Mass Effect Andromeda – your crew and potential romance options

Someone at Bioware seriously underestimated the Internet’s capacity for mocking. Their character animations have been quite a laughing stock every since the Early Access on EA/Origin Accces started. Still, let’s not all be wet blankets. Facial animations aside, those into SF opera of this scope do not have a lot of choice, so let’s talk about the good things – characters you can interact with.

Scott/Sara Ryder – the twins, children of the galactic explorer, Mr N7 Marine, Alec Ryder. You are the protagonist and your job is to find a planet suitable for human life. During the game, you have the ability to choose what kind of hero you want to be. You cannot go too crazy now, and the previous Renegade/Paragon system is gone going for a more nuanced version. It remains to be seen how it will pan out. You choose the way you look and how to deal with combat. Oh, and you’re the only character who can hook up with anyone else from the hookable list.

Liam Kosta/Cora Harper – your human squadmates, which, unfortunately makes them the most boring of the bunch by default. Liam is the gun specialist, enthusiastic and idealistic. Cora is a commando who trained with the Asari. Let us hope they will present more than a stand in for Kaidan and Ashley from the previous Mass Effect Trilogy.

Vetra Nyx – your female Turian squadmate, has been around and seen some stuff. She spent time with smugglers and mercenaries, and her favorite weapon is a modified Cyclone assault rifle and a customized power armor. Oh, and there is a flirt option in the part of the game that is available to the public, so if you still miss Garrus…

Nakmor Drack – an ancient Krogan, what more is there to say. Spent 1,400 years being a soldier, mercenary and pirate. If that isn’t good enough to put into a CV, I don’t know what is! Also, no idea about romance options, but, hey, Iron Bull was a great idea.

Pelessaria B’Sayle/Peebee – a completely different type of Asari from what you have gotten used to it in the previous games. Peebee is bubbly and does not care about rules. A gunslinger with a powerful Sidewinder Outlaw pistol as the favorite weapon, with biotic powers, because Asari. And yes, a romance option, because again, Asari.

You are bound to meet many more colorful characters while you’re traipsing around Andromeda. One of the is definitely Jaal, whom we have recently talked about, and the Tempest also holds its own crew who are not in your team, but are necessary to keep the ship flying.

Here’s to hoping Mass Effect Andromeda fixes as many of its problems as possible before the official launch on March 21 (US) and 23 (EU), because, damn it, the world needs another good Mass Effect game!