User blog comment:Battlemaster Grunt/What is the best Mass Effect? 1,2, or 3?/@comment-5271559-20121001033032/@comment-24174486-20121001183956

"In any event, looting and skill trees, etc., are not what defines an RPG."

While they don't necessarily define an RPG, they are common elements to making an RPG. A large part of RPGs is having roles and being able to customize roles. Whether it's through a skill tree or the decisions your character makes, you have to be playing a role. Take, for example, the Final Fantasy series. Those games are largely linear and your decisions have very little impact the storyline.

Different games allow you to play a role in different ways. They don't share all of the elements of what can make a game an RPG, but they're still RPGs.

While ME2 has a much more minimalist skill system than ME1, I do prefer ME2's system. Skill growth in ME1 was too slow and your equipment didn't vary by functionality but rather mere numbers. I prefer having one automatic assault rifle and one burst-fire assault rifle to having dozens of assault rifles that function exactly the same way save for damage, accuracy, and heat capacity. I see ME2's character customization elements as three steps forwards, one step back. (ME3, I consider to be about a solid minute of running. XD)