PixlBit

Microsoft Rewards on Xbox offered me points for getting an achievement in any EA game offered through Game Pass Ultimate. I chose to return to Mass Effect Andromeda and got very invovled with it and still am. 

The first couple times I tried this game I got a bit overwelmed by its complexity and stopped playing, but this time I tried to not get distracted by the huge number of side missions, scanning, crafting and resource collecting and focused on the main mission. I got comfortable with the controls and traversal through space station and local space and soon couldn't stop playing. 

I think my favorite thing about MAA is space travel. I love planet hopping, meeting new aliens, and combing the surfaces for resources and quests in the Nomad rover. 

After planet hopping several times I was amazed at how much detail was created for this game. Each planet has its own environment, flora and fauna and a lot of land to explore. It's pretty amazing. 

The story seems to be good. Your character takes over Pathfinder duties from your father and your goal is to find sound settlements for your mixed species colony and manage conflicts between new and familiar aliens. It feels very Star Trek to me, maybe more TOS than TNG, but a bit of both. 

I recall a lot of belly aching about this game when it came out, and now, I can't understand why. It seems fantastic in every way. Maybe the character models weren't perfect next gen wonders of animation, but they are pretty good. It seems a minor thing to complain about when there is so much to like about the game.