BioWare's highly anticipated upcoming action game, Anthem, launches February 22, but players have been digging into the early access version for about a week now.

While some fans are divided on how enjoyable the game is, and some YouTubers have decried the many bugs and problems holding Bioware's newest creation back, the Reddit consensus is generally more optimistic, highlighting Anthem's positive aspects. 

Regardless, the game's day-one patch is set to fix the game's current issues.

The biggest change it will make is to load times. Reddit user dragonoob44 timed various load times and found it takes roughly two and a half minutes to load Freeplay, a further 20 seconds to get to the rewards screen, and a minute-and-a-half to get to Fort Tarsis.

Total, between starting the mode and changing gear, the load times added up to approximately seven minutes.

Other day-one fixes include the infinite loading screen bug, as well as several crashing problems, issues with gear modifiers, and disconnection complications.

Of course, how far the patch goes in shortening load times or resolving other issues remains to be seen.

Below you can find the official patch notes outlining all of the fixes the patch plans to bring. 

High-level Fixes

• Improved loading times
• Fixed many infinite loading screens
• Fixed multiple challenges not tracking properly
• A number of issues have been fixed that were causing players to disconnect or crash
• Weapons and gear now have numbers present for modifiers

General Fixes and Improvements

• Loot Reveal and Expedition Summary now correctly play during the end of expedition screen.
• The gather party mechanic has been made more lenient in a number of situations
• At the end of expedition screen players will no longer get stuck on "Recording Victories" or "Skipping All".
• Game no longer hangs in Javelin menu when unlocking the second, third or fourth javelin
• During the mission “What Freelancers Do” dying after killing Junkmaw & freeing Arcanists leaves you unable to progress, this has been fixed
• Challenges now unlock for players at the correct levels
• Fixed some camera issues during cutscenes
• Legendary Contracts can now be accepted from the Social Hub contract board
• Some enemies have had their shield values decreased
• Loot now properly drops for players who are downed
• The texture quality on the NPC Prospero has been improved
• Final boss of strongholds now drop loot instead of only being shown on the end of expedition screen
• Fixed the time outs on echoes and relics to prevent griefing and to handle disconnections properly
• Players can no longer fall through the floor during the 3rd trial in the Fortress of Dawn
• Completing the tutorial expedition will now show the correct Ranger appearance
• After disconnecting, rejoining an expedition will now place you back into a squad if you were in one previously
• Corrected an issue where players could not interact with each other in the launch bay in certain circumstances
• Corrected an issue during the Mission "Bad Deal" where outlaws won't spawn, blocking progress
• The start of expedition screen has been improved
• Addressed a variety of situations where killing enemies does not properly progress world events
• Opening a chest now increments Tomb of the Legionnaire progress for all squad members present
• Scar snipers can no longer shoot through Storm Shield
• Corrected an issue where players would get stuck on the end of expedition screen in some situations
• Players will no longer get disconnected if joining the "Finding Old Friends" mission while the cinematic is playing
• Addressed a number of situations where players can get stuck on the environment in the launch bay
• Increased the damage of the electric status effect
• Corrected an issue where the Shield of Dawn could be crafted with less materials then intended in some situations
• The Platinum Mission feat now grants completion as intended
• Status effects can more reliably be applied to Titans

Strongholds

• Fixed an issue that would cause a Stronghold server crash after defeating the last boss
• Temple of Scar - Players can no longer get stuck in the mined tunnel in the explosives room
• Temple of Scar - Players can no longer be blocked from entering the explosives room due to fog wall
• Fixed Tyrant Mine so people that join the stronghold in-progress do not end up locked away from their team
• Adjusted lighting in Tyrant Mine underwater section to make it easier to navigate to the exit
• The Swarm Tyrant will no longer get stuck in the side cave entrances in some situations
• Corrected an issue where players would spawn into different areas of the Tyrant Mine in certain situations

Gear and Weapons

• After having 1st pilot unlock suit after tutorials, creating a new pilot and going to forge no longer causes load screen hang
• Ice damage bonuses are now correctly applied on ice gear
• Suit-wide bonuses from inscription are now functioning properly
• Players can no longer salvage equipped items
• Javelin specific gear and/or weapons are no longer able to be used on javelins they aren't intended for
• Corrected an issue where in some circumstances Masterwork Components do not have any inscriptions
• The Endless Siege Masterwork Autocannon no longer displays a damage increase of 0% in its tooltip

Javelins

• The Colossus javelin is now able to activate its shield more quickly after using an ability or firing a weapon
• The Storm javelin now reacts to getting hit when its shields are up
• Fixed an exploit that allowed the Storm's ultimate attack to be used more times than intended
• The Colossus javelin can now shield and revive at the same time
• Interceptor Combo Aura has been increased in power and now has a damage over time component

Crafting

• Non-Masterwork materials purchased from the crafting store now show as their proper rarity instead of incorrectly showing as Masterwork

Controls

• Additional Mouse and Keyboard control improvements have been made

UI

• Some conversations were not popping up the reputation points post conversation completion, this has been fixed
• The squad screen now displays the correct information for each player
• Fixed a number of issues where subtitles will no longer get stuck on the screen after dialogue has finished as often
• Settings should no longer reset upon exiting and restarting the game on Xbox One
• Motion blur can now correctly be turned off
• The Electric Status Effect now shows scaled damage properly
• An option has been added to hide the Squad Member HUD
• The edge of the compass will now pulse to indicate enemy locations
• A notification has been added in Fort Tarsis if a player's vault is at the cap of 250 items
• On the "Repair the Strider" step of "A Cry for Help" the search radar has been adjusted to correctly lead the player to all 4 tools
• Primer and Detonator icons have been added to all Interceptor gear
• Corrected a user interface issue where a player’s ultimate would show as available when it isn't

Between the extensive launch day patch for Anthem and the promised content updates for the endgame, it's apparent BioWare plans on fully supporting and optimizing Anthem for a while to come. 

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Platforms PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC

Being a huge Mass Effect fan I have high hopes for this game I feel it is one of the best and most intricately developed Sci-Fi universes in any form of media I have seen there's just so much lore and love that's gone into this series, it's ever expanding universe ranks up there the likes of mature Sci-Fi media and literature like Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse.

BioWare brought in a great team of experienced Sci-Fi writers for this game and the developers have promised a more open and expansive galaxy to explore with a more flexible class system that isn't locked into one style of gameplay through progression tree. Now the protagonist Ryder can have combat, tech, and biotic abilities all in one playthrough.

With everything set in place for this new space set adventure which is just weeks away -- at the time of writing -- and with level of talent available at BioWare it really does have the potential to Game of the Year material.

Which western RPGs are you most looking forward to you in 2017? Let me know in the comments below!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Platforms: PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC

Release Date: TBA 2017

Kingdom Come: Deliverance has been in development for a while but now that the developers have signed a publishing deal with Koch Media's publishing division Deep Silver, the release is looking for hopeful for a 2017 release date.

The game is an open world RPG much like Skyrim at first glance but this game is set in Bohemia 1403 with period accurate armor and clothing, it's also going to steeped in historical realism adapting real life events in history -- so no magic, dragons, elves and monsters. As much as I love the Tolkienesque setting in RPG's, being a bit of a history buff I've been hoping for a modern day RPG that was willing to go the historical medieval route.

The game puts you in the shoes of a blacksmith's son in a once peaceful mining town until it is raided and his whole family murdered. This puts the protagonist on a path of vengeance and an epic journey to bring peace to the Kingdom of Bohemia.

The Surge 

Platforms: PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC

Release Date May 2017

The Surge is coming from Deck 13 Interactive, the studios who brought us the flawed but underrated Dark Souls-alike Lords Of The Fallen, and much like its predecessor, it follows a similar gameplay formula and is promising to expand on it.

It's set in a dystopian future in the aftermath of a technological disaster. It's a world populated by robots, non-humans and surviving humans. The protagonist is not a warrior or soldier but is connected to an exoskeleton that you will be able to upgrade and craft to your liking.

If the developers can learn from the flaws of Lords Of The Fallen -- which in my view was a good game with a really solid combat system that had just a few flaws that held it back from being great. With a new setting and a new premise there's an opportunity for Deck 13 to do great things with this new IP.

Horizon Zero Dawn 

Platform: Playstation 4

Release Date: North America 28th of February EU 1st of March 2017

An open world RPG, and a first of its kind from Guerilla Games -- the developers of the Killzone series -- it's a complete deviation from the first person and mostly linear shooters we've seen in the past from the studio.

It's post-apocalyptic land is ruled and roamed over by robotic, mechanical creatures of varying sizes. You have the ability to take the creatures down in a variety of ways from combat to hacking.

It's looking like brave new direction from the studio, with absolutely stunning visuals -- as expected -- and a really appealing art design, the outlook is looking good for this promising new title.

Torment: Tides of Numenera

Platforms: PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC

Release Date: 28th of February 2017

Torment: Tides of Numenera is considered a spiritual sequel to the critically acclaimed Planescape: Torment. Only licensing issues put a stop to the game being a full sequel but much of the original development team will be returning for this game, including the composer.

The game is using the same classical CRPG stylings of the original title and is looking very promising with a talented team of developers and writers behind the game. With Divinity and now Torment the classical CRPG has seen a lot of new life lately and is successfully finding a new home on consoles too.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 

Platforms: PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC

Release Date: TBA

I have really enjoyed the Divinity series over the years with underrated DIvinity: Dragon Knight Saga to the modernised CRPG stylings of Divinity: Original Sin. 

Funded by Kickstarter, Original Sin, received high praise for its challenging yet exciting gameplay mechanics, beautiful world and its story. The sequel looks to be following in the same footsteps as its predecessors.

I've already made a list here on Gameskinny about my most anticipated Japanese RPG's for 2017 and I've wanted to follow on from that with another list for the Western RPG, as I enjoy both approaches to the role playing game genre equally.

I have a huge love for Western RPG's from the open worlds, to refining your character's stats in order to perfect your sword wielding warrior or your spell casting wizard.

Much like the JRPG there is are a lot of games to get excited for in terms of quality and variety in 2017 -- so without further ado are my list of of of most anticipated Western RPG's.

What Made Mass Effect So Great?

While Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic remains to be of my favorite games the first Mass Effect introduced us to an amazing and complex new Sci-Fi universe that we had never seen before with a huge amount depth and lore that truly added to the sense of discovery. It had an absolutely stunning synth soundtrack too that fitted perfectly into its setting and atmosphere.

Mass Effect 2 improved on the elements of the original with refined combat mechanics and great pacing.  It also felt a lot more "cinematic" something that is difficult to achieve when a game offers the player so much choice -- cinematic games are usually associated with linearity.

Despite the well-documented issues with Mass Effect 3's ending it did an amicable job in wrapping up a huge trilogy of complex relationships and individual stories in a fast paced and tension filled finale.  It also improved on its action/RPG hybrid battle system that was seen in its predecessor.  Taken as whole the trilogy played out like a superb Sci-Fi movie franchise or television box set for me it felt like Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica all wrapped up into a great video game package.

After the Mass Effect trilogy was finished many fans were left wondering what was next for the franchise with such a huge and well-developed universe there was still a lot to expand on for future installments -- The biggest issue BioWare has now though is shaking off the negativity because of the bad taste in some gamers mouths as a result of Mass Effect 3's ending.

Mass Effect: Andromeda 

With Mass Effect: Andromeda only weeks away there's still a lot of speculation as BioWare has kept its cards close to its chest with this new release there hasn't been a lot of information about the game that's been made public beyond a few trailers and some story leaks not much is known about the game yet.

The developers have spoken openly about moving away from the ending of Mass Effect 3 and taking the game to a new galaxy but this has been met with criticism from some fans. One might argue that was a natural step forward for the series, especially as they have stated in interviews that they want to recreate the same magic the original Mass Effect captured upon release. 

BioWare now has the difficult task of dealing with the negativity and low expectations of the fans despite Mass Effect 3 coming out five years ago, so maybe the lack of media hype is warranted and keeping expectations at a calm level will help elevate the game in the eyes of the critics and fans alike -- you only have to look to No Mans Sky at the potential drawbacks of overly hyping a game.  

A potential concern for fans is the loss of the original key developers and writers having all moved on to different career paths inside and outside of BioWare.  On top of this BioWare lost its lead writer on Mass Effect: Andromeda Chris Schlerf:

To confirm what some folks asked about a few months back, I am no longer working on ME:A at BioWare Montreal.

— schlerf (@schlerf) 16 February 2016

It's far too early to tell how exactly this will have an effect on the final release of Mass Effect: Andromeda, it didn't help fuel more of the negativity already building up with some of the fanbases toward the title. A positive comment coming from the writer himself may help alleviate some of the worries, though: 

Think MEA is really gonna blow people away; couldn't be prouder to be part of it, & excited like a lil kid to play the final when it's out.

— schlerf (@schlerf) 16 February 2016

Taking the above Tweet at face value the writer does seem to be very positive the game will be a huge success and his leaving seems to be on good terms, but the fact is we won't truly know what effect his departure has had until the game's release.

Speculation - If Andromeda Fails, What's Next?

It would be no doubt be a massive blow for BioWare if Mass Effect: Andromeda didn't live up to expectations because despite the negativity surrounding the project from some of the fanbases they are still expecting a good game. If it doesn't quite get the critical acclaim or the sales it needs then the backlash would likely be huge and despite BioWare shutting down its forums -- another move that raised a few eyebrows -- fans and detractors alike will still find a way to vent their frustrations toward both BioWare and owners EA.

What is more worrying for BioWare is EA hasn't been shy about closing its studios and laying off staff in the past if it feels the games aren't living up to expectations or not worth the development costs.

Even if Mass Effect fails BioWare is a name that holds a lot of respect in the gaming industry and EA will still want to get its money's worth after spending $850 million on acquiring them. A more likely outcome for the developers would be a shift in focus and a move to work on new projects.

The possibility of making Mass Effect an MMO like Star Wars: The Old Republic could be a way of keeping the series relevant while building on the already established universe. This could, in turn, lead to work on a new single player Star Wars RPG like The Knights Of the Old Republic, a game that fans have been begging years for and with the Star Wars license in EA's pocket I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.

The possible consequences of failure may at worst -- for us as fans -- lead to a shift in management but whatever the outcome of Mass Effect: Andromeda, I think BioWare will move on but instead will likely be forced to move on to other projects with more potential for greater sales while working to regain the faith of the fans. 

 Do you think Mass Effect: Andromeda will be a success?  What do you think the consequences of a bad game will be for BioWare?

Jade Empire is a martial arts RPG set in an ancient China inspired fantasy setting and is getting ported to the iOS platform for £7.99 in the UK and $9.99 in the US. Those of you familiar with Bioware games will no doubt be familiar with the moral choices, depth of character and an enjoyable stories that come as standard in a Bioware title.

Next to Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic, Jade Empire is one of the most requested classic Bioware games fans are hoping will get a reboot or a sequel. Obviously this is neither, but if sales meet expectations on the the new platform who knows what could happen. Aspyr Media are handling the mobile port for Jade Empire, the same company who handled the iOS version of Knights of The Old Republic.

New Features

The game features new touch controls, achievements and full MFi controller support -- if you aren't keen on using the touch controls.  As this is the special edition of the game, it will include all the added content.

The full trailer for Jade Empire: Special Edition is below, but it is available now on iOS:

Before you start reading this I will let you know I have no new facts and am probably in the same boat as you. This article is more summarising what we do know and what I would like to see from the next game set in the Mass Effect universe. 

So we know that development started for this game at the end of 2012 making it two years into its development cycle, obviously this isn't too informative because we have only been teased about the scale of the game. We know that exploration will be closer to the first game, where you can land on planets and search for anything of value.

So far they have been rather secretive about the project, hopefully, things will change at E3 this year (I know, if time permitting, I will be tuning in for the conferences). Most of the information we do have is from San Diego Comic Con, where the Mass Effect team leads held a panel.

There we found out that first of all the Mako all-terrain vehicle was returning and getting a full redesign. In Mass Effect 2, which had a two-year time gap from the first installment, they had stopped using the Mako and replaced it with the Kodiak dropship. This could mean that the game is set before the events of the current games, or it could also be that the Kodiak's Mass Effect technology no longer works after the events at the end of Mass Effect 3, involving the Crucible, and the Mako is still functioning due to it using an engine to operate.

A lot of people have been hoping that you will be able to select what species your character will be. This is something I like the idea of, I may still go with the Human character myself although, it is a step in the way games should be going. This will allow for more variety in how the game will progress, it will also prevent similarities in replays and allow for unique gameplay from player to player.

At Comic Con it was revealed that you would definitely be able to play as a Human character, they said that at the time they hadn't decided whether this would be the only option but they were considering the possibilities.

One big question that people asked was, "what is going to happen with Shepard and the crew of the Normandy?" Being quick to reply to tweets after the announcement on Twitter BioWare said that Shepard would not feature in the next installment. This statement was slightly changed a Comic Con, when the team said that Shepard and his crew might be present in the game. Although he would not have anything to do with the main plot. I think that erasing the characters from the games would be a pretty bad idea. I'm not saying that I want everything to be the same, just that some of the characters would remain the same, even if just for cameo appearances.

A few chat options like this would be nice (RIP Mordan)

Timeline

We still do not know when the game is going to be set, some people have speculated that the game would be set during the First Contact War, following a supposed leak of the name Mass Effect: Contact. This would mean that the setting would be before the events of the original games, when Humans first made contact with Turians sparking a war which almost wiped Humans out. Until finally a truce was made and Humans given an embassy on the Citadel. It was not long before these rumours were shot down.

In my opinion, however fun it would be to fight during the First Contact War I am happy that this is not the setting for the game. First of all because it would completely write off everything that you have done in the past games as that would be future events which you will be unable influence. Secondly, it would mostly be about Humans fighting with the Turians and the other species would not possess a large role in the game, this is the biggest flaw as the different races are one of the best parts of the Mass Effect Universe.

The place on the timeline I'd like the game to be is about a generation after the Crucible events (a Human generation, of about 50-100 years, rather than an Asari one, of around 1000). This could allow players to import game saves from past games allowing them to follow on from the events in their playthroughs, this way people will already have an investment in the world, yet all the main characters will be fresh faces.

Following this it would be interesting as different species would appear in different ways depending on your choices in the past games. You could have the Quarians working with the Geth to rebuild their home planet Rannoch, you could have the Krogans suffering or cured of the Genophage, even the Reapers could be working with you to protect the galaxy from whatever it is that could be worse than them --which is kind of scary. I am really looking forward to finding out more about what happened to the Quarians following the other games.

Whatever it is that they decide to go with I look forward to it and hope that they don't mess it up!

What do you think about my ideas? What would you like to see in the next installment of Mass Effect?

The only thing we can do now is wait until E3 and hope we find out more then.

Romance in gaming is always a hot topic.

BioWare has often been at the center of such controversy, as their romantic sub-plots have received plenty of attention. Their Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises included romantic sequences for their characters, and some sequences haven't gone over well.

However, the studio is proud of their accomplishments, even if they're aware of the minefield that is romance. A fan asked Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider if BioWare had thought about discarding romantic sub-plots in future projects. Gaider responded on Tumblr:

"To me, the thing that BioWare does best is not story but characters. I think our characters are done to a level that few other games even attempt, with an element of agency that strikes a chord in our players ... and romances have been a natural outgrowth of that. Sure we could stop, but that would be turning our backs on something we do which almost no-one else does."

Gaider added that if the developer opts to create a new IP, romance may or may not be in the cards. While fans of their games do appreciate that aspect, others always seem to have a problem with it. He likened these virtual romantic escapades to "opening Pandora's Box," which is an apt description.

It's not such a big deal, is it?

Evidently, it is. There's always so much debate and controversy surrounding certain romantic situations in video games, and I've often wondered why. Maybe it's because this is an interactive entertainment medium, so players feel more in touch with what's happening on-screen. I can accept that. At the same time, it is fiction and remember, the writers have penned a certain script for a reason.

Now, if the romance feels unnecessary and tacked on, then I consider it poor writing. I'll conclude that content is only there to titillate, and that it doesn't serve any real purpose. In other words, it's not a redeeming quality. On the other hand, if it enhances the overall experience, I have no problem with it.