This has the same combat of elder scrolls 3 and 4. I don't see it as clunky, dragon age origins is a bit clunky if you ask me. It is a pain to get all ur party members attack 1 mob. I like the walking actually if they was to turn it you would get jumped from behind. The character walks like that because he is high alert. The story says he was shipwreck out at see... you try walking great after surviving that XD.
