My copy is scheduled to arrive today but I'm still wrapping up Mass Effect: Andromeda. I'd considered rushing the plot but I'm focusing on the loyalty missions instead. I agree with the AV Club's assessment that they are the best moments in the game. It's odd that they're all sandwiched into the middle. I'd rather…

I'm favoring upgraded sniper rifles which can take out a foe with one headshot. My shotguns and pistols don't feel that powerful but I'm mix and matching different upgrades to try and get there.

Persona Q soured me on some of the characters as it dials up their obnoxious traits to 11.

I was telling a friend about a "not all foreigners are terrorists" conversation my Ryder had with an angry local. It's the closest the writing has gotten to contemporary lamp shading in a game that has been surprisingly subtle with the immigration parallels.

I saw the Japanese animated film Your Name this weekend. It was beautiful and sad. I've heard it described as a romance but I saw it more as a bittersweet coming of age film. It starts out as a genre comedy and grows into something about the pain of unfulfilled dreams.

Just saw the film and found it beautiful. The trailer looked bland but the reviews spoiled enough plot to catch my interest. I didn't really see the piece as a romance. For me the melancholy had more to do with the disappointment that can come with growing into adulthood. Mitsuha gets the Tokyo adventure she wanted…

There are basically two tutorials. A combat mission on Habitat 7 and a slow open world section on Eos. Things didn't get interesting for me till I reached the third planet Havarl.

My weirdest Mass Effect: Andromeda glitch:
I'm heading for a building to talk to an NPC.
Two kett soldiers attack. I shoot them.
The door to the building won't open.
I jump to the roof of the building to look for more Kett. I don't find any.
I see a prompt (on the roof) for the NPC inside the building and foolishly press…

I never did get the full story on the rivalry between Cole Porter's song "Be a Clown" and Brown & Freed's "Make 'Em Laugh."

Ensemble dramas often have the problem of bland leads holding together interesting supporting characters. The first episodes made Betty and Veronica interesting while pushing Archie aside and building up the supporting characters. Now that the balance is shifting I'm losing interest… I'm still loving these recaps.

She'll get a villainous monologue about maple syrup when her family backstory is revealed.

Mrs. Blossom's abuse of Cheryl in episode 5 suggests she sees too much of herself in Cheryl to like her.

Archie vs. Predator would agree.

The first time through I liked how each dungeon's puzzles were built around a gimmick. The second time through I knew the gimmicks and felt like each dungeon was asking me to solve the same puzzle 10-12 times.

I'd settle for a bisexual protagonist. I'm still sad I couldn't romance Kanji.

Why aren't random citizens, merchants, and enemies rolling their eyes at me?

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was less impressive on a second playthrough. I ran out of steam by the time I reached Lorule. I'd earned enough rupees to break the rental system, the designers had run out of fresh ideas for the painting powers and Lorule's overworld was simply connective tissue for the…

Thank you Motard! This is very much appreciated.
The settlers on Voeld keep telling me to "please hurry" and rescue the resistance bases but I'm getting bored and am ready to move on.

Questions for those who've completed the story:
When would you say is the best time to finish Loyalty missions and sidequests?
Will you "fail" any side quests if you put them off till post-story?
If people are done with this article I'll ask again on Friday's gaming thread.

ME 2 and 3 simplified the UI by taking options away. I'd like to see if Andromeda 2 can keep all the crafting items and upgrades but simplify the sorting and comparing process in the menus.