the problem with the entire mass effect series is its linear and its always too short.
definitely NOT getting it on release. $60 for a 20 hour game(that is including just about every side quest) is a terrible deal.
the story and setting in mass effect are great
but its just a terrible value, and next to gameplay value is the most important part of the game.

Khuutra is the man!

I'll add this to his excellent post.

Just about everything you stated is factually wrong.  Troll elsewhere.

Cannot wait for Mass Effect 3 indeed

Hmm, I completed both games in under 20 hours, doing all the quests I could find within reason. (I didn't do the Mako crap after doing it once in ME1, nor the planet scanning snooze in ME2)

The story and setting are great, nothing factually wrong with that?

Mass Effect games are pretty short. In comparison my first play through of DA: Origins was 48 hours, and I just sank over 80 hours into Skyrim.

I hope ME3 will be more like the first one, less shooter, more rpg, less character recruiting, more story.

Unless you put it on the easiest difficulty and skipped almost all of the dialogue and side quests, there is no way you completed the games that quickly (and your comment makes it obvious you're not talking about the initial playthroughs .....).  'Within reason' is about the most subjective justification for blowing off side quests in an RPG that I've ever heard. 

Plus saying a 20 hour game is short is simply ridiculous, especially as how that is longer than the overwhelming majority of games out there AND ME games have among the highest replay value of any other games out there to due to all of the different options (genders, classes, decisions, etc).

I've played through both games 3 times and the quickest I ever did was 35 hours, and that's not with all of the sidequests completed.  ME2 was consistently 40+.  I will never understand those that complain about a game being short yet do everything possible to rush through it.  Especially RPG's.  I stand by original charge of trolling.

Excellent post Darth.

Different playstyle. I don't care much about the shooting, so yes I played it on easy and went through the combat parts as quick as possible. Hence my disappointment in ME2, since there was even more combat. I did not skip any dialogue, that's the part I like. And I took my time exploring the citadel and other locations. I did skip sidequests involving the Mako however. (is what I meant with within reason, that thing did not behave rationally)

A 20 hour game is maybe not short for a shooter but it is for an RPG. I played DA: origins on easy as well, also not all that interested in the combat, yet that still took almost 50 hours. Maybe I missed a whole load of stuff? As far as I know I talked to everyone I saw.

Can anyone elaborate on this whole either or, action story rpg thing? Kinda sounds bad but I haven't heard it straight from the horse's mouth. I mean more action, more roleplaying options is great, but limiting and omitting content so that it's an either or scenario....am I understanding this wrong? Please say yes.

My thoughts exactly.But that's selnor for you .