The Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy has been rumored since as far back as 2014. With many fans hoping that EA’s upcoming “HD Title” will be a remaster of BioWare’s famous sci-fi series, some are wondering what changes the games could see if remastered.
While it is likely that BioWare will avoid changing too many story fundamentals in a Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy, it is very likely that the remaster will include all of the DLC, including additional squadmates, at launch. This could mean that the remaster will include greater integration of those characters into the overarching plot of each game, which, in several cases, was already planned before the characters were repackaged as add-ons.
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Javik is a Prothean character introduced in Mass Effect 3’s From Ashes DLC. The character is particularly interesting as the only living window players get into the Protheans, an ancient species shrouded in mystery until that point in the series. However, Javik was also originally planned to be a far more central character to Mass Effect 3. When it was decided that Javik would be repackaged as a DLC squadmate, some parts of the story that were more character-driven were simplified in order to accommodate the likelihood that Javik would not be present in many players’ experiences.
It was Javik who was originally planned to be the only character that could communicate with the Prothean AI that reveals one of the biggest twists in the Mass Effect series – the true nature of the Citadel. Javik would also have been closely tied to some tough personal decisions Shepherd would have to make in the game.
In the Prothean’s original introduction, he is found on Eden Prime surrounded by dead Cerberus agents. Later, Ashley or Kaiden would point a gun at Javik, and Shepherd would have to convince them to let him go. This part of the plot would end with Shepherd being dismissed as a Spectre after Cerberus frames them for civilian casualties.
Zaeed is one of the lesser known Mass Effect squadmates. Introduced as a DLC character in The Price of Revenge add-on for Mass Effect 2, Zaeed is a human bounty hunter who was, like Javik, planned for release in the retail game before being removed in order to sell as separate DLC.
BioWare would not even necessarily have to integrate Zaeed more tightly into the main plot for the character to be more prominent in the remaster. The simple fact that the Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy would likely see many players experience the character for the first time could make more players consider the character among their favorite Mass Effect squadmates.
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Liara T’Soni was also intended to have more content in Mass Effect 2. The Lair of the Shadowbroker DLC was originally intended to be Liara’s subplot running through the game even though she would not be a companion. As with other content cut for DLC, players may see some of the Shadowbroker’s tasks, codex entries, new stories, and emails reintegrated into the main game.
It is unlikely that major parts of the script will be reworked in the Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy. It is not likely, for example, that Javik’s introduction will be changed, or that the tense moment cut from Mass Effect 3 with Javik and the Virmire survivor will be reinstated when another moment just like it was included in the original game at a different point.
It is possible, however, that lines like Javik’s communication with the Prothean AI may at least be reinstated if he is on the mission, as BioWare can go into the production of the Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy knowing that all players will have access to all the Mass Effect DLC. If characters like Javik, Liara, and Zaeed have some of their content restored, however, the remasters could feel fresh while retaining the key elements that made the series successful the fist time around.
The Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster is reportedly in development.
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