Highlights
- Mass Effect 4 is rumored to be a return to the original trilogy's structure, focusing on story-driven moments and intense action segments.
- Fans are excited about the potential return of compelling characters, strong emphasis on choice, and the third-person action gameplay that made the Mass Effect franchise successful in the first place.
- The return of Shepard, the preset protagonist from the original trilogy, could potentially allow for new ways to influence the character's design and personality, creating a potential Mass Effect comeback that fans have been waiting for.
The Mass Effect franchise quickly became one of the most prolific and influential science fiction RPGs upon its release back in November 2007. Developed by genre veteran BioWare, the creator of Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and Dragon Age, Mass Effect served as the evolution of RPGs at the time. Its rich game world, well-written story, interesting characters, and third-person shooter gameplay made it a unique take on the classic genre. The two mainline sequels that followed completed a trilogy of games to go down in history as a benchmark in gaming history.
Several years after the dramatic conclusion of Mass Effect 3, fans were excited to hear of a new game in the beloved series coming soon. Unfortunately, Mass Effect: Andromeda wasn't as beloved as previous titles in the franchise. Though many of the ideas in the game could have been very successful in a Mass Effect game, other aspects failed to land, and altogether the experience did not live up to the quality standards of the previous games in the trilogy. Naturally, when fans heard that a new Mass Effect game was coming down the line, their expectations may have been tempered. However, the recent news about the game's overall direction is a promising sign of things to come.
Why Mass Effect 4 Should Return to Form
Mass Effect 4's Leaks
The recent information that has been shared about Mass Effect 4 is sure to excite fans of the original trilogy. Though most of the information surrounding the game comes from leaks and rumors, the general talk seems to coincide with the teasers showcased by the developers.
Essentially, Mass Effect 4 could be a return to form in a way that focuses on less open-world elements in favor of a structure akin to the original games. Though the original games weren't necessarily linear, as they did provide the opportunity to explore, they prioritized story-driven moments and intense action segments.
This is especially exciting for Mass Effect fans as it shows they are opting to look back at the series and find the best elements that made it so successful in the first place. BioWare could have decided to double down on the direction of Andromeda and go further with a sequel to that game. Though from what is said in the Mass Effect 4 rumors, the game will be more of a sequel to the original trilogy. Some even suggest that Shepard may make a return. However, at this point, it's anyone's guess.
Mass Effect's Best Features
The Mass Effect franchise is at its best when it focuses on compelling characters in a narrative-driven experience, with a strong emphasis on choice. The third-person action gameplay also helped it carve out its own niche among other great RPG titles by BioWare and other developers.
Choosing to focus on a location familiar to players, the Milky Way galaxy, also helped it feel more grounded in a way that science fiction franchises like Star Wars could not. If Mass Effect 4 manages to capture these core elements and bring the franchise back to the Milky Way, or space beyond, it will be on track to appease fans.
The other crucial factor of Mass Effect versus other RPGs is the preset protagonist. Though Mass Effect allows character customization, it is still a set character in the original trilogy. It will be interesting to see if Mass Effect 4 brings back Shepard and, if so, how it will be handled. Perhaps if Shepard is revived, players will be able to have new ways to influence the design and personality of the character. If Shepard really does return and the game features a more classic structure, it could potentially be the Mass Effect comeback many fans have been waiting for.
Mass Effect Trilogy
Mass Effect Trilogy is a compilation featuring BioWare's Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mess Effect 3. The Trilogy also contains all of the downloadable content for the first two games including Lair of the Shadow Broker, Stolen Memory, Bring Down the Sky, and Overlord.
