Mass Effect 4 represents a critical turning point for BioWare. With the entire studio now focused on the next installment in the series (and Dragon Age: The Veilguard behind it), the stakes are high. This is not just a sequel but a shot at redemption after Mass Effect: Andromeda's rocky reception. While Andromeda’s combat introduced welcome fluidity and verticality, it also leaned hard into speed and ability cooldowns, sometimes at the expense of control and squad tactics.
That combat direction wasn't inherently flawed (many appreciated its responsive movement and modern feel), but it pushed the series further into pure action. Now may be the right time for Mass Effect 4 to experiment with a more deliberate, hybrid approach: something that still features shooting and spectacle but places greater emphasis on switching between characters and shaping squad behavior dynamically.
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Mass Effect 4 Should Let Players Switch Roles
The Mass Effect trilogy's combat allowed players to issue commands to squadmates and queue up powers, but direct control of other characters was never an option. What Mass Effect 4 could explore is a system where players can actively switch between their squad members mid-battle. This would give players more variety and allow for seamless transitions between different playstyles, whether that means laying down suppressing fire with a soldier, flanking with a tech specialist, or levitating enemies with a biotic.
A strong model for this type of system already exists in Final Fantasy 7 Remake's combat, which allows players to shift control between party members in real time. That game still maintains a fast pace but gives players full control over each character’s abilities, gear, and position. This approach could marry the kinetic energy of Mass Effect: Andromeda with the tactical choice that fans of earlier entries have missed.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake's AI settings allow characters to act semi-independently, letting players trust their teammates to hold their own while managing the battle’s flow. A similar setup in Mass Effect 4 could reduce micromanagement while still offering deep strategic layers.
With a wider range of playable characters and meaningful combat roles, the game could evolve past its past reliance on issuing commands through the ability wheel. This would also open new storytelling opportunities by encouraging players to embody multiple characters during missions, potentially offering different perspectives on combat and narrative choices.
Combat AI Should Be Player-Customizable Again
Although Mass Effect: Andromeda lacked direct control over squadmates, it did improve AI responsiveness and combat mobility. Yet there was little room to define how your companions fought beyond gear loadouts. That made it harder for players to tailor their squad to personal strategies or roleplay preferences.
Borrowing from Dragon Age: Origins or Final Fantasy 12, Mass Effect 4 could include AI personality systems that let players define how each squadmate behaves, whether aggressively charging into combat, supporting from the backline, or focusing on combo setups. Combined with the option to take control of any squadmate directly, this would lead to much more dynamic and satisfying engagements.
Dragon Age: Origins featured a detailed tactics menu that let players set up logic for nearly every combat scenario. Reviving this concept in a sci-fi setting could help make each companion feel more alive and independent, and allow for more varied squad compositions.
This AI customization would also mitigate common complaints from previous games about party members feeling passive or underutilized. Andromeda's companions had solid pathing and could use powers efficiently, but they often felt like support characters orbiting a protagonist who did most of the heavy lifting. A more granular control system, paired with real-time character swapping, could solve that imbalance.
Mass Effect 4 Must Balance Strategy and Action
BioWare doesn’t need to abandon the third-person shooter elements that modernized Mass Effect in its later years. What it does need is balance—a way to reward smart play, tactical composition, and timing, not just fast reflexes. The goal isn't to replicate Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s approach to battles, which leaned heavily into dodge-heavy action and sometimes left longtime fans wanting more party control. In fact, Veilguard's tendency to let enemies swarm the player-controlled character made its battles feel one-sided, despite the game's deeper party mechanics.
Avoiding that pitfall means Mass Effect 4 must give equal weight to each squadmate’s role on the battlefield. It’s not enough to just include companions, they must be fully integrated into gameplay decisions. Being able to swap mid-fight to a tank-style Krogan companion, then jump to a stealth-based Infiltrator or a disruptive biotic, would give players a reason to experiment with builds and tactics far beyond weapon mods or ability trees.
Moreover, this approach could elevate Mass Effect's boss battles and larger combat scenarios. Instead of simply surviving waves of enemies, players could coordinate stuns, shields, and bursts of damage across their entire squad. The series has always had great sci-fi weaponry and power interactions; this would simply bring those elements closer to the forefront.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 96%
- Released
- May 14, 2021
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- BioWare
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Mass Effect
