Nvidia's Mass Effect: Andromeda 4K trailer is super pretty

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Mass Effect: Andromeda won't be out for a few more days, but it's already taken a beating far and wide on the internet. Some of the jabs are doubtless the result of seeing things through a rose-tinted visor—I'd bet Mass Effect doesn't look nearly as good as you remember it—but then you see images of characters striding across rooms like they've just spent 18 consecutive hours sitting on a toilet and you're forced to realize that, no, it isn't all the result of nostalgia.

But in spite of the ribbing, it remains true that Mass Effect: Andromeda is, for the most part, a very pretty game. Especially in 4K, as seen in the HDR tech trailer released today by Nvidia. There are a few moments in it that ring a bit awkward, such as when chief architect Alec Antrim muses on "how far can we push the fidelity of the characters [and] make them believable as possible using performance capture." But it's hard to argue that producer Mike Gamble isn't right on the money when he talks about players discovering "the beauty of what this game is about" as they explore alien worlds.

Mass Effect: Andromeda will be out on March 21 in North America, and March 23 in Europe. For a different (and hopefully more useful) take on things, be sure to read our roundup of nine things you should know before you start playing.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.