Summary
With the release ofDragon Age: The Veilguard, fans can’t wait todive into a new BioWare gameafter what feels like the longest time. The studio is one of the most prominent developers of Western RPGs around, and fans lovealmostevery game they’ve made — despite a spotty record in recent years.
One decision BioWare has made that split fans right down the middle was the abandonment of their strategic tactical combat in favor of real-time action that lets players play more of an active role in combat. Numerous BioWare games have experimented with this form of gameplay and have succeeded in their own ways.
Dragon Age 2angered many fans due to its reduced scope compared to the first game, and it didn’t help that the game abandoned a lot of the strategic decisions players could make in combat in the first game. However, over time, fans have come to appreciate the innovations this combat system brings to the table.
Being more active in combat is never a bad thing, and the ideas brought to the table at the time set the framework for future action-packed games in the series. It may have its flaws, but combat is one area that will keep players invested in the long haul.
Fans were pleased tosee BioWare go out of their comfort zoneand develop a Wuxia game where players could switch their martial arts style in combat to tackle enemies. The result is a fun game that lets players mess around with an inventive combat system — despite some stumbles here and there.
Jade Empireis a ton of fun to play through, and it’s a shame that this game wasn’t successful enough to become another major IP for BioWare. Combat seems simple but is pretty satisfying as players switch their combat stances and use appropriate moves to defeat a whole host of enemies.
The originalMass Effectwas a huge step in the right direction of BioWare,kickstaring a franchisethat would become one of the most lauded sci-fi RPG trilogies in gaming history. The story and worldbuilding ofMass Effectis sublime from the get-go, but the combat of the original game was rather frustrating and limiting, if imaginative.
This was improved greatly in theLegendary Editionof this title, which made major changes to the first game’s combat. Modern combat innovations make headshots and certain powers more viable than ever before, while certain boss fights have been reworked to make the most of this improved gameplay.
Dragon Age: Inquisitionworried many fans before its release, but all these worries were quelled when the game came out. It was a massive improvement over its predecessor, with combat being one of the many areas that saw improvements across the board.
The focus on action ensures that every class is entertaining to use. Controlling a mage is just as cathartic as a warrior or rogue, and it helps that players can control every character in their party to experience firsthand the amount of work put into developing this entertaining combat system.
Mass Effect 2is hailed by many asone of the greatest action RPGs ever made, and for good reason. The game boasts one of the best stories penned by BioWare along with improved combat that brings a number of much-needed improvements to the table.
The addition of ammo is a simple yet engaging way to enhance the flow of combat and prioritize quick decision-making, with certain class powers making battles more dynamic than ever. All of this aids a game with fun characters and a memorable story that fans still praise as the best in the series.
People complained about the poorly executed ending ofMass Effect 3and how it madethe vast majority of choices in the trilogyfeel essentially meaningless. However, barring the final few hours of this experience, there’s no denying thatMass Effect 3is an incredibly entertaining RPG.
The combat takes everything established inMass Effect 2, combat-wise, and refines it to a polished edge, retaining the strengths ofME2while improving and fleshing out other mechanics to make every playstyle more viable than ever. It’s a huge part of what makesMass Effect 3such a joy to play through from a gameplay perspective — and why its built-in co-op mode is still looked back on so fondly by fans.
There’s no denying thatAnthemwas a poor gamethat failed to cater to BioWare’s strengths. Developing a live-service game without any experience, or without learning hard lessons from existing looter shooters, made for a poor showing of the studio’s strength.
However, one area whereAnthem didimpress fans was its dynamic combat system where maneuverability and shooting went hand-in-hand with explosive powers to take out hordes of the game’s (admittedly repetitive) enemies. Built upon the ideas of the priming/detonating powers ofMass Effect 3, with a still-unparalleled traversal and flight system,Anthem’s combat made for a strong scaffolding for what could have been a great game — but it simply wasn’t enough to make up for the title’s many other underbaked elements.
Mass Effect: Andromedais another example of a BioWare game that failed to live up to the mark in every area aside from combat. The low-stakes nature of the story — coupled with presentation issues at launch and pretty bland open-world regions — prevented this title from living up to the legacy of the original trilogy.
However, just likeAnthem, one area ofAndromedathat is enjoyable at all times is the combat. The jump pack in the game, while not as expansive asAnthem’s full flight, adds a lot of maneuverability toMass Effect’s more traditional cover shooter elements, injecting a welcome level of speed and flexibility into combat. It strikes a near-perfect balance betweenMass Effect 3’s strategic cover-based action andAnthem’s more free-flowing, dynamic encounters. Players can air dash from cover to cover, firing away at enemies and using their powers to take part in cathartic battles that show just how much BioWare has improved when it comes to developing action-focused combat systems.
