Not all the best video game adaptations follow the same formula. While some choose to translate the story directly from one medium to another, other options include flooding the live-action version with original characters and storylines that are only reflective of the source material. There’s not necessarily a way of doing things that’s deemed the best choice for every project, as each game has different challenges when telling the story in the form of a movie or TV show. That being said, Mass Effect‘s flexible storyline means it needs to follow closely in the footsteps of another Amazon adaptation.
Amazon’s Mass Effect Show Should Use Fallout’s Approach To Adapting The Games
Fallout was set in the same world as the games but largely avoided established characters
Every Fallout game starts afresh in terms of its characters and main storyline. They’re all set within the same fictitious universe, but that is generally the extent of their connection. Because of this challenge, Prime made the unusual (but brilliant) decision to set the Fallout show within the same world as the games. As such, it adds to the franchise’s canon rather than reworking it. The first three Mass Effect games create one big story. As such, they could be perfect to adapt into a live-action saga. On the other hand, a better option could be to copy Fallout‘s approach.
Instead of retelling Commander Shepherd’s tale about his battle with the Reapers, Prime Video could have greater success leaving the games’ biggest protagonist alone – along with all the other crew members, allies, and enemies of the Normandy. That way, the canon of the source material can remain in play, and even allow the various, preexisting storylines to remain intact. At the same time, a new Mass Effect story can be written, all while Shephard’s adventures happen offscreen.
Unfortunately, Andromeda was nowhere near as successful as the original trilogy, so this could dissuade Amazon from moving away from Bioware’s iconic characters.
The series has already proven this is possible. 2017’s Mass Effect: Andromeda is the fourth game in the series, but serves as a standalone sequel to the original trilogy. So, the first three games aren’t really needed for Andromeda to make sense, and it’s set so far in the future that the events of the trilogy are left untouched. Unfortunately, Andromeda was nowhere near as successful as the original trilogy, so this could dissuade Amazon from moving away from Bioware’s iconic characters.
The Mass Effect Series Faces A Major Obstacle To Replicating Fallout’s Success
Mass Effect doesn’t have a singular storyline
Fallout‘s decision to create a fresh storyline within the original canon was pretty much forced upon them by the fact the games were all individual installments. Creating a longer arc would have required focusing more on certain games’ plots than others, creating an unbalanced adaptation. Mass Effect faces an entirely different challenge, although it’s not easier to solve. The Mass Effect games are incredibly malleable when it comes to what can happen, as the player chooses between multiple options throughout. Therefore, there is arguably no version or ending that is considered canon.
If Amazon was not to follow the Fallout blueprint when making the Mass Effect show, and instead use Shepherd’s storyline, the adaptation would be required to make choices usually made by the player.
If Amazon was not to follow the Fallout blueprint when making the Mass Effect show, and instead use Shepherd’s storyline, the adaptation would be required to make choices usually made by the player. When doing so, it would almost cement those decisions as canon, and destroy the choose-your-own-adventure style of the source material’s storytelling. Although Paramount+’s Halo show isn’t a direct example, it does show how even a sci-fi game series with a solid storyline can be poorly adapted due to poor creative choices. Hopefully, Mass Effect doesn’t suffer the same fate.
