Some games just feel like they’re a better fit for tabletop games than others, and BioWare’s space-faring RPG series Mass Effect is one of those games.
Thankfully for fans of the franchise, Mass Effect: Priority Hagalaz – The Board Game is in the works from Modiphius Entertainment. And while we’ll all need to wait for a bit as the team is in the middle of some calibrations, it’s due to release this year.
Priority Hagalaz is “a cooperative, story-driven game for one to four players,” featuring a “card-driven AI system and evolving stories” that “respond to your actions, with your early choices even influencing later missions, while the branching narrative ensures unique experiences with each playthrough.”
“The year is 2186,” the description of the game reads. “On the remote world Hagalaz, a research cruiser from the terrorist organization Cerberus has crashed directly in the path of a deadly storm. With little time before the storm hits, Shepard must lead their squad through the cruiser to uncover its sinister secrets and keep them out of the hands of the enemy. However, the ship holds more dangers than just its former crew.”
The board game will include “a selection of teammates from the Mass Effect universe” and players will be able to “customize their abilities, equipment, and powers, and get to the bottom of the mystery on Hagalaz.” The official artwork for the game includes Shepard, Garrus, Liara, Tali, and Wrex.
As a tabletop game maker, Modiphius has extensive experience with some big IP, having already created board games inspired by such properties as Skyrim, along with roleplaying games for Dishonored and The Lord of the Rings.
You can use the website to sign up for more information when it becomes available, but the company says it will be released in 2024.
