Alpha Protocol Review (PS3)

It can talk the talk, but can it walk the walk?

A game which makes me feel spoilt often fails to make an epic mark on entertainment grounds. Not the sort of spoilt which leaves me demanding more rather than pleading for it, but the kind that makes me realise how I take games for granted. Most of the recent ‘Choose-your-own-fateathon’ RPG’s such as Mass Effect all hold a refined and privileged production quality that hold the right to be a modern day classic. Then Alpha Protocol bursts its way onto the same shelf in a attempt to bask in the same glory…making two types of spoilt.

Alpha ProtocolAlpha Protocol follows Mike Thorton, a man who finds himself in such a run of the mill betrayal scenario that no one has had the good grace nor time to wipe the dried blood off the knife in his back. Not long after joining a top secret agency more covert than the CIA and the Legion Of Doom combined, he is betrayed and left for dead by his superiors. After firing a group of missiles at poor old Mike lends sufficient salt to the knife wounds, he is left on his own as a rogue agent to find out why he has been betrayed.

The plot may be exceptionally run of the mill, and completely unashamed in watching a bit too much 24 and Bourne films, but the intricate ties and substance you form within it is possibly one of the most interesting factors, not in just the game, but the genre itself. During conversation with other characters, prompts will often appear, forcing you to adapt an attitude to let the conversation continue. There’s traditional professional, there’s traditional aggressive, and there’s the slightly smarmy yet at times hilarious suave attitudes to pick from, all of which determine who will be your ally and your enemy in the future. Though such actions may only affect whether you can turn someone’s frown upside down in similar titles, in Alpha Protocol the process feels much more organic. The relationships you form, the information you dwell upon, the reputation you build, even the way you carry out missions effect how people see you in future confrontations, and even how such meetings will play out, and the voice talent provides a convincing persona for all personalities. It’s refreshing to see a title with a brain of its own. It’s just a shame that brain is detached from the rest of the title, quickly making a dash for it for creative freedom.

The inefficiency of foes can completely derail the difficulty of the whole game.

Bending your enemies around nothing but your words may be challenging, but it’s nothing compared to the bizarre gameplay conflict that occurs whenever you dare step foot out of a conversation. Though proudly labelled ‘The Espionage RPG’ as if it needs no introduction, the game feels more confused than a leper with a short term memory. Perhaps it’s to constitute for the ‘RPG’ aspect, but occasionally firing into the torsos of random terrorist folk won’t essentially guarantee an actual hit. Pistols are recommended for close combat only, yet in the world of Alpha Protocol, recommendations become rules and pistol bullets seem to dissipate into thin air once they’ve travelled 5 feet.

Though there’s no excuse for shoddy gunplay, there’s a strong likelihood I was playing this from the wrong angle. Anyone can bring upon a storm of bullets in a desperate bid to force their way through danger, yet it takes a skilled agent to work with the shadows in order to complete their objectives unseen. Unfortunately this side of the game hardly proves competent either, with most missions taking place in open areas crated with little cover, all not quite thought through in the terms of stealth.

Alpha ProtocolOne thing both combat and stealth can go hand in hand down the pan with however, is the mind-boggling, utterly terrible, Benny Hill inspired A.I. The inefficiency of foes can completely derail the difficulty of the whole game. Where enemies may multiply themselves Agent Smith style one minute, they’ll hold a gun to your head and still miss the next. When you can be directly spotted behind solid cover for wiggling your toes one moment, enemies will be jittering insanely on the spot like a fly caught in a peanut en-route to your position.

The unimpressive visuals are blurred with the same glitchy brush. Textures seem to take an age to load and conflicts involving multiple enemies can sometimes make combat so unfluid with a stuttering framerate that you can be fooled into this is the comic of the game.

It’s a shame that game design can bring about so many issues, as the games weapon of choice with words is one that is truly commendable. Obviously no game can have infinite possibilities, yet Alpha Protocol’s ambitions to provide a fresh and intelligent experience are clear and noteworthy. Yet scarpered by terrible design, gawky A.I. and glitches that range from visuals to even trophies, it’s an unforgivable narrative thrillride which many could find hard to swallow, even with its impressive way with words.

The Good: Complex dialogue interctions work both with and against the player, Has occasional moments of smooth gameplay which makes the game almost sub-par
The Bad: Incredibly glitchy, Gameplay feels too erratic and broken, Great narrative system tarnished by poor playability


Alpha Protocol Alpha Protocol Alpha Protocol Alpha Protocol Alpha Protocol 


2 2 / 5

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.