Should I try Alpha Protocol?

[an874]

I loved Mass Effect 1 for its story and even its gameplay in spite of some dodgy AI bad frame rate and more than rare glitches. So, I looked at Alpha Protocol and the gameplay I saw didn't look too different. I hear the story is good, and dialogue system interesting, but that's where the praise seems to end. Everyone says the combat is broken and buggy and it has numerous technical issues, including bad AI, but that truthfully doesn't sound too different from Mass Effect 1. Does this mean I might get some enjoyment out of it, or do the problems from Mass Effect 1, appear even more pronounced in Alpha Protocol? Suggestions from people who have played both would be especially appreciated.

 

[hazabaza1]

Yeah, it's really good. I hardly had any bugs or glitches, but I was on PC. If you're on a console, only get it if you can cheaply, I've heard the console versions are much buggier.

 

[Trolldor]

I loved Mass Effect 1 for its story and even its gameplay in spite of some dodgy AI bad frame rate and more than rare glitches. So, I looked at Alpha Protocol and the gameplay I saw didn't look too different. I hear the story is good, and dialogue system interesting, but that's where the praise seems to end. Everyone says the combat is broken and buggy and it has numerous technical issues, including bad AI, but that truthfully doesn't sound too different from Mass Effect 1. Does this mean I might get some enjoyment out of it, or do the problems from Mass Effect 1, appear even more pronounced in Alpha Protocol? Suggestions from people who have played both would be especially appreciated.

I wish people would stop approaching this game as if it were Mass Effect.

It's not.

It's a stealth-action RPG. Key Words are Stealth and RPG.

Approach it if you liked Splinter Cell.

 

[InsomniJack]

You should give it a shot. I liked the concept of Alpha Protocol, how there were real consequences to what you did and how some folks would approve while others wouldn't. After playing it on AP, I really wished they had done that for Mass Effect 2.

But I should tell you this right now, so that you can take advantage of it and not get impatient with learning about it the hard way: there are abilities where you can turn completely invisible. This is not like Splinter Cell kind of spying. This is mainly an RPG where you can activate an ability and turn completely invisible. As in, you can sneak right in front of somebody, and they will not see you at all.

Also, the only way you can kill someone with a headshot is when you line it up until the crosshairs are red. Anything other than that will be an annoyance to them.

Keep those in mind, and you should figure out the rest of the mechanics very quickly.

 

[DanielBrown]

I was sceptic when I first bought the game, but it turned out to be one of my favorites. The only downside is the hacking mini-games, which all suck extremly much. I had to lower the difficulty setting because of them! As for the combat being broken... I never noticed this. On my first playthrough I went with my standard pistol and noticed that you have to learn how to make use of the critical hit system to do some damage. When I bought my first assault rifle however nothing could stand in my way!
The AI is also retarded at times, as you already knew, but I just find it hilarious when they climb up and down a ladder or stare at you while you shoot them in the head.

 

[Fuselage]

Its not as bad as all the reviews make it out to be, Its really fun when you get into it.

 

[5t3v0]

I need to check it out sometime too. I like obsidians work. Luckily im a PC gamer then

 

[DEAD34345]

It's a stealth-action RPG. Key Words are Stealth and RPG.

Approach it if you liked Splinter Cell.

I love both Mass Effect and Splinter Cell and also enjoyed Alpha Protocol, but i can safely say that this isn't true at all. The game is much closer to mass effect than Splinter Cell, especially since the stealth in AP is literally turning invisible for set amounts of time depending on your stealth skill level.

The closest comparison is definitely Mass Effect. The conversation system is much worse, the game is more unbalanced and the storyline is just not as good. However, Mass Effect is so good that saying that this is the same but worse is actually a great compliment, and i enjoyed the game greatly.

 

[moretimethansense]

It's a stealth-action RPG. Key Words are Stealth and RPG.

Approach it if you liked Splinter Cell.

I love both Mass Effect and Splinter Cell and also enjoyed Alpha Protocol, but i can safely say that this isn't true at all. The game is much closer to mass effect than Splinter Cell, especially since the stealth in AP is literally turning invisible for set amounts of time depending on your stealth skill level.

For some reason it pisses me off when people say that, it's entirly possible to stealth tyhe game without using magic sneaking powers, though it is considerably harder.

OP:
I'd say yes, I wasn't sure about it myself but I sa it going for a tenner and thought "Why the fuck not?" one of the better tenners I've ever spent.

 

[Trolldor]

It's a stealth-action RPG. Key Words are Stealth and RPG.

Approach it if you liked Splinter Cell.

I love both Mass Effect and Splinter Cell and also enjoyed Alpha Protocol, but i can safely say that this isn't true at all. The game is much closer to mass effect than Splinter Cell, especially since the stealth in AP is literally turning invisible for set amounts of time depending on your stealth skill level.

The closest comparison is definitely Mass Effect. The conversation system is much worse, the game is more unbalanced and the storyline is just not as good. However, Mass Effect is so good that saying that this is the same but worse is actually a great compliment, and i enjoyed the game greatly.

Hardly Mass Effect at all.

The conversation system is 'similar', but the gameplay is not.
If you don't stealth or make use of gadgets and weapon modifications, then the only way to play is on the easiest difficulty setting. Even then you can die if you're careless and Rambo it like you can in Mass Effect.

It's a stealth-action RPG. The turning invisible part comes with the RPG part.

 

[DEAD34345]

Hardly Mass Effect at all.

The conversation system is 'similar', but the gameplay is not.
If you don't stealth or make use of gadgets and weapon modifications, then the only way to play is on the easiest difficulty setting. Even then you can die if you're careless and Rambo it like you can in Mass Effect.

It's a stealth-action RPG. The turning invisible part comes with the RPG part.

That is my point, it is a stealth action RPG and the stealth part falls directly under the RPG part in this game, making it nothing like splinter cell at all.

I would still say that the best game to compare it to is Mass Effect, since for me the conversations and RPG stuff outside of the combat was the main part of Mass Effect, and the bit i enjoyed the most. It is this part that i think is extremely similar to Alpha Protocol.

In terms of the action parts, it can be the same as ME, or it can be extremely different, but the structure is the same. At the most basic level they are both just almost-identical shooters, but what makes them different is the powers and abilities you get in both games. They both give the player completely different powers and abilities that allow you to play both in extremely different ways if you want to, for example the stealth powers you can get in AP but not in ME, or the biotic powers you can get in ME but have nothing similar in AP. This leads to different choices of play-styles in both games. Even so, i still think that ME is the best thing to compare it to.

 

[Bobbovski]

Yes. Very yes.

It's really nice =3

 

[Trolldor]

Hardly Mass Effect at all.

The conversation system is 'similar', but the gameplay is not.
If you don't stealth or make use of gadgets and weapon modifications, then the only way to play is on the easiest difficulty setting. Even then you can die if you're careless and Rambo it like you can in Mass Effect.

It's a stealth-action RPG. The turning invisible part comes with the RPG part.

That is my point, it is a stealth action RPG and the stealth part falls directly under the RPG part in this game, making it nothing like splinter cell at all.

I would still say that the best game to compare it to is Mass Effect, since for me the conversations and RPG stuff outside of the combat was the main part of Mass Effect, and the bit i enjoyed the most. It is this part that i think is extremely similar to Alpha Protocol.

In terms of the action parts, it can be the same as ME, or it can be extremely different, but the structure is the same. At the most basic level they are both just almost-identical shooters, but what makes them different is the powers and abilities you get in both games. They both give the player completely different powers and abilities that allow you to play both in extremely different ways if you want to, for example the stealth powers you can get in AP but not in ME, or the biotic powers you can get in ME but have nothing similar in AP. This leads to different choices of play-styles in both games. Even so, i still think that ME is the best thing to compare it to.

No, the stealth part does not fall entirely under the RPG part. It's a Stealth/action RPG. The two work side by side. You have a number of differnt skills which affect different elements of your character - from gadgets to sneaking. To be better at those elements you need to invest in those skills. The game also relies heavily on timing your movements and use of abilities and gadgets. Use them incorrectly and you get discovered, or they become wasted.

Mass Effect is a Third-person shooter with RPG elements. There is no stealth element. There is no comparison. You blow shit up, you shoot shit, and you hurl magic.
It gives a false idea of the gameplay to say that Alpha Protocol plays like Mass Effect. It doesn't.

It plays like Splinter Cell with tie-in Character Progression.

 

[psivamp]

I wish people would stop approaching this game as if it were Mass Effect.

It's not.

It's a stealth-action RPG. Key Words are Stealth and RPG.

Approach it if you liked Splinter Cell.

I wish they wouldn't market it as a stealth game. I came into it wanting it to be that and one of the mission areas (Moscow) makes it impossible. Rome and Taipei have more stealth, particularly Rome.

It's worth getting used, but if you go in looking for a pure stealth/RPG experience then you're going to be a bit angry at the arcade action sequences and boss fights because they clash pretty massively with the rest of it.

 

[Mynop]

I live in Finland and I found a new copy of Alpha Protocol for 20?.
I thought that maybe it wouldn't be as bad as as all the reviewers say,
and I must say that I was positively surprised how good it really is.
Orcourse it has it's problems but even so, I enjoy playing it.
So go for it.

 

[RobCoxxy]

It's pretty good fun, so yes.

 

[Gather]

It is really good. There does feel to be consequences for your actions and there is one funny little statistic I saw at the end of a mission:

"Orphans made: 2"

Or was it wives widowed... Either way, it was a statistic; why should I care?!