BioWare: 'Mass Effect' Won't Ape 'Dragon Age: Inquisition'

Mounting development costs have made videogame studios quite risk averse. That's why it isn't uncommon for them to replicate ideas that have proven themselves. This is primarily why fans of the "Mass Effect" franchise are worried that BioWare might dilute the upcoming game by utilising the same winning formula from "Dragon Age: Inquisition." However, the Mass Effect 4 maker has assured fans that "Inquisition's" success doesn't necessarily mean that it will inspire the upcoming space-themed RPG.

BioWare General Manager, Aaryn Flynn, took to the NeoGAF forums to dispel any concerns regarding the issue. He assured that "Dragon Age: Inquisition" (DAI) success doesn't mean that the company will turn it into a template for future releases. Flynn reiterated that "Mass Effect 4" will be a unique experience that draws on its "rich and successful past" and won't rely on DAI for success.

He cemented his stand by revealing that the M35 Mako infantry fighting vehicle from the first game will be returning in the upcoming instalment. The idea is to do it much better with the improved game engine and to fulfil the "original promise" of the gameplay that fans have come to love from the franchise. It was revealed that the second coming of the Mako will handle much better, unlike the one in the first game. A Gamingbolt report also states that the developers may introduce vehicle customisation in the game.

"In fact, I’d go so far as to say that dropping the older consoles has had more impact on the overall gameplay goals of the next Mass Effect game than what DAI successfully accomplished," said Flynn justifying why the upcoming game has nothing to do with DAI. "We’re very proud of what DAI has achieved, but that does not set a 'template' for what every other game we make needs to be."

According to VG247, the next "Mass Effect" game will be significantly different. For starters, the game will do away with its predecessor's Unreal engine and utilise the in-house Frostbite 3 engine instead. The game will be released for PS4 and Xbox One, while freeing the developers from the task of porting it to the older PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The game will even do away with the iconic protagonist Commander Shepard. BioWare, however, has assured that it will still contain the essence of the "Mass Effect" franchise.

In case you have any feedback or wish tip us off, the author can be contacted at nachiketpg13@hotmail.com