Alpha Protocol Reviews

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Written by Brother None on May 29th, 2010

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Such complex and consequential factors are what make Alpha Protocol a hugely progressive and interesting RPG. And though it sacrifices some genre staples, such as open-world exploration, in the pursuit of its new approach to role-playing, those sacrifices are outweighed by the gains. A very different, innovative RPG, Alpha Protocol is essential gaming for anyone willing to put their pre-conceptions aside and have fun with a new type of RPG on its own terms.

The game infuses a movie-like atmosphere into an RPG perfectly. Alpha Protocol has a safe house in each area Thorton visits. Between missions, he can check his e-mail for leads and information on the area, talk to his handler, purchase weaponry or more information through his computer, and select which mission to tackle first. Initially, the missions are all related to gathering more intel through activities such as hunting down well-defended sources, meeting a stranger in public and trying to pry intel from him through conversation civil or otherwise, or sneaking into another intelligence agency's base in the area and downloading their files or bugging their systems. Depending on how the missions go and how effectively Thorton obtains information, new missions open up allowing him to follow leads, gain more intel, kill off enemies, or assist knowledgeable friends. A sequence of missions in an area, called an operation, ends with a final assault, a boss fight, and a conclusion to that location's problem that's influenced by the decisions Thorton made.

Alpha Protocol is a game with such potential that the negatives stand out a mile. If you play it, you'll probably have your own list of reasons why it both charmed and frustrated you. Beneath the generic spy story, the often great dialogue between the warm characters will make you care about the reputation points your conversations earn you.

While its obvious Obsidian poured their hearts and souls into the game, especially its RPG elements, it would have benefited from more polish than passion. There's plenty of reason to recommend Alpha Protocol, but for many, its easy-target shortcomings will no doubt cast a dark shadow over its better ideas. Despite its flaws, I was won over by its varied gameplay, conspiracy-heavy, character-driven story, and engaging mix of action, stealth, and role-playing elements. It doesn't match Mass Effect 2's Game of the Year-like quality, but it does make me want to assassinate, neck-snap, interrogate, hack, zip-line, and globe-trot my way to its other possible endings.

Lacking the suave demeanor of James Bond or the terrifying persona of Jack Bauer, agent Michael Thorton is a painfully ordinary man caught in an extraordinary situation. Thorton's vanilla personality is an allegory for how underdeveloped the rest of the game is. The abominable AI is Obsidian's most glaring oversight, but missing textures, a half-baked cover mechanic, and a maddeningly restrictive character moveset also are noteworthy failures. The game provides occasional moments that make you feel like a true secret agent, but they come few and far between. I did enjoy allocating experience to personalize Thorton's evolution, as well as the various tech-centric minigames. Sneaking dirty cash so not to leave a paper trail back to the agency, purchasing dossiers or ancillary intel to unlock bonus objectives, and customizing my arsenal were also highlights. Ultimately, however, Alpha Protocol is a game riddled with missed potential. Just like Agent Thorton, Alpha Protocol performs much better on paper than out in the field.

Obsidian's Alpha Protocol is mediocre at best. It could have been good if the issues found in the game, such as the horrible AI and technical problems, were fixed. As a reviewer, I believe that the game is still in the beta stage. It is flawed and unpolished and I wonder why the game was released this way. If players can get past the horrible technical difficulties and poor enemy AI, it can be a fun game. Just remember that the only weapon that you will have is CHOICE. Make a choice that you will not regret, as this game is $60. If a player decides to buy it, play it twice or else the gem of the game won't be seen.

There are a few good features and flashes of brilliance, but the RPG stuff isn't very extensive and the action isn't well presented, the characters are dull and lifeless and the script relies far too heavily on stereotypes and clichés to be interesting. Shame, really.

Alpha Protocol does take a couple hours to hit its stride, but once the player learns to get creative with their earned skills and gadgets, it become easy to master the later missions, regardless of what city is chosen last. Obsidian has delivered a title with relatively deep character-building without the time commitment of a traditional RPG. The fast-paced action scenes makes Alpha Protocol all the more inviting to replay after the credits roll the first time around. Moreover, the majority of the achievements are story-related and it can take as little as 3 or 4 playthoughs to discover all the outcomes. While it is not exactly "Metal Gear with experience points," it does bring some very intriguing and compelling storytelling devices to the table - something that this reviewer is convinced will see again in a Tom Clancy-esque universe years from now. If Obsidian is not interested in a follow up, perhaps a company like Ubisoft might be.

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