No more Commander Shepard

A Shepardless Flock

Commander Shepard’s time within the spotlight might need come to an end but BioWare’s work in developing the Mass Effect universe will prove way more important for future games.

“What we shall do is tell a brand new story set within the Mass Effect universe,” explains BioWare Montreal studio director Yanick Roy at the company’s forum.

“That doesn’t suggest that events of the 1st three games and the decisions you made won’t get recognised, but they likely won’t be what this new story will discuss.”

It’s time for a reset

Forward Thinking

A new chapter within the Mass Effect saga is something of significant promise – the unique game did a sterling job of establishing both Shepard’s world and the larger picture (when it comes to lore), so we glance forward to going back to a rather more sedate pace than ME3’s relentless, full-steam-ahead action charge.

And even though it does come to be being called Mass Effect 4, don’t assume it will become an instantaneous follow-up.

“[Just] since the game happens before or after the primary trilogy doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a straight prequel or sequel,” confirms Roy.

It can be a prequel

Back In Time

Wait, prequel?

If BioWare is talking in regards to the game recognising and reacting to player decisions from previous titles, we will be able to surely write off the belief of a pure prequel – in any case, it would be pretty hard for Shepard’s actions to have any consequence in the event that they haven’t even happened yet.

Still, flashbacks to an earlier time are still possible and would truly offer how to implement major player-based changes to the sector inside the space of a single game.

Multiplayer’s still at the cards

Renegade Ops

BioWare Social Network regulars were quick to leap on Roy’s original post and threw a lot of questions and requests on the studio head.

While he managed not to let an excessive amount of slip on the subject of details, there have been certainly a couple of suggestions of what we will be able to expect from the total package – multiplayer, he says, was well received in ME3 and remains being considered for ME4, although we’d worry that it only worked in any respect before end result of the action-heavy nature of the third game.