...and I still love the game.
Released in 2017, Mass Effect: Andromeda had a hell of a trilogy to live up to. Unfortunately, the vocal minority of Outraged Gamers out-screamed the silent majority of Contented Gamers and EA/BioWare scrapped any hope for this story to ever be finished; well, in videogame form -- there are always the novels.
I like to hope that one day the story will be revisited, perhaps by a more experienced team of developers and not Politically Correct Kids Straight Out Of College, but who knows what the future will bring.
Anyway.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
When this game was first released, naturally I played it for a week straight with barely any sleep, shirking my reality and responsibilities just to experience this new Mass Effect story.
I loved it.
Though there were a few little things that made me cringe, I didn't see the need for such an uproar about how terrible it was.
Other people complained about the politically correctness, people complained about the graphics, people complained about lacklustre companions, characters, yet-another-human-protagonist, the story, the new aliens; hell, people complained that the lip gloss was too glossy... in short: PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT EVERYTHING!
What did I personally complain about? To myself, silently, I whinged about: Planet activity repetition. The PC Agenda. How all the Asari looked identical. That there weren't more species to meet. Most of all: I was disappointed in my fellow gamers and their childish tantrums, and disappointed that because of them I'd never again enjoy another brand new Mass Effect game.
It's been a year since I last played. Long enough for the story to have become vague once more, long enough to enjoy the game without just going through the motions of, "Yep, go here, go there, I know where that is, I know what's happening next, yep, yep, yep." - though, to be fair, I can literally recite Mass Effect 1, 2, and 3 because I've played them that much.
I've only played through Andromeda twice: upon release, and then to show my partner since he likes watching these game-movies. For the record, he didn't see anything to bitch and screech about either.
This being my third playthrough, a bit of the wonder has vanished and I'm a little more willing to stare at the game and criticise things a bit more. And honestly? I only have one added complaint to add to my previous complaints. A complaint that I remember raising an eyebrow at my first time, but then just getting on with the game.
That complaint?
Character customisation sucks.
Yep. That's it. I can't change the shape of my lady's lips, her eyebrows, eye shape. There are 10 head presets and only minimal features can be fiddled with.
Not a great biggy, but I sincerely love character editors and this one is so utterly disappointing.
There are bits of the story I would love to have expanded, which I'm fairly sure is also a part of the Outraged Gamer's Complaints... but this was supposed to be the start of another trilogy. Not a standalone-game. The story would have been expanded. And now, it won't be.
We won't find out what happened to the Quarian Ark. We won't find out about the obvious ties Cerberus had to the Initiative. "The mysterious benefactor." Who exactly the supreme race were who engineered the Angara and the facilities. What that frozen AI's deal is. We won't see the humans colonising Meridia.
And not to mention, but Ryder and Reyes have more "distractions" to create... er... yeah.
Hey. I like romance options in games! Even when most are horrible cliches. Especially in this. Suave latino man, right? But, still.
And, unrelated, but both myself and my chaotic evil character in NWN 2... we're still bitter that they never implemented Bishop's romance fully. Yes, I am aware of how masochistic that sounds when you really think about the character involved.
But enough of that mushy stuff.
With renewed eyes, I also smirk at most of the characters' reasons for deciding to go on a one-way voyage to a new galaxy, but then I think to myself: I would happily take a one-way trip to Mars if I was fit enough, smart enough, to be on Mr. Musk's proposed voyage.
No "reason" required.
Ryder: "Why did you come to Andromeda? Why didn't you just stay in the Milky Way?"
Me: Shrugs. "Coz I wanted to."
Ryder: "Really? You're not trans, or gay, or simply had a tough life and wanted to start anew?"
Me: "Nope. Just a whim."
Ryder: "Cool."
Oh, and of course, it's ludicrous that already we're fighting -- and killing -- our own kind when we haven't even got a foothold in the new galaxy yet. There would've been a certain number of people of each species for reproductive purposes, as is evident by the whole Gil and Jill story-line, and already the breeding stock is going down, down, down.
But then... the whole Initiative was all a Cerberus social experiment, wasn't it? Despite their supposed desire for humanity to reign supreme, chaos and murder was to be expected.
Actually -- we'll never know! Because the game will never be finished! :D
Anyway. I haven't finished this playthrough yet, I'm at about 35 hours in which, if I recall correctly, is about the halfway point. I'm fairly certain my first playthrough was about 80 hours but I'm an obsessive explorationist, completionist, multiplayerist, etc. I like to do everythinnngggggg.
Even if there is no point since it's not like I'll be importing anything into an Andromeda #2. ;)
But I'm enjoying my time playing the game, and after I perform my Obsessive Completionist Duties, I'll probably do another Mass Effect 1, 2, and 3 playthrough. And pull my hair out the entire #1 experience because the Mako is nothing compared to the Nomad.
Did I mention in the aforementioned list of complaints that people also complained about the Nomad? Something tells me they never played Mass Effect #1 and experienced that awful, awful Mako maneuverability and dull, dull planet "exploration". Good grief, people!
On that note, I'm going to post this giant complaint about other people's complaints and keep enjoying my game.
And recommend that you try the game too.
And if you disliked it the first time around because of something petty, perhaps try again with an open mind. :)
I am Australian, therefore, according to the rest of the world, I'm a racist, a bigot, and very politically incorrect. It's probably true. Doubly so because I'm not a hipster from Melbourne. I can deal with the minor PC element in this game; surely you can too.
Reyes, suave cliche Latino man my silly Ryder is romancing, is calling for my return. Thanks for reading! Cheers!
, from the game: Mass Effect Andromeda