Parents' Guide to

Mass Effect 3

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Exciting sci-fi adventure with gore, sex, and profanity.

Game PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360 2012
Mass Effect 3 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Mass Effect 3 Game: Screenshot #1
  • Mass Effect 3 Game: Screenshot #2
  • Mass Effect 3 Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 13 parent reviews

Sam M.
Sam M. Parent of baby-year-old
March 17, 2016
age 16+

Hmm

Less profanity (at most 3 f words game wide), tame pg 13 sex that is pretty awkward in how safe it is (showering in underwear...seiously?!, made even more awkwards how the characters are apparently getting it on in there. Also why the heck are Tali and Garrus fully clothed in post coital scenes?! Its 2012 and you are an M rated game! Albiet designing alien naughty bits would be very odd to most especially ones with less than humanoid appearances). Anyway it hurts suspension of disbelief. Violence has gone both up and down. There isnt much surface spaltter yet there is now splattery/ chunky decapitation and very chunky gibbing ( with "carnage" power and rockets) and cutscene violence is more visceral including grevious bullet wounds, dead soldiers and bloody remains of cruel experments in a lab. Ending aside, the story has very few decisions to make yet has many epic beats (its more about previous game choices coming to fruitition) and thier missions deliver on presentation and execution and include several HELL YEAH moments. Comabt is stronger and movement is better. Missions are more defensive and action/warfare based and can feel either epic or exhausting in a tired GOW way and the horde mode multiplayer doesnt add much to the experience but is a adequate distraction made to pad out the game with "Galactic readiness". Them character still deliver which makes it even more painfull that thier fates are prelactically left in limbo even with the Extended cut dlc which tells of consequences in a broad strokes fashion. Altho the new cahracters feel unnecessary and are too last minute to be meaningfully developed. The final battle ends anticlimacticaly without a proper boss yet is cinematically thrilling. And all collected Assets dont in anyway affect the unfolding of the finale or how it plays. I actually never played the dlc. I heard its decent tho with interesting worldbuilding that at least gives a bit more context for the ending and gives a satisfying conclusion to character relationships.
Christmom2k15
Christmom2k15 Adult
July 3, 2015
age 12+

Love it

Great game.
See all 13 parent reviews

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (13 ):
Kids say (27 ):

The intense, combat-heavy gameplay, tight controls, and engaging story and characters all make Mass Effect 3 an extraordinary adventure, regardless of whether you're new to the series or a longtime fan. Along with the long solo campaign -- which features tens of thousands of lines of dialogue and nearly 90 minutes of cinematic sequences -- the game features multiplayer modes for up to four players. This continues the fun long after the story is completed.

While all three versions of the game are the same, the Xbox 360 version also adds Kinect support, which allows gamers to assign instructions to Shepard's squad mates using voice commands instead of using the controller. Without question, the Mass Effect series -- designed for players 17 years of age and older -- is among the finest examples of interactive entertainment, delivering immersive, action-heavy gameplay (with many RPG upgrades), solo and multiplayer gameplay, and memorable scenes and characters.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether this game utilizes Kinect for Xbox 360 in a meaningful way. Do voice commands enhance the experience? Did you feel more immersed in the game?

  • Families can also discuss the depiction of sexuality in games. Do you think games are an appropriate platform for romantic narrative?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended game lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate