ProtocolX

Not to jump too far away from the Steven Heck expose on big game industry tied to world governments influenced by the cheese people from Planet K but . . . It is sad thing that I was in the game store a while back and the conversation went to Dragon Age 2 and the whole personality tree dialog (diplo, funny, angry) and I said... yeah Alpha Protocol had that, was really well done IMO AND the game actually DID have consequences for your actions/choices. This started a conversation between me, the owner/employees and a couple of customers. I pointed out how the game was actually quite good, the dialog was rich, choices were rewarding and the consequences were awesome. To which I got the "Really? I saw it had horrible reviews, etc." So my response was this: IF AP had come out prior to ME2, there would have been MUCH less negative reviews. If it had BIOWARE on the logo vs Obsidian it would have gotten better reviews. IF the reviewers played the game like a spy rpg vs a shooter with some dialog it would have had different reviews. IF you like RPGs and want to play a really well done Spy RPG then this game rocks. No, you cant head shot everyone just because your mouse is on the head for a tenth of a second as you click fire. BUT you can head shot with aiming, you can go through the entire areas and either stealth, stealth kill, etc. And the best part, every decision you make changes the game, in many ways. (Let an arms dealer go, and your enemies have better guns, you can get better stuff, etc.) End result, one of the customers went and purchased it and the owner said he was going to give it a try. But for sure it got way bad reviews considering how good it actually is. I keep hoping Obsidian can come into its own and make the games they dream about, vs what they can get funding for.

Depends on your definition of missing. The G22 subplot.. I agree, I get the impression that the game started out to be MUCH bigger in scope, but unlike KOTOR2 they started cutting back early (Perhaps thinking DLC or expansion or sequel) and thus it does not have empty holes and bad ending. We know they cut the option to choose your clothing (sharp dressed man trailer shows tux on the boat), so it only makes sense that other things were cut as well. As it is I really like the game (3 playthroughs so far), but I do get the impression that there were some things cut. But that is the process of game development, not all the goodies get to stay.

Too bad he doesn't wear the "I'm a Frito Bandito" t-shirt in-game. I agree. The concept for Scarlett had her wearing an Iron Maiden shirt. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2009/351...t_by_Brenze.jpg here is the artists deviant art gallery, has a few concepts from AP. http://brenze.deviantart.com/gallery/

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2009/351...k_by_Brenze.jpg The Original Concept art of Steven Heck.

oh, you just have to have emps in inventory, not selected. I rarely have them selected and always use them.

REALLY hoping for DLC with clothing options.

in order to play Veteran you have to complete a run as recruit. Vet gives you some more goodies to start with (your gear), you start out with a crap load of skills, and has different dialog. The one with Shaun was worth it.

man that really blows then. Has to be hardware issue then. crap.

The fact that it is so repeatable is just wierd. I would have thought a reinstall would fix it, maybe a uninstall, delete files, restart pc and install again but that is a lot of work lost if you wipe all saves too. The save could be corrupted (IE the checkpoint prior) but then you said that if you load the safehouse and restart the whole mission it bugs at the exact same spot again. Really odd. Do you have a save prior to the safehouse to try and work to that point again?

So if you reload the safehouse save right before and run it again the same thing happens over and over? IF so that sounds like a install issue, maybe a file got glitched. I have it on PC and have done that mission 3 times already with no bugs at all. Have you tried reinstalling the game and loading the safehouse save?

The color of your hats change with the area. Kind of sucky. Too bad you cant pick like a black beret and have it always.

I EMPed the Rome bombs. I usually carry around 12 or so EMPs per mission (later in game) so that is not an issue for me.

Yep I agree. I would LOVE to have the option to dress more like the concept art for Michael Thorton vs the Ghost Recon version or the BMX stealth one. see here: http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/019...n_by_Brenze.jpg

Then you explain Lucasarts was the one that gave Obsidian 1 year to complete the game, plus Lucasarts found the holidays to important to release the game, instead of give Obsidian more time! It's still a great game btw, even now I still play it NWN2 was just like KOTOR2 - unfinished, and rushed. (It was great for about 2/3 of the game then rushed to end with a very lack luster ending). Both times the fans have said it was the publishers fault. I hate to break it to you, ultimately the fault lies with Obsidian. Obsidian was the developer, Obsidian had the time table for when the game was to be delivered. IF Lucas was able to move the deadline ahead, then there were concessions that had to have been made to change the contract to do that, and Obsidian agreed to them. They knew going in to both projects that they had X time to produce a game. BOTH times they overreached and ran out of time. That is a fault of the developer not keeping control of what they are doing. In both cases a dev (I think it was Chris) stated that they were 'Too Ambitious". I give them points for trying to do way more than they could, but I also hold them to task as professionals that they did not act as professionals and thus had to butcher the games to one extent or another in order to get it out. It speaks of a lack of quality project management. Maybe the workers all left and the managers did not come when Obsidian formed, and that could be the problem. Lack of Project Management is a bad thing. Now MOTB and SOZ were better, they were complete games, etc. but that still does not change the fact that the 2 signature games that came from Obsidian were rushed out in an 'unfinished' state. So yeah, many people still remember Obsidian, not as the guys who did Torment then started a new company, but as the guys who could not finish a game. And this from someone who thinks AP is freaking cool. Did I have the heebie jeebies about AP? Yep, I was sure that I would get about 2/3 of the way through and it would start getting that 'omg we are out of time!! Rush and finish it!" feel. I was very happy to find a complete and well crafted game.

Hence why I never use it. I am trying a play through now with using street clothing vs armor because the stealth stuff looks bad and the non stealth looks like you are going to war. I want something more Bourne/Bond looking not Ghost Recon or X Games.

The problem with the American reviewers is that they are reviewing the game as if it is a shooter, and it is not. Thus they bitch about the combat not being right, etc. BUT if you look at it for what it is (A RPG hybrid shooter/stealth game) it is freaking cool. That said I have played since last Wednesday on a PC with keyboard and mouse and have not had any major bugs. Yes the hacking is a bit unresponsive, but you can bypass most of that with EMP if you really want. Lock picking, etc. are simple, etc. I do not think the game was rushed unfinished, it is a solid game with an awesome storyline. Obsidian did a great job.

That is exactly the problem, people have the expectation that this is a TPS and that you should start out as a Maxed out spy. I fully agree that those games are fun. Splinter Cell is a fun series and I have enjoyed all of them. It is nice to just be able to line up your crosshairs and someone dies, etc. That is not the storyline though, nor is it what the game is. AP is a new genre, a fusion of several game systems/styles into a new one. RPGs are firmly based on you as a player creating the character, both through conversations and skills. With that in mind the game worked fully as I thought it would. The skill system is fine and works quite well with the storyline as it is presented. I think people who play it will see that the reviews are all skewed toward thinking it is a TPS with some RP vs an RPG with some TPS. I think of AP as more of a how Sam Fisher would be made game than a Splinter Cell knock off. I mean Sam did not spring fully grown from his mothers womb armed with a assault rifle, pistol and knife. By the end of the game you could have max stealth, pistols, hacking. Then you are set up. But this is more about the journey that created Michael Thorton. The recruit path even says that you JUST graduated from training 6 months before you came to AP. The set ups, betrayals, plots, etc. All the things that forged him into what he ends up as at the end. Try playing as a vet and see how overpowered you are as you go through.

Heh Brayko was done almost before he got started. Was concealed with pistol when he is up on platform looking for you, couple of hidden head shot crits and he goes to snort his coke, then chainshot and fight was over.

Hmm, I have not had any bugs at all (2 complete runs and now on Veteran run). I do have issues with the mouse in the hacking, but that has been fixed by carrying lots of emps to just bypass it all together where possible. So from my end it has been a very solid launch of a very fun game.

Pretty sure that is Mina, i had it when albatross was my handler as well.

I am on my 3rd play through (did a normal one, a recruit and now doing the Vet). Very fun and very enjoyable. I think the franchise has LOTS of room to grow.

Actually, I fully agree.

You know it is funny, I came to this game as this is the last chance Obsidian had to make a good game. I mean Torment was AWESOME, but that was not made by the company Obsidian, just people in it. Kotor 2 was great for about 2/3 of the game then fell apart. Fans blamed Lucas Arts. NWN2 was great for about 2/3 of the game then fall apart. Fans made more excuses. But me, I was thinking what do those 2 have in common? Obsidian. MOTB was good (not great to me) and SOZ was fun. But neither made up for Kotor2 and NWN2 to me. Alpha Protocol has done HUGE strides to make up for them to me. It had great writing, a fun ending (YES! It actually had a full and complete Ending!) and the game mechanics were fun. I could snipe, head shot, kung fu, stealth, assault, etc. and they all were fun. I used mines/grenades to soften up areas, used EMPs when I got tired of hacking, etc. The art direction seems fine to me. Each area has a feel that fits I think. Saudi is desert and so yellow because it is a freaking desert. Hot, harsh sandy and no beach. No bikini girls running around playing vollyball, just sand, heat and terrorists. Rome was very nice. The Safe house was pimping, the ruins were nice and the villa and Museum was very lavish. Moscow being portrayed as cold, snowy and dreary brought to mind movie scenes such as the opening of Hunt for Red October and Germany in the Bourne Identity. Taipei was a welcome mixture of slums and lavish gardens. I felt it was a good blend of the two and had a nice feel to it. So while I am not a developer, I am a very happy consumer (on my 3rd playthrough now).

Any review that says pistols are useless did not play the game, did not level up EVER, is a bad player, etc. Pistols RULE the game. Chain shot is probably the single most powerful skill in the game. Final bosses ... couple of chain shots and done. Stealth - again, they did not invest in it, thus I wonder if they EVER leveled up?? What could they possibly have put points in?? Toughness and tech skill and . . . Martial arts maybe? Then tried to play as a shooter with no skills in any weapons? Granted it would be VERY hard to never kill, etc. in the game, but as for stealth being useless?? I can't see that, I used it all the time and rarely ever had an alarm go off in a mission. So once I see that I just disregard the entire review.

2 words . . . . Chain Shot. He took 2 and only 2 rounds of it and went down.