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rocketpig said:
bobobologna said:
rocketpig said:
bobobologna said:
rocketpig said:
It's a pretty heavy shooter game but you also have to realize that concessions have to be made for the RPG crowd. The auto-aim and generally, relaxed feel of parts of the game were surely created to appease those who don't drink 14 gallons of Mountain Dew a day and can press an LT-A-B button combo while strafing in .000002 seconds.

The game isn't perfect, I'll admit that. But I can see why they eased off on the extreme shooter elements earlier in the game. Not only does it let less experienced players get into the game (some of us have to remember just how many video games each of us have played over the years) but then it allows the action to get REALLY intense near the end because they haven't used up that gameplay trick by throwing it at the player 140 times before that point.

Remember that some tricks are best used for the climax of the game and if the developer uses it too much before that point, it will become stale to the player and the intensity of the game's ending could be lost.

This is probably the most level headed response to the OP yet.

Which is simply an expanded version of why I said it's not an action game. Sure, there are action elements but BioWare has to make the game accessible to everyone, not just the gaming freaks who can beat Halo on Legendary in four hours.

I see, so this is where we differ.  To me, Mass Effect 1, and from what I've seen and read, Mass Effect 2 are TPS/RPG hybrids.  I guess you just see it as a straight up RPG.

EDIT:  Let me clarify.  If a game is trying to incorporate two different genres together, obviously concessions are going to be made.  And obviously some elements are likely to suffer.  The key is to accept the game as a whole.  But I think it's also valid to criticize certain elements of the game that maybe aren't up to par with other games that are focused solely on one aspect of the gameplay.  Mass Effect 2 is undoubtedly great as a whole, but I think it's entirely reasonable to criticize Mass Effect 2 for failing in some areas as a shooter.

EDIT 2:  And for further clarification, it seems like being a hybrid gives Mass Effect 2 an excuse for not being an excellent shooter.  When you said that it wasn't an action game, you were giving an excuse.  When you detailed why the shooter elements might not have been great, you gave a REASON.

It's fair to criticize anything but my point is that the "weaknesses" of the game need to be put into context. No game can be everything to everyone and that's my problem with the OP's post. In a fantasy world, ME2 would be Gears of War on Insane mixed with Deus Ex mixed with the best elements of Fallout.

Reality has different restrictions. No way can a developer make that game, which kind of invalidates complaining about what is generally a strong TPS/action experience melded into an extraordinary RPG game.

I agree with all your posts on this so far, but being pedantic have to point out a tiny flaw I think I see here.  I don't think his OP or argument is that the game should be all things to all people, I think he's arguing it should be even more polished in the shooting/action elements to suit him (and his preferences).  Small point, but there you go.  I guess if you want to be all things to all people you have to be Tetris - or something like that!

Personally I think Bioware took it to the wire (or damn close) with ME2.  Any lighter on the RPG streamlining coupled with more action and I'd argue they'd tipped the scales completely out of RPG and a fair bit out off the area of Hybrid RPG into Shooter with some very light RPG.  As you say this is a tough move to make.  They could even gain sales making it more like a shooter, but they'd for sure lose a lot of RPG gamers and would take a lot of flack in the process.

It's a tricky balance, and from what I've seen so far ME2 gets it pretty close to perfect.  Mind you, if they were to 'tune' the combat even further - since let's face it there's a lot of it in ME games - then that's fine, so long as the balance isn't negatively affected.

 



Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...