RPG Genre Discussion Thread

[lestatdark]

Byclop said:
Mass effect is closer to be a 3rd person shooter than a rpg
at least mass effect 2 which is the one ive played

It's still a RPG. 

A RPG is not measured by stats, turn based mechanics, inventory, levels and combat screens alone. It's about choices and guiding your own character during it's own evolution. 

For example, take the Baldur's Gate games. It's combat mechanics most resembled a strategy game than your typical RPG mechanics, still, it's considered to be one of the purer computorized RPGs ever created. Why? Because you can shape it's history, your character, the interactions and the way it all unfolds in the end. In that aspect, the ME games are closer to Baldur's Gate than, let's say, a FF game or Chrono Trigger. 

You're judging the ME series based on it's combat mechanic alone, when there's much more than that. Have you tried playing ME2 on Insanity difficulty as an Adept Class? There's little shooting going on there and much more power using and strategic deployment of your supporting characters and their own abilities. Thus you can tailor your experience in various shapes.