If there’s one element I believe encapsulates what truly draws players to a new game, it’s connection. Gamers forge bonds with video games in myriad ways. Some seek robust gameplay, others deep narratives. Most value a blend of both, but also desire accessibility – avoiding overly complex, tabletop-style mechanics or excessively vast open worlds. They crave companions who feel like genuine adventuring partners and a protagonist whose journey they can truly steer. Many of these qualities are quintessential to Mass Effect games.
For years, developers seem to have overlooked the immense potential in harnessing the core appeal of Mass Effect’s space opera RPG formula. While I’m not advocating for direct replication or merely riding on another franchise’s coattails, it’s been nearly a decade since a new Mass Effect title, and the most recent one faced significant criticism upon release. This long absence creates a fertile ground for new intellectual properties to emerge, offering us diverse crews with whom to embark on quests to save at least a corner of the galaxy.
Titles like Star Wars Zero Company, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and Exodus are on the horizon. These range from established IPs to entirely new ones, each boasting different gameplay mechanics, ambitions, and budgets. Yet, a common thread unites them: all have drawn comparisons to Mass Effect, and their creators have embraced these parallels. Does this signal the end of the ‘Soulslike’ era and the dawn of ‘Mass Effect-likes’? Probably not, but if even one of these games captures the essence of exploring the Normandy with a memorable crew, it will be a tremendous boon for the future of sci-fi RPGs.
As mentioned earlier, a game’s ability to connect with its audience is paramount for success in today’s market. While younger players often bond through multiplayer experiences, amidst the cycle of CoD lobbies and Fortnite seasons, many adults worldwide would prefer a compelling single-player adventure they can enjoy at their own pace, fitting it around demanding jobs and family lives. This is where a Mass Effect-style experience truly shines. Forging similar connections with companions, characters, and the game world, much like BioWare’s classics did, can leave an indelible mark, leading audiences a decade or more from now to say, ‘Hey, that game reminds me of Exodus.’
I question whether Mass Effect’s perfect storm can ever be truly replicated. It presented an original, expansive universe with rich lore and a truly unforgettable cast of supporting characters. While this doesn’t sound insurmountable, the current state of game development, where AI companions could become the norm in a few years, makes it a concern. Thankfully, the three aforementioned games aren’t pursuing that path (though Owlcat is using GenAI for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn). The lack of an original universe might seem to disqualify Star Wars Zero Company and The Expanse: Osiris Reborn as true Mass Effect-likes. However, the former appears to be building out a smaller segment of a larger universe and story, much like Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, while the latter draws from an established universe that, despite its existing material, can still be introduced to a vast new audience. In my view, what most strongly evokes comparisons to Mass Effect, even more so than an original setting, are a game’s companions and the systems built around them.
Connections, to reiterate, are fundamental to making any game, especially an RPG, memorable. And who better to forge these bonds with than companions? Baldur’s Gate III powerfully demonstrated this, just as Mass Effect did before it. Mass Effect 2’s ‘Suicide Mission’ (arguably the greatest mission in all of gaming) only resonates because players genuinely don’t want to lose their meticulously assembled team, even when aware of the risks. If Star Wars Zero Company, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and Exodus have one area to prioritize, it’s this. Repetitive gameplay or a lackluster main plot can be forgiven if a compelling character stands by your side. I recall more lines from Garrus, Tali, Liara, and even Miranda, than from Commander Shepard himself in the Mass Effect series. This is precisely where these upcoming games must excel to truly earn their Mass Effect comparisons.
This emphasis extends to character design as much as to personality. I confess I wasn’t thrilled seeing Exodus’s companion reveal, where at least three characters wore identical, somewhat generic ‘space suits’ and sported rather blank expressions. While I can tolerate one or two ‘Jakes’ or ‘Jameses,’ let’s hope they don’t fill the entire roster. Fortunately, there’s a friendly octopus joining the fight, so at least there’s a glimmer of unique appeal there. This might sound like I’m arguing that all female characters should resemble Stellar Blade’s protagonist, but my point is simply that there’s nothing wrong with companions being physically appealing, especially when their personalities are equally compelling. Just avoid a bland, uniform aesthetic, and things should be fine. Owlcat seems to grasp this, as Larian did with Baldur’s Gate III. Make everyone look good, and it works. (Except for the octopus; I’m quite content without romance options for that, thank you Archetype.)
While I won’t dwell extensively on companion design, when players seek connection and escapism, the option to deepen relationships through elements like romance can be incredibly valuable. Avowed, for instance, seemed to miss a trick by making everyone merely a friend, without any deeper relational avenues. While not strictly essential, players undeniably enjoy developing romantic bonds, especially with alien characters—Mass Effect, again, being the prime example. Star Wars Zero Company might not foster romantic ties, but its permadeath system excites me even more about forging profound attachments with my squad members, and perhaps mourning them for weeks after a mission goes awry.
Where ‘Soulslikes’ elbowed their way into a genre already dominated by a developer consistently delivering classics, ‘Mass Effect-likes’ arrive at a moment when we desperately crave a fresh space-faring adventure. Guardians of the Galaxy came close, as did Baldur’s Gate III, in crafting similarly addictive worlds and characters. Yet, for various reasons, neither quite managed to scratch that specific Mass Effect itch. Let’s hope at least one of these upcoming titles succeeds, if only to demonstrate to publishers that, yes, we absolutely love RPGs that let us forge meaningful connections with compelling, three-dimensional characters.