Home / Software & Gaming / Bioware explains how Mass Effect Andromeda’s multiplayer ties into single player

Bioware explains how Mass Effect Andromeda’s multiplayer ties into single player

We have known for some time now that Mass Effect Andromeda will include its own multiplayer mode and similarly to Mass Effect 3, it will tie back into story progress. However, not everyone was a fan of how this system was handled back in the Mass Effect 3 days, so what has Bioware done to change things this time around? This week, a dev working on the project explained just that and fortunately, this time you won't need to play the multiplayer in order to achieve the best ending.

In Mass Effect Andromeda, the multiplayer mode can tie in to story but Bioware isn't going to try and force you to play it. According to the game's lead designer, Ian Frazier, Andromeda will allow you to send out your ‘strike team' on little missions while you continue on with your more important quests in game. However, every once in a while there will be an ‘Apex mission', which will be harder for your strike team to pull off alone. These are the missions where you may want to step in, resulting in a multiplayer round. However, if you have levelled up your strike team enough, they should be able to handle it themselves.

The exact quote does contain some minor spoilers for Andromeda, so if you'd rather go in blind, than perhaps stop now. Here's the full quote from Frazier (via Gamespot):

“At a certain point fairly early in the plot, we say, ‘Hey, there's this militia that is waking up from the cryopods from the Milky Way.' They can do missions where the Pathfinder isn't. When Ryder has more important things to do, you get the ability to assign AI Strike Teams to go do these missions. It's all set in real-time, so it's going to take an hour, five hours, or whatever for one of these missions to happen. Your teams have a different percent chance to succeed based on their stats and equipment and everything. You can gear them up, you can train them up, you can send them to do these missions, but they're going to take a while to do it.”

“Some of these missions are called ‘Apex Missions.' They're generally a little harder. You can send your teams to do them, but it's going be really hard for them unless you've really leveled up your teams. Or you can do it yourself in multiplayer. You can just hit a button, it'll quick-save your single-player game and launch you directly into multiplayer where you can solo if you want, you can match-make with friends, or you can do a public game and match-match with strangers.”

This transition from single-player to multiplayer is said to be seamless and the missions themselves won't feel out of place with the overall story. Rewards earned through these multiplayer missions carry back over to the single player campaign, providing you with new crafting materials or firearms.

KitGuru Says: From the sounds of it, Andromeda's multiplayer will help with gearing up but won't have an effect on the overall ending of the game like it did with Mass Effect 3. However, if the transition between Apex missions and single-player is seamless, then players may choose to just go ahead and do them every once in a while anyway. How many of you are planning on grabbing Mass Effect Andromeda when it launches? 

Become a Patron!

Check Also

GeForce Now update brings six new games and Battle.net syncing

It is Thursday, which means it is time for another weekly GeForce Now drop. Starting today, six new games are joining the cloud library. 

5 comments

  1. I’m not too stoked about it to be honest with you. Seems like an unnecessary distraction to me. But whatever, as long as it’s not interfering with the main story of any side missions, then I’m not too concerned about it being there.
    DA:I had a better multiplayer than ME3 where both the MP and SP aspects were separate and non-interfering with each other. Either way, not pre-ordering this game after the ME3 disappointment, so there’s that…

  2. I’m not keen on how closely tied in the MP seems to be. You almost seem to be at a distinct disadvantage by not taking part with the MP, either personally in PvP matches or by sending off AI teammates. It seems to penalise those who don’t want to take part, in either option, and that comes across as “War Assets v2” like ME3. Do the multiplayer/online component or lose out .. so to speak.

  3. Simona Draksaite

    So I can grin bots, or do multiplayer? Sounds like a turn off to me.

  4. It sounds similar to the war table in DA:I? Except the need to level up your team. I don’t mind that so much, but it really doesn’t matter if it seamlessly moves to MP or not as I will never use that feature. I really want to play this game, but with that price tag, I think I will wait to read player reviews before making the same mistake I did with ME3. Hoping the free trial through EA changes my mind, but it sounds like MP is unavoidable (especially for achievement hunters.)

  5. Google is paying 97$ per hour! Work for few hours and have longer with friends & family! !mj244d:
    On tuesday I got a great new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $8752 this last four weeks.. Its the most-financialy rewarding I’ve had.. It sounds unbelievable but you wont forgive yourself if you don’t check it
    !mj244d:
    ➽➽
    ➽➽;➽➽ http://GoogleFinancialJobsCash244MarketSpotGetPay$97Hour ★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★:::::!mj244d:….,…..