Mass Effect Andromeda's new combat, aliens and gear - everything you missed in the latest gameplay

We finally got to see some new Mass Effect Andromeda gameplay last night at the Game Awards, and it's certainly pleased a lot of fans. It's very Mass Effect-y, while adding in plenty of fresh ideas, things and mechanics. 

Let's take a look at what's new in Mass Effect Andromeda: 

There's a new alien species

We already know about the Kett, Andromeda's new enemy, but we also have this new species which passes by a couple of times. You can catch a glimpse of them in the town-like hub Ryder visits, as well as an enemy in a combat section. They might be called Angara, which is a name dropped by the new scanning device you'll see in a moment. 

Say hello to your female Turian crewmate 

Mac Walters, the creative Director for Mass Effect, has tweeted about a female Turian being part of your crew and this appears to be her. Vetra will also have a loyalty mission so she's clearly fairly important. That's also Drack on the far left, your new Krogan buddy. 

The Nomad is a nippy Mako replacement 

This is your new ground vehicle, the one co-developed by EA's Need For Speed people. We've seen pics of it before, and its collector's edition model, but here it is in action, looking every bit the nippy, grippy vehicle you need to explore strange new worlds. 

There's a Batman-like analysis tool

This new scanning and analysis tool will help you "interpret everything you discover" in Mass Effect Andromeda. It's shown here apparently looking at the tracks, blood splatter and bodies of an ambush. As you can see, it lists the different blood types at the crime scene and seems to identify a new alien type: the Angara. 

The new jet pack and biotic abilities really open up the combat

The jetpack is a big change to Mass Effect's combat, replacing the evading roll with a boosted side dash for example. It also lets you get some height on enemies in a fight. However, it's the jetpack/biotic dash that really opens up the fighting letting you all but teleport around the battlefield with a devastating impact on arrival. Good for causing trouble and getting out of it. 

You'll be collecting and crafting to get better gear

Part of your progress will involve collecting resources and crafting new gear that will give you bonuses. There will be a range of minerals and metals in the environment that you can collect with different uses. Lithium, for example, is good for batteries and radiation shields. 

Let us know if you see anything else worth picking out, or you can check out our main Mass Effect Andromeda article which literally contains everything you need to know. 

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