10 Video Game Sequels That Made You Play The Original Again
2. Mass Effect: Andromeda
Following up the hugely acclaimed original Mass Effect trilogy - even accepting the threequel's late-game stumbles - was never going to be an easy feat for BioWare, but with Mass Effect: Andromeda, they fumbled the ball big time.
Though certainly not a terrible game, it is a strangely pedestrian outing for a studio of such high pedigree.
Even if you can forgive the utterly shambolic, hilariously wonky facial animations at launch - which prompted BioWare to abandon that animation tech altogether - the world feels less alive and interesting than its predecessors, and the story indulges in far too many moldy sci-fi tropes.
Is calling Andromeda the "straight-to-video" Mass Effect a bit mean? Perhaps, but aside from the nuanced combat, it feels like a sizable comedown from its predecessors in almost every way.
When it was all over, whether you actually finished Andromeda's story or just gave up, the only sane choice was going back to the original trilogy and immersing yourself in it like a hot, welcoming bath after a tough week at the office.