Mass Effect: Andromeda has finally been completed and the final quests are done. How our final verdict on the game is, you can find out here.
Although we already published a very detailed text about Mass Effect: Andromeda a few weeks ago, I had not completed the storyline of the game by then.
In the meantime, that has changed and I can now give a final overall impression of the game. My counter for the completion of the game stands at 96%, the only thing that seems to be missing are some of the “small” side missions, two of which I can’t complete and the other is of the type “Search the entire field without interface hints” – so they can be neglected.
How does Mass Effect: Andromeda fare as a complete work compared to the other titles in the series?
The developers have definitely learned from the controversy surrounding the ending of Mass Effect 3. Andromeda leaves little doubt about the outcome of the game and there probably won’t be any major conspiracy theories (like the indoctrination theory surrounding Commander Shepard).
The effects of the choices made throughout the story are largely addressed in the final mission. While they are often just brief appearances or single sentences from rescued NPCs, there is indeed a feeling that other decisions could have led some NPCs to abandon us.
What Mass Effect: Andromeda definitely lacks are memorable big boss fights. The battles against the architects are indeed grand, but all other “bosses” are rather boring. Especially the final battle was more annoying than challenging, which leaves a somewhat bland taste at the end.
But where Andromeda lacks in large, epic moments, it makes up for with small, thoughtful moments. When Ryder sits on the floor with Jaal in his room to look at a star map or when you climb a giant mountain with Vetra to enjoy the view – those are great images that stick in your mind. And krogan bar brawls are also not easily forgotten.
One last criticism is that the choices made during the game do not have much of an impact (apart from the final mission). It feels as if they want to prepare for a sequel here, and the effects of the choices will only be felt in the next installment of the series – just like it was the case with Mass Effect 1.
Final verdict: Mass Effect: Andromeda is an all-around solid action RPG and a worthy representative of the “Mass Effect” series. While the game lacks truly grand and memorable highlights in the story, there are always small, beautiful moments to be found. They may not have the impressiveness of a discovery like in the original trilogy, but they ensure that it remains exciting all the time.
I would still recommend the game to any fan of the series.
You can find the full review of Mass Effect: Andromeda here.
