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Anna Marie Green (7 KP) rated Mass Effect: Andromeda in Video Games

Jul 3, 2018

Incredible Scenery (2 more)

Excellent Gameplay

Good Story Concept

Horrible Dialogue Interactions (4 more)

Rushed Production Led to Disastrous Bugs

The Faces

Online Mode

Romance Options Feel Hollow

The Tragedy of Mass Effect

The game I love to hate.

ME:A is worth at least a single playthrough, at least to understand where the complainsts were coming from. This game enrages us so much for a variety of reasons:

1. It Isn't Really Mass Effect

For a the bells and whistles of the Mass Effect title, Andromeda feels more like an Alternative Universe Fanfiction. There are hints of the original hidden in the world– messages from Liara T'Soni, a mention of Shephard, and the logs with the Reapers– but the story is so jarringly different at times that they could have replaced any of the alien species with new ones and been none the wiser. Ryder's relationship with SAM is at complete odds with the entirery of the Mass Effect story. This was probably BioWare's narrative goal, but it was so poorly executed that it just read as lazinezs.

2. The Dialogue

I'm not entirely sure who was in charge of the game's dialogue, but I am certain they helped ghostwrite 50 Shades of Grey.

"He's dead. Ha. Probably because I shot him in the face."

"You, and your god damned father. Sorry. My face is tired."

It's just... Horrible. Like a really crummy porno imitation of a good film. The voice actors have awkward pauses and scenes where they just look at you for a few moments.

3. The Ruined Potential

The worst thing about this game is the fact that underneath all the mistakes, the palimpsest of poorly written dialogue, and the rushed money-grubbing of a rabid EA, Mass Effect Andromeda was actually... Fun? The story was genuinely interesting. The characters had good stories. The worlds were beautiful and creative.

The Angara were interesting and creative. The revelation towards the end? I wouldn't say I was completely surprised, but it did leave me wanting to know about the galaxy beyond the Heleus Cluster.

It's just a shame they ruined their own creation before it was even completed.

Andromeda was flawed and greedy, but at the same time, it was a testament to game design and world development.