Mass Effect: Andromeda Dev Discusses Romance Options, Shooter/RPG Balance, Potential DLC, and More

Following the debut of the new Mass Effect: Andromeda trailer on N7 Day, BioWare creative director Mac Walters took to Twitter to answer some questions posed by fans of the series. In doing so, he has revealed some interesting tidbits about characters and story elements, as well as gameplay.

Walters confirmed that, although the two main characters are officially called Scott and Sarah Ryder, players will be able rename them and customise their appearance. This doesn't come as a surprise as similar options were available in previous entries in the series, as well as most other BioWare developed RPGs.

He also said that same sex romance options will be available and, as with previous games, there will be opportunities to develop relationships with alien species.

When it comes to gameplay, Walters said Mass Effect: Andromeda strikes a better balance between RPG and shooter than the first three Mass Effect titles, and that both of these aspects of the game have seen an upgrade.

The Ryder family is at the heart of Mass Effect: Andromeda's narrative. A previous trailer was narrated by Alec Ryder, father of the main characters. Little is known about him, other than he attained the prestigious N7 rank in the Systems Alliance Military.

When asked if BioWare would use DLC to further explore Alec, who the community has affectionally named "Rydad," Walters said it is a storyline that will be featured in the main game, but also in other projects. However, he did not specify what "other things" are.

The Mass Effect series has had a number of tie-in novels and comic books, so it could be that Andromeda's extended universe is adapted for these mediums, but this has not been confirmed officially.

Moving on to characters, Walters was asked about Peebee, the Asari featured in the trailer. He revealed Peebee is actually her nickname and added that, despite the resemblance, she's quite different from Aria T'Loak, the fierce Pirate Queen of Omega.

The mysterious voice that says "I have a bad feeling" in the latest trailer could also be a non-human species, based on Walters's teasing.

And the character that the trailer seemed to be positioning as a villain may not be male, despite initial impressions.

Finally, Walters indicated that the Codex, which serves as a library of information for all things within the Mass Effect universe, will be expansive.

As part of N7 Day, BioWare also revealed that loyalty missions are returning and talked about when the game is set in the Mass Effect timeline.

Mass Effect: Andromeda still doesn't have a release date, but it's expected to launch sometime in spring 2017. EA said in a recent earnings call that it would delay it if the game needed extra time, however. It is set to release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.