I just see the same mix of real concern and faux concern with Andromeda as I did with SoD. What's different? And is it that much different?
I think so, yes. With SoD, it was very easy to tell who had actually played the game to form legitimate opinions, and who was repeating talking points off Breitbart (i.e. blaming Amber, citing that tired-ass quote about Safana, etc). These two things almost never crossed over, because anyone who had genuine praise (or criticism) of SoD would just skip over Mizhena to talk about characters who actually mattered to the game. She was such an inconsequential character that the only legit references to her anyone would make typically ran along the lines of "So there was this controversy, but having talked to her, I don't get it. Whatever."
The situation with Hainly is a bit different. First, Andromeda is being criticized across the board for its writing - she's an example of that, because as I pointed out, even if she weren't trans the scenario is set up in such a way that she explicitly tells you she's trying to forget her past, and then immediately details said past. That's from the "this season's fashion will be loud and quiet" collection.
The larger issue, though, is that Hainly - unlike Mizhena - can be used as further evidence of BioWare fandom's worst fear: they're coming apart at the seams just like every other company EA bought and subsequently ruined. Hainly is a problem because Krem was well-executed, meaning BioWare has actually gotten worse at presenting decent transsexual characters. It feeds into the narrative that they're going to go downhill, that Andromeda may be to BioWare what Tiberium Twilight was to Westwood, or what SimCity 2013 was to Maxis.
Ah, yes, that interview. -_- Sorry, we were wrong footed. I should have asked about the differences earlier. To me, they seemed like the same scenario. I apologise. Going to take a break from this now.
No need to apologize, Tilly. It's a crap situation all around, nothing to do but call out the failures, praise the successes and keep on rolling.
I did read good things about Krem. I'm not sure BioWare exists as more than name only anymore.
Krem was something of a revelation at the time, but in hindsight I think the problem is we assumed he represented a step forward for BioWare and EA as a whole - they certainly reaped the praise for doing it as well as they did - when in fact he was the product of a specific group of writers (the most renowned of whom, you may have heard, left BioWare for slightly more familiar territory ). It certainly seems that in their absence, EA recognizes that they should have LGBT content but lack any understanding of how they should have it, which inevitably leads to that "inverted pyramid" infographic of Mass Effect romances:
I was planning on getting it around now, late enough to get a couple of DLC's in a bundle and patches and whatnot, but the recent reviews from friends have made me decide against it. I'm pretty sure it is not a game for me unfortunately. So I think I'll settle for a LP of it.
If anyone know of a particularly good letsplay of it, please let me know. I can't stand the regular LP'ers like british teenies squabbling and babbling like lunatics or pewdiepie-wannabees. I need it to be someone more mature and less puerile, but that's quite difficult to find.
Thanks @FinneousPJ. I need it narrated though since often I listen to LPs whilst working so I don't have the tab open to see what is happening. I appreciate the effort though.
Here is you narration: "jump in Nomad and drive across bumpy hills to reach a waypoint. Drive to the next waypoint. Get out and kill some disturbimgly human-like aliens. Repeat ad nauseam."
Comments
The situation with Hainly is a bit different. First, Andromeda is being criticized across the board for its writing - she's an example of that, because as I pointed out, even if she weren't trans the scenario is set up in such a way that she explicitly tells you she's trying to forget her past, and then immediately details said past. That's from the "this season's fashion will be loud and quiet" collection.
The larger issue, though, is that Hainly - unlike Mizhena - can be used as further evidence of BioWare fandom's worst fear: they're coming apart at the seams just like every other company EA bought and subsequently ruined. Hainly is a problem because Krem was well-executed, meaning BioWare has actually gotten worse at presenting decent transsexual characters. It feeds into the narrative that they're going to go downhill, that Andromeda may be to BioWare what Tiberium Twilight was to Westwood, or what SimCity 2013 was to Maxis.
https://www.greenmangaming.com/games/mass-effect-andromeda/community
Personally, having now played Andromeda whilst ignoring romance, I can simply say it's not very good. And yes, it is a reskin of Inquisition.
If anyone know of a particularly good letsplay of it, please let me know. I can't stand the regular LP'ers like british teenies squabbling and babbling like lunatics or pewdiepie-wannabees. I need it to be someone more mature and less puerile, but that's quite difficult to find.