In the 22nd century, developed civilizations were under threat of extermination by a race of intelligent machines - the reapers, but even if Captain Shepard's mission is not successful, humanity will not sink into oblivion. Shortly before the invasion, the Andromeda Initiative was launched, designed to equip an expedition to the galaxy closest to the Milky Way in order to find a new home for the five races.
Thousands of colonists set out on a journey of 0.77 megaparsecs and 600 years in length... to, just like on Earth, repel waves of enemies, upgrade their skills and open boxes with random contents. This is a review of Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer and believe me, there is a lot to see here.
- Ahh, Bertie Botts, sweets with any taste. I was terribly unlucky in my youth - I came across one that tasted like vomit, and since then I stopped liking them. Maybe try this cute candy?.. Alas, earwax...
Film "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (2001)
Evolution of the Horde
The news that a multiplayer game will appear in the final part of the trilogy of the popular space saga caused a storm of indignation. Another multiplayer “for show”, a senseless waste of resources and time, forcing people to join online - such messages preceded the creation of one of the most innovative and breakthrough cooperative modes in recent years.
It's hard to believe, but it was Mass Effect 3 that defined the face of modern online gaming. She popularized the idea of containers for credits - later the fashion for “materialism” was adopted by Battlefield, Call of Duty and some Blizzard projects. It was here that the role of different active skills of characters was revealed, which had a positive effect on replayability, and a year ago Overwatch was released, where this theme was developed even more.
In the Mass Effect universe, you can always look at three things: how the asari dance, how iridium is mined, and how two krogan fight in a duel “on their heads.”
The phenomenon of the game is that it was able to surprise without having an original concept. This is a lighter version of Gears of War's Horde mode, where four players fight off incoming waves of enemies in compact arenas. No resource management with the construction of fortifications and the selection of captured weapons - only survival in its purest form, where the rules and calculations are set before the start of the match.
That same “lightness” played into the hands of the project. There are not fifty waves, but ten, not counting the evacuation - matches are played faster, it’s easier to find time for them. The real highlight was the characters, each with a unique set of abilities: from engineers who rely on technical means, to stormtroopers who literally fly head-on into the enemy, and camouflaged scouts.
The effect of the explosion of an em-mi-mi-grenade. Joke. In fact, sometimes such devilry happens here that you can’t figure out what’s happening and why.
The success of the event seems to have come as a surprise to BioWare themselves. The balance was urgently corrected and the network connection was optimized. Within a year of the game's release, the developers released five expansions with new maps, characters, weapons and equipment - a fourth collector race and increased difficulty were also added. Every two weeks there were special events on the weekends that allowed you to get unique weapons.
But a similar idea in Dragon Age: Inquisition failed. The mechanics, designed for a cheerful third-person action game, turned out to be unsuitable for a party role-playing game, where leveling up and the quality of equipment mattered more than skill and knowledge. But only those who do nothing make mistakes, so negative experiences could become the foundation for new discoveries... 
Three dimensions and one more on top
An accidental success five years ago doomed Mass Effect multiplayer, so even though Andromeda was positioned as a fresh start, fans of the mode were waiting for its development, not a remake. And at first glance, the continuation is overly conservative: the same waves, the same cards from the boxes, even the enemy factions are full of obvious analogues of the previous ones.
But this is a false impression. Firstly, the number of waves was reduced to six, so matches began to take place a third faster. Secondly, the introduction of the jump pack made it possible to design “multi-story”, more open and larger maps: now you can climb somewhere higher and control the entire battlefield, as well as get rid of an enemy who is so far away that he is not even highlighted.
Despite the presence of jump packs, there are no safe places on the maps. Even heavy combat units can easily jump onto roofs.
The Canadians once again showed the middle finger to Marcus Fenix's squad hiding behind cover, adding even more dynamics to the mode. The game was not conducive to full defense before (don’t remind me of the geth on Belaya - those were harsh times, we earned credits as best we could), but now the very architecture of the levels encourages constant changing of positions and improvisation.
On “bronze” and “silver” it is irrational to sit and wait for the enemy to drop by for a visit, especially since some fighters like snipers like to hang out on the opposite edge of the map and sometimes even forget how and why they got here. “Gold,” on the contrary, is capable of crushing “meat” so that there is not enough firepower to quickly shoot the approaching crowd. 
Defending the evacuation zone is still a lost cause. It’s easier to dance around the map with the enemy for a couple of minutes and arrive at the point in the last seconds.
Special tasks are now issued two, rather than three times - on the third and sixth waves, as a result, you receive less money per match (55 thousand for gold instead of 70-80), and the bonus depends on the speed of their completion. There are fewer conditions: drone tracking and object transfer have disappeared, but “loading” has appeared, which you will probably hate.
Unlike the usual “hacking”, where it is enough to stay in the highlighted area for some time, there are already three points here, and even progress in them does not occur when enemies are nearby, and is reset if you leave the area and do not return to it in a timely manner. But there is some good news: there are no bosses in “killing targets”, and if you are interrupted while turning off the device, the progress of its deactivation will not immediately roll back to zero. 
Peer-to-peer reigns here, so if the match organizer is using a 3G mobile or downloading something in the background, it won't be fun for anyone.
The character development system has been reformed. From now on, you do not upgrade the entire class at once, but each hero separately. A controversial decision, because the learning process has slowed down significantly, but on the other hand, if a player of maximum level 20 is included in the group, it means that he has already undergone a baptism of fire, understood his strengths and weaknesses and will not let the team down at a crucial moment.
What's worse is that some of the skill points in Andromeda are given when you level up your character card. Previously, they only affected the appearance settings, and there were only four gradations, but now there are ten of them, and each even improvement is +5 pumping points. Basic heroes benefit from this innovation, because all bronze cards can be knocked out without any problems in a week by buying containers for 5 thousand, but to get and improve very rare people requires an application of 800 hours, if the algorithm for opening them does not change.
You can paint the spacesuit in one of thousands of shades, but the faces... the faces cannot be changed.
A system of ranks compensates for these deprivations. Each hero is tied to one of five attributes, such as accelerating the recovery of shields or increasing maximum health, and as the game progresses, they upgrade not only themselves, but also this indicator. The increase in rank is trivial; filling the scale completely is the same as pumping one fighter to the limit, but it applies even to those who have not yet been opened.
It is more difficult to find an excuse for the quantity of everything. There are only five maps so far, which is less than at the start of Mass Effect 3, two of them are relatively open, and another one (Magma base) does not fit into the updated mechanics at all due to its compact size. The situation should be corrected by upcoming additions (free, according to good tradition), but the timing and frequency of their release is under a veil of uncertainty.
Hovering in the air while jumping is another new feature. As a rule, it is an opportunity to die faster.
The equipment system did not go without changes. The class of submachine guns was abolished, but the link between slots and weapon type was removed - you can go into battle with two different rifles on your back or rely on a pair of shotguns. There are two slots left for disposable amplifiers, so a dilemma often arises: take “elemental” ammunition and increase the damage from skills, or strengthen shields and speed up pumping.
Improved combat combo system. As before, one skill serves as a link marker, and the other initiates an explosion, but now technology and biotics do not conflict with each other, but, on the contrary, are combined: if an allied technician sets the target on fire with “ignition”, you can explode it with a biotic “throw”. It’s convenient that right on the skills panel there are tips on which skills are marked and which activate combos.
ME:A's multiplayer mode is similar in many ways to that of Mass Effect 3, but has a few significant differences. In this article you will find all currently known information about Andromeda multiplayer.
The multiplayer portion of Mass Effect 3 was pretty weird. It was essentially separate from the main game, but in order to get the best ending - saving humanity - players had to spend time in co-op missions. This obviously became a problem for dedicated solo players or those whose internet connection was a little less than ideal.
Multiplayer in Mass Effect: Andromeda is done a little differently. It is not mandatory, but it is more connected with the plot itself.
In multiplayer mode, players take on the role of Apex Force, the Nexus strike force. Nexus is a command center that went to the Andromeda galaxy a little earlier than the ark ships with the Pathfinders. In total, four arks with different races on board flew to the brave new world.
General information
The multiplayer mode is about the same as in Mass Effect 3. We still fight against a superior number of enemies, advancing in waves, with each of which more and more powerful opponents appear.
Players will be able to choose the location and opponents at their own discretion, and also add modifiers: for example, reduced health of participants will increase the final reward, and increased damage to enemies will decrease it.
BioWare plans to periodically release special missions that will use unique modifiers that are not available to players in regular games.
Dynamics
« The first thing players will notice is how dynamic the matches are. Things are fast paced and there is a lot of action going on around you. The controls have also changed: they are now more responsive. All this was done specifically to increase the dynamics of multiplayer as much as possible.».
Fabrice Condominas
Navigating through maps is now more intuitive. In this case, you can use the backpack to move between levels, rather than trudging up and down stairs. The backpack cannot be used constantly; it will have a cooldown. It will also come in handy during battle.
According to the game's producer, the development team aims to create an environment in multiplayer battles that will force players to constantly move, rather than sit in the same place, shooting enemies with a rifle. Combat tactics can be changed during the competition thanks to a set of abilities and corresponding items.
Opponents
The AI has also been reworked: now computer enemies have different attack parameters that will allow them to smoke you out of cover and create pressure. Opposing factions differ not only in appearance and motivation, but also in different approaches to battles. For example, some use thick armor, others rely on shields, others have a vulnerable head, and against others melee combat will be more effective. At the same time, many of our arsenal of weapons and skills will be sharpened for greater damage to one thing.
Donat
There will also be microtransactions. In the multiplayer mode of Mass Effect: Andromeda, there will be sets of cards that are responsible for character equipment. These are the ones that can be purchased for real currency. And those who do not want to spend their honestly earned money will be able to accumulate in-game currency.
Experience system
The developers also changed the system of achievements and experience. Now, in addition to regular XP, players will receive prestige points, which will allow them to unlock additional abilities of game classes. We are talking about passively increasing characteristics, for example, health.
With this approach, the developers want to force players to play as different classes so that they unlock as many bonus skills as possible.
In addition, each character now levels up independently of the others.
Connection with single player
« We have our own system here -„Shock Squad”, which allows you to switch between single player and multiplayer as the game progresses. It also revolves around the main story in the Helios cluster».
Michael Gamble
Regarding how closely the multiplayer mode will be connected to the single-player campaign, the developers said that it will be possible to move directly from the campaign to multiplayer. Players will be able to send squads of NPCs to complete certain missions, or switch online and complete them themselves.
Multiplayer will have a connection with the plot of the single, but will not affect the ending of the game. Also, all bonus points received online will be transferred to the “single player”.
Additional facts
- Random packs of weapons and equipment remain in their place.
- You can customize your armor. The face is not. The helmet cannot be removed/put on at will.
- Each character has a unique personality and voice acting.
- There will be no batarians or vorcha in multiplayer. And in Andromeda too.
- There will be no playable collectors or remnants either (collectors are also not present in Andromeda).
- Producer Fernando Melo said that the game will feature plenty of jumping enemies that can be slashed with salarian swords.
- One more thing worth mentioning: Andromeda multiplayer will not have dedicated servers. It’s not a big surprise if you remember the same system from Mass Effect 3, but it’s difficult to predict how this will come back to haunt you.
- The developers also remind that for Origin Access subscribers, a demo access of 10 hours of gameplay, including multiplayer, will begin on March 16.
Art:
Video:
Some multiplayer gameplay from the pre-order video.
Players will now find themselves far beyond the Milky Way, into the very depths of the Andromeda galaxy. The main character (or heroine) will have to take on the role of the Pathfinder and thereby lead the search for a new home not only for humanity, but also for many other races in a new, hostile corner of space. Discover new and hitherto completely unknown secrets of the endless galaxy, eliminate alien threats, create your own powerful and combat-ready team, plunging headlong into a deep system of development and customization of skills (abilities).
The Andromeda Galaxy is a completely new chapter in the history of mankind, so whether the new founders will be able to survive in it and find a new home will depend only on your choice. As you delve into the mysteries and secrets of Andromeda, with the future of many species resting on your shoulders, ask yourself... What are you willing to do to survive?
The new multiplayer in Mass Effect: Andromeda is incredibly expansive and has received deep, comprehensive changes. In addition, winning battles now requires well-coordinated teamwork and the use of special tactics. This guide will help you better coordinate all your actions with other players and get away with it even in the most difficult situation.
“It’s hard to learn, but it’s easy to fight!”
First of all, I want to note that in multiplayer mode you will find a huge number of different heroes/characters. Each of the presented “classes” will have their own unique abilities + play a specific role on the battlefield.
However, in addition to this, the multiplayer maps also differ significantly from each other, and therefore require the use of special strategies. On the other hand, Mass Effect: Andromeda has an incredibly powerful training mission that should help you get used to multiplayer battles. Moreover, even if you are one of those players who considers himself a veteran of the series, I still recommend going through the training mission at least once - it will be very useful.
“Keep moving and taking cover.”
The second thing you need to know about the game is the incredible importance of cover. To hide behind cover, you don’t have to perform any additional actions - to do this, you just need to stand near the object and the hero will immediately lean against it in automatic mode.
So, shelters will allow you to avoid many critical damages for a certain amount of time, which will thereby allow your character to restore energy shields. After this, you can again engage in a furious shootout or hand-to-hand combat with your enemies. However, this is not all, because there is another important component of the gameplay - this is the regular change of your location.
Therefore, having found a suitable shelter, do not stay in it for a long time, because otherwise you will not be able to complete the mission, since the enemies will constantly arrive. So, after serving a certain amount of time behind the wall and killing a couple of enemies, continue your path again and don’t stand still.
“Two things are important in a team: the first is interaction, the second is team play”
Yes, perhaps now this will sound somewhat hackneyed, but again I repeat that without carefully coordinated actions with the rest of the team members, there is no way to get the maximum number of points in the battle. Of course, this does not mean that you need to imitate some professional e-sports players - it’s enough just to help your teammates in the most difficult situations and try to at least minimally think through your next steps.
In case of good interaction with other team members, it will be possible to effectively cover the flanks and encircle the enemy as quickly as possible. In the end, if there is good interaction, you begin to navigate the map much better. In addition, you should remember that you will not be able to complete any cooperative task alone, since your hero will simply be overwhelmed by numbers and you will not do anything about it. So I recommend dividing into groups of two fighters, and not scattering to completely different corners, while finding yourself completely alone.
"Play to your strengths"
As I mentioned above, there are a lot of different characters, each of which will have their own unique skills. So, try to use these skills as often and more effectively as possible to gain an advantage on the battlefield.
In addition, there are several skills in the game that can be perfectly combined with other skills. Therefore, I recommend not to get hung up on just one class, but to try out and experience as many classes as possible. And only after careful examination, choose a more suitable class for your playing style. Finally, don’t forget to also combine skills with other players on your team, which will also be very useful.
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Multiplayer in the game is available from the very beginning, but this accessibility is actually very deceptive. To avoid getting into trouble when heading to the battlefield, read our guide to the Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer game.
At first glance, it may seem that the experience of the multiplayer component is similar to what happens in a single-player game, with the exception of collecting resources, exploring vast locations and other joys of a pioneer. Indeed, the basic combat mechanics are the same in all game formats, but then it becomes clear that the network mode has its own unique specifics.
If you are not familiar with Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and are trying co-op battles in Andromeda for the first time, then this guide is highly recommended!
Start with training!
Even if you have already become a little comfortable in the shoes of a pioneer and have even “cleared” the first couple of planets, it will still be very useful for you to go through the training mission in the multiplayer format.
In it you will learn about the main points of each match, and you will also be able to estimate the approximate scale of the maps. Unlike the "single" game, Mass Effect: Andromeda's multiplayer takes place in a fairly limited space, so opponents will almost always be at a medium distance in relation to you. Understanding this will allow you to plan your gear selection effectively, but more on that later.
After completing the training, you should pay attention to the so-called training tests. They are simple to perform, but nevertheless cover almost all the main components of multiplayer.
To pass all training tests, you need to do the following:
- Complete the training mission (you will receive a basic set of equipment as a reward);
- Play one match (win or lose);
- Equip the character with a new weapon (you can put the weapon in the main slot or add it to the second);
- Equip a weapon with an improvement (you can find it in the first basic set);
- Purchase a set of equipment for credits (at any price);
- Buy an item in the store (for mission points);
- Use a booster (equip a temporary character upgrade through the equipment menu);
- Use a consumable item during a match;
- Become a game organizer (create a server);
- Level up two different characters;
- Spend a skill point (given to the character when gaining a new level);
- Complete the mission on any difficulty.
As a reward for completing all training challenges, you will receive an improved set of equipment, which may contain rare items. Even if they are not there, you will in any case receive a good cash payment for the purchase of new sets of equipment.
Prepare carefully for every fight
There are quite a few features in Mass Effect: Andromeda's multiplayer, and many of them have to do with preparing for combat. You should pay very close attention to this issue, because in battle it will not be possible to change weapon upgrades or develop character skills.
First of all, after the end of each match, check if your character has received new skill points. If the “victory” experience is enough to increase the level, then do not hesitate - immediately distribute the points received, increasing the character’s efficiency.
If you have enough credits to buy a set of equipment that interests you, then when you open it, carefully look at what exactly you are opening. You may have received a rare weapon or improved an existing one. In this case, it makes sense to try out a new product or even reconsider the choice of weapons.
Each weapon can have 2 upgrades. They quite strongly influence the course of the game, so if you have available “gadgets”, then install them immediately so as not to go on a mission with a standard “barrel”.
You can improve not only weapons, but also your character, and we’re not talking about skills here, but about additional amplifiers: special ammo, bonus damage from certain weapons, or class abilities. A character can use two upgrades in each match, the only problem is that they are one-time use, so it’s not worth spending rare gold upgrades on “bronze” battles, since the character will need them later.
Remember the tasks at each wave
Mass Effect: Andromeda's multiplayer gameplay is based on a 7-wave system. New opponents appear on each of them, and the first priority for you and your comrades will be survival. However, this is only the beginning of the problems, because in addition to surviving waves 3 and 6, the team receives a task that is selected randomly and, unlike regular survival, has a time limit.
Thus, to make it easier to remember, you can make a list of waves:
- Wave 1: Survival;
- Wave 2: Survival;
- Wave 3: random mission with time limit (kill special enemies, hold area, download data from 3 points, disable 4 devices);
- Wave 4: Survival;
- Wave 5: Survival;
- Wave 6: random mission with time limit (kill special enemies, hold area, download data from 3 points, disable 4 devices);
- Wave 7: evacuation (extraction).
It is on 3 and 6 that problems usually begin, because to complete tasks the team must act together, because the task must be completed as early as possible. There is no need to try to kill more opponents before running to the goal of the task, so in a few seconds others will come instead of them, and time will be lost.
Ideally, the team should get together and make their way to the desired place as a single unit, while all members of the group should cover each other, because if someone dies, then another person will have to run to him to revive him, which means only 2 will go to the goal of the task person.
All this logistics doesn't seem that important, and can be done without it on low difficulty. But already at “silver”, a frivolous game of shooting will most likely ruin the whole thing.
Choose the “right” opponents
In many ways, the class mechanics are built on the principle of the ancient game “Rock, Paper, Scissors”: each character has a clearly defined role in battle. Understanding what your character can do and, more importantly, how much damage he can inflict on certain opponents is vital when playing on high difficulty.
Of course, even a dumb soldier armed with an assault rifle will sooner or later “pin” an enemy equipped with energy shields or armor. But he will waste valuable time on this, which could have been invested with much greater benefit. The effectiveness of a team is made up of the effectiveness of each member. Ultimately, the success of each match depends to some extent on the damage involved, that is, on how quickly players can destroy opponents.
To understand what your character is capable of, be sure to read the ability descriptions. For example, the Technician is excellent at removing shields, and can produce explosive combinations that quickly destroy any armor. And the soldier does an excellent job of dealing with any “meat”, knocking him down with his underbarrel grenade.
Having learned the advantages of the class, try to implement them as much as possible, even if this means simply ignoring “inconvenient” opponents. It’s normal for a technician to run through two “ordinary” enemies in order to deal with shields or explode armor, although, of course, you shouldn’t overuse it, because almost any enemy can inflict significant damage on you, regardless of the character’s class.
Remember the location of the ammunition boxes
There are two ways to get extra ammo in Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer. The easiest way is to use the appropriate “consumable” (by default assigned to the number “6” on the keyboard). In this case, the character fully restores his ammunition and can continue the battle, but this can only be done twice per match.
And you will run out of ammo more often if you do not deliberately save it. But saving is not at all about the online game Mass Effect: Andromeda, since at every second you need to try to inflict maximum damage so that your opponents do not simply overwhelm you with numbers.
Therefore, to successfully play the game you will have to remember the location of the ammunition boxes. On each map there are 3-4 places where new ammunition appears after each wave. Their number is limited, but one full box is usually enough to “charge” three players.
By the way, if your character uses grenades, you can also take them from the ammunition box. Each box contains 4 grenades. If you are the only participant in the match using grenades, then you can “sign up” next to one of the boxes and simply throw grenades at your opponents in especially “hot” moments.
Use combo links
Most characters in Mass Effect: Andromeda's multiplayer can perform particularly powerful attacks using combos of two activated skills. In many ways, the success of most tasks depends on these connections, and understanding the mechanics of their execution allows you to destroy elite opponents in a matter of seconds.
Each combo link has an initiation step and a completion step. In the first step, the character must apply a temporary effect of a certain type, and in the second, use an ability that deals damage of the same type. In this case, it will lead to an explosion.
Connections can be biotic, technical, fiery. Each of them deals different damage according to different types of protection (health, shields, armor), but this damage almost always exceeds damage from firearms.
The skills involved in the combination may belong to different characters. For example, a technician uses combustion, setting the enemy on fire, and a soldier uses an underbarrel grenade. In this case, a fiery connection occurs.
The ability to make a connection with another player’s skill is not always a good thing. As a rule, a character who can independently make connections is aimed precisely at constantly “spamming” them.
That is, the biotic literally spends the entire game “hammering” two buttons, exploding one enemy after another. If you disrupt this established process, then he will have to wait for both abilities of the link to cool down in order to try to do it again. Essentially this is downtime and reduced efficiency.
Don't rush to the extraction area
The last, 7th wave of each match is the evacuation of the group. The players' task is to survive until the shuttle arrives, which allows them to leave the map. But this does not mean that you need to maintain defense in the extraction zone throughout the entire wave. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, the evacuation zone is almost always located where there are no escape routes. Typically this is the edge of the card. If your opponents “crush” you, then there will be nowhere to run, or escape will involve too high a risk of getting hit by a “stray” bullet.
Secondly, opponents know where you are and always come towards you. They appear next to you, so if you stay in the extraction zone for the entire wave, then within a minute it will become a breeding ground for enemies.
Therefore, the most optimal strategy on wave 7 is to take up defense somewhere in the middle of the map or simply in a place convenient for defense. You can even split into two teams. The most mobile members of the group may even go to the opposite part of the map. The team’s task: to spread the opponents as thinly as possible across the entire map, so that then, when there are 30-45 seconds left before evacuation, they sharply rush to the shuttle.
In this case, opponents simply will not have time to accumulate near the extraction zone, and it will be much easier for you to complete the task.
Character development
By gaining levels, the character can develop new skills. Each class has a set of skills, including both active (up to 3 pieces) and passive (up to 2 pieces). But it is in multiplayer that there is a peculiarity that will force you to constantly make fateful choices.
The fact is that the character level in multiplayer is limited to 20, which means you won’t be able to improve all your skills to the maximum - you’ll have to choose.
As a rule, each character has one critical skill that needs to be developed to the maximum. In addition to it, there is a line of passive improvements, and you also need to invest as many points as possible into it in order to increase the character’s survivability.
As for the rest, you need to look at the situation. If a character knows how to do combos, then it’s worth choosing another skill and also improving it so that the combination with it causes maximum damage. If a character cannot perform combos, then it is worth taking a closer look at another passive skill.
In general, character development is a rather specific matter. Each character has its own optimal upgrade sequence, and this is a topic for a separate guide.
How the economy works
So, you have played several matches and collected a good amount of credits. How to spend it correctly? What should you buy at each stage of character development? One rare set or several cheaper ones?
To get new character classes, unlock weapons and, in general, all the opportunities to strengthen your loved one, you need to buy sets of equipment. They have different rarities and, accordingly, values, but this does not mean that you need to sit and save up only for the best ones, because the rarity of a set does not always mean that it will only contain rare items.
The beauty and at the same time the problem of the sets is that their contents are determined randomly, which means that until a certain point you will not have much choice when selecting equipment: you will have to go with what you have.
In the early stages of the game, take only cheap basic sets. They contain almost every basic weapon in the game, as well as the most common classes and upgrades. However, this is quite enough to understand the game and save money for something more impressive.
You should also buy cheap sets for the reason that every item you come across will no longer come across to you in the future. This means that if you upgrade the basic Avenger assault rifle to level 10, you will no longer see it in any set, which means you will reduce the chance of getting this “consumer goods” in a rarer set. This is such an interesting theory of probability!
Use shock troops
APEX missions are the link between single player and multiplayer in Mass Effect: Andromeda. They can be played in multiplayer, then there will be something like playlists with different tasks, or you can send special strike forces to them.
Both options are useful in different conditions. If you are interested in developing your online characters, then it is better to complete APEX missions on your own. As a reward, you will receive credits to purchase equipment sets.
If you need free loot for a single game (credits and resources), you can send a squad. If successful, this unit can gain a new level.
Whether you complete these missions yourself or send NPCs, you will also receive mission finance - a special currency that can be spent on improving the shock troops under your command.
By the way, to make it easier to track the progress of APEX missions, you can use the special Apex HQ mobile application, which can be downloaded on the official website of the developers.
Playing with friends is not only more fun, but also easier!
Mass Effect: Andromeda's multiplayer is strictly team-based co-op. At the same time, you can play quite comfortably with randomly selected players, but it is much more fun and, more importantly, easier to play with your friends.
It's all about connection. By default, you can use built-in voice to coordinate with other team members. But Mass Effect: Andromeda is played by thousands of people from different countries, so half the time you will be the only Russian-speaking participant in the match.
Due to the language barrier and not the best quality of transmitted audio, it will be more difficult for you to work together with the team. And often death can be the result of not being covered by an ally whom you were unable to call for help.
Therefore, if you have the opportunity to play with your friends, then use it! It will be especially great to create a conference in Skype or Discord, so you can quickly exchange information about current events, and therefore respond more quickly to changes in the situation on the battlefield.
Don't take a lot of weapons if the character is playing through abilities
In Mass Effect: Andromeda, each weapon has a weight that affects the cooldown rate of activated skills. In a single player game, a character can carry as many as 4 weapons, while in multiplayer - only 2.
But this does not mean that your character should always carry these 2 weapons. It all depends on what you do most of the damage with. If you kill enemies with abilities, then you don't need 2 weapons, because otherwise you will have extra ammo that you won't spend, and the cooldown speed of abilities will suffer.
Although the multiplayer in the game is similar to that of Mass Effect 3, there are some differences related to the weight system. Previously, all biotics were armed only with a pistol or a small shotgun in order to increase the rate of skill recovery above 100%.
In Mass Effect: Andromeda, the cooldown speed cannot exceed 100%, which means that it is not necessary to take light weapons. In this regard, a biotic or engineer may need, for example, a sniper rifle.
Don't use consumables on the first waves
In Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer, there are 4 types of consumable items that can be used during the match: Ammo Box, First Aid Kit, Revive Kit, and Cobra Charge. Each of the “consumables” is available in quantities of 2 pieces.
You will receive consumables by purchasing equipment sets. Their number is limited by your finances, which, in turn, are awarded for completing missions. Thus, in order to get new “consumables”, you need to play, and as the game progresses, “consumables” can be very necessary.
Always try to be smart about spending consumable items. In a narrow sense, this means that you don’t need to spend them in the first waves, because you can’t know for sure whether the whole team will “die” in the later stages.
In addition, some types of “consumables” are very necessary precisely at the end of the match, that is, on the last waves. These are revival kits and Cobra missiles. In no case should you use it earlier than on wave 6, otherwise you simply will not pay off the match.
If you still spent everything you had, then it makes sense for some time to spend credits only on the purchase of special weapon sets. They are the cheapest in the store and only contain consumable items.
Remember what you learned in single player
In this guide, we looked at the main points that matter specifically in multiplayer, but this does not mean that the experience you gained by completing the single-player campaign of Mass Effect: Andromeda will be useless. On the contrary, it is the basis for your success in online play!
Therefore, if you have not yet read our large guide on the mechanics of the single-player mode, be sure to check it out. You will learn how to behave correctly in battle, how to use jumps and leaps correctly, how to select weapons for combat with certain opponents, how to remove shields and break through armor.
And, of course, don’t forget to practice, because theory without practice is not very effective. Fortunately, in Mass Effect: Andromeda the scope for practice is very wide!
