Mass Effect was “the game” of its time. It has introduced some of the best mechanics many titles have implemented since, with cover based shooting, advanced skill-devlopment, and a fantastic free world that players could roam through (definitely inspired by Star Wars or Star Trek). Mass Effect games proved that you could combine an exciting plot with some great action RPG elements, put it in space, and people will love it!

Mass Effect fans worldwide have been looking for other games with well-written characters, open-world, and other game features that the Mass Effect titles were known for. Well, they don’t have to wait for any more! We have created a comprehensive list of space games/action RPGs similar to what you have known and loved all these years ago. 

Of course, all the games on our list are not these incredible space soap operas we know from the Mass Effect franchise but in the more advanced RPG genre. And with the situation similar to Dead Space and remaking it for a wider audience – it’s the best time to try it out again! (we are all waiting for the Knights of the Old Republic to do the same!).

With that in mind, let’s review some of the best cover-based shooting/action RPG games we have prepared for you today.

• Release Date: November 2007, May 2021 (Legendary Edition)

• Developer: BioWare, Edge of Reality, Demiurge Studios.Straight Right

• Platforms: Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, iOS, PlayStation 3, Android, Windows Phone, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

• Meta Score: 91/100

First, let’s start with the one and only Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. The new and improved version is the latest and enhanced way of reliving the Mass Effect storyline and becoming Commander Shepard again. Not only will you receive all the essential elements from the first game, but all the sequels and consequent DLCs that came with it. 

There are over 40 DLC for Mass Effect, so there is much great content for you to enjoy as a fan! And all that in the 4K Ultra HD remastered version so you can enjoy your Bioware game in the highest quality possible. 

If you had not played Mass Effect when it came out because maybe you were not yet born (feeling old), it’s the OG RPG that everyone loved at the time. The best thing about Mass Effect was introducing an advanced cover-and-shoot system, a rather grand amount of skills to unlock, and many customizations. 

It’s the game that perfected many elements that other games have introduced. From cover-based action in Gears of War, with some RPG elements known from all the other Bioware games, the Mass Effect trilogy made those gameplay mechanics an essential part of the story and overall gameplay. Adding to it some fantastic writing and world-building, you can start to understand why this game was such a hit back then.

The new and improved game version from nearly a decade ago adds some customization elements, hair, makeup, eye color change, and even some skin tones. You can create an entirely new and improved Shepard you have always dreamed of.

• Release Date: February 2022

• Developer: From Software

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

• Meta Score: 96/100

So, taking our third-person shooter out of the equation, let’s find the next best thing, which in this case is Elden Ring. As you may have already noticed, it is not Mass Effect, but when it comes to similar games, it does not have to be precisely a sci-fi action RPG with someone named Shepard in it. Sometimes it can be one of the best RPGs in gaming history with a great story and (probably) no space station.

Elder Ring is a hilariously big open-world RPG game with a story created by George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki. The basic concept is this – you are Tarnished, a person who was once banished from the Land Between, where the game takes place. You are tasked with solving a somewhat problematic thing – becoming a literal demigod. 

Queen Marika used to run the Land Between with all the demigods. For some reason, she decided to destroy the only artifact keeping everyone safe, the Elden Ring, which made all her demigod children fight for it. As you may have imagined, it was not the greatest thing ever to happen to the place. Your task is to find the Elden Ring, repair it, and become an Elden Lord.

It’s an entertaining game that dozens of thousands of people worldwide enjoy. It has everything a good RPG and a game similar to Mass Effect needs – an engaging story, memorable characters, compelling narrative, and astonishing visuals. It may not have the sci-fi setting that the Mass Effect games were known for, but with such dark and grim world-building, we are positive that you will find something for yourself.

Gameplay-wise – it’s on an entirely different level. You have dozens of weapons, hundreds of combinations, magic spells, skills – just many things to keep you busy. And an addition to the combat style, what makes this game different, is the difficulty level. It’s so hard compared to everything else on this list, making it much more satisfying to win against those demigods.

If you want to find a game that is not only similar to Mass Effect but also – is a title that will change your gaming life with an emotional story, beautiful graphics, and a world worth playing – then Elden Ring is a game for you!

• Release Date: December 2020

• Developer: CD Projekt Red

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia

• Meta Score: 87/100

Next, we have the Polish gem, Cyberpunk 2077. It was a long-awaited game from the creators of The Witcher, and although it had some optimization issues at the start, it turned out to be one of the best RPG games of the XXI century. Set in Night City megalopolis, you play as a mercenary with only one thing on your mind – getting some long-awaited justice.

So, what is this game all about? Like the original trilogy in Mass Effect, it’s an action-adventure RPG with a great open world where you can do side missions, create your gear, and just have fun in the city that never sleeps.

The story follows V, a mercenary in the group that needs to find a way out of a rather unpleasant situation. You can choose from three backstories of your character that will later influence your life in the Night City and how people perceive you. You can opt for a Nomad, Streetkid, or Corpo. All of those will present how you ended up in the Night City. 

The game begins when the local fixer Dexter hires you to steal a high-end biochip. You manage to get your hands on it, but things go wrong, ending with you putting the chip into your head. Next, you get shot in the head by said fixer and get help from, as you may have never guessed, a rock star Johnny Silverhand played by Keanu Reeves, who was a digital ghost in the chip you have installed in your head.

The gameplay is pretty similar to what you may have remembered from the Mass Effect games, although, if you managed to get your hands on some Grand Theft Auto titles, it is also close to those games. The combat is a straightforward first-person shooter/slasher with some cyber additions. You can modify your weapons, gear, and, to the surprise of no one, even yourself. And, as in any looter-shooter, the equipment you collect comes in different rarity colors, so be sure to look out for those legendaries!

Cyberpunk is a great game overall. Don’t get fooled by those not-that-good reviews from when the game was released. It was mainly spite-driven, as the gameplay was not as smooth on the older consoles and PCs. This version is patched-up and ready for some action!

• Release Date: November 2014

• Developer: Bioware

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360

• Meta Score: 89/100

From distant future to distant past –Dragon Age: Inquisition is the next game on our list. The sky opened, and the chaos reigned down on our heroes. Who will save them if not you? Set in a beautiful world of Thedas, you are tasked with the most crucial quest in the history of the world as an Inquisitor – you need to save the world from demonic invasion. Will you succeed? Or just let it slip? Oh!

As usual, in those cases, we are tasked with the most challenging jobs in the world, and we are not including being a mother in this one. Inquisition is an excellent open-world RPG from the same studio that brought us Mass Effect, so you know they have some idea on how to create a successful title. In this installment, you have several races to choose from: humans, dwarfs, elves, and even Qunari. Not only that, you can select your path of development as well. Whether you want to play as a sturdy two-weapons-wielding berserker or a mage keeping their distance, you can explore all those options and even more!

In some cases – too much. The dialogue-based development of your relationships with different characters and party members is vast and can even lead to some side quests. Nevertheless, it is sometimes a bit cringy when you have to choose between two answers from your potentially gay lover - Yes, I love you; or – I am so in love with you. But that’s just Bioware for you, and we all remember Commandor Shepard’s love adventures.

The combat is played in real-time, but you can pause to direct your team member on what they should do or to set some combo in motion for your character only. You can choose to be a rouge, warrior, or mage, and there is a lot of additional branching out within each class.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is a fun time for everyone involved. If you want to play Mass Effect in medieval times – it’s the closest you can get, that’s for sure.

• Release Date: September 2019

• Developer: Gearbox Software

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, macOS

• Meta Score: 91/100

Next on our list is Borderlands 3 – probably the most similar game to Mass Effect from all the others on our list. And that’s saying something! You have your space-traveling RPG-based action adventure that you all know and love from the Mass Effect trilogy. A thrilling plot, unexpected twists and turns, and lots of killing. Maybe a bit more in the Borderlands, as it’s crazier than what Commander Shepard would recommend.

Once again, you have to become the Vault Hunter that saves the world from the evil twins, who took our favorite Siren, Lilith’s powers. 

Troy and Tyreen Calypso form a cult called the Children of the Vault, and your job is to get rid of them. To do so, you team up with the Crimson Raiders to stop those evil bastards!

The gameplay is what you may have expected from a Borderlands game. Lots and lots of shooting crazy enemies with even crazier weapons. Four classes to choose from, with a Siren, mech rider, beastmaster, and a gadgeteer. So, everyone will have a bit of fun in the end. With over one billion weapons to choose from (as the creators claim), you will have a great time taking care of those enemies and finding a way out of terrible situations on the horizon. So, if you like to loot guns, travel space, and be a part of the comically fantastic adventure to save the world, then Borderlands 3 is your way to go!

• Release Date: September 2017

• Developer: Bungie

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia

• Meta Score: 87/100

Although, we may have been a little hasty calling Borderlands 3 the closest game to the Mass Effect series. Destiny 2 should probably have this honor. See the mysteries of different solar systems up close and fight with some of the most creative villains in the history of space. This is Destiny 2!

You are a Guardian in the Last City where humanity is able to live. You have to face, with your co-Guardians, a threat to the sun itself (at least in some of the expansions). Become the legend and fight off the evil that is plaguing your solar system.

In Destiny 2, you have multiple classes you can choose from. You can become a Titan, Warlock, or Hunter. 

Titan is your tank, essentially. They are strong, disciplined, full of energy and firepower. When it comes to some hammer-based action – you really want to have this guy on your team. When it comes to some visceral fighting – there are no better fighters than them in the universe. 

Warlocks, on the other hand, are the mages of sorts in this universe. They utilize the power of Light in order to clear the enemies and fight for survival. 

And finally, we have the Hunter class, with their golden gun, quick thinking, and even quicker feet. This is the class for those who have the balance in themselves.

The gameplay is a cover-based/RPG-based shooter experience that is best served with a side of friends. When it comes to visceral fights, exotic weapons and armor, and raids – nothing is more fun than doing all of that with a group of like-minded individuals, especially if they would also like to smash some alien skulls with you.

So, if you want to feel the Mass Effect Breeze in your hair once more – Destiny 2 is the way to go!

• Release Date: August 2016 

• Developer: Eidos-Montréal

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, macOS

• Meta Score: 84/100

We were torn between choosing Deus Ex: Mankind Divided or Human Revolution, so we opted for the more recent one; the first was a bit too close to the original Mass Effect release. You are Adam Jensen, now an experienced agent equipped with some interesting bio-advancements and cybernetic implants, so, you know, like in Cyberpunk, but a few years earlier.

The game follows the story of the Human Revolution, where the world was divided between normies and augmented. You are a double agent for the Juggernaut Collective who wants to expose all the wrongdoings of the Illuminati. You may recognize them from practically every conspiracy theory ever created.

In its essence, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an action role-playing game with stealth elements. The fighting is cover-based, like in Mass Effect, and you use many technological (bio or not) advancements in order to get through your enemies with brute force or use some stealth techniques to go around the problem. The game gives you different ways of solving problems, similar to what we have seen in the Dishonored series. The game is dialogue-heavy, so if you enjoyed this in Mass Effect, you would like it in this game as well. 

So, if you are a fan of some cyberpunk/stealth/action-RPG type of action, then Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is everything you could dream of. So – enjoy responsibly!

• Release Date: November 2020

• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia

• Meta Score: 84/100

Another game on our list is Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. We just couldn’t leave out one of the most important RPG series in the history of gaming – Assassin’s Creed. And there are plenty of similarities between Mass Effect and this particular game. 

For starters, you may play as a male or female with the same name – Elvior, a legendary Viking raider. Additionally, you can change things here and there when it comes to their looks. And, of course, you have an open-world action RPG experience where you can influence the world with your actions. How cool is that?

In this installment, you are a Viking during times of conquering England. Of course – all of that in addition to the classic Templars/Assassins conflict that has been plaguing this world for centuries. 

What is different in the Viking version of Assassins’ Creed? Well, first, you get to play with some new cool weapons like Greatswords; for example, you can dual-wield them and use a shield – the combat is much more advanced in this installment, as you have a lot more regular fighting than in the previous games in the series.

Additionally, the Eagle Vision is gone, and now we have – Odin Sight with some raven instead of an eagle.

The rest is pretty similar to what we have seen many times before – you get a job to kill someone, there are some side quests, and the settlements are back, so you can go and get some of those as well. There are a lot of fantastic things to explore, as usual in Assassin games.

The biggest change is the leveling system they introduced in Valhalla. Instead of having you grind the levels over and over again, the enemy's level is now based on how many skills you have gotten from your leveling. So, the enemies are not level-based but skill-based. It gives some depth to the whole thing. And, with over 25 unique archetypes of enemies – you will have a lot to fight against in this one. So, grab your greatswords, and let's get on with some hunting! Only the ones who died in battle go to Valhalla, so let’s not sell ourselves easily in this fight!

• Release Date: PS5, Windows February 2023, PlayStation 4, Xbox One May 2023, Nintendo Switch November 2023

• Developer: Avalanche Software

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch

• Meta Score: 87/100

And finally, we have the Hogwarts Legacy. You may be surprised to see this game on the list of games like Mass Effect, but – fear not, there is an explanation behind it. The game is heavily based on the world-building aspect, dialogue-strong, and with lots of quests in this open-world RPG, full of shooting and ducking. Does it sound like Mass Effect? Well, it definitely does in our book.

This time though, we don’t play as Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, but it’s the 19th century, long before Voldemort and everyone. In this game, you go on a wonderful adventure to, well, save the school, as there is an ancient secret that can change the Wizarding World as we know it. So, grab your potions, learn about your magical beasts, and go for some spell-casting adventure in this RPG amazement that is Hogwarts Legacy.

The game presents the amazing magical world of Harry Potter in one of the best ways possible. It has this magic that you may remember from reading books or watching movies. Although it’s not a sci-fi third-person shooter, there is a lot of Mass Effect Spirit in this game, though. And that’s worth checking out for sure!

And that’s it for our show! We have traveled to the outer worlds to find a fun game that may not be Mass Effect but is a fun sci-fi RPG or a good match with similar mechanics and as professional as wild. Hunt enemies, take control of some mechs, develop your character, and become the legend you were meant to be – those games similar to Mass Effect will allow you to do just that.

Of course, not all are third-person shooters, and not all are from Bioware or Obsidian Entertainment. Still, they have one thing in common – they combine groundbreaking and perfected RPG solutions with a beautiful plot and more than enjoyable visuals. Arguably, those are some of the best games available on the market. We were happy to be the generation who played Mass Effect as the first people in the world, but with so many fantastic titles coming up – we are positive to have something to play in the future. That’s it for today; thanks for stopping by, and we will see you in the next one!