‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ — Let’s Try This Again

I love the original Mass Effect trilogy. That’s not exactly a huge leap, but it’s what makes Mass Effect: Andromeda so disappointing. I was ready for this game in a way I hadn’t been for anything since Gears of War 3. I’m talking genuine excitement to the point where the last few days leading up to the release felt longer than the ones before them.

And, of course, the game came out, and it was buggy. It just didn’t feel right. At least, not to me. I mean, over the course of my multiple attempts to lock in on this game, I’ve probably gotten about three hours into it before I just stop caring. Something else always takes my attention away. 

I REALLY WANT TO LIKE ‘MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA’

My main issue with this game is that it’s just not interesting. The story didn’t land with me, for starters. And I can admit part of that was wanting this game to establish some degree of connection with the original Mass Effect trilogy. You know, from the vantage point of the long-term effects of Commander Shepard’s actions beyond “we have cool new space toys.” 

The characters didn’t do much for me, either. They don’t come off as characters with the confidence to establish themselves. You’re given the title of Pathfinder, but it’s not like being a Spectre, where it felt like everyone was against you despite being the universe’s savior. There was something to ground Shepard — to establish them. Something to prove.

I did enjoy Mass Effect: Andromeda‘s combat, though. It felt like a snappier iteration of what we got in the OG trilogy. With the advancement in console tech since Mass Effect 3, it was a welcome change. If anything motivated me to stick around, that should’ve been it. But, it still came up short. I needed the story to match what I was getting with the gameplay. Andromeda just wasn’t filling that gap.

SO, WHY TAKE ANOTHER SHOT? 

I’m saying all this to say I’m gonna play this game again. At launch, it was a buggy mess. It was hard to even get through the game’s opening moments. Since then, though, updates and patches have solved many of Mass Effect: Andromeda‘s issues.

I bought the game for five bucks on a PSN sale a while back. It’s sat in my library forever —  picking up digital dust as I actively avoided what I’ve always known. Inevitably, I was always going to come back. It feels like a minor blind spot at this point. It’s not like it’s out of the realm of possibility that it could be good now. Some time has passed since its initial release, and my general outlook on gaming has changed. 

I want to enjoy this game, especially with Mass Effect 4 coming down the road. I could just play the Legendary Edition and relive the glory days, sure. However, I recall another game that managed to recover from a horrible launch. Cyberpunk 2077. A legitimately great game that was held back by its issues. My hope is that Mass Effect: Andromeda ultimately falls under that category as well.