Highlights

  • The next Mass Effect game, whether a sequel or spin-off, should bring back the Paragon and Renegade morality system that was missing in Mass Effect: Andromeda.
  • The Paragon/Renegade system offered players immediate feedback and impactful choices that shaped the future of the Mass Effect universe.
  • The simplicity of the morality system in Mass Effect is what made it so brilliant, allowing players to easily understand and make quick decisions with predictable outcomes.

With the recent customary N7 Day tease of whatever form a new Mass Effect might take, fans are now beginning to connect the dots regarding the next game in BioWare's sweeping space opera RPG. While the hints established in this year's N7 Day trailer seem to point to the next game being connected to Mass Effect: Andromeda in some way, it doesn't necessarily rule out the possibility of the next game in the series being the oft-rumored Mass Effect 4. Regardless of whether the next Mass Effect is a brand-new sequel or another spin-off akin to Andromeda, it needs to see the return of the Paragon and Renegade morality system.

Mass Effect's signature morality gauge was a core component of the original trilogy that was unceremoniously removed in Mass Effect: Andromeda, and it's safe to say that the series just wasn't quite the same without it. RPGs have since moved on to much more complex and nebulous depictions of choice and morality, but one of the key factors underlining many fans' fondness and appreciation for the main Mass Effect trilogy was the ability to see direct and immediate feedback for any choice that they made in terms of whether it gave them a boost to their "good guy" or "bad guy" meter. It's a simplistic view of morality, but one that works in the context of Shepard's journey.

RELATED:Mass Effect 4 Should 'Steal' an Important Feature From Dragon Age: Inquisition

The Paragon/Renegade Morality System Guided Mass Effect's Biggest Moments

Mass Effect Paragon Renegade Internal

More than just a helpful, color-coded reminder of the larger impact of Shepard's actions, the Paragon and Renegade morality meter opened up more impactful choices for players to make as they continually acted in a way befitting of either moral path. What starts with simple (and occasionally humorous) choices like being rude to someone in a conversation or offering words of encouragement to an impressionable fan leads to much more significant decisions that legitimately shape the future of the Mass Effect universe. In some cases, the choice to lead a Paragon or Renegade path even affects the fate of some of Commander Shepard's most trusted companions.

But the impact of the morality system isn't limited to a simple in-game litmus that unlocks a dichotomy of moral decisions, as it also has a tangible bearing on how both NPCs and Shepard's own crew react to the player's existence in the Mass Effect's version of the galaxy. As a result, the Paragon/Renegade morality system is one of the many elements of the Mass Effect series that makes its world feel lived-in and adds to the overall sense of immersion present throughout the trilogy. Thanks to its elimination of the morality gauge, Mass Effect: Andromeda felt arguably soulless in comparison.

The Key to Mass Effect's Morality System's Brilliance is its Simplicity

Mass Effect was far from the first RPG to introduce mechanics like player choice and branching dialogue trees, but the beauty of its morality system is how easy it is for any player to immediately understand. Since Mass Effect, incorporating meaningful decisions into the gameplay that allow players to shape the outcome of the story is practically commonplace in modern RPGs, but most of these games include morality systems that are much more realistic and have shades of gray impacting each decision rather than a clear-cut "good" vs "evil" approach.

The immediate and direct feedback of the Paragon/Renegade system, combined with its obvious color-coding to help guide players' choices in conversation, are two elements that make the system easy for someone to understand who might've never played another RPG with moral choice baked into its gameplay. This simplicity works in its favor, helping to facilitate players being able to make quick, on-the-fly decisions that have well-telegraphed outcomes that the player can predict, even if the larger impact of those choices isn't felt immediately. Mass Effect is arguably one of the greatest Western RPG series of all time, and the next entry should return the franchise to its roots by helpfully guiding players' moral compass.