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Pirates locked out of Mass Effect: Andromeda’s face-fixing patch

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Mass Effect: Andromeda is a good game, but it’s one that shipped with almost innumerable problems, not least of which was wonky animations, dead eyes and plasticine faces.

Thankfully, the latest update for the game has fixed many of those issues, and has made an astounding difference to the game’s immersion; it’s a lot easier to engage in conversation with somebody who doesn’t seem like a soulless husk. You could reasonably (and rightly!) argue that those problems shouldn’t have been in the game in the first place, but they have at least been remedied.

There’s one group of gamers who haven’t benefitted from the improvement though: pirates. Mass Effect: Andromeda shipped with an outdated version of the increasingly crackable Denuvo anti-tamper technology, and pirates ripped it open within two weeks.

Patch 1.05 features the latest implementation of the security software, which means that those who’ve chosen to steal the game don’t get the benefits of the patch. It’s the same version of DEnuvo that’s keeping games like Dead Rising 4, 2Dark and Nier: Automata out of pirates hands.

As a reminder, here’s what the new patch has fixed along with the DRM:

Mass Effect: Andromeda Patch 1.05 Notes

  • Added option to skip autopilot sequences in the galaxy map
  • Increasing the inventory limits
  • Improving the appearance of eyes for humans and asari characters
  • Decreasing the cost of remnant decryption keys and making them more accessible at merchants
  • Improved lip-sync and facial acting during conversations, including localized VO
  • Fixing Ryder’s movements when running in a zig zag pattern
  • Improving matchmaking and latency in multiplayer
  • Improved tutorial placement
  • Single player balance changes: Ammo crates, armor, weapons, nomad, profiles, attacks, and progression
  • Multiplayer balance changes: Weapons, cover, and enemies (check back for detailed notes on balance changes)
  • Improved logic, timing, and continuity for relationships and story arcs
  • Fixed various collision issues
  • Fixed bugs where music or VO wouldn’t play or wasn’t correct
  • Fixed issue where global squad mate banter sometimes wasn’t firing on UNCs
  • Fixed issue where player was unable to access the Remnant Console Interface after failing decryption multiple times
  • Fixed issue where fast travel is sometimes disabled after recruiting Drack until the player reloads a save
  • Fixed issue where Ryder can become stuck in the start of Biotic Charge Pose
  • Fixes issues related to some saves
  • Fixed issue where objective sometimes becomes un-interactable for players in multiplayer
  • Streaming and stability improvements

Last Updated: April 10, 2017

35 Comments

  1. Kromas Ryder

    April 10, 2017 at 08:44

    New patch looks much much better. My second playthrough is already a lot more fun.

    Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      April 10, 2017 at 10:23

      Its no ME1-3, and at the rate EA are going, thats not going to change, but its still good fun, and with the fire rate fixes to semi-automatic guns, multiplayer should be alot more fun.

      Mostly, its just good to be back.

      Reply

      • Kromas Ryder

        April 10, 2017 at 10:25

        The story lacked a lot BUT the one thing it did do right was set up the Andromeda galaxy for a sequel. I mean that game shouts sequel about 1/3 through.

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          April 10, 2017 at 12:36

          especially that closing scene, screams sequel, and there are still a fair few major issues to resolve.
          But mass effect hasnt had a good bad guy since Saren though, I really want a good bad guy in the sequel.

          Reply

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 10, 2017 at 13:14

            I disagree. Saren was a stooge, an Avatar at best. Sovereign was much more imposing than him specially since you did not know until 3/4 way through. And even then he was outdone by Harbinger.

          • Matthew Holliday

            April 10, 2017 at 14:43

            Sovereign was a good bad guy yeah, but he didnt feel like the antagonist in the same way Saren did.
            Saren was there, he had a face, he challenged you, he was your nemesis, always one step ahead. Sovereign was an shadow, looming over you until the end.

            Harbinger may have been the main bad guy, but he never really felt like the antagonist in the same way Saren or harbinger did. He was just a threat.

            I want someone like the Illusive Man, to be the real bad guy, and to be shocked like when we first found the holo of Sovereign.
            Im bored of these faceless bad guys. Archon may have interacted with us, but he was about as charismatic as Connor from Assassins Creed 3.

  2. Captain JJ

    April 10, 2017 at 08:44

    I looked at the post patch videos. Still doesn’t look like a 2017 game should though. Good for those who were willing to fork out the money to buy this though. At least they’re getting some value.

    Reply

    • Kromas Ryder

      April 10, 2017 at 09:34

      I really hate it when people call something by a certain age graphics wise. Minecraft should be a terrible game because it does not look like a 21st century game even.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ

        April 10, 2017 at 09:45

        Minecraft is meant to look like that though. Did they purposefully make the ME characters look like they were from five years ago? I don’t buy that. I’ve got nothing against the game, I assume (and from what I’ve seen) that the gameplay is excellent. But comparing what they marketed and what you got, there’s a damn clear difference in terms of visuals. That’s all.

        Reply

        • Kromas Ryder

          April 10, 2017 at 09:53

          Well to be fair the marketed material was far worse. To the point where they promised the finished game will look better. The graphics look mindblowingly good from all points but the human models and humanoid animations. The human models have been bettered slightly and the humanoid animations have been greatly improved in the last patch. Still it feels like the transition from their previous engine to Frostbite seems to be the greatest issue they had.

          Just watch a video of a Salarian or Krogan up close. Those are some 2017 graphics and more.

          Reply

          • Captain JJ

            April 10, 2017 at 09:56

            Patches are for fixes, not for changing things that were meant to be right from the start. I know you’re a big fan, and I’ve got nothing against the game, but you cannot deny that it was a bad release. I saw Krogan, looks damn good, but those facial animations from release are a joke.

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 10, 2017 at 10:19

            Not denying the animations were lazy and not denying that the release was mired in problems. However your initial statement of 2017 gfx is a bit confusing to me. If we are talking from a pure visual reference I dare to anger Witcher 3 fans now by saying that Mass Effect has some of the best visuals I have seen in a game in years. I mean really really pretty landscapes items and aliens (however boring their design is they still are beautifully rendered). So basically yeah the games animations I agree 100% were terrible and should not have been launched as such and the Human models are really messed up plus a ton of other issues like the lackluster character creator etc etc. But otherwise visually the game has very few contenders.

          • BakedBagel

            April 10, 2017 at 12:12

            LSBFPIASUBGPFIASBFUAPISUFBAIPUSFBAISUBFAISBDIASBND

            Yeah TW3 fan triggered.

            Maybe if EA had not outsourced nearly the entire game you wouldn’t have to have these conversations trying to justify a below average release

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 10, 2017 at 13:17

            You see. My take away is that the game is above average. Problem is that it is not a 8 or a 9 out of 10 and it should have been.

            Hell most reviews put it at a 6 or 7. That is a good score … just not a great score and it is all Biowares fault.

          • BakedBagel

            April 10, 2017 at 13:25

            Ive been a MASSIVE fan of mass effect. To this day i still hold it as one of THE best game trilogies of our generation. Yes.

            From the lets plays that i have seen and the reviews etc the only thing that holds this game up there is the landscape.

            Its like seeing a meal from your childhood being absolutely decimated in-front of your eyes. Honestly a game like ME needed to have far more respect and effort given. Not only so they have a good product but they treat the fans who have been waiting for another game for YEARS.
            Keep your shitty personal politics out of the writing.
            Give work to people who can actually do the job.

            If this was a ***New*** game, i understand outsourcing jobs. But this is far from something ***new***.

            Who knows who outsourced who. Was it bioware? Was it EA? Who knows.

    • RinceThis

      April 10, 2017 at 11:32

      Agreed compared to Horizon Zero Dawn? Get in the sea.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ

        April 10, 2017 at 12:22

        Horizon looks bloody incredible. Such a damn pity it’s an exclusive. If I had the money I’d buy a PS solely for that game.

        Reply

  3. schitsophrenic-toothbrush

    April 10, 2017 at 09:02

    Thanks to all the beta testers out there! :p will wait a bit longer till all the kinks are sorted before buying.

    Reply

    • Captain JJ

      April 10, 2017 at 09:07

      Wait for the R100 sale.

      Reply

    • Kromas Ryder

      April 10, 2017 at 09:30

      Our pleasure. I suggest you wait for at least the first DLC before you start playing though.

      Reply

  4. For the Emperor!

    April 10, 2017 at 09:34

  5. RinceThis

    April 10, 2017 at 11:31

    Good!

    Reply

  6. Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

    April 10, 2017 at 13:56

    The patch does make things better.

    We on the right path … pathfinders xD

    Reply

  7. Jim of the Banana

    April 11, 2017 at 11:46

    10 more patches like this, and I’ll go search for a copy in the bargain bin/second hand box at BT Games.

    Reply

  8. Man,
    They should be one to PAY pirates to even pirate that crap.
    Issue isn’t only in your wonky-ass facial expressions EA-Ware. It’s in your entire game! Entire writing is shit & no patch can fix that one up!

    Reply

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