Alpha Protocol

 PC
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 603 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 394 out of 603
  2. Mixed: 131 out of 603
  3. Negative: 78 out of 603
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  1. BartS
    Jun 6, 2010
    0
    When playing this game my main thought was, How could someone make something this bad in 09/10 It looks ok but they are licensing the unreal engine so cant realy give them any credit for that. as has been stated before, they make guns woafully inacurate to give an excuse to call it an rpg, the lockpicking,hacking,rewiring etc is just copy pasted from older games and suprisingly poorly When playing this game my main thought was, How could someone make something this bad in 09/10 It looks ok but they are licensing the unreal engine so cant realy give them any credit for that. as has been stated before, they make guns woafully inacurate to give an excuse to call it an rpg, the lockpicking,hacking,rewiring etc is just copy pasted from older games and suprisingly poorly implemented. I would serously need to get paid 50$ an hour to play this game through let alone pay for it.… Expand
  2. GarrisonP
    Jun 14, 2010
    1
    Horrible graphics horrible animation horrible story its just a game were your a guy thinking hes james bond this game shoulnt even be a game or a movie.
  3. gizm0steve
    Oct 5, 2011
    3
    I'm glad I only paid $2 for this on steam. Behind the frustrating control and menu interface bugs, it's a crappy port of a half-decent 3PS with some RPG elements. The cover mechanics could use some work and the AI is just terribad for 2010. The plot and level design are the only saving graces here. The variety of characters and relevant storyline are enough to keep you interested, even intrigued.
  4. CraigG
    Jun 13, 2010
    4
    For a game that is supposed to deal in espionage(which one would assume requires stealth and finesse), the controls and "stealth" system were clunky at best. They used the same graphics model with different camouflage skins for multiple firearms, which had some VERY inaccurate stats. I was expecting something on par with Splinter Cell, from all the hype. I was VERY disappointed.
  5. SteenS.
    Jun 6, 2010
    1
    You cannot skip what the characters say, and most of what they say is totally irrelevant for the game story. You can only choose wether to be professional or aggressive, not exactly what to say. The guns are blown off expectations. You just put the enemies within your line of sight and hope for the bullet to hit them. There is absolutely no skill included in this game. Worst game You cannot skip what the characters say, and most of what they say is totally irrelevant for the game story. You can only choose wether to be professional or aggressive, not exactly what to say. The guns are blown off expectations. You just put the enemies within your line of sight and hope for the bullet to hit them. There is absolutely no skill included in this game. Worst game I've ever tried. And I actually expected much from such a game before it was launched. Mass Effect 2 was the best game i've ever played, so how comes this is so bad?… Expand
  6. Daikaze
    Dec 7, 2010
    1
    The game starts off rather well. You learn about combat, and the rest of the games mechanics... The stealth and melee is quite enjoyable, but the guns are rather sub-par and the mini-games are just awful. The mini-games aren't fun and they have no place in an action game.

    The boss fights, oh how horrible they are. They are tedious at best. You fight some enemy with extra health and they    The game starts off rather well. You learn about combat, and the rest of the games mechanics... The stealth and melee is quite enjoyable, but the guns are rather sub-par and the mini-games are just awful. The mini-games aren't fun and they have no place in an action game.

    The boss fights, oh how horrible they are. They are tedious at best. You fight some enemy with extra health and they deal extra damage. If you went melee then you're probably going to get beaten up in a fist fight with any boss. Then, the boss fights get worse as the game goes on. There's no enjoyment is spending that much time on a fight. The story is very cliche and offers limited choices. The bugs really bring the game down, but the annoyances found in the gameplay will draw your attention instead.


    If the game were just about the stealth, melee, and the occasional gun fight then it'd be a real gem... but there's just too much garbage covering up the fun.    … Expand
  7. Likeyou
    Jul 27, 2011
    0
    Do not buy that game! I reinstalled it after month after my first sadness with it at steam to take a look what happened till now.. But really.. Its a huge fail-development and maybe one of the biggest mistakes of obsidian. I never seen much of the story, I never met all the interesting characters and I never decided epic moments cuz one of the mini games in the game ruined all the fun IDo not buy that game! I reinstalled it after month after my first sadness with it at steam to take a look what happened till now.. But really.. Its a huge fail-development and maybe one of the biggest mistakes of obsidian. I never seen much of the story, I never met all the interesting characters and I never decided epic moments cuz one of the mini games in the game ruined all the fun I could have. HACKING is a huge bad portation and the idea to create such an hard mini-game is really sick. AND without a "pad" beyond possibility. My first hack in-game was my very last. I tried it for hours and hours but cuz of the inaccurate mouse-sensitivity I never could log in these randomized keywords. All other mini-games are no match, easy and funny, but hacking is the biggest slur within such public game and a crime against 08-15 gamers. And I wont tell you anything bout aiming, cuz its another joke of the developer. There are no patches to disable Hacking or better aiming since game came out. Do not waste your money like me. The one game I wished I never had bought is Alpha protocol. Buy something better. ;)… Expand
  8. Jasonwex
    Aug 29, 2010
    9
    So far the character development, the dialog, the general story are all top notch. It had potential, I will say that. But somewhere down the line they made the mistake of making the controls terrible and removing any chance at am open world environment from this action RPG. The characters and the story were solid the implementation could of been better. Still, good fun and deserves a 9, ISo far the character development, the dialog, the general story are all top notch. It had potential, I will say that. But somewhere down the line they made the mistake of making the controls terrible and removing any chance at am open world environment from this action RPG. The characters and the story were solid the implementation could of been better. Still, good fun and deserves a 9, I would say people are too hard on it because of the gap between how good the characters were and a just mediocre gameplay system.… Expand
  9. RFMarine
    Jun 14, 2012
    4
    I'll be concentrating on the user interface and the performance. The graphics and story are OK, i'm not picky. Okay. I have a decent system, 4 gigs ram, geforce 560ti, core 2 duo e8200, maybe a little light on the CPU but its ok. I tried all the video options on and also tried the game with them all off. As with most consolitis games, the video options are a bit limitied.

    I see that    I'll be concentrating on the user interface and the performance. The graphics and story are OK, i'm not picky. Okay. I have a decent system, 4 gigs ram, geforce 560ti, core 2 duo e8200, maybe a little light on the CPU but its ok. I tried all the video options on and also tried the game with them all off. As with most consolitis games, the video options are a bit limitied.

    I see that this game suffers from consolitis and lacks polish. The loading times are too long, even for something as simple as loading a checkpoint then dying then reloading the last checkpoint. Loading time is also too long for such simple stuff as opening the map or opening one of the menus such as weapons or gadgets. When loading a save or loading a new level at least there's a spinning AP logo on the screen but otherwise, the game looks like its frozen. Then there are lots of pauses. Example, you are running forwards then make a 90 degree turn to your left to a stair or ramp, after turning a few degrees there is a split second pause then you find yourself turned 270 degrees so you have the stairs behind you and you're face into the wall or sometimes its 180 degrees and you're going back the way you came. The scrolling is horrible in menus. The mouse wheel works but if you have say 2 windows like in the email window, scrolling the mouse wheel only scrolls the list of emails on the left while the message on the right window cannot be controlled by the mouse wheel. You can always click on the scroll up and down buttons but they are soo small. Plus there are pauses scrolling to an email or a weapon that's on the next page of a list

    The menus like the PDA and the weapon menus don't recognize the ESC. So for example in the map to go back to the game you have to mouse click on the "back" button then press TAB. you can only jump from say the weapon to the skill menu only by mouse clicking on a small arrow. You can't use the keyboard shortcut keys. And for exiting those menus going back to the game you can't press ESC, you gotta press the key assigned to it

    Very Very poor interface design. A shame since the RPG system, the story and the combat is OK    … Expand
  10. NK
    Jun 1, 2010
    0
    I'd like to review the game but seeing as the game crashes at the launcher and the .exe file doesn't run to skip the launcher, it gets zero. Another good try Obsidian, here's hoping you don't run Fallout New Vegas into the ground like you did with the KoToR series.
  11. mafiaaa
    Dec 23, 2012
    1
    One of the worst games I've ever played. It pretty much sums up how it would turn out if I suddenly decided to make a Mass Effect clone. And the engine, ugh.... don't even get me started... let's just say it's Unreal Engine 2 (yes, that's two, you read that correctly) and it shows. *ucking everywhere, the graphics, physics, animation, particle effects, audio... This game has been made by aOne of the worst games I've ever played. It pretty much sums up how it would turn out if I suddenly decided to make a Mass Effect clone. And the engine, ugh.... don't even get me started... let's just say it's Unreal Engine 2 (yes, that's two, you read that correctly) and it shows. *ucking everywhere, the graphics, physics, animation, particle effects, audio... This game has been made by a bunch of morons with an Orangutan as the lead programmer.… Expand
  12. DantheMan
    Sep 30, 2011
    3
    I am not what you would call an FPS fan but I kept reading about how this is really an RPG game with shooter elements and that it is vastly underrated. I now think those people are loony. I don't know how good the RPG elements are in this game or anything about replayability because frankly the game is so bad that I never got beyond about 20 minutes in. What's wrong with the game has beenI am not what you would call an FPS fan but I kept reading about how this is really an RPG game with shooter elements and that it is vastly underrated. I now think those people are loony. I don't know how good the RPG elements are in this game or anything about replayability because frankly the game is so bad that I never got beyond about 20 minutes in. What's wrong with the game has been stated in other reviews: bad engine, clunky controls, obvious console port. I got the game when it was for $2 on a Steam sale and thankfully so because if I had paid more I would have been livid. When you read other reviews about how good the story and dialog are in this game be aware you are reading reviews from people who can ignore all the **** to find the diamond. I couldn't do it.… Expand
  13. SamuelP.
    Jun 2, 2010
    8
    The game is a great experience if you are willing to let it grow on you. At first glance the game seems very linear but after replaying through the game a bit and chatting with some others the experience varies dramatically based on choices made in the game. I found that you get out of it what you put in, combat became a little stale at points so I adjusted my strategies and had fun. If The game is a great experience if you are willing to let it grow on you. At first glance the game seems very linear but after replaying through the game a bit and chatting with some others the experience varies dramatically based on choices made in the game. I found that you get out of it what you put in, combat became a little stale at points so I adjusted my strategies and had fun. If the games visuals and animations were updated I doubt you would see any reviews under a 9. The camera and controls take a bit of time to get used to however once you begin adding skill points to the weapons the shooter aspect isn't nearly as bad as many have said. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys playing a game through multiple times, if you are just in it for a few hours you probably won't get the point of the game.… Expand
  14. BryceW
    Jun 5, 2010
    6
    Gameplay: The game play varies from average to poor. Weapon balance is inconsistent and accuracy is almost a constant challenge to overcome. There were times when facing a stationary enemy 20 feet away, while I was crouching and aiming at his chest I would empty entire clips and hit nothing but air. At the same time the abilities for pistols make them completely overpowered, allowing you Gameplay: The game play varies from average to poor. Weapon balance is inconsistent and accuracy is almost a constant challenge to overcome. There were times when facing a stationary enemy 20 feet away, while I was crouching and aiming at his chest I would empty entire clips and hit nothing but air. At the same time the abilities for pistols make them completely overpowered, allowing you to slow time and line up multiple headshots and take out everyone in a single go. Add stealth to that ability and you… Expand
  15. DanR
    Jun 6, 2010
    8
    Fantastic game. Honestly do not understand some of the reviews. It is an RPG, not a shooter... perhaps that's where some of the trouble lies. The action is well-suited to an RPG, basing your skills on your character's stats and not on twitch reactions. The conversations are well written and interesting, and the characters varied and enjoyable. The plot, while not brilliant, is Fantastic game. Honestly do not understand some of the reviews. It is an RPG, not a shooter... perhaps that's where some of the trouble lies. The action is well-suited to an RPG, basing your skills on your character's stats and not on twitch reactions. The conversations are well written and interesting, and the characters varied and enjoyable. The plot, while not brilliant, is better at least than the Bourne movies, and certainly kept me interested throughout. I love the way decisions really mattered, and at times I had to choose between allies and mission objectives (when I had to let a friend die to save lots of civilian lives, it was actually a difficult moment.) I'm not saying this game is for everyone, but if you enjoy action RPGs with lots of well-written dialogue and choices that really matter, this game should not be passed by.… Expand
  16. OliverG.
    Jun 7, 2010
    8
    Let me play a little game with the score will you? The game starts at 5. +1 It runs on my relatively old PC. +1 A lot of charachters I liked. +2 Story branching is crazy. -1 Controls are a bit messed up. -1 Too short. It would have been even better if we had the chance to do more operations with Alpha Protocol before going rogue. The gameplay i generally fine as long as you have a good Let me play a little game with the score will you? The game starts at 5. +1 It runs on my relatively old PC. +1 A lot of charachters I liked. +2 Story branching is crazy. -1 Controls are a bit messed up. -1 Too short. It would have been even better if we had the chance to do more operations with Alpha Protocol before going rogue. The gameplay i generally fine as long as you have a good imagination to fill in the holes. And it's fun to try to finish the game with 0 kills. (I think it should be possible with a bit of planning. I'm trying it right now).… Expand
  17. MatS
    Jun 7, 2010
    7
    Very nice graphics, but that doesn't do enough to push the game any higher in rating. There was much hype about this game, but alas I feel it was all a bit of an over statement. The controls feel too clunky when playing with a keyboard and mouse, which makes me think that this was more designed for the console rather then the PC. This game has a great concept and they have certainly Very nice graphics, but that doesn't do enough to push the game any higher in rating. There was much hype about this game, but alas I feel it was all a bit of an over statement. The controls feel too clunky when playing with a keyboard and mouse, which makes me think that this was more designed for the console rather then the PC. This game has a great concept and they have certainly tried to deliver something memorable, but I just don't think they got there. Nothing in this game draws me back wanting to play more. There really isn't any longevity in this game and will be quickly swept aside for something better.… Expand
  18. MikeT.
    Jun 3, 2010
    7
    Mediocre gameplay with highly inaccurate weapons that skills do little to offset, hugely imbalanced skills (pistol chainshot and invisibility are absurdly more useful than anything else), characters, writing, dialogue, and plot that disappoint from the makers of KOTOR2 and Planescape, and dull level design equal Alpha Protocol. The game's single strong suit is its reactivity. No game Mediocre gameplay with highly inaccurate weapons that skills do little to offset, hugely imbalanced skills (pistol chainshot and invisibility are absurdly more useful than anything else), characters, writing, dialogue, and plot that disappoint from the makers of KOTOR2 and Planescape, and dull level design equal Alpha Protocol. The game's single strong suit is its reactivity. No game to date has as many branching or variable paths (you can even have different final bosses), and it's worth checking out for that...just not at full price. Go play the KOTORs, Mass Effects, Vampire, Deus Exes for atmosphere, writing, and (in case of ME2 and DX and somewhat Vampire) gameplay, and then if you'd like to see an exercise in game design, pick up Alpha Protocol in the bargain bin.… Expand
  19. TaylorB
    Jun 5, 2010
    8
    Like a reviewer before me, I would have chosen 7.5 if it was an option. That being said, this game is a clunky, upolished, buggy mess. But there's still a huge amount of potential waiting under that surface. I have to admit, I have a weakness for games that try something new and ambitious, regardless of the game's overall quality. (After all, my favorite game of all time is the Like a reviewer before me, I would have chosen 7.5 if it was an option. That being said, this game is a clunky, upolished, buggy mess. But there's still a huge amount of potential waiting under that surface. I have to admit, I have a weakness for games that try something new and ambitious, regardless of the game's overall quality. (After all, my favorite game of all time is the original Operation Flashpoint). Alpha Protocol has its fair share of issues (outdated graphics, dumb AI, clunky controls, awkward animations, etc...) but if you're willing to put up with them, there's a pretty good time to be had. I've never played a game that actually made me feel like I was a secret agent until this one. It feels convincing and immersive. The dialogue system is excellent and I've never seen a game factor in your choices to the extent Alpha Protocol does it. I really hope Sega/Obsidian don't kill this new IP. I think it has an incredible amount of promise with enough money and development time. I can't recommend this game to everyone, but if you're looking for something beyond your typical special forces/space marine/badass kills every terrorist/alien/monster in sight AAA super polished standard linear shooter, give Alpha Protocol a shot. The summer release calendar is pretty sad and you could do a lot worse. But do yourself a favor and avoid the console versions. Play this game on a PC with a 360 gamepad, and I think you may just be pleasantly surprised.… Expand
  20. SpencerT.
    Jun 9, 2010
    7
    Not the best mobility, no jumping, hiding is tricky at best. Weapons for player are highly inaccurate, where the bots can hit you with a mounted gun across a vast gully. The shotgun's accuracy makes sense, where as the pistol is nearly as inaccurate. The story so far seems somewhat interesting, but i would probably not want to pay more than 20 bucks for it. But if you like being Not the best mobility, no jumping, hiding is tricky at best. Weapons for player are highly inaccurate, where the bots can hit you with a mounted gun across a vast gully. The shotgun's accuracy makes sense, where as the pistol is nearly as inaccurate. The story so far seems somewhat interesting, but i would probably not want to pay more than 20 bucks for it. But if you like being sneeky, and enjoy a good RP, then this certainly is a good game. I however, wont be playing it very much.… Expand
  21. JonesR
    Dec 1, 2011
    9
    Alpha Protocol is hands down one of the best spy and espionage games on the PC. It kind of makes you feel like Jason Bourne. The interactive story provides satisfaction in knowing you are actually a part of the outcome and all of your actions have consequences. In addition, the timed responses mean that all conversations remain fluid and believable. The perk system provides personaAlpha Protocol is hands down one of the best spy and espionage games on the PC. It kind of makes you feel like Jason Bourne. The interactive story provides satisfaction in knowing you are actually a part of the outcome and all of your actions have consequences. In addition, the timed responses mean that all conversations remain fluid and believable. The perk system provides persona customization primarily between stealth or run and gun. There is a money collection system for buying weapons, armor, and accessories through the black market to enhance your chosen perks. The aiming system was biggest weakness, the enemy AI could have been improved, and the bosses seemed overpowered, but overall there was really very few issues with the gameplay, and the execution is top notch. The game also offers a lot of replayability due to its diverse story paths. This is a must buy.… Expand
  22. wordy_actions
    Mar 26, 2011
    6
    A mixed bag. The plot and dialogue are for the most part excellent, but a huge range of gameplay issues keep this game from becoming great. If this game had come out in 2006 it would be a classic. However, in a post ME2 world, it feels clunky and dated.
  23. Matseb2611
    Jun 14, 2015
    9
    For an RPG that I've barely heard of until recently, Alpha Protocol is pretty solid. There is a big, overarching story, involving lots of characters and factions, and throughout, your decisions and dialogue choices allow you to ally with some of them, which then can affect outcomes of future missions.

    There are a lot of dialogue choices given, most of them determine your tone, such as    For an RPG that I've barely heard of until recently, Alpha Protocol is pretty solid. There is a big, overarching story, involving lots of characters and factions, and throughout, your decisions and dialogue choices allow you to ally with some of them, which then can affect outcomes of future missions.

    There are a lot of dialogue choices given, most of them determine your tone, such as aggressive or professional. I wasn't too keen on the idea of being given a short time limit on deciding what to say, but I got used to it eventually. Most options are quite straight-forward, but some can be a bit confusing, and at times cause the main character to say something you weren't expecting him to say.

    The game has a nice non-linear approach. Once you complete all missions in the first country (Saudi Arabia), you get a choice of 3 more locations (Moscow, Rome, Taipei), which you can do in any order of preference and even go backwards and forwards between them at any time, since each one contains several missions and subplots of their own. Allies you make in one can then help you out in missions in another, which is really great.

    What was a bit confusing was how I could even gain rep with the antagonists. It seemed kind of pointless, considering nothing much came of it aside from them simply having a grudging respect towards you and you being considered as 'Friends' by the game despite unloading full clips into one another and calling each other names.

    The combat aspect had some good moments and some bad moments. Gun fights in general were really fun and akin to what you'd see in the movies. The hit boxes are great and you can shoot through small gaps and in between ladders. At times gun fights got a bit repetitive, since some missions are very action-packed, and you just wish they'd end already. The stealth seemed kind of bad. I am usually not so good at stealth in games, but in this game I didn't even have a sporting chance, because enemies would often spot me from the other end of the map, ring an alarm, start a massive gun fight, and repeatedly throw grenades at me as though they were playing a game of catch. So after first couple of missions I gave up on stealth altogether and simply went guns blazing. Lastly, I really hated most of the boss fights. I think they are the worst aspect of the game by far. Most of them were simply enemies with overblown amount of health and minions spawning left and right. I think alternate ways of dealing with these bosses would've been nice.

    You get to level up your character abilities as you make progress, allowing him to specialise in different types of combat, and you get to customize what gear he takes to missions. It's really detailed, all up to even customizing the add-ons on each weapon.

    The game often presents moral choices and dilemmas. Most times they create nice tension and are done well. A few can be annoying, because the game essentially doesn't let you win, no matter how much dossier intel you collect, no matter how much you prepare, no matter how many allies you have to support you - if the game wants to screw you over, you will get screwed over one way or another. It even pulled the whole 'save the damsell or focus on the mission' not once but twice. It's not a huge drawback, but it can put off some players who want to be able to get the best possible outcome by playing their cards right, and if the game lacks that option, they will be disappointed.

    Overall this game is worth playing for all fans of RPGs. I am surprised it's been so overlooked.    … Expand
  24. ILFM
    Apr 18, 2012
    10
    Don't listen to everybody else. This game is AMAZING. There's not that much more to say because I don't you'll read it anyways. But let me say this. This game is very unique and in a good way. The game has SO MANY different options. You choose everything that's going to happen. This is the game that your choices matter. Plus you're an undercover agent, spy and you'll feel like a badass theDon't listen to everybody else. This game is AMAZING. There's not that much more to say because I don't you'll read it anyways. But let me say this. This game is very unique and in a good way. The game has SO MANY different options. You choose everything that's going to happen. This is the game that your choices matter. Plus you're an undercover agent, spy and you'll feel like a badass the whole time :)… Expand
  25. Necrotaur
    Jun 13, 2012
    8
    Alpha Protocol got a lot of hate on release, some of it deserved, but a lot of it wasn't. The controls and combat are pretty awkward, and there are some annoying bugs, but I have to say that out of all the RPGs I've played, AP has THE BEST dialogue/consequence system yet put in a game. Take the Bioware system, for example. Your choices boil down to basically 'I don't want to burn downAlpha Protocol got a lot of hate on release, some of it deserved, but a lot of it wasn't. The controls and combat are pretty awkward, and there are some annoying bugs, but I have to say that out of all the RPGs I've played, AP has THE BEST dialogue/consequence system yet put in a game. Take the Bioware system, for example. Your choices boil down to basically 'I don't want to burn down the orphanage', 'I enjoy eating orphans', and 'Orphans LOL'. Then, regardless of what choice you made, the orphanage is blown up because that's the only way to advance the plot, and you get numbers added or subtracted to some **** arbitrary paragon/renegade/karma value. In the Alpha Protocol system, important dialogue choices have a time limit on them, encouraging you to respond naturally, and because of this the conversations flow a lot better. Secondly, even the most innocuous conversation has consequences down the line. If you actually crack open the game files or read a guide, you'll see there are some crazy things that happen (or don't) depending on your choices. Thirdly, a lot of what you do doesn't have an arbitrary good/evil choice to resolve it with. Anyway, bottom line, if you can get past gameplay issues, this game is a hidden gem and definitely deserves a look.… Expand
  26. rwh1
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    I picked up a copy of Alpha Protocol on steam and have found it to be a very enjoyable game that has an interesting story line and an overall game design that reminds me of the Mass Effect and Dues Ex games. The graphics while not quite on par with either Mass Effect or Dues Ex are still good enough to make the game environment immersive and believable. The music is excellent as are theI picked up a copy of Alpha Protocol on steam and have found it to be a very enjoyable game that has an interesting story line and an overall game design that reminds me of the Mass Effect and Dues Ex games. The graphics while not quite on par with either Mass Effect or Dues Ex are still good enough to make the game environment immersive and believable. The music is excellent as are the overall controls. While the game can be played with either a 360 controller or mouse/keyboard, I personally like the latter approach because of the extra precision aim control that a high def mouse provides over the clunky controller experience where one always feels as if they are over correcting. The dialog system is very similar to that used in Mass Effect but this is one area where the controls were an afterthought, forcing you to switch from WASD, to the arrow keys but it still works ok. Like Mass Effect, your dialog choices influence how others feel about your character, as do your overall moral choices in how the game plays out. Like Mass Effect and DuesEx, the game has a number of mini games for opening locked doors, disabling security systems and hacking into computers to obtain critical data. All of these work well and fit nicely into the game. While the lock picking is easy to master, as is the alarm bypass mini game, the computer hacking code is tricky and takes some getting used to. Still if you have the time, and are paying attention to the alarm timers, you are giving an unlimited amount of tries, something Mass Effect did not allow. One nit that I have is that the AI is very simple minded and easy, even of higher difficulty settings, to overcome. Still, over all a well-programmed game that helps, to recreate what it might be like to be a 007 type. Normally Iâ… Expand
  27. EndersShadow
    Oct 1, 2011
    9
    Picked this game up on the cheap. Very surprised. WELL worth it to me. I played through DEHR three times, and I know I'll play through Alpha Protocol at least twice. Yep, many people felt there were quirks with it, but once you figure it out it gets pretty fun pretty fast. Amazing to me the amount of work they put into this game (I have a hard time counting flaws when I'm having fun). HadPicked this game up on the cheap. Very surprised. WELL worth it to me. I played through DEHR three times, and I know I'll play through Alpha Protocol at least twice. Yep, many people felt there were quirks with it, but once you figure it out it gets pretty fun pretty fast. Amazing to me the amount of work they put into this game (I have a hard time counting flaws when I'm having fun). Had this game came out during a dry time in PC gaming it's my personal opinion it would have been a big hit. Especially if it came out WELL before DEHR. BTW, I recommend EASY (the game save system is kinda unforgiving) your first playthrough (and commando, since stealth seems a bit harder and you still have the choice of going in with a mix of sneak takedowns or lethal as you so choose - though I'm going more tech/stealth my next play). I do feel the game gives you the freedom to play your style, which shares the great appeal of DEHR in my opinion). Quirks, but fun. Fun always wins in my book.… Expand
  28. Garnog
    May 16, 2012
    9
    I will admit that when I first picked this up a year and a half ago, I hated it. I hated the wonky controls, the psychotic camera, the fact I could not see any text describing the dialogue buttons (a real game killer) and the overall way the game played. I actually never got beyond the first training mission; I rage quit, uninstalled and swore I would sooner eat a dead dog's d*ck thanI will admit that when I first picked this up a year and a half ago, I hated it. I hated the wonky controls, the psychotic camera, the fact I could not see any text describing the dialogue buttons (a real game killer) and the overall way the game played. I actually never got beyond the first training mission; I rage quit, uninstalled and swore I would sooner eat a dead dog's d*ck than ever play this game. So what happened? Well, this game sat at the top of my Steam Library for the aforementioned time span, so I'd always see it when launching other games. It kind of bugged me that I paid for what I had hoped was a great game, yet never played. Then, out of boredom/curiosity the other day I started re reading reviews, and noticed there were quite a few positive ones, even some outright enthusiastic fanboy exultations and I began to think; maybe I should give this one more go. I have a much better graphic card and thanks to Motioninjoy I can use my PS3 controller. Holy MacKackaronie, am I ever glad I did! Once I got into the meat of the game , I was hooked! The more I played, the more I could not stop. This should have been a blockbuster hit, but due to a lack of polish and fine tuning it got hated on by critics and gamers alike. However, those who persevered found the real unpolished gem that this truly is, and I thank those fans for enticing me to retry something special I would have otherwise missed. This is why I read reviews...and in this very rare case, I did a complete 180 and now love Alpha Protocol. What a shame it never got the kudos it deserved. My advice for anyone who passed on this, if you can find it (especially on sale) use a game pad, NOT keyboard /mouse, and go have yourself a blast. If you liked Splinter Cell and Deus Ex, this is their love child.… Expand
  29. Janov
    Oct 23, 2011
    9
    So, i finished the game 10 minutes ago.
    Now my resume:
    Alpha Protocol had one of the best cost/fun ratio i have ever played.
    I got it from steam for only 2â
  30. Elsje
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    Nowadays I don't finish a lot of games anymore, but this game sucked me in and got me hooked until the end. The dialogue is great and the choices you make have a really big impact on the game. There's a big roleplaying aspect to the dialogue choices too, you can play Thorton the way you want. Also, you can go to any location in the game whenever you want and visiting locations in aNowadays I don't finish a lot of games anymore, but this game sucked me in and got me hooked until the end. The dialogue is great and the choices you make have a really big impact on the game. There's a big roleplaying aspect to the dialogue choices too, you can play Thorton the way you want. Also, you can go to any location in the game whenever you want and visiting locations in a different order makes the outcome different. After finishing the game I immediately started a new playthrough. Storywise, this is the best RPG I have ever played. The gameplay is good as well. Weapons are highly moddable, every skill is fun to use. I bought and played Deus Ex: Human Revolution right after playing Alpha Protocol. It was a terrible experience, Alpha Protocol did everything so much better.… Expand
  31. DaneM
    Mar 17, 2014
    9
    This is a phenomenal game! It's a lot like the original Deus Ex, but with more depth in story, investigation, and interpersonal interaction. The combat is fun; the weapons are fun; the character advancement is fun and varied; the skills are useful and interesting. You can play this game pretty much any way you want--from run-and-gun, to gadgetry, to total stealth--or any combination ofThis is a phenomenal game! It's a lot like the original Deus Ex, but with more depth in story, investigation, and interpersonal interaction. The combat is fun; the weapons are fun; the character advancement is fun and varied; the skills are useful and interesting. You can play this game pretty much any way you want--from run-and-gun, to gadgetry, to total stealth--or any combination of the above. Most impressive, though, is just how many things--some big and some quite small--will have noteworthy impacts on the story. These aren't just random "easter eggs," either; it's all stuff that MAKES SENSE, as if you were really doing these things, affecting people's lives, changing global politics, etc. Sometimes, ticking off a character is what you want--if you decide to play it that way; other times, it's best to please people. There are underworld contacts to foster, government agencies to get involved with, conspiracy theorists to conspire with, several romantic interests, and on, and on. If you likes the interpersonal interaction in the Mass Effect series, you'll probably like this more. Moreover, how much you get your handlers to like you has a MAJOR impact on the story, the missions you go on, etc. Many missions are only available if you make certain choices--like sparing one person or killing another. You can get combative or other help in missions by getting the right people on your side. Truly, as far as I can tell, every single aspect of this game changes depending on the hundreds of decisions you make during play. I honestly can't fathom how the programmers pulled this off...except for spending a ton of time writing elaborate conditionals. The plot is also extremely interesting. On my first playthrough, I was utterly shocked at some of the stuff that happened--which is quite rare for me. The few complaints I have (hence the 9 rating, and not 10) is that unless you get the right underworld contacts, you won't be able to upgrade your gear the way you like--and this isn't entirely apparent during play. Also, the aiming/stability mechanics take some getting used to. In the beginning, you'll have a hard time hitting things (i.e. wasting a lot of your limited ammo--which you'll then have to buy more of for later missions). This does get better, though, as you level-up the weapon skills that you use most. I strongly recommend only specializing in two weapons (since this is how many you can carry at once), and putting no points, at all, into the ones you don't intend to use in every mission. My last gripe is that the learning curve is a little steep (as in, you'll make a lot of mistakes the first time through)--but this probably can't be avoided for a game this deep. Other than these three minor gripes, though, this game is, IMHO, completely perfect. Note: I'm playing the Steam version, as of 3-17-2014, which has no bugs that I can find. The earlier versions, I understand, were pretty buggy. It took me a solid 13 hours of play to complete this game, and it is highly re-playable. Kudos to the developers! Enjoy!… Expand
  32. abasche
    Nov 11, 2013
    3
    Mind-numbing conversation system, HORRIBLE controls that were obviously a failed port and a maddeningly difficult hacking system (which you'll have to engage in often) all make this game more of a bother than it's worth.
  33. CCL-sama
    Sep 29, 2013
    5
    As a true gamer, I like to play it always on hard more in my first try for challenge and fun. I think the game could be very enjoyable if I play it on normal. But the hard mode was more than hard or challenging it was like a nightmare mode which means u will die really fast! :O. One small mistake and it's over! On the one hand I like that, it gives more reality. But on the other hand whichAs a true gamer, I like to play it always on hard more in my first try for challenge and fun. I think the game could be very enjoyable if I play it on normal. But the hard mode was more than hard or challenging it was like a nightmare mode which means u will die really fast! :O. One small mistake and it's over! On the one hand I like that, it gives more reality. But on the other hand which killed all my enjoyment in this game is why the heck are the enemies so durable!? They are like zombies lol if you don't shoot him in the head you have no chance! I don't even want to mention the crazy boss-fights XD Why didn't they make another mode for that? Did the devs even play this mode? I completed hard mode but it was a painful play. You have to trick the AI to survive and rely on your skills everytime. Oh yeah did I mention the aiming? You have to focus on your aim like a sniper rifle lol I don't think that a veteran agent needs so long to aim on someone. Well overall it could be a really good game if they make it more user-friendly and the hard mode more easier. Thx for reading … Expand
  34. SleepingDog
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Played the game twice, the replay value is high! There are 3 different endings, with numerous variations to them. The voice acting is very good, and makes the game seem lively. Graphics are a bit dated but the game still looks nice, and will run on any modern PC out there smoothly. Character customization is limited, however the weapon and armor customizations are quite deep. Gameplay is also customizable, you can play the game however you wanna.… Expand
  35. Ozon58
    Apr 28, 2017
    9
    A very good game. Interesting plot, unusual dialogue system, good characters. Love this game for the opportunity to choose. A lot of them here and they have a real impact on subsequent events. Nowadays very few games about spies and if you haven't played this game then you should play.
  36. phoeniix23
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    It's 2023 and I'm playing this game and am completely engrossed with it. Made me enjoy gaming again after slogging through God of War Ragnarok and suffering through Nioh 2. A bit rough at first, but power through and you'll feel like a superspy in no time. Looking forward to finally try Hitman Trilogy. Alpha Protocol got me interested in the stealth genre all over again.
  37. mik517
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    A wonderful game: beautiful branched plot, which is affected by any of your actions, resulting in the game is quite interesting even after second passage, interesting mechanics, a large variety of perks, gadgets and weapons. Of course it was not without flaws, but they are understandable because game was ported from consoles, which traditionally has a rather miserable control for ActionA wonderful game: beautiful branched plot, which is affected by any of your actions, resulting in the game is quite interesting even after second passage, interesting mechanics, a large variety of perks, gadgets and weapons. Of course it was not without flaws, but they are understandable because game was ported from consoles, which traditionally has a rather miserable control for Action games.
    Personally, I went through the game four times and did not have any desire to postpone it and do something else. For example, the first Mass Effect I fully completed only one time, and on the second time I drop it in the middle of plot.
    I'm so disappointed that the game received so much criticism on the start, and because of that development of the second part was canceled.    … Expand
  38. Denzil
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Some gameplay features are not polished fact, but in the matter of story... that game is awesome! It is one of the best games I have ever played (and I`m playing games for 16 years now).
    One notice: the "reputation" system is a simple idea but it is the most realistic reputation system I had found in games. Not like that stupid red/blue stripe in Mass Effect 3
  39. Spectermt
    Dec 3, 2013
    9
    This game is great if you play it as a stealth based rpg you try to play it as a generic shooter you will be disappointed. story is actually very intriguing although the voice acting was sub par. easily worth the money for a unique game.
  40. LongShot24
    Mar 13, 2014
    9
    Similar to many other users, I registered on MetaCritic specifically to review this game. It truly is a hidden gem. The conversation reminds me a bit of Mass Effect, the shooting reminds me of the old-school Rainbow Six (where moving expands the reticule and so on). Great story, great characters, solid action and RPG development. High recommended.

    I just wish they would make a second one.
  41. DeFlow
    May 23, 2014
    9
    Like some other reviewers, I specifically signed up for Metacritic just to review this game. It's a sad fact that this masterpiece has such a low score.

    Because other aspects have been talked about a lot in the other reviews, I will focus on one and only one thing; the action. While some bash the action for being unpolished and buggy, I have to say Alpha Protocol is a perfect arcade    Like some other reviewers, I specifically signed up for Metacritic just to review this game. It's a sad fact that this masterpiece has such a low score.

    Because other aspects have been talked about a lot in the other reviews, I will focus on one and only one thing; the action. While some bash the action for being unpolished and buggy, I have to say Alpha Protocol is a perfect arcade shooter. It feels like Max Payne with expanded stealth options, skills and gadgets. Every skill tree has multiple skills which will influence your playstyle in different ways. In addition to this there are more than fifteen different gadgets, drugs and grenades you can use with different effects. It is very enjoyable to sneak your way through a level and knock everyone unconscious, which is certainly possible with the right skills and gadgets. On the other hand, blowing everything up can feel... liberating.

    The general consensus that the action part of this game is bad comes from comparisons with Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Splinter Cell, for example. These games have immersive action. Enemies react like they would in real life and your possibilities (except for over the top technology) lie closer to real life. This is not the case in Alpha Protocol. If you want to, you can get through the game as a grenade lobbing martial artist, throwing grenades at groups of opponents and wiping out the rest in melee combat.

    In short, do not play the game as a bugged and unpolished 'realistic' spy simulation. Play it like an arcady stealth'em-up and you will have way more fun.    … Expand
  42. Zarzunabas
    Nov 23, 2014
    9
    I never understood, why this game got such poor ratings. The storytelling is magnificent and your choices matter.
    Anyway first of all: This is my personal opinion, so you should be aware, that your view of the game could differ. I am a fan of RPGs and started gaming 10 years ago.
    1. Perks/Skills You got a lot of different skill trees, which allow you to play the agent you want.    I never understood, why this game got such poor ratings. The storytelling is magnificent and your choices matter.
    Anyway first of all: This is my personal opinion, so you should be aware, that your view of the game could differ. I am a fan of RPGs and started gaming 10 years ago.

    1. Perks/Skills
    You got a lot of different skill trees, which allow you to play the agent you want. Stealth? Possible. Manipulation? Possible. You can even go full Rambo whenever you want....which is kinda fun.... sometimes.

    2. Choices
    The most important part of the game. EVERY Choice has its impact on the story. EVERY **** choice has its benefits aswell as a downside. Even your combat style has an impact on the story.

    3. Graphics
    I dont really care about graphics.

    4. Bugs
    Ok here we go: The game has its bugs and glitches, but none of them makes the game unplayable. Maybe annoying but not unplayable.

    5. Story
    Impressive story with many twists and wtf-moments. Conspiracies, deceit and enough backstabbing till the end. Oh and plenty of ammo and gunfights aswell.
    An important thing about the story: It reacts not only to your choices, it reacts to nearly everything you do.

    Summary: This game is a milestone in the history of video games and shows what impactful decisions are.    … Expand
  43. Mellow_Online4
    Apr 22, 2016
    3
    Alpha Protocol is a game that I really wanted to like. I tried to look past the flaws that this game had, but I honestly couldn't. The best thing I can say about Alpha Protocol is that it at least tried to be something different, but even if you try to do something different, it doesn't mean that it will always be good.

    Alpha Protocol has a unique concept, an espionage RPG. I was    Alpha Protocol is a game that I really wanted to like. I tried to look past the flaws that this game had, but I honestly couldn't. The best thing I can say about Alpha Protocol is that it at least tried to be something different, but even if you try to do something different, it doesn't mean that it will always be good.

    Alpha Protocol has a unique concept, an espionage RPG. I was surprised to see that this sort of idea, hadn't been done that often in gaming and that is one thing that I respect this game for doing. The main problem with this however is that in my opinion, Alpha Protocol doesn't really use any of the unique ideas it brings to the table that well and the basic stuff that are required to make a good game (like gameplay, playability and graphics) aren't really focused on as they put most of their thought, time and care into trying to implement these ideas to try and live up to it's name "an espionage RPG."

    One of the biggest problems Alpha Protocol has is in it's gameplay. Nearly everything in the gameplay falls flat. While the training section at the beginning of the game, does show off some great ideas for an espionage RPG like sneaking mechanics, combat and gadgets, I didn't feel like I was having any fun playing this or doing any of these ideas for gameplay because in the end, that's what I was thinking they were, just some ideas. I felt like these ideas were only half executed. The ideas are there, but they just stopped after that. Sneaking is basically useless because the AI is really bad. Gun combat feels restricted an the sensitivity never feels right no matter what you set it to. Melee combat, while it's better than gun combat, feels slippery for the majority of the time, but at least it was more controllable than the gun Gadgets are basically useless in combat because you can't really tell where they'll land. There's no targeting ridicule for them so you just need to predict where they'll land.

    Graphics are for the most part good however there are several flaws with them. There is quite a lot of slow loading textures from time to time and the longer I played, the more frequently these occurred. There is also a bit of pop in going on quite a bit. Apart from that there isn't much to say about the graphics. They're decent but they could have gotten more polish before release like the rest of the game.

    The sound seemed to repeatedly cutting out randomly for some reason throughout my play time as well. However, this didn't affect my overall feeling towards the game in any way and I easily ignored it as it wasn't too big of a deal.

    In this review, it might come off like I hate Alpha Protocol and even though that's true, there's still some good ideas that are put into Alpha Protocol, which might have been good if they developed these ideas further. The stuff that is common to see and expect in an RPG is present in Alpha Protocol but these things we have seen done a bunch of times are exactly that. Alpha Protocol does nothing to change the styles that are common in RPGs except for the dialogue options, which is one of the best I've seen.

    Overall, Alpha Protocol is buggy and generic. It barely does anything to stand out from the crowd and when it tries to do this, it usually falls flat. However, it still uses some ideas which I hope to see in RPGs in a future and if the developers of this game were to make a sequel, maybe tweaking the game a bit, I would definitely buy the sequel to see if these ideas are developed more.

    Pros
    + Some good ideas
    + Great concept
    + Good mechanics
    + OK graphics

    Cons
    - Underdeveloped ideas
    - Terrible AI
    - Restricted/slippery combat
    - Slow loading textures    … Expand
  44. Oldman10
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    I came to write a review as I still enjoy playing this game. There is nothing quite like it. Love the gameplay a bit Deus ex where you can play non-lethal or kill everything or do whatever you feel your character would do, Decisions have more of an impact than in many other RPG games, Using guns is a learning curve, there is no point and shoot, an intelligent interesting game, only otherI came to write a review as I still enjoy playing this game. There is nothing quite like it. Love the gameplay a bit Deus ex where you can play non-lethal or kill everything or do whatever you feel your character would do, Decisions have more of an impact than in many other RPG games, Using guns is a learning curve, there is no point and shoot, an intelligent interesting game, only other games I still paly from years ago are Deus EX HR and Mass Effect , Splinter Cell used to be my favourite franchise but I lost interest after the last one as did the makers. So AP still gets a 10 for me.… Expand
  45. Cocaine
    Mar 23, 2020
    9
    One of the game from my own top 10. The only rpg about spies what i know. Good character creations system, interesting plot and rpg elements on high level. This game makes you feel a real spy.
  46. Ratingss
    Aug 17, 2022
    4
    A low budget Mass Effect clone that uses the dumb aiming system of the first Deus EX and other equally dumb mechanics to try to pretend to have some depth.
    Every single Obsidian game is like this, a bad game with a decent story that becomes borderline unplayable because of some gimmick that they use as a way to add fake depth since they cant do it properly through actually decent    A low budget Mass Effect clone that uses the dumb aiming system of the first Deus EX and other equally dumb mechanics to try to pretend to have some depth.
    Every single Obsidian game is like this, a bad game with a decent story that becomes borderline unplayable because of some gimmick that they use as a way to add fake depth since they cant do it properly through actually decent gameplay mechanics.
    Its too bad they have some of the best writers in the industry because these people suck ass at making games, their best game is literally just a mod of Fallout 3 that they would never been capable of doing from scratch.    … Expand
  47. AlienSpaceBats
    Mar 7, 2012
    8
    I can't put my finger on it, but there's something special about this game. Given that the subject matter is not my usual area of interest (espionage, CIA, NWO) I'm even more impressed that Alpha Protocol had me playing as long as it did. Some elements are a little dated and there's a few graphical glitches but it boasts an excellent choice/consequence system, the repercussions of whichI can't put my finger on it, but there's something special about this game. Given that the subject matter is not my usual area of interest (espionage, CIA, NWO) I'm even more impressed that Alpha Protocol had me playing as long as it did. Some elements are a little dated and there's a few graphical glitches but it boasts an excellent choice/consequence system, the repercussions of which can actually be felt in-game. You are also required to read real words and observe the game world, as opposed to having things pointed out to you with a big yellow arrow. It also has a great sense of humour, engaging story and a fair share of unique game-play aspects that make numerous replays a high probability. I finished the game three times successively and logged 25 hours on steam.… Expand
  48. gvazdas
    May 6, 2012
    6
    I can't give this game a high score. As much as I want to enjoy it, I can't.
    The graphics are flat and motion blur is sickening. I cannot play more than an hour of this game due to the motion blur which makes me eyesick.
    The AI in this game is also very, very stupid. They magically know you are there if there's an alarm, and if there's not an alarm, they're like deaf and blind babies    I can't give this game a high score. As much as I want to enjoy it, I can't.
    The graphics are flat and motion blur is sickening. I cannot play more than an hour of this game due to the motion blur which makes me eyesick.
    The AI in this game is also very, very stupid. They magically know you are there if there's an alarm, and if there's not an alarm, they're like deaf and blind babies with guns.
    The choice and storyline in this game is what makes it all. The choices are great and, as Yahtzee would say, you get to be all kinds of dick or good guy.
    Buy this game on a sale. It's not worth the price in my full, honest opinion.    … Expand
  49. namDa65
    Jan 17, 2012
    6
    I have to compare to mass effect, i'm sorry. The AI and gunplay is not fun in my eyes. I purchased it on the reccomendation of it being a hidden gem, and no its not. The level design is very bland, leading you through a straight path with only a small number of ways to approach that path. Also, martials arts animations are lame.
  50. greywolf00
    Apr 24, 2013
    8
    Better than its reputation led me to believe. Don't get me wrong, it has flaws but once you get the hang of it it's very enjoyable. If you've been debating about picking it up I highly recommend grabbing it, especially since it's on sale now. Some of the controls are funky (hacking is rather annoying) and the story is fairly cliche but in usual Obsidian fashion the characters are very wellBetter than its reputation led me to believe. Don't get me wrong, it has flaws but once you get the hang of it it's very enjoyable. If you've been debating about picking it up I highly recommend grabbing it, especially since it's on sale now. Some of the controls are funky (hacking is rather annoying) and the story is fairly cliche but in usual Obsidian fashion the characters are very well put together and I easily found myself sucked in despite ARPG/Shooters not being my thing. Some of the design reminds me of Deus Ex, you almost always have the option of stealth or combat and both are viable. The design allowing you to pick and choose allies which directly impacts the way the story unfolds is great.… Expand
  51. Satyrion
    Jan 14, 2012
    8
    THis was the first undercover sneak agent type og game i ever played so for me sneaking around and not killing everything was really new. I did however like this game quite much and the story and dialog was never boring. The skills system is also geat and after i maxed out hand guns i could pretty much kill everything in sight without having to sneak through it. The game however is simplyTHis was the first undercover sneak agent type og game i ever played so for me sneaking around and not killing everything was really new. I did however like this game quite much and the story and dialog was never boring. The skills system is also geat and after i maxed out hand guns i could pretty much kill everything in sight without having to sneak through it. The game however is simply fun to play and there are many tactics to beat it.… Expand
  52. SilentHightimes
    Jun 27, 2015
    6
    Alpha Protocol has Gogo dancers and Sex, Blood lots of satisfying BLOOD nothing made me want to play this game more than a knife to the throat.

    Alpha Protocol Is a somewhat buggy kinda gimmicky game but its still has some charm i saw the steam score of 80 (which no way i think it comes close) so i thought it would be pretty impressive but its really nothing close to it lol. Alpha    Alpha Protocol has Gogo dancers and Sex, Blood lots of satisfying BLOOD nothing made me want to play this game more than a knife to the throat.

    Alpha Protocol Is a somewhat buggy kinda gimmicky game but its still has some charm i saw the steam score of 80 (which no way i think it comes close) so i thought it would be pretty impressive but its really nothing close to it lol. Alpha Protocol Feels weird and kinda looks ugly off the bat but after some time it felt great and started to please my eyes. The games gameplay is some of the simplistic yet satisfying in its own way. It reminded me of a metal gear with way less money and for the softcore. The game story kept me going its kinda unique i guess i did enjoy it. I don't know if i would have liked this game if i didn't build my guy assassin i put everything into stealth, pistol and a few points in sabotage and strengths i specialized in stealth, pistol and assault rifle which i regret wish i put it in the CQC but o well you cant go back, all of your decisions are almost finale and it kinda sucks if people want to change there ways let em if they don't want to they wont. why add a strict policy if it doesn't improve the game? o well i lived with it and moved on. I felt that the rectile was the worst i have ever seen and the assault rifle the worse i have ever used! and don't think i would have enjoyed the game other than the first class decisions i made. Its still a FUN game ...

    I want to make it clear you can run and gun or you can stealth kill. BUT there are some missions that you are forced to fight and cant complete with stealth only which is disappointing! Replay value is eh never again 4 me.

    Just a FYI these are just my opinions. Silent Hightimes    … Expand
  53. fedak
    Nov 23, 2012
    6
    This was an odd one- Alpha Protocol was a deeply flawed game on many dimensions. But in others it was a compelling espionage RPG along the lines of Deus Ex.

    The game was quite buggy. One of the levels froze on me and wouldn
  54. Pirx-Danford
    Feb 21, 2013
    6
    I got the game at a good price and it really is great entertainment.

    Having said that let me explain why I gave it a 6. Just to add some skill system that does not really much affect game play does not make a RPG out of a shooter. Just because you try to find every piece of information lying around does not make it espionage. I believe the point where I was let down with is best    I got the game at a good price and it really is great entertainment.

    Having said that let me explain why I gave it a 6.
    Just to add some skill system that does not really much affect game play does not make a RPG out of a shooter. Just because you try to find every piece of information lying around does not make it espionage.

    I believe the point where I was let down with is best described this way:
    The structure or rather tools that this game consists of, all technical capabilities seem like they had a much grander scale in mind when being developed. You have that complex skill system, different ways your character possibly could solve scenarios (like for example in the first Deus Ex), a relationship system to other people, that possibly could affect game play much more.
    So you have all the things in place that could make an interesting RPG, but then apparently time was running out or whatever the reason was and you cripple the whole game by making a rather linear shooter out of it.

    I really enjoyed the story, but I would have rather liked it if either the RPG elements would have been a bit simplified, because really most of them are quite pointless giving the linearity and have not much effect within the game...
    or it could have been a bit more of an open and generic world and missions designed so that you could have solved them different ways, so that all of the RPG elements would have made sense.
    Oh and some espionage elements like decrypting messages and such would have been fun.

    Great shooter as it is, enjoyable story, but too tiresome and meaningless skill and item system.
    If you can get it for 2.5$ then go for it. Even at 5$ its definitely worth the money     … Expand
  55. KingShree
    Dec 14, 2013
    8
    This game looks like a more re****** brother of Deus Ex or Mass Effect, it even feels that way but the decision making is the best i ever found in a game. It doesnt show you the best answers, it doesnt hint you what to say, you also have short time to decide which answer to take. So for me its an 8.
  56. lavalampjoe
    Aug 31, 2013
    7
    Good game that doesn't always quite live up to what it was aiming for, but was still very good. Most of it went right great ambitious story, good voice acting, nice RPG elements, but some of the gameplay, in particular the stealth elements, is only solid rather than spectacular.
  57. cidgrad01
    Apr 22, 2014
    8
    I don’t get all the hatred that’s been directed at this game. I picked it up for $2 during a sale, and some professional game reviewers were warning to not even buy it at that price. Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about and…well…Alpha Protocol is really not a bad game.

    Not terribly original (a cross between Splinter Cell & Mass Effect in the CIA) and the story isn’t    I don’t get all the hatred that’s been directed at this game. I picked it up for $2 during a sale, and some professional game reviewers were warning to not even buy it at that price. Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about and…well…Alpha Protocol is really not a bad game.

    Not terribly original (a cross between Splinter Cell & Mass Effect in the CIA) and the story isn’t particularly memorable but the gameplay is solid & enjoyable. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever played but it is most certainly not the worst, either. That is, it’s strange to me when professional media praises total garbage like Dragon Age 2 yet trashes Alpha Protocol.

    I’ve seen other reviewers complain about the AI in Alpha Protocol and various other glitches. Never had any problem with either of those things. Graphics were nice, music and voice acting were both acceptable. The story is nothing groundbreaking and a bit predictable given the way espionage stories go these days (America is the REAL enemy! Dun dun dunnn!) but it’s still fun to engage in the different relationships and choices you can make which have a real impact on the plot. And the gameplay is the glue that holds everything together; not revolutionary but good enough.

    The only drawback to Alpha Protocol is that it’s rather forgettable and you won’t have any reason to replay it unless you want to witness some of the multiple story paths. You can expect to spend somewhere around 20 hours and will have a good time during that, though. It’s a shame that this first entry got savaged because it really could have turned into a good series. Instead we have Assassin’s Creed Part 8 and Final Fantasy 13 Part 3. Oh well.    … Expand
  58. Tziwen
    Oct 30, 2013
    8
    Clearly underrated! The best in the business at story telling and choice's impact.

    Clearly, this game is legit. More than legit. We could point out the problems of gameplay: They do exist. But, in my opinion.... The story, the background, the characters... The choices... Prevail. This game is a must-play.
  59. debigman
    May 22, 2014
    6
    It pains me to give this game such a mediocre review, as it has such good potential. But both the lag and poor framerate are too much to bear. (No my GPU is not crap).
  60. AH1
    Nov 24, 2013
    8
    Is Alpha Protocol a perfect game? No, but it is most certainly under-rated. The truly remarkable thing about Alpha Protocol is how reactive the narrative is to the user's play style and plot choices. While there is a "shooter" aspect to the game, those who try to play the game as a raw shooter will find it very frustrating as it is not, at its core, meant to be played this way. But forIs Alpha Protocol a perfect game? No, but it is most certainly under-rated. The truly remarkable thing about Alpha Protocol is how reactive the narrative is to the user's play style and plot choices. While there is a "shooter" aspect to the game, those who try to play the game as a raw shooter will find it very frustrating as it is not, at its core, meant to be played this way. But for those who take time to engage the "thinking" element of the plot, and carefully consider and choose their course of action, the game can be quite immersive and satisfying. Had the game been more successful, I think many of its mechanics would have found their way into other games, and the franchise itself would have seen several sequels. Quite a shame really because I do think this game deserves something of a better regard.

    That said, there are some problems. Namely, the game does have some annoying bugs, although I did not personally run into any gamebreaking ones. This is also a game that is obviously meant to be played with a PC gamepad, as the controls are quite clunky otherwise. The final area of criticism I have is that the characters in the game are quite one dimensional. If you are looking for a spy with as much development as, say, Gabriel Allon from Daniel Silva's novels, you will be disappointed. However, the characters have about as much development as most Hollywood blockbuster spy thrillers, something that perhaps does not translate well to an interactive narrative medium.

    These days, the game is regularly on sale on Steam for under $5. For that price, it is absolutely worth your money and time.    … Expand
  61. DuketheAssassin
    Apr 30, 2014
    8
    Alpha Protocol is one of those games where its problems can be annoying but quickly forgotten when you allow yourself to be immersed in the story. It's a shame and even a crime that this game got negative reviews by major critics. Yes, its glitchy. Yes, the AI is abysmal at times, but there's plenty of glitchy and dumb AI riddled games thats gotten major praise.

    If you're into spy and    Alpha Protocol is one of those games where its problems can be annoying but quickly forgotten when you allow yourself to be immersed in the story. It's a shame and even a crime that this game got negative reviews by major critics. Yes, its glitchy. Yes, the AI is abysmal at times, but there's plenty of glitchy and dumb AI riddled games thats gotten major praise.

    If you're into spy and espionage movies like James Bond and Jason Bourne, you're gonna feel right at home. You play as Michael Thornton, a government agent brought to a highly classified U.S agency called Alpha Protocol that acts as a "rogue" arm of the government to avoid political red tape and bureaucracy to protect American interests. Through some unfortunate events, you're forced to go against your government to uncover a global conspiracy to start WW3. You can choose his background at the start and model his skills based on your playtype: stealth, combat, or hacking. And each technique provides a unique way to play each mission. Even going lethal or non-lethal makes an impression on how the story goes.

    Possibly the best part of the game is the dialogue. I swear, whoever thought of this system needs to be awarded. What makes this dialogue different from most RPGs is that you have 5 maybe 10 seconds to choose a stance you want to respond to characters. Just like real life. You can be aggressive, suave, or professional. However, each character is different and will either respond negatively or positively to each stance. Depending on how much each like you, especially handlers for your missions, you'll get perks on the field to improve performance. In your safehouse, you can buy weapons, accessories, or armor depending on your class. You can even buy intel to give you an easier time in missions, like arranging for higher grade security to be off site and be replaced with less experienced and easier guards or placing weapons like sniper rifles on vantage points.

    *sigh* Now for the bad parts. There are 3 types of AI: brain dead AI that literally lags in response even though you're right in front of them or just sneaking past in general, shotgun AI that rocks side to side to avoid your fire, buckshot you, then slowly ease back as you shoot them save for the fact you didnt die from the initial attack, and then you have some AI that seem to know where you are during combat and land a impressive headshot or some other critical that instantly puts you down. There are some texture pop ins and times where character models look downright ugly from not loading fast enough during the cutscene. It can be really distracting especially when deciding your stance.

    In short, AP is a good game with its share of problems. Mass Effect was known for its glitches and unstable frame rate and its lauded as one of the best games ever. Its a shame people couldn't see past the bugs and look at the better things of the game. And this game is not one of those "beat it once, then put it back on the shelf for it to collect dust" games. There's multiple ways to play and each will influence the story and how the characters will interpret you.    … Expand
  62. Sanastusa
    May 11, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You play Mike Thorton, a rouge agent gone rouge, trying to protect the world from a greedy weapons corporation. At first the story seemed boring but it really picks up after the first few missions. The game has a open gameplay option, you can either try being a ninja taking out one guy at a time with knife strikes or run in guns blazing. The options for what kind of solider you want to be are there for you or you can pick the "Recruit" and make your solider from scratch.
    Course of the game is driven by your conversations with people along the way. Your offered dialogue options as conversations progress. How you respond to people can either build or remove influence points, ultimately having a outcome towards the end of the game.
    The leveling system and skill layout reminds me a lot of the Mass Effect series, that being said its a pretty decent skill system. Halfway through the game your given the choice of a specialization and just like the base of your character you can either pick a preset one or choose which three traits you wish to indulge in.
    Overall I enjoyed the game and there is a high replay value to the game seeing how you can have a different solider layout and change which people you align with, having a different playthrough experience.

    Things I Liked:
    Leveling / Skill System
    Free choice to course of the game
    Conversation Choices
    Mission Debriefing was a nice feature that outlined the events that happened and showed the effect of the choices you made

    Things I Disliked:
    Controls at point had a delay time
    A annoying bug that could happen when you were crouched near boxes and moving, you could end up on the top of the pile
    Limited amount of time you had to made a conversation choice
    Hitting with any weapon proved a challenge    … Expand
  63. Dco326
    Aug 26, 2022
    8
    Ne znam sta bi rekao xD combat moze da bude MNOGO BOLJI neki bossevi su prelaki ali realno je znaimljiva igrica se predje jednom :d dijalozi mi se realno svidjaju stvarno ne znam ali sam hjteo da je predjem i bilo mi je fun :D ne bi igrao vise sigurno ali realno potrudili su se :D
  64. dandalis
    Dec 17, 2017
    7
    Easily one of the better hidden gems of PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. Considering the game's development was quite rocky and SEGA interferring with Obsidian's work, game came out with rough edges, but even then it didnt stop it from being a good game. That said i didnt encounter any real bugs or glitches that messed with gameplay or progression that were apparent on game's launch whileEasily one of the better hidden gems of PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. Considering the game's development was quite rocky and SEGA interferring with Obsidian's work, game came out with rough edges, but even then it didnt stop it from being a good game. That said i didnt encounter any real bugs or glitches that messed with gameplay or progression that were apparent on game's launch while playing on seemingly latest build in late 2017.

    While stealth action gameplay is servicable, it simply lacks depth of more serious stealth games and feels too streamlined and is not particularly that PC gamer friendly, the RPG roots shine in Alpha Protocol and compensate for its other shortcomings. Dont get me wrong, gameplay is still fun and there's fun to be had for both stealth fans and more action oriented junkies. It could really be the best spy themed video game out there with actually good writing, believable and mostly likeable, interesting characters, decent if not bit cliche storyline that never the less still delivers with different turns it can take depending on your choices.

    Being an UE3 game, it doesnt escape from having some well known issues associated with the engine, like jerky stutter when loading a new section of a level, slowly loading textures at times, poor weight feel when controiling your character. Luckily it works where it counts the most, that being delivering 60 fps on max settings even on old GTX 650    … Expand
  65. Demon2017
    Jun 18, 2022
    4
    Очередное доказательство того, что Obsidian могут писать отличные сценарии, но делать очень посредственный геймплей и в данном случае, геймплей настолько плохой, что даже интересный сюжет не заставил меня проходить дальше.Очередное доказательство того, что Obsidian могут писать отличные сценарии, но делать очень посредственный геймплей и в данном случае, геймплей настолько плохой, что даже интересный сюжет не заставил меня проходить дальше.
  66. Mobile
    Nov 19, 2017
    6
    ENG
    The game is a Prime example of that, if the technical part is not modified, then no matter how much the game wasn't different variations to complete and a large number of equipment, they will still go down the drain because of bugs and the curve of the engine. The developers of course great that he dared to release such a product to market, from his point of view and approach to    ENG
    The game is a Prime example of that, if the technical part is not modified, then no matter how much the game wasn't different variations to complete and a large number of equipment, they will still go down the drain because of bugs and the curve of the engine. The developers of course great that he dared to release such a product to market, from his point of view and approach to development. Similar games, I almost do not know the Protocol and can be called one of a kind with the gameplay. As they say - "excess of taste kills the taste."
    RU
    Игра яркий пример того, что если техническая часть не доработана, то сколько бы в игре не было разных вариаций для прохождения и большого количества экипировки, они все равно пойдут коту под хвост из-за багов и кривого движка. Разработчики конечно молодцы, что осмелились выпустить такой продукт на рынок, со своей точки зрения и подхода к разработке. Подобных игр я практически не знаю и Protocol можно назвать единственной в своем роде с таким геймплеем. Как говорится - "избыток вкуса убивает вкус".    … Expand
  67. Newome
    Jan 17, 2020
    3
    This is an awful game that doesn't allow you to turn off motion blur. The graphics for the time are awful and the gameplay is bad. the only thing good is the fact that your choices matter.
  68. Kelen
    Oct 9, 2021
    8
    8/10 ❤️ - Very good
    (after completing the game)

    Amazing plot and atmosphere, in this respect this is the best agent / spy game I know.
    We have to make many non-obvious decisions that have a very significant impact on further events.

    Unfortunately, this game is technically underdeveloped. Shooting is broken, and it can effectively drive many people away from this title
  69. SgAkErRu
    Apr 11, 2020
    7
    Вообще не помню что в этой игре было, но сыграть можно, на семерочку от разрабов Обсидианов.
  70. apokalipto
    Aug 19, 2023
    8
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  71. ylnylmn
    Mar 29, 2021
    6
    The game is simply mediocre. An unfinished game that hasn't done most of it. The chapters are boring too ordinary. Diagologists pass very quickly. I cannot give the answer I want. I have difficulty passing the section where he wants me to go secretly. But my equipment is not suitable for going secret and I cannot buy it because I have no money. I have to kill CIA agents and this isThe game is simply mediocre. An unfinished game that hasn't done most of it. The chapters are boring too ordinary. Diagologists pass very quickly. I cannot give the answer I want. I have difficulty passing the section where he wants me to go secretly. But my equipment is not suitable for going secret and I cannot buy it because I have no money. I have to kill CIA agents and this is affecting the relationship badly. It is difficult to aim the sniper scope badly on the Roman mission because the mouse control is bad. AI is bad. Computer hacking is annoying because mouse clicking is torture.I now understand why this game was not mentioned. So the story is good, but the gameplay sucks.… Expand
  72. Antictra
    Mar 7, 2021
    8
    Alpha Protocol is the game of the genre similar to Mass Effect series, but in the "espionage" setting of post cold war "war on terrorism"; I have found it to be done in a very interesting way, giving a player quite a lot of opportunities to change the result of the game. The choices matter in this game and bring consequences; the game still is quite linear and suffers from technicalAlpha Protocol is the game of the genre similar to Mass Effect series, but in the "espionage" setting of post cold war "war on terrorism"; I have found it to be done in a very interesting way, giving a player quite a lot of opportunities to change the result of the game. The choices matter in this game and bring consequences; the game still is quite linear and suffers from technical limitations of its engine... still worth to give it a try… Expand
  73. F1_is_WWE
    Aug 14, 2022
    1
    This game is like Hitman Absolution but even more linear and with bogged down dialogue and RPG mecanics. There' s no point playing it unless you really like linear stealth games.
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Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Best PC Game of 2010
21
#21 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
23
#23 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 26
  3. Negative: 1 out of 26
  1. Gaming Age
    May 20, 2024
    80
    It’s a solid spy adventure that deserves to be rediscovered, and it’s a reminder that even the seventh generation’s second- or third-tier games were still pretty exceptional.
    Read full review
  2. CPUGamer
    80
    From the beginning of the game, till the ending, I was relatively pleased with how important and impactful the decisions I made were.
    Read full review
  3. PC PowerPlay
    70
    Mediocre gameplay hides an enjoyable RPG with moments of genius. But it could have been so much more. [Aug 2010, p.56]
See all critic reviews »