Alpha Protocol PlayStation 3
User Score
7.0 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 83 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 83
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 83
  3. Negative: 15 out of 83

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  1. BubbaHito
    Mar 22, 2011
    9
    This game is kind of a strange beast. It's an Obsidian game, made by a developer that knows a thing or two about RPGs, but it's production values are a little off. Textures loading in menus and in maps and odd little things here and there. Strangely, it doesn't seem to bother me. The shooting is "stats" based, so you'll only be a good shot if you put points into that skill . . . like and RPG, right? You can move between missions (all of them varied and fun), form alliances with strange characters, and effect the plot and gameplay with your choices. Navigation is easy, the story's fun - this game's a class act. Just a little . . . "odd". It came out in the summer, these days you can pick up a new copy on ebay for less than 20 bucks (like most of Sega's 2010 published games). At sub-twenty bucks, you can't afford to miss this one. Definitely a fun time to be had until this year's heavy hitters are released in 4th quarter. Recommended.… Expand
  2. James_Quall
    Jul 10, 2011
    9
    Alpha Protocol is basically Splinter Cell meets Mass Effect. For the majority of the game you will be infiltrating disparate locations and changing events through dialogue. How you do your infiltrating is wholly dependent on how you build your character. You can choose one of several classes with predetermined skill-sets ranging from a stealth based character to an outright trigger-happy power house or you can create your own class by choosing your own skills. I had fun with all of the classes, but found the stealth approach to be the most enjoyable. As for the dialogue portions of the game, I found them to be very engaging. Dialogue options never degenerate into, " Well....I'm a bad guy so I'll pick the bottom choice because that's what a bad guy would say." Instead, conversations become a game of manipulation in which you need to have a grasp on the game's story and a good read on the person you are talking to in order to gain any positive outcome. That's not to say there aren't hilarious moments when you can be a complete **** for no apparent reason, though.

    I only have a few significant complaints with this game. There were a few bugs that I encountered all of which had to do with the AI in some way. I also wasn't blown away by the gun-play, which isn't bad by any means, but it is a little bland. The stealth has similar issues in that it isn't broken, but isn't exactly stellar either.

    All-in-all I found Alpha Protocol to be an excellent game with a sum greater than its parts. It doesn't shoot right out at you with big production values, but that's not what makes me enjoy a video game. What I do enjoy is fun gameplay, engaging story and re-playability, which I feel are all covered by this game.    … Expand
  3. JonD
    Jun 12, 2010
    9
    The very minute i popped this game in and created my character and began my first mission (I already felt resentment from the release date being pushed back) I thought oh great..crappy graphics and a poor aiming reticule boy is this going to stink. but I decided since i did have this game on reserve forever that Id give it a chance... and boy am I glad I did! From beginning to end I couldnt put down my controller! It was like Knights of the old republic mixed with metal Gear with a lil Heavy Rain thrown in... What are some of you people talking about who gave this game poor your reviews mostly based on graphics alone? Did u really even bother playing the game or did you quickly dismiss it because the graphics weren't on par with say God of War III or Modern Warfare 2? (by the way I like both of those games as well) This game may not have great graphics (neither did Dragon Age by the way) but the gameplay, story, and the choices and decisions are what make this game shine. The decisions that you make (included mild decisions) actually alter the game dramatically... something that games like Infamous and Mass effect tried to do but failed horribly. I am replaying this game a 3rd time thru and everything is totally different including multiple endings. i am a gamer since the atari days and I love many games like Zelda, Fallout 3, Halo series , Call of duty series , Gears , Persona series and Rpgs and sports/racing and sandbox games like GTA and Red Dead Redemption so Im no Noob to games. Take my advice and pick this up NOW!!! (as well as Just Cause 2 and Red Dead Revolver And NIER).… Expand
  4. JoshuaW.
    Jun 14, 2010
    9
    Five years ago this would have been one of the greatest games of all-time. Sadly, people get upset when games fail to keep up with the times. RPG's now have to be action-oriented and all games have to be "dumb-downed" for the sake of accessibility. Yes, the graphics are dated, yes the game is buggy but I have seen much worse...I however, enjoy the game for what it is, an old-school (yet still action-oriented) RPG. The game is not going to be as good a stealth game as Splinter Cell because it's not a full-fledge action game. Neither is it going to be a Gears of War, or even a Mass Effect 2 for that reason - because Mass Effect dumbed everything down to be more action-oriented and accessible. The story is awesome, the RPG elements are awesome, the voiceovers (except the nerdy main character sadly) are great and I actually enjoyed the stealth route. You have to give this game time, build your stats and you'll enjoy the game if you accept it as the game that it is.… Expand
  5. Nightrain50
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    The game is bad-ass. That's really all there is to say. If you like "The Bourne Identity" and rpg's this game will be a blast from start to finish. I'm not joking, this game just missed me giving it a 10. I docked a half point for screen tearing during cut-scenes and another half for the save system. That's really the only two flaws in the game.

    Don't be a tool and listen to the bad pre    ss around this game, it doesn't add up. I don't know how Mass Effect 2 can be praised as the next coming and this game sh*t on so hard. It's ludicrous, it's wrong, it's ****ed up.

    So without further ado:

    "Dear Internet, please shut the **** up. Sincerely, Michael Thorton."    … Expand
  6. BigMcLargeHuge
    Aug 16, 2011
    9
    This game is literally one of my favorite games ever. A lot of people hate on this game for two reasons : 1)because it was mis-labelled a shooter first and RPG second, like some other extremely buggy (and massively overhyped) series out there. This is an RPG first, shooter second, much like Deus Ex. And 2) the first 40 minutes of the game aren't that great. After you leave the first set of missions, though, a rich cast of characters and settings open up to you.

    The shooting is competent, but not stellar. What makes the gameplay shine is the various skills and gadgets you get, and how you learn eventually to fit all these different tricks together into different strategies, like instantly freezing time and headshoting a boss, or creeping through an area and punching everyone in the throat in front of their best friends because you are invisible.


    The real meat of the game is the story and interactions. The game forces you into some really heavy choices, and there's no "perfect" or "%100" path. But no matter what choices you make, the game is always keeping track, and is always tossing you perks or bonuses to reward you. The game is definitely designed with multiple playthroughs in mind, as there's far too much (and too much mutually exclusive) content to see in one go. there is so, sooo much detail, so many crazy little things to find, and the writing is always incredibly solid. I think the voice acting tends to sell it, too, though one or two performances are a bit flat.


    I almost didn't get this game; I only picked it up because of a buy-2-get1 sale. But it's far eclipsed the other 2 games I picked. I think that people willing to give this game a fair shake will be surprised to find a much different game than what the press described. I've already played it through thrice, and I still find new things and I still think about it all the time. This is a solid title that is incredibly well designed, just not laden with a bunch of shiny graphic effects or the money to buy a huge ad campaign and a lot of good press. It's not perfect, but to be honest, it's damn close. This game is awesome, hands-down one of my favorites this or any other year. You really should give it a try.    … Expand
  7. DSouls_guy
    Mar 28, 2012
    9
    I have never been a Obsidian fan in my 30 years of gaming but after all this time and never trying Alpha protocol due to bad reviews and people saying that it's a bad game I never touched it until now..all I can say is that this game is awesome.it's mass effect meets stealth meets rpg and I think that too many people are trying to compare this great game to other games and it doesn't measure up so there are those people who give bad reviews to a game that is in reality a great piece of work.this game gets a high score from me.… Expand
  8. Beppo
    May 2, 2013
    9
    First of... I like the game. I love the mix of playing a spy in a not always that serious popcorn movie like scenario. The freedom of going in stealth, gun's blazing, killing or only subduing, hacking your way thru or using gadgets, a story that develops based on your actions etc. etc. etc. really, if you like (spy) popcorn movies and characters that are stereotypic for this genre, then you are 100% right to play this game and have fun with it.
    Sure the tech is not always brilliant but if you play the game as it is meant to be played, then you will have a well satisfying experience. A mix of stealth, pistol and assault rifle shooting, hacking computers, cameras and turrets... all done pretty nicely. The enemy AI is sometimes not the best and will do the typical pop up behind cover "thing", but this is normal in such games and it is done as good as in almost every other title out there. Once an enemy hides behind cover, he often changes positions based on your actions, he can even attack you guns blazing if he knows where you are. So the AI takes into account what gadgets and weaponry you are using. Fire your pistol with a silencer mounted to its barrel and the AI will not notice where you are as long as you do not fire totally out in the open. Use subsonic rounds and you can even be stealthy using your assault rifle. Other enemies will find bodies if you have taken them out within their field of view. This can make it easy to take out several enemies in a row but can also get you into trouble if you do not have the right skills to hide behind cover or even out in the open. The shadow warrior skill is maybe a bit over the top and the evasion extra time too, but it is a nice way to get a whole room cleaned silently and stealthy. Use the shotgun, SMG or AR skills and you can do the same guns blazing too.
    The mini games for hacking computers and security terminals can get pretty tough to beat due to them doing a good job on not being too easy. They get harder the further the story goes and you can only make them easier by investing skill points in the right spots or by using gadgets that cost some money. Same for opening locks and safes... can get tricky to open these within a very short time limit.
    The story is pretty cool if you like the espionage action genre. It features all kinds of different characters which most are stereotypic and fitting their designed place perfectly. Based on your conversation skills the relationship between you and these characters develops and both sides, be it friendship or hatred, have their pros and cons and actually affect the story, your perks, your support options, intel given and equipment made available.
    So you can play the game in a dozen different ways. Either following the rules, act political correct or even not, spare enemies or kill them, blackmail or inform the press or sell information to the highest bidder... or do a planned or random mix of all this whenever you want to be the good or bad guy... almost everything has consequences... some events not sooner than till the end of the game and even during the credits rolling at which a news reporter is completing the few loose ends that you left by your decisions... and even these are 100% based on what you did, who you let live and who you let die during your playthrough.
    So to sum it up... a great game. Way underrated by the press. And with it being a very cheap deal in most shops out there now, one you really shouldn't miss!    … Expand
  9. gmpawesomeness
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    I personally really enjoyed this game. It made me think which I found a little bit frusterating at first but once I got used to the game I flew right through it. I thought it had a great story and every decision you make is a big part of the story. I replay and replay this game over and over again and if you give it a chance you will enjoy it. Thats alot coming from me because the only other rpg game I've gotten this interested in was Biowares Star Wars: Knights of the old republic. I hope they make a sequel soon.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 49 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 49
  3. Negative: 3 out of 49
  1. RealGamer
    65
    Alpha Protocol maybe a role-playing game in name, but for me it felt far to much like an average third person shooter.
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  2. Edge Magazine
    50
    The game is its own worst enemy, as its fully featured hands-on action never quite sits comfortably with roleplaying combat. [July 2010, p.99]
  3. PALGN
    60
    Alpha Protocol is a commendable attempt at story-driven, role-playing action which sadly doesn't live up to its promise, leaving many of us to wonder at what it could have been with a little more polish.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »