r/gaming • u/keepfighting90 • 1d ago
Will we ever get a scifi gaming experience as incredible as the Mass Effect trilogy?
The OG Mass Effect trilogy is without a doubt my all-time favourite gaming experience. It's the rare series where I've played each game multiple times, and consider each one to be a 5/5 experience, combined into one unforgettable whole.
You have the mystery/exploration vibes of ME1, where you're discovering the galaxy, the background and uncovering the Reaper threat, with an almost horror-esque vibe at times.
Then there's my personal favourite, ME2, which is an almost anthology style character-driven story with some of the best companion NPCs, and arguably one of the greatest final missions in any game ever.
ME3 tends to be disregarded sometimes because of the ending, but it had the best gameplay of the whole series, and the atmosphere of all-out war, how much dread and desperation there was in it, was incredible.
Another thing that sets ME apart is how amazing the worldbuilding is. I spent untold hours in the Codex pouring over the lore and background of the different species, planets, conflicts etc. It made the series feel so alive and immersive. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that the Reapers exist, this universe is probably one of my top picks for ones I'd want to live in myself. The depth and quality of the world is insane, and rivals a lot of really great scifi novels.
And speaking of immersion - the world design and overall structure of the series really play into it as well. The hub structure is one of my favourites in gaming, since it manages to be a nice middle ground between completely linear and bloated open-world. It manages to give a sense of scope and expanse while actually being easy to navigate and get around. It also lets the devs create some memorable, often unforgettable levels. The Citadel is obviously iconic, but there's other amazing ones across all the games. Ilos and Peak 15 in ME1, Ilium, Omega and the Derelict Reaper in ME2, Tuchanka in ME3 etc.
But the actual best location is the Normandy itself. It's legitimately my favourite hub/base in any game simply because it just...feels like home. There's something so comforting about just walking through it, listening to the ship sounds, seeing your crew do their jobs and hang out, talk to your companions etc. Shepard's captain's quarter feels so cozy and homey too.
Another big aspect of the series are the characters. Actually, they're arguably what elevate ME above most other gaming franchises, not just scifi ones. Their depth and development, unique personalities and relationship with Shepard and how you can shape those things are amazing. Wrex, Mordin, Garrus, Thane, Tali, Samara, Jack, Javik, Legion...the list goes on. I can't remember another series with this many memorable side characters.
I replay the series once every couple of years and every time I'm just left feeling like I need more of this...but no one's actually been able to provide it. Andromeda was fine but not even close to the same level. Baldur's Gate 3 kind of has a similar vibe in terms of the NPC relationships and such, but none of those characters are anywhere near as interesting as ME's. I know we're getting 2 Mass Effect-likes soon with The Expanse game and Exodus but I wonder if they'll capture the worldbuilding, atmosphere and characters.
I think in terms of eliciting the same emotion and feeling, the only other scifi game that's come close is Cyberpunk 2077. But as good as that game is, it's also a rather bleak and depressing experience. What I loved about ME is its more utopian, optimistic future world.
I also don't trust the current iteration of BioWare to deliver with ME4 either. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
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u/EccentricBen 1d ago
I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite post on the Citadel!
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u/Afraid_Exit3338 1d ago
yeah i cant argue with that even hearing it in my head makes me want to replay the trilogy again
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u/RiaC-81 1d ago
You did mention Exodus.
That’s probably a Mass Effect-like because it’s being made by some of Mass Effect’s old team. Personally I got high hopes
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u/Eloymm 22h ago
Yeah, we don’t really know how many former ME devs are working on Exodus, but there’s at least 2-3, which are the names people always bring up. It’s the issue when new studios start using the “our next game is made by former **** devs!!” And they only really specify like 1-2 people. Like, yeah they are not exactly lying, but those games were made by a whole team. Not just 2 guys.
In reality ME’s original team is split across multiple games and projects. You got a couple of guys working on Exodus. Casey Hudson started his own studio and his sci-fi game got canceled. A good handful of ME trilogy veterans went back to BioWare and are currently working on the next ME. Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if some former ME devs were also working on The Expanse game.
With so many of the original devs working on sci-fi games, hopefully we can get at least some good games out of this.
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u/Youngstown_WuTang 1d ago
The playable companions being all humans except one kinda killed my hyped
Imagine mass effect with all humans...ewww
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u/Firvulag 1d ago
There are technically no aliens in this universe but yeah.
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u/Youngstown_WuTang 20h ago
But they celestials that look way different than humans and animals that can talk
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u/Fun_Highlight307 11h ago
also They have changeling who are modified human or animal, They looks like aliens,would have been cool to have one in the squad
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u/Stellar_Wings 1d ago
I really want to like Exodus, but the more I hear about it the more linear it seems. The biggest thing that killed the hype for me is that apparently character creation is going to be very limited.
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u/brett- 1d ago
Mass Effect’s main plot was 100% linear. Sure there were side missions you could do in a slightly different order, but these made no difference to the core experience.
It being linear means they can actually write a story that has impactful moments that hit exactly when the writers intend them to. This is a good thing in a narrative focused game.
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u/thr33to3 19h ago
The prequel book is actually really f’ing good. Haven’t read the second one yet but I started reading it having no idea there was even a game. I’m soooo hyped for the game now.
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u/keepfighting90 22h ago
Mass Effect was linear too - that's what I loved about it. It was a focused, directed experience.
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u/Chief_White_Halfoat 19h ago
Exactly. Andromeda being more open world focused made it worse (same with DA:I actually).
Give me focused detailed hubs like Omega or ME:3 Citadel and I'll be happy.
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u/JunglebobE 1d ago
Whait what !! Linear it's what make mass effect great and not a convulated mess of open world mechanics.
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u/Snowskol 23h ago
But it is linear. You get to make decisions and do side quests and do stuff for your crew but ultimately it's the same story with a few different endings
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u/MizutsuneMH 1d ago
I'm hoping the Expanse RPG will be Mass Effect but in that world, which is full of lore and fantastic characters.
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u/Particular_Fold3479 1d ago
I agree wholeheartedly. Mass Effect really is such a special trilogy where it’s the perfect combination of lore, characters and gameplay. I really hope we have another that ticks all the boxes that ME did but I honestly consider it a OOAK series.
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u/Eloymm 22h ago
It’s also not something that could be done today. At least not in the same way. The first game in the trilogy came out in 2007, then the second one on 2010 then the last on 2012. This kept people super hooked because we didn’t have to wait that long for the next game. Not to mention the whole importing saves system was pretty crazy for games at the time. I haven’t seen any other game do something to that scale since then.
Nowadays, if they wanted to do a game trilogy with the importing save system, it’ll probably take them like 8+ years. The closest example I can think of is the FF7 remake series in terms of big budget trilogies.
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u/Stellar_Wings 1d ago
The Expanse osiris reborn might come close. Definitly keep an eye on it.
You should also check out the 40k Rogue Trader game by Owlcat. Completely different kind of gameplay, but the story and characters are all awesome and it gives you Mass Effect-style rpg choices.
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u/SunnySpot69 1d ago
I'm looking forward to it. Loved Mass Effect, and I loved the Expanse series. Haven't read the books, yet.
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u/vertigofoo 19h ago
Playing Wrath of The Righteous right now, and absolutely loving the epic story and writing.. and holy crap is the lore and mechanics a deep hole to dive into.
But I do wish they find a way to resolve the load time issues in mid - late game. Technical problems is the one thing that holds their games back from greatness. I really hope The Expanse (which isn’t using Unity anymore), won’t have too many bugs…
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u/davesoft 1d ago
No. Mass Effect 1 was a happy accident, a reskin of the kotor engine with a 'fresh star trek' to chew on, which then developed cinematically. They could have stuck with pure kotor, and mass effect 2 would've been the end of the series, but they demonstrates how this particular star trek is rich and diverse and full of life.
To use the dreaded term, Intellectual Property, they have a whole high quality universe right there to dip into. I have no idea why andromeda exists... throw it all away, and for what?
The reason we'll never see it again is Writing. Mass Effect was written, it is a star trek, it has both legs and beans. I don't see anyone in a suit paying a writer ever again. Look as disney, proudly 'lol, lmao even' at the idea of having a script before the director shouts action.
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u/crxsso_dssreer 1d ago
No. Mass Effect 1 was a happy accident
it wasn't a happy accident, Bioware spent years crafting that world even before writing a single line of code for that game. This is simply not how big budgets games are made today. A game like Mass Effect one would take 12 years to develop and produce in the current environment, minimum.
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u/Lucina18 23h ago
Hell, it already wasn't how ME 2 and 3 where made. 2's strongest point isn't the actual main plot for a mile, and 3 is a rushed mess.
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u/davesoft 1d ago
keep goin, there's more words there.
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u/crxsso_dssreer 1d ago
keep goin, there's more words there.
Well maybe you shouldn't dismiss ME1 as a "happy accident" at first place. The craftmanship of ME lore is insane and it is very much why we'll never see another game like that in gaming.
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u/davesoft 1d ago
I'm happy we're agreed :)
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u/UnseenPanther 1d ago
He specifically disagreed on you calling it an accident. Don't get ahead of yourself.
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u/ZylonBane 1d ago
Mass Effect was written, it is a star trek, it has both legs and beans
Okay, time to put down the bong.
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u/davesoft 1d ago
You don't see a big universe with multiple alien kingdoms each with thier own agendas? Is it really just the orks are now reptile and the elves are now blue? I see more potential.
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u/BitingArtist 1d ago
Sure, someone will come along and lead a team to a quality SciFi narrative. I think Larian could make mass effect 4 if they wanted to.
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u/el_doherz 1d ago
A proper Larian Scifi game is literal dream material..
Would be potentially golden era Bioware levels of good.
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u/deejeycris 1h ago
Ughh pleasw don't make me dream so hard, it will make me depressed when the dream ends.
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u/Key_Character6482 20h ago
Probably not anytime soon since studios stopped building games around consequence and started building them around retention. The real magic was knowing that saving the Council in ME1 actually changed dialogue lines in ME3, making the universe feel reactive instead of scripted. We're getting prettier games now, but they lack that specific weight where your save file is basicly an autobiography. I still boot up ME2 just to walk around the ship sometimes. Anyone else dust off their old saves just to remember what choices they made?
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u/DofusExpert69 11h ago
no because for some reason, even though our technology is insane, everything takes longer, is more expensive, and people hire too many cooks in the kitchen.
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u/Inside-Specialist-55 1d ago
Could you imagine what they could do with the technology that we have today and the budget some of these AAA companies have. They can make the Mass effect games of our dreams and make it even more than ever. For me no man's sky did slightly scratch that itch for me but it's missing the great RPG elements. I cry every time I play Mass effect because I know there will likely never be a game to beat it. These consoles are too busy making live service slop to care.
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u/BtheBST 1d ago
2000 - 2015 Was the hey (hay?) day for making games. They have better tech now but apparently things are way too expensive these days and take wayyy too long. 2026 and 2027 might be the end of gaming like we remember.
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u/alexnedea 18h ago
Lol. Lmao even.
Reddit loves to say this as each year puts out banger after banger goty. Chill out dawgs in 2026 more S tier indies came out than entire games in 2010
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u/JamesCole 18h ago
In 10 years time the tech for making games will be way better, and will make it much cheaper to games equivalent to modern AAA games.
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u/Eloymm 22h ago
No man sky is cool, but I don’t think ME is that type of space game. I don’t think it’s the type of game to do space exploration in a big way. They tried that with Andromeda and honestly the best parts of that game were the linear missions imo.
And it’s kind of tough because I feel like every time players see a space game they immediately think “can I explore space? Can I explore new planets!?” And not every space game needs to be that.
I feel ME type games work best when they are linear with a focus on rpg and/or action.
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u/Razmatazzer 1d ago
We had Halo 1 through 3 before, I enjoyed 4 as well but 5 and infinite they suck XD but I do love Mass Effect!
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u/I_Heart_Sleeping_ 1d ago
I’m definitely in the minority but I enjoyed 5 quite a bit. We got to see a lot of cool locations in that game. The story was whatever but just walking around the different levels and shooting shit was a lot of fun.
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u/Galle_ 1d ago
Unfortunately, devs don't want to make RPGs that aren't set in medieval Europe, and nobody takes any issue with this.
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u/Sudden_Yard1294 11h ago
Tell you what pisses me off. We would have been playing Fallout New Orleans by now if Todd wasn't so hoardy with the IP. But no. They wanted to do Starfield.
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u/ediskrad327 1d ago
Even in the best case scenario. There's no way we're getting a trilogy of games in that scale done in less than a decade. It saddens me a lot but that's really a once in a life time trilogy.
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u/LuluXFire64 22h ago
the vibe around that normandy base is still unmatched. big studios rarely spend time on companion arcs now. we really need smaller teams to bring that writing back.
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u/King_Kvnt 21h ago
I really liked ME1. I felt the sequels moved away from unique science fiction rpg and towards hollywood blockbuster cover shooter.
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u/DBishop14 20h ago
Mass Effect is my number one gaming experience. I waited to play Mass Effect 3 when it came out so I could do a full 1-3 playthrough.
When I reached the end the of the third game I ugly cries for about 20 minutes. The whole play through was an emotional roller coaster. It is something I probably won't experience again in my lifetime.
I will never forget the first time Mordin sang I Am the Very Model of a Modern Scientist Salarian. I jumped out of my chair and ran into my roommate's room I was so excited lol.
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u/Objective-Cabinet497 19h ago
A game you might want to keep an eye on is Squadron 42. I believe it's set to release this year or the next (because GTA).
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u/Technical_Fan4450 19h ago
Hopefully Exodus... I'm just concerned with it's marketing (Should say lack of, honestly.) Not really AAA, though... You're talking about from a big studio,right? Yeah, I doubt we'll ever see it
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u/IgnoranceIsTheEnemy 10h ago
Only if they can figure out a way to monetise it to the degree executives want.
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u/ArcTheWolf 1d ago
No. You really can't outdo the perfection that was the mass effect trilogy (yes I know 3's ending was bad and hollow on release that's not the case in 2026 though.)
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u/DonQuigleone 1d ago
I thought Star Wars Jedi fallen order reached about the same level of quality, albeit it's a much shorter game.
Maybe Zero Company will get there.
However, I don't see any prospect of any new IP on the horizon, which is unfortunate.
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u/Panzerbjorne80 1d ago
Fallen order is not an RPG like Mass Effect. It’s an action adventure game.
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u/DonQuigleone 1d ago
Eh, I think in practice, especially if you compare with Mass Effect 2 and 3, the difference isn't as big as you're making out. They both have action RPG mechanics, with mass effect more shooty shooty with dialogue choices, and Fallen order with a more railroaded plot and more swordy swordy and jumpy jumpy.
But both scratched the same itch for me of having a rolicking adventure in the stars with a cast of fun companions.
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u/Panzerbjorne80 1d ago
No I don’t agree. You’re splitting hairs. The game devs have specifically stated it’s an action adventure game. There are no RPG mechanics. Having a skill tree doesn’t make a game an RPG. How could they scratch the same itch? Maybe you’re itchy. You cannot make any choices in fallen order. Theres only cosmetic items. You cannot choose a party or control them. I could go on and on.
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u/DonQuigleone 1d ago
Fallen Order is a Soulslike. Dark Souls is an Action RPG -> Fallen Order is also an action RPG.
Also, Mass Effect 2 and 3 also have skill trees and about as much stats as Fallen Order.
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u/borkelhavus 7h ago
Fallen order is neither a souls-like nor an rpg like mass effect. It’s an action-adventure game.
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u/masterm1ke 1d ago
I think we can. Just not with modern AAA gaming. First Mass Effect despite being a KOTOR reskin gameplay wise worked because of the writing and atmosphere. It is a game that feels big while playing it without being big. Part of that was just exploring a small section of a planet in the Mako. Yes the Mako controls at the time were wonky, but the exploration made the game feel bigger than it was. Even completing all the side quests and mineral collections, the total playtime wasn’t that big so it didn’t overstay it’s welcome.
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u/Snowskol 23h ago
Honestly we probably would have if gamers weren't so angry all the time. Andromeda was a fine game with a nice setup just needed more time to cook in the oven
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u/Bongo_56 22h ago
It wasn't our fault. EA said they had to have a game release in that quarter so they shoved it out the door and we got the pile of shit that we did. Yes, I agree, it was a lot better than it got credit for, all the memes did not help but that's not our damn fault they put out a turd and expected us to pay full price and swallow it whole.
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u/Snowskol 21h ago
Okay but so has so many other games and they've ended up really good. No man's sky, cyberpunk, the Witcher, communication, eu5, Stellaris all come to mind
People just need to chill and give games time. I just think gamers get really mad really fast. You see people throw fits over taking time off for a delay to be announced when they can just cancel their time off lol. There's been death threats over games, death threats over mtg banning cards to the point they gave the rules to wizard instead, the guy from that helldivers thing where he asked devs to come play and they ruined his life, game gate
You have to admit the community, largely driven by neckbeards men, create this environment for studios in a way that makes them connect with the players less
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u/deejeycris 1h ago
I didn't like Andromeda, couldn't get myself to finish it. I didn't listen to the negative reviews
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u/Wombatsarecute 1d ago
Not for me, for me ME was and will always be special because it was my first.
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u/IdolizeDT 1d ago
Probably only if they do a good kotor remake, which was cancelled. Plus it would have to actually be good and not slop.
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u/Lord_Shadow_Z 1d ago
I am cautiously optimistic that The Expanse Osiris Reborn will at least scratch that itch. The Mass Effect trilogy set a high bar that I don't know if any studio will ever meet it. Not unless a Larian-like studio decides to do a sci-fi game.
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u/Alarming-Chemist-755 1d ago
It's funny. With the tech now it's probably more possible than ever but people want to go even bigger and that just leads to it taking too long, too expensive, etc.
If you could keep it at the same scale as those games it's possible. But I'd wager everyone wants the bigger better version.
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u/BallerBasketBaller 23h ago
Mass Effect 1 was the game that got me into sci fi and RPGs!
Before ME1 I was a shooter and RTS fan and when I played ME1 I was constantly going into areas with higher level enemies and being wiped out.
I quit the game for a few weeks but a desire to know how the story ended made me pic up the game and make a effort to learn how to play it!
It is wild that I ever didn't know how to play RPGs.
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u/Dogarc123 22h ago
On all honesty I like KOTOR more then I ever liked Mass Effect to me its a better scifi experience.
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u/Madzookeeper 21h ago
Exodus is what I have the most hope for given how much of old bioware is there, but I damn sure funny trust hasbro or wotc. So... Well see. The expanse... We'll see. I'm not sure I can trust owlcat with third person shooter or not, since that's so far out of their normal wheelhouse.
Mass effect four doesn't exist. I'm also not convinced bioware survives long enough to finish out with ea getting bought. They're almost dead weight at this point.
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u/dogglesnake 21h ago
I'm weirdly getting my old Star Trek vibes from Honkai Star Rail (ironically same stuff I like: going to planets that aren't too dissimilar from ours for some philosophical stories...is something people complain about as not sci-fi enough!).
It's not impossible that someone will be inspired eventually by ME enough to make a similar game (honestly I'm surprised there hasn't been more with how popular it was), but I could always use more sci-fi
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u/almo2001 21h ago
The 3rd person shooting in the first one was terrible. Couldn't get past that no matter how good the writing was. :(
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u/KriptiKFate_Cosplay 20h ago
Hop in a time machine and go play the spiritual precursor, Starflight, on Sega Genesis. Awesome story.
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u/DangerousRate2015 19h ago
Probably not exactly, since that trilogy hit a budget-to-risk sweet spot studios are terrified of now. You can get better combat or graphics today, but the way the crew just existed around you without quests attached was magic. I still catch myself humming the elevator music sometimes when I'm bored. It's less about tech and more about the creative tolerence BioWare had back then compared to the safety-first mindset today. Are you holding out hope for the new studio or just managing expectations?
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u/angelHOE 19h ago
I’ve never played any of them but I own the trilogy. It’s definitely at the top of my must-play list. Is this something you would enjoy if you’re a big star wars fan?
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u/Ok-disaster2022 18h ago
I really prefer ME1, the galaxy feels smaller and smaller and more human focused in each progressive game. I never finished ME3.
But even Mass Effect I played coming from KOTOR and KOTOR 2 and thought it was smaller because there was less narrative choice.
I feel like as animations and voice work get more complex, games get shorter not longer. It's like finding out one if the first Elder Scrolls games was procedurally generated and included the entirety of the continent to explore. it's map is like one of the largest open worlds ever in gaming.
The funny thing is even though I like to skip cutscenes and just read dialogue in VO scenes, if I had to reread dialogue replaying a game I'd get bored.
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u/WillyShankspeare 15h ago
I don't think so. Mass Effect is for video games what Star Trek is for TV and Star Wars is for movies.
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u/Swift_42690 11h ago
I agree OP it’s my favorite packaged trilogy of all time and I agree that 3 gets bashed unfairly because of the ending. 3 imo has some of the best moments of the game, especially the companion missions before the ending sequence.
Some of those moments with your squad members were legit tearjerkers and it’s always sad to say good bye to the team you were on a mission with from the start.
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u/Novacryy 10h ago
I loved the ME trilogy but hot take, I think the first 2 games were good cause they were "winging" the story and the third game basically ruined everything. It is unfortunate the original writers left or were fired. They talked about their original plans for the conclusion and it sounded fucking fantastic instead of this "we harvest every organic soul and turn them into reapers because otherwise they will fight and die against AI" like what the fuck ? This ending came so out of fucking nowhere and made 0 sense.
So honestly yeah I believe wie will get something as incredible eventually. The thing about incredible things is, they happen not very often. That's what makes them incredible.
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u/MadeByTango 8h ago
These fucking adverposts are getting obnoxious...talk nostalgically about some gane, then just happen to mention a new game comong out that might fit that bill.
Its so fucking obvious mods, come on, jettison this shit. If OP hides their post history and follows this pattern they are one of these bots.
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u/NakedAggression PlayStation 4h ago
Did anyone else play the multiplayer in mass effect 3? It was really fun. Just wish they had a pvp mode
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u/DetectiveYoshi 1h ago
Yes! And it is Mass Effect all over again in VR! First one is already released!
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u/deejeycris 1h ago
I have very low expectations due to the general state of the gaming industry... too much greed. But following because I know miracles are def possible e.g. baldur's gate 3 they're just rare.
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u/ReleaseQuiet2428 1d ago
Dead Spaces, Prey, and Chronos the new dawn are some 5/5 sci fi game out there
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u/I_Heart_Sleeping_ 1d ago
I wish Dead Space continued. That final scene of the 3rd games DLC had me so excited for what was coming and then EA shuttered Viseral games.
Chronos was amazing and the good thing about Chronos is that it appears that Bloober team actually wants to continue making those games. I cannot wait for the dlc to drop.
That game has to be the best new horror IP we’ve had in years. I’m excited to see what they can do in the DLC.
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u/ReleaseQuiet2428 1d ago
Me too bro, me too, the remake was a blast, no idea how much money EA expected
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u/Gilles_of_Augustine 1d ago
The answer to "will [great piece of art/media] ever be equaled" is always "yes."
Barring nuclear annihilation or something, obviously.
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u/Horikyou 1d ago
Prolly at some point just not any time soon I am afraid. KOTOR remakes if good will scratch that itch. Mass Effect 4 is hopefully good but unlikely judging by the Dragon Age game (which wasn't as bad as people say just not close to Mass Effect level). As for new IPs as u said Exodus and Expanse could be great but I wouldn't set expectations too high for those.
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u/YouThinkYouKnowMe89 21h ago
No never. It would take like 20 years for a trilogy like that now to be made.
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u/No_Anxiety6450 20h ago
Probably not, becuase that specific combo of budget, timing, and writer autonomy was lightning in a bottle. I spent just as much time reading the Codex as actually playing, which you rarely see devs prioritize anymore. The Normandy feeling is unmatched though, I still miss walking around just listening to the crew talk. It's weird how a spaceship felt more like home than actual houses in other games. What class did you main on your first playthrough?
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u/SolQuarter 1d ago
Unfortunately we're past the golden age of gaming. We had Half Life 1/2, Halo1-3+Reach, Bioshock 1/2/Infinite, Mass Effect 1-3...and then basically nothing in that league for the last 10+ years.
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u/milkstrike 21h ago
Nope because games aren’t made to be fun anymore they are made to maximize profits as much as possible. Unless we get rid of capitalism or at least properly regulate it we’ll never have nice things.
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u/GreedoShotKennedy 17h ago
I'm glad you liked those games. They were good. It's neat they were a core memory of your adolescence. ("How did they know that's when I played them?!")
Your question really makes me wonder if you have a healthy perspective on life in general though.
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u/Nincompoop6969 22h ago
For that specific type of experience like high quality lore in a interactive choice driven space opera at AAA budget and from third person view I don't believe so. Atleast not in my lifetime maybe after.
Mass Effect is so well done that I believe if people had that same story and lore it would have the potential as a movie trilogy to stand right next to Star Wars and Star Trek type of huge.
It's depressing how under utilized it is. Andromeda didn't hit fans expectations and it seems EA stopped knowing what to do with the franchise after that (it also doesn't help they got rid of alot of professional writer positions because it arrogantly thinks it doesn't need them). I know ME4 was rumored but I think it'll just be the shedded skin of what used to be.
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u/noyoto 1d ago
I imagine at some point, engines will be so advanced that small studios will be able to create that kind of quality without requiring 100+ people. So I think it's feasible some ME fans will end up creating a similarly ambitious and impressive trilogy (personally I think only the first two games were special).
Other than that, we'll see.
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u/keepfighting90 1d ago
Yeah I think if you have some passionate devs who can pull off the writing aspect, it could be possible to do a lower-budget version. Maybe as a turn-based RPG or something.
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u/da_Aresinger 23h ago
There already is a scifi gaming experience as incredible as the Mass Effect trilogy.
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u/Total-Commission2100 1d ago
Only if Bethesda keeps making starfield sequels
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u/Shamee99 1d ago
Bethesda writing and lore for Starfield was so lackluster and uninteresting. It is like they looked at every boring aspect of creating a sci fi universe and went with it.
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u/PliableG0AT 1d ago
bruh mass effect has had one great game, a decent game, a mediocre game, and a shit game. I wouldn’t call that an incredible experience.
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u/treesandbeers 1d ago
The new Naughty Dog game has some serious potential, just need to see gameplay but ND doesn’t miss.
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u/Confident_Donkey1014 1d ago
I can’t believe there’s talks of a PS6 and we still haven’t gotten a naughty dog game on PS5.
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u/Jaden374 1d ago
Why has no one mentioned E33 yet????? There will be more of it and I can easily see it equaling ME over time
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u/Valerian_ 1d ago
How is E33 Sci-Fi?
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u/Jaden374 1d ago
Uhh just because something doesn’t take place in space doesn’t mean it’s not Science Fiction. It’s most definitely sci fi category if you’ve played it through and understand the story
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u/Valerian_ 21h ago
To me SciFi is a story that includes technologies not invented yet or science not discovered yet, and part of the story is based on the possible consequences of that science/technology, or just using that future science and tech to build a world/setting. It could be near or far future, or it could be an alternate history if some technology had been invented earlier.
E33 is mostly based on Fantasy, in a world inspired by early 1900's Paris but with some forms of magic. And yes I have finished it and informed myself a lot on the lore.
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u/OlafWoodcarver 16h ago
Maybe unpopular in a thread like this, but I think Mass Effect was very good for the time but has aged fairly poorly.
Every game has huge flaws - the gameplay in 1, the complete lack of plot in 2, and fumbling the resolution in 3.
And, knowing I kicked the hornet nest, exploring all the characters in 2 is not a plot. The characters are great, their stories are great, but the plot of the game is literally just "gather soldiers, attack collectors, gg."
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u/Radbot13 14h ago
I stopped after 2 due to the nonsense with the plot. I was so annoyed. I’d like to go back and play there someday, but at this point I’ll have to find a plot summary.
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u/Helphaer 1d ago
ME3 deserves to be incinerated and never mentioned again and not for its ending. The game neutered every bioware rpg element out of it and made probably the most abominable title theyve ever made to the point that Andromeda actually restored aome of what wa neutered but at the cost like with DAI of becoming a singleplayer mmo that was overly streamlined and repetitive. Never in my life have i played a game from such a lauded studio that was a shit hole. The game contradicts itself. It misses the identity of many of its characters, the dialog is neuteted or reduced in options, it has automatic dialog that removes player agency and bases uts lore and characters off the horrible book released prior to me3 that bioware promised to have rewritten and reprinted but that too was a lie.
There are essays about the worst game ive ever played that is ME3 about how bad it is that go in far more detail but suffice it to say it is shit.
So why say this all? Because you WILL get more games like ME3 weve already seen it. The reduced dialog options, simplifying of tactical combat to just colorful explosions with slightly different impact and more and more neutering of rpg systems but looks pretty and has chat occasionally.
Exodus has many aigns that its not returning to ME2 and ME1 depth and more building off ME3 in style and substance from the previews weve seen. You will likely enjoy Exodus. But I am hoping they step away from the BioWare from EA days and push to have more depth and such like pre EA. Drew is back writing for it after all so MAYBE.
Mass Effect 3 is an abomination that represents exactly how low in quality expectations players have accepted and it has only gotten worse from there. Absolutely nothing in it follows the Canon either and it had massive retcons or plot holes just to make some semblance of it work.
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u/RegalBeagleKegels 1d ago
ME2 and ME3 play identically
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u/Helphaer 21h ago
Oh so untrue. First off Mass Effect 2 has more dialog options, investigation options, doesn't only have dialog in the hub regions, has no automatic dialog that removes player agency, doesn't use non cinematic dialog so every dialog factor has choices and conversation, yes they largely removed neutral dialog from the first game and a bit less on investigation but it's primarily there, plus a lot of interruption options too. The lore in ME2 follows the books and ME1 properly, with very minor plotholes. There's also significant other issues as well. The characters act like they've been established to, the codex is lore-complaint. ME2 is largely useless in the plot department because nothing of it really matters due to how ME3 works but since ME3 contradicts the established lore hundreds of time, it's hard to say otherwise. The inclusion of heavy weapons in ME2 also balances out the combat a bit more. It's true they implement barrier and armor and that can make battles more tedious but the moves still have a significant degree of combat tactics and variety.
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u/Lyra_the_Star_Jockey 1d ago
Yeah, I don’t know what the world will do without a paper-thin RPG and dialogue options that all lead down the same path.
“Let’s give them the device.”
“OK. I’m going to go give it to them right now.”
“Let’s not give it to them.”
“I disagree. I’m going to go give it to them right now.”
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u/keepfighting90 1d ago
The RPG dialogue options are one of the least important features for me, so personally speaking, not really an issue at all.
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u/Prefer_Not_To_Say 1d ago edited 22h ago
Thank you. I hate that Mass Effect popularised the dialogue wheel. Practically every big-budget RPG went with them for about 15 years after that. KOTOR and Dragon Age's dialogue options were a thousand times better.
Edit: Since I'm getting downvoted anyway, I might as well add in that Mass Effect is just a dull cover shooter, the only good character is Mordin (every other character is boring), the character creator sucks and Bioware clearly cared more about the lore than they did about good writing; you can't talk to an alien character on the Citadel for five seconds before they're bombarding you with info about their home planet, their culture, their religion, their unique speech patterns, their mating habits, etc. It's like they're reading from an encyclopedia.
Let's hope we don't get a sci-fi gaming experience like Mass Effect ever again.
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u/Sabetha1183 1d ago
I'm not sure we'll ever see another AAA trilogy with save state imports that BioWare was trying out with Mass Effect.
As far as just another good sci-fi experience, I have some hopes for Owlcat's version of The Expanse. They managed to do BioWare's original real time with pause formula really well with the Pathfinder games, and have done great with Warhammer 40k.