I think I've just about had it with "Mass Effect Andromeda." About five hours into the game, I'm ready to call it quits.
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The facial animations in "Mass Effect Andromeda" are just as static and unnatural as the dialogue, which really detracts from the feeling of immersion.
There are just too many frustrations that discourage me from wanting to play more:
- The dialogue is boring
- Character models and animations look terrible
- I don't care about any of the characters, or their motivations
- The gameplay is repetitive and feels too much like errand-running
- You can't pause or skip the many long cutscenes in the game
- Menus are needlessly confusing and frustrating to use
- You have to watch an animation every time you want to visit a new planet, or just look at it
I could go on. Of course, purists will note that the original "Mass Effect" games from a decade ago weren't perfect either, but more than anything, playing this new game just makes me want to go back and revisit those old titles.
Like thousands of other people, I loved, loved the original "Mass Effect" series. Yes, it also started off a bit slow, but I didn't have nearly as many gripes about the characters, their interactions, the story, or the way the game plays. Critics clearly felt the same way: The original "Mass Effect" game received near-universal praise from critics, while "Andromeda" has received mixed but mostly critical reviews.
Bioware, which made the first three "Mass Effect" games as well as the new "Andromeda" title, recently said it is listening to feedback and plans to provide "ongoing support" to the game through software updates. I'm looking forward to seeing how Bioware plans on improving "Mass Effect Andromeda," since there is clear potential despite its many, many flaws - but if there's one thing I actually want from Bioware, it's the ability to revisit those old games. Here's hoping Bioware is planning remastered versions of the original trilogy for newer consoles, because whether you're new to the franchise or you've already experienced Commander Shepard's journey, those games are worlds better than "Andromeda."