CGR Undertow - ALPHA PROTOCOL for PS3 Video Game Review
440Classic Game Room presents a CGR Undertow video game review of ALPHA PROTOCOL for PlayStation 3 PS3. Your name is Mike Thorton, and technically, you don't exist.
That's because what started as a covert mission for a shadowy government agency has deteriorated into something even more dangerous. Faster than a missile strike, you've gone from a government operative to a rogue agent without a country. Those who trained you are now hunting you, and your government has changed your status from "agent" to "target."
Yet even as the bullets graze your temple, your international quest to unveil the truth is relegated to simmer on the back burner while you pursue more important objectives.
A sultry redhead, a Russian cougar and a flirty blonde bombshell, to be precise.
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, there's an awful lot going on in Alpha Protocol, a multifaceted action-RPG with a branching narrative, a complex plot and plenty of sneaking around in the shadows. What stands out the most for me, however, are the women of Alpha Protocol, a foursome—no pun intended—of lovely ladies with a fondness for smooth-talking agents such as yourself. In fact, if you play your cards right, you can "romance" all four.
Promiscuity isn't encouraged in many video games, and while we certainly don't condone sexually indiscriminate behavior, it's a welcome change of pace. Sadly, it's also my favorite part of Alpha Protocol, which says more about the game than my licentious character.
Come on, why save a princess when you can hook up with four, right?
Of course, there's much more to Alpha Protocol than simply courting pretty girls. Obsidian built the game around an elaborate system of interactive dialogue similar to games such as Mass Effect and Heavy Rain—you control Thorton's responses and decide whether to speak professionally, jokingly or aggressively in each situation. Speaking of the ladies, for example, your relationships with each of them depend entirely on your choice of words, and the same applies to every interaction you make in the game. Making friends can pay off later on, but perhaps you'd rather let your gun do the talking—the choice is yours in Alpha Protocol.