Some of the best moments in the other games came from a specific situation showing you could choose from some extended options dependant on what your reputation or standing was at the time. It's something that made you feel like you had a real impact on your surroundings, and should be used far more frequently. The ability to talk to the squad with a dialogue tree whenever you like would be perfect instead of the one-button, one-line stuff seen before. Essentially they can be treated like Metal Gear does its Codec; available whenever you want a mission pointer or some chatter about something else - albeit with additional options to steer the conversation. Coming out the other end of a battle or cutscene only to take five and check in with your squad to discuss your options both in the field, politically and/or on-world would easily solidify 'the new Mass Effect experience' as something not possible on previous hardware.
