ME3's ending is probably the worst case of 'shat all over the players/fans' in human history. But, one can hope they've learned, there was certainly enough outrage that they should've gotten the point, AND as noted, ME1, 2, and 97% of ME3 was spectacular, as have Dragon Age Inquisition been. So, I'm still optimistic about Andromeda.

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!

Perhaps that explains the popularity of the "Ace Attorney" series?

-- Philip

	Philip J. Moyer Contributing Writer, Editor and Artist (and Moderator) -- Eyrie Productions, Unlimited CEO of MTS, High Poobah Of Artwork, and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios "Insert Pithy Comment Here" Fandoms -- Fanart -- Fan Meta Discussions

Considering Jack "Whacky-Smack" Thompson and his....reactions to any form of video game....I think 'VERY bad' is the most correct term. Of course, having been permanently disbarred, the question is if he is fit to be called a lawyer, too.

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!

Well, point. On the other hand, while the ending of ME3 is about as massively a tick in the "Fuck NO!" column as you can get...well, the rest is really good, as I noted, at least in my opinion.
So, I'll just leave this here, and let you, and others who haven't really noted it before, have a look or not, as they want:

https://www.masseffect.com/andromeda-initiative

EDIT: If there is anyone that is interested, the above link also allows for watching a set of 6 videos, 4 of which are out(as of yesterday), which gives a decent chunk of background and info. The reason I'm noting it, though, is that, if you do watch all 6 before the game is out, it'll give you a bonus in-game item, an 'Elite Pathfinder Helmet'. Just for general info, as it were.

Oh, and I forgot. New trailer just popped, and while it wasn't all that amazing, there was ONE part that I just loved.

"I don't NEED an army....I've got a KROGAN."

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!

That's a little like speculating that President Lincoln probably enjoyed the first half of Our American Cousin, though. Possibly true, but in practical terms, a bit academic. :)

Anyway, I seem to have started a new Fallout: A Tale of Two Wastelands character last night, so I'm probably set for walk-around-and-shoot-at-things gaming for... a while now.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Well, considering that President Lincoln REALLY would've had problems attending Our American 2nd Cousin Once Removed...I have to say the comparison limps slightly, in my opinion. We, after all, have no physical difficulty playing the 'sequel', and the makers of said sequel also have nothing physical preventing them from learning from their mistakes. That's not to say they HAVE, though I would have to hope that the resultant storm had SOME effect.

>Anyway, I seem to have started a new Fallout: A Tale of Two
>Wastelands character last night, so I'm probably set for
>walk-around-and-shoot-at-things gaming for... a while now.

I can see how that would be, yeah.

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"

Yeah, fair enough. It's like saying Mrs. Lincoln probably enjoyed the first half of Our American Cousin.

--G.
In this case, what was assassinated was my willingness to trust those devs, you see.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Better.

>In this case, what was assassinated was my willingness
>to trust those devs, you see.

Well, yeah, I do see. But at the same time...well, I would have to think that the devs aren't morons, AND that the general reaction of the fanbase was clearly if not PAINFULLY shown.

Me, I'm willing to try it, particularly with the world-building that is generally Biowares mark. And considering that I have a VERY limited budget now-adays, well...at the same time, what OTHER people do...well, that's up to them.
Guess I'll leave some sort of review or something, come the 29th or so(as my sister decided to get herself born on a VERY awkward day for some reason. She really should've considered this, and my feelings, 60 years ago...).

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"

Dunno about the romance options, though, honestly. If PeeBee is as much like Sera (from Inquisition) as I think she is, and that blonde is as annoying as some preview I read claimed...well, Ryder may be going it alone, so to speak. We'll see.

All I can say is, there better be my Black Widow rifle in there. All I'm sayin'.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

Well, I'm not preordering through Origin/EA, so...wouldn't give them any more money than necessary. Green Man Gaming has been excellent to me so far, and is notably cheaper too, so...

>If PeeBee is as much like Sera (from Inquisition) as I think she is

Oh Jeebus don't say things like that! I have NEVER hated a character
on the level that I did Sera, I think. Gods, she gave me rabid mania.

>All I can say is, there better be my Black Widow rifle in there. All
>I'm sayin'.

Don't worry. It is.

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"

Hm, I'll take a look.

>
>
>>If PeeBee is as much like Sera (from Inquisition) as I think she is
>
>Oh Jeebus don't say things like that! I have NEVER hated a character
>on the level that I did Sera, I think. Gods, she gave me rabid mania.

Yeah, the inherent problem with Sera is even genuinely insane people follow their -own- rules. Sera almost seemed to be moronically random, on purpose, for -no reason-. Except to see people's reactions. Unbelievably irritating.

>
>
>>All I can say is, there better be my Black Widow rifle in there. All
>>I'm sayin'.
>
>Don't worry. It
>is.

Yay! XD

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

AND suffer from the worst case of ADD in MULTIPLE FUCKING HISTORIES! As well as having an entitlement issue that would make anyone, ANYONE, you can mention, and probably any FIVE, look like mother fucking Theresa in their generosity and giving nature.

HHNNNNGGgggnnnnrrrr....

>Yay! XD

And with the system, you can run it with any and every 'class' there is. Though, personally, I do prefer the 'plain' Widow. Biotic with the biggest boom-stick in the game? Yes please.

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"

Yeah. Exactly. Basically, Sera is the logical extreme of that really annoying kid that acts like a baby and then throws temper tantrums when she isn't treated like an adult.

>
>And with the system, you can run it with any and every 'class' there
>is. Though, personally, I do prefer the 'plain' Widow. Biotic with the
>biggest boom-stick in the game? Yes please.

Well, yes, the original Widow is even better. I had just gotten the two confused. =) It's been a while. I kinda want to play a little ME3 MP now, but I almost want to hold off because the combat system isn't quite the same.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

Oh, and they really didn't need to put Jaal in the game...just find a reason that Garrus could've been in two places at once. I mean, seriously?

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Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"

Indeed. =) I haven't responded because there's been a lot on my plate, but yeah, she fills the same -role- as Sera in the party? (IE, the one who questions cultural assumptions.) But she's not nearly so frustrating. The game itself is not Game of the Year, but I'm enjoying it.

>
>Oh, and they really didn't need to put Jaal in the game...just find a
>reason that Garrus could've been in two places at once. I mean,
>seriously?

The strength of Andromeda's story in general is embodied by Jaal's commentary. Learning about Milky Way society from the outside is pretty interesting.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

Once the first two (dozen) or so patches are in I'll see if its worth getting or if EA is trying to cash cow another series.

That and I really do have other games I should be playing right now....

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter

With hope based on the hype (again, like an idiot), I launched ME:A and found that on Launch Day, I could not play the game.
I did everything I could, I re-downloaded, rebooted, etc. I finally called EA Support and there was a problem with the Deluxe edition from EA Orgins and I had to wait an extra day to start my adventure.
The consolation prize? Some free packs of the Multiplayer portion. :(
They woulnd't even refund me the game and let me buy the basic.

So the Launch Day +1, I get to start my adventure. And I was underwhelmed.
I have GForce card with 4 GB of RAM, I forget the exact model. But the game looked WORSE than Mass Effect 2. I turned up all of the settings, it didn't get any better. It was so bad, that my wife commented that it looked worse the SWTOR.

So I turned the settings back down, and played and played and played.
Slogged through much of the content, explored 96% of the Helios Cluster (can't find the 4% that I was missing) Performed all of the side quests that I could find. Some I did give up on, because they were a slog to try and find "the Data Pad Manifestos" and stuff like that.

I beat the game and that was it.
For me, to be effective, there was too much Grinding. Many of the side quests were just that, grindy BS to get XP and Credits and Gear. Most didn't add any depth to the world or the characters. It was very much reminiscent of Dragon Age Inquisition. Which was another slog-fest.

Overall, I give Mass Effect: Andromeda a C.

Oh, yeah, the Multi-player portion, no Idea. I could NEVER get connected. Or more precisely, I would get into a match and immediately get dropped by EA's Servers. And yes, I checked my Firewall Settings, Router Settings, Anti-Virus Settings, internet connection. Nothing. I would get into a match, get the count down to begin, and BAM, kicked out.
So that consolation prize for not being able to play the game I paid for on Launch Day? Even more worthless than 3 dollar bill.

So, do I believe that the ME franchise is being put on hold, YES. Do I think is is because ME:A was a technical disaster? No, EA already KNEW that was case.
They are doing it in hopes that we forget what a cluster#### it was.

They will go destroy something else.

Phantom
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,
however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

And even with almost no one really respecting them as the hero at first, even though they're pretty much stuck figuring out how the job works, they get it done. Hell, I think establishing Prodromos is one of my favourite moments in Mass Effect.

And depending on which options you choose, they can be an utter dork. Sara flirting with Suvi, mocking Invictus, using the fact they're in another galaxy to use a Star Wars quote on a bad guy, fun all round.

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter

... eh?

The Ryders are way more Chosen One-y than Shepard could ever dream of being. All Shepard ever had going for her was her weird Prothean beacon synchronization, which stops being a big deal after the first game.

The Ryders not only have a specific equivalent of that in the way their special Pathfinder sauce interfaces with Remnant technology in a way that nobody else can, but the second they become Pathfinder everyone starts treating them like the Space Messiah who can solve all problems and wields vast and potent authority over everything. The entire reason they're allowed to retain their Pathfinder status as opposed to that title and the responsibility that goes with it transferring to Cora, who actually trained for the job, is because their dad arranged for them to have special gifts and powers that are uniquely theirs and are non-transferable.

>And even with almost no one really respecting them as the hero at first,

Right. The Initiative respects them so little that it can't wait to hand over massive amounts of its meager remaining resources to them and send them out to solve problems.

The Ryders are hella Chosen One.

-Merc
Keep Rat

I dunno, I kinda think Shepard was far more the Chosen One. The major difference in my eyes isn't the McGuffin (they both have one), it's the experience. Shepard is a badass from 0600 day one, and the game never lets you forget it. And it's awesome in its own way, but the moments where Ryder can't buy the respect of his/her team (like the times they all bail on the meeting and Ryder's calling helplessly after them), the adorkable moment where Sara tries to chat up Suvi ("Kill. Me. Now."), stuff like that, that's what makes me think this is a person and not a superhero caricature. Shepard gets her own such moments later in the franchise, of course, but you don't see her earn that respect the same way you do with the Ryders.

Mind you, I wouldn't go so far as to say Andromeda is the best game in the franchise, but I still enjoyed it. I was very fortunate to never run into any major bugs, though.

>
>The Ryders not only have a specific equivalent of that in the way
>their special Pathfinder sauce interfaces with Remnant technology in a
>way that nobody else can, but the second they become Pathfinder
>everyone starts treating them like the Space Messiah who can solve all
>problems and wields vast and potent authority over everything. The
>entire reason they're allowed to retain their Pathfinder status as
>opposed to that title and the responsibility that goes with it
>transferring to Sara, who actually trained for the job, is
>because their dad arranged for them to have special gifts and powers
>that are uniquely theirs and are non-transferable.
>
>>And even with almost no one really respecting them as the hero at first,
>
>Right. The Initiative respects them so little that it can't wait to
>hand over massive amounts of its meager remaining resources to them
>and send them out to solve problems.

I have to point out that the Initiative people were way at the end of their rope before the Hyperion arrived. It's not about respect, and several people go out of their way to tell Ryder that. It's about a fatalistic hope, the last lifeline before utter despair.

Since we're on the subject, can I just say how well the Andromeda writers did in conveying the difficulty and effort needed for a colonization on this scale? In the first half of the game, I went in not really thinking about what would be needed for colonization, and every other sentence I said to myself, "OHHHH, that makes sense!"
------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

Nepotism =/= Chosen One. Just sayin'

...!
Stoke Mandeville, Esq & The Victorian Ballsmiths
"Nobody Want Verdigris-Covered Balls!"