One of the biggest departures from previous gameplay elements will be the removal of the power wheel that Mass Effect fans have come to know so intimately. The wheels allowed the player to pause the game mid-battle and micro-manage squad mates, while strategically setting up a chain of different skills. But what is the reason behind this decision?
Eurogamer reached out to Mass Effect: Andromeda producer Fabrice Condominas to explain why BioWare felt the removal of the power wheel was the right call for the newest game.
“We decided to be way more dynamic and globally have much faster combat – you have the jump now, and the areas are more open…we felt like [the power wheel] was slowing down combat – it was an interruption.” said Condominas.
The weapon wheel will still pause the game and allow you to assign enemies to your squadmates, but Condominas asserts that combat will be more dynamic and quicker.
Mass Effect: Andromeda will release on March 21, 2017, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.