Alpha Protocol (PC) Review - PAGE 1

Obsidian Entertainment, if you've not yet been acquainted, was formed from the ashes of the legendary Black Isle Studios, who developed a number of classic PC and console titles. Obsidian began their journey developing the ill-fated Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II -- word is publisher LucasArts rushed that one for the holiday season, more or less ruining what would've been a great game. They had much better luck with Neverwinter Nights 2, though bugs were still prevalent.

This week their new title arrived on my desk -- Alpha Protocol, touted as an "espionage RPG." With a premise like that, it's hard to mess up. Thankfully, the game delivers. Alpha Protocol has everything you love about spy films, where the lifestyle has traditionally found its audience. Hacking, weapons, gadgets, "handlers" (allies who help you out on missions through voice and video communication), safehouses, world travel, bad guys, stealth -- the list goes on. Suffice it to say, it's easy to see Obsidian loves espionage.

And then we've got the RPG side, which is a very similar setup to the Mass Effect series -- the comparison just can't be avoided here. You level up, gain Advancement Points which you can put into various skills like stealth, weapons (there's a different category for each), defense, hand-to-hand combat, and so on. Each time you advance, bonuses are obtained, and now and then skills are acquired. These are tons of fun -- if you're proficient in stealth, for example, you can use Shadow Operative to make yourself temporarily invisible, or if it's pistols you like, you can use Chain Shot to freeze time, line up shots, then let them connect once the timer is up (both very handy for situations where you want to close in on an enemy without getting caught). Other gameplay features include a couple of innovative hacking systems, one of which is displayed in our feature demonstration below.

Alpha Protocol is very linear in the sense that there's no open world to speak of. Once set up at a safehouse (these are really classy, well-designed living spaces that serve as your base of operations), you choose from the mission screen which mission you'd like to go on next. However, it's non-linear in almost every other aspect I can think of -- weapon customization, character customization, conversations and plot, combat options, etc. Missions themselves are more or less straightforward, though there are multiple optional objectives in each which you can watch out for to gain extra rewards.

Many missions will see you going up against a group of baddies using whatever play style you choose (stealth, all-out gunplay, or somewhere in between) -- just be careful not to let them set the alarm, as this will see an extra round show up. As has been mentioned before, if you feel like it, you can beat the entire game without killing anyone -- tranquilizers are your friend, here. Objectives typically include obtaining intelligence, capturing an enemy, or making allies. Some missions are purely cutscenes and conversation, which mix up the formula and serve as a nice break from all the action.

The soundtrack is well-done, each arrangement suiting the mood and environment. The Saudi Arabia missions, for example, feature some enjoyable Middle Eastern-style music, while others go more for an intense, guitar-crunching electronic feel, adding to the action.

Weapons and our hero Michael Thorton are both pretty customizable -- the former with mods which increase stability, accuracy, reduce damage, etc., the latter with facial hair, hairstyle, eye colour, etc. There's not as much depth as say, Dragon Age or The Sims 3, but it's plenty enough to be satisfying for the RPG lover. Weapons are purchased with cash looted from enemies or found around missions; you also get big cash bonuses upon completing each mission, or from your handlers in e-mail (oh yeah, there's e-mail).

Graphically, I find the game looks quite nice, actually. Some of the environmental textures are bland, but they don't detract much from the experience. Obsidian has focused on what matters most: weapons, effects, enemies, and allies -- these all compete well with the latest titles, particularly characters in conversation.

Alpha Protocol has a great story -- this one element I was definitely surprised by. While I figured the story for a spy RPG would be good, it's actually great here, with some riveting twists and turns and filled to the brim with interesting characters with competing interests. Both the dialogue and voice acting are absolutely superb -- characters are very "real", to the extent you feel you're having an actual conversation with them. There's also some great humor to be found, particularly from Mike, who can be especially sarcastic if you let him.