It’s been almost four years since we heard the first whispers about Mass Effect: Andromeda, but we haven’t learned a great deal about the game’s plot during that time. As we speed toward its 2017 release date, however, we’re starting to get some more concrete information about what to expect from the next chapter in the sci-fi saga.
Creative director Mac Walters revealed a major piece of information about the game’s protagonist in an interview with PlayStation Access, according to a report from Polygon. Apparently, the male and female versions of the character that we’ve seen in prerelease footage both exist in the game — and they’re related.
The Mass Effect series has given players the choice of a male or female protagonist since its first installment back in 2008. The twist for Andromeda is that the option that players don’t pick will also play a role in the game’s plot, as the character known as Ryder apparently has a sibling.
If the idea of a brother and sister taking center stage in a sci-fi story brings Star Wars to mind, then get ready for the other nugget of information that Walters shared with Mass Effect fans. The character that starred in the E3 2015 reveal trailer for the game was apparently the Ryder family patriarch.
At this point, it’s unclear how all these pieces fit together. It seems likely that these familial bonds will play into the storyline of Andromeda, but it remains to be seen how the relationship between the elder Ryder and his two children will play out.
We perhaps won’t have to wait too long for more information. Walters teased that fans can expect to discover the characters’ names and more as we get closer to the game’s release.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is scheduled to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in March 2017.
