Mass Effect 4: An Epic Transformation Teased by Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Highlights

BioWare's recent struggles haven't stopped it from working on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 4, which could help get the studio back on track.

It appears that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf may abandon CRPG elements in favor of action combat, suggesting possible similar alterations for Mass Effect 4. Past iterations of Dragon Age have undergone substantial gameplay modifications, whereas Mass Effect has exhibited more consistency. Nevertheless, both franchises have the potential to undergo substantial combat revamps in their forthcoming releases.

In the past few years, BioWare has faced some challenges with their releases. Dragon Age: Inquisition, released almost a decade ago, was their last major success. Mass Effect: Andromeda encountered numerous issues, leading to a less-than-stellar reception. Anthem, their most recent venture, was ultimately shut down after a mere two years. These setbacks resulted in BioWare having to downsize their workforce. However, there is hope on the horizon with the upcoming releases of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 4. While BioWare has yet to provide a comprehensive overview of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, leaked information suggests that there may be some surprising changes in store. One controversial possibility is the abandonment of traditional CRPG mechanics in favor of action-oriented combat. Such a significant shift in gameplay could indicate that BioWare has similarly transformative plans for Mass Effect 4.

BioWare May Have Big Changes in Store for Mass Effect 4

Dragon Age has undergone significant transformations throughout its games. Dragon Age: Origins, reminiscent of BioWare's roots, featured gameplay similar to Knights of the Old Republic. Dragon Age 2, while smaller in scope, maintained a gameplay style akin to its predecessor. Dragon Age: Inquisition brought back the grand scale and introduced an open world to the gameplay style mostly seen in Dragon Age 2. However, the upcoming Dragon Age is said to forgo the open world concept, with the most notable change rumored to be the combat, drawing comparisons to God of War.

The inconsistent combat in Dragon Age might be attributed to the games not being initially planned to the same extent as Mass Effect. Origins was originally developed as a standalone game, with each subsequent title following its own trajectory. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the rumored action combat in Dreadwolf marks a significant departure for the Dragon Age series.

BioWare originally intended Mass Effect to be a trilogy, resulting in a cohesiveness that sets it apart from its sister series. While the second and third games simplified RPG mechanics and introduced different exploration elements, third-person cover shooting remained a core aspect throughout all three games. This changed with Andromeda, which prioritized mobility over the trilogy's more stationary cover-based shooting.

Following the disappointment of Andromeda and the success of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, Mass Effect 4 may focus on recreating the beloved Mass Effect experience. However, the possibility of an action-oriented Dragon Age: Dreadwolf suggests that BioWare is open to making significant changes to its flagship franchises. The implications for Mass Effect 4 are unclear, but there are numerous ways in which BioWare could revamp the game's combat system.

At the more extreme end, BioWare has the option to transform Mass Effect 4 into a first-person shooter. However, there is currently no evidence to support this and it is considered one of the least probable possibilities. Instead, if the developers truly aim to highlight the action aspect, a change in camera perspective could be an effective approach. Though, it is important to acknowledge that this might lead to more comparisons between Mass Effect 4 and Starfield, a scenario BioWare may have mixed feelings about.

Alternatively, BioWare could capitalize on the advantages of a third-person camera perspective by expanding on the melee combat in Mass Effect 4. This wouldn't entail converting the game into a full sci-fi hack-and-slash experience, but it would provide a refreshing change. Even in the more probable scenario where Mass Effect 4 continues as a third-person shooter, moving away from cover shooting could be a valuable direction to take. The game's lore could simply explain this change as an advancement in shield and armor technology, reducing the importance of taking cover.

Taking inspiration from Anthem's flying mechanics could potentially be considered as another option. Despite the numerous issues that plagued the game, flight emerged as a highly admired aspect among many players, making it an excellent feature to incorporate into the upcoming Mass Effect. It is worth mentioning that even if none of these ideas come to fruition, the essential notion is that the new game has endless possibilities. Moreover, it is important to note that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is currently under development.