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Obsidian's made a name for itself over the years for taking on the
daunting task of producing sequels to complex, high profile role-playing
games. First it was Knights of the Old Republic II, then Neverwinter
Nights 2, and soon we'll see what the studio is able to do with Fallout:
New Vegas. With Alpha Protocol,
though, we get an entirely new game. There aren't any preconceived
notions: no established fan base, no gameplay systems that need to be
preserved. Finally, this is a chance to see what Obsidian can do on its
own terms. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait. It's a wobbly,
inconsistent game that gets a few things right, but is filled with so
many awkward and glitchy bits you get the feeling that it should have
spent some more time behind closed doors.
The setting and story are highlights. It's a spy thriller filled with
crime bosses, turncoats, global conspiracy and corporate greed, all told
within a flashback framework. You are Micheal Thorton, an agent who's
forced to go rogue and unravel a sinister plot to shift the tide of
global events for nefarious purposes. Set in real-world environments,
this isn't the type of setting we often get for role-playing games.
Those used to flinging fireballs or swinging broadswords might relish
the opportunity to strap on bulletproof body armor and burst fire with
an assault rifle for a change. Like other games where choice and
consequence play a role in how the story develops, Obsidian's done a
good job in Alpha Protocol making it feel like you have power over
progression. As Thorton takes on missions in locations like Moscow,
Taipei, and Rome, he encounters characters that want to partner up,
offer helpful information, or greet him with a bullet. By engaging in a
Mass Effect-style conversation system, you determine how you want to
deal with them: professionally, with a flippant response, or by planting
a bullet in their chest.
Opening up these kinds of options strengthens the role-playing aspect of
the game, letting you feel as though you're driving the story instead
of being led along by the hand. Don't like that machine-gun toting
mobster wearing the pink sunglasses? Then get into a shootout with her.
Or, if you'd rather, offer up a few flirtatious comments to win her
over. Is that one love interest getting annoying? Well, then just
prioritize the mission goal over her safety. Arriving at crossroads like
these and determining who lives and who dies also has effects later on,
netting you statistical bonuses for your relationship status with
characters, unlocking new items to buy, and reaping other rewards as you
correspond over email with those you decided to keep around. It's an
exciting system because you have a timer attached to inputting dialogue
options so you have to think fast. Your response could be trivial, or it
could wipe out a character entirely. It's just too bad the
personalities of the supporting cast aren't developed better.
Most characters, even those around for the entire game, are flat
stereotypes who rarely act in a way that feels human. Some scream,
swear, and double-cross you and some wear gaudy clothes and dye their
hair, but that's no substitute for genuine personality and emotion. When
one of the most intriguing characters in the game is a pistol-wielding
bodyguard who doesn't speak a word and nearly half of the Alpha Protocol
experience is spent in conversation, it's not a good sign.
Making decisions to drive the story is the
best part.
Despite many of the characters being little more than cardboard cutouts,
Thorton, even with his generic appearance, can be entertaining. As long
as you don't choose the boring response every time and decide to test
the boundaries of what can be done in this game world, it's possible to
inject energy into the sometimes dry and meandering conversations. It's
especially rewarding to hear characters specifically reference actions
you've taken throughout the course of the game, giving you a better
sense that you're having a permanent effect on events. Email messages,
of which there are quite a few, tend to be of a different tone entirely,
sometimes involving crude and crass language the likes of which appears
nowhere else in the game. Is it trying to be a goofy spy tale filled
with silly character designs and intentionally terrible accents or a
grim story about international espionage? Alpha Protocol uncomfortably
straddles the line. When it's trying to be serious, it's boring. When it
tries to be funny, it's like an eighth-grader writing on a bathroom
stall.
At least the decisions you can make are exciting even if the characters
generally aren't, but all that washes away when you're in the combat
zones. For each location in the world you're given a safe house; a room
in which you can correspond with your handler to receive missions, check
email, buy additional intel, and decide how to adjust your gear for the
battle ahead. Shotguns, SMGs, pistols and assault rifles can be
upgraded to alter and enhance functionality, and a range of armor kits
and explosives can be equipped to make you more resilient, stealthy, and
deadly. It's a solid customization system, one that doesn't surprise
but allows for the kind of variation role-playing gamers would want,
balancing loosely defined realism with the standards of the genre. Then
you step into the field of combat and things start to unravel.
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