Mass Effect: Andromeda (PC) Review
Many problems prevent Bioware's latest entry in the Mass Effect franchise from rising above mediocrity. Marred by technical issues, the game also suffers from poor dialogue, inconsistent and awkward line delivery, unfortunate voice actors for some key characters, and wasted potential in the overarching plot. Many of the little aspects of lore and world building are absent from Andromeda, and the comedic angles of the original trilogy's writing are far too often overemphasized and poorly executed. Tedious quests and questionable game design choices combine with the ultimate lack of narrative payoff to create a deeply disappointing adventure.
That said, the game is not without redeeming moments. Certain characters in particular: Drack, Vetra, Jaal, and even PeeBee on occasion, are quite endearing eventually and manage to feel like real people with actual life concerns and experiences. Combat has the capability to feel new and fresh (though it is also capable of being completely broken with certain Vanguard-focused builds). The new Nomad handles much better than the old Mako, but the cannon and gun were sorely missed. The game takes awhile to find it's footing; the early hours are much worse than the middle of the game, even if it does come to an unsatisfying "see-you-next-week" style conclusion.
When the game's not being a buggy mess, it's a perfectly serviceable scifi RPG shooter, but it's a shadow of the franchise's former greatness.
