Alpha Protocol Review

So I recently rented Alpha Protocol even after I had heard some complaints about the games controls. After completing the game in a few sittings I really don't understand where any of these complaints come from. I did have some issues with the cover system every once in awhile but it was only during very fast boss battles and other than that I had no issues with the controls. The complaints that I heard were based on the shooting mechanics and how they weren't fair and even if you are a dead shot you can still miss due to the skill system. I however used my skill points in assault rifles and pistols and fairly quickly I wasn't missing any shots.

This game above all else makes you feel like a spy. You have your black market for weapons, armor, mods, gadgets, and intel. The game is rather linear with it's areas. You can decide how you want to go about missions but for the most part the levels are straight shots with a few extra places for hidden items and intel to hack. The hacking and lock picking games are fun but they can get frustrating in the later levels due to it being difficult while being shot at.

The talking mechanic for dealing with people feels very much like having an actual conversation. Unlike in most games you don't choose what to say. You choose the way you say it such as suave or aggressive. Also the good or evil mechanic works very very well. The choices you make have a huge impact on gameplay. My first run through I let most of the people I was chasing live. Because of this later on in levels I had massive help running through missions. This could mean I have back up or in some instances most of the enemies were friendly.

I had an absolute blast with this game and I recommend this to anyone who wishes they could have been a spy...or you know...you like RPGs such as Mass Effect. The game a lot of times reminded me of playing Syphon Filter for the Playstation. Overall the game has a few bugs here and there but I never really noticed them. I got into the story as cliche as it is and couldn't pull myself away. I beat this in 3 sittings. The game is about 20 hrs or so long.

9.4 out of 10