When I play ME I've always used a mouse and keyboard because I didn't get my xbox until a while after the PC version was released. So I'm used to (espeically after ME2) almost never pausing the game. I can have all the abilities I'd need on the hotbar, including my squadmates.

Now that being said, you obviously can't pause in multiplayer. I didn't think much of this on PC but you pretty much have to use those ridiculous radial menus on consoles if you're not Brad and don't always play soldier like a loser.

Basically I'm wondering how the multiplayer is on consoles and how often do you find yourselves sitting in menus while shit is going down around you?

good question

You have three skills in multiplayer and they're mapped to different buttons (Y, RB and LB) so the radial menu isn't necessary.

I played the 360 demo, and even though on the controls it says that holding LB and RB open up the weapon and power radials, they don't actually do anything. As you only have 3 powers, they're already mapped to LB, RB and Y, and only 2 weapons means that you can switch through them just by holding X. I actually found myself in the menus more on the PC version, because for some reason my powers kept on coming unmapped and the only way to use them was to hold shift and click on them. Which was insanely inefficient.