Mass Effect Andromeda (2016)

[DaveSimmons]

ArsTechnica review is up (first 30 hours of 90+) and is somewhat favorable - https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017...andromeda-is-dragon-age-inquisition-in-space/

One part that sounds annoying is unskippable 15-second animations for all kinds of navigations. I think I'll wait until at least the first patch. Or stick with the replay/playing 1-3 idea and give them even more time to hopefully fix things like that.

 

[Stuka87]

Having played it, its not that bad. You can also create a pretty decent looking Sara in the rather limited character creator. I am pretty happy with mine. Gameplay wise the controls are really pretty good.

 

[Stuka87]

ArsTechnica review is up (first 30 hours of 90+) and is somewhat favorable - https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017...andromeda-is-dragon-age-inquisition-in-space/

One part that sounds annoying is unskippable 15-second animations for all kinds of navigations. I think I'll wait until at least the first patch. Or stick with the replay/playing 1-3 idea and give them even more time to hopefully fix things like that.

He is playing on Console. Its not nearly that bad on PC.

 

[cbrunny]

Wtf?

 

[Stuka87]

Wtf?

Why WTF? She was born Stephan, is now Hainly. Seems pretty straight forward to me.

 

[cbrunny]

Why WTF? She was born Stephan, is now Hainly. Seems pretty straight forward to me.

"What are you doing here?"
"I'm Trans, that's what."

not really a typical response. Don't care that they are, just find it odd that it's the response to a "Nice to meet you"

 

[IEC]

RIP Bioware. After being blindsided by ME3 , I vowed that the Mass Effect series would never get another cent of my money or minute of my time. At the end of that game, I just sat there dumbfounded, speechless at how awful and disappointing the ending was after investing over a hundred hours into the franchise.

Looking like nothing in this game will make me regret that. In fact, I seriously considered boycotting Bioware altogether after they turned KOTOR into an MMO and screwed the pooch with ME3. I did buy DA:I, but I wish I had waited for it to go to the bargin bin. It was not terrible, but certainly not up to the Bioware standards of old (Baldur's gate, NWN, KOTOR, the first Dragon Age).

That's because most (all?) of the old Bioware guys left Bioware a long time ago.

They replaced them with SJWs who push for "intersectional diversity in games" and the results were predictable.

 

[EXCellR8]

can someone fill me in one the quests?? i heard about a good deal of errand missions... a rumor I hope to be false.

 

[cytg111]

80$ ? Are they high?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

"What are you doing here?"
"I'm Trans, that's what."

not really a typical response. Don't care that they are, just find it odd that it's the response to a "Nice to meet you"

That looks very shoe-horned in so that they can claim they have the first trans NPCs in a game, or something (might not even be the first). Pretty cringe-worthy.

 

[zinfamous]

That looks very shoe-horned in so that they can claim they have the first trans NPCs in a game, or something (might not even be the first). Pretty cringe-worthy.

this stuff again? who gives a sh*t?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

this stuff again? who gives a sh*t?

I care when it breaks immersion, and I'm sure someone cares if it's not included (since they would consider it excluding 'their tribe'). Can't really win the war of first world problems, I guess.

 

[cmdrdredd]

That looks very shoe-horned in so that they can claim they have the first trans NPCs in a game, or something (might not even be the first). Pretty cringe-worthy.

Well it's odd when you think about previous bio ware games. In previous games you would interact with someone and they would be neutral and didn't give you any details about themselves or their personality. Later when you got more respect points or whatever from that character they would start to divulge more info about themselves. In this game it seems like they just come right out and give you the details of their personality and remove the player from any emotional attachment. It's a step backwards.

 

[cmdrdredd]

this stuff again? who gives a sh*t?

No see it's not that the character is there, it's how it is presented. You walk up and say hi and the character says "hi I'm <insert demographic here> and here is my life story." As I said before this removes any emotional attachment between the player and the character. It's much more robotic like "I am a t100 model 101. My mission is to protect you." Right up front. No getting to know them and getting them to open up through the story. The type of character doesn't matter, them. Wing blunt does because it's a giant step backward in character development through story.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Well it's odd when you think about previous bio ware games. In previous games you would interact with someone and they would be neutral and didn't give you any details about themselves or their personality. Later when you got more respect points or whatever from that character they would start to divulge more info about themselves. In this game it seems like they just come right out and give you the details of their personality and remove the player from any emotional attachment. It's a step backwards.

From a 'real interaction' standpoint, yeah. In fact from the sounds of it, Bioware just took a step backwards in 'immersion' across the board (character interactions, animations, models, etc). I really detest Bioware's random unnecessary 'look we're doing the social justice' thing though. Like there's no specific reason for it but they've felt the need to include it in every game since.. what, ME1 or something? Like they're obligated to sprinkle it in.

 

[cmdrdredd]

From a 'real interaction' standpoint, yeah. In fact from the sounds of it, Bioware just took a step backwards in 'immersion' across the board (character interactions, animations, models, etc). I really detest Bioware's random unnecessary 'look we're doing the social justice' thing though. Like there's no specific reason for it but they've felt the need to include it in every game since.. what, ME1 or something? Like they're obligated to sprinkle it in.

As I said I don't care that it's there. It doesn't hurt the game by itself. It's fine if you discover it through dialog options trying to befriend a character on a play through. When it's out of place with the dialog just so they can make it so blunt, it's kind of odd.

Think back to ME3 with the gay character. He was just a crew member, just someone you chatted with between missions and got info from. As you progressed he started to become more friendly if you chose the proper dialog options. After a while the character is feeling down and you ask what's up and he is thinking about how he lost his husband. It was natural in the course of conversation and didn't as you say "break immersion". It came off as inconsequential that a character was gay. That's how it should be done.

 

[Jeshu4ever]

I'm all for social equality and inclusivity... but making all female faces intentionally unattractive and ugly is not inclusive... thats just ... WHY?

Its like they want to hack beauty standards by changing them in media. Newsflash.... you cant make me find this attractive... not in 20 years.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I'm all for social equality and inclusivity... but making all female faces intentionally unattractive and ugly is not inclusive... thats just ... WHY?

Its like they want to hack beauty standards by changing them in media. Newsflash.... you cant make me find this attractive... not in 20 years.

I don't think this was a 'make them ugly/normal' thing... I think their model/texture designers just took the year off.

Look how long her neck is. That's technically still a problem in the second photo, but I assume the 10m photoshop ninja wasn't trying to fix everything. Nose is crooked, jawline is asymmetrical as are the ears? seemingly. Eyes (skin) are differently shaped, eyes themselves are seperately focused, hair looks like crap from a model standpoint (I think my WoW char has more happening in the hair dept). I mean, it just looks amateur. Like those 2002 nvidia box cover 'cyber wizard in thong shooting a space rifle' amateur.

 

[Jeshu4ever]

I don't think this was a 'make them ugly/normal' thing... I think their model/texture designers just took the year off.

Look how long her neck is. That's technically still a problem in the second photo, but I assume the 10m photoshop ninja wasn't trying to fix everything. Nose is crooked, jawline is asymmetrical as are the ears? seemingly. Eyes (skin) are differently shaped, eyes themselves are seperately focused, hair looks like crap from a model standpoint (I think my WoW char has more happening in the hair dept). I mean, it just looks amateur. Like those 2002 nvidia box cover 'cyber wizard in thong shooting a space rifle' amateur.

No its too bad to not be intentional. The men look normal and attractive I'm told. Its just the female humans and human-likes that look like balloons/potatoes.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

No its too bad to not be intentional. The men look normal and attractive I'm told. Its just the female humans and human-likes that look like balloons/potatoes.

Not to further a stereotype, but maybe they've been in dark rooms too long, and forgot/never learned what women looked like?

Also: shadowing. Why is the shadowing all jacked up? Looks like Luclin-era EQ models. The area around her eyes look like when I used to take lighters to plastic action figures as a kid. Strong shadowing there but nothing for the hair?

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Well it's odd when you think about previous bio ware games. In previous games you would interact with someone and they would be neutral and didn't give you any details about themselves or their personality. Later when you got more respect points or whatever from that character they would start to divulge more info about themselves. In this game it seems like they just come right out and give you the details of their personality and remove the player from any emotional attachment. It's a step backwards.

Remember the gay (or was he bi?) elf in DA:O? It's not like the character was hiding his preference. You found out about it organically by him alluding to it through his point of view on different topics and eventually through more direct discussion after building character report (including the actual likeability stat). This diversity checkbox character introduction fad is so friggin' cringy. "HI I'M <X>!! LOOK HOW GREAT IT IS THIS IS WHO I AM!" (Sane) People don't talk like that, and I think defining characters only by their group identity is harmful and only encourages people to see each other as a label rather than as people. Of course, I suspect that's what most of these hyper-progressive types really want, but that's a discussion for another time.

 

[Jeshu4ever]

Just so weird... men look borderline normal and the women are these androgenous round blobs with huge jaws and comically huge eyes.... Literally original KOTOR looks better.

SHE looks like a freaking MAN. literally a male jaw.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Remember the gay (or was he bi?) elf in DA:O? It's not like the character was hiding his preference. You found out about it organically by him alluding to it through his point of view on different topics and eventually through more direct discussion after building character report (including the actual likeability stat). This diversity checkbox character introduction fad is so friggin' cringy. "HI I'M <X>!! LOOK HOW GREAT IT IS THIS IS WHO I AM!" (Sane) People don't talk like that, and I think defining characters only by their group identity is harmful and only encourages people to see each other as a label rather than as people. Of course, I suspect that's what most of these hyper-progressive types really want, but that's a discussion for another time.

I don't remember that but then maybe this is why, it was more organic and less robotic paint by numbers.

 

[WhiteNoise]

So it is safe to say most of you can't stomach the game? lol Or will you be pushing through all of these ugly girls and playing anyway?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

So it is safe to say most of you can't stomach the game? lol Or will you be pushing through all of these ugly girls and playing anyway?

Based on the reviews, potatoaliens aside the game is simply not that great. Poor quests, re-rehashed concepts, etc. All-in-all a very poor successor to the original series.

Also, giggidy.