Focusing Mass Effect 4 on a Single Planet Enhances the Experience

Sure thing, here’s a raw take on that topic:

Alright, so the Mass Effect games — such a huge canvas, right? They’ve got this whole universe to play with, sometimes feels like they just skim the surface. But, you know what’s always been a bit of an oddity? Earth. Yeah, apart from being where Shepard’s from and some big scenes in Mass Effect 3 — it’s mostly like a background actor waiting for its big break. Weird, huh?

Which, hear me out, seems like a golden opportunity for Mass Effect 4 to shake things up. Imagine grounding it all on Earth. Why keep bouncing between stars when you could dig deep where there’s layers of stories just on one planet? Might make the whole thing feel more — I don’t know — intense or something. But like, still with all those epic feels we’re used to.

Now, let’s talk about the mess left by the “Destroy” ending in ME3. Earth’s a wreck after the fight. But it also makes sense as a starting point for the galaxy to start picking up the pieces. Oh, and remember how some games, like Xenoblade, can make one planet seem infinite? Earth could totally do that too, with different vibes in cities, ruins, all that jazz. There’s a lot to explore, if you think about it.

Side note: the multiplayer maps show places like London, Vancouver. They’re just tiny teases, but expanding those could add loads to the story.

Plus, focusing on Earth could make for some tight storytelling. Instead of introducing a bunch of new alien civilizations, let’s dig into human and alien politics post-war. Sounds juicy, right? It fits BioWare’s knack for deep character conversations and those tough decisions that mess with your head.

Oh, speaking of characters, did you catch Liara in the teaser? Could be a signal that folks from the original trilogy are sticking around. How cool would it be if she’s there rummaging through old tech or searching for Shepard’s legacy? Earth might be littered with secrets and leftover tech that would make it ground zero for new discoveries and old grudges.

And then, if relays are bust, everyone’s stuck. Could create a pressure cooker situation with factions and alliances shifting like crazy. Drama alert!

With BioWare’s focus now straight-up on Mass Effect 4 — especially after EA was kinda let down by Dragon Age — they’ve got to make it count. So, shrinking the universe down to one richly detailed world like Earth might just be their ace. Dive deep, go rich on the details.

Imagine Earth all post-apocalyptic, with urban ruins, jungly countrysides, sunken coastlines — each area with its own vibe. Like one group might go all dictator-style to bring back order, while another just says “let’s hide away from it all.” Makes you think, doesn’t it?

And this whole setup avoids the scattershot feel of Andromeda’s many hubs. More focus means more meaningful places, where every street corner might hold a story.

So yeah, Earth in ME4? It could really set it apart while digging into the franchise’s core strengths. Who knew home could feel so alien?