Ahead ofMass Effect 4, many gaming enthusiasts are no doubt wishing for BioWare to move past the narrative and gameplay decisions made inAndromedaandDragon Age: The Veilguard. These games have earned contentious receptions, to say the least, withAndromedain particular being viewed as a major departurefrom what madeMass Effectwork in the first place, not to mention being unpolished and buggy in general.
But both games do at least some things well—that much should be clear. While most long-time BioWare fans would agree that neitherAndromedanorVeilguardis “better” than any of their respective predecessors, there’s still reason to believe that the studio can learn from them moving forward. Learning from each game’s failures will be paramount, of course, but they both present a key gameplay-narrative choice that could benefitMass Effect 4: the absence of a Paragon/Renegade system, AKA a more nuanced view of right and wrong.
Why Mass Effect 4 Should Adapt the Loose Morality Systems of Andromeda, Veilguard
Mass Effect’s Paragon/Renegade System Is a Relic of the Past
After fumbling the bag withMass Effect Andromeda, BioWare may be tempted to be a bitmore conservative withMass Effect 4, sticking closely to the formula of the original trilogy instead of trying too many new things. While this approach wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world—the first threeMass Effectgames still hold up incredibly well—there are also some ideas that should remain in the past. The Paragon and Renegade dichotomy is one of them.
For the uninitiated,Paragon and Renegade represent two opposing idealsforMass Effectplayers to strive toward: Paragon is good, lawful, and chivalrous, while Renegade is rebellious, no-nonsense, and ruthlessly pragmatic. The biggest issue with these two extremes is that there is no middle-ground, no spectrum. Players' actions are often presented as exclusively one way or the other, with the game very clearly steering Shepard toward the Paragon route, contextualizing it as the “good” version of the character.
WhileRenegade actions aren’t explicitly evil, they are certainly lacking nuance in most instances, either due to being unreasonable, short-sighted, or overly aggressive.
With gaming as a whole, and especially RPGs, trending toward more morally gray storytelling, it would be best forMass Effect 4to follow a similar route. Players could still make decisions that are widely considered reprehensible, but it will be up to the audience to make that judgment, not the game. Moreover, middle-ground options should be a priority, as should more ethically complex ones.Taking a few notes fromAndromedaandVeilguardcould serve this end.
What Mass Effect 4 Could Learn from Andromeda and Veilguard
InMass Effect Andromeda, Ryder’s choices contribute to a broader personality profile rather than a binary rating of good or bad. How successful the game is with this system can be debated, but the premise is certainly interesting, and it’s not hard to imagine how such a design philosophy could support a more nuanced morality system inMass Effect 4.Veilguardadheres to the “morality” system of previousDragon Agegames, that being the approval mechanic: different choices will garner disapproval or approval from party members, depending on their personality, goals, and ethical leanings.
Playing with one or both of these frameworks could helpBioWare find a good replacement for the Paragon/Renegade system. For instance, a behind-the-scenes personality profile, one that can influence characters' perception of the player, would synergize nicely with a version ofDragon Age’s approval system, forming an engaging simulation of real-world social dynamics. Whatever permutation of a morality systemMass Effect 4has, it’s fair to say that the binary Paragon and Renegade choices should fall by the wayside, making room for something more interesting.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
WHERE TO PLAY
Mass Effect: Andromeda travels deep into the Andromeda Galaxy, far beyond the Milky Way. There, you will lead our fight for a new home in hostile territory where we are the aliens. Take command as the Pathfinder, a leader of a squad of military-trained explorers, with deep progression and customization systems. This is the story of humanity’s next chapter, and your choices throughout the game will ultimately determine our survival in the Andromeda Galaxy. As you unfold the mysteries of the Andromeda Galaxy and the hope for humanity lies on your shoulders, you must ask yourself – how far will you go?
