I finished the game on Friday night and I think EDGE got it right...I'd give it a "7" as well. Its not that I don't love whats there (because I do), it's because I feel that there is so much missing...
Granted, I realize that this game was always meant to be a trilogy but they didn't have to be so obvious about it. Only a 1/3 of the galaxy is presently visible and most of what you can do on these planets is repetitive...right down to the geometry of the explorable caves. Is it really too much to ask for more than 3 types of interiors on the explorable planets???
It also was a let down to find that collecting shit got you nothing! What the hell is the point of collecting 20 heavy metals if it doesn't do something to the ship/stats/plot? Wouldn't it have been nice to see your ship upgraded because of the collecting of materials or perhaps open up other planets to explore??? Why did I scan all the keepers if it doesn't help in forwarding the plot? In the end, you do it to "clear" your assignments but it really kinda sucks that it completing them does essentially nothing.
It also feels like those planets are there simply to extend the game as the story feels like I'm at the half-way point. If this were KOTOR, i'd be discovering the big plot twist at this point and I'd still have a hell of a lot more to see and do. I really loved the story and charecters but damn if we couldn't do anything with them! Why didn't we visit the Quarian Flotilla? Why couldn't I find the Genophage cure?
What ME does well...very well. The thread has more than enough praise so I won't bother regurgitating them as they've been well covered (and with good reason!) I'm looking forward to the next part even though I wasn't ecstatic with this one and perhaps that one will have more of what I expected.
"7"