Mass Effect 3 is an intriguing action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. This epic, galaxy-spanning adventure places you into the role of Commander Shepard, an elite soldier on a mission to save the universe from an ancient, powerful alien race known as the Reapers. It's the final installment in the critically acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy, one revered for its engaging gameplay mechanics, beautifully layered narratives, and its unique ability to carry over decisions, character relationships, and story arcs from previous installments. Choices you make affect not just the storyline, but also the game's outcome and the fate of entire species, adding significant depth and replayability.
If you're a fan of Mass Effect 3, there's a veritable universe of similar games out there designed to whet your gaming appetite. These games combine elements of action, role-playing, and tactical strategy, all set against compelling sci-fi or fantasy-driven narratives, giving you the same sense of satisfaction as you investigate, strategise, fight, and make moral decisions that come with hefty consequences, just like in Mass Effect 3. Stay tuned, as we're about to explore a star-studded lineup of games that will cater to all your Mass Effect cravings — from interstellar diplomacy and intricate combat systems to deeply-etched characters and stories that branch out based on your choices...
25. Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition, much like Mass Effect 3, offers an in-depth role-playing experience that is both immensely engaging and full of possibilities. Bioware, the developers behind these two franchises, focuses on a solid and compelling narrative in these epic series. The choices you make which not only shape your character but also the world around you. Just as how Commander Shepard gets to decide the fate of entire species in Mass Effect 3, in Inquisition you shape the course of history in Thedas as the Inquisitor.
Furthermore, character development is given priority in both these games. However, in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the heavy emphasis on interpersonal relationships and diversity of characters with ingenious backstories make it a rich experience similar to Mass Effect 3. The combat is more tactical in Inquisition with blade and magic, yet the inclusion of a pause function to plan out your steps will remind you of Mass Effect's strategic approach. From tactical team-based battles to dialogues imbued with personal choices, it's this marriage of intricate storytelling and satisfying gameplay that draws striking resemblances between these two fantastic titles.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
24. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, much like Mass Effect 3, revolves around a sprawling storyline filled with significant player choice. These choices not only impact small, individual moments throughout the gameplay but also influence the broader narrative and world around you. Just like in Mass Effect, where your character's decisions play a fundamental role in galaxy-wide events, in The Witcher 3 your choices as Geralt of Rivia have far-reaching consequences and shape the world of the Northern Kingdoms. Every decision has its own repercussions, making the storyline uniquely immersive and personal.
Looking at the gameplay, both games incorporate a mix of strategic combat, exploration, and character interactions. The Witcher 3 makes use of a skill tree system much like Mass Effect, offering opportunities for character customization. You can focus on different fighting styles, potion brewing or spellcasting according to your preferences, mirroring the class system in Mass Effect. NPCs in the Witcher 3, like Mass Effect, are diverse and dynamic, with complex personality traits, opinions, and motivations. The quality of writing for the main quests and side quests is top-notch, matching, if not exceeding, the emotional depth and sprinkles of humor found in Mass Effect.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $50 USD.
23. Destiny 2
If you enjoyed Mass Effect 3 and are looking for a game of similar caliber, you may want to consider Destiny 2. Like Mass Effect 3, Destiny 2 offers a universe full of unique species, undiscovered planets and riveting stories waiting to unfold. The immersive sci-fi aesthetics, attention to detail and storyline depth are quite reminiscent of what you loved in Mass Effect 3, with its dramatic narrative and character development. Destiny 2 also offers an impressive amount of content over time, replicating that sense of a grand operatic adventure that's shaped not only by challenging battles, but also by player decisions and alliances.
Another significant point of similarity lies in gameplay mechanics. You'll find that Destiny 2, much like Mass Effect 3, packs an adrenaline-filled combat experience, complemented by a broad variety of weapons and abilities that can be tweaked to match individual playstyle. Just like the class system in Mass Effect 3, Destiny 2 provides classes with unique abilities, allowing you to figure out the best ways to take down your enemies and complete your missions. The game also nurtures a strong social component, offering opportunities for you to join forces with friends or make new ones in its cooperative multiplayer setting, akin to Mass Effect's memorable cooperative multiplayer mode.
Destiny 2 is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
22. Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn has many similarities to Mass Effect 3 that you'll certainly appreciate. Much like Mass Effect, Horizon Zero Dawn's story is highly narrative-driven and is rooted in fascinating lore that is revealed at a great pace. You play as Aloy, a charismatic and capable protagonist who bears similarities to Commander Shepard in terms of adaptability and leadership. The game features a choice mechanism influencing character interactions and story outcomes, which as a fan of Mass Effect, you surely know enhances the overall role-playing experience.
Mechanically, Horizon Zero Dawn echoes Mass Effect 3 with fluid combat that requires strategic thinking rather than sheer button pounding. Although Horizon Zero Dawn is more focused on archery and melee combat instead of firearms, it still employs a similar mix of planning, precision, and the use of diverse abilities to defeat enemies. Exploration is another shared feature; the lush open-world of Horizon has a great variety of ecosystems and terrain that evokes the thrill of traveling between galaxies in Mass Effect. Your decisions and actions also have a practical impact on this world, manifesting in a deeply immersive and satisfying gaming experience.
Horizon Zero Dawn is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
21. Bioshock Infinite
Just like Mass Effect 3, Bioshock Infinite offers an engaging storyline that's filled with a multitude of choices, affecting the game's overall outcome. The universe of Bioshock is uniquely rich, with a captivating lore similar to what you'd find in Mass Effect. Plus, both games have fully voiced lead characters, which aids immersion and connection between the player and their in-game persona incredibly well. The gameplay mechanics also have a notable similarity, where you can control powers or skills, offering a dynamic blend of both gunplay and unique abilities in combat.
In terms of art direction, Bioshock Infinite is exceptionally vibrant and brimming with creative design, much like Mass Effect 3's varied and intriguing alien races and locations. The atmospheric world of Columbia in Bioshock Infinite is brought to life just as skillfully as the galaxy in Mass Effect. In both games, you get to explore and discover the world on your own, following a path of a gripping narrative. The character interactions in Bioshock Infinite are also strategically nuanced and emotionally charged, just like Mass Effect 3, making the player have to often decide between moral choices that shape the narrative.
Bioshock Infinite is available on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. It is typically priced around $30 USD.
20. Fallout 4
Well, if you've got a taste for post-apocalyptic settings with a heavy emphasis on decision making and shaping the world around you, then Fallout 4 could be right up your alley. It’s like Mass Effect 3 in the sense that prominently features a detailed character creation and customization system, allowing you to invest in your character's abilities and appearance. Both games have crafted rich, open-world environments that invite you to explore at your leisure, finding secrets and side quests that complement the main narrative. Dialogues play a significant role in both games, with your responses substantially influencing how your character's story unfolds.
Combat in both Fallout 4 and Mass Effect 3 is flexible, allowing you to adjust your approach to fit your playstyle. Just as you have the biotic abilities and futuristic weaponry in Mass Effect 3, Fallout 4 offers a unique combination of ranged, melee weapons, and perks that can aid you in combat. Both games provide a companion mechanic, where you can recruit a diverse cast of characters to join you, each with their own unique skills and backstories. The relationships you form with them are influenced by your actions and dialogues, much like the relationships you can cultivate in Mass Effect 3.
Fallout 4 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
19. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, much like Mass Effect 3, emphasizes player choice and agency. While Mass Effect set in a sprawling sci-fi universe, Skyrim places avant-garde in the vast, fantasy lands of Tamriel. However, both games offer a deep, narrative-driven experience where your decisions significantly impact the game world around you. Interactions with non-playable characters, affiliation to factions and guilds, and moral choices you make sculpt the world that tailors to your play style, just like in Mass Effect 3. Plus, both games share robust character customization that includes a wide range of species, sex, and appearance, letting you create a protagonist that perfectly fits your vision.
Also, the gameplay mechanics of Skyrim are akin to Mass Effect 3. Yes, while one is a fantasy RPG, and the other is more of a space-opera action adventure, the sense of progression and character development is similar in both. There is a class system (though it is much less rigid in Skyrim), a vast array of weapons, armor, and spells (or in Mass Effect's case, tech abilities), and can use them according to your preferred playstyle - be it an upfront warrior, sneaky rogue, or a mage. Also, random world encounters, radiant quests and a well-crafted main story, complemented with intricate side quests, give tons of amazing content for players to sink their teeth into, in both games.
The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim is available on PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and VR platforms, typically priced around $40 USD.
18. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
In terms of gameplay, structure, and narrative depth, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) has a lot in common with Mass Effect 3. Like Mass Effect, KOTOR is a science fiction role-playing game that offers players a wide selection of planets to explore, each with its own rich backstory and indigenous species. Developed by BioWare, the same team behind the Mass Effect series, KOTOR provides players with a choice-driven narrative wherein every decision you make influences your character's fate and the fate of the galaxy, just as choices in Mass Effect 3 directly affect the outcome of the story.
One of KOTOR's most important similarities to Mass Effect 3 is its emphasis on character development and inter-character relationships. The choices you make impact not only the game world, but your relationships with your fellow party members. You can guide personal disputes, fray or strengthen bonds, and kindle romances, channeling the same dramatic detail present in Mass Effect 3. Moreover, like Mass Effect 3, KOTOR features a combat system that carefully balances tactical decision-making and real-time action, equipping players with various Jedi powers and weapons that mirror the tech abilities and weaponry of Mass Effect 3.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is available on PC, Xbox, and iOS, typically priced around $10 USD.
17. Dragon Age II
If you enjoyed the rich storytelling and immersive RPG elements of Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age II is definitely a game you'll want to check out. Just like Mass Effect, Dragon Age II gives you command of a group of loyal companions, each with their own unique backstory and motivations. You'll navigate intricate relationships with these characters, making difficult decisions that can change their fate and alter the course of your own story. The player character, Hawke, is fully voice-acted and customizable, much like Commander Shepard, adding a layer of personal connection to the narrative.
The combat in Dragon Age II also mirrors that of Mass Effect with a strong emphasis on strategy and coordination. You can take direct control of any party member during combat, using their unique abilities in real-time to gain an edge. Like Mass Effect, you can also pause the game at any time, making strategic decisions about position, abilities, and targets to use. The RPG progression system in Dragon Age II is intricate and rewarding, allowing for a high degree of character customization. Whether you're a fan of hack and slash action or prefer to play as a mage, the game lets you play your way.
Dragon Age II is available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, and is typically priced around $20 USD.
16. Star Wars: The Old Republic
One of the key similarities between Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3 is the profound storytelling, which serves as the cornerstone of each game. Like Mass Effect 3, The Old Republic offers a rich narrative full of compelling characters, consequential decision-making, and intricate plot details. This means that you can expect to encounter complex personalities, take part in thrilling missions, and witness dynamic interactions based on your choices, just as you did in Mass Effect 3. The Old Republic, similar to Mass Effect, operates on a morality system, so your decisions impact both the story's direction and your character's persona, adding a layer of replayability as you experiment with different choices.
Star Wars: The Old Republic also features crunchy, engaging combat very much inspired by the mechanics seen in Mass Effect 3. The game blends tactical decision-making with exciting skill-based action, delivering a satisfying cycle of conflict and reward. You'll have an array of distinct powers and weapons at your disposal that lends a sense of choice and versatility to encounters, reminiscent of Mass Effect 3's own combat. On top of this, you'll be navigating a universe deeply rooted in lore, history and intricate world-building, which is another strong suit of Mass Effect 3 that's successfully echoed in The Old Republic.
Star Wars: The Old Republic is available on Windows, typically priced around $0 USD as it operates on a free-to-play model with optional in-game purchases.
15. Mass Effect 2
If you loved playing Mass Effect 3, you are sure to enjoy Mass Effect 2 just as much, if not more. Both games are part of the incredible science-fiction trilogy developed by Bioware, which means they have very similar gameplay mechanics, controls, and graphics quality. Just like Mass Effect 3, Mass Effect 2 possesses a rich, immersive narrative. It's driven by player decisions, which influence the course of the game, adding to its replayability factor. Both games provide rewarding interactions with NPCs, resulting in deepened relationships and impactful dialogues, evoking emotional investment from the player.
Moreover, Mass Effect 2 shares with Mass Effect 3 the same core third-person shooter mechanics, combined with RPG elements. You’ll find elements of character customization, squad command, and skill trees that you loved in Mass Effect 3. Furthermore, the universe exploration and vital missions that Mass Effect 3 is renowned for initially made their mark in Mass Effect 2, thereby guaranteeing a familiar, engaging gameplay experience. Both games are also visually stimulating, with captivating environments and character designs that keep players engrossed.
Mass Effect 2 is available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
14. Mass Effect: Andromeda
If you're a fan of Mass Effect 3, then you'll undoubtedly find the charm in Mass Effect: Andromeda. The beloved choice-based narrative and decision-making gameplay remain as one of the key features of Andromeda; whatever you decide shapes the game and its characters, leading to unique and emotionally engaging narratives. The combat system has also been re-tuned, with improved fluidity and flexibility, akin to Mass Effect 3 but with more advanced technology for players to exploit.
Another semblance to Mass Effect 3 comes in the form of the loyalty missions for each of your squadmates. In addition to the main narrative, you can embark on personalized stories to earn their trust, as you did in the third installment. The vastness of the Andromeda galaxy offers an array of planets to explore with the Nomad ground vehicle, a feature reminiscent of Mass Effect 3's Mako. These planets are home to various biomes, creatures, and hostile forces that invite exciting confrontations. Rest assured, if the immersive world, character-driven narrative, and intense combat of Mass Effect 3 appealed to you, Mass Effect: Andromeda will definitely captivate your interest.
Mass Effect: Andromeda is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
13. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex: Human Revolution, much like Mass Effect 3, is a game that brilliantly blends action, role-playing, and moral choice. You'll find yourself in an expansive environment, like Mass Effect 3's varied planets, but in Deus Ex, you're navigating the near-future dark alleys and illuminated mega-cities. Like Mass Effect 3, there are fascinating NPCs to interact with and story decisions to make that influence the narrative outcome.
Also, Deus Ex: Human Revolution shares an exceptional depth in character customization with Mass Effect 3. You take control of Adam Jensen, a former SWAT specialist, whose body has been augmented, allowing you a wide array of cybernetic modifications to enhance your play style. Whether you prefer stealth, all-out combat, or tech-based approaches, there's a similar appeal to the flexibility BioWare showed us in Mass Effect 3.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is available on platforms such as Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and macOS, and is typically priced around $20 USD.
12. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 shares many similarities with Mass Effect 3, particularly with regards to its story-driven, choice-based narrative. Just as Shepard's actions shaped the events and outcomes of Mass Effect 3, in Cyberpunk 2077 too, your character V's choices determine the direction of the narrative. Both games provide you with a vast universe filled with unique characters, each with their own backstories and personalities, and the choices you make can have a profound influence on their lives as well. This sense of player agency woven into the narrative will definitely remind you of your time spent in the Mass Effect universe.
Another aspect where Cyberpunk 2077 bears similarities to Mass Effect 3 is in their focus on character customization and progression. Both games offer robust progression systems, allowing players to tailor their characters’ abilities to match their playing style. In Cyberpunk 2077, you customize V's skills and cybernetics, obscuring traditional class boundaries and providing immense depth to character development. This flexibility and control over characters and their development is something that you loved in Mass Effect 3, and is definitely a major feature of Cyberpunk 2077 as well.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and next-generation consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, typically priced around $60 USD.
11. Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV, much like Mass Effect 3, thrives on incredible story-telling and carefully crafted character development that captivates players right from the beginning. Both games allow players to explore vast open worlds filled with dynamic landscapes, engaging side quests, and a plethora of characters each with their unique histories and dispositions. You’ll dive deep into the lore of Final Fantasy XV, and just like in Mass Effect 3, your choices matter, impacting character relationships and the way the story unfolds. The compelling narratives in each game are complemented by strong themes of camaraderie and brotherhood, creating a degree of emotional attachment and empathy towards the characters in the player.
The combat system in Final Fantasy XV is also an interesting blend of action and strategy, similar to Mass Effect 3. It requires you to actively switch between different combat styles, magic abilities, and weapons, granting a high degree of flexibility in battle. You can experience intense real-time battles, make strategic decisions, and even engage in high stakes boss fights. Additionally, your team's performance in battle significantly depends on the relationships you create and the decisions you make throughout the game. This depth of decision-making and strategy coupled with high adrenaline fights makes the gaming experience in Final Fantasy XV exhilarating and much akin to your experience with Mass Effect 3.
Final Fantasy XV is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $20 USD.
10. The Outer Worlds
Like Mass Effect 3, The Outer Worlds presents you with an epic space-themed adventure full of unique characters and intriguing storylines. Just as with the renowned Commander Shepard of Mass Effect, you get to shape your character's personality and moral compass based on the dialogue options and decisions you make during gameplay. Conversations with NPCs feel meaningful, with your choices having a genuine impact on how the game unfolds, creating a rich, immersive experience reminiscent of the deep character interactions that made Mass Effect so captivating.
The Outer Worlds also boasts a fantastic array of RPG elements akin to Mass Effect 3. There's a comprehensive skill and perk system that allows you to mould your character to your specific playstyle, whether that be a smooth-talking negotiator or a ruthless gunslinger. The companion mechanics are another highlight, reminiscent of Mass Effect's beloved squad system, with each companion having their unique backstories, personalities, and questlines. And just like Mass Effect, the game's combat system combines elements of FPS and RPG, making every combat encounter an opportunity for strategic creativity.
The Outer Worlds is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, typically priced around $60 USD.
9. Anthem
Both Anthem and Mass Effect 3 are renowned games produced by the genius minds at Bioware, engaging players with highly immersive stories and in-depth character interactions. In Anthem, like in Mass Effect 3, you play as a skilled operative embarking on a journey to fight against cosmic threats. Further echoing Mass Effect 3, Anthem's gameplay features a significant emphasis on team cooperation, as you can team up with up to three additional players for cooperative play. This multiplayer model, alongside the single-player campaign, makes for a truly captivating gaming experience.
Anthem shares Mass Effect 3's third-person perspective and action-based gameplay, emitting intense combat sequences and strategic depth. In both games, players can employ a range of futuristic weapons, skills, and abilities to battle various enemy classes and accomplish mission objectives. Also, just like Mass Effect 3, Anthem drops you in a sprawling, vividly realized world -- a visually stunning, futuristic landscape teeming with diverse ecosystems and lifelike wildlife. This richly detailed environment, coupled with the game's extensive customization and immersive storytelling, makes Anthem an exciting choice for fans of Mass Effect 3.
Anthem is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC platforms, typically priced around $20 USD.
8. Divinity: Original Sin 2
One of the key aspects that make Divinity: Original Sin 2 similar to Mass Effect 3 is the element of intricate storytelling and player agency in both games. Both games share emphasis on the freedom the player has in forming their own character and making decisions that significantly alter the course of the story. In Divinity: Original Sin 2, just like in Mass Effect 3, any action taken - be it forming alliances, betraying comrades, or even just taking a stance on the many moral dilemmas can come back with real, impactful consequences, thus creating a richly detailed, immersive role-playing experience.
Another shared aspect between the two is their emphasis on character development and squad dynamics. Both games allow you to recruit a diverse range of characters, each with their own background, personalities, and skill sets, similar to the companion system in Mass Effect 3. Your interaction with squad members can shape your relationships with them, influencing how they perform in battles and even opening up specific quest lines. The strategic, party-based combat in Divinity: Original Sin 2 also parallels Mass Effect 3's squad-based fights, with an emphasis on utilizing each member's unique abilities to your advantage.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $45 USD.
7. Gears of War 4
Gears of War 4, similar to Mass Effect 3, is a third-person shooter game that places a huge emphasis on both its single player campaign and multiplayer modes. In the campaign, you'll find yourself deeply immersed in a narrative that has the same level of depth and complexity that you loved in Mass Effect 3. You'll make connections with the squad you run missions with, and the choices you make throughout the game will impact the outcome of the story, making playing through the campaign multiple times a must for any story-focused player.
Where Gears of War 4 matches up with Mass Effect 3 significantly is in their shared emphasis on cover-based combat. The mechanics of gameplay bring depth to the combat system and require strategic thinking and thoughtful utilization of the environment. Also, the multiplayer mode in Gears of War 4 includes both cooperative and competitive modes that are similar to the multiplayer offerings in Mass Effect 3. Fighting against waves of enemies with friends in Gears is as thrilling and satisfying as any experience you had with Mass Effect's Multiplayer mode.
Gears of War 4 is available on Xbox One and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $19.99 USD.
6. Halo 5: Guardians
Exploring the similarities between Halo 5: Guardians and Mass Effect 3, one of the primary resemblances you'll enjoy is the focus on robust story-telling blended with dynamic gameplay. Both games maintain a tight grip on narratives that chart the course of interstellar conflicts, with an ensemble of complex characters. Halo 5, like Mass Effect 3, follows the struggle between humans and alien species, exhibiting a rich tapestry of lore that includes political machinations, old grudges, and treachery. Additionally, you’ll appreciate the captivating cut-scenes, brooding atmospheres, and shock revelations that influence the overall narrative arc, which perfectly echoes the compelling storytelling in Mass Effect 3.
An additional association between Halo 5: Guardians and Mass Effect 3 is their compelling squad-based gameplay. Both games allow you to lead a squad of diverse characters, each filled with unique abilities that complement each other, allowing for various tactical possibilities during combat. Strategically utilizing these abilities during the intense combat encounters can turn the tide of any battle, similar to how squad mechanics work in Mass Effect 3. You have control over where your AI partners move, who they attack, and their power usage, just like you experienced with your squad members in Mass Effect 3. So, if you relished the tactical squad combat and character development of your teammates in Mass Effect, you'll find a lot of that in Halo 5 as well.
Halo 5: Guardians is available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, typically priced around $20 USD.
5. Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 shares a lot in common with Mass Effect 3, and one of the most exciting features is its emphasis on a captivating, interplanetary narrative, with a large and colorful cast of characters that you come to know and care about. Both games are deep space adventures that transport you to various star systems and planets, offering an abundance of missions and side-quests that lead to valuable loot, guns, and abilities. Just like in Mass Effect 3, many of the choices you make in Borderlands 3 will impact the storyline and the state of the in-game world, giving you a greater feeling of control and investment in the game's narrative arc.
Another common ground between the two is their incorporation of RPG elements into a primarily shooter-oriented gameplay. Your characters, or Vault Hunters as they’re called in Borderlands, have branching skill trees which offer multiple paths of development, much like the class and skill systems in Mass Effect 3. You will be strategizing about equipment, stats, and choosing between different active and passive abilities, all the while adapting your gameplay around the strengths of your character. And of course, there's the cooperative multiplayer experience - Borderlands 3 allows for up to four players to join forces and tackle the game’s challenges together, very similar to Mass Effect 3's online co-op.
Borderlands 3 is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Stadia, and PC through the Epic Games Store, typically priced around $60 USD.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2
Both Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mass Effect 3 are highly immersive games that place tremendous value on character development, story progression and player choice. Just like in Mass Effect 3, where you determine the fate of entire species, in Red Dead Redemption 2, you play a central role in shaping not just your own destiny, but the destiny of your entire gang as well. The decisions you make impact the world around you and dictate how other characters treat you; a feature that makes both games feel deeply personal and engaging.
Besides this, both games have sprawling, compelling narratives set in meticulously designed worlds. Red Dead Redemption 2's late 19th-century U.S setting is as richly populated and detailed as any planet in the Mass Effect series. The game's story, like in Mass Effect 3, deals with themes of loyalty, survival, and the consequences of violence. Red Dead Redemption 2 also embodies Mass Effect’s emphasis on exploration, allowing players to guide their character through a vast open world filled with side quests, adventures, and a myriad of hidden treasures to discover.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PS4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $60 USD.
3. Assassin's Creed Odyssey
If you loved the vast exploration and moral choices of Mass Effect 3, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is another game you should consider. Odyssey also presents a massive open world that constantly triggers your wanderlust, with stunning ancient Greece landscapes, bustling cities, and serene islands, much like how Mass Effect 3 allows you to explore the galaxy. Similarly, Odyssey presents you with choices and decisions that have tangible impacts on the game world and narrative, carving out a personal experience that’s truly yours. You also have the freedom to approach quests and combat situations as you see fit, reflecting the tactical flexibility you enjoyed in Mass Effect 3.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey also thrives in crafting a meaningful narrative through its main quests and ample side quests, just how Mass Effect 3 engrossed us with its main storyline and companion quests. Also, let's not forget the sophisticated RPG elements. The levelling system and skill tree in Odyssey are robust and offer a variety of play styles for your assassin, mirroring how Mass Effect 3 lets you customize Shepard's skills and abilities. Furthermore, dialogue options and relationship building are significant parts of both games, allowing for strong character development and narrative direction. If you savoured the sense of camaraderie and tension in the Normandy, you’d also appreciate the relationships you build aboard your ship - the Adrestia.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It is typically priced around $60 USD.
2. Dark Souls III
Dark Souls III shares crucial elements with Mass Effect 3 in a way that would surely captivate you if you enjoyed the latter. Fundamentally, both games are centered around the end of the world and a constantly escalating struggle against overwhelming forces. As in Mass Effect 3, Dark Souls III positions you as the last hope for humanity. Your journey will take you through numerous alien environments, each of them filled with enemies and challenges that must be overcome to progress. You'll also face monumental decisions that shape the path of your journey and the world around you - consequences are a big part of both games.
Importantly, choices matter and the combat is deeply strategic in both games. In Dark Souls III, as in Mass Effect 3, the player has a lot of control over their character’s development. But you cannot simply brute force your way through; you’ll need to utilize strategy and proper timing to succeed. This requires learning enemy behaviors, their weak points, and making careful use of your resources. Every decision, from your character build to your weapon choices to your in-combat tactics, shapes the way you face the threats that lie in your path. It is these strategic elements, combined with the high-stakes narrative, that make Dark Souls III a game that fans of Mass Effect 3 will find enticing.
Dark Souls III is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $60 USD.
1. Dishonored 2
Just like Mass Effect 3, Dishonored 2 also excels at giving the player the control to shape the game’s story based on their decisions. There is an intricately woven narrative in both games, and importantly, how you choose to interact with the game world is reflected in the progress and conclusion of the story. Firefights, stealth, usage of powers, or just having conversations with the NPCs, everything has a consequence. However, unlike Mass Effect 3's focus on shooter elements, Dishonored 2 leans more towards sneaky stealth with an inclusion of supernatural elements which gives you a unique power to manipulate the surroundings.
The role-playing elements are prominent in both games where you level up your character, and gain access to a plethora of customisable abilities. The character development and growth is a major focal point. The visual aesthetics of both the games are jaw-dropping. The world in Dishonored 2 has a surreal steampunk setting, while Mass Effect 3's space-age high-tech environments are equally immersive. Just as in Mass Effect 3 where you maneuver between different planets, Dishonored 2, set in the fictional city of Karnaca, lets you explore different districts, each with beautifully rendered and varied environments.
Dishonored 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $20 USD.
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