Alpha Protocol for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

This is a ESPIONAGE game for those that happened to not see it in the game cover. Meaning, you're not supposed to get your guns and go crazy, shooting everybody. There's a lot more thinking, both through dialogue, and watching the enemies footsteps and attacking moves, than flat out action.

If you're looking for a game like Call of Duty and other games of the genre, this is NOT for you. There are few enemies, and you really have to embrace the spy thing if you wanna enjoy this game.

It's somewhat of a short game, but that can be understandable because Sega's and Obsidian's intentions are most likely for you to play the game through 2-3 times, in complete different ways to see how the plot changes. Try playing as the nice guy and befriending everyone you can one time around, and the second time around, being a merciless killer who's only trying to protect himself and has no time for enemies.

If you're the thinking kind and enjoy seeing how your actions can really affect you, this game will have you fascinated. If you're looking for a huge amount of action and thrills, big explosions and so on, you're better off with something else.

I really enjoyed this game. It arrived in the mail just as I was finishing RDR. Even after coming off a great gaming experience with RDR I still enjoyed this game.

The story is great and the gameplay is enjoyable. First-person shooter elements blend well with the rpg elements. Your actions very much affect the outcome of the game and I feel like I would enjoy 2-3 more playthroughs in the future.

I didn't have a problem so much with the quality of graphics (like some other posters) but I did have an issue with the overwhelming amount of video clipping and odd-rendering. Cut scenes are very choppy and it is hard to understand why. Objects render themselves at very odd distances, sometimes randomly, giving the game an odd look sometimes.

My biggest issue with the game, however, was it was just way too short. Just when I was getting into it and feeling as though things were getting good, it was over. They leave it wide open for an AP2 and that's great and all, but the game sort of felt unfinished.

I almost let some of the negative reviews on this game influence me and almost removed it from my queue. I'm very glad I didn't.

Alright, everyone shot down this game when it came out, most likely due to the delayed release and the scrutiny the company is under for taking on the enormous task of following Fallout 3. But, to be honest, the game is fun. Granted, there are some egregious errors that a top shelf game would not tolerate.

Graphics: 5 of 10. This was the killer for many people, who walked away without playing more than 5 minutes. No way around it, the graphics are not up to snuff. They are not PS2, but they are about 2007 quality.

Gameplay: 6 of 10. A lot of people got mad at missing when aiming at targets, apparently forgeting this is a RPG. So, you may miss when you think you have an enemy lined up. However, as you progress, your aim quickly improves, and soon it is not an issue, as long as you level up your favorite weapon. More of an issue is the sometimes wonky AI, who might ignore a buddy getting capped beside them if they do not see you, or come running from 100 yards away after you do a silent kill on a guard. Every once in a while I would get stuck in place if near a rock, and would have to toggle crouch/run to get moving again. Both of those issues are quite irritating.

Story and sounds: 7 of 10. The story is actually pretty good, and the voice acting is well done. You can tell that, for better or worse, this is where a lot of the time was spent on this game. On the negative, sometimes when you shoot, the gunfire sounds are a little off. If I do an aimed headshot with my assault rfle, it sometimes sounds like I'm firing off a .12 gauge on my first round.

Customization: 9 of 10. This is the brightest spot. You can upgrade your character with a skill system similar to Mass Effect. You can purchase a bunch of diferent weapons and mods for the weapons, as well as gadgets and explosives. The story lines are also somewhat customizable with options for dialogue and whether to let "boss" enemies live.

Bottom line: rent it first. Would be a great buy if it was $20.

I've been playing for about 3 hours now and I must say.... This game is very entertaining. It's got everything you'd want in an RPG. Great upgrade system, great weapon and armor upgrade system. Allows you to choose what type of player you want to be. Rambo style, Techy style, or straight up stealth spy type. Now while it play very well, there are alot of problems with this game. It's almost like the game developer didn't do any fine tuning at all and rushed it to the stores. There are so many glitches with the graphics it's at some points laughable. I found myself running through a level and all the enemies looked like they had a giant pole growing out of their necks. This happens very frequently throughout the game. Sound glitches also happen often. The graphics aren't going to blow you away either. It just seemed like they rushed threw the fine tuning of it to get it released. It's a shame, a couple more months of work getting all the glitches worked out and this game could've been pretty amazing. Still a very solid game and I would definitely recomend it to any RPG fan.

First let's be honest.. this is NOT a shooter. Though I love the fact that it almost plays like one. Mixed a little with oblivion or fallout aspects, hence the RPG. The story was the main draw for me, decisions you make all effect the rest of the game to some extent. I even tested this a few times, mainly the last mission to see a few different endings. The decisions are almost as important as the gunplay.

In the beginning you chose what type of agent you'd like to be, similar to starting a quest like 'borderlands' or 'oblivion'.. sneaky, tech geek, soldier, etc.. this doesn't have as big of an effect on the game, but there are some other options that will. Basically, chose the one that will benefit the way you want to play, sneaky/out-right-killer.

The graphics could be more impressive, but the voice acting and characters are all well done, so I'm ok with the tradeoff.. the graphics are fine enough. The problem comes in the clunky controls, sometimes it's just hard to forget it's not a shooter, and you end up with a wall clipping behind you and you can't see where you're aiming.

Some of the bosses are a little lame. For lack of better term. Rather than make it an epic battle, ala GOW3, it's more of a longer firefight with dialogue included. All in all though, every mission unlocks something new, rewards are very present, and if you get into the story, it's definitely worth a playthru. At about 17hrs I was finished, so it's good for a lonely weekend. Don't expect splinter cell or metal gear.. but I won't hate on this game just because a few things were overlooked.

Alpha Protocol is a very well made game. Imagine Mass Effect with less talking and more action. Characters and weapons are customizable and use can use and upgrade many different skills.

Pros: You can choose from three (sometimes four,depending on your class) ways to respond. Such as professional,suave, and angry. All of your actions determine whether or not you receive help with missions or even discounts at the store. Weapons can be upgraded,customized,bought and sold.

Cons: Although you can customize your clothes,armor,hats,etc. you cant change the way Michael Thorton looks physically (Other than beard style and eye color)

Over all this game is a great play like most RPGs and you can play it multiple times and get completely different story lines. Definately play this game!

Other than one crash early in the game (it just froze up), this game was solid overall, if you like single-player story-based action. Certainly not a piece-of-cake, the game kept moving from different times: from cut scenes with player interaction (you choose the response) to various missions in various locales.

This game certainly doesn't break any new ground in terms of unique game play, but it highly relies on your choices of what you do in missions and what you say to other characters. All of that plays a major role in how the game progresses (and ends).

There were too many times I found myself dwelling on what should I say that would make me to (whatever) or make another character like me more, rather than just playing the game. The plot twisted a bit too much, and the going-back-and-forth-in-time segments was confusing at times.

Glad I rented it. I played a little bit several times a week for a couple of weeks and knocked it out. No multiplayer or add-ons, so replay value is limited, except for the fact that you can make different choices and see what happens.

This game gets an 8 from me because after about an hour i found myself hooked. The idea of the game is very good and the decisions you make including how you speak to people and how many people as well as who you kill on missions determines the flow and outcome of the game. You are a operative in an un-heard of organization tasked to stop terrorist organizations around the world, starting in saudia arabia before going to russia, rome, and taipan
GOOD
-deep storyline
-customization of weapons and armor
-RPG style ability point system

BAD
-clunky movement
-very hard to shoot at first
-weapons are not as effective as they should be
-impossible to sneak in the beginning

overall this was a very fun game if you have the patience to build your guy up, remember your abilities are the lowest in all categories when you start... once i built my stealth ability up i was taking out entire maps one by one....you really will appreciate the game once you put some time into it and mold your character into the style that is most effective for you

This was quite a interesting game it was alot like rainbow six i mean with the graphics and the objective's on a scale of 1 to 10 it was a 5 to 5 on alike qualities.

the loading time could be a little shorter other than that it was a decent game.

I went into this knowing the reviews and not expecting to like it. But i read something that inspired me to ultimately put everything i read about AP, and that was to go into it thinking its a RPG first and shooter second.

What i found was a excellent RPG and by the end of the game, one heck of a joy great ride. The shooter elements are at the begining of the game are really not that fun, but by the end great. The RPG aspects of this game and story are awesome, i didnt expect to like it, but after playing i have to say, if this game would have been more polished it would have been top notch. There are so many ways of playing AP its almost unreal, there are about 7 different starting "Backrounds" and even after your first set of missions there are three different ways to specialize Mike, as well as customizing your own. Different paths, choices, who to save, who to kill, if you choose to kill at all, and even your dialog choices change the game from one session to the next.

Its flaws are very apparent and if you are the kind of person that puts graphics over gameplay and story, then you probably should avoid AP. There are MANY graphical errors, textures taking a few seconds to pop in, clipping all over the place, ect. But if you can overlook the obvious flaws with AP then i think you can discover under all the mud, and solid RPG and story.

Ive just finished my first play through, and have intentions of playing this again, several times infact, ultimately this, in my opinion, is a very solid game, if you can look past the problems that it does have, and enjoy the game for what it offers. A great storyline and nearly a unlimited number of ways to play the game, right from the begining.

I have no idea why everyone is giving this game a bad rating, it is exactly what it claims to be, an espionage RPG. If you like action RPG's, and spys, and story lines this is the game for you. I really enjoyed it, and I liked how every decision you made impacted future story lines. Great game, 9 out of 10!

I personally don't understand why some people are really tanking this game. The only thing I can think of is if someone is expecting a "Gears of War" clone. If that's the case then proceed no further this is not that type of game.

How many times have us gamers heard that a game has a "choice system" and used as one of the main selling points of a game. Out of all of those titles think back to how many actually provided a "find your own way; book" styled experiance. In my opinion this is the first game to really deliver on that feature. I have played it through 3 times now playing with the different dialog options and order of missions. Everytime I play it I find something new or I am left with a "huh...neat" feeling.

The RPG elemets are not as solid as a true RPG game. The 3rd person shooter experiance is not what you would expect. However this game does a really good job of smelting the two together into a very dynamic gaming experiance.

I gave this game a high review rating based on the amount of development that went into it as a huge 1st then closely follow that with over all joy in playing the game. I would love to see a sequil that fixes the flaws and expands on the wins and is a lot longer.

If you like RPG and a mix of stelth, brute force, sly trap planting, and a mixture of all the above this game is for you.

PS3: Ungod

Quite a maverick-y game if you will. The play of the game ultimately depends on the decisions you make, even from the very start of the game. Awesome story, awesome detail, great characters, character customization - it's like Mass Effect intertwined with 'The Bourne Identity'. Like playing an action packed movie, with many different interchangeable scenes and endings. Definitely worth buying, let alone playing. It's like being a spy in real life, without the real life bullet wounds and other repercussions. The game is indeed a game, but I often found myself thinking 'I bet this stuff really happens'. Definitely check this game out >with all the halo and cod and moh type of stuff that came out, this game is really overlooked and it should not be.

Alpha Protocol is a combination of Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Heavy Rain. The implementation isn't perfect, but if you are looking for a game that will grab your attention, engage your mind and provide a bit of a challenge, AP is the right choice. You will have to make an investment into it though, because the tutorial methodically walks the user through the many different aspects of this game; basic movement & actions, mini games (EXCELLENT), tactics, skills (customize the type of spy you want to be), working with "gadgets" and interacting with others.

As in Rainbow Six, you have a choice to go with silence and stealth or shotgun blasts and destruction. You can view the enemy locations and patterns and position yourself to take advantage of them. You can take cover and use timing to take out enemies before they have a chance to raise the alarm or just overwhelm them with firepower & explosive devices. The occasional inability to hide behind a wall for no apparent reason, the odd graphics glitch or the laugh you won't be able to supress watching agent Thorton walk fast in crouch mode take a little away from the overall experience, but it's still a very strong spy action game.

On the RPG side, you have nearly the same ability to impact the outcome of the overall story as you do in Heavy Rain. This is an excellent entry into the choose-your-own-adventure style games that, IMHO, programmers are just starting to really develop. There are certain areas of the game that can feel "forced" or inaccurate due to previous interactions (and your relationship with an individual character), but after virtually every conversation, you wonder, "did I make the right choice?" It's this lingering doubt that makes you want to go back and play it over and over.

Overall, Alpha Protocol invites you to enter the world of Michael Thorton and investigate in whatever manner you choose and live with the consequences (until you hit "New Game" again, anyway).

Give Alpha Protocol a try!

Once I started playing Alpha Protocol I was drawn in by the way the game handled. I really loved how many different ways you can set up Thorton's abilities. The brute force soldier. A gadget wielding engineer. The stealthy assassin. Or basically any mix of of skills. Another great part is making friends and enemies based on what you say, how you say it, and what you do. Lastly, I loved how many different ways you can play through the story.

The only drawbacks, in my opinion, are that as a beginner character trying to shoot is a pain due to the total lack of pure accuracy you endure. The few points in the story that have a few holes in it. It also seemed a little too short for my tastes. I also wished it had more appearance customization for Thorton. A lot of the appearance options seem a little bland.

If you're looking for a game to help you fill the role of a capable secret agent then this is a very good choice. But if you just want a game for the aspects of shooting things in the face then chances are you'll want to look elsewhere.

I have been playing the game for 2 days now and i am incredibly suprised by some of the negative comments this game is getting.
First off if you don't have anything better to say other than this game sucks this game blows STFU don't say anything. If you only played the game for 15mins to 2 hours STFU you don't know anything about the game to make a constructive or deconstructive comment.
This game gets better as you start to level and pick the skills you want to specialize in, gives you plenty of upgrade options for example if you specialize in pistols you are deadly with them if you aim properly if you just wave around shooting you will miss alot just like real life.
And if you could just kill an enemy with 1 shot waving around were is the challenge?
Assault riffles are nice subs are a bit weak and stealth and tech are sweet for sneaking around.

The only con i have about the game is that it has frozen on me a few times already and it can get annoying.

BTW if you couldn't get past the first level with the tranq gun you need to quit playing games altoghether cause you SUCK the big one buddy.
Now STFU and make me a sandwich.

For those looking for just spionage rpg that makes you think a bit try it out with an open mind you might like it.

I may be a little biased here - as I've always been attracted toward spy-anything, so I automatically was hooked on Alpha Protocol. A common critique I heard was that it's the same thing over and over: start the mission, go in, hack some computers, pick some locks, shoot some guys or avoid them, or both, then return to safe house.

While this is true, and had that been what it was all about, it would have been awful, and there are some games out there like that. Instead, it resembles RPG qualities, like certain actions and responses give you certain perks that you had no idea were possible. The game encourages you to take risks when you talk to people, as the response you think you're picking may not be the best, and don't always stick with the same attitude. And, the abilities you can choose when you level up are pretty amazing.

That said, the game is extremely glitchey, to the point where I had to start a boss fight over because the boss just disappeared, and I was left running around like an idiot.

The game kept me hooked well enough to want to beat it quickly (which wasn't hard, considering it was a really short game), but it wasn't enough to have me replay it. Even though I never ran into one character, or explored other relationship options with other characters, I just didn't care. I bought Heavy Rain because I wanted to explore the other storylines. That just isn't the case with Alpha Protocol. I either didn't care enough or think the storyline would be much different.

I just finished playing alpha protocol about a few days ago, and truthfully the reviews I read prior to receiving it was discouraging at first. Although I still wanted to play it anyways, I am glad i did! The game wasn't as bad to me as some people had previously stated. I enjoyed because you had to pay somewhat attention to the plot and characters. And the controls weren't half bad when you got the idea of them. However, I though the graphics could have been way better and the weapon choices seemed very few choices.
All in all, I think alpha protocol is worth a play if you enjoy curious plots and like to be able to see where you can steer the ending!
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did, have fun.

One thing to note about Obsidian Entertainment is that the don't make the most beautiful games, but their writing/storytelling is usually very well-done. This is the case of Alpha Protocol.

When you first start the game, you notice that the graphics, even on PS3/360, aren't the best that we're used to seeing today. While it does detract a bit from the game, the gameplay more than makes up for it. The story is well done and the moral decisions you'll make as a spy make you think. There isn't any specific right way to do something. While not mentioning anything specific, spoilers, I will say that while I don't think everything is as realistic as actual espionage stuff, I can imagine the decision that have to be made. You'll find some tough ones in this game.

All in all, Alpha Protocol is very much worth playing, on a console.

Basically, Alpha Protocol is very `technical. The game gives the gamer the ability to play their own style... You can go guns glazing or use tactical gadgets and slip around the enemy unnoticed.
The gameplay resembles a lot like Metal Gear Solid, but with a more interactive story and you can customise the character as you seem fit.

You play as Michael Thorton...
Alpha Protocol is a secret government agency, that only so many Government officials know about. Alpha Protocol is what the government uses to do a mission without any "Loose Ends" attached.
Michael Thorton is a new Recruit in which Alpha Protocol found. His ability exceeded Alpha Protocol's exceptions, and so Michael Thorton is erased from society to work as a covert agent for Alpha Protocol.

The game to me, seems more like a Action and Adventure genre. However, the game is very fun and unique. If you are wanting to just breeze threw the game. Fill in the Assault Rifle XP and Buy an Assault rifle and run threw like Rambo. Alpha Protocol is very Dynamic like this. You can play with Lethal or non Lethal tactics.
I just use the stealth Approach(sneaking up and slicing throats) with a shotgun handy for when I get bored.

Sega and Obsidian created this freedom, of choice in game. You will find yourself going: nah... I want to take my time and search the level thoroughly. And creating a new load out for your character.

You have tons of Weapons and gadgets to choose from... Pistols, SMGS, Assault Rifles. Lethal and non lethal Ammo.
Gadgets include: Shock traps, proximity mines, Emp gernade, Radio transmitters(noise and Distraction maker), and other various tools to use on a mission..

The game is well made for anyone who likes shooting genre games. Great sound, voice talents, and storyline.

The only real down fall, is there isn't a huge world to roam in. However, the mission levels are designed to be completed in any way you like.

If you liked Metal Gear Solid... This title is a definite try..

I cant believe how trashed this game is getting. It kind of breaks my heart because alot of people are not gonna rent/buy this game because of all these B.S. reviews. I want to address some points ive read in some of the bad reviews. While its true the graphics arent cutting edge. theres nothing wrong with them either. Id say there right on par with other rpgs like oblivion/fallout. did the graphics in those games take away from the gameplay? didnt think so. Ive seen a cpl ppl write that the npcs are one demensional stereotypes. This is just not true, first off the voice acting is excellent. On par w any triple A title. Also the relationship you build w npcs heavily dictates there reactions and how they deal w you in general. so if you treat them the same way everytime theyll likely react the same way each time. Its not just a matter of being nice or mean to people. some characters actually react positively to to threats etc. you have to collect info among other things if you want to get the most of your relationships. moving on the cover system is not broken. Theres only 1 small bug to mention. it only happens from time to time.The cover system indicator will say that you can quick move from one cover spot to another but instead it will just sort of pop you out of cover. it only happens occasionally when the cover your trying to move to is to far away so just use your best judgement. In closing The story is really good, the conversation system is awesome and exciting. the controls are fine(not clunky at all),40-45 hours of gameplay, the special abilities are kick ash with lots of options to suit different playing styles. And lastly The choices you make have real effect on the story more ala heavy rain than say mass effect 2 which gives this game real replayability. I emplore everyone to give this game a chance and go into it with a positive attitude and you will be pleasantly suprised!

I skimmed through most of the reviews of this game and a lot of people said it sucked, and a lot of people said it was good. There was very little middle ground. Anyway there was a few reviews that were not the exact truth, I'm here to fix them. there were a few reviews pointed at how bad the graphics were, one guy even said they were late ps1 to early ps2 graphics. That is not true, now the graphics were bad but they were good enought to qualify for Xbox 360/PlayStation 3
graphics. Another thing is that people have been saying it's not fun, well those people are all ADHD and need constant action (just kidding). THE GAME IS NOT A SHOOTER! So don't expect to have constant action, this is an RPG at it's core just a warning. Overall this game is not great, but it's not bad either. You have to not care about mediocre graphics, and like this type of game to enjoy it. I give it a 7 for the things it does do that no other game has done. It gives you the ability to manipulate the story/cutscenes in any way you choose, you could literally play through this game 10 different times and have a different ending each time. Each cutscene lets you choose 4 different emotions or actions towards the person your talking to. You could be mean to one and treat the other one like your best friend, make a move towards one, and completely ignore another. You could have so many different outcomes to the story, more game designers should look into this. Anyway I hoped this helped!

The idea sounded great. An espionage RPG? With multiple ways to approach a mission and NPCs? Excellent idea! But did Obsidian Entertainment pull it off? To a point. "Alpha Protocol" won't exactly have you feeling like James Bond or even Solid Snake, but it's a decent enough game that's worth a look. Graphics are last-gen, but not utterly horrible. Just not on par with the AAA titles on the PS3. Sound is bad, and the voice acting is decent, though there's no award winning performances here. Michael Thornton, the main character, won't make anyone forget Sam Fisher or Snake anytime soon. He's a bit bland, but serves his part. The conversation choices work nicely, and influence the story and how the NPCs deal with you. The choices are timed, so you need to think fast. Controls are okay, not the smoothest all of the time, but not so clumsy as to make the game unplayable. The mini guns can be frustrating, as they are timed (especially the computer hacking- find the stationary code amongst a field of moving digits) but once you get the hang of them they work fine. Enemy AI is inconsistent, as is your weapon's power. Camera is also not always the best, but again not so terrible that you can't proceed through the game. The storyline is fairly good. It's your standard spy stuff about stolen weapons and terrorists, but it works. The RPG elements are light (you can specialize in different abilities, leveling up with AP) and you can modify your loadouts for each mission, but there's nothing outstanding here. The shame is this was delayed to get more polish, and they seem to have forgotten the polish. Still, it's a decent enough game with a good amount of gameplay. Worth the purchase? Up to you, but I'd rent first. There's too many other quality titles out now to buy. But it is worth a try, if only because it's a different type of RPG. Try it, and see if you can sneak some fun out of it.

Look this game is a very good game I hope they add DLC, or at least make a part 2. I don't know what the critics were saying or played, but I had a great time with this game had me on the edge of my seat the entire game. Ok graphics is an easy fix go to options video and TURN up the gamma. For some reason once I did this the game looked so much better. I'm not going to tell you to buy it cuz I don't buy games anymore.

It's def a rent at the least to me Alpha will be one of those sleeper games that will surprise a lot of folks. It reminded me of some James Bond, Jack Bauer, and Some Bourne Identity all rolled into one. This a type of game you have to play twice just to see how things play out a 2nd time around.

I enjoyed this game a lot I was expecting a horrible game based on the so call professional reviews. I love the whole leveling up system, game play, and the story IMO it was a very well put together game esp the choice mechanics that you have to make.