Though madhatter seems less enthused about the game than I've been, I'm going to have to agree with most of his very solid points.
Don't get me wrong, mate, I was quite caught up by the advent of a unique IP, but it's failure to deliver on the overwhelmingly vast majority of my expectations has left me somewhat bitter.
I hope it's good, I just bought it.
That, right there, is a sound assessment: it's "good." Nothing more.
Right, but hitting someone in the head with a massive 2H sword to little effect is perfectly allright. It's an RPG, it's supposed to be stat based. Even in games like Gothic where player skill determines hitting, the stats will determine whether or not you do significant damage.
It is not that the damage calculations are skill/stat based, but their implementation that matters. Which is to say, you're missing the point. Of course, given what you chose to write, I suspect it is a deliberate, and rather belligerent, response to someone who dared speak out against something you enjoy.
Huh? It IS an RPG with shooter elements. It has never tried to be anything else. ME2 is a shooter with RPG elements. Very different.
Again, missing the point. In fact, you missed by such a wide margin that you came right around and hit on mine.
To whit: the OP notes that poor reviews are flooding in because AP has "poor shooting mechanics" to which I remarked that it works more like an "RPG with shooter elements." Then you come around and effectively repeat me. See the problem?
To RPG fans, AP should be significantly closer to their hearts than ME2.
And who said it isn't? We're discussing the critical reception of AP, not that of the RPG enthusiast/hardcore crowd.
Well, this is a matter of taste, obviously. However, it's definetly more consistent and with less holes than ME2. Don't even get me started on all the stuff that makes no sense in ME2.
By and large it is, yet there does exist a very solid foundation on which to judge the "quality" of writing. AP is hardly The Grapes of Wrath, mate.
…oh, and don't concern yourself with the plot holes in either AP or ME2 (or ME) herein, I'm pretty sure we're on the same page: they're veritable Swiss cheese storylines.
I experienced no such issues, and I replayed it three times. Either I'm very lucky or simply exceptionally skilled at maintaining a reliable computer (I'm willing to lean towards the latter if you want, hehe), or you're unlucky.
Well, apart from the veiled and somewhat derogatory remark concerning my ability to maintain a computer (which, I assure you, I am quite competent at), I'm going to let this one pass. It's like discussing a fever, auto-accident or any other "traumatic" event with someone that has never endured it: pointless.
Just out of curiosity. Could you perhaps tell me couple of RPGs you found very good in last years?
Certainly. The most recent RPG I've found to be "very good," though not without fault, was Risen.
I must say that I disagree with you on every single point.
Let's assess that remark alone, shall we? Given that as our operating principle, that you disagree with me on every point, you contend that…
* Alpha Protocol's stealth system is "on par" with that of the Splinter Cell and Thief series
* There is nothing wrong with a "global awareness" system existing within a stealth game
* Alpha Protocol boasts superior shooting mechanics to that of Mass Effect 2
* The dialogue of Alpha Protocol is consistently of high-quality
* Alpha Protocol exists in a bug-free state
* Alpha Protocol has animations that are superior to Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction
* Alpha Protocol has textures, models, lighting/particle effects and other graphical attributes that are superior to, or on par with, those of other modern AAA-games
* No one will experience a "dull moment" when playing Alpha Protocol
…look, mate, sometimes candor is called for, so you'll have to pardon the lack of a "no offense" in this sentence: frankly, you're deluded.
Strange how two persons opinions could be so different.
Hardly. Opinions are like the people who spawn them, each is unique.
Of course, as noted in my prior remark, most of what I wrote was not opinion at all.
And the whole choise and consequence stuff alone is a worthy reason to buy this.
When it works, yes, it is.
I, for one, was hardly impressed. Most choices seemed superficial, at best. All tended to lead to the exact same outcome. None, that I saw, had any pivotal bearing on the overarching plot.
Worse, yet, I was constantly reminded of this, having deliberately gone out of my way to earn the animosity of Mina. Even at hatred level, though, it was still business as usual: "Welcome to your new safehouse! Here's some cool stuff to play with! How are you, Michael? Read my e-mail!"
The whole "perk" she contributed to increase my skill cooldown was also a nuisance: what did I care if she hated me? Why would that affect my ability to shoot someone?
Oh, no, I can't kill you, Mina hates me!
Same goes for the lady Marburg held captive: having deliberately antagonized her, earning "Animosity" status, I was then taunted with "save her…or a lot of innocent people!" Dum-dum-dum!
…really? What kind of choice is that?
Obsidian once again takes us to a new territory of roleplaying.
And where is that, exactly?
Seriously, what "new territory" did they broach?
Quasi-cinematic scenes? Already done (better).
C&C? Already done (better).
Safehouses and weapon upgrades? Already done (better).
Stat/skill-based damage? Already done (better).
…running out of things to list. Care to lend a hand?
Most of all the whole spy theme feels so fresh after all these medevil rpgs.
For once, I have no argument. A spy-themed game would be superb! You know, something like No One Lives Forever…wait,
that was spy-themed. Alpha Protocol is more of a modern-RPG, period. Why? Because nothing is particularly "spy-ish" (if you accept that as a word).
To test the theory: change the Alpha Protocol organization to, say, a military outfit: Delta Force, Green Berets, what-have-you. Or perhaps a terrorist group (certain things I did certainly made me feel like one, such as killing a bunch of unaware men at a historic site, then leaving their bodies behind as I blew the entire area up). Or the classic "rogue cop" scenario. Everything would be much the same.