BioWare has dropped a fresh batch of information regarding its hotly anticipated fourth instalment in the Mass Effect franchise.
Speaking during a panel at Comic-Con over the weekend, the developer revealed that Mass Effect 4 – which, by the way, it insists won’t be the game’s actual name – is still a way off yet, and anything discussed at the event is subject to change.
According to Tweets from those in attendance (picked up by NeoGAF), the main character is connected to N7 and will have armor that is fully customizable by the player.
Interestingly, BioWare said that some familiar character may return for the new game, but wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on the actual setting of the game; we still don’t know if it’s a prequel or sequel to ME3.
However, onlookers have speculated that the title will be set during Commander Shepard’s lifetime, possibly in another galaxy, based on hints given at the panel.
BioWare did confirm, however, that the fan-favorite Mako will return for the next chapter in the science-fiction RPG series. The studio explained that its philosophy behind ME4 is exploration, and as such, the player requires a vehicle to facilitate this — it’s also faster than its previous incarnation.
Playable racers were not announced, though BioWare promised to give players “as much choice as possible.” The studio’s Mike Gamble also said that co-op multiplayer is more important to the company than the competitive brand.
Mass Effect 4 (let’s face it, most people are calling it that for now) was teased briefly during Electronic Arts’ E3 press conference in June. It previously confirmed that Shepard won’t be featured in the game, with his story having wrapped in ME3.
While platforms have yet to be formally announced, it is likely the game will be released exclusively for next-generation systems, i.e., PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
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