Bioware’s Mass Effect Andromeda may not have had a whole heap of gameplay footage at E3 but the developer has since confirmed that the protagonist’s name is indeed Ryder and that development is pretty much in the final stretch. Speaking to Game Informer, studio producer Aaryn Flynn and creative director Mac Walters talked about the new setting and how it offers a blank slate of sorts for the developer.
However, as Walters points out, some familiar races will return. “We want to bring back some of the races and species from the trilogy, but because we’re going to Andromeda, there’s going to be new civilizations.”
Flynn added that, “I think the great thing with going with the Andromeda galaxy is that we get a really clean slate to do a lot of storytelling. While we bring a lot of elements from the previous trilogy, such as the races, at the same time we also really relish in the opportunity to have this blank canvas. And that starts with planets. The setting can help form the kind of stories we want to tell. Is it hostile? Is it a world full of strife?”
The sheer range of environments showcased in the E3 has us excited, especially with regards to the flora and fauna we’ll encounter. Bioware is concentrating on delivering a large open world above all. “I think one of the biggest things the team has spent a lot of time on is [transitioning] from the last generation of consoles, to the new generation of consoles.
“[We asked] what should we do differently and what kind of things should we be embracing as we move there. A big open world is the big thing the team is trying to embrace, and that’s expressed through those amazing looking planets.”
Mass Effect Andromeda will be out in early 2017 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Stay tuned for more details in coming months and especially the Fall.
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