Yeah Returnal just isn’t for me, or rogue likes for that **** in a good 8-10 hours and I can see how the game does reward progression, but I just don’t like the start over aspect and retracing steps over and over. I like the satisfaction of progress despite getting my butt kicked at times.
Just finished Dawntrail MSQ…and it was grueling. You sit for dozens of hours essentially watching cutscenes as the story slowly progresses forward with unnecessary filler interactions and endless character nodding. I’m a story driven gamer, but even I was mostly bored and just going through the motions. The core story isn’t bad, but it is so bloated. The intermittent fights and duties are solid, but so few and far between that you barely get in any sort of groove actually PLAYING the game. Also, this game feels mechanically almost identical to ARR. I would like to see a lot more evolution to the systems and quality of life services. At this point, I’m glad I finished the MSQ to justify my investment, but my subscription is canceled and I have no intention of coming back unless the game makes some radical changes.
Ever since this game came out, I've followed the reviews to see **** uptick would occur once the "haters" moved on to a new project. This is also my first review on metacritic. I have played all 3 previous mass effect games, and have over 60 hours in MEA. Not to mention decades of gaming under my belt across every platform out there. I'm picky about what I spend my very few valuable hours on. I will very often stop playing a game if I get bored. MEA is flawed as so many have pointed out and has a lot of small bugs that are certainly a bit disappointing. But to say they have an extreme negative impact on the overall game experience would be incorrect. I have actually enjoyed my time in Andromeda very much and continue to go back for more. The combat and movement mechanics are a significant upgrade over the previous games and the planets are gorgeous and diverse. The story is actually pretty engaging and is getting better. There are plenty of fetch quests, with some much more fun than others, but I enjoy the variety and the rewards are decent. I also think the quest management system and map are very well executed, so you never feel lost or unsure where to go next. I will summarize that MEA is a very good sci-fi action-RPG in it's own right. If you are looking for the continued adventures of Shepard and Co in the Milky Way, you will not find it here. If you are looking at a fresh new adventure in the Mass Effect universe, I definitely recommend it. Edit: I have finally completed the game and can say with full authority that this game is very very good. The story is solid in its own right and the combat mechanics are light years (pun not intended) ahead of the previous games.
