My First 45 Minutes With Mass Effect Andromeda
Anyone who has read some of the other articles on my blog will know why I love the Mass Effect universe, it’s story and it’s characters. It is clear that I see Shepard as a role model through her actions, bravery, and the care and support of her team. Mass Effect 2 will probably forever be my favorite out of all the Mass Effect games due to the fact that I really felt like I was fighting with people I truly cared about to help save the galaxy. The characters never made me feel like I was alone and helping them with their loyalty missions allowed us to learn so much about who they are and what they stood for. To me they truly are the best games I’ve ever played!
So with all that considered, Mass Effect Andromeda has some pretty big shoes to fill. And with all the other reviews I’ve read on this game, I think the thing that is disappointing me the most is the game had no Garrus Vakarian in it…
Now that we have addressed the most devastating part of the game we can start with the actual review. The first thing I can say is that going into Mass Effect Andromeda with the expectations that it will be like the previous trilogy is going to set you up for failure. Andromeda is in my eyes a stand-alone game and would have done so much better on its own, without the Mass Effect title in front of it. It just feels like a totally different game.
I’m sure by now that everyone who reads my blog and knows me really well already is aware that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Mass Effect and Shepard as the protagonist. So stepping into the shoes of Ryder and the Andromeda universe is something I was kinda scared of since the game has already received really harsh criticism by other gamers and reviewers.
As soon as I booted up the game my heart started racing when I heard the iconic music from the original Mass Effect. I became so excited and couldn’t hide my smile as a familiar feeling crept up inside me. However, as I started playing the game I felt all the fuzzy, familiar feelings soon drift away. This was something completely new, the graphics seemed better, everything seemed flashier and I started to get worried that the game would be more show than story. Compared to what we saw in the game trailer and to what I’m seeing story-wise so far I feel like the characters are a bit rushed and incomplete. I do hope that this is not the case and that as I continue the story I see more character development!
As you progress through the opening of the story you find out you are now the ‘Pathfinder’ and it is your job to protect the human race as well as find the other missing arks. That’s a lot put onto one person only 30 minutes after she (I played as female Ryder) lost her father!! There is absolutely no time for grieving, just action, and a “do your job” kind of vibe. To me, it felt totally rushed and this is not what I remember about the Mass Effect stories. I was expecting to be eased into the story and find out more about my character before being sent off to save humanity. It really felt like Bioware were doing their best to cut to the chase and get players to the ‘exciting’ parts, but for me, it worked against my expectations.
Also, when I met the new antagonist I felt disappointed since they felt less scary and terrifying. With meeting Saren in the first Mass Effect you get a clear sense of his betrayal and what he’s doing is wrong. The stakes are high and the plot thickens as you play through the story. With this new villain in Andromeda it mostly just feels like they’re there to frustrate and annoy Ryder and her team. I don’t get the same sense of threat that I did in previous games but I’m hoping that will change as I continue to play the game.
That said, Mass Effect Andromeda is honestly a beautiful game. The scenery is breathtaking, they really took so much time to add the small details into the game, for example, if you go to the world map (which is now at the front window of the Tempest and no longer in the middle like the Normandy) you can see little fragments for debris or hints for your next mission, like the planet or a ship you’re heading to. They truly did do their best to make this a really pretty game by also taking into account your surroundings. For instance, if it’s sandy and dusty you can see it build up on the armor.
However with all the great graphics and the beauty of the game I can’t help but feel unattached to the characters I’ve met so far. From what I’ve played through so far, I kind of feel like they tried to make the game incredibly beautiful and flashy to the point that they forgot about the story and its characters. Again I’m hoping that it will change as I continue to play the game.
The biggest change to the game I’ve noticed so far is that we have no Paragon or Renegade options which is a bit of a letdown since this is what made it feel more human in a sense. It was something that could put me into Shepard’s shoes and really get into how the decisions they make impacted the larger world around them and how people interacted with them. Without this system, I now feel a little disconnected from Ryder.
I thought going to a new galaxy meant we would be seeing so many new things we haven’t experienced with the first three games. I also expected that the characters would be a bit more excited for some of the things they found and the new races they are meeting for the first time! Also, I’m personally wondering if the game has more races to offer, or is it just the new Angara and the Kett? I’m hoping there are more things to discover as I play through as I feel a little bit underwhelmed right now.
The first mission started off rather fast, throwing you right into the deep end, as you find yourself in a difficult situation where the planet you land on is nothing like the scans showed it to be. On your way down to the new planet, you encounter an accident and you and another survivor now have to fight your way through unknown terrain against an unknown enemy. After you manage to catch up with your father who is ex-N7 he advises you that the plan is to take down a Kett base which is guarding a Remnant building. Somehow Remnant tech is the key to restoring the world back to its former glory.
It’s a lot to take in right at the beginning of a brand new game!!
With that all being said I’m in unfamiliar territory as this was a short playthrough and this is based on what little I saw of the game, I’m pushing to finish it so I can share more thoughts on it and the characters. The developers promised a lot and I’m excited to explore them all. I hope you look forward to reading the full review!
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Everything you mentioned is so true personally for me after sheppard dies in end of mass effect 3 the story ends i recently played the trilogy again and sat days on end during the lockdown just because i love the storyline so much i havent put much time in the new mass effect an honestly i dont think i will