Alpha Protocol - PC, Playstation 3 (PS3), Xbox 360 (360) Previews


	Platform Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Genre Action Role-Playing Publisher Sega Developer Obsidian Entertainment ETA February 2009
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Alpha Protocol

As suave as James Bond, as deadly as Jason Bourne, and as driven as Jack Bauer, is no longer just how every man sees himself in the mirror.

The espionage genre never really dies; it just hides as a sleeper agent from time to time. Fortunately for its fans, the genre is in full view right now with the success of the Bourne trilogy, 24, and a re-invigorated Bond franchise. Into this landscape

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slips, blasts or smooth talks [it is up to you] ‘Alpha Protocol’ from Obsidian Entertainment.

Using the third person camera view, the player will assume the role of Michael Thornton- a trained but untried agent who is cut loose by the US government. Mike has a bit of luck on his side though as he is the only one in possession of information which is necessary to topple a

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shadowy tyrant. Other than the character’s name and this fragment of backstory, ‘Alpha Protocol’ is striving for customizability. Players will not only be able to change Michael’s appearance, but through the RPG elements will be able to make Michael into the type of spy they want to be. Stealth, combat (both hand-to-hand or shooting), gadgets and smooth talking are valid ways to tackle the game.

“In most of the larger missions, even smaller missions, there are many different ways to approach or to solve the mission. It mostly depends on how you develop your character and how he can overcome the obstacles in your way. So basically it’s up to the player to decide how he wants to get through it.”

The RPG elements won’t get in the way of the player’s skill though. You are already a highly trained spy after all. Instead, the ten skills that you can level up will not only increase your capability, but will provide special abilities. For example leveling shooting may increase the damage you do with a gun, reduce recoil and loading times, but will also give you a ‘chain shot’ which lets you freeze [or slow] time momentarily to line up multiple shots before returning to real time to fire.

Such exceptional abilities form an important part of the design. Instead of pure realism Obsidian has highlighted that they want the character and his most important foes to be “a cut above an ordinary human being” and their design to be cooler than ‘just guys in suits’.

Care has also been taken with the world and the character’s relationship with it. Who the character chooses to talk to, and how they choose to talk will have repercussions which may not be felt until much later in the game. Conversation won’t involve old fashioned dialogue trees though. Instead, the conversation blends into the real time decision making of the game. Once you have decided to talk to an NPC [rather than sneak past them, blow them away, etc.] the player will choose an attitude and the character will carry out the conversation with that demeanor. This helps give the game a more cinematic feel and helps create a living and reactive world.

Obsidian is certainly aiming high with ‘Alpha Protocol’- trying to appeal to both twitchy FPS and cerebral RPG gamers while providing an epic story, multiple ways of playing, replayability through a reactive world and a more organic conversation system. Early reports are positive and here is hoping that when the game is released in Q1 of 2009, it will live up to its promise. If Obsidian can deliver, we will have to add an MT to the JBs atop the pile of modern super spies.

- Garret Kutcher

(September 26, 2008)