User blog comment:Arbington/BioWare will be at Comic Con, and so will new Mass Effect info./@comment-1679409-20120706162740/@comment-3325589-20120708224943

While I agree that DA2 was the substantially weaker of the two games (mostly because of constraints on exploration and moral choice; the equipment system didn't help either, but it looks like they're already planning to fix that), I actually think the combat was a marked improvement over the original. To me, combat in DA:O tried to serve two masters, and didn't do very well in either respect: it didn't have the strategic depth of a true tactical RPG (Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles), but it also wasn't as smooth and exciting as an action RPG (Mass Effect, Star Ocean). I loved DA:O's story (it remains one of my favorite BioWare stories, and that's saying something), but I never much liked its gameplay.

I wouldn't mind if DA3's combat was pretty similar to its immediate predecessor's. I also wouldn't mind if they take it in a new direction. I would be a little sad if they go back to Origins' combat mechanics.