Summary
It has been twelve years since the release of theMass Effectseries' third game,Mass Effect 3, and althoughMass Effect: Andromedahas been released since then, many questions inspired by the end of the original trilogy have gone unanswered to this day. That’s whyMass Effect 4is such an anticipated installment, as many hope those questions will be answered. Currently, it’s unclear what directionMass Effect 4will go with its story, but some clues provided by its trailers seem to confirm at least one thing about it.
Every teaser released forMass Effect 4so far has focused heavily on N7. In theMass Effectuniverse, N7 is a vocational code and the designation given to the original trilogy’s protagonist,Commander Shepard. This implies a few things aboutMass Effect 4’s story that could potentially be divisive, but it’s nonetheless difficult to deny the direction BioWare is taking the game.
What Mass Effect 4’s Apparent N7 Focus Could Mean for Its Story
Mass Effect 4’s N7 Focus Heavily Implies a Connection to the Original Trilogy
There is a bit of an issue withMass Effect 4’s apparent N7 focus, as it means it will likely be connected to the original trilogy. If BioWare canonized any ofMass Effect 3’s endingsand established them as a basis forMass Effect 4’s story, it would simultaneously invalidate theMass Effect 3playthroughs of those who chose a different ending. This wouldn’t be the first time BioWare has contradicted its own game design when it comes toMass Effect, as it once said thatMass Effect 3was meant to conclude Shepard’s story and yet it’s possible to achieve an ending where Shepard lives. Even though Shepard’s story doesn’t necessarily need to end with them dying, many of those whose trilogy ended with a living Shepard feel they still lack the proper closure concerning the character’s future.
One of the hottest debates surrounding the nextMass Effectgame is whether Commander Shepard will return and whether they even should. It’s possible thatMass Effect 4’s N7 focus means Shepard will return, but it’s unlikely given BioWare’s desire to see the story of the famed protagonist concluded inMass Effect 3. Even so, it’s interesting that the developer would go to such lengths to advertise the N7 focus ofMass Effect 4if it didn’t plan on doing something with Shepard. Teasing a possible Shepard return and then not following through might feel like a low blow to some fans, so unlessMass Effect 4is only distantly connected to the original trilogy, it may have no choice but to somehow bring Shepard onto the scene.
Mass Effect 4 Could Take Place in the Distant Future
Online forums have been plagued by countless theories since the firstMass Effect 4teaser was revealed, but almost every one of them runs into the same obstacle:Mass Effect 3’s player-driven ending. The most promising way BioWare could avoid any narrative inconsistencies is to do a soft reboot of the series, withMass Effect 4telling a story that wouldn’t depend on the events of the original trilogy. In fact, it seems this might be the directionMass Effect 4is headed, asthe game’s first teaser showed an aged Liara, and since Asari can live for centuries, the nextMass Effectmay take place long afterMass Effect 3.
UnlessMass Effect 4’s N7 teasershave absolutely nothing to do with the game’s story, it’s clear that it will somehow be connected to the original trilogy. To do this safely and effectively, however,Mass Effect 4may need to be a reboot of the series rather than a direct sequel. This way, BioWare could still honor the trilogy without invalidating playthroughs and provide a new story that wouldn’t be rife with narrative inconsistencies.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
WHERE TO PLAY
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