Mass Effect 4is probably still a few years off.Most of theMass Effectteam is helpingDragon Age: Dreadwolfget off the ground, and BioWare hasn’t given any clear signals regardingME4’s release window. Some observers predict the new game might come as soon as next year, though that might be overambitious. The actual release date could still be several years out.
Regardless of whenMass Effect 4comes out, the game has a lot riding on it. There’s been plenty of speculation about game mechanics, story details, whichMass Effect 3ending is canon, and the game’s relationship toMass Effect: Andromeda. However, one thing that BioWare absolutely cannot neglect is the game’s love interests. BioWare will, of course, need to bring its quality character writing to bear in that department, but the studio can’t neglect quantity either.
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BioWare Romances
It takes a lot of work to overstate how essentialRomances are in BioWare RPGs. It would be silly to say thatMass Effect 4would fail if its love interests weren’t up to snuff. However, people would miss them if they weren’t there, and Romances play an outsized role in the BioWare fandom. While that might sound strange, it’s not surprising given the amount of effort and writing talent the studio puts into its optional love stories.
Rather than simple side quests, BioWare creates characters that players can grow attached to. The writers do their best to make these love interests feel like real people rather than just toys they can manipulate. This has a lot to do with BioWare’s focus on character writing but also because the games use romance to create conflict and drama. For example, Shepard’sMass Effect 1love interest won’t appreciate being cheated on inME2, which willinfluence their behavior inMass Effect 3. BioWare’s also not afraid to tug at the player’s heartstrings, and this can range from sweet moments of emotional intimacy to dramatic displays of self-sacrifice.
BioWare games vary in terms of how many love interests players can choose from. For example,KOTOR,Jade Kingdom, andMass Effect 1only had three romances, whileDragon Age: InquisitionandBaldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspearboth had eight.Mass Effect 3technically holds the record with 15, though mostly because it lets players continue relationships that started in the first two games. However, that won’t be possible ifMass Effect 4features a new protagonist, which seems likely.
Mass Effect 4 Needs More Romances
Mass Effect 4doesn’t necessarily need to breakMass Effect 3’s record. However, BioWare should try to include as many full-length romances as possible for a few reasons. First, players just seem to enjoy romancing characters they like, and BioWare should give them more opportunities to do so. Romance subplots can also help expose a character’s hidden depths since it lets players see what those characters are like in private moments when they have their emotional guard down.
It also helps diversify the characters and stories thatMass Effect 4can tell. BioWare has a lot of freedom to decide how its romances play out. As a result, the characters' romance subplots reflect their personality in exciting ways, as players can see inDragon Age: Inquisition’s Romance options. For example, Cassandra has a gruff exterior but a romantic heart and wants someone to sweep her off her feet. Meanwhile, Josephine’s love story in DAI is dramatic but relatively chaste, while The Iron Bull’s may be the most outwardly sexual in any BioWare game.
The point is that more romances increaseMass Effect 4’s storytelling potential. The new game probably won’t suffer too much if it only has a small dating pool, and BioWare should never sacrifice quality for quantity. However, BioWare would be passing up big opportunities if it didn’t feature moreromances inMass Effect 4.
Mass Effect 4is in development.
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