TPSRPG?

It's been a while since I blogged. I'll try to fix than. First, a short diversion.

I am hearing echos down the inter-tubes that Bioware's space opera sequel (Mass Effect 2, for those playing at home without a scorecard) will be a Shooter RPG. This worries me.

I am a self-professed Bioware Fanboy. Having a deep love of epic storytelling, and growing up in the same town, has had the expected effect of making want to play whatever they put out.

In fact, I'm playing Mass Effect the first right now. (I just bought a Xbox 360 after christmas this year, I have some catching up to do). I'm enjoying it a lot.

Except all the parts where I have to do a lot of shooting.

Now, Bioware has done a full-out shooter before. MDK2 would count, I think. Shattered Steel as well, perhaps. So they clearly have the capability.

Except that MDK2 was more about puzzles and right ammo, right time, right aim, than full-on shooter. And Shattered Steel was a big, slow, mech game.

They have a year or more before release of ME2. My biggest hope is that they'll consult some shooter level designers and AI specialists. What they need is tighter design.

If they give me the option to specialize in Sniper Rifles and then throw me into combat where 80% of the enemies rush me from behind full-size partitions and force me to resort to using my pistol most of the time (again!) then I'm going to be disappointed.