The Mass Effect Andromeda Positivity Thread

Positive?

Fiend was the best character in the game. If a sequel is released, Fiend should be a squadmate.

The everyday snowflakes thread.

What did shadow enjoy:

•right off the bat it's the frostbite 3 engine, the thing is a BEAST on graphics and the environments look awesome because if it. Since it has to do with graphics anyways I'll put the art style staying largely intact as well, it keeps the franchise consistent on its looks where as others try changing to much when upgrading engines.

•fresh start/new galaxy concept. I don't care what galaxy we're in honestly but the idea of traversing and exploring new galaxies was a big intriguing idea to me.

•loot system. It's better than what ME2+3 did where you could just find *insert gun name* sitting vs the couch or wall, even better they have rarities to them and are options to find if you don't want to waste resources into researching it and development.

•not a gears of war corridor shooter like ME2+3, I couldn't stand them doing that and was quite happy to see them open the worlds up more, it helps bring back some of that ME1 feel.

•Drack, pretty much the only character I liked and thought was any good. The dude has badass written all over him plus he's a softy deep down inside when it comes to family and close friends. He's really the only krogan that I thought was even worth being called a krogan in the game 😁

•The first remnant vault. It was a neat idea, cool to explore and actually time consuming, wished the rest could've been more like the first. Plus when I saw the map of all the other vaults I legit thought I'd get to go to everyone of them which would've been AWESOME, take that first experience times 30+.

Oh hur dur hur durr. Nobody made you open the thread assclown.

I think I want to start a full run of ME story, from ME1 to MEA on N7. I am wondering if anyone is interested in doing this as well and have a thread in Spoilers. Sort of like a "Collective Reread"?

Anyways I was going to make this post a thread for a sequel for Andromeda, and since it seems we are not getting a sequel to Andromeda, well I think its still worth saying. So, essentially, there were five things I was hoping BioWare would take from Andromeda, and put in a sequel, but now I am hoping they put this in for DA 4...and beyond.

1. Themeatic store design.

I've made reference to this before, but have since refined my opinion on this issue.

The point of the game wasn't wrapped up in the plot like in previous games (ME 3, ME 2), but in its theme. The main plot was not the main thing in the game, but the main plot of the game serviced what the Pathfinder was working towards. Mainly defeating the Archon, and making Heleus livable for humanity. And, much of the game was dealt with this whole theme. Many of the side quests, and the main plot, neccessarily flowed from there. And everything that didn't was either a planetary side mission, or was obviously being tied in for a sequel, expanion, or DLC. *cough*.

Anyways even many of the planerary side missions followed this design and concept. It made the whole game almost feel Dragon Age Origin esque. Voeld was the 'war' planet, Havarl the exploration planet, and Kadara was the outlaw planet with strange experiments and internal struggles. Thus, each planet had their own story arc which ultimatley fed back into the main themes of the game. This, was actually quite brilliant and I hope all games learn how to do this kind of thing in the future, especially BioWare ones.

2. Side Missions which tell a story.

In this vein many of the side missions had their own plot lines. Unlike, most games out there, and unlike the way even Witcher 3 handled its side quests, many of the side quests had their own narrative. Within each quest you had a narrative, beginning, middle, end, character motivations, etc. But some of the side missions also led to other side missions. THe arc where we find out more of the Kett and the Primus's distaste, and the arc on Kadara where we decide who will lead the Exiles.

3. Character missions as climax.

In most BioWare games the loyalty missions or companion missions were one and done things. And you learned about the characters through exposition from there on in. The two exceptions for this was Dragon Age 2...and Mass Effect Andromeda. Where you learned about the characters through multiple scenes, missions, and tasks that you did with them and for them. It was one of the two things I was hoping MEA would incorporate from the Dragon Age franchise. And again all video games going forward. But since the two games to feature these things are among BioWare's least popular, I am not hopeful.

Each of the companions had their own story arcs. Introduction, rising action (the miniture objectives you do for each one), climax (the loyalty missions), and denouncement and resolution in the form of scenes after the Loyalty mission where the character states they learn about themselves and the world around them. Yes, yes, fairly simple story telling, but something we have not seen that often in video game writing, or in BioWare writing, at east IMO.

4. The dialogue wheel.

So, could the dialogue wheel be improved? Yes. But it was very good, again I felt it was one of BioWare's best...maybe even BioWare's best. It allowed you to define your character's personality, and then there morality. But, unlike in DA I, you mainly got to define their personality rather then their morality. Most of the decisions Ryder faces aren't moral choices, but 'should I be a saracastic shit or not?' and this is exactly like real life. We rarely get to make these kinds of choices. I hope to hell BioWare gives us that kind of wheel for DA 4, with the nuance of MEAs and the range of DA 2s.

5. The profiles.

I actually really liked the profiles. Class systems are a part of a bygone age considering none of the SP RPGs released recently that I have played, FO 4, Witcher 3, and MEA, has had them. Only one is DA I, and Ie xpect that to fully change in DA 4. The ability to mix and match your powers how you chose gave you infinite tactical options and abilities that you liked to your playstyle. Being a vanguard was boring and...dangerous...to me in the trilogy. But in Andromeda the charge combined with cloaking and turbocharge turned my Ryder into a juggernaught.

And nobody made you take ridiculously obvious bait, but here we are.

Two things I very much liked about MEA were Drack and Daddy Ryder. I would have liked playing with these two and maybe Jaal as a team.

I loved the concept of the Tempest...well, and that it was called The Tempest. Also greatly enjoyed the mobility of the Nomad. I liked them because their design fit the "we're explorers" vibe at the start of the game. Which leads to the art design for the Heleus cluster, which was really well done.

Combat was great, though I miss being able to direct squadmates tactically in a fight.

Generally for me the Tempest didn't hold a candle to the Normandy, especially the SR-2 flying Cerberus colors.  However, I fucking loved the Bridge so much.  Perhaps one of my favorite bridge concepts for a science fiction franchise ever.  Though it would have been nice if Ryder got a Captain's Chair or something.  But...well I just really loved how the game actually incorporated the design of what Rear Admiral Mickoilovich was talking about in ME 1. 

He at least made an effort to talk about things he liked.