The Mass Effect series is defined by a series of ups and downs, with the second game in the original trilogy setting a bar so high that it was seemingly impossible for what came next to beat it out. Of course, even when not considering the weight of expectation of coming after Mass Effect 2, both Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect: Andromeda fell short of standing on their own in several ways.
However, while Mass Effect: Andromeda failed to meet its potential at launch due to the unpolished state that the game released in, there is plenty to draw from the spin-off galaxy's series. In fact, the version of the game available now, with the necessary fixes and updates to make for a satisfying experience, deserves to be reassessed by BioWare to continue on its own without the influence of Mass Effect 4.
Mass Effect: Andromeda's Modern Experience
It's likely that most fans of the Mass Effect series had a single bad experience with the initial launch of Mass Effect: Andromeda and disregarded the whole series up until BioWare started building hype for Mass Effect 4. However, the developer has spent the time since launch updating and fixing the game, eventually bringing it to a state that would have been more widely accepted at launch. The result is a game that manages to scratch the Mass Effect itch that players were looking to relieve back in 2017, even if it did take a few years to get there.
Playing Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2022 is everything that a title from this franchise should be. It's a space-faring romp with a cast of alien and human characters who all fit into different archetypes both in and out of combat. The combat is flexible, allowing players to take the careful approach that dominates cover shooters with ranged snipers and quick bursts from behind waist-high barriers. Then there are the close-range weapons and abilities that allow more aggressive players to run into combat at full speed and the burliest Krogan with complete confidence in Ryder's abilities.
Beyond the base combat, there is also a sprawling mystery within the Andromeda Galaxy that brings its own set of antagonists that stand completely separate from the original Reaper threat of the original Mass Effect trilogy. This also introduced a friendly alien race that has a similar past with forbearing ancestors that relate to the technologies that allow for space travel. Unfortunately, Mass Effect: Andromeda released without ever giving a satisfying conclusion on these new antagonistic Kett or the friendly Angara.
Give Mass Effect 4 a New Threat to Resolve
The case for allowing a Mass Effect: Andromeda 2 stand on its own also extends to the potential plans that could be in the works for the upcoming Mass Effect 4. Namely, it's the nature of whatever new threat BioWare has planned to attack the Milky Way Galaxy in order to bring Shepard and crew back into action. While it might seem perfect to hold up the antagonizing forces and mystery of the Scourge from Mass Effect: Andromeda as the reason to bring back classic characters, a fresh start to the series should be entirely new.
With most of Mass Effect 4 still up to speculation at the time of this writing, it is difficult to judge exactly what BioWare has prepared for the continued series, or how well it will stack up to the rest of the series. That being said, there likely won't be an Andromeda 2, before the next main title releases. Still, in a perfect world, where BioWare is given all the time and funding to make exactly the Mass Effect experience it wants, Mass Effect 4 would be something entirely new, without any baggage from the main series or spin-offs guiding development.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.