Early review: Mass Effect: Andromeda is Dragon Age: Inquisition in space

A week of playtime is nowhere near enough to fully review sprawling galactic epic.

Read the whole story

 

[GhostRed]

What about the voice acting? I've heard that's... about as good as the lip-synching and animation.

From all I'm hearing, it sounds like a game that changed directions halfway through development and had too many things trying to do too many things with it - trying to please the hardcore console gamers and hardcore PC gamers both to such an extent, that they're just... letting both sides down.

I still hope it's good. I miss Mass Effect. Those were two very fine games.

The voice acting is as good as any ME game. Most main characters are pretty good, if not spectacular, but other NPCs are mediocre, sometimes bad - just like every other ME game.

I don't know what you've heard about the syncing with lip movement, but again, it's fine, at least on my PS4 Pro.

 

[aridneptune]

Speaking of the voice acting, how is the female Ryder voice actor? Decent? Un-listenable? Can you change between British / American accents like in DA:I? I ask here since I'm trying to avoid spoilers or videos.

 

[junesxing]

I just received my copy and have not yet played. I am a bit concerned about the combat schema. When I was young, I had great eye to hand coordination. Nowadays, not so much. I pretty much depended on the ability to freeze the action, and center my aim before firing. If this is no longer an option, I have a feeling I will get bored and frustrated very quickly.

Anyone have an opinion on how the 'new' combat works for them?

 

[ewelch]

Just my point of view after about 90 minutes, and having just landed on the planet an put about 15 minutes into running around, and only killing two aliens. (So much for the Prime Directive.) So take my first impression with a grain of salt. And realize I really was looking forward to this game.

It looks great. But as usual, they screw up the controls like every other game so up is down and down is up. And the labels as so small I mixed it up and the left became right and right became left. Doh!

Worst of all, you have to go all the way out and restart the game to get to the settings. That's just nuts that you can't get to your controls at all unless you quit the game to the launch screen.

Having put about six months of my life into Destiny, to the exclusion of all other games, my view is going to be skewed.

I have to say I think Bungie's game not only looks better, if not nearly as crisp, but the movement, and fighting mechanics in Destiny are way smoother. The mechanics of Destiny, with all their problems such as collisions with objects, probably the biggest asset of the game would that be the mechanics.

Would that be because of the fundamental differences between the two game types? Is one of Bungie's strengths with all those years of these kinds of games with more emphasis on fighting and movement and less on RPG that makes me think that? I don't mind the difference. But I guess having my gaming always along the times of UT, Quake, Doom, Call of Duty, and ETQW–and I hate to admit it, Duke Nukem–that my bias makes me see things this way?

Anyway, it does look like a great game, and I'll probably play it for quite some time, in between getting things done in Destiny, work, family duties, etc. This is the first game with this play style for me, and I guess I'll have to adjust my expectations.

My biggest gripe so far is I spent a good 40 minutes customizing my character and his sister, and it didn't stick. So I'm paying with the stock character. Or did I miss some choice getting started?

 

[mrscott75]

It looks great. But as usual, they screw up the controls like every other game so up is down and down is up. And the labels as so small I mixed it up and the left became right and right became left. Doh!

Worst of all, you have to go all the way out and restart the game to get to the settings. That's just nuts that you can't get to your controls at all unless you quit the game to the launch screen.

You don't need to quit to the title screen to make these changes. I had to invert my Y axis - just like every other game I ever play - and was able to do it while still in the game.

 

[KGFish]

Just my point of view after about 90 minutes, and having just landed on the planet an put about 15 minutes into running around, and only killing two aliens. (So much for the Prime Directive.) So take my first impression with a grain of salt. And realize I really was looking forward to this game.

It looks great. But as usual, they screw up the controls like every other game so up is down and down is up. And the labels as so small I mixed it up and the left became right and right became left. Doh!

Worst of all, you have to go all the way out and restart the game to get to the settings. That's just nuts that you can't get to your controls at all unless you quit the game to the launch screen.

Having put about six months of my life into Destiny, to the exclusion of all other games, my view is going to be skewed.

I have to say I think Bungie's game not only looks better, if not nearly as crisp, but the movement, and fighting mechanics in Destiny are way smoother. The mechanics of Destiny, with all their problems such as collisions with objects, probably the biggest asset of the game would that be the mechanics.

Would that be because of the fundamental differences between the two game types? Is one of Bungie's strengths with all those years of these kinds of games with more emphasis on fighting and movement and less on RPG that makes me think that? I don't mind the difference. But I guess having my gaming always along the times of UT, Quake, Doom, Call of Duty, and ETQW–and I hate to admit it, Duke Nukem–that my bias makes me see things this way?

Anyway, it does look like a great game, and I'll probably play it for quite some time, in between getting things done in Destiny, work, family duties, etc. This is the first game with this play style for me, and I guess I'll have to adjust my expectations.

My biggest gripe so far is I spent a good 40 minutes customizing my character and his sister, and it didn't stick. So I'm paying with the stock character. Or did I miss some choice getting started?

RE: Destiny vs ME shooting mechanics, I'd say that that's actually pretty high praise if ME can get close to it. In my book, Destiny has by far the best mechanics of any shooter. The guns are all meaningfully different, the powers fun with very different playstyles, the gear well built to support various playstyles, and all topped off with almost perfect enemy distributions. That ME doesn't reach that lofty is not a bad thing. Furthermore, I'd say that the root of the combat mechanics are so different that it's fascinating that they converge to some extent.

In the first ME, you could almost see the stat checks happening in the background, and the pause-to-select action was a requirement to get through fights. Over the next two games, the FPS mechanics were put into the foreground, but at the core, it was still Baldur's Gate: position your troops, select action, let effects play out, repeat. Contrast that with Destiny, which was clearly a shooter first.

That said, I don't consider either approach bad. It just makes for different game styles.

 

[mikiev]

I don't know if it's because I feel more comfortable sharing emotional journeys with a female character or what—but I know I definitely prefer games with female leads.

hehe...as once told to me....

If I'm going to spend hours watching an avatar's butt running...I'd prefer it was female.

Damn straight.

When I was still playing WoW, there was a lot of disapproval when the updated, higher-poly models were released (with new animations) - especially amongst the guys who preferred playing as female Draenei - because of the change in "that waggle in her walk".

I hadn't really thought about gender selection in games, too much, until I moved from FO4 & Skyrim SE to Path of Exile - and the Diablo-like limit on your character's gender i.e. Archer and Mage are female-only, while the Melee & Melee/Magic classes are male-only. And the jack-of-all-trades class - which you have to advance sufficiently in the game, to unlock - is female-only.

Finding I'd rather use the female jack-of-all-trades for melee & melee/magic characters... even on a game that doesn't show me her butt.

EDIT to add: in ME, I played Femshep, because:

1. I preferred her voice acting.

2. Romance scenes were easier to keep mental distance from, because I wasn't personalizing the character as much as I might with a male character = no waifu issues. But it was ackward to try the romance options on different playthroughs -picking which guy/girl I was going to step through some cringe-worthy dialog with, just to see how the content played-out.

YouTube saved me from too much of that = just watched how the different romances played-out, and didn't bother with them on my play-throughs.

3. ME2/Skyrim/Fallout spoiled me for downloadable facial presets for my characters - especially ME2. If I'm going to be seeing my character's mug in numerous cutscenes, it might as well be a face I find attractive/pretty.

 

[ewelch]

It looks great. But as usual, they screw up the controls like every other game so up is down and down is up. And the labels as so small I mixed it up and the left became right and right became left. Doh!

Worst of all, you have to go all the way out and restart the game to get to the settings. That's just nuts that you can't get to your controls at all unless you quit the game to the launch screen.

You don't need to quit to the title screen to make these changes. I had to invert my Y axis - just like every other game I ever play - and was able to do it while still in the game.

I should have mentioned, the PS4 version I'm on. The option button does zip when I'm in game.

 

[ewelch]

Just my point of view after about 90 minutes, and having just landed on the planet an put about 15 minutes into running around, and only killing two aliens. (So much for the Prime Directive.) So take my first impression with a grain of salt. And realize I really was looking forward to this game.

It looks great. But as usual, they screw up the controls like every other game so up is down and down is up. And the labels as so small I mixed it up and the left became right and right became left. Doh!

Worst of all, you have to go all the way out and restart the game to get to the settings. That's just nuts that you can't get to your controls at all unless you quit the game to the launch screen.

Having put about six months of my life into Destiny, to the exclusion of all other games, my view is going to be skewed.

I have to say I think Bungie's game not only looks better, if not nearly as crisp, but the movement, and fighting mechanics in Destiny are way smoother. The mechanics of Destiny, with all their problems such as collisions with objects, probably the biggest asset of the game would that be the mechanics.

Would that be because of the fundamental differences between the two game types? Is one of Bungie's strengths with all those years of these kinds of games with more emphasis on fighting and movement and less on RPG that makes me think that? I don't mind the difference. But I guess having my gaming always along the times of UT, Quake, Doom, Call of Duty, and ETQW–and I hate to admit it, Duke Nukem–that my bias makes me see things this way?

Anyway, it does look like a great game, and I'll probably play it for quite some time, in between getting things done in Destiny, work, family duties, etc. This is the first game with this play style for me, and I guess I'll have to adjust my expectations.

My biggest gripe so far is I spent a good 40 minutes customizing my character and his sister, and it didn't stick. So I'm paying with the stock character. Or did I miss some choice getting started?

RE: Destiny vs ME shooting mechanics, I'd say that that's actually pretty high praise if ME can get close to it. In my book, Destiny has by far the best mechanics of any shooter. The guns are all meaningfully different, the powers fun with very different playstyles, the gear well built to support various playstyles, and all topped off with almost perfect enemy distributions. That ME doesn't reach that lofty is not a bad thing. Furthermore, I'd say that the root of the combat mechanics are so different that it's fascinating that they converge to some extent.

In the first ME, you could almost see the stat checks happening in the background, and the pause-to-select action was a requirement to get through fights. Over the next two games, the FPS mechanics were put into the foreground, but at the core, it was still Baldur's Gate: position your troops, select action, let effects play out, repeat. Contrast that with Destiny, which was clearly a shooter first.

That said, I don't consider either approach bad. It just makes for different game styles.

I suspect you're quite right on that point. And I should have said, what little I've seen of in-game action, I'm quite pleased with how it goes. Looking forward to digging in deeper.

 

[Andara]

And, for whatever reason, I enjoy the gameplay experience more with a female lead. I don't know if it's because I feel more comfortable sharing emotional journeys with a female character or what—but I know I definitely prefer games with female leads.

Typically, I've found that female player avatars are usually made more attractive and pleasant to look at and be than male player avatars. And on the flip side, male avatars have a massively wider array of potential appearances, down to outright gruesome, while female avatars tend to never get below generally unattractive. :/

It is a little sexist.

Actually, it's sexual not sexist.

It's a subtle difference and can be difficult to discern, but in this case it's about what you like to look at, and there's no discrimination in admitting you prefer staring at female ass over male ass.

Of course, it doesn't really help in that the male assets in games don't typically get the love in development that seems to be lavished upon the female assets. (note to self, don't forget the 't' in assets...)

 

[Digital Dud]

I think what they really needed was to add more dynamic simulation elements to this game. My understanding is what they have is a bunch of static worlds that advance along pre-determined lines in response to the player doing a bunch of random busy work/filler tasks. It doesn't need to be very complicated, but if you're going to do "open world", there should be more of a sandbox than just a bunch of pre-scripted stuff, otherwise what's the point? It would make the whole experience more meaningful.

 

[DataMeister]

I think what they really needed was to add more dynamic simulation elements to this game. My understanding is what they have is a bunch of static worlds that advance along pre-determined lines in response to the player doing a bunch of random busy work/filler tasks. It doesn't need to be very complicated, but if you're going to do "open world", there should be more of a sandbox than just a bunch of pre-scripted stuff, otherwise what's the point? It would make the whole experience more meaningful.

I don't think open world was really what they were going for. It's more of a predefined story that you get to live through with enough A.I. so you partially feel like you are making your own choices, but you are still getting pushed along though the story as you are ready. That's different than a world where you can just go and live.

 

[teknik]

I can't get my logitech controller to work with the game. I have a rubbish 3rd party 360 controller that works in the game. I usually use x360ce without issue but it's not helping me out here.


edit:yay, I figured it out

 

[Digital Dud]

I don't think open world was really what they were going for. It's more of a predefined story that you get to live through with enough A.I. so you partially feel like you are making your own choices, but you are still getting pushed along though the story as you are ready. That's different than a world where you can just go and live.

Yes that's also how Mass Effect 1 through 3 worked, and Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire and so on. I'm just giving an example of how they could have reinvigorated the series, you explore it from a new angle. What happens if you add a simulation element, how does it play out? They are basically ignoring that 10 years has past since the first game. But I'm getting ahead of myself, they tried and failed to even emulate the early games properly. It's like this game was made by Mass Effect fans who sort of understood what made the original games fun, but don't have the competence or ability to re-create it. It's like a "straight to video" Mass Effect game.

 

[Commander South]

The review was very helpful, but honestly I liked the Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and Eastbound and Down references the most.

 

[althaz]

I struggle to understand the unfocused vitriol directed at ME: Andromeda.

Hello. I play a lot of games. I’ve been playing video games for the past 20 years, and I can still remember my heart pounding when I bought my first game (can’t believe it’s been 22 years since Westwood released Command and Conquer…). I’ve sailed and plundered the Caribbean with Sid Meier’s Pirates, defeated Napoleon in Fields of Glory, and critical hit my share of orges with the looking glass rifle in Arcanum (IMO still the best game no one has ever played). As of this morning, according to Origin and Steam, I have allocated/misallocated the following number of hours in the following games:

Mass Effect (143 hrs)
Mass Effect 2 (188 hrs)
Mass Effect 3 (247 hrs)
Rainbow Six Siege (864 hrs)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (13 hrs — thirteen hours isn’t a typo and I’m going to make a point. I played it for its visuals and game mechanics, both of which were perfect - but what a snore. )

With my gaming resume/rap sheet out of the way, let’s get right to the point — I’ve been struggling to understand unfocused vitriol directed at Bioware for Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Like most of you, I haven’t been fortunate enough to have access to a reviewer’s code, so my experience has been limited to the 10 hour early access and advanced previews available on social media and YouTube.

During my 10 hour preview, I’ve encountered specific issues like the dreaded mo-cap T pose (Dr. T’Perro looked like she was being biotically crucified by my Ryder for failing to properly secure my twin’s cryopod), skin textures on Suvi (I’d be pleasantly surprised if there’s a lupus backstory), and some cringe worthy dialogue on the Nexus — but nothing to elicit the blatantly false, unfocused and nonconstructive vitriol from the “counter-SJW” crowd (I had to google/urban dictionary SJW to even understand their commentary).

Jennifer Hepler didn’t design the lazy three color storyboard ending for Mass Effect 3, but she was targeted for harassment. I don’t think Allie Rose-Marie Leost designed/implemented the unnerving human eyes/orbital socket modeling in Andromeda, but she was targeted for harassment.

There’s been false allegations that customization excluded skin tones/facial structure that are stereotypically Caucasian, yet both my Ryder twins are rather… Scandinavian.

As a parting blurb, I think we could all occasionally use a reminder that games, like commercial art, face unique developmental challenges whereby the publishers/development studios/producers/writers/technical development team struggle to juggle multiple conflicting interests and priorities. Writers want to tell a story and artistically present the truth, but they shouldn’t write themselves out of a job by failing to meet deadlines tinkering with the perfect story never told.

The first game where I defeated space pirates and romanced team members was Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. It was a pioneering game that pushed the boundaries and was basically Mass Effect before Mass Effect, unfortunately the development was so high that it never paid for itself, and Looking Glass Technologies was not able to finance the expected and planned sequel. Alternatively, I can also remember my disappointment when Electronic Arts pushed Westwood to prematurely release its sequel, Tiberium Sun, and that premature release effectively killed Westwood.

I hope Andromeda isn’t the end of the Mass Effect IP at Bioware. But if it is, I don’t think it was caused by inclusion and aspirational values akin to helping a Salarian cure the genophage or brokering peace between the Geth and Quarians.

Ah, Arcanum. Definitely agree with you.

Along with Planescape: Torment, now there's a game crying out for a modern remake and/or sequel.

This might be controversial, but I think Arcanum is better than Planescape: Torment (which has a remake, btw, it's reviewed on Ars even). The gameplay in Arcanum is actually fun, the setting just as inventive, the characters more likeable...I fucking love that game. It's in my top 10 RPGs of all time (note: PS: T probably isn't because despite the incredible writing, it's an adventure game and the gameplay sucks) and it's a crime it wasn't more popular, IMO.

 

[the_great_ganonderp]

Some minor spoilers here, though I'm only 10-15 hours in.

I think my biggest issue with this game is that it has gone literally to another galaxy to get a clean slate on the setting (while keeping the same lore and aesthetic) and yet it tries so hard to be exactly the same as the original trilogy. Like, instead of the Citadel, you have the Nexus, which is basically Citadel Lite (except it apparently doesn't spin for "gravity", which makes a lot of elements of its design questionable at best). Instead of the Normandy, you have the Tempest, which looks like it should have "NORMANDY SR-3" painted on the side. And so on.

It's just an odd choice to break from the previous trilogy so decisively and then turn around and try to reproduce everything from that setting. It comes off feeling like a bit of a knock-off, because we spent three games getting to know that universe and here we are getting (what feels like to me) a shallow imitation of it with much less gravitas going around (you might say it is experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall). I think that telling a different sort of story in the original universe, maybe with a different sort of game (i.e. not exactly the same formula as previous games BioWare has made) might ultimately have been more interesting and satisfying.

Or just do a new sort of thing in Andromeda. The concept of the game is initially exciting, but it quickly starts to feel like business as usual once you arrive at the Citadel Lite. Uh, sorry, the Nexus. It doesn't feel like a frontier; it feels like the Citadel, except less interesting and believable. For example, economically, I have no idea how a single human businesswoman was able to finance the design and construction of so much intergalactic heavy metal when we saw in the original trilogy that humans were an upstart species and the only known structure comparable to the Citadel was, well, the Citadel.

I don't mean that I don't like the game. I do, mostly for the same reasons I liked the original trilogy. I'm about 10-15 hours in and things are getting interesting, and I'm excited to play more. But I think it is in some ways a wasted opportunity. It feels weaker than the original trilogy was in its time, and weaker than the best of more recent RPGs (e.g. Witcher 3).

 

[Chaedog]

I agree with what you're saying the_great_ganonderp and I think that's sort of a common problem nowadays. The first 3 were great games, it was a new IP we had lots of fun with it, the ending for some was a disappointment but the ride to it made up for it. Then we had a very long wait for the next installment. During that time some very awesome games came out that really got everything right(Witcher 3, Zelda, ect...) and that sort of spoiled us. So are expectations are very high, and we just assume something better.


I'm having a blast, not because its something new or different, but because its fun.

Spoiler

When I first pulled up to the Nexus I kind of snickered for how similar it looked like the Citadel. Then I figured well if that designed worked well for them in the last galaxy I guess realistically they might reuse some of the same construction ideas to save cost/time of making a new one. It'd be possible.

I treat my game sequels like movie sequels. Odds are they aren't going to capture the magic of the first one, but when done right they can still be fun and entertaining and sometimes you get lucky and find one that surpasses it. This game while so far for me it hasn't surpassed my expectations, I'm having fun playing it and will continue to do so.

 

[jackthecat]

I struggle to understand the unfocused vitriol directed at ME: Andromeda.

Hello. I play a lot of games. I’ve been playing video games for the past 20 years, and I can still remember my heart pounding when I bought my first game (can’t believe it’s been 22 years since Westwood released Command and Conquer…). I’ve sailed and plundered the Caribbean with Sid Meier’s Pirates, defeated Napoleon in Fields of Glory, and critical hit my share of orges with the looking glass rifle in Arcanum (IMO still the best game no one has ever played). As of this morning, according to Origin and Steam, I have allocated/misallocated the following number of hours in the following games:

Mass Effect (143 hrs)
Mass Effect 2 (188 hrs)
Mass Effect 3 (247 hrs)
Rainbow Six Siege (864 hrs)
Rise of the Tomb Raider (13 hrs — thirteen hours isn’t a typo and I’m going to make a point. I played it for its visuals and game mechanics, both of which were perfect - but what a snore. )

With my gaming resume/rap sheet out of the way, let’s get right to the point — I’ve been struggling to understand unfocused vitriol directed at Bioware for Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Like most of you, I haven’t been fortunate enough to have access to a reviewer’s code, so my experience has been limited to the 10 hour early access and advanced previews available on social media and YouTube.

During my 10 hour preview, I’ve encountered specific issues like the dreaded mo-cap T pose (Dr. T’Perro looked like she was being biotically crucified by my Ryder for failing to properly secure my twin’s cryopod), skin textures on Suvi (I’d be pleasantly surprised if there’s a lupus backstory), and some cringe worthy dialogue on the Nexus — but nothing to elicit the blatantly false, unfocused and nonconstructive vitriol from the “counter-SJW” crowd (I had to google/urban dictionary SJW to even understand their commentary).

Jennifer Hepler didn’t design the lazy three color storyboard ending for Mass Effect 3, but she was targeted for harassment. I don’t think Allie Rose-Marie Leost designed/implemented the unnerving human eyes/orbital socket modeling in Andromeda, but she was targeted for harassment.

There’s been false allegations that customization excluded skin tones/facial structure that are stereotypically Caucasian, yet both my Ryder twins are rather… Scandinavian.

As a parting blurb, I think we could all occasionally use a reminder that games, like commercial art, face unique developmental challenges whereby the publishers/development studios/producers/writers/technical development team struggle to juggle multiple conflicting interests and priorities. Writers want to tell a story and artistically present the truth, but they shouldn’t write themselves out of a job by failing to meet deadlines tinkering with the perfect story never told.

The first game where I defeated space pirates and romanced team members was Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. It was a pioneering game that pushed the boundaries and was basically Mass Effect before Mass Effect, unfortunately the development was so high that it never paid for itself, and Looking Glass Technologies was not able to finance the expected and planned sequel. Alternatively, I can also remember my disappointment when Electronic Arts pushed Westwood to prematurely release its sequel, Tiberium Sun, and that premature release effectively killed Westwood.

I hope Andromeda isn’t the end of the Mass Effect IP at Bioware. But if it is, I don’t think it was caused by inclusion and aspirational values akin to helping a Salarian cure the genophage or brokering peace between the Geth and Quarians.

Ah, Arcanum. Definitely agree with you.

Along with Planescape: Torment, now there's a game crying out for a modern remake and/or sequel.

This might be controversial, but I think Arcanum is better than Planescape: Torment (which has a remake, btw, it's reviewed on Ars even). The gameplay in Arcanum is actually fun, the setting just as inventive, the characters more likeable...I fucking love that game. It's in my top 10 RPGs of all time (note: PS: T probably isn't because despite the incredible writing, it's an adventure game and the gameplay sucks) and it's a crime it wasn't more popular, IMO.

Yes, that was what I was referring to. That, now that Planescape: Torment (and Wasteland) has been resurrected, now it's time to bring back Arcanum.

Brian Fargo, if you are an Ars reader ...

 

[FighterforJC]

Finally got to play last night for two hours. Wasn't nearly as bad as what most reviews had to say about the first few hours ( maybe the worst is yet to come). I think the upgrading and crafting will make my head spin though, and would probably be the main cause for me to turn down the difficulty if late in the game I run into a wall that I won't get past without the proper upgrades. But the combat...Wow!!! This is one of the best shooters I've ever played! Guns are punchy, firefights are intense and involved. Love the cover system. This is the sci-fi shooter I've been waiting for!

 

[technofiler]

After a couple hours in the game:

1. The facial animations are fairly uninspired. It's not worse than the average game but there is a lot of face time with all the dialogue so it tends to stand out. The animations in dialogue cutscenes are so-so. They not horrendous but not overly lifelike either. Again, same issues that most other games have.

2. Combat is improved. The jump jet adds a lot of mobility and really changes the dynamic even if you still do spend a decent amount of time in cover still. The ability to jump to the high ground or quickly escape is a welcome change. Cover seems to be more fluid now. Shepard always seemed to get "stuck" on objects while moving around. Hated it in multiplayer. Haven't noticed it in andromeda. Combat animation felt very fluid

3. I like the open skill tree. Lots of options even if some patterns of skill choices are preferred.

4. Haven't noticed any issues with voice acting.

 

[Ninja Panda]

I think Peter Lee mentioned FPS numbers in the article, but can anyone comment on how stable this is on PC? AAA games can be hit or miss at times on the PC side of things and the main thing holding me back would be if it's difficult to actually get the game running.

Edit: Would be good to get the author correct, especially when he responds

 

[pokrface]

I think Peter mentioned FPS numbers in the article, but can anyone comment on how stable this is on PC? AAA games can be hit or miss at times on the PC side of things and the main thing holding me back would be if it's difficult to actually get the game running.

There was a huge incompatibility between ME:A and (for whatever reason) the Corsair Utility Engine application, which you might have installed if you have Corsair-branded peripherals—if you had CUE installed, ME:A would hang at start and fail to load. However, that was fixed with a pre-launch update and isn't a problem now.

Other than that, I think I ran into one crash-to-desktop last week prior to the latest set of patches, but I haven't had any since.

 

[caldepen]

I think Peter mentioned FPS numbers in the article, but can anyone comment on how stable this is on PC? AAA games can be hit or miss at times on the PC side of things and the main thing holding me back would be if it's difficult to actually get the game running.

There was a huge incompatibility between ME:A and (for whatever reason) the Corsair Utility Engine application, which you might have installed if you have Corsair-branded peripherals—if you had CUE installed, ME:A would hang at start and fail to load. However, that was fixed with a pre-launch update and isn't a problem now.

Other than that, I think I ran into one crash-to-desktop last week prior to the latest set of patches, but I haven't had any since.

I played about 8 hours yesterday on an i5 with a gtx 660ti and experienced no issues. I had to update my drivers and had a few instances where the screen went blank for a few seconds between scenes but I could still hear the ambient sounds, thought to myself a crash was imminent but then it recovered.

Now if only I had more time...

 

[Maria_S]

The wonderful world of fake news. Coming to a gaming near you , today! Fake news is a pattern. Do not let it fool you regardless of the form.

#fakecomment

 

[NullMoniker]

After a few hours, my biggest complaint is this: the weapon wheel button. Playing on Xbox One (mostly because that's where all my friends are and I'd like to join them for multiplayer eventually) you either have to take your thumb off left joystick and stop moving, or reach across the controller with your right hand. Checked each of the alternate control schemes and none of them move this button.

 

[caldepen]

After a few hours, my biggest complaint is this: the weapon wheel button. Playing on Xbox One (mostly because that's where all my friends are and I'd like to join them for multiplayer eventually) you either have to take your thumb off left joystick and stop moving, or reach across the controller with your right hand. Checked each of the alternate control schemes and none of them move this button.

How did the weapon wheel become a problem after a only a few hours!?

Hour 2: Made 5th face, finally happy.
Hour 7: Searched 8th breaker box...
Hours 9-11: Wait a sec, those red indicators on the planet scans mean nothing!!!?

The first mission surely didn't require you to frantically switch weapons all that much did it?

 

[pokrface]

Hours 9-11: Wait a sec, those red indicators on the planet scans mean nothing!!!?

I swear to fuck i sat there for no-fooling-for-real five solid minutes trying to figure out a pattern. It made me feel absolutely like the stupidest person in the world, so I gave up and went to the next planet to try to see if the pattern was different...and boom, ANOMALY DETECTED.

Definitely a very lounge-y "GODDAMMIT" moment.

 

[DataMeister]

Some minor spoilers here, though I'm only 10-15 hours in.

I think my biggest issue with this game is that it has gone literally to another galaxy to get a clean slate on the setting (while keeping the same lore and aesthetic) and yet it tries so hard to be exactly the same as the original trilogy. Like, instead of the Citadel, you have the Nexus, which is basically Citadel Lite (except it apparently doesn't spin for "gravity", which makes a lot of elements of its design questionable at best). Instead of the Normandy, you have the Tempest, which looks like it should have "NORMANDY SR-3" painted on the side. And so on.

It's just an odd choice to break from the previous trilogy so decisively and then turn around and try to reproduce everything from that setting. It comes off feeling like a bit of a knock-off, because we spent three games getting to know that universe and here we are getting (what feels like to me) a shallow imitation of it with much less gravitas going around (you might say it is experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall). I think that telling a different sort of story in the original universe, maybe with a different sort of game (i.e. not exactly the same formula as previous games BioWare has made) might ultimately have been more interesting and satisfying.

Or just do a new sort of thing in Andromeda. The concept of the game is initially exciting, but it quickly starts to feel like business as usual once you arrive at the Citadel Lite. Uh, sorry, the Nexus. It doesn't feel like a frontier; it feels like the Citadel, except less interesting and believable. For example, economically, I have no idea how a single human businesswoman was able to finance the design and construction of so much intergalactic heavy metal when we saw in the original trilogy that humans were an upstart species and the only known structure comparable to the Citadel was, well, the Citadel.

I don't mean that I don't like the game. I do, mostly for the same reasons I liked the original trilogy. I'm about 10-15 hours in and things are getting interesting, and I'm excited to play more. But I think it is in some ways a wasted opportunity. It feels weaker than the original trilogy was in its time, and weaker than the best of more recent RPGs (e.g. Witcher 3).

This is one of the things I was worried about when they first announced it was moving to the Andromeda galaxy. That and the idea that they are going there for a "fresh start". As if the Milkyway was fully explored, ruined, or over crowded beyond hope.

Plus, if they have the technology to travel between star systems without the mass effect relays surely they could have just rebuilt society here in the Milkyway. I get that the original trilogy dug a hole what would be very hard to climb out of, but at the very least they could have created a story line where this group assumed the Reapers would win, so they built and hide this "ark" somewhere with everyone in stasis. Wake them up in 1.000 years, which should be enough time to erase or merge the decisions from the trilogy back into a single starting point and have them explore and rebuild.

I haven't played the game yet so maybe they have a story line that wouldn't make sense in the Milkyway. Here's to hoping.

 

[pokrface]

Yes, there is more to the Andromeda Initiative than good feelings and altruism. There's a quest line you can follow ("Ryder Family Secrets," I believe) to dig up a LOT of stuff about what's going on...and why.

 

[the_great_ganonderp]

Some minor spoilers here, though I'm only 10-15 hours in.

I think my biggest issue with this game is that it has gone literally to another galaxy to get a clean slate on the setting (while keeping the same lore and aesthetic) and yet it tries so hard to be exactly the same as the original trilogy. Like, instead of the Citadel, you have the Nexus, which is basically Citadel Lite (except it apparently doesn't spin for "gravity", which makes a lot of elements of its design questionable at best). Instead of the Normandy, you have the Tempest, which looks like it should have "NORMANDY SR-3" painted on the side. And so on.

It's just an odd choice to break from the previous trilogy so decisively and then turn around and try to reproduce everything from that setting. It comes off feeling like a bit of a knock-off, because we spent three games getting to know that universe and here we are getting (what feels like to me) a shallow imitation of it with much less gravitas going around (you might say it is experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall). I think that telling a different sort of story in the original universe, maybe with a different sort of game (i.e. not exactly the same formula as previous games BioWare has made) might ultimately have been more interesting and satisfying.

Or just do a new sort of thing in Andromeda. The concept of the game is initially exciting, but it quickly starts to feel like business as usual once you arrive at the Citadel Lite. Uh, sorry, the Nexus. It doesn't feel like a frontier; it feels like the Citadel, except less interesting and believable. For example, economically, I have no idea how a single human businesswoman was able to finance the design and construction of so much intergalactic heavy metal when we saw in the original trilogy that humans were an upstart species and the only known structure comparable to the Citadel was, well, the Citadel.

I don't mean that I don't like the game. I do, mostly for the same reasons I liked the original trilogy. I'm about 10-15 hours in and things are getting interesting, and I'm excited to play more. But I think it is in some ways a wasted opportunity. It feels weaker than the original trilogy was in its time, and weaker than the best of more recent RPGs (e.g. Witcher 3).

This is one of the things I was worried about when they first announced it was moving to the Andromeda galaxy. That and the idea that they are going there for a "fresh start". As if the Milkyway was fully explored, ruined, or over crowded beyond hope.

Plus, if they have the technology to travel between star systems without the mass effect relays surely they could have just rebuilt society here in the Milkyway. I get that the original trilogy dug a hole what would be very hard to climb out of, but at the very least they could have created a story line where this group assumed the Reapers would win, so they built and hide this "ark" somewhere with everyone in stasis. Wake them up in 1.000 years, which should be enough time to erase or merge the decisions from the trilogy back into a single starting point and have them explore and rebuild.

I haven't played the game yet so maybe they have a story line that wouldn't make sense in the Milkyway. Here's to hoping.

It's entirely possible that there are things I don't know about the Andromeda Initiative yet that will make it all make more sense once the curtain is pulled back. But it reminds me a bit of reading the Hunger Games books, where initially the setting made so little sense (especially economically) that I thought there must be some big reveal coming about what was really going on, but no, it turned out to just be bad worldbuilding. I do feel like something is missing from the writing this time around that gave the original trilogy a feeling of, well, credibility. Even if your rules involve galaxies full of sentient humanoids, kilometer-long evil AI starships, FTL travel, and so on... you still gotta keep everything consistent and mix in some details that anchor it all to the real world.

It's still fun, though. If you like Mass Effect, you'll probably like this game.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

All of the things Lee talks about are true, though I would say that DA:I at least had very interesting characters that you could get attached to, and so far in 10 hours of play I don't care a whit about the idiots that tag along with me and get slaughtered every 5 seconds.

Here's a big huge plot breaking question for the lazy writers of Mass Effect. If I can have a tiny Quantum Entangled Communicator in my brain that instantly connects me to my ship wherever I am, and QECs can communicate instantly across any distance of space, why doesn't the Institute have a QEC connection with the Milky Way?

And another, if somehow magical space telescopes can let the Initiative see the viability of "golden planets" from 2.5 million light years away why couldn't on-board ship sensors detect updates from those planets when they got, oh I don't know, a few dozen light years away? And say "hey look out for that giant scourge thing, let's maybe scan a few other planets since these have gone to shiite."???

When the games plot is broken so badly before the game boots up, there are going to be huge problems.

I never understand people who think technology in sci-fi has no limitations, and that the story and dialogue must hinge on explaining those limitations to the viewer at all times.

You played the game yet? They specifically make a big deal about being "on their own" apart from the Milky Way without any explanation of why that is the case. The Mass Effect series already canonized QECs and the fact that they are (magically) based on real science means that they will work at any distance.

Any distance?

Since in "real science" they don't work at all, how can you make that claim?

Or maybe they work, but the energy requirements increase exponentially with distance?

Quantum Entanglement is a real phenomenon that has been observed in nature. The concept of being able to transmit information using it is thought to be impossible. So it is all "magic" anyway, but when ME2 and ME3 already canonized its use, and you actually have the ability to use a miniaturized QEC in your brain in Andromeda, to simply ignore the possibility of contact at all with the Milky Way is lazy writing.

As I mentioned, they could have said it was destroyed in the crash at least. Or gave some handwavium answer like you suggest with power requirements increasing with each million light years or something. But there is no answer at all, because we are all just supposed to assume that leaving the Milky Way necessitates a complete break from society.

Let's assume the QEC works across galaxies. The Nexus arrives in 2800ish and sends a message to the Milky Way that basically says "we're fucked, pls send help." Absent deciding "let's go into cryo for another 600 years and hope the rescue ships come and we aren't killed by the kett or running out of power in the meantime," what is having contact with the MW going to do to help them? I mean they can find out the Reapers or EDI-Joker hybrids won the last 632 World Series, but that isn't exactly going to help things in Andromeda. It might give us some fanservice but that's about it.

Wasn't the quantum entangled communicator thing basically super advanced Cerberus tech in ME2, anyway? And didn't the Andromeda ships leave the Milky Way between ME1 and 2?

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

Played some of this last night, and finished the vault on Eos. The game looks sharp (occasional dodgy faces aside), and I like the open nature of the planets.

However, starting to get a little worried, because so far I don't really like any of my companions, and it seems like there are fewer of them than in previous games, judging by the menu to select them.

Vetra is alright, and Drak seems like he'll be alright too. Peebee is like a hyperactive 12 year old. Liam and Cora are dull. I wish I could bring Kandros along, because he reminds me a bit of C-Sec era Garrus. Director Tann says some hilarious stuff. Addison just seems like the worst, to go along with her terrible looking facial animations.

I braced for this, as I'd read that this game front-loads a lot of the worst stuff. Just patiently waiting for it to pass.

Oh and I keep giving heartfelt speeches about the dad I was given no reason to care about.

 

[althaz]

I think Peter Lee mentioned FPS numbers in the article, but can anyone comment on how stable this is on PC? AAA games can be hit or miss at times on the PC side of things and the main thing holding me back would be if it's difficult to actually get the game running.

Edit: Would be good to get the author correct, especially when he responds

I've only played through the trial (two and a half times) and for me it's rock-solid. I've also not experienced any super-long loading times. Also, if you are playing on PC and think everybody's eyes look fucking mental, try updating your GPU drivers - it made a huge difference for me .

EDIT: Should note though, there's a lot DA:I and DA2-style UI issues (though less annoying) that got fixed in the first or second patch for those games on PC. Makes me wonder if Bioware will ever learn (I'm guessing not)? It didn't bother me too much though (but having to hold down e for 600ms is a bit painful).

 

[NullMoniker]

After a few hours, my biggest complaint is this: the weapon wheel button. Playing on Xbox One (mostly because that's where all my friends are and I'd like to join them for multiplayer eventually) you either have to take your thumb off left joystick and stop moving, or reach across the controller with your right hand. Checked each of the alternate control schemes and none of them move this button.

How did the weapon wheel become a problem after a only a few hours!?

Hour 2: Made 5th face, finally happy.
Hour 7: Searched 8th breaker box...
Hours 9-11: Wait a sec, those red indicators on the planet scans mean nothing!!!?

The first mission surely didn't require you to frantically switch weapons all that much did it?

At first, everything was frantic for me - took me way too long to go in and mess with the sensitivity settings, couldn't hit a damn thing. Literally died at least 15 times when that first dropship comes in. I started as a Vanguard, and after charging to a flank I'd be dead before I could turn around to see the enemies I was now flanking. Thankfully I finally figured out it was screwing me up, and then realized you can just hold X (on xbox) to swap weapons just like in multiplayer.

 

[caldepen]

After a few hours, my biggest complaint is this: the weapon wheel button. Playing on Xbox One (mostly because that's where all my friends are and I'd like to join them for multiplayer eventually) you either have to take your thumb off left joystick and stop moving, or reach across the controller with your right hand. Checked each of the alternate control schemes and none of them move this button.

How did the weapon wheel become a problem after a only a few hours!?

Hour 2: Made 5th face, finally happy.
Hour 7: Searched 8th breaker box...
Hours 9-11: Wait a sec, those red indicators on the planet scans mean nothing!!!?

The first mission surely didn't require you to frantically switch weapons all that much did it?

At first, everything was frantic for me - took me way too long to go in and mess with the sensitivity settings, couldn't hit a damn thing. Literally died at least 15 times when that first dropship comes in. I started as a Vanguard, and after charging to a flank I'd be dead before I could turn around to see the enemies I was now flanking. Thankfully I finally figured out it was screwing me up, and then realized you can just hold X (on xbox) to swap weapons just like in multiplayer.

Which reminds me, I have noted a bit of a bug. If you customize your character you can start with charge or a few other things that if you respec require 8 or 9 points in to attain again, so be careful! The only way to get charge at the beginning of the game is to choose it as a customized option for your beginning character. Or wait until you are level 5 or so and have 8 or 9 points to dump into tech.

 

[Peevester]

I'm close to 20 hours in, pretty much doing every sidequest that's offered, and I'm only just entering the vault on a second planet (and I haven't come close to the end of the story questline on that planet, either). This is going to be a LONG game.

The good:

• There is a LOT going on, some of which you trip over totally by accident, which is very enjoyable. Eavesdropping on conversations seems a lot less contrived than in past mass effect games.
• The vaults are a trip. You're constantly doing crazy, half understood things trying to figure out how to unlock them, while the Krell remnant are sneaking up on you.
• The crafting system is very rewarding - extra mod slots alone make it worth the investment.
• The scenery is jaw-dropping. Really enjoying the view on the PS4 pro.
• The face customization is actually nice, so long as you don't do what Lee did and pick one of the muppety starting heads to start with. Pick one that doesn't have frying-pan face and you can get very good results. I'll do a screenshot later.
• Trait and skill customization is so deep that it may actually go TOO far, especially since you can only map three feat-type skills to action buttons at a time. It would be nice if the mapped skills carried over to the profiles, so you can more easily switch over from biotic to soldier to sneak to hacker. You can still do all that though, it just takes a little pause time.
• It's refreshing that the entire galaxy isn't going to die tomorrow. This is an exploration and discovery game top-to-bottom, and I'm enjoying that.
• The Nomad is surprisingly fun to drive, marred only by the shit-ass map waypoint system (see below). At one point Ryder actually threatens to Turn This Thing Around when our native guide criticizes the cornering and Peedee asks where the window defroster is for the third time.
• Extreme environments (vacuum, radiation, extreme cold) feel the way they should. I'm on an ice planet right now, and when you're not driving, your life support can just barely keep up (plus you ice over turning into a snowman), meaning you don't have time to fart around outside for all that long. Finding a space heater actually makes you FEEL warm for a minute.

The Bad:

• The enemies don't stop moving like EVER, making sniping not super viable (I don't use my sniper rifle much, a mass effect first). The Kett are the too-much coffee aliens.
• Baddies WILL get behind you out of nowhere and hose you down in two seconds, forcing a reload. And the auto-save timing sucks (and locks out at the start of combat), so you may be totally confused where you are.
• On the other hand, if there's a room with a door, go in there, and slaughter each one as they are framed in the doorways. The Kett have not learned Detective Miller's Lesson. This feels super-cheap, but it works.
• The writing is pretty good. The voice acting, other than the main characters, not so much. This is nothing new for bioware of course.
• Lots of activities kick off unstoppable mini-cutscenes, and it gets irritating after a while. Especially true in the Nexus.
• Typical of early release bioware, crashes galore. Also, sometimes after a death it takes a good five minutes for a save to reload, and a couple times longer than that. Keep a book handy to kill time if you die. And you will.
• The map system SUCKS ASS. You don't get a distance reading until you're very close, making finding one destination of multiple when on that kind of quest (like when unlocking vaults, which requires you to go to three sites) infuriating. The manual waypoint helps a LITTLE, but not nearly enough (especially since you can't put it on top of a quest objective without deselecting the quest, what the hell?)
• I always played Paragon, but every once in a while, it felt good to unload a renegade slap on some idiot. In this game, chat is very generic ("right away!" or "like right away, dude"). I miss the Paragon/Renegade system a lot.

The WTF:

• You could almost call the entire game sudoku fanfiction. I am not kidding.
• Strike missions. WoW follower missions in Mass Effect? really? It's skippable though, or you could play them in multiplayer (haven't tried that yet).
• Every once in a great while, you get to watch outtakes from the exorcist.
• Flirts with Peedee. There is literally a chat choice "flirt" multiple times, and what happens when you do them is just freaking embarassing to everyone. I do like Peedee a lot though, unlike Lee. She's the kind of character who just jumps into an apparently bottomless pit, thinking it will PROBABLY work out OK. Not a lot of adrenaline junkies in the mass effect universe, that's nice.

I would give it a 6.5 out of 10. I think it could easily go up to an 8 or better if they address the things on my bad list, and most are easily addressed. Is it worth playing, bugs and all? If you love the Mass Effect universe, absolutely. If you don't care about Mass Effect all that much, wait for some patches.

 

[caldepen]

"These are not hostile..."
"Ok thanks Liam, based on that information, I'll go up and have a chat with them..."
...moments later....
"aaaagghhhh, no.... the humanity!!!! WTF Liam!? They were definitely, definitely hostile!"

 

[xeoph]

I'd like to add to Peevester's nice recap by agreeing with basically everything and agreeing x10 with some specific complaints (like the baddies literally moving constantly, at least on hardcore). But specifically I would change the grade to a 0 of 10 on PC in my current situation.

I have probably have half of Peevester's time in but if I start the game when it loads the main title screen it shuts down my pc. Alternatively, if I watch the game load from alt+tab and not give the game focus it works just fine. Also, I've had audio crash from within the game only. Audio would play from other sources inside of windows but not in the game.

The game has also done goofy things like the omnitool stops producing any kind of sound until you transition, weapons float next to people rather than in their hands or while in a conversation the game automatically chooses a highlighted option as soon as there are options to pick from (I haven't figured out how to resolve that issue or if it's caused by something I'm doing but reloading the game doesn't seem to fix it). I have a better than VR capable PC.

Until I accidentally opened up a window for chrome or something while the game was loading (so the game was in the background) I didn't think I even had a way to play the game as it was just shutting down during the initial loading screen. I suspect either an Nvidia driver issue or a game issue so I'd recommend buying console or waiting for patches.