The Reviews

[WorstUsernameEver]

88 out of 100 for Alpha Protocol judged as an action game it's pretty positive, since it should signify that the shooter-y gameplay is solid.

Then again, considering the guy hasn't done his homework, it probably doesn't mean anything at all.

[Mojito]

Gamespot reviewer Kevin VanOrd's tweet

"Looks like I'm about to finish my first playthrough of Alpha Protocol."

First playthrough. He knows he's gonna play it again, which is a good sign.

[kreese12]

once[/i] in the whole article... which leads me to believe that either the author is a total douche, or he just didn't play much further than the tutorial. I mean... is the writing good, bad, average? Can it carry the weight of the game? Are characters credible? Are the premises absurd? How clever are Mike's lines? No idea. But oh, look! I can blow up a tank with a rocket launcher!

 

This is why I never read mags.

 

 

Well man, you haven't played the game yet. Maybe AP IS more an action game than a RP game. It seems like that is a strong possibility to me: in my definition of role playing game, Alpha Protocol seems more a third-person shooter with role-playing elements than it does a role playing game with third-person shooting elements. Not that I'm not really, really looking forward to it though.

 

I'd just not judge the review before having a chance to play the game for yourself.

[zkylon]

Man, that's one lame review. In general, not as what it says about AP, but it's so off the mark it's ridiculous. It keeps talking about the game as an action game with RPG elements and even says "(like an RPG)". Then it compares it to another games that reward you for your decisions like "GTA IV and Dragon Age"?? The review also complains about not enough mini-game variety???

 

I didn't know, though, that the mission order would change depending on who you're sided with, etc. But other than that, it's basically the same as the previews, graphics are so-so, AI sucks, Bruce Lee Michael Thorton beats Rambo Michael Thorton, etc. Oh and that, apparently, the spanish translation's good.

 

It's very weird that they give the game an 88 out of 100 without even a sentence that talks about the writing.

 

I like the idea of AP shaping up to be another Deus Ex

 

edit: 8 hour ninja'd by 213374U

Edited May 19, 2010 by zkylon

[213374U]

I like the idea of AP shaping up to be another Deus Ex

Yep, we've only had to wait for ten years. Still, better than nothing huh?

[zkylon]

I like the idea of AP shaping up to be another Deus Ex

Yep, we've only had to wait for ten years. Still, better than nothing huh?

I'm ok with waiting as long as it doesn't end up with a franchise in the hands of Bethesda. Or what happened to poor X-Com. M: Other than that, i'll wait until it's done and done right.

[Bos_hybrid]

Here's the thing - given that AP is not being pushed by a major publisher and it looks dated, I figure 88 is probably going to be the best we can hope for in reviews. The 90's are reserved for games deemed important by the press, and AP has not been deemed important.

 

 

88 is a damn fine score, those that post otherwise sound like the console fanboys that cry when their system exclusive doesn't get a 10/10. What I will find funny, is all those people the like to cry *paid reviews*, will quite happily accept good AP reviews and not mumor anything about *bribed journalists*.

[Oner]

Okay, so the review I promised: here's the short summary for now:

"An original idea that Obsidian needed to finally step out of Bioware's shadow."

+A spy story that humbles books and movies

+Frenetic dialogues

+Innovative dialogue-system

+An amalgamation of three balanced play styles

+Choices, choices and choices (yes, he wrote it like this )

-A bit outdated graphics

-Moderately bad animations

-No physics

 

Score: 87

Edited May 20, 2010 by Oner

[funcroc]

Kevin VanOrd's first playthrough time of AP was 21 hours

 

[mr insomniac]

Okay, so the review I promised: here's the short summary for now:

"An original idea that Obsidian needed to finally step out of Bioware's shadow."

+A spy story that humbles books and movies

+Frenetic dialogues

+Innovative dialogue-system

+An amalgamation of three balanced play styles

+Choices, choices and choices (yes, he wrote it like this )

-A bit outdated graphics

-Moderately bad animations

-No physics

 

Score: 87

So the minuses are all in the graphic side of things. I can live with that, and I gotta say the kungfu animations I've seen in various trailers look just fine. The pluses sound like great pluses, especially the "story that humbles books and movies". Wonder what the 'no physics' thing means exactly. Did the reviewer elaborate on that?

[WorstUsernameEver]

Okay, so the review I promised: here's the short summary for now:

"An original idea that Obsidian needed to finally step out of Bioware's shadow."

+A spy story that humbles books and movies

+Frenetic dialogues

+Innovative dialogue-system

+An amalgamation of three balanced play styles

+Choices, choices and choices (yes, he wrote it like this )

-A bit outdated graphics

-Moderately bad animations

-No physics

 

Score: 87

 

Sounds great to me.

[Oner]

Great, I pushed some button that closed tab and now have to type this whole **** in again. *grumble*

Mr insomniac: No he doesn't elaborate, maybe he meant that death animations are preset.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Maybe, just maybe, it's that the environment isn't interactive enough? Like you can't hide bodies, blow crates to destroy enemies' cover and things like that?

After all, from all the video previews, it looks like the interaction with the environment is mostly context-sensitive (meaning you jump where there's a jump point etc.) with just a couple of exception (I remember Mike blowing a turret or something similar in Moscow in an old video).

Strange that the reviewer doesn't elaborate on the subject.

[Oner]

Strange that the reviewer doesn't elaborate on the subject.

He had five pages, and only one that isn't filled to the brim with useful (and more importantly, new) info is the first page with the basic premise. Ran out of space I guess.

As for the destructible environment, "it's limited to (barrels and) fugly trucks" and disappearing bodies were slightly disillusioning.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Strange that the reviewer doesn't elaborate on the subject.

He had five pages, and only one that isn't filled to the brim with useful (and more importantly, new) info is the first page with the basic premise. Ran out of space I guess.

As for the destructible environment, "it's limited to (barrels and) fugly trucks" and disappearing bodies were slightly disillusioning.

 

A 5-page informative review? Sounds pretty good. Any new info that you got out of it?

[Brako]

By the time all the reviews are out, I think the overall score on that Metacritic site or what ever its called. I reckon the overall score will be between 70-77%.

 

It's not doing anything we haven't seen before, and shoddy AI these days get a good slatting.

[WorstUsernameEver]

By the time all the reviews are out, I think the overall score on that Metacritic site or what ever its called. I reckon the overall score will be between 70-77%.

 

It's not doing anything we haven't seen before, and shoddy AI these days get a good slatting.

 

Is it? The amount of choices & consequences, some narrative choices (the all flashforward-flashback thing) and the choice of the setting for an action rpg are all pretty interesting and original.

[Oner]

A ****load of info, take two: *goes off to eat lunch*

*comes back 20 minutes later*

So:

 

Review stuff

He's hoping for free roam in the sequel

Code-breaking mini game is the mos annoying

Varied and clever missions - see slight spoilers 2nd-4th line

Cover system is everywhere, works well (and that's roughly all he has to say about combat )

Martial Arts animations are superb, dynamic, and they convey the force of a punch or kick very well

Excitingly intricate plot threads

Very pleasantly surprised by the DSS, similarities with ME's system end with the vague response descriptions

AP beat his reservations and was an immersive game

Main characters look good, but minor actors (guards, terrorists etc) are clones, though both graphics and animations were noticeably improved since the October delay, but could still be better

Movement, especially the enemies' is clumsy, and disappearing bodies are slightly disillusioning

Environments are varied and most of them are atmospheric (special mention goes to the luxury yacht and a Tai Pei hotel), safe houses are spectacular (his favorite's Rome)

Some walls have low-res textures, explosions and muzzle flashes are ugly, destructible environment is limited to (barrels and) fugly trucks

If it weren't for graphics and animations, the score would exceed 90, but "we have to be content with a world champ story, lovable-hateable characters, fun gameplay and innumerable choices. This is enough to be a good game, but it remains to be seen if AP will be a successful game."

 

Gameplay info

Missions that haven an Alpha mark influence the overall plot

Sniper rifles, so there you have it

Screenshot indicates a simultaneous (in this case, video)conversation (or a speech?) with up to four people (shown in that instance are Scarlet, Mina and two guys who stand too far from their webcam to see)

10-10 AP/level + a few extra points for some side missions

Martial Arts is either required for, or is a non-lethal take down method, not sure which

If you choose your words carefully, you can end up having several handlers helping you on one mission

Appearances deceive, some characters respond well to a different stance than their looks suggest, so dossiers are important

You can find (or in case of e-mails, intercept) incriminating info sometimes, which you can use to 1) blackmail the poor sod whom it belongs to 2) sell it to the highest bidder 3) forward it to Scarlet

 

In case this is new to some people:

3 ammo types/weapon

The game's biggest weapon is information

Acquiring info beforehand can change the course of a conversation

(/Detailed) Maps and stuff can be bought from the Clearing House

 

Slight/throwaway spoilers (vague situation examples and the like)

 

"Master spy" Steve Heck is hilarious

Identify a terrorist among the quests of a party with a sniper rifle

Bug a CIA observation post

You have to stop an assassination attempt, but the assassin is well guarded, if you have a good rep with a fraction, they'll send so muscle to help out

One meeting is "interrupted" (you can't interrupt what is yet to start) by someone (the scene's description makes me think it's Marburg), s/he threatens you, you can threaten back, be cooperative, or try and glean info from him/her

You can hire people to dispose of enemies on a map (not clear whether it's kill, bribe or distract, but it seems you can hire someone to mow down some baddies with a machine gun in a metro)

Safehouses are provided by Mina, there's a hunt for Mike and she gives you updates on how it's going, analyzes dossiers and gives additional intel

 

 

One major spoiler

 

No, really, it's too big, I won't spoil it. And the first time I read that part I was lucky enough to miss that line, gundamit.

 

[WorstUsernameEver]

Sounds mighty good. Especially the infos about missions and plot/writing.

[Raithe]

All good things to hear... Now to just wait the week and anticipate more...

 

Ah, the joys of Amazon "item will be sent on the 26-27th, Item will arrive on 27-28th.."

[Alvin Nelson]

One major spoiler

 

No, really, it's too big, I won't spoil it. And the first time I read that part I was lucky enough to miss that line, gundamit.

 

Now i'm super intrigued...

[Starwars]

Good stuff in that review, some of it sounds extremely interesting/cool. Thanks Oner.

 

Only 8 days left here in the EU... God I hope my pre-order copy arrives early, or at least that they don't screw up the order so I won't get it for the weekend. And I hope the servers for authorization are up when I get it.

[vault_overseer]

amazingly, the game hasn't leaked yet

[SirPetrakus]

Not zoned out by the 'outdated' graphics. I don't recall ever playing a game because it looked good, rather than "Oh man, this game's awesome fun!" The AI is a bit of a downer, but you know what? There's that thing called difficulty and I'm sure I can adjust it for a greater challenge. Not that I will raise it above normal anyway, since I suck at any form of shooter. I'm getting even more excited now!

[Sannom]

Thanks Oner for that review! Glad to see people liking the game, and the new stuff is really interesting By the way, what's the name of the magazine and which country is it from?

 

Only 8 days left here in the EU... God I hope my pre-order copy arrives early, or at least that they don't screw up the order so I won't get it for the weekend. And I hope the servers for authorization are up when I get it.

 

I'm going to get away from my "get the cheapest" policy for this game and take it at a local retailer. Like that, no wait, I buy it the day it comes out.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Sannom