Alpha Protocol

Alpha protocol

Developer: Obsidain Entertainment

Publisher: Sega

Engine: Unreal Engine 3

Platforms: Windows, OnLive, PS3, Xbox 360

Genre: Stealth/ RPG

Release: June 1 2010

Mode: Single-player

Stores: Steam, GamersGate, and physical copies

Disclaimer

• Picked it up at a store at a discount price.
• I play games on hard mode
• Played many stealth games and rpg's.
• I'm harsh and picky.
• I'm not a professional journalist.
• This was casually written in 20 minutes.
• I try to 100% games unless it's pointless or tediously stupid.
• No bribes were taken.
• No bribes were offered.
• No orphans were created from this video game.

Hardware:

• Windows 7 Home premium 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600@ 2.40GHz. Kentsfield 65mn technology
• Ram: 4gb Dual channel DDR2@400MHz (6-6-6-18)
• GPU: 1023MB MSI GeForce GTS 450
• Monitor: 1440x900@60Hz
• Audio: Creative X-fi Audio Processor

Story:

• Back-stabbed by own government, you work to stop an evil plot of WW3
• Story is not complicated, but the reasoning behind events and what causes them is interesting.
• Very big on character interaction and development.
• Multiple endings
• Steve Heck is best character.
• Need to play through at least once to possible understand everything,

Game play:

• Might need to adjust some settings in the config file if things don't feel right.
• Interaction:

• How you act changes how they interact with you, what even happen and bonuses you can get.
  No good or evil dialogue, Just Suave, aggressive, professional, and extra category. Though you don't necessarily want to always use one category when interacting.
• Dialogue is not lame or feels out there. Feels natural.
• Results of interactions not easy to figure. Encourages exploring options. No wrong answers.
  Can have some major effects.
• Gain intel to understand characters, groups.
• Can skip most dialogue except for choices.
• Choices are timed

• Levels:

• Enemies loaded per section of level.
• Some levels have choices that you can only chose one or the other, but not both.
• Not all levels have to be completed.
• Sometimes you get different handlers for missions. This doesn't happen often enough though.
• Only 21 missions. Feels too short in individual operations.
• After Saudi arabia, the game really kicks off.
• Saudi Arabia almost acts like a tutorial for exploring choices and consequences. Most won't affect the overall game, but some will.
  • Can jump between countries at any time. What you levels you chose to do can affect what happens in other levels.
  • What intel you buy can affect what happens, types of enemies, equipment you find, etc.
  • How you act in a level can affect how people interact with you. For example, action approach, ghost approach, non-lethal approach.
  • Cons:
    • Quite small and linear. Though you do have multiple paths, they all lead to the same place.
    • Tend to be cramped. Favors abusing stealth abilities to get through.
    • Quiet a few levels have action sequences were you are forced into combat which can ruin a perfect ghost run.
    • Three of the early levels are bugged where enemies in your area disappear until you get to the next area. Two missions require you to beat the level in one go if you want to complete all objectives.

• Mechanics:

• Game plays and feels like a third person shooter, but isn't
• Different from splinter cell and metal gear solid.
• Ghosting more viable in second play-through on veteran class.
• Game is very rpg stat based rather then skill based. Distance you can hit enemies with pistol, if you are seen.
• 4 Starting classes to chose from. Three automatically set aside stats while rookie starts you with no stats.
• Starting class does change dialogue, and how characters interact with you.
• Playing rookie class give you very little leeway when it comes to maxing out skills. Mostly you can only max out three skill trees with no other skills used. Game is beatable without maxing out skill tree's
• At first pistols can't shoot across a street but when nearly maxed out, they can shoot across a small arena.
• Pistol class is overpowered. Don't need any other weapon class maxed out.
• To unlock all doors, safes, and computers, you need to have a very high amount of point in the sabotage skill tree. Some of these locks can be impossible if you don't allocate points.
• Can be very hard at first if you play as a rookie class on hard mode, but you unlock veteran difficulty.
• You won't gain enough money to buy all the best gear for every weapon or even one weapon. It isn't needed though.
• Sound projector makes guards go into caution mode and move around. Sometimes this will shift where they will face when relaxed.
• Perks enhance your abilities or stats. Can be achieved through actions, dialogue, and objectives.

• Cons:
  • Not enough ways to replenish grenades while in a mission.
  • Sometimes guns will not fire because the game thinks you are too close to a wall even when you're not.
  • Sometimes you can be stuck to a wall or the game won't allow you to use cover when it should.
  • You can sometimes shoot through edges of walls or doorways despite your character shouldn't be able to. Likewise, sometimes your enemies can do this.
  • Sometimes enemies will randomly start shooting if shot in the head even if they are killed.
  • Hit detection is wonky. Sometimes it will register a head-shot as a minor hit. This tend to happen if you aim at near the edge of their head.
  • Sniping is a pain. Sniper rifle has it's own sensitivity setting that you can't adjust.
  • Action is awkward due to the rpg system. You will be forced into boss fights that feel more like they belong to a third person shooter.
  • Shadows and camouflage don't play a role. Only stats and objects to block their view.
  • Game still has bugs though they vary in what you can encounter. I didn't encounter any game crashing bugs in my play-through.
  • Most grenades suck except for incendiary grenades and flash bangs. Other grenades need overclock skills to efficiently defeat enemies.
• AI:

• AI is a hive mind. Alert one and all are alert. Sometimes they will not all be alert depending on the distance away from player.
• AI path-finding is wonky. Sometimes it will randomly shift if you reload.
• AI can rarely see through walls. Happened to me only once.
• AI react to sound of reloading if you are near them.

Audio:

• It's nothing special. Most musics feels forgettable except for Brakyo boss music.

Graphics:

• Textures have decent detail. High resolution, but not jaw dropping.
• Characters face are very detailed and lifelike. Clothes are too sometimes.
• Nothing looks plastic like though
• In-game graphical settings sparse.
• Can adjust graphical setting more in the config files. Can turn on setting that can't normally be turned on.
• Motion blur is quiet intense, but can be turned off in config file.
• Not a lot of environmental details.

Thoughts:

• Despite it's flaws I liked the game.
• It does a lot of interesting things with the conversation system that other rpg's don't do.
• It is worth buying. Just remember that it isn't perfect. It's a rough diamond.
• Not many games were you role play as a spy.
• Play past the Saudi Arabia campaign first before you judge things. The first campaign is almost like a tutorial of what is to come.
• Underrated and unappreciated.
• Incendiary grenades are fun.

Notes:

• Need to upgrade to version 1.1 patch for physical version as online DRM doesn't work anymore.
• Can adjust all kinds of hidden settings in the config files.