Highlights
- While Mass Effect: Andromeda may not have lived up to the high expectations set by the original trilogy, its companions could still have a role in Mass Effect 4, depending on the game's timeline and setting.
- Andromeda's crewmates, despite only having one game to showcase their personalities, have the potential to provide interesting stories and make appearances in Mass Effect 4, especially characters like Vetra, Peebee, and Drack.
- If there is a way to bridge the distance between the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way, Mass Effect 4 could bring back some of Andromeda's companions, either as NPCs, quest givers, or even figures that rejoin the player's crew. The new game doesn't necessarily have to leave them behind.
Mass Effect: Andromeda may not have been as well-regarded as the original trilogy, but its companions could still potentially play a role in Mass Effect 4. Depending on where in the timeline Mass Effect 4 ends up taking place, the events and characters of Mass Effect: Andromeda could end up being more relevant than expected. Of course, there may be a few hurdles to overcome, most notably the fact that Andromeda takes place in an entirely different galaxy from the first three games. However, depending on the details of Mass Effect 4, some of these problems could be solved.
After three beloved games, Mass Effect: Andromeda struggled at launch, disappointing many fans. Granted, while the game did have some legitimate issues, one of its biggest concerns may have been following up on the sky-high expectations left by the original trilogy. To its credit, Andromeda did create a lot of new worlds for players to explore, and the gameplay could be pretty exciting. However, writing that lacked the strength of the originals combined with technical issues held the game back. Regardless, its positive attributes have managed to be remembered, even though the series seems to be leaving the Andromeda galaxy for the next installment, and those positive attributes include the game's companions.
Andromeda's Companions Could Find a Place in Mass Effect 4
So far, while some information implies that Mass Effect 4 is abandoning Andromeda's open world, not everything about Andromeda needs to be left in the past. The most prominent example of this would be the game's crewmates themselves. While they only got one game to show off their personalities, as opposed to some of the original trilogy crew getting up to three, several of them still have plenty of room to tell interesting stories if they come back. However, considering that Andromeda takes place 600 years after the original trilogy, Mass Effect 4 would likely require a similar time skip for any such cameos.
While the return of Andromeda's crewmates may not be compatible with a potential Shepard return in Mass Effect 4, there are still a few arguments in its favor. Many members of the crew are space faring adventurers who could conceivably make an appearance despite hailing from another galaxy. In particular, Vetra and Peebee both had a long history of exploring the universe before they joined up with Ryder. Depending on whether they stuck with Ryder after the events of the game, they could very well continue their adventures after the fact, and if they ever reached the Milky Way, they could appear in Mass Effect 4.
The most interesting character worth seeing again may be Drack due to how he could affect Mass Effect 4's approach to the Krogan. The krogan have been a major part of Mass Effect since the beginning, and Drack is a legend among the krogan, being a long-lived warrior who has survived countless wars. Since the krogan are almost certain to return, seeing Drack again may be as good as meeting Wrex once more. He could provide another window into the history of the krogan. Of course, Drack also has the benefit of his amusingly grumpy personality that can lead to many amusing interactions.
Provided that there is a way to cross the distance between the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way, there is a chance for Mass Effect 4 to take inspiration from Andromeda by bringing back some of its companions for a second role. Whether they act as NPCs and quest givers, or even become crewmates once more, as long as there's a way to fit them into Mass Effect 4, they don't have to be one-off characters in the series. Mass Effect: Andromeda may have thrown the timeline forward, but that doesn't mean Mass Effect 4 will leave its cast out completely.
Mass Effect 4 is in development.