Mass Effect 3: Suggestions to Improve Shepard's Future

Mass Effect has become a great success for BioWare. Though, they are no stranger to similar or greater success with the Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The biggest difference being that this time it's an IP over which BioWare has full control.

The first Mass Effect was a sci-fi RPG fest, placing the player into the role of Commander Shepard for the first time. An introduction into a vast world of not just races with their own goals, but a look into the past that will help lead you and your team members into the future. An ending with an ominous message, the Reapers are coming to wipe out everything... again.

Mass Effect 2 opened up a little after the end of the first, and combined with some major gameplay changes to make the game more appealing to a wider audience than just roleplayers, Shepard is killed and reborn. With a wider party, fewer weapons and armor options, and a darker storyline that focused just as much on the individual stories of your party members. And this time, the game went everywhere it could. Beyond the Omega 4 Relay and even to where many thought it would never go, the PlayStation 3.

We know that the third, and supposed final, story of Commander Shepard is coming at the end of this year. And, based on the teaser trailer, we also know that the destruction of all the races, including those of Earth, are all at stake. But, while we have an idea of what we will be facing, there are things that can be done to, in my humble opinion, improve the gameplay of the game. Some of it from looking back at the first game and integrating it with the improvements from the second game.

[Author's Note: I wanted to write more, but it seems I'm greatly limited by a character limit. Pardon the brief explanations for my suggestions]

== Exploration ==

Mass Effect 3 needs to give the player back the feeling that they aren't being funneled towards their goals at all times and that with their own desires they can find more to do than just survey some planets, land, and run down dedicated paths to a goal.

An example of how it could be improved is not necessarily by bringing back driving around planets, though at least one level where you can do as such would be very nice. A great example of a good direction for exploration was shown in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC, where in one part you are in a cab, chasing after another Spectre. Illium and other cities are only seen from a very small area, cornered off and only a glimpse into what the city holds. It would be great to see the players with the ability to explore cities, drive through them and find new locations, new people, new side quests, and even more history that will help you with your primary goal of saving everyone. The exploration and attachment to these cities will also make the players feel more attached to them and thereby care more about their survival. Or, perhaps even care less about it in some instances (Oops, did Omega accidentally get taken out? I thought I had done everything I could to ensure its survival... /s).

== More Equipment ==

While the first game had many weapons, the weapon choices in the second game were extremely limited. I'm not asking for the system to revert to the first game, but I believe many would agree that they would love to see more options. Especially options that could be useful in one situation or another, rather than a single weapon that you stand by from the point that you receive it. Scoped versions of various weapons, ammo of different types (electrical, explosive rounds, multi-shooting, area effect, etc.).

If not more weapon options, then at least a weapon modding system that allows us to add special features as mentioned above to the various weapons.

== Keep to the Main Story More ==

Mass Effect 2 spent a lot of the time collecting and gaining the loyalty of your party members. And by a lot, we mean almost half the time. None of this really pertained to the main storyline, which was find and stop the Collectors and thereby hinder the Reavers. In Mass Effect 3, almost all that you do should pertain to stopping the Reavers. It's not a time for assuaging the personal issues of your party members, but saving the galaxy.

Sure, there will be a few new characters introduced. It's unlikely we won't see any and they'll need to be introduced, but let's not have it drown out the overall story, which should be at its peak.

== No More Unnecessary Asset Management ==

Oh, the fun of spending hours mining planets just so you can upgrade your weapons and spec or respect your abilities. It was mindless, annoying, and just did nothing to improve the gameplay. I'm not saying to remove the need for ores, but how about integrating them more into the gameplay. Instead of going out to resurvey the same planets you did from Mass Effect 2, why not instead using some of those that you help result in an investment over time of similar resources. If you help a fairly "biotic" focused group, why not get resources to help improve such abilities in return? Anything that helps to keep the focus on developing the storyline and doing more enjoyable activities than watching lines on your screen is always good.

== XP/Rewards by Kill ==

I'm not saying remove rewards for completing a quest/mission, but there is so much more to feeling like each kill you get has an impact. Bring back getting experience for each kill made and don't make it just a bucket of experience at the end. Make it so you don't have to find and kill every enemy, so that people can choose to get more experience or just move on with the game. The bucket method really, IMHO, detracted from the thrill of the kill, however harsh that may seem.

Furthermore, get some sort of drops on at least the hard and boss enemies. Don't have everyone drop something, but at least make the harder battles result in some sort of reward. A new piece of armor, a weapon mod/upgrade, some sort of collectible, something.

== Improved NG+ Experience ==

One of the things I and many others hated was that need to focus on leveling up your weapons, of which you knew you have to redo in the new game, and easily hitting the level 30 cap and having no room for advancement beyond this. People who want to play your game more than one time through should be rewarded with new features and not set to the beginning.

Allow the player to find upgraded models of the weapons that they currently have. I think this method would encourage players to play through the various difficulty levels and allow for some imaginative upgrades to existing weapons. A double-barrel version of one gun, a scoped version of another, a long range version of the flamethrower (fireball-thrower), and more. Heck, some people would be happy with just seeing increased ammo capacity, increased firing rate, and increased reload rates. The same should happen with armor pieces.

In addition, don't hinder gamers with a level cap that can be maxed in a single play through of the game. Instead, keep it so that the growth can be maintained through multiple play throughs. The system already implements an increased cost of powers as they are advanced, continuing this upward won't result in power gains at each level, as it doesn't in the current system, but will continue that feeling of progressing rather than being capped and unable to go further.

== New Appearance Options ==

Mass Effect 2 not only improved by giving us casual wear options, but also showed us some other options that were only available to NPCs. I would love to see the various NPC-only wardrobe options from Mass Effect 2 make their way to Shepard's closet along with more options and the ability to set colors for them similar to how you can set them for your armor.