As well, it features the Paragon/Renegade quick-time reaction system, as shown when one colony ruler’s turian bodyguard pulls a gun on Ryder, only to have it turned back on him in an instant. (Also, did anyone else get Garrus feels on seeing that turian bodyguard? I know not all turians are Garrus, but… gosh, I miss my bird space husband.) There were a few moments during the dialogue section that seemed a bit off, especially if you pay attention to some of the facial animations. Ryder’s face doesn’t seem to express or change too much, especially as she steals the bodyguard’s gun from him. I realize this is almost assuredly still a somewhat early build of the game, and it should be shaken out by launch, but it definitely stood out to me here. That being said, it’s nice to see that the cinematic style remains a priority for BioWare, and it just felt good to see how even that bit is coming along. Of course, you can’t have a gameplay trailer without a combat section, and the one shown here is pretty incredible.
The lengthiest bit of combat here focuses on what looks like the Vanguard class, because (as you might have guessed), biotics are obviously still a thing, and Ryder’s zipping around like the gosh darn Flash all around this platform. They’ve also got a really neat biotic shield that–if you listen closely–also warps the sound effects around Ryder, which I thought was absolutely neat. The old ammo system makes a return here also, as Ryder switches to a specialized ammo type to fight the mech units that dropped in mid-battle (as they do). The Mako (ah, the Mako) isn’t exactly back for this one, so instead we get the Nomad, which, well, still feels and looks a bit like the old, uh, much beloved space vehicle. So, yeah, space/planetary driving is totally back, and good luck trying to flip this one over. This trailer also offered a peek at Andromeda‘s gear system, and mentioned that you can craft new armor out of the raw materials you find on the ground. While scavenging for materials appears to be mostly the same (find a thing on the ground, press a button to pick it up), they do emphasize that it’ll be an important part of the game.
Resources are scarce, they say, and it’ll be up to you to “find, steal, or craft” everything you might need. The almost five minute trailer is well worth your time, doubly so if you’re even remotely invested in the Mass Effect universe. Be warned, though: we only just entered December, and Andromeda‘s still sitting on a Spring 2017 release date. You’ll suddenly be very acutely aware of how far away that is if you check this trailer out. Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site! —The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.— Follow The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google+.Star Trek’s iconic speech about space being the ‘final’ mysterious frontier holds true forty years on and I’d be willing to bet that’s why the interstellar Mass Effect series holds court over so many imaginations. Unfortunately, developer Bioware has reeled out nothing but the smallest of tidbits for the next game.
Having piled up the scant details currently available, here’s what we’ve managed to piece together so far. 1. A whole new world(s) In Bioware’s E3 2014 video where they dished the dirt on what’s been going on behind closed doors, it was mentioned that we’d be poking around an entirely different setting for our next journey. While that doesn’t mean we won’t return to old haunts like the Citadel or the haggard Omega, the majority of our time will be spent braving, as they say, the final frontier. ‘One of the things that fans have told us most about what they want in the next Mass Effect game is to go somewhere new, and to move forward,’ Executive Producer Casey Hudson pointed out. ‘We’re taking you to a whole new region of space’. 2. And who are you supposed to be? Continuing with the theme of keeping things fresh, Bioware mentioned in the same video that they’d be introducing a fresh batch of characters for us to meet and ‘fall in love with’.
There’s the possibility of small cameos from established heroes and villains, but if they do crop up it doesn’t seem like they’ll take a big role. That makes plenty of sense. Players’ stories dovetailed by the end of the trilogy, so it’d be difficult to add in favourites when they might have ‘died’ during the events of previous Mass Effects. 3. On the road again Three words could have described the Mass Effect’s space rover, the Mako: bouncy, stubborn and difficult. If Bioware has its way, we’ll be changing that vocabulary before they’re done with the next instalment. Making its grand return, the Mako has been tweaked so that it’s easier to control. We’ll be free to customise it as well, because apparently it’s going to be a regularly featured part of the game. 4. Bring me that horizon Exploration is set to be a key pillar of the next game, and the planets we’ll land on seem as if they’ll be significantly larger than before. As pointed out in the E3 footage, ‘this world is so vast that you can kinda continue on to the horizon and there’s more and more experience for the player to enjoy’.
Backing this up was Hudson’s own addition that we could visit areas on the other side of the galaxy, just to see what’s down there. From what that indicates, our adventures amongst the stars may be more free-form than usual. 5. Oh captain, my captain No matter how much we wish it were otherwise, Commander Shepard is officially gone. Having bowed out gracefully (or not, depending on your ending) in Mass Effect 3, she/he won’t be the hero of the next story – though it’s possible they could be name-dropped as a sneaky nod to fans. Because this isn’t a continuation of the previous story, we apparently shouldn’t call it Mass Effect 4 either. When it comes to the protagonist this time around, they could well be human once again. In the Escapist’s video covering Bioware’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, it was revealed that they’d said the main character ‘will be human’. 6. Coming to a store near you… not anytime soon Popping our hopes, the Escapist also noted that Bioware thinks the game is some way off;