Highlights
- Mass Effect 4 should prioritize platonic friendships as much as romances to create meaningful bonds with companions.
- Memorable friendships like Shepard's with Wrex and Mordin showcase the depth and importance of non-romantic relationships in the series.
- Learning from the Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect 4 should offer emotionally rewarding companion relationships beyond just romances.
BioWare's two main IPs, Mass Effect and Dragon Age, are known for their romance arcs. Mass Effect in particular allows Shepard to romance a character over the course of two or even three games, giving them the chance to build a bond with them over dozens of hours. Very few games offer this experience, and it's one of the biggest draws for many who play Mass Effect. However, there are many other standout characters in the series and the friendships that Shepard builds in the series form much of the heart of the experience. Mass Effect 4 will most likely include romances, but it also needs to draw lessons from the Mass Effect Trilogy and place as much importance on the platonic friendships as the romances.
Some of the most memorable relationships and characters in the Mass Effect Trilogy were based purely on platonic friendships. These friendships were given time and space to grow into deep bonds and didn't need the promise of romance as a reward at the end to be pursued. Standout friendships with characters who weren't romanceable for any Shepard include Wrex and Mordin.
How Mass Effect 4 Could Improve on the OG Trilogy's Boss Fights
Mass Effect 4 has the chance to overcome one of the Mass Effect Trilogy's biggest weaknesses by making its boss battles stand out in the series.
Memorable Friendships in Mass Effect
Shepard meets Wrex in the first Mass Effect game, and his survival is contingent on Shepard's relationship with him. If Wrex goes on to survive the events of Virmire, he leaves Shepard's crew and forges his own path to help uplift the krogan. Shepard and Wrex's long-lasting support of one another only grows as the trilogy progresses, until Mass Effect 3 where Shepard is instrumental in the efforts to cure the genophage. Before setting out to confront the Reaper guarding the tower that will dispense the cure, Wrex hits Shepard with a line that encapsulates their relationship: "You've been a champion to the krogan people, a friend of Clan Urdnot, and a sister/brother to me."
Another platonic relationship in Mass Effect that goes beyond romance is with Mordin. Shepard's relationship with Mordin isn't always smooth sailing, and Shepard can challenge Mordin about his past decisions, belief system, and question the path he chooses to take for his future. Shepard forces Mordin to confront his past, but it's his respect for Shepard, both as a soldier and a person, and their fondness for each other allows their relationship to move past resentment. The friendship between Mordin and Shepard is one of mutual trust and respect, interspersed with moments of levity.
Other Options for Relationships in Mass Effect 4
Other characters who are only romance options in certain circumstances, such as depending on Shepard's gender, also develop interesting relationships with Shepard if they aren't romanced. Examples of this are Tali and Garrus. Both characters are popular romance options, but Tali and Garrus' relationship with Shepard takes on a very different but just as meaningful dynamic on their friendship path. Mass Effect is filled with moments such as holding Tali after she loses her father, or target practice with Garrus.
Learning From the Mass Effect Trilogy
Though romances in BioWare games will likely always be eagerly anticipated and a priority when it comes to companion relationships, the vast majority of companions in Mass Effect 4 will be platonic friendships. These friendships need to be just as rewarding as romances, with an emotional payoff. Connecting companion stories to the main plot, such as Mordin and Wrex's stories, having the opportunity to be emotionally vulnerable with them, as with Tali, and getting the chance to develop what feels like a genuine friendship built on trust, as with Garrus, would be a great way to do so in Mass Effect 4.
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.
