Mass Effect Mass Effect Andromeda is not as shit as I was lead to believe...

[Ebonsword]

I recently finished my first playthrough of ME:A, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it.

Obviously, it's not a perfect game, but I still think I would rank it higher than either ME2 or ME3.

Maybe that's just because of the type of gamer I am. While I certainly like some of the companions in the series, they were never the main draw to me, nor was the story. I mostly care about the gameplay. My favorite game in the series is ME1, and a big part of that is the fact that you actually feel like you're exploring the galaxy instead of being dragged from corridor to corridor like in ME2 and ME3.

So, the fact that ME:A really upped the amount of area to explore was hugely fun for me.

I also liked the character system. I appreciated that they didn't force you to pick a specific class that limited what abilities you could learn. Being able to change up your playstyle by switching profiles was also cool (although I would have appreciated a ME1 style power wheel instead of being limited to three active powers).

I also liked the crafting system...well, at least in theory. In practice, there are way too many clearly inferior guns. But all of the available mods did allow you to add interesting abilities to your weapon of choice. Although, it was kind of disappointing that you couldn't equip your companions with any custom weapons or armor (or, heck, any weapons or armor other than their default).

Yes, there are way too many dumb FedEx missions, but you can just not do them, if you don't like them. You don't have to do even close to all of the missions to get each of the planets up to 100% sustainability.

Also, yes, a lot of the dialogues were bland and there is a ton of incredibly boring emails, datapads, etc. But, again, it's also pretty easy to just quickly click through all of that and get back to driving around planets and shooting aliens in the face.

So, while I can see why it's a game that dissappointed a lot of people, I think it's a far better game than the 4.9 user score on Metacritic would suggest.

 

[JarlFrank]

I expected the OP to contain the continuation of the title's sentence:

"... it was actually much worse."

Disappointed.

 

[Falksi]

It's not bad like ME3, it's just really, really, really fucking boring. Where you got lucky Ebonsword is that you didn't realize 80% of the powers apart from odd ones such as cloak & charge are the same.

Somewhere between ME:1 & ME:A is a great Action-shooter with RPG elements. But Bioware have been nowhere near finding it yet.

 

[Mortmal]

It's the out of jail syndrom, when you are out every girl looks pretty. Same for ME andromeda you were just extremely bored. Fact , the outer world is viewed as one of the best game this year ; it shows the state of gaming industry.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I expected the OP to contain the continuation of the title's sentence:

"... it was actually much worse."

Disappointed.

same lol

 

[Sykar]

I expected the OP to contain the continuation of the title's sentence:

"... it was actually much worse."

Disappointed.

Great minds think alike!

 

[Serious_Business]

I remember that the main character of this game had no personality whatsoever. Just round eyes looking at you and blinking slowly, trying to be the best "bro" in the room. It wasn't a "blank state" thing like in Deus Ex, the guy just didn't have a lot of valuable things to say, you know? He just was kind of there. You know these types of guys, they are in a word, this is the best way to qualify them - they are present. They're just there. And that's it. You just have this guy there, standing there, being, and generating a furious desire for violence. You want to be violent towards this guy, because he's so insignificant and he reminds you that you're slowing aging and dying. But what did he do to draw your hire? What did he do indeed? Nothing at all. Just "hello, I'm the guy, I say the lines, I have a quirky sense of humour, I can be a bit awkward but I'm lovable and that's what matters." Just fuck that guy. Fuck him. I'll rip off his fucking fingernails

 

[Dodo1610]

The shooting is actually fun, they removed the class-system which always felt like a leftover in the other games, some of the missions are well designed. That being said I still think ME2+3 are much better games.

 

[Fedora Master]

And so begins the revisionism. Give it a few years and people will say "Well, at least it wasn't as bad as <latest pseudo-game shitheap>"

 

[Max Edge]

And so begins the revisionism. Give it a few years and people will say "Well, at least it wasn't as bad as <latest pseudo-game shitheap>"

Just like Outer Worlds - "At last it's not Fallout 76! It means, it's closer to New Vegas, the best of Fallouts (because brand started with Fallout 3, I haven't played in these old, weird and ugly tactics games from the 90s)

 

[Tim the Bore]

If you enjoyed it, then you enjoyed it, nothing else to add. That said, if you prioritize good gameplay above all else, then why would you force yourself through BioWare games?
I mean, I could even agree that ME: A *might* be slighty better than ME 2 and 3, but it doesn't necesarilly mean that it's good.

And c'mon

Yes, there are way too many dumb FedEx missions, but you can just not do them, if you don't like them. You don't have to do even close to all of the missions to get each of the planets up to 100% sustainability.

I'm not paying for the game so that I could be happy that I can skip 80% of its content. It's the worst praise possible: "it's great coz you don't have to do anything" - yeah, but I'm playing it to do something fun.

Also, yes, a lot of the dialogues were bland and there is a ton of incredibly boring emails, datapads, etc. But, again, it's also pretty easy to just quickly click through all of that and get back to driving around planets and shooting aliens in the face.

Just play Destiny 2, man. Or Warframe. Or Gears of War. Even Prey. Borderlands 3, Rage 2, DOOM, whatever, there's a lot. You have a choice, all I'm saying. Tempus fugit and so on.

 

[JDR13]

Obviously, it's not a perfect game, but I still think I would rank it higher than either ME2 or ME3.

Is that supposed to be praise?

 

[Sinatar]

Maybe it is in fact is as shit as you were led to believe, but your taste in games is much much worse than you thought.

 

[Wyatt_Derp]

The Ryder kids. Pah!

The best Space-Ryder there is, was, and ever will be.

We put our faith in Blast HardCheese.

 

[Ebonsword]

Just play Destiny 2, man. Or Warframe. Or Gears of War. Even Prey. Borderlands 3, Rage 2, DOOM, whatever, there's a lot. You have a choice, all I'm saying. Tempus fugit and so on.

I don't think any of those games really are comparable to ME:A, though. It's like saying "Why play Days Gone when you can play Left 4 Dead instead?" While, at a high-level, the games are similar (e.g. zombie murder simulators), they go about it in very different ways. Days Gone is slower paced and more focused on story and exploration while Left 4 Dead is focused on non-stop action.

ME:A is not an adrenaline-fueled blast of constant mayhem, and that's what I kind of like about it. It's a nice blend of exploration, character-building, and action which I don't think is so easily replaced with another game.

 

[Tim the Bore]

Just play Destiny 2, man. Or Warframe. Or Gears of War. Even Prey. Borderlands 3, Rage 2, DOOM, whatever, there's a lot. You have a choice, all I'm saying. Tempus fugit and so on.

I don't think any of those games really are comparable to ME:A, though. It's like saying "Why play Days Gone when you can play Left 4 Dead instead?" While, at a high-level, the games are similar (e.g. zombie murder simulators), they go about it in very different ways. Days Gone is slower paced and more focused on story and exploration while Left 4 Dead is focused on non-stop action.

ME:A is not an adrenaline-fueled blast of constant mayhem, and that's what I kind of like about it. It's a nice blend of exploration, character-building, and action which I don't think is so easily replaced with another game.

I mean, if you are satisfied by ME: A in that regards, more power to you. I just think there are better games out there.

EDIT: that's said, c'mon, everything in this game was about shooting the same repetitve aliens over and over again.

 

[Zer0wing]

The writing is atrocious and everything regarding RPG mechanics is non-existent but the core gameplay loop where you shoot stuff, fuck around with superpowers game generously gives up to you and drive MAKO are decent but barebones. This game seriously lacks substance. Hard Sci-Fi substance.

So, while I can see why it's a game that dissappointed a lot of people, I think it's a far better game than the 4.9 user score on Metacritic would suggest.

No, it's a perfect 4.9/10 (as in, the real 4.9 and not what game journowhores consider what 4.9 is) material.

ME:A is not an adrenaline-fueled blast of constant mayhem, and that's what I kind of like about it. It's a nice blend of exploration, character-building, and action which I don't think is so easily replaced with another game.

Funny, I feel the opposite about MEA since the exploration is not rewarded with great content. So yes, Boredlands 3 is a better alternative.

 

[jf8350143]

It has a solid basic structure to build a good RPG, the combat system, driving system and the ways companions interact are pretty decent.

But in the end the content(writing, itemisation and the worlds) they put in the game is just pretty meh and very unpolished. And they clearly has a problem of priorities.

 

[Saerain]

But is it better or worse than Inquisition?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

But is it better or worse than Inquisition?

Worse. Far worse writing, Inquisition actually has pretty good writing for the non-main plot portions. Combat is fun though, and the environments are nice. Honestly, it sort of gets a pass because there's such a lack of hard sci-fi RPGs/'RPG-lites'
If I were grading them, I'd give Inquisition a C+ and MEA a C-. Neither are truly awful, but with Bioware's name attached to them(not like it means anything now…) and such a large budget you really expect more.

 

[Tim the Bore]

Slightly better, because shooting in Andromeda is pretty decent, if a little bit shallow. Inquisition had one of the worst combat system ever made. Killing endless waves of mobs is the most common part of these games, so Andromeda is less painful in that regard. It's still bad though, especially the writing.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I expected the OP to contain the continuation of the title's sentence:

"... it was actually much worse."

Disappointed.

Great minds think alike!

Good job men

 

[aweigh]

you need to use one of the mods that replaces the female haircuts and faces in order for the game to be playable. default Cora is offensive looking and legit made me uninstall the game back in the day.

The game is completely unplayable without these. if you don't install these then you spend the entire game being reminded that the female love interests were made intentionally ugly just to fulfill a leftist political agenda, and that makes the game unplayable.

when i tried to play thru this i ended up using this one from the nexus:

https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffectandromeda/mods/556

EDIT: Here's one that fixes Peebee's intentionally ugly-fat face:

https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffectandromeda/mods/291?tab=files

 

[Stavrophore]

I have a hard time playing this game, anyone can somehow uplift me and tell me its worth to play it till the end? I hope the ending is great, right now there's really not much action, the mystery is there, i mean it plays like watered down ME3/ME2, but essentially its the same mechanics/game as before. I remember ME2 being really nice game, and this one is similar, what happened that i don't find this game so engaging as before? Maybe its because there's no Tali Zorah?

 

[Tim the Bore]

I have a hard time playing this game, anyone can somehow uplift me and tell me its worth to play it till the end? I hope the ending is great, right now there's really not much action, the mystery is there, i mean it plays like watered down ME3/ME2, but essentially its the same mechanics/game as before.

It's not worth it, just gave up and save yourself some time. The story doesn't get better, it ends up on a cliffhanger pulled out of the thin air (when the story starts, the game ends). And it's very unlikely that Andromeda will ever get a sequel. The companions will remain bland, nothing interesting will happened. I'm serious, it's like the game gave up on itself.

I remember ME2 being really nice game, and this one is similar, what happened that i don't find this game so engaging as before? Maybe its because there's no Tali Zorah?

Fetch quests, extremely repetetive trash mobs, unengaging and stupid protagonist, inane dialogues that you can't control anyway, world devoid of logic and plausability, boring villain, no tension due to SAM explaining everything to you, number's bloat, mundane enviroment despise the game's premise, main plot being devoid of any ambition whatsoever (strange for a BioWare), broken animations, tedious UI, the staggering lack of any creativity, wasted opportunities, everything seems disconnected. All these things add up. ME: A doesn't even trying anymore, why should you?