Skip to main content
Tech Radar
  • Tech Radar Pro
  • Tech Radar Gaming
Tech Radar Gaming TechRadar Game-changing stories
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • News
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • How To
  • Deals
  • Switch 2
Trending
  • Switch 2
  • PS5 Pro
  • Black Ops 6
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
  • Fortnite
Recommended reading
A screenshot from the game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Gaming Death Stranding 2 tips and tricks: what I recommend you do to avoid failure after my nearly 50 hours in the game
Xbox Games Showcase
Gaming Don't Nod reveals new sci-fi action adventure game Aphelion, arriving in 2026
Dutch and the rest of the Van Der Linde gang ride out across a snowy field
Consoles & PC The 20 best story games in 2025
Dune Awakening
Gaming Dune: Awakening review: an engaging survival MMO that’ll teach you to fear the sun
A screenshot from sci-fi game Pragmata
Gaming After reflecting on my hands-on with Pragmata at Summer Game Fest, I’m even more intrigued by the hybrid combat and puzzle action
Hell is Us.
Gaming Hell is Us director reveals that the upcoming action adventure game has something in common with everything from The Legend of Zelda to Silent Hill and Resident Evil
A screenshot from Borderlands 4
Gaming I thought I was done with the series, but after three hours with Borderlands 4, I'm ready to be pulled back in again
  1. Gaming

Mass Effect Andromeda tips and tricks explorer’s guide

How-to
By Dom Reseigh-Lincoln published 23 March 2017

Become the ultimate Pathfinder

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The path to success

The path to success

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Mass Effect asked you to explore the final frontier, reaching for the stars across Commander Shepard's trilogy adventure.

Developer's Bioware return to the space-faring universe in the all-new Mass Effect: Andromeda – and, as an open world title, it's now a very different beast altogether.

So before heading out into uncharted space, check out our tips and tricks on how to become the perfect Pathfinder.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Scan, scan, scan

Scan, scan, scan

When it comes to exploring the pocket of space that is the Andromeda galaxy, there’s no better tactic for improving your standing than doing your research. Your chosen Ryder comes with a biotic scanner, so simply press down on the D-pad to activate it. Enemies, creatures, fauna and certain objects can be scanned - you’ll know a target can be scanned because they’ll have a bright orange silhouette when your omni-tool is active.

There are three categories of subject to scan - Milky Way, Heleus and Remnant - with each one netting you Research Data that can be used to buy new weapon blueprints or graft new augmentations to your avatar. 

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Don’t scrimp on dialogue trees

Don’t scrimp on dialogue trees

Long conversations with NPCs might not be for everyone, but this is an RPG after all, so following every line of dialogue with a character offers greater benefits than basic exposition. Much like the trilogy that preceded it, Andromeda is littered with side-quests and expanded objectives that can only be triggered from deeply-mined conversations.

Be sure to check back with other characters related to the mission you’re on - new dialogue options will often pop up based on lines of questioning you’ve pursued elsewhere. You’ll also get XP so don’t leave without questing each NPC within an inch of their lives.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Know your profiles

Know your profiles

New to the Mass Effect series are Profiles - think of these like an extra-layer of skills and abilities that are linked by a particular playstyle. There are seven in total to choose from - Soldier, Engineer, Adept, Sentinel, Vanguard, Infiltrator and Explorer - and each one will reward you for playing a certain way. For instance, Soldier will provide perks based on firefights while Infiltrator will enhance those wanting to apply a more covert strategy.

Each Profile ranks up individually based on how much you use it, so be sure to switch between them during a mission if you see it’s going to descend into a bullet fest or a situation that requires more biotic solutions. 

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Never stray far from the Nomad

Never stray far from the Nomad

While the Mako from the original Mass Effect may have left a sour taste in the mouth, Andromeda’s vehicular transport is a much improved model. The Nomad is also your best friend when exploring a planet. For a start, it provides mobile cover and serve as a refuge should you become overwhelmed.

You also can’t summon the Nomad from afar, so be sure to use your six-wheeled car for the navigational legwork before jumping out to scan and shoot. The Nomad also has a mining computer that enables you to identify pockets of resources and mine them with a drone.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Manage quests the right way via the Journal

Manage quests the right way via the Journal

Mass Effect Andromeda is a huge game, and you’ll end up completing countless quests across your 50+ hours in its operatic space embrace. Thankfully, Andromeda enables you to return to incomplete or unresolved quests when the main campaign is wrapped up, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore everything but main missions.

Remember that loyalty missions return in Andromeda and many of these have a hidden time limit. You’ll get prompts in your email (yes, they still have email in the distant future) to remind you, but these are easy to miss so use your Journal to track those that need completing before passing a certain point in the story.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Make full use of Forward Stations

Make full use of Forward Stations

With the proper planet exploration of the original Mass Effect retooled into the mix for Andromeda, the thought of driving around all those planets in the galaxy is still a tad intimidating. That’s why Bioware has added Forward Stations - think of these as mini bases that enable you to replenish your shields, fast travel and recall the Nomad.

These are predetermined sites, but every planet has a healthy amount scattered across it so be sure to activate each one you find, especially in the latter half of the game where firefights and mini-boss battles are more frequent and far more deadlier.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Always pick the right squad setup

Always pick the right squad setup

Just like its predecessors, Mass Effect Andromeda enables you to pick two or more members of your crew to join you on missions away from your ship, the Tempest. For a start, make sure you have at least one core member you keep for most of the story - for us, our Soldier playthrough benefitted from a character with the defensive capabilities of a biotic, so experiment to see who blends the best.

For the other, swap them in and out depending on the mission to come. Scientists are better for research, while those with more tech-focused skills will be a synch in missions requiring lots of hacking. Just make sure you level their skills as well!

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Romancing takes time

Romancing takes time

So you want to chat up an alien? Okay, it’s still pretty creepy, but if you’ve got romance on the mind (or something else, you dirty beggar) there are plenty of ways to flirt your way across the galaxy. Most of the major NPCs you meet can be romanced, but not all of them are open to a relationship with both male and female Ryders so don’t get too heartbroken if that wooing falls on deaf loins.

Always engage dialogue after story missions to further the relationship and make sure you complete said character’s Loyalty Mission to a) upgrade their key skill and b) raise their overall affection for you. Should your advances bear fruit, most sweethearts will then prompt you to meet them in their/your quarters for some awkward animated sexy time. 

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Level up the right skills first

Level up the right skills first

For Ryder, her skills are broken up into three categories - Combat, Biotic and Tech - and each one of these contains 12 separate and unique skill subcategories. Further still, each subcategory has a Rank tree that can be customised the further you invest Skill Points within it.

If you’re just starting out with a more Combat focused playstyle, we suggest levelling up Combat Fitness, Barricade and Turbocharge. If you’re going for more of a Biotic driven experience then Shockwave and Singularity are great, while Overload and Invasion pay dividends on the Tech side of things. 

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Use terminals to craft new weapons/armor

Use terminals to craft new weapons/armor

Some of the best weapons and armor in Mass Effect Andromeda aren’t just sitting around on some distant planet waiting to be nabbed - you’ll need to build a lot of these from scratch. Remember those blueprints we mentioned earlier? Once you obtain one, take it to an R&D Terminal to begin crafting it.

Keep in mind that this crafting system, like every other we can think of, requires resources so it pays to check what you need for a desired weapon as soon as you get the schematics. Resources are mostly obtained from mining on planets, recycling weapons/armour and from merchants. Check in your inventory to see which blueprints you currently own.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln
Read more
A screenshot from the game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Death Stranding 2 tips and tricks: what I recommend you do to avoid failure after my nearly 50 hours in the game
Xbox Games Showcase
Don't Nod reveals new sci-fi action adventure game Aphelion, arriving in 2026
Dutch and the rest of the Van Der Linde gang ride out across a snowy field
The 20 best story games in 2025
Dune Awakening
Dune: Awakening review: an engaging survival MMO that’ll teach you to fear the sun
A screenshot from sci-fi game Pragmata
After reflecting on my hands-on with Pragmata at Summer Game Fest, I’m even more intrigued by the hybrid combat and puzzle action
Hell is Us.
Hell is Us director reveals that the upcoming action adventure game has something in common with everything from The Legend of Zelda to Silent Hill and Resident Evil
Latest in Gaming
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered
From Saints Row 4 to Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, Prime members can claim some incredible free games at Amazon right now
Nacon Revolution 5 Pro deal
The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro has just received a frankly absurd discount at Amazon ahead of Prime Day
A rogue human in Dying Light 2, wielding a makeshift axe
Techland has seemingly canceled two projects ahead of the release of Dying Light: The Beast
EA is shutting down Bioware's Anthem next year, rendering it unplayable forever
Three Razer gaming chairs behind white don't miss text
Razer gaming chair deals are on right now with the brand offering chunky discounts across its range - here are three top deals to go for now
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 4 (game #754)
Latest in How Tos
Henry Lloyd-Hughes as DS Nathan Rose in Ragdoll
How to watch Ragdoll on BBC iPlayer (it's free)
Finn Russell of British & Irish Lions makes a break in the lead up to his side's third try, scored by Elliot Daly, left, during the tour match between Western Force and the British & Irish Lions at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia.
Waratahs vs Lions FREE streams: How to watch British & Irish Lions tour live online from anywhere
Novak Djokovic plays a forehand at Wimbledon 2025
How to watch Evans vs Djokovic online: live stream Wimbledon 2025 tennis FREE
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell go head-to-head at the Austrian GP.
How to watch British Grand Prix F1 on Channel 4 (it's free)
Jonas Vingegaard leading the peloton at the 2024 Tour de France.
How to watch Tour de France 2025: TV details, stage schedule, free streams
Nolann Le Garrec kicks a conversion off the tee in a match against England Rugby.
How to watch New Zealand vs France: live stream rugby online from anywhere
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    This is probably the best Apple Mac Mini Windows Mini PC alternative on the market right now - $378 Chuwi AuBox Mini drives four 4K monitors and has a Radeon 780M GPU
  2. 2
    There's a huge Criterion Collection 4K Blu-ray sale happening at Amazon ahead of Prime Day – here are the 5 movies I'd pick
  3. 3
    5 upgrades we want from the Google Pixel 10
  4. 4
    This powerful JBL portable speaker will liven up any 4th of July party - and it's now $100 off at Best Buy
  5. 5
    Rock on! Marshall's great Bluetooth speakers and headphones have hit super-low prices in Amazon's early Prime Day deals

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...