My first Mass Effect game, and still my favorite after playing the others. Putting aside the character animation (and I admit it can be distracting), it's a solid addition to the franchise, and I think it's a great introduction to the series. It has the poster-children of Mass Effect's aliens (turians and asari), all the familiar classes and powers, and some Easter eggs that are fun even for the most casual fans. The biggest advantage that Andromeda has over the trilogy is that it's much simpler and emphasizes story over gameplay, making it friendly to casual gamers and new players.
The game is also delightfully diverse in its cast both on and off-screen. LGBT characters are a natural part of the story and background, and the main cast is more colorful than the original trilogy. The voice cast is diverse, too, employing people of many races and nationalities and never apologizing for their accents--I was particularly charmed by the distinctly South African (region, not the country) accents of many of the angaran characters, and the unabashedly Pakistani accent of the head of the Andromeda Initiative (the Systems Alliance of ME:A).
I really enjoyed the story. It's one of discovery, learning, and growth, not just for Pathfinder Ryder but for many of the characters that they work with. I liked that Ryder had to adapt, learn, and prove themself to others, as opposed to Shepard who was renowned and respected from the start. The themes of family were really touching, too, and I loved the connections of friendship between the members of the main cast.
After the doom and gloom of the original Mass Effect trilogy, Andromeda is refreshing in its optimism. It's much more lighthearted, and more character-focused than the other games. There's no suicide mission and Pathfinder Ryder doesn't die at the end. It's a great choice for people who are tired of dystopian fiction and fatalistic plots in sci-fi. Sure, the game is kind of ugly, but aren't we all?
The game is also delightfully diverse in its cast both on and off-screen. LGBT characters are a natural part of the story and background, and the main cast is more colorful than the original trilogy. The voice cast is diverse, too, employing people of many races and nationalities and never apologizing for their accents--I was particularly charmed by the distinctly South African (region, not the country) accents of many of the angaran characters, and the unabashedly Pakistani accent of the head of the Andromeda Initiative (the Systems Alliance of ME:A).
I really enjoyed the story. It's one of discovery, learning, and growth, not just for Pathfinder Ryder but for many of the characters that they work with. I liked that Ryder had to adapt, learn, and prove themself to others, as opposed to Shepard who was renowned and respected from the start. The themes of family were really touching, too, and I loved the connections of friendship between the members of the main cast.
After the doom and gloom of the original Mass Effect trilogy, Andromeda is refreshing in its optimism. It's much more lighthearted, and more character-focused than the other games. There's no suicide mission and Pathfinder Ryder doesn't die at the end. It's a great choice for people who are tired of dystopian fiction and fatalistic plots in sci-fi. Sure, the game is kind of ugly, but aren't we all?