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[Spooky Scary Skeleton]

So this is spin-off sequel to ME2 Shepard's story and prequel to ME3 at the same time, taking place between both games?

 

[JeffZero]

So this is another sequel to ME2 and prequel to ME3 at the same time, taking place between both games?

It takes place 600 years later, but stars a cast who is by and large from the timeframe of ME2 or so.

 

[kurahador]

Loving all that I've read, but good god that trailer is freaking terrible.

 

[Melchiah]

Inspiration
-The (much improved) Mako of ME1, the loyalty missions of ME2, the multiplayer of ME3

Sounds good, when it comes to the last two, but I'd be more thrilled to hear ME1's story and atmosphere were an inspiration, instead of the Mako.

Combat
-Goal is to allow players to try different approaches to combat without being locked in at the start
-There is a narrative reason that allows you to reconfigure your points throughout the game so that you can try out multiple gameplay approaches without making multiple characters

The Tempest (Your Ship)
-There are no loading screens as you move through the ship
-Galaxy map returns but rather than piloting a mini ship on a map, it is more immersive, you select a planet, the game gives you sense of traveling towards that planet, and when you back out, you're immediately at your destination
-They wanted a seamless experience from picking a planet to walking down to your cargo hold, hopping into the Nomad and landing on a planet. There is a landing sequence and you get off the ship. No more loading screens and instantly popping up on the surface of a planet.

Relationships/Characters
-Loyalty missions return but they are not critical to the ending of the game; you can complete them after you complete the main story path for example

Multiplayer
-More evolved and refined form of ME3
-There are microtransactions but no real world money is required, you can unlock normally

Choices
-You can agree or disagree with someone without being punished or cornered into a paragon or renegade choice
-These don't affect you or sway a meter one way or another, rather they allow you freedom without worrying about unintended consequences
-Decisions aren't necessarily obvious "right" or "wrong", there are pros and cons to each and you'll just have to play the game the way you want

Sounds fantastic!

My only worry is, that they change the dynamic of the multiplayer, and make it something like it was in Dragon Age: Inquisition, where the maps were too large for their own good. It's better to have smaller tactical areas, than running marathons from point A to B. I'm also a bit sceptical about the modifiers, and whether they'll actually be a good addition or not. Hopefully we'll get new maps for free like before.

 

[Ivory Samoan]

This all sounds magnificent and I'm ready to go exploring - one thing, I reckon Nexus has been build with a chunk of Sovereign tech: this is my prediction.

 

[EatChildren]

EC, reading your thoughts over the years has been one of the more unique highlights of being a part of this fandom. I always enjoy your posts.

I've been writing articles all day and my brain is suitably fried so I can't say much else right now but I look forward to discussing the finer points of this game with you and other friendly folks in the coming months. I'm going to pick me up a copy of this magazine, tomorrow, myself.

It'll be the best of time, and the worst of times.

Are you getting a collector edition, the one with the mako?

Nah. On one hand I want to buy physical. On the other hand I don't want the mako. I don't really like many big physical collectables because they'll just end up packaged away unused forever. Sometime in-between like the ME2/3 CE would be nice.

My only worry is, that they change the dynamic of the multiplayer, and make it something like it was in Dragon Age: Inquisition, where the maps were too large for their own good. It's better to have smaller tactical areas, than running marathons from point A to B. I'm also a bit sceptical about the modifiers, and whether they'll actually be a good addition or not. Hopefully we'll get new maps for free like before.

This 100%. Over complicating the multiplayer will mess it up. The elegant simplicity and accessibility of a match is exactly what made it so great. More about mastery of play than bloated game systems and stage design.

 

[redunzgofasta]

Liking all of that info, seriously hyped now.

I might be in the minority but I'm also looking forward to playing the multiplayer. I sunk a lot of hours into it in ME3.

 

[Lime]

I finished the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare campaign yesterday and I sincerely wish that Andromeda will have comparable if not better characterization than that game. Infinite Warfare's writing, voice performance and directing were really top-notch, something that I would perhaps even claim were better than anything Bioware has put out since KOTOR.

If anyone is interested in (military) sci-fi and good characters, check it out. I have an inkling that ME:A's writing won't be better than CoD in this particular case.

 

[RocknRola]

The info is cool, I'm hype. Just need me some meaty gameplay to go full day 1 hype

Meanwhile I'm starting (either today or tomorrow) my ME journey, replaying all 3 games. Haven't played ME1 in a looooooooooooong time. It's either gonna be really fun or crush my memories of it lol

 

[Dalibor68]

Since they removed the class system and renegade/paragon system, is it safe to assume there wont be dialogue skillchecks? Because that would kinda suck as well.

 

[Jb]

I finished the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare campaign yesterday and I sincerely wish that Andromeda will have comparable if not better characterization than that game. Infinite Warfare's writing, voice performance and directing were really top-notch, something that I would perhaps even claim were better than anything Bioware has put out since KOTOR.

If anyone is interested in (military) sci-fi and good characters, check it out. I have an inkling that ME:A's writing won't be better than CoD in this particular case.

I might pick it up after all. What I've seen in the trailers seemed pretty standard sci fi military stuff but the feedback on Gaf has been really positive.

 

[matrix-cat]

I don't know what to expect from the gameplay footage at TGA. The stuff at the PS4 Pro event was almost like an early proof-of-concept demo; just running through an empty environment and pressing a button at the end, with the squad members never even appearing on screen during gameplay.

I'd like to see a nice meaty demo with some moseying around on the Tempest, seamlessly landing on a planet and zooming around in the Nomad (and eventually shooting guys, I suppose), but at this point I feel like that's expecting too much from this game's marketing strategy. It'll probably just be a cover-based shooting arena with the word 'SURVIVE' blazing in the middle of the screen

 

[Melchiah]

Nah. On one hand I want to buy physical. On the other hand I don't want the mako. I don't really like many big physical collectables because they'll just end up packaged away unused forever. Sometime in-between like the ME2/3 CE would be nice.

This 100%. Over complicating the multiplayer will mess it up. The elegant simplicity and accessibility of a match is exactly what made it so great. More about mastery of play than bloated game systems and stage design.

I'm thinking about buying this one digitally, like I did with Destiny and Driveclub. It's just more convenient, if I'm going to play the multiplayer for a long time. Hopefully there'll be a digital version, which comes with the soundtrack.

Agreed. Fingers crossed, that they won't screw up with what made it so good and addicting.

 

[lucebuce12]

I'm thinking about buying this one digitally, like I did with Destiny and Driveclub. It's just more convenient, if I'm going to play the multiplayer for a long time. Hopefully there'll be a digital version, which comes with the soundtrack.

Agreed. Fingers crossed, that they won't screw up with what made it so good and addicting.

The ps4 versions are already up on the US store and available for pre-order.

 

[EatChildren]

 

[Melchiah]

The ps4 versions are already up on the US store and available for pre-order.

Oh, so those three versions are available digitally as well. I'll have to see what the deluxe version costs, when it becomes available in the EU store.

 

[RocknRola]

Hero Poses: THE GAME.

 

[Drillary Clinton]

Damn this game is already sounding awesome. Love that witcher 3 influence in that moral choices are ambiguous as hell. Much more realistic

 

[Lime]

The game's visual marketing is so limited, uncreative and also weirdly irrepresentative of the game we've seen and heard about so far

 

[Ivory Samoan]

I finished the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare campaign yesterday and I sincerely wish that Andromeda will have comparable if not better characterization than that game. Infinite Warfare's writing, voice performance and directing were really top-notch, something that I would perhaps even claim were better than anything Bioware has put out since KOTOR.

If anyone is interested in (military) sci-fi and good characters, check it out. I have an inkling that ME:A's writing won't be better than CoD in this particular case.

Nice: good recommendation Lime: going to get this round Xmas time, TF2 owns my heart for now in the FPS space: have you tried that campaign? It's really bloody good! Very Firefly-esque in parts with the militia lore and such: highly recommended for a fellow Spectre.

 

[Akhe]

Day one son!

 

[Slackbladder]

This game is going to cost me a lot of money and....I don't mind. Normally I'd shy away from expensive Digital Deluxe's and Collector Editions but I can make an exception here. Add to that the almost certainty I'll be double dipping - one on PC (DD) and one on PS4Pro (CE) mainly to have multiplayer with mates. So the cost? £150 in total maybe? Fuck me that's a lot. But then I'm going to play the shit out of it and so far everything I've read is a positive. Can't wait.

 

[EatChildren]

The game's visual marketing is so limited, uncreative and also weirdly irrepresentative of the game we've seen and heard about so far

It's an incoherent, unfocused mess.

 

[kurahador]

It's an incoherent, unfocused mess.

EA Marketing™.

 

[Ivory Samoan]

It's an incoherent, unfocused mess.

Sparse smears of paint on an unwashed canvas you could say.

I like what the artist is trying to communicate (since I've seen their previous work), but their brushwork is unrefined, untidy and lacks a little finesse.

 

[Wind's Howling]

Sparse smears of paint on an unwashed canvas you could say.

I like what the artist is trying to communicate (since I've seen their previous work), but their brushwork is unrefined, untidy and lacks a little finesse.

You really think the masses care?

 

[SargerusBR]

Hello my new wallpaper

 

[Ivory Samoan]

You really think the masses care?

Not at all, and for the record I'm full steam ahead with Andromeda as a gamer: can't wait!

As a person who works in advertising though, it's hard to not notice a mystery cloaked in an enigma cloaked in a mess of an advertising/PR campaign.

Hello my new wallpaper

It makes amazing wallpaper: Geralt has been relegated back to the archives, enjoy wallpaper retirement, my friend.

 

[Dmax3901]

Yeah I think a large part of why I don't like this trailer is because at this point we need a nice, chunky gameplay demo. The game has been on the way for far too long to get a trailer like this. Hopefully the game awards will deliver.

 

[Nostremitus]

Can't wait to bash some heads with my warhammer in a Mass Effect game...

 

[Renae]

Just don't get delayed.

 

[GasProblem]

Vanguard with a warhammer here we go.

 

[Fruitster]

The game's visual marketing is so limited, uncreative and also weirdly irrepresentative of the game we've seen and heard about so far

Yeah it's very strange. It's all a bit scattergun, small pieces of information on different aspects of the game but there's nothing seen so far that really shows anything in any real detail. The best thing so far has been the info from Gameinformer.

I'm finding it hard to be really enthused by the trailers especially because of how 'yay humanity' they are. Human's are the dullest thing in Mass Effect imo. The trilogy was of course focused on humanity and it's impact on the galaxy, but that was always tempered by the other alien cultures, characters, worlds and stories that played out through the games. Having seen so little of that so far, it's left me a little underwhelmed.

 

[BrettHeazy]

so amongst everything yesterday, was there any new gameplay?

 

[Cpt.Underpants]

so amongst everything yesterday, was there any new gameplay?

Just snippets from the trailer, but thats about it

 

[Prototype]

Powers are instead hotkeyed for quick use, no longer pausing to bring up a wheel

Lame. That's like a complete loss of tactical playability right there.

Feels like a further simplification of the combat system.

Don't like the sound of this at all.

Same thing popped out to me.
There goes tactical play.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

The asari sounds like Sera from DAI, shit. Other than that it sounds cool

 

[kurahador]

The asari sounds like Sera from DAI, shit. Other than that it sounds cool

Oh god no.

 

[Steve.1981]

Looking at all the information and hints we've been given so far, most of it sounds good but some of it sounds bad to me. For example, if it's truly gone, I'll definitely miss the Paragon/Renegade system.

It's almost guaranteed that I'm buying Andromeda day one but I can't lie, I will miss my 2 characters; the goodie two-shoes and the sarcastic dick. I know it was quite a daft, simplistic system, but I had so much fun with it.

 

[valkyre]

I am loving most of what I am hearing but I am a bit worried as well.

I kinda get the feeling that Andromeda will be mostly barren in terms of actual civilisation. We know that there is one species that pretty much owns the place, we know that most planets have outposts and enemy fortresses. I dont know, it makes me feel as if most races in Andromeda are underdeveloped, no cities etc etc.

Sure planet concept arts as well as footage look like they have a ton of variation and great locations. But I want to feel like there is more than lush forrests, mountains, deserts etc

Part of what made me love ME was that it featured some unbelievably well designed locations even if you werent allowed to explore them, like Ilium for example. Hope that Andromeda has something like this and I dont end up going from outpost to outpost to enemy fort etc.

 

[Tigersprite]

I'm hopeful, but I'm still hoping this isn't DAI in space. Peebee sounds suspiciously like Sera.

Anyway, sadly relevant to UK folks - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...llectors-edition-includes-remote-control-mako.

Looks like the collector's edition with remote-controlled mako/Nomad is £280 over here AND exclusive to Game.

 

[martino]

 

[Mœbius]

Huge ME fan but this really sounds less and less like an extension of the original RPG concept from ME1 and more like an identikit third-person action / shooter. I suppose it's inevitable given the trajectory of the series and if they want to appeal to a broader audience, but it's nonetheless sad to me.

I'm sure I'll still enjoy the visuals and setting enough; but I imagine the gameplay will be forgettable once I've gone through it (hopefully I'm wrong).

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Super excited.

 

[valkyre]

Huge ME fan but this really sounds less and less like an extension of the original RPG concept from ME1 and more like an identikit third-person action / shooter. I suppose it's inevitable given the trajectory of the series and if they want to appeal to a broader audience, but it's nonetheless sad to me.

I'm sure I'll still enjoy the visuals and setting enough; but I imagine the gameplay will be forgettable once I've gone through it (hopefully I'm wrong).

With all due respect, I wish people stopped mentioning ME1 as if it was the perfect Sci Fi RPG.

ME1 played like absolute crap. Just because you were getting a shit ton of skill points and the skill tree was looking huge, that did not mean much, when each skill point was improving your character like 0.3% . You were leveling and you never felt that your character was actually getting stronger.

Also the combat was pretty hideous... the controls a mess, taking cover almost never worked, your character felt stiffer than a broomstick, weapons felt like water pistols and dont get me started on the Makko or the barren planets... seriously if it wasnt for the story this game would have been almost impossible to play for me.

ME2 was a huge improvement in every way. Sure skill trees became overly short but at least each time you leveled you actually felt stronger and more powerful.

The combat becoming more action oriented with better mechanics is the best thing to ever happen to ME1 and I am glad Bioware completely ignores suggestions of returning back to that mess ME1 combat was.

 

[xealo]

With all due respect, I wish people stopped mentioning ME1 as if it was the perfect Sci Fi RPG.

ME1 played like absolute crap. Just because you were getting a shit ton of skill points and the skill tree was looking huge, that did not mean much, when each skill point was improving your character like 0.3% . You were leveling and you never felt that your character was actually getting stronger.

Also the combat was pretty hideous... the controls a mess, taking cover almost never worked, your character felt stiffer than a broomstick, weapons felt like water pistols and dont get me started on the Makko or the barren planets... seriously if it wasnt for the story this game would have been almost impossible to play for me.

ME2 was a huge improvement in every way. Sure skill trees became overly short but at least each time you leveled you actually felt stronger and more powerful.

The combat becoming more action oriented with better mechanics is the best thing to ever happen to ME1 and I am glad Bioware completely ignores suggestions of returning back to that mess ME1 combat was.

ME1 also had some pretty significant balance issues compared to its sequels, especially so for players who actually understood what was important to go for. The cooldown on a fully maxed out immunity wasn't nearly as long as it should have been with how powerful that ability made Shepard.

 

[StereoVsn]

So combat sounds like it's going even further into pure shooter territory with hot keys and loss of command menu pause.

Then you have his shit again: "Playing MP will have advantages for the single player but it absolutely does not affect the ending of the game". Why developers? Why is there a need to do this bs SP bonuses from MP?

 

[RenegadeXV8]

Powers are instead hotkeyed for quick use, no longer pausing to bring up a wheel






Same thing popped out to me.
There goes tactical play.

So combat sounds like it's going even further into pure shooter territory with hot keys and loss of command menu pause.

Then you have his shit again: "Playing MP will have advantages for the single player but it absolutely does not affect the ending of the game". Why developers? Why is there a need to do this bs SP bonuses from MP?

Am I missing something with these complaints?

On PC, you've always been able to hotkey biotic powers.

 

[StereoVsn]

Am I missing something with these complaints?

On PC, you've always been able to hotkey biotic powers.

Sounds like the only options are hot keys. In order to do that for consoles and PCs they are most likely streamlining combat options further. This is what's concerning.

 

[Staf]

So combat sounds like it's going even further into pure shooter territory with hot keys and loss of command menu pause.

Then you have his shit again: "Playing MP will have advantages for the single player but it absolutely does not affect the ending of the game". Why developers? Why is there a need to do this bs SP bonuses from MP?

Because they can have microtransactions in the MP without raising a shitstorm. By funneling people from SP to MP they increase the likelihood for more $$$. It's not rocket science.

Edit: I'm not blaming them or anything. Since i would have done the same thing if i worked there.