Not much has been revealed about Mass Effect 4, but the upcoming game has a wealth of unseen potential. BioWare's next sci-fi RPG has some big shoes to fill, and it also has to salvage a series reputation that was hurt by the poorly received Mass Effect: Andromeda. On top of that, there are ways it can innovate, expand, and polish the Mass Effect formula, resulting in a unique and valuable experience. As evidenced by the success of 2021's Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, countless gamers still hold the Mass Effect franchise in high regard.

The thoughtful science-fiction world-building, strong character writing, satisfying combat, and iconic atmosphere all contribute to the trilogy being one of the most beloved RPG experiences of the modern age. That said, the last game in the original trilogy was released in 2012, before the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Thus, the games are limited by their hardware, as well as by the gaming conventions of that era. Mass Effect 4 can update and expand upon the foundations laid by these earlier games, not just by virtue of newer technology, but also by implementing novel, creative thinking when it comes to the game's design, features, and narrative.

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Why Mass Effect 4 Would Benefit from Featuring an Alien Protagonist

All four Mass Effect games centered around a human main character. This makes sense, as it makes the protagonist easier for players to relate to, but one of the triumphs of Mass Effect is how it manages to make players deeply care about characters belonging to alien species, many of which are greatly different from humans. With deep lore and unique features, one or more of these alien races could present a great opportunity as the basis for a new player character.

Instead of relegating Mass Effect aliens to companion status, Mass Effect 4 could flesh out their lore by letting the player fill their shoes. Perhaps the biggest issue that would need to be addressed is the question of which race to make playable. However, BioWare already has a good blueprint for this in the Dragon Age series; in Dragon Age, players can choose from a small selection of fantasy races, each offering unique traits while not having too much of an impact on the overall story. Recent RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 have also shown the potential of offering different playable races, with non-human protagonists having different traits and a small selection of unique dialog options, making for unique RPG elements and replay value without being too restrictive.

While Mass Effect 4 can learn from Baldur's Gate 3 and other RPGs with playable non-human races, it should still develop its own approach to a playable alien protagonist. Luckily, the Mass Effect universe is already primed for this approach. Non-human races could support or replace the Mass Effect class system, with Asari being a suitable choice for a biotic "mage", Krogans fitting a tank build, Salarians slotting into the support class, and so on. Thus, offering the choice of playable alien races could drastically expand the gameplay and RPG elements of the game. Mass Effect 4 could avoid narrative issues by only letting players select an allied alien race, one that will be working alongside the other races in the overarching story of the game.

Mass Effect 4's narrative and world-building could be a major leap for the franchise, experimenting with new concepts and creating a thought-provoking, inventive story. Moving beyond the human perspective could be a major part of this. Mass Effect's stories have always been thought-provoking, but they have also been grounded in the familiar thanks to having a human protagonist. Thus, allowing players to fill the role of an alien could lead to truly unique narrative content, as well as diverse gameplay opportunities.

Mass Effect 4 is in development.

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