I've been a fan of the Mass Effect series for quite some time now. Arriving late to the party (as usual), I originally stumbled across the original in the summer of 2010 while my family searched for new video cards. I'd heard wonderful things about the supposed RPG-successor to Star Wars and with free DLC included and a good old "Platinum Hits" logo streaking across the cover I thought, "Why the hell not?" and bought the sucker.
Best $20 I've ever spent.
Now, as the trials and tribulations of Commander Samuel Shepard begin to come to a close, it's time to see if Bioware can live up to the intense expectations their final entry to the Mass Effect trilogy is receiving. Will the story suck? Will gameplay return to the RPG-cladden style of old? Will Garrus continue to kick the asses of those foolish enough to fuck with him?
I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, my Mass Effect 3 Wishlist!
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#1: Improved Planetary Interactions
Plenty of people don't give Mass Effect games perfect scores because of the god-awful interactions with other worldly destination. In the original Mass Effect, we were introduced to the Mako vehicle sections, which were fun at first but ultimately broke under the pure weight of repetition. Rather than fix the problem, Bioware opted out of improving the formula and gave us...dare I say it?......SCANNING.
This aborted fetus of a minigame is laughable at best and damn near game-breaking at worst; at least if you didn't like the Mako sections in Mass Effect, they were relatively easy to skip as long as you stuck to Citadel or storyline missions (though a few were mandatory). In Mass Effect 2, their crippling excuse for planet interaction revolves around the atrocious "planet scanning", which requires you to look at graphs, launching probes to collect minerals used for essential storyline progression that ultimately decides the lives of several of your crew mates. Audiences hated these mini games as well, but at least in Mass Effect you were actually playing the game and continued to be immersed in the game world.
This should be one of Bioware's top goals: Make resource gathering in an intelligent system that doesn't suck. Very broad for a goal, I know, but ANY change at all would drastically affect gameplay.
#2: Return the Gameplay to a More RPG-like Feel
Mass Effect 2 is a beautiful and riveting game from beginning to end, perfect in almost every way: character development, storyline, player interaction, the list goes on and on. However, like many other gamers I couldn't help but groan a little at the gameplay design; if I wanted to play a third-person shooter based around cover and worthless AI I'd play Gears of War 2. However, this is Bioware and they stopped the game from reaching excessive "brotastic" heights by including actual depth to the combat, with fantastic level design and distinctive weapon variety.
But that seriously will not work for a third installment.
I know Mass Effect has always been a series renowned for breaking the limits of a genre, but it would be great if the game could return to the more RPG-like playability of its father game. Even if it's something small, please let us know that we'll see SOMETHING that doesn't involve extra blood and more bullets. If Bioware would directly ask me what I wanted, I would beg to see experience as a result of combat (instead of combat seeming like a simple diversion from the leveling experience, make it a part of it!), an increased level cap and a more fundamentally non-retarded shop system.
These are small additions, but I would really like seeing this facets return to the hallowed story Bioware has crafted.
#3: An Ending That Doesn't Leave Room for Sequels (sort of)
As most of you readers probably know, Mass Effect was planned from the beginning as an epic space opera trilogy, giving clear explanation to the "Shepard looks off into the distance, striving forward majestically with blazing orchestra in his wake" endings we've come to expect from this franchise.
Yeah, that needs to end.
I don't have a problem with the endings of the past few games, but Mass Effect 3 needs to change this formula. Shepard needs a full, clear ending with all of the plot details wrapped up neatly a la-Dragon Age: Origins. The character needs to die, retire, or find a happy ending surrounded by their spouse and children, not leave room for future elaboration in the inevitable sequels (this IS Electronic Arts we're dealing with, people). I don't have any problems with more games committed to the Mass Effect universe by any means, especially considering how expansive and lifelike they've made the universe and its inhabitants. Would an MMO work? Absolutely, provided they give clear explanation as to why the universe doesn't revolve around your avatar. Would prequels work? DEFINITELY. Who wouldn't want to pay money to experience the geth uprising, Prothean extermination or even-*gasp!*-play in the Rachni Wars or Krogan Rebellions! There is plenty of extra content to milk from this galaxy and Bioware knows this, but please please please, let's keep those financial prospects away from a game series nearing its fifth and final year of storytelling.
I want to see characters die, bonds break, catharses to be reached and love to bloom in a final act of this expansive space opera, most notably in the death aspect. Not exactly in the sadistic sense, but choices like the Virmire squad decision actually had me staring at the screen for several minutes as I choose the difference between life and death: bring that back. Make me choose whether I should save Tali or Mordin from a gruesome fate, make me grasp Grunt's fallen body and shed tears for his loyalty and energy, make me feel complete pain when a squad mate dies and pure joy when a comrade succeeds. This is the ending of MASS EFFECT: the stories of many of gaming's most beloved characters are coming to an end, and regardless of whether they end in death, romance, sacrifice or true happiness, don't hold any stops back. Finish like you started, Bioware; FOR THE ALLIANCE!
