Mass Effect: Andromeda

Game

Released: 21/03/2017

-2

Balance

3.0/5

Ranking among video games: #14 Open World #39 RPG #44 Action-Adventure

Trailer

Mass Effect: Andromeda official Trailer

Mass Effect: Andromeda official Trailer

From the editors, by Tome Updated on 18/04/2026

Mass Effect: Andromeda, the sci-fi dream that tripped over its own footsteps

When Mass Effect moved into open, wide spaces, the universe got bigger and so did the risks. Mass Effect: Andromeda is part of that bold pivot, and its reception reads like a case study in how high expectations can turn even strong ideas into headline drama. Still, fly past the noise and you find a game powered by wonder, squad chemistry, and momentum that feels almost addictive.

The Experience

You play as a Pathfinder exploring a new corner of the Mass Effect galaxy, searching for habitable worlds after humanity and allies scatter across interstellar distance. The core loop is exploration plus mission structure: scan, travel, investigate, then fight with your team as hostile forces and local mysteries get in the way. Combat leans on class-based powers and squad tactics, while traversal gives you that signature space-sprint fantasy, turning rooftops, cliffs, and alien ruins into something you can actually move through fast. It is less about waiting for the story to arrive, more about pushing forward until the next reason to care shows up.

What Sets It Apart

BioWare aims for cinematic scale with a bright, exposed take on sci-fi: alien ecosystems, light-catching architecture, and characters designed to feel expressive in motion. The soundtrack supports that attitude, balancing urgency with the wide-open calm of exploration, so even side activities feel like part of a larger promise. Narrative-wise, it keeps the franchise’s focus on choices and relationships, but it also treats discovery as a story engine, not just a background texture. Technically, it stands as a major leap in ambition for the series, even when performance and polish were uneven at launch.

Who Should Play This

If you want Mass Effect energy without needing every last detail from previous entries, this is approachable, though it helps to have at least basic familiarity with the franchise. Expect roughly 30 to 60 hours depending on how much you roam, and yes, there is difficulty tuning for players who want tactics over swagger. Available platforms include PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and it is also on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility. If you can tolerate a few rough edges, the traversal alone can make the trip worth it.

-2

Balance

3.0/5

Ranking among video games: #14 Open World #39 RPG #44 Action-Adventure

Detailed Ratings

From the editors, by Tome Updated on 18/04/2026

Mass Effect: Andromeda, the sci-fi dream that tripped over its own footsteps

When Mass Effect moved into open, wide spaces, the universe got bigger and so did the risks. Mass Effect: Andromeda is part of that bold pivot, and its reception reads like a case study in how high expectations can turn even strong ideas into headline drama. Still, fly past the noise and you find a game powered by wonder, squad chemistry, and momentum that feels almost addictive.

The Experience

You play as a Pathfinder exploring a new corner of the Mass Effect galaxy, searching for habitable worlds after humanity and allies scatter across interstellar distance. The core loop is exploration plus mission structure: scan, travel, investigate, then fight with your team as hostile forces and local mysteries get in the way. Combat leans on class-based powers and squad tactics, while traversal gives you that signature space-sprint fantasy, turning rooftops, cliffs, and alien ruins into something you can actually move through fast. It is less about waiting for the story to arrive, more about pushing forward until the next reason to care shows up.

What Sets It Apart

BioWare aims for cinematic scale with a bright, exposed take on sci-fi: alien ecosystems, light-catching architecture, and characters designed to feel expressive in motion. The soundtrack supports that attitude, balancing urgency with the wide-open calm of exploration, so even side activities feel like part of a larger promise. Narrative-wise, it keeps the franchise’s focus on choices and relationships, but it also treats discovery as a story engine, not just a background texture. Technically, it stands as a major leap in ambition for the series, even when performance and polish were uneven at launch.

Who Should Play This

If you want Mass Effect energy without needing every last detail from previous entries, this is approachable, though it helps to have at least basic familiarity with the franchise. Expect roughly 30 to 60 hours depending on how much you roam, and yes, there is difficulty tuning for players who want tactics over swagger. Available platforms include PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and it is also on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility. If you can tolerate a few rough edges, the traversal alone can make the trip worth it.

Status: Completed

Publication: 2017

Age rating: Mature (18+)

Genres: RPG Open World Action-Adventure

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Reviews

GirlRainbow31 Lvl 3 Apr 18, 2026

Translated from French

A unique adventure

Despite the criticism, I really enjoyed playing it. Restarting the game 17 times, main story, side quests and companion missions, it's certainly not perfect, and we play as new characters, there are more mysteries and discoveries than in the original trilogy where we discover a Captain promoted to N7, a competent crew, and always the same enemies: Collectors, Reapers and Geth. While in Mass Effect Andromeda, aside from one alien race in addition to those we already know and a pacifist alien race we encounter; we come across a species that was created and later in the game, we learn that these creations are the work of a vanished civilization from what we learn. Apart from some bugs we can see on certain outposts we develop on certain planets, I think exploration-wise we're still well served. There are tons of areas to explore on each planet, the skill system is more developed and you can use all of them at the same time. You can even adopt a Pyjak* (* depending on the edition purchased) and a Hamster that you discover on the ship. In terms of teammates, I have my favorites: the asari, the scientist co-pilot, the former hunter in the human Asari army and the alien archaeologist, then I prefer playing as Sarah Ryder. What I found pretty cool as an addition is the multiplayer mode (which is linked to missions you can launch at any time, once you've progressed in the game, on the Nexus). It's up to you to form your own opinion, but don't let the criticism ruin your desire to try the game.

Recommends:

Overall

Gameplay

Story

Graphics

Soundtrack

27

defiant-control Lvl 5 Apr 12, 2026

Too much of a departure from the original trilogy

The setup for Mass Effect: Andromeda is intriguing and exciting: a colony ship exploring habitable planets outside our galaxy. This is also a great premise for escaping the shadow of the events of the original trilogy. The first 30-60 minutes of the game are fantastic, and then the bottom drops out. Gameplay is not fun, which is bad enough. But it also lacks all the character of the original games.

I'm as big of a Mass Effect apologist as you'll find, but I can't recommend Andromeda. I fought my way through it once when it first released, but my second attempted playthrough in 2025 fizzled after less than an hour.

Recommends:

Overall

Gameplay

Story

Graphics

Soundtrack

23

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