Game Informer's latest batch of information on Mass Effect: Andromeda has revealed that multiplayer will get a lot of changes as developers try to change the approach, with many aspects getting overhauled and rethought compared to previous instalments in the series.
For a start, there will be less hiding in defensible points, and Bioware has made every effort to make sure players are always on the move instead of simply hiding. This includes enemies specifically designed to flush you out, as well as giving mobility options to make this easier for the player. The jetpack builds into this, and adds another layer to multiplayer, making manoeuvring a lot easier, even if it has limitations. "It's not a permanent rocket that you use to fly around," however, as Producer Fabrice Condominas warns. "There is a beginning and end to them - a momentum curve - based on when you do your input."
Another big change is that powers have individual cooldowns rather than being linked to a single timer. This is meant to allow players more versatility, as now using one power doesn't lock you out of all of them. "You can dump everything at once if you want to, or strategise and hold off until the right situation," commented Lead Designer Ian Frazier. "You can do a lot more interesting combinations."
Although blind card packs, which are based on luck, make their return in Andromeda, the grind to get currency to purchase these can be bypassed occasionally by the introduction of a store that sells certain loot on a rotating basis. While this is still partially based on luck, the difference is you now know what you're getting yourself.
Prestige XP is a big change too. This builds alongside normal XP, but applies to all characters, so if you level up prestige you earn bonuses across all characters, not just the one you're currently playing as. These are slower to accumulate, but Bioware hopes this gives a certain appeal over the long term.
Bioware also said that there was some sort of connection between campaign and multiplayer, but nothing more than that. Do you think these changes are good?