Ugly, clunkly and not very fun
I finally got around to trying out "Alpha Protocol" and it was two hours into the game that I realized how spoiled I was with "Mass Effect 2." BioWare cleaned up a lot of nagging issues from the first game, such as texture pop-up, cleaning up the inventory and bumping up the visuals. Obsidian Entertainment is no stranger to using pre-existing BioWare tech, as they've developed the infamous sequel to "Knights of the Old Republic." The problem with "Alpha Protocol" is that it's running under the tech used for "Mass Effect 1" which means the issues that made that game a bit of a slog can be found here.
Combat is the game's biggest source of contention. Using the skill system from "Mass Effect," you'll be able to drop points into various abilities, such as weapons, stealth and other spy-friendly abilities. The biggest issue with this system is that initially, Michael Thorton feels like he's fresh out of the Academy. What bugged the hell out of me was the inability to properly fire a standard pistol. Even though I aimed for the target's head using the reticule, I saw my bullets whiz past the target and hit the wall behind him. Aiming for the torso, it took two gun clips to drop the guy. After putting enough points in my Pistol skill, I found that things got a little better, but it was still pretty horrible.
Visually, the game isn't very aesthetically pleasing. Every looks dated, the characters have a plasticy action figure look to them. The conversation system is interesting, which expanded on the concept of "Mass Effect's" dialog tree. I also like the concept of how the characters you interact with will either help you or harm you later on. Unfortunately, because the game play is so bad I didn't feel the need to stick around for it.
Let's hope Obsidian has better luck with "Fallout: New Vegas."
