Mass Effect: Andromeda Thread

[deathofaninja]

Definitely worth playing. If you haven't played the first game, it will likely be slightly tougher to get a "good" ending. But it's one hell of a ride. And well, even the best ending is... underwhelming compared to the rest of the game.
Don't know which DLC you played for ME2, but make sure you play Lair of the Shadow broker and Arrival at least, before jumping to ME3. As for ME3, all DLC except Omega is pretty much mandatory.

But you don't necessarily have to play ME3 before playing Andromeda. Andromeda starts just after ME2, and then jumps to 600 years in the future, in another galaxy.

I played the DLC, and ME1 -- just missed the third somehow.

 

[Argentus]

Given the timeline, we can guess that at least the geth won't be playable. Maybe no batarians as well. Definitely no playable collectors too. Also no cerberus defectors. Every other species is likely to be back.

I also spent most of my time in 3 playing multiplayer. I just couldn't finish the singleplayer most of the time; i keep stopping after the ranoch missions.

honestly Rannoch is the best "Real ending" to the game. After that is where it goes downhill, and it could have easily ended on the epic grand finale of Rannoch if they had just said

Spoiler

the reaper you bombed from orbit with the geth/quarian fleets after ending their centuries long feud, while fighting the reaper face to face was Harbinger instead of just a random reaper

as far as I'm concerned, that's how ME3 DID end.

 

[NightAntilli]

Nah... I don't agree that's the point it went downhill. Everything before the last 15 minutes was great.
The scene where

Spoiler

Anderson says he's proud of you

is one of my favorite scenes ever. And everything up to that felt intense and great, except a few weird implications here and there

Spoiler

with Anderson and TIM.

The ending (last 15 minutes) was just too much of a typical deus ex machina, with too little explanation.

 

[P2p1mbs]

Nah... I don't agree that's the point it went downhill. Everything before the last 15 minutes was great.
The scene where

Spoiler

Anderson says he's proud of you

is one of my favorite scenes ever. And everything up to that felt intense and great, except a few weird implications here and there

Spoiler

with Anderson and TIM.

The ending (last 15 minutes) was just too much of a typical deus ex machina, with too little explanation.

I've said many times before that for me, the game stopped being enjoyable for me during the Thessia missions but when it comes to the final level, everything after the failed conduit run with Harbinger shooting at you was unbearable. Aside from the infamous ending sequence with the Catalyst, I just really didn't like how slow your movements would be at that point when Shepard is wounded. I used a modded game where I can increase the game speed so I can go thru the boring bits but it causes major problems during this sequence (the 3 husks end up moving too fast for me to react to) so I have to endure several minutes of limping around and several unskippable cutscenes.

But enough about 3's ending, that topic has been done to death, back to Andromeda; I noticed that in that last video, Cora Harper refers to the Ryder siblings by first name. This probably means that the Ryder you dont choose to play as will stick with their default name. Maybe if you dont customize your Ryder's first name, characters will actually refer to them as Scott or Sarah. I really wish they would include some preset first names so that characters can actually call Ryder by name besides just Scott or Sarah. At the very least, I hope some in game text will use the first name regardless if you customize or not.

 

[NightAntilli]

Please put those remarks in spoiler tags. There are still new people considering to play the trilogy in this thread, and people that did not play ME3 yet.

As for Thessia,

Spoiler

it was done with the specific intention of letting the player feel gutted, to the point of wanting to quit. The fact that so many people dislike the Thessia mission shows how pampered the gaming community really is, always wanting to feel like winners and heroes with having little disappointments if any at all. Having you lose to someone that you specifically hate (and was designed for you to hate) is actually genius. It is one of the most memorable ones for me, almost up there with the Mordin mission. The main difference is that the Mordin mission, although sad, is still supposed to be satisfactory to the player (unless you shoot him). Thessia is supposed to be unsatisfactory. It is still one of my favorite missions, and, let me tell you why.

I remember that I wanted to stop playing at that moment. I was on the brink of giving up, angry, 'this is not how things are supposed to be', 'come on, I didn't deserve to lose to that ***hole' etc. But then I realized, I was feeling how Shepard must have felt at that moment, because it was a big loss. And having the player feel the same way as the character you're role-playing as, that is an achievement that actually has to be respected. They intentionally left you feeling gutted. Obviously they can't keep you that way for the rest of the game because then you actually quit, so, what do they do? They send you to go talk to Anderson, someone you likely feel quite close to (for as far as that's possible), since he's been there from the beginning of the trilogy, or at least, supporting you since the beginning of the game if this is your first game. The talk with Anderson made me feel much better. I can still clearly remember the words 'shake this off Shepard', and I felt like I could keep going anyway, just like Shepard would have probably gotten a little motivated again. It was all intentional, and due to this simple fact, I have huge respect for the Thessia mission.

I doubt we'll retain the name, but we'll see. I don't want to be called Scott throughout the whole game though...

 

[Argentus]

Please put those remarks in spoiler tags. There are still new people considering to play the trilogy in this thread, and people that did not play ME3 yet.

As for Thessia,

Spoiler

it was done with the specific intention of letting the player feel gutted, to the point of wanting to quit. The fact that so many people dislike the Thessia mission shows how pampered the gaming community really is, always wanting to feel like winners and heroes with having little disappointments if any at all. Having you lose to someone that you specifically hate (and was designed for you to hate) is actually genius. It is one of the most memorable ones for me, almost up there with the Mordin mission. The main difference is that the Mordin mission, although sad, is still supposed to be satisfactory to the player (unless you shoot him). Thessia is supposed to be unsatisfactory. It is still one of my favorite missions, and, let me tell you why.

I remember that I wanted to stop playing at that moment. I was on the brink of giving up, angry, 'this is not how things are supposed to be', 'come on, I didn't deserve to lose to that ***hole' etc. But then I realized, I was feeling how Shepard must have felt at that moment, because it was a big loss. And having the player feel the same way as the character you're role-playing as, that is an achievement that actually has to be respected. They intentionally left you feeling gutted. Obviously they can't keep you that way for the rest of the game because then you actually quit, so, what do they do? They send you to go talk to Anderson, someone you likely feel quite close to (for as far as that's possible), since he's been there from the beginning of the trilogy, or at least, supporting you since the beginning of the game if this is your first game. The talk with Anderson made me feel much better. I can still clearly remember the words 'shake this off Shepard', and I felt like I could keep going anyway, just like Shepard would have probably gotten a little motivated again. It was all intentional, and due to this simple fact, I have huge respect for the Thessia mission.

I doubt we'll retain the name, but we'll see. I don't want to be called Scott throughout the whole game though...

honestly,

Spoiler

I wasn't too broken up by Thessia, because the Asari have always been elitist and who set themselves up for defeat. It felt more like karma on their part than an outright loss by Shepard. Even the Kai Leng fight was only in Shepards favor. he was DOMINATING Kai Leng and the chickenshit had to call in an attack chopper to try to take out Shepard, which, I should note, is the ONLY TIME IN THE SERIES that Shepard was unable to take out an attack chopper. Even the soldiers you meet say it flat out: they specialize in small units of elite commandos, and are totally unsuited to open warfare like that. Same problem the Salarians had. They overspecialized due to the arrogance leading them to think they are infallible.

I was more distraught by the thought of losing on Rannoch after just ending the quarian/geth feud and the quarians making their ways home (Yeah lot of the quarians are assholes but its pretty understandable why they are. Not like they had the real information of the morning war like the geth did. Helped that I was romancing Tali and never cared about Liara much, so I never had any attachment to the Asari.

On andromeda, I'm STILL waiting to see some freaking quarians. Wanna see my favorite race. and I BETTER be able to play one in MP. maybe they'll even give us a real character creator in MP this time!

 

[P2p1mbs]

Please put those remarks in spoiler tags. There are still new people considering to play the trilogy in this thread, and people that did not play ME3 yet.

As for Thessia,

Spoiler

it was done with the specific intention of letting the player feel gutted, to the point of wanting to quit. The fact that so many people dislike the Thessia mission shows how pampered the gaming community really is, always wanting to feel like winners and heroes with having little disappointments if any at all. Having you lose to someone that you specifically hate (and was designed for you to hate) is actually genius. It is one of the most memorable ones for me, almost up there with the Mordin mission. The main difference is that the Mordin mission, although sad, is still supposed to be satisfactory to the player (unless you shoot him). Thessia is supposed to be unsatisfactory. It is still one of my favorite missions, and, let me tell you why.

I remember that I wanted to stop playing at that moment. I was on the brink of giving up, angry, 'this is not how things are supposed to be', 'come on, I didn't deserve to lose to that ***hole' etc. But then I realized, I was feeling how Shepard must have felt at that moment, because it was a big loss. And having the player feel the same way as the character you're role-playing as, that is an achievement that actually has to be respected. They intentionally left you feeling gutted. Obviously they can't keep you that way for the rest of the game because then you actually quit, so, what do they do? They send you to go talk to Anderson, someone you likely feel quite close to (for as far as that's possible), since he's been there from the beginning of the trilogy, or at least, supporting you since the beginning of the game if this is your first game. The talk with Anderson made me feel much better. I can still clearly remember the words 'shake this off Shepard', and I felt like I could keep going anyway, just like Shepard would have probably gotten a little motivated again. It was all intentional, and due to this simple fact, I have huge respect for the Thessia mission.

I doubt we'll retain the name, but we'll see. I don't want to be called Scott throughout the whole game though...

You haven't read my previous comments on Thessia have you?

Spoiler

I hated the level not because you're supposed to fail it but because Laira was such an annoying little bitch about everything going on. This was the third time in the game that we were on a planet being destroyed by the Reapers and many of your squad had seen their homeworld fall (including Shepard) and unlike the others, she's being all angsty and whinny about it. Compare her reaction to Garrus in the Palaven mission; he pointed out that his home CONTINENT was burned and he was soldiering on, Liara meanwhile was all like "Whaaaa!!!!!!!!! My home is being destroyed!!!!!!!!! Why is this happening to meeeeee??????!!!!!!!!!". Then after the mission, she was lashing out at Javik blaming himnfor the loss.

I get what that level was supposed to be Shepard's breaking point but it once again just feels like it was made to emphasize that Liara is the most important squadmate and that we should sympathize with her an it only ended up making me REALLY dislike her. Also keep in mind that I LIKE Liara

On andromeda, I'm STILL waiting to see some freaking quarians. Wanna see my favorite race. and I BETTER be able to play one in MP. maybe they'll even give us a real character creator in MP this time!

Given the timeline, it would not be likely that quarians would have been allowed to join in the Andromeda journey since they were still at war with the geth. I hope to see at least one quarian, possibly an exile, but maybe not.

 

[Argentus]

You haven't read my previous comments on Thessia have you?

Spoiler

I hated the level not because you're supposed to fail it but because Laira was such an annoying little bitch about everything going on. This was the third time in the game that we were on a planet being destroyed by the Reapers and many of your squad had seen their homeworld fall (including Shepard) and unlike the others, she's being all angsty and whinny about it. Compare her reaction to Garrus in the Palaven mission; he pointed out that his home CONTINENT was burned and he was soldiering on, Liara meanwhile was all like "Whaaaa!!!!!!!!! My home is being destroyed!!!!!!!!! Why is this happening to meeeeee??????!!!!!!!!!". Then after the mission, she was lashing out at Javik blaming himnfor the loss.

I get what that level was supposed to be Shepard's breaking point but it once again just feels like it was made to emphasize that Liara is the most important squadmate and that we should sympathize with her an it only ended up making me REALLY dislike her. Also keep in mind that I LIKE Liara

Given the timeline, it would not be likely that quarians would have been allowed to join in the Andromeda journey since they we still at was with the geth. I hope to see at least one quarian, possibly an exile, but maybe not.

Could be exiles, could be on pilgrimage, could simply be explorers/scouts.

They are THE nomads of the setting, it'd be silly not to include some of them.

 

[P2p1mbs]

Could be exiles, could be on pilgrimage, could simply be explorers/scouts.

They are THE nomads of the setting, it'd be silly not to include some of them.

Why would a quarian on their pilgrimage go along on the journey? It's not like anyone participating in the Andromeda initiative expect to return to the Milky Way. Sure, maybe one of the arks is a quarian ship but like I said, the initiative happened before the liberation of Rannoch so it's unlikely that many quarians joined in the journey.

Not that I don't want to see quarians, I do but the timeline may not allow for it.

 

[Argentus]

Why would a quarian on their pilgrimage go along on the journey? It's not like anyone participating in the Andromeda initiative expect to return to the Milky Way. Sure, maybe one of the arks is a quarian ship but like I said, the initiative happened before the liberation of Rannoch so it's unlikely that many quarians joined in the journey.

Not that I don't want to see quarians, I do but the timeline may not allow for it.

happening before rannoch is exactly why they WOULD. See if there's a possible home planet for quarians there. In one of the books a group of explorers went through a black hole to see where it led. No reason to believe a few wouldn't tag along for the andromeda expedition.

 

[NightAntilli]

That would mean the Flotilla would have to survive for another ~600 years at a minimum. Chances are they'd have found some place in the Milky Way by then.

I honestly wouldn't miss the Quarians in Andromeda. Some people will hate me for it, but whatever.

 

[Crazy_Chin_Guy]

That would mean the Flotilla would have to survive for another ~600 years at a minimum. Chances are they'd have found some place in the Milky Way by then.

I honestly wouldn't miss the Quarians in Andromeda. Some people will hate me for it, but whatever.

Yeah i never really cared about the Quarians lol, they sometimes act like arrogant douches even though they can get killed by germs.

 

[Argentus]

That would mean the Flotilla would have to survive for another ~600 years at a minimum. Chances are they'd have found some place in the Milky Way by then.

I honestly wouldn't miss the Quarians in Andromeda. Some people will hate me for it, but whatever.

Yeah i never really cared about the Quarians lol, they sometimes act like arrogant douches even though they can get killed by germs.

You two are dead to me haha.

Gotta remember, Quarians are taught that geth....well, the geth are to quarians what Tijuana is to white people. Taught to stay away, its the stuff of nightmares and you will be killed or grievously injured, when in reality, just don't be a dick and you'll be fine.

but it doesn't need to be the whole flotilla. they sent out scouts and explorers all the time, as well as pilgriimages, so its not like they'd require this huge elaborate excuse for quarians in MEA. Just a couple on board for tech help.

 

[P2p1mbs]

but it doesn't need to be the whole flotilla. they sent out scouts and explorers all the time, as well as pilgriimages, so its not like they'd require this huge elaborate excuse for quarians in MEA. Just a couple on board for tech help.

Thinking about it now, I just realized that since it is confirmed that there will be krogan in the game, the idea of quarians participating in the journey is totally possible, exile or not. I would be more surprised to see batarians or vorcha in the game.

 

[NightAntilli]

It is definitely possible that Quarians participate in the journey, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. It didn't take that long before Salarians and Krogans were shown. There were snippets of them since early trailers, and now, they've already stepped into showing the new races in the last trailer, which seems to be a next step in their marketing. The teasing and showing of old races is likely over. To save the Quarians specifically for last is... Unlikely. Not impossible, though, remember that I'm speculating and I could be wrong. Maybe they do have it planned for the oh so loud Tali fans that love Quarians lol. Or maybe a Quarian character will be DLC down the line xD

I indeed don't think we will see Batarians, Vorcha, Hanar, Elcor, Geth, Rachni, Drell... Although I must admit I'd love to see Drell in Andromeda. Considering they're trying to get a fresh start and attempt to draw in new players, I doubt they want to flood new people with too many races. There is a possibility of meeting any of them on the Nexus though, because anyone could sign up to be part of the Andromeda Initiative as far as I know.

 

[Rubedood]

I want to be excited for this game, but it's hard to after the direction the sequels went. I hope this feels more in line with the first one setting wise, with the combat improvements from 3(I found ME2's combat boring).

 

[Argentus]

It is definitely possible that Quarians participate in the journey, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. It didn't take that long before Salarians and Krogans were shown. There were snippets of them since early trailers, and now, they've already stepped into showing the new races in the last trailer, which seems to be a next step in their marketing. The teasing and showing of old races is likely over. To save the Quarians specifically for last is... Unlikely. Not impossible, though, remember that I'm speculating and I could be wrong. Maybe they do have it planned for the oh so loud Tali fans that love Quarians lol. Or maybe a Quarian character will be DLC down the line xD

I indeed don't think we will see Batarians, Vorcha, Hanar, Elcor, Geth, Rachni, Drell... Although I must admit I'd love to see Drell in Andromeda. Considering they're trying to get a fresh start and attempt to draw in new players, I doubt they want to flood new people with too many races. There is a possibility of meeting any of them on the Nexus though, because anyone could sign up to be part of the Andromeda Initiative as far as I know.

I really doubt they just WONT have quarians. They are one of the most popular ME races, largely due to Tali being one of the most popular squadmates (Hence being made a romance option in 2, and being one of only two consistent squadmates across the series)


And lets be honest, It's "Andromeda" in name only, just so they don't have to recognize the fuckup that was ME3. Its still the same exact universe for all intents and purposes. Same races, same tech, there's a Citadel, etc, etc. All this "Exploring" could still be happening in Milky Way.

 

[P2p1mbs]

I hope this feels more in line with the first one setting wise, with the combat improvements from 3

From the looks of things, that seems to be exactly what they're trying to do. I too am not as excited for this compared to when 2 and 3 released but after 5(!) years, it would be nice to go back to the series with a fresh start.

 

[UpSideDownGRUNT]

I'm excited for Andromeda personally, unless they manage to completely fuck up the narrative I'll probably enjoy this one just as much as 2 & 3 at the very least

 

[NightAntilli]

I prefer this way of marketing honestly... I went into ME2 and ME3 knowing too much.