BioWare shares details on Mass Effect Andromeda Early Access trial

BioWare has shared some new details about Mass Effect: Andromeda's 10-hour Early Access trial for EA Access and Origin Access subscribers, noting that its single-player will be limited. Set to go live on 16 March, a week ahead of Andromeda's release date, subscribers will get to play the game for up to 10 hours.

However, producer Fernando Melo revealed on Twitter that players will only get to play a limited amount of Andromeda's story campaign after which they will not be able to progress further.

Andromeda's multiplayer mode, on the other hand, will have unlimited access for up to 10 hours of play-time.

He added that gamers will only be able to play the single-player story up to a certain point on one of the planets in Andromeda, but are "free to keep exploring that [planet]".

When asked how players will arrive at this "gate", he said it "really depends on [how] much exploring you want to do along the way. For him, it took about six hours, but noted he "didn't do everything".

Melo shared a screenshot showing off some of the rewards players can earn through "Missions" in Andromeda and noted that they are the "link between" single-player and multiplayer. Completing these missions will unlock "Pathfinder Rewards", according to the tweet.

The screenshot shows two types of Pathfinder Rewards – the Gold Item Loot Box and the Research Data Loot Box – but does not specify what they contain.

Lead designer Ian Frazier added that players can send in AI strike teams to complete these missions as well.

Meanwhile, BioWare has released a new Andromeda Initiative briefing some of the beautiful, habitable "Golden Worlds" in Helios, the cluster of Andromeda where the game takes place. The briefing is narrated by Suvi Anwar, a member of Nexus' science team and science officer of the Tempest.

Labelled Habitats 1-7, these seven Golden worlds represent humanity's "best chance to find a new home".

"Golden worlds should not just be capable of supporting life, but should also be rich in minerals to supply our colonies and the Initiative itself," Suvi explained. "The Nexus requires vast quantities of Helium-3, water, ice and Element Zero to continue functioning."

As players gather more resources, the Nexus can be upgraded and more colonists can be awakened from cryo-sleep. The briefing teases some details about each visually stunning Golden world that pathfinders will investigate and explore in their mission to secure the next home for humanity.

"Some worlds may already be the sovereign soil of an existing culture - a concern we will need to treat with respect," Suvi noted.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is set to launch on 21 March in North America and 23 March in Europe for PS4, Xbox One and PC.