Mass Effect Andromeda Roundup: Trailers, Trophies, and Microtransactions

Published: March 10, 2017 1:57 PM /

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Mass Effect Andromeda Squad

It has been a few days since we last checked in with Mass Effect: Andromeda and a ton of info has been released and leaked to the public.

Most of the information has been coming from the official videos by both BioWare and the website IGN, which has been providing a first look at Mass Effect: Andromeda for the past two weeks with gameplay videos.

First up, is the official Mass Effect: Andromeda launch trailer, which hit this morning, to the rap song "Human" by Rag'n'Bone Man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6PJEmEHIaY

 

The launch trailer hype may not be for everyone's tastes, but a ton of other news has been released. For starters, the final Andromeda Initiative video was uploaded yesterday, showcasing the seven 'Golden Worlds' found in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

The video, narrated by science officer Suvi Anwar, showcases worlds that have the best shot at being habitable for the Initiative, including a lush tropical paradise, an orbital moon, an arid desert with underground water sources, and a world for Turians and Quarians to call their home. Interestingly enough, the video showcases seven different vignettes of worlds but doesn't include some of the other worlds that have been hinted at, such as the rocky, volcanic world seen in previous trailers. This does imply that more than these golden worlds can be visited in Andromeda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVRcRY_JSxI

Some major revelations have been coming from the IGN video series as well. One example is a video showcasing the Nomad in action, including how to summon the Nomad on a planet, how you use the Nomad to mine for minerals, and installing upgrades to provide new abilities to the Nomad, including six-wheel drive, improved boost and shield generation, and life support systems.

Another IGN video focused on upgrades and the Nexus, including research and development in three primary areas: Science, Commerce, and Military. This also includes releasing other colonists on the Nexus from cryo-sleep, talking to Nexus leaders for quests and other missions or relaxing in the Vortex bar for random events or special moments with your crew.

Andromeda Points
The UK prices for Andromeda Points.

The Nexus is also the spot to go to participate in strike team missions, which ties into the game's multiplayer. It has been reported by Playstation Lifestyle that multiplayer will follow suit with several games out there and have a microtransaction system implemented into its design. The website revealed digital codes for Mass Effect: Andromeda Points, an in-game currency found on the UK retailer ShopTo that are apparently used to purchase multiplayer packs that will contain items.

This does follow suit with previous games by BioWare and their use of online multiplayer, as both Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition had microtransactions attached to online play. If it is designed similarly to both games, it is likely to be easily avoided by most players if they choose to participate in the game's multiplayer. Importantly, unlike Mass Effect 3Mass Effect Andromeda is not designed to push players to play multiplayer if they want the best endings.

Today IGN also released a video showing off a tour of the Tempest, your main ship in Mass Effect: Andromeda. You get to meet the key members of the Tempest' crew, as well as see the locations of your weapon and squad loadouts, upgrade points, and other missions. We also hear a few snippets of dialogue with crew members and squad mates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS61J9js-r8

IGN does note in earlier videos that the footage shown is based on a previous build of the game, and not the build that has gone gold for Andromeda. It is possible some of the animations here has been altered before the retail release, in particular, facial animations which people have heavily criticized as being too stiff and lifeless.

Another bit of leaked info is the trophy list for Mass Effect: Andromeda by exophase. Please note that it provides the full list, and looking at it does contain a lot of spoilers, including in-game story and quest spoilers. We'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to go over it or not.

Mass Effect: Andromeda will be released in less than 2 weeks, on March 21st for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. EA and Origin Access players will be able to play it early on March 16, with a 10 hour trial that includes single player up to a certain point and all the multiplayer content. Others hoping to test the multiplayer out will have to wait until launch as the Multiplayer Tech Test was cancelled.

What are your thoughts on all of this information? Excited for more Mass Effect yet? Leave your comments below.

 

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


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| Staff Writer

A longtime player of games, creator of worlds, and teacher of minds. Robert has worked many positions over the years, from college professor to education… More about Robert

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Mass Effect: Andromeda
Developer
Bioware
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Platforms
PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Release Date
March 21, 2017 (Calendar)
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