Mass Effect Andromeda: Everything we’ve learned from the Andromeda Initiative

As part of the lead in to Mass Effect Andromeda, BioWare has launched the Andromeda Initiative via the Mass Effect website. It’s framed as a training hub for new recruits, but the recruitment process is 100% signing up for an EA account and receiving emails about future Mass Effect stuff, which is a prospect I realise other people won’t be as enthused by as I would be. There is, though, quite a lot of story detail to be found on the AI site. This is all of it to be gleaned so far, for those of you who enjoy Mass Effect info but also uncluttered inboxes.

What is the Andromeda Initiative?

In the game world it’s the name of a ‘civilian, multi-species project created to send scientists, explorers and colonists on a one-way trip to settle in the Andromeda Galaxy.’ It was founded in 2176, and is scheduled to launch in 2185, so it’s been a long time in development. Those dates, though, indicate that this isn’t an ark project as a response to the reaper threat. 2176 is before the events of the original trilogy, and 2185 is the same year as the events of Mass Effect 2. As the website says: ‘The Initiative’s ultimate goal is to establish a permanent presence on the seemingly resource-rich frontier of Andromeda, and eventually create a reliable route between it and the Milky Way Galaxy.’ The journey will take 600 years, and is a one-way trip.

In the real world the Andromeda Initiative is a game tie-in, and will release new videos (styled as briefings) gradually between now and the release of the game. The first one is called Welcome/Orientation. If you complete all of your training you’ll earn a special edition Pathfinder helmet for use in-game. After watching the briefing video you’ll have completed one out of six parts of training.

What about the other alien races from Mass Effect?

In the orientation video the founder of the Andromeda Initiative, Jian Garson, says that most of the humans will be on board Ark Hyperion, although she and others will be on the Nexus, a really really big ship which may be the command centre for the Initiative. There will be three other Arks (all of which sort of resemble smaller versions of the Citadel from the original trilogy), each carrying a different alien race from the Milky Way. The thing is that there are more than four races in the Milky Way. It makes sense that the Salarians, as quick-thinking scientist types, would be involved, but we’ve also seen Asari and Krogan in some of the trailer footage so far. We do, however, know that the Turians will definitely be in Andromeda somewhere.

Who is Alec Ryder, the Pathfinder?

From the Andromeda Initiative site:

‘A seasoned galactic explorer, Alec Ryder was a member of Jon Grissom’s original task force which travelled through the Charon mass relay – the first encountered by humanity – in 2149. Ryder would go on to further prove his mettle by completing N7 training, solidifying himself as one of the Alliance military’s elite. Eventually recruited into the role of Pathfinder for the Andromeda Initiative, Ryder represents the tip of the spear in humanity’s efforts to find a new home in this unknown galaxy.’

He’s voiced by Clancy Brown, and there’s a picture of him now too:

Alec is the father of the Ryder siblings, one of which you’ll choose as your protagonist (although the other will still exist in the game, somewhere, and it’s said that the mystery of the Ryder family is something you can explore in the game). As the N7 Day trailer makes reference to you being the new Pathfinder, it’s reasonable to think that something might happen to Alec.

What kind of planets are in Mass Effect Andromeda?

The plan is for the people on board the Ark to wake up on the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy, 600 years in the future (which explains why the ending of Mass Effect 3 won’t affect this game, neatly sidestepping the need for BioWare to choose which one is the ‘canon’ ending). The orientation video references ‘golden planets’ found in a helios system which long range scanners have picked up, which are theoretically good for colonisation. However, the Initiative doesn’t rule out potentially hostile environments. There are three pieces of what look like concept art accompanying this information, which show an ice planet, a lava planet, and some kind of rocky wasteland planet. Part of the Pathfinder’s job is to survey this kind of thing.

Will there be a Normandy in Mass Effect Andromeda?

Kind of a bit, maybe. There’s a frame in the video which describes how members of the Pathfinder team will get ‘ground and space vehicle certification’, and shows the blueprints for the Mako-esque all-terrain vehicle called the Nomad, as well as a ship, which has approximately the same silhouette as the Normandy. It’s labelled as ‘Tempest’, confirming what was seen in the E3 footage this year. It’s also reasonable to assume that, as Alec Ryder’s child, we’ll be on the Pathfinder team, because of nepotism.

What about making colonies and meeting new species?

The orientation video does also reference ‘outpost establishment guidelines’ alongside blueprints of colony buildings, which is a faint indication that maybe my dream to develop outposts may come true. There are also ‘first contact protocols’ in the event of meeting new species (and from the trailer there appears to be at least one which is angry at the sudden arrival of colonists in their galaxy). Whether there are other, more friendly species to meet remains to be seen.

Any combat details yet?

Only reference to getting fully training in survival, weapons, and biotics. So we know biotics will very much still be a thing in Andromeda, and the addition of a Carnifex pistol blueprint indicates some of the good ole’ Alliance classics will still be around.

What about the Elcor, godammit?

Resigned statement tinged with sadness: there has not yet been any indication from the Andromeda Initiative that the Elcor will also return.

  

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