The Mass Effect trilogy is one of the greatest sci-fi stories of all time, and not just in gaming. There's plenty of room for great roleplaying as Shepard, between Paragon and Renegade options. The story isn't convoluted, but there's a sense of heroic urgency and responsibility as the Commander, whose choices have a real impact. Most importantly, it sports some of the best, most memorable companion characters and romance partners in all gaming history. Garrus and Liara lovers will understand.
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Needless to say, it's pretty hard to top that, even if Mass Effect 3's ending was a letdown for many after three rock-solid games and hours of questing. However, speaking purely in terms of plot and storytelling, their depth, and the emotional payoff from them, there are a few contenders that arguably manage to top the trilogy's story, even if just by a small margin.
Minor spoilers ahead for the following games.
Also, the goal is to highlight sci-fi games with stories that might be better than Mass Effect in certain areas or through specific lenses.
BioShock
A Simply Iconic Story With A Gut-Wrenching Twist
Everyone loves a good, gut-wrenching twist, and no game does this better than the first BioShock. However, it's not just the infamous "Would you kindly?" Twist that makes the story feel so alive. BioShock doesn't rely on dialogue or cutscenes to tell its story, yet it's still considered one of the best video game plots in history. How come?
The main reason is the clever worldbuilding that shines through environmental storytelling (idle chatter from enemies and random graffiti on the walls) and the various audio logs that reveal what truly happened in the underwater city of Rapture, into which protagonist Jack is thrust following a mysterious plane crash by a lighthouse. Without spoiling too much, these events are far less coincidental than one would imagine.
Prey (2017)
Story-wise, Arkane's Underrated Title Is A Gem
Speaking of twists, another game famous for flipping everything on its head is 2017's Prey from Arkane Studios. Although this game didn't become a big hit and was actually considered a bit of a flop, its storytelling is incredibly good despite some of its shortcomings. Much like BioShock, Prey manages to rely on environmental cues and voice logs to tell a distinctive story of the Talos station and its inhabitants, and what exactly happened. Very few major characters are ever directly seen on screen, like in BioShock, but finding hints of their lives scattered around on the station quickly makes you care about them and their ultimate fate.
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The start of the story alone, when Morgan finally breaks out of her simulated reality, is jarring enough to intrigue players. Throughout the game, completing various side quests will determine the ultimate fate of some of the survivors, as well as what the final ending will look like for players. It's a game where your actions truly shape how you navigate not just the environment, with it being an immersive sim, but also the story of Morgan. It's an unexpectedly emotional journey that could even challenge Mass Effect's story.
SOMA
Simon's Journey Is Lonely But Meaningful
SOMA's story begins with a car crash that forever changes the life of protagonist Simon. Following a brain scan, things go terribly wrong for him, and he finds himself in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, on Pathos-II. From the get-go, Simon's loneliness and fear are felt when faced with the dangers of the decrepit station, and finding Catherine is almost a moment of relief as players have a real, human connection. It's a glimmer of hope in the dark.
Unfortunately, nothing is real or human anymore in SOMA; that's the tragedy. And discovering that slowly, watching and feeling as not only your but Simon's hope dies, is something even Mass Effect's most emotional moments struggle to replicate. That narrow hope? It's gone, just as the inhabitants of Pathos-II are now gone, and the world as Simon once knew it. The ending is not for the faint of heart, as it will make you ask yourself what it means to be human and to live.
Cyberpunk 2077
V's Story Is Full Of Heartbreak
CD Projekt Red takes no hostages with their writing and storytelling, and Cyberpunk 2077 showcases that quality to perfection. In recent years, it's one game that tops the depth of Mass Effect's plot with some of its deep, dark, and gritty themes about humanity and survival. V's fight for survival starts from the first Act, which already slams players in the gut when an Arasaka heist goes horribly wrong.
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The whole game is a search for solutions, for even a sliver of hope, but Night City is devoid of it. It's this despair that makes you lean so hard towards some of the game's excellent characters, like Panam and Judy, but their struggles are felt just as much. After so much suffering and loss throughout various missions, depending on what ending players choose or get, Cyberpunk 2077 can feel almost liberating as you march into Arasaka headquarters solo, or enlist the Aldecaldos to help you, for example. Each decision, however, has a cost, and it is felt just as heavily here as in Mass Effect.
Detroit: Become Human
Your Choice, Your Story, Your Tragedy
Mass Effect is all about choice, and another game that does this well is Detroit: Become Human. Your choices fully shape the outcome for every character and the final ending of the game, and it's not always easy, as the game tests your ethics and principles in a truly vicious way by driving you into a corner. Will you do anything, even hurt humans, to protect your loved ones? To what end will you go to find out the truth? Would you kill someone for it?
Detroit: Become Human asks all these tough questions as players tackle the story from three different perspectives: Markus, Kara, and Connor. Each has their own goals and interests, which sometimes coincide. If played right, everyone can make it to the end and live a happily ever after, but no path is without challenges and tough sacrifices.
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