It took quite a while for Canadian studio BioWare to provide updates to its interstellar role-playing game "Mass Effect," but apparently, it has been for good reason. They just recently released one of the best cinematic trailers they've produced yet with the introduction of a new species in the new game, "Mass Effect: Andromeda."
In an in-depth interview with Game Informer, art director Joel MacMillan explained the alien design process. He didn't provide any spoilers related to the race's backstory but instead emphasized on the need for creating a new species that players can associate with.
MacMillan added that he wanted to create an additional character to the game that one would think originates from a different galaxy, but one that players could still create a connection with. He wanted to develop a facade that commands a certain degree of danger but not to the point of being horrendous or too scary.
"We have a lot of side-stories, we have a lot of stories we want to tell with this alien race so, despite how foreboding or scary they are — or antagonistic — you still want to be able to have opportunities to show them in an empathetic way," MacMillan elaborated.
Furthermore, he explained that although a member of the Kett race appears to be the villain in the cinematic trailer, not all of them would be antagonistic to the player.
As per IGN, the Andromeda Initiative aims to find a new home for the human race in the Andromeda galaxy. Players of the game can opt to be either Scott or Sara Ryder, and they will assume the role of the Pathfinder. As was shown in the trailer, the human ark, Hyperion, finds itself straying after a 600-year trip, thus becomes the setting of the game.
The long wait proves to be worth it, as illustrated by The Guardian. BioWare invested a lot of efforts in creating a realistic trailer coupled with new alien races and arguably an interesting twist in the plot.
There is no specific release date yet, except that "Mass Effect: Andromeda" is expected to be launched in spring 2017.
