so how long till it gets good?

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

My second mission in Saudi is where I started having fun.

 

Can't comment too much on the technical or UI issues as I wound up getting the game for 360 and the worst I've seen so far is a couple of 1 second lags coming out of

the tunnels at the detention camp

and a good deal of texture pop-in (around the same level as ME1).

 

I would agree that computer hacking mini-game is pretty annoying (even on the console, sounds like it and the other mini-games are worse on PC due to mouse/interface issues). The others are decent, although hopping between traces on the bypass game could be a lot faster. At least EMPs and the interference skill gives a relatively easily accessible workaround.

 

The mechanics of the game definitely don't seem to want you to play run and gun, even if you're taking the Rambo approach to Mike's build, and I would imagine it would be extremely frustrating to use this play style. Seems like the game is set up to reward preliminary threat assessment, tactical planning, and relatively careful execution of triggered skills/aimed shots from cover or stealthy CQC take downs. I'm only 4 missions in at the moment and haven't really played with a tanked-up toughness type so I could be totally off base here, however.

 

So far I'd have to agree with the sentiment that people will have a much better time with AP if they are able to discard the idea that ranged attacks in this game play out in any way similar to a shooter and try to approach it as a more or less purely stat-based RPG that happens to have your character using firearms. I guess you need to be able to enjoy stat based RPGs in the first place for that to really help though.

 

As it stand right now, with the 5th level of pistols, controls seem way too clunky and the statistical penalties for anything but the most maxed out aimed shots seem way too significant to do much more than waste ammo and trigger alarms. Does the ability to pull off effective snap/running shots get any better with additional skill/mods/better guns? I would imagine it should to some degree, but not sure how much exactly.

 

CQC and grenade lobbing seem to be faring a lot better under the action RPG approach so far.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Sid Nitzerglobin

[Libertarian]

I don't find the hacking too bad overall. I maxed out those skills ASAP, though.

[Paraclete]

I'm afraid it doesn't get better, it just gets continuously worse and worse. There were very few moments so far that have been ever mildly interesting(the story is bland, the characters are bland, and the VA are downright bad).

 

I'm on the last part with Darcy and I'm so bored I just want to break my controller and then the disc. I either die right when I spawn or he gets glitched in his ****ing bull**** tower and wont appear. This is getting to be mind numbingly boring; at this point in the game, I'm 99% sure I've spent more time loading/looking at the checkpoint menu than I have actually PLAYING the ****ing game.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Paraclete

[Kasabian]

Bland? That is just a flat out lie.

 

Obviously not your kind of game Paraclete, you should stop playing and trade it in for a FPS.

[Paraclete]

Bland? That is just a flat out lie.

 

Obviously not your kind of game Paraclete, you should stop playing and trade it in for a FPS.

No, RPGs are my favorite, but when they are unoriginal (come on, be honest: you've heard this plot a MILLION times) it gets a little old.

 

Bugs aside, its a VERY average game. Add in bugs and pointless bosses w/ respawning enemies...yea you get my drift.

 

There are PLENTY of RPG games that actually have CREATIVE levels and bosses, making you attack their weaknesses etc; forcing you to fight people hiding in a tower while their henchmen respawn is just BAD game design.

 

You usually find things like that in FPS games, not RPGs where you normally are ENCOURAGED to use your brain and find a weakness, not just reload checkpoints like mad until you finally survive.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Paraclete

[Thorton_AP]

Rage quit for the win!

 

 

I liked the story and enjoyed it a lot. I did think that Darcy as a boss was poorly done though.

[Tigranes]

Yeah, the plot as a whole isn't terribly original. The whole point was in reactivity and delivery. And they're both good.

 

Boss fights and level design could be more creative, I agree.

 

not just reload checkpoints like mad until you finally survive.

 

Sounds like you're not using your brain to find a weakness.

[Silvernite]

I'm afraid it doesn't get better, it just gets continuously worse and worse. There were very few moments so far that have been ever mildly interesting(the story is bland, the characters are bland, and the VA are downright bad).

 

I'm on the last part with Darcy and I'm so bored I just want to break my controller and then the disc. I either die right when I spawn or he gets glitched in his ****ing bull**** tower and wont appear. This is getting to be mind numbingly boring; at this point in the game, I'm 99% sure I've spent more time loading/looking at the checkpoint menu than I have actually PLAYING the ****ing game.

I f***** hated this boss fight. Reloaded nearly ten times. I tried so many different strategies but they didn't work and I was PO'd when I managed to kill the little **** only to die myself. But then I noticed that you can lockpick a door with a ladder leading you up a tower with a handy dandy sniper rifle. After that, the fight was over real quick. The problem I have with this is that the game seems to force you into only one particular direction in order to succeed. So much for choice.

Edited June 4, 2010 by Silvernite

[Thorton_AP]

I killed Darcy by tossing hand grenades at him from close range and then chain shotting him.

 

I never even found the sniper rifle.

[Tigranes]

Uh...

 

1) Rush up to beneath his tower where he cant get you and lob incendiary grenades into his position.

2) Use the tower and snipe him.

3) Get him normally fromd istance with Assault Rifle or Chain Shot

 

Lots of choices.

[Paraclete]

Yeah, the plot as a whole isn't terribly original. The whole point was in reactivity and delivery. And they're both good.

 

Boss fights and level design could be more creative, I agree.

 

not just reload checkpoints like mad until you finally survive.

 

Sounds like you're not using your brain to find a weakness.

Sure you can go about it like you said, but I dunno, I guess I was looking for more "creative" weaknesses like in other RPG games, not just hide below an lob nades.

[Silvernite]

Uh...

 

1) Rush up to beneath his tower where he cant get you and lob incendiary grenades into his position.

2) Use the tower and snipe him.

3) Get him normally fromd istance with Assault Rifle or Chain Shot

 

Lots of choices.

1) And when you run out of grenades? I had a maximum of 6 incendiary grenades and I threw them all into the tower. His health barely went down to half. Then it was back to the drawing board and going to approach 3.

2) Yup

3) Like I didn't try this approach first. Of course having grenades thrown your way every 2 seconds and respawning enemies flanking you while you're dodging the grenades is amazingly effective in trying to kill Darcy, who only pops his head out every 5 minutes.

 

What I'm trying to say is that sniping him seems like the easiest and most effective method that once someone discovers this approach why would they bother with the other 2?

[BEES]

No, RPGs are my favorite, but when they are unoriginal (come on, be honest: you've heard this plot a MILLION times) it gets a little old.

 

Bugs aside, its a VERY average game. Add in bugs and pointless bosses w/ respawning enemies...yea you get my drift.

 

There are PLENTY of RPG games that actually have CREATIVE levels and bosses, making you attack their weaknesses etc; forcing you to fight people hiding in a tower while their henchmen respawn is just BAD game design.

 

You usually find things like that in FPS games, not RPGs where you normally are ENCOURAGED to use your brain and find a weakness, not just reload checkpoints like mad until you finally survive.

 

The story is good and the characters are exceptional. I suspect if you don't like this plot either you've had a glut of spy literature recently or you don't particularly like the genre. However, I think you'll find that there pretty much isn't an "original" story to be had anywhere. Every narrative follows a basic structure that has been used since we started telling stories in the first place. Check out The Hero with a Thousand Faces to see a comparison of the mythological hero's journey to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

 

Plot aside (which is really well told considering the incredible elasticity from all the choices), the characters are truly top notched. I would like to hear five games that have done better characters because I'm hard pressed to think of any. Many of them you don't even interact for long and they have far more personality than any of the companions in Mass Effect. Honestly, RPGs are horrendous for producing the most stale and derivative characters and Alpha Protocol is far, far away from your average game writing.

 

I haven't fought the boss battle in the tower, but the others I have enjoyed so far. They may not be as ingenious as other boss fights in other games, but for an action-rpg it certainly has more varied boss battles. Once again, comparing Mass Effect 2, you did not have the wildly different fights as you do here. You fight the Harbinger like ten times and it's the same fight throughout the game. The final battle is just more of the same. At least AP's bosses try different things, from the mad rushes of the mob boss in Russia to Taipei's stealth master (or even Saudi's well armoured initial boss).

 

Honestly, the game is pretty solid and has a lot of character. The bugs and poor PC optimization are what seriously hurt it the most as the UI is clunky, the mouse erratic (until community fixes), the checkpoint system is broken and irritating...