Mass Effect

[Amir]

Looks like a sequel is a good few years away: http://kotaku.com/sources-bioware-montreal-downsized-mass-effect-put-on-1795100285

[OmarBradley]

On 5/10/2017 at 4:17 PM, Amir said:

Looks like a sequel is a good few years away: http://kotaku.com/sources-bioware-montreal-downsized-mass-effect-put-on-1795100285

Fine with me, I'd also be fine with another series reboot. I finished Andromeda a few weeks ago. Overall, I stand by pretty much everything I said in my half way review.

Finished with 93% completion in about 84 hours. That's a pretty good amount of content, so I can't complain about that. Much of it was unique (though not at all like Witcher 3, which BioWare compared it to), but not all of it was interesting. It felt repetitive, and certain plot points were reminiscent of ME:T.

Combat, graphics, the loyalty missions, were all very good. 

Main story felt weak. I don't think the Angara (or Heleus inhabitants in general) were done well. The planets were too big, filled with too many fetch quests and not enough variety. We had 3 desert planets (Voeld is technically a desert) which I think is too many. Going from Shepard who always had an in control and step ahead attitude to Ryder who was basically tripping over himself was very noticeable. I think this was inevitable given the purposeful decision to take a "lighter tone" with Andromeda. But I preferred the slightly angst-inducing, but always thrilling ME:T style. I also really had trouble seriously liking any of the crew. I don't really dislike any of them, but I can't say I felt bonded with any. Crafting and all of the menus were pretty poor.

Disappointing game, though still fun and probably worth playing.

 

Thought the ending was pretty weak too. Meridian was cool, but EXACTLY as I expected it: tropical paradise type. And the Archon was too easy, maybe I should have raised the difficulty.

The way I see it, the two biggest surprise plot points were: your mother being alive, and the mysterious benefactor. To not fully address either was very annoying to me. A developer replied when asked about this with:

“The mysterious benefactor is intentionally left unresolved, as it has deeper ties to the metastory of the MEA saga. By the time you find the killer, they’re long gone…”

“The big reveal is that she’s actually alive. The Pathfinder currently has no way to cure her (even with SAM), but you’ll learn more about the family as we continue… "

No thanks, I'm done with Andromeda.

Edited June 2, 2017 by OmarBradley

[ZoSoRose]

Omar is summing it up well enough. I am on Kadara right now and my enthusiasm is waning.  Cracks are showing and all the reviews are starting to make sense to me

[OmarBradley]

https://www.masseffect.com/news/mass-effect-andromeda-update-from-the-studio

A giant middle finger to anyone waiting to find out who the benefactor is, or waiting to see the mom regain consciousness. They seem to hint that maybe they'll be answered in comics and novels. Well BioWare, you wouldn't have to do that if you had properly concluded the game's story IN THE GAME. I'd like to know who the benefactor is, but I don't care to read it. I wanted to see it rendered in 3D, in the ME world.

The notion of a mysterious benefactor felt very Mass Effecty (someone running the show, like The Illusive Man), unlike much of Andromeda which felt like a placid mess. I would have probably bought the DLC for it. Well, maybe. I change my mind every time I think about it. 

Edited August 19, 2017 by OmarBradley