The ending of “Mass Effect 3” was one of the most controversial endings in the history of video games, and fans have been questioning the point in releasing a sequel after the third game concluded in the way it did. Although the developers tried to remedy the situation and fix the ending somewhat, the damage had already been done. However, with all this in mind, “Mass Effect 4” certainly isn’t lacking in the hype department, as people have been discussing the upcoming game for quite a while now, and these discussions get a serious revival every time something new is announced about the game.
A few pieces of concept art from the game’s studio have raised questions about a possible new alien race coming in the fourth installment. While this hasn’t been officially confirmed by the developers yet, they have hinted at the possibility of exploring further race options in the next games before. One of the new races shown seems to be heavily oriented towards warfare, with a dark, grim world as their home. On the other hand, another world seems more reminiscent of our own, although it’s not known if it’s inhabited by humanoids or something else entirely.
Meanwhile, the development team has taken the opportunity to make a fan happy, as they’re designing a special level to help with a marriage proposal. It’s not rare that something like this happens in the video games industry, but it’s always a nice moment. There’s a good reason why game developers tend to be so close to their communities, more so than most other types of entertainers, and this plays a major role in it. In general, Bioware are known for keeping in close touch with their fans and actively listening to feedback, so this shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the company.
The game’s timeline is still under question, as it may not be a direct sequel to the third game in the series. The problem is compounded by the fact that “Mass Effect 3” ended in a somewhat open manner, leaving various possibilities for a continuation of the story. Of course, not all endings of the old game were canon, but this doesn’t make the problem any less challenging.
One of the options that the studio has been exploring, according to rumors from the inside, has been to set the game in the distant future, where Shepard’s actions have become legendary, and acknowledge whatever choice the player took in the last game. This will obviously make it easier to tie the game to the previous installments, although there have been concerns that it might go a bit too far from the original storyline.