Gaming Alpha Protocol Preview

We take a look at Alpha Protocol, the new espionage RPG from Obsidian Entertainment and Chris Avellone. Are the comparisons to Deus Ex deserved, or is this naught but a consolified action RPG for the masses?

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2009/09/27/alpha-protocol-preview/1

 

exciting stuff, and the use of eponymous!

looks good, like an espionage based mass effect sort of. looking forward to hearing more

 

getting more and more interested in this the more i see of it

 

The comparisons to Deus Ex feel a bit odd in my mind... Deus Ex is a role-playing game, but it's much more about exploration and figuring out how to traverse the environment than anything else. Either way, the comparison, even if a bit ill-fitting, gets my hopes up. One issue Obsidian have always had is that their technical/gameplay feel side of things never quite matches up with the quality of the writing and overall game systems, leading to extremely enjoyable but somewhat flawed games. If they've ironed out the kinks then it's going to be a must-buy for me.

 

Nnnnnoooooooooo!

 

+1

Shame, otherwise it sounds quite interesting.

 

I agree but we all know this is the 'Console' generation.... My guess is that they will try to get the best aspects of certain titles and blend it all together. What we will get is a game like Crysis/Deus Ex, come Splinter Cell/Metal Gear Solid and the result will be to break everything good about all of it.

 

The screenshots don't look very promising. The graphics look dated... 6/7 years old kind of dated.

 

Great potential, although some of the stories about development were worrying (I seem to recall that Brian Mitsoda was involved in the game's development but was shunted along - I doubt that bodes well but who's to say).

'30 hour epic': Is that the main story alone or the total? I suppose either way that is by today's standards, and I will grant you that 30 hours could seem epic if done well. Better 30 hours of gold than 80 hours of manure.

'... we liked absolutely everything we have seen in Alpha Protocol and we’re cynical and jaded enough most of the time to allow ourselves the tiniest sliver of hope for how Alpha Protocol might turn out': do you mean that you are not jaded and cynical enough to deny yourself all hope?

Also, with regards to criticism of the perspective, there is nothing inherently wrong with third-person view. I don't even consider it 'consoley' necessarily. Would you rather Max Payne had been first-person? I don't.
Besides, I thought I read that one could switch views. Did you hear anything about that, Joe, or did I imagine it?

I also thought that the developers aimed to address the problem in RPGs where one can go off and do side-quests without any impact on the main story. Too often the situation of the main storyline means it is imperative to act quickly, yet you are given leeway to wander off and muck about with other matters.
I would love to see a game where the story can progress without your involvement at all, and you could act as an observer or simply show up at some point and see how things are going. Such ideas seem to have died with the old school of games development. Warren Spector (or was it Harvey Smith?) apparently said that he wouldn't make a game as complicated as Deus Ex again because so much effort was put into making a heap of content that most players never even saw. I almost shed a tear when I heard that...

Also, were the screenshots from the Xbox 360 version (since that was the one you were previewing)? If that's the case, no wonder they looked rather dated.

 

^Even then, that's lame that they would pander to the lowest common denominator on a hardcore RPG...
It seems beyond the point to cut features out of a game that'll probably have limited sales to begin with, at least how I see it.

 

Actually I think 3rd person view is better for this game because there's a melee combat system incorporated. How do you suppose to do a spinning kick in the 1st person view? I think you'll get dizzy soon after you're doing it for the 1st time LOL . Do that combos in DMC in 1st person view and you'll see what I mean

 

Perspective doesn't matter as long as they game is balanced to it correctly and built with it in mind.

 

I'm playing through Deus Ex again(again(again(again))) at the moment actually and yes, I wont get my hopes up, as yes, Deus Ex had content like no other. Just reading all the books and papers scattered about, let alone emails and data cubes lying around was double the plot than most. Exploring China town was one of my favorite gaming moments when it first appeared.

So, thanks, as this game was not on my radar as of until now. But I am sure cynicism is a healthy approach for people still left wanting, even till this day, after a game like Deus Ex to present itself.

 

Apparently this is getting pushed back to summer 2010 now, or is this just a rumour?

 

I watched footage of a live demo of this during e3 and thought it looked incredibly bland, which was probably due to the grey concrete buildings and generally bad graphics. But then all the previews say it looks good and I usually enjoy Obsidians work. Guess I'll wait until reviews come out in mid 2010 (it had better be bug free given that much extra time).

Also I read that there will be 4 different potential sex partners in this (think mass effect), all women. Gay gamers never get any love.

Disclaimer: I am not gay, just tired of the fact that the vast majority of games cater to straight white males. I think that games could be a lot more interesting as a medium if they considered catering to any demographic other than the largest.

 

Actually this is quite easy to sort out, the fighting controls could work using a system like the Boxing favourite 'Fight Night' with any martial skills or special combos being instantly switched and viewed from 3rd person, such as the special combos in 'Batman - Arkham Asylum' with its little cut scenes.

 

Or just ala Condemned and Riddick.

 

sooo... is Deus Ex available on GOG or the likes?

 

Agreed! moar lesbians please