Mass Effect 4is under a ton of pressure, as it attempts to modernize the franchise’s overall trajectory.The classicMass Effectseriesis best known for advancing modern in-game storytelling, elevating the roles that player choice and relationships could play in shaping a narrative. Players could invest their time in optional missions, discussions, or events that would benefit individual companions, leading to specific outcomes or intimate relationships.Mass Effect 2remains the greatest example of this formula, as its final act, the Suicide Mission, saw players' choices determine the fate of nearly every companion and ally they had gathered so far. IfMass Effect 4hopes to raise the bar even higher, it should set a bold and unforgiving precedent with its new companions.
Little is known aboutMass Effect 4, though its reveal trailer features some familiar elements. There is an appearance by Liara T’Soni, a companion to Commander Shepard in the original series, and an N7 armor piece. The latter has some fans hoping that Shepard themselves will return, though their story is largely finished and N7 was not exclusive to them. With little else to go on, many fans take the reveal as a sign thatMass Effect 4will re-establish the precedent set by the first 3 games, delivering memorable companions, impactful decisions, and high stakes.Mass Effect 4could accomplish this feat in many ways, but one would keep fans on their toes from start to finish.
Mass Effect 4 Could Reimagine The Classic Series’ Best Concept
Mass Effect 2’s Suicide Missionserves as the best concept ever put forward by the classic series, combining every defining concept into one highly impactful event. It put the lives of the vast majority of the characters on the line, leveraging quick in-the-moment decisions and hours of relationship-building to determine their fates. Unfortunately, it set the bar so high that later titles could never quite measure up. IfMass Effect 4hopes to recapture the magic, it should adapt and modernize the concept at the heart ofME2’s Suicide Mission.
Mass Effect 4can once again leverage players' relationships and narrative decisions to determine the fate of their crew. Giventhe progress made in open-world storytellingand branching narratives in gaming since the lastMass Effecttitle,Mass Effect: Andromeda, hit shelves in 2017, the number of decisions and outcomes could be greater than ever before. The title could then culminate in a final act akin to theMass Effect 2Suicide Mission, where the lives of players’ characters and their crew are at stake. However, players' ability to even reach this act could be more difficult than ever before, asMass Effect 4evolves and expands the concept of companion death across its entire narrative.
Mass Effect 4 Should Set a New Precedent with Companion Permadeath
IfMass Effect 4hopes to carve out a legacyall its own, it should set a bold and unforgiving precedent with its companions, making the trek toward its final act just as deadly asME2’s Suicide Mission. AcrossMass Effect 4’s various scripted missions, players' decisions and ability to command their squad in combat could see their companions survive or perish, with success or failure shaping the narrative. The series has long featured the ability to choose which companions should accompany players on their missions. Under this new precedent, the choice of who accompanies players on scripted, mainline missions could prove just as important as their relationships with those characters, as the wrong choice could remove that companion from the crew permanently.
It remains howMass Effect 4will attempt to up the ante with its companions, butunscripted permadeathwould certainly shake up the classic formula in a new and exhilarating way. However, the precedent set by such a feature could alienate new and more casual fans, so the option to turn the feature off may prove a valuable difficulty or accessibility feature. Players may not have long to wait beforeMass Effect 4’s major features are confirmed, as Summer Game Fest 2024 is right around the corner, and many expect developer BioWare to make an appearance.
