Next Mass Effect Acts as Sequel to Main Trilogy

[.Ruby]

 

 

 

 

A brand new report about the next Mass Effect game in the series has just appeared online coming from a fan who got a behind-closed-doors presentation about the new title from developer BioWare.

The Mass Effect series delivered a stunning role-playing shooter experience, telling the story of Commander Shepard and his fight against the Reapers.

After the conclusion of the trilogy with Mass Effect 3, BioWare quickly confirmed that its Montreal studio is working on a brand new game set in the same universe with a new protagonist and story.

Now, after sharing just a few small details, a big report has appeared online thanks to a fan who participated in a special meeting with BioWare at the recent PAX event.

He posted his experience over on IndoctrinationTheory and confirmed that BioWare wants to make the new game a sequel, as the studio him and other fans a series of concept artworks with quite a few different races that have already been present in the franchise, like Asari, Salarian, or Krogan, but also two new beings.

Continued @ Softpedia

 

I really liked the first two games and some parts of the third. I'm really psyched for the sequel!

[FunkyMike]

I hope we will get another game with Shepard at some point.

 

Maybe this could be a tie in.

 

Shame about the ending in ME3..

[.Ruby]

I hope we will get another game with Shepard at some point.

 

Maybe this could be a tie in.

 

Shame about the ending in ME3..

I never considered ME3s "ending" a conclusion to anything, all of what we saw was incredibly vague. I honestly believe they did this so they could create more games and span out the story, I think EA may have rushed BioWare.

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

I'm glad they're making it a sequel, a prequel would have to throw away everything we've learned in the Mass Effect universe thus far.

[+Majesticmerc MVC]

I'm glad they're making it a sequel, a prequel would have to throw away everything we've learned in the Mass Effect universe thus far.

I don't think it would have been quite that bad. There's plenty of back story that's dicussed in the original trilogy that could be expanded on. The Protheans, the first contact wars, the Genophage, all plot points that I think would be great games in their own right.

[macrosslover]

I don't think it would have been quite that bad. There's plenty of back story that's dicussed in the original trilogy that could be expanded on. The Protheans, the first contact wars, the Genophage, all plot points that I think would be great games in their own right.

I personally wouldn't mind a game based on the Protheans, but I don't think it will ever happen.  The problem with most of those plot points you brought up is that we know what happens.  As far as the Protheans I think a lot of people wouldn't want to play it if they knew that no matter what decisions you made in the game there could only be one ending.  It goes against the "core" of Mass Effect and choosing the outcome of events.

 

I think a game based on the First Contact Wars would be good but probably would be best as a one off FPS or one time action game.

[Max Norris]

I personally wouldn't mind a game based on the Protheans, but I don't think it will ever happen.  The problem with most of those plot points you brought up is that we know what happens.

Not necessarily a bad thing though.. for example even though I know what happens later in the Star Wars universe I still enjoyed the hell out of Knights of the Old Republic. They got tons of room for new storyline to be added.

[giantpotato]

How is a sequel going to work? The ME3 endings have a different effect on the entire universe. They're going to have to choose a canon ending to ME3.

[macrosslover]

Not necessarily a bad thing though.. for example even though I know what happens later in the Star Wars universe I still enjoyed the hell out of Knights of the Old Republic. They got tons of room for new storyline to be added.

but Kotor was far enough away and an enough of an unknown that they pretty much could write whatever they wanted to.  For a Mass Effect Prothean game who would the story revolve around?  I can't see it being about Javik and their fight against the reapers simply because no matter what renegade or paragon choices you made leading you to the ending there's only one ending for you.  It would be different if they could make a story where your choices matter and you had an ending that was unknown or had no effect on the overall demise of the Protheans.

[FunkyMike]

I never considered ME3s "ending" a conclusion to anything, all of what we saw was incredibly vague. I honestly believe they did this so they could create more games and span out the story, I think EA may have rushed BioWare.

Maybe tale on the discovery of Shepard's crew, once the gates went down would be interesting.

 

I doubt EA rushed Bioware. I think arrogance drove the ending of ME3 seeing as how Drew Karpyshyn (the main writer) left before they released ME3.

[.Ruby]

How is a sequel going to work? The ME3 endings have a different effect on the entire universe. They're going to have to choose a canon ending to ME3.

I'm guessing if they choose one, it will be

synthesis

 

Maybe tale on the discovery of Shepard's crew, once the gates went down would be interesting.

 

I doubt EA rushed Bioware. I think arrogance drove the ending of ME3 seeing as how Drew Karpyshyn (the main writer) left before they released ME3.

Yeah I realize now it was a multitude of reasons, a lot was going on at BioWare at the time. It will be interesting to see where they take the sequel now that things have settled.

[ctebah]

I cannot wait for this! By far the best series I have ever played.

[ensiform]

I cannot wait for this! By far the best series I have ever played.

Yep, spoiled me over lots of other RPGs that just don't meet the expectations now.

[HawkMan]

How is a sequel going to work? The ME3 endings have a different effect on the entire universe. They're going to have to choose a canon ending to ME3.

 

This is where you, like in every RPG(from the PnP days and up) have to differentiate your universe with the canon universe. 

[George P Global Moderator]

If they pick one of the 3 endings in ME3 as canon and work off of that I have no problem.   I just hope that for the new batch they don't just act like our choices have some effect only to make the very last choice in the game the only one that actually counts (it's what made ME3s ending feel cheap).   I want the choices to effect the ending and not let me pick one at the very end to my liking.   Or just have one fixed ending if you want but let my choices effect other little things etc. 

[McKay]

 I think EA may have rushed BioWare.

 

Bioware wanted 3 years, EA gave them 2. Plus they had to do a completely new ending due to the old one being leaked. And oddly only 2 people wrote the new ending, not the entire team as usual.

 

[NSFW]

[spacer]

Utterly, utterly disappointed by this news. Now that the new game is a sequel, it pretty much negates an already watered-down ending to ME3. So they had to pick one of the endings, and knowing EAoware, they probably picked the lamest ending (renegade) so that they don't have to come up with new lore just to save money. So stupid.

[McKay]

Utterly, utterly disappointed by this news. Now that the new game is a sequel, it pretty much negates an already watered-down ending to ME3. So they had to pick one of the endings, and knowing EAoware, they probably picked the lamest ending (renegade) so that they don't have to come up with new lore just to save money. So stupid.

 

They always said they were going to make more Mass Effect games, the only thing they said was that wouldn't be about Shepard. 

[Osiris]

I am hoping the use of the word sequel has just been misapplied here or taken out of context.

 

The Mass Effect universe has established some good lore, characters, races, locations etc and absolutely they should continue to build upon that and develop worthy games within that universe but I just don't see a direct sequel working..shepherds arc is done...I guess my point is use the ME universe for more games, but don't try to capitalise on the original trilogy arc.

[the better twin]

The problem with most of those plot points you brought up is that we know what happens.  As far as the Protheans I think a lot of people wouldn't want to play it if they knew that no matter what decisions you made in the game there could only be one ending.  It goes against the "core" of Mass Effect and choosing the outcome of events.

Oh because we had so much choice in Mass Effect 3? Your choices didnt count for jack when it came to the a,b,c ending. A prequel could work, and there could still be plenty choice it just depends upon the gravity of the choices. Its not like any of the choices mattered in the grand scheme of things.

[Osiris]

Yeah I don't think the outcomes of a set point in the universe (eg the original ME trilogy) necessarily negate the ability to have choices and options in any prequel.  That being said a prequel where you are fighting off the reapers harvest again isn't going to come across as very original or compelling.  That being said would love to hear harbinger tell me how I am dust struggling against cosmic winds again :)

[spacer]

They always said they were going to make more Mass Effect games, the only thing they said was that wouldn't be about Shepard.

I know it wasn't going to include Shepard, that's not my problem with it. My problem is that it is a direct sequel to the series, meaning that the ending to 3 and your choices are moot.

In general, I'm not happy with them doing more ME in the first place because there is no time frame for them to put the new games that won't affect or be directly affected by the original trilogy. The best case scenario would have been a distant sequel. But even that has problems. All of the ending's in ME3 get rid of the Reapers for all intents and purposes. So there is nothing they can do for a main antagonist that would come close to the rivaling Reapers and the threat they posed.

I'm especially not expecting much considering Drew Karphsyhyn is no longer part of the writing team. And that was painfully apparent in ME3.

[McKay]

I know it wasn't going to include Shepard, that's not my problem with it. My problem is that it is a direct sequel to the series, meaning that the ending to 3 and your choices are moot.

In general, I'm not happy with them doing more ME in the first place because there is no time frame for them to put the new games that won't affect or be directly affected by the original trilogy. The best case scenario would have been a distant sequel. But even that has problems. All of the ending's in ME3 get rid of the Reapers for all intents and purposes. So there is nothing they can do for a main antagonist that would come close to the rivaling Reapers and the threat they posed.

I'm especially not expecting much considering Drew Karphsyhyn is no longer part of the writing team. And that was painfully apparent in ME3.

 

I would have much preferred a prequal, or one set during the same time period as Mass Effect 3. To have a far more active involvement in the War against the Reapers would have been great, imagine playing as an Alliance Soldier and working your way up to Squad Leader etc, fighting  in a bunch of battles that you only hear mentioned in passing during ME3.

[HawkMan]

I know it wasn't going to include Shepard, that's not my problem with it. My problem is that it is a direct sequel to the series, meaning that the ending to 3 and your choices are moot.

In general, I'm not happy with them doing more ME in the first place because there is no time frame for them to put the new games that won't affect or be directly affected by the original trilogy. The best case scenario would have been a distant sequel. But even that has problems. All of the ending's in ME3 get rid of the Reapers for all intents and purposes. So there is nothing they can do for a main antagonist that would come close to the rivaling Reapers and the threat they posed.

I'm especially not expecting much considering Drew Karphsyhyn is no longer part of the writing team. And that was painfully apparent in ME3.

 

Again, this goes right back to RPG roots, even PnP RPGS. you have your universe, and there's the official canon universe. they don't always match. in your universe, you controlled the machines and took over. in the canon universe, something else happened. 

 

This doesn't negate you experience in the previous games or your version of the universe. but yours will ALWAYS be different from the canon stories.

 

just consider the canon story a this is what would have happened if this had happened. but in my universe this didn't happen. 

[George P Global Moderator]

They can do a sequel without much fuss, they'll pick something and go from there.   One of the multiple endings will become the canon one and the others will be "what ifs".   It's not like it's the first time this has happened I bet.   Even the post credits ending bit from ME3 shows us that more happened, there's more stories to tell and so on.  One ME trilogy ends and a new one starts, with a new main character and a new crew and so on.