Mass Effect was the game series that everyone told me I had to play, but I never got around to it until recently. Currently the next game of the series in in development, so I've decided to post some of the things I would like to see in the future of the series.
1) Story Contuniation
I may be in the minority on this one, but I kinda want to see the impact of my chosen ending has on the future. Since the endings all have the basic plot points I feel this is possible. Of course the main reason I want a continuation rather than a side story, or a prequel is that the original trilogy had the greatest threat in the galaxy, so if its a side story the villain won't have the same impact. If its a prequel Shepard was the first human Specter, something I would like to play as again. Plus with a sequel all the old characters can return, they don't necessarily have to be a big part, but just having them would be cool.
2) Origins style character Creation
This is actually the biggest thing I want. For those of you who don't know in Dragon Age Origins you choose your gender, race, class, and finally an origin story that you get to play as a first mission. The Mass Effect Series had a lot of this, but for the story they wanted to tell you had to be human, and even though you got to choose a background it was only mentioned and not actually played. Granted it was still cool for everyone to know who you were based on your chosen service record, but I wasn't quite able to connect in the same way I did in Dragon Age. Besides, how awesome would it be to play as a Drell assassin, or a Cerberus Agent, or an Ardat-Yakshi, or simply be a Specter from another race.
3) Embrace the M Rating
At the risk of sounding like a pervert with this one, just hear me out. Mass Effect is rated M for Mature, there is violence, swearing (including use of the "F" word), and "sex" scenes. Basically what I'm getting at is, if your going to include a sex scene, do it right and have the characters get naked, you can even have the camera artistically not show anything like in the first one, but please don't just show the characters dry hump and then say they did it. You could actually see more on television these days. This is more of a complaint with the Dragon Age series, I mean come on, Morrigan puts on MORE clothes to have sex. Basically an M rated video game is the equivalent of an R rated movie, so that means you can get away with anything an R rated movie can. Yes you will piss off Fox News, and yes you may lose all there viewers as potential players, but their demographic is southerners aged 40 and older so how many will you lose honestly? This one is more of a pet peeve of mine than anything else.
4) More complex Character Development
This one is difficult to explain, but it ties into all the other things I want. Basically I want options to open and close based on decisions made, and lead up to a more unique ending, and an overall more enjoyable and personalized experience. Let me give you an example, say you choose to play as a Cerberus agent, then your entire squad would be non-alliance human, missing out on other possible squad mates, thus limiting romance options as well as making you a criminal, the ending would also be human centered. Plus you would have access to Cerberus resources so your weapons, armor, and even your ship would be affected. Choices you make in game could be the same way, choose one character as a romance/piss off another, use reaper tech to make yourself more powerful/ alienate squad mates, choose to bring aboard one squad mate/miss out on another. I could go on forever, but it basically comes down to this; I want every decision ever made to have a huge impact on the experience.
5) Return of old allies
I don't necessarily want them to return to your squad, but having them show up in their new lives would add some closure to the characters. Although following the above items bringing back old squad mates based of decisions you make could be cool, for example in my Mass Effect 3 ending Shepard lived, so perhaps his love interest joins on a side mission to find him, then have him join you thus adding 2 new squad members by choosing to do a side mission.
6) Return to RPG Roots
By this I mean limit what the characters can do based on their class. For example tech classes can bypass electronic systems, soldiers can use all weapons, and biotics can alter mass effect fields to change the environment. In Mass effect 3 you could do all of these things regardless of your chosen class, and I kinda felt cheated because I picked my class specifically for its dominance in combat, only to learn I can do anything anyway. Plus if you go the route of an Origin Style character creation, this opens up more strategy because some races can't be certain classes, like a Krogan can't use tech, or a Geth can't use biotics.
7) Coop Campaign
Yes I said I want a more personal experience, but why not share it? Basically I want a coop mode that would be like Fable's coop, the other player (or better yet, players) simply use their characters in player 1's story, leveling up and gaining items, but with no consequence to the story or their own games. Yes they would have to take up spots on the squad, limiting your team's roster a bit, but who cares, all games are better with friends. And as an added bonus it could draw in more players, or help your friends decide how they want to handle a situation later in their own game.
8) Larger Squad
I don't want a squad that is too big, but I've been trained through many games that a complete squad is 4 members, not 3 like in Mass Effect. As for the big squad, basically want more options, in Mass effect 3 your squad was only 5 members, yet there are 6 class types. In Mass Effect 2 you got 12 members, assuming you got all the DLC, and most of them were biotic based, and the only soldier was a dick so I never used him. Basically what I want is more diversity with my squad's classes, making for more strategy with missions.
Well that's my list, A bit ambitious, but I've seen everything on this list done before so I know it is possible. Even if one or two of these items are used I would be happy, hell even if they gave us more of the same I'd be happy. And if not, well then there is always mods and fan fictions, and by the theory of an infinite multiverse I have just created the ultimate Mass Effect game for at least one of them. Agree or disagree with me? feel free to leave a comment below.
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