Since March 16, you can try out Mass Effect: Andromeda on PC and Xbox One via EA and Origin Access. However, this early access has not done Bioware any favors, as the animations in the new Mass Effect, especially the facial expressions, are catastrophic and are currently being mocked and trolled by the online community.
Bioware, and especially the Mass Effect series, are known for grand storytelling and interesting heroes. It is no coincidence that the tough Commander Shepard is one of the coolest bad asses in the galaxy. Since the Shepard story had to end in Mass Effect 3, a new hero named Ryder had to be introduced for the fourth part. Will he or she be as cool as Shepard?
Mass Effect: Andromeda – Pancake Face Ryder Reporting for Duty!
Whether Ryder is a cool character or not, his/her reputation will forever suffer because EA and Bioware released the demo version of Mass Effect: Andromeda. The trial version contains bugs that completely ruin the storytelling and game immersion.
This starts with completely silly animations that look like the characters are rehearsing some stupid circus act and ends with the total ridiculousness of the main character. Ryder – and many other characters – have the facial expressions of a half-baked pancake!
— Nibel (@Nibellion) March 16, 2017
ME: A – Facial Animations – IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE MY HERO?
Caution: Mild story spoilers ahead.
No matter if Ryder is talking to comrades, being scolded by the superior, or receiving tragic information, they constantly look like a total hillbilly woodhead! Even worse, they seem to be grinning dumbly all the time, even in scenes that are supposed to be tragic and sad. A good example of this is the video from a colleague at PCGamer that we have embedded here.
Bioware has promised a remedy and a hefty day-one patch should correct the derailed facial expressions by release. It is now known that Bioware will not be able to improve the animations even with the day-one patch.
Better facial expressions are likely to come – if at all – only in later updates. But even if it gets better someday, the damage is unfortunately already done, and the internet is laughing at clips and pictures of Ryder, the space pancake face. Whether she will gain a similar cool reputation as Shepard remains to be seen.
Also interesting: Mass Effect Andromeda – The Character Creator in Detail
