5 Games That Scratch the Mass Effect Itch While You Wait for the Next One

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For many gamers, the Mass Effect series is the gold standard for role-playing games. It’s remembered for impactful choices that shaped entire galaxies, challenging missions with your squad, and the emotional impact of its often-debated ending. Few RPGs have matched BioWare’s sci-fi epic in its ability to combine a compelling story, meaningful player choices, and strong bonds with your crew. As fans eagerly await the next installment, their desire for that same emotional connection, memorable characters, and grand adventure only intensifies.

If you’re eager for another Mass Effect game, you don’t have to be bored while you wait! Though Commander Shepard isn’t coming back just yet, there are several other games that offer a similar experience. They feature compelling stories where your choices matter, interesting characters you’ll connect with, and immersive worlds to explore. Whether it’s navigating galactic conflicts or making tough moral decisions, these five games capture the spirit of Mass Effect, even if they’re set in different universes.

5) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Before the popular game Mass Effect, there was Knights of the Old Republic. Released in 2003, this game was BioWare’s first big attempt at telling a story like a movie, letting players make meaningful choices, and focusing on compelling characters. Knights of the Old Republic – often called KOTOR – established many of the elements that would later make Mass Effect so well-known. The game takes place thousands of years before the Star Wars movies and allows players to decide their own fate: will they become a righteous Jedi, or succumb to the dark side as a Sith?

Your decisions – whether you’re talking to someone or fighting – will influence your character’s path towards the Light or Dark Side of the Force. These choices matter beyond just your own story, as they change how your companions see you and affect your relationships with them, since each companion has their own unique beliefs and values. This system is very similar to the one in Mass Effect, which actually took a lot of inspiration from this game. The branching conversations and companion loyalty missions in Mass Effect were built using the foundation that this game originally established.

Even after twenty years, Knights of the Old Republic is still considered one of the best role-playing games ever created. Its story is a fan favorite, and the big plot twist remains incredibly memorable. While mods can update the experience, the game is still enjoyable without them. If you’re a fan of the Mass Effect series, Knights of the Old Republic is definitely worth playing.

4) Dragon Age: Inquisition

While Mass Effect is considered BioWare’s defining sci-fi game, Dragon Age is its fantasy counterpart, and Inquisition is widely seen as the studio’s last truly exceptional game before its recent comeback. Though it trades spaceships and lasers for swords and dragons, Dragon Age: Inquisition shares the same engaging formula as Mass Effect: a strong protagonist, a varied team, a world in conflict, and a narrative that unfolds based on your decisions.

Okay, so I’m playing as this Inquisitor, and honestly, I didn’t ask to be a hero, but here I am dealing with a massive problem across an entire continent. Basically, I’m building up my base, trying to get people on my side, and making some seriously tough choices that actually change things. It feels exactly like a classic BioWare game – tons of political stuff happening, but also really personal stories, and the people you travel with? They’re amazing, honestly, just as good as the crew from Mass Effect.

What truly makes Inquisition special is how expansive it is. The game features large, gorgeous open areas that reward players for exploring them. It’s not just about completing a quest to save the world; you’re shaping a lasting impact through your choices and conversations. If you’re hoping for another game like Mass Effect with a richly detailed world and complex moral decisions, Dragon Age: Inquisition is the best option until the next Mass Effect game is released.

3) Exodus

The new game, Exodus, is now available, and it looks like it could be the next big space adventure for fans who miss Mass Effect. Created by Archetype Entertainment – a team of developers who previously worked at BioWare – Exodus offers the immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and compelling characters that players have been wanting. Even before the full game launch, you can experience the universe through a novel, an animated short on Amazon’s Secret Level, and a tabletop role-playing game that blends the worlds of Mass Effect and Dungeons & Dragons.

In the distant future, Exodus tells the story of humanity searching for a place to call home in a dangerous galaxy. What makes it unique is the way time works: when you travel into deep space, many years can pass on the planets you left behind. This means you’ll return to a world dramatically changed by your past decisions, and you’ll have to deal with the results of choices made long ago, even if those choices have completely altered societies.

The core idea feels like something you’d find in a more scientifically focused Mass Effect game. Add in choices that really matter, a beautiful presentation, and the potential for deeply moving relationships, and Exodus has the potential to become a major new RPG. If you’re looking for a new space adventure with complex characters, political conflicts, and tough choices, this game is definitely one to keep an eye on.

2) Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 has quickly become one of the most popular and acclaimed RPGs in recent years. Created by Larian Studios, this game, based on the world of Dungeons & Dragons, isn’t just a top game of the last ten years – it shows how important it is for players to be able to make meaningful choices. If you enjoyed the storytelling and character relationships in Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers an even more expansive and immersive experience with its grand story and well-developed characters.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is fundamentally a game about the impact of your choices. Everything you do – from what you say to the luck of the dice – changes the story as you play. Your companions will remember your actions, respond to your values, and might even leave if you disagree too much. This creates a dynamic, living world where your decisions genuinely shape both your character and the game itself. Fans of Mass Effect will recognize these elements, as that series also focused on meaningful choices and their consequences.

Baldur’s Gate 3 features a compelling story with complex characters and unpredictable results. Though it swaps spaceships for magic, it delivers a similar experience to classic BioWare games: building a team, facing tough decisions, and striving to save a world on the brink of disaster. And like those games, it includes memorable characters you can build relationships with.

1) The Outer Worlds 2

When it comes to games that capture the spirit of Mass Effect, The Outer Worlds feels like a natural next step. Obsidian’s first game was full of clever writing, memorable characters, and choices that really mattered, and The Outer Worlds 2 builds on that success. The original game was known for its smart, often cynical humor and a universe where powerful corporations rule and nothing is quite black and white – and the sequel continues that tradition.

Okay, so I’m not the ‘chosen one’ in this game, which is cool. I’m more like a troublemaker trying to figure things out in a world that’s messed up on purpose. Honestly, the way it mixes deep ideas with a really cynical, funny vibe feels exactly like something Commander Shepard would stumble into if BioWare decided to be a little more playful. What’s got me hyped for The Outer Worlds 2 as a Mass Effect fan is the idea that my choices actually matter and have real consequences. Obsidian always lets me drive the story, and that’s awesome.

As a huge RPG fan, I’m seriously excited about The Outer Worlds 2. From what I’ve heard, it’s going to have a ton of choices that really matter, with conversations that go in different directions and side quests that let you build relationships with your crew. Plus, your decisions will actually change the ending! It sounds like it’s going to look amazing, the combat will be fast-paced and engaging, and Obsidian is known for their funny writing, so that’s a big plus. While it’s not Mass Effect, it seems like it’s aiming for that same feeling of exploration, fighting against the system, and just generally being free to make your own path – which is exactly what I loved about Mass Effect.

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2025-11-09 20:12