Summary
With the next majorMass EffectandDragon Agegames both in different stages of development, BioWare will no doubt be doing an earnest accounting of what works for both series and what does not. Setting itself apart fromMass Effect: Andromedaand emerging from under the shadow of the original trilogy’s legacy,Mass Effect 4’s character creation should take a page out ofDragon Age’s book and allow the player to finally go outside the bounds of the human species for its central protagonist.
BioWare seems poised to make the 2020s its decade of resurgence. Suffering a relative fall from grace with the negative reception ofMass Effect: AndromedaandAnthem, its two currently slated titles may be the studio’s last shot at reclaiming its reputation as a driving force in the industry. The recent release ofMass Effect: Legendary Editionreminded fansof BioWare’s capacity for choice-based storytelling, fleshed-out lore, and forming an endearing cast of characters, but just like the juncture of Andromeda’s release, a new entry in the series with modern sensibilities has to make the right choice in what to adapt, what to scrap, and what aspects of the original trilogy’s winning formula to keep the same.
A Fresh Start for BioWare, Fresh Faces for Character Creation
One ambitious routeBioWare could go for its nextMass Effectis to finally unshackle its players from a human protagonist. With 15 years of established lore and a handful of alien races that players have grown to love throughout Shepherd’s journey to stop the Reapers, letting players cast their lead character as a Turian, Quarian, Salarian, or others could be a massive hook to bring players spurned byAndromedaback into the fold.
The choice to play as a different race presents BioWare with an opportunity forincreased depth and replayability forMass Effect 4, with a sliding scale of impact it would have on the player’s journey. It could be as insignificant a choice in character creation as hairstyle, or it could have a cascading impact on how the plot unfolds, with unique dialog, quest lines, objectives, and loot depending on the race. Certain classes could be gated behind races, tailored to them in a lore-appropriate manner, such as a biotic-focused Asari or a stalwart bull-rushing Krogan.
The Framework For Different Races is Already There
Dragon Age: Inquisitionleaned toward the more cosmetic end of that scale. The overarching narrative was impacted little by the player’s choice of race, but BioWare did add a little flavor to increase immersion, with some race-specific dialog options, differing NPC reactions, and unique War Table missions. A system like that could easilymake the transition toMass Effect, but the potential for something far more robust is there for the taking.
The Next Mass Effect Has to Push the Envelope
There is a contingent ofMass Effectfans hoping for BioWare to play it safe with the next iteration of the franchise. A return to normalcy afterAndromeda’s ill-fated detour would be cause enough for celebration. As the landscape of gaming shifts, however, and other studios successfullyemulate and innovate on BioWare’s formula, the studio will have to take chances with its forthcoming titles. No longer IPs that can rest on their laurels,Dragon Age: DreadwolfandMass Effect 4will require far more than just being a pantomime of their predecessors with a fresh coat of paint to recapture the spot both franchises held in gaming’s zeitgeist.
A Long Time Coming and Longer Still to Go
It could be as late as 2029 beforeMass Effect 4sees the light of day, and in a medium where advancements arrive rapidly and trends come and go in a flash, one fan preference that will undoubtedly remain obstinate is the desire for more agency. That aspect of the originalMass Effecttrilogy, where the hero’s journey was personalized for the player based on decisions made over its course, was a large part of that lightning-in-a-bottle BioWare captured. Adding a significant story pivot right at the game’s onset, choosing which race to play, feels like anatural evolution ofMass Effect’s style, and has the benefit of usingDragon Age: Inquisitionas its blueprint.
