Bioware really is THE name video game RPG storytelling. Where Bethesda is master of the open world, Bioware has always had the narrative down. From Knights of the Old Republic to Dragon Age anyone who has played these games has fond memories of them.
So now Mass Effect Andromeda exists. The soft reboot to the franchise after they wrote themselves into a corner. Seriously who ok'd that ending? Jokes aside I do kinda wonder why this game bothered being a part of the Mass Effect franchise at all. You'll see what I mean as I explain the plot.
An initiative to colonize a far off galaxy is started sometime during the last three games. You are a member of the pathfinder team on this, a combination explorer and soldier who is helping set up the new worlds. Your traveling on the human ark with 20,000 colonists in cryofreeze.
The briefest of cutscenes rolls and bam. The game starts 600 years after the last games ended. 600 years and in a completely new galaxy. All the characters have made a one-way trip to an entirely new place in time and space. Literally. The game could not have divorced itself from the last games plots more.
Things have changed in 600 years however. The previously thought habitual planets prove nothing but. Add to that a rebellion of some of the colonists, a deadly scourge, and a new enemy called the Kett. There's lots of adventure to be had.
Adventure and exploration is the name of the game. Despite being in a new galaxy, there were some people here before you. Once your character, (your first name) Ryder, is put in charge it's up to you to get the colonization efforts back on track. Fly around the galaxy, so quests, side quests, get resources, fight Kett. It's got the veneer of Mass Effect but it feels like something new.
Your an explorer now and rather that just the main quest line a lot of the fun is the work of saving the colonization effort. To that end one of the new features is the scanner. You can, at any time, bring up your scanner and look around. There's objects for you to highlight and the first time you look at a new plant or object there's usually an entry about it. It adds a great deal to the story as it also helps avoid the bioware, 'just hit all of the objects that have interact options' puzzles. The first thing Ryder does after fighting the Kett is to scan them. It's the kid of Star Trek that the first game had some of.
Another tool is a jump jet. This lets you jump and dash forward at will. Opening up new options for exploring the map and I'm combat. Exploring is the key word here too. There's lots to see and scan in Andromeda and this game feels more open than previous titles.
The leveling tree is simple and straightforward. Unlock abilities a d equips them of your preferred load out. The classes aren't as restrictive as before and a mechanic exists to smooth it out further.
Of course the game still hasn't shaken all of the bad animations. While not as pervasive as I had been led to believe, they are common throughout. It's maddening when Ryder keeps twitching his neck while talking or an NPC moves only their lips when giving me a quest.
On the subject of things I don't like, the combat is far messier than before. 3rd person shooter with an emphasis on cover needed some better cover mechanics. With no button to attach yourself to the walls your at the mercy of the game acknowledging that you want to take cover. Many times I ran Ryder at a rock, trying but unable to take cover while his face absorbed bullets. Jump abilities are useful as you'll hover when aiming but it's more likely to just make you a target.
The Good:
-exciting new plot and premise
-the on-planet car is back!
The Bad:
-dodgy character renders and animations
-combat is less tight
Like I said above, there's a lot to Andromeda that o think would have worked better independently of the Mass Effect franchise. As it stands the game is buggy and filled with questionable choices, but still fun to play. For the price you can get it now, why not give it a try.
Comments
Post a Comment