‘Mass Effect: Andromeda’ Trailer Debuts, Showcases Anticipated New BioWare Video Game [Video]
Mass Effect: Andromeda, the much-anticipated new game from BioWare, has debuted a new trailer to whet the appetites of fans of the long-running role-playing series, which you can watch below. Mass Effect: Andromeda is the fourth installment of the popular series and is slated for a March 21 release in North America, with a European release on March 23. Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare, discussed the new video game on the official Mass Effect website.
“Mass Effect: Andromeda is our most ambitious Mass Effect game to date. We’re telling completely new stories, creating new characters, new planets, new species, and introducing new gameplay systems. And for the first time, we’re bringing Mass Effect to the FrostbiteTM game engine, an incredible engine that’s delivering a tremendous graphical jump from the trilogy to Mass Effect: Andromeda. To deliver on this, we’re taking all the time we can to make sure you’re getting the best possible experience.”
You're the Pathfinder, and getting to know your team is of utmost importance. Read more: https://t.co/Nbrx5i5Hxh pic.twitter.com/xDKq7Zv3HS
— Mass Effect (@masseffect) January 26, 2017
Mass Effect: Andromeda is the latest game in the acclaimed Mass Effect series from video game company BioWare. Unlike the first three games in the series, which explored the adventures of main character Commander Shepard, the new Mass Effect: Andromeda takes players to an entirely new galaxy and features a new cast of characters.
The new Mass Effect: Andromeda takes its name from the Andromeda galaxy, where the action of the new video game takes place 600 years after the events of the initial Mass Effect trilogy of games. The new galaxy is populated by new alien species, as well as ones familiar to Mass Effect fans as cryogenic ships have taken refugees from the Milky Way galaxy to Andromeda. The player takes control of either Scott or Sara Ryder, depending on the preference of the player, to explore the science fiction setting aboard a ship called Tempest. The Ryder characters are siblings and Pathfinders; part of the Andromeda Initiative, and explorers who must travel the galaxy searching for resources and planets fit for settlement and colonization. Of course, not everyone in the Andromeda galaxy is pleased about this exploration by outsiders, leading to the central conflict of the game’s narrative arc.
A few exciting developments in the new Mass Effect: Andromeda are related to the “open world” quality of the game. “Open world” style role-playing games are known for offering a maximum of options to complete the goals of the game, allowing for diverse play styles to suit the personality of a given player. In this case, a Mass Effect: Andromeda player can choose to visit a multitude of in-game planets in any order, and the landscapes of those planets themselves are largely open to individual exploration.
The character class system has also been revamped from the initial Mass Effect games. Instead of the fixed six classes of the original trilogy, players can choose to focus and specialize in any skills based on the new skill system. As discussed in an article from The Guardian, players can accrue “class specializations,” leading to new skills, weapons, and abilities.
Let us introduce you to the angara. pic.twitter.com/PnawwxaY5x
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) January 26, 2017
Characters In The New “Mass Effect” Trailer
One of the things fans love about the Mass Effect game series and BioWare video games are the dynamic relationships that a player is able to build between the characters, even including romance storylines. Mass Effect: Andromeda is no exception, and the new trailer reveals a number of these characters, including new alien races like the Kett (the primary antagonists of the game) and the Angara. A human shipmate named Cora is revealed, as well as a Salarian pilot named Kalo Jath.
The Mass Effect: Andromeda trailer also highlights the cinematic quality of the new video game. BioWare, long known for cinematic gameplay and storytelling, seems to have focused on delivering a high-quality successor to their wildly popular Mass Effect trilogy. Let us know what you think of the Mass Effect: Andromeda trailer in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
