Mass Effect 5 Has to Break a Troubling Trend That’s Haunted Sci-Fi RPGs for Over a Decade

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Open world games have changed a lot over the last ten years. Games are now bigger than ever, with huge environments and tons of places to explore. However, many of these large worlds don’t feel very full or detailed. While a large world *should* be packed with things to do, we often end up with empty landscapes filled with tasks that feel copied and repeated. Instead of feeling vibrant and alive, these worlds can feel empty and repetitive.

For a franchise like Mass Effect, which has always focused on exploring planets and solving galactic mysteries, this current trend is particularly worrying. With Mass Effect 5 currently in development, the series has a chance to move away from the industry’s focus on massive size and go back to what made the original trilogy so special: worlds that, while smaller in scope, were packed with rich, detailed experiences. The sci-fi RPG genre really needs this shift in direction; otherwise, it risks becoming just another open-world RPG that doesn’t stand out.

The Fallout of Andromeda and the Procedural Trap

As a long-time fan, Mass Effect Andromeda really felt like a warning sign. It showed me what happens when a series known for its story and detailed worlds tries to do *too* much at once. It wasn’t a *terrible* game, but it definitely had issues. Instead of those cool, lively hubs we loved, Andromeda gave us these huge planets that often felt empty and were full of bugs. There were things to find and bases to build, sure, but what *really* made Mass Effect special – that focused story and getting to know the characters – often got lost because they were trying to make it a huge open world. It just felt like their ambitions outweighed what the game needed.

The planets in Andromeda were too large, ultimately hindering the experience. Though visually striking at first, many felt empty after just a couple of hours of exploration. Traveling across these vast landscapes highlighted the issue: large, barren areas offered little to do. When interesting locations *did* appear, they often relied on the same tired gameplay loops-like eliminating enemies or scanning areas-instead of offering genuinely meaningful interactions. The initial excitement of discovering new worlds gave way to maps that felt more like a series of tasks, similar to Ubisoft games, rather than immersive adventures. We know what a truly engaging open-world experience can be, and Mass Effect 5 needs to deliver on that promise, or it will likely face challenges.

This isn’t just a Mass Effect problem, honestly. I remember when Starfield came out and everyone was talking about how the procedural generation, if not done *really* well, could make exploring feel totally empty. Bethesda promised us thousands of planets with their new sci-fi RPG, but it just didn’t live up to the hype – it was a huge letdown. A lot of those planets felt… the same. It was like they had breadth thanks to the procedural generation, but they lacked any real depth where it actually mattered. Starfield was one of the most hyped games in years! The exciting idea of exploring new, alien worlds that Bethesda kept showing off before launch ended up feeling like just wandering around randomly generated scenery. It was a massive buzzkill, and a lot of us are still pretty disappointed with how it turned out. It really showed that focusing on making a game *big* isn’t as important as making it good.

It’s understandable why developers are drawn to procedural generation for sci-fi RPGs. Space is vast, and this tool seems perfect for creating endless worlds. However, endless doesn’t equal engaging if every location feels the same, or if the game doesn’t have enough defining details for players. Mass Effect 5 needs to consider these issues, particularly if it intends to incorporate procedural generation. Rather than filling the galaxy with countless uninteresting locations, BioWare would be better off focusing on what made the original trilogy so compelling: smaller, carefully designed areas that are full of strong stories and memorable characters, unless they can truly master and effectively utilize procedural generation.

Quality Over Quantity in the Next Frontier

The success of future Mass Effect games hinges on BioWare prioritizing quality over quantity. Gamers aren’t looking for vast, empty galaxies; they want diverse and engaging worlds to explore. The original trilogy achieved a remarkable balance, and it’s a standard that’s been hard to beat. The Citadel is remembered as one of the greatest hubs in RPGs, not because of its size, but because of the memorable characters, quests, and stories it contained.

That’s what Mass Effect 5 should aim for. Rather than offering 50 planets that all feel the same, it should focus on five or six planets packed with things to do. These planets should be filled with compelling characters, meaningful conflicts, and hidden secrets that are worth discovering. Just one unforgettable quest can be more powerful than dozens of repetitive battles. The Urn of Sacred Ashes is still considered one of BioWare’s best quests in Dragon Age: Origins, and that game came out in 2009! Gamers aren’t impressed by huge maps anymore; they want experiences that truly resonate.

The design approach where Ubisoft games use towers to reveal map icons and repetitive tasks to clear areas has unfortunately become common in many RPGs. This creates a feeling of being busy, but it’s ultimately uninspired and lacks effort. This formula is now so well-known it even has a nickname. However, Mass Effect, with its focus on story and player decisions, has the potential to avoid this. The series shines when exploring each planet feels like a meaningful part of the overall narrative, rather than an optional, unimportant task.

If Mass Effect 5 features carefully designed planets filled with impactful experiences, it has the potential to redefine what we expect from science fiction role-playing games. Currently, BioWare is relying heavily on this game’s success, and instead of following the trend of creating vast but empty worlds, it could establish a new standard by prioritizing quality and meaningful content over sheer size. Gamers aren’t looking for a large, empty space to explore. They want each planet to feel significant, and every journey to reveal something memorable.

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2025-09-29 16:13