The Witcher 4 Gave Mass Effect 4 The Perfect Blueprint For Shepard’s Role

The Witcher 4 Gave Mass Effect 4 The Perfect Blueprint For Shepard's Role

As a seasoned gamer with countless hours spent traversing the vast universes of both The Witcher and Mass Effect, I can’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia as I contemplate the future of these beloved franchises. Geralt and Shepard have been my trusted companions for years, their stories intertwined with some of my most cherished gaming memories.


Fans have been eagerly anticipating the role of Geralt of Rivia in the next installment of the hit series, The Witcher, ever since the conclusion of The Witcher 3. The various endings that included Geralt and Yennefer raised questions about the potential retirement of one of fantasy gaming’s most iconic characters, leading to rumors of a 100-year time skip in The Witcher 4. However, CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Geralt will return in the upcoming game, although this time as an NPC (non-player character), putting an end to months of speculation. While we’ll have to wait and see how this change affects Geralt’s storyline, other games facing similar situations, such as Mass Effect 4, might adopt a similar approach to honor their past protagonists.

Similar to Geralt in the world of The Witcher, Shepard is a central figure in the Mass Effect series. It’s rare for any story or plot within the BioWare creation not to have some connection to Shepard’s previous decisions. When the main character is deeply ingrained in the overall narrative, making it challenging to distinguish their identity from the franchise as a whole, creating new lore through another character’s perspective can be an enormous challenge. This could explain why CD Projekt Red plans to include Geralt in The Witcher 4, and it seems fitting for BioWare to consider a similar approach with Mass Effect 4.

Geralt’s NPC Solution Opens the Door for Shepard in Mass Effect 4

In plain English: It was evident that certain narrative issues were looming in “The Witcher 3” ending for CD Projekt Red. The game offered 36 unique endings for the protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, and three significant epilogues. Notably, there was also a bad ending where Geralt embarked on a mission to recover Ciri’s medallion, only to be surrounded by enemies, although his ultimate fate remained unclear. Two of these epilogues portrayed Geralt retiring with Yennefer or Triss, while the third showed him wandering alone across The Continent’s vast landscapes.

Upon scrutinizing the storylines open to the main character, it was evident that there wouldn’t be a grand turnaround, at least not in terms of the plot. This is one reason why whispers persisted for so long about Geralt’s absence from the next game – his story seemed to have run its course as developed by the creators. However, with the recent announcement that The Witcher 4 will include him as an NPC, other series in a similar predicament might follow suit and maintain their iconic character for sentimental reasons.

Shepard Could Take On an Advisory Role in Mass Effect 4

In this context, “Mass Effect” is one of the first video game series that springs to mind, given how Shepard’s actions in “Mass Effect 3” bear a striking resemblance to Geralt’s in “The Witcher 3.” The science fiction narrative offered multiple avenues for players to delve into. However, there was a condition – the only outcome where Commander Shepard survived the confrontation with the Reapers was achievable if the players had amassed a specific level of Total Military Power. This suggests that Shepard’s role in the series’ narrative has likely reached its conclusion, much like Geralt’s.

Although getting rid of Shepard, the heart of the Mass Effect narrative, might sound feasible in theory, it’s actually quite complex due to CD Projekt Red’s recent stance. A strategy borrowed from The Witcher 4 could be to resurrect Shepard as a hologram, similar to Avina’s function as an information VI. In tense situations where players face tough decisions, Shepard could offer guidance on the optimal course of action. This holographic character would need to possess more depth than a typical AI interface, but it’s a concept worth exploring. By doing so, BioWare could smoothly transition to the new main character without having to start an entirely new story from scratch.

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2024-09-08 21:04