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Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 338 Ratings

  • Summary: Alpha Protocol is an espionage role-playing game set in the modern world. Loyalty carries a price and no one knows this more than agent Michael Thorton. A talented young agent cast out by his government, Thorton is the only one with the information needed to stop an impending international catastrophe. To do so means he must cut himself off from the very people he is sworn to protect. As players determine how to accomplish different objectives, the decisions made and actions taken in each mission will ultimately transform the type of secret agent Michael Thorton will become. Every choice the player makes as Michael Thorton will carry consequences for his future and the fate of the world. [Sega] Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 25
  2. Negative: 1 out of 25
  1. Modern-spy simulation game with little compromise, surprises in every part – sophisticated RPG system, excellent story, catchy action segments and a precious conclusion. [Issue#192]
  2. The game makes you feel like a real spy, complete with all the research-based legwork. In those respects, there are few games like it. Whether or not you like Alpha Protocol is probably going to depend on your proclivity for spy lore itself. But if you've ever wanted to be a secret agent, you could do a hell of a lot worse.
  3. That exhilarating core deserves more than the pretty rancid crust that tops it. [Aug 2010, p.76]
  4. The abysmal AI, the absolutely disastrous PC controls, boss battles that all but throw out the gameplay style that got you there in the first place, and the complete and total illogic of some of the gameplay systems (like the aforementioned “shields”) all serve to derail what should have been as memorable a game as I’ve played this year.

See all 25 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 113
  2. Negative: 17 out of 113
  1. 10
    I paid 2.50 or something on sale for this.
    How in the hell is that possible ... i get over charged for games half as polished and enjoyable
    and feel quilty about paying this rediculous amount for a game thats clearly worth much more.
    It looks good plays good and is fun.. wish i could say that about the last 60 dollar game i baught.
    this one slipped through the cracks my friends.. worth playing and reminded me of Mass Effect in many ways.
    Expand
  2. The camera angles and general view are not very good, but once you get used to how it maneuvers, it becomes second nature. The controls are obviously a direct console port, with very little adaptation to the PC. Aiming is the polar opposite of smooth, and it actually has the feel of a controller pointing the crosshairs in the direction you hope to hit. In other words, aiming can and often is a problem. Hit detection will often leave you slightly frustrated. With that said, once you adjust to and forgive this faulty manner of control, the game is quite enjoyable and playable. Alpha Protocol employs interesting interaction between you and many other characters. You will develop a reputation with the NPCs depending on how you react to dialogue. This will alter many parts of the game as you progress. The amount of weapon customization and items that can be equipped is impressive and well rounded. The environments are crafted nicely, and all surroundings look quite good and realistic. The game runs well even in older systems. A positive surprise for a title released in 2010! The hacking minigames (bypassing, lockpicking, and hacking) are well implemented and fun to solve. Espionage is the main thematic focus of the game, and it is realized nicely. Immersion is also done exceptionally well. It is even realistic. Bypassing, lockpicking, and hacking all serve to involve the player deep in the narrative and action. The storyline is very good; comparable to the more developed Hollywood movies of today. The amount of characters you will interact with is wonderful, and they each act entirely different from each other. You will develop an extreme interest for two or three, and be rather annoyed at others. There are three girls that you will interact with that depending on your actions, will be romantic interests of your character's. Voice acting is done by many different persons, and they all thoroughly exceed gaming standards. Boss battles can be straightforward and curt, but they manage to keep up with how the game progresses and evolves without diminishing the experience at any level. The bosses towards the end of the game are a lot more difficult. The Brayko boss battle is my personal favorite. It's really cool! All missions are diverse in origin and in their goals, actually having a different feel to them, from one to the next. There are several graphical bugs and glitches. For example, some textures often take one or two seconds to load, but that may be due to my hardware. All is forgiven because the gameplay and story makes up for the game's developmental shortcomings. Incendiary bombs area great! Use them and abuse them! Alpha Protocol often (60% of the time or more) crashes soon after you quit it, right before it hands over all processes back to Windows. Dossiers add a nice touch of detail and insight as you unlock each piece of intelligence through accomplishments. Reading the dossiers and e-mails prior to missions gives you a better sense of acknowledge and informational power, in addition to some parts of the text being positively humorous. You may specialize your character to tailor whatever playing style you prefer. I personally preferred the combination of stealth with the occasional rifle usage. There should be more games like this. An extensive and branching storyline with lots of NPC interaction. Expand
  3. Obsidian seem to do better when they fail at ambition (Fallout new vegas, Alpha protocol, Kotor 2, and many others) rather than succeed at a polished safe game (dungeon siege 3 comes to mind). Yes, the developers make flawed games. However let's look at FNV for a moment, it's my favorite fallout game. And yes, it crashes and glitches and breaks. However it's complicated and ambitious, it has detail and quirk. Alpha protocol has it's own breed of ambition. A more subtle kind. What it does with decision making, rpg systems, and genre mixing is engaging and bold. However unlike new vegas, it feels like a budget game. The movement feels akward, the animation feels akward, the action feels arkward. In a pre-mass effect world, people would be more forgiving. However in this climate of action-rpg melding, xp systems in action games, etc. You have the action fans come in and instantly judge it for what they expect it to be. Rather than what it is. And that's not their fault either. What the game truly want's to be is a little hidden. In the end it's a role playing game - and taken as that, the clumsiness can be forgiven with persistence from the player. However if you are easily offput by production values and a budget feel - you will have already stopped playing this game. And that's a shame, because it's got a great choice system at it's heart. Expand
  4. I'm glad I only paid $2 for this on steam. Behind the frustrating control and menu interface bugs, it's a crappy port of a half-decent 3PS with some RPG elements. The cover mechanics could use some work and the AI is just terribad for 2010. The plot and level design are the only saving graces here. The variety of characters and relevant storyline are enough to keep you interested, even intrigued. Expand

See all 113 User Reviews