Information on Mass Effect: Andromeda's open world has emerged online and has shed some light on the parts of the game not to do with the central narrative, i.e. side missions and optional objectives.
Loyalty missions will make a return, which fans of the series will no doubt be pleased about, showing you new characters and locations. There are also optional missions to destroy enemy bases to undermine power on a planet as well, and Creative Director Mac Walters said: "These bases are pretty lengthy to take out, so if you approach one, you want to be prepared before you [go] into it."
As with any open world, there's a plethora of stuff to do on the small scale too, such as unlocking codec entries, optional battles, drop zones, and crafting, the latter of which will unlock better armour and weapons.
Are side missions and optional objectives important for you?