Fans have been eager for another entry in BioWare's Mass Effect franchise for years, and the announcement that Mass Effect 4 was on the way was an exciting revelation to many. Mass Effect may have hit a few bumps over the years, with some controversies surrounding the much-anticipated ending of Mass Effect 3 and the somewhat disappointed reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda, but many gamers are hoping Mass Effect 4 will be the chance for the developer to right previous wrongs, as well as settle some outstanding questions about the franchise so far, like those involving the Angara.
Mass Effect: Andromeda may not have won over quite as many fans as the Shepard-led previous entries, but the game still has a lot to recommend it, including its fun class system and dynamic combat. It may have faced criticism for not presenting as diverse or unique a galactic society as the Mass Effect trilogy, but the introduction of the Angara presented players with another intriguing alien species to get to know and work with. With some aspects of Mass Effect: Andromeda apparently set to make a comeback in Mass Effect 4, many are hoping the Angara can play a more prominent role in the next sequel
The Angara's Role In Mass Effect: Andromeda
Some could argue that the Angara already had their time in the spotlight during Mass Effect: Andromeda's narrative, particularly as they were one of only two new sentient alien species introduced in the game. This may have made a few players lament the lack of new species and might have left the Andromeda Galaxy feeling a little empty, but it did mean that gamers got to spend a lot of time with them and learn about their culture as a result. With the Angaran resistance fighter Jaal as a crew member and potential romance option, the Angara cemented themselves as a major part of Mass Effect: Andromeda.
In many ways, the Angara drive the plot for Mass Effect: Andromeda. The game may start as the Andromeda Initiative's search for a new home away from the Milky Way, but as things quickly go south and the fractured Initiative comes up against the antagonist Kett, it's soon clear that they're going to need allies. The fate of the Angara is quickly intertwined with that of the visitors from the Milky Way, and as the two sides work together (for the most part) to defeat a common enemy, the true goal of the game starts to take shape. The Angara may have already been a key part of the previous title, but there's so much more the species can offer in Mass Effect 4.
Why The Angara Need To Feature In Mass Effect 4
Although the Angara featured prominently in Mass Effect: Andromeda, there are still plenty of mysteries surrounding the alien species. In addition to creating new plot threads to craft an original story, Mass Effect 4 should also work to tie up some of the loose ones left over from previous games. This would give the fans closure and neaten up the canon overall, but it would also be an effective way of tying all the previous entries together with the new one. Players may have learned a lot about the Angara after their Mass Effect: Andromeda playthrough, but several substantial questions still hang over their heads that were never truly resolved.
One of the biggest question marks is regarding the Angara's true origin. As they progress through Mass Effect: Andromeda, gamers learn that the Angara were created by the Jaardan along with Remnant technology, but little is known about this ancient alien race and nothing is known about their reasoning for creating the Angara. The combination of the Scourge and the Kett invasion set the Angara beck centuries and much of their histories were lost as a result, meaning that not even the Angara truly have the answers.
The Scourge, the Remnant, the Jardaan – all of these aspects still have questions that need to be answered, and the Angara could be the key to this. Bringing them into Mass Effect 4 makes sense, but giving them a big part to play could also help to solve some of these mysteries and explain why the mysterious Jardaan have some striking similarities to other advanced, industrious alien races in the Milky Way who have also long since disappeared.
Bringing Andromeda Into Mass Effect 4
While fans have been drip-fed some details about the next Mass Effect title since its announcement, it seems the game may still be in pre-production and could be several years away. BioWare currently has its hands full with a few projects – predominantly Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, which still doesn't have a release date but seems to be on the imminent horizon. With this in mind, fans haven't had too much news of the next entry in the Mass Effect series, but a few teased hints and glimpse of the game have led to some fevered speculation and semi-confirmed theories.
BioWare has made no secret of the fact that it will use both the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy in some way, although to what extent they'll feature is not quite clear. It seems a safe bet to assume that the Milky Way will be the primary setting given what gamers have seen of Mass Effect 4 so far, but it's also smart not to forget about Mass Effect: Andromeda. The last game in the franchise set up some interesting new elements, including the Angara, and it would be a shame to abandon them simply because Mass Effect: Andromeda wasn't as well received as its predecessors.
There are lots of reasons to include some of the more intriguing aspects of the previous game in Mass Effect 4, but the Angara have definitely earned their place there. The world of Mass Effect was already full of fascinating alien species trying to cohabitate in a diverse universe, but hurling a new species into the mix could liven things up in Mass Effect 4 and create new tensions and potentially unexpected alliances. One of Mass Effect's strengths is its world-building, and seeing how the Angara acclimatize to a new galaxy – just as the crews of the Initiative's Arks had to do – would be a satisfying reversal of Mass Effect: Andromeda's premise.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.