Yes, I'm aware of that.
What I had in mind was mostly the fact that, whenever you were to face something that would require you to act without meandering, you would be, in a certain moment, notified, or even have your game automatically saved beforehand.
I remember certain Final Fantasy games (probably XII) in which, when you were about to enter a place you wouldn't be able to leave so soon, the game pointed it out that you should make another save file or so, something on those lines, instructing that it would take a while for you to be free to wander around again.
Another point is that we have a history of urgency in ME that acted that way. ME2, when the Collectors adbuct your crew, you can delay saving them as soon as possible by doing any remaining missions, giving the last mission is about going after the Collectors. However, the game penalizes you for not going as soon as possible, by killing your crew if you don't arrive in time. This result doesn't really make difficulty levels any more or less important. It just shows you that your choice in not acting had a consequence, no matter what. You wanted to be a completionist and do all your missions? Your crew paid the price. But before that, you had your time to do, as well.
I don't think the whole game required you to rush things. But there are key moments, and to be consistent, even to its own core, story and dialogues, it should have some locking down, to make the player understand the gravity they are in. MEA is too happy, too many jokes, work arounds, easy-going jobs and tasks. In certain aspects, it transpires what it intended, while makes the opposite way regarding others. The game is conflicting.
Speaking of FF XII, I think if MEA open world worked on the lines XII worked, it could be ok. FF XII gives you enough freedom to explore some areas with no imediate connection with the main story. The critical areas which required story to catch up were locked by something, but you could go to and fro rather freely meanwhile.
Not to mention many optional quests and challenges.
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And I had forgotten Lexi.
Lexi: talking with her about other crew mates, giving her more info regarding their behavior and field performance makes her increment health of all your crewmates and enhance their capabilities gradually. They gain more stats whenever they level up and they also get small bonuses upon some passive skills when tied to physical and psychological capabilties.
