Aria T'loak is one of Mass Effect's more interesting non-crew characters, a ruthless asari who runs the asteroid station of Omega. She first appears in Mass Effect 2, assisting Shepard in locating some new companions and navigating Omega's criminal underbelly. She shows up again in the third game, seeking the Commander's help in retaking Omega from Cerberus and offering her assistance against the Reapers in return. r1u4s

A substantial part of Mass Effect's conflict revolves around the differences between organic and synthetic life, and how the two can learn to live together. EDI is the character who best exemplifies this conflict in the second and third games in the series: a Cerberus-made artificial intelligence that helps to pilot the Normandy and, eventually, becomes a companion. As the series progresses, she becomes more and more human, forming emotional bonds with the crew and making her own choices as to what her goals should be.

After a two-day conclave in the Vatican City, Pope Leo XIV was elected to the Papacy, and Mass Effect fans have already found a bizarre connection to Cerberus. Lead by the Illusive Man, Cerberus is a humanity-first paramilitary outfit that acts as Commander Shepard's employer in Mass Effect 2 after reconstructing their body and bringing them back from death, but also serves as a major antagonist throughout the series.

Mass Effect is primarily a dramatic, interstellar RPG where your character and their crew fight to protect the galaxy from total destruction. It has wonderfully written characters whose tragic circumstances make the tough decisions they face all the more difficult. But between all the fights with genocidal robots and rogue Spectres, it's also got some hilarious scenes and characters to cut the tension.

Mass Effect 5 has the chance to be a new start to the series, but EA could always have the team bring back features that didn't get enough attention or were utilized poorly. The Mass Effect 3 multiplayer was outstanding, but ultimately became a victim of poor implementation, as the main issue was the war assets, not the mode itself.

As the franchise moves forward with a new installment, Mass Effect 5could improve the popular morality system. Mass Effect is one of the most beloved RPG franchises in the gaming world, and after a controversial ending to Mass Effect 3, fans have wanted a sequel to move the series forward. For everything the franchise did right, it left a sour note with the final installment of the trilogy, and the spin-off spiritual successor did not help.

Mass Effect balances the flow of combat between third-person shooting and the usage of powers, which each member of Shepard's squad can learn to use. There are three categories of powers: tech, biotic, and combat, each associated with the six different classes players can choose from. Some powers are available to multiple characters, while others are unique to certain squates, but all of them have their uses.

Mass Effect's combat uses a mix of third-person shooting and "powers," unique class-based abilities that Shepard and their squates can use. Each class, from the soldier to the adept, has its own unique powers that they can use before requiring a cooldown period. These range from healing teammates to enhancing one's defense or hurling enemies across the battlefield.

Many Mass Effect fans may not know that the first game's planet, "Therum," was originally supposed to be much different. In earlier versions of ME1, Therum went by another name, Caleston, and had an entirely different story centered around a shady criminal underworld. However, most of this content was cut from the game before release.

While the Mass Effect franchise is spectacular, nearly every player agrees that the vehicle driving portions of it are the worst parts. From the floaty Mako in Mass Effect 1, to the fragile Hammerhead in Mass Effect 2, to even Andromeda's Nomad, vehicle handling has left plenty to be desired. The games are ultimately focused on role-playing and shooter combat elements, so it makes sense vehicle mechanics would fall by the wayside, but they definitely need more attention before the next game in the series.