Loyalty Missions Need Not Apply
Arguably some of the most memorable aspects of BioWare games are the friends you make along the way. Mass Effect Andromeda is, of course, no different in that endeavor. With new faces accompanying players on their next great adventure in the Mass Effect universe, it’s not unreasonable to expect that the latest installment in the series would live up to its predecessors in this regard. Granted, not all aspects of the series were perfect (as stated in other articles here and elsewhere) and some of your compatriots may not have been sure hitters in the companionship department. Regardless of how you feel about them, by the time the credits roll they will undoubtedly all be memorable.
Ryder is joined by ten potential crew mates during the journey through the Andromeda galaxy, providing you’re lucky enough to recruit them all. Some are wonderful, while others less so in various aspects. Here, I tackle this team with the harshest criticism know to man. Just exactly how space-worthy is each cohort as you trek across the unknown from the Tempest’s bridge?
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#10 Liam Kosta
To call Liam a boy scout wouldn’t really be fair. He has no problem with breaking protocol when he feels it’s the right call. Unfortunately, this usually results in him having to crawl back to Ryder to beg for forgiveness as well as asking for help in cleaning up his mess. Couple this firebrand attitude with a near manic drive to break boundaries, as well as some very strange ideas on what it means to bond with a new alien species, and Liam becomes a crew member that nestles somewhere between liability and asset.
Oddly enough, Liam assures Ryder that his background is in crisis response. In actuality, Liam is more skilled in actually causing a crisis than averting them. His own loyalty mission wraps a hostage situation that only occurred because he attempted to procure resources behind both your back and the Initiative’s. Then, to resolve matters, He calls for help from colonists so as to avoid red tape and Initiative backlash. Good job, Liam.
At the end of the day Liam is a sweet young man with a heart of gold. Sadly, he doesn’t have the forward thinking capabilities of a person that should be on an exploration team. This is why he earns the bottom placement on this list.
#9 Vetra Nyx
Oh, Vetra. It took three games to finally see what female turians looked like. When the Mass Effect fandom finally met Nyreen Kandros (who is cousin to Tiran Kandros – Nexus militia leader) they went nuts. Now we have our own femme fatale turian. Sadly, a few conversations soon reveal she has about as much depth as soggy paper mache. Vetra’s kid sister Sid is actually far more interesting and charismatic, but there’s no take-backs in the Andromeda galaxy it seems.
Vetra is the go to girl for getting just about anything apparently, even in a newly established trans-galactic market. However, even with her on board you’re still left doing most of the shopping yourself whenever someone has an oddball request like popcorn or rare vids. At the end of the day, she was the only one my Ryder cuddled up to for some lovin’, but that was equally unsatisfactory for almost the exact same reasons.
It really felt like Vetra could have been a great character, but just like in so many other instances with Mass Effect: Andromeda no time was taken to bother flushing her out. She’s no Garrus Vakarian, for sure. Yet she could have come into her own as a great companion had anyone bothered to give her the chance in the writing room.
