One the one hand every single element of the game is flawed and in need of improvement. On the other hand it's still one of the most enjoyable games I've played in a while.
Combat: It's clunky, and probably one of the things this person is talking about because it feels like there are plenty of pitfalls that could've been easily dodged. Fortunately, most of the problems go away on their own once you get a few skill points into combat skills. Some start out stronger than others. Rifles are probably the most consistent weapons, remaining useful throughout the game whereas pistols start out pathetically weak and later become almost overpowered. I haven't tried specializing in any other weapon type yet, so I can't really say anything about those.
The melee works fine, especially once you get Sagat's Tiger Knee-attack. If you combine that with resilience you can actually use melee most of the time.
Grenades work like they should. You hold down G and move your view to precision-place the grenade and then release to throw it. Unfortunately, grenades belong in the "gadgets"-category and take up the same slot as for instance stim packs. Switching between your various tools can get a bit annoying, especially if it has been your focus. Various gadgets include a tool that lets you reset alarms, EMP-grenades that shut down electronic locks and a sound generator which you can use to trick enemies into walking into traps.
So what's wrong with the combat? Two big things: For a long time your weapons will be highly inaccurate. The enemies will feel like bullet sponges simply because you can't hit them very well. This is especially annoying against some bosses with regenerating armor. You'll plink away on their armor for a while, and then they'll hide and regenerate it. What you're supposed to do is take steady aim on them to land an accurate critical attack, but it takes too long and doesn't really stop being an annoyance until the very end of the game.
Stealth: The stealth actually works, sort of. There have been complaints that the AI is stupid and sometimes won't notice you doing takedowns on people in the same room. And it's true. However, that doesn't make it any less fun! You're still spotted relatively easily so you'll need to make full use of abilities and studying enemy movement to get around. The biggest problem with the stealth isn't the system itself, but rather the level design making it close to impossible to use sometimes. Awareness sort of lets you see where enemies are, but often you'll get seen by someone who you could've sworn were behind a wall.
Story: It basically goes like this: It's obvious stuff was cut. I won't go into specifics, but most of the characters feel like they are missing some dialog here and there, and sometimes their entire story arcs seems to be gone. Because of this, when the end game starts you can be faced with something that makes no sense at all. The story hinges on an assumption made by one of the characters at the end of the first chapter, making it blindingly obvious that content was cut. Most of the characters are well-acted and well-written, with a few exceptions (one unfortunately being Thornton himself, who sounds about as aggressive/suave as a plank of wood). The bottom line is: There are memorable characters in there, many of whom seems to have had their content cut. Here's to hoping there will be DLC to fix this.
The graphics, huh? I can't really defend the graphics very much. The environments look pretty damn good, but no more than contemporary games. The character models look dated, and there are a few glitches here and there coupled with the occasional camera twirl out of nowhere. Oh yeah, and it takes a long time for textures to load at the start of levels. Then again, who gives a shit? I still play old 8-bit games because they're enjoyable experiences. If you let graphics get in the way of your enjoyment then you're probably better off just watching Avatar or something.
I'll sum it up as a unique experience that you should give a try unless it's the basic premise that's keeping you away. Or you're a graphics whore.
I guess.
