Renewed attention has been given to BioWare in recent months and, in particular, their sci-fi RPG series Mass Effect. In particular, the sequel Mass Effect 4 has seen a lot of discussion regarding potential elements of the game - including its place on the timeline, its inclusion of Andromeda's events, its location, and even who its playable character might be.
A teaser trailer for Mass Effect 4 was revealed back in 2020 during The Game Awards, coming as a welcome surprise to many fans who feared that the series had been put on ice following the highly critical reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda. Although little was revealed about the game itself, the trailer seemed to indicate that the franchise would be making a return to the original Mass Effect trilogy - a prospect that seems even more likely after the success of Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
One of the largest points of discussion surrounding the Mass Effect 4 trailer is Liara T'soni's presence, a returning companion from the original trilogy. Although almost nothing is known about the story of ME4 at the moment, her inclusion in the trailer makes it almost a guarantee that she'll have some form of involvement in the game - and some fans are speculating that she could even be the next playable character of the series. The suggestion, however, has been met with mixed responses, as it comes with some big pros and cons to consider.
Mass Effect 4 Playable Liara Pros
Focusing on a character with an already-determined fighting style would help fine-tune Mass Effect 4's gameplay systems in a way that the original series might not have been able to achieve. Biotics in the trilogy may have often gone unused because players opted to focus on Mass Effect's tech or soldier-related skills instead, and allowing Liara's biotic abilities to take the spotlight could help build up a unique combat system. While some may feel that this would restrict ME4's range of playstyles, developers could work around this by implementing branching skill trees or specializations. Additionally, playing as a knowledgeable character - and from a different perspective other than that of a human - would allow for a much deeper dive into the lore of the Mass Effect universe, helping to create a more fleshed-out experience all around.
Mass Effect 4 Playable Liara Cons
Arguably, one of the largest factors that caused players to get so attached to Shepard is the available character customizability. Players could choose from an array of different background stories, and Mass Effect's iconic Paragon and Renegade system helped to determine Shepard's moral values, actions, and other aspects of their character. Their relationship to other characters in the world was never set in stone, and the ability to choose a custom name, appearance, and combat abilities helped further create a feeling of personalization.
Shepard became beloved in part because they were effectively a stand-in for the player. Liara is a pre-existing character within the series, one with concrete ambitions, morals, and relationships. Stepping into the shoes of a familiar character would take away from much of Mass Effect's immersion and potentially weaken the story of ME4 as a result.