Mass Effect: Andromeda Deluxe Edition - PlayStation 4

About 2 hours in and I like it. I docked 1 star because the graphics seem a little jittery in the cut scenes. The geometry of the people don't quite fit right. But the 4 stars are because I like the story so far, and I love Mass Effect.

If you are a fan of the original ME trilogy odds are you'll enjoy this game. That being said, it is a deeply flawed experience that leaves you scratching your head, wondering how such a reputable developer like Bioware could produce such a half-baked game. I'll start with the PROS: The combat - while at times sluggish, the combat here is the best it's ever been in the series and the ability to swap powers in-and-out on the fly is pretty awesome. You can really get creative with the mixing/matching of combat, biotic, and tech powers. This also extends to the multiplayer which is similar to ME3s (Gears Horde style gameplay where a squad defends against waves of enemies that get progressively harder). Also great is the feeling of space exploration that was magically captured in the original ME trilogy. Andromeda does not have the familiar celestial landmarks that our Milky Way galaxy did in the OT but Andromeda is still vast and fun to explore in the new space map. The CONS: the original ME trilogy put Bioware's finely polished role-playing sensibilities into a space setting with over-the-shoulder real-time shooting combat as a fun addition. Here, the combat is front and center and sadly the role-playing really does not live up to the previous game. Ryder is nowhere near as cool/fun as Shepard and the Renegade/Paragon system has been abandoned for a much less compelling emotional/logical/aggressive/empathetic response system that just doesn't leave you much room to be the badass that we all know we can be. Yes the facial animations are pretty lousy but honestly it's not that bothersome. Another flaw is the utterly convoluted inventory management system. Having just played Breath of the Wild (which manages inventory with the fluidity and grace of an iOS device) this game's inventory is like trying to manage a vast inventory system with an AS400/DOS style interface (and not in a fun/stylistically consistent way like Fallout manages to pull off). I'm exaggerating slightly there but the inventory system is completely cluttered and really could have been, and should have been much better given how long this game was in development. The supporting cast here is also very mediocre compared to the OT. Outside of the Krogan the rest of the crew is pretty bland. It really made me miss Garrus, Joker, Ashley, Wrex, the Illusive Man etc. All in all, if you were a casual fan of the OT, wait for a sale for this game. It's fun but you'll probably be disappointed if you pay full price for a game that got delayed twice and comes out feeling kind of half-assed. If you were a major fan of the series I'd say get the game, you'll enjoy it. If you aren't a fan of Bioware or over-the-shoulder shooters you can skip this.

...I am currently enjoying the heck out of it. Its more like a 4.5 for me, but due to some issues (see below), I am going to round down to a 4. Yes, there are some glitch things and such, but overall it is a game worth trying, especially if you catch it on sale. I am about half way through campaign...the story is good, but the characters aren't as memorable as past ME games. The things that the internet has been fussing over the most (facial expressions, weird character and NPC movements, etc.) didn't really take away from my experience. I only wish EA had put more polish on it...oh what could have been. A few things to note. The single player campaign is the core of the game, but there is also a multiplayer component. Every time you load the game, it connect's to EA servers and stays connected. If you lose connection to the EA servers (lose internet, servers down, doesn't reconnect when PS4 comes out of rest mode), you run the risk of trophies not popping (even once you are reconnected). Try to make sure you are always connected to EA servers if you care about trophies. Also, I have experienced a couple of freezes while playing this game on my PS4 slim. During both occasions, I had to hard reset to get going again. I am not sure how widespread this issue is, but it's something to note. Lastly, I have been seeing some lagging as I have progressed further in the game, particularly when I am driving around in the Nomad or during some conversations. It's not enough to ruin the experience, but I did take note. Again, i am not sure how widespread this is. YMMV. One final thing...I would say that the extras that come with the deluxe edition are not a big deal, so save yourself a few bucks and get the standard edition.

Putting aside the controversial and somewhat quirky character animation (as it is not just limited to facial animations), this game feels good - though it does not feel entirely like the previous Mass Effect games, and it isn't a life-changer. There is a lot to do, and much of the story is very linear. The choices you make while playing the game do not seem apparent, but they become more meaningful as time goes on and the more time you put into the story. Exploration is not nearly as rewarding as it should be, but the open exploration worlds are beautiful - the scenery and the graphics are absolutely amazing. This, coupled with a PS4 Pro, makes the visuals captivating and worth stopping just to admire the time that it took to build - it is no easy task, and I speak from experience. There are a few minor issues that are not show stoppers, such as the battle system and the wonky aiming, but all in all, this game is really pretty good. Bioware is still one of my favorite developers, regardless of what people might say about this game; it is worth playing through at least once. Even still, I cannot speak to the nature of the multiplayer experience as I do not play online multiplayer games, and local-co-op games are practically extinct nowadays. There might be an element there that interests you - especially because the multiplayer ties right into the actual campaign. It is sort of interesting the way that it was set up. Bottom line: Mass Effect Andromeda is not worth full price, but it is worth purchasing. Just wait until it's on sale :)

Overall, this is a good game. With 5 years of anticipation and hype between ME:3 and ME:A, the expectations were unreal. Yes, as a software QA engineer, I find some of the bugs are inexcusable. However, such a massive project on 3 platforms will have some issues. These are resolvable and will be soon according to BioWare. It is a huge game. Part shooter, part RPG, part open world, with civ builder elements thrown in. Much more exploration based than ME:2 and ME:3, which were set in a universe assumed to be known to the player. Like a trilogy in any media (movie, book, etc), world-building takes some time in the beginning. It's trying to accommodate ME fan-boys like me who want to dive right in as well as people new to the series. There are some great visuals while exploring planets (even if character expressions are wonky), the characters are interesting (although it takes some time), and you can see the possibilities for where sequels might go. Despite being so vast and exploration based, the pacing doesn't seem slow. Sure, there are fetch quests, and players of Dragon Age Inquisition will see some painful similarities, but there's much less story-less grinding than in DA:I. The Nomad is light-years better than the Mako from ME:1. Combat controls are excellent, and true RPG fans will love the level of detail in character abilities, gear mods, etc. No two Ryders will be the same. Currently I give it 810. After the next major patch, 8.5/10 (assuming no new issues are introduced).

There are a few things you need to know going in: - This is not a continuation of the Shephard storyline. You start out in a different galaxy, far from the Reaper threat and the characters you've grown to know and love. The Ryder twins (and your protagonist of choice) behave and control very differently. There is a learning curve to everything, and it is not always easy. The combat is more fluid and visceral, but that also means you'll die a little more often when you start. - The visuals go back and forth between ridiculous and ridiculous. Sometimes the beauty is overwhelming, and you really get the sense of exploration. Other times, you'll wonder how a PS2 game managed to be delayed this long. - The storyline is the same hit or miss for me. There are breathtaking moments of dark, sinister action and true moral quandaries. Then there are the lackluster expository scenes that fail to elicit the energy or emotion of the predecessor. Overall, this is a work in progress. Patches have corrected a lot of issues, and it is still the best space RPG out there now. I recommend, but with qualifications.

With all the comments, you might think the game is bad. Well, it's not. It's very good but it came with some technical problems. I will admit that and it is unacceptable with a large studio, but the game is still good. It's much more ambitious than any other Mass Effect game. It's overwhelming at times but it's still good. The story is good and the characters are likable. One character story was very emotional for me. I will only say roses. I don't think the characters are as memorable as the previous ones. Nothing will ever beat Tali. But times are different, and the game has evolved. You may not like that and that is fine. But this game is not the garbage make it out to be. People tend to be very invested and sometimes overreact. Not everything is life changing. It's still a good game with problems. They are fixing them now but I agree it should have never happened. I hope they learn from this for the next one and I think they will. Mass Effect is too important for gaming but Bioware needs to evolve more. Gaming has changed since ME 1. Buy the game. You won't regret it.

I'm a huge fan of the original Mass Effect trilogy with Mass Effect 2 being my favorite. When Mass Effect Andromeda was announced, I was excited. The closer the game got to release, there were worries among other Mass Effect fans. Without giving away plot spoilers, I can admit that Andromeda has its faults and issues (just google the game) but these issues can be ignored and probably wouldn't even be an issue if certain game sites constantly overloaded us with said issues. At the end of the day, Andromeda is fun and a good looking game. It takes a few hours for you the player to get the story going but once it does a solid job of entertaining. The visuals on the newer Frost Bite Engine really pop and compliment certain moments of the story. Much like the original Mass Effect game, there are bigger things to come with the potential sequels. And if you were a fan of the multiplayer that was in Mass Effect 3 then you'll be at home with the new version of the fun online experience. Mass Effect Andromeda is a good game and I think confident gamers will discover this on their own.