Mass Effect 5 is the next instalment in Bioware’s popular series. The series has largely been a hit, and Mass Effect 2 is even celebrated and recognized as one of the best games of all time. The last game in the series, Mass Effect Andromeda, couldn’t make a mark and failed to meet expectations. Now, three years after its announcement, the teaser for Mass Effect 5 has finally been revealed.
Currently, the game doesn’t have a title, but for convenience purposes, it is being referred to as Mass Effect 5. The reveal took place on November 7, 2023, which is the N7 day. In the Mass Effect universe, N7 is a vocational code; the N stands for special forces, while the seven stands for the highest level of competency.
Every year, N7 Day is observed, and the Mass Effect community comes together and celebrates the series, its characters, and its universe.
What Does the Mass Effect 5 Teaser Indicate for the Upcoming Game?
Mass Effect 5’s teaser is a concise 30-second clip that doesn’t reveal much, if anything at all, and you can check it out below:
The clip begins with an individual seen walking, with the camera focused on their footwear. The interesting thing to note here is the color scheme of the graphic on the subject’s footwear. There is a stripe that is divided into two halves across its height. At the same time, all this may look trivial. The colors are the iconic shades of white and red.
Series veterans can recognize the color scheme from Commander Shepherd’s N7 iconography from the previous games. The color scheme stays consistent on the subject, clearly visible on their sleeves. The posterior of the subject’s armor in the clip is also reminiscent of the iconic N7 armor.
We glimpse at the N7 iconography as the camera moves further up. When the camera pans out and the subject’s helmet is brought into the frame, the shape of their head resembles that of a human. All this hints at the subject either being a completely new protagonist or Commander Shepherd.
Commander Shepherd has been synonymous with the N7 vocational code, despite there being seven known graduates who bear the N7 iconography on their armor. At the same time, the protagonist will be an N7 graduate. It is not yet confirmed if Mass Effect 5 will feature a new protagonist or see the return of a familiar character.
Will it be a sequel or a prequel? Which timeline will it be set in? We would have to wait before these questions could be answered.
What Mass Effect 5 Shouldn’t Do if It Doesn’t Want to End up Like Mass Effect Andromeda
N7 is a code that bonded with the Mass Effect series. The studio is well aware of this. Commander Shepherd is also associated with the franchise as much as N7. Mass Effect Andromeda was an underwhelming addition to an otherwise iconic series because of multiple reasons. The game’s marketing featured N7 iconography, and the game featured Alec Ryder, an N7 graduate.
This was only to see the plot going on without Alec Ryder, as he is killed early in the game. The game was underwhelming because fans were expecting N7 to be the heart and soul of the game, which it was not. To prevent something like Mass Effect Andromeda from happening again, the game should focus primarily on N7 since it shows the iconography in the teaser.
The last game in the original Mass Effect trilogy had eight endings, and Shepherd survives in one. There is no telling which one is canon, at least not officially. So, Shepherd’s return, a very contested topic of discussion in the fandom, is unlikely. That being said, it is not impossible.
There is no telling where Bioware is headed with their latest entry in the Mass Effect franchise. It doesn’t answer a lot of questions fans have had ever since Mass Effect 5 was announced. However, it is undoubtedly good news for fans of the iconic franchise.
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