[Last Updated: 09-05-2013]
The original Mass Effect trilogy is probably one of the most epic sci-fi game series ever made. So the fact that there is a new one in the making is something that the fans cannot help but get excited about. With the next game rumored to get a 4/4/2014 release, there's plenty of questions being thrown around and even more rumors that pose as answers.
So in order to help everyone wade through this massive amount of information across the internet, we've put together everything we know so far about ME:4.
1. The FOURTH Game in the Series is Separate from the First Trilogy
No, this is NOT the official logo.
There will be a new Mass Effect game, that is 100% sure. But will it be labeled "Mass Effect 4"? Shepard's story is the focus of the original ME trilogy, as the next ME game is likely to no longer be about Shepard, then it is possible that they would choose to stop the numerical sequencing.
Dragon Age, a similar game series from Bioware, has recently dropped the "III" from its' latest upcoming game and that installment is now known as "Dragon Age: Inquisition". It would not be surprising if something similar happens to Mass Effect.
2. Gears of War Meets Mass Effect
Chris Wynn, previously the senior producer for Epic Game's Gears of War series, will now be a development director for the next Bioware game. This basically means that EA/Bioware has hired help to make the game development process more financially feasible/efficient. We're not yet expecting GoW elements to start popping out in the next ME game, but considering that both titles are third person shooters utilizing cover systems, Wynn should still be able to provide Bioware with valuable insight -one way or another (the only question is if these insights would also influence content that we players will directly see, as opposed to stuff that only the developers will be aware of).
3. No Final Release Date
There's plenty of talk but no confirmation of a 2014 release date. This goes two ways: a 2014 release will mean that the next ME game will not have the style and scope as the previous ones in the original trilogy (it may not even be an action RPG -which is uncharacteristic for Bioware, so very unlikely). Or, it will not be released in 2014 because like the original trilogy, the new one will also be a massive game to play (which is what most people are also expecting).
4. Fresh and New Mass Effect from New Writers
We'll certainly miss Drew Karpyshyn, but it is pretty much a given that he will not be involved in any game related projects. That said, the folks behind ME3 will still proceed with the next one. Casey Hudson is not exactly "new" per se, but he'll be helming the next set of ME games from beginning to end -unlike with the first trilogy where he only got to write for the last game.
The story will be awesome, as long as it's not this guy writing the new script.
5. Next-Gen and Newbie Friendly
Yanick Roy (Bioware Montreal), has been pretty vocal about Mass Effect 4 related things
- For one, it will be for next gen systems (PS4/XB1), and of course, for the PC (this is a pretty obvious answer, and it would be surprising if this was not the case).
- He also stated that they will be using the Frostbite 3 engine.
- The game will be designed to be newbie-friendly. Usually, all this entails is that the game provide players with options for difficulty. While most of us would find the "normal difficulty" setting too low, casual players may benefit from an even lower difficulty tier.
I smell bullshit. This is like what you need to know about every game pre alpha, no, before you even start to make it. dont try to sell a product until their is something to be excited about. Be secretive, make us curious. This just disappoints. The fact that its noob friendly just means that its not for the players but for money. You need to spend time on the game instead of pumping it out like call of duty or even assassins creed.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteGood games are made for money just as much as the bad ones. As long as there's a way to increase the difficulty, the enemies can die on their own on "Easy" for all I care.
DeleteThey're not trying to sell it YET. For now the things Casey Hudson thing do only one thing for me - they justify high expectations.
There is nothing wrong with making it noob-friendly provided it isn't nerfed for everyone, which I don't see them doing. We need to be able to introduce Mass Effect to the next gen of gamers, not just keep it alive for people who have been playing since the first one.
Delete"We want to give fans an opportunity to get back into the with things you've come to know and love about Mass Effect. That's kind of our next thing. We're focusing on delivering something new, the way we did at the very beginning of Mass Effect,".
ReplyDeleteSo basically you might see a supporting character that you loved from the original ME series in a 5 second cameo a la Dragon Age 2 (i.e. you walk by an Elkoss Combine outlet and see Garrus yelling at the store clerk about calibrations). I don't know, I'm going to wait for more news on this in order to decide whether I want to get excited about it, but these guys have a bit of an uphill battle if they want to get back some of their original fan base after that illogical (and stupid) ending in 3. Personally I would prefer something where you have some of the old characters from the original series playing major roles in this new one, as that's what a lot of the fans love (just check the fan work on Deviantart!), but I'm not holding my breath.
hurley, you're not a "big picture" kind of person, are you? there was no way this was going to end all sunny and rainbows. shep HAD to die. what fanbase did they lose? we're all STILL talking about it, so where's the loss? obviously it's all still in our hearts, regardless of how they wrote the ending(which i loved).
ReplyDeleteME ending was epic. hurley just didn't enough love from his parents when he was young so he wanted shepard to live, blah make love with his lover, etc. shep dying and saving the universe, was the best ending i had experienced in videogames. only idiots like hurley didn't enjoy it.
DeleteHobbes, it's not entirely Hurley's fault. Many consumers are conditioned that, at the end of a video game, the hero will win and walk away in triumph with the girl (or, rarely, the boy). For the ones who need that, I hear there's a great series about a plumber and a princess.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see things integrated with the ending(s) of the original trilogy along the lines of various cameos in the Dragon Age series (Alistair's appearance in II was affected by Origins, for example).
p.s. If you aren't happy with the ending, you obviously didn't play enough to get the 'best' ending. Try again.
It´s great news that a Mass Effect 4 is under way, but it is also with somewhat mixed feelings that I received this news. Will it be a prequel or a sequel ? Will it take place during the events of ME triology, but with as story line of "lesser scope" ? Will other species other than human be playable ? Etc. Lots of questions and my mixed feelings is because Bioware might get it just right or not, depending on those choices. My personal preferences would be for a sequel (though a prequel or a lesser-sidestory-within-the-triology would also be great). A sequel would of course be difficult with the endings of ME3... (which by the way is some of the most epic and emotionel endings in any game I ever played - I agree with those statements above, that the ending would have been weak and sullied if it had been a rossy-cheeked happy end)...but not impossible. The "dark" ending where everyone gets obliterated by reapers, makes a sequel void (but Shepard choice in this ending wasn´t really heroic or epic in anyway, just plain stupid and suicidal for all), but the other endings could still lead to a sequel : Destroy - ME4 takes place in universe where the Reaper threat is no more (and neither is Geth or EDI), but the basic conflict between organics and synthetics was unresolved and thus plenty of possibilites for a ME4 game. Shepard might even have survived and mentioned living in a well deserved retirement with his/her loveinterest or in such a universe, the ME4 might be about a mission looking for the missing Shepard, rumoured to have survived ! Control : In this universe ME4 might be take place in a game where an ascended Shepard could be either a terryfying new threat/antagonist (read : renegade Shepard) in him/herself, or a powerful patron of the protagonist (read : mostly paragorn Shepard), but requiring the assistance of the protagonist of ME4 - Like the role of J.C.Denton in Deus Ex II.
ReplyDeleteFinally the synthesis ending : well , more difficult to have ME4 taking place with this ending, because it apparantly postulates a sort of utopian condition, but well...even in utopia everything might not be all troublefree. Not everyone agrees to the "synthesis" or new threats from outside the galaxy or...? All on all : Hope for sequel, but Again prequel could also be fine, but please Bioware - don´t rush it ! Better have the game come out in 2015 or even 2016 and being thoroughly done, than a rushed 2014 release (don`t think the last scenario is very likely, but still a bit worried about the possibility).. !