What should BioWare do now with Mass Effect?

Off topic, but am i the only one who thinks me3 is far and away the best game, and would like a potential sequel to imitate it? Nothing can beat the narrative satisfaction to me of curing the genophage and reuniting the quarians with rannoch, every main mission is unique, long and exciting, I love the music, and I love the ending (always destroy). All I wanted to do was kill the reapers and have Shepard live, and the game gave me that. I agree the prior to the extended cut ending really needed the epilogue it got, but I was very happy with it.

Just a little surprised at how much comments there are saying a sequel should be me2 level instead of me3. I enjoy me2 a lot, but the collector story is as threadbare as Andromeda's. Sometimes I think Andromeda would have been as good as me2 if it also had recruitment and (long, interesting) loyalty missions.

Dear BW,

This is what you should do w/ Mass Effect. Find a story you are in love with, whether it be set in Andromeda or the Milky Way, doesn't matter. To hell w/ the fans, just do something you are very passionate about and put your best team on it. Don't try to recapture old glories. Don't bother too much with what other companies are doing. Innovate from what inspires you, not what's 'hot'. Don't reboot it. Don't go back to Andromeda because 'have' to. Don't listen to the SJWs or the menists or whoever, just make a game that will excite you and drive you, and fill it with characters that make you mad, break your heart, make you cheer, and make you want to kick ass w/ them. Most of all, don't rush it. Find what you love about the ME universe and do that. And put your BEST team on it!

Ignore Andromeda. Pretend it never happened. Everything in this game is a complete disaster. It's terrible in absolutely EVERY aspect.

Make a sequel to ME3. And yes it can be done if we go off destroy ending - Bioware can easily state that Me4 uses the destroy ending and it's up to the individual if they think it's canon or not. Then you build up from there.

"Continue where Andromeda left off"

And I say that without a lot of enthusiasm, and not exactly as you might think about the option.

I think there's enough loose from MEA that even if/when things get addressed in other media, it still won't be enough.

Its most appropriate, in my opinion, to do a game that directly addresses what a MEA2 (and MEA DLC) would, without it being as much of a focus as before. For example, quarians and hanar etc etc can be present, but there can be a writing and mission (etc) that deals with how they got there. The game can start further ahead than before, and just treats MEA as the rather optional (less optional than MET to MEA, but more optional than between the MET games) prelude to the 'real stuff'. A new and situated world we're in, one way or another.

The game could take twists on, or remove, or sideline a lot of things that people didn't like so much in MEA. For example, ignoring the Kett may not be a smart move for a game still in Andromeda, but having them more of a side story for now (like Geth became in ME2) might be better than a MEA2 that focuses on fighting the Kett with all their might against us (even if maybe mixed in with some larger arc of Remnant, Angara, etc yadda yadda).

On one hand, yes 'fleeing' MEA might be a very appealing path. But MEA DID PATHFIND for us and we should take that found path, even if it leads us to somewhere rather different than anything the developers could imagine in earlier 2017. This might mean reinvisioning the possibilities of the Andromeda galaxy. This might mean returning or linking to the Milky Way. This might mean getting strange and extradgalactic or dimensional. This might mean dissolving the pieces of MEA even if to put them together in another future game. Whatever. I just don't expect a more straight-up Ryder vs the Kett Empire and mysteries of the deal. All of this may be INCLUDED, but I don't think Bioware will want to as necessitate familiarity with MEA to tell their story.

In a sense, they did it similarly with ME1 --> ME2/ME3. But I can see it being more drastic than that, given that there's no trilogy format announced (even if likely considered).




Preferably either a ME5 or ME6 resolves the Andromeda galaxy arc, and even more preferably, ME5 resolves most to all of what MEA/ME4 put forth. Like I said, I think there's too much loose .. but I also think there's too much bad blood with the fanbase and gamers over this matter. I think sweeping it all under the rug only inspires angry questions, but I also think that carrying on with the same things is being deaf to the reception so far.

Like, I want Cora around, for example. Maybe we don't get a MEA2 that keeps her with the Initiative and so on and so forth. Maybe we get a ME5 (or whatever its called) where she's something else, maybe not squad except maybe temporarily. Fine. I want Remnant tech to still matter. Maybe we don't get a MEA2 with a focus on Ryder mastering Remnant tech and learning about or meeting its creators. Maybe we instead get a ME5 (or whatever its called) where its still present, we still learn some more among other things, and there may be content/DLC that addresses its creators and perhaps ties it to other newer things.

That sort of thing, done in a way where no one ever needs to have played MEA, even if its surely helpful. Ryder can be a protagonist, imo and im-affinity, but can start off closer to a ME1 Shepard that really really is experienced, ready, moving on and all that. MEA can be optional pre-Pathfinder-service experience, affecting some flavor of the game, but not dictating a thing.

Considering it was Casey Hudson's idea to go to a new galaxy, you'll have to ask him what his thoughts are now revisiting that concept.

As far as Volition is concerned, the great thing about Saints Row is it never took itself too seriously. The fact that Agents of Mayhem is essentially a spinoff of a non-canon ending from DLC just goes to show that the lore and continuity really aren't important to that universe. At its core, Saints Row, and now Agents of Mayhem, are about stupid, good fun.

As for Mass Effect, it's a very different beast from Saints Row. I also believe there is still potential in Andromeda, provided BioWare fixes the mistakes that have been made with MEA. I don't believe it can't be salvaged. I do think BioWare can still do something with this new galaxy, and perhaps eventually tie it back into the Milky Way.

Honestly, it won't matter where the next game is set if BioWare doesn't have competent writers to make the story and do the world building. We need Drew Karpyshyn back on Mass Effect, because his expertise and skills were sorely missed with ME3 and now MEA. Ever since his departure, the narrative has arguably lost focus and Mass Effect seems to be suffering somewhat of an identity crisis. I think his inclusion in a future title, whether it's in the Milky Way or Andromeda, would be essential for the new game's success.

I'm even less interested in a reboot than I am a sequel to MEA. Frankly I think they should just let ME rest peacefully.

If they want a third IP to work on pick up Jade Empire again, maybe a new Star Wars RPG (KOTR or otherwise), or an entirely new IP. I hope they will do something since my interests in DA haven't been high since DAO and Anthem doesn't really tickle my fancy at all. If they don't pick up another IP to work on my days of playing BW games may now be done.

we just call it ME2 for the most part

Cerberus is an idea, and ideas never die. ME3 sequel featuring Cerberus reborn/or dead and gone - for good, rebuilt relays(control), reverse engineered new relays (destroy), Yagh become a threat, new characters, new places. This can happen if Bioware really wants too!

What should BioWare do now with Mass Effect?

I have a feeling BioWare themselves will be asking that question for long time to come.

The fandom seems very divided over what direction they'd want a future ME game to go. I suspect they'll let it sit for a number of years until the pent-up demand a new ME game reaches a point where people will be happy just to see something new, even if it's not in the direction they preferred.

It's undeniable that BioWare is going to sit on Mass Effect for a while. On the bright side, maybe success from Anthem and DA4 will help provide direction and ideas for the next Mass Effect in making it a better game.