You can't choose which abilities your squadmates use, only direct who they should attack

I didn't mind getting ragdolled in ME1... It was frustrating, but if I could do that to the enemy and they also had access to Mass Effect tech, turnabout is fair play.

Hilarious, no. Realistic, in the game's universe.

Source:NeoGAF
I don't know why this is changed. In ME2 and 3 you could at least still decide between "Attack" or "use most useful ability" without pausing by pressing left or right on the d-pad or Q and E on PC. This sounds like a definitive step backwards and I don't understand why this change has been made.

...Unless it's because the AI and game-systems are rebuilt from scratch (which obviously, they are since it's Frostbite) and they just didn't get those features in... or something.

I just think with that and what I've heard that companions don't have loot-based armor either like in DA2, I worry that they'll feel like they're just sorta there. You can't talk to them, you can't control what they do beyond "Attack or regroup" and you can't equip them like you do yourself, so outside of the Tempest I guess all they're there for is banter and story. I dunno, I just think that reinforces the issues DA:I had where companions already didn't fit very well into the kind of open-world thing it had going on because they just get in your way a lot of the time, but you could at least pick up loot to equip them in that game, and you could control every one of them to strategize the combat.

Maybe if the companions have really good AI I guess this is fine in Andromeda... but otherwise it just seems like a needless change that pushes the companion element into the background.

To be fair, Mass Effect was never really about controlling your squadmates. Originally in ME1, BioWare was actually going to allow the player to switch between them as in BioWare's other games. Due to time constraints and hardware limitations on the Xbox 360, BioWare decided against it and gave squadmaters a more limited role.

As long as the squadmate AI is smart enough to use certain abilities against certain enemy AI, I don't see this being a massive concern. Ultimately, the Pathfinder is going to be doing most of the destruction anyway, as least that's what ends up happening with me playing on Insanity.

I don't understand why on this topic.  We haven't seen how the new system will work yet.  At least wait till confirmations/mechanics are shown.

Literally. It's just a change for the sake of change unless they had to make a choice and leave it on the cutting table for something more important to get done. I think it's the former in this case, but I don't understand it (yet, hopefully)

If BioWare were truly "inclusive" they wouldn't exclude the functionality that the more strategic players crave. this is probably some result of focus testing or catering to mainstream players who don't seem to ever use the tactical commands anyway. They go where the common denominator is, and as usual it's the lowest because gaming is so mainstream now.

We can't choose which ability to use but we don't know how the new system will work so it's all premature.

You may be able to pick which ability to use by knowing when to initiate a combo.  Again my guess is it will be based on a specific situation.  In FFXV for example, I could get Gladio to block me from an enemy with his shield with any pause or commands but it had to be the right scenario for him to do it.  I couldn't just say, "Gladio block me!" when the situation didn't make sense.  

I ME:A, I know that because Cora's cooldown is ready and she is near a specific enemy, I have to perform a specific action myself for her to perform a combo, and it works if I did it right.  If we can at least hit left or right on the dpad, I will learn that with Cora who is in a certain situation, I can hit right on the dpad for her to perform an ability automatically fits giving me the opportunity to follow up on it.  

You still control of commands with it being more fluid and realistic while giving your squad mates a mind of their own.

That being said, people should calm down until the video confirms everything.

I can appreciate why people are upset over the power wheel/Command Wheel being gone.  They want more control and customization at their finger tips during battle.  The same reason I want more customization, details, and control over basic RPG elements.

I'm looking forward to the new combat system.  I really liked the free flow of FFXV's new system over the turn based or wait/pause system.