Mass Effect: Andromeda fans finally have more information to go on - here's Game Rant's analysis of the N7 Day cinematic trailer and what it implies about BioWare's new game.

The Mass Effect: Andromeda cinematic trailer that released on N7 Day put a focus on sci-fi spectacle, a mainstay of the series since its humble beginnings in 2007.  After already being delayed past its initial 2016 release date, the trailer from EA and BioWare was exciting not just for the promise of its story but for the assurance that development of Mass Effect: Andromeda is still progressing smoothly. While the trailer is entirely cinematics, and thus likely isn't representative of what the final in-game action will look like, it appears Mass Effect: Andromeda's sibling protagonists will see their fair share of action over the course of their intrepid space adventures.

Before we jump into a breakdown of just what the trailer might mean for Mass Effect: Andromeda, let's examine the cinematic trailer in all its glory one more time...

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But just what will those adventures be for? What antagonists stand in the Ryder siblings' way? And will player characters finally get the chance to romance a Krogan? The cinematic trailer doesn't have all the answers - and it certainly sheds no light on that last question whatsoever - but it contains some clues for those with a trained eye for Mass Effect's secrets. Here's Game Rant's analysis on what scenes from the trailer could indicate for the upcoming Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Ship Explosion

Right at the beginning of the trailer, fans are treated to a voice-over, which appears to be the narration of the Ryder siblings' father once more, explaining that humanity has slept for hundreds of years prior to the beginning of Mass Effect: Andromeda. Shortly after that, he explains that the peace humanity hoped for was quickly shattered, and the trailer shows a scene not unlike Mass Effect 2's opening sequence of a ship being blown apart and the crew desperately trying to remain on-board. Unfortunately, at least one sibling - likely Scott Ryder, based on the build of the armor and body proportions - isn't so lucky, and is jettisoned off the ship.

Awakening

Unlike Shepard in the Mass Effect 2 crash, however, Scott Ryder appears to be a little worse for wear but not anything close to dead. Given how prominently this event is featured within the game, and how much of the trailer seems structured around it, it appears that the ship's explosion and crash will likely make up the very beginning of Mass Effect: Andromeda, and wherever Scott crashes, it's at least somewhat habitable. His broken helmet visor would make short work of his ability to breathe otherwise.

Welcome Back

After a brief look at Scott after the crash, the trailer cuts to him overlooking a desert landscape in fully functional armor, no worse for wear after his tumble out of the Tempest, the game's ship. The narrative voice shifts - it could be another human, an AI, or an alien that knows Scott - and says "welcome back", indicating that either Scott has been to this specific world before or, much more likely, the voice belongs to someone who knew Scott prior to his cryogenic snooze. That familiarity after centuries makes it probable the voice is an AI system, one with a personality that sounds as if it is something of a mentor or guidance system to Scott.

Snow-Covered Tech Facility

The trailer then cuts to Ryder exploring a snowy landscape beside the successor to the Mako vehicle, which we now know is called the Nomad. Exploration seems to be at the center of Mass Effect: Andromeda, which labels Ryder as the new Pathfinder later in the trailer, and it would appear players will be tasked with examining worlds to discover whether or not they are inhabitable by human life. Of note, there already appears to be a tech facility in the distance of where Ryder has landed, indicating that the planet might already play host to some alien life or that other human expeditions similar to Ryder's have been there already - the latter possibility begging the question of what happened to them after they landed.

New Alien Race, New Villain?

While there isn't much to go on in this scene, the new alien race featured here either has some serious anti-gravity tech or has telekinesis - biotics, as the series refers to it - and is extremely eerie. The voice over, which seems to belong to the character floating on screen, states "this is incredible" in a way that feels less exciting and more dreadful.

Head to Page 2 for some Mass Effect: Andromeda alien reveals!

The Return of Sovereign?

Sovereign is one of the most popular Mass Effect villains of all time, and with good reason. The manipulative vanguard of the Reaper race was the big bad behind Saren in Mass Effect, and was at the center of one of the most chilling reveals the series has ever had. It's unlikely that Sovereign itself is back, but this scene looks strongly like the scene in the first game that saw Shepard conversing with a projection of Sovereign to better understand and resist the alien life form's sinister machinations. This could be a harbinger of another visit from the Reapers, however, or the Leviathans that preceded them.

Another Race of Machine-Like Life Forms

If it isn't the Reapers in Mass Effect: Andromeda, though, it's certainly something just as mechanical and threatening. A brief interlude in the trailer shows Ryder heading into combat against a massive, levitating, whirling death machine that bears some similarities to the Reapers, although those enemies never showed themselves capable of adapting their form beyond the cuttlefish-like appearance they had during the Mass Effect trilogy. Perhaps the Reapers have evolved, or another race took inspiration from them - either of those options is certainly going to keep the Ryders' hands full.

Salarians are Back

It might be a little blurry, but it doesn't make it any less distinct. Mass Effect: Andromeda will feature the return of the Salarians, one of the most popular races in the original trilogy. The scientist Salarian Mordin was a key figure in the events of Mass Effect 2 and 3, and his sacrifice remains one of the most heart-wrenching moments in any BioWare title ever made. Here's hoping these Salarians, if they play a large role, find a happier ending than Mordin.

"Now I Know What Makes You Special"

The final scene in the trailer almost definitely shows off the main antagonist that Ryder will be fighting against in Mass Effect: Andromeda. It gives off serious Collector vibes, although it is most definitely a larger threat and much more powerful than that race was, and it appears to have a bizarre fascination with humanity. It remarks that it now knows "what makes you special" when talking to two humans who appear to be in omni-tool-like shackles before moving in to strangle one of them.

Clearly, whatever this alien is, it means business, and it isn't looking out for humanity. Perhaps in humanity's absence from the stars, alien races like this one have taken an interest in studying them, and it could be possible that Ryder and the rest of the humans in Mass Effect: Andromeda are just science experiments waiting to happen for the alien featured here.

That's all the information and hints we could glean from the enticing Mass Effect: Andromeda N7 Day cinematic trailer. Did we miss anything obvious? Have you got any theories of your own? We'd be happy to hear them - make your voice heard in the comments below!

Mass Effect: Andromeda will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in Q1 2017.

Source: YouTube