We’ve lined up some of the best action-oriented role playing games like Mass Effect for you so that you have a nice list of alternatives to have a go at. Whether it’s for your PC, PS3 or Xbox 360, this selection is sure to provide you with the intense real-time combat and complex role-playing elements you have been looking for.
1. Fallout 3:
First on the list is Fallout 3, developed by Bethesda Game Studios. This title is set in the year 2277, and has you playing a character living in Vault 101 which is a shelter built to house 1000 humans after a nuclear holocaust in 2077. Your main quest is to embark on a mission to find your father who has vanished from the vault, and to add to the situation, you are being chased by the Overseer i.e. the leader of the vault and his security personnel.
The title has been blessed by its maker with a highly open-ended model which renders you with plenty of things that you can indulge in within the vast world in which it takes place. Another interesting feature is the karma mechanic which depends on the choices you make in the title. Good choices give you positive karma and bad ones give you negative karma. And it is crucial for gamers to give importance to this as the ultimate ending of the title depends heavily on how their karma fairs.
2. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings:
The Witcher 2 developed by CD Projekt RED for PC and Xbox 360, is amongst the most popular games similar to Mass Effect. You will be playing as a character named Geralt who is among the remaining few witchers – people genetically altered and specially trained to fight monsters.
Geralt has been falsely accused of killing King Foltest, so now after escaping from prison with help of a commander named Vernon Roche and a sorceress named Triss, his only aim is to find the real culprit behind the king’s assassination. Just like BioWare’s sci-fi series, politics and diplomacy forms a major part of the whole title. Its enjoyable combat as well as other engaging elements will keep you glued to your machines for hours.
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim:
Yet another successful release by Bethesda Studios, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim grants you some of the best role-playing gameplay you’ve ever experienced. The wonderfully realized territory of Skyrim set within the vast Elder Scrolls universe, is as much a treat to gaze as it is to revel in.
Accompanied by superb graphics and ecstatic sounds, this title has you face off against a powerful dragon named Alduin who has been prophesied to destroy the world. Its massive environments, varied skill sets and inviting combat are just a few things that keep pulling you back into the world of Skyrim. It can be purchased now for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, while three extra DLC packs can also be acquired for added pleasures.
4. Fable III:
This third main installment in the Fable series is playable only on PC and the Xbox 360, and is quite similar to other Mass Effect alternatives in terms of core elements. Your character starts of as a prince in the castle in the land of Albion, who learns of a rumor regarding his brother Logan, the current King of Albion, who has a civilian executed, leading him to investigate the matter. After a protest takes place amongst the civilians, Logan captures the leaders of the protest and makes your character choose whether to execute them or his love-interest.
He is thus forced to leave the castle and raise a revolt against Logan. Fable III revolves around a series of moral decisions which can make your character either a good, benevolent ruler or an evil one.
5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
In this futuristic role-playing title, you step into the shoes of Adam Jensen, the Security Manager for Sarif Industries which is a modern biotechnology multi-national company. When the Sarif Head Quarters is suddenly attacked by unknown terrorists, Adam Jensen gets critically injured. He now has to undergo an augmentation procedure which grants him a number of unique abilities.
And this is when he returns to find the evil masterminds behind the attack. There are four major pillars of gameplay that make this title an enjoyable one. These are stealth, social, hacking and combat, and players can switch between these as they like, depending on the type of approach they wish to take. This fifth entry to our list of games similar to Mass Effect is available now for the PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac as well as the Wii U.
6. Dark Souls
Last on our list is Dark Souls, developed and published by From Software. This title is characterized by its hard difficulty settings which encourage careful decision-making.
Throughout the title, you will find a vast array of dangerous monsters and seemingly impossible quests which provide you with challenges after challenges as you progress towards finally clearing the entire story. This title was first released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, but was ported to PC in 2012. A sequel to it, named Dark Souls 2 is now in the works as well.
Conclusion
There you go with the collection of exciting games like Mass Effect which are sure to keep you as engaged as BioWare’s classics do. Feel free to jump into each of these experiences, and do let us know what you felt about them. And do come back to this space for more such lists.