Mass Effect Andromeda Diaries #4: The Wild, Wild Heleus

Previously on Andromeda Diaries: Pathfinder Ryder has made great strides in the Heleus Cluster and has dealt a big blow to the Archon. Understandably though, based on their experience with the kett, there are still some angara who don’t trust all these new aliens, no matter how nice our Cultural Exchange says we are.

There are a number of errands for Ryder to complete to help raise galactic viability for the Initiative, including loyalty missions for her companions and checking out some of the other star systems. The Moshae has given us a lead on who betrayed her to the Archon. It was an angaran Resistance fighter who has now fled to Kadara Port. Kadara was an angara colony being overrun by kett until the Initiative’s exiles, led by former Initiative Director of Security, Sloane Kelly, stormed in and took over everything. Now her Outlaws are running things, which adds to the angaran suspicion of Ryder. But first! A literary interlude! (more…)

Mass Effect Andromeda Diaries #1: Boldly Going

I’ve documented my journey with Lara Croft and Geralt of Rivia, and led the Inquisition to glory, of sorts. Now I am forging a path in Mass Effect Andromeda and invite you to join me! If you’re new to the Mass Effect series, fear not. This is a whole new endeavour. While Commander Shepard is off saving the Milky Way from certain doom, the Andromeda Initiative is on its 600-year journey to seek out a new home for its intrepid explorers. Tired of life in the Milky Way? Join me on this exciting adventure as I play through BioWare’s latest science fiction adventure.

(more…)

Others, Mothers and Monsters: Body Diversity and Fatphobia in Video Games

Like many people, I’m beyond excited for the next Mass Effect game, Mass Effect: Andromeda. So excited I want to know every bit of information about the game as it (slowly) comes out. I got super excited when they finally started to release character dossiers a few weeks ago, because character information is something that Bioware has kept very close to the chest for all of the game’s development. We didn’t even see the human character’s faces until last month, and the game is out in March. But I was disheartened as I clicked on the link for the first one and saw that for some bizarre reason, they included the character’s weight. I get that they were trying to mimic a military file, but they only include weight and height and not, say, age or date of birth, information that I think is far more pertinent.

(more…)