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Mass Effect: Andromeda | Review Thread (READ MOD POST)
- Thread starter kubus
- Start date
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Omg. I hope all the GameStop clerks around the country at least TRY to warn people before they cash them out for this game.
breakfuss
Member
Keeps popping up but the comparisons to ME1 don't make since because it was a) a different time and b) the first of its kind. Of course if that entry was released today it wouldn't hold up to the same sort of scrutiny.
Other reviews have mentioned consequences to actions as a positive, though. It doesn't sound like there are many giant decisions like Rannoch/Tuchanka, either way, but there appears to be some reactivity at least.
Vincent Grayson
Member
I've played through the intro twice. Once as FemRyder, trying to take it seriously, read everything, make a reasonable looking character, etc. I don't know what it is, but the voice acting just does not land for me this time. I vastly prefered FemShep, but it's the other way this time.
Last night, I started over, just fucked around in the CC and made a ridiculous looking dude, and I'm having way more fun with it. The voice acting reads far better with the male PC this time, IMO.
After playing the intro twice, I'm more into the story now and eager get into the meat of the game.
edit: However, one thing this game has definitely made me feel certain about at long last - I am ready for us to move past "pick from a list of conversation tree options over and over until the exposition is done" as the primary means of interaction outside combat. I like the actual choices just fine, where different responses are produced according to your decision. But I'm tired of it being pick option 1, listen to them talk, pick option 1a, listen to further explanation. Pick option e, whoops, this is confusing because I didn't pick option d first. Pick option d, oh, okay. Exit conversation.
These never end up sounding anything like a normal conversation, and it does nothing to facilitate gameplay or interesting choices since so many of the options boil down to "get more information"/continue conversing. I want to see RPGs move more towards a better version of the Alpha Protocol conversation system, at least when it counts. Otherwise, just make it a dialogue scene and skip the obnoxious and stilted current way.
Last night, I started over, just fucked around in the CC and made a ridiculous looking dude, and I'm having way more fun with it. The voice acting reads far better with the male PC this time, IMO.
After playing the intro twice, I'm more into the story now and eager get into the meat of the game.
edit: However, one thing this game has definitely made me feel certain about at long last - I am ready for us to move past "pick from a list of conversation tree options over and over until the exposition is done" as the primary means of interaction outside combat. I like the actual choices just fine, where different responses are produced according to your decision. But I'm tired of it being pick option 1, listen to them talk, pick option 1a, listen to further explanation. Pick option e, whoops, this is confusing because I didn't pick option d first. Pick option d, oh, okay. Exit conversation.
These never end up sounding anything like a normal conversation, and it does nothing to facilitate gameplay or interesting choices since so many of the options boil down to "get more information"/continue conversing. I want to see RPGs move more towards a better version of the Alpha Protocol conversation system, at least when it counts. Otherwise, just make it a dialogue scene and skip the obnoxious and stilted current way.
RedlineRonin
Member
I'm with you. Jeff (and to a lesser extent Austin) are often my guiding lights as i usually align very closely to their views.
But as they were playing, i found myself liking more of what i saw. There are even a couple spots where Brad was like "oh, that's kind of cool. That's related to a thing i did before," so i feel like their takes might even change a bit once they play more.
Either way, I've acknowledged this isn't ME2 reborn, and I'm still excited to jump in
I honestly don't know what I was expecting with this game. I knew expecting another grand space opera would be too much for this sequel/reboot(?), but the fact they doubled down on the combat and not the story or characters is really disappointing. I wonder if a sequel to this will happen.
killatopak
Member
Busy with NieR.
I heard from GameSpot that the PC version performs better. I really don't want to use Origin, but I'd rather have a decent frame rate.
Andodalf
Banned
I've enjoyed my time with the game and look forward to it. I think the criticism about the game, especially it's animations and character models are valid, but for me, the fact that the central mystery of the story is intoxicating, and that the alien environments are beautiful make up for it. I also really like the squad so far, and the combat is legitimately strong for the first time in the franchise. The game certainly isn't perfect, and I wish they put more time into the less important characters and dialogue, but for me, this is mass effect, this is fun, and having played the trial, I think this will be a good game.
GlamFM
Banned
I don´t need any narrative to role play actually. Just a world I can do stuff in.
I guess I'll move my comments from the previous thread. Horrible outcome for one of my most cherished franchises. The team is obviously lacking in talent and skill to pull off a Mass Effect game, shame EA didn't do more to treat this with the same care BioWare did with ME1/2. The original team seem to have departed BioWare, whatever shell remains are working on something else. Got a bad feeling in my gut that the series is done (especially if they use the horrid Dragon Age team). Same type of knot in my stomach as when I lose a loved one. God dammit.
Gamespot said:
Damn, son.
It seems like ultimately the "pillar" that got the most attention was the shootbang part of the gameplay, and frankly that was never why I was into Mass Effect.
Combining all previous entries, I've played the games from start to finish a combined 20+ times. I wish I was joking, but that's how much those games were part of my yearly game rotation. I explored every character arc, romance, class and difficulty I could, so from what I've seen and read I'm finding it hard to accept that people say "75 means its just for fans". I hardly care about scores, but that is not what I'm reading in the texts, using the above as an example.
His Majesty
Banned
It is. I really hope the MC score doesn't drop below 75 and changes from green to yellow. That would severely impact my enjoyment of the game.
APZonerunner
Member
Eurogamer don't do scores, but they have badges - "Essential", "Recommended" and "Avoid". To get no badge is the definition of mediocrity basically. (For a measurement: DAI got a recommended, Zelda got an Essential)
MAX PAYMENT
Member
What do you mean?
Whoaah that fucking sucks. I liked that part in the past 3 games. Sad to see it go.
AlexFlame116
Member
Thanks guys! I wasn't sure so I wanted some clarification. But thank you for answering!
Conkerkid11
Member
The Witcher III released a lot longer than 4 months ago.
Seems very mixed. What's interesting is that some reviews says "great gameplay, shit story/writing" while other reviews are inverse of that. I'm glad to see some reviews dock the score for technical issues. It's time Bioware stopped getting away with releasing technical disasters.
Ruthless_Barbarian
Member
I watched a video review from a fellow Aussie who got the game last week.
He says you're basically forced to grind the repetitive side quests and open world bloat for skill points;
if you don't then you're not going to be able to invest in all the various profiles and be limited in your combat choices.
Crafting is tied to mining and scanning and makes it excruciatingly painful and boring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SiNjKnnhNI
He says you're basically forced to grind the repetitive side quests and open world bloat for skill points;
if you don't then you're not going to be able to invest in all the various profiles and be limited in your combat choices.
Crafting is tied to mining and scanning and makes it excruciatingly painful and boring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SiNjKnnhNI
shira
Member
Hope fading
Soul of the Beast
Member
To those who said ''oh come on, a 7 is bad now?''
7 might be alright overall, but it is incredibly bad for a Mass Effect game.
Take a look at the series' track record:
Mass Effect - Best metascore 91 on Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2 - Best metascore 94 on Xbox 360
Mass Effect 3 - Best metasocre 93 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Mass Effect Anderomeda - Best metascore 78 on PC
You'd be crazy to say that fans shouldn't be angry or disappointed about this.
Can you imagine if The Last of Us 2 got an 81 on metacritic? Surely it's not a ''bad'' score but that would be just disappointing.
7 might be alright overall, but it is incredibly bad for a Mass Effect game.
Take a look at the series' track record:
Mass Effect - Best metascore 91 on Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2 - Best metascore 94 on Xbox 360
Mass Effect 3 - Best metasocre 93 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Mass Effect Anderomeda - Best metascore 78 on PC
You'd be crazy to say that fans shouldn't be angry or disappointed about this.
Can you imagine if The Last of Us 2 got an 81 on metacritic? Surely it's not a ''bad'' score but that would be just disappointing.
No. But there's a 30 second first-person-ish travel animation that plays when you select a planet (even just to read the entries for the minor ones).
Well, that and the filler pillar. Lots of slow mining, slow scanning, slow looting, and slow crafting to drive up the clock this time around.
JetSetRadio
Banned
Shame, could have been my first ME but I'm not so sure now. Didn't have time for it right now anyway so maybe dirt cheap one day if we're not getting the trilogy remastered.
hydrophilic attack
Member
there's more to it than that
"no score" means the reviewer didn't consider it to be "essential" (like zelda) or "recommended" (like nier automata)
basically, means they think it's pretty mediocre
Audioboxer
Member
Unless you can do this it's not a 'fun game'
excuse to post those GIFs as they always make me laugh
Sad to hear about femshep VA.
brokenbeans
Banned
Not Zelda 😉
Thinking about it would be smart for him to just not review it.
Triggerhappytel
Member
It just means they don't give out scores for reviews any more.
Largely disastrous reviews for a series with a legacy like Mass Effect.
There were red flags pre-release imo with the way this game was shown.
I'll still pick it up down the line for a cheaper price because there's still nothing like ME out there.
But I'm too swamped in other games to take a plunge on something that looked rather middling before hand.
There were red flags pre-release imo with the way this game was shown.
I'll still pick it up down the line for a cheaper price because there's still nothing like ME out there.
But I'm too swamped in other games to take a plunge on something that looked rather middling before hand.
Crimson_Gold
Member
I'm saying that the recent releases have scores that make the meta for this look even worse. Witcher definitely changed expectations for the genre. Should have been more clear about which expectations I meant
Twilight Gap
Member
The Artisan
Member
i am quite surprised. i really did think it would be critically acclaimed like ME always is, but whatevs. i still think it will sell great.
AlexFlame116
Member
Oh I get it. Thanks! It makes more sense now.
Although I'm kind of upset at NieR Automata being a recommended instead of essential...
His Majesty
Banned
Unless you can do this it's not a 'fun game'
excuse to post those GIFs as they always make me laugh
Sad to hear about femshep VA.
What's Phil Jones doing in Mass Effect?
AuthenticM
Member
This is so sad. Man. What a fall this franchise suffered. Mass Effect 1 and 2 gave us two of the best games ever made. They gave us the promise of unlimited potential for great stories to be told.
Look what it has become now. It is incredibly sad.
Look what it has become now. It is incredibly sad.
Conkerkid11
Member
Nah, I know what you meant. Was just making a joke. I think everybody expected a lot more from BioWare after The Witcher III. At least most other big releases this year have lived up to or beyond expectations.
