Gaming
Mass Effect Andromeda’s Biggest Issue Is Alien Diversity
From LGBT representation to animation outsourcing, it’s no secret that Mass Effect Andromeda’s release has been full of scrutiny and disappointment. That feeling carries over when talking about the various races found in Mass Effect Andromeda.
Over the course of Mass Effect’s original trilogy, you could interact with over twenty sentient races and even more were offhandedly mentioned. It was clearly a vast galaxy with a plethora of races out and about in the world. Unfortunately, there was a clear bias toward giving exposition to our squadmates’ races and squadmate adjacent races. Many of the non-crewmate races were undervalued with little lore focus other than a sporadic codex. The problem persisted throughout the trilogy. This means, I already know most of Human, Asari, Turian, Krogan, and Salarian history, but none of what non-squadmate race, the Volus did in the year did in the year 2073 or any other year for that matter.
Logically, you’d want to change that as Mass Effect starts a new series right? Mass Effect has a huge library of aliens with only lightly touched lore. A new entry in the serious should explore races that have yet to enjoy the limelight right? That’s where Mass Effect Andromeda would disagree with you. Instead of giving the spotlight to any of Mass Effect’s many underappreciated species, the bias towards original trilogy squadmate races is continued.
In Mass Effect Andromeda, the main cast of characters yet again consists of mostly Turians, Asari, Krogans, and Humans. They’re all decently written characters, but I expect more than this shallow pool of aliens from Mass Effect. There are tons of untapped races to choose from, and each by their very presence would both make the world more interesting and expand lore. Characters in space operas aren’t just there for their own narratives, they’re also vehicles to bring unknown cultures to focus.
For example, why not give a Vorcha some starring role in the Andromeda crew? They’ve only been briefly seen as characters in Mass Effect with a mere 3 of them actually being named. Additionally, those named were only done so to highlight them in a gunfight. Comparatively, the aforementioned squadmate races(Krogans, Humans, Asari, Salarians) all have at least a double digits worth of named characters with the lowest amount being from the Krogans at 15 named characters.
Vorcha lore is ripe to be written by the developers. Maybe even make one a romance option for Ryder? If I can romance a pointy stegosaurus-like Turian, why can’t I romance a member of his demon-like alien contemporary race, the Vorcha? Try making it female to further expand Vorcha lore. Just do something to change up the current formula and please let me romance Lyanne the Vorcha.
To Bioware’s credit, there is one bastion of diversity on your crew, Jaal who belongs to a brand new race of people. He’s member of a race found native to Aya, a planet in the Andromeda system. Disappointingly, he and his race don’t bring anything of interest to Mass Effect. They’re basically humans with purple skin. Almost everything from tech to culture is exactly the same as what you find in human civilization. The only difference between Humans and Angara is their narrative with the Kett, another new race in the Andromeda Galaxy.
While that’s definitely a step forward, it’s hardly useful. I want aliens in the game that aren’t just a skin deep variation of the norm. Meeting a new race shouldn’t feel like you’re just meeting a person who purchased a droid instead of the iPhone. There should be senses of wonder, curiosity, and surprise in a races introduction, something that hooks you in. You don’t even need to change too much to accomplish this. For example, Quarians might act fairly human in personality, but the simple sight of their masks draw you in. This makes it obvious from the start that Quarians experience the world in a fundamentally different way than humans. Every race in a Mass Effect game should be like that.
Having varying races in the spotlight only enhances lore and makes me want to come back for the next installment. Luckily, Bioware still has the chance to include a more diverse cast of races in any further story expansions. The Andromeda Galaxy has many unexplored planets and there are multiple initiative crewmates still in cryosleep that could wake up to be any number of races. Please Bioware, if you make a follow-up to Mass Effect Andromeda, focus on any race other than the normal squad of Humans, Turians, Krogans, and Asari. They’re boring and their lore feels exhausted.
Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.
According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.
He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.
Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.
Gaming
The developer of Stellar Blade for the PS5 Expressing gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support amidst a recent controversy surrounding censorship
Shift Up, the Korean developer, seems to be reconsidering its contentious alterations to the Stellar Blade outfit. In a message to fans, they have urged everyone to stay tuned for updates and expressed gratitude for the passionate feedback from players. For those who may not be aware, a petition gained significant attention over the weekend when gamers discovered changes made to a few of the game’s costumes through a day-one patch.
The launch day update includes a fantastic New Game + mode, but some players were disappointed by the changes made to protagonist Eve’s outfit. These alterations sparked debates about censorship. Director Hyung-Tae Kim later clarified that this was the studio’s original vision, but he acknowledged that it may require further persuasion to win over users. Internal discussions were also underway to address any concerns.
Thanks to all our Stellar Blade fans for your passion & feedback. Stay tuned for updates🤍 pic.twitter.com/jCRzM4OQBS
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) May 1, 2024
There is no definitive confirmation regarding the reversal of the outfits, but considering the language used in the statement and the widespread controversy surrounding the alterations, it is highly likely that a future patch will restore the original costumes. If you want to get a sneak peek at all of Eve’s different outfits and learn how to unlock them, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide, All Outfits and How to Get Them.
It’s quite possible. Fans all over the world are interested in Shift Up’s highly anticipated action-adventure game, Stellar Blade. With its captivating post-apocalyptic setting reminiscent of Nier and a compelling protagonist named Eve, it’s no wonder the game has generated such widespread attention.
The game consistently impresses with its stunning visuals and high-octane action, leaving players in awe with each new trailer.
Yet, just like other noteworthy second-party and third-party game releases, fans are pondering: Will Stellar Blade be available on PC?
In this article, we delve into the details to determine the platform availability of the highly anticipated title.
Will Stellar Blade be available on PC? Allow me to provide you with the answer.
Unfortunately, Stellar Blade will not be available on PC, at least not initially. Currently, the game is only available on PlayStation 5 starting on April 26, 2024.
Regrettably, it appears that there is no indication of a potential PC release for Stellar Blade in the future. In most cases, trailers for PlayStation timed-exclusive titles conclude with a disclaimer that specifies the duration of their exclusivity.
In the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launch trailer, it is explicitly stated that the game will only be accessible on other platforms starting on May 29, 2024.
Regrettably, when it comes to the stellar blade, there is no indication of such.
It’s important to note that Sony Entertainment Interactive published Stellar Blade, unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This means that the chances of it being released on PC or other platforms in the near future are even slimmer.
However, it is worth noting that there is a chance the game might be released on PC in the future, given PlayStation’s track record of bringing their exclusive titles to the platform. However, it could be a while before this comes to fruition.
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