Is Alpha Protocol any good?
No joke probably one of the best RPGs ever made that actually has an emphasis on the RP part. Great story too that'll take you at least three playthroughs to see all of it.
It IS an Obsidian game though. Dealing with wonky mechanics and glitches is kind of part of the package.
Set it to easy, play Melee with enough points in Pistols for the first rank of Aimed Shot or whatever it's called
Just run through levels beating the shit out of everybody, opening all the locks, hacking all the computers, read dossiers and use the dialogue system the way you're meant to use it
It's shit.
>>344062883
Nope don't fall for the meme
not really, the roleplaying mechanics are well-implemented but the gameplay itself is fucking garbage and the story is cheesy as hell
I'm getting mixed messages here
>>344065350
Well the game itself is a mixed bag so there you go.
>>344065350
It's a flawed game. It really depends on how much the flaws bother you. The combat is super fucking wonky and if you go in expecting decent third person shooter mechanics, you'll be disappointed.
>>344062883
depends, this is the exact representation of a 7/10 game in that it's good but it has many flaws.
I like it, but I am biased as I like the whole "secret agent" espionage genre thing. I'd say give it a whirl for a few hours and see if you like it.
>>344065168
This. I don't get the love for it's story.
I very much enjoyed my playthrough despite the bugs
>>344066221
>>344065168
>cheesy stories are bad
>>344066221
You know the people who love old Bond movies? you know, the ones with young Sean Connery being suave as fuck fighting supervillains who have hidden lairs?
This is the kind of person who loves this type of story.
>>344065350
You were expecting unanimity? You wouldn't find that anywhere, least of all on /v/.
Excellent Mission Impossible/James Bond roleplay romp trapped screaming inside wonky combat and general engine work.
Play it if you fancy pressing people's buttons in dialogue, beating the shit out of coked up russian drug lords to techno and fucking anything with a vaginaexcept Sis lol
Don't play it if you're the sort of person whose blood boils whenever you have to reload a checkpoint and replay 10 minutes because a cutscene didn't trigger or a door got stuck in the closed position to bar your progress.
This game would have been a 9/10 if Obsidian had another year to wring out all of the problems with the actual gameplay, but they didn't.
The shooter mechanics which is heavily stat-driven and has weapons with which you first have to stand still and aim for a few seconds to get accurate shots seems to be what puts people off the most, but I personally didn't mind that since I'm used to games such as Deus Ex and tactical shooters.
What I really dislike about the game is the level design. It's linear and has all these little side-routes, but the side-routes don't have an obvious benefit to them and you will often miss things if you just take one route so you end going in circles to take all the routes. It's really bad design.
It is NOT a shooter. A lot of reviewers back then looked at it as ME in modern day and that resulted in a lot of shitty scores.
It is a spy RPG with a modern interface but oldschool RPG mechanics behind it and as that, it's really fucking good.
>>344066534
Then how come it's nothing like it?
It's more like a modern day Brosnan Bond if anything, bordering on Craig.
TURN UP THE RADIO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAJV2va9V9A
Great game. Had that Zarya bitch before Blizzard did. You can fuck her. She physically abuses you in bed.
>>344062883
I enjoyed playing it. Just dont have any high expectations and you'll be fine.
Can't speak for the second half of the game since I got stuck on some douche bag raver boss with dual pistols...Fuck that guy.
>>344066787
Even if you wanted to compare them the shooting is way better than the first Mass Effect. That game was an awful slog.
The combat is worthless, don't play it for that.
That said, it's one of the best implementation of a persuasion system in vidya that integrates into the gameplay by allowing you to use intel files you find by exploring the world to manipulate characters and twist the story. The dialogue is pretty well done and it allows for great roleplaying potential [in fact it's one of the few where I'd say you can roleplay as a psychopath manipulating people while masquerading as a nice guy without it feeling forced, or anything on either extreme], and the story, while not branching, has plenty of optional triggers and decision points that give it a lot of variation on the way you complete your goals, or even what those goals are.
>>344066604
Maybe it's because I played it years after release and it's been patch. But I haven't have any issues at all with bugs.
Like it's about as functional as any other game of it's day. Hell, I've had way more bugs with the Mass Effect games than I've had Alpha Protocol thinking about it.
Not saying it's polished of course, far from it, just that for me it's run really stable.
>>344067014
And if you're not into itshe just outright rapes you
Which is the best waifu?
What does he see with those goggles?
>>344066847
>When he starts chasing you
>>344067249
>>344067014
how to get sexy times in this game? I still have my copy and need a fap.
>>344067249
And if you want to be raped by her?
I see no way you can loose in that situation
>>344067250
>implying it's anyone but Sis
>>344067120
I quite like the hand to hand combat. It feels surprisingly satisfying and meaty for how pointlessly simple it is.
>play stealth
>get spotted
>Turn Up The Radio
>go Rocky on everyone
>continue sneaking like nothing happened
>>344067374
Just get positive reputation with them.
>>344067430
I think Sis is the only boss I executed. I just really hate her boss and can't stop reminding him that I took his sunshine away.
>>344066836
>Brosnan Bond is not cheesy
>>344067120
I really liked that about the game, it rewarded you for being a nosy little bitch.
>>344067250Scarlett, just cause she hits two of my fetishes, redheadsand femme fatales
>>344067374
It's not something that happens until the last fourth of the game nigga, so I wouldn't hold my breath
That said, the most explicit you get is Russian Cougar up there climbing of top of you and feeling your package before the fade to black
>>344067350
I can never tell if people are joking when they talk about the GPNVG, but it's actually the world's best night vision headset.
>>344062883
It's excellent.
Just play the game on easy.
Also, literally EVERY decision matters, so be careful when making choices.
>>344062883
it's like if dxhr was made a few years earlier, was a lot snarkier, and had a branching plot
i loved it
>>344067249You can steal the surveillance recording of itEnd of game states that Michael has watched it 30+ times
>>344067105
But the thing about Mass Effect is you can storm through it like, at the time hit, Gears of War 1.
So it makes since why ME is a hit to dumb critics.
When will video game critics be like film critics?
Why is everyone saying play the game on easy?
I played it on normal and had no problems.I also specced stealth and pistols so that might have something to do with it.
>>344067728
>Brosnan Bond is not cheesy
It is. But it's sort of hidden between a more serious tone. Like Alpha Protocol. It's more "set in the real world" while being retarded as opposed to just being retarded.
>>344068193
>When will video game critics be like film critics?
And by this I mean uptight old people who hate liberal hipster propaganda bull shit.
>>344067374
iirc you have to have a high positive rep with her and choose her to be your handler in the final mission
>>344068221
You'd have to be masochistic to want a challenge out of the gunshootan parts
It's really one of those games where the gunplay gets in the way of all the rest of the good gameplay
>>344068221
I don't think people are suggesting it as it being a matter of difficulty, more that there's very little rewarding about the combat so getting it over with as fast as possible is probably for the best
>>344062883
Really awesome game. Huge amount of choice in the story and gameplay. The gameplay is mediocre at best though.
>>344068221So did I.stealthbros
>>344068221
>>344068394
it plays pretty decent as a stealth game, but the non-stealth parts aren't great, especially as a character built for stealth
>>344067710
I've executed the russian mob boss just because the way you do it seemed way too cool for you to not do it.
Siccing the crazy soviet version of Pagan Min on him was great.
>>344068221
Pistols were insanely overpowered. You can kill bosses in two seconds if you upgraded your stats right.
>>344064641
>and use the dialogue system the way you're meant to use it
Which is how exactly?
>>344068221
Stealth boys unite.
I just opened the door between them and ran like hell to end the mission with no alerts
It's either the best bad game or the worst good game I've ever played.
Genuinely love it.
Anyone else make their character look wacky for no reason?
Hello
That mission where you're infiltrating a CIA building or something with Mina as your handler is hilarious if you just start killing all the agents. She gets so fucking pissed at you.
Does anyone know what happens if you get to the end game and all the handlers hate you?
isnt amazing but you'll have a lot of fun with it, pretty underrated tho.
>>344068979
Different responses for different people. You're hired by Alpha Protocol because you're a manipulator who says what people want to hear, not a one track Paragon/Renegade only faggot
Read up on your targets and try to talk to them in an appropriate way so you get something out of them
>>344069058
Yes
>>344066604
>Don't play it if you're the sort of person whose blood boils whenever you have to reload a checkpoint and replay 10 minutes because a cutscene didn't trigger or a door got stuck in the closed position to bar your progress.
I'm 10 hours in and ran into nothing gamebreaking.
>>344068762
>it plays pretty decent as a stealth game
It's terrible at it. You can't hide bodies, the camera FOV is so low that it's hard to keep track of enemy movement, there's only one movement speed when crouched, the gadgets for stealth are cumbersome and are rarely useful, etc.
The action gameplay gets decent but none of you fags ever bothered to try speccing for it.
>>344069204
Steve becomes the default handler in that case, I believe.
>>344069204
You have to convince one of them to go with you anyway
You can get Albatross to do it by riling him up with Sis' death and telling him that coming after you is the last chance for revenge he'll ever get
>>344067249
Getting raped by tough army chicks is my fetish.
>>344068762
The stealth is terrible. Still a fun game, but stealth breaks the game in half.
It's probably on par with Deus Ex, in regards to your behavior having consequences.
It's good for that alone. You'll probably have fun with it.
There was a time where I thought that would be the norm. It hasn't happened yet, so these games remain stand-out experiences
>>344069950
That's because stealth was apparently added during the last month of development.
>start level
>half the guards are locals
>reload
>buy the "locals aren't hostile" bonus
>only 5 of the guards are locals now
>>344069356
I did a little of both. Mained shotgun and it made most of the action parts really fun. Only problem is that some of the bosses just don't cooperate with close ranged weapons at all, like when Marburg gets into rage mode you're totally fucked unless you can get him stuck on the geometry.
Why can't I carry the bodies in this game?
>>344067404
Exactly what I was thinking same thing comrade.
>>344069950
I'm confused. do you expect to be spotted when you put on camo? what would be the purpose then?
>>344070104
I really enjoyed the stealth executions desu, something about the spray
Make way, best character coming through
>>344069202
But WHY doesn't he like the mountains
>>344062883
Alpha Protocol is a broken, buggy, unbalanced, incomplete mess of a brilliant, brilliant game.
>>344069519
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUydx57te9s
>>344069051
Those games are the best.
Potential and passion adds so much to a game, even if the end product is a bit sloppy.
Why get a polished rock when you can enjoy a flawed diamond?
>>344070691
That's what the stealth tree consists of. Just straight up turning invisible for increasingly long periods of time until you're invisible for like a full minute and can do takedowns and sprint without breaking stealth. And you can spec into Brilliance too, meaning that you just invisibly walk past everyone, immediately refresh the cooldown, and do it again to reach the end of the level.
The "stealth" is laughable.
>>344069202
>>344070743
Played this game three times and I still don't understand that mission.
>>344069950
As broken as the invisibility power is, AP has one cool stealth ability that I wish actual stealth games used in their easy modes: the one that renders you invisible for two seconds when you're spotted (followed by a cooldown of several minutes). It lets you get away from a fuckup for free, as long as you're not fucking up constantly.
>>344071294
The Americans have a bunch of computers hidden in the shop
The Italians have their own guy looking after it on the sly, which is why he doesn't know the passphrase and doesn't raise too much of a stink when you claim to be there to fix them
>>344069058
>>344071264
That guy has a fucking doormat's worth of chest hair.
Judging from this thread I should ask for a refund
>>344071483
Oh fuck, my sides.
>>344069058
Absolutely. I love the idea of an incredibly conspicuous super-spy.
Too bad there were only like ten options for customization.
>>344071472
Why is he so nasty tho
>>344071813
He's your average Italian.
>>344071483
>>344069279
>>344069058
Need a cigar, Castro?
>>344069778
>handled
![1399678835324[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/5t8xcUE.jpg "1399678835324[1].jpg")
>wanted a sequel
>saw interview where lead designer said they wanted to make the sequel wacky bullshit like Saint's Row 3
Welp, there goes that dream/boner.
>>344068307
>go on IMDB
>people claiming the movie has too many white people and not enough minorities so it's racist
jesus christ
I've got this, remember buying 12 games for xbox and never playing most of them because It was in the period where I quit gaming
worth pplaying? I always liked RPGs and im kinda sick of weebo shit
>>344071890
How did you see through my disguise?!yes
>>344072965
Very worth it
>>344062883
Easily the best RPG out there, where you choices -grab onto your seat- actually fucking matter. Some early choices you make can really bite you in the ass much later in the game.
Shame the combat is shite though. Just max pistol and CQC for easy mode.
Installing it now. From what I learned from this thread I should:
Level up Stealth and Pistols
Play on easy
Read and treat each character like they want to be treated
Take decisions very seriously
Anything else?
>>344070731
Omen Deng needs his own game.
>>344073301
And the other way around too. The way a throwaway piece of Intel you can potentially acquire as early as the second level of the game can be used to completely bypass or change the nature of one of the final boss battles of the game is great and something that rarely happens in vidya.
>>344072506
Eh. Obsidian is all but dead anyways. Pretty much everyone was let go before kickstarter saved them, and now that their biggest asset Chris Avellone is gone they don't really have much going for them anymore.
>>344073548
Remember to have fun and not take the game to seriously. It's one of those games where fucking up(well, conversations that is) can be fun since you don't know what is gonna happen.
>>344073548
Explore the world and don't underestimate the power of Intel. They're not only character bios that shed light on their motivations, there are also special pieces of Intel you can acquire that allows you to influence characters in sometimes really major ways. Like >>344073732, and in this particular example there isn't only one way you can affect it, multiple pieces of Intel when used differently can alter it in two or three different ways
>>344073548
Steve Heck > The women.
>>344072506
The game was originally meant to be a lot more serious/realistic than it ended up being. That realistic tone went out the window when Mitsoda left Obsidian, so it's not surprising that the people who remain would prefer to embrace the wacky side since they're the ones who added it in the first place.
>>344073956
Not him, but is buying intel worth it?
I've sort of ignored the Intel part a lot when I've played it before.
>>344067350
Panoramic vision, my boy
>Get 100% intel on the marburg girl in Rome.
>Find out herdad is the tech analyst for Alpha Protocol.
>Shedies in the museum bombing.
>Fast forward to the ending.
>her dad asks me why he should bother to help me.
>Tell himThat he has a daughter, and who killed her.
>mfw he comes out shooting.
Game still surprises me.
>>344074110
I'm about 80% sure it is, but I actually can't remember for sure because it's been a while since I played and I don't recall if mission Intel can also contribute to the character Dossiers, sorry.
>>344072510
I said film critics you fucking idiot.
Not people leaving comments.
Do they work for fucking the new yorker?
Are you actually stupid?
>>344073548
>Level up Stealth and Pistols
Take Toughness + Assault rifles + Martial arts instead and play the game like Gears of War. The stealth in this game is terrible.
>>344074242
>find outParker was the one who set up Marburg
>he goes off andkills Parker
>>344074628
Does doing a no-kill run matter in this game outside stuff like the embassy where Mina will be mad at you?
That's been my big reason to go stealth in the past.
>>344074887
>don't manage to unlock eitherMarburg or Parker'sdossiers
>justconvince Marburg to fuck right off instead during interrogation because he knows I ain't going to let things go down quietly and Holand ain't worth the trouble
Re-installing because I never actually finished this. Are there any missions where you miss out on stuff or are told that you fucked up if you raise an alarm? Or can you just alert everyone and cqc your way through levels and not miss anything?
>>344075029
I don't think it actually does, except for the G22 sections. MAYBE.
Boss battles are, of course, the exception
>>344075350
Ah. I see. Well, maybe I will do a punch-out Rambo run then if killing generic grunts won't change much.
Think I've always played the game Stealth since like Deus Ex and Dishonored, that's kinda what I feel the game defaults to.
>>344075586
>>344075029
it's mentioned a few times but doesn't affect much except like you said in the embassy
>>344075586
Punching people is non-lethal
>>344070070
You mean the original Dude Sex?
>>344075776
Well. True, but shotgunning them in the face isn't.
>>344069256
Like titties and pussey!
>>344062883
One of my all time favorites. Haven't played KOTOR 2, but from everything else I've played, it's Obsidian's masterpiece.
>>344071152
>if you upgrade stealth to the max you can be invisible for a long period of time
and the problem is?
An innovative but very flawed game, exactly the sort of game that could become a 10/10 in a sequel where the flaws are ironed out
Sadly it was supposed to be a trilogy but that got canned when the publisher (Sega) pulled out due to lower sales than expected.
Truly tragic
>>344075319
It happens very often depending on who you're working with. Albatross in general really doesn't like any detections or kills on missions and generally he will praise any missions where you don't do that. SIE (I think her name was) generally is the opposite and doesn't like you using stealth or going non-lethal.
Otherwise most stealth missions do at the very least note if you go through the whole thing without being spotted, though the results are usually just an extra line of dialogue or flavour or on occasion an extra influence point for a character.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUydx57te9s
obligatory
>Kill saudia arabian guard.
>9 orphans created.
>Kill some random american guard
>1 orphan created.
>>344079648
Fair enough. I just didn't want to spec for cqc sprinting and then get told "Now Mike, on this next mission you cannot be spotted or you will ruin everything forever."
>>344080339
And if I remember correctly, you don't create any orphans when you kill G22. It's a really nice detail.
>>344062883
probably the best implementation of choices and consequences in any vidya ever.
you know how telltale shit warns you that "this history is tailored according to your choices"? well, they're lying, but alpha protocol is just like that. every playthrough can be entirely different, but the dialogue is top notch no matter what
also, lots of ways of doing shit, kinda like VTMB and Deus ex
that said, the shooting/stealth/action gameplay is absolutely disgusting, but it's worth to endure it for the other aspects.
>>344082019
>kinda like VTMB
This time the end game isn't fucked, right?
>>344081104
There are honestly one or two that will happen but it's not a big deal
It goes the other way too, many people infamously went stealth/martial arts only and then got absolutely fucked by a boss fight that straight up does not give a fuck thanks to the power of cocaine
>>344080152
>All right, Mike. But before you do...
>BAM
Absolutely savage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf3q_hVEnIA
This dialogue is hilarious
>>344084219
Don't know if it works on PC, but you can cancel the "being hit" animation by pressing the skill button. This makes the fight against the boss much easier because you can fight back while he punches you or escape if you didn't put any point in cqc.
Obligatory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8CcTYsMHYU
