I recently replayed The Bureau: XCOM Declassified which has the playstyle of Mass Effect down to 2 squad mates, leveling up, and basically a covershooter with pause time combat, even the art style has Mass Effect vibes at times.
Interestingly enough, i found out Aliens: Fireteam Elite has a single-player campaign ( of sorts), with 2 bots you control and you kinda level up. It’s a covershooter and scratches that Mass Effect itch enough that i just completed the 2nd campaign. Having a blast with it playing single-player bots,
Here is my question, any other gems, that might qualify for a squad-based cover shooter with RPG aspects like above? Preferably modern to futuristic era…
Barring the obvious like Fallout series, which are stated RPG class of game…or Mass Effect: Andromeda, or Starfield
Gears 4 and 5 are cover shooters with AI teammates. There’s even some very light rpg elements in 5 (and maybe in 4 but it’s been a few years so I don’t remember) leveling up powers of the robot companion who goes with your team on missions, powers that you use in combat etc.
Outer Worlds is a great game! Played it several times :) Gear Tactics is more a Xcom clone isn’t it? I played it, if i recall its turn-based. Had fun with it though Division…i never played it, hate games that require that require multiplayer only, but does it have some strong RPG elements to it? Can you play it straight offline? Didnt think you could Binary Domain now I was trying to remember the name to this one. I played if when it first came out and wasn’t into cover shooters then, I do remember the squad though. Can’t recall if it had leveling up. Ill have to load this one up again, see if it hits the itch… thanks for reminding me of the name! EDIT oh man looked it up on steam, has all the things i love now! 15 year old game, that I’m itching to give another shot! Again, Thanks!! Next in queue! Dragon Age is a good series, and if we go with no modern or later settings Jade Empire also fits the bill, but looking for modern or later settings
Now it sounds like Gears 5 might hit the spot, with leveling up the powers of your companion. Just the kind of recommendation Im looking for. Action or co-op marketed game that has squad mates and some RPG elements. Aliens: Fireteam Elite was a real surprise for me, and has me wondering what other Action or co-op marketed games might fit the bill for a psedu single-player RPG adjacent romp. Thanks all for the recommendations, keep them coming :)
It’s very hard to name a game that will fit all the criteria, but you may want to look into the following:
KOTOR and KOTOR II - probably the closest match.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind divided (lots of shooting from behind cover, but you’re solo).
One surprising one that actually fits most of your criteria is the Last Train Home on Steam , but it’s set in post WW1 setting, and it’s more like an RTS, not a shooter. It’s closer to Commandos but heavier on RPG and management.
Modded STALKER variants would also be worth looking into, especially branches like Gamma or Anomaly. You can get more or less permanent companions but you can’t level them up (maybe there are mods for that also, I don’t know).
Alpha protocol is my top draft pick. It isn’t party based though it nails everything else. Tom had a contemporary article about how it total thrashed Mass Effect 2!
Maybe ELEX, if you don’t mind a punishing early game and hefty amount of eurojank. The energy weapons are OP!
With all the popularity of Mass Effect it’s strange you can only call The Bereau as kind-of clone of this game.
The closest I’ve seen was Greedfall. It is very mass-effect-ish. But it’s a fantasy hack’n’slash (with guns, but these are flintlock guns and you’re supposed to utilize melee a lot) and your commands to the followers are very limited. Not a cover shooter at all, yeah.
I bought this one, didn’t realize it had RPG elements, THANKS! moving towards top of list!
Mars: War Logs
Technomancer
Good Games, played them, not great though.
Greedfall Now this is a surprise! I thought this was a action ropg with no squads, but apparently its not, so added to play next list!
Alpha Protocol- great game, but no squad mates same with Vampyr Ghost Recon I played the original way back when, and it didn’t have RPG elements at all. When did that change?! Adding to the lists, as Breakpoint DOES have RPG elements from what i dug and found out. ELEX Does Elex have a squad? I played about 5 hours and the melee only with no modern weapons turned me off something HUGE! RPG with squad, ill have to play again if that’s the case! Division 2 I may check this one later, not squad but if its a decent RPG ill try it later
Star Wars Commando- wait, wait are you telling me SW Commando has RPG elements?! Are you pulling my leg? No review i can find mentions this, how did i miss this?
