[Cross Platform] Mass Effect: Andromeda

Moustache · Mar 13, 2017

Hi everyone, I couldn’t see a thread for this, so I thought I’d go ahead and make one.

I’ve tried cover pretty much everything in the posts below, but I’ve chosen to leave out things that I think are a bit too spoilery. I’ll try and keep this thread updated in the lead up to the game's release.

Details:

The events of the game take place many years the end of Mass Effect 3 and in an entirely different galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy (the closet major galaxy to our own Milky Way)

The game is largely focused on the Heleus Cluster, which apparently has a high number of ‘Golden Worlds’ (planets suited for colonisation)

The Andromeda Initiative is an attempt by the Council Races (Asari, Human, Salarian & Turian) and their allies to colonise the allegedly resource rich Andromeda Galaxy

Most members of the Andromeda Initiative are unaware of the Reaper's, as they left the Milky Way prior to the events of Mass Effect 3

Each of the 4 Council Races arrive in Andromeda via ships known as 'Ark's'

'Hyperion' is the name of the Ark that carried the vast majority of Human members of the Initiative to Andromeda, with the journey taking 634 years (the passengers have been in some sort of cryosleep)

The Nexus, a space station that will serve as the game's equivalent of the Citadel, was sent ahead of the Ark's and will be home to other familiar species (Krogan & Quarian are the only confirmed two). It's apparently out of commission when the Ark's first reach the Heleus Cluster

The leader of each Ark is known as the 'Pathfinder' (a mixture of solider, scientist and guide)

The protagonist's father, Alec Ryder, is the Hyperion's Pathfinder

Players will chose to play as either Scott or Sarah Ryder (Scott and Sara being default names that can be changed) who are the twin children of Alec Ryder. You can customise the appearance of the entire Ryder family

Events at the start of the game will lead to your character taking on the mantle of Pathfinder from your father (the exact circumstances haven’t been confirmed)

Whatever twin you don't pick, will still be involved in the story in some capacity

The Hyperion arrives at the wrong location, which is said to be volatile, and contact is lost with the Nexus and other Ark’s

Some races have already established colonies by the time the Hyperion reaches Andromeda

Others have broken away from the Initiative and are doing their own thing

The Tempest, a scout ship and this game's equivalent to the Normandy, will serve as the protagonist's base of operations

A new alien race, known as the Kett, will serve as the game’s main antagonists

However, there’s apparently no ‘big bad’/overarching like the Reapers

The Krogan who traveled to Andromeda were not cured of the Genophage, a possible choice in Mass Effect 3, but this will be addressed during the events of this game

There are no Mass Relays in the Andromeda Galaxy

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Trailers:

Details:

The Ryder family are at the heart of the game:

Alec, the father, is the Hyperion’s original Pathfinder

One of Sam or Sarah, his twin children, will inherit the role depending on who you choose to play as

Three new races have been revealed so far:

The Angara - A native Andromedan species

The Kett – Antagonists and fellow visitors to the Andromeda Galaxy

The Remnants - A synthetic race

There are six squad mates this time around:

Cora Harper – A biotic specialist, the Pathfinder Squad’s second-in-command and Alec Ryder’s appointed replacement

Jaal – An Angaran resistance fighter and the only Andromedan on the team

Liam Kosta – A former police officer and one time aspiring engineer, who was handpicked by Alec Ryder to join the Initiative

Nakmor Draks - An elderly Krogan and former soldier, mercenary and pirate

Peebee (apparently a nickname) – An Asari scientist who travelled to Andromeda via the Nexus, but chose to strike off on her own

Vetra Nyx – A female Turian and former smuggler/mercenary

Other prominent characters include:

Dr. Lexi T’Perro – An Asari, and the Tempest’s Medical Officer

Gil Brodie – The Tempest’s Chief Engineer

Jarunn Tann – A Salarain politician

Jien Garson – A human scientist and the architect of the Andromeda Imitative

Kallo Jath – A Salarian and the Tempest’s pilot (he was originally a squadmate, but was cut during development)

SAM - An AI and this game’s equivalent of EDI. He’s said to have a particularly close relationship with the protagonist

Suvi Anwar – The Tempest’s Science Officer (she’s described as having a thick Scottish accent)

The Archon – Leader of the Kett and seemingly the main antagonist

Every species will have full gender representation

There are more ‘romance’ options in this game, than any previous Bioware game

Relationships are said to be more complex and less linear than in previous games

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Screenshots:

Squad Selection Screen:

The Kett:

The Angara:

Trailers:

Moustache · Mar 13, 2017

Details:

The Paragon & Renegade system is gone, with the developers instead designing a more nuanced morality system

During certain conversations, a timed ‘narrative action’ prompt may appear which, depending on the situations has a variety of results (i.e. you may be able to shoot a person, killing or injuring them mid-conversation)

When choosing a response on the dialogue wheel, an icon will indicate what sort of tone you which are as follows:

Casual

Head

Heart

Professional

The class system is gone; instead you have full access to abilities from all classes and can mix and match skills from tech, soldier or biotics (there’s apparently a narrative justification for this)

For people not familiar to the series, here’s a brief rundown of each of the trees (courtesy of VG247):

Biotic skills provide the player with the power to control dark energy which manipulates mass and gravity. Skills such as Pull and Throw can grab enemies on the battlefield to use as shields or even weapons

Combat skills focus on improving weapon damage and accuracy, and enable the use of flak cannons, grenades, trip mines, and more

Tech skill provides the ability to use experimental weaponry or to make strategic improvements. For example, the Cryo Beam and Flamethrower “offer more offensive punch,” while the skills Invasion and Energy Drain weaken opponents to make them easier to kill. Players can also deploy an assault turret

You can still specialize once you invest enough points into a category of skills, which unlocks a ‘profile’ that can get you bonuses for your particular play style

This is where class names like "Vanguard" (invest in combat and biotics) and "Adept" (invest in biotics) resurface

Investing in multiple categories will unlock the "Explorer" profile

There are four types of weapon in the game:

Assault Rifles

Pistols

Shotguns

Sniper Rifles

Each weapon falls in to one of three categories:

Milky Way – They’re basically your traditional, projectile based weapon

Remnant – Weapons belonging to the Remnants are beam based and can overheat if continuously fired for a prolonged period of time

Heleus – The favoured type of the Kett. They’re plasma based and heat seeking, but need time to charge before being fired

There’s new melee weapons such as hammers and swords (the Omni-Blade from ME3 also returns)

There’s a jetpack that you can use during both combat and exploration

The combat is still largely cover based, with Andromeda featuring a new, dynamic cover system (similar to The Last of Us)

You can customise your helmet, chest, shoulders, arms and legs

Whilst there's apparently over a hundred planets in the game, only a handful can be fully explored (seven seems to be the number doing the rounds)

You can use a vehicle known as the Nomad, similar to the Mako from the original game, to drive around these planets

The Nomad is purely an exploratory vehicle, it doesn’t have any weapons

Drop Zones are points on the map that act as a sort of mini-base, allowing you to change your gear and also acting as a fast travel marker. Unlocking a Drop Zone will also reveal all nearby points of interest on the map.

Most planets will have at least one enemy base for you destroy and they usually have a small narrative surrounding them as well

'Super-Bosses' are high leveled enemies found on each world and provide high level gear when defeated. They're basically this game's equivalent to the Dragon fights from Dragon Age: Inquisition

Whilst on planets, you can scan certain items (Discarded bits of tech, rock formations etc) which opens up to new crafting options back on the Tempest

Vaults are puzzle-based 'dungeons', tied in with overarching narrative that can be found on some planets but there exact purpose hasn't been revealed

Story missions are more linear, or arena like

Like the previous games, every squad mate will have their own loyalty mission

The order in which you do quests/talk to people may also influence the opinion of you and humanity

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Screenshots:

The Tempest & Nomad:

Weapon Loadout Screen:

Skills Screen:

Trailers:

Moustache · Mar 13, 2017

Details:

You play as a member of the ‘Apex Force’, a strike team from the Nexus

Mission Funds earned in multiplayer, can also be used in the singleplayer campaign

It’s still a ‘Horde’ mode, like Mass Effect 3

Like Mass Effect 3, all multiplayer DLC will be free

At launch, there will be 3 levels of difficulty: Bronze, Silver & Gold (they’ll probably add Platinum at a later date, like with the previous game)

The number of waves per game has been reduced from 10 to 7

Each wave will have a ‘boss’ type enemy

The game will launch with 5 maps (more will be add via DLC)

The three enemy factions are:

Mercenaries/Pirates

The Kett

The Remnants

Characters can reach Level 20 and are levelled individually (unlike by class in ME3)

There are also 10 bonus levels that increase 5 different stats by 1% (-ish) per level:

Health Strength

Health Regeneration Speed

Shield Strength

Shield Recharge Speed

Power Recharge Speed

These extra levels can be obtained from earning experience per character class but are shared between all characters, not just those of the same class.

Every 3 hours or so a special mission will be posted to your Strike Team menu, that will give you both MP/SP rewards if accomplished. These missions will be able to be conducted either by Strike Team or by playing the mission directly through a MP character by way of Matchmaking. Each Special Mission has modifiers to them that make them harder to accomplish.

Weekend Challenges are back. Wave balance and composition of enemies can be changed Server Side by Bioware and will be changed during Weekly Missions, Special Events, Special Missions, and Weekend Challenges.

Unlock Boxes/Reward Chests/Loot Boxes/whatever you want to call them will return and can once again be bought with either the in-game currency or with real money

Weapons, Mods, Armour, and Equipment will be unlocked through opening these crates

Weapons can be upgraded up to Level 10 and will have mod slots

Characters can change armour but facial features cannot be customised

Male and Female characters confirmed for all races

There’s no cross play

The game will launch with the following characters, although more will be added via DLC:

Common:

Human Adept - Singularity (B), Pull (B), Shockwave (B)

Human Infiltrator - Sticky Grenade (C), Tactical Cloak (T), Incinerate (T)(bonus: Health Regen)

Human Sentinel - Throw (B), Barricade (C), Energy Drain (T)

Human Soldier - Turbocharge (C), Concussive Shot (C), Frag Grenade (C)

Human Vanguard - Charge (B), Nova (B), Shockwave (B) (bonus: Max Health)

Uncommon:

Asari Sentinel - Backlash (B), Throw (B), Energy Drain (T)

Krogan Engineer - Overload (T), Assault Turret (T), Incinerate (T)

Krogan Vanguard - Charge (B), Fortify (C), Nova (B)

Salarian Operator - Invasion (T), Shield Boost (T), Overload (T)*

Rare:

Asari Huntress - Throw (B), Stealth Grid (T), Lance (B)

Krogan Mercenary (They didn’t have the power list for this one)

Turian (Only the species was listed, not the class)

Ultra Rare:

Asari Duelist - Charge (B), Backlash (B), Lance (B)
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Screenshots:

Multiplayer Character Selection:

Details:

EA has confirmed that the game will not have a Season Pass, but it sounds like there will be singleplayer DLC

Mass Effect 3's ending and your decisions won't affect Andromeda

If you sign in to the Andromeda Initiative website with your EA/Origin account and watch some of the videos, you’ll unlock an exclusive Platinum skin for the Nomad and Pathfinder helmet (link here)

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Trailers:

Officer Doofy · Mar 13, 2017

Great stuff mate.

I watched a 15 minute gameplay video on IGN a few days ago. Really don't like the tone of it. Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games I've played and it had quite a dark/mature feel to it.

The stuff I watched from this game had the cheesiest dialogue ever. Feels like it's aimed at Twilight fans.

Moustache · Mar 13, 2017

Dear Hunter said: ↑

Great stuff mate.

I watched a 15 minute gameplay video on IGN a few days ago. Really don't like the tone of it. Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games I've played and it had quite a dark/mature feel to it.

The stuff I watched from this game had the cheesiest dialogue ever. Feels like it's aimed at Twilight fans.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they've never been the greatest at dialogue. They tend to verge in to a teenagers tumblr account style of writing at times.

In saying that, I still usually enjoy their games (although after ME3 & DA:I, I'm definitely a bit more wary of them).

Just Kieran · Mar 13, 2017

I've never played any of this series but I've considered getting this,

Moustache · Mar 13, 2017

Just Kieran said: ↑

I've never played any of this series but I've considered getting this,
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, outwith one or two things, this game won't have too much to do with the previous trilogy.

The developers have been pretty keen to point out that this is basically a fresh start.

Just Kieran · Mar 14, 2017

Moustache said: ↑

For what it's worth, outwith one or two things, this game won't have too much to do with the previous trilogy.

The developers have been pretty keen to point out that this is basically a fresh start.
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Yeah that's one of the reasons I've been quite open to it. I've heard the first few were really good, but it's always nice feeling like you've not missed a shitload of the story when you jump into a series.

M 67 · Mar 14, 2017

What's the script with colonies etc? Do you get to create and manage them at all?

Would be good to have the FPS mixed with a strategy game!!!

Officer Doofy · Mar 20, 2017

7.5 seems to be the average score across the board. Sort of saw it coming to be honest.

Might give it a miss.

Just Kieran · Mar 21, 2017

Dear Hunter said: ↑

7.5 seems to be the average score across the board. Sort of saw it coming to be honest.

Might give it a miss.
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That's what I'm thinking, it's had fairly muted reviews.

Moustache · Mar 21, 2017

Yeah, it's definitely not reviewed as well as I hoped it would, although I can't say I'm that surprised. Andromeda was developed by the team who made the Omega DLC for ME3, which wasn't great, and they're pretty much Bioware's C-team at this point (and that's if you don't count Bioware Austin/the Star Wars team).

I can't really decide if I want to just buy it now or wait for a sale. I don't really have anything else to play at the moment, and that's probably going to be the case until September or so, so I'm tempted to get it now,

Metlson · Mar 22, 2017

Unlocked here about 2 hours ago. Absolutely fantastic game thus far. One one or two bugs but I'm really enjoying it

JamesM09 · Mar 22, 2017

I loved the Mass Effect trilogy so I'm really looking forward to this. I must say the poor reviews, poor trailer and the fact it's not made by Biowares A-team has put me off a fair bit.

Just remembering back to that shocking Mass Effect 3 ending - that really seemed to kill off a very promising franchise. The Mass Effect universe was really interesting and now it seems they're having to move to another galaxy to get over that stupid ending.

Bunk Moreland · Nov 9, 2017

Just recently bought and finished it, must say I enjoyed it and either the patches since launch completely fixed the game or the game wasn't bad in the first place and the poor reviews were a load of *.

Velvet Bollok · Apr 4, 2018

Bought this for cheap on xbox store. I reckon im about 1 of 10 people who still play online multiplayer, im constantly seeing the same people when i log on in a lobby, no joke it takes a while to get a game going on platinum but its good fun. Im not sure why ive not touched the campaign yet probably a mixture of the bad reviews and the fact i like the multiplayer so much on me3. It is s good grind although it has its flaws it can keep me entertained thats the main thing.

[Cross Platform] Mass Effect: Andromeda

Moustache

Moustache

Moustache

Officer Doofy Come to me, human man Gold Member

Moustache

Just Kieran Gold Member Gold Member

Moustache

Just Kieran Gold Member Gold Member

M 67

Officer Doofy Come to me, human man Gold Member

Just Kieran Gold Member Gold Member

Moustache

Metlson

JamesM09

Bunk Moreland

Velvet Bollok