Mass Effect Andromeda could paint humanity as the aggressive coloniser

An EA survey has suggested that Mass Effect Andromeda might take a somewhat surprising narrative route.

Mass Effect: Andromeda takes players to the Andromeda galaxy, far beyond the Milky Way, where players will lead the fight for a new home in hostile territory — where WE are the aliens — opposed by a deadly indigenous race bent on stopping us,” it says, according to Neogaf and verified by Gematsu.

Experience the freedom to traverse and explore a planet-dense but seamless open-world galaxy, rich with discovery. Play as the leader of a squad of military-trained explorers in an intense third-person shooter, with deep progression and customization systems.

This is the story of humanity’s next chapter, and player choices throughout the game will ultimately determine our survival in the Andromeda Galaxy.”

On the one hand, it’s certainly refreshing to see a studio approach things a little differently for a change. After all, why should humanity always be portrayed as the oppressed? And history would certainly suggest humans will quite happily violently displace a native peoples when it is to its benefit.

That being said, the reason why a protagonist is more often than not the victim is that we identify with a struggle. Crafting a plot where players are to identify and sympathise with a person or persons whose task is to kick out the natives – no matter how unpleasant they may be – is not an easy task.