BioWare Still Trying to Fix Mass Effect: Andromeda’s Facial Animations

Props to BioWare. While the Canadian developer has put the Mass Effect franchise “on ice”, it continues to issue fixes for the sadly broken Mass Effect: Andromeda. The latest patch (1.09) includes improvements to facial animations and stability while fixing a host of existing bugs and progression blocks. Also, patch 1.09 adds a Platinum difficulty setting for multiplayer. Furthermore, PC players get some exclusive updates, including improved HDR functionality with Windows 10 Creators Update.

Mass Effect: Andromeda – Patch 1.09

• Various improvements to facial animations and cinematic scenes.
• Improved stability.
• Multiplayer Platinum difficulty added.
• Added a confirmation prompt before changing Ryder’s appearance on the Tempest.
• Tactical Cloak melee damage bonus now applies to jump-melee as well.
• X5 Ghost can now be dismantled.

Fixed Issues

• Certain hair textures could disappear from female custom heads when using Facial Reconstruction Suite.
• Negative AVP displayed after reaching Nexus level 20.
• Various quest progression blockers.
• Ryder killed even when following directions during the guarded walk through Aya.
• Player could commit to relationships with both Jaal and Cora concurrently.
• “Reach the Signal Source” objective in Peebee’s quest line could fail to trigger.
• Player trapped on a ledge in the Elaaden Vault, causing an infinite load screen.
• Save/load issues with the final battle area in Peebee’s Loyalty mission.
• “Speak to Sid” objective on the Nexus could persist indefinitely.
• Quest marker could disappear during the final step of the “Reformation” quest on Voeld.
• Player attacked during initial conversation with Bain Massani on Eos.
• Save/load could cause final platform to disappear in Drack’s Loyalty Mission.
• The player can’t progress through the final story mission if the Nomad is broken from the “Out of Gas” quest.
• Player could become trapped by NPCs in the APEX HQ on the Nexus.
• TAB (keyboard) and Start/Options (Controller) no longer served as shortcuts to close the pause menu.
• Auto-level could assign skill points into loyalty-locked squadmate skills.
• Fusion Mods displaying incorrect stats.

PC-Only Updates

• Improved HDR functionality on Windows 10 Creators Update.
• Photo mode now supports Ansel’s depth-of-field controls.
• Fixed issue where Logitech keyboard rebinding would cause key lighting to work improperly.

As someone who considered Mass Effect: Andromeda’s technical issues to be the least of its problems, updates are unlikely to tempt me back. Are you still playing Andromeda, or did you bail before the end, like me?