[Megathread] Mass Effect Andromeda

[May90]

Thing is, for Eos at least, there's only 1 Task that's horrendous and that's the scan the colonists one. All the other Tasks sends you to areas near mini-vaults or are near side-quest areas. It is aids picking up a task after you've done everything else but in general they're not that bad.

Like one of the side quests is to follow the trail of some woman who eventually goes to a remnant structure. You interact with her camp, go to the end of the remnant structure, that you'd clear anyway for Remnant Cores (Gotta get crafting), and scan a terminal that you turn back in at the outpost. The only thing it doesn't have compared to the side quests like Kett's Bane is a dedicated two-way dialogue with options.

The only issue is the lack of tracking for them. It'd be okay if you had a highlighted area, similar to Inquisition, so you know "Right, I should check this general area" and they'd be perfect.

The way I see it, tasks are just bonus missions that you can get some rewards for, but they really aren't something you should include in your mandatory "to do" list. The way I play similar games is this: I clear everything that has any marks on the maps; those tasks that do not have any markings and are more like DAO Chantry Board quests ("Collect 18 of X and turn them in for a reward of a few gold coins"), I do not pay any attention to and only turn them in if I happen to randomly collect the required items while doing everything else.

I am a completionist, but I don't really count "collect N of X randomly somewhere" as a part of a completionist playthrough, as there is no clear route to completing them and it is a matter of luck more than anything else.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Finished it, surprisingly, this weekend. I basically only did Eos, and the other planets I don't think I put much if any focus on, certainly didn't 'establish' them, or whatever the terminology was.

You're able to march onto the end portion of the game pretty easily, and able to forgo a lot of the planets (really, I didn't put a lot of extra time into it, with how many other games I have to start right now :P)

So, I sort of unceremoniously beat the game, felt really let down by the final battle, and feel like it was a good ME game (soul of the franchise mostly intact), but I'm not sure it was really needed. ME 1-3 did enough justice for the franchise as is, this one didn't add much to it.

How long did it take you? Because I have the feeling you left out 60-80% of the game .

[May90]

Finished it, surprisingly, this weekend. I basically only did Eos, and the other planets I don't think I put much if any focus on, certainly didn't 'establish' them, or whatever the terminology was.

You're able to march onto the end portion of the game pretty easily, and able to forgo a lot of the planets (really, I didn't put a lot of extra time into it, with how many other games I have to start right now :P)

So, I sort of unceremoniously beat the game, felt really let down by the final battle, and feel like it was a good ME game (soul of the franchise mostly intact), but I'm not sure it was really needed. ME 1-3 did enough justice for the franchise as is, this one didn't add much to it.

I've always had mixed feelings about games set in the same universe as previous games, but not really connected to them. I'd prefer them to, say, pick a canon ending for ME (let's say, Control ending) and set the game 100 years since then, starting at the stage of the expedition being prepared; this way, they would be able to make a completely new story, at the same time preserving some of the established characters (Liara, Wrex, Grunt, Samara, even some of the human characters could still be alive and, at least, make a cameo appearance).

As it is, all the characters are completely new. On one hand, it is good for a fresh start, and throughout the Andromeda series, we will probably grow to love them as much as we do the ME1-3 characters. On another, there is always this unpleasant feeling of all the ME1-3 characters cut out from us without any goodbyes.

If you've played Neverwinter Nights games... Remember that moment when you met Deekin in NWN2? This kind of moments in Andromeda would really enrich the experience, and the devs had quite a few opportunities to make it happen, at least, purely for cameo purposes.

[WarpedAcorn]

Since it seems most are well into the game if not finished now. What do you all feel gas been the best weapons and abilities and teammates?

I haven't beaten the game, but I'm level 32 so I think I'm pretty far. I haven't really been impressed with any of the weapons yet, but the Dahl Shotgun did make an impression from its impressive damage capabilities. I have weight bonuses that I can equip anything and stay at +100% power speed, so I am testing out more weapons liberally.

Its hard to argue with the Tech Powers. Overload, Assault Turret, and the Remnant VI are boss...boring, but boss. I use it mainly for boss fights. I alternate between a Tech spec with those and a Vanguard spec with Charge, Annihilation, and Nova. I plan to swap Nova out for Lance once I get it ranked higher though. I maxed Singularity early on and it was really good at CC, but I don't use it much currently.

Teammates, I am surprised that Vetra is as good as she is. I usually pick her and Drek and haven't had any issues. To be perfectly frank, I can't tell much of a difference when I have any of them around and none of them have demonstrated themselves to be a "must-have" like Garrus.

[Derah]

Okay, I feel like I really need to point this out..... I love the fact that the Tempest has windows on it.

You'd think such a detail wouldn't matter much, but HOLY SHIT what a difference it makes. Going into the conference room, and having a gorgeous 360° degree view of the surrounding solar system blows me away EVERY time. I've even gotten to the habit of parking the ship on particularly cool vistas, like that purple sun, or the black hole, for when I want the cutscenes inside the ship to look even more impressive.

For all the Geth talk about windows being structural weaknesses, I really REALLY wish the Normandy had more windows back in the original trilogy.

[Lahis]

Okay, I feel like I really need to point this out..... I love the fact that the Tempest has windows on it.

You'd think such a detail wouldn't matter much, but HOLY SHIT what a difference it makes. Going into the conference room, and having a gorgeous 360° degree view of the surrounding solar system blows me away EVERY time. I've even gotten to the habit of parking the ship on particularly cool vistas, like that purple sun, or the black hole, for when I want the cutscenes inside the ship to look even more impressive.

For all the Geth talk about windows being structural weaknesses, I really REALLY wish the Normandy had more windows back in the original trilogy.

Though I don't think the Tempest has real windows. It's all screens like the Kodiak has.

[Omians]

so for the quest Making an Impression which should i go for? Gas or water? has anyone noticed any real difference between the two?

[Banshee Prince]

Why can't the Ryder twins romance each other? It's 2017, I thought bioware was supposed to be progressive.

[Nazrark]

so for the quest Making an Impression which should i go for? Gas or water? has anyone noticed any real difference between the two?

Haven't finished it because I am not ready for the fight at the end.

[Megitsune]

so for the quest Making an Impression which should i go for? Gas or water? has anyone noticed any real difference between the two?

If you really wanna know:

I'm guessing that's one of the choices that might have an actual impact later in the trilogy, because I've played through the whole game and there was really no difference from what I saw

[Jastall]

I'm always curious when people praise charge. Do you play on insanity with it? As fast as you die, i feel like you can only charge single enemeys.

I mean, if you Charge in the middle of a bunch of Anointed then stand there slack-jawed while shooting a Predator at them, of course you're going to be turned into swiss cheese. The trick is to pick your targets, prime them with Singularity, go for the kill, dart into cover, then Charge again when the short cooldown is back up.

You can also help yourself with all sorts of tools. Flamer for AoE combos, Backlash to absorb gunfire (very effective against Observers too, I found), Shockwave to interrupt/CC bunched up foes the Kett vampire swords to leech health, the Barrier evolution that gives you Cheat Death, so on and so forth. A Vanguard can be amazingly hard to kill if played right. Someone I know actually runs a Sentinel profile with Charge, while maximizing his health pool. Tech Armor makes him pretty tanky.

[Edge-]

Bit the bullet and listening to the TB video, about 40 minutes in and I've gotta say it's not a bad listen. He covers the basics like the game settings etc., talked about the setting a bit, showed off map travel and commented on it, showed off a dialogue sequence, and while he's critical of many aspects of the game he's very fair about it and calls out places where the game does things well, too.

I'm pretty impressed so far, actually. Still got another hour+ left to listen to, but so far this is one of the better takes on the game that I've seen/heard/read.

[Omians]

If you really wanna know:

I'm guessing that's one of the choices that might have an actual impact later in the trilogy, because I've played through the whole game and there was really no difference from what I saw

i read that it probably would as well but does that advent group react or anything right away?

[Jastall]

Bit the bullet and listening to the TB video, about 40 minutes in and I've gotta say it's not a bad listen. He covers the basics like the game settings etc., talked about the setting a bit, showed off map travel and commented on it, showed off a dialogue sequence, and while he's critical of many aspects of the game he's very fair about it and calls out places where the game does things well, too.

I'm pretty impressed so far, actually. Still got another hour+ left to listen to, but so far this is one of the better takes on the game that I've seen/heard/read.

TB is the best video game content creator on Youtube as far as I'm concerned, even if does tend to ramble on. But he's level-headed, gives most games a fair chance, tries his best not to let bandwagons (of either love or hate) get to him, is consistent in what he likes or not, and wears his bias on his sleeve. The latter is cool by me since everyone is biased, knowing this and working around it makes you a good reviewer.

I also like that he shows a lot of gameplay footage, without cutting it like say Angry Joe does. Means he doesn't cherry-pick the bits and pieces that fit his narrative but shows the game as uncut as possible.

[fangless]

How long did it take you? Because I have the feeling you left out 60-80% of the game .

I'm sure I did, I also hate doing little misc side quests for no real reason. All my characters died in ME2, including shep, because I didn't do enough of that research shit, lol. It felt like tacked on just because. w/e, an endings is an ending.

Honestly, I used like 3 guns the whole time, and kept whatever pre-order armor I had on. Just maxed some powers, used the same 2 allies, and went at it. The number of planets became pretty overwhelming, and after I did 2-3, the option to do what looked like the final stretch of the game opened up, and I went for it. Not saying the game is bad at all either :P It's just what ME fans could want, mostly.

[PACOX]

so for the quest Making an Impression which should i go for? Gas or water? has anyone noticed any real difference between the two?

Theres no impact as of yet but I said screw the Advent and tapped the water. They aren't about to get me to tap the gas for them and then sell it back. I work for the Initiative, not for them.

[Mirishka]

I'm sure I did, I also hate doing little misc side quests for no real reason. All my characters died in ME2, including shep, because I didn't do enough of that research shit, lol. It felt like tacked on just because. w/e, an endings is an ending.

Honestly, I used like 3 guns the whole time, and kept whatever pre-order armor I had on. Just maxed some powers, used the same 2 allies, and went at it. The number of planets became pretty overwhelming, and after I did 2-3, the option to do what looked like the final stretch of the game opened up, and I went for it. Not saying the game is bad at all either :P It's just what ME fans could want, mostly.

Doing all the prep, and then successfully executing the Suicide mission in ME2 is one of the most epic experiences in the last decade of gaming. You're missing out.

[Megitsune]

i read that it probably would as well but does that advent group react or anything right away?

I'm not entirely sure, I actually decided to tap the gas instead of the water, next playthrough I'm doing the water

[DaveL]

So, for those who seen all the memory fragments (especialyl the last one), do you think game will ever show if MW residents care about AI?
My theory is, in ME: A2 (if it´ll be ever called that) we could import save from ME3 to reflect our choice in the end to be shown in next game...

Also..
The Quarian Ark. Methink we´ll see them in some DLC or next game, because it seems they missed and ended up in Empire territory (the Archon´s superiors).
And, where the helius cluster is in Andromeda galaxy anway?

[May90]

Did 3 hours of multiplayering today. Granted, I've only done Bronze matches so far, so I cannot comment on real difficulties, but... It is just me, or are the Kett much-much-much stronger than the other two factions? Both Remnants and Outlaws seem to be lacking the units posing real challenge, while the Kett have Fiends and Ascendants. Outlaws can usually be beaten by infinite camping, Remnants require a bit more maneuvering, but not too much - with the Kett, however, you have to run around endlessly, and you still often end up getting cornered. And when an Ascendant shows up, you know the failure isn't very far away.

And, where the helius cluster is in Andromeda galaxy anway?

It is a purely fictional cluster, astronomers do not call anything in Andromeda "Heleus Cluster". It is probably on the outskirts of the galactic disc.