5 Best Video Games Like Mass Effect

There are few series in gaming that match the popularity and influence of "Mass Effect." At the time of its release, the "Mass Effect" trilogy was hailed as one of the best stories ever told in a video game, and the games certainly have stood the test of time. However, given that "Mass Effect 3," which ended the original trilogy, came out in 2012, it might be time for gamers to find a new experience, but one that's still similar to the series.

Fortunately, with "Mass Effect" being a futuristic RPG filled with player choice and an extensively detailed timeline, there are several games you can play today to fill the void left behind by the series. While there aren't too many bona fide trilogies available to play through, some games make up for that in overall length. Of course, if you're mainly a fan of the evolving story in "Mass Effect," there's still something for you on the market in 2026 as well. Here are five games you can play that are similar to "Mass Effect" in one aspect or another.

With "Mass Effect" primarily taking place in space and on board spacecraft, it only makes sense to include "Starfield" on a list of similar games. "Starfield" is Bethesda's take on an outer space RPG, and while it didn't quite become a critical hit like "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim," it's still a terrific game with plenty of content. As we've come to expect from Bethesda titles, the RPG elements of "Starfield" take center stage, but what keeps you playing is the ability to explore so many different planets and galaxies.

Your character eventually gets to pilot, customize, and command their own fleet of spaceships, and you can even assemble a crew of party members to join you on the ship. With your ship, you can travel to hundreds of unique planets, dozens of galaxies, and even build your own base on whatever planet you find. Of course, in between all of this exploration, you'll also go through a roughly 40-hour story and have access to some truly interesting side quests via different factions or just random NPCs you find in a town. "Starfield" is a modern outer space RPG that gives you an incredible amount of freedom and choices, much like "Mass Effect."

"Cyberpunk 2077" is another RPG from a famed development studio, CD Projekt RED, and it keeps the futuristic vibe that's always present in "Mass Effect." However, "Cyberpunk 2077" doesn't take place in outer space at all, but instead in a dystopian version of the United States where technology and AI have taken over everything and everybody. You won't get to travel amongst the stars or to new planets, but you'll have plenty of futuristic elements to keep the same "Mass Effect" feel.

In "Cyberpunk 2077," you play as a character named V who finds themselves at the heart of a corporate conspiracy in the main story. Throughout the game, you'll have to make constant choices that affect your ending, and the choices are never as easy as picking between two dialogue options. You'll also get to spend dozens of hours exploring Night City and its surrounding areas, and the entire map is packed with content. There are RPG elements at every turn, a huge world to uncover, romance, and player choice, so any "Mass Effect" fan should be able to hop into "Cyberpunk 2077" with no problem.

"Mass Effect" certainly isn't the only outer space RPG you can play, but if you're looking for something a little more light-hearted, you'll want to check out "The Outer Worlds." There are currently two games in the series, with the original receiving better reviews than the sequel. However, both are solid RPGs from Obsidian Entertainment and feature compelling characters, huge open planets to explore, and stories that you'll want to see through to the end.

In the first "Outer Worlds," you play as one of the few survivors of a colony transport ship from Earth, which was sent to another galaxy where humanity has relocated. During the story, you'll get to become the captain of a spaceship and recruit an entire fleet of companions to join your mission to wake up other survivors of your transport ship. You can travel to totally unique planets with your ship and companions, take on a variety of side quests, and make choices that affect entire towns and the overall story. There's also plenty of banter and wit present in "The Outer Worlds," but this doesn't detract from the emotional decisions you'll end up having to make.

The entire "Mass Effect" series was developed by BioWare, but that's not the studio's only franchise. The developers are also responsible for the "Dragon Age" series, which features a completely different setting and gameplay structure from "Mass Effect." However, if you enjoy what BioWare did with its outer space RPG, then you'll likely enjoy the "Dragon Age" series as well.

Specifically, though, you want to start with "Dragon Age: Origins," as it begins the entire timeline for the series and is often regarded as one of its best games. "Dragon Age: Origins" is a full RPG with character progression and choice, but it features an entirely different combat system than you might be used to. The game utilizes Real-Time combat with a pause function, meaning you can pause during the middle of a fight to strategize and think of what to do next. Once you start to understand the combat, though, you can get into exploration of the open world in "Origins" and start progressing through the story, which is chock-full of lore that serves as the foundation for the rest of the series.

While there aren't too many gaming trilogies that can stand up to the original three "Mass Effect" games, the "BioShock" trilogy is certainly worthy of a mention. Unlike "Mass Effect," the "BioShock" trilogy doesn't necessarily feature the same characters or even settings, and it's not a traditional RPG. However, all three games are set in the same universe, and the first and second games are both set in the city of Rapture, an underwater utopia gone wrong.

As with any trilogy, it's best to start with the first "BioShock," as this fully introduces you to Rapture and all of the lore behind the city. You can then progress to "BioShock 2," which somewhat continues the story from the first game but with a twist. "BioShock Infinite" is the third and final game in the trilogy, and it takes place in a floating city called Columbia. "BioShock Infinite" might be set in a new place with fresh characters, but Rapture does come back at some point in the game. Overall, the "BioShock" games are a blast to play through with their fast-paced first-person gameplay and are especially rewarding for players who see the trilogy to the end.