Stuff UK — June 2017

TEST GAMES

ow do you follow one of
the finest gaming trilogies
of the last decade? The
answer, if you’re BioWare, is to do
more of the same... only bigger.
Andromeda stands apart from
the previous games in the series in
that it occurs in a different galaxy.
Six-hundred years after humanity
banded together with the other
alien races of the Milky Way
and sent a fleet of ships on a
mission to find a new home in
Andromeda, this rag-tag band
finds itself in the Heleus Cluster,

where the glorious future of the

‘Golden Worlds’ awaits.

Of course, these worlds turn out

to be anything but golden – and the

Cluster turns out to be the home of

the Scourge: the biggest, most evil

candyfloss ever.

You spearhead the reclaiming

of these blasted worlds through a

series of missions – from restoring

peace with other species to

exploring the Remnant Vaults.

These alien tech systems need

to be discovered and investigated

to progress both the story and the

chance of outpost survival, and

BioWare has done a great job of

making each Vault interaction a

unique joy.

The one real flaw? Andromeda

has some of the worst character

models we’ve seen in recent years.

The human facial animations are

a mixed bag between ‘acceptable’

and ‘I cannot believe this has made

it into the final game’.

Thankfully, the graphics as a

whole are stunning – breathtaking,

in fact. Combat is highly enjoyable

too, with an organic cover system

and an AI system that makes your

squad more feisty. Also of note

are a new jump mechanic and an

improved conversation wheel.

Despite its flaws, then, this is a

must-buy. It’s a vast game, with a

vast tapestry of play on the cards

and vast potential for character

development. Yes, the graphical

bugs are a frustrating presence

in a package that’s otherwise

completely immersive, but the

rest of the game does enough

to ultimately overcome them.

Colin Tate

STUFF SAYS The litchiest Mass Effect to date, but also the biest and most beautiful +++++

Space’s greatest action RPG is back – and on a much grander scale than

any of its predecessors – but can it really live up to the original trilogy?

H

Xbox One, PS4, PC / masseffect.com^

Mass Effect:

Andromeda