Mass Effect: Andromeda Review

The ‘Mass Effect’ Effect:

Bioware wasn’t hurting for hit titles before it made the original Mass Effect trilogy, but I’d argue that it was one of their most important games to date – and one of their most impressive. It offered a huge galaxy to explore, weird and memorable aliens to meet and have sex with, and a persistant series where choices and characters carried over from the first game to the last – with consequences befitting a game called Mass Effect.

Andromeda, however, looks to start everything fresh, to be enjoyed by both series veterans and newcomers alike. It’s an exciting start to the future of Mass Effect sans Commander Shephard, and whilst there are a couple of stumbles along the way, it’s a journey that’s absolutely worth taking.

Story:

The crew at Bioware have smartly done away with specific plot points carrying over from the original trilogy. There are plenty of nods and references to longtime fans, but newcomers won’t feel left out of the loop for not having undetaken Shephard’s original quest.

Instead, starting as a new character named Ryder, players can carve out an all new section of the galaxy known as the Andromeda system and try to claim it for their own. Indeed, the storyline revovles, at least initially, around trying to find a new planet for Earthlings to call home. You’re a ‘Pathfinder’, an individual similar in status to Mass Effect’s Specter agents but with altogether different goals. Instead of being an above-the-law butt kicker you’re out to find a ‘Golden Planet’ – one that fits Humanities requirements – and to stick the proverbial flag in.

Of course, that’s only half the story. The real meat and bones of any Mass Effect game is getting to know your diverse, alien crew (and to stick the proverbial flag in.) There are plenty of interesting individuals to encounter, but for me one of the most exciting moments was getting introduced to my new ship and taking off for the first time. My love for sci-fi is simple and easy to exploit; it only takes the sounds of a spaceship’s engines flaring to life to get me really excited for the adventure to come. Luckily, this moment slapped a grin on my face with all the ease it should have, so it’s a thumbs up from me.

Gameplay:

I was a big fan of the very first Mass Effect, and whilst it’s immediate sequels blew its narrative efforts out of the water with some of the best writing I’ve found in a Bioware game, I felt that their gameplay was a watered down version of that initial outting. RPG elements – such as weapon customization, ‘loot’ pickups and deeper levelling mechanics – seemed to take a backseat to standard, third-person shooting with limp customization. Andromeda tries to straddle both of these ideas, offering a lot of the depth I loved from the first game with the stop-and-pop cover-based gunplay of its successors. For the most part it works, but it can feel clunky doing so and never quite perfects either system.

Regardless, I appreciated that the RPG elements made a return, and a strong one at that. I’ve been complaining about this gear-shift since Mass Effect 2’s release, so I was pumped to be picking up weapon parts and faffing around in the tinker stations, researching projects and developing new gear. It wasn’t all explained particularly well, though, but it’s easy enough to brute-force your way through your initial confusion to find out what everything does during the lengthy campaign.

The shooting doesn’t feel as polished as genre competitor’s have achieved, and it all felt very clunky coming off the back of last years Gears of War 4 – a series that has made waist-high-walls an artform. Still, it’s unfair to hold a story heavy, absolutely massive RPG to the same standards as a tight, purpose built linear ten hour experience. What Andromeda achieves over the course of its campaign is undeniably impressive. It’s fast paced – much more so than its predeccesors – and suprisingly versatile. Shotgun-lovers are going to adore the new jump jets that allow you to close distance between your opponents in the blink of an eye, and there’s a whole wealth of varied biotics (powers that aren’t entirely unlike Star Wars’ Force moves) to get the imagination running for nefarious ends.

Levitating bad guys and flinging them violently at their comrades is a brutally enjoyable version of bowling that never gets old, for instance, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.