Not much go against the truth if we say that the majority of gamers have their own story associated with the company BioWare. The most dedicated fans of the studio is well remembered the euphoria of the passage of the Baldur’s Gate . Sort Canadian Opus Magnum.
See and admire – quests, the general storyline, combat mechanics. Those who found the geniuses of production only at the beginning of zero, obviously admired some battle of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic . Or – having fun – on the occasion of the downloaded script for Neverwinter Nights.
During the long years of the company’s employees BioWare came up and gave life to many interesting worlds.
Presented to fans of virtual entertainment for hundreds of hours of exciting adventures and, in fact, changed very much in the genre cRPG.
Personally, we hardly ever we will be able to forget the final of Knights of the Old Republic . Party personages to wade through hordes of enemies. Death – one, two, three.
Then – insight. And what will happen if the characters share? So, part of the party holding back the enemy, and the main character (his personality, even 14 years after the release will not spoil) is sent to put the question squarely. Of course, the use of force.
Around the same aftertaste it leaves a trilogy of the Mass Effect . Steeped in history, preparation for suicide missions, the price paid for the love of technology in the third part.
Who would have thought that after a few years, BioWare will create one of the most unfortunate of his video game and release it under a long-familiar brands? Of course, the Mass Effect: Andromeda insanely far from any Dragon Age: Inquisition , with its off-line MMO-structure, but the fact remains. Here and now, Canadians made a blunder. Let’s try to understand.
From the heroes of yore
About complication Andromeda know to be just what she will not be able to surprise. Absolutely. Human civilization in ruins, several shuttles left the Milky Way and drove through the airless space colonists in another world. Some of them eventually wakes up from kriosna and trying to deal with what is happening.
There are many problems. The station “Nexus” (the local analog “Citadel” from ME 1-3) someone accused of murder, the reporter-Asari wants the truth, and yet Quetta – a race of hostile aliens – under pressure.
Where here to boredom ?! It is necessary, and a new home for their people seek, and about self-interest not to forget. He is here – as usual with BioWare has – is lovingly intimate line and family themes. Sister / brother, because you want to withdraw from a deep slumber.
The problem Andromeda is that it does not try to be something exciting, new. Once the original Mass Effect and its license to continue bribing only one plot complication.
What is this universe? Why Asari, who like to live 1000 years can behave like teenagers? Hey, maybe I should not have to deprive krogan opportunity to multiply?
And stuff like that. Every thread of the history wanted to unravel, as it will almost certainly further opens the universe of the game. For example, the story of the Gray mediator and stormed its base in the second part of the DLC. I wonder the same!
Exciting! Yes, and the investigation – is not true, then how in The Witcher 3: Wild HuntIt could be held, but still. And that’s not counting the storyline. Just think, how much did not want to lose at least some of the team in the final battle. That’s right.
Andromeda so can not. It is empty inside. Valais her characters fit into the standard pattern, familiar to all by any more or less than the average science fiction. Virago, which he kicked out of the army, and she was on the ship pioneer. At the beginning of the story offended by the protagonist. Then – happy to push the legs in front of him, if you do it right.
“I have a suit of interesting things there are still many” – characteristic exhaustive. Or girl-scientist, a believer in God. Finally, Croghan, suspiciously reminiscent Gryunt and asari, constantly seeking adventure on my blue ass. Of course, this is not all the characters, which will meet on the way the pioneers, but believe me … their characters perfectly fit into the primitive scheme.
But BioWare is able to anyway! Recall, Jack. Frostbite criminal, which in fact turns out to be a victim, constantly surprised. Or storyline “Joker – EDI”.
I do not argue, all this can be found in books or analogue films, just in the case of the original trilogy, BioWare skillfully pulls the strings and, as an experienced puppeteer, to build an interesting personal story through a set of typical patterns.
The Andromeda something like that is not from the outset. Closer somehow revealed to the second half of the game characters, but it’s damned little to call them as something else than just a “function”.
Even scolded by many Dragon Age 2 would otherwise. History of Anders or magichka-elf and her mirror – proof.
On the other hand
In fact Mass Effect has always had something to criticize. The very first part tells about the formation of Shepard as a Specter, it was mockingly short. The second and third – finally away from role role-playing game and become a shooter with dialogue and some pumping.
However, these games can not take away was one thing: they managed to keep on their toes not only side-quests, but also a wonderful storyline.
For some emotional moments (like the final Mass Effect 2 ) developers just wanted to literally everything – from the boring trips to the Mako to the ending of the third part.
How would it explain exactly … Mass Effect 1-3 – is the perfect entertainment for those who love a good set space scenario, coupled with the personal stories of the people within them. Andromeda is trying to do something similar, but in the end she does not work.
The first (and main) error – lack of any kind was the motivation for the passage of the storyline. Personal motivation. We save the galaxy?
Far from it. Just looking for a new place to live people. We are trying to resist the invincible armada of enemies? Formally – yes, but even a child will say that Quetta and one heel harvesters or collectors are not.
Finally, forget about the epic itself. The purpose of a pioneer – the study, such a thing myself. Very amateur. My favorite – the job on the construction of the first outpost (where else can you choose what it will be – a military or scientific). More boring boredom find more need to try!
Level floor stagger in search of cars, and then another hour to run and activate the relics of the forerunners, then – wander by some whether a pyramid, or a cave.
All – to the accompaniment of the primitive mysteries. And it is – an excellent description of what is happening in the storyline. It is banal and uninteresting. It’s amazing for the Mass Effect , is not it?
From boredom to somehow save the side-quests. And here BioWare did not lied when she said that, among other things, focused on The Witcher 3. Of course, so elegant mission the Canadians did not work (not the studio level, alas), but they somehow remind of the past greatness of the series.
In pobochki a place and investigation, and a lot of something else. I honestly do not even believe that free the prisoners from the concentration camp more interesting than the next to activate the technology forerunners. Though not without the ears of the Inquisition , but they are still much lower than it could be.
So what to play?
Fortunately, there is the new Mass Effect things that failed. There are exactly two – action and research. Ride on the spiritual heir Mako interesting enough not to throw this thing in half an hour after receiving the machine.
Of course, the planets are not so many and some of them desert banal, but not all the same cat carnival, right? Shootings process became just … more modern. For example, a character now he is hiding behind cover, and using a jet-pack can attack Quetta top.
It helps the speaker. If the old Mass Effect battle just wanted to “squander” in Andromeda it – this is definitely the best there is in the entire game. In a sense – a sentence.
The phrase Mass Effect title of the project imposes a heavy responsibility on the game authors. We must not only sustain the level of the original, but also move the series forward. Among the new challenges. All this in Andromeda there. BioWare has been able to create a good Action / RPG, which, however, is perceived as a fanfic based on the cult in the past, interactive works.