Which Ryder Are You?
Just like in the previous entries, Mass Effect: Andromeda allows you to play as either a male or female protagonist. However, instead of a decorated war hero, you can be one of a pair of twins: Scott or Sara Ryder.
Visual differences and gender pronouns aside, the two Ryders play exactly the same through the course of the game. But when it comes to romances, certain options may be limited depending on your gender. Some characters are straight, others are bisexual, others are gay or lesbian. You won’t really know in the game itself until you try flirting with someone and see where that gets you.
Male Ryder
Female Ryder
How do you identify?
Just like in previous Mass Effect games, you can choose your own sexual orientation in Andromeda. Should you wish, you can be as queer as the galaxy is wide, bi it up, or as straight as an arrow. Or maybe you just aren’t into anyone at all, and that’s perfectly fine. The choice is ultimately up to you, and there’s no law saying that being a Pathfinder means you just have to go around making out with anything that moves.
Your squad mates have their own sexual orientations as well; this isn’t Dragon Age II where everyone is Rydersexual the moment they lay eyes on you. Should you hit on those who don’t swing their Omni-Tool that way, they will politely rebuke your advances. (Who knows what’ll happen if you keep pushing, but odds are it’ll end with being turned into a human probe.)
I’m here, I’m queer, lemme touch some rears.
I want no one, just a flirt.
I am le straight.
Let Me Love You!
Who you want your Bro Ryder to bang in Mass Effect: Andromeda is, much like anything else in the game, wholly dependent on you. If you want your Ryder to literally love everybody, that’s on you. If you want them to just be as straight as the shot to the Andromeda galaxy, that’s also on you. Feel free to do whatever (and whoever) you like!
I’m all about the dudes!
Laaaaaaaaadies.
Human or Alien?
Even though you’re playing as a human in the campaign, you aren’t limited to them when it comes to romancing in Mass Effect: Andromeda. You can decide to consummate a relationship with a few of your alien squadmates, should you so desire. Interspecies romance is apparently fairly common in 2819.
Regardless of who you romance, you’re going to learn more about them as a person, and their culture as a whole if they’re an alien. Doing so won’t just leave you with more knowledge to take with you, it quite literally fits Ryder’s job description of a Pathfinder. Only this time, he’s finding a path towards eternal happiness, or the bed, or whatever dumb pickup line you can think up.
Human
Alien
What Are You Into?
More than the previous Mass Effect games, Andromeda allows for some more flexibility when it comes to romances. Some relationships can be started right away with some banging, but others will take time to build up before physical contact. Others may just have more intimate moments in terms of pure emotions, because love isn’t just about the physical stuff. It’s about the passion, the emotions that stir in your body when your eyes lock. It’s the feeling of waking up in the morning and seeing the sunrise, or the first time a lovely scoop of ice cream touches your lips for the first time. This really just depends on the character, and some may be up for both casual and serious flings. However, if you go casual right out of the gate, you run the risk of ending it once you’ve rolled around in the sheets.
Further, if you so desire, you can have an open relationship with a few characters. Depending on the character you’ve got eyes on, they’ll either be pretty cool about it and not care, or they’ll raise a stink and forever hate you for shattering what you could’ve had and breaking their heart. Act accordingly! Or don’t, and go ahead and try to bang three people for that Achievement or Trophy.
I’m just gonna bang and jet off.
I wanna bang, but wouldn’t turn down something real if it came up.
Something serious is what I’m looking for.
Pick Your Personality
The best kind of lovers are ones who compliment the kind of personality you have. They have to pick up the slack in areas where you falter, share the same interests that you do, be your rock when you’re weak. More importantly, they also need to be extremely good looking, but that isn’t really a problem that the cast of Mass Effect: Andromeda has. They’re all fairly attractive visually in their own ways, from Cora’s side buzz to Jaal’s monocle. Heck, even PeeBee has something about her that kind of makes her attractive, if the black stripe does a thing for you.
But personality wise, you should always think about the type of person that really makes you want to know more about them. Is it their constant enthusiasm and faith in your choices? Their dignified deadliness? Is it the fact that they could probably cause your body to implode on itself with just a thought? Maybe it’s their mystique and how they dodge your questions about their personal life…
I want someone who can kill me.
I want someone who can kill me, and I’d say ‘thank you.’
Don’t dodge my questions, I just wanna love you.
Hop into my bed, you handsome devil.
Adam and Eve, or Bang ETs?
Hey, if Bro Ryder can go ahead and bang his way across the galaxy, why can’t the sister do the same thing? Mass Effect: Andromeda doesn’t give a pyjack’s ass, and neither should you. These are good looking aliens who are more than worthy of love, especially after a 600 year trip to another galaxy and unknowingly avoiding a really grim conclusion.
Or you could just bang a human, like a normie. Feh.
Show me some aliens!
Humanity first, even in the bedroom.
What do you want?
It’s a whole new galaxy in Mass Effect: Andromeda, and for your female Ryder, that means a new place to smooch people. Depending on who she’s into, she’ll be either the smoothest woman around, or she’ll be incredibly awkward in that high schooler way. (That’s apparently only if she goes for girls, but who knows, maybe she’s like that with some men as well.)
Now on one hand, you want your Ryder to be much more smoother with the ladies and germs than you are. We get that, and it’s totally understandable. On the other hand… c’mon, you know you wanna be totally awkward and a bad flirt, right? It’s fine, go ahead and let it happen. No judgments here.
I’m so gay, dude.
Show me the boys!
Show me the alien boys!
Ugh, such a hard decision…
Lookin’ for Love?
Think of this like OkCupid, or Plenty of Fish. (Not Tinder, nothing good comes from there.) Are you in need of just a quick one-night stand in Mass Effect: Andromeda? Or do you want to find The One, someone who’ll complete you emotionally in a way that you couldn’t get in the Milky Way Galaxy? Maybe you’re just up to play the field and let love find you, or do you just want to flirt?
Casual, and never see them again.
Casual, but wouldn’t turn down something real.
Gimme something serious.
Still need help deciding…
Pick Your Lover
No matter your Sister Ryder’s orientation in Mass Effect: Andromeda, she’ll have to find someone compatible with her own interests. Or at the very least, someone who will support her choices. So who will it be, someone with an air of mystery about them, incredibly loyal, dignified and openly emotional, or maybe someone kinda weird? Choice is hers (and yours).
Secrecy is sexy.
I want you, ya cutie.
Give me all your emotions!
Run all you want, I’ll be there to love you, ya weirdo.
Cora Harper
One of the first fresh faces you come across when you boot up Mass Effect: Andromeda, Cora is your human biotic on the squad. If you plan on trying to romance her as a Female Ryder–and frankly, who could blame you–you’re sadly out of luck. She’s exclusively a male Ryder option, and she doesn’t just want a one-time thing. She wants something real, and if you play your cards right, you can be that something.
Flirt with her regularly throughout the course of the game, and once her loyalty mission is unlocked, it’ll help your chances even more. Continue to flirt, and you’ll eventually share your first kiss. You’ll get some cute romance scenes before finally closing things off with a first contact.
I Wanna Go Again!
Liam Kosta
Do you like guys with sweet jackets and two, yes two, Omni-Blades? Have you ever felt yourself in need of a man who is cheerful and in amazement at basically everything going on in the game? Then Mr. Liam Kosta is just the man for you.
Another one of the first squad mates that you meet when you boot up the game, Liam is strictly for those playing as a Female Ryder in Mass Effect: Andromeda. If you try to come onto him as a dude, he’ll politely turn you down. There’s plenty of chances to indicate that you’re interested in him from pretty much the moment you meet him on the Tempest.
Once you complete his loyalty mission, you’ll be able to seal the deal with our crisis specialist. Before then, you can bang who you like, but once he’s loyal, your window to be a free spirit will have closed.
I Wanna Go Again!
Vetra Nyx
Fans have been hoping that Vetra Nyx would be smoochable since she was first revealed as a squad mate for Mass Effect: Andromeda. Thankfully, she is, and whether you’re Bro or Sis Ryder, she’s yours for the smooching. And it’s just as well, because she’s a pretty cool Turian. Like Garrus, but with more cryptic answers and charm.
Because of her past life as a drifter, she takes more time to open to than others, even when you’re trying to lay down the charm. Once you unlock and complete her personal loyalty mission, she’ll invite to visit a lovely planet, just the two of you. Continue to flirt with her, and you’ll be making out like two high schoolers in no time. Just, you know…in space.
I Wanna Go Again!
Jaal Ama Darav
Ah, Jaal, your emotional and beautifully voiced Angaran squad mate. Though he may not take a complete shine to you when you first met–he casually says he could kill you in your sleep, which is generally not a good opener–it doesn’t take long for him to grow on you. Bro Ryder players won’t get to mack on him, but Sis Ryders can.
The Angaran of Mass Effect: Andromeda are pretty open emotionally, and they appreciate it when others act in kind. For you to connect with this brother from another galaxy, you have to pretty much bare your soul to him even more than you normally would in these situations. Also, it’s worth noting that you can just hit and quit: if you wanna be his lover, it can’t just be as friends…with benefits.
I Wanna Go Again!
PeeBee
You remember how Asari romances in previous Mass Effect games were more about being in committed relationships and embracing eternity, or wanting to see what it’d be like to sleep with a creepy sex vampire? PeeBee is neither of those, and she’s as much of a free spirit as she seems. If you want to just have quick relations whenever you’ve both got a moment free, she’s totally down for that, whether you’re Bro or Sis Ryder.
However, it should be noted that if you take the quick option, she’s locked out of a committed relationship for the continuing playthrough of Mass Effect: Andromeda. If you’re truly into her, you have to straight up tell her, or you’re DOA from that point on. Complete her loyalty mission to truly see where this goes for you two.
I Wanna Go Again!
Avela Kjar
Jaal isn’t the only Angaran you can take to a new galaxy of love in Mass Effect: Andromeda. There’s also Avela Kjar, a historian that Ryder can meet on the planet of Aya. Should you charm her as Bro Ryder and complete the side missions that she offers, you can go ahead and have a quick fling.
Because she isn’t a full romance, you’re free to pursue other characters once you two have had your fun. If your future paramour brings it up, well, that’s all on you, Pathfinder. Does it count as cheating if it’s in space?
Well, yeah, it does.
I Wanna Go Again!
Gil
He’s not a part of your squad in Mass Effect: Andromeda, but Gil does hang out with you aboard the Tempest. He’s fairly open about his interest in you throughout the game, but only if you’re a dude. If you just want a roll in the stars, you can just flirt with him until the option presents himself.
Unlike PeeBee, you’re given the option to continue pursuing a relationship with him if you find yourself shot with the feelings bullet. You’ll naturally lock yourself out of other romance options if you choose to do so, but at least you’ll have found your true soulmate in this brand new galaxy.
I Wanna Go Again!
Suvi Anwar
Your Scottish co-pilot aboard the Tempest will be making romance eyes at you if you happen to be playing as Sister Ryder. Choosing to make her your love interest turns you into a babbling idiot, so if you’ve ever wanted to relive those high school memories while her coworker hears all of this within earshot, this is the girl for you.
Suvi isn’t just up for a one-time fling, however. If that doesn’t bother you, just hit her up whenever you feel like it and flirt with her to the best of your awkward abilities. You don’t have to agree with everything that she says, just keep flirting and she’ll be yours.
I Wanna Go Again!
Reyes Vidal
Meeting Reyes is more conditional than the other romances of Mass Effect: Andromeda. The only way that you can meet him is if you refuse to take Sloane Kelly’s offer, otherwise you’ll be screwed, and not in the fun way.
Should you meet Reyes Vidal on Kadara, you’ll be able to have relations with him, either casually or a full blown love story. The handsome outlaw will respond to your advances in kind, and pretty soon, you’ll have gotten yourself a lovely beau to brag to your other sibling about.
I Wanna Go Again!
Keri
Early on in the game when you come aboard the Nexus after it’s powered up, you’ll meet a cute little Asari named Keri. She’ll ask to interview you for a documentary she’s working on, and if you take her up on her offer, you can also ask for a private interview.
There’s probably some ethical concerns going on here about trying to sleep with someone you’re interviewing, so Keri instead opts to chat you up when the cameras aren’t rolling, and you’ll eventually get to have a one night stand with her, regardless of gender. If you’re involved with someone else at the time, you can still sleep with her, you’ll just have to deal with whatever fallout may occur.
Keri is only available as a fling in Mass Effect: Andromeda, and once you two have hooked up, you can just choose to never see her again. She knew what it would be like, given that you’re constantly traveling the cosmos, but also…kind of a dick move, Pathfinder.
I Wanna Go Again!
Lexi T’Perro
Okay, so the resident doctor aboard the Tempest actually isn’t someone you can romance in Mass Effect: Andromeda, regardless of which Ryder that you choose to play as. At best, the only thing that you can do is flirt with her, which she’ll put up with dutifully while she likely figures out the best way to poison you and make it look like an accident. (She won’t do that. We think.)
One interesting thing to note that while Ryder has no luck with the good doctor, someone sort of does: Drack. They have some banter which could be construed as flirting. Maybe she digs all his ridges.
