IMO games like the Witcher 3 and elder scrolls do a much better job of that. Mass Effect tries to trick you into feeling like you're in a big world with freedom to move around, but actually it's a lot more like a Final Fantasy type game: each area is a small "town" zone with the same couple shops, adjacent to a dungeon you need to clear to advance the plot. I like the Witcher style much better. Here's hoping their new game Cyberpunk 2077 lives up to it.