SO EARTH is toast. That is unlucky, but the Reapers promise a slow and painful death via massive invading ships emitting laser beams with impressive girth. That’s okay, then.

For those not up to speed, the Reapers have a lovely habit of harvesting all organic life in the galaxy every 50,000 years, but roughty toughty hero Commander Shepard (whose missing ‘H’ from his surname is never explained) would rather humanity wasn’t wiped out and, to cut a long trilogy short, he and a little band of mates have some big guns and bushels of guile with which to aid this apparently impossible battle.

ME3 starts with a very impressive Earth invasion, with vast cinematic vistas giving way to third-person action. Past experience with the series is helpful to explain a lot of the plot points, but the first-timer will glean enough to keep his head above the storyline.

Shuffling about with your humourless companions isn’t the smoothest of experiences, and you’ll find your face getting battered by artillery despite your violent insistence that you pushed the ‘hide’ button. Vaulting over obstacles is also needlessly demanding.

But.

The gameplay is good enough that you won’t feel the urge to throw projectiles in frustration, and the storyline, with some terrific, beautifully designed cut scenes and emotionally involving turns, makes all those little niggles melt away like butter in your bellybutton.