Like:
Entry #1:
1.) The Nomad. Even though I'm not a big fan of the exploration aspect of Andromeda I have to admit that I very much enjoy speeding around in the Nomad.
2.) PeeBee and Drack banter. PeeBee is my favorite Andromeda character and her conversations with Drack are hilarious. You learn more about her character through those conversations than through chatting with her aboard the Tempest. Things I learned:
--Black makeup is a weird quirk that she enjoys.
--Her father is an Elcor! Yes, a big, plodding, weird Elcor.
(#2)
On a banter related note--it feels like there is quite a bit of banter. Since it doesn't really matter who you take with you while you're exploring, I decided to mix it up and experience some of the different banter combos. Here's what I've learned:
--Cora is an only child. There was some pre-release talk that she shares the same last name as
the Illusive Man and might be his offspring. I don't know that I'm seeing that. She and Jaal
came along for some lengthy exploring on Voeld and much of their conversation fixated on her
family situation. The other part fixated on her career experiences as an Asari commando (which
gets a little annoying after awhile).
--If you feel like listening to two people bicker the entire time you should try a Liam and Vetra
combo. I didn't realize how much their personalities were incompatible. Liam thinks Vetra
is irresponsible for dragging her sister to Andromeda and Vetra doesn't appreciate Liam's
laissez-faire attitude. They grudgingly get along.
--PeeBee and Vetra have some interesting conversations. PeeBee reveals that she had a much
older sister--500 years older--and relates to Vetras situation with her younger sister. Vetra can
be a little prickly about certain topics but reveals that she's had a tough life and has had to do
whatever she can to keep things doable for her and Sid.
3.) Ryder as a hero you build By the time we met Shepard in Mass Effect he/she was already a hero in their own right--N7 status, storied career, serving alongside the SPECTRE's...but Ryder has leadership fall into his/her lap and has to figure things out. I also like the fact that Ryder has a defined background where Shepard was all about current events. The Ryders could work out as sustainable characters.
4.) Beautiful environments. Whether you're buzzing around space in the Tempest or setting down on solid ground, everything looks amazing. When I first played I was amazed by how detailed the galaxy felt--space seemed to have all the little details that you would see in pictures taken by telescopes. Once you land on any of the planets this feeling is even further compounded (I would love to snap some screenshots but haven't been able to get any tools to work in-game). Eos feels like this haunting wasteland--it's eerie exploring the ruins of the failed colonies--Havarl has this ominous jungle feeling...like something is going to pop out of the foliage and attack you at any minute. Even though I have felt that the exploration aspect is one of the weaker parts of the game I still find myself taking a moment to take in the views.
(#3)
H-047c is one of my favorite zones in the game. It's basically a giant, floating hunk of former planet but to me it feels more like space. The low gravity, the gaping fissures of death (drive cautiously!), and the amazing views make it unique. Arguably it's also a little lame--you can't leave the Nomad so there's no exploration besides the few protected mining dome/outlaw camps. After spending hours and hours of doing exploring on other planets, I find H-047c to be a welcome change.
(#2)
5.) Story/loyalty missions. This is where Andromeda felt like the Mass Effect of yore...the good ol' days that everyone yearns for. I was playing through Cora's loyalty mission to rescue the Asari ark and realized that I was enjoying it (...and Cora is not one of my favorite characters). I like the way that you get a clearer picture of the chaos of the Kett attack as you're exploring the abandoned rooms. The Asari managed to hang on by a thread.
(#2)
On a banter related note--it feels like there is quite a bit of banter. Since it doesn't really matter who you take with you while you're exploring, I decided to mix it up and experience some of the different banter combos. Here's what I've learned:
--Cora is an only child. There was some pre-release talk that she shares the same last name as
the Illusive Man and might be his offspring. I don't know that I'm seeing that. She and Jaal
came along for some lengthy exploring on Voeld and much of their conversation fixated on her
family situation. The other part fixated on her career experiences as an Asari commando (which
gets a little annoying after awhile).
--If you feel like listening to two people bicker the entire time you should try a Liam and Vetra
combo. I didn't realize how much their personalities were incompatible. Liam thinks Vetra
is irresponsible for dragging her sister to Andromeda and Vetra doesn't appreciate Liam's
laissez-faire attitude. They grudgingly get along.
--PeeBee and Vetra have some interesting conversations. PeeBee reveals that she had a much
older sister--500 years older--and relates to Vetras situation with her younger sister. Vetra can
be a little prickly about certain topics but reveals that she's had a tough life and has had to do
whatever she can to keep things doable for her and Sid.
3.) Ryder as a hero you build By the time we met Shepard in Mass Effect he/she was already a hero in their own right--N7 status, storied career, serving alongside the SPECTRE's...but Ryder has leadership fall into his/her lap and has to figure things out. I also like the fact that Ryder has a defined background where Shepard was all about current events. The Ryders could work out as sustainable characters.
4.) Beautiful environments. Whether you're buzzing around space in the Tempest or setting down on solid ground, everything looks amazing. When I first played I was amazed by how detailed the galaxy felt--space seemed to have all the little details that you would see in pictures taken by telescopes. Once you land on any of the planets this feeling is even further compounded (I would love to snap some screenshots but haven't been able to get any tools to work in-game). Eos feels like this haunting wasteland--it's eerie exploring the ruins of the failed colonies--Havarl has this ominous jungle feeling...like something is going to pop out of the foliage and attack you at any minute. Even though I have felt that the exploration aspect is one of the weaker parts of the game I still find myself taking a moment to take in the views.
(#3)
H-047c is one of my favorite zones in the game. It's basically a giant, floating hunk of former planet but to me it feels more like space. The low gravity, the gaping fissures of death (drive cautiously!), and the amazing views make it unique. Arguably it's also a little lame--you can't leave the Nomad so there's no exploration besides the few protected mining dome/outlaw camps. After spending hours and hours of doing exploring on other planets, I find H-047c to be a welcome change.
(#2)
5.) Story/loyalty missions. This is where Andromeda felt like the Mass Effect of yore...the good ol' days that everyone yearns for. I was playing through Cora's loyalty mission to rescue the Asari ark and realized that I was enjoying it (...and Cora is not one of my favorite characters). I like the way that you get a clearer picture of the chaos of the Kett attack as you're exploring the abandoned rooms. The Asari managed to hang on by a thread.
Hate:
Entry #1:
1.) I cannot romance Lexi T'Perro. Why make an Asari with Natalie Dormer's amazing voice and then not have a romantic option? When she talks it makes me happy. Now I'm sad.
2.) Missed dialogue opportunities. For example--when you find and unlock the Nomad it comes speeding out of its crate. So cool! All the characters just stand there and look at it. How much better would that moment had been with some goofy grins or jokes about who gets "shotgun?"
3.) How completely useless my companions are. I really miss the ability to issue commands and to be able to effectively combine their powers and the fact that the AI is bad. Example: Found a Remnant Destroyer in a vault. Commanded my companions to attack the turrets--both went rushing headlong to face it and were down in a matter of seconds. I had to figure out how to finish it off on my own. Why even have companions in combat?
(#2)
4.) Tasks that require you to find items that spawn randomly around the map. I made it a goal to try to complete more of these but I am finding that I am running out of patience. I've been searching for weapons caches and datapads on Kadara for much longer than I would prefer. I'm tired of crashing the always respawning camps full of outlaws only to find that the item isn't there. Just make the dang things spawn in a set location!
5.) Architects = Space Dragons. Dragon fights in Dragon Age: Inquisition were one of the highlights and they've directly yanked this concept and applied it to Andromeda. I don't mind the idea of having a "boss" fight but I wish they had at least given the Architects some sort of variety. Every Architect fight is exactly the same...with the dragons you got some variety when it came down to the types of attacks they used--fire, ice, or nature/electric damage. Ice Architect, maybe?
(#2)
4.) Tasks that require you to find items that spawn randomly around the map. I made it a goal to try to complete more of these but I am finding that I am running out of patience. I've been searching for weapons caches and datapads on Kadara for much longer than I would prefer. I'm tired of crashing the always respawning camps full of outlaws only to find that the item isn't there. Just make the dang things spawn in a set location!
5.) Architects = Space Dragons. Dragon fights in Dragon Age: Inquisition were one of the highlights and they've directly yanked this concept and applied it to Andromeda. I don't mind the idea of having a "boss" fight but I wish they had at least given the Architects some sort of variety. Every Architect fight is exactly the same...with the dragons you got some variety when it came down to the types of attacks they used--fire, ice, or nature/electric damage. Ice Architect, maybe?
Question:
Entry #1:
1.) To scan or not to scan--that is the question. On Eos there are these huge Kett structures--while completing a mission for Bane Massani you learn that they are power generators. It seems weird that there is no explanation for these massive structures other than within that specific mission. I feel the same way about the Kett camps that have the large hammer structures. What the heck are those for? How come there is no explanation? I guess you just sort of figure out from the seismic hammer missions that the Kett are also trying to do something with the Architects. It would be nice if there was at least a little explanation. Or maybe some missions about destroying those camps...SOMETHING!
2.) Is it just me or does there seem to be fewer opportunities the chat up your squadmates? Maybe it's just how spread out the story can be if you spend many hours working on exploration. I've actually found out more about some characters from their banter in the Nomad than having regular conversations.
(#2)
3.) Stasis. In order to reach Andromeda everyone had to be in stasis for 634 years. The more I think about this...the more I hate it as a device used to move the plot forward. How would the whole initiative even work? How could they realistically assure that their tech would hold out for that long and keep everyone alive? How would their supplies last for that long? I totally get it that they are trying to move away from the concept of mass relays--since those were apparently trashed in the third game.
One of the big things that bothers me is the whole concept of waking up 600 years later. It's touched on throughout the game--many of Ryder's chats revolve around the reasons why people chose Andromeda. So the people who chose to go to Andromeda did it knowing that they were leaving behind everyone and everything and that they would never see them again? Yet in some conversations I get the impression that there is still at least a possibility of communicating with the Milky Way. It's confusing.
2.) Is it just me or does there seem to be fewer opportunities the chat up your squadmates? Maybe it's just how spread out the story can be if you spend many hours working on exploration. I've actually found out more about some characters from their banter in the Nomad than having regular conversations.
(#2)
3.) Stasis. In order to reach Andromeda everyone had to be in stasis for 634 years. The more I think about this...the more I hate it as a device used to move the plot forward. How would the whole initiative even work? How could they realistically assure that their tech would hold out for that long and keep everyone alive? How would their supplies last for that long? I totally get it that they are trying to move away from the concept of mass relays--since those were apparently trashed in the third game.
One of the big things that bothers me is the whole concept of waking up 600 years later. It's touched on throughout the game--many of Ryder's chats revolve around the reasons why people chose Andromeda. So the people who chose to go to Andromeda did it knowing that they were leaving behind everyone and everything and that they would never see them again? Yet in some conversations I get the impression that there is still at least a possibility of communicating with the Milky Way. It's confusing.
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