Highlights

  • Mass Effect 4 faces challenges following up on a beloved trilogy, with rich lore and complex character relationships to navigate.
  • The impact of Commander Shepard's actions in the original trilogy presents a hurdle for Mass Effect 4 in maintaining canon and continuity.
  • Canonizing previous player choices and navigating the consequences of Shepard's decisions will be a tricky task for Mass Effect 4.

Mass Effect 4 would have an incredible legacy to follow up on, but being connected to such a famous franchise also comes with some potential downsides. The Mass Effect games forged a strong reputation based not only on the series' solid gameplay but also its cast of characters, especially the protagonist, Commander Shepard. Following up on the original trilogy was always going to be a challenge, as seen by the difficulties faced by Mass Effect: Andromeda. However, a direct sequel to the trilogy would not have an easy road either, and Mass Effect 4 would need to tread carefully.

Whether playing through Mass Effect: Legendary Edition or the original releases of the trilogy, fans will be spending a long time in the universe of Mass Effect. Across three games, Shepard's journey takes them to several planets with plenty of detours along the way. Most notably, every crewmate that Shepard can recruit has their own story, which leads to the loyalty missions that solidify their bond with Shepard. Depending on the player's actions, Shepard can even end up in a romance. Its sheer amount of story potential was one of the biggest strengths that Mass Effect had, and a direct sequel tied intrinsically to that canon would be difficult to sustain.

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Mass Effect 4 May Face a Minefield of Questionable Canonicity

Commander Shepard Reshaped the Galaxy in the Mass Effect Trilogy

It cannot be denied that even if players don't see Commander Shepard return in Mass Effect 4, they will have left a massive impact on the galaxy. The fact that they defeated the Reapers is their biggest contribution, of course, but they played a role in so many conflicts and storylines that the universe without Commander Shepard would be a dramatically different place. Ironically, this could turn into a problem for Mass Effect 4 if elements of the original trilogy are present. Commander Shepard has been so important that seeing the effects of their actions is almost inevitable.

Mass Effect's Universe Has a Lot of Variables

Almost every notable quest has several options for Commander Shepard, and they're often more complex than just choosing between Paragon and Renegade in Mass Effect .

Characters can even live or die based on the actions that Commander Shepard takes in various missions. This is one of the biggest obstacles that a direct sequel to the Mass Effect trilogy would face. There are so many possibilities for Mass Effect's universe that there's no way to ignore the ramifications of Shepard's actions. If old locations or characters are revisited in Mass Effect 4, then BioWare would have even more difficult choices to make.

Canonizing Any Previous Options in Mass Effect 4 Would Be Difficult

While Shepard defeating the Reapers is a given, there are still several possible endings that could potentially be made canon. Likewise, the fates of Mass Effect's Quarians and Geth are dependent on one important choice from Mass Effect 3, although it is at least possible for both to survive.

In addition, most of Shepard's potential romance options are still alive and active by the end of the third game, so if any of them reappear, it may be awkward if the topic of Shepard is brought up. Canonizing or decanonizing any potential Shepard ships would surely be a contentious topic.

Mass Effect 4 has dozens of hours of incredibly rich lore to build itself off of, but if not handled properly, those story threads could become a tangled knot, presenting a unique challenge for Mass Effect 4. The lore of the first three games is consistent with the player's actions, but unless Mass Effect 4 can branch off of a player's previous saves, canonizing anything would be a difficult endeavor.