Summary
After confirmation of a new title in the series,Mass Effectfans were pleased to learn that the BioWare franchise has a future. The Liara-centric teaser trailer showed the studio’s willingness to return to Citadel space, which is exciting as it seems to confirm that the series will continue with familiar characters and world-building.Mass Effect: Andromedamissed the markin some key ways, and in doing so showed some of the potential pitfalls that the next game must avoid.
The originalMass Effecttrilogy has become beloved over the last decade due to its characters, storytelling, and ability to influence the narrative with a plethora of compelling choices. One decision the developer will have to make, however, is who the good guys are fighting against, and though the Reapers were great all those years ago, scaling down could be a good contrast.
Like Many Antagonists, Mass Effect’s Villain Could Show less is More
One of the strengths of the originalMass Effecttrilogy is that the stakes are sky-high, meaning every step Commander Shepard takes and every decision the player chooses feel like they have profound consequences. Thesuicide mission at the end ofMass Effect 2is so impactful because one wrong move could derail the good guys’ whole plan, and taking the fight to the Reapers at the closing stages ofMass Effect 3feels like an impossible task. Having a threat that is so overbearing stacks the deck against the player, meaning the story and gameplay feel all the more tense, and thus rewarding once the credits roll.
However, despite this being a good way to elevate the pressure to succeed, in doing so it can rob the story of intimacy, as the heroes face off against a largely faceless enemy.The Reapers inMass Effectare threatening, but don’t evoke much of an emotional response from gamers because there’s nothing to relate to, and nothing human about them to critique. Saren feels memorable because he speaks candidly and honestly to Shepard and the crew, and seeing a humanoid being side with something so destructive creates a far more personal conflict.
Mass Effect Should Follow in Borderlands and Uncharted’s Footsteps
A small, somewhat unassuming villain is always more impactful than a big, ferocious foe because they subvert expectations.Handsome Jack inBorderlands 2is so memorable because underneath the facade, he’s just a regular man, who speaks like the vault hunters, and bleeds just the same. Something similar could be said of Rafe inUncharted 4or Katherine Marlowe inUncharted 3, who each are so unlikeable in large part because the way they think, speak, and act are all incredibly familiar.
The Illusive Man Steals the Show in Mass Effect 2
The collectors may be the main enemies inMass Effect 2and the Reapers are an ever-looming threat, but one thing that is near-universally agreed on is that the Illusive Man is the main source of the story’s general unease. The alliance with Cerberus never quite managed to become comfortable, and the mystery that surrounds its leader is a big reason for this.Mass Effectleaning more into this philosophy could add far more drama to the narrative, as it opens up possibilities for interesting dialogue to be written, and thought-provoking parallels to be drawn between the hero and the villain.
Whichever direction BioWare’s sci-fi franchise decides to go next, it will need to find a way to honor the successes of the past while forging its own legacy. Riding on the coattails of what came before is a recipe for quick success, but eventual failure, as gamers will always be looking for the next best thing to reset the bar.Mass Effectcan’t stick too close to its own convention, and abandoning the big, overbearing, galactic threat could be a viable way to make the franchise’s future feel fresh.
The Reapers served their purpose inMass Effect, being a brilliant motivator for the heroes to continue their incredibly uphill journey. Like the White Walkers inGame of Thronesor the rising water levels inTitanic, having a behemoth bad guy is a good way to instill a sense of urgency in a story, but asMass Effecthas already been down that road, something more personal could be the best alternative.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
WHERE TO PLAY
One person is all that stands between humanity and the greatest threat it’s ever faced. Relive the legend of Commander Shepard in the highly acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy with the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. Includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors and packs — remastered and optimized for 4K Ultra HD. Experience an amazingly rich and detailed universe where your decisions have profound consequences on the action and the outcome.
