[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="AmazingGaming"] That's what an RPG is, player choice leading to different consequences. Mass Effect series is my favourite RPG series this gen :)AmazingGaming
I don't agree at all. RPGs are in part story/character focused, but in another part, character/party management and customization is the other half. ME2 has very weak customization, only a handful of skills per class. Otherwise, you have no control over how a character advances, armor has very little impact, weapons don't even have stats. Story and character wise, ME2 is similar to an RPG, but the combat is TPS and the customization is about as weak as some FPS games. Stuff like Yakuza and Devil May Cry 3/4 have more customization options. Classic RPGs were more about just gameplay, but how you build your character was always important, and the builds you can make are very weak in comparison to a more high quality RPG. Fair point of view. Its just for me, as you say even games like Devil May Cry, Call Of Duty, The Legend Of Zelda, God Of War, etc all have character building/customisation and really aren't RPGs. So I suppose I just never really associated that gameplay aspect with RPGs. For me, RPGs are any game where I can make choices in where I go and/or what I do in terms of story and gameplay. Mass Effect has that and is the best at it this gen imo.And what I have said several times in other threads is that stats comprises only part of the RPG equation. Story and character development is the other half of the coin. Where some people here focus on only one or the other, I keep saying you can't seperate them. Games like GoW and Force Unleashed have a form of power levelling, but not the player driven interaction which defines the character. That is to say determining what kind of traits & attitude the character has and how that shapes their role in the story. They aren't considered RPGs, and oddly enough most JRPGs, or at least the really old school ones play like this; lots of focus on stats and skill trees (far more complex than the FU example), but very little to no player driven interaction.
If you look at the other side oif things, story driven games where the player can make some or many choices, take for example GTA or Heavy Rain, yet they are still playing static characters who don't progress or evolve, nor are customizable along a diversity of skill trees. They are basically the same as they begin to the very end.
Which brings me back to my original point, thet boths stats & levelling, as well as player driven interaction (the heart of the role playing) are both integral to the role playing experience.
As for the stats and weapons of Mass Effect 2, you gotta understand that these are contextual to the technological setting of the story. STR, DEX, CON, and other similar attributes have no bearing where the damage output is determined purely by the power of the weapon. It's not like a sword where strength would factor into its impact of damage. Where the guns and armor themselves are concerned, do you realize that the upgrade system is essentially a context revision to the mechanic of item swapping?
Instead of having to trade up the obsolete weapon for a better version, you universally improve what you have across your entire armory to increase the damage capabilities of the guns from the assorted types, along with the other perks (ammo capacity, armor/shield piercing bonus, etc...) Same with the armor, where you increase it's ability to absorb more damage. And this works within the context of this universe, technology is based on the principle of improving existing specs.
The main point being, you have still achieved the same end result from a different approach - character gets inventory that can better protect him/her and dish out more punishment to enemies.
*looks at your sig.*
Your opinion about the definition of a RPG is irrelevant.
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