Promised a dev i'd play Alpha Protocol after backing Eternity

[Jarmo]

Its in my "I'll return to these one day" pile. I started and finished the tutorial and just knew it'd get good right now... and then gave up without going to the first mission.

 

While botching my way through the tutorial, I just knew there'd be more of that horrible hacking ahead and horrible sneaking and I just couldn't remember how anything was done. So maybe I should just replay the tutorial, but I abhor the thought.

[Emeraude]

I find the game suffers from a design standpoint of its merging action/twitch-reflex-centered and RPG/stats-management gameplay.

 

The first problem created by this is the difficulty curve: it only goes down (which kind of makes sense contextually if you're doing a rookie run, or had Obsidian been able to keep their original storyline - Mr Thornton 's getting better at the spy thing). The more you play, the less challenging the game will be.

 

In a "pure" RPG, the growth in skills - stats and verbs - from the main character(s) can be matched by the opposition to create more interesting challenges. Not so much here, the action gameplay doesn't lend itself well to that (its demands and implications are different, which I'd boil down mostly to better AI and more challenging level design i.e not addition of elements, but more creative use of those already established), especially given the context of the story it tries to convey. If anything, the skill system had the reverse effect: it kept the challenges down. To the point that, say, if you liked one of the mini-games and wished to keep it interesting/challenging - relevant in itself from a gameplay standpoint, the only somewhat counter-intuitive solution was to *not* invest skill points in its related field.

I guess this was all meant, design-wise, to go with the "there are no bad choice" stand of the game - which is a good position to design from if not taken too literally. But all of this is just overkill, especially when you add that the game was designed from the get go to allow players who don't like certain elements to simply bypass them (don't want to play those hacking mini-games ? Invest in grenades).

 

The game clearly had balancing issues between the different skill-sets presented too, which didn't help. There were some "bad" choices. At least some less rewarding ones.

 

It's the only game I know thus far that has justified the use of the dreaded "Wheel-of-choice" from a design standpoint. And made it work somewhat decently too, despite some problems. The time limit - though I'm no fan of it - generates tension and contributes in giving conversation the feel of reactive battles of wits (as opposed to, say, a game like Torment, where choices feel more like properly contextualizing your character).

 

Talking of choices, the game's reactivity to those - its main selling point - is jaw-dropping. I'm at my tenth play-through, and am *still* finding new elements that changes from little details (and the attention to details and getting them right is refreshing if anything) along the storyline to complete ways to resolve plot lines. The amount of work that must have gone into this is staggering.

 

The writing is good - at its worse competent with some moments of brilliance. Obsidian once again proves they're probably the only developer in the industry right now who knows how to write psychopaths, as opposed to villains.

 

Last point, I kept earring about how the game was buggy on release, and the volume of complaints itself is enough to convince me there's some validity to it. But out of the dozens of people I personally know who've played the game, none meet any real problem past that sad embassy killing bug. I any way, I can't seem to understand how Gamebryo games can get a free pass from the gaming press while a game like AP couldn't - all being rather ambitious in scope, though not in the same perspective, should get the same leeway.

 

All in all, good game, with enlightening failings. Well worth playing if you are into RPGs.

[mrmud]

Ap did a couple of thigs really well but none of that matters much when the game mechanics and moment to moment design is so poor.

I think ots fine to appreciate AP for what it tries to do while at the same time realising that the game is not very good

[Emeraude]

PS: the use of perks and Achievements in this game was all sort of brilliant by the way. And that's coming from someone with a high distaste of Achievements.

[kenup]

Is that a push-up bra I see before me?

 

 

Is that a push-up bra I see before me,

The its breast-filled goodness toward my hand?

Come, let me clutch thee!

I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

Art thou not, busty vision, sensible

To feeling as to sight? or art thou but

A bosom of the mind, a false creation,

Proceeding from the lust-oppressed brain?

You would now have a -10 reputation with her.

 

She likes em rough, and I mean ROUGH.

[Aedelric]

So far I really regret listing to reviews and not playing it when it came out. Only thing I dislike is the computer hacking, the story and atmosphere is top notch just like every other Obsidian game i've played. Now I can say I have enjoyed every game Obsidian has made, Eternity I know will be legendary!

 

One should never listen to so called `reviewers´ they know nothing more than the regular person and if anything they almost always pander to publishers or popular opinions, which colours their view far too much. It is always best to make up your own opinion by trying yourself.

 

Alpha Protocol is a fantastic game that did not deserve the atrocious score and reputation it got, why it was trashed by people on release completely boggles the mind. Everyone I know that played it enjoyed the game, the people that complained possibly never actually played it but went by general opinion, which was negative.

 

I have noticed a few gaming websites have went back to Alpha Protocol and now claim it is a `diamond in the rough´ when their first review was plainly disgusting. it is enough to make one angry.

[Macbeth]

You would now have a -10 reputation with her.

 

She likes em rough, and I mean ROUGH.

HA! I am so playing this game!

Edited October 26, 2012 by Macbeth

[Brother Pain]

I've played through Alpha Protocol more times than any other game except maybe the first Fallout. The different playstyles and especially the varied story really made it worth doing.

There were bugs, sure, though they weren't that bad on Xbox 360 version.

At first I hated the stealth and the shooting, but that was because my first playthrough was as the Novice (so no headshotting around corners or constant awareness of your enemies), and once you figured out the little kinks, stealthing into a room, taking out a few guys non-lethally, and then getting spotted and quickly taking out the rest with throat punches was fun.

Only parts I really disliked were the hacking on higher difficulties (thank the gods for EMP grenades), boss battles that were close to impossible if you hadn't put points in a ranged weapon, and the last helicopter fight where I had used all the rockets early and had to take the thing down ever so slowly with pistol and rifle.

[Hassat Hunter]

Got the game at release at full price, didn't regret it. 7+ playthroughs made it worth it.

It's also less buggy than ME2 which I played around the same time... so yeah, reviewers, what the hell?

 

It also seems to stem a lot from their inability to aim and fire. They try playing it like it's "where you aim, there it hits" instead of like Bloodlines and Deus Ex, and then complain about it's firing system. Pay attention to the tutorial, idiots... seriously. How hard it it to figure out you need to get close and aim with the gun? Anyone? It's in the tutorial, on the skilllist, on pistols. But nope, some people still are too dumb to get that. Sadly enough, their job is proffessional reviewer.

 

As for a fanpatch, well, I would love to like TSLRCM, but there don't really seem any tools to get everything back to the basic scripts and stuff and modify everything. Sadly I'm no programmer, just a coder, so I kinda need those to work with ...

[Loranc]

More buggy than ME2? Can't say I agree with that at all. I bought the CE of ME2 when it came out and I never experienced any bugs with that game, and I've played through it a good 4 or 5 times now. Alpha protocol on the other hand I've had several clipping issues, but my main grievance with that game was just that it was too darn easy. Otherwise it wasn't bad. Wish they'd make a new fallout game, not sure how well New Vegas did sales wise, but I loved that game.

[Totally Awesome]

Cool looking game.

[RaccoonTOF]

"Oh shut up Volourn. "

 

Make me.

 

I know my fellow Obsidianites don't like differing opinions espciially if they are critical of Obsidian as fanboys are won't to do but AP is just not a good game - espicially comapred to Obsidian's other efforts.

 

P.S. I do find it amusing I have never been told to shut up when praising an Obsidian game here. SHOCKING!

 

I think the issue is people making disparaging comments without explaining why. You'll notice that many/most of the highly 'liked' comments praising games/ideas/etc around here generally include the reasons for liking those things, not just blatant fanboyism. Differing opinions that are well-reasoned/well-explained meet with a lot better response than just "it sucked, I hate it" sorts of posts.

[Slaunyeh]

I vaguely recall enjoying Alpha Protocol a great deal, but I don't actually remember much of anything from the game, oddly enough. Maybe I should replay it.

[Malcador]

Please start a sexism thread about the mega-boobed, hotpants-clad Russian mercenary chick.

 

Is that a push-up bra I see before me?

 

 

I thought Sie was meant to be German. Course why she uses the M60 and not something better (like any MG ever made) I dunno

Edited October 26, 2012 by Malcador

[Dawn_]

I'd like to replay this game one day..(i sold it..and regret doing so..). One of the few game i will probably bought two times (I bought BG saga like 3 or 4 times as Fallout 2 and one but they are exception).

 

I remember well playing..and finishing it and my ending really surprised me. As i had made choice like i would do if i were in the same situation and at the end of the game i had killed everyone lol (i thought that maybe i was a psycho at that time ).

[Jaesun]

I bought the CE of ME2 when it came out and I never experienced any bugs with that game,

 

In the Mordin: Old Blood quest, after resolving things peacefully with Maelon, if you do not immediately go to the Normandy when it asks you, you are forever trapped there and cannot leave that area.

 

They still have never fixed this.

[Amentep]

My biggest issue with the game was how Stealth was a non-option in almost every boss fight. I'd like to hear one of the devs talk about that; did they just run out of time to make more options for boss killing? It was a similar situation in Deus Ex: HR, you sneak through the whole level and suddenly have to run around guns blazing because the boss is so aggressive.

 

I seemed to recall having high sneak allowed me to run and hide from one of the bosses. Yeah he still came after me but couldn't see me until he got close, and it allowed me time to let my gun skills come back active (or to hit him with grenades) and then run off and hide elsewhere on the map.

 

Personally I appreciate the game allowing me to have a giant beard and wear a swamp hat.

[Darkpriest]

AP is one of the best RPGs, really.. I have only a one complain.. the timed response on the dialog wheel. Other than that it is an excellent game.. I have never experienced any bug with it, so for me all those things were odd to see when people said it's bug ridden.

 

I've playd different styles, the silent stalker with a lot of stealth and an outright commando plus on top of that you had excellent NPCs with personalities... I really would love to see a similar game in the future...

 

Obs... create a spin of - spiritual successor of AP :"D (like Black Isle did with Wasteland and created Fallout )

[Merin]

Alpha Protocol is an awesome game, and is pretty far up there for favorite games. It certainly is one of the most replayed games I own, right up there with Icewind Dale and Freedom Force.

[Elerond]

I liked AP's idea and general feeling to be James Bond style spy. Multiple options to solve thigns was nice too.

 

What I didn't liked was boss fights, skill development and mini games.

 

So my final vertic is that game is good, with some flaws, but should definetly give it a try, at least one play through,which take usually 20-30 hours.

[FlintlockJazz]

I bought the CE of ME2 when it came out and I never experienced any bugs with that game,

 

In the Mordin: Old Blood quest, after resolving things peacefully with Maelon, if you do not immediately go to the Normandy when it asks you, you are forever trapped there and cannot leave that area.

 

They still have never fixed this.

 

Did they ever bother to fix dex not adding to dagger damage bug either? I remember a few times in ME2 my character suddenly floating my Shepherd to the ceiling and just trapping me there forcing me to reload, AP's bugs were more noticeable but less game ending I found.

[Stuart]

I loved this game while recognising the problems and flaws. But it had so many cool ideas and features, has a game ever had a better C&C system? The safe houses were brilliant too. A shame this IP didn't succeed as it has so much potential. Spiritual sequel please!

[GrandMasterJR]

I really liked AP a lot too! I played it through and I remember thinking that I wished the ending had been flushed out just a little bit more, but overall I had a blast. Afterwards I read the reviews and I wasn't sure that everyone who complained about the game, actually played the same game! Sometimes I think people just like to cry.

[Amentep]

Only bug I remember in AP was one where at a certain point after loading a particular area, I could backtrack and a door should have closed behind me, but didn't so you could walk off the map.

[Merin]

Only bug I remember in AP was one where at a certain point after loading a particular area, I could backtrack and a door should have closed behind me, but didn't so you could walk off the map.

 

Only bug I had was immediately on release when I installed it there was some graphics card inconsistency that forced me to drop a setting one notch below optimal for the game to run without horrible stuttering graphics. Bug was fixed in a day so or, if I remember correctly, and having to play at sub-optimal graphics settings is actually pretty normal for me in PC gaming.