Alpha Protocol Mini Review

An Obsidian and Sega game.

Genre: Action RPG
Graphics: Poo
Sound: Functional
Difficulty: Medium

Alpha Scrote-O-col is a quite unique game which sees you cast as Michael Thorton, a super agent in the mould of Jason Bourne and all the other JB's. Our Mike finds himself in the middle of a situation hairier than Richard Keys hands in the nineties, and he has to get to the bottom of a large conspiracy that involves his own beloved government, the Triads, The Russian Mafia, Chinese Secret Police, the President Of Taiwan and a large, evil mega weapons corp.

Luckily Michael is more powerful than David Coulthard's jaw......Or at least, he will be by the time you've upgraded his stats RPG style in various attributes such as stealth, espionage, technical aptitude, and toughness.

At first glance, the game plays like a third person shooter cum stealth em up, but you realize quickly that you can't play it like that. You really have to choose which attributes you are gonna develop to succeed. You're shooting abilities are absolute poo at first and the game looks so brown and dull on the opening mission that you would be forgiven for turning it off and throwing it away.

I couldn't help but persevere though, and as the game progresses, I was compelled to carry on to the end. The story branches diversely, based on your dialogue choices and attitude towards different characters. You can bed all the women in the game, or stay celibate throughout. You can allow various important characters to live, or choose to execute them.

It's this feature that kept me going I think. Voice acting is decent and the plot is complex and pretty good. It's not Mass Effect quality; only a few characters are developed to any depth.

Alpha Protocol is poo on many counts. AI, and Graphics and the general feel of the action are quite last gen in feel. The game strangely gets more attractive for the last couple of levels, perhaps because the game was in development for several years. Despite this, and the fact that I can only score it a six out of ten, I did quite enjoy the upgrading aspects and am compelled to play through a third time to finish the cheevs and explore the final story branches.

As it can be picked up for just a few quid these days, I would recommend RPG light fans try it out as there is nothing else quite like it........

Cheevs are quite good and varied but it will take 2.5 playthroughs to max. (Not as bad as it sounds).

I was interested in this game before, and I'm still not completely put off...

How long would you say one playthrough is?

I'd say I spent about 20 hours farting around on my first playthrough. I used a guide to make sure I didn't miss any important cheevs that would necessitate another full run should I have missed them. I certainly don't want to play this four or five times!! I had to make sure I bedded all four love interests for a cheev, and also to ensure enough people liked me and I didn't kill any of the intended characters.

I then spent 6 hours on another run from a save point halfway through the game to bag more cheevs including one where you have to make a certain character hate your guts.

I'm now nicely set up for a  run through on Hard with a particular starting scenario and certain intended story branch outcomes in order the bag the full 1000. Should take about 8 to 12 hours I reckon, depending on how I do with a certain cheev which requires a number of missions to be done with limited kills and without being seen. 

So in short, about 38 hours tops for 2.5 plays, hopefully a few less.

Time you stopped fart arsing about with these tin pot single player year old games.
When was the last time you joined us on a game night? I think the last time I had the pleasure of your company was the old gears 1 boost sessions in 2011
Social event month my arse...

Who wants to game with you, yer grumpy, whiniging old bum face!?

Anyway, now the mrs is out more, I shall join in a bit. Couldn't get any peace before! I've only got one game under two years old though!

I would like that mate 
Whats the point of being on a gaming forum if we are all single player liking mutes.

No offence to the mutes

No offence to the mrs, but I hated social gaming when she was in. She used to just jump in the conversation all the time and give me grief as Kent and Stubbs can testify. Also, I couldn't be myself so I'd have nothing to say!

Should improve now hopefully, but I need to buy grid 2 I think. Kent and I watched the champions league final together in party chat the other week in blissful peace and quiet!

I do remember her wacking you with an empty coke bottle for attention the one night. I quite enjoyed that lol

Lol! Yeah. Happy days.

If Kent and her are both there, it just becomes a conversation about my personal life as he grills us while I squirm in my seat!