Is Mass Effect Andromeda Bad, is the Early Game Bad, or is the Hype Over-Reaching?

At this point in gaming, BioWare faces the most daunting task, topping itself. Review copies of Mass Effect Andromeda are out right now, and many outlets are testing the game. However, none can provide a review until the day before release. Now, here’s the question derived from this fact: Is BioWare trying to hide something or does the game simply require extra time for analysis? Perhaps we are all hoping for the latter. Many early impressions (not all) suggest Mass Effect Andromeda is the weakest of the franchise.

While the consensus is that Andromeda feels like a Mass Effect game, many are worried about the detriments right off the bat. For starters, Forbes doesn’t seem to be impressed by the auto-cover system. Then they talked about the early open-world in Eos, saying it “seems a lot more scaled back and emptier than most open-world maps.” Hopefully, that’s not a recurrent issue. Also, the galaxy map was unremarkable, the Nomad was peculiar in trying to vault over regions, and there’s no climbing mechanic–which apparently makes open-world travel feel like a platformer.

But other writers did not hold back in spotting and ravaging their lists with the in-game issues. Rock, Paper, Shotgun’s impression was a solid brick of tough love that seemed unprepared to forgive:

“The first few hours of Andromeda are a gruesome trudge through the most trite bilge of the previous three games, smeared out in a setting that’s horribly familiar, burdened with some outstandingly awful writing, buried beneath a UI that appears to have been designed to infuriate in every possible way.”

You don’t have to be a Mass Effect fan to spot UI problems. PC players apparently have their work cut out for them since traveling and navigating player profiles has, thus far, proven a bit jarring. Moreover, RPS claims fans of previous games will find Mass Effect Andromeda weaker in its characters and dialogue. This may be remedied as the story continues, so there’s always room for character development (as in all things).



Let us note that many other impressions are positive or minimized to description. There is no consensus and we’ll know a lot more after Mass Effect Andromeda releases on March 21st. BioWare has stated and restated that they’ve worked hard to improve the franchise on all fronts. But the verdict will be out soon to decide whether they’ve delivered. Keep tuned to COGconnected for more news as it comes, and be sure to look for our review. Happy gaming.

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