When Should The Next Mass Effect Game Be Set: Before Shepard, Or After Shepard?

24 responses to “When Should The Next Mass Effect Game Be Set: Before Shepard, Or After Shepard?”

1. 

   That Teemo

   November 21, 2012 at 9:35 pm

   A good few years after, so hopefully they can incorporated your choices into the world when the legend of Shepard turns up here and there. Setting it before sets the temptation for them to have Shepard around.

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2. 

   michael

   November 21, 2012 at 9:49 pm

   I already mentioned this in another thread, but: simultaneously with Shepard. I want to play a different, completely unrelated set of characters (space pirates?) who occasionally cross over with the existing story. So you could run a couple of missions for a Shadow Broker who seems different to the one you’re used to dealing with, or move some parts for a Cerberus base that seems to be trying to bring someone back from the dead… In a perfect world, the games would draw stuff from your existing save game – so you could run into Ashley or Kaidan, depending on who you had alive.

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   1. 

      Ogre

      November 21, 2012 at 10:07 pm

      This.

      Reply
   2. 

      aidan

      November 21, 2012 at 10:38 pm

      This is a really interesting idea.

      Reply
   3. 

      dogman

      November 21, 2012 at 11:06 pm

      Depends on how well they do it. I’d hate for it to feel half-hearted like Resident Evil 3 did but I love the core concept.

      Personally I’d love that concept applied to a ME3 and an RTS (although in a perfect world ME3 would have had an RTS built in instead of Reaper Pac-Man).

      Reply
3. 

   duzz

   November 21, 2012 at 9:54 pm

   I want a proper open world RPG within the Mass Effect universe. Would love to play a Drell

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4. 

   crispus

   November 21, 2012 at 9:56 pm

   I may be short sighted, but I don’t really see how anything could be set after the trilogy.
   We’ve already destroyed the ‘greatest threat the galaxy has ever known’, anything else just seems trivial.
   I love the ME universe, but Bioware kinda shot themselves in the foot with this one.

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5. 

   dire_wolf

   November 21, 2012 at 10:12 pm

   Given how ME3 ends I don’t think I’d be able to bring myself to care about any game set before the trilogy. On the flip side setting the game after the ending means they’ll have to make one of the choices canon, which would suck.

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6. 

   Sabrescene

   November 21, 2012 at 10:22 pm

   Before. I still think a game set during the First Contact War would be awesome.

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7. 

   Wesley Snipes

   November 21, 2012 at 10:24 pm

   It’d be great to see the constant battle and withdrawal from the Greenfly as it steadily deconstructs everything in the galaxy now that it’s free to spread because the billion year old xenocidal alien machines have been defeated.

   Oh, what’s that? There’s no Greenfly in the Mass Effect series? I’m surprised, given the hacks at Bioware stole everything else from the Revelation Space series.

   From Blade.

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8. 

   Daveo

   November 21, 2012 at 10:57 pm

   Having after Shepard. The Normandy and its crew are stuck on a random planet. The Mass Relays have been destroyed. Depending on your choice, you either control the reapers,destroyed the reapers or neutral on them so the game would have very different stories revolving around those scenarios so i dunno how it would work.
   On one hand i am interested in back stories, going back and seeing how characters became who they are. These could open new characters and give bit more story to current characters, like garrus.
   Having after shepard, depends how far into the future would the story be based, 5 years after the reaper war or more. Are Bioware looking for another triology too.
   Either way i’m keen as for new Mass Effect, hopefully will give more answers.

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9. 

   thebearking

   November 21, 2012 at 10:57 pm

   I’d love something less grand, something more personal about a smaller group. Something more based an espionage because it seems to be a fairly large part of the universe.

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10. 

    Banefire

    November 21, 2012 at 10:59 pm

    If you have to ask……………….

    But seriously, who is left at Bioware. And why does there need to be more? The story is over and what a dissapointing finale.

    I guess my response is if Drew Karpyshyn is not the lead writer than who cares, without him it isnt Mass Effect, sorry.

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11. 

    ace_aviator

    November 21, 2012 at 11:07 pm

    I have a feeling a popular character like Garrus will take the helm. Bioware have already stated they plan to step away from the Alliance soldier ‘Shepard’ type character so this could really shake it up. I’m not sure if fans would take to the idea well though.

    In my Mass Effect universe Shepard has become that guardian entity controlling the reapers. With that kind of power and policing of the galaxy, wouldn’t they be able to defend against any and all enemies?

    Reply
12. 

    Allan

    November 22, 2012 at 3:05 am

    I would like to see the Krogan rebellions because that would be a interesting time in the mass effect universe or more detail on the quarian exile from their home world. But the first contact war would also be an interesting point of time too

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    1. 

       Tezz

       November 22, 2012 at 2:23 pm

       I’d love to see it set in the first contact war.

       Reply
13. 

    mrbs

    November 22, 2012 at 8:52 am

    Neither. I want a universe reset. Keep the mechanics and space opera lose any connection to the previous story. Failing that go 50K years into future/past to cut all ties with current canon.

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    1. 

       crispus

       November 22, 2012 at 12:36 pm

       This guy gets it. Current story is too messed up to touch.

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    2. 

       chrislwatson

       November 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm

       Yep. With the different endings it could never be after unless they can cut ties. Wouldn’t be too hard…

       “It is said we came to this part of the galaxy eons ago, against our will, when the stars in the night sky were absent from their current homes. But the reasons have long been forgotten. It has only been recent times, that out reaching for the stars has found the hands of our lost brothers and sisters, our fellow galactic orphans.

       But now we must unite against a dark threat that forces us together. Before we are ready. Before we embrace each other in the peace of kinship, we must fight for our very survival.”

       etc. etc. etc.

       Reply
14. 

    danmazkin

    November 22, 2012 at 9:02 am

    Make Stealthy Space Assassin game starring Thane.
    Profit.

    Reply
15. 

    Apollo

    November 22, 2012 at 9:19 am

    clearly it’s going to be a rebranding of the Sims but with krogans after the war.

    Reply
16. 

    light487

    November 22, 2012 at 9:56 am

    Neither.

    They should lay this one to rest and create a new franchise.

    Reply
    1. 

       bathmatt

       November 22, 2012 at 12:04 pm

       My thoughts too.

       Also, I don’t think the Star Wars prequels are an example to be followed.

       Reply
17. 

    germinalconsequence

    November 22, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    What about neither? What about a game that happens at the same time. There was a lot more going on than just Shepard running around playing fetch quest for galaxy. It’d be cool if they tied it in with the trilogy too, such as having radio chatter snippets describing things you’d done as Shepard and seeing people and places after you’d had an effect on them as Shepard.

    Reply