REVIEW : Mass Effect Andromeda (PC/ PS4)
“But today, whatever our reasons , we take the first steps towards the new future for humanity. Today, we begin to make our dream – REALITY.”
Humans live on earth that is a part of the solar system which in turn is a part of the Milky Way galaxy.
Have you ever thought what another galaxy , 2.5 million light years away from the earth looks like?
Released worldwide in March 2017 , and developed by BioWare Montreal is Mass Effect: Andromeda , the fourth entry in the Mass Effect series.
Mass Effect : Andromeda is a game that lets one explore the Andromeda galaxy where humanity , in the 22nd century is planning to inhabit new accommodations under a master plan – The Andromeda Initiative , as either Scott or Sara Ryder ( twins), an unpractised defence conscript who joins the Initiative waking up in Andromeda following a 634-year journey. The Game is played in a third person perspective. The Ryder twins remain a part of the game even when they aren’t chosen as the main character. The game begins in 2185 , in between the second and third games in the original story. However , there aren’t any character references that have been carried to this one , thereby making it accessible to everyone.
Entering the game , the player gets familiar with the characters from which he chooses his role thereby unlocking a profile that benefits the play style and the chosen skills that build up during the course of the game. The XP for skills are earned once again upon the accomplishment of a mission. The player also gets familiar with Alec Ryder , a humanity path finder and the father of the Ryder twins (one those will inherit his job) who is tasked with finding an accommodation for the species. He has a squad , members of which help Sara and Scott in the game to search and reserve safe accommodations for the people. Searching Planets for resources is integral part of the game. There are seven “golden” planets in total, each being investigated by a single Andromeda vessel led by a pathfinder. The player too, therefore, is a pathfinder of human race who will head for the Helius cluster in search of a new home.
Beating the game unlocks a new game + , allowing the player to begin once again , this time with more bonuses and the ability to switch between either Ryder twin. Similar to the previous games in the Mass Effect trilogy , the player can interact with the characters from a command menu where the dialogue options depend upon the wheel direction that includes four response types that encompass – heart , head , professional and casual. There are temporary actions too that are provided to the player if he develops an impulse action. The player also develops friendships and is at times tasked to make moral decisions too thereby bringing the game in close tandem to reality where everything seems real. The character design , plot and cinematic scope , all seem real.
Mass Effect : Andromeda also has a galaxy map that a player accesses and chooses a navigation point while exploring levels on a ship called the tempest. The player gets access to a dozen hub worlds five primary planets , each of which can be explored , searched for useful data , take hideouts and has a boss that the player might not be able to defeat in the beginning and therefore come back once again once their ability level is increased. They also have loyalty missions that a player can accomplish for the Ryder squad. Upon the completion of the questions , the planets increase their “Viability levels” and player earns “Andromeda Viability Points” leading to let him access certain updates. The planets can be traversed upon Nomad – a six wheeled vehicle also letting the player scan the planets of resources and in turn deploying mining drones to collect them.
The game , unlike its predecessors , does not allows its players to pause it and aim or use skills from the menu. However, the player is gets to find memory traces left by his father that reveal certain interesting secrets.
Set in real-time , the game looks fairly well with great refinement in the characters , an engaged alien world and an excellent story.
Falling in the category of the “Most Anticipated Game” , Mass Effect: Andromeda won the Global Game Awards under the same head. The music is highly intensifying and works just perfect with the story that the game builds up gradually. The choice in the dialogue makes the game all the more engaging as it lets the player be either morality right or wrong , letting them explore and stick to the game straight up for many hours. The air of mystique that the same creates is what makes Mass Effect: Andromeda stand out of the lot.
The breath taking scale of the Andromeda is intriguing and has unique hazards which can be overcome by an exhilarating combat that has a great energetic base. The jokes and the narrative makes the game all the more interesting especially with human voice-overs.
With a little performance problem and some bugs , the game still has a scope to let its player engage in a real time action role play drama that is quite engaging. The galaxy is assorted and that is worth being immensely excited about.
“This is Commander Shepard , singing off!”
Read more reviews :
