Mass Effect: Andromeda brings us back to the universe we know, but through new eyes

Brought to you by EA Games.

Any new entry into the world(s) of Mass Effect was always going to be met with a certain level of scrutiny.

When the series first kicked off in 2007, and through the first two full sequels in 2009 and 2012, they were all greeted with amazing reviews, great sales and countless end-of-year awards. Then there was radio silence for five years and we thought that maybe Electronic Arts and Bioware had moved on from the series. Thankfully, this is not the case. Mass Effect: Andromeda kicks off in the 22nd Century, with humanity intending on setting up a new colony in the distant worlds of the Andromeda Galaxy, and you choose to play as either Scott or Sara Ryder, who wake up 600 years later following the very long haul journey to their new home. Whichever of the twins you choose, the other will still remain involved in your story, as you find yourself heading towards the surface of a planet on which to potentially set up a new colony, but the long-range scans showed a very different world. This one is teaming with life already, and not all of it is friendly. We've been told that this is going to be a clean break from the previous Mass Effect games, and while there are obviously going to be some similarities, for the most part that is exactly the case. Everything is much more open-world now, as Andromeda really wants you to explore, and there is a lot to discover here. Plus, it being a Mass Effect game, the worlds are never anything short of beautiful and visually arresting. You'll spend as much time gawping at the lush landscapes as you will actually investigating them. Which isn't to say that there aren't the usual pulse-pounding action scenes, but even these have been tweaked to suit the new worlds, as the action is less reliant on having to run for cover every few seconds, and allows you to keep the fight on the move with more ease. And, as always, there's the whole relationships angle, as you get to live out and love up different characters depending on how you decide to interact with them, and they continue to be one of the most forward-thinking game series going today. Andromeda is clearly the next generation of the Mass Effect world, giving old fans something new, and giving new fans a brand new universe to get lost in. All clips via Mass Effect