Highlights
- Mass Effect fans have been waiting for the next installment of the franchise, but the limited promotional material for Mass Effect 4 has left them wanting more.
- While bringing back the iconic Normandy ship would be a warm reintroduction and appeal to fans' nostalgia, it may also hinder the game from offering true innovation and fresh ideas.
- Mass Effect 4 needs to satisfy expectations and address concerns that arose from the weaker Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Though the future looks bright for gaming and the RPG genre specifically, Mass Effect's absence has undoubtedly left a significant hole, and fans have been left waiting for more. 2017's Mass Effect: Andromeda was more of a side-step, or arguably a downgrade compared to the trilogy that preceded it, making it over a decade since the series was at its best. The limited promotional material for Mass Effect 4 has confirmed its existence, but not much more, and it can't be long until BioWare finally shares more information.
The developer has to get Dragon Age: Dreadwolf out of the way, which is a huge game in its own right, before moving back to Mass Effect, but having been revealed in December 2020, the fourth installment of its science-fiction franchise feels like the main event. Theories are aplenty about what it will include, but there's no mistaking that there is a substantial risk in dipping too far into the series' toy box. The Normandy returning could be a very high-risk, high-reward idea.
The Normandy is a Mass Effect Character
Though people may immediately think of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars or the USS Enterprise from Star Trek when thinking of iconic sci-fi ships, the Normandy in Mass Effect absolutely belongs alongside both. The BioWare series is the cream of the crop in the genre for games, and the vessel at the center of it all has one of the biggest personalities among a plethora of compelling people. Taking Commander Shepard to the furthest corners of the galaxy, surviving the suicide mission in the second game, and sending some critical side characters to safety at the somewhat controversial conclusion of Mass Effect 3 all factor into its greatness.
Bringing it back would be a warm reintroduction to an old friend, and presenting it differently could give it a new lease on life. Be it old and rundown, or recently renovated like the SR-2 model in the beloved second entry, the ship can be brought back in a way that compliments the story, and gives Mass Effect 4 a sense of familiarity. As much as Garrus, Liara, and Tali, the Normandy's stalwart loyalty and plucky nature in Mass Effect makes it one of the best characters in a series know for its strong personalities. A return could be the key to making the fourth game resonate with seasoned Mass Effect players.
Mass Effect 4 Needs to be Fresh
However, while it is a beloved ship in science-fiction, leaning on the Normandy too heavily in Mass Effect 4 could suggest that BioWare is taking advantage of people's nostalgia and love for the core trilogy, instead of offering true innovation. The unlimited potential of inter-galactic space means that the series can go in any number of unique directions, and while people have expectations for the fourth entry and who will feature, putting them in the Normandy could be too familiar for its own good.
Mass Effect 4 has a lot of anticipation to satisfy, and perhaps even more concerns to address. Mass Effect: Andromeda was undoubtedly weaker than its predecessors, and Anthem failed to make an impact. BioWare needs a sci-fi hit, and while returning to Citadel space for Mass Effect 4 may have been a wise idea, going too heavy on its familiar themes and ideas could prove to be self-defeating, as the gaming industry is constantly coming up with new ideas. The Normandy's greatness is obvious, and its influence cannot be understated, but bringing it back isn't necessarily the home run that it may seem.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.