Mass Effect Andromeda - A Galactic Dissapointment (Review)

Hello there, Shepherd Commander, it has been too long so shall we see what i thought of your so called spiritual successor. 

I was sceptical of this game after Mass Effect 3 and the reveal of Andromeda. It's definitely not a 0/10 game like a lot of people are giving it in their tantrums of it failing to live up to their expectations.

UPDATE THIS REVIEW WAS ALSO POSTED INSIDE GAMESMASTER MAGAZINE LATEST ISSUE SEPTEMBER 2017!

WARNING THERE WILL BE SPOILS!

Drack getting uncomfortably close to me.

What's it about?

Long story short, the plot is finding a new home for humanity but there is a hostile new alien race that play as the villains. That's pretty much it, no plot twists, just forgettable moments till the credits roll. Your in a WHOLE new galaxy (not planet) but there are only 2 (TWO!!) new races for some reason. I guess they didn't bother to create more models.

Problems?

As I explored, I encountered the same building/structure as I previous did somewhere else in the map. The filler, fetch quests make a return, romance is just like the rest of the games from Bioware, squad mates can be romanced and to my knowledge all 'romance' scenes feature the iconic lazy fade-to-black transition. The game just feels forced in all areas. If we bypass the horrid animations, which is kind of hard to do in an RPG, it still feels like they only thought of the number of hours people would have to spend on getting through this game as a quality assurance. I would've been fine with a much more compact game if it was full of meaningful characters, events and the like. The whole twin thing was a huge waste and a lie to what they promoted.

It's a huge shame that a AAA studio with a large budget and 5-8 years of development time could not address this obvious flaw. It does have bad writing, there's not a lot of memorable moments there, It's more of a shooter than RPG, Skills are a joke i stuck with same 3 all game the system just does not feel as immersive or important, Narrative choices in the wheel often only fall to two choices. The logical choice doesn't always sound logical its as though someone with little understanding of the rules of logic designed this.

The emotional options give little to emotion. There was nothing inspiring when there was need for inspiration. Soundtrack was unnoticeable for me and that's a mark down because a good game is nothing without a soundtrack and this did not have a good memorable soundtrack. Quest Design this game made side quests feel boring. You go to each planet in which you have to change the atmosphere by going to each Tower solve a puzzle which lights a beam then go to the next site, rinse, wash, repeat until it points you to the final location then your done. No creativity just the same old trudge. Character designs were piss poor, it feels like every character had some type of skin and bone defect. Hell it feels like the reasons they left the milky way was because they were too ugly to look at so they were banished to the far corners of Andromeda. Ryder, whether you play as female or male is completely unlikable.

The story is uninspiring but not terrible, i mean it's not great either, nothing complicated but some parts have you questioning the plot. Voice acting is all over the place, i don't know what the hell was going on but sometimes this game felt like it was built by multiple studios instead of just one. The game is basically a lot of "meh" and a lot of "wtf is this", unless you really love running around different worlds and third person action "RPG" games a lot, like A LOT then don't bother with this one.

Did I like anything about it?

What i liked was driving the Nomad was not as bad as i expected, the crew you do grow on and it's what made me finish it, i wanted to see what happens next for them not for my unlike-able Ryder. The worlds were pretty neat so was flying about probing planets for resources. I liked the weapons, powers, skills and armour on offer. The Angaran's i liked.

Overtime the crew became likeable and i cared for them. 

Final Bit!

My initial hate for this game stemmed from it's reveal for me it did not look like a mass effect game rather a Star Trek rip off to be honest and i said "this looks rubbish" and i was correct it's bad but it's not good either its just OK. I was bored had no games to play so i borrowed the game off my friend James and 53 hours over a two week period later, i completed the game with 94% completion. My hate for the game also was strong because i compare all the Mass games to my fave and best in the series which is Mass Effect 2. I did realise i got to stop comparing ME:A to ME2 and i did you know start to get into it a bit more like i cared about my crew more so. So are you wondering what Ryder i played as? Female Ryder....and are you wondering who i banged? Ok so i banged Peebee (non relationship) and then i banged the reporter on Nexus (non relationship) , Kissed Suvi (non relationship) and then i got together and fully banged Jaal. He was so sweet in the game you know the most likeable easy.

The customisation is weak. The gun play is not very good nor is the cover system i found it annoying to try and get into cover and other times i'd just be in cover and it would annoy me as when i did not need it boom i had cover when i needed it half the time it did not work, it lagged on planets also which got annoying and lastly load times were too long and the repetitive cut scenes and planet visits you had to do were so tedious i groaned each time i had to go back to one place.

Ok that's all i will divulge from this disappointing game that drags on for too long with not much excitement it's a roller coaster with no turns and no steep bits to go up or down just a straight ride.

Mass Effect Andromeda

5/10

#FreeTheNipples but seriously i love Jaal and this scene and their relationship was a beautiful flower just loved seeing it blossom.

Besides Mass Effect 1-3 easter eggs there are these PLANTS V ZOMBIE easter eggs. 

Top 10 Steven Spielberg Films!

Hello there, how are you doing today? I hope the metallic nation is well.

Some films on this list have sequels or numerous sequels and of course i could put them in order on the list but i don't feel it's right and would rather include them as one film on the list just like what i did with Kill Bill on my Tarantino list. 

10) War of the Worlds - Not as good as the musical or audio series but it still has some great and tense scenes.War of the Worlds is a big, clunky movie containing some sensational sights but lacking the zest and joyous energy we expect from Steven Spielberg,even hostile invasions need a bit more character and plot development. 6/10.

9) A.I. Artificial Intelligence - Not seen this in years but from what i remember it has flaws but  its beautifully crafted, unimaginably complex, visually dazzling and deeply affecting. 7/10.

8) Jaws - Classic horror film that truly scared me for so many of my childhood years even the song scared me and my dad used to chase me around or scare me humming that song, scary times yo. I actually sat down and watched it in my late teens and you know seen or rather realised the shark is a rubber mechanical thing you know and that's when i lost my fear of Jaws films but still the song is scarily tense. 8/10. 

7) Catch Me If You Can - A great story here of a cat and mouse story based on real events which is tense and entertaining back and fore with Dicaprio and Hanks. 8/10.

6) The Terminal - Another great story here with Tom Hanks starring yet again, at first glance it may seem like a boring flick but its a very touching story which has you rooting for it's main character Viktor. 8/10. 

5) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - A lovely film i have not seen in so many years must have been about 12 or something last time i seen this so forgive me for not going in depth about this. I remember being about 8 when i first seen it and yes E.T. is funny as hell as he is curious about us and our world as we the viewers were curious about him and he made us laugh so much when he was screaming in the dress and it was sad as hell when he "died" but touching and moving when he came back to make Elliot fly and to then be reunited with his people to finally go home. There's so much interesting backstory and continuation to be made from E.T. it's a shame we wont ever get it, perhaps we will with a reboot however. 8/10.

4) Hook - My fave take on Peter Pan. Dustin Hoffman i found out like a few years ago plays Captain Hook which blew my mind but i love Robin Williams and the whole take on an older Peter really enjoyable classic film. 8/10. 

3) Saving Private Ryan - A war classic. Incredibly powerful war action scenes in this movie really sets it apart from the other war films. Thanks to Hanks, and Spielberg's technical finesse, this develops into a powerful and potent portrayal of men at war, and those opening 20 minutes are worth the watch. 9/10.

2) Jurassic Park & The Lost World - Classic films here. Scary and tense scenes with the T-Rex and the Velociraptors.We ask for two things from big-budget thrillers like this: Make us believe and make us jump. Jurassic Park delivers on both counts and the practical effects is amazing in both films. Jurassic Park 9/10 & Lost World 7/10. 

1) Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark,Temple of Doom, Last Crusade & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Seems mad or odd to include 4 films being number one even if one is kingdom of the crystal skull but for the sake of this list as i said i have put any films with sequels directed as one film number on the list. I love Indiana Jones, the characters, settings, actors, treasures, story everything about Indiana Jones films i love besides Crystal Skull it's not very good but it's still Indy. I have only ever seen two films in cinemas with both my parents and Indy and the kingdom of the crystal skull was the second we liked it. I mean yeah it is good but the aliens near the ending just ruins it. Moving on from Skull, Last Crusade is a highly entertaining film i love the screen time we have with Connery and Ford very funny and this film gets you quite emotional a few times and it was a sad when as a kid after watching the Indy trilogy that at the time Crusade was the last one and there was no news that there would be more, fast forward years later they revealed Kingdom was coming i got excited and felt like a kid again. Temple of doom is perhaps the darkest entry of the series even if the series has dark moments in each film the brainwashing of Indy was quite something and the whole Kali mah thing with the heart being pulled out still beating scared me as a kid, i could not believe it and i remember for a few days after it i would go to school and be covering my chest if people got too close or i'd do the Kali mah to them haha and also who does not love short round in the film? Now for the best in the series with Raiders, so many famous memorable scenes, arab swordsman, golden idol and the face melting opening of the ark. The face melting scene as a kid for years scared me and as i got older you know you realise it's just wax melting but god is it cool but creepy still. Indiana Jones made me want to become an archaeologist adventurer love to explore so many lost wonders of the world although i'd die going against the kinds of people indy dealt with haha. Raiders - Last Crusade 10/10 but Kingdom Of Crystal Skull 6/10. 

Now to list all the other films i have either seen or have yet to see....

Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Not seen the original, only the remake and the remake was crap. 

Bridge of Spies,Minority Report,Schindler's List and Empire of the Sun - Not seen these but i have wanted to see them and one day i shall. 

This list took me a good while to create and tough to list fully. So thank you for visiting my blog and reading my list. 

See you soon! 

Top 3 Quentin Tarantino films

Hello again, metallic nation of gods that you are. I hope you are all well. 

Welcome back to my blog and to another list, this one is all about Quentin Tarantino and his movies. I have seen almost all of his films bar Hateful Eight. 

I will be listing the 3 of the best films directed by him in my opinion. 

3) Inglourious Basterds - I have seen this one many times, first time i admit i did not think much of it but from the second to the fourth time i seen this i really enjoyed it. A great film with Waltz being the best performer in the film i thought. 8/10.  Fave Scene = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Bqycjw_tw (Couple scenes in the film i really like but this one just sprang up i love the tension and build up to a quick nasty crazy firefight.)

2) Django Unchained - What a film! Tarantino's best since the Kill Bill films, absolutely not to be missed! Amazing cast and acting with amazing action packed bloody scenes and also the dialogue is amazing too this whole film is amazing. 9/10. Fave scene = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZRkzg-WqXM (The best western shootout ever!)

F.Y.I -Number 1 on this list i will say there are 3 films of this. There is The Whole Bloody Affair which combines Vol 1 and Vol 2 in one film with some added scenes and then there is just standard Vol 1 and Vol 2. For the sake of this list and Quentin and my opinion i am putting it in one at number one. 

1) Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2 - I am counting them as one film because these are my fave from Quentin a masterpiece of tenseness and spectacular bloody gorey action set pieces and fight scenes and a tale of revenge that drives The Bride and the plot all the way to it's satisfying finish. His greatest movie is Kill Bill. From the soundtrack to the unique animation sequence this/these films are amazing. 10/10. Fave scene from Kill Bill? If i have to pick just one i will go with this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU1LpJ02CKA (i know the fight scene is utterly boss but i love this whole scene to its a really unique story piece to the movie)

Now i will say a little about the other films i have seen from Quentin before i end this list. 

Death Proof (Hate this film its so stupid and waste of time to watch this nonsense ok it starts off pretty neat then devolves into pure uninteresting dribble. I'd happily rate this a 0 out of 10 one of the worse films i have ever seen in my life.

Pulp Fiction - This is pretty good but it's not my fave by him, all i like in this film is just Jules and Vince to be honest, it's certainly left a mark on pop culture with this film.

Reservoir Dogs & Jackie Brown - seen these for the first time a few years back, i could not get into them.

With all that said and done, it is time for me to thank you for reading and visiting my blog as ever and i hope to see you again soon on my blog.

Top 3 Clint Eastwood (Directed) Films

Hello there, how are you doing? I hope you are well my metallic nation. 

Today i have another list, top 3 Clint Eastwood films now by this i will state i am going by FILMS HE DIRECTED. Not the ones he has only starred in. 

I'll do a list of films i love with Clint in some other day. 

So yes with all this in mind, let us venture to see the best 3 films i think Clint has made. 

3: 

Jersey Boys

Now i will be honest when i heard this was being made by Clint i thought "Clint has done a musical film? This is weird" then i seen the trailer and i was like "Ok i have to see this" and i did see it and i really enjoyed it. Great story, great music and actors in the film and Clint's direction with it is good. I enjoyed it a lot. 7/10.

2: 

Gran Torino

Simply terrific, enormously watchable and an absolute must for all Eastwood fans. Covers a lot of ground as it rolls: religion, the toll of war, mortality, what it means to be a man. It perfectly captures his on screen career too and that's what fans will love about this film. 8/10

1: American Sniper

Great film here one thing that is off putting is the fake baby scene (if you seen it you will know what i mean). Bradley Cooper delivers a strong performance that really carries the film we see Kyle go through the motions of war in this story, Eastwood knows how to make compelling and tense films for our viewing pleasure. 9/10. 

Now below here is a list of all the other films i have seen directed by Eastwood and my thoughts on them.

 

J. Edgar (I have seen this film but i was severely bored by it don't recommend unless you know and are interested in J. Edgar Hoover.)

Space Cowboys (Good film from what i remember but not seen it in years) 

Mystic River (Was ok again not seen it in years) 

Unforgiven (I did not like this to be honest first seen it about 4 years ago after a friend kept telling me to see it since i like Westerns and it has a good cast but it bored me tbh)

That is all from me for today people, another short list all wrapped up, because it's short does not mean it took me 5 mins to put together either lol.  

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

Feel free to share this or comment or suggest any list you want to see from me. 

See you soon.