Andromeda Multiplayer

[Monica Okane]

The multiplayer component of Mass Effect: Andromeda is a co-operative game mode similar to Mass Effect 3's multiplayer. Players take on the enemy threats as part of the APEX Force, whose task is to protect the Andromeda Initiative's interests. Completing special missions may earn the player certain single player rewards, but otherwise the multiplayer mode is completely optional and does not affect the story of the single player mode in any fashion.[1][2]

Multiplayer missions consist of pitting the player and up to three allies against waves of enemies on various battlefields throughout the Heleus Cluster. The number of waves is seven by default. Some waves are completed by killing all the enemies, whereas objective waves have a time limit. After completing the objective, remaining enemies have to be eliminated to finish the wave. Each objective awards a certain amount of experience (XP) depending on the speed of completion. The mission fails if the timer expires before the objective is completed or all players go down.

All multiplayer missions have four challenge difficulties, in order from easiest to hardest: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Higher difficulties feature stronger and more numerous enemies, as well as difficult enemy types in earlier waves and in larger numbers, but also grant better rewards.

APEX Missions are the type of Strike Team Mission that can alternatively be completed as a multiplayer mission. Multiplayer credits and XP can be earned only if the mission is completed as a multiplayer match, whereas Mission Funds and Pathfinder rewards are earned regardless of the manner of completion.

APEX Missions have preset modifiers, typically reducing effectiveness in some areas (such as weak point damage or shields) and increasing it in others. There are two types of APEX Mission: some refresh daily, like other Strike Team Missions, whereas special APEX Missions may be available for a limited period of a few days.

Depending on whether the mission modifier increases or decreases player effectiveness, there is a penalty or bonus to XP and credits compared to the respective regular multiplayer missions. For limited-time missions, the rewards may include a special pack in the store.

Players can choose from different character classes and seven different races to play 36 individual unique multiplayer characters. Individual character weapons and equipment can be customized between matches with additional weapons and equipment obtained from the Store.

Characters' appearance, boosters, equipment, mods, and weapons can be customized between matches. Additional items can be obtained by purchasing packs and items from the Store as well as collecting reward packs.

Most of the same weapons that are used in the single-player portion of the game are available in the multiplayer portion as well. Their multiplayer versions generally have upgraded damage, and may also differ in other stats. Weapons are acquired and upgraded through purchases of packs and items in the multiplayer Store.

Weapon levels go up from Rank I to X. After reaching Rank X, weapons unlock several variants that bestow additional abilities, also upgradable from Rank I to X. Bulwark, Concussive, or Siphon is appended to their names, and certain weapons have an S version that features even better stats than the original.

The stats for the multiplayer versions of weapons have been changed (some multiple times) with patches and updates. Consult the individual weapon pages and the patches and updates article for more details.

The same types of Mods that are used in the single-player portion of the game are available in the multiplayer portion as well. There are also a few multiplayer-only Mods but some of the single-player Mods are unavailable.

Note: The stats for the multiplayer versions of Mods have been changed (some multiple times) with patches and updates. Consult the individual Mod tables and the patches and updates article for more details.

Skill sets are fixed, character-specific, and consist of 3 active and 2 passive skills using a mix of the standard 36 skills available from single-player gameplay as well as new multiplayer only skills.

This passive Skill remains LOCKED until a Rank XI Character Card is received from the Store. Veteran Ranks of characters will only drop after all characters of that rarity have been unlocked to Rank X. (Update 1.10)

Mass Effect: Andromeda introduces permanent bonuses to characters through a mechanic called Prestige. Each character is associated with a group of bonus stats; progressing a particular stat will, up to a limit, apply the related bonus to all multiplayer characters. Five different bonus stats can be upgraded :

Any XP gained with a character, regardless of the character's level or rank, counts towards XP for the related Bonus Stat. Each Bonus stat starts from level 0 and can be upgraded to a max level of 10 to improve the bonuses.

Characters and equipment improve their stats and usability upon leveling. There are two types of leveling: through playing multiplayer matches for character classes, or through unlocking higher levels from cards obtained from packs purchased from the store.

An item obtained from a store pack gains a level when it is received again after opening another store pack. The stat improvement is permanent. Boosters, being consumable in nature, are found in four tiers from I (Common) to IV (Ultra Rare) which can be obtained again and again, and thus aren't part of the leveling system per se. Weapons and mods are found in 10 tiers from Rank I to Rank X. Character Cards go up to Rank XX.

Note that leveling characters is twofold system. A character leveling through experience points can reach the limit of Level 20 simply by playing enough matches. Leveling the character's Character Card is solely dependent on buying enough packs to unlock the same card 20 times to reach the maximum of Rank XX. Character Cards can unlock cosmetic perks like stripes or tints (at certain ranks) in addition to skill points while experience leveling only provides skill points for the character.

Characters require skill points for their abilities to be used but having enough skill points to fully use their three active skills and two passive skills (not counting the veteran bonus) requires leveling the character through experience and Character Cards. Since while starting out most of a player's characters is only Rank I or II and obtaining more Character Cards is entirely dependent on luck, a certain amount of strategizing is needed to efficiently manage a character's skill allocations while its Rank XX isn't yet unlocked.

Rank I characters at Level 1 just have 2 points for allocation. Rank II characters at Level 1 have 6 - enough for raising all 3 starter skills up one rank. Rank III of the same character provides a cosmetic bonus. A Rank IV character at Level 1 has 10 starting skill points, and so on.

Rank I characters at Level 20 only has enough skill points for maxing two skills, missing just one point for maxing a third skill. Rank II of the same character at Level 20 provides enough skill points to maximize 3 skills plus 3 extra points. At Rank X Level 20, all skills except one can be maximized. The sole exception has only 1 point allowable investment.

The Item Store originally sold all four Supply cards and the Character Respec card. With Patch 1.09, the Item Store was changed to carry a rotating stock of Equipment, Mods, Characters, Boosters, as well as the previously mentioned five items.

As opposed to having dedicated servers, Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer employs a peer-to-peer system like Mass Effect 3. There are currently no plans for supporting cross-platform play.[5] The multiplayer mode is not region-locked, although the matchmaking system prefers towards good connection.[6]

I don't believe that Mass Effect: Andromeda [official site] is a train wreck. I do believe that it feels like a game made to spec, and is oddly soulless as a result. In singleplayer, this is to some extent disguised behind crusading dialogue and regular planet-hopping, but in multiplayer it is laid bare.

Here's the thing: even after some twenty underwhelming hours with singleplayer, I still want to love Mass Effect Andromeda, to the point where I repeatedly dispute the drab evidence right before my eyes and ears. Though never a full-blooded enthusiast for the series, for the past decade or so it's been a more-or-less happy mainstay of my gaming life. Over-the-top space shenanigans every few years, videogame sci-fi at its most ostentatious - a reliable constant.

For the past few years, I've been simply presuming that Andromeda would continue this trend. The series has had its ups and its downs, but it's always had games that I gladly play every minute of. Why would that change now? I did not expect revelation from Andromeda, but I expected to spend a couple of weeks entirely absorbed by it. Adapting to a reality where that has not happened - one where a new Mass Effect and I simply have not clicked - is an ongoing challenge. Frustrated by singleplayer, where the single greatest problem has been not feeling invested in its events, I turned instead to multiplayer, hoping that, free from rubber faces, leaden lines and an absence of intriguing sci-fi ideas, pure and simple space marine warfare might allow me to enjoy Andromeda.

Broadly speaking, Mass Effect: Andromeda's team co-op vs AI multiplayer is quite similar to Mass Effect 3's. I rather enjoyed that, as a series of lightweight but engaging skirmishes that were more about having a blast than trying to be lord of all. The similarity is a double-edged sword. On the one side, it's using solid foundations, but on the other it suffers from the same creeping sense of 'been there, done that' that the singleplayer campaign has. Moment to moment in Andromeda's multiplayer, it took real effort to recall exactly which Mass Effect game I was playing and what year I was playing it in.

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