Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect: Andromeda is a very solid game. BioWare had obviously taken their lessons both from original Mass Effect trilogy as well as Dragon Age series and mixed it with fair dose of experience of other AAA titles of late. It is not Inquisition in space, although the influence of it is clearly seen...The learning curve of the game is quite steep and first few hours (I would give it around 4 to 5) can be quite overwhelming as controls, interface and much smoother reaction of the character settle in, but it gets better. The pluses of the game far outweigh its minuses, including somewhat stiff animations and sometimes “grainy” shadows.

The scale of the new Mass Effect game, combined with the intense gameplay and exploration, makes this a must have. Don't be fooled by some of the issues justly reported by the community and give it a try. The trial version of the game is still available through Origin, and I'm sure that people won't need more than a couple of hours to decide if they like it.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is a gigantic science fiction epic and a brave new start for the series, but it doesn't completely capture the magic of its predecessors.

Enough of the classic Mass Effect, with enough new mechanics to keep the game fresh. [Hollingworth; Issue#261, p.55]

As a kind of Star Trek-esque adventure, Andromeda is fine. Combat feels better than it has in previous games in the series, with the transition between exploration and fighting being seamless and tight. There is a rudimentary stealth mechanic (isn't there always?) which once again resembles KOTOR as much as it does anything else, and bouncing around with the jump pack blasting aliens is a pretty good laugh. Levels are quite pretty, and somehow manage to be imaginative without being desperately original.

Some slight technical issues occasionally hamper what is a solid Mass Effect entry. Fun, dynamic combat, some great missions and an interesting new setting provide an enjoyable place to get lost and spend some time in. It does sometimes feel like a “Mass Effect Greatest Hits” but there are worse things to be.

Andromeda’s plot is quite inconsistent, bouncing back and forth between some fantastically impactful moments and others that fall extremely flat. Like I said above, I do like the general set-up. Separating things into a new galaxy (and by virtue or travel time, about 600 years) from the events of the previous Mass Effect games is smart, and it works. Beyond that, I’m glad they didn’t just jump right into another galaxy-ending threat right away. This slower burn of trying to get Milky Way civilization started is different, and a welcomed change of pace. I will note that there is a bit of a beginning lull that may turn some players away during the first few hours of the game.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is an enormous game that will keep the player engaged for tons of hours of gameplay. The combat system is probably the best thing about the entire project: it's fast and rewarding. Sadly it has a bunch of flaws starting from the animation department to the big landscapes full of secondary, boring quests. And above all it lacks the epic tone of the previous installments.

If you look at it as a reboot, a starting point for the series, there’s lots of promise in that future. The first Mass Effect had countless problems, far more than here, but that will always be remembered as a classic, despite leaving similar threads hanging. Ultimately, this is a story about laying the foundations of a civilization, and it feels like BioWare were doing the same for the future of the franchise. In that way, these RPG developers have become Pathfinders themselves.

Marred by inconsistency and in need of a polish pass, this vast new sci-fi frontier nonetheless rewards dedicated exploration.

Mass Effect: Andromeda fails to deliver a compelling plot and the journey to a whole new galaxy offers little that's new or exciting. Still, it does give you the same quality gameplay the series is known for and you'll enjoy your time with your new crew, even if they're no replacement for the originals.

If you can come to terms with Mass Effect: Andromeda's rough edges and embrace its focus on exploring interesting planets and sub-plots above a single epic storyline, there is a substantial and captivating interstellar adventure to be found within.

It is a really bumpy start for a new era in the Mass Effect series. Almost as if the developers wanted to create something reminiscent of the tough challenges the milky way species face in their new home. But in the end there is just the perception, that bigger is not always better.

Original Mass Effect trilogy rests on three pillars: great protagonist, believable universe and dramatic story. For Andromeda, Bioware felled all three of them, raising two new ones in their stead: exploration and combat system. The resulting game is quite engaging – but not enough to overcome the nostalgia for Shepard. [Issue#218, p.40]

Mass Effect Andromeda could have been one of the best RPGs ever, but sadly the game never realizes its full potential. While the gameplay experience and RPG mechanics are mostly well done, with the best combat system of the entire series, the predictable story, uninteresting characters, and generally mediocre writing make the Pathfinder's quest to find a new home for humanity not as memorable as it could have been.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is a game that forgot how to be a Mass Effect game. While it fails to deliver a compelling narrative and has little to offer, it’s the combat and planetary exploration elements that hold together this contrasting experience. The result is a game drifting away in the open and cold space.