The Mass Effect franchise has become a landmark of gaming history, defining both RPGs and sci-fi genre games all the way back in 2008. The upcoming Mass Effect 4 is set to finally revive the series after years of silence, and it’s likely to be a departure from the traditional formula of the series. Mass Effect: Andromeda showed EA’s willingness to bring a new twist to the series, while its status as the underdog of the franchise seems to have encouraged a return to mainline entries. Mass Effect 4 serves as the perfect opportunity for BioWare to shake it up regarding a central aspect of the game: the player character.
Commander Shepard is known as the iconic protagonist of the Mass Effect trilogy, a blank state that the player is able to impose traits and principles on through each interaction with other characters. Like many BioWare RPGs, Mass Effect was built around player choice that extended from personal matters to galactic threats. The fate of the galaxy in the planet-hopping space opera was left canonically ambiguous after the end of Mass Effect 3 until the sequel’s announcement. While the diverse potential of Shepard and even Ryder in Andromeda has demonstrated BioWare’s focus on freedom regarding crafting the arc of a protagonist, the teaser for the next game opens up an entirely new possibility.
Liara Could be Mass Effect’s First Alien Protagonist
It was a major surprise when Mass Effect 4’s trailer was released and boldly seemed to make Mass Effect 3’s “Destroy” ending officially canon. What likely shocked fans even more, however, was the sight of Liara T’Soni with what appeared to be her own crew of allies in the distance. With Liara excavating a snowy planet and uncovering a piece of Shepard’s iconic N7 armor from some kind of wreckage on the ground, the Asari scientist appears to be taking the lead in the galaxy following the defeat of the Reapers.
While Liara’s appearance in Mass Effect 4's trailer could indicate her efforts to find or even restore the Commander once again, this scene could also have some torch-passing implications. If Commander Shepard is truly gone after their noble sacrifice, an ally like Liara who has been a part of Shepard's most pivotal moments would be the perfect person to take up the mantle of a protagonist. A drastic role shift is not a new concept to the Asari race throughout their millennia-long lifespans, but a more open approach to playable aliens would make even more sense.
Mass Effect 4 is Perfect for Alien Race Options in Character Creation
While the focus on her in the Mass Effect 4 trailer evokes a powerful image of an Asari player character, Liara herself isn’t even required for the best version of this dynamic. By allowing a brand-new protagonist to be not only Mass Effect's prolific Asari but any alien race, BioWare could open the series in an emergent way. While the many variables and situations associated with playing as a Krogan or Quarian present a huge risk for the game, letting the player be their species of choice is a perfect match with the idea of rebuilding and connecting the galaxy again in Reapers' aftermath.
The idea of letting the player take control of Mass Effect’s non-human races might seem incredibly ambitious at first, but it becomes a much more realistic prospect in light of Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode. Between characters such as Liara having the emotional depth to support her own story and the untold narrative perspectives of all the different space-faring species, BioWare is set to create an entirely new era for the franchise if playable alien races end up making it into Mass Effect 4.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.
