Fans have been eager for another entry in BioWare’sMass Effectfranchise for years, and the announcement thatMass Effect 4was on the way was an exciting revelation to many.Mass Effectmay have hit a few bumps over the years, with some controversies surrounding the much-anticipated ending ofMass Effect 3and the somewhat disappointed reception ofMass Effect: Andromeda, but many gamers are hopingMass Effect 4will be the chance for the developer to right previous wrongs, as well as settle some outstanding questions about the franchise so far, like those involving the Angara.
Mass Effect: Andromedamay not have won over quite as many fans asthe Shepard-led previous entries, but the game still has a lot to recommend it, including its fun class system and dynamic combat. It may have faced criticism for not presenting as diverse or unique a galactic society as theMass Effecttrilogy, but the introduction of the Angara presented players with another intriguing alien species to get to know and work with. With some aspects ofMass Effect: Andromedaapparently set to make a comeback inMass Effect 4, many are hoping the Angara can play a more prominent role in the next sequel
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The Angara’s Role In Mass Effect: Andromeda
Some could argue that the Angara already had their time in the spotlight duringMass Effect: Andromeda’s narrative, particularly as they were one of only two new sentient alien species introduced in the game. This may have made a few players lament the lack of new species and might have left the Andromeda Galaxy feeling a little empty, but it did mean that gamers got to spend a lot of time with them and learn about their culture as a result. With theAngaran resistance fighter Jaalas a crew member and potential romance option, the Angara cemented themselves as a major part ofMass Effect: Andromeda.
In many ways, the Angara drive the plot forMass Effect: Andromeda. The game may start as the Andromeda Initiative’s search for a new home away from the Milky Way, but as things quickly go south and the fractured Initiative comes up againstthe antagonist Kett, it’s soon clear that they’re going to need allies. The fate of the Angara is quickly intertwined with that of the visitors from the Milky Way, and as the two sides work together (for the most part) to defeat a common enemy, the true goal of the game starts to take shape. The Angara may have already been a key part of the previous title, but there’s so much more the species can offer inMass Effect 4.
Why The Angara Need To Feature In Mass Effect 4
Although the Angarafeatured prominently inMass Effect: Andromeda, there are still plenty of mysteries surrounding the alien species. In addition to creating new plot threads to craft an original story,Mass Effect 4should also work to tie up some of the loose ones left over from previous games. This would give the fans closure and neaten up the canon overall, but it would also be an effective way of tying all the previous entries together with the new one. Players may have learned a lot about the Angara after theirMass Effect: Andromedaplaythrough, but several substantial questions still hang over their heads that were never truly resolved.
One of the biggest question marks is regardingthe Angara’s true origin. As they progress throughMass Effect: Andromeda, gamers learn that the Angara were created by the Jaardan along with Remnant technology, but little is known about this ancient alien race and nothing is known about their reasoning for creating the Angara. The combination of the Scourge and the Kett invasion set the Angara beck centuries and much of their histories were lost as a result, meaning that not even the Angara truly have the answers.
The Scourge, the Remnant, the Jardaan– all of these aspects still have questions that need to be answered, and the Angara could be the key to this. Bringing them intoMass Effect 4makes sense, but giving them a big part to play could also help to solve some of these mysteries and explain why the mysterious Jardaan have some striking similarities to other advanced, industrious alien races in the Milky Way who have also long since disappeared.
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Bringing Andromeda Into Mass Effect 4
While fans have been drip-fed some details about the nextMass Effecttitle since its announcement, it seems the game may still be in pre-production and could be several years away. BioWare currently has its hands full with a few projects –predominantlyDragon Age: Dreadwolf, which still doesn’t have a release date but seems to be on the imminent horizon. With this in mind, fans haven’t had too much news of the next entry in theMass Effectseries, but a few teased hints and glimpse of the game have led to some fevered speculation and semi-confirmed theories.
BioWare has made no secret of the fact that it will use both the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy in some way, although to what extent they’ll feature is not quite clear. It seems a safe bet to assume that the Milky Way will be the primary setting given what gamers have seen ofMass Effect 4so far, but it’s also smart not to forget aboutMass Effect: Andromeda. The last game in the franchise set up some interesting new elements, including the Angara, and it would be a shame to abandon them simply becauseMass Effect: Andromedawasn’t as well received as its predecessors.
There are lots of reasons to include some of the more intriguingaspects of the previous game inMass Effect 4, but the Angara have definitely earned their place there. The world ofMass Effectwas already full of fascinating alien species trying to cohabitate in a diverse universe, but hurling a new species into the mix could liven things up inMass Effect 4and create new tensions and potentially unexpected alliances. One ofMass Effect’s strengths is its world-building, and seeing how the Angara acclimatize to a new galaxy – just as the crews of the Initiative’s Arks had to do – would be a satisfying reversal ofMass Effect: Andromeda’s premise.
MassEffect 4is in development.
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