Alpha Protocol E3 Previews from Gamecyte & GCHD

Some more impressions of Obsidian Entertainment’s Alpha Protocol have arisen from E3.

Gamecyte

E3 2008: Alpha Protocol

Thu, Jul 24, 2008

I feel like I might not have gotten the proper experience out of my Alpha Protocol demonstration last week, since I didn’t employ any stealth or guile when gaining access to Sega’s E3 booth. There I was, coming in to see an espionage RPG, and I walked right in the front door with legitimate credentials. What a wasted opportunity to spark an international incident and get burned! I learned from the demo, however, that not every spy game is about lies, hiding in the shadows, and/or choking people. When you play Alpha Protocol, you too will have plenty of chances to choose between a safe, boring entry and a sneaky, underhanded one. Our preview has more details, after the jump.

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, Alpha Protocol takes the company’s RPG skills into a more modern setting, placing you in the stylish-but-quiet shoes of Michael Thorton, a pretty-boy government operative who is trained to “eliminate threats to national security.” Thorton, we were told, was designed to let players act as an amalgam of espionage’s three big “JBs:” James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Jack Bauer (I had honestly never noticed that before). However, though Thorton may start off working for the good old USA, the main attraction in Alpha Protocol is its massively branching storyline; by the end of the 20-hour game, Thorton may be working for any one of several factions. Our hero will find himself entangled, naturally, in a multifaceted global conspiracy, and the game’s developers repeatedly promised a reactive game world, whose appearance and course will be constantly altered by the player’s choices — both through immediate consequences and far-reaching implications.

The first example we were given found Mr. Thorton trying to reach a critical contact who was holed up in the American embassy in a foreign nation. Of course, our contact happened to have a bullseye on his back for various reasons, so he was under heavy guard by US Marines. Our demonstrators explained that, in the full game, we would have several potential methods of entry, including sneaking in through the roof or a back entryway, or mowing down the marines with heavy artillery. Like me, however, our demonstrators chose the agreeable path, and walked right up to the front door.

From here, we got to take a look at the conversation system and how it might branch during gameplay. As we were stopped at the gate by a marine, eager for our identification, a timed menu appeared with a selection of choices. The conversation is directed by general “moods,” such as “intimidation,” “friendly,” “bribe,” or “draw gun,” instead of full lines of dialogue (as in Knights of the Old Republic) or summaries (as in Mass Effect). We opted for the friendly route, and Thorton innocently asked why the embassy was on alert, and whether a fellow American might lend a hand. The marine wasn’t having it, and when we failed to produce ID, he decided to make a call to the boss, and check whether we ought to be detained. At this point, while listening to the marine’s tense radio conversation, we continued to have timed options — this time, though, they allowed us to react to a potentially worsening situation, giving us choices like “draw gun,” “retreat,” or “wait.” We waited, like a polite spy ought to, and the situation was defused — the marine got confirmation from our contact that we were okay to let inside.

 

GCHD

Alpha Protocol First Look

Shaken, Not Stirred.

We sit down for an exclusive look into Obsidian Entertainment’s latest espionage-soaked thriller.

Ronnie Hobbs | 07.17.2008

Ryan Rucinski, Senior Producer at Obsidian Entertainment, definitely knows a thing or two about the role-playing genre. Having worked on Neverwinter Nights 2, Rucinski and his team know exactly what it will take to propel Alpha Protocol – Sega’s part-rpg, part-spy thriller – to the next level. “At any given moment we have around 140 people working at Obsidian, with up to 70 of those working on Alpha Protocol at various times” explains Rucinski. “We wanted to give the player a chance to play out scenarios exactly as they wish, and were committed 100 percent to making sure that happens.”

Thankfully, Rucinski was willing to prove to us exactly what he was talking about. And after a short, but very in-depth walkthrough, we came away very impressed.

The main focus for the E3 demonstration was no doubt the DSS (Dialogue Stance System), which seemed to be on display at nearly every turn. This dynamic branching system will be one of the main factors in determining the outcome of the game. While similar to Mass Effect’s dialogue system, Alpha helps separate itself by giving you a time limit for each conversation. This helps force the urgency during intense situations, and much like real-life, can cause you to regret your actions further down the road.

Players will also have the option of customizing their play style to fit one of three different categories. Stealth, Aggressive, and Suave are all viable personality selections, and will ultimately have an impact on what answers are selectable during conversations. And to further ensure that each player’s experience throughout the game is different, each kill, conversation, and action you perform will shape the world around you. For example, Stealth players will notice familiar enemies later in the story because they spared their lives in previous levels, while Aggressive players will see increased guards or security patrols because they chose to execute the same character earlier in the storyline. Each decision has its ups and downs, and it will be up to the individual player to determine what’s best for them.

We also got a chance to see some of the unique abilities during combat, which are customized and activated via Advancement Points (Points earned by performing numerous actions throughout the game). The “Chain Shot” allows time to be decreased significantly while the player unleashes a barrage of deadly accurate shots. While this sounds old in concept (Max Payne, Stranglehold, etc.), the execution of this ability within the surrounding world just seemed to mesh perfectly, and is only one of multiple skills you can choose from.

The last major feature we got a chance to see was a CIA Safehouse, one of many safe-havens scattered around the world. Here players can purchase weapons, save their progress, but more importantly, change outfits and disguises. Each mission will have unique locations and surroundings that you must take into consideration, so choosing your attire appropriately is a must if you are interested in going down the Stealth path.

From what we’ve seen, Alpha Protocol is starting to live up to the lofty expectations set by having such a famed developer behind the project. Stay tuned over the next few months as we reveal more information on Sega and Obsidian’s latest title.