Among the many upcoming space games we’re keeping tabs on, Mass Effect 4 (or 5 if you don’t count Andromeda as a traditional spinoff) reigns supreme. As BioWare starts to focus on what’s next for its flagship sci-fi universe, we can’t help but think about the limitless possibilities in front of the team and what we’d love to see included. These are the top 10 things we want from the next Mass Effect in no specific order.
While we had 2021’s ‘Legendary Edition‘ remaster of the original trilogy, it’s been eight years since we had a new game in the series, but things are finally looking up for our fellow N7 fans. There’s a live-action Mass Effect TV show on the way, and BioWare is now deep into the development of Mass Effect 4.
But after the trilogy’s definitive ending(s) and the subsequent unsuccessful attempt to explore the Andromeda galaxy with 2017’s lackluster Mass Effect: Andromeda, we’re left wondering: where can the series go next? We know that Liara will be making a return and that the synthetic Geth are seemingly part of this new story, but beyond that, details are thin.
So, why not let our imaginations go wild with some good old-fashioned wishlisting? Here are the 10 things we want to see from the next Mass Effect game.
1. A non-human protagonist
In Star Trek fashion, Mass Effect allows players to smooch with the aliens, but this time, we want to play as the aliens, too. Non-humans are rarely given lead roles in sci-fi franchises as the creators want a relatable protagonist, and we think that’s a shame — one that this fresh new start for Mass Effect could solve. We’re not even asking for a Shepard-like ‘canon’ main character who happens to be an alien (though we wouldn’t mind). Just let us choose from some iconic species living in the Milky Way.
Of course, this is the expensive option when it comes to fully developing and crafting the lead, but most of the Dragon Age titles (also developed by BioWare) figured out how to make that work just fine — even using the player’s species to reshape background info as well as dialogue trees — so it’s not entirely unreasonable to ask for the same here. This would also instantly set the new Mass Effect apart from the human-centric point of view of the original trilogy and Andromeda.
2. New alien civilizations
Needless to say, the new major installment in the series needs to take us to uncharted worlds and, more importantly, to bring new civilizations into the fold. While the galaxy is pretty well explored in the lore, the previous games already contained shocking surprises and species debuts, so the addition of previously unknown sentient alien species wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.
We don’t know whether the story will focus exclusively on the Milky Way or look for new threats and allies beyond the limits of our galaxy, but regardless, we want some new blood in the alien roster. If we’re really lucky, maybe we’ll get something as cool as the Geth again… at some point.
3. What’s next for the Geth?
Speaking of the Geth… What do you think they’re up to? Sorry, but we’re not accepting the ‘they’re all dead now’ option as the pre-ME4 canon. That would be a massive waste of potential and a major squandering of one of the Mass Effect series’ more unique story arcs.
Presented in the first Mass Effect as the faceless troops doing the Reapers’ dirty work before their ultimate arrival, the Geth soon became a much more fascinating riff on the classic ‘sentient AI gone rogue’ story. By the end of the trilogy, they could have become your allies, stayed enemies, or even been wiped out entirely.
As the galaxy tries to rebuild and reconnect following the (temporary) destruction of the mass relays, their expertise could come in handy, and the political implications of them being given a second chance among the other sentient species is a tantalizing story thread to follow.
4. The Reapers helping rebuild (‘Control’ ending)
We’d love to be wrong on this, but it doesn’t seem possible for Mass Effect 4 to take all of the possible game endings into account, so BioWare is going to have to choose a canon ending.
Following that line of thought, the ‘Control’ ending offers some interesting world-building opportunities in the aftermath of the Reaper-organics war.
The concept of Shepard ‘dying’ but becoming a god-like entity that controls the Reapers and uses them for the good of the galaxy is an interesting and unexpected swing that could serve as the basis for a surprising next chapter. The million-credit question in this scenario is what threat could endanger the Milky Way with the mighty Reapers as its guardians, but as a wise man once said, there’s always a bigger fish.
It’s more likely that BioWare will go with ‘Destroy’ as the canon choice, as it presents the cleanest slate and leaves the Mass Effect universe we know and love mostly intact, but we can dream.
5. Shepard returns, sort of (‘Control’ ending)
Continuing down the ‘Control’ ending is canon rabbit hole, a huge issue with legacy sequels — and the Star Wars sequel trilogy perfectly exemplifies this — is their over-reliance on established characters. This inevitably undermines much of the potential to tell fresh stories with new heroes, and we think Mass Effect’s future will be healthier if it focuses on a new generation of soldiers, explorers, and rogues.
That said, it’s still very much a sequel and we know Liara T’Soni will be back (and she might not be the only returning face). Leaving Shepard entirely out of the story might be for the best, but it could be fun to see them playing a completely different role as a benevolent ‘AI god’. And given that Commander Shepard was already functionally just ‘Space Jesus‘, it’s a logical next step for the character to become a space god.
6. Vehicle sections (but done right this time)
Ok, hear us out on this one. Sure, the Mako was a bouncy castle on wheels, and the hover tank sections from Mass Effect 2 were so dull that we can’t even remember the name of it (hang on, let me Google it… the Hammerhead), but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have good vehicle sections.
Despite their failings, vehicle sections are a core part of the Mass Effect experience. Ironically, the worst Mass Effect game has the best vehicle — Andromeda’s Nomad — and we’d love to see a follow-up along these lines. A cutting-edge sci-fi setting is the perfect one for really cool drivable vehicles, so we encourage BioWare to go back to the drawing board with them and deliver something that’s actually enjoyable.
And while we’re at it, what about some spaceship combat and exploration sections too?
7. No bloated open-world maps
A problem that’s been plaguing some modern action RPGs has been world maps that are simply too big. Big maps are fine if you have enough stuff to populate them, but they often feel like butter scraped over too much bread.
Oh, how did this picture of one of Mass Effect’s big, empty open-world sections get here? I have no idea how that happened.
Mass Effect’s core loop doesn’t benefit from huge barren landscapes that are devoid of detail. We should let Starfield, No Man’s Sky, and other smaller space exploration games take care of that, and BioWare should play to its strengths.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard might not have been the financial hit EA was hoping for, but it proved that BioWare shines when it tackles more focused RPGs that tell strong stories with interesting characters. Space exploration is a sizable part of Mass Effect’s whole deal, but it should be there to serve the narrative rather than just pad the runtime.
8. Mass Effect: Andromeda’s loose ends being tied up
We’ve already talked about Mass Effect: Andromeda‘s lackluster reception and how the spin-off struggled to please veterans or attract newcomers, and that failure is why we’re waiting for Mass Effect 4 and not Mass Effect: Andromeda 2. Despite that, Andromeda had an open-ended conclusion, and it would be good to learn more about how the expedition’s story progressed.
With the Archon gone and the Hyperion settling on Meridian, many would consider the Andromeda storyline finished. But what if the next Mass Effect made a solid effort to bridge that failed new saga with the post-original trilogy storyline? At the very least, it would help make the Mass Effect universe feel bigger and offer some closure to the most dedicated fans of the franchise.
9. Deeper customization and RPG progression
As much as we love it, the Mass Effect trilogy wasn’t a super deep RPG game series beyond the excellent choose-your-own-path narrative. We had distinct classes and the usual skills and equipment to take care of, but those elements weren’t very flexible or engaging when it came to progressing and leveling up your character. We’re not hoping for Baldur’s Gate 3 levels of depth here, but Mass Effect could use some extra juice to at least match what the Dragon Age series offers.
The same goes for the player customization. Sure, you could choose your appearance and change your gear up, but we’d love to see this expanded with more options for both us and our crew (and maybe even our ship). Again, we’re banging the same drum a lot here, but Dragon Age: The Veilguard was a huge improvement in this regard, and we’d love to see the sci-fi side of things get the same treatment.
10. A new political scenario
Last but not least, we’re expecting a sizable time jump between Mass Effect 3 and 4 to give the galaxy time to rebuild after the Reapers’ final assault was thwarted. This could also result in a completely new political climate across the Milky Way, with new factions and governments rising to replace the old. Maybe the Krogan will have recovered from the Genophage and joined the other races on the galactic stage once again? There’s a lot of room for exciting developments here.
With tangible social and political changes on the galactic table, the next Mass Effect could avoid the universe-building self-limitations of recent late sequel efforts (again, looking at you, Star Wars and your sequel trilogy rehash of the plucky Rebels vs. evil Empire scenario). Whether humanity is at the center of a new Council or not, this new game is the perfect opportunity to shuffle several crucial elements of the Milky Way that we left behind in 2012.