Things I hated:
1. Pointless Collectable missions.
ie) Mass Effect 1
Galaxy Collection asignments come to mind in Mass Effect 1. These assignments involve travelling aross Citadel spaceto hunt down numerous hidden collectables.
UNC: Prothean Data Discs
UNS: Turian Insignias
UNC: Valuable Minerals
UNC: Locale Signs of Battle
UNC: Asari Writings.
The problem with this is that it became quite a chore especially for the completionists in ME. It was an uncessary side quest that cannot be tracked. Which ones have I collected, which ones I haven't. Which planet did I visit, which planets I didn't?
2. Scanning Planets.
ie) Mass Effect 2
Good good this is terrible game design. Not only did Bioware want to extend the replayability of the game they made this pointless mini-game a bloody chore. For the completionists like me I bled each and every planet dry to deleption (just because I'm ADD like that). It hindered the flow of the game preventing you to get to the meat of the game. This is also a kick in the nuts for replay value, to rescan all the planets AGAIN. I can understand this was eliminated in Mass Effect 3 to cut down on the montony, which I liked, but why not just remove it all together? In the end when replaying the game to full completion players would have a checklist, visit here, check this out, get reward here. How about we focus instead on interesting side quests than damn annoying treasure hunts. It's like finding a needle in a hay thread.
3. Knowing which planet is in which cluster.
ie) Mass Effect 1
First time through this can be quite overwhelming. Often I kept referring to a guide, which planet belonged in which cluster. Kind of wished it was streamlined with a better interface to show which planets belong where.
4. Skipping Dialogue also skips choices if you're in a rsuh.
ie) Mass Effect 1
Skipping dialogue also causes players to skip choices. Knowing what the npc is going to say I repeatedly press X, then when a choice appears it forces me to select the most neutral choice. This is annoying as hell. Skipping dialogue should only skip dialogue but NEVER choices. So many oppertunities missed in selecting the choice I want.
5. Poorly implemented Achievements.
ie) Mass Effect 1
Complete the majority of the game with the (Turian, Quarian, Asari, Krogan, Sentinel, Solider) squad member.
This is the case when achievements dictate how you play the game. I thought this was all about making choices, but when a game hints sublminally on who should be in your party 75% of the time and make it missable, this aggrevates the player. The best use of achievements to satisfy players is quest achievements, that way players are inclined to do that quest and see the developers hard work, but at the same time they can make the in game descions for themselves.
6. Character Face Customization
Offer more choices in face character customization.
ie) Best character customization in a game so far: Saints Row the Third.
Do that! Also offer the ability for players to remake the character's face early on if they aren't satisfied with the changes, like what Dragon Age 2 did. It worked with the mirror (because of magic, duh), I sure Bioware can come up with an excuse in game for a reason. In addition have a character face code at all time like Mass Effect 2 so people can replicate it. For reasons unknown why this code isn't present in New game + baffles me.
7. Understand the player.
There are players who are obsessed with your franchises, some players are of the casual kind, they will play only the story missions, a bit of the assignments and done. Going through one playthrough. Others are completionists. Going to max Shepard's level, do every side quests, listen to every dialogue choice, etc. Why make it a chore for these players? Why all the scanning of the planets AGAIN, in their second playthrough, or reacquiring certain upgrades all over again, or doing quests that involve going to this planet again and acquiring them. Quality over quanity. It's not about dumbing down the experience, but making the gameplay exciting instead of tedious ways of trying to artifically extending a game, this can be done by new game + and listening to different result of choices.
8. Save limit restrictions.
ie) Mass Effect 1-3
The idea of restricting certain amount of saves per character is annoying as hell. Save limit restrictions SHOULD only be done if there is not enough space on the HDD to allow it. But restricting saves on account for the game, WTF. Allow the flexability as KOTOR did.
9. Spent more time in menu than playing the game.
ie) Mass Effect 1
Character customizing is great, retrofitting your squad with certain equipment and gear. But in ME1 it was a mess and felt cumbersome. Glad they simplied it in ME3. Micromanaging everything can be a chore. I understand the players who want to min and max stats and things, but too much of it takes away from the game.
10. Mass Effect Genesis was limited
It did not have the small decsions that would carry over. What if I wanted to see Kerrahe alive, or Wrex with his armor? No I have to play ME1 again. At least an option menu to flag this as yes or no instead or replaying a game over again to see the result.
11. Certain classes can only use certain weapons.
ie) Mass Effect 1
When my class is untrained for using a weapon it gets annoying as hell. Glad they fixed this in later installments.
Now for things I did like.
1. New Game +
Because certain things carried over, Shepard's existing level, paragone levels, collectables like fish and ships. Also there are bonuses like exp, credts, and resources that stay. Though Bioware should make it an effort to tell the player what carries over and what benefits are had to redoing a second playthorugh.
that's all I can think of so far. But Mass Effect was a great experience, it's polished, but there should be more critical thinking done by developers to minimize the aggravation from players in terms of game design and user comfortability.