Mass Effect Andromeda Gameplay Video Is All About Combat

Mass Effect Andromeda might be a role-playing game at heart, but when it comes to combat, it's all action. A little over a month before the next entry in the popular space opera debuts, BioWare's first Mass Effect Andromeda Gameplay Series video gives fans an in-depth look at the game's fast-paced combat, which is light on downtime and heavy on customization.

As the video explains, Mass Effect Andromeda plays largely like a standard third-person shooter, in which players duck in and out of cover and use Ryder's jump-jets to dart around the battlefield. However, there are a number of ways to adjust combat to your liking.

Not only does Mass Effect Andromeda have five different types of weapons—pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, assault rifles, and melee weapons—but each firearm comes from one of three manufacturers. Milky Way weapons, similar to those found in the original Mass Effect trilogy, use projectiles to damage foes—they work well against non-shielded opponents, but you'll need to keep an eye on your ammo. Remnant firearms are fast and accurate beam-based weapons, meaning that you won't run out of bullets but will have to make sure that your gun doesn't overheat. Finally, Helios weapons are slow but strong and have heat-seeking capabilities.

Similarly, melee weapons come in a variety of different classes, including slow, hard-hitting hammers and quick, precise swords. Players can wield two different weapons at a time, and they don't come with any class restrictions, meaning that you can try every type of weapon to see what you like best. Individual enemies will be more or less vulnerable to certain weapon types.

In the video, BioWare also outlines Mass Effect Andromeda's combat-related ability trees, which are broken into three categories. Combat skills increase weapon and equipment effectiveness and allow players to use special gear like grenades and mines. Tech skills unlock flamethrowers, turrets, and your improve squadmates' capabilities, while Biotics let you fling enemies around the battlefield with Jedi-like powers. A new "favorites" system will make it easy to swap between power sets on the fly.

The new gameplay video is just the first in a planned series, and BioWare will roll out many more as Mass Effect Andromeda's life-changing March 21, 2017 release date draws closer.