Mass Effect: Andromeda’s opening hours are nothing short of great. Upon beginning the game, I instantly became entranced by the story, interesting characters, and an intricate and responsive combat system. The game's opening missions really place it among its predecessors and ushers in a new generation to enjoy for trilogy fans and newcomers alike.
So what’s the story? Mass Effect follows the Ryder clan: father Alec Ryder and two children originally named Scott and Sara Ryder (you are free to change the name of your chosen sibling) joining the Andromeda Initiative and embarking in a journey that takes them millions of lightyears away from the Milky Way Galaxy. The Andromeda Initiative’s main purpose is to bring arcs filled with people and alien species in a 600 year cryogenic sleep in order to colonize the faraway system of Andromeda. However, as these things often go, people on the human arc, Hyperion, begin to wake up and discover something is amiss. Now you as the acting Pathfinder must solve the mysteries of Andromeda and find ways to preserve life in a new galaxy.
The premise serves as Bioware’s “out” from the controversial endings of Mass Effect 3 and, so far, it is a compelling narrative. It’s incredibly fun to walk through the Hyperion Arc and slow to a crawl to catch a conversation between a disorientated passenger and a doctor. It harkens back to the original with the profound sense of curiosity that seems new and, for thorough gamers, it’s incredibly easy to get lost and spend hours eavesdropping and finding new people to talk to. NPC’s have a lot to say and with numerous datapads and terminals lying around, it’s a fun time consuming task of playing detective.
How are the characters? The characters have been controversial for many game reviewers. Some have indicated that they have no standouts that the original cast had. Others have said that the comparison is problematic and that Andromeda is it’s own game that shouldn’t be compared to the consistently praised original. I have qualms with both sides. Since this carries the Mass Effect title, reviewers have all the reason to compare the two. However, I feel as though some reviewers are not giving these characters a fair shake. They are comparing characters that have had 2-3 games worth of character arcs, not to mention character building DLC’s like Citadel and Lair of the Shadow Broker, along with the countless comic books that further character motivations and narratives. Beloved characters like Garrus Vakarian and Tali didn’t truly ascend to their beloved status until Mass Effect 2 when the stakes grew much higher.
The characters in Andromeda are more than just likable, they further the games fun and youthful vibe, without being overly obnoxious and enthusiastic. Cora Harper, in my early playthrough, surprised me in this regard. Although she plays very by the book, she is also dealing with being ostracized for her abilities and with her grief with being passed over for her promotion to Pathfinder. Although it is clear she is upset, she isn’t spiteful or overly critical. Instead she is a mentor that provides counsel for Ryder and is extremely pleasant to talk to. Liam Kosta is extremely idealistic and has a ton of dry humor and passion. They provide two very differing opinions and have a lot of backstory and personality.
Turian Vetra Nyx is another example of a great character, but in another way. Vetra is somewhat of an information broker and has a lot of swagger. She harkens back to both Liara and Garrus. Peebee is the same as Liara in that she is somewhat of an archaeologist, but that’s where the comparisons end. Some characters even come with already established family members you can run into on the Nexus- the first hub you really encounter in game, which really assists the game tonally.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is not just about solving a mystery, but also new beginnings, families, and friendship. These messages were apparent within the first hour or so of gameplay. It’s so much fun to encounter small NPC characters in the field that have a ton to say, and realistic responses. On the first planet I encountered in game, I was assisted by a Hyperion employee that, when faced with an second onslaught of enemies yells: “you’re shitting me!,” while fighting alongside you. It's funny and realistic without being too alien from the given narrative.
What are the problems? A lot of criticism immediately went toward the facial animations and I found it to be noticeable, but only when you’re really paying attention to their faces, rather than what they’re saying. However, more often than not, the facial animations were expressive and fine from what I saw. That is unless it glitches out on you, and you find the right side of Ryder's mouth have a deep decent like she is having a stroke, when she’s really trying to pull of a Harrison Ford smirk.
There was also a problem on one of the first planets you encounter, but that was both my fault and the game. I didn’t know one of the main tips of playing Andromeda was to make sure you stay on course with the main quest and then begin to do the side quests. I became so lost, trying to complete a quest for a grieving man on Hyperion that I did the main quest out of order and became incredibly confused and frustrated. I spent about an hour or so driving around the planet trying to find a way to continue forward, and it wasn’t until I checked the journal that I realized I missed one little "aspect" of the main quest. In the original trilogy, during priority missions, it was so easy to skip over small side portions of quests, so you’d have to veer off and try to do them before completing the mission. It’s jarring to remember that you have the free time to complete the quest and return to the planet and explore, but the game rewards you for doing so by making it easier, so I highly recommend taking it easy and trying to complete the main missions.
The Nomad, the cruiser you use, can be a little bit of a diva in handling and it takes a little bit of finessing and crashing into water formations, until you’ve semi got it and the UI also has a learning curve to it. The game has some tutorial portions, but for the most part, it expects you to learn it by yourself. Which is a challenge when you’re trying to update your favorite combat abilities and sort through mods and armor.
Overall though, the game is just fantastic and is a lot of fun. If you’re still concerned, I recommend getting the EA Access trial if you have an Xbox or PC, or just simply just "Redbox" the game. If you give it a chance and let it surprise you, I think players new and old will find a lot to love.
