'Mass Effect Andromeda' News, Release: What to Expect in the New 'Mass Effect' Game

BioWare Says 'Mass Effect Andromeda' Will Not Affect 'Mass Effect 3' Story

By Allen Marcon, CP Contributor Tuesday, June 21, 2016

One of the best things about the "Mass Effect" franchise is that the players' choices in the previous games, such as allowing a certain party member to live or die, has always played a role in the sequels. However the recent information about the next game in the franchise entitled "Mass Effect Andromeda" states that the decisions players have made in "Mass Effect 3" will not effect this installment.

So what is in store for gamers in terms of story for this game?

Same Universe, New Story

BioWare Edmonton general manager Aaryn Flynn states that loyal fans of the series should not be afraid. The choices made in previous installments will still have an impact on later games down the road. However, "Mass Effect Andromeda" players should know that the game will be a brand new story but still in the same universe as the previous "Mass Effect" games.

The story will pick up around the time of the ending of "Mass Effect 3." As the central colony ship was sent out to the Andromeda galaxy as a reaper survival unit.

A New Main Character?

The main character of the "Mass Effect" series is the ever-popular Commander Shepard. However, at the end of "Mass Effect 3," it seems that Shepard finally met his demise at the hands of the reaper invasion. BioWare has confirmed that Shepard's name is homage to the first American man in space, Alan B. Shepard.

The new protagonist in "Andromeda" has been confirmed to have the name Ryder, another homage to the first American woman in space, Sally Ride.

Familiar Aliens and New Ones

BioWare states that Ryder and the crew have been in cryosleep for years or decades. However, the Milky Way galaxy has had a coalition of planets, which means that there will be several familiar alien races on board.

Some alien races will be happy to work together while others not so much. BioWare states that they want players to have at least a certain amount of familiarity when it comes to the crew members. But with new territories and planets come new species and life forms. Players should expect several new races becoming an important part of the story.

Unfortunately for fans of the "Mass Effect" series, BioWare still has not given a playable demo for "Mass Effect Andromeda." It's also reported that no new game play will be out until November.