Mass Effect: Andromeda

 Xbox One
User Score
5.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1225 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 548 out of 1225
  2. Mixed: 154 out of 1225
  3. Negative: 523 out of 1225
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  1. hcliffed
    May 29, 2017
    9
    I'm reviewing this post 1.07, where the game is now extremely stable.

    The continued hate should be directed at EA, not necessarily Bioware Montreal, who obviously busted their tails; no Mass Effect would live up to expectations. Enjoy it for what it is, play through the entire story, and if you're intelligent enough to understand the scope, you'll find a killer experience. The    I'm reviewing this post 1.07, where the game is now extremely stable.

    The continued hate should be directed at EA, not necessarily Bioware Montreal, who obviously busted their tails; no Mass Effect would live up to expectations.

    Enjoy it for what it is, play through the entire story, and if you're intelligent enough to understand the scope, you'll find a killer experience.

    The multiplayer alone has given my friends and I hundreds of extra hours of enjoyment!    … Expand
  2. peabuddie
    May 25, 2017
    4
    Let's all just agree that Shepard is a hard act to follow. Any thought of going into this thinking that it's going to be like the trilogy is unrealistic. It IS Mass Effect but in a way we haven't seen before.Having completed the game I have lowered my score from a 7 to a 4. It is just that bad.
    So first the negative:
    I'm with the rest when it comes to the menus, they are a mess and not    Let's all just agree that Shepard is a hard act to follow. Any thought of going into this thinking that it's going to be like the trilogy is unrealistic. It IS Mass Effect but in a way we haven't seen before.Having completed the game I have lowered my score from a 7 to a 4. It is just that bad.
    So first the negative:
    I'm with the rest when it comes to the menus, they are a mess and not very intuitive. There are WAY too many menus, It's ridiculous.
    Planet scanning: there are 4 steps of fancy graphics just to scan the planet. Why? When will publishers learn to quit wasting our time. YOLO and I don't want to spend it going through 4 stages to scan a planet. Also apparantly there are anomalies detected even after I've scanned the entire system and found every thing and scanned every planet. If there is still something out there where is it? How did such a simple mechanic become so cumbersome?
    Remember how you could set up your team's load out? Well, if you still can I haven't been able to figure out how. 20 hours in and I don't even know what weapons my team is using.
    Again too much talk, I'm still trying to get past simply competent when it comes to combat because I've experienced so little of it.

    Graphical problems yes, they are there but I don't really care that much.
    Character models, expressions ( there aren't any they are all blank faced models), horrible, but whatever.
    When not in combat I can't get away from the feeling that I'm playing an electronic barbie house. It's too much Mass Effect the Social Game for me. Way beyond anything in the trilogy.

    It doesn't give clear enough information on how to do basic things. Healing is completely different as an example, but I don't recall ever being told how to heal. I just ended up figuring it out after x amount of hours. Considering the difference, it's rather important strategic information when your in the middle of a fire fight. And that's just one example that extends to crafting, resources, etc.

    Too me the resource gathering and crafting is a slow and painful process. I have found no joy in it thus far. It's frustrating. The separation of research and crafting uhhg ain't nobody got time for that. Does Bioware think that we live and breath their creations? so much of this game seems so self-involved of the devs. Like they live in a world where everyone has 20 hours to figure out their cumbersome systems for doing things and we're supposed to like it. Games are meant to be fun, not tiresome.
    It seems that EVERYTHING is way more complicated and time consuming than is necessary.
    .
    The creative decisions above and many more are mind boggling. They just make no sense.
    The writing is the worst writing of any bioware game ever. It is amateurish, immature and boring. Absolutely nothing about Andromeda's mission makes any logical sense on any level.

    There is plenty to do (way too much actually) and much of it may keep your attention. There are interesting worlds and situations and pretty environments. The combat IS fun, I just can't get enough of it.
    The ships are cool, the Nexus is cool as far as concepts go and there is plenty to see and explore. There is some fun to be had here.

    If you want to try this game out, first say your goodbyes to ME as you know it. Let Shepard rest and enter a new world in the ME universe. The cheaper, more amateurish, emptier universe. A universe that exploits the once mighty name of ME and Bioware.    … Expand
  3. Bronandez
    May 23, 2017
    9
    I played the original three Mass Effect games. That being said, I still loved this game. It's just different. A new take on the series. Let's start out with the cons:

    The dialogue felt a bit dull at times. There wasn't too many radical dialogue options (ie paragon/renegade), so it did feel like no matter what I chose in a conversation, I would always end up in the same place. A bit    I played the original three Mass Effect games. That being said, I still loved this game. It's just different. A new take on the series. Let's start out with the cons:

    The dialogue felt a bit dull at times. There wasn't too many radical dialogue options (ie paragon/renegade), so it did feel like no matter what I chose in a conversation, I would always end up in the same place.

    A bit buggy. There were certain times were the game would not accept input from the controller, the game would freeze, or I would not be able to complete a mission. This is kind of a big deal for me, because right now, one of these bugs (not being able to complete "Task: Earn Your Badge") is preventing me from getting the game to 100%

    Pros:

    The game play feels very smooth and polished. The combat is Excellent. I really liked being able to choose my own class and what my character could do, and I spent hours trying different builds and respecing my character. In the end, the one I found most rewarding to play was a Vanguard with Charge, Turbo Charge, Nova.

    Visually, the game looks great and aside from bugs mentioned above, runs great. From the Galaxy view, to the surface of the planets, it is visually pleasing.

    Open world is a huge plus for me. There were times where I told myself that "I would beat the story today," and instead got sucked up into side quest after side quest for hours on end. There is definitely no shortage of things to do.

    All in all I love it. It's probably my personal favorite of the series, however, I saw it as more of a grind than a story like I did the previous three. That being said, I do love a good grind.    … Expand
  4. Shiranui
    May 22, 2017
    0
    This game has dragged Bioware's name through the mud. An absolutely broken mess with absolutely awful story writing and you still dare to charge people micro transactions for this... EA you ought to be absolutely ashamed of yourself.
  5. stelarrr
    May 18, 2017
    9
    Having finally completed the game for my first play through, and having read complaints, negative reviews and about the franchise potentially being put on hiatus, I feel the need to share my opinion of the game.

    Despite all the bad press this game is getting from a part of the Mass Effect community, fans and “professional reviewers” that clearly wanted another sequel to Shepherds story,    Having finally completed the game for my first play through, and having read complaints, negative reviews and about the franchise potentially being put on hiatus, I feel the need to share my opinion of the game.

    Despite all the bad press this game is getting from a part of the Mass Effect community, fans and “professional reviewers” that clearly wanted another sequel to Shepherds story, I found the game to be awesome. More than lived up to my expectations.

    I'm going to get my complaints of the game out the way first because they are small and very minor. First I thought the character customisation was limited and secondly I didn't like the canon Ryders look. Limited customisation in my mind is annoying for a game like this however the canon look wasn't the end of the world, it was just personal preference.

    The main character Ryder was a great hero. Someone thrown into a situation they hadn't prepared for and stepped up to greatness. I liked not having the paragon/renegade indicator it allowed me to switch between serious, funny, sarcastic and angry depending on the conversation and not have to worry about it making me good or bad overall. I played my Ryder as an easy going guy who used humour to diffuse a situation but didn't take any crap and followed a moral compass. This meant not always doing things that pleased people be they squad mates, superiors or various quest givers. I think this style of play over the paragon/renegade option gave for a more varied and interesting style of play. Plus it allowed for allot more characterisation from both Ryder and his squad mates.

    Turning to the squad mates I thought they were a great bunch on the whole with only one who really annoyed me (I'm talking to you Liam). However when you throw a bunch of people together from different backgrounds and species personalities are going to clash and this allowed for an interesting journey. I thought the voice acting throughout was top notch and loved the banter between squad mates. Later into the game little comments will crop up that are just perfect.

    Personally I didn't experience any bugs or glitches and I will be honest didn't even notice the problems with the animations until I read it had been patched. I was to busy enjoying a good character driven story to get hung up on minor inconveniences.

    This game is hampered by to many people wanting more of the same and not liking the new things that have been tried. I like the direction the game has gone in and am always open to these games trying new things. The fundamentals are all still there, epic sci-fi space opera, romance options with interesting squad mates, fun combat, exploration.

    The game is not without its flaws but as a massive Mass Effect fan from day one I can overlook this for more of what I love. Sadly we may have a long wait for anything more from this franchise due to people having overly high expectations. Stop trying to draw parallels to the original trilogy and enjoy the start of the next one. It can only get better and better.    … Expand
  6. FlailingPotat0
    May 15, 2017
    0
    Mass Effect Andromeda isn't a game, it's a meme. Play the original trilogy before you play Andromeda if you want to truly understand how terrible this entry is. Bioware/EA took the lazy way out: first, by giving a beloved franchise to their "B" Team in Bioware Montreal, then by stripping away everything that defined Mass Effect as a series. This was a cash grab by EA and Bioware, using theMass Effect Andromeda isn't a game, it's a meme. Play the original trilogy before you play Andromeda if you want to truly understand how terrible this entry is. Bioware/EA took the lazy way out: first, by giving a beloved franchise to their "B" Team in Bioware Montreal, then by stripping away everything that defined Mass Effect as a series. This was a cash grab by EA and Bioware, using the fans love for the series to sell it.

    Paragon and Renegade? Gone, replace by a vague "emotional" dialogue wheel with some of the worst lines in gaming history. You have no control over your characters personality, although no one else in this game has one either so why should your character?

    Important story altering decisions? Gone as well. There might be 1 or 2 designed to give the illusion of this but neither choice affects the story in any way apart from 1 or 2 lines of dialogue.

    Great story telling? Gone. Instead of the focused and exciting 30hr+ narratives woven through various planets, locations and side missions we get... about 6-8 hours of actual story content with about 25 hours of boring, monotonous and unrelated side-quests scattered over the "open" worlds. The typical side quest is something like "NPC needs heat lamp, traverse map to get one". It's like baby's first RPG in terms of design. Hope you like driving because its 2/3rds of the game.

    Everything is a rehash of ME1, from characters to story arc only much worse. The Archon (basically this games Sovereign) is so non-threatening its hilarious. If Mass Effect 1,2 and 3 were wide release summer blockbusters, ME:A is the direct to dvd sequel that no one asked for. Did I mention it takes place 600 years in the future in a new galaxy? Bioware Montreal took the lazy way out in terms of writing. Of all the different and interesting ways they could have gone and expanded the lore and universe (Leviathan species? Indoctrination theory?), they chose the most boring, cookie-cutter and lazy way out. And it shows. (First contact with a new species? Prepare to be underwhelmed. Neither side acts like its a big deal).

    Interesting locations? Sort of. They're interesting when you first land but you quickly realize they're all lifeless and empty. Although every planet has the exact same Dinosaur/Monster creatures. Every. Single. Planet. That's how lazy Bioware was. The same life forms on every single planet. Even some that are different colors (were these the devs from Grandma's Boy?)

    Epic music? Nope. As far as epic music to set the tone for the action/story: there is none. None that is memorable anyways. Remember the music from the Collector Base? Leaving Earth under Reaper attack? Meeting Vigil on Illos? Saving the Krogan? There is nothing like that in Andromeda. Nothing. At any point.

    Interesting characters? Nope. All of them are re-skins of ME1 characters, just way less interesting. You will never, ever be conflicted about who to bring with you on a mission (the way most people were with ME1-3). Also this game has odd character models. They all look too short, like kids running around in a theme park. I can't figure out if the camera angle is too wide of the modeler had no clue what he/she was doing.

    Graphics? Lol. Mass Effect 3 still looks better. Muddy textures on close ups and cartoony looking open worlds. It has its moments where it looks amazing but its wildly inconsistent.

    Multiplayer? That's not why people buy Mass Effect. Moving on.

    The combat? There's good and bad. Very fluid and dynamic, but you lose the ability to direct/control squad abilities as well as only having 3 abilities active at any one time. Apart from movement, its a downgrade.

    Overall? It's a tremendously boring and stale story, filled with flat, uninteresting characters, no memorable musical score, echoes the story beats of the first game (though poorly), loaded to the brim with boring, unrelated "filler" side quests scattered across vast, empty, lifeless worlds.

    I'm a huge Mass Effect fan. You don't have to believe me. But the game has been on sale since it released, EA has put the franchise on "hiatus" and Bioware Montreal is being demoted to a support studio. This game is trash and the evidence for that gets stronger every day.    … Expand
  7. GsPlayer
    May 15, 2017
    4
    As the 810 reviewer, I understand this wont get read much. But the game was such a disappointment, I couldn't help but put a review in.

    The tone of the game is just terrible. Travelling to a new galaxy should bring high levels of excitement and 'fear of the unknown' to the characters. Instead, it's self-consumed whinny wimps, asking for you to make them feel better everywhere you    As the 810 reviewer, I understand this wont get read much. But the game was such a disappointment, I couldn't help but put a review in.

    The tone of the game is just terrible. Travelling to a new galaxy should bring high levels of excitement and 'fear of the unknown' to the characters. Instead, it's self-consumed whinny wimps, asking for you to make them feel better everywhere you turn.

    Ryder talks like a civilian and lacks any true leadership skills or toughness, although he/she is a good smart ass at times.

    Driving around in the future's worst off road vehicle is just brutal. And made three times worse given you have to listen to your team member's P@ssy Whinny Wimpy Self Absorbed banter the whole time.

    Gameplay is long and tedious, and outside of a handful of good battles the shooting is easy and repetative.

    Im just finishing the game in hope of the next game being better, and to see if any of my choices actually matter to the ultimate outcome.    … Expand
  8. ElTioJeremy
    May 14, 2017
    8
    Mass Effect: Andromeda nos lleva a la galaxia de Andromeda, a explorar esta y entrar en la bùsqueda de una nueva casa para la raza humana. Precisamente, la exploraciòn en este Mass Effect es un punto muy importante, ya que podremos explorar diversos planetas, en busca de recursos para craftear, podremos hacer muchas misiones en los mìsmos. La exploracion encuentro que esta lograda, tienesMass Effect: Andromeda nos lleva a la galaxia de Andromeda, a explorar esta y entrar en la bùsqueda de una nueva casa para la raza humana. Precisamente, la exploraciòn en este Mass Effect es un punto muy importante, ya que podremos explorar diversos planetas, en busca de recursos para craftear, podremos hacer muchas misiones en los mìsmos. La exploracion encuentro que esta lograda, tienes muchas cosas que hacer, en cuanto a misiones, cosas por recoger, y todo este tipo de cosas.
    Otra cosa que hace bien este Mass Effect, son las escenas de acciòn, ya que es todo muy frenètico y muy entretenido. Tanto los saltos, los dashes y los poderes, le dan un toque muy bueno al juego.
    En cuanto al rendimiento, va muy fluido. He jugado la versiòn de Xbox One y va muy bien, apenas hay caidas de FPS, y si las hay, no bajan de unos 28,27 FPS. Esto hace que sea agradable a la vista y a la experiencia.
    Un punto muy criticado del juego son las animaciones. Y es verdad. Las animaciones estan mal hechas, parece como si le hubieran dedicado poco trabajo. Pero hay una cosa que aclarar. Las animaciones dejan de ser desagradables en cuanto màs tiempo le dediquemos al juego.
    Pero las animaciones no son el problema principal del juego, ya que no afectan en la experiencia de juego. El multijugador es el verdadero problema. He jugado unas 3 partidas, porque es INJUGABLE. Al no tener servidores dedicados, hace que las partidas se caigan a cada rato. Arruina completamente la experiencia de juego.

    En conclusiòn, encuentro que este Mass Effect: Andromeda es un buen juego, muy entretenido y con muchìsimo contenido. Si juegas al modo historia, se te pasara volando la hora. Como fan de la saga Mass Effect, encuentro que este està un peldaño por debajo de los demàs, pero esto no lo hace para nada un mal juego. Lo recomiendo si quieres hecharte unas horas.    … Expand
  9. Achtlos
    May 7, 2017
    7
    We all know this game has unforgivable technical faults, considering it's the 4th instalment in a series, running on much better hardware than the previous games. I picked this up and started playing more recently, commencing after some of the patches. (I did play the preview hours last month). The game is undeniably fun. The graphics work well presenting great vistas, just the animationsWe all know this game has unforgivable technical faults, considering it's the 4th instalment in a series, running on much better hardware than the previous games. I picked this up and started playing more recently, commencing after some of the patches. (I did play the preview hours last month). The game is undeniably fun. The graphics work well presenting great vistas, just the animations are poor at times. The dialogue choices can often feel like there's no distinction between two opposite paths. The open world "go to point A then B" is falling into the Ubisoft "Map or markers" trap. All that said, the game is engaging and the Sci Fi plot, although clichéd is very fun.… Expand
  10. mik785
    May 4, 2017
    10
    one of best Mass Effect I play.this chapter have a little bug if you like mass effect series you can love mass effect andromeda. Because, Yes this chapter have lot of narration ist normal its look like mass effect 1
  11. Drachmalius
    May 3, 2017
    5
    Right in the middle of the scoreboard. Nothing too terrible, and nothing to make it stand out. You play through it, find some things enjoyable, but it's overall meaningless. There's a lack of polish that I normally wouldn't mind, but the writing and characters are so unremarkable that it needed something to redeem it.

    If you're a die-hard Mass Effect fan, pick this up at $20 or less or    Right in the middle of the scoreboard. Nothing too terrible, and nothing to make it stand out. You play through it, find some things enjoyable, but it's overall meaningless. There's a lack of polish that I normally wouldn't mind, but the writing and characters are so unremarkable that it needed something to redeem it.

    If you're a die-hard Mass Effect fan, pick this up at $20 or less or get it from Gamefly for a weekend if that's your jam. If you're a newcomer to the series, don't start with this one. You'll get a bad first impression of the series. I'd only recommend this if you really want to play through it and be ready for when Bioware hopefully releases another good game in the series...basically out of obligation to a game series that used to be great.    … Expand
  12. HunterCZE
    May 2, 2017
    3
    One big disappointment. Everything I have loved with the original trilogy has been just thrown to the garbage. I had big expectations from this title but it turned out to be a massive let down.

    - very poor main story line - terrible animations - absolutely disgusting characters (ME 1 characters were created far way better and that!s a decade ago) - zero impact with the choices made    One big disappointment. Everything I have loved with the original trilogy has been just thrown to the garbage. I had big expectations from this title but it turned out to be a massive let down.

    - very poor main story line
    - terrible animations
    - absolutely disgusting characters (ME 1 characters were created far way better and that!s a decade ago)
    - zero impact with the choices made during the gameplay
    - very limited conversation options
    - voice acting is hilarious and very bad
    - totally boring multiplayer (it's just a waste of time)

    + worlds look so amazing
    + buildings and ships are beautifully made
    + planet exploring is very interesting
    + loyalty missions and side quests are enjoyable

    In the state the game is (even with the latest patch) it's just a poorly made game. Not worthy of the money and the time. Every single ME game made you to want to play it again in a different way. Here unfortunately you don't get this kind of feeling at all.

    ME Andromeda had such a potential was completely squandered. Makes me wonder how the official reviewers can give this such a high score ... it appears they played a completely different game than the normal players got.    … Expand
  13. ApsidalFanatic
    May 1, 2017
    10
    UPDATE (patch 1.05 / 120+ hours gameplay)

    Allright people, after playing at least 120 hours I give it a solid 10. Positive: 1/ Graphics are stunning / after patch 1.05 good framerates / facial animations / lipsync works as well 2/ UI 3/ Weapon Mods are back 4/ Planet design / truly unique beautifully created artwork 5/ Menu System 6/ General atmosphere - do not expect something    UPDATE (patch 1.05 / 120+ hours gameplay)

    Allright people, after playing at least 120 hours I give it a solid 10.

    Positive:
    1/ Graphics are stunning / after patch 1.05 good framerates / facial animations / lipsync works as well
    2/ UI
    3/ Weapon Mods are back
    4/ Planet design / truly unique beautifully created artwork
    5/ Menu System
    6/ General atmosphere - do not expect something like ME1/2/3
    7/ Nomad / Tempest have VERY nice looks
    8/ Sidequests are a real addition // they are just as much amazing if not more sometimes than the main storyline
    8/ Enemy AI is smart, permanently goes to cover, moves and dodges / fight is simply very fun and NOT easy to handle even w/ upgraded lvl 7 / 8 equipment
    9/ For a new engine, new gameplay concept, new story, new platform, the game is VERY WELL done
    10/ Squadmates are smart, are a REAL AID, die on a rare occasions and if they do they DIE HARD / they use their powers / abilities according to situations, dodge and evade (unlike Samara in ME2 who died every minute and left me w/ one squadmate in the worst possible situations)
    11/ Storyline (open ended storyline, you defeat the main Enemy but there is more to it - see NOTES section)

    Mediocre:
    1/ Character Development / till the point you unlock ALL memory triggers
    2/ Epic moments are less epic than they should be..
    3/ It took time till I got used to Scanner 2.0 - now I am ok w/ it
    4/ It took time till I got used to AVP System / Strike Team System

    Bad:
    1/ There is only one (not even Andromeda native) main enemy, the kett
    2/ Incendiary / Cryo / etc. Bullets are now consumables no permanent effect if selected
    3/ Augmentations / Mods are HARD to trace if attached as names are NOT displayed
    4/ Mining probes system is not consistent, mining zones hard to max out in regards of mined materials
    5/ Graphics glitches (characters / npc's animals fall from the sky, and they start attacking you standing in the air)
    Sometimes when you get out of Nomad while its moving you get out and stand next to Nomad where your squadmates catapult like rockets in the sky flying around 200 meters and have to run back to you (pont 5 can be resolved easily w/ a patch nothing to worry about happens on rare occasions)

    NOTES: This game imho is only the beginning of a new ME Universe. Too much not closed hints, storylines, etc. If I am right the decisions you made in this game will have effect much later on (like in ME1 Rachni Queen decision if you remember).
    I give this game a 10 AFTER I played the whole series beginning in 2007w/ ME1 through ME2-3 where I played ME2 at least 6 or 7 times. This is a good solid gaming experience just give it a chance you won't regret it.    … Expand
  14. cobwil
    Apr 30, 2017
    0
    This is the first time I've ever breathed a SIGH OF RELIEF upon finishing a game. I was glad it was over. The entire thing was a grind. Had it been any other game I'd have returned it many hours prior, but this was Mass Freakin' Effect, so I stayed with it, hoping that at some point there would be SOMETHING in it that would validate the hours I was putting in. Never happened. Here's why:This is the first time I've ever breathed a SIGH OF RELIEF upon finishing a game. I was glad it was over. The entire thing was a grind. Had it been any other game I'd have returned it many hours prior, but this was Mass Freakin' Effect, so I stayed with it, hoping that at some point there would be SOMETHING in it that would validate the hours I was putting in. Never happened. Here's why:

    THE CHARACTERS: As boring as they are unpleasant to look at. It's as if designers deliberately went out of their way to create mannish facial features (PeeBee), gross hair (Cora), or just overall unattractiveness (Vetra). None of them had much of interest to say; I found myself pressing /x/ to skip through dialogue A LOT (which I typically never do in rpg's of any sort, much less BioWare games). The bland dialogue is typical of everything else: I just wanted it to be over.

    THE COMBAT: Solid, if not particularly memorable, for two reasons. First (and this may not bother anyone else), they've removed the time-slow mechanic for snipers, making playing as a stealth-sniper much less satisfying. Why? I had similar problems with the way they neutered mages in D.A: Inquisition, taking away a lot of impressive offensive spells (particularly the AoE variety) and making them more dependent on defensive ones. For whatever reason they seem intent on scaling back their most powerful (and fun) playstyles. Secondly...

    THE VILLAIN: I won't look back fondly on the combat in this game because I was so unengaged by the enemy I was fighting. The Kett were never very threatening (unlike Superman's "Doomsday", who they seem to be modeled after) or interesting; I realize not every enemy can be something on par with the Reapers, but how about the level of Saren or The Illusive Man or the Shadow Broker? Granted, the Archon finally gets a BIT more sinister toward the end, but it's too little too late... capped by a yawner of a "climax".

    THE SIDE QUESTS: Talk to this guy, go here, fetch this, then fetch two more, go back to guy, he sends you to another guy, fight some more humdrum kett... blah! In between each step, you're trying to figure out frustratingly placed nav points, and you end up doing a lot of running-in-circles-around-landform and jumping-repeated-alongside-landform attempting to access things or get to certain places, because the maps are so vague and inadequate. Now someone might say, "Well in real life an explorer would face those challenges so it's realistic!" I agree. In real life, explorers also have to stop to go to the bathroom occasionally, but I certainly don't want THAT experience incorporated into my video game either. When your game consists of 75% uninteresting fetch quests, and you then make the fetching as frustrating as possible with misleading nav points, you're not winning points for the realism.

    THE ENVIRONMENTS: THIS they got right. The game LOOKS gorgeous (with the exception of every romanceable female character).

    THE SJW FACTOR: We all know it exists, but most of us are afraid to comment on it because if we do, angry trolls label us as hatemongers and bigots. So we tiptoe around it. But look... nobody's being fooled here. Certainly, humanity's diversity must be reflected in games (as BioWare has always done well), but they're now going so overboard with it that it's no longer an accurate reflection of the population. And when you hire angry bigots to oversee the development of your games, that's going to happen.

    PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, and it adds up to the biggest disappointment I've had since the Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man.    … Expand
  15. Mustakrakysh
    Apr 28, 2017
    1
    This game is a disgrace to the Mass Effect series. The writing is TERRIBLE. The Story makes no sense. This game is such a disappointment that even a lazy person like me who never writes reviews felt I had to. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. Let Mass Effect be over with the original series. This game will ruin Mass Effect for you.
  16. MartijnJ
    Apr 26, 2017
    10
    people like to hate, they hate for the dumbest reasons on new games, Ive been gaming since 1998 and if I look at mass effect andromeda it is a great game, games are evolving , the haters can keep hating let them replay the old mass effect games as commander shephard dozends of times. We live in 2017 not in 2007, just deal with it.
  17. EggShen
    Apr 25, 2017
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is not Mass Effect, this is Dragon Age: Inquisition in space, right down to the "dragon" boss encounters on each world. Something has gone horribly wrong at Bioware. For a series that was built on engaging choice driven stories, interesting characters, well written dialogue and a sci-fi world with characters and lore to become invested in... none of that is present in ME Andromeda.

    Very little about this game is memorable. I've reached 100% completion and can barely remember anything about this experience that stands out, at least in a positive way. The writing is poor by any standard but its almost unforgivably so for a Bioware game, you'll be hard pressed to take anything this crew says seriously without shaking your head at how cringe worthy the dialogue is.

    The story is a poor rehash of ME1: Ancient and absent technologically advanced species left behind tech that humanity can use. Oh and apparently only humanity can use it and does so immediately after arriving in a completely new galaxy. The Kett are the bad guys and are as generic as they come and even have a process that echoes indoctrination from the original trilogy. You're crewmates are also pale rip offs of the previous games. Jaal = Garrus, PeeBee = Liara, Chora = Ash, Drak = Wrex, Liam = Kaiden and Vetra is literally a female Garrus. Vetra and Jaal come the closest to being interesting.

    The Archon is the stand-in for Sovereign, voice and all, but unlike Sovereign before him the Archon is about as menacing and threatening as a muppet. You don't even get to fight him in the stories climax (unlike Saren 10 years ago).

    You're the Pathfinder and that means instead of using sensors or science teams to determine planetary viability, they send you because: video game. The entire Andromeda Initiative literally waits on one boring guy to give the okay on habitable worlds. Luckily Ryder and his crew gets along with everyone in the Universe save the Kett. Not one argument, not one disagreement, not one raised voice, not a shred of personality can I remember in this game. They're the most agreeable bunch in the entire universe.

    The plot is forgettable, like everything else. The Archon wants control of Remnant technology to convert the galaxy to Kett... or something. The Kett can only reproduce through "Exaltation", even though exalting the Andomeda galaxy would basically mean there's no one left to exalt and continue the species.

    Then there's The Scourge and The Remnant. The Remnant were at war with... something that left the Scourge behind as a weapon against the Remnant, who themselves vanished for an unknown reason and now the Kett are trying to conquer the Angara but lucky for them humanity is here to do in days what they couldn't in decades... The plot manages to be boring, confusing, unoriginal and nonsensical all at the same time. Oh and first contact with the Angara? Forget about that being an epic moment. Luckily they all speak fluent English, right after the game establishes that they don't.

    Combat is an improvement for the series but pales when stacked up against any other modern shooter. The controls are clunky and while the dash ability is handy, the game is too glitchy (especially multiplayer) for this to be anything other than passable. Its good, not great. Enemy encounters quickly get repetitive.

    2/3rds of the game is driving around boring empty "open worlds" with tons of unrelated side quests. Actual story content is probably between 8-12 hrs with the rest being filler side quests.

    Its not a Mass Effect game. This has nothing in common with the series apart from the art design. This was a cash grab from EA and Bioware using the series name to sell it. You're still better off playing the original trilogy    … Expand
  18. TOA91
    Apr 20, 2017
    8
    My first time into the ME Universe and after being bombarded with negative 'hype' from various youtubers, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Everyone knows about the writing and animation issues, yes they are there and are immersion breaking at times. However the thrill of exploring a totally new universe, lore, and species both introduced in this game and the ones already established wasMy first time into the ME Universe and after being bombarded with negative 'hype' from various youtubers, I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Everyone knows about the writing and animation issues, yes they are there and are immersion breaking at times. However the thrill of exploring a totally new universe, lore, and species both introduced in this game and the ones already established was great as a first time ME player, long time Open World RPG player. In addition, the combat mechanics and movement for a 3rd person cover shooter is delicious!. The Game overall has some glaring negatives, but also some excellent pros. The high score is because the issues with animations and voice didn't effect me as much as others, but a solid platform that hopefully BioWare can build on, and fingers crossed cancerous EA doesn't meddle too much.… Expand
  19. Alecj
    Apr 19, 2017
    7
    Mass Effect Andromeda is a good game with too much expectation and pedigree to allow that to be enough. It should have been better. It seems like corners were cut. Why? The tech issues it has are inexplicable. The lack of focus leaves you prone to meandering through the open worlds lacking that feeling of purpose the previous games in the franchise gave you.

    BUT- purely as a space    Mass Effect Andromeda is a good game with too much expectation and pedigree to allow that to be enough. It should have been better. It seems like corners were cut. Why? The tech issues it has are inexplicable. The lack of focus leaves you prone to meandering through the open worlds lacking that feeling of purpose the previous games in the franchise gave you.

    BUT- purely as a space adventure, on the merit of its combat and expansive worlds to discover, ME:A is still a fun friggin game.

    The multiplayer is exactly the same as it was in ME3 which seems, like one of several missed opportunities for the franchise to innovate much like its predecessors. Its a good enough system, but why not try some new ideas or attempt to make it even better. It truly seems like a straight remaking of a MP component that is over 5 years old.

    The characters are not as strong as the previous trilogy but i have a few favorites.

    Overall, it isnt a bad game when judged on its own merit, but place it next to the paradigm change caused by the original Trilogy, and it seems a bit middling.

    Also after a long, well funded development cycle in the care of Bioware, it should have been better.

    I still have enjoyed my 60 hours with Mass Effect Andromeda, and plan on continuing for a couple dozen more. Just dont go in with inflated expectations and you may come away having enjoyed your time with ME:A    … Expand
  20. red_ninja_9
    Apr 19, 2017
    9
    Dang, this game is getting a lot of hate. I just finished the game and i really enjoyed it. There were definitely some minor bug and glitches in the animation and also frame drops sporatically. Nothing that is game breaking or of that calibur. The game is still well made and will give anyone high value entertainment. I recommend this game to all scifi fan.
  21. RokasX
    Apr 18, 2017
    9
    The begining was a bit boring I must admit and they put plenty of annoying run around through many loading screens which caused me to have to take breaks to not fall asleep. Once you get into it however you I found the story to be more then enough to keep me playing. I enjoyed raising viability and playing through the relationship quests to get the many side stories. I am a fan of the newThe begining was a bit boring I must admit and they put plenty of annoying run around through many loading screens which caused me to have to take breaks to not fall asleep. Once you get into it however you I found the story to be more then enough to keep me playing. I enjoyed raising viability and playing through the relationship quests to get the many side stories. I am a fan of the new combat, after playing through the other mass effect games it felt a little weird but loved that i could choose to snipe while my crew held of the enemy without worrying about ammo or having to be stuck confined areas that let enemys rush you. Took me 56 hours to beat the game (main story, viablity and all relationship quests). I probably won't be restarting as there is no important game changing decisions to make but i do prefer it that. I probably will keep playing on and off to finish side quests and enjoy the combat more.

    Final note, the boring scan each planet to get 100% is still annoying and even with the ability to skip the flying I wish there was a better way.    … Expand
  22. sdwillie
    Apr 18, 2017
    0
    It's broken garbage.

    The multiplayer isn't fun to start with, and quickly becomes boring. The campaign was dull until it locked up on an autosave, causing me to force quit. That led to the game failing to load, with the stupid ring in the corner spinning endlessly. For some reason this also caused EA Access to do the same, endlessly trying to connect to their servers. I guess I have    It's broken garbage.

    The multiplayer isn't fun to start with, and quickly becomes boring. The campaign was dull until it locked up on an autosave, causing me to force quit. That led to the game failing to load, with the stupid ring in the corner spinning endlessly. For some reason this also caused EA Access to do the same, endlessly trying to connect to their servers. I guess I have to take them at their word that they fixed some of the creepy faces.    … Expand
  23. RP421969
    Apr 17, 2017
    10
    it's probably a 8.5 but all these 0...come on... It's a good adventure with lots to do, sure there are some bugs but so what, hardly game breaking. banter was good back and forth, combat was tight, and 'situation normal' lol, quite possible the best line/reference in the game. Nothing wrong with the writing. Do yourself a favor. If you like RPGs pick it up.
  24. ReclaimerRob
    Apr 16, 2017
    10
    Absolutely incredible game I have never felt so connected and immersed into a cast of characters and universe in my 25+ years of gaming. I can't wait for more.
  25. chagordz
    Apr 15, 2017
    9
    Very good game, not excellent but very enjoyable.
    Good graphics in the pit and with a fluid gameplay.
    The bad thing is some bugs that I have found but not so bad to ruin the game experience.
  26. VgilAntikz
    Apr 14, 2017
    5
    If you love Mass Effect...don't buy this game at full price, wait until it hits the 15 to $20 range so that way you won't get too disappointed when you play it, definitely not for your collection, and feels like that time you wake up in bed with the result of some very bad choices when you went out and got pissed drunk the night before.
  27. SpartacusNZ
    Apr 13, 2017
    0
    You greedy ar__holes Bioware. Sort out your **** with EA - stand up to them and delay release until testing AND corrections are finished. This is full of bugs and looks appalling. Get is right! You had an amazing franchise and you let greed get in the way.
  28. NickDaWOlf
    Apr 13, 2017
    8
    I've updated my review originally I gave it a 7 but since the patch which fixes the facial animations the game is a solid 8. I was expecting a game which would be a 10 like ME2 and ME3 but the story, characters and immersion just isn't quite what you'd expect from Bioware. Getting rid of the paragon renegade system also annoys me I liked having the choice to be a hero or a bastard. ThoseI've updated my review originally I gave it a 7 but since the patch which fixes the facial animations the game is a solid 8. I was expecting a game which would be a 10 like ME2 and ME3 but the story, characters and immersion just isn't quite what you'd expect from Bioware. Getting rid of the paragon renegade system also annoys me I liked having the choice to be a hero or a bastard. Those are the kind of things that made Bioware games great and for some reason they are shedding them. The visuals are pretty impressive other than the characters, the gameplay i solid though clunky at times, the multiplayer is ok but tends to get repetitive fast. Overall its worth a buy but its not as glorious as it could of been.… Expand
  29. AgentICE
    Apr 11, 2017
    8
    If you love Mass Effect, you'll feel the same about ME: Andromeda. Despite the character models not feeling very Next Gen-ish, I found it very entertaining. I love games that allow you to create your own characters, but I felt it was easier to create a decent-looking character in previous titles. Despite this issue, this is game that I will place in heavy rotation.
  30. CTDave
    Apr 10, 2017
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ******MILD SPOILERS******

    I was a huge fan of the original trilogy, though I was critical of the final 20 minutes of the ME3 to the point where I stopped playing the games entirely until the ending got patched up.

    I went into playing this game with some expectations, as BioWare had done an awesome job on Dragon Age: Inquisition and had seemingly redeemed themselves in my eyes, and thus, I relinquished $90 for the deluxe edition of Andromeda. I sincerely wish I hadn't. I should have waited until Black Friday to scoop the game up on sale.

    The game is unoriginal and liberally borrows/steals from the original trilogy. Essentially, this is Mass Effect, just with: slightly upgunned graphics; a slightly new galaxy (where it seems physics really took a holiday); gender swapped, carbon copies of old squad mates; even the new enemies, the Kett, are essentialy dumbed down Reapers.

    It was a tough to slog through the first 8 hours, where I'd give the game a 3/10, but then the game opens up and BAM! 7/10. The next 30 hours were a delight to sit through...

    But then, 80 hours and far too many fetch quests later, the game has left too many threads open for the sequel rather than wrapping things up. After 80 hours, you begin to really see that the graphics were not where they should be with the current power of consoles, with too much texture pop-in, frame rate drop, and weird animation glitches. The game beat me down via poor design.

    They had 5 years and $40 million to get this done. They relied far too heavily on name recognition to get them through, and have lost me as a day 1 buyer. I will wait until their new titles go on sale before laying down my hard earned cash on them again.

    My final score is 4/10. Sad given that I really wanted to like this game.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Best Xbox One Game of 2017
2
#2 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2017
4
#4 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. games(TM)
    Jun 14, 2017
    50
    A new low for the Mass Effect series. [Issue#186, p.71]
  2. Gamers' Temple
    Apr 20, 2017
    82
    Overall, despite its shortcomings Mass Effect: Andromeda was an enjoyable experience for me. The first few hours feel like a grind, but you will be rewarded for sticking with it. The game is dragged down a bit by all of the reading that must be done and some overly long conversations, but this is rather typical for the genre. The game really shines when you're exploring an alien world and battling the local fauna, and when you get down to it that's what you really want out of a space-based RPG.
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  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Apr 15, 2017
    80
    It can't match up to its predecessors, but Andromeda is a thrilling adventure nonetheless. [May 2017, p.73]
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