Mass Effect wouldn’t have become the epic sci-fi video game without taking inspiration from some of the best works in the genre.
the Mass Effect The series is one of the most robust and fully realized sci-fi worlds ever created. With a brilliant cast of memorable characters, each with their own unique stakes in this epic saga to save the galaxy, Mass Effect makes the player feel like they are truly part of a bigger world where their decisions have a huge impact on the epic story. however, Mass Effect probably wouldn’t have happened if BioWare’s creative team hadn’t been influenced by existing sci-fi stories.
The world of Mass Effect was inspired by various science fiction stories, movies and previous BioWare games, all reinforced by real science concepts that add a sense of authenticity. Beyond that, the series as a whole is a fantastic tribute and reconstruction of various concepts of space opera. Here are some films that have had a great influence on Mass Effectthe concepts, characters and artistic conception of.
Star wars
More fantastic than the other entries on this list, Star warsThe massive reach allows the story to span many different mediums, including that of BioWare. Knights of the Old Republic games, which itself had a huge influence on Mass Effect. There are many key elements of Mass Effect universes that resemble aspects of Star wars, specifically the concept of Force-reflecting telekinetic biotic abilities.
Advanced holographic messages and robotic assistants in Mass Effect are clearly inspired by those of Star warsdroids and hologram projectors. Story-wise, the first game’s antagonist Saren Arterius has many similarities to Darth Vader, being overpowered cybernetic lieutenants of a more potent force that attempts to draw the hero to his side.
Star Trek
Star Trek rivals Star wars as one of the biggest influences in science fiction at large. Focusing more on the interactions between different extraterrestrial societies and the exploration of the unknown than on epic interstellar conflicts, Star TrekThe stories address social issues and great moral dilemmas with a sci-fi twist.
Mass Effect‘s Normandy is similar to the USS Enterprise in that it’s almost a character on its own. Similar to Star Trek, Mass Effect focuses heavily on the exploration of alien worlds and the heroes’ influence on galactic politics. The drawings of the aliens in Mass Effect and their relationships with humans are also inspired by Star Trek, more specifically the blue-skinned and all-female Asari race being based on the matriarchal green-skinned Orion race.
Star gate
Star gate is unique in its focus on military fiction, with an emphasis on how the US military would handle extraterrestrial activity. The franchise revolves around the eponymous Stargates, ring-shaped devices that act as two-way doors to other worlds, allowing interstellar travel between multiple planets in a short period of time. From a feature film, Star gate has become a household name with the television series SG-1, following a branch of the US Air Force dedicated to stopping alien threats through the Stargate.
Mass EffectMass relays are important building blocks of the universe, as well as a clear reference to the Stargates with their ability to make interstellar travel possible. Both Mass Effect and Star gate follow protagonists who are drafted into the military, treating interstellar conflicts as if they were real military operations. Both franchises also draw heavily on real-world mythology, particularly Greek, Egyptian, and Nordic tales.
2001: A Space Odyssey
There are many sci-fi franchises that owe so much to Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Mass Effect is no exception. The film follows humanity’s bizarre relationship with an ancient alien obelisk as it influences the intellectual and scientific progress of humanity from its prehistoric beginnings to its achievements in space in 2001. .
So many 2001The artistic design and architecture influenced the design of the science fiction space station. Mass effect 3 has a scene where Shepard speaks through a non-gravity structure, mirroring Dave walking through the station with no visible gravity in sight. HAL-9000 is also the archetype of rogue AI, influencing characters like the Geth, IDE, and the AI ââfear of other races. The Prothean beacons also reflect the alien obelisk in its transfer of information and the advancement of technology over the centuries.
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