Actually you could have more advanced boss AI while still keeping the player ability to learn its "tells" if the animation system had access to what the AI is t

Actually you could have more advanced boss AI while still keeping the player ability to learn its "tells" if the animation system had access to what the AI is thinking. Lights that turn from blue to angry red when the AI is contemplating firing, giving the attack a mandatory charge-up time, etc. The AI could be unaware of its tells or that it's telegraphing moves. Even more wild would be if the AI could be aware, so that maybe it tries to cover the status light or hide the weapon from view while it charges up. That in itself would be a tell.