Mass Effect Andromeda took our space adventure into an entirely different galaxy with a new protagonist that was just a kid trying to do what was right after the entire world collapsed around them. During Ryder's adventures, they met a plethora of new alien races and while the Angara have voices you can get lost in, it looks like there were even more species that were meant to be introduced. The problem? Budget. And cosplay. 

The Gamer's Cian Maher did a deep dive into the world of Andromeda, speaking with several developers that were involved with the most recent Mass Effect adventure. Through his ongoing discussions, he found out that there were actually supposed to be "five or six" new alien species for Ryder to encounter, though many of them were scrapped over a limited budget and some of the designs not being accessible for cosplayers. 

While the cosplay reason may sound a bit odd, it is important to remember that Mass Effect is among one of the most passionate fandoms out there. That much is obvious to even newcomers following the remaster Mass Effect Legendary Edition full reveal. A part of that fandom is fan art and cosplay, which is something the studio has always celebrated, so it's not that far-fetched to see that play a part in the design process. Still, to cut that many new species, especially with the ending about the creators of...well, no spoilers, but it would have been awesome to see more species make their debut. 

Another developer also added his own comment, weighing in on the reception of Andromeda. Criticism of the extended title was fair. At launch, the game was riddled with bugs, rendering major parts near-unplayable. The animations were also sporadic, going from stunningly beautiful air combat to "my face is tired" in the blink of an eye. That being said, BioWare was quick to roll out patches and the animation issues were fixed fairly quickly, but it wasn't enough to change a big part of the gaming community's mind. 

Mass Effect writer Neil Pollner told The Gamer, "I think it was a project that couldn't have possibly lived up to expectations." He added that the legacy of the original trilogy was hard to live up to as part of the reason why it was already slated to have a disadvantage with another factor being that many were expecting too much too soon. What did he mean by that? Let's dive in. 

When the topic of Andromeda comes up, a common thing I hear is "it doesn't compare to the trilogy." That's fair, but comparing the entire world scope of a trilogy versus Andromeda - which was just one game that could have been its own trilogy with time to flesh out the world Andromeda built - is not.  Andromeda was about laying the groundwork, creating a believable universe that players would want to explore. Pacing issues with Eos and the launch issues were enough to put some off from exploring beyond the first world, taking away the chance to meet some of the more nuanced aspects of what this game had to offer. Hidden gems about the trilogy throughout the whole game, seeing Ryder go from self-doubting dork to major badass, learning the origins of a new species and what that means for life as we know it? There was a lot more to love than many saw at first glance.

Maybe with more aliens, some would have given it another chance. We'll never know, but we do know that at least we can see some of our returning favorites once more when the Mass Effect Legendary Edition drops on May 14. 

[Source: The Gamer]

In the age of gaming adaptations, an action movie based on the card game Uno was not one we were expecting to see. The Uno take has been confirmed with Rapper Lil Yachty at the helm for an action-heist-comedy in conjunction with Mattel Films. 

Revealed by Variety, Marcy Kelly has already written the screenplay for the upcoming Uno movie, setting up the story to take place in an underground hip-hop destination: Atlanta. While the rest of the cast has yet to be announced, the site does report that Lil Yachty, who is developing the film, is in consideration for the lead role in the Uno heist adventure as well. 

“I’m so excited to be part of this film with Mattel,” said Lil Yachty when talking about the new film. “I played Uno as a kid and still do today, so to spin that into a movie based on the Atlanta hip hop scene I came out of is really special. It hits close to home for me.”

Lil Yachty will be developing this movie alongside Mattel Films with Quality Control's Kevin Lee, Pierre Thomas, and Brian Sher.

“At Mattel Films, we are looking to explore stories that bring our brands to life in unexpected ways,” said Robbie Brenner, who is the executive producer alongside Kevin McKeon as supervising producer. “Uno is a game that transcends generations and cultures and we look forward to partnering with Lil Yachty, as well as with Coach, P, and Brian Sher, to transform the classic Uno game into a comedic action-adventure.”

What do you think about the comedic heist take on Uno? Sound off in the comment section below!

[Source: Variety]