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The Skinny: Mixing a deep spy thriller with an action-role-playing game could be the next big thing that brings the RPG-afraid into the genre. With
Alpha Protocol, Obsidian Entertainment (the force behind
Knights of the Old Republic II and
Neverwinter Nights 2) brings its RPG credentials into an espionage-themed conspiracy where every move has serious consequences.
1. Technically, you play as CIA agent Michael Thorton, but his persona, style and decisions are all up to you.
Become the spy that suits you. Which of the three J.B.'s do you want to be -- James Bond, Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne? Damn, we wanted to be John Belushi.
2. Pick your words wisely. Instead of clicking on paragraphs of dialogue, you'll choose from a number of emotive stances. Will you be professional, suave or aggressive? The "reactive story" adjusts to your instinctive decisions. Can you talk yourself out of a tense situation? Should you pull your gun on someone that you don't trust? You have a limited time to decide, which adds considerably to the pressure of each situation.
3. How you end up carrying yourself will affect the world of
Alpha Protocol.
Actions will have consequences, in both the short- and the long-term. Kill an arms dealer, for example, and you won't be able to extort crucial information out of him a few missions later.
4. Combat is in real time.
There aren't any dice rolls here, and although
Alpha Protocol is indeed an RPG, the action stats you've invested in will work themselves out in the background while you're shooting, punching, kicking, and outwitting your opponents.
5.
Dress to Kill. Just as actual spies might alter their appearance to blend into a situation, so will Thorton. You can't fix your face with magical morphing sliders, but you can change your facial hair, don a pair of glasses, and tweak your hairstyle. Heading to a ritzy cocktail party? You're not going to look too sophisticated in full-on combat armor. But for combat situations, you might want to throw on the tech armor for protection
and enough inventory room for your toys.
The Big Question: Could this new twist on RPGs suck more mainstream gamers into the genre? Most gamers wouldn't realize that many games secretly hide RPGs in their bellies (Grand Theft Auto, Madden) -- in fact, the first mention of the term "RPG" is enough to drive them away. But the mash-up of a spy thriller, an action game and an RPG is an exciting prospect, and one that could appeal to the masses. Even so, we'll have to see how well everything works under the hood before calling this one a winner.
This preview is based on a publisher-driven demo of the game at Leipzig Games Convention.