Mass Effect

20 Narrative games like Mass Effect that you should try

Games like Mass Effect · Find similar →

More about this game →

Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

Filter by:Narrative×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to Mass Effect down to the 20 that fit the “Narrative” category. Mass Effect 2, Deadpool and NieR top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Mass Effect.

iRank86/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

Tags

NarrativeSolo

Year 2021Dev BioWare

Stores

Steam ↗Epic ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Narrative” category, the closest game to Mass Effect is Mass Effect 2 — scoring 95/100 on our similarity scale. Deadpool and NieR follow close behind.

#1Mass Effect 295 #2Deadpool83 #3NieR80 #4Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords74 #5Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic71

🗳️

Help us build the best rankings

Community powered

Vote on each result below — good match or not. Every vote directly shapes how we rank similar games for everyone.

The best narrative games like Mass Effect

20 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Mass Effect. Each one has been evaluated across 17 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Mass Effect 2Closest overall match

95

Mass Effect 2

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiSpaceSkill TreeExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 78%· 342IGDB96· 9

Year 2010Dev BioWare · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, while skipping open world exploration

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Mass Effect.

Same studio: BioWare.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals100Setting92

Steam Epic Xbox

83

Deadpool

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeThird PersonMultiplayer

Steam👍 91%· 3.3KIGDB70· 13

Year 2013Dev High Moon Studios · ActivisionOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and shooter

≠ Where it differs: brings fighting mechanics, dark, oppressive atmosphere and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping open world exploration

It predates Mass Effect by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Visuals100Game mode86Combat78Tone63

#3NieRClosest on world

80

NieR

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiHistoricalExplorationThird Person

IGDB69· 4

Year 2010Dev Cavia · Square EnixOn Xbox · PlayStation 3

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, shooter and third-person shooting

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, post-apocalyptic world and visual 2d, while skipping action RPG combat

It predates Mass Effect by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Combat69Visuals65

#4Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith LordsClosest on combat

74

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiSpaceExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 26KIGDB86· 6OC77· 22

Year 2004Dev Obsidian Entertainment · LucasArtsOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Fits the third-person Action RPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy and visual first person, while skipping action RPG combat

It predates Mass Effect by 17 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100

#5Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

71

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiSpaceExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 33KIGDB94· 9OC83· 34

Year 2003Dev BioWare · LucasArtsOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings turn-based strategy, stealth mechanics and fantasy world, while skipping action RPG combat

Same studio: BioWare.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

71

Elex

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiHistoricalExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 74%· 19KIGDB60· 3OC61· 71

Year 2017Dev Piranha Bytes · THQ NordicOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: punishing difficulty, dark, oppressive atmosphere and fantasy world, while skipping action RPG combat

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Mass Effect.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Visuals100Progression92

#7Marvel's Spider-Man 2

70

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldSci-FiExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 82%· 38KIGDB82· 12OC88· 206

Year 2023Dev Insomniac Games · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings stealth mechanics, while skipping shooter

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: combat.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

66

Maneater

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 25KIGDB73· 14OC71· 168

Year 2020Dev Blindside Interactive · Deep SilverOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping shooter

You play the shark. Eat fish, wildlife and swimmers to evolve, upgrade your bite and hunt the hunters back, all narrated as a straight-faced wildlife documentary. The B-movie tone is the appeal and it commits to it. The recurring complaint is technical rather than creative: crashes, stutter and startup failures on modern Windows come up constantly, even from players who finished it.

Genre100Game mode100World100Visuals100Combat77Progression63

Steam Epic Xbox

#9Darksiders II

66

Darksiders II

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationSkill TreeThird Person

IGDB86· 16

Year 2012Dev Vigil Games · Spike ChunsoftOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with fantasy world and loot and gear systems, while skipping shooter

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: setting.

It predates Mass Effect by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100Progression81

#10Dragon Age: The Veilguard

66

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloTacticalMeleeNarrativeSkill TreeThird Person

Steam👍 68%· 44KIGDB91· 7OC80· 155

Year 2024Dev BioWare · Electronic ArtsOn Xbox · PC · PS5

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, combat magic and fantasy world, while skipping shooter

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Mass Effect.

Same studio: BioWare.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Combat82Progression71

Steam Epic Xbox

#11Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

64

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiThird Person

Steam👍 86%· 8.1KIGDB82· 9

Year 2010Dev Ninja Theory · Namco Bandai GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, puzzle design and post-apocalyptic world, while skipping shooter

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: setting.

It predates Mass Effect by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Combat78Setting36

#12Killer is Dead - Nightmare Edition

62

Killer is Dead - Nightmare Edition

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeThird PersonDark

Steam👍 74%· 8.7KRAWG👍 55%· 404

Year 2014Dev Grasshopper Manufacture · Deep SilverPlaytime ~3hOn PC

✓ Fits the third-person Action RPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping shooter

The hero "KILLER IS DEAD" acts in the world of the near future. This world is very similar to ours but still different. The name of the hero is Mondo Zappa, and he is the executioner, the executor of the death sentences.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for Mass Effect.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Combat78Tone73

#13Starpoint Gemini 2

62

Starpoint Gemini 2

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeOpen WorldSpaceSci-FiExplorationThird Person

Steam👍 70%· 4.1KRAWG👍 19%· 102MC70IGDB73· 3OC68· 15

Year 2014Dev Little Green Men Games · Iceberg InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Both are third-person Action RPGs — sharing deep RPG systems, strong narrative focus and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and turn-based strategy, while skipping action RPG combat

In Starpoint Gemini 2, you assume the role of a starship captain in the distant future. Set in the open world of Gemini system, the game continues the original Starpoint Gemini. The player controls a single vessel that can be used not only for battle but also for many other missions.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Mass Effect.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Setting92World63

61

Persona 4

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

IGDB93· 4

Year 2008Dev AtlusOn PlayStation 3

✓ Same family of third-person Action RPGs: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, combat magic and fantasy world, while skipping action RPG combat

Where it drifts furthest from Mass Effect: setting.

It predates Mass Effect by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Visuals100Combat74

#15Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series

60

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPGSub-subgenreThird-Person ARPG

SoloMeleeNarrativeSci-FiSpaceThird Person

Steam👍 87%· 1.8KIGDB69· 5OC71· 19

Year 2017Dev Telltale GamesOn PS4 · Android · PC

✓ Fits the third-person Action RPGs cluster, with deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, while skipping action RPG combat

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting91Combat69

Complete list of narrative games like Mass Effect

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Mass Effect, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures

RPG · Action RPG

The Artful Escape

The Artful Escape

RPG · Puzzle

Heavenly Sword

Heavenly Sword

RPG · Action RPG

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones

RPG · Adventure

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

RPG · Adventure

Explore games similar to Mass Effect by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Third-Person Action RPGs Best Action RPGs Best RPG Games