E3 09: Alpha Protocol
Obsidian's new modern-day espionage RPG, Alpha Protocol, eschews the good-or-evil duality of choice that's come to typify many RPGs and games with a moral/ethical system, opting instead for morally ambiguous shades of gray.
While it plays like a shooter, Alpha Protocol has deep RPG roots - as you'd expect from an Obsidian game. Two elements comprise the RPG aspect of the game: character progression in the form of 9 skills to advance (proficiency with different types of guns, technology, ye olde D&D standby 'Toughness' and sabotage, a crucial element in the game). RPG-ness also appears in the inventory system, where weapon and armor stats (lessening recoil from a shotgun, for instance) can be altered by mods.
Other traditional RPG aspects have also been modified for Obsidian's modernized, gun totin' RPG - critical hits, for instance, have been retooled for real-time gunwork: without dice rolling under the hood, crits may increase accuracy or have other ballistic benefits. Magic also makes an appearance, after a fashion: abilities like 'fury' will kick you into a bullettime-style mode that differs for every gun type but will clear out a room under most circumstances.
The dialog choices do offer a range of ambiguous behaviors - whether you choose to betray the tough Russian chick who's using you to infiltrate an enemy compound, or to confront her aggressively, the game will respond in surprising ways: Miss Toughinski likes the direct approach, while an old informer drinking vodka at a bar warms up to sleazy swindling but doesn't respond well to violence. Especially when you smash his head into the bar.
After you're done betraying and/or concussing Russians, you'll return to your safe house, where you'll buy mods for your gear, new gadgets, and - interestingly - information. In the world of espionage, after all, knowledge is currency.
tiny dancer
Posted to E3, Hot Stuff, Video Games on 4 June 2009
Other stuff like this: alpha protocol, espionage rpg, obsidian, sega
