Mass Effect Andromeda Review: 3 Ups & 8 Downs

2. Ryder Being A Defined Character Fundamentally Doesn't Work

Outside of the Joss Whedon/Marvel-lite 'comedy' that pervades every conversation if you choose any of the leftmost dialogue options ('Emotional' and 'Casual'), Ryder him or herself is always played as a 'light' character, again rather like Star-Lord or every new Star Trek character minus Spock.

You could play the game choosing 'Confident' the whole time - which will give you very measured, logistical and somewhat Shepard-esque dialogue - yet in certain cutscenes and interactions, Bioware force characteristics upon you regardless. One is where the squad leave without you saying "Dismissed", resulting in an 'awkward' (because it's hilarious) scene where you then dismiss them after a pronounced pause, and another, where Ryder introduces him/herself to the SAM A.I., and notes that they "Like to keep things light", before asking the machine if it has a sense of humour.

Both continue the problem Mass Effect 3's flashbacks and genuine concern for the young child at the beginning had - which was that if you were playing Shepard in a specific way beforehand, he/she simply wouldn't of cared about one loss amidst a warzone.

In Andromeda, you can be a forthright, "Let's get this done"-type leader, but the game will occasionally knock you back to 'bumbling newcomer struggling to get things right', because that's what we've seen sell on the silver screen.