Mass Effect: Andromeda Patch Improves Lip-Syncing And Facial Expressions

If you're one of the many players who have taken to forums and social media to complain about Mass Effect: Andromeda's lackluster presentation (particularly its weird, reality-bending cutscenes), rest easy. BioWare is listening, and developers are working hard to make things better. To wit: the game's next update, which is scheduled for this Thursday (April 6), will bring some big changes to the beleaguered space opera, including tweaks to the game's lip-syncing and facial acting engines.

You can read the full list of patch notes on BioWare's blog. In addition to improved character animation, the patch will allow you to skip the lengthy "autopilot sequences" that occur when you travel around the galaxy map; fix a number of bugs, including one in which teammates don't banter like they're supposed to during missions; and rebalance combat in both single and multiplayer game modes.

And that's just the beginning. While Mass Effect: Andromeda's 1.0.5 patch probably won't rescue the game from the uncanny valley all on its lonesome, BioWare has a roadmap for the future, which the company said will launch over the next two months and should improve the game even more. Upcoming changes include further refinements to the visuals (especially during conversations and cinematics) and a more robust character creation tool.

In addition, it looks like BioWare is taking criticism from the LGBTQ community to heart. If you choose to play Mass Effect: Andromeda as Scott, the male Ryder sibling, you'll be getting some better romance options, following criticism that Scott's selection of same-sex partners was "underwhelming." BioWare will also smooth out Hainly Abrams' dialogue. Abrams is the first trans character in Mass Effect, and many fans complained that her early scenes (in which she introduces herself by talking about her pre-transition life and abruptly shares her "dead name" with the player) don't really match real-life experiences.

BioWare seems committed to making Mass Effect: Andromeda the polished space-faring adventure that everyone wanted it to be, although it could be too little, too late. After all, you only get one first impression. Need more proof? Check out these other games that had botched launches. Most of them never recovered.