Разработчик: Obsidian Entertainment
Описание
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Отзывы пользователей
Alpha Protocol, a flawed classic
This review contains spoilers.
Tl;dr: Espionage role-playing game from Obsidian. You assume the role of Mike Thorton, a member of Alpha Protocol. Choices and deep story make for a fun game, if you can look through its numerous flaws and bugs. Recommended
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[td]Platforms tested[/td]
[td]Windows desktop
Steam Deck
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[td]Pros[/td]
[td]Story
Choices are more than changing the colour of the ending.
The Story Setting
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[td]Cons[/td]
[td]Doesn’t have all the latest improvements on Steam
Still quite buggy
Checkpoint system can make you lose progress if you don’t pay attention to it.
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[td]Things to know?[/td]
[td]Doesn’t have all the latest improvements on Steam
This is an old version, which has broken gamepad support. [/td]
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What is Alpha Protocol?
Alpha Protocol was originally released in 2010 for the PS3, X360 and PC. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the game is a third-person shooter where the players control Mike Thorton, an agent for the titular Alpha Protocol. Released in a quite broken state, it has since gathered a following, where many fans claim that it is one of the best Obsidian RPGs around. It was briefly delisted from Steam in 2019 but returned in 2024.
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Overview of the Story and Gameplay
In Alpha Protocol, you take the role of Michael “Mike” Thorton who serves as an operative in the titular Alpha Protocol. After Thorton is abandoned by his government, he sets out to find the people responsible and to save the world.
Alpha Protocol is a third-person Role Playing game and a cover shooter. The game is divided into different hubs where you set out on different type of missions. The missions usually are combat missions where you infiltrate a set location to steal data, assassinate or do other things. How you approach these missions is up to you. You can either go guns blazing or take the stealthier approach or a mix of both. Your approach to your missions can affect greatly both follow up missions as well as how other characters view you. Sometimes you have more compact missions, where the only objective is to talk.
Speaking of talking, your choices matter and can change the story and affect other missions quite a lot. During dialogue, you can take one of three approaches with your choices. You can be aggressive, suave or professional. Different characters prefer different type of approaches, and you can gain or lose reputation points based on your answers, which in turn affects your future interactions with said characters and even with other characters.
In between missions you can find yourself in one of the safe houses, replying to emails, checking intel and trading and equipping equipment. You can also change your character appearance freely from set options, such as beard or glasses.
As Mike gains more experience, your character will level up and can gain new skills and further specialize in different aspects of operative life. The skill tree offers both passive and active skills.
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The Tech
Alpha Protocol is from 2010, and it’s made by Obsidian. As such, one should expect plenty of bugs in the game such as mechanics not working correctly, characters getting stuck or enemies not spawning at all. There are also few glitches on modern computers where the graphic effects are not working correctly, and one will notice those effects having issues immediately.
The game runs on Unreal Engine 3 and thus offers possibilities for modding and extending support for some features, like ultra-wide support. The game caps the frame rate to 60 or to 62 without modifying configuration files.
The graphical options are okay, allowing players to customize settings such as SpeedTree quality (controls detail levels of trees) and motion blur. The game supports variety of resolutions and allows players to choose windowed mode if preferred.
The motion blur is horrible, and I highly recommend disabling it.
In control options, you can enable or disable control options. If controller is not enabled here, it won’t work. As many games of this era, you may need to restart the game if you turned on your controller after launching the game or if you need to reconnect your controller. The game supports other than XInput controllers only on GOG version.
The audio is 2.0 and you need to use a workaround to get surround sound working.
The game sound settings offer customization, and dialogue can usually be heard just fine. The game offers subtitle settings but subtitles do not work for all cutscenes, namely for the introduction movie and the ending. Few typos are still present after all these years.
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Miscellaneous
DLC: The game has no DLC on PC, it had preorder DLC on consoles.
Achievements: The game has no Achievements on Steam, it does have them on consoles and on GOG.
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My opinions
Alpha Protocol isn’t the easiest game to review. On one hand, the story, setting and writing really are at outstanding level. On the other hand, the numerous technical issues and bugs can make playing the game at times a very frustrating experience. To give some context, you can try to be stealthy and suddenly the alarm rings because enemy saw you through the walls or spawned right on top of you. These frustrations can become even more issue with how the game saves using a checkpoint system. There are no ways to save between checkpoints. If you make a mistake in some of the missions, you may have to replay quite a long part of the game or if you make a mistake you want to remedy and the checkpoint saves, you’re stuck with your choice or mistake if you didn’t make a manual save of the checkpoint earlier.
However, the story and setting really stand out. The writers offer no ways to save everyone and everything and make you think about your choices. The game does not offer options to pause during the dialogues so sometimes you may impulsively condemn a group of people to death, even without meaning to. The story has multiple endings, which means you can play it again and again to check different approaches and story elements.
Apart from its technical issues and outdated design choices and technical constraints, Alpha Protocol is truly a great game and refreshing experience. I highly recommend giving it a try.
One of the most innovative and truly unique games ever made. No game is more worthy of a modern remaster or sequel than this absolute hidden gem. A game where your choices REALLY matter, where every decision you make feels relevant and meaningful AND ACTUALLY IS, in a way that literally no other game has ever matched. It's an RPG that actually cares about who you want your agent to be and one where how you build your character's stats and skills is as important to your story as how you play them during cutscenes and conversations.
Can't recommend the game enough.
It's not a terrible game, but it is not very memorable either.
The loop is simple - go to Clearinghouse, buy all the intel, reply to emails, do a mission where you shoot worse than a blind man but so do the enemies, occasionally put in a 'hacker code' which you have to do both with keyboard and mouse where the keyboard one is slow and the mouse one is just buggy (controller was expected).
The writing is subpar - there are some good lines but more than a spy story it's written like what the authors think a spy story should be. It has a similar vibe to Yakuza games where the story is tense but you feel like your actions don't have any weight.
I like that some choices affect how the game progresses - that is probably the best thing about it.
Considering how old the game is, it is not as dated as I expected, but compared to something like Rainbow 6: Vegas which came 5 years earlier, it is pretty wonky.
Overall, I would give it a pass.
I've heard of this game for a long time and have always wanted to play it but never had the chance until recently. Firstly, I loved this game. The RPG genre has always been so stale to me. It's always about dragons and shit. I like that this 007 type of feel this game has. You actually feel like a spy and your choice do matter. It plays a lot like mass effect 1 so be prepared for a lot of jank. Lots of people will rip the combat but I found it to be a lot of fun. Not necessarily challenging but more so like a puzzle. The progression is fantastic. First mission you're barely able to hit anything moving and constantly tripping alarms, but by the last mission you're head-shotting people from cover from a mile away.
This game is worth the money. It is dated but there are very few games that have attempted something so ambitious
This is one of the greatest games I've ever played.
This game had aspects I love, but I found the last mission with the helicopter too difficult on the easiest setting. I uninstalled it without completing the game. After 10 tries, I just didn't want to attempt it anymore. If I am playing a game on easy, I expect to be able to complete the game. $14 and I can't finish the game. Maybe I'll try again in a few months. There are more fun games to play.
Really good game from Obsidion. Has some good ideas built in or taken from Mass Effect. The characters and story are interesting, as the setting is pretty unused for an RPG.
Link to my Story Movie:
https://youtu.be/huRGKZ-R1ZE
I wanted to like this game but its just too rough. Gameplay is interesting but the controls are just so terrible. If i wanted to play it with a controller I would've gotten the PS3 version. If a game like this interests you just stick to MGS.
Always wanted to play this back in the day. Did not disappoint. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Wish SEGA would let them make the squeal and learn from this one.
The writing of this game and the choices are great. Everything else is utter trash. This game should have been a visual novel.
The minigames are annoying, the combat is the worst combat I have ever seen in a videogame, the stealth mechanics don't work and the games saving "feature" broke for me for some reason so I couldn't save my game anymore. Don't start the game through Steam either because then your game doesn't even save in the first place. Do not buy.
all I want is another alpha protocol is that so hard to ask
An underrated, forgotten Obsidian gem. While it is a bit dated, and has messy combat; the story, choices, and characters are great. It doesn't overstay its welcome and if you did not know you need a Mass Effect style spy game, you do now.
Thank you Xbox & SEGA! Real OG's remember this game on the PS3 & Xbox 360! I love how Xbox is making it's game library accessable across devices so when I seen this in the store I had to purchase ASAP! Runs great on my PC using a Elite Series 2!
This game has many flaws, but it is still good and even unique. You have limited time during dialogue choices. While this can be irritating it makes sense, especially in this game. I would say it is one of the best Obsidian games, too bad there will be no sequel.
IDK if it's a top 10 game of all time, but Alpha Protocol is close.
Imagine if Mass Effect and Splinter Cell had a baby, that's Alpha Protocol. I'm so glad this game is back on Steam.
One of Obsidian's best RPGs; I always thought Deux Ex copied elements of it for the Adam Jensen games.
Everytime a studio dies I feel the desire to go back and play something from them when they were good. Did that recently with jade Empire and bioware and now im doing it with Alpha Protocol. This game is still got it. One of the first games I wanted a 2nd play through as soon as i was finished. Choices really do change your game,
Im playing on Deck and it looks and performs really well. Just remember this and RPG not a shooter your stats effect how you can use various weapons.
Please add sex with Big Tiddy Goth Chicks
This is easily one of my favorite role playing games ever. The depth of choice allowed to the player in how they approach a situation, if they want it to be lethal, if they want to be a complete ghost, the choices between the people they meet and how they effect the situations the player is a part of are all almost unmatched. The gameplay suffers from being janky, and pistols are beyond OP as anything but this game is definitely worth a buy.
Really cool setting for a western RPG with solid gameplay and story
I think this still holds up! You can play a suave superspy, an idiot aggressive bozo, or anything in between. I stayed true to Mina the whole time, and while there wasn't much at the end it paid off. Also, it turns out Chain Shot + Brilliance is just kind of broken on bosses.
wonderful game
A rare example of an RPG set in the modern day with a very choice reactive story. Right up there with VTMB as far as modern RPGs go.
Underrated gem, even though you can't purchase it through steam anymore buy it through GOG, you won't regret it.
Good little classic game. Some questionable mechanics though i.e. the circle cross hair means your early game firefights are frustrating, and for some reason the sensitivity is like 5x on mounted weapons. I wish there were achievements too and bonuses for being stealthy in missions. But overall not a bad game, but definitely not for £15.99. Get on sale if you're interested in decision based games and don't mind some janky controls.
If you like Mass Effect and can put up with a bit of PS3 era jank this is a must play.
It's essentially Spy Mass Effect by the New Vegas Devs.
The best RPG Shooter on here
Very entertaining and captivating story/gameplay, a lot of attention to detail and super immersive all around.
Just wish it had achievements.
How can anyone play this?
I enjoyed Alpha Protocol in the way I enjoy a bad movie. Do I regret playing it? No! Would I recommend it to my friends if I want them to take my recommendations seriously? Also no. It grew on me, but it wasn’t good. Its obvious that the game was slapped together and held that way with chewing gum and duct tape. Besides from janky glitches (which are ok), there are larger issues like continuity errors and poor design story choices that kind of ruined my story. Combat is bad and the game lacks a steadfast sense of quality and vision. It has some redeeming qualities, but they ultimately do not outweigh the bad.
So without getting too much in the weeds and spoilers, there were some story issues that ruined the story I was building. Towards the end of the game, my story was impacted heavily by things I straight up didn’t do. The game said I killed people I specifically avoided killing. Like, I save-scummed so I didn’t kill these people, but the game thought I did and it impacted my story. I also felt robbed of some important choices because the game doesn’t present important choices in a standardized way and I was confused and made a critical decision by accident. With a story driven RPG, these experiences really pushed me into the “thumbs down” category. There was also a loose end with my story that was never resolved.
Next, the combat is just bad. Your aim is based on how many skill points you put into your character, and even with fully maxed out stats, you will struggle to shoot and hit enemies that are almost point blank. Gunplay is horrible, even for this game’s generation. To put into perspective, Mass Effect 2 came out the same year and feels light years ahead (pun intended) of Alpha Protocol in terms of combat and gunplay. The combat also suffers from balance issues. Some skills are the obvious choices. Pistols and Stealth are winners with Pistols giving you the ability to slow down time and Red Dead Redemption style line up auto-hits, and stealth gives you the ability to just straight up be invisible. Using these two skills in tandem can cheese you through the toughest boss fights.
Its clear the game had a troubled development. Honestly, the Rome section seems like it was cobbled together. Moscow wasn’t much better. After some post-game research, my thoughts were confirmed. A lot of mission design was scrapped and whole sections of the game were removed and replaced with filler. Apparently, SEGA cut a 30 minute section of the game because it was too expensive. This all makes sense and is a bummer to hear.
There were small glitches but nothing game breaking.
There are some good aspects of the game, don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the characters and how you interact with them. I enjoyed the decisions the player must make and how they impact the story, even if the game doesn’t do a good job of putting it all together and continuity. A spy RPG is a unique concept and the devs tired hard to make a game with one hand tied around their backs. I enjoyed my playthrough but probably wont play again.
Aside from the bugs Alpha Protocol gives you a lot of player choice and freedom in story and gameplay.
My first full play through was a No Damage/non-lethal run.
Pretty much "GameEnding" every boss without killing them.
Also, the cheesy one-liners you get with the suave perk are an enjoyable cringe fest.
Gameplay 6 / 10 (The stealth mechanics as well as pistol/tech/sabotage builds are broken, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Tho there are some hiccups while running at times. This can be fixed with a mod.
https://www.moddb.com/mods/alpha-protocol-improved/downloads/smoothermovement)
Story 8 / 10 (It pretty much checks all boxes of spy thriller classics à la James Bond along with all the tropes.)
Replay Value 8 / 10 (You can definitely mess with other builds, play styles and game choices.)
Jankiness aside the game is overall a solid fun experience for an original RPG Concept.
Definitely recommend on a sale.
Plenty of jank so be ready for that but there's no other game quite like it. Play a spy thriller and a surprisingly reactive one.
Out of all buggy games with unbalanced mechanics; this is definitely near the top of my favourites.
How can this buggy piece of shit game be very positive in reviews?
I hoped for Alpha Protocol ll
Nostalgic
The game is at times flawed, but for the most part it is enjoyable, straightforward and offers surprising insight into the human condition for a video game.
There's very few spy games on the PC and this has all the trademarks of Obsidian clunkiness but the choices and how they influence the story are truly excellent.
Thorton is no James Bond, he's barely an Ethan Hunt, but he's a lot of fun to play. A shame we never got a sequel.
i actually liked it quite a bit, lots of missed potential but an enjoyable experience.
What i like about the game is the decision making which leads to many various cutscenes and playing stealthy through the missions.
I may be wrong, but it plays a little bit like a Mass Effect title. You have to like it. For a game of 2010 the price is undoubtfuly too high.
It's not a good game, but play it on easy for the fun dialogue
This might not be the hidden gem that some people claim, but definitely sits in the cult classic category. Regardless of how you classify it, there really isn't a game like Alpha Protocol.
Firstly, the visuals are really showing their age here. From the surroundings to the animations, the overall graphics only cross the line of acceptable even for the time of release. That also applies to the sound and music which both qualify as serviceable. And as for the game-play, well, clunky is probably the most generous way to put it. The gun play really has no weight it, the AI is horrible and the cover system is pretty average.
With all of the above in mind, why would anyone thumb this up? Because it is an Obsidian game and needs to be treated as an Obsidian game. What I mean is, the game itself is built around the RPG/story focused premise, which makes it pretty special. In true Obsidian fashion, there is a well fleshed out narrative with plenty of branching choices to make along the way. This includes how to talk to other characters, what gear you take on missions and the different ways to approach a mission. And yes, these choices do hold weight. Whether you choose to kill a character rather than be diplomatic, or tackle a mission guns blazing rather than stealth, your decisions will effect not just the current mission, but potentially future missions as well. Coupled with some good voice acting (even with some cheesy dialogue), there is a really fun 'Bourne-esk' story to play around with. And even though the in game mechanics are extremely clunky, they do fine to complement the overall RPG narrative.
My advice to anyone interested in this game is to treat it like an adventure game that has some shooting/stealth mechanics thrown into it. If you treat this as an action RPG shooter, you're going to walk away with your feathers ruffled. I will say this is a great example of why Obsidian deserve praise for what they do, as they have always taken risks that are worth exploring. Worth a buy despite all its faults, there really is no game like Alpha Protocol.
Broken, bugged, unfinished. And still it's one of the best RPGs I've ever played, with a compelling narrative, actual branching dialoguem consequences for your actions; actual role playing as a spy. I'm glad they brought this game back to stores: A remake, sequel or even remaster will never happen, but it deserved any of those three, for it deserved another chance given this development. Regardless, it's an experience not found anywhere 14 years later, for the good, and for the bad.
Дополнительная информация
| Разработчик | Obsidian Entertainment |
| Платформы | Windows |
| Ограничение возраста | Нет |
| Дата релиза | 27.01.2025 |
| Metacritic | 73 |
| Отзывы пользователей | 84% положительных (2455) |