The game might still be almost two weeks away from release, but Electronic Arts has seen fit to release Mass Effect Andromeda’s launch trailer already, and it sure is an action-packed and impressive trailer for what could end up becoming one of this year’s top video game hits.
Set to the tune of Rag’n’Bone Man’s “Human” song, the trailer shows how humanity embarks on a quest to find “golden worlds”, new habitable worlds in the distant Andromeda galaxy, a search effort that’s being led by the “Pathfinder”. And players assume the role of Pathfinder in this game, playing as either Scott or Sarah Ryder, Andromeda’s new protagonists who take centre stage in this launch trailer.
We also see some of the game’s supporting cast, including the heavyweight Drack, a tough Krogan who will no doubt be a valuable ally to Ryder in the game (and also provide some much needed firepower in Mass Effect Andromeda’s third-person combat).
Another alien character who will feature in Andromeda is Kallo Jath, who is the pilot of the player’s starship (the Tempest), while this trailer also shows that players will be able to get intimate with Peebee, an Asari character who looks likely to be one of the more interesting additions to Andromeda’s cast.
It remains to be seen, though, whether Mass Effect Andromeda’s sex scenes will end up being as controversial as those of earlier games were, especially taking into account that this game will include full nudity unlike the earlier Mass Effect games.
Of course, much like Commander Shepard had to face the evil Reapers in the original Mass Effect trilogy, there will be a new ruthless villain to contend with in Mass Effect Andromeda. And this guy surely looks the part, so hopefully he’ll end up being as memorable a villain as the likes of the Illusive Man or Saren were in the earlier Mass Effect games.
But no matter how good this launch trailer looks, the truth is that sometimes game developers fail to deliver, and despite being hyped to death, this fourth Mass Effect game could still end up being a disappointment. Here’s hoping, though, that Bioware delivers the goods once more, and that Mass Effect fans have reason to rejoice when Andromeda hits the shelves later this month.