Review Reviewing Alpha Protocol

[Jason]

Tags: Alpha Protocol; Obsidian Entertainment

<p>Online reviews for <strong>Alpha Protocol</strong> are beginning to trickle out, such as <a href="http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/xbox-360/2010/05/27/alpha-protocol-review/1" target="_blank">bit-tech</a> (5/10):</p>
<blockquote>Sitting down to play Alpha Protocol we wanted to feel like spies, but we ended up feeling like somewhat awkward soldiers simply because the RPG and stealth systems aren&rsquo;t robust enough to support player choice. Alpha Protocol may be a RPG/shooter hybrid on paper, but in practice it just feels like a dodgy third person action game and the brevity of most levels means that you can easily spend more time getting ready for assignments than actually enjoying them.</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/alpha-protocol-review" target="_blank">Eurogamer</a> (7/10):</p>
<blockquote>Like Worcester Sauce, Alpha Protocol's separate ingredients might be slightly unappetising, but they come together in a quietly effective manner. Unlike Worcester Sauce, it will certainly frustrate you more than it should, and in between the deathlike character models and bizarre misapplications of things like depth of field effects, it will struggle to convince you the team had enough time to finish it up.<br /><br />But, if you're willing to put in the effort, it can steadily win you over. Obsidian can't really compete with the bigger boys in the RPG field, then, but it's carved out a little space to call its own. With ambition instead of budget, and integrity instead of polish, in the end the choice of whether to persevere or not is pretty easy to make.</blockquote>
<p>and <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-alpha-protocol-174617.phtml&amp;mainnav=Top+stories" target="_blank">Destructoid</a> (2.0):</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">If you want to save time, let's get this out in the open right now -- Alpha Protocol isn't very good. In fact, it's absolutely dreadful and it should not have been released in the state it's in. It looks and feels every bit like a game that has been subjected to patches, fixes and panicked over-development, yet still managed to hit its (perpetually postponed) deadline without being finished. Alpha Protocol is a mess, and that's putting it kindly.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&nbsp;</p>
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[WhiskeyWolf]

I'm not defending AP but...

means that you can easily spend more time getting ready for assignments than actually enjoying them

Retarded argument is retarded.

 

[Phelot]

It's actually "worcestershire sauce"

 

[racofer]

Jason, please include the Destructoid review as well.

 

[Jason]

Done

Man, that's pretty brutal

 

[Phelot]

That Destructoid review is written by the resident "tough guy" of that site. HE DONT TAKE CRAP FROM NO 1

 

[FeelTheRads]

In fairness, there are stats you can level up to make these minigames less abysmal and easier to d eal with, but Alpha Protocol masquerades as a game about choice, and if you choose not to max these stats out,

Volourn detected.

Also, this is fucking retarded. Choose not to max out skills... wtf? I don't even

 

[markec]

That Destructoid review is written by the resident "tough guy" of that site. HE DONT TAKE CRAP FROM NO 1

Jim Sterling is a moron who loves Fallout 3 and have even written an article how stupid the old Fallout fans are http://www.destructoid.com/videogame-fans-need-to-shut-up-about-everything-164476.phtml

 

[FeelTheRads]

That Destructoid review is written by the resident "tough guy" of that site. HE DONT TAKE CRAP FROM NO 1

Jim Sterling is a moron who loves Fallout 3 and have even written an article how stupid the old Fallout fans are http://www.destructoid.com/videogame-fans-need-to-shut-up-about-everything-164476.phtml

Ah, didn't even checked who wrote it. No wonder it's so retarded.

Retarded reviewers are retarded, no matter if they gush or rage over a game. PERIOD.

 

[Phelot]

That Destructoid review is written by the resident "tough guy" of that site. HE DONT TAKE CRAP FROM NO 1

Jim Sterling is a moron who loves Fallout 3 and have even written an article how stupid the old Fallout fans are http://www.destructoid.com/videogame-fans-need-to-shut-up-about-everything-164476.phtml

Ah, didn't even checked who wrote it. No wonder it's so retarded.

Retarded reviewers are retarded, no matter if they gush or rage over a game. PERIOD.

True that.

This guy is the sort of reviewer that has a 1-10 review scale but only ever uses 1-3 or 8-10. NO FUCKING MIDDLE GROUND BROZ THATS HOW HARD I AM

 

[Donkey Balls]

He also gave FFXIII 4/10.
http://www.destructoid.com/review-final ... 7136.phtml

I guess, he just enjoys the butthurt these reviews are generating or something. Or maybe he's a genuine moron, I don't know.

 

[sportforredneck]

I'm still giving Alpha Protocol a chance. It's all subjective. I might hate it or like it. I'm just hoping the story and choices are good. Gameplay is easy to have me entertained. Certain gameplay systems, I can't handle, but I figure the gameplay can't be so bad that even I won't be able to play it.

 

[drunkpriest]

Codex should get Skyway to write a fair and unbiased review of AP.

 

[Rhalle]

It's actually "worcestershire sauce"

And on a very crusted and rare steak it is delicious.

 

[Phelot]

I still can't find any good feedback and I never trust "pro" reviews. So far they're mostly crying about the cover system not being good. "SOME THINGS U CANT HIDE BEHIND AND STILL TAKE DAMAGE WAHHH!" I hate cover systems anyway, so I don't care, but it's just too hard to figure out if the game is good or not. Dying too much isn't exactly a complaint IMHO.

 

[FeelTheRads]

I still can't find any good feedback and I never trust "pro" reviews. So far they're mostly crying about the cover system not being good. "SOME THINGS U CANT HIDE BEHIND AND STILL TAKE DAMAGE WAHHH!" I hate cover systems anyway, so I don't care, but it's just too hard to figure out if the game is good or not. Dying too much isn't exactly a complaint IMHO.

What the hell do you expect? Today pretty much all the complaints are related to games being too hard.

 

[racofer]

Codex should get Skyway to write a fair and unbiased review of AP.

...SHIT...
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...SHITTY POLYGONANAL WHEELZ...... SHIT!!! SHIT SHIT SIHT1.....
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...BANAL SHIT BOOOOORINGGGGGG FAIL FAIL IS FAIL SHIT!!!!.....
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.......WHAT THE SHIT MISSIN AMMO CLIP FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT SHIT .....
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SHITTTTTTT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHTI SHIT SITH!!!
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Conclusion:
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.....TOTAL SHIT, PURE SHIT, LOAD OF SHIT.... SHIT!
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.... but good for what it is.

 

[Angthoron]

Jason, please include the Destructoid review as well.

Ouch.

 

[Dark Matter]

Obsidian. Obsidian never changes.

If you're trying to appeal to the console crowd, then why don't you hire some competent programmers and make a polished product for once? All it takes to get AAA ratings from mainstream gaming sites/magazines is to have good production values, it doesn't matter if the game is a linear, shallow 10 hour experience. If you're going to sell out, atleast do it right.

It sounds like AP is going to end up being a spectacular failure, in both sales and ratings. New Vegas is probably going to be make or break for Obsidian.

 

[Phelot]

It seems as if Obsidian tried to mix RPG combat with real-time shooting action, and it doesn't really work (what a surprise!). All it means is that sometimes the guns will miss even if the reticule is dead on target. You can stay still and watch the reticule close in an enemy for a critical shot, but the opponents are running around like the aforementioned decapitated poultry, so good luck with that. Steadying one's aim is next to impossible with the insane characters who are either running towards you, running in circles, or running nowhere, with Thorton stuck in the middle of this chimp's tea party surrounded by grenade spam and broken cover systems.

Now this is frustrating...

OK, the AI sounds bad, but the guy is actually complaining that he can't hit things that run around and that he can't steady his aim because enemies shoot at him. Who knew?

Also, since the game tries to be an RPG, like ME, it doesn't necessarily mean that every shot will hit the enemy, like ME, but unlike ME in this game it isn't good. Why? I don't know, maybe AP didn't advertise with them or something. No clue.

What's crazy is that I have no inclination to even play AP. It looks boring to me and I hate the style of combat that it purports to have, but I also find these reviewers to be tiresome with their need to either jerk off a game or bite it's dick off. NO MIDDLE GROUND EITHER WORSE GAME EVAR OR BEST GAME EVAR

 

[Jaesun]

Jim Sterling also cannot grasp the concept of skill based weapons. r00fles!

 

[Overweight Manatee]

I love how the idea that cover isn't perfect and if your head sticks out you can actually get shot makes every consoletard rage.

 

[TheCowburner]

Jason, please include the Destructoid review as well.

Ouch.

You can build the most magnificent castle in the world, but if the foundations are made out of wet feces, everything's going to crumble and fall apart before your very eyes. Alpha Protocol is a castle that's collapsed in crap.

Ouch indeed

 

[Fat Dragon]

Damn, fucking shitload of mixed opinions for this game. Will probably wait until VD's play impressions, his are pretty trustworthy.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Jim Sterling's either a fucking idiot or a pretty good troll, and honestly, after reading a few of his articles, my money's on the latter.

Still on the fence about whether to try this one or not. Clunky popamole, bite-size levels and effects-saturated timed dialogue just aren't things I can really be bothered with at the moment. I like Obsidian though, for all their silliness, so I'm willing to give it a chance... eventually.