Alpha Protocol - Preview @ Play.tm

Dhruin

Dhruin

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This preview of Alpha Protocol from Play.tm at GamesCom expresses some doubts:
There's no arguing with these structural elements, and all were painstakingly highlighted during the (annoyingly non-playable) demo. But therein lies the problem. The majority of the presentation involved delving into the many layers of customisation available to the player whenever Thornton is between missions housed in one of several international safehouse locations. Surrounded by clean but strangely bland environments, the unexpected graphical sterility, atmospheric shortfall and lack of scale was carried over when Thornton left his Moscow safehouse to finally take on a mission.
Specifically, segue cut scenes looked disappointing by the standards of some genre heavyweights - and worryingly there was no exterior exploration or travel to view as Thornton prepared to unleash his heroics. Surely the final game won't simply transfer the player from safehouse to mission and back again... surely that was merely an unexplained demo condition designed to save time? Regardless, it was safehouse-to-segue-to-mission. Done. Exterior gameplay was necessary, and its no-show was a distinct disappointment. Furthermore, as an aesthetic aside, characters were visually lacking in, well... emotion and character, and dialogue animation was particularly undercooked.
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More information.
 
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This is how Deus Ex (a great game) worked, you would be in one city, experience a very brief "cutscene" of a helicopter taking off, and then suddenly you were in the next city. It might be cool to have some cinematic or whatever showing a transition to the next city but it's not even worth mentioning as a negative if there isn't that.
 
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NFLed said:
This is how Deus Ex (a great game) worked, you would be in one city, experience a very brief "cutscene" of a helicopter taking off, and then suddenly you were in the next city. It might be cool to have some cinematic or whatever showing a transition to the next city but it's not even worth mentioning as a negative if there isn't that.
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The difference being that the article talks about a lot of things that aren't looking good, where as Deus Ex could be excused, being brilliant beyond details like this.
 
Yeah, but that's easy to say in hindsight. Beyond bland art and not-cutting-edge-graphics, the criticism focuses on the travel and outdoor environments thing. Deus Ex had pretty ordinary graphics for its day, too...I guess we'll have to see on the gameplay.
 
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Dhruin said:
Yeah, but that's easy to say in hindsight. Beyond bland art and not-cutting-edge-graphics, the criticism focuses on the travel and outdoor environments thing. Deus Ex had pretty ordinary graphics for its day, too...I guess we'll have to see on the gameplay.
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Say what you will about Deus Ex, but I certainly don't recall it having "atmospheric shortfall" and "lack of scale" - but that's me.

In any case, this is just a single article and I will definitely wait until the game is released to make up my mind.

But it doesn't exactly sound good to me.
 
No, it didn't lack for atmosphere but the scale varied. The opening Statue of Liberty level felt huge when I first started playing but I recall thinking Chinatown was pretty unimpressive (in terms of scale).
 
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Dhruin said:
No, it didn't lack for atmosphere but the scale varied. The opening Statue of Liberty level felt huge when I first started playing but I recall thinking Chinatown was pretty unimpressive (in terms of scale).
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Interesting.

I thought the general consensus was that the level in question was perhaps the most impressive one in the game, and indeed one that is often brought as being truly amazing in terms of feel and scale.

I remember looking way up at a window that was an apartment you could visit and pretty much being in awe of the scale and accomplishment of the Unreal engine.

In fact, most reviews praised the game and its huge non-linear levels that were very open to how you approached them.

Since you acknowledge that the first level was huge, I find it odd that you don't see the disparity between what's said about AP in the article and what was true of Deus Ex. Sure, the levels differed in size - but do you really think a lot of people would have a problem with the scale in general?

Even to such an extent that articles of the time would bring it up as an issue?
 
Well Liberty Island had much more "open" feel to it, maybe that's what he meant. China Town was bigger, but most of it had a somewhat cramped feeling because the buildings were so close together.

Anyways, Alpha Protocol has slipped from a "must buy" to a "wait and see" game on my list.
 
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It's been a while since I played it - it's possible I'm not remembering accurately. Fair enough. This will still be a relatively small issue for me, so I'm not that bothered - assuming the things they have hyped stand up to some degree.
 
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The reviewer was upset he didn't have a 30 second animation of a plane taking off and landing over and over again? Cause after the 4000th system jump in Mass Effect I was begging to go straight to the loading screen.

If there even is a loading screen, I'd rather have it more akin to Far Cry 2 with a text briefing and picture of the level, or better yet a level map to study while the level loads.

I will say I'm also concerned about the boss fights. From the first video where Thorton puts 100 rounds into the unarmored merc chick, it really canceled out the reality. I know, not much different from Mass Effect but that at least had plausibility with the shields & armor.
 
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LuckyCarbon said:
If there even is a loading screen, I'd rather have it more akin to Far Cry 2 with a text briefing and picture of the level, or better yet a level map to study while the level loads.
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This is a great idea (the map/briefing) and would make what is otherwise a wasted time something worthwhile.
 
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