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Alpha Protocol
Xbox 360, PS3, PC
MSRP: $59.99
ESRB Rating: M

All Alpha Protocol Content

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What kind of game is it?

Alpha Protocol is an action role-playing game in which you take on the role of Michael Thorton, a government agent investigating a terrorist attack on an airplane full of dignitaries. Not unlike the pattern that developer Obsidian followed in its sequel to Bioware's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, comparisons have been drawn between this game and Mass Effect.

Who's the Developer?

Obsidian Entertainment, based in Irvine, CA, is a role-playing game developer responsible for hits such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, Neverwinter Nights 2, and the upcoming Fallout: New Vegas. Prior to forming Obsidian in 2003, many of the team members worked at Black Isle Studios on the original Fallout series on PC.

What's the story?

You take on the role of super-spy Michael Thorton, who is investigating a terrorist strike on an airplane full of dignitaries. Depending on how you play Thorton, you'll open up different story angles and ways to play. Like Mass Effect, you can choose the way you want to sway allies and enemies based on your dialogue choices, and they affect the story at large. That also includes all of the Bond-like smooth moves on the ladies.

Multiplayer/Online?

None.

What'd we say?

Gus Mastrapa reviewed Alpha Protocol, giving it a 2/5:

"If you’re going to crib from another game’s playbook, you could do a lot worse than tapping Mass Effect as an influence. Alpha Protocol, the new action RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, tries valiantly to replicate Bioware’s formula for melding in-depth story-telling and gunplay with a firm role-playing foundation, but thanks to shoddy third-person action and a flimsy spy story, the game winds up shooting itself in the foot."

See it in action: