Any RPGs with the grand scale of the Mass Effect series?

[Roshar]

I'm currently replaying Mass Effect 1 with the intention of playing all 3 games with the same save file, something I never did when the sequels launched. But I was wondering if there are any other RPGs out there with the scale of the ME franchise? For all the rage about the original ending of ME3 (and I was one of those that didn't like how everything was unexplained), the game universe that they created was rich. Are there any other RPGs out there that can match the ME franchise that I should play?

[Deleted]

Knights of the old republic, when you have finished those go play SWTOR.

[sarecho]

to me ME felt artificially "grand". it's how you make a game that is essentially on rails feel like more. swtor does this too. feels and looks bigger than it is (that's what she said) but it's kind of necessary i guess

to me, wow and elder scrolls lore outdoes everything and while wow today isn't as great as it was IN MY OPINION, it's still fleshed out to a level that only ES rivals as far as popular games goes

so i'd say check out morrowind/oblivion/skyrim on the PC with quality of life mods (or any mod that catches your eye)

that's a ton of gaming with a ton of customization available with even more lore to carry it

[WarpedAcorn]

The Witcher is another series you might like. The "Witcher World" is very different, but very well crafted. The final installment, Witcher 3, won't be out until next year, but it is another series where your choices will have an impact on how the game evolves. Even the first Witcher (I'm playing it now), is surprisingly deep (and rough around the edges). But the lore, culture, and politics are all well established. And the setting is realistic enough that I can actually immerse myself in the world, which is very similar to Mass Effect.

Other options would be Bethesda's Elder Scrolls or Fallout 3 series. I would argue that Morrowind was the strongest as far as lore and immersability, I really hated Oblivion (outside of the Dark Brotherhood's questline), and of course Skyrim is awesome (just has really bad/generic stories and quests).

[Supakaiser]

to me ME felt artificially "grand". it's how you make a game that is essentially on rails feel like more. swtor does this too. feels and looks bigger than it is (that's what she said) but it's kind of necessary i guess

to me, wow and elder scrolls lore outdoes everything and while wow today isn't as great as it was IN MY OPINION, it's still fleshed out to a level that only ES rivals as far as popular games goes

so i'd say check out morrowind/oblivion/skyrim on the PC with quality of life mods (or any mod that catches your eye)

that's a ton of gaming with a ton of customization available with even more lore to carry it

I know exactly what you mean with that "artificially grand" feeling, I felt it when playing the ME series but I still fell in deep love with it despite this.

[Super Kami Dende]

Knights of the old republic, when you have finished those go play SWTOR.

This is very much true.

Some of the SWtoR Planets are massive in scale and Backdrop.

Playing on high res and looking into the distance on Coruscant is pretty amazing.

[DemoBytom]

Baldur's Gate series, the granddad of Mass Effect (and may RPGs)..

[Ferocity]

Baldur's Gate series, the granddad of Mass Effect (and may RPGs)..

BG was never "granddad" of many RPGs (of Mass Effect? maybe). It was released as rather sub-mediocre game during Might and Magic VI time. It was simply overhyped and overadvertised.

On that note, you could check on Might and Magic series (just ignore IX and, probably, X), they were the games which largely influenced most of current MMOs. When you will play them, you will see it for yourself. Noone makes games like this (at least for PC) anymore, so don't be turned away by games' age.

Some of the SWtoR Planets are massive in scale and Backdrop.

Playing on high res and looking into the distance on Coruscant is pretty amazing.

I think OP was talking mostly about single-player games. If to speak about MMOs, why SWtoR and not something else? Because of it being sci-fi?

[Halicia]

BG was never "granddad" of many RPGs (of Mass Effect? maybe). It was released as rather sub-mediocre game during Might and Magic VI time. It was simply overhyped and overadvertised.

BG2 was released alongside Diablo2. BG *started* the choice-driven narrative we take for granted in games like Mass Effect now, and made a name for Black Isle Studios.

The fallout series is worth a mention in response to the OP, although fallout 2 may be far too dated to be as enjoyable as it should be by todays audience, sadly, and I don't know if FO3 or New Vegas are nearly as enjoyable as an introduction to the series. (I *love* New Vegas, but I recognize the difficulty it takes to commit to a game that is redeemed by those rare moments where you just sit back and realize how mindblowingly awesome the story that you just spend days delving into was.)

For me, my first experience of the Mass Effect franchise was ME2's demo... and damn, those first 15 minutes just frontloaded all the awesomeness of the universe and hooked me into the 'cinematic experience'. New Vegas takes much longer to warm up, sadly.

[Venziir]

BG was never "granddad" of many RPGs (of Mass Effect? maybe). It was released as rather sub-mediocre game during Might and Magic VI time. It was simply overhyped and overadvertised.

On that note, you could check on Might and Magic series (just ignore IX and, probably, X), they were the games which largely influenced most of current MMOs. When you will play them, you will see it for yourself. Noone makes games like this (at least for PC) anymore, so don't be turned away by games' age.

I think OP was talking mostly about single-player games. If to speak about MMOs, why SWtoR and not something else? Because of it being sci-fi?

This is just plain wrong. Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 is still considered the one of thé best RPG games to ever hit the PC. This is why every modern RPG gets compared to it, that is why when Bioware made Dragon Age they themselves said they wanted to make a "spiritual successor" to the BG franchise. This is why HD versions of BG1 and BG2 were made. It's the granddad of Dragon Age, Neverwinter (both Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter the MMO), Icewind Dale, Mass Effect,- and basically any RPG that has you interact with a party, forces you to make choices that affect the game and so on and so forth. It created all the criteria which players want and crave in RPG's.

Also, why you are even mentioning MMO's makes no sense, since the OP wanted to know about singleplayer RPG's which is evident. And seriously? Might and Magic? ... Really?

[Rukh]

I felt the Suikoden Series did a pretty good job with an immersive world. : P Totally different types of games. JRPG. Good believable world though. Lots of politics and scheming.

[rayvio]

sadly nothing yet really has the scale of the Mass Effect series, offering three top quality games which build upon each other and continue the development of the same player character and advancing the same story. but there are many great RPGs to try

obviously the other BioWare games are a good starting point
Baldur's Gate is very dated but if the graphics and UI aren't a problem for you then you're in for a real treat
Jade Empire is probably one of the most underrated RPGs, but also rather short. well worth playing though
Dragon Age series starts off strong with arguably the greatest modern RPG, Origins. the expansion and sequel aren't anything special but are still worth a look and the third game is looking like it might be a return to the strengths of Origins if it lives up to the hype

the Witcher series is another that starts off strong. although it lacks the character customisation (for story related reasons) you do get to affect the characters personality as you play through the game and it has a great story. sadly the sequel ruins all of that since even importing a saved game won't import any of the decisions you made so you're likely to get constant contradictions to your personal cannon which shatter the immersion. still worth a play though

Kingoms of Amalur: Reckoning is another underrated RPG which was unfortunately released close to Skyrim and so overshadowed by it. it's one of the best RPGs I've played though, offering a great story, interesting characters and a surprising amount of depth. it also offers something so very few games do, a DLC that's actually worth the price tag, it's worth buying the game just for the Legend of Dead Kel (but the rest of the game is great too)

[Afrospinach]

sKingoms of Amalur: Reckoning is another underrated RPG which was unfortunately released close to Skyrim and so overshadowed by it. it's one of the best RPGs I've played though, offering a great story, interesting characters and a surprising amount of depth. it also offers something so very few games do, a DLC that's actually worth the price tag, it's worth buying the game just for the Legend of Dead Kel (but the rest of the game is great too)

This one here is the weekend deal on steam right now

[Kazlofski]

Witcher 1 and 2, soonish 3 will be out.

Dragon Age Origins is amazing, then get ready to be a "little bit" disappointed with Dragon Age 2 but some still enjoyed it after all (Me included).
Inquisition will also be out quite soon.

[Simulacrum]

BG was never "granddad" of many RPGs (of Mass Effect? maybe). It was released as rather sub-mediocre game during Might and Magic VI time. It was simply overhyped and overadvertised.

One of the most memorable and highest-rated games in PC gaming history; first of the wildly popular infinity engine games that inspire million dollars worth of kickstarter games to this day: "Sub-medicore"

ok bro

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Baldur's Gate series. It is locked within one region of Farun, the Sword Coast, but is a remarkably detailed, flesh out, believable world.

Final Fantasy XII takes place on an extreamely large scale, and has very detailed lore.

KoA:R is also very large and detailed.

Dragon Age 1 was great. Could've been better, but probably worth buying anyways.

[rayvio]

One of the most memorable and highest-rated games in PC gaming history; first of the wildly popular infinity engine games that inspire million dollars worth of kickstarter games to this day: "Sub-medicore"

ok bro

everyone's entitled to their own opinion
even if it is wrong :P

[Icaras]

I'd actually agree with the Sukoden series, (up until the last released on the DS, anyway).

Each game generally made mention of other areas of the world the series was set in, and future games would be set in those areas. There were also returnring characters and references to both past and future events. Even when the series started going into prequel terriroty, it was still going to countries previously refered to and having characters show up in past forms.

Such a shame konami decided to "Final Fantasy" the series with the last release, which was basically set in a brand new unrelated world with no storyline, lore, world or character ties at all. (I suspect they ahd a team working on a generic RPG and decided to slap the Suikoden name on it, hoping brand recognition would net a few extra sales )

Sega Shining Series also had some bare bones continuity between the various games for much of the early releases, but that all went by the wayside when the series morphed into being stand alone action RPGs.

Sadly, lotta places seem almost scared of having continuity between releases, for somebody like me who really enjoys that sort of thing, its quite frustrating

[KOMO1211]

The fallout series is worth a mention in response to the OP, although fallout 2 may be far too dated to be as enjoyable as it should be by todays audience

i may be a bit biased as the Fallout series is probably one of my favorites in the entire industry. but FO1 and FO2 both stand up pretty well even today, especially if you like post apocolyptic settings. i play each about 1-2 times a year and they never get old. blowing the entire side of some guys body off never gets old the story and lore they put in are great and FO3 did a pretty good job continuing this as well allthough it transitioned into more of a action game then a TBC game.

[Afrospinach]

i play each about 1-2 times a year and they never get old. blowing the entire side of some guys body off never gets old

Hah, that was the part of the demo that sold me. You are right though, turn based games tend to be more timeless and playable than say FPS or action orientated games.