Download Free PC Game ALPHA PROTOCOL THE ESPIONAGE RPG

ALPHA PROTOCOL THE ESPIONAGE RPG PC Game

With ALPHA PROTOCOL THE ESPIONAGE RPG , though, we get an entirely new game. There aren't any preconceived notions: no established fan base, no gameplay systems that need to be preserved. Finally, this is a chance to see what Obsidian can do on its own terms. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait. It's a wobbly, inconsistent game that gets a few things right, but is filled with so many awkward and glitchy bits you get the feeling that it should have spent some more time behind closed doors.

The setting and story are highlights. It's a spy thriller filled with crime bosses, turncoats, global conspiracy and corporate greed, all told within a flashback framework. You are Micheal Thorton, an agent who's forced to go rogue and unravel a sinister plot to shift the tide of global events for nefarious purposes. Set in real-world environments, this isn't the type of setting we often get for role-playing games. Those used to flinging fireballs or swinging broadswords might relish the opportunity to strap on bulletproof body armor and burst fire with an assault rifle for a change. Like other games where choice and consequence play a role in how the story develops, Obsidian's done a good job in Alpha Protocol making it feel like you have power over progression. As Thorton takes on missions in locations like Moscow, Taipei, and Rome, he encounters characters that want to partner up, offer helpful information, or greet him with a bullet. By engaging in a Mass Effect-style conversation system, you determine how you want to deal with them: professionally, with a flippant response, or by planting a bullet in their chest.

Opening up these kinds of options strengthens the role-playing aspect of the game, letting you feel as though you're driving the story instead of being led along by the hand. Don't like that machine-gun toting mobster wearing the pink sunglasses? Then get into a shootout with her. Or, if you'd rather, offer up a few flirtatious comments to win her over. Is that one love interest getting annoying? Well, then just prioritize the mission goal over her safety. Arriving at crossroads like these and determining who lives and who dies also has effects later on, netting you statistical bonuses for your relationship status with characters, unlocking new items to buy, and reaping other rewards as you correspond over email with those you decided to keep around. It's an exciting system because you have a timer attached to inputting dialogue options so you have to think fast. Your response could be trivial, or it could wipe out a character entirely. It's just too bad the personalities of the supporting cast aren't developed better.

Most characters, even those around for the entire game, are flat stereotypes who rarely act in a way that feels human. Some scream, swear, and double-cross you and some wear gaudy clothes and dye their hair, but that's no substitute for genuine personality and emotion. When one of the most intriguing characters in the game is a pistol-wielding bodyguard who doesn't speak a word and nearly half of the Alpha Protocol experience is spent in conversation, it's not a good sign.