Aaryn Flynn, the General Manager at Bioware, has just made a post on the official Mass Effect website to address some of the controversy surrounding Andromeda. Those who have followed Andromeda‘s launch know that it has been the subject of great criticisms regarding animations and technical issues. Bioware has taken note of these criticisms and promises to make changes and continue to support Andromeda going forward. Players can expect a patch to release this Thursday, April 6.
Here are some highlights from the patch notes:
- “Added option to skip autopilot sequences in the galaxy”
- “Improved lip syncing and facial acting during conversations, including localized VO”
- “Fixed bugs where music of VO wouldn’t play or wasn’t correct”
- “Fixed issue where Ryder can become stuck in the start of Biotic Charge Pose”
- “Fixed issue related to some saves”
Additionally, Flynn’s post specifically notes that the patch will improve eyes for human and asari characters, as well as make adjustments to Ryder’s sometimes awkward running animations. These criticisms have been the subject of many jokes and memes online since players first got their hands on the game. Seriously, just look at the many “my face is tired” edits circulating on YouTube.
Improvements to Andromeda will not end with this week’s patch. Over the course of the next two months, Flynn promises Bioware will continue to roll out more patches which address fundamental problems with the game’s character creator, cinematic scenes, character appearances, and even romance options.
As a longtime Mass Effect fan who felt let down by Andromeda, this could be good news. Fans had every right to be as critical as they were of the game, but it is refreshing to see that Bioware has listened to these major criticisms. Assuming they follow through on the promises Flynn makes about the future of Andromeda, the game could see some much needed improvements.
