Mass Effect 4 may not be open world, says industry insider
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The nextMass Effectgame may move away from open-world exploration.
That’s according to Windows Central’s Jez Corden, who said in the latest edition of his podcast, The Xbox Two Podcast, that BioWare was looking to move away fromMass Effect Andromeda’sopen-world blueprint and pivot back to the franchise’s signature “classic format”.
In a discussion aboutStarfieldand how Bethesda is both revered and jeered for sticking to what it knows best and following a particular blueprint, Corden reflected that in some cases – such as BioWare’sMass Effectseries – long-time fans would like nothing more than to have the team go back to its roots… and it is, according to “industry rumor”.
“I’ve heard thatMass Effectis ditching open world,” Corden said, “and going back to its classic format. I don’t know if that’s accurate, 100 per cent, but it’s an industry rumor.”
As for what that “classic format” is? Well, whilst players could follow the story and side missions at their own pace, the trilogy’s hub worlds gave the player a sense of freedom and agency but essentially kept them on a linear path.Andromedadeviated away from this somewhat and, depending upon who you speak to, it was just one of the many reasonsAndromedadidn’t live up to the acclaim of its predecessors.
Mass Effect Andromedagot a middling “Play It” from TechRadarwhen we reviewed it back in the day, but we praised its world, saying it was “huge, bigger than anything we’ve seen fromMass Effectbefore, and it’s beautiful too”.
“The originalMass Effecthad cinematic ambitions, right down to the film grain option in the graphics menu,” Cat wrote in their feature,Mass Effect’squeer love interests walked so today’s LGBTQ+ characters could run.
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“Perhaps the jewel in the cinematic crown, however, wasMass Effect’sattempt at a more sophisticated exploration of relationships and sexualities. Some ofMass Effect’srelationships seem strained, almost forced by the standards of 2023.
“However, for its time, BioWare’s exploration of this space offered something truly novel – especially when it came toqueer, feminist experiences.”
If you’re looking for a new game to get stuck into, look no further than our list of thebest open-world games.
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