Mass Effect 3 vs. Skyrim: Which Game Is Better?

Both Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim are action RPGs, and despite sharing a genre, the games are fundamentally different. Mass Effect focuses on military-inspired science fiction, while Skyrim revolves around a high fantasy world with the whole package of mythical creatures, gods, swords & sorcery. Still, plenty of RPG fans are at the same time fans of both of these subgenres and if you’re looking to explore both of these games, you must be wondering which between Skyrim and Mass Effect 3 is worth your time and which game is better. 

Skyrim vs. Mass Effect 3: Which game has better gameplay? 

Skyrim’s gameplay centers on open-world exploration in a vast, diverse environment. Players play through the main questline as the Dragonborn, capable of absorbing dragon souls, and can explore numerous side quests and faction quests. And progression is mostly based on a skill system allowing intricate character builds. Real-time combat features a variety of weapons and magic. There are plenty of crafting activities, encounters with dragons, player choices, and a massive modding community that keeps the game alive to this day. 

If you haven’t played previous games in the Mass Effect franchise, you probably have no idea what to expect. Mass Effect gameplay revolves around action and role-playing elements in a science fiction setting. Players take on the role of Commander Shepard, who embarks on a mission to save the galaxy from the Reapers. The game combines third-person shooter combat with narrative-driven decision-making, allowing players to shape the story through their choices. You will be able to interact with well-created characters, form alliances, and navigate through a web of political intrigue, all while exploring various planets and completing missions.

The bottom line here is that Mass Effect and Skyrim take different approaches to RPGs. Mass Effect is sci-fi and, in large part, narrative-driven and linearly oriented, while Skyrim takes the freedom and open-endedness to the fullest with a skill system that is mostly reminiscent of old-school RPGs. It wouldn’t be fair if any of the games lost a point here.

Mass Effect 3 (1-1) Skyrim

Skyrim offers a bigger and more open world

If one thing Skyrim is famous for, it’s the massive map. Skyrim is the perfect sandbox open world that allows you to discover over a hundred locations ranging from Nordic ruins to abandoned Dwemer underground cities. However, there are a plethora of unmarked locations as well, hiding secrets, easter eggs, and treasures in general. Skyrim likewise has incredibly diverse biomes ranging from snow-capped mountains to ice-covered seas and wide plains. There are countless hidden locations, side quests, and points of interest scattered throughout the world, waiting to be discovered.

Mass Effect 3 takes the map exploration to a Galactic level, but the game is not as open-world as Skyrim is. Instead, you are able to explore only a small portion of every planet that you decide to land on, and across most of those planets, your primary objectives are to gather resources and form alliances. It also gets repetitive at times, with most planets having nothing more to offer than generic fights.

Skyrim’s map is expansive, encouraging free exploration in a fantasy world, while Mass Effect 3’s map serves the narrative and exploration of a galactic war. But, since in this category, size & map details do matter, this point goes to Skyrim. 

Mass Effect 3 (1-2) Skyrim

Mass Effect has better combat, mostly 

Mass Effect features a hybrid combat system combining third-person shooter mechanics and role-playing elements. The combat in Mass Effect is real-time, and players control the protagonist, Commander Shepard, and their squad members. The game employs squad-based combat, allowing players to lead a somewhat custom team with unique abilities that can be tactically directed during encounters. There are plenty of powers and abilities to choose from, including biotic and tech skills, enhanced combat dynamics, weapons, and equipment customization.

Skyrim has open-ended combat, which means that you are not limited to a single class. Instead, you level skills that you deem important. A vast combination of builds is available with three major archetypes, such as in other similar games: mage, warrior, and stealth archer. Players can choose from a wide range of weapons, including swords, axes, bows, and magic staves, each with its own unique feel and playstyle. 

Different weapon types offer varied attack speeds, damage outputs, and special abilities. Magic spells cover a broad spectrum of elements and effects, enabling players to unleash destructive fireballs, summon creatures, heal themselves, or utilize utility spells.

Still, Skyrim’s combat is criticized for being flat, as there are no combos that you can build upon, as in other action RPGs

Both games have adjustable difficulty, and it’s really not an issue, even if you are completely new to the franchises. However, I do have to admit that combat in Mass Effect 3 is more fun, impactful, and a lot more fast-paced than in Skyrim. This is why the point goes to Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect 3 (2-2) Skyrim

Skyrim has better replayability

This is a category where Skyrim will objectively always be an absolute winner. It has among the biggest and most active modding communities in the world, offering a variety of mods suited to change, modify & improve almost any aspect of the game. From quests to mechanics to items and graphics, there are no limits. This is what extended Skyrim’s lifespan for so long, and the game is still actively played almost 12 years after it was released. 

So, Mass Effect 3 vs. Skyrim, which game is better? 

There is no objective way to approach this comparison, and I’m sure that plenty of fans will claim either way, but since the games are so fundamentally different, let’s summarize. If you’re a fan of fast-paced combat, squad mechanics, and sci-fi environments, Mass Effect 3 is the game you should be playing. 

If you’re craving high-fantasy experience with old-school draby combat and leveling, and if you like the open-ended gameplay in which you will spend hundreds of hours merely exploring and crafting, play Skyrim. Mass Effect has a really strong storyline and characters but falls short in most RPG elements, while Skyrim is quite the opposite.

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