With the release of Mass Effect: Andromeda just a week away, players are eager to learn more about the latest installment of the Mass Effect franchise. The Shepard trilogy is over, and players are heading to the Andromeda galaxy with protagonist Ryder, the Pathfinder. Squad-based gameplay, romances, and other RPG features await those in the game’s single player campaign. However, like Mass Effect 3, the upcoming title also features a robust multiplayer mode as well.

The multiplayer Mass Effect: Andromeda is very similar to the multiplayer in the franchise’s previous entry. Teams of up to four players tackle wave-based challenges in varying tiers of difficulty to earn experience and credits. Credits are used to unlock supplies like consumable Cobra RPGs, Revive Packs, and more. The currency can also be used to unlock guns, reset a character’s abilities, or buy packs with random contents. At launch, there are more than 25 characters to master, over 40 weapons to collect, and five maps to explore in the multiplayer mode according to the latest gameplay series on the official website.

Players can expect characters from both the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in the multiplayer. Characters in multiplayer are restricted to using certain abilities, but these characters can use any weapon the player chooses to equip. The new and different types of weapons in the single player are also available in the multiplayer like Remnant technology.

Species from the Milky Way and Andromeda are playable in the multiplayer [Image by BioWare]

Private and public options are still going to be available in the Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer giving players an opportunity to challenge themselves alone or in partial groups. As seen in the video below, different tiers of difficulty are still present this time around with the Bronze difficultly being showcased.

After a match is completed, players earn credits and experience for the character they used in the session. In Mass Effect: Andromeda, players also level a bonus statistic. The new bonus stat is a different approach to the prestige mechanic in Mass Effect 3. Essentially, characters in the multiplayer are designated as certain types. All characters in the same style type earn separate experience toward improving a specific stat, like power recharge speed. As a player uses and levels up characters with that playstyle, the bonus stat is also leveled. The bonus stat then applies to all characters regardless of their style or type. Other bonus stats include maximum health, health regeneration cap, maximum shields, and health/shield regeneration delay reduction.

Apex missions can be completed by an NPC Strike Team or by the player in multiplayer mode [Image by BioWare]

Of course, customizing multiplayer characters and leveling up the multiplayer Apex Rating are unique to the multiplayer mode in Mass Effect: Andromeda. The single player and multiplayer are not as entwined as they were in Mass Effect 3, but there is a connection between the two. While playing in single player, Ryder can send out Strike Teams to recover mission rewards and loot. Apex missions can be completed by the random Strike Teams Ryder recruits in the single player or they can be completed by the player in multiplayer mode.

Either way, loot for the single player and Mission Funds are earned by completing these missions. If completed manually by the player in a multiplayer session, they will also gain experience and credits for the multiplayer as well. Letting NPC Strike Teams complete the Apex missions gives those in single player a way to work on their multiplayer profile if they wish or use these missions to simply obtain more gear for Ryder in the single player. Other missions for Strike Teams are also available that cannot be completed in multiplayer.

On the 12th day of MP-mas, the MP dev team gave to you: an MP-mas Salarian Operator, and a look at the Invasion ability.. #MEAndromeda pic.twitter.com/U28yGvlFVS — Fernando Melo (@DiscoBabaloo) March 13, 2017

As the release date for the game approaches, players should learn more about the game’s other new features. In Mass Effect: Andromeda, the protagonist can use any abilities they want with custom favorites, or loadouts, that can be selected in combat. Each favorite lets the player choose three different abilities and a profile, a powerful passive option that improves differing areas of combat. With four favorite loadouts, players have access to 12 abilities and four profiles while traversing the galaxy as reported by the Inquisitr.

Pre-ordering the game comes with a few bonuses including Deep Space Explorer Armor for the single player, a skin for the Nomad, and a multiplayer booster back to increase experience gain in that mode. As detailed on Origin, players can also opt to buy the Deluxe Edition or Super Deluxe Edition of the game. These versions come with outfits, armor, a pet, and more multiplayer goodies. Mass Effect: Andromeda is launching on March 21 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

[Featured Image by BioWare]