Mass Effect: Andromeda was a controversial game among the fan base, to say the least. Its stark deviations from the original trilogy and its lackluster graphics left much to be desired, and while the game was widely panned, recent reevaluations have found that the game has more to offer than was initially thought.

Specifically, many of the game's mechanics could be seen as improvements on the original Mass Effect games, ones that should not be forgotten as Mass Effect 5 draws closer to release. From streamlining the game's combat, to providing players with more variety in their level-ups, and changing the ways in which the world itself is explored, there are many things in this game that the next entry in the franchise should definitely keep in mind.

Andromeda's Combat Felt More Fluid And Flexible

Faster Movement, More Dynamic Powers

Part of this is no doubt due to the time between the release of Andromeda and the original trilogy, but the more recent game felt much more fluid in its combat. Andromeda's protagonist, the Pathfinder, was able to jump and zip around the map, quickly transitioning between powers and weaponry, a far cry from the slower and often clunky combat of Mass Effects 1 and 2.

If the new game in the series keeps anything from its direct predecessor, it should be the enhanced maneuverability of the protagonist. Especially in a game set in space, being able to incorporate gravitational differences and environmental features into combat feels essential. The original Mass Effect trilogy was amazing, but its combat was never its strongest aspect, and there's an opportunity here to do something different to make that part of the game more compelling.

Open-World Exploration Works For The Mass Effect Universe

Larger Worlds With More To See

This next factor is one on which the audience is divided on, but an open-world concept (or at least openly explorable zones) could work really well for Mass Effect. It's a game that puts space exploration at the forefront, after all, and the small area sizes of Mass Effect 2 and 3 could often feel limiting. Being able to branch out a bit more and see more of the alien worlds was a compelling part of Andromeda.

Andromeda included side quests and boss battles that could only be found and completed if the map was well-searched, making the exploration feel somewhat rewarding and worth the time to complete.

Granted, there are definitely a lot of ways that open maps can backfire. The original Mass Effect is the perfect example of that, with explorable planets that were almost completely barren and boring to map out. Andromeda itself did not pull this off perfectly, with large swathes of its maps being empty or filled with repetitive combat, which is definitely an area where Mass Effect 5 should deviate from Andromeda.

The way to perfect this part of the game most likely lies in the nature of the open world exploration presented to the players, and the vehicles by which they can navigate them. Both in Andromeda and the first Mass Effect, the rough handling of the vehicle used to explore planets hurt enjoyment of the game immensely. Open world games for the Mass Effect franchise need to be compelling to explore, with objectives worth finding and controls that don't frustrate the player base.

Classes Should Be Less Restrictive In How They Determine Player Powers

Enabling More Impactful Choices In Character Leveling

Lastly, Andromeda benefits somewhat from the way it handles classes, letting players mix and match their abilities as they level up and switch their class at certain times. It provides a lot more freedom in how the game could be played than in the original series, which offered six classes to play with set abilities for each. Each of the main types of abilities for characters in the Mass Effect games, from biotics to weaponry to tech, are interesting to use, and players should be able to try them each out without having to start a new game.

There's also an opportunity in the new Mass Effect game for the kinds of powers a player has to influence dialogue options. The original trilogy and Andromeda only ever touched on this briefly, with very few lines or options available for players to express how their own power sets relate to certain decisions or relationships. The new game should make the powers one picks to wield matter in more than just combat, able to influence decisions they make or ways they interact with the environment.

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