It's been four years since we thwarted the Reaper threat, drawing the Mass Effect trilogy to a close. Since then #DragonAgeInquisition has come and gone, no doubt with new learnings for #MassEffectAndromeda. We've dived into the trailers before and the release date leak too, but we're building an up to date encyclopaedia here on Now Loading in the run up to the launch of Mass Effect Andromeda.
Here's everything you need to know about BioWare's new trilogy!
Note: This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Mass Effect Andromeda News
There's no shortage of Mass Effect news dropping lately and whilst these might not be direct from the Alliance News Network, we're pretty confident about our sources.
Goodbye Shepard, hello Ryder
We may have waved goodbye to the Commander, but the protagonist of Andromeda is Scott or Sarah Ryder, whose default appearance can be seen in the image above.
There will still be extensive customization options for people looking to spend more time in the character creator than in game and you can even customize your twin sibling and father.
Regardless of your decision to be a boy or a girl, your family are cannon and your brother or sister will be somewhere out there in the galaxy. I can't confidently say the same for your father who was in the middle above, who you assume the mantle of pathfinder from.
Here's your Mass Effect dad, Alec Ryder. He's described as Pathfinder - a role you later take on - so it's not looking good for him. pic.twitter.com/BXnKsnFxjv
Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsEG) November 7, 2016
Rather than already being a highly regarded hero, Ryder will make a name for themselves in the Andromeda galaxy.
What's the story in Mass Effect Andromeda?
During the events of Mass Effect 2, a group of scientists and explorers set up the 'Andromeda Initiative'. Their goal is to leave the Milky Way behind and set up shop in the Andromeda galaxy.
You're awoken during a catastrophic event and take on the mantle of 'Path Finder', your job to lead the exploration of this unknown territory.
Here's an excerpt from Reddit leak earlier this year:
"You are a pathfinder, a combat trained but untested explorer leading an expedition into the Helius cluster [in the Andromeda galaxy] to establish a new home for humanity. As you explore this sprawling series of solar systems (over four times the size of Mass Effect 3), collecting resources and building colonies, you will encounter the savagery of untamed lands in the form of cut-throat outlaws and warring alien races."
How does Andromeda tie into the original Mass Effect trilogy
The journey to Andromeda begins in 2185, placing it around the time Mass Effect draws to a close with the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC. The events of Mass Effect 3 sparked by the Reaper invasion of the Milky Way occur a year later in 2186.
Since the expedition is a 600 year trip in cryo-sleep the crew did not experience the subsequent invasion and even more conveniently the ending decision made in Mass Effect 3.
Mass Effect Andromeda will be a self contained story, not set up for a trilogy!
Mass Effect Andromeda will tell its own story. It may not be the last we hear from Ryder or our last adventure in the Andromeda galaxy but we're going to finish this fight.
"At the end of this, we want it to feel like a story has completed. Yes, for the universe, there's much more you could explore, and we want to tease that, but it feels like its own story. It's like, 'Great. I had my Ryder sibling becoming-a-hero story. What's next? Is it going to be Ryder? Is it going to be something else?'" - Mac Walters, Creative Director
Though we should certainly expect more, additional additional tweets from Mac suggest the team have big plans for Andromeda.
I believe I've used that exact phrasing. So yes. A saga. https://t.co/NNWmDYWpBJ
Mac Walters (@macwalterslives) November 21, 2016
Get an exclusive in-game item by preparing with the Andromeda Initiative
You can prepare yourself for the trip to Andromeda by checking out the Andromeda Initiative, which gives a little background on the trip and is steadily introducing a number of guides to help prepare for the trip.
Mass Effect Andromeda uses the Frostbite Engine
Were pushing the boundaries of what Frostbite can do and what Mass Effect can do. The quality of the character animations is at an all-time high for us, and thats great because it means expressiveness, emotion and a connection with the player. - Mac Walters, Creative Director
Frostbite means something else for Mass Effect Andromeda, Destructible Terrain
If you're using the engine that powers Battlefield, the one thing we expect is destructible cover, something a leak from US retailer Best Buy hinted at when putting one of their pre-order pages live.
Class selection has been removed in favour of a open skill tree
Rather than opting into a class and then picking upgrades, Andromeda relies on a skill tree you can select abilities from throughout the game. This allows more freedom in character building, though picking up skills that synergise with each other will unlock new titles.
Mass Effect Andromeda is also getting a sense of verticality with the Jetpack
You'll be able to scale certain terrain and most about the map a little more freely with the addition of the Jetpack, which will be used for traversal in some cases (see the PS4 Pro video footage in the crew section) or gain a vantage point against enemies.
Mass Effect Andromeda is moving away from Paragon / Renegade choices
The staple Paragon / Renegade morality system is being overhauled for Andromeda, the goal is to make the idea of labelling yourself good or bad more nuanced.
I think now were moving away from that. Weve been looking for other ways to engage more of those shades of grey; less about it being obviously being right or wrong and more about giving people a sense of choice. - Mac Walters, Creative Director
Dialogue is based on how you want to react
Dialogue in Andromeda is based on the tone of how you want to respond: with your heart or head, professionally or casually.
These decisions will not affect a meter one way or another, rather they'll give you the decision of how to play rather than following a morality system.
'Interrupts' also make a return a return, but they're not tied to a morality system either. You can make a decision to shoot a hostage taker, but it will not be identified as a Paragon or Renegade decision.
Exploring Andromeda in style - the Tempest
The Tempest is the scout ship for the Human ark Hyperion and your base of operations when moving around Andromeda.
Your ship often acts as a hub for interacting with your crew members, deciding which mission to tackle next or a place to sit back and feed the fish (because we totally didn't forget). BioWare wanted to make this experience seamless, tackling this by removing the need for loading screens on the ship.
Their other goal was the make the ship feel more alive, so crew mates and squad members will move around, but they still have jobs to do, so they'll tend to be around areas they work. This should make them feel like organic parts of the ship, rather than points of interest to visit along the way.
"Theyll be doing things and interacting with the ship, because its a small crew and everybody has a job. So they need to be looking like theyre active. They may be doing things that draw you toward them, or they may be calibrating. - Jessica Hara Campbell, Space Lead
With the additional processing power of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the Tempest will have no loading screens. Allowing you to move from the bridge, to the captains quarters without loading or waiting an inconveniently long time in what must be the worlds slowest elevator.
Mako's back, but has been given an overhaul - The Nomad
The Mako is back, but it's been redesigned from the clunky and unwieldy mobile turret it was in the original Mass Effect to a transport, dropping the weapon gun turret and fine tuning the driving.
When we thought about bringing the Mako back, we said: We cant bring the Mako back as an iteration of the Mako. It has to be a high quality experience that compares well to any driving simulation by doing that. - Aaron Flynn, Studio Manager
To make sure they got the handling just right, the team brought on the Need for Speed developers to make sure they got the experience just right.
Who will join your crew in Mass Effect Andromeda?
There's not too much information about who will join you on your adventures throughout Andromeda. We've compiled a list about the crew members revealed thus far.
Peebee
Peebee is an Asari, though she came to Andromeda on the Nexus, a structure somewhat similar to the Citadel.
She's pretty smart and very interested in alien technology. However she's not so good with people and has little regard for formalities. Peebee apparently tackles Ryder upon meeting him / her.
It's a nickname. Also. She's very different from Aria. https://t.co/4iIA47aFjR
Mac Walters (@macwalterslives) November 7, 2016
Peebee is described as a chracter who's not about teams or teamwork and that she's working with the pathfinder to further her own goals.
Liam
Liam fulfils the role of human male with an incredibly common name (sorry Kaiden), on the Tempest. A former police officer who was in charge of security abroad the Hyperion.
Despite still being a little too shy to reveal his face, Mac did say a little more about his character in an interview.
Liam is the youthful, enthusiastic, and in some cases, the idealistic follower that you get. While he takes his duties seriously, he tends to have a lighter tone. He may try to add levity to situations by being upbeat, he also wears his heart on his sleeve and gets fired up easily."
Both Liam and Peebee get a little time in the spotlight in the recent PS4 Pro footage revealed for Mass Effect Andromeda.
[[jwplayer:sUlboM1H]]
Drack
Drack is the teams Krogan squad mate, he was mentioned in the Reddit survey leak, with some details about his loyalty mission.
When a Krogan colony ship has been stolen by one of the outlaw factions leaving the colonists stranded without resources to survive, your Krogan squad mate, Drack, is determined to strike out against them. If you take the mission and help him track down the outlaws hideout to return the ship to its rightful owners, Dracks loyalty toward you and your squad will increase and Drack will unlock a brand new skill tree.
BioWare have stated that some of the leaked information is incorrect, so take this with a pinch of salt. However Tom Taylor, the voice actor for Male Ryder has confirmed the existence of Drack.
@Adam4Wigley Drack is one of my favorite team members. However - Im biased. Krogan are my favorite species. :)
Tom Taylorson (@taylorson) November 19, 2016
Salarian Pilot
Not a lot to add to this except it has been confirmed that the pilot of the Tempest, is a Salarian.
Loyalty Missions return in Mass Effect Andromeda with a twist
If you enjoyed resolving the allegations of treason placed upon Tali or aiding Garus in coming to terms with his time as Archangel then you'll be in luck since the Mass Effect 2 staple loyalty missions will return for Andromeda.
Unlike in Mass Effect 2, you won't be punished for not doing a crew members loyalty mission. Which in the past had a noticeable effect on your odds of survival during during the 'Suicide Mission'.
The big difference between this and ME2, where you did a loyalty mission and that all impacted the ending, is that theyre much more optional in this case. If you dont want to engage with them, you dont have to. If you want engage with them after the critical path is done, you can do that. - Mac Walters, Creative Director
So Ryder probably isn't going to die at the end of Mass Effect Andromeda.
Love is in the air in Andromeda, but the rules have changed
BioWare are no strangers to pushing the boundaries when it comes to the game of love, but from a romantic standpoint Andromeda could be their most accepting title yet.
Like past entries in the series, same-sex romances will be featured for those seeking to pursue them. It's been stated by the team that these will be expressed in a less ham fisted way than some of the previous entries, instead focusing on a characters orientation as only a small part of who they are.
However that's not the only change you can expect, certain crew members want different things. Some desire physical intimacy, others emotional. Some relationships may happen early in the game, other characters will need more time to fall in love. During the writing process the team removed what they refer to as the 'hard line', that moment where certain characters can no longer be romanced.
Walters has confirmed that Ryder can engage in polygamous relationships, some characters will feel betrayed by this, others will be more open to it (pun intended). There will also be the opportunity to romance characters that are not crew members on the Tempest.
They'll also be more bromance in Mass Effect Andromeda
Walters has stated the team want more platonic moments with crew members as well, opportunities to have 'bro' or 'friends' moments. Which may blossom into something more or remain as they are.
What races are there in Mass Effect Andromeda?
Four arks were sent to Andromeda, these arks are council race specific (Human, Turian, Asari and Salarian) expect to meet a variety of the races you've come to know and love from the series. Other fringe races may appear on the Nexus (a citadel-like structure) sent as part of the Andromeda initiative.
Joining them are two races confirmed for the Andromeda Galaxy, the Khet and the Remnant. The Khet are the primary antagonists, a war faring species showcased in the 2016 N7 Day trailer.
[[jwplayer:MdTEXNkB]]
[[jwplayer:MdTEXNkB]]
There's not a lot of information about the Remnant, save that they guard a number of vaults that players will have the opportunity to explore. If you took a look at the trailer in the crew section (under Liam), you'll get a look at some Remnant, who appear to be some sort of machine race.
New Worlds To Explore In Mass Effect Andromeda
Considering that we have a spaceship, a ground vehicle and our objective is to find a new home in the Andromeda galaxy, you can rest assured there will be a lot of new planets to explore, ranging from desert planets to more luscious environments.
Mass Effect Andromeda will include multiplayer!
After it's appearance in Mass Effect 3 and inclusion in Dragon Age, BioWare have confirmed Andromeda will have a multiplayer mode.
Rumors suggest this is a 'Horde' mode, where you and a bunch of team mates fight off waves of increasingly more powerful enemies and occasionally clearing certain objectives.
This feeds into the 'Strike Team Missions' which are a single player component played out in 'Horde' mode, giving single player rewards alongside the normal multiplayer rewards.
There's a Mass Effect Andromeda Multiplayer Beta
You can sign up for the Mass Effect Andromeda Multiplayer Beta already, you'll need a few things to do so.
An EA Account
Linked to a PSN, Xbox Live or Origin Account
Time
If you're wondering why you'd need time, it's because you'll have to answer a number of questions about your gaming preferences, favourite games and spoken languages before finally confirming you wish to apply for the tech test.
There are already Mass Effect Andromeda collectibles!
Die hard fans can also pick up a replica Nomad; controlled by an app the Nomad RC features 6 wheel drive, front and rear steering, functioning LED's and a built in camera (if this is starting to sound like a car ad, it's because it pretty much is).
What will Mass Effect Andromeda look like in my game collection?
If you're not picking up an exclusive SteelBook and and nomad then your copy of Mass Effect Andromeda is likely to look something like this.
What about the box art for the Mass Effect Andromeda glorious PC gaming master race edition?
Origen codes don't come with box art, just kidding.
What's in the Mass Effect Andromeda Deluxe Edition?
There are currently no images of what you get in the Deluxe Edition of Mass Effect Andromeda, but there is an item listing for anyone placing pre-orders:
Pathfinder casual outfit
Scavenger armor
Pathfinder elite weapon set
Pet Pyjak (Monkey)
Digital soundtrack
Multiplayer deluxe launch pack ($5 value)
What's in the Mass Effect Andromeda Super Deluxe Edition?
The Super Deluxe Edition includes everything in the Deluxe edition of the game, coupled with a 'Multiplayer Super Deluxe Booster Pack' providing one co-op premium pack every week for 20 weeks.
What platforms is Mass Effect Andromeda coming to?
Mass Effect Andromeda has been confirmed for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. No other platforms have been announced at this time.
When is Mass Effect Andromeda released?
Currently there's no confirmed release date for Mass Effect Andromeda, with the game planned for a 'Spring 2017' launch.
Amazon may have given up the goose with their listing for a Mass Effect Andromeda art book is advertised for release on 21st March and could possibly launch alongside the game.
Want more Mass Effect Andromeda?
On December 1, you'll get a first look at Mass Effect: Andromeda gameplay at @thegameawards. pic.twitter.com/w8i4CKpvjX
Mass Effect (@masseffect) November 21, 2016
What are you most excited for in Mass Effect Andromeda?
Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4, Source 5, Source 6, Source 7, Source 8, Source 9, Source 10, Source 11, Source 12, Source 13, Source 14, Source 15, Source 16, Source 17, Source 18.