It’s hard to say whatMass Effect 4will look like. On the one hand, the minimal promotional material available suggests a return to the Milky Way galaxy and the reintroduction oficonic characters like Liara T’Soni, butME4’s specific setting and narrative premise are still up in the air. With the game still a few years out, it could be quite a while before players know more about its ins and outs.
But story isn’t the only big question to consider—Mass Effect 4will also have to establish its modern gameplay foundations. Following in the footsteps of its previous entries, it’s safe to assume thatME4will adopt traditional action-RPG conventions such as unique classes with exclusive abilities and weapons, and real-time combat. That said, it’s been a while since the lastMass Effectgame, and BioWare may opt for a dramatically different approach to gameplay. Assuming this is the case, the game could be well-served by adopting new mechanics while still maintaining the general spirit ofMass Effect. There are a number of ways to do this, but a focus on reworked biotic abilities feels among the most obvious.
Mass Effect 4 Needs to Foster More Inventive, Robust Biotic Builds
Mass Effect’s Class Shortcomings
Mass Effecthas truly unique classes, at least on paper. The abilities of a Vanguard character are remarkably different from those of an Engineer, which are remarkably different from those of an Adept, and so on. But build variety in these games is ultimately lacking, as third-person-shooter gameplay is always front-and-center. Different classes have access to different weapons, but gunplay is always the most reliable DPS option, regardless of class, with specialized abilities merely modifying how players engage with combat.
This issue is exacerbated by the fact that there is little flexibility in terms of in-game build-crafting. A player can choose to invest in certain abilities over others, but this freedom pales in comparison toa game likeElden Ringor evenSkyrim, which allow for totally different ways to interface with combat, depending on how a player chooses to develop their character.
Put simply, classes inMass Effectoffer different angles to one style of gameplay, not fundamental changes to gameplay as a whole. This is exemplified by biotic abilities, which can be powerful and fun to use, yes, but they are ultimately just powerful cool-down abilities, not meant to form the backbone of the games' combat sandboxes.
Mass Effect Andromeda’s combatbenefits from a more flexible class system and smoother movement, but its gameplay still feels hogtied to a guns-first approach.
Mass Effect 4’s Biotic Abilities Can Up the Ante
It’s technically possible to beat everyMass Effectgame by only using biotics, but this is less of a sanctioned playstyle and more of an option for a specialized or gimmick playthrough. ButMass Effect 4could let players run wild with this concept, allowing them to invest in biotic abilities, perhaps to the detriment of their firearms prowess, for a biotics-first or biotics-only build. In other words,Mass Effect 4could treat bioticsas a potential main course, not just a side dish.
In this way,ME4would follow in the footsteps of other action-RPGs, where players can work up to being specialists in a single combat style rather than a jack-of-all-trades. IfMass Effect 4lets players play as non-humans, as some fans have suggested, then this would greatly elevate its role-playing elements, as an Asari protagonist could reach the heights of a character like Samara, who is described as a biotics powerhouse but still relies heavily on firearms during combat. Even if players are assuming the role of a human once again, they should have the option for a more unique approach to combat, and a better, more comprehensive biotics system would be a way to do this.
