Mass Effect: AndromedaFollow

I've read that the game is basically porn, and animated using Garry's Mod.

Finished the main story - a few thoughts:

• I like how they neatly avoid the problem of how to continue the story from the Shepard trilogy by just launching everybody to another galaxy before that storyline ends. It's refreshing to start with a whole new cast of characters instead of dragging 'ol Garrus back into the crew, and it also means they can introduce new cultures, which is always the heart of BioWare RPGs.
• Somehow, the BioWare uncanny valley effect is stronger than usual. Apparently there was a conscious decision *not* to polish the facial animations, and it shows. Some of the interactions are just ******* creepy, with character's eyes moving all over the place like they're looking at a very tiny bee flying around. Adding to it, some of the dialogue and voice acting is sub par for what I've come to expect from a BioWare game. Add in some mediocre character development, and it makes it very hard to connect with some of the characters (like Liam, who might as well walk around with the words "Concerned Community Organizer" bedazzled on his uniform).
• Speaking of NPCs, I swear I recognize the voice actors for a few of them: Gil sounds exactly like Alistair, and the swarthy smuggler dude on the outlaw planet sounds just like the swarthy assassin dude from DA:O. Too lazy to confirm.
• I like the new/old open map system, complete with swervy-bouncy-jumpy-rover. It's fun to drive around, boosting and ramping off hills. It's also fun to boost-jump around the terrain, although it seems like they used this mechanic as an excuse to avoid smoothing the run mechanics - if you get stuck on a tiny, ankle-sized rock, just boost over it.
• The amount of tasks they give you for each planet is ridiculous, so it ends up feeling more like a chore than an accomplishment to complete missions. You don't need to complete all missions on a planet to reach 100% viability, so it feels like they just shoehorned in a bunch of fetch quests to add length to the gameplay for the OCD completionists. By the time I completed the main story, I still had at least two dozen missions still open, but was already 100% viability on all planets.
• The squad-based combat doesn't really live up to prior ME titles. Ostensibly, you pick your two squadmates to compliment your character's abilities, but in reality you just end up picking two characters (Cora and Drack) who won't stand in you line of fire all the gorram time. You can't control when they use their powers, so whether they charge in, set up a power combo, or steal your combo primer is just random chance.
• On the plus side, the skill system offers the full array of abilities and profiles to allow full customization, or even cross-specialization. This means you're not necessarily stuck with your original skill choice if you feel like switching from, say, a weapon-focused combat build to a power-focused biotic build.
• The ending sets up for a sequel (or two) so hard it hurts.

Overall a decent if not particularly inspiring ME game. I'll play the sequels (there will be sequels), but it doesn't feel as dramatic as the first trilogy what with the lack of potential galaxy-wide extinction at the hands of an uncaring, unknown enemy.

Edited, Apr 16th 2017 9:22am by Demea

Uhhg, agreed on the filler content. "1 billion pointless collectables! 100 thousand pointless fetch quests! A plant you really need to pick with a slow animation every two steps!"

That being said I'll probably pick this up soon, and just skip a lot of the filler like I did for DA:I.

Oh, how could I forget the unskippable animations when traveling between systems and the asinine planet scanning feature? Scan 8 planets to find 70 units of common minerals, or if you're lucky, a lake!

So I picked this up. Man what a slog so far. I keep thinking, this is going to get better right? RIGHT? The nexus security quest is what you should make someone play if you want to encourage suicide. Hey look at that marker. You can't reach it. We don't do stairs. Take a ******* tram on the other end of the station to another area designed by a dyslexic architect to find that marker. Then go back to where you where. Then go back to the to the other zone. Then do it again. Oh also there is no payoff and the story involved is pointless.

Then I got to space finally. It's going to get better now! I start molesting planets. Nothing. Pointless. I go to the mission planet. OMG actual combat. I can use my skills. Hey some of the profile ideas are neat. Ok it's going to rock now. Nope solve these ****** pointless puzzles now, each one more dull and annoying than the last!

And yes the animations are absolute garbage for this gen. Graphics don't bother me if the game play and story is good but it's just so immersion breaking after playing other recent titles that do it so much better like Witcher 3.

*holds knees in cradle and rocks back and forth. *It's going get better. *I love Mass Effect *it's going to get better

I had to look it up. Guess I am not alone lol : http://www.usgamer.net/articles/are-mass-effect-andromedas-opening-hours-really-that-bad

http://www.usgamer.net/articles/mass-effect-andromedas-remnant-puzzles-are-the-worst

I am going to stick with it though. I see potential in the skill tree's, crafting and whatnot. If combat was more frequent it's actually fun. Whoosh though, worst opening few hours ever.

Edited, Apr 25th 2017 8:25pm by Shojindo

I did love the multi-player in ME3. But I still feel so rusty that I'm not sure I could pull my weight. So far in game there has not been enough combat and I don't have enough skill points to get a feel for much more than basics.

I'm explorer right now so I can strip shields with overcharge, or do a biotic combo with pull + concussive shot. Not sure how good the jack of all trades profile will work out but blinking though walls and obstacles seems really cool.

It's multiplayer. If you have even a vague understanding of what your character's abilities are then you're better than at least 66% of the other players.

Played some more campaign. It's getting better! yay

Well that's a bummer. I really did start to enjoy the single player campaign more. I'm probably only about half finished though because I got hugely addicted to multi-player. Must open more lotto boxes! Also the shear variety of weapons and characters you can unlock and level up while blasting baddies is quite satisfying.