Gaming is currently in its most competitive era as industry players repeatedly flood the market with multiple AAA games each year. Graphics and gameplay can no longer gloss over plot quality, and this is especially true in the fantasy and role-playing categories. BioWare has been a big player in this field with itsMass EffectandDragon Agetitles, embodying the complete package of storytelling and graphics in both flagship games. The developer adopted different storytelling strategies with these franchises, and with a new installment coming toMass Effectshortly, the developer could use itsDragon Ageformula to craft a plot that breathes new life into its brainchild.
With its releases from 2007 to 2012 as part of a trilogy,Mass Effecttook gamers into a futuristic Milky Way Galaxy and received lots of praise for its plot, using a core group of characters to endear itself to gamers. EachMass Effectgame slowly unraveled the mysteries of the imagined future from one point of view and occasionally exploring the massive universe through DLC packages. The strategy worked, as all three mainMass Effecttitles and the remasteredMass Effect: Legendary Editionhad stellar reviewsfrom fans and critics, although some gamers felt the series could have had more material reserved for side plots, instead of focusing on the main storyline. BioWare was more liberal with its storytelling methods inDragon Age, changing pace effortlessly between editions and exploring different styles. This approach could be useful for futureMass Effectgames.
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Different Storylines Could Add Depth to Mass Effect’s Gameplay
Dragon Ageis known for its fluidity in style, from the lore-heavyDragon Age: Origins, to open-world campaigns inInquisition. Each release changed its tune and kept gamers on their toes unlike the linear approach inMass Effect. To some,Mass Effectstill had better storytelling, as BioWare completely thrashed out the storyline of the impending doom ofThe Reaperswithout too many distractions, immersing players fully into the fantasy world. A few DLC packages brought more life toMass Effectoutside of the all-important save-the-world mission, but the franchise could have done with more content branching away from the ultimate goal within the main games.
Dragon Age: Originswas crafted similarly to theMass Effectgames, focused on a Chosen One’s quest to stop the Blight by defeating the Archdemon. As a result, the characters barely had any depth to them, and the storyline failed to immerse gamers fully into theKingdom of Fereldendue to its straightforward nature. WhereMass Effectstretched its lore into a trilogy because it was so voluminous,Dragon Agewent in another direction with its subsequent release ofDragon Age 2, exploring a different location and introducing gamers to new characters in the fantasy world. The endgame ofDragon Age 2stepped away from to the world-saving goal ofDragon Age: Origins, focusing on the social ladder climb of the playable character.
Changing the dynamic players are used to is risky and demands lots of preparation to keep fans happy. Unfortunately, BioWare worked under a rushed development timeline, and as is usually the case with hurried projects, ended up producing a game full of glitches and a short plot compared to the first installment, leading toDragon Age 2enduring some bad reviews. Despite the glaring plot pacing issues and bugs, the game had a few positives. The character development arcs on display were immense, andDragon Age 2allowed players more influence over the game’s outcome through their choices.
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Mass Effect’s Lore Could Take Inspiration From Dragon Age: Inquisition
ForDragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare produced arguably their most completeDragon Agegame, offering gamers multiple locations to explore and several sidequests. Without the constraints that hindered theDragon Age 2release, BioWare had enough resources to pour intoDragon Age: Inquisition. The game retained some features fromDragon Age 2while adding a wide range of customization options and characters to the franchise.Dragon Age: Inquisitionhas a wealth of replay value thanks to its exhaustive lore.
The depth on display in theDragon Agefranchise is too good to ignore, with the writers building a comprehensive system of religion, a metaphysical realm calledThe Fade, and The Veilseparating this realm from Thedas. Additionally,Dragon Agefleshed out superb antagonists with complete backstories in all installments, and althoughMass Effectgot off to a good start with Sovereign, there’s a discernable difference in the quality of the villains in both franchises. This could be another area forMass Effectto look toDragon Agefor plot improvement.
Mass Effectcould borrow a thing or two fromDragon Age’s mode of storytelling. TheDLCs released for each edition ofMass Effectbrought a welcome distraction from the main meat of the plot, but they didn’t help enough to add a new dynamic. However, in the case ofDragon Age: Inquisition, some speculate that the depth of sidequests may have distracted gamers from the main storyline, soMass Effectwould do well to find a balance.
With upcoming releases likeMass Effect 4set to continue the trilogy, BioWare could give players a nice change of pace by exploring a plot that isn’t so heavy throughout the game.Mass Effectalready has a winning formula, but finding the right balance in addingDragon Age’s masterful sidequests and shifting points of view could elevate the franchise to even greater heights.
Mass Effect 4is in development.
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