Mass Effect Andromeda is an all-new story, following the tale of Ryder as he or she journeys to the Andromeda galaxy in an effort to expand humanity's reach across the universe. With a starship 'Hyperion' in tow, Ryder, and 20,000 human colonists travel across the universe, in a game that should elevate the Mass Effect formula in galactic ways.
Mass Effect Andromeda will take cues from Dragon Age Inquisition, offering huge open worlds upon which to quest, explore, and loot. Unlike Inquisition, however, Andromeda will attempt to sidestep the former's reliance on filler side quests, filling its world with Witcher 3-like meaningful content.
If you can't wait (less than two weeks!) to get your hands on Mass Effect Andromeda in early access, you can now view the first 13 minutes of the game online.
The video shows Ryder and his human crew woken from cryo-sleep, newly arrived in the Andromeda galaxy approaching what they think is a habitable, Earth-like planet. Unfortunately, they encounter some strange phenomena, which severely damages the Hyperion ship. This clip from very early on gives us more of an idea how Mass Effect's new Dragon Age-like dialogue system works, with Paragon and Renegade options replaced by remarks that reflect certain emotions instead.
If that's not enough for you, IGN also recently got their hands on Andromeda's first loyalty mission, following the Asari Peebee. Loyalty missions are unique quests that revolve around the game's squad mates, in order to learn more about their back story, and as the name suggests, earn their respect.
As a final bonus, EA also revealed the third part in their Mass Effect Andromeda explainer series, detailing how exploration will work in the expansive universe BioWare has created for the game.
Mass Effect Andromeda will feature over 100 locations, with a "handful" of suitable planets for landing and exploration. Each world will have its own story to solve, and each will provide resources to help build the Nexus space station, and eventually, lead to colonizing the galaxy.
Mass Effect Andromeda will go live on March 16th, 2017 for EA Access subscribers with an early access trial period. The licenses will unlock proper on March 21st, 2017, for PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
