There is no possibility of predicting what comes next inMassEffect: Andromeda. Gamers can try their best, but the enemy types, their spawn points, and their units are on an unseen wheel that keeps spinning. How does one go about preparing for something that can’t be forecasted? It seems enigmatic, but the answer is actually quite simple: Bring an assault rifle.
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Assault rifles, by design, are a jack-of-all-trades kind of weapon. But they are hardly masters of none.Andromedahas an extensive armory of assault rifles at the player’s disposal and they’ve each got their own personality. Some shoot beams, others mimic sniper rifles, and many are closer to SMGs. The right one will differ based on personality and playstyle, but there is a general idea among the community regarding which rifles are pretty great and which ones are better off collecting dust.
Statistics cited in this article are based on max-level guns without upgrades so that players can have a nice apples-to-apples comparison.
16M-8 Avenger
It’s been a precipitous fall from grace for the Avenger, which has made the cover over more than oneMass Effectgame.The next game in the series has a lot to answer for, but maybe a good starting point would be to figure out why the game’s most signature weapon has a worst-in-game 1,560 damage per clip and nothing to redeem it otherwise.
15Pathfinder Pioneer
The next installment in the series will surely pull several elements from this game, but if it keeps the Pioneer, it really needs to rethink the gun’s limitations. The three-round erratic burst and 1,944 damage per clip are bad enough, but the gun is capped at five upgrades instead of the usual ten, capping its ceiling way too low for it to be viable in battle.
14M-96 Mattock
As players notice thatAndromedalooks weaker as time goes on, it seems that formerly incredible guns from the trilogy have been sucked into that same whirlpool. Gamers used to love this gun despite its slow firing rate because of its accuracy. The precision is still there, but the damage is all the way down to 2,260 damage per clip with a magazine takes forever to get through.
13Thokin
The Thokin’s tooltip states that the rounds are slightly magnetized to help with accuracy, but this flavorful description is not present in practice, where it’s one of the most inaccurate assault rifles available. The 2,280 damage per clip is still fairly low, even if players do land every single shot (which is unlikely). Fans will be happy to seethat new aliens will have an impact on the next sequel, but they can leave this creation of theirs at home.
12L-89 Halberd
The good news is that the L-89 was invented to improve on the Maddock’s design, which it does in just about every facet. The bad news is that at 2,646 damage per clip, it’s still just not enough firepower to regularly bring into fights. Asdevelopers think about whether the next game should be moreMass Effect 4orAndromeda 2, if the latter camp wins out, they should continue to make improvements on this semi-automatic model.
11Zalkin
It turns out that humans aren’t the only ones in love with the three-round burst fire. The Zalkin delivers 2,808 damage per clip for a steady and reliable source of damage.
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The nextMass Effectgame will undoubtedly have to improve over its predecessor, and the Zalkin is an easy tweak or two away from getting its very own personality in combat.
10Sovoa
There is a goodchance that future games in the series will abandon both galaxy clustersplayers have come to know, but hopefully, they take some exciting technology with them. The 3,020 damage per clip is solid, but it’s the steams of electrified bolts that make it a niche gun for players that like to fire while on the run.
9M-37 Falcon
Gamers looking for a grenade launcher have arrived at their destination. The 3,360 damage per clip number is middle-of-the-road, but consider that the grenades can bounce off of walls and floors, have a medium-sized area of effect, and only detonate when they come to a stop or when making contact with a target. That’s a lot of perks over alternative launchers.
8Cyclone
This gun is good when mastered and the 3,700 damage per clip stat is impressive enough. On a reload, the gun does take an extra second to warm up, which can throw even seasoned veterans off, but for those who like to use two weapons equally, this is a natural primary choice.
7Sweeper
If ammo is a problem on other three-round burst guns, then give the Sweeper a fair shake. It works on a thermal system and can “reload” simply by not shooting, giving anyone who uses it an infinite supply of ammunition. Even when fired until it overheats, the 3,920 damage per charge is on the high end.
