I know some people liked ME2, and it definitely had better combat than ME1
People need to stop saying this just because its a more "fluid" experience. ME2 combat is actually shit, it's below average even compared to other mindnumbing cover shooters. ME3 combat is better than ME1 (even if I prefer ME1 combat still) because its a much improved ME2. Have you played ME2? Have you played it on the hardest difficulty where you sit in the same spot for minutes at a time waiting for cooldowns on abilities to strip away 2 layers of shields against EVERY single enemy because you have no ammo? The only variety is one type of enemy having shields, the other having barriers and all having armour. There is still no tactical thinking in ME2 either. 1 fight. Only 1 kind of requires that. Tali's recruitment mission final fight is the only one where you need to control your squad mates.
You have to take the same companions all the time because of these shields. There was only one mission I was able to take someone new (the Dead Reaper, brought Grunt to deal with the hundreds of husks). What a terrible fucking game ME2 is all around except for insulated character stories/missions, which are only good from a vapid soap opera point of view. Even then, not all of them hit the spot even for that.
If you think that's better than ME1, you're brain dead. At least ME1 can be fun in a cartoony way with how biotics & melee work through shields, spectre weapons and explosive rounds which send enemies flying. It also doesn't keep you behind cover the whole mission. The level design is done in a way where story/gameplay sections transition seamlessly, so you're doing all that dumb, fun combat in open areas. ME2 is designed in completely opposite.
