Mass Effect Andromeda CES Trailer: 10 Reasons You Should Be Worried
Why is a Mass Effect game still so shrouded in secrecy?
If there's one franchise that's tip-toeing around the public conscious, slowly approaching the window and peeking inside as if to say, "Is it okay to come back in?", it's Mass Effect.
It goes without saying that Mass Effect 3 was one of the biggest disappointments of all time; a calamitous collaboration of publisher meddling, restricted release dates and story-essential DLC resulting in the sourest of aftertastes, peeing off the fans and completely alienating the franchise in the eyes of general consumers.
Yet, the show must go on, and now five years later, EA and Bioware are taking another bite of the cherry. The only problem is, I fear the version of Mass Effect we're getting is possibly being made for the wrong reasons i.e. financial gain versus artistic or narrative necessity. And, as we can see from the horror show that is Metal Gear Survive, a 'money first, ask questions later' approach does not a good game make.
Hopefully Bioware will bring this together, but let's pick apart everything that's out there so far, especially now the game is two months away. Starting with...
--
10. It Feels Aimless
Across the last two-three years, we've seen a steep uptick in survival-based games. Or rather, games adopting mechanics from survival games to prolong replayability and longevity. Loot systems, crafting, scattered collectibles and exploration-focussed side quests are all designed to while away the hours, ensuring that through sheer time spent with a given title, you're always getting your 'money's worth'.
Now, for Andromeda, we've had it confirmed that a large portion of the game's structure is based on precisely that. You'll take your Tempest ship to all manner of planets, scan and collect tons of plants, blast creatures and engage in combat designed to let you experiment with a variety of powers and loadouts.
Thing is... that's not what Mass Effect 'is'. Or it didn't used to be, anyway.
Yes, ME2 introduced far more tactile cover-shooting, but ME3 bolstered it with generic turret sequences and stale, 'defend this point from waves of enemies' side missions.
So far - and we're just over two months away from release - all we've seen of ME:A is more of the exact same combat. Too much of the same, to be honest, and that's a real problem, considering the appeal of the franchise lies in its mythology and narrative.