact that I really know now, is that I've now played the Arrival DLC, and read comics and a mini-story which seem to indicate it. But even then... I'm not 100% sure about it.
But the Arrival DLC storyline does cause issues later on. In at least two side-missions/stories, this story is important. But I had no idea what they were talking about, and/or what was going on!!!
Here, it was like the people at BioWare were expecting you to have gotten and played the Arrival DLC. Bad move on their part! Not everyone gets the DLC, or even play the other games! It made things less enjoyable in a few parts.
Also, this James Vega character... I had no idea who this guy was, why he was there, how he knew Shepard, etc., etc., etc.! I did not care for it! At least, in Mass Effect 2, you had dossiers! But this guy... he was just thrown on you, no previous knowledge! The most I could find out as soon as possible was that he was an arms master, but that was what the game called him in his talent points section. I was good and ticked! Now I know more, thanks to comics and the Mass Effect: Paragon Lost movie, but still...! He was just thrown on, no warning or really any real previous information, except for somehow knowing Shepard, and then we learn he's an arms master! ARGH...!
Also, you don't get to fly around the galaxy right away. You are thrown automatically into missions for a couple of missions. For a while, I was worried that the exploration and flying around bit had been kicked out. Luckily, it was not. But I was worried for a bit.
Also, you don't get to pick your teammates right away. Okay, maybe that I shouldn't have been grumpy about, because it's like that for every game, but I was more ticked this time around.
But the super-duper point dropper?
THE ENDING!
Yes, you read that right... Mass Effect, the game with a very good storyline structure and general storyline, had a BAD ENDING!
Now, okay, I'm going to admit it. I haven't played the game with the DLC which was BioWare's answer to the tons of fans who also complained about the ending (nice going, fellow M.E. fans!). I'm hoping it makes things better, but it's a "we'll see" moment...
Now, I don't think I've gotten my vibe through about the ending. It was terrible! They kill Shepard! KILL HER/HIM! And it's a choice at the end... but either choice ends to KILLING Shepard! OH MAN, SERIOUSLY?!? I hated the ending! Hated it, hated it, hated it!
Now to the good parts.
Yes, there were good parts. LOL!
The game was fun. I had lots of fun playing it. The action was good (though the special effects were so good, I didn't often look directly at the Reaper spawn. :) ). The gameplay was good.
We got to see a bunch of familiar characters. Whoever from your team survived from Mass Effect 2 showed up in one way or another. Though most of them were not playable, but they were still big parts of the story.
However, Garrus and Tali came back... and they were both playable! I was delighted! Garrus and Tali had been my team, whenever possible, ever since the first Mass Effect. So playing with them again... yay!
Also, we get a different special treat... characters from the books showed up! In a side-mission, Kahlee Sanders showed up! And the main minion of the Illusive Man was Kai Leng! Both are from the books! SWEET!
Except for the beginning, the push-on of James Vega, and the ending, the storyline was good too!
Since I haven't finished the game with the DLC package for the ending, I can't give you a review for a game with that.
But for a game without the DLC... here's the final "all in all": all in all, this was still a good game! It just has some issues.