With sparse information available aboutMass Effect 4’s development since its initial announcement, the few details surrounding the upcoming return to one of BioWare’s most iconic RPGs offer the only hints about the game so far. The return of a post-trilogy Liara T’Soni and a sleeker design are the only confirmations to be found in teasers so far, but the game’s status as the latest in the timeline raises one concern which should be avoided. Although the return of popular characters from the previous titles is an exciting prospect for longtime fans, the baggage of having to address their current statuses risks weighingMass Effect 4down.
In a post on X that has managed to build hype shortly after the long-awaited release ofDragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare’s Michael Gamble encouraged fans to playMass Effect 2’s Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC. The connection between Liara and that mantle strongly implies a new direction for the upcomingME4, but she might be better off as one of the only characters who makes a comeback. Despite the controversial receptionAndromedareceived, the choice to feature an entirely new cast is one that might have even more merit moving forward.
Mass Effect 4’s Potential Ties to the Shadow Broker Could Complicate Relationships with Many Previous Companions
Some Characters May Be More Compelling as NPCs
The far less armoredcharacter design showcased inMass Effect’s N7 Day 2023 teasercontrasts heavily against the look Commander Shepard is known for, leading to speculation that the next game could shift to a more espionage-based direction. This evolution could mean leaving behind more militaristic companions like Garrus or Ashley, as their roles would be limited in a more subtle main mission.
Shifting Allegiances Shouldn’t Be Discounted
Liara’s role as the Shadow Broker inMass Effect 4would align her with a potential focus on information in the underworld of space, but this could also be a sign of a more dubious morality to the new party in general. Depending on the canon foundation that her next appearance is built on, the events ofME3’s final war could have pushed Liara deeper into her underground crime operations. IfMass Effect 4sees another dive into a shady organization like Cerberus, it’s hard to imagine that the lawful or righteous members of previous parties would be friendly faces.
Moving On From Returning Trilogy Companions Would Give Mass Effect 4 the Room to Establish Its Own Identity
Honoring ME3’s Consequences is the Elephant in the Room
Immersive levels of decision-making carrying over between games was a core tenant of the Shepard titles, and this left many of its characters with wildly different outcomes based on the player’s actions. Wrex could have led the Krogan race into a new glory age or died years prior by theending ofMass Effect 3, and Mordin could have chosen to survive over curing the Genophage. Canonizing some of these routes and alienating certain players is inevitable in a sequel, but avoiding this as much as possible would be more in line with a legacy of player-driven storytelling. Instead of repeating companions for the sake of fan service, leaving them alone in favor of unseen parts of the galaxy seems to better respect the variation in Shepard’s journey across playthroughs.
Shifting attention to the more underdevelopedspecies and factions ofMass Effectmight have a greater chance of capturing the same sense of wonder found in the original trilogy. When quirky parts of the worldbuilding like the Volus, Elcor, and Vorcha have all been relegated to side character status outside multiplayer in the past, continuing to focus on the same alien races as before would most likely feel redundant.
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