Mass Effect 2 vs Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect 2 is the better game; Mass Effect 3 is the better shooter. ME2's loyalty missions and suicide-mission structure are the series' high point. ME3 has sharper combat and the strongest individual moments, and an ending that overshadowed all of it.

What They Have in Common

Same Shepard, same squad, same imported save carrying your choices forward — and the Legendary Edition makes both easy to play.

Pick Mass Effect 2 for the best of the trilogy.

Recruiting a crew, earning their loyalty, and a finale where who lives depends on decisions you made twenty hours earlier. Still the best-structured BioWare game.

More like this: games like Mass Effect 2.

Pick Mass Effect 3 for the payoff and the combat.

Everything you did lands here, and the Tuchanka and Rannoch arcs are the best writing in the series. Play it with the extended cut and it holds up much better than its reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I play Mass Effect 2 or Mass Effect 3 first?

Mass Effect 2 is the better game; Mass Effect 3 is the better shooter. ME2's loyalty missions and suicide-mission structure are the series' high point. ME3 has sharper combat and the strongest individual moments, and an ending that overshadowed all of it.

Is Mass Effect 2 better than Mass Effect 3?

Better is the wrong question for these two — they are close enough that the answer depends on what you want from the next twenty hours. Pick Mass Effect 2 for the best of the trilogy. Pick Mass Effect 3 for the payoff and the combat.

Are these comparisons based on review scores?

No. There are no scores anywhere on this page. This is a written opinion about what each game is for, so you can judge whether it matches what you are after.