That’s right! We still aren’t done with Mass Effect 3. Following the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition and completing it I got to thinking, why didn’t Bioware bring back the Multiplayer? Was it as good as I remember and what does it offer today? Thankfully, the servers are still up, so let’s not waste any more time before diving in. This is the Multiplayer for Mass Effect 3!

Introduction & Plot Connection

        As we begin our look at the multiplayer suite for Mass Effect 3 we need to go back to the beginning, even prior to the game’s release. During the leadup to Mass Effect 3’s release we were treated to a wealth of information from the developers. Among this information was the fact that Mass Effect 3 would feature a multiplayer mode, marking the debut of multiplayer offerings for the franchise. As we got closer to its release, we received more information about how it would play, and we even received a demo that showcased both single player and multiplayer offerings.

                Naturally, as a multiplayer suite accompanying a story-driven game, the mode does have a light connection to the main story of Mass Effect 3. The single player campaign had N7 missions, which saw the protagonist Commander Shepard reclaim a critical location from reaper or Cerberus forces, after which Admiral Hackett sends in N7 forces to protect the location from encroaching enemy forces and YOU, the player, are the operatives defending those locations.

                This was designed to partner with the Galaxy at War system that was present in the original versions of Mass Effect 3. This system does have its share of gameplay connectivity with the single player, but the existence of multiplayer was meant to broaden the scope of the conflict Mass Effect 3 presents and further immerse you in the world of conflict that Bioware created. Even though the mode lacks any standalone story expansions, it does add its own share of lore through the maps present, descriptions of playable characters, races, and additional weapons.

Gameplay

        Naturally, as a companion mode to the main game of Mass Effect 3 this mode builds upon the gameplay of the main game. But let’s go over the basics of the multiplayer. This mode is entirely cooperative as you team with up to three other players to face off against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. A standard multiplayer match will last 10 waves before extracting to end the mission. The core gameplay of waves will see you kill all enemies, but the match will mix things up by having the team complete a variety of objectives, from disabling bombs to escorting a friendly drone. These objectives serve to mix things up while breaking up the constant pace of gunning down every enemy in sight. This multiplayer offering is entirely cooperative in nature, which makes sense given the key aspect of Mass Effect 3’s narrative is the races of the galaxy coming together against the Reapers. That being said, the most fun I had playing in this mode was with friends, which is for the best as the server populations on console are so low today that gathering private lobbies are the most surefire way of getting a full fireteam. Playing on PC, I was surprised that there is a small, dedicated player base, and I found it much easier to find matches even here, a decade after release.

                Much like single player, you’ll select one of six classes to play as, but here is where things get really interesting for fans of the series. A big selling point of the multiplayer was the fact that you could play as other races. For context, you could always decide Shepard’s gender and background, but you were always human in a universe that gave us so many races. When you start multiplayer mode you can only pick from human operators and can acquire extra characters from the shop using credits acquired from missions. This is something that we will get into in the next section.

Progression & Controversy

        As weird as it seems, gameplay is but one aspect of any multiplayer offering. Nowadays any given game puts just as much effort into the progression system as it does the core gameplay, but that doesn’t mean its guaranteed to be any good. I understand that people committing to a multiplayer game want something to show for their time and loyalty dedicated to the game. The core gameplay is fun I’ll grant that, but that fun is nearly undone by the progression system.

                Much like the main game of Mass Effect 3 you’ll gain experience and grow in level, which in turn allows you to upgrade your abilities and promote a character to the main game for a war asset upon reaching max level.

                However, this is not the issue. The issue is in how the store is arranged and how you upgrade your arsenal of weapons and characters. Everything from new characters, med kits, weapons, and weapon attachments are earned through the shop. Inside the shop you purchase randomly assorted items in a variety of loot boxes. You don’t have the freedom to purchase what you want; you want to play as a Geth prime you have to take your chances with the loot boxes until you get it.

                You can also get duplicates in said boxes, so you are not guaranteed to get new items or characters. Bioware also included the option to bypass the system with real money and purchase loot boxes with actual money if you’re the irresponsible type. I’m not entirely sure whether to lay the blame for this at the foot of Bioware or the publisher Electronic Arts (EA). I suppose I should be thankful these microtransactions didn’t infect the single player like they did in Dead Space 3, which was also published by EA. But their presence at all taints my impression of the whole multiplayer.

                The progression system is designed so that you can’t purchase or earn what you want. It’s designed to drag out the process and keep you playing through rewarding addiction instead of playing the game because it’s fun.

Updates & Legacy

        The retail launch of Mass Effect 3 was in 2012 for both single player and multiplayer offerings. But the multiplayer saw over a year of updates that brought new maps, weapons, and characters to the game. Following the controversy regarding the ending of Mass Effect 3, Bioware and EA were desperate to create good word-of-mouth around the game. To that end all of the multiplayer DLC was released for free.

This certainly helped player numbers as splintering the player base through paid map packs wouldn’t have helped matters. This definitely helped the game as a lot of competing games had no trouble charging for additional content as Mass Effect 3 was developed at the height of season pass and paid DLC culture. And for a time I, like many others, enjoyed what the game had to offer. However, the updates eventually came to an end as the team responsible the multiplayer would soon be called to active duty as they were selected to helm the development of the next untitled Mass Effect installment. They developed the game that would go on to be Mass Effect Andromeda.

Conclusion

        As for why Bioware has to this day left the servers live or why they haven’t brought back the multiplayer for the Legendary Edition I couldn’t tell you. This mode most certainly has its problems, but if you enjoy Mass Effect 3’s gameplay and if the idea of playing in the other races of the universe intrigues you, feel free to dust off your PS3, Xbox 360 or PC copies of Mass Effect 3 and get in on this cooperative survival mode. If that’s the case, I think you’ll enjoy what is offered here!

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