My Favorite Video Game Romances

In honor of Valentine's Day I decided to reflect on my favorite video game romances.  Having the ability to form fictional romantic attachments in video games might not be something that all gamers seek out or enjoy, but I'll fully admit that it's something I enjoy (and it seems like many people do enjoy given the number of gripes/complaints about romantic options that I see online).

#3: V and Judy Alvarez in CyberPunk 2077

There's just something about Judy...

I've always enjoyed Judy Alvarez as a character--she's a great example of CD Projekt's ability to write flawed, but still engaging characters.  Judy's idealism is her biggest flaw--she feels a fierce sense of protection for all the dolls/sex workers and winds up involving V in a crazy plot to take on a powerful gang that controls a local sex club in order to replace the leadership with Judy's very untrustworthy ex (who, of course, has her own plans).  The entire plan backfires and nothing turns out the way it was planned. For me, part of Judy's allure is her blind idealism--she's passionate about her closest friends (who happen to be mostly dolls/sex workers) and is willing to go to the mat for them...even if it means potentially catastrophic consequences.

#2: Geralt of Rivia and Triss Merigold in The Witcher series

I'm fully aware that this is a bit of a hot take and that there's plenty of good reason to shun Triss as an option (the main reason being that Triss basically takes advantage of the fact that Geralt has amnesia to pursue a relationship with him).  With that said though, I've always found Triss to be so much sweeter and more affable than the haughty, self-serving (but still smokin' hot) Yennefer of Vengerberg.  I've always highly enjoyed the masquerade quest in The Witcher 3 and the ability to opt to kiss Triss and share a highly romantic moment.  There's always that inkling of doom lurking in the background though--the Rose of Remembrance that Geralt gives to Triss is supposed to permanently bloom as long as there is love between the giver and recipient.  When Geralt finds the rose early on in TW3 it is wilted and dying, so there's that though.

#1: FemShep and Liara in Mass Effect

Liara is another character that I read many complaints about.  Many gamers feel like BioWare sort of automatically angles you toward her (although let's be real...your options in the original game are very limited to begin with).  Personally, I also feel like the Asari species was designed to be mush more appealing--who wouldn't want to romance a species of beautiful, blue alien ladies?  I still find Liara to be an enjoyable character to get to know and watch grow throughout the course of the three games.  She starts off as a very awkward academic type who has spent much of her life on digsites and is just learning to interact with other aliens.  When she finally appears in the second game, as an information broker in Ilium, she immediately demonstrates how much her confidence and skills have grown as she implores Shep & Co. to go after one of the most illusive and powerful entities in the galaxy--the Shadow Broker.  By the third game she has proven herself to be a confident and capable leader who is still vulnerable about her own family issues (a mom that betrayed the galaxy to help the Reapers--that's a real bummer) while using her influence as the new Shadow Broker to help build a super weapon that could save the galaxy.  I just find Liara to be another likable and well written character who has some of the best animated glances in video gaming.

Whether your romances happen in the digital world or real life, I hope everyone has an enjoyable Valentine's Day.  Even if it's not your favorite holiday, at least it's a good excuse to eat some heart-shaped candy.

N7 Day Leaves Unanswered Questions

When November 7th rolls around each year the nerdy Mass Effect fanbase gets all a tither.  November 7th roughly aligns with Commander Shepherd's N7 rank in the series and has become the date on which BioWare rolls out some info about upcoming Mass Effect projects.  This year they rolled out several teasers filled with cryptic binary codes and challenged the most ardent fans to decode tiny tidbits of information.  I'm a member of two fabulous groups on Facebook--one dedicated to Mass Effect and the other to the Dragon Age series--and the ME group was buzzing about a new poster release that is supposed to be chock full of clues as to the next entry in the series.  Take a gander:

The description of the content of the poster on the BioWare gear store is one sentence:  "Prepare for a bold new future with this brand-new art print commemorating #N7Day 2023!" Absolutely no hints as to what any of this actually means. There was much conjecture about different aspects of the poster--is it depicting a new protagonist? Could it be Shepherd reborn? Much of the guessing was focused on the lower portion--if you zoom in there's what appears to be a depiction of a bar/nightclub scene. In that scene you can plainly see the original ME races depicted--there are Turians, Asari, Salarians, Humans, and Quarians. Some very keen eyed folks also pointed out the fact that they could see what appears to be a Geth and an Angara. Does this potentially suggest that there is going to be some sort of tie-in with Andromeda? There's plenty to question in this very cryptic teaser.

Much of the debate seemed to center around two things--firstly, who will be the protagonist in the next game. There is definitely a faction of fans who very much hope that they plan to bring Shepherd back in some form (this, despite the fact that the multiple endings of ME3 all pointed at the demise of our favorite commander). Many pointed out the fact that the teaser trailer from last year showed Liara picking up a fragment of a broken N7 helmet which would indicate the the next game at least has some sort of tie with the original series and could potentially be steering itself away from the redheaded stepchild that is Andromeda. The figure in this poster appears to be female (which doesn't mean much since the series features a male/female option for the protagonist), is rocking a very cool Cyberpunk-esque jacket that gives off a sort of assassin vibe, is carrying what looks like a silenced pistol, has the signature N7 red stripe, and is wearing a helmet that is vaguely similar to the helmets in Andromeda. Personally, I don't love the Shepherd theories and think the series needs to move on to a different protagonist. Many were also proposing ideas about potential descendants of Shepherd (supposing the game does take place in the future), but that seems even more far-fetched to me.

The second area of debate centered around the bar/nightclub scene depicted in the lower portion of the jacket. Hardcore internet sleuths dedicated a lot of bandwidth to zooming in and trying to pick apart every detail in the scene. Some claimed to see Garrus and Liara; there's supposedly a Geth and Angara in there too. Does this suggest that the game will take place in the Milky Way with some sort of link to Andromeda? If so, the timeline would be odd--it would need to be far in the future (at least 600+ years). The teaser from last year also seemed to point to this scenario with many people pointing out that Liara looked much older in the trailer. Many fans were declaring a hope that the remnants of the crew of the Normandy would be involved in some way--to me, if it does take place in the future, that would be tough. Some of the species are long-lived, but not all of them, and 600 years is well beyond the supposed lifespan of many of them. I also think it would be unwise to completely pretend that Andromeda didn't happen and that it would be beneficial to tie it to the original series. It would be nice if the Andromeda series continued in some way.

So, what did we actually learn from this smattering of cryptic information? Not a whole heck of a lot, to be completely honest. A new game is being developed. That's basically it. One of the hotter post-N7 Day takes came from PC Gamer who rolled out this article openly criticizing BioWare for essentially stringing fans along and not really providing any substantial information about the development of either of its flagship games--Mass Effect or the more upcoming Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Sadly, most of the news out of BioWare lately hasn't been good--ugly layoffs and staff protesting over getting severance pay. As much as I want to disagree with the author of this article, I really can't. There hasn't been anything meatier than the N7 day teaser trailers. I don't want to be pessimistic, but I don't have high hopes for either the new Dragon Age game or the much farther off Mass Effect. I believe the era of strong writing, memorable characters, and stories in singleplayer RPG's is basically over...sadly replaced with more gameplay that centers around microtransactions and continuous profits. Many other fans have also bemoaned the fact that that BioWare's golden age has likely passed. People will point to the last two games as clear evidence--the flop that was Anthem and the much maligned Andromeda.

But we can always hope, right? Here's to hoping--and here's the full teaser trailer:

Wanted: Decent Male Romance Option in Games

That magical time has come in my current Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough where I get to make a major decision.  Is this decision about talents?  Nope.  Is it about some major story arc?  Also, no.  Is it about which uber-weapon I'm going to use to blast some baddies?  Not all all.  Instead, it's about the least important but weirdly gratifying part of many modern RPG's...which fictional character my fictional character is going to have a fictional romantic relationship with!  While quite possibly the silliest decision to make in any game, it's something that must be at least a little bit important to gamers because so many modern RPG's include options for these fictional relationships.  And so many gamers seem to care very deeply about them--I've encountered numerous lengthy threads bemoaning the many aspects of video game romantic relationships or with very detailed suggestions for improvements.  Don't get me wrong, as someone who is an introvert and sort of secretly loves the ability to play a confident, badass character who can pick up all the hottest video game folks out there, I too care about video game relationships.  However, I have one serious gripe (okay, semi-serious because as I've hinted, it's a pretty minor issue) about these relationships.  I would like to have some better male romantic options in my video games.  Gay, straight, I don't care, but romancing a male character is usually the worst option.

One of my main issues with male options is that they tend to be very bland.  They fall into two sort of general archetypes--the "good guy" or the "bad boy."  Take Cyberpunk for example--option #1 is River Ward, your stereotypical "good cop" who's trying to fight against a corrupt system.  Option #2 is Kerry Eurodyne (and that's only if you are playing a gay, male V) who takes on the "bad boy" role.  Of the two I find Kerry to be the better written and more interesting character--he's dealing with a bit of an identity crisis and that gives him more depth.

It just feels like so much more detail and nuance goes into creating the female romantic options.  Both Judy and Panam don't feel like they fall into the archetype trap and each character has their own unique set of character flaws to add depth.  I find it interesting that there's not really a super-feminine (the general "hot girl" vibe) option and that both Judy and Panam are attractive, but not overly "girly."

One of the best moments of the Shepard/Garrus romance.

I would love it if we could get some well-written, more interesting male romantic options that have more nuance than your typical "good guy" vs. "bad boy" spectrum.  I think BioWare games have offered up some of the better male romance options.  One of my favorite romances is the one between female Shepard and Garrus Vakarian.  Garrus falls firmly outside the spectrum I described above--he's kind of a dork (always trying to calibrate things), he's awkward (and it's just generally awkward due to the inter-species nature of the relationship), but he's also a badass sniper with a secret sexy side (remember the whole "reach & flexibility" commentary?).  So many people pass up the option to romance Garrus in Mass Effect because Turians aren't exactly the most attractive of the alien species in that series, but I would argue that it's one of the best!

If you're someone who writes characters for video games...please, write a male romantic option who has some nuance.  I know that the ratio of people who play video games skews strongly to the straight, male demographic, but it'd be great to have some variety.  Maybe a skinny, nerdy type who impresses through their knowledge and wisecracking attitude?  Or the confident leader with some serious emotional baggage?  Just please, no more bland "good guy" or edgy "bad boy" types.

Nothing is Perfect Part 2--More Perfect

I'm still working on playing my way through the Mass Effect trilogy and I've recently finished playing Mass Effect 2 and all the DLC.  Mass Effect 2 has long been my favorite in the series and after hiccuping through the bumpy first game (literally bumpy because of the Mako) it was a relief to watch my beloved Shepard get spaced during the prologue cutscene.  Even though ME2 is my favorite, there are still parts of it that I am not crazy about.

Mass Effect 2 introduces a few familiar faces and many new crew members.

What's Great:
1.) Teamwork!  My favorite part of ME2 is travelling the galaxy to find new members for your team.  BioWare does characters extremely well and there are plenty of diverse, intriguing personalities that make up your final team.  I think the team building aspect of the game is the closest to perfection.  I love meeting the new members, chatting them up and learning about them, and then eventually getting to do their loyalty missions and seeing what really lies behind all their quirks and insecurities.  Earning the loyalty of your team and knowing individual strengths and weaknesses is key to helping everyone to survive the suicide mission. 

2.) The teamwork aspect extends beyond simply character building and is also applied to combat.  The combat in ME2 is an extreme improvement over the combat in the original game (which I do not enjoy) and using specific abilities in combination results in powerful attacks.  It is fun to figure out which abilities work well together and which squadmates are the best compliment to your Shepard's skills or for a specific type of enemy.

3.) DLC is (mostly) great and makes meaningful additions to the core game.  Kasumi Goto is a fun character and her loyalty mission is one of the best in ME2.  Lair of the Shadow Broker is the best of the bundle and has a great story, challenging combat, and adds in the fabulous feature of the Shadow Brokers base as an additional resource.  My least favorite is Overlord, but even it has a solid story.  Arrival provides a bridge between the events of the second and third game in a way that you don't even realize until you begin ME3.

4.) Side characters add fun dialogue and crew banter.  Not everyone gets to go out on combat missions, but they're still a part of the team.  You can learn about your non-combat crew members by simply wandering the ship and listening to what they are talking about.  Ken and Gabby in engineering have a cute relationship and their conversations are funny.

5.) The bulk of the main story.  You've got to build your team, but you also have to figure out how to stop the Collector attacks on human colonies.  The story missions take you to various locations and have some of the most challenging combat in the game.

What's Not Great:
1.) My main gripe about ME2 has always been the resurrection aspect and how it is used to tied Shepard to Cerberus.  I'm willing to accept a lot of space magic, but I abhor the story element of someone dying and then being brought back to life...it's just way too unbelievable for me (and it's the basis for essentially making Shepard feel obligated to work for Cerberus).  I just wish they had come up with a more believable way to make the story work.

2.) The combat is massively improved over the original game, but the AI for your squadmates can be sketchy at times.  Way too often I found myself being the only one attacking a target (and, I probably do a bad job of issuing attack commands to my followers).  This is a bit of a problem throughout the series though and arguably is still a problem in many games that use AI squadmates.

3.) Scanning planets is still a boring chore.  I've learned how many minerals I will need and try to stockpile them right at the beginning so I don't have to continue scanning.

4.) M44 Hammerhead.  It's definitely easier and more fun to drive than the Mako, but I think the vehicle combat in ME2 was a bit of a flop.  You have to be extra careful on the missions where you come under fire because the M44 can't take very many hits and you typically can't save while in a vehicle.

ME2 still remains my favorite game in the Mass Effect series.  It's a perennial favorite among many gamers and marks the progress of the formula adopted for the series--building a team, strengthening that team, and working together to overcome seemingly impossible odds.  The quest for perfection gets a bit closer.

Nothing is Perfect

It has been one of my usual summer traditions to re-play through some of my favorite multi-game RPG series--namely The Witcher and Mass Effect.  With multiple games in each series, there is enough to keep me happily gaming for quite awhile.  Even though both series are my favorites, there are parts of each that I just have to grit my teeth and get through.  It's very, very late in the summer and I recently decided that since I skipped Mass Effect last summer it was time to fire it up again (despite having played through it more than what is probably healthy).  It was during this time that I reflected on the imperfections of the original Mass Effect.

One of my first struggles was figuring out exactly how I was going to re-download the series.  I had bought the first two games on Steam and trying to locate, download, and install all the DLC has always been a headache.  The BioWare Social Network used to be the home of all the DLC, but it no longer exists.  The easiest option was to use my CD key to download the game on Origin.  One of the benefits of using Origin is that all the DLC is now easily accessible and doesn't require the multi-step approach that the Steam version requires.  Another upside is that the "deluxe edition" of Mass Effect was given away for free on Origin at one point--this edition includes both pieces of DLC for the original game--Pinnacle Station and the Bring Down the Sky mission.  Having all the DLC in one place is especially handy for the second and third game as there are multiple pieces of content.  (FYI--there are multiple guides on EA and Steam on how to use your CD key to download the games on Origin.  It's really easy.)

After getting everything downloaded, I settled into my new Commander Shepard.  Did I make any different decisions about how I was going to play?  No; no, I did not.  My adept FemShep will be a paragon and make exactly that same decisions I have made every single time I play.  Le sigh...insanity, right?

What I love about Mass Effect:
--I've always felt that the first game in the series has some of the best sci-fi writing and does the best job of capturing the wonder and magic of space.  Landing on an uncharted world and exploring is always fun (even though driving the Mako...is not) and the visuals in the first game support this feeling.  I've always loved the Feros mission in particular and the Thorian--an ancient, plantlike creature that can enslave organic species and clone slaves?  So cool!

Driving the Mako sucks, but the views are fabulous.

--Big moments.  There are aspects of the main story that always make me grin and that I absolutely love.  My favorite is toward the end of the game when Shepard is pursuing Saren on the Citadel and has to improvise when the elevator is disabled.  Stepping out onto the side of the Citadel tower and seeing Sovereign looming overhead and then fighting through the army of Geth to reach Saren...it's the core of what makes Mass Effect magical.

--Teamwork.  The first game plants the seeds of building a multi-species squad and learning how to work together.  I've always loved the sense of diversity.


What I just have to tolerate and get through:
--Driving the Mako.  There's a joke in one of the later games about the Mako driving like a drunk rhino.  It's true!  You bump and bounce along and try to navigate.  It's painful, but tolerable.

--Old graphics.  I'm sure that there are mods that can spruce up the textures in the first game, but I'm not much for modding.  Much of the game looks fine, but gear and uniforms in particular are dated.

--Combat is so, so horrible in the first game.  There's a moment where it tries to introduce a cover-based system, but it's a lie!  The enemy AI is bad--enemies rarely stay in cover and shoot at you and instead choose to charge right at you.  The basis of combat in the game is trying to survive the press of enemies charging at you.  Sadly, I've never finished the first game on Insanity because the combat is rough.

Invasion of the pixel people!

--Bugs.  Apparently, if you have an AMD CPU (yes, CPU...not GPU) there is a weird graphical bug that effects certain parts of the game.  The textures for your squad and any enemies will disappear and all are turned into weird, blocky black pixel creatures.  This happened during my playthrough on Noveria (once you reach Peak 15) and also on Ilos.  The good news is that it does go away after you play through each area to a certain point (there might be a fix, but it looked too technical for me). 

--Romance means talking.  Everyone knows that the best part of Mass Effect is picking your love interest and then actively pursuing them.  In the first game, simply talking to members of your squad is enough to mean you've actively engaged in a relationship.  It's irritating, but easily fixable with some pointed conversational changes to shut down any unintentional relationships.  ("You talk to Kaidan a lot...you love him!"  It's annoying.)

Sometimes it is good to go back and remember exactly the point where a story starts and the hiccups that happen as it builds steam.  Mass Effect isn't perfect, but it's worth a re-play.  If you are like me, you'll have to tolerate some of the more annoying aspects of the first game, but the story and big moments make it worthwhile.  Just remember...eventually you'll make it to ME2 and it's all worth it!

ME: Andromeda Cliffhangers and Theories (SPOILERS!!!!)

After taking the time to think deeply about why I feel so meh about Mass Effect:  Andromeda, I started thinking about the major cliffhangers and questions that are left at the end of the game.  There are so many and regardless of what you felt about the game itself, it is still fun to try to puzzle out these little mysteries.  This post is going to basically be spoilers so read ahead with caution if you haven't played or finished Andromeda.

1.) The Quarian Ark.  After you save Meridian you are given the chance to roam around the now crashed Hyperion and give your team some high fives.  While you are happily congratulating everyone you run across, a tech at a computer console excitedly shows you a recently acquired radio signal from the Quarian ark.  According to the radio message the ark has made it to Heleus but the message is also a warning to stay away.

Many people believed that any singleplayer DLC released would have to do with the Quarian ark--since we now know that this DLC isn't happening we are left to wonder.  The Quarian ark is extra interesting because it was supposed to be carrying the Quarians plus a wide array of other Milky Way species--Hanar, Elcor, Drell, and maybe some Volus and Batarians.  It seems a little unfair to burden the Quarians with looking out for all these other species and maintaining them in cryo for 600+ years.  Or maybe the Quarians are the best choice since they are the tech experts?

What could possibly be going on that the Quarians would want you to stay away?  The Quarian ark with its numerous species would be a juicy piece of genetic material for the Kett.  But wouldn't a simple Kett attack be something that they would want help with?  Could it possibly be that the Reapers have managed to insinuate themselves onto the Quarian ark?  What if the Quarians want you to stay away because the Reapers have followed them or tracked them?  Or, even worse, if the Reapers have managed to take the ship and have indoctrinated the crew...

We can keep crossing our fingers that the lack of singleplayer DLC was a myth...but it's looking doubtful.

2.) The Benefactor/Murder of Jien Garson.  Through unlocking your father's memories and encrypted audio messages you learn that Jien Garson wasn't the "founder" of the Andromeda Initiative, but was merely a fundraising mouthpiece and diplomat for the project.  The real founder of the project is a mysterious entity known as "The Benefactor."  This mysterious person disguises their identity in your father's messages and there are very few clues as to who this person might be.  You also learn that Jien Garson wasn't killed when the Nexus hit the scourge, but was murdered by someone on the vessel.  Garson encodes a secret message and reveals that she didn't really trust the benefactor.  The only reason anyone would kill Garson would be to protect the identity of this person.

I've been picking my brain to try to think of some possibilities for this role.  This person (or group!  It could totally be a group...) would need to have access to enough money to bankroll the massive project that was the initiative.  They would need to have connections to throughout the Milky Way.  The list of possibilities:

Could the Illusive Man be the mysterious benefactor?

1.) The Illusive Man/Cerberus.  We know that Cerberus has the funds and resources to fund a wide array of projects--it's completely feasible that the Andromeda Initiative could be a Cerberus project.  The Illusive Man would definitely be someone who Garson wouldn't fully trust.  But would Cerberus fund a program that would include more than just humans?  That part seems very unlikely and makes me have my doubts that the Illusive Man would be the benefactor.

2.) The Citadel Council.  Throughout the original Mass Effect trilogy the council doubts Shepard's claims about the Reaper threat.  What if they were publicly denying the threat while privately making plans to fund the Andromeda Initiative?  The council would have access to the funds and resources needed for such a massive undertaking...but why wouldn't Garson trust the council?  And even the term "benefactor" seems to imply that this is an individual person....  The Andromeda Initiative seems like the kind of project that the council would take in a last ditch effort to rescue at least a small portion of the Milky Way species.

3.) Commander Shepard.  This theory is waaaay left-field, but why not?  Shepard focused on pulling the galaxy together and understood the looming threat of the Reapers.  The Commander would have the ability to bring people together with the understanding that something impossible might be the only chance for survival.  But, again, why wouldn't Jien Garson trust Shepard?  This one seems unlikely.

4.) Liara/The Shadow Broker.  As the shadow broker, Liara has access to the funds, information, resources, and secrecy that would be required for the Initiative.  She could be a good candidate.  The timeline might be a little problematic to make her work as a candidate--was she already the shadow broker before the Andromeda Initiative departed the Milky Way?  Jien Garson might not trust the shadow broker simply because they have a shady reputation.

5.) Aria T'Loak.  I think I mostly just miss Aria as a character...but she could be on the list of possible suspects.  She runs a massive criminal organization on Omega--it might be feasible that she could have the money and resources to fund something like the Initiative.  We also don't know much about her background (it would be cool for her to have a DLC or come sort of backstory content) and connections prior to her arrival on Omega.  She admits to having the capital and connections to get started there.  Her reputation would definitely be one that Garson wouldn't trust.  But would Aria really care about something like Andromeda?  Doubtful.

Those are just a few that I've considered.  I'm sure there are many, many others who could fill the role.

3.) The Jardaan.  Toward the end of the main story we learn that the Angara and the Remnant were created by an advanced race known as the Jardaan.  There are some serious implications behind this knowledge--the Jardaan are extremely advanced...they are the creators of an entire species as well as all the Remnant and vault/Meridian technology.  This is a whole new level of advanced aliens--a level that eclipses the Reapers.  There are plenty of questions to think about here....

Why did the Jardaan create the Angara?  Throughout the game it is heavily emphasized that the Anagara don't know much about their past.  Their history and culture was heavily disrupted by the decimation of their society by the Kett.  They had to be designed for some sort of purpose though.  My theory is that the Angara are the Heleus version of the Keepers--rather than interacting with the Citadel and its technology the Angara are able to interact with Remnant tech.  We know that the Angara have a unique electrical aspect to their biology...I believe that electrical adaptation is tied to the the ability to control the Remnant.  Unfortunately this knowledge has been lost through the ages due to Kett interference.  We see some evidence of this on Havarl during the mission to unlock one of the vaults--Ryder has to locate and Angara who can use his past memories to interact with the vault structures.

Did the Jardaan create the scourge?  If so, why?  Was the purpose to completely wipe out all traces of their existence in Heleus?  The scourge seems to target Remnant structures.  We also learn that the scourge is the result of the detonation of some sort of mega-weapon.

What happened to the Jardaan?  The evidence seems to point to some sort of attack that caused them to flee or that they were completely wiped out.  Could their demise have been caused by the Reapers?

What if the Jardaan created the Reapers?  Maybe this is another example of technology run amok like the Quarians and the Geth.  We also have to consider the motives of the Reapers...why do they seek to eliminate all organic life every 50,000 years?  Why do they seem to follow the exact same pattern?  It seems like a massive experiment--something about trying to have organic life develop in a certain way...but it just hasn't happened the way that they want.  Heleus could have been wiped out by the Reapers with the Angara being the only civilization left to restart the 50,000 year cycle.

There have been so many ideas bouncing around my head as I finished up playthrough #2 of Andromeda.  I hope that some of these questions are answered...and that Andromeda was simply a learning experience that can be improved upon.

Casual Reassessment Part 2--The Open World Dilemma

After playing my way through Mass Effect:  Andromeda I have been trying to work to understand the things I liked and disliked about the newest addition to my favorite space RPG.  I tried listing out the things I enjoyed and the things that I felt were weaknesses.  In the end I think Andromeda suffers from something that I've seen often in the most recent BioWare games but also see in other series--the need to create an expansive world that's chocked full o' stuff.  The real challenge, and one that I think very few RPG-makers have gotten remotely right, is to make all the "stuff" meaningful.  Andromeda suffers from a glut of meaningless map-filler--resource nodes to mine, Remnant ruins to explore, Kett camps to storm--but what do you get out of completing that filler?  Some loot that you don't really need.  A happy little blue icon on your map.  Is is satisfying?  Sure, in a very minor way.  But is it enjoyable?  Not so much.

In my quest for understanding I decided that it would be interesting to go back and replay the original Mass Effect as a point of comparison.  Mass Effect is a ten year old game so the mechanics have drastically changed since it's release in 2007 aaaand of course things like graphics are going to be much better in a modern game.  One of the weird things I noticed last night was how much less bored I am.  Even when I'm exploring the same bunker layout over and over there is an overlying story that makes it interesting.  I'm freeing a hostage from crazed biotics or I'm eliminating a Cerberus base in my attempt to find a missing Alliance officer.  I can think of very few instances in Andromeda where there is some kind of interesting story linked into all the exploration.

As another point of comparison I started thinking about The Witcher 3 and how well it manages to incorporate aspects of an open world with story-based elements.  There are definitely shades of the icon checklist game but it doesn't feel as empty because there's always a well-written quest to break up the monotony of exploration.  Or there's something fun to do--horse racing or Gwent.  Andromeda could definitely take a page from The Witcher 3 and add in missions with a storyline as opposed to empty fetch n' grinds.

The Thorian.  It's ugly, but at least it's interesting.

Story is something that needs to become a focal point for Andromeda.  All too often as I was playing I felt that it was simply a rubber-stamp of what a Mass Effect game should be--cool ship--check, quirky crew--check, central Citadel-like hub--check, advanced mysterious alien race--check, aliens with sinister motives--check.  We need something fresh!  Last night I played through the Mass Effect mission on Feros and I remembered how awesome it really is.  You have a sentient plant-like being that defies classification that can telepathically control other species AND it can create clones from captured aliens.  The Thorian is great sci-fi writing!  What does Andromeda give us?  Nothing even remotely close to the Thorian.

One of my other major gripes has to do with the need for Andromeda to feel more like the alternate universe that it is supposed to be.  The environments in the game are beautiful, but they don't have that same "space" feeling that I get when I'm bouncing the Mako along a mountainous path in Mass Effect.  Too often the environments feel familiar--Eos could be Arizona.  I recently watched the movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (let me just insert here that it's not a good movie and you should skip it) and one thing I enjoyed was the interesting aliens.  Shapeshifting blue jelly-like creatures, robots that look like jellyfish in jars, the beautiful sparkly aliens of the planet Mul..  Those aliens felt genuinely, well, alien.  Take note Andromeda.

With the recent-ish semi-news that there won't be any singleplayer DLC for Andromeda it may be quite awhile before we hear anything about the next step in the series.  I think that Andromeda can be salvaged if BioWare really tries to play to its traditional strengths and not try to play the e-peen "game of maps" (you know...the one to see who can create the biggest playable areas).  A focus on writing memorable and meaningful missions and stories, a cast of interesting characters with their own motivations (be they good or bad OR something in-between), and some more alien...aliens could really spice up a series that has sadly grown way too bland.

Feeling Like a Kid Again

My prediction that Mass Effect:  Andromeda would wind up being delayed was wrong...and that is awesome.  I don't know if I can fully express my excitement to be back in the Mass Effect universe...  I've been carefully calculating my departure from work each day so I can rush home to run through the daily chores that need to be completed so I can get logged on and re-enter the world of Andromeda.  It has been a very long time since I've felt this kind of excitement.  But is it worth it?  I'm sure you've read the myriad reviews and commentary that has invaded every gaming venue but I want to offer my own perspective.  I have tried very hard to avoid any of those reviews or comments so that I can make my own judgments clear of outside ideas (which, as I stated last week, has been difficult).  I'm going to try to lay out what I've enjoyed so far and what I have found lacking.

I should probably make it clear how much I've actually played--probably about 6-8 hours.

One of the new worlds to explore in Andromeda.

The Good:
1.) Andromeda uses the new Frostbite engine and I have to say that I am impressed by the clarity of details.  Space looks amazing and they've done a great job of incorporating aspects of space that you commonly see in images captured by NASA satellites.  Once you make it to a planet there is plenty to stop and gape at--plant life, scenic vistas, alien structures...it's beautiful.

2.) Movement is so much smoother than in previous games.  The animation for running feels more natural than the weird, marching type of movement from ME and ME2.  When Ryder changes direction it looks athletic.  The addition of the jump jet has added a whole new enjoyable aspect of vertical play to a game that has completely taken place on a horizontal and very linear plane.  The jump jet also makes dodging much quicker and more fluid--that additional movement is needed in a game that has drastically changed its combat systems to require more movement.  I haven't quite mastered using the jump jet effectively in combat and find that mostly I make myself an exposed target hanging in mid-air for all the aliens to shoot at.

3.) ..And speaking of combat--it has changed enough to make it feel new and more challenging, but the basics are still there.  The biggest change is from the largely stationary style in the previous games.  You need to scramble, dodge, and move from cover to cover in order to stay alive.  It's fun, but it does take some getting used to.

4.)  People may disagree with me here, but I am excited that the RPG-like elements that were present in the original ME but that gradually disappeared in the successive games are finally back.  There is loot to gather, a robust crafting system, and junk to sell.  I haven't spent a lot of time with the crafting part of it yet, but there are numerous options to craft armor, weapons, consumables, and mods.

5.) A flexible talent system that allows you to take the abilities you want without pigeonholing you into one specific build.  Even if you do lean toward a more traditional build there are combat profiles that seem to be built around your specific style of play.  My Ryder is a more traditional type of biotic who banks on combinations but if you combine those abilities with combat skills you can mold your character into more of a vanguard with lots of charging and punching.

6.) Your new ship, the Tempest, is a worthy successor to the Normandy with none of the obnoxious elevators and wasted time moving between decks.  There are also plenty of windows so you get an eyeful of amazing views of the beautifully crafted planets and space that I mentioned earlier.

7.) It manages to simultaneously feel new and familiar at the same time.  Red medkits and familiar buildings make you feel like you're still in the same general universe but new alien structures make you realize that you really aren't.

8.) Non-human species seem more expressive and more varied than they did in previous games.  Every Salarian seems like an individual rather than just a generic "Salarian" figure.  There are female Turians and Krogan!

9.) Ryder feels like a character who players get to shape into a hero rather than a "ready-made" hero like Shepard.  I like the fact that Ryder feels unprepared to be thrust into the role of leadership and can seem uncertain about the role of Pathfinder.

10.) If you choose to make a custom Ryder your parents are shaped to reflect the appearance you have created.  This may seem like something that is really minor, but it's these small details like these that stand out.  Usually I go with the default character appearance on my first playthrough but I decided to go with a custom character to check out the creation tools.  My Ryder was supposed to be a mash-up of ethnic identities but I had a tough time figuring out the eye color tool.  Rather than the light brownish eyes I was going for I got a weird light green.  It wasn't a big deal, but I was pleasantly surprised when my father figure made an appearance with those same freaky green eyes.

11.) The Nomad is fun to drive and a huge improvement over the Mako from Mass Effect...even if it can't shoot anything.

The Bad
1.) Almost every square inch of gaming related space has been chocked full of GIF's and jokes about the wonky facial animation in Andromeda.  The complaints are valid as the animation just seems....a little off.  It's not the worst that I've seen, but it's disappointing in a title with as much billing as Andromeda.  Oddly enough, it's way more noticeable with human characters (maybe it's more noticeable because we're used to looking at human faces?) than with the alien species and I've actually found that aliens seem more expressive than in other games.

2.) The menu system is a hot mess.  Even in the few short hours that I've played I am getting the impression that there is going to be sooooo many places to see and things to do and items to catalog that we need tiers to help keep things organized.  These tiered menus make it a pain to find quests or codex entries without clicking through three or four different lists.  I've almost given up on trying to find new codex entries because unless they are clearly marked they require too much digging to find.

3.) The opening hours try to cram a lot of information, characters, and places into a short span of time.  It's a lot and makes the first couple of hours seem slow.  I spent a lot of time just wandering around meeting the people who crew the Hyperion and the Nexus.  This meant there was much time spent talking and trying to keep track of the different characters--I generally enjoy learning about the different characters, but I think it would have been better if it was a little more spaced out.

4.) Planet scanning is back but in a slightly less annoying form.  If you didn't play Mass Effect 2 you missed out on the time consuming process of scanning every square inch of the many planets in the galaxy.  It has been tweaked to make it easier, but it's something that many fans of the series were hoping would fall by the wayside.  There is also a sort of first-person effect added to the Tempest that looks cool, but that makes travel between planets in a system feel slow.  I am appreciating that you can discover abandoned ships for salvage or asteroids for minerals.

5.) For me, the jury is still out about the new scanning system.  In a lore related way it is neat to be able to learn more about the world around you but in a gameplay related way it's just another task to perform.  Maybe it will grow on me.

6.) As someone who has played the entire series and experienced the ending of Mass Effect 3, I really hoped that some of those huge, looming lore related questions would be answered...or at least referred to in some way.  Thus far it appears that there are not going to be any references to the events that took place in the third game--I did notice that when you are initially designing your character that there is a box to check that lets you choose the gender of your past Shepards--so maybe this means that there will be something.  There have been references to the Citadel, which I sort of assumed was destroyed or at least rendered useless....apparently not...there has been absolutely nothing about the Reapers or the destruction that was wrought on the galaxy.  It's a little disappointing, but maybe a clean break is exactly what the series needs?  I, for one, always enjoyed the fact that the games were so connected.  I am hoping that as I play more that some of the story will come to light.

With spring break right around the corner I am planning on dedicating time to exploring Andromeda.  I haven't felt a a great connection to the other characters in the game because there hasn't really been many opportunities to get to know them.  The story seems to be picking up some steam and is getting more interesting--I've just finished exploring Eos and learning about the Remnant.

After almost five years...it's great to be back in the Mass Effect universe.

Trailblazin'!

If you were to rank your favorite things to do in the Mass Effect galaxy, where would you place exploration?  For me, I feel like exploration has never really been a strong suit in the series.  In the original Mass Effect there was an element of exploration--you could thunder around planets in the Mako and look for any strange structures, recover artifacts, claim minerals, or just take in the variety of planetscapes in the galaxy.  Mass Effect 2 and 3 really seemed to veer away from the exploration aspect of the game.  It's true that you had missions that took you to varied planets, but I didn't feel like there was quite that same sense of wanderlust.

Today, the third video in the gameplay series was released that specifically details exploration.  Give it a look:

1.) A ship with a view!  The Tempest features windows from which the surrounding galactic area can be looked upon in awe.  This may seem like something ridiculous to be excited about, but I always enjoyed the variety of planets with their multitude of stories in the original Mass Effect.  It was kind of cool to see meteors streaming down to the surface or look up and see a massive looming red, blue, or verdant planet.

2.) "There are over 100 beautifully crafted planets to be discovered and a handful of planets can be landed on."  Hmmm....this tells me that there will probably be a lot of exploration on that handful of planets while the others are mostly there for things like salvage, credits, or whatever other system rewards you for token exploration and scanning.  This is not a change from the previous games.

3.) Did anyone else get a distinctly Dragon Age:  Inquisition feeling from the part of the video that featured the desert planet of Elaaden?  Maybe it's the fact that I somewhat recently played a lot of DA:I, but I got a vibe.  I think this could be a good thing and actually make exploration an important part of the series.

It looks like players will get to pick from a set of nav-point like objectives and use the Nomad to travel to those important places.  Similar to DA:I exploration players can call down a forward station that serves as a sort of resupply center and fast travel waypoint.  One handy feature is the ability to recall the Nomad if it gets lost or destroyed--like that would ever happen, right?  My mad Mako driving skills should translate well to the Nomad ;)

4.) Planetary hazards are back.  This is one feature from the original game which I always felt lent a degree of reality to exploration.  In the bottom left-hand corner you can see a warning for a "heat hazard" and the video mentions that players must periodically return to the forward station to recharge shields.  Here's to hoping that recharging is infrequent....

5.)  Viability.  The more you discover, the more useful a planet becomes.  For a completionist like me it's nice to know that the efforts that will be put into trying to discover every detail will pay off.  Planet viability looks to play into a lot of different things--allied factions, base locations, resource gathering....and probably even more.  There is also mention of "viability points" which allow you to improve the Nexus.  It looks as if some strategy will be involved as you must pick who you wake up from cryosleep--three categories are featured, scientists, military, or merchants.

6.) Vaults.  As long as vaults are packed full of treasures I am completely down for some fighting, puzzle solving, or navigating.  There also looks to be an element of challenge involved.  Bring it on!

I am encouraged by the number of different landscapes featured in the video.  It appears as if we will have plenty of different biomes to traverse.  In a game that is about exploring a new galaxy, it makes sense to bump exploration up the list of priorities and to feature a wider world for players to see.

Only 18 more days until we get to explore the gorgeous planets of the Helius cluster!

A Veritable Pile of Andromeda News

As the March 21st release date for Mass Effect:  Andromeda inches closer to reality, more and more information is becoming available.  This week seemed like a treasure trove as there was another Andromeda Initiative briefing released, a new gameplay video, and the system requirements were finally announced.  I also read a few pieces about early previews and for the most part they seemed positive.

Let's break it down!

Andromeda Initiative--Part 5 of 6--"Weapons and Biotics" Video

1.) Four classes of weapons will be available.  Pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles, and shotguns.  It looks like submachine guns have gone the way of the dodo.  There is specific mention of being able to add mods to each weapon in the field to make it unique.  The video details "laser shells" as being an upgrade for the shotgun and an electrical field that can be added to the assault rifle.

The "over the shoulder" third person combat looks comfortingly familiar, but I noticed that the assault rifle in particular looks to have more recoil than in previous games.  I don't know if that was caused by the installed mod, or if the rifle is intended to act more naturally.  I am also a little weirded out by the fact that the character in the video is aiming with their left-side.  Is that going to be something we can choose?  Is it finally time for left-handers to get their due?  As a righty, it makes me feel kind of....off.

2.) Biotic abilities look like a mix of older abilities and some newer ones.  I think this could be a good thing as I always found some of them to be awkward when not used in combination with other abilities--pull in particular.  Biotic charge, biotic punch (I don't remember what this one is called), singularity (woot woot! Finally get that as a player ability!), throw, and pull are all featured.  I wasn't sure which ability was featured in the combo part of it--that one looked new.

3.) Tech abilities also look largely unchanged, but they do perform slightly different than in previous games.  Rather than flinging a weird targeted disc of fire or ice at a target, you now channel it in a stream in front of your character.  This is going to necessitate a much more up close and personal style of play.  The cloaking ability looks very similar to previous games and will be handy for sneaky/snipey kinds of characters.  The ability to drop a turret will be a nice way to take some heat off of your character.

4.) Jump jets!  Personally, I am very excited about this addition.  We've never had the ability to jump before in Mass Effect and it could lend itself to a less horizontal style of play.  In one early preview I read (here) the reviewer said that for him the most difficult part to get used to was the movement.  It's much more fluid and even something as simple as jumping takes some getting used to.

After watching the gameplay video about combat, I didn't feel like this briefing added anything that wasn't already detailed.  I will gladly check it off of my free helmet list though.

Gameplay Video--"Combat Profiles and Squads"

1.) You can pick any combination of talents you want and aren't limited by a standard "class" specification.  Beyond that you can also pick a "Combat Profile" which does seem like the more traditional class system.  In a way it is nudging you toward certain playstyles but the "Explorer" profile lets you gain bonuses for all three trees--combat, tech, and biotics.  The bonuses looked much smaller than if you simply focused on one set of talents.  I'm a little confused by this system as it seems to say "pick what you want" while simultaneously saying "one focus is better."

2.) You can customize "favorite" abilities and swap combat profiles at any time.  This type of adaptability to situation is amazing and could make for some really fun play.

3.) There's finally some mention of your squadmates and their abilities!  I've really been wondering about this as there has been very little talk about their role.  It still appears as if players will have the ability to issue commands and set up combos.  I noticed that issuing commands appeared much quicker and more fluid than in the previous games.

System Requirements

Andromeda looks amazing and it's going to take a decent PC to run it at recommended settings.  Here they are:  (source)

Minimum:

OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5 3570 or AMD FX-6350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Video Card: Nvidia GTX 660 2GB, AMD Radeon 7850 2GB
Hard Drive: At least 55 GB of free space
DirectX: DirectX 11

Recommended:

OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD FX-8350
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB, AMD RX 480 4GB
Hard Drive: At least 55 GB of free space
DirectX: DirectX 11

Are you cheering or jeering?  I'm happy because I was a little worried that my 2-3 year old PC might not make the cut, but I think I will be alright.  I probably won't be running it at max settings or anything.

That's the round up of Andromeda news for this week.  Enjoy!

A New Nemesis and Some New Friends

My schedule has been a little hectic lately and I haven't had a lot of time to play much.  I'm still trekking through Dragon Age:  Inquisition and haven't completed any new DLC to write about.  Fortunately my unending obsession with Mass Effect and the upcoming Andromeda release means that there is plenty of non-playing material to analyze...like the recently released cinematic trailer #2.

If you've been keeping up with the Andromeda Initiative briefings then most of what is in this cinematic shouldn't be too surprising.  There's the ark ships which were detailed in one of the first briefings and the references to the "golden worlds" that are the main targets for exploration.  To me the most interesting and important part of this trailer is the looming presence of a dark alien force.  If you forward the video to about 42 seconds you hear a voice that seems very, very familiar but is coming from a different source.  My first reaction was "HARBINGER!"  Listen to it....do you not get a distinctly Reaper-esque feeling?  Could this new species with its "archon" be some sort of Reaper offshoot?  At 45 seconds you get a very brief look at the face of this alien.  It reminds me slightly of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy.

The next shots show male Ryder rallying the troops to take on this new alien menace.  You see Peebee grabbing a gun and we get to hear Vetra ask Ryder if he's thinking of confronting them on his own.  Of course not!  Teamwork is one of the core principles of every Mass Effect game you silly Turian!

Ryder doesn't just tangle with the mysterious Reaper-voiced aliens, we also get to see him meet another species that looks much more friendly.  At about 1:05 there's a shot of a shuttle landing and Ryder approaching a group with hands up in a sign of peace.  We get a glimpse of some sort of squashy-headed, monocled alien leader.  They seem nice.

There has been very little mention of the mysterious Krogan team member that Ryder boasts about and who we see knocking the crap out of people.  Who is this Krogan?  Do the decisions about how to deal with the genophage relate at all to this character?  I am insanely curious and want some more details!

Most of the videos have been devoid of the more romance-y aspects of the game and there's a very brief exchange with Cora Harper.  Love it or hate it, the relationship aspect has been an integral part of the Mass Effect series.  According to this article relationships are going to be a lot different in Andromeda.  I'm interested to see how this new "more mature" relationship system plays out.

The video winds down with some intense scenes of Liam shooting at something and Peebee urging others to run.  Then there's the classic scene of the Tempest outrunning some sort of pursuing alien ship--the pulse pounding running for dear life aspect of Mass Effect is in full force to wrap up the video.

So what do you think?  Did this video leave you feeling excited or are you worried that there's a little too much that seems way too familiar?  I felt a mix of both emotions--I am intrigued by the new crew members and alien species but there's something about the "enemy" aliens that feels way too much like the Reapers.  There's a part of me that wants a very clear departure from the whole Reaper storyline but that could also understand if there was a connection.

The Andromeda Initiative--The Pathfinder

Sometime this week part four in the Andromeda Initiative was released and introduced us to some of the crew members who will play a role in the upcoming Mass Effect:  Andromeda.  While it's been great to learn details about the galaxy, the vehicles, and a little backstory, I've been anxious to learn about the new characters who will play a key role in the story.  The video clarified a few things I've been wondering, but as always, left me with more questions.  Here is the video if you haven't seen it yet (remember that if you complete all the briefings you get a spiffy helmet!):

1.) Familiar phrasing.  One of the things I noticed in this video segment were some familiar phrases from the past games.  Describing the Pathfinders as the "tip of the spear" reminds me of Shepard and the Normandy referred to in exactly the same way.  The "first in" approach seems much more apparent in Andromeda as the Pathfinder team will literally be the first to check out these "golden worlds."

2.) Daddy Issues.  You get a Dad!  This may seem like something strange to be excited about, but family connections and stories have been particularly weak parts of the story in previous games.  When designing your Commander Shepard in the original Mass Effect you had the ability to choose a backstory.  Shepard's backstory played a very limited role in the actual story and having living family members depended on which backstory you chose.  Even if you chose one with living family members there was no actual connection (I might vaguely remember that you get a message from them once).  In Andromeda, your Dad is part of the crew and is someone who plays an important role.  I am interested to see how this dynamic works and if there will be more familial connections than in previous games.  I sort of get this weird feeling that Daddy Ryder probably doesn't live long.

3.) Humans!  One of my big questions has been about the actual Andromeda project itself.  Is it a human only project or is it a Council thing?  This question appears to finally be answered as your crew is specifically referred to as the Human branch of the project.  There must be other crews from the Council races--an Asari crew?  A Turian one?  Maybe some Salarians?  The cinematics have all introduced characters from other races so something must happen that brings together a more diverse crew.

4.) Crewmates.  Being introduced to the characters that make up the Pathfinder team is very exciting.  Liam is described as an idealist with a "crisis response" background.  Does "crisis response" mean he's a medic?  A negotiator?  He seems like he's going to be the "good guy" on the crew.  Then there are the Ryder's.  Making your possible character choices a brother, sister combo is interesting.  I've never really thought about who the male and female Shepards would be to each other.  Probably the most interesting crewmate in this video is Cora Harper.  She describes herself as your second in command (kind of like a Miranda?) and is sporting a wicked cool hairdo.  Although I didn't pick up on this, but read about it from a different source (namely this one), the name "Harper" should stick in your mind.  Could she possibly be the offspring (an actual child?  A test tube baby?  A clone?  A Reaper/human hybrid?!!) of the Illusive Man?  The possibility of having some sort of Cerberus link in the mix could add a little pro-Human spice to the story.  Harper is a biotic who specifically mentions spending time serving with Asari commandos.

I have been wondering about the possible presence of an AI on the crew.  After the magical experiences with EDI, I just couldn't see how they could leave one out in Andromeda.  SAM appears to play a role that is similar to EDI's but has a direct link to your character and your entire crew.  Will this link play into talents and abilities?  I have a feeling that there might be some sort of talent-point system that will involve gaining SAM abilities.

5.) Unanswered questions.  It was nice to get a glimpse at some of the new characters.  Mass Effect has one of its biggest strengths in well-written and lovable characters.  I am still left wondering about the non-human characters.  Peebee is an Asari character and Vetra, a female Turian (finally!), both are featured in the most recent cinematic.  How do they wind up as part of your team?  There's also mention of a Krogan in the video.  Even though the Andromeda Initiative detailed the human crew, it's obvious that the team gets significantly less human.

With the March 21st release date (we'll see....) creeping closer and closer, these videos make me feel just a little closer to the next great space experience.

Andromeda Initiative--You See me Rollin'....In My Nomad.....

The most recent installment in the informational series for the Andromeda Initiative came out sometime recently.  Part three deals with the new vehicles that will be a large part of adventuring in Mass Effect:  Andromeda.  Each thin little slice represented in these videos makes you hungry for more Andromeda information.  It also leaves you with many unanswered questions....  Let's obsess over the Tempest and the Nomad!

Here's the video:

My first impression of the Tempest was a positive one.  The general outline is very similar to the Normandy so it feels familiar, but it also felt....lighter and sleeker.  One of the bigger differences that was pointed out is that the Tempest is more of a stealth ship than the Normandy.  It doesn't have heavy shielding or the big guns that we all spent numerous minerals upgrading.  I like the idea of a ship that has more of a special-ops type of feel.

One of the impressions that is a little confusing to me is the actual size of the ship.  To me the Tempest feels like it should be smaller than the Normandy.  In the few shots where we got to see the interior of the ship it didn't really feel smaller.  The bridge feels considerably bigger than in the Normandy.  It also looks like they are combining the War Room (more of an intel gathering and communications hub) with the actual CIC.  Does this mean there are no elevators?  I don't know if I could survive without elevators.....

Overall the interior felt sleek, refined, and somehow lighter to me.  The captains cabin looks very spacious--but, no fish tank?  I demand fish!  It feels like a roomier, friendlier space that will lend itself to conversations with crewmates...and maybe some light space lovin'.

I have to admit that a small part of me was sad when the voice of the new pilot, a Salarian named Kalo'jan (I have no idea if that spelling is even remotely close), introduced the Tempest.  It's just not the same without Joker!  The idea of having a Salarian pilot is interesting.  The crew seems to be very diverse and made up of members of all the Council species.  This also leaves me with questions.  Is the Andromeda Initiative a Council thing or an Alliance Military thing?  I am interested to find out.

The second part of the video deals with the Nomad, which is the spiritual successor to the Mako.  Remember the weird, janky planetary driving in the original Mass Effect?  There was something simultaneously fun and frustrating about piloting that beastly vehicle.  The Nomad looks comfortingly similar to the Mako, but also manages to look much more advanced.  I didn't notice a weapon and get the impression that the Nomad is mostly for speedy ground transportation.  This tells me that the worlds are going to be large and have plenty of room for exploring.  

Another of the Nomad's functions appears to be in gathering minerals.  There is mention of the Nomad carrying probes that can be dropped to remotely mine.  Does this mean there won't be any planetary scanning?  We can only hope.

These two new vehicles both have managed to capture the familiarity of previous games with improved looks that somehow make them feel more modern and advanced.  I still have many questions about the crew and the mission.  Here's to hoping that more of that is covered in the remaining three videos.

Mass Effect Andromeda Release Date Announced!

In all the excitement of the Steam Winter Sale and trying not to buy anything I would regret later, I got distracted from the Mass Effect:  Andromeda news.  There was some big news today, namely a release date for the next chapter in my favorite space drama.  For gamers in North America that date is March 21 and for everyone else it's March 23 (sorry everyone else, you have to wait two days).

I was shockingly surprised at such an early release date because I thought I had seen a date that was in November.  Something I've learned though...release dates tend to be more like release "guidelines."  I'm not expecting this date to actually happen and am using my powers of clairvoyance to say that it gets delayed and comes out in mid-June.

The male and female versions of Andromeda's hero, Ryder.

A few things to remember before freaking out:  1.) Patience is a virtue.  If a game doesn't come out the exact moment when it was originally stated it would be released..it's not the end of the world.  2.) I would rather have a finished, polished product than a buggy, crash-y pile of poo.  Wouldn't you rather wait through a delay to have something released in a stable and playable state?  I realize that isn't the business model of today's game companies...but it would be miraculous.  The Witcher 3 was delayed, but when it did finally come out it was immaculately playable--I don't think I had any bugs or crashes.  That's what I want--an amazing game that isn't a hot mess on release.

In this post, Aaron Flynn of BioWare explains the release date and the progress they have been making on the game.  He also brings up the use of a new engine to power the amazing graphics that we got to see in the N7 day trailer.  I am hoping that my PC can handle it!  There was also another post about improving the facial animations--something that many people noticed was a little bit off in the most recent video.

So, with this exciting bit of news we can all suffer the excruciating wait for March 21 to roll around.  In the meantime, check out the Andromeda Initiative to learn more about story elements related to Mass Effect:  Andromeda.

New Mass Effect: Andromeda Gameplay Trailer!

Well, it was new two days ago anyway.  If you haven't see it, here you go!

Tell me that you don't feel like running around a room doing cartwheels after watching that!  I was very excited but also tried to take a somewhat analytical approach as I did with the previous new video.  Before I begin with my listicle of obsession, let me clarify a few things.  Firstly, I am a huge Mass Effect fan, but not the kind of person who will spend hours reading every conspiracy theory, amateur Reddit/Youtube analysis, or just generally trying to dig up every juicy little detail.  I wait patiently for a new official video to drop and occasionally read an article if it pops up on my Facebook timeline.  There are, most likely, some people who will dissect this video like a middle school biology frog.  I'm not that person--I don't have that kind of time.  Let us begin!

1.) I was completely wrong about the ship in the previous video being the new Normandy.  Apparently it's some sort of ark ship (I read this somewhere) that is carrying a large contingent of people (species, if you will) to the new galaxy.  So maybe we should think of it as a type of mini-Citadel?  The new ship is called the "Tempest" and has a very Normandy-esque outline and feel.  The video opens on a fabulous shot of the Tempest buzzing through a beautiful asteroid field.

UPDATE:  I have totally ignored the Andromeda Initiative stuff that I signed up for awhile back.  I decided to go watch the intro videos and I would recommend them to everyone else.  They shed some light on the backstory--the Hyperion is an ark ship which is carrying survivors from all the Milky Way species to the new galaxy.  I was correct in the assumption that it would function like a mini-Citadel as a center for your activities.  The training briefs also emphasize the fact that you are travelling to Andromeda to establish a new homeworld.  (You get some sort of in-game item if you complete all the activities--so far there are two out of the total of six).

2.) The new environments look siiiiiiiiiickkkkkk and extremely varied.  I am so excited to explore any of these new gorgeous places!  Tell me you didn't tear up just a little when you saw the beautiful planets?  Tell me!

3.) We get to see a city and it looks awesome--a great hub for meeting new characters and embarking on quests.  And, like the hubs in other Mass Effect cities, it looks to be filled with all kinds of interesting activity.

4.) We get to hear more of the female Ryder's voice.  It sounds good, but will it have the same punch as FemSheps magical Jennifer Hale?

5.) The video expressly states "these worlds are big."  I'm cool with open world as long as that doesn't mean losing the story and characters that are the HALLMARK of Mass Effect games.  I sense some very Dragon Age:  Inquisition elements (the map bar in the city scene).  While I am also a fan of Dragon Age, I would really like Mass Effect to keep it's own unique feel.

6.) A new Mako!  It looks like a vehicle that functions normally too.  Haters have always bashed on the Mako and it's completely ridiculous abilities, but I liked the fact that the original Mass Effect still had a very space-y feel.  Yes, some planets would have low-gravity and driving on them would be weird.  I guess the low-gravity, space-y stuff is getting totally tossed out which is sad in a way.

7.) There's a scanning tool.  More and more RPG's seem to be using some flavor of "detection" in them--whether it's Geralt's "Witcher senses" from The Witcher 3 or Lara Croft's "Survival Instincts," an emphasis on details has taken center stage.  I am glad to see some sort of new enhancement added to the omni-tool.  Six hundred years have passed, it should be able to do some amazing stuff that is different than the previous games.

And now, for the best part....

8.) Combat.  It looks glorious.  GLORIOUS!  I always felt like there was too much hunkering down in one spot in the previous games (less so in the third).  The new combat looks fluid and seamless.  A few things I noticed--1.) the UI looks familiar but more streamlined. 2.) There were basically no longer pauses, only short ones which leads me to a few questions.  Can you still issue orders to teammates?  I am getting the impression that combat is moving towards a more Inquisitions-esque combat style...which....yeah, I don't know.  A more fluid combat system is great, but when there are specific "combos" to plan, I had difficulty getting the AI to time it correctly.  I don't trust the AI!  3.) Is combat going to be more individualized?  I didn't see any teammates in the whole combat part of the video.  4.) I very much enjoyed the biotic charge ability in Mass Effect 3 and it looks even better now.

And, the not-so-best part (depending on your personal preferences).

9.) "Everything you need you will have to find or craft."  Inquisition had an interesting crafting system that wasn't too heavy.  You grabbed the occasional animal, vegetable, mineral or killed a dragon to get the rarer components required to craft the best gear.  Then, you could customize your gear to the umpteenth degree to get exactly the stats or look that you desired.  This crafting thing is new...besides adding mods to weapons and armor in the original Mass Effect, all items were purchased or discovered.  This is a very RPG element in a series that has seemed to be moving away from an RPG-like structure.  I am intrigued...but cautious.  Crafting can sometimes tend towards the grindy and depending on how you feel about grinding, it can be tedious.

10.) Already the haters are out in force about criticizing the facial animations in the video stating that they look "rubbery."  I noticed it a bit, but not enough to be too terribly distracting.  BioWare has stated that the animations are in a preliminary stage and that they will be improved by release time.  I think that criticism seemed a little nitpicky, but...to each his own.  (I'm a fan, so completely biased)

There are many, many things to be excited about!