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 know there's a lot of hate for this game, but I don't get it. Then again, I never played a previous ME title, so I can't compare it to the series. On it's own, it seems fine and fun to me.

...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).

I like that you could be any orientation throuhout the story. The gameplay was fun. Visuals nice.

If you have played the Mass Effect trilogy, and expect the same greatness from Andromeda, you are going to be disappointed. However, if you treat this as a stand-alone game, it really wasn't as bad as some reviews say. There is a big open and beautiful galaxy for you to explore, a ton of side quests to distract you, and the combat gameplay is decent to say the least. What doesn't make this a Mass Effect game is your in-game choices doesn't seem to really matter in the end - something that traditional Mass Effect fans were used to and would love to see otherwise. I personally found the companion related side quests to be more entertaining than the main storyline and this adds further value to the game. There is also a co-op survival style multiplayer which doesn't have a lasting appeal but good for short term fun. Last but not least, I have the Deluxe Edition but didn't think it was worth the extra money as it won't change your gaming experience much.