

The Hero of Elysium/Sole Survivor of Akuze/Butcher of Torfan just doesn't play like an experienced soldier. Even while playing the Legendary Edition, I noticed that my Vanguard Shepard handled her pistol in a very ungainly fashion on Eden Prime, and would frequently misfire her biotic powers - the latter particularly annoyed me because the recharge time on those is brutal. You'd think they would be very proficient with most weapons and powers at the start of the first game.īut in the first game, every character starts out ungainly, both in the use of weapons and their powers. Shepard, in particular, is a marine who's undergone the most intense training program a human soldier can undergo. My complaint stems from the fact that it doesn't always make sense for the characters.Įvery character in the games - with the possible exceptions of Tali or Kasumi - is a trained soldier or mercenary who's presumably had combat training. It's a holdover from the more classic RPG formula, to have more skills in a certain weapon over another. I understand the idea of weapon and skill leveling in principle. And it wasn't until Mass Effect 3 where it felt like the developers got it right.

It's the means by which the game tells its beloved story. But still, it's what we're going to spend a good portion of the game doing. I'm not usually a fan of Gears of War-style cover shooting, but then again I was a Vanguard on my Insanity playthrough - I never used cover for anything less than a Colossus.Ĭombat is not what anyone plays a BioWare RPG (among the best RPGs) for - they are most loved for their story and characters.

Shepard is much more nimble on the battlefield and more visibly adept with their weapons and powers. The combat in Mass Effect 3, however, is faster and more fluid.
