BioWare might have announcedMass Effect 4way back in 2020, but two years on fans still don’t know much about the next installment in theMass Effectseries. All the developer has revealed so far is a teaser trailer and a poster for the upcomingMass Effect, alongside some other scant details and secretive hints. Players have been able to surmise a few things thanks to the images and clips released, and it seems likeMass Effect 4will be looking to incorporate elements of both the originalMass Effecttrilogy andMass Effect: Andromedain the next installment.
One aspect that fans have been wondering about is howMass Effect 4will handle classes. Each previous game in the series has had a slightly different approach, withMass Effect: Andromedafeaturing the biggest departure from the established franchise formula. Players are interested to seewhat cuesMass Effect 4might takefrom its predecessors, or if it might look toward other sci-fi shooters for inspiration. If it’s the latter, many are hoping that BioWare takes a look at the wayOutriders' classes work to lay the groundwork forMassEffect 4’s.
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How Outriders' Classes Handle
People Can Fly’s 2021cooperative action RPGOutridersmay have its faults, but its combat and class system are generally considered to be amongst its best features. The combination of cover shooting, tactical combat, powerful abilities, and looting has created a fun gameplay loop, and even if some think its story is a little thin and its world a little light on content,Outridersstill has a dedicated player base because playing it just feels good. While the range of weapons is great and the co-op elements add to the entertainment value, its class system really helps to elevate theOutridersexperience.
Players can choose betweenfour main classes inOutriders: Devastator, Pyromancer, Technomancer, and Trickster. The Devastator is a Tank role that focuses on close-range combat, the Pyromancer has a number of fiery skills for medium-range encounters, the Technomancer relies on gadgets and support abilities for long-range, and the Trickster can manipulate space and time with a focus on close-range attacks. There are lots of options when it comes to how gamers want to play inOutriders, and each other these classes supports a specific playstyle.
As is customary for RPG classes, each one has unlockable skills that players can access as they level up, alongside class trees with passive skills. Even thoughthe choice of class inOutridersis locked in and players can’t change their minds once they start, they do have access to all types of weapons regardless of what they play as. Classes do include perks with certain weapon types though, like buffs or status effects, but for the most part, there’s quite a lot of flexibility in how players can approach combat and combine their skills with their teammates.
How This Could Work In Mass Effect 4
With the different approaches to combat between the first threeMass Effectgames andMass Effect: Andromeda, players are wondering ifMass Effect 4will take more of a locked-in approach to classes or adopt a much more fluid system. WhileMass Effect: Andromedahad its issues, like buggy graphics, less compelling characters than its predecessors, and a frustrating lack of new aliens, many players agree that its combat made it much more fun to play than the first three games. With a wider variety of powers, the ability to pick and choose between profiles, and the option to switch even while in combat,Mass Effect: Andromedawas a much more flexible systemthat allowed for more player creativity and adaptability.
The variety of powers and ability to pick new profiles was fun, but sometimes less is more, andOutridersshows that even when players can’t change their class throughout the game there’s still plenty of opportunity for fluid gameplay.Outridersis aimed toward co-op play, and as such its classes operate best when they’re combined with complementary characteristics in other players' builds, but this actually transitions nicely toMass Effectas well. It may be a single-player game, but with the ability to bring along two companions on missions, the goal is still to build a strong team with diverse abilities.
Some classes inOutridersalready align quite well with those inMass Effect. The Devastator is comparable to the Soldier, the Trickster and Pyromancer have a touch of the biotic-focused Adept or Vanguard about them, and theTehcnomancer has clear Engineer and Sentinel parallels. Despite the similarities, there are a few things thatMass Effect 4could take fromOutriders, such as a more diverse and intricate skill tree, better use of passive skills, and more tiers of abilities to build towards.
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Ways Mass Effect 4 Could Improve Its Classes
There are several waysMass Effect 4could approach its classes, but however it does it, fans are hoping to see some improvements from the class systems featured in previous games. Combat in general inMass Effectgames, particularly in the first three, has been pretty straightforward. Players can approach it as a straight cover shooter, or get a little more creative with biotic and tech powers. The ability to dictate the power usage ofcompanions in theMass Effecttrilogywas a way to get more tactical with enemy encounters, and this missing feature inMass Effect: Andromedadefinitely left a large hole, especially given the sometimes frustrating AI of companion characters.
It would also be interesting to add some more story-specific elements associated with the player’s choice of class. Apart from combat and a vague backstory, the class that players choose for Shepard barely impacts the plot at all in the first three games, and it’s so fluid inMass Effect: Andromedathat it doesn’t really make a difference to Ryder’s characterization what profile they’re currently rocking.In other BioWare RPGslike theDragon Ageseries, class choices can have a massive impact. It would be fun to see how this could translate toMass Effect, with class-specificmissions or something similar to add narrative weight to the decision.
Mass Effect 4is in development.
MORE:Mass Effect 4 Could Be More Like Andromeda Than the Original Trilogy
