For an action-packed game that involved a lot of shooting, the disconnect between the underlying RPG systems and hands-on gameplay was frustrating at times. There were times when you could kite enemies around the environment, slowly chipping away at shields and health bars, but when locked into a small space against a charging Krogan with super-regenerating health, there was little you could do if under-levelled or under-equipped.
Enemies possessed many classic RPG characteristics, such as resilience to certain damage types or regenerating health, making combat especially tough on higher difficulties and reducing the impact of player skill. Sticking closely to the template laid out in Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, combat was designed to feel more impactful, but still relied heavily on weapons and skill attributes to determine damage. Mass Effect 1 had clumsy, imprecise shooting mechanics, offset by generous auto-aim and weapons limited by overheating, rather than ammunition. While Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 remain great games, thanks mostly to the escalating plot and great supporting characters, the paired down levelling options and limited range of weapons are immediately notable in comparison with ME1 (made all the more infuriating because many were offered as DLC bundles). Having replayed the Mass Effect trilogy last year and after putting a full 10 hours into the Andromeda trial, it got me thinking about my major criticism of the original games - the move from traditional RPG mechanics to skill-based shooting.
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