You know, I still miss my Inventory and all.
At least we get the weapon loadouts and all of that sometimes on the ship (on the Normandy #2) and/or sometimes even mid-level/mid-mission - and this all feels very much how actually Rainbow Six: Vegas series did this, actually. Without the Inventory, it seems like the game is keeping me constantly involved in the action and less involved w/ the tinkering of equipment as I go along mid-quest/mid-missions.
Regardless, you know, I don't know really what to call this game. Is it a RPG? Is it an ARPG? Or if it a Shooter-RPG? It's kind of a noodle-baker here...I think I might have a decision, once I'm done w/ this and see how much I've upgraded my equipment, characters - and how much the game allows for. The more these games start mixing genres like this, the more I am wondering when we'll just call games "Action", "Thriller", "Horror", "Sci-Fi" like movies are labeled - and less calling them like we call games (Strategy, RPG, Adventure, Shooter, etc).
For me, a RPG usually has two major elements:
1.decision-making which will cause an impact on the gameworld and its inhabitants and the outcome of the endgame.
(Examples - see The Witcher and most Bioware games.)
2.and/or the constant upgrading and swapping-out of characters actual base-stats, abilities/skills, and/or equipment.
(ARPG's usually take element #2 to the VERY EXTREME - see Borderlands, Diablo, Titan Quest, Hellgate: London, etc.)
RPG Element #1 is DEFINITELY still there in full-swing and full-force. I won't touch on this. Not necessary - as there always seems to be decisions to make (usually Renegade or Paragon).
These RPG elements are there, but element #2 is nowhere as there to the extent of the original, at least so far - especially w/ the Inventory system tossed out the window. Though, the upgrading part seems be coming more here and there, as you go along.
It's actually kind of funny - more RPG's seem to aiming for adding MORE action-game elements (Mass Effect 2, FF13) while more action games are adding in the RPG element #2 (Borderlands, STALKER series, what Cliffy B wants to do w/ Gears of War 3).
Hell, many of the "missions" in ME2 seem to be Call of Duty in nature, in terms of linearity - I start the mission at Point A, I'll go all the way to Point B. Though, unlike Call of Duty, you still have to make a deicision on what to do on the quest - which I feel is very important in keeping the game have a RPG quality. Most of these "missions" are on a "planet" - and there's nothing else to do on this planet but this actual mission. I do like that there are still explorable "hubs" like the Citadel and Omega, where there are multiple quests and an area to explore to get immersed into the gameworld - not just get from Point A to Point B linear thing. It seems like ME2 tried to marry the best of both worlds - and it actually works quite well.
So, my question - where's Mass Effect 2 fall? Damned if I know, so far - but I'm really digging this game A LOT. I might be able to decide where it falls, once I finish the game and see everything it has to offer.
