[DISCLAIMER: this article may contain spoilers for the original Mass Effect trilogy]

If you like video games and space, you've probably heard about the game trilogy Mass Effect at some point. The series is developed by the Canadian company BioWare, and the titles were released between 2007 and 2012.

The games take place in a fictional version of the Milky Way, beginning in year 2183. The galaxy is populated by a row of different alien species, next to humanity that remains to exist both on earth and on space stations. You play as a human soldier, simply known as Commander Shepard.

Mass Effect is packed with action-heavy combat, but it also has an incredibly well-written story. Throughout the three games, you follow Commander Shepard and their crew on a quest of saving the galaxy from an ancient alien species called reapers. The reapers wish to purge the galaxy of all life forms, and you are the only one who can gather an army big enough to challenge them. 

At this point, you might be wondering why I've brought up a game series that ended in 2012. This is because in less than two weeks (March 21st!) a whole new Mass Effect game will be released to the public.

As you might have guessed, the new game is titled Mass Effect: Andromeda. BioWare has made it clear that Andromeda is not Mass Effect 4 but in fact a completely stand-alone spin-off from the original trilogy. In other words: you will not be playing Commander Shepard in the new game.

Andromeda takes place 600 years after the original trilogy. It takes place in a whole new galaxy that is yet unexplored by humanity, fittingly named Andromeda. In the game, you will be playing as the Pathfinder - a human character who is on a mission of finding a new home for humanity, while exploring uncharted and hostile territory. 

Hopefully, Andromeda will have a lot of the same qualities as the original trilogy, with challenging combat, thought-provoking moral decisions, beautiful soundtracks and breathtaking narrative (and the option to date aliens).

Andromeda has given Mass Effect fans a lot to look forward to: a game full of exploration in a fictional universe a lot of us have grown to love over the years. Another nice bonus, the first character you meet in the game is confirmed to be voiced by none other than Natalie Dormer herself.

If you're curious to learn more about Mass Effect: Andromeda, you can read BioWare's official page about the game here - or watch the trailer video below.

Have you played any Mass Effect games?

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