Alpha Protocol

Recently got this from a friend, haven't started it yet. I remember love it or hate it reactions back when it came out, should I play or is it a waste of time?

It's obsidian's best game, the gameplay is just unbalanced as fuck. Pistol stealth build or bust.

It's really great but plagued with bugs. I'd imagine there's fan patches or something out there. It's well worth your time.

(heil'd)
one thing I remember back when it came out were all the comments saying to play it as more of an RPG than Deus Ex and that if it's attempted as an FPS, you'd think it's a shit game

It's the ultimate Obsidian game. Good writing and great ideas buried under a pile of shit gameplay and bad ideas.
Definitely worth a playthrough or two though.

It's the usual "your choices change the story" vut really well done

Everyday.

That is true, as the four types of guns are all completely dependent on skills. The difference is that while SMG/rifle/shotguns skills all mitigate the shooting into being mediocre and unwieldy TPS instead of terrible, pistol skills turn the weapon into a tactical headshot execution machine. It's just objectively the best and most interesting way to play.

It's an absolutely amazing game with so many problems that it could only come from Obsidian. Just one tip: never trust the Oriental Jew.

Bullshit.


Think Kotor2 but with more loose ends and cut features.

I will save you a lot of grief right now. When it comes to any weapon, but especially the pistol, hold the crosshair on your target until it narrows (similar to Deus Ex, what else). Firing wildly just wastes a lot of ammo.

The game has some interesting ideas about the costs and benefits of getting people to like you or hate you, but really you just want to kiss everyone's ass and keep them alive and working for you for the maximum benefit. Buy dossiers from the intel section of the store and read them for clues on what attitudes the characters like. There's only one character with a story benefit for deliberately pissing off I can think of, and that requires a lot prior knowledge and specialization from the start to take advantage of.
What I do like is passive bonuses you get from decisions you make and which people like or dislike you. It makes each playthrough unique since you can specialize not only in skills but in bonuses from playstyle and decisions. It's also satisfying just to be an insufferable prick.

I kinda want to replay the game but this time I'd be an asshole to everyone. Is it worth it?

Yes

...

Do you like story? Can you read? Do you have a higher IQ and concentration span than the average pathetic excuse of gamers these days?

I didn't like it, but I played it to have this opinion.

Yes, it's the only true way to play the game.

I really like it but I also really like both Stealth games and RPGs, and while it's not really amazing at either it's a nice chocolate in peanut butter moment. Honestly worth playing for the story alone but I am one of those people who likes the gameplay. It's not Splinter Cell Chaos Theory but it's fun and by the end you can basically become Cyborg Ninja Grey Fox if you want to, mind you a clunky Grey Fox without all the acrobatics, but you'll still be able to go invisible and ghost a room full of people by the end if that's your thing. Also the dialogue system is basically "Manipulation: The RPG", which is honestly the best concept of the whole game. You're encourage not to role play but instead to use your charisma to say what the character you're talking to wants to hear, usually subtly hinted at by information in intel you can gather on them through missions, in turn you'll gain influence and that can help in various ways. You're welcome to roleplay and always take the same options of course but it's clear Obsidian's goal was to convince the player to manipulate people to form a network of informants and field agents who can make your missions easier.

Good game, but it needs some tweaks to run better.


You can be an asshole and a villain if you want.


I think Shotgun is second best in terms of damages, cheapness and variety of ammo types. Don't forget martial arts. Stealth + martial arts is pretty good.

I love this game and played through it like 3 or 4 times.

The start is utter shit, the Saudi Arabia levels suck massive dick.

After that its much better, although the combat is really shitty, your choices end up mattering and affecting your protagonist a lot

You're an asshole the entire time? Your character becomes the biggest jackass ever that gets under everyone's skin, all other characters hate you and stumble over one another trying to murder you and expose themselves unnecessarily just to try and kill you.

You get along perfectly with everyone, reveal secrets about them and do your job? You will have more allies than what you know what to do with, can make enemies turn against each-other, make the villains highest operatives abandon him and so on.


Again: The combat is utter shit. This game excels in choices, mostly when it comes between interacting with characters, but it needs a bit to pick up.

I actually went through with the default technician. Knocking people down with shotguns is alright, plus grenades out the ass.

Turn up the radio

This game was epic and we'll never get a sequel because the normal fags were too busy fellating eachother over codshit

I did a full melee only run.

Completely doable except for that faggot russian 80s junkie. I had to throw some incendiary grenades at his ass