As the franchise moves forward with a new installment,Mass Effect 5could improve the popular morality system.Mass Effectis one of the most beloved RPG franchises in the gaming world, and after a controversial ending toMass Effect 3, fans have wanted a sequel to move the series forward. For everything the franchise did right, it left a sour note with the final installment of the trilogy, and the spin-off spiritual successor did not help.
Andromedawas a fine game for what it was, but when compared to the rest of the franchise it was a major downgrade. The much-loved Paragon/Renegade system was changed to a tone system that, while giving a bit more emotion in conversation, lessened the impact of player choices. The combat was more up-to-date with modern times, but that was one of the few wins the RPG had as it quickly faded into irrelevance.
Mass Effect’s Paragon Or Renegade Choices Are A Series Staple
An RPG System Done To Near Perfection
The Paragon and Renegade options for conversations and big choices were part of what made the original trilogy so great, with nearly everything a player said or did holding weight and having an impact. By choosing the “wrong” option, it would push the story down a completely different path and would usually be called back upon. This is something that more modern RPGs have partially gone away from, and is one of many reasons why the genre is weaker.
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Arguably the most amazing part of this system was how it affected the finale, wheredecisions made all the way back inMass Effectcould come back to help or harm the player inMass Effect 3. This truly tied the knot on how connected and immersive the universe of the franchise was, and proved that all those side quests that players invested time into were not for nothing.
Lastly, this system truly allowed the player to act how they wanted.Andromedafelt more linear and staticwhere Ryder is less the body of the player and more a character the player can somewhat tune. The big decisions of the game also feel less significant, as they matter at the moment but are quickly forgotten by most involved by the time the next quest starts. A good RPG will have a hard time holding a long-term opinion if the choices and their consequences don’t feel memorable.
Mass Effect 5 Should Add A New Morality System Option
A Chaotic-Neutral Version Of Shepard
With the likelihood of Paragon and Renegade returning,Mass Effect 5should take the opportunity to improve it with a new option. Something like this would bea middle ground between being the perfect hero and an evil renegade. For example, if there was an option to spare a group of enemies or outright kill them, the middle option could let them live, but they work for the player as some sort of mercenaries in return.
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An option like this would give players more freedom in an already open system. This level of immersion would be a breath of fresh air for the genre and franchise. In general, giving more options to play the story the way one desires is never a bad option, and for something likeMass Effect, a third option is unlikely to be that much extra work, even if it would be more than the standard two choices.
More Ambiguous Choices In ME5 Could Make A Compelling Story
How To Make The Choices A Hard Decision
Another wayMass Effect 5could enhance the Paragon system is with ambiguous choices. While not all of them,the majority ofunforgettable moments and choicesin the original trilogy were more clear-cut. You choose this if you want to be good, and that if you want to be bad. The weight behind these choices still held up, but there really wasn’t much debate about it.
This debate is whatMass Effect 5could bring by adding more ambiguous choices. When faced with a choice, itshould force the player to think about what each option means. This could mean each option having pros and cons that will affect the game in some manner. However, this could also mean that the choice is made without all the information, and the user has to use their instincts in figuring out which option is the “best”.
This unpredictability is something that makes thebest roleplaying gamesas good as they are;it may also be one of the few thingsMass Effectis lacking. After everything that happened withAndromeda, and the rough ending ofME3, the next installment has to be a success. Given all the time BioWare has had between titles, there is plenty of knowledge about what works and what doesn’t.
Another aspect to look at with all of these changes is the state of BioWare. The recent titles by the studio have been a mixed bag, andit wouldn’t be an understatement to say there is pressure on the historic studio. IfME5can be anywhere near as successful as the original trilogy, it will not only bring in the profit BioWare needs, but restore the faith in its fans that has been waning with recent titles.
BioWare is in a precarious position afterhalf of its staff were cut, either through layoffs or relocation to other EA subsidiary studios. A significantly smaller team is working on the nextMass Effect’s early production.
Overall, even if the base Paragon system returns in the sequel, it would be a major upgrade over whatAndromedatried. There is nothing inherently wrong with trying new things, but BioWare must be aware ofwhat should be different fromAndromeda, and what can be improved from the first three titles. Especially with a game that has a lot riding on it, both for the studio and the devoted fanbase, even small additions to features like the morality system can improveMass Effect 5’s chances.
