Summary
Although it’s still years away,Mass Effect 4has fans of the original hyped, and for good reason. BioWare stumbled a bit with the poorly receivedAnthemandMass Effect Andromeda, but hopes are high that the studio has learned from its mistakes. The fact that EA has seemingly recommitted to strong single-player experiences with the likes of theDead Spaceremake andStar Wars: Jediseries has also helped boost audience confidence inMass Effect 4.
Nevertheless,Mass Effect 4is positioned as the redeemerof the franchise, as fans of the original trilogy are hoping for a return to form, not just forMass Effect, but for BioWare as a studio. Time will tell how this will ultimately shake out, but a reinstatement of some of the classic RPG’s gameplay and narrative staples, both literally and spiritually via aspects like tone and atmosphere, feel like safe bets. At the same time,ME4will have to compete with modern RPGs in addition to its direct predecessors, so a number of changes to the tried-and-trueMass Effectformula are likely inevitable as well. This will apply to matters of gameplay and technical polish, yes, but also to narrative and characterization.
Mass Effect 4 Will Need to Reevaluate How the Franchise Handles Romances
Romance Plots in Mass Effect Are Built On Questionable Ground
Mass Effecthas some great romance arcs, there’s no denying that. In a vacuum, Shepard’s intimate bonding with characters like Jack, Liara, Tali, and Garrus can be moving, intriguing, and satisfying to watch unfold. But with full context, these stories share a troubling element.
Commander Shepard, naturally, is the head of the Normandy. Thus, virtually every major romance option in the originalMass Effecttrilogy is between Shepard and a subordinate. Regardless of how unusual their circumstances are, the crew of the Normandy is technically working under Shepard, so the commander’s romantic relationships with them can be viewed as complicated at best and problematic at worst. Thebest romances inMass Effectprove that Shepard doesn’t view their shipmates as inferior, but there is an inherent power imbalance at play in these scenarios, regardless of Shepard’s characterization.
This uncanny narrative conflict is exemplified during a possible exchange inMass Effect 3. During a platonic interaction with Normandy crew member Samantha Traynor, male Shepard can make an abrupt and direct sexual proposition.As Traynor is a famously lesbian character, she turns him down, and the awkwardness of the scene is played for laughs. But viewed through an honest lens, this exchange is actually rather disturbing: Traynor is effectively an employee of Shepard, so for him to outright suggest that they have sex is egregiously inappropriate.
IfMass Effect’s romances were a bit more realistic, the vast majority of NPCs would probably react in a similar manner as Traynor, regardless of sexuality. Shepard’s frank romantic pursuit of those working under them ought to be considered bizarre and dangerous behavior, and the fact that it’s never treated as such in the story is not believable.
Given its setting in the far future, there’s an argument to be made that workplace dynamics and ethics are different in theMass Effectworld. However, the characters in the game generally adhere to contemporary standards of communication, intimacy, and friendship, which weakens this position.
Romance In Mass Effect 4 Should Focus On Balanced Relationships
Even ifMass Effect 4doesn’t bring back Shepard, its protagonist will probably fill a similar leadership role. Assuming this is the case, the game’s romance plots should be designed around NPCs that aren’t their subordinates.Mass Effect, despite its sci-fi premise, has always strived for mature and plausible storytelling, and romance options with the protagonist’s equals, or those outside their military chain of command, would buttress this narrative approach in the next game. Players shouldn’t have to suspend their disbelief or do mental gymnastics to justifyME4’s in-game romances.
WHERE TO PLAY
The galaxy is trapped in an endless cycle of extinction. Every 50,000 years, an ancient machine race invades with ruthless efficiency, wiping out all advanced organic civilization. They leave behind only the scattered ruins of technology, and they destroy all evidence of their own existence.
Few believe this ancient legend. You, however, know it to be true. The fight to stop this extinction event has become the most important mission in the galaxy.
And it is your mission. As Commander Shepard of the SS Normandy, take your elite recon squad across a galaxy in turmoil in a desperate race to stop the return of an enemy without mercy. To stop this enemy, you must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law. Your only imperative is to preserve the safety of civilized life in the galaxy—and at any cost. You must become the tip of the spear of humanity, for you alone know the full extent of what is at stake if you fail.
