Review Reviewing Alpha Protocol

[Monocause]

The reviews left me kinda confused, especially the Destructoid's one.

The minigames aren't terribad in the least. They're much better than the ones from Mass Effect. The hacking one suffers from some optimisation issues which makes moving around a pain, but that'll probably get sorted out once the patches start flowing.

The AI? Not that terribad either. Not stellar, of course, but I never had the opportunity to see a guard run 400m to punch me. From what I've seen it seems that the "punch script" kicks in when they're close, and it works. They punch you once or twice and then retreat to shoot you while you're desperately trying to take cover or aim at the guy. On hard difficulty getting punched and executed is my most common bane, and I like it.
Guards notice corpses and raise alarm when they do so. I miss a mechanic that would allow you to drag bodies around, like the one in Hitman.

I can't comment too much on the bugs yet but haven't seen anything game-breaking so far. One thing - one of the morons wrote that enemies can shoot through cover. No, they don't. They can hit you if the cover is too low or if you're standing near the edge, effectively sticking out. If you retreat a bit from the edge of the cover you can't get hit. Realism, bitch.

Opinion on bugginess so far is that it's not that bad (for an Obsidian product, of course). The game has some optimisation issues and there is a bug which allows you to shoot through walls (well, not exactly through walls, hard to explain without screenshots), but you can refrain from abusing it and it doesn't change anything.


I've played three missions so far and I liked it. If I were to review the game now, I'd give it a solid 7/10. I'll post some more detailed impressions when I play more.

 

[fastpunk]

You fucking bastard! You've got a boxed copy of PS:T, BGs, IWDs and FOs. I hate you!

 

[Azarkon]

I still don't understand why Brian Mitsoda got canned.

 

[Aditya]

Gamespot's conclusuions about AP are in line with Obsidian's strengths n weaknesses as evidenced in their past titles. I don't think its fabricated stuff.

Yeah, because it's not like it's just easier to come up with imaginary flaws that everyone knows, after playing the game for 10 minutes and not receiving the review paycheck from the developer. Not to mention that 'BUGS! OH THE HORROR' is the shittiest, most overused, and most often untrue 'point' in the history of gaming journalism.

Imaginary flaws? Did you even read the review? I have certainly no interest in defending Gamespot or other site, but here they have listed bugs that affects the gameplay. Considering how cover mechanics is integral to whole combat in AP, I don't think these bugs are that minor to be ignored completely.

Sometimes you encounter walls that you can't take cover behind for no discernible reason;

You might pop up from behind cover only to discover that your targeting reticle is missing and you can't shoot your weapon--a problem that can only be fixed by extricating yourself from cover

Or for some reason you won't be able to toss a grenade from behind a barricade.

Ignoring flaws in a game for no apparent reason and equating low scores to receiving no bribe from developers is..for the lack of better word...blatant fanboyism.

Yes, Gamespot did give solid scores to shitty games in the past, but that does not automatically invalides flaws this game actually has..

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

The thing with major review sites isn't the scores, but what the review contains. When Risen (PC) was getting 7s, we knew why. They were saying it was hard, confusing, etc., and this is the type of shit that gave Gothic fans a bit of a woody. Meanwhile, this is getting the same level of scores and lower, but the reasons why are ones that should give anyone pause. The bugginess is to be expected from an Obsidian game, and while it is a pain, it is one that I can eventually forgive. But the short missions, the crappy AI, etc. are just plain not good. Couple that with the parts that are praised being less than exciting (other than apparent real C&C) makes me glad I skipped buying this.

 

[Kingston]

So, Alpha Protocol isn't gonna be a FeargusTM SLAMDUNK. Looks like they've gone all in (herp derp) on New Vegas. If that also fails Obsidian is prolly gonna sink.

 

[Azarkon]

And if Obsidian sinks, then Bioware and Bethesda will be the last major North American RPG developers...

 

[Trash]

Played it through most of the evening now and must say that I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's unpolished, feels a bit wonky at times and feels quite restricted in level design. Seriously, who the fuck has ever thought it a good idea to remove jumping mechanics from a game like this? On the other hand it has shitloads of C&C, a damn interesting premisis I haven't seen since Microprose's amazing Covert Action, interesting characters and dialogues and tons of ways of getting through assignments.

Must also say that I've yet to see any mayor bugs although the feeling of an unpolished game is everywhere. While I'm thoroughly enjoying myself I'm interested to see how the game will progress. Wouldn't be the first time an rpg started out with will thought out levels and interactions only to turn into a rushed pos later. We'll see.

 

[Kingston]

And if Obsidian sinks, then Bioware and Bethesda will be the last major North American RPG developers...

And you've got Blizzard making D3. Damn, you'd end up with Activision (Blizzard) vs. EA (Bioware) vs. Zenimax (Bethesda). All of them are making MMORPGS, too! Set up Ubisoft with an RPG divison and you'd have a war to end all wars.

 

[Dyspaire]

You fucking bastard! You've got a boxed copy of PS:T, BGs, IWDs and FOs. I hate you!

Lol...I just Googled 'Obsidian game' and that image came up first... please no hate me!

(Although I do have a boxed 4-disc copy of PS:T., the BGs, IWD1 and FO1)

 

[Trash]

I HAD boxed copies of all those games but sold them all for booze and hookers. I don't know what I was thinking.

 

[Phelot]

I HAD boxed copies of all those games but sold them all for booze and hookers. I don't know what I was thinking.

At least you made money, I threw mine away! I still have the CDs and most of the manuals of course... but still

 

[Chaud]

And if Obsidian sinks, then Bioware and Bethesda will be the last major North American RPG developers...

Lucky us, there is still the JRPGs!

 

[Grunker]

You can sell boxed copies of these games? I've got a copies of them all. I even got three of my buddies boxed copies of Baldur's Gate as well as an extra FO1 copy that they didn't want anymore... They're somewhere in my random-stuff-drawer. Haven't taken them out in years since I just use my own originals.

 

[fastpunk]

Played it through most of the evening now and must say that I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's unpolished, feels a bit wonky at times and feels quite restricted in level design. Seriously, who the fuck has ever thought it a good idea to remove jumping mechanics from a game like this? On the other hand it has shitloads of C&C, a damn interesting premisis I haven't seen since Microprose's amazing Covert Action, interesting characters and dialogues and tons of ways of getting through assignments.

Must also say that I've yet to see any mayor bugs although the feeling of an unpolished game is everywhere. While I'm thoroughly enjoying myself I'm interested to see how the game will progress. Wouldn't be the first time an rpg started out with will thought out levels and interactions only to turn into a rushed pos later. We'll see.

So it's classic Obsidian: good... if you can excuse the mess. I'm disappointed to be honest, I had hoped this would be a polished game at long last. Considering all the delays, you know.

 

[Direwolf]

Video Review:

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... col/100742

 

[Vibalist]

I worked on this game (a fact of which I am not proud). I'm not here to defend it; I agree with all these reviews.

First, a comment for the guy at Cheesecake Factory - Most devs eat in the office most days, if they do go out they tend to grab something at the food court and head back. I know the execs take long lunches, but they often use them for informal meetings as well. Most of the programmers and designers very rarely ate outside the office during the time I was on this project.

There was a ton of work put into this game. The problem is that is was a ton of undirected work, or work on things that were just stupid. The Executive Producer for the game, Chris Parker (also an owner of the company), seemed to think he was the world's greatest designer ever, and created all these absolutely shitty systems and wouldn't listen to any of the real designers or devs about things that just didn't work. And you can't exactly argue with one of the owners of the company when he doesn't want to listen. He basically took over the game and dictated exactly how everything would work (or not work, as the case may be). The other producers realized this early on and just gave up, leaving Parker to micromanage all the designers and programmers directly.

Sega also was a factor, because they kept changing the design requirements (yes they had heavy influence there), which never gave the producers and designers time to actually decide on one set of features to make and polish. The blame is still mostly Obsidian's because the execution was absolutely terrible, and it was obvious 2 years ago that this game should have been scrapped. Instead, though, they focused on adding still more features and never fixed the ones they already had. That is a recipe for tons of bugs and no polish... as is obvious.

This game was just an absolute failure of production, and it's no wonder that so many of the developers left the company, even after the 40% staff layoffs. I am still happy about some of Obsidian's other current projects, New Vegas included, because they are going pretty well. Their big unannounced project is looking great and is already much better than AP ever was, and that may end up being the game that everyone was looking for with AP.

Sega should have canceled AP instead of Aliens...

Who wrote this?

 

[Grunker]

Random commenter who claims to be an AP-dev.

 

[Jaesun]

Ausir claims it may be indeed a true ex-employee's quote, based off of what he knows.

 

[Grunker]

based off of what he knows.

Which is what, exactly?

 

[fastpunk]

Video Review:

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... col/100742

That was a good review for the most part. Also confirmed my fears about the activated abilities breaking the game.You become magically invisible and walk up to people and stab them. WTF Obsidian?

But I gotta say, these journalists are damned hypocrites. Like the part where they say that the game looks enough like a shooter and that it should behave like one (like headshots registering as insta-kill etc.). Or the part about the moronic A.I. Get the fuck out of here! When FO3 had similar flaws no one dared complain. They were busy gushing 10s like there was no tomorrow. If you're gonna criticize, be fair about it.

 

[Tails]

Which is what, exactly?

Maybe if you been longer on Codex or know Ausir a bit more, you would know, Grunker.

 

[Grunker]

^ I'm sorry I don't trust a random commenter on a web page because Jaesun told me Ausir said it's true

Video Review:

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/revie ... col/100742

That was a good review for the most part. Also confirmed my fears about the activated abilities breaking the game.You become magically invisible and walk up to people and stab them. WTF Obsidian?

But I gotta say, these journalists are damned hypocrites. Like the part where they say that the game looks enough like a shooter and that it should behave like one (like headshots registering as insta-kill etc.). Or the part about the moronic A.I. Get the fuck out of here! When FO3 had similar flaws no one dared complain. They were busy gushing 10s like there was no tomorrow. If you're gonna criticize, be fair about it.

Yeah, I also thought it was mostly good. But the same thing annoyed me: "We've long since passed the days were being an RPG was an excuse for bad gameplay." What. The. Fuck.

 

[Tails]

Jaesun said "Ausir claims it may be" not that it's 100% true.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

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?

Redundant game mechanics are redundant. If it would be a normal FPS, bullets would fly where he aims his rifle. If it would be a normal cRPG, he wouldn't have to chase running characters with his cursor.
Either way, that problem wouldn't exist.