Mass Effect: Andromeda's reviews are out, and while it's by no stretch a bad game, it's not the inspired action RPG that many fans may have been hoping for. We pointed out plenty of flaws in our hands on impressions piece – a full review will follow here on Push Square in due time – and it seems we aren't alone with our thoughts. Considering the series' history as a critical darling, these reviews (while not awful) are undeniably disappointing.
Push Square - Review Score Pending
There's clear evidence of a great Mass Effect title here: the much improved punchy combat, the intriguing alien worlds, the addictive process of unlocking cool new abilities for Ryder, and, of course, the tension that comes with making tough story decisions. Right now, we just need to see all of this good stuff shine through the game's disappointing exterior.
IGN - 7.7/10
Mass Effect: Andromeda is an expansive action role-playing game with a few great moments that recapture the high points of the landmark trilogy that came before it, and energetic combat and fantastic sound effects contribute to a potent sci-fi atmosphere. Without consistently strong writing or a breakout star in its cast to carry it through the long hours and empty spaces, however, disappointments like a lack of new races, no companion customization, and major performance problems and bugs take their toll.
Polygon - 7.5/10
But it's my time with the cast that I'm still thinking about, and the mysteries about the world that haven't been answered that make me feel like I'm waiting once again for a new Mass Effect game. And if I'm judging a game by where it leaves me, Andromeda succeeds, even if it stumbled getting there.
Destructoid - 6.5/10
Mass Effect: Andromeda spends a lot of time not really feeling like a Mass Effect game. If anything, it feels like a spin-off -- the sort of thing created by another studio that's unsure about what direction to take it. Like in the game itself, there are problems with the atmosphere. But Andromeda is very clear that it doesn't aim to be like the other Mass Effects. New beginnings, not funerals -- for better and for worse.
GameSpot - 6/10
In many ways, Andromeda feels like a vision half-fulfilled. It contains a dizzying amount of content, but the quality fluctuates wildly. Its worlds and combat shine, but its writing and missions falter--and the relative strength of the former is not enough to compensate for the inescapable weakness of the latter. As a Mass Effect game, Andromeda falls well short of the nuanced politics, morality, and storytelling of its predecessors. For me, the series has always been about compelling characters and harrowing choices, so to find such weak writing here is bitterly disappointing. Yet even after 65 hours, I still plan on completing a few more quests. The game can't escape its shortcomings, but patient explorers can still find a few stars shining in the darkness.
USgamer - 3/5
Mass Effect Andromeda falls short of its predecessors, but it's still a competently executed open-world action RPG with an interesting world and tons of quests to complete. Its biggest shame is that it doesn't make better use of its setting, opting instead to go with more of the same. Hopefully BioWare will be more ambitious when it comes time for the inevitable sequel.
Eurogamer.net - No Score
It's gripping stuff, and a reminder of the greatness of the Mass Effect trilogy - its intelligent reworkings of pulp sci-fi cliche, the taut splendour of its scenarios and aesthetic, the colour and dexterity of its writing. All that's still in here somewhere, I think. But then you pop out the other end of the mission, back into Andromeda's labyrinth of drudgery and obfuscation, and remember that you're a long way from home.
Have these reviews put you off BioWare's latest space opera, or will you be going into Mass Effect: Andromeda with your eyes open? Drop some awkward dialogue in the comments section below.
Comments 44
I think I will pick up this game later rather than now after today's reviews
There's just too many good games (and, specifically, RPGs) out right now to justify getting a buggy and apparently just above mediocre game at launch. Maybe if there wasn't already Horizon, Zelda, Nier, Nioh, Yakuza 0 and whatever else has come out in the last two months (I'm literally losing track of them all). This is why it's always good to wait for reviews before ordering.
This is beyond disappointing. I absolutely loved the first Mass Effect and 2&3 were good too. I really hate seeing Bioware squander such a ripe setting. I won't be surprised when their shutter and ME is passed off to another dev. I'm on the fence about buying it, if for nothing else to see this train wreck myself.
Ouch. I am sure I will like the game well enough tbh but I feel less guilty to play it after p5 I guess...
Gamespot's summary is exactly the reason why I'm skipping it for other, much better games out soon. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this, the (bad) writing was on the wall ever since ME3. Still, I never thought I'd pass up on buying a brand new Mass Effect game. It's a shame what's happened to BioWare, once my favourite RPG developers.
Even with the flaws that i'm hearing about, I can't wait to dive in to this game. Roll on Thursday!
I've already commited my money on the deluxe edition so I can't back out now---it does make sense now why they're releasing it very early without any delays. It feels like they know it's not that good so it's better to get it out there and over with than to put more resources/money into it.
Will the real BioWare please stand up?
I'll pick it up a year from now when it's been patched to death and is cheap as f.
Please, please, let this be just a mega trolling, and tomorrow they release the real game and laugh at us all as revenge for making them change the ending of 3 (I mean the first change, after the ending leaked in development, not the second, post release change because of the internet babies)
Pick it up in a sale when it's fixed
@blah01 They'll be able to fix the bugs, but it seems like the issues run deeper than that from what I've read.
Welp. Back to Horizon Zero Dawn and Nier Automata I guess.
I read the IGN review, but only because I tend to align with Dan Stapleton's views more than most, and his review seemed fair. It's a different Bioware, and this is a cautious spin off with technical issues they should've fixed before launch. Reminds me very much of Gears of War 4 at launch as well. But hey, I enjoyed GoW4, and i know I'll enjoy Andromeda.
Back to Zelda and Horizon it is then.
I'm not deterred at all. I absolutely love Mass Effect (the original trilogy, books, comics, everything) so all these reviews tell me is that it doesn't quite stand up to the phenomenal games that came before it. I don't doubt that I'll still enjoy the heck out of my time with it, but now I can go into it not expecting an epic story that rivals Shepards.
Bring on Thursday.
I knew it had no chance of being good
Wasn't too sure about this and it looks like I will be waiting for a sale to pick it up. No worries, still gotta finish Horizon and Yakuza 0 before the glorious Persona 5 graces us with it's awesomeness in 2 weeks.
I'm not going to say I told you...but I told you xD
I bet EA rushed this to have Bioware work on a new KotoR!
For me alarm bells were ringing for this for ages now. The game was teased for years without actually showing it and the last two EA conferences were much derided for not showing Mass Effect when most of us expected it to show. And when we finally did see it, it was at the PS4 Pro event and it was pretty uneventful. And when you throw in awful animations and dialogue it makes you wonder why EA didn't keep it in the oven and do the trilogy remaster that so many wanted instead.
I can't deal with the fetch quests of Inquisition again. It looks like that's what you need to help make the planets viable for colonisation. Now that the dialogue isn't as expansive or well-written, I can't sacrifice what little time I have for gaming running around to do boring side quests. This is a pass
This is making me incredibly sad... In the past few years I've had less and less time for gaming, and I stopped getting excited for most of the new releases, don't know if I'm growing up or if it's just a phase, but Mass Effect? The trilogy was so amazing, every little thing in it, just the idea of a space game was great, but what we got was a masterpiece (not going to discuss the ending, because if I learned anything from Lord of the Ring is that it's the journey that counts and not the end).
And now I was really excited again for a game, and this happens. I know I will enjoy the game, but it now I'll just think of how it could be so much better. Why wouldn't they remaster the trilogy to buy them time to polish Andromeda? Let's hope that the next galaxy we visit sets the bar higher than Andromeda.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Nier: Automata
Resident Evil 7
Yakuza 0
Gravity Rush 2
We're practically choking on fantastic games right now. Mass Effect: Andromeda might not be the worst thing ever, but right now, that comes nowhere close to cutting it.
Right now, with so many great, time consuming games available on the PS4, I don't have time or money to spend on something mediocre.
From playing the EA Access Trial, I'm not surprised it's getting these scores. My biggest gleam of hope was that the story seems mysterious and interesting so far...but the reviews that say it ends up being predictable just really put a damper on my optimism.
WHAT HAPPENED TO BIOWARE HAVING MIND-BLOWING PLOT-TWISTS?!?
So according to US Gamer Andromeda is better than Horizon. Horizon They gave 2.5, Andromeda 3. Hmmm
@3Above
Different reviewers, so subjectivity comes into play.
Looking at the aggregates, Horizon has an 89 based on 108 reviews at Metacritic. ME is at 75 with 28 reviews.
I'm already getting it. Hopefully the multiplayer will help make up for the rest.
@lacerz I get what you're saying but that kinda defeats the purpose of review scores if you cant compare the same site's reviews.
@get2sammyb
Yes, in a world of Witcher's and Horizon Zero Dawn's an RPG needs to be truly great and focused. These guys have set the standard and now it's up to Bioware to match it. Perhaps it's troubled development is shining through in the final game....Ah well....
@keihtg Apparently, the choices you make in the game don't seem to bear any consequences towards the end. ME3 flashbacks!
Phew... pennies saved!
I can't help but wonder why Bioware failed to give the game the attention it deserved. Isn't Mass Effect one of their best franchises? Is EA to blame for most of the mishaps?
Usually these questions are answered way afterwards ...
Like I said, a $20 patched version with all DLC for me.
I bet the Definitive Edition will sell better than the Day 1 edition. Let's hope this will teach something to publishers.
Really? is this the future of one of my favorite franchises ever? The trilogy is a master piece and now this, it's just sad. Well, I guess that this is the road to the end of Bioware.
If a 7/10 is a bad game then 8,9 & 10 must mean an average to good game, there is no such thing as an excellent game.
Just wait until its patched & dropped in price.
@hadlee73
But The Witcher3 also suffered from frame-rate issues & was quite buggy at launch.
Back to Destiny I guess.
Very sad to read reviews for this game as Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game of all time, what a shame. I have it pre-ordered on PSN and will play it but what a bummer. Been waiting for ever for it and was thinking it would be my game of the year! Looks like Horizon will be if RDR 2 is delayed til next year. What I don't understand is how ME:A has more tech issues/bugs that DA:I and ME3, just baffling! What is going on at Bioware?
75/100 is good score by today's standards. It is however a bad score considering that MEA is AAA game (and how well previous games have done), people expected more, I guess.
@hadlee73 Morrowind.
It's old. It's janky and dated.
Touch it up with some fixes and aesthetic mods, use OpenMW instead of Bethesda's engine. The things you're fetching begin to be clues, or are hilarious.
"Go get me some sload soap!" You can either spend hours looking for sloads and hope they drop it (common), or... go down the street and buy some. The Telvanni quests are all utterly bizarre.
Get it cheap. Give it a few hours to adjust to the way it looks (though it can look great with mods) and feels.
If you can get used to the mechanics and text based nature of many of the interactions, it's amazing.
If you can't, I understand.
Its not getting bad scores because its mass effect. Certain franchises achieve a pedigree that only an absolute travesty can give it bad scores.
Put me off ?
no, I never liked Mass Effect anyway
Felt too much like Kotor with the Star Wars license ripped out and tepid writing.
i'd rather play Kotor II again
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