Mass Effect 2 - Why This Is the Future of the RPG

So, we've had The Brainy Gamer explaining why there is room for different RPG styles but let's see one of these Why Mass Effect 2 is the future of the RPG articles he was talking about.  From GamerNode:

This is where Mass Effect 2 comes into play. Everything that is wrong with RPGs is gone from ME2. There are no idiotic JRPG tropes or useless level grinding. You never have to keep track of your inventory, or gather tons of loot that will serve no purpose other than to be traded for currency later. The game boils down what an RPG really is: character progression, story, and most importantly, having you play a role.

So many other RPGs hand you a character that is nothing like you want them to be. They are their own character and you are just controlling them. They make their own choices and are slaves to the game's narrative. Yet in ME2, you can alter the story based on your choices. You're not bound to any strict storyline. You can choose to gain your crews' loyalty, or you can choose to not care about any of them, just the mission. Yes, there is a base plot here, but you can build your own story with it.