The official "Where we review Mass Effect: Andromeda" thread *spoilers*

[CT Phipps]

What the title says.

Spoilers, of course.

This is where we talk about the game and our impressions of it so far.

Or when we're finished.

So, what does C.T. Phipps think so far?

Having played the game for a couple of hours? My answer is "Yeah, this is a Mass Effect game." It definitely feels like a ME game and plays like one. Unfortunately, that's pretty much everything I have to say to say about the game so far. The enemies look like the Collectors, the Archon feels like Saren, Cora feels a lot like Ashley (not a bad thing), Liam feels like--well, a generic space marine, and it's all up to you as the Messiah to solve everything.

This isn't really adding much to the franchise.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I'm going to say this isn't a game which is embarrassing itself.

It feels oddly like a Assassins Creed game in that I'm playing this to get exactly what I expected.

It's also going a long way to making things up for ME3.

Just....not exactly by touchdowns.

Also, a lot of this feels like Halo: Guardians (without the suck) when not feeling like Borderlands in terms of design.

The designs for the face feel inferior to current generation hardware.

I like the cast so far but I'm not exactly blown away either. This feels very similar to ME 1 versus ME2 and the crew more generic.

We're very much in a "safe" sort of game zone territory.

 

[TorontoReign]

To me it looks like they put their B team on the game and EA sucks the life out of any company it acquires, so it appears to be a somewhat average entry in the series, but nothing on the scale of Bethesda betrayal if that makes sense.

 

[Risewild]

To me, it sounds like they are milking the IP as much as they can by having (like Toront says) their B team making it.
I am not really a fan of Mass Effect games although I played and beat the first two (never played the 3rd one because I didn't have a computer to run it), but I am entertained by the stuff making fun of this game. Some really funny stuff there.

I can't comment on how good the actual game is because I didn't played it, but I hope people who spent money on it enjoy playing it.

 

[CT Phipps]

My thoughts on Mass Effect: Andromeda after five or six hours - SPOILERS

* This really does feel like an updated version of Mass Effect 1 versus ME2 or ME3.
* Clancy Brown was wasted as daddy Ryder/Obi-Wan Kenobi.
* We're going to investigate a bunch of alien vaults of technology guarded by robots. Is this Mass Effect, Borderlands, or Halo: Guardians?
* The Kett really come off as Collectors-light.
* As much of a racist prick Tann is, he has my back versus the Colonial Administrator.
* I really miss renegade interrupts. Mostly for punching said Colonial Administrator.
* I miss Paragon and Renegade in general. So far, it just seems "Gung Ho" or "Nervous" are your two choices.
* I feel like I should be able to take Liam or consult with him about the murder investigation. Also, the murder investigation kind of needs a third option for its ending.
* I can't help but think the fact we don't know about the Milky Way's fate looms over this game. There's no reason this couldn't have been a sequel to ME3 with a canon Destroy or Control ending.
* Cora and Liam are blandly likable, which is better than being bad but nothing really jumps out from any of the party this time around.
* On a strictly chauvinist level, not a big fan of Cora's face design but nice body. Her history, however, seems to be "Human girl who really really loves being trained by the elves and has become totally elf-like even though elves find her embarrassing."
* Drack really feels like Wrex 2.0.
* I really like Doctor Suvi and wish she was part of my crew. It feels like they split Ashley and Liara in half then combined the pieces to make Suvi and Cora.
* Getting Natalie Dormer on your game and making her not romanceable is a terrible tease, Bioware.
* While that's not what they wanted, I really think this game would benefit from some imperialism and colonialism jokes, even if there's just a disgruntled Krogan who wanted to come to this galaxy to conquer natives and steal their stuff.
* Speaking of which, the galaxy being mostly uninhabited without a whole new host of aliens to meet and greet is a waste.
* The thing I'm calling the Mako is awesome and I'm glad it's back.
* The game feels enjoyable so far but is so far not really wowing me either. It reminds me why I like Mass Effect but not really wowing me like ME1.
* The mapping in this game is terrible as well as direction to new objects.
* I really am getting a lot of Borderlands flashback with the Pandoran...err Remnant ruins.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

Mass Defect: Adromeda.

A game stupidly inferior to its predecessors, yet somehow reviewers give it 8 out of 10.

And people wonder why I rant that all game reviewers are raging bribed cunts.

 

[0wing]

To me it looks like they put their B team on the game and EA sucks the life out of any company it acquires, so it appears to be a somewhat average entry in the series, but nothing on the scale of Bethesda betrayal if that makes sense.

It's true. Bioware themselves are busy with something "completely new", whatever would that mean.

 

[CT Phipps]

Mass Defect: Adromeda.

A game stupidly inferior to its predecessors, yet somehow reviewers give it 8 out of 10.

And people wonder why I rant that all game reviewers are raging bribed cunts.

I'd argue eight out of ten is very fair.

It's not bad and it's really fun in most respects except the shitty facial graphics.

Every companion is blandly pleasant.

Nothing inoffensive but nothing great either. Almost all good, though.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

I'd argue eight out of ten is very fair.

It's not bad and it's really fun in most respects except the shitty facial graphics.

Every companion is blandly pleasant.

Nothing inoffensive but nothing great either. Almost all good, though.

8/10 is a bloody high score dude.

ME:A is lesser of a game than ME1-2-3, and they got that score.

5/10 most.

Which is where user scores are rating in at.

 

[CT Phipps]

8/10 is a bloody high score dude.

ME:A is lesser of a game than ME1-2-3, and they got that score.

5/10 most.

Which is where user scores are rating in at.

I consider ME 1 a 9/10 as it was a game changer for sci-fi gaming.

ME2 was a 10 out of 10, almost perfect RPG.

ME3 maybe...3/10?

So, 7-8 seems fair.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

I consider ME 1 a 9/10 as it was a game changer for sci-fi gaming.

ME2 was a 10 out of 10, almost perfect RPG.

ME3 maybe...3/10?

So, 7-8 seems fair.

ME...

Perfect RPG?

Please don't make me laugh! Its too late, I should be relaxing.

ME3 was a piece of shit, but ME1-2 weren't fucking platinum grade games, at best they are simply 'rather good'.

ME:A is basically ME: Fanfic SJW edition with Shrek Asari.

 

[Jogre]

ME:A is basically ME: Fanfic SJW edition with Shrek Asari.

What makes ME:A "SJW" just out of curiosity?, from what I've seen most of its flaws come from facial animation, bland writing and low budget.

I've seen lots of people yelling "SJW!!!!!!", but not really going in to any detail why they think that about it.

I consider ME 1 a 9/10 as it was a game changer for sci-fi gaming.

ME2 was a 10 out of 10, almost perfect RPG.

ME3 maybe...3/10?

So, 7-8 seems fair.

I'd say your a bit generous in your rating to be honest.

ME1 and 2 each had there own set of flaws, so don't really deserve 9s and 10s.

Also, if ME:A was bland and didn't have much going for it, I don't see why it should get above a 5. Games above a 5 have to at least provide some kind of unique experience IMO.

 

[ThatZenoGuy]

What makes ME:A "SJW" just out of curiosity?, from what I've seen most of its flaws come from facial animation, bland writing and low budget.

I've seen lots of people yelling "SJW!!!!!!", but not really going in to any detail why they think that about it.

SJW comes from the devs who made it, who are SJW sorts ("Fuck white people", etc).

Also from all the chicks being ugly as fuck, and all the guys being manlets (I hate that term, as a shortish guy. DX) in proportion for some reason.

In general, a lot of pandering no one asked for.

There's a character who's literal first words is basically "I'm trans, okay? I'm trans...TRANSSSSSSSSSSSS UNDERSTAND!?".

 

[Deleted member 93956]

I consider ME 1 a 9/10 as it was a game changer for sci-fi gaming.

ME2 was a 10 out of 10, almost perfect RPG.

Uh... You can like them as much as you want, but PERFECT is a strong word. Not addressing the 8-10/10, that's a lost cause

 

[Jogre]

Also from all the chicks being ugly as fuck, and all the guys being manlets (I hate that term, as a shortish guy. DX) in proportion for some reason.

I think that's just a facial animation problem, rather than an intentional choice.

There's a character who's literal first words is basically "I'm trans, okay? I'm trans...TRANSSSSSSSSSSSS UNDERSTAND!?".

That part was actually criticised heavily by the Trans community for being an unrealistic representation of a trans person.

 

[BigGuyCIA]

What makes ME:A "SJW" just out of curiosity?, from what I've seen most of its flaws come from facial animation, bland writing and low budget.

Cora started a conversation with Peebee while I was mining in the NOMAD on Vhoel. It was something along the lines of cultural appropriation because Cora (human) was part of an Asari Commando unit, and Peebee found it funny that Cora cared so much for the Asari Ark you were searching for (as part of Cora's companion quest). Cora then felt the need to say "look it's not cause I'm stealing your culture or anything."

I don't get why the writer felt it was important to entertain such a stupid line of thought to begin with.

 

[Millim]

Even if it is SJW the game, it really shouldn't be as much of a problem as long as it's written well.

I wouldn't call (some) of the devs SJW as they come across as being stark asswholes. The ideology of the more left wing group doesn't fit in well with the more 'angrier' type. Even then, most of them had very little say in what went on (besides maybe one writer who had a legit complaint about a mad, but went about with it in completely the wrong way).

I find the whole SJW argument kind of meaningless. Are you complaining about more representation of other groups or are you complaining with how it's written?

If it's the writing, you've made legit complaints that even the community doesn't like.

The major issue I see is that people group the kind of bad writing for other groups with SJW and I see these two things as completely different.
It is possible to fuck up representations, just as its easy to fuck up female representations

I feel there are legit problems with the game, as someone who gave a crap about the franchise, I'm very disappointed with seeing how this game turned out.

I hate to see us go back to 'an ancient threat' and I hope future games stay away from this kind of story.
Maybe I should read the expanded universe for it, maybe the books are better.

If I had to rate the original trilogy, they would probably average around a 7-7.5.
(I mean, even New Vegas would be about a 7.5 and that's one of my all time favourite games).

This looks like a 5, maybe a 6 at most.
I probably will play it at some point and make up my own mind.

 

[CT Phipps]

The Social Justice Warrior complaint is basically a meaningless one when applied to video game developers as well, as well as a sign of the bias of the reader. What, exactly, is the SJW element of the group? There's gay romance options? There's a pretty diverse cast of characters? It's a pretty weak ass accusation, which is something that I have always noted. It's why I encourage people like myself to use the handle ironically because if it's an insult for liking diversity in your fiction then that's not an insult.

I think the only time a character's orientation ever came up in game as an issue was Dorian and that was kind of eye-rolling (because it's another world so why would bias against homosexuals even exist?) but he was otherwise a great character.

As for ME2, it's an awesome game, at least for its fans.

40+ hours of pure joy for me.

So, yeah, I think an 8 out of 10 is pretty fair.

 

[Millim]

ME2 is by far my favorite in the series (it's about an 8 for me).

I'm currently playing through it again, even through I realise there's a tonne of issues I have with it.

 

[Deleted member 93956]

Hmmm... Can I 10/10 every Souls game, then? Okay, DS3 gets... 9,9/10

 

[BigGuyCIA]

The Social Justice Warrior complaint is basically a meaningless one when applied to video game developers as well, as well as a sign of the bias of the reader. What, exactly, is the SJW element of the group? There's gay romance options? There's a pretty diverse cast of characters? It's a pretty weak ass accusation, which is something that I have always noted. It's why I encourage people like myself to use the handle ironically because if it's an insult for liking diversity in your fiction then that's not an insult.

I think the only time a character's orientation ever came up in game as an issue was Dorian and that was kind of eye-rolling (because it's another world so why would bias against homosexuals even exist?) but he was otherwise a great character.

As for ME2, it's an awesome game, at least for its fans.

40+ hours of pure joy for me.

So, yeah, I think an 8 out of 10 is pretty fair.

Do you have a specific scale/metric that you use when rating games?