Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect: Andromeda is an action-RPG game in the Mass Effect series, developed by BioWare.

The game was announced on June 15, 2015 at E3. Like Dragon Age: Inquisition, Mass Effect: Andromeda uses the Frostbite 3 engine. At E3 2015 the official release date of the game was announced - winter 2016, later it was postponed to early 2017.

Description

Mass Effect: Andromeda is not part of the trilogy about Shepard(s) and his associates. According to the plot, in the year 2185, but after the events of Mass Effect 2, a joint mission of different races of the Milky Way is sent to the Andromeda galaxy in order to explore and colonize new worlds. Huge ark ships arrive at the site 600 years later - that's when the events of the game unfold.

You'll only be able to play as a human (male or female) named Ryder; the game will also feature six partners - as before, you can take any two with you on missions. Armor will be equipped with a jetpack to facilitate the exploration of planets, and instrumentetron will have more functionality. The loyalty system from Mass Effect 2 will return - helping the team members, you will gain their loyalty, and they will have more trust in you and your team.

The emphasis in the game is made on the exploration of unexplored corners of the Cluster of Eleia - a cluster in the Andromeda galaxy, where the arks arrive. In addition to the return of the Mako counterpart, the ND1 rover Nomad, players can expect at least two new races and an expanded multiplayer mode.

There will be no mass-translators in the game - the ships will be equipped with an improved SSD.

Key Features

Become the Pioneer. Make your way in a dangerous new galaxy. Unlock the secrets of the Andromeda galaxy as you explore alien worlds in search of a new home for humanity.

Return to the beloved Mass Effect universe. Lead the search for a new home for the first humans in Andromeda. In the new chapter of Mass Effect meet and recruit new and interesting characters who find themselves in the middle of a space saga filled with mystery and galactic conflict.

Fight like never before. New features: destructible environments, jump boosters, and the latest weapons and biotics will make combat more exciting than ever.

Find your way. Create a formidable hero with amazing weapons, skills, and technology. An even more flexible skill and weapon tree. You can replicate your playstyle and become a formidable opponent for the strongest alien enemies.

Join APEX. In Mass Effect: Andromeda's cooperative play mode, you'll take part in four-player cooperative battles with different classes. Play together with three friends to repel enemy attacks and protect the interests of the Andromeda Initiative.

Storyline

"The year is 2185, and with it humanity has entered a golden age of interstellar travel. With the discovery of ancient ruins on Mars, our knowledge of science and technology has propelled us thousands of years forward. Many rejoiced at their newfound freedom and began to explore the Milky Way, but there were also those who set their eyes on even more distant stars."

"For hundreds of thousands of adventurers on a one-way journey, the future begins here."

What's new in the game

Races

The Kett are an aggressive, highly advanced civilization whose homeland is outside the Elya Cluster.

Remnant - high-tech machines guarding the Jardaan heritage.

Angara is an advanced civilization of the Elya cluster.

Jardaan - a super-advanced extinct civilization which created relics.

Technique

Tempest - player's spaceship that can be upgraded with new equipment, technology or decorations.

Nomad ND1 - ground transport of the player, it also can be upgraded: install gas pedal, sensors, shield generators and more.

Ark - huge spaceships built as part of the Andromeda Initiative project.

Nexus - the mothership of the project.

Hyperion - the human ark.

Paarchero - the Salarian ark.

Natanus - the ark of the Turians.

Leusinia - the ark of the Azari.

Characters

Squad

Raiders - the protagonists, a brother and sister;

Cora Harper - biotics specialist, trained by the Azari troopers;

Nakmor Drak - a crogan veteran with thousands of years of experience behind him

Pelessaria B'Sale - Azari scientist from the Nexus, freelance shooter and loner;

Liam Costa - former police officer, security specialist;

Vetra Nix - Turian smuggler;

Jaal Ama Darav - member of the Angarian resistance.

Other Characters

See Mass Effect: Andromeda characters

Alec Ryder - pioneer of Hyperion, the ark of humanity, and father of Ryder;

Callo Jeth - a Salarian, pilot of the Tempest;

Lexie T'Perrault - Azari, physician on Hyperion and then Storm;

Suvi Anwar - science officer of the Tempest;

Gil Brody - chief engineer of the "Tempest."

EMS - Hyperion AI;

Sloane Kelly - former head of Nexus security who has settled on Kadar;

Reyes Vidal - smuggler, hangar resistance liaison;

Archontus - leader of the Kettes in the Aelya cluster;

Jarun Tann - Salarian politician, director of the Initiative;

Nakmor Kesh - krogan, superintendent of the Nexus;

Foster Addison - Director of Project Colonization;

Tyran Candros - Turian, head of the project's military and Nexus security forces;

Eufra De Tershaave - head of the Angarian resistance;

Moshae Sefa - spiritual leader and scientist of the hangar;

Paaran Shieh - governor of Aya;

Kalinda T'Reeve - Peabee's ex-girlfriend, the leader of a gang of bandits.

Romantic Relationships

The game has the ability to develop romantic relationships with other characters if certain conditions are met. Relationships can be either only light, not implying serious development beyond flirting in the dialogue, or serious, gradually growing from a light flirtation in a loving relationship. The developers tried to bring realism, so at the same time you can build a serious relationship only with one character - after a certain stage in the relationship to build them with other characters is no longer possible. The gender of the protagonist also influences the preferences of the allies with whom you can have a relationship - if the gender of the protagonist and the orientation of the character do not match, you can only have a friendship with them. To build a relationship, the protagonist needs to talk to the character regularly, choosing appropriate lines in dialogues, and often perform special loyalty missions.

"*" - Azari is a monogender race, whose members have female sexual characteristics.

The peak of the development of a romantic relationship is a romantic scene with a character. It can take place either aboard the Tempest or elsewhere, depending on the character.

The candor of the romantic scenes with different characters also varies. For example, at the climax of the relationship with Vetra, the screen just shades out. With Suvi, the camera pulls away to the side. With the other characters, the scenes don't even go beyond kissing and hugging. The most explicit sex scenes received a relationship with Peebee, Cora and Jaal. However, a number of questions arose about same-sex relationships; the game has 2 gay characters who may impose themselves on the hero, even if he is not interested in a relationship, which irritated many players. On the other hand, LGBT people were outraged and noticed that gay characters have stereotypical behaviour and that romance with them develops much faster than with heterosexual partners. It was also noticed that the female Ryder has many more same-sex partners than the male Ryder, who has only two characters available for romance and none of them are members of the team. In addition, it was generally observed that the developers paid ample attention to heterosexual relationships with the male hero, but at the same time neglected the female hero. Thus, the same-sex female relationships are noticeably better developed and more diverse than the heterosexual ones, with female players interested in watching lesbian romance scenes clearly in the minority.

Patricia Hernandez of Kotaku noted that the romance possibilities in the game are markedly different from those in the original trilogy, where the player first had to get to know the character well and help him in his mission. In Andormeda, you can start flirting with the characters as soon as you get to know them. On the one hand, the game shows more explicit sexual scenes and better satisfies players' sexual fantasies, but on the other hand it lacks romantic depth.