Alpha Protocol Previews
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Joystiq:
The shooting part of Alpha Protocol retains some of the RPG mechanics and inventory that Mass Effect's sequel jettisoned so effectively, but it's good news for those looking for a little more depth. "Critical hits," for instance, are accounted for by a nifty reticule that slowly encircles an enemy target the longer you keep them in scope's view. Just a few more seconds and ... CRIT! Uh, BLAM! (And FWOOM if the rifle contains incendiary bullets.)
Kombo:
The choices in gameplay and conversation are broken up into what the developers called "the three Bs": Bourne, Bond, and Bauer. Jason Bourne, James Bond, and Jack Bauer other than sharing initials with each other each represents the different option that Obsidian provides in conversation. The scene above in which Thorton made love to the female character was obviously a "Suave" or "James Bond" moment. As the Dynamic Dialog System is counting down the player can press the "suave" button to put Thorton in that "stance" and he will charm like Roger Moore after a few martinis.
Cheat Code Central:
However, there is a lot to differentiate Alpha Protocol from the pack. For starters, the combat system is far more varied than Mass Effect 2 could ever hope to be. In any given mission the strategy you take is your own choice. If you want to build a stealth character that can sneak through the level and snipe his enemies one by one, there is certainly enough customization to make that happen. And, if you want to march through the level blasting fools into the next world in a macho display of power, you are also afforded that opportunity.
And Explicit Gamer:
However, there are still hubs where Michael can get a bit of down-time, chat to people, choose and modify kit and accept missions, and these are presented as Safe Houses in various countries. No clue yet as to how many missions are on offer, but while there are plenty of optional missions none of them are unimportant side-quests they all support the central story.
