Mass Effect: ANDROMEDA

[JD]

Unless they're absolutely ridiculous, like eyes popping out of their heads or mouths totally out of syn with the dilogue, I tend to not even notice the kinds of animation issues you guys are talking about, so I don't see that bother. Everything I've seen looks great, so I'm definitely getting this on Tuesday.

 

[HotRod]

I just spent a couple hours on the 2nd planet you visit. Don't think the smile left my face. The Tempest is awesome and driving the Nomad is actually enjoyable. Exploration is finally back in Mass Effect!

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I just spent a couple hours on the 2nd planet you visit. Don't think the smile left my face. The Tempest is awesome and driving the Nomad is actually enjoyable. Exploration is finally back in Mass Effect!

So the Nomad IS better then both the Mako and the Hammerhead?

 

[BillJ]

It has downloaded to my Xbox One. But I can't play it yet!

 

[HotRod]

So the Nomad IS better then both the Mako and the Hammerhead?

Aside from being unarmed, yes! It handles like it actually has weight to it, which makes it much more fun to drive.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Aside from being unarmed, yes! It handles like it actually has weight to it, which makes it much more fun to drive.

Oh that is good. Because I hated to bits the Mako but the rest of the game was fantastic. The Hammerhead was another one that annoyed me. It sometimes lost control, or rather I did and it will be nice if we have something that actually feels good to drive.

I'll still be waiting a few months to buy this though. Not an early adopter.

 

[John Clark]

Unless they're absolutely ridiculous, like eyes popping out of their heads or mouths totally out of syn with the dilogue, I tend to not even notice the kinds of animation issues you guys are talking about, so I don't see that bother. Everything I've seen looks great, so I'm definitely getting this on Tuesday.

The spinning heads on extendable necks on Dragon Age: Origins were fun too, though I think it only happened once for me.

 

[Jax]

A tweet from Total Biscuit...

Most people don't seem to be aware that Andromeda is not developed by Bioware, but a sub studio formed in 2009 to do grunt work for the main devs that has never made a full game before themselves. Explains a few things and demonstrates how using the strength of a brand like Bioware to market a title can be a double-edged sword. People expect a certain level of quality from a studio like that and when they don't get it in some areas of the game they get loud about it.

 

[Jax]

Mixed reviews so far, though leaning more towards positive than negative...

IGN 7.7/10 - Mass Effect: Andromeda is an expansive action role-playing game with a few great moments that recapture the high points of the landmark trilogy that came before it, and energetic combat and fantastic sound effects contribute to a potent sci-fi atmosphere. Without consistently strong writing or a breakout star in its cast to carry it through the long hours and empty spaces, however, disappointments like a lack of new races, no companion customization, and major performance problems and bugs take their toll

No companion customization WTF?

GameSpot - 6/10 - "In many ways, Andromeda feels like a vision half-fulfilled. It contains a dizzying amount of content, but the quality fluctuates wildly. Its worlds and combat shine, but its writing and missions falter--and the relative strength of the former is not enough to compensate for the inescapable weakness of the latter. As a Mass Effect game, Andromeda falls well short of the nuanced politics, morality, and storytelling of its predecessors. For me, the series has always been about compelling characters and harrowing choices, so to find such weak writing here is bitterly disappointing. Yet even after 65 hours, I still plan on completing a few more quests. The game can't escape its shortcomings, but patient explorers can still find a few stars shining in the darkness."

Polygon - 7.5/10 - "After a number of complaints, it might seem odd to end on such a positive note. Let’s be clear: I’m conflicted about Mass Effect: Andromeda. There’s a lot of roughness throughout the game, and the technical issues, while not game-breaking, are often incredibly distracting. "But it’s my time with the cast that I’m still thinking about, and the mysteries about the world that haven’t been answered that make me feel like I’m waiting once again for a new Mass Effect game. And if I’m judging a game by where it leaves me, Andromeda succeeds, even if it stumbled getting there."

GamesRadar 3.5/5 - "With a little more focus, Andromeda could have been a great game. The premise of exploring a new frontier in space is exciting and original, and the cast of characters inhabiting this new world - be they the fresh races, or the people you’ve dragged with you from the Milky Way - are more interesting than not. Some of the worlds have a real beauty, and the main narrative itself is compelling enough to carry you happily to the end. But there’s too much quest padding. Too much technical jargon. Too much fighting for a game with a poor fighting system. Too many clever little animations and quest-steps in between the stuff that’s actually fun to do. Place the resulting experience next to infinitely more finessed open-world games like The Witcher 3, Horizon: Zero Dawn - or even the original trilogy - and Andromeda compares very poorly indeed. Not a disaster, but definitely not the fresh start this series needed, or the one fans have been waiting patiently for."

CGMagazine 7/10 - "At times, Mass Effect: Andromeda can feel like an expansion and not a true follow-up. A lot of strides have been made to improve the already dazzling combat system (which is leaps and bounds more exciting than your average cover shooter), but so much of it feels like a regression. That slip still puts it a cut above a lot of others in the same space, but the failure to iterate after the divisive conclusion of the original trilogy isn't going to do BioWare any favours. They're still putting out some flashes of brilliance, but they really need an internal wake-up call and a sincere heart-to-heart with EA on their love of mandatory microtransactions as they re-assess their priorities going forward."

Forbes - 8.5/10 - "I have a feeling that Mass Effect fans will enjoy the game, but I don’t think anyone will claim it outclasses the original trilogy, outside of maybe the very first game. If you could combine the story and memorable quests of the originals with the combat, visuals and scope of Andromeda, you would have the perfect video game, though I think what's offered here will satisfy most. Despite its issues, Andromeda is welcome return to one of my favorite fictional universes, and I am still not ready to let Mass Effect go. I'm not sure I ever will be."

PC Gamer 80/100 - "In the end, Andromeda still manages to be more than the sum of its parts. As a critic I can point to the things that don't quite work, the things that could be better, the things that should be better after 10 years and four of these games. I can also appreciate where improvements have been made, the basic pleasure of an improved combat system and a full-feeling, spectacular sci-fi world to explore.

"Yet I'm also aware that when I'm in Mass Effect's zone a lot of these dry pros and cons don't seem to matter as much. This is a series that has always been good at getting under your skin, that has built its reputation on the moments when all of those disparate elements, good and bad, cohere into an adventure that feels like it's happening to you. Andromeda can still do that. It's not perfect. It's not consistent. But for a story about vast journeys and fresh starts, it also feels a little like coming home."

 

[HotRod]

Those aren't too bad. If anything it simply says it's a good game that falls slightly short when compared to its predecessors.

 

[SPCTRE]

The reviews on average are pretty analogous to what I would give the game after roughly 6-7 hours.

Of course that means it's a classic 70s or 7/10 kind of game - people are going to have wildly differing reactions to it. Personally, I'm enjoying it a lot.

Especially the noticeable nods to the first game.

 

[FPAlpha]

Just realized it'll only be available on the 23rd here in Europe and i'm booked solid until Sunday which will be a good 3 days of availability but non gaming time for me

I need some booze now..

 

[Evil Twin]

No companion customization WTF?

I'm actually totally fine with this. Having to spend time crafting armor/weapons for all your companions to keep them in tip top shape in Inquisition became tedious as hell.

 

[JD]

After seeing the reviews, I've decided to hold off for now. There are a lot of games I've been wanting to check out that I haven't gotten to yet, so I'll probably go for one of those for now. I was really in the mood for something new and different, and it sounds like this is just more of the same, but not done quite as well. I'm definitely going to get it eventually, but I'll probably wait for it to clear up to technical issues and to go down in price.

 

[Jax]

Am holding off too...

This month I've seen Wildlands and Mass Effect the two games I wanted the most in 2017 launch to mixed reviews and I've brought neither. I will get ME:A once I know DLC plans and the release of patches to fix issues.

 

[BillJ]

Played for about 45 minutes this morning, feels like "Mass Effect" to me.

 

[John Clark]

It'll probably be a few days before I get to play (after installation anyway) but I picked up the first of the tie-in novels this morning.

I don't know if it's necessary, but I guess it works as an introduction to some of the non-ground team. It's ok so far.

 

[BillJ]

I do dislike that you can't save during 'Priority Missions', that is putting a real damper on my enthusiasm as sometimes I only have twenty minutes or so to play.

 

[JD]

You can't save at all during Priority Missions? That sounds really aggravating.

 

[Jax]

I do dislike that you can't save during 'Priority Missions', that is putting a real damper on my enthusiasm as sometimes I only have twenty minutes or so to play.

You can't save at all during Priority Missions? That sounds really aggravating.

I really don't understand needless idiotic decisions like that from Devs.

Better patch that.