BiowareвЂ™s focus on the big picture has left a surprising number of holes in its basic RPG foundation. Tracking down a specific resource to, for instance, craft a new helmet, is a total crapshoot. Scanning planets for resources takes forever due to pretty but infuriatingly slow pans and zooms. You know the thrill of finding and ogling a gorgeous, exciting new rifle in вЂњDestiny?вЂќ That ainвЂ™t here. Tiny, uniform iconography turns inventory management into a slog. You rarely break a sweat.ДЇind a gun? YouвЂ™ll need to head back up to your ship or find a вЂњforward stationвЂќ to switch your loadout, because, well, who knows. Though your tone changes based on your responses in вЂњAndromeda,вЂќ RyderвЂ™s playful, at time snarky attitude takes some of the gravitas out of the decision-making. вЂњThe Witcher 3,вЂќ вЂњLife is StrangeвЂќ - heck, the entire Telltale Games catalog (whose Season 1 of вЂњThe Walking DeadвЂќ bested вЂњMass Effect 3вЂќ in most 2012 Game of the Year Awards) have pushed the envelope of branching narrative design, making each choice feel impactful. Other franchises have taken the cue and built branching narratives with greater emotional value. The dialogue system isnвЂ™t as thrilling as it used to be, however. Regardless of how you play Ryder, he (or she) is quick to joke and seems intent on keeping the joy of discovery intact. Despite some nasty bad guys and extremely high stakes, itвЂ™s also significantly more lighthearted than the trilogyвЂ™s dour doomsday scenario.

Conversation options have expanded beyond the binary Paragon/Renegade of prior games, adding flexibility and giving you a bit more agency over your particular Ryder. Mostly, thatвЂ™s done though a tweaked version of the branching narrative structure Bioware is known for.

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