Backstory
-Around 2185, at the height of galactic progress, unaware of the impending Reaper invasion (though after Sovereign), several species band together for the "Andromeda Initiative"
-4 Arks, each carrying a different race, are built, housing thousands of individuals to chart a course to Andromeda
More on the Andromeda Initiative:
"Founded in 2176 and launched in 2185, the Andromeda Initiative is a civilian, multi-species project created to send scientists, explorers and colonists on a one-way trip to settle in the Andromeda Galaxy. With powerful benefactors lending their support, the program has grown substantially in scope since its inception. The Initiative’s ultimate goal is to establish a permanent presence on the seemingly resource-rich frontier of Andromeda, and eventually create a reliable route between it and the Milky Way Galaxy."
-Turians are confirmed in the game
-The Heleus Cluster is noted as having a significant amount of "Golden Worlds", or planets ripe for life
-Each ark is led by a "Pathfinder"
-The Pathfinder, recon teams and others onboard are in cryosleep, unaware of what transpires in the Milky Way after they depart
-You play as either Scott or Sara Ryder, the children of Alec Ryder (pathfinder of the human ark)
-Alec Ryder is voiced by Clancy Brown
-Events at the start of the game occur that pass this role down to you, you are untested and unproven, unlike Commander Shepard of the previous trilogy
-This doesn't mean Mass Effect is Ryder's story from now on, they want the game to feel like a complete story (while teasing other stories that could happen)
-More customization options than previous games
-You can customize your father and your sibling, though not as extensively
-The "Nexus" is basically a forward command center staffed by multiple species that arrives in Andromeda early to pave the way for the Arks
-The Hyperion (humanity's ark) arrives at an incorrect location that's volatile and loses contact with the other arks and Nexus
Inspiration
-The (much improved) Mako of ME1, the loyalty missions of ME2, the multiplayer of ME3
Combat
-Global cooldowns are now replaced by individual timers
-Powers are instead hotkeyed for quick use, no longer pausing to bring up a wheel and aim (you can still pause the combat but it's not how BioWare intends combat to function)
-Dynamic cover system (ala TLOU)
-Still a cover based shooter with a goal to get the player moving around the battlefield more
-Jetpack allows for more movement variety; you can quick dash instead of rolling
-Jetpack has a hover function that allows you to hit enemies seeking cover or survey your surroundings
-Less emphasis on linear, clearly telegraphed environments that tell you a combat encounter is coming (though linear areas are still in the game)
-Game Informer's hands on was positive, feel the game has a clearer identity in combat than previous games
-You still queue up attacks, combos, order your squad, etc
-All key elements are still intact but the studio wanted to encourage more experimentation and wider variety of abilities
-Class system is gone; instead you have full access to abilities from all classes, you can mix and match skills from tech, soldier or biotics
-Goal is to allow players to try different approaches to combat without being locked in at the start
-However, you can still specialize once you invest enough points into a category of skills, you unlock a profile that can get you bonuses for your particular play style
-This is where class names like "Vanguard" (invest in combat and biotics) and "Adept" (invest in biotics) resurface
-Invest in multiple categories and you unlock the "Explorer" profile
-There is a narrative reason that allows you to reconfigure your points throughout the game so that you can try out multiple gameplay approaches without making multiple characters
-You can customize your helmet, chest, shoulders, arms and legs, more extensive than previous trilogy
-Many familiar weapons return, as well as new melee options like swords and hammers
Enemy/Environments/Crafting
-The 'Kett' are the main enemy
-The team wanted players to experience the first time encountering a new alien species vs already having it established in prior games
-Rather than painting them as mortal enemies, BioWare wanted to make them feel foreboding but not ugly as they want you to also empathize with them
-Instead of having "linear slices" of planets that you land on, you explore these planets from the surface to their underbelly
-Critical paths, optional planets, major hubs, loyalty missions return
-Your land vehicle is designated the "Nomad", and the team got special guidance from NFS developers on its handling.
-The Nomad isn't sluggish and cumbersome like the Mako, it's very fast, still boosts and maneuvers much better
-The Nomad doesn't have weapons, you can customize things like its speed and appearance
-BioWare did not want to repeat having things like mineral nodes and multiple identical outposts scattered across planets
-Points of interest include combat encounters, puzzles, narrative beats etc on planets
-One planet, called 'Elaaden', is flagged as a possible habitat zone, however the surface is hazardous (no water, extremely hot); you can be pointed in this direction in multiple ways, for example, a Krogan can request the Pathfinder to find a missing colony ship or you can just choose to land on the planet yourself and see what you find
-On planets, one of your priorities is to scout for drop zones for your crew that drop "forward stations" that establishes a foothold for you
-These stations allow for changing up your loadout, fast travel point, etc
-Planets can have multiple dangers like acid pools, burning wreckage, weather etc that can all kill you
-Most planets have at least one major enemy base
-Planets can have areas, encounters and "super bosses" that are too tough for you to handle at first, encouraging players to come back later
-Since Andromeda is a new galaxy, Ryder can actively scan and discover things in the environments; that gets sent back for analysis and unlocks new technologies for the player
-Scanning and discovering these things also allows you to obtain blueprints to craft weapons and armor for yourself
-You can create a wide array of items, not just ammo types and weapon mods, items that haven't been seen before in the Milky Way (thanks to new alien tech)
-Some plot threads and missions lead you across multiple planets
Squadmates
-Peebee (nickname): Asari squadmate shown in previous footage. Went off on her own after arriving on the Nexus and described as having a "bubbly personality". She's smart and not concerned with social norms and "niceties".
-Liam: Arrived with the Pathfinder, former police officer and described as having a "light attitude", bringing levity to situations
The Tempest (Your Ship)
-Important to harken back to the Normandy as it was a fan favorite
-There are no loading screens as you move through the ship
-Galaxy map returns but rather than piloting a mini ship on a map, it is more immersive, you select a planet, the game gives you sense of traveling towards that planet, and when you back out, you're immediately at your destination
-You don't pilot the ship manually, but it feels seamless as you go from planet to planet and see them from your bridge getting closer in the window
-They wanted a seamless experience from picking a planet to walking down to your cargo hold, hopping into the Nomad and landing on a planet. There is a landing sequence and you get off the ship. No more loading screens and instantly popping up on the surface of a planet.
Relationships/Characters
-There are more relationships in the game than any other Bioware game (as they noted fans make a big emphasis on romance in the games)
-The squadmate with the least amount of lines in Andromeda has more lines than the squadmate with the most amount of lines in ME3
-Due to complications in the awakening process, your sibling won't join you in combat but you can interact with them and build a relationship
-Many of these dealings are optional, and discovering more about the Ryder family is a plot thread
-BioWare is confident the details of this story are what differentiates it from a traditional "hero's journey"
-Loyalty missions return but they are not critical to the ending of the game; you can complete them after you complete the main story path for example
-Emphasis that relationships don't just culminate in a sex scene, but rather characters can just want to get in the sack, while others are interested in long term relationships and others still aren't interested at all. Bioware wanted to capture more "shooting bottles with Garrus" moments in the game, of which there are plenty
Multiplayer
-More evolved and refined form of ME3
-Card based economy where you earn XP and credits
-There are microtransactions but no real world money is required, you can unlock normally
-You still set the map, enemy, as before but you can also activate modifiers that can give you decreased health (for greater reward) or more damage (less reward)
-Bioware also plans to release custom crafted missions with unique modifiers that players can't change themselves
-These custom missions give you a 3rd currency, "mission funds" which allow you directly purchase items and weapons vs the mercy of random card packs; however these items are only available for a limited time in the store and can change often
-In MP, you play as the "Apex Force", a militia strike team from the Nexus
-Different enemies require you to use different tactics (some are shield heavy, some use heavy biotics etc)
-Playing MP will have advantages for the single player but it absolutely does not affect the ending of the game
-New "Prestige" mechanic added: With several types of characters, you earn regular XP and prestige XP. The prestige XP goes into every character of that 'type', for example 'tanky' characters. Earning enough prestige can grant you added health for all tank characters, etc.
Choices
-No more Paragon/Renegade system
-They want more nuance and subtlety and giving the player more opportunity to express themselves
-You can agree or disagree with someone without being punished or cornered into a paragon or renegade choice
-Dialogue option tones: heart, head, professional and casual.
-These don't affect you or sway a meter one way or another, rather they allow you freedom without worrying about unintended consequences
-"Narrative actions" (previously "interrupts) return but rather than giving a "red"=bad or "blue"=good choice, it can say "shoot", leaving more ambiguity to your choice
-Decisions aren't necessarily obvious "right" or "wrong", there are pros and cons to each and you'll just have to play the game the way you want
The future
-Mass Effect: Andromeda leaves the door open for more games (obviously)
-New game+ mode allows you to change your gender if you choose
-BioWare is coy about multiple endings; "it's a suprise", "it's different than the trilogy"
the (much improved) Mako of ME1, the loyalty missions of ME2, the multiplayer of ME3:leon :whoo :obama
No more Paragon/Renegade system
I recently learned just how dumb it was.QuoteNo more Paragon/Renegade system
:rejoice
That shit was dumb
The morality system of Mass Effect 2 works on percentages rather than the total points earned. There is a set number of morality points available in the game. Shepard's current "effective" morality score at any given point is the number of points earned out of the number of points available from the areas the Commander has explored so far. It is possible to have Shepard's Paragon/Renegade scale(s) maxed out, but still not have the percentage required for certain dialog options.[1]
hope the new alien races are more structurally unique
there has to be a 4 legged elcor like companion
90% of the Vanguard players in ME3 multi were fucking awful. Charge into a crowd and die.
Elcor squadmate. Make it happen.Surely you mean Hanar, right?
Getting excited for Biotrash in 2017, their last 5/10 years track record is as bad as Mehthesdas
That evolution now takes its next step, with the news that the next Mass Effect game is already in development, driven by the team here in Montreal.This isn't a DAII/ME3 rush job. It has been in the oven a while.
I've disliked pretty much every Bioware thing I've played since DA:O, but I'll give this a shot because I want to believe they can make another game I enjoy.Inquisition was a good game underneath the fluff. The world building and lore is handled well IMO.
I keep hearing I need to play Inquisition, but I'm hearing it from someone that loves DA2 so :doge
ME3's backlash because of the ending was dumb. Gamers are annoying.
Nobody would bitch about the ending if the dumb choice at the end where you decide universal shit happened. If credits rolled instead everybody would have been satisfied.If only they had let Shep die next to Anderson. But nooo~
ME3's backlash because of the ending was dumb. Gamers are annoying.
Me at ME3's ending: "...that's it? Whatever." *switches to multi to pull off sick biotic/tech combos*
Me and a friend spent countless hours on ME3's multi because the gameplay was just that good. If I remember correctly, they originally planned to charge us for it. Getting all multiplayer DLC free more than made up for the ending.
did Bioware ever patch the game so your war assets or whatever don't constantly deplete?
The more they show off, the more excited I get.
Previews are overwhelming positive from the sites and channels I care about. The combat looks like ME3 multiplayer on steroids with added mobility. Let's do this thing.
:rejoice
It sounds like ME: Inquisition from the previews. That and the developer being openly racist (towards whites so it's ok) makes this easy to wait until bargain bin prices :doge
the developer being openly racist (towards whites
That and the developer being openly racist (towards whites so it's ok)
Decided to get Origin Early Access and play Andromeda a bit [gonna take forever to download, though]. If I don't like it, it's just $5 spent. If I do like it, I can actually save a dollar because of the EA discount. :yeshrug
fun but flawed
Looks quality
(https://i.imgur.com/Rq9zqLP.gif)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGs-pLmDd1s
Looks quality
(https://i.imgur.com/Rq9zqLP.gif)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGs-pLmDd1s
Wtf were they doing for 5 years
this can't be realMy guess is most of them moved on.
what the fuck happened to their animation team
Mass Effect: Andromeda was built using EA DICE's Frostbite 3 engine, which required that BioWare construct all systems, tools, and assets from scratch as the series was previously built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine.[58] BioWare tried to push the boundaries of the software, particularly in the area of character animation, which Mac Walters [director] felt was at an "all-time high".Welp.
http://i.4cdn.org/v/1489626548275.webmOMG, how and why the fuck does this look so much worse than the previous games? :lol
Unintentional gif screw up by gaf is hilarious too:spoiler (click to show/hide)(http://i.imgur.com/oDytlsI.gif)[close]
So it looks like they made Dragon Age: Inquisition, but in space. Bummer.
am I the only one who thought dai was alright outside of the shitty sidequestsNope! I agree. (http://www.thebore.com/forum/index.php?topic=44571.msg2228163#msg2228163)
I haven't played Andromeda yet so I can't speak to the quality of the game. I do know that the animation stuff that people go on about doesn't bother me at all. If you are going to start basing your enjoyment of games on janky animations then you might as well quit the hobby. Not saying some other people don't have legit criticisms.
I felt like beyond the fact that the sidequests were just boring, everything was just sloppily arranged on the map so there wasn't a natural difficulty curve. your stumble into a quest that you couldn't finish for another 15 hours. and the level select screen didn't have a recommended level label, so I'd get started on a map only to realize 45 minutes in that I couldn't survive it.
I haven't played Andromeda yet so I can't speak to the quality of the game. I do know that the animation stuff that people go on about doesn't bother me at all. If you are going to start basing your enjoyment of games on janky animations then you might as well quit the hobby. Not saying some other people don't have legit criticisms.
I don't agree with this. These games are roughly 60-70% interacting with NPCs. If that core pillar of gameplay is rife with weird animation issues, bad voice acting and writing, characterization, boring lifeless characters... then it becomes a not very fun experience. I didn't jump into Mass Effect 2 because of the awesome cover shooting. I can do that in any number of games. I'm there to see and interact with weird and awesome characters in a cool scifi setting. Mass Effect was pretty unique in that regard.
From the jump ME1 and 2 had that. You didn't have to deal with dull robots. That's all this game has been so far with no indication of change.
There are elements of the game that look nice but there are equally elements of the game that look kind of shitty. And in general I think the story and the dialogue are kind of awful. I think the world building elements and immersion are kind of nice though which are separate things. It's a testament to the gameplay and the variety of activities and quests that I find the game enjoyable when I don't really care about the characters or the stories in a JRPG.
Why didn't they get EA Sports' team to help them? IIRC, A.N.T. was the animation system DICE picked up for Frostbite 2 (and on). Since EA is making DICE and the Frostbite team their in-house engine... surely, they had animation support teams?
So it looks like they made Dragon Age: Inquisition, but in space. Bummer.
Even then, looking passed the content of the intro and opening hours. The friggin style and confidence the game opens with is so good.
Hell, even look back to ME1. Arguably the opening of ME:A is meant to be more directly reminiscent to ME1. They basically follow the basic same beats. ME:A is laughable is comparison. It feels like a an amateur production when put up next to any of its predecessors.
Ugh... is multiplayer still great?I've a watched enough footage to say it is very comparable. The setup (wave based 4 player horde mode) is exactly the same, except 7 waves instead of 11. It is just important to keep it mind it is much closer to Vanilla ME3 MP than the end result after all the DLCs. Most the streams I've watch, the players have shitty weapons and are using low level characters for obvious reasons so it is hard to judge completely.
What are the main complaints, other than the character animations being super jank?
That's just some of it honestly. All of the things that make Mass Effect good simply aren't here.
So reviews are out and...the combat is being praised, suck it haters.spoiler (click to show/hide)they are fucking ROUGH but... (http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/mass-effect-andromeda?ref=hp)[close]
:rejoice Mass Effect Multiplayer stays winning. :rejoice
Well, fuck. Looks like I'll Red Box this after all. I was mainly wanting to check it out for the multiplayer and if the rubber-banding from lag is fixed then it should be pretty amazing. Also I played about two hours of Mass Effect 1, one hour of Mass Effect 2, and only the multiplayer portion of Mass Effect 3. I guess I'm not the target audience for this game.Being p2p, the rubberbanding will always be a issue on some level unfortunately. I was disconnected from ME3 MP mid-match a lot. Probably missed out on several million credits as a result of their shitty netcode.
So reviews are out and...the combat is being praised, suck it haters.spoiler (click to show/hide)they are fucking ROUGH but... (http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/mass-effect-andromeda?ref=hp)[close]
:rejoice Mass Effect Multiplayer stays winning. :rejoice
* As for the squadmates, some of the reviewers didn't like...Carth #5. The boring everyman surrounded by superspoiler (click to show/hide)Liam or Peebee. Sounds like Liam is boring a la Kaiden/Jacob and Peebee is just annoying.[close]
I just want my 70s/80s-style pulp scifi, doesn't have to be Shakespeare or anything.
Some people put more thought into critically analyzing the media they consume. That doesn't necessarily mean that their criticism is entirely thoughtful or original, but not everyone just shrugs and goes "whatevs!". It's perfectly fine for you to approach it that way, however.
It's deeply disappointing, but not unexpected after Mass Effect 3.
Like, I legitimately think Mass Effect 2 is one of the greatest games of all time. It's a hugely important game.
To see the newest entry be reduced to shrugs bums me the heck out, because it's important to me.
It's p2p breh. You can find For Honor vids showing the same type of shit.
ME3 MP had a lot of frustrating issues too. Like I said, I had a lot of disconnects and it was far from perfect. Doesn't mean you couldn't find stable games and it doesn't mean it wasn't a great horde mode.
Meh. If I wanted to play a mediocre horde mode there are plenty of games to do that.
I've seen a lot of opinions that the combat was one of the best parts. I ...don't agree? I find it to be super clunky, and not just because of the lack of snap-to cover. The movement feels swimmy. ME2 was super snappy and quick.Transferring that same movement style to Andromeda would have felt unbelievably slow and plotting in these new open arenas.
Try Horizon Zero Dawn, I'm 100% sure you wont be disappointed. This game looks and sounds like shit.
What are some good mods for Mass Effect 3? Holy shit does it look dated as fuck on my PC.
One thing I noticed is that they took out the galaxy map music from the first 3 games... that's more upsetting to me than the awful animation.
One thing I noticed is that they took out the galaxy map music from the first 3 games... that's more upsetting to me than the awful animation.
This touchs on my major gripe with the game so far. The soundtrack...or lack thereof. The original trilogy was chock full of memorable, evocative music. Andromeda doesn't really have a 'sonic' signature sadly. I'm enjoying my time with the game but they dropped the ball big time with the music
Having said that, I really like the game. The exploration aspect feels really good, I think they nailed that better than anything else. The cast of characters is alright, even if some of them aren't so hot, in general they get the job done and are memorable enough. ME1 is still the GOAT in that regard, though [Liara + Garrus, squad mates 4 life]. The diversity of locations and art direction have been pretty strong, too, so far, especially Havarl with it's perpetual night and overgrown, glowing vegetation. The Remnant vault on Eos was really good, too.This is where I'm at. I will say the tutorial and first planet are pretty bland but the game definitely picks up after that and it finally starts to feel like Mass Effect. Once things open up, that ME1 sense of wonder is coming back.
If nothing else, it's pulled me and made me want to play more.
Not gonna lie, I skipped all the talking scenes and mashed square to get to the shitty responses that won't actually affect anything.
So I should wait and get a cheap used copy or wait for a price drop? Sounds like a plan.
Not gonna lie, I skipped all the talking scenes and mashed square to get to the shitty responses that won't actually affect anything.:jeanluc
Why would you do that in an RPG like this?
I absolutely HATE the alien sudoku. Every time it shows up, which is often, I just want to die.
There are still legit things I don't like. The flow of the game is a bit weird. Since the old games had a more traditional structure they flowed better. You got into this rhythm of doing a mission, coming back and checking your email, talking to your squad, then maybe visiting the citadel and on to the next mission. Because of the Inquisition stuff, the flow is weird and jumpy. You kind of have to go out of your way to establish your own flow instead of the game dictating it smoothly like the old games because you do so much grinding on the planets.I definitely agree. And like you said, the structure is DA:I-esque. If you try to finish every single thing on the map, it will becomes a collect-a-thon/filler hell. It takes a bit of work and planning on the part of the player to create their own path forward and prioritize things but it is possible to create a decent flow.
Mid 70s is pretty generous for this pos
Game sounds like a pass, which is a real shame.
I'll wait until it's sub $20 on Black Friday and get something else like RE7, Horizon: Zero Dawn, or Neir Automata for now.
Mid 70s is pretty generous for this pos
Nah. It's still a good game despite its problems.
I think it's important that there are people who are ME fans who are enjoying it, but also:
I'm a huge ME fan. As is my girlfriend. We both find ME:A to be bottom of the barrel. From both story/character/writing AND from moment to moment gameplay and design. It's trash. So in my opinion, if you like ME, you'll hate ME:A
Even then, most of what I'm gathering is a lot of "shrug it's ok i guess"
Not a particularly resounding praise.
Even then, most of what I'm gathering is a lot of "shrug it's ok i guess"
Not a particularly resounding praise.
If you read the impressions, it's more of "I'm enjoying it."
:idont
I like the game. Still waiting to see some crazy animation glitches...haven't run into any yet. :(
:huh
My bad.
FUCK THIS GLITCHY PIECE OF SHIT DONT BUY THIS CRAP FROM BIOWAREZ AND EA
Better?
guys I seen a YouTube making fun of a game I want so now I must trash it also
Game sounds like a pass, which is a real shame.
I'll wait until it's sub $20 on Black Friday and get something else like RE7, Horizon: Zero Dawn, or Neir Automata for now.
It's not a pass if you like ME, but I'd definitely get those other games before it.
While I trust some of you fine gentlemen,
guys I seen a YouTube making fun of a game I want so now I must trash it also
https://twitter.com/bioware/status/847244079159103488
We fucked up. Give us a few days for some damage control fans!
where is this salegeen man (https://www.greenmangaming.com/games/mass-effect-andromeda)
The 7 planets that ended up in Andromeda were, for the most part, decently designed with good artistic direction. Replacing those with 30 less interesting, more same-ish planets would have been a horrible decision.Yeah I think the planets we got were pretty good.
I think procedural generation does have a place especially as a tool to help developers behind the scenes.