THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROTOCOL.
In memory of gamer, the titles that we have proposed un'inizialmente amnesiac hero destined to save - if not the world, at least the country, they are really a lot. This Alpha Protocol, the latest addition to the house of Obsidian Entertainment is no exception, putting now in the role of Michael Thornton, a sort of secret agent is not too recently entered the super secret paramilitary group and technologically advanced hyper known as "Alpha Protocol" by hence the title of the game now under consideration, the incarnation for Personal Computer. Before going into the details, though, let's start, as usual tradition, from the beginning, which is always the best thing.
The title distributed by Halifax occurs in the usual DVD-style box, in which we will find a manual in Italian - basic but well made and, of course, the two digital versatile discs required for installation. The setup process - unduly long, it will lead to the first startup window, where we will have to connect to the Internet to validate On Line code, this is done, we can decide the various settings of the game, from graphics to sound, through the configuration command and a possible XBox 360 controller (which still have not chosen: in this case, we have relied on the proven combination mouse + keyboard). He then began our adventure, first in the underground laboratory of Alpha Protocol, where we wake up in the throes of a violent sore skull and ready to roll - a tranquilizer shots, a series of guards before realizing that we are facing a kind of difficult to test preliminary anti-terrorist missions we face around the globe. Sega programmers have tried to create a third-person action game that goes beyond a normal shooter, infarcendolo of many elements that, on paper, would give rise to a title rather deep in terms of gameplay and freedom of action. Mission accomplished? Only in part.
In fact, Alpha Protocol has many arrows in his quiver: beyond the mere look and feel (which makes her figure on a console, a bit 'less on a PC), in terms of storytelling and possibilities, we can not say that Lesini in options. To characterize our alter-ego has been inserted the possibility to modify partially the features (one of the photos around here should clarify the concept) and was also included a skill system typical of the GDR, which will enhance the peculiarities of character according to experience points earned during missions. The concept is quite simple: to conclude a mission, gain experience points and spend them to improve this or that aspect of the character. To give a practical example, there are nine "Ability Craft" (as they are called in the Manual, ndAleNet) that, if developed, will give the player a number of advantages. For example, progressively developing the ability "Stealth", the enemies we will see less and less, going so far as to develop a kind of mimesis so advanced that are the envy of the Jem'Hadar Star Trek. Or, developing the ability to "Machine Gun", we will increase as the damage inflicted with this type of weapon, reducing recoil and enhancing the gusts. Again, increasing the "Martial Arts", we will be able to engage the enemy with bare hands, profondendoci in finishing moves worthy of the best Jason Bourne ... In short, the concept is clear.
Since we have mentioned the weapons, it is important to mention that during the missions we face, we can bring with us two arms (later upgradeable) the relatively wide range of guns available to us by programmers: from pistols to sniper rifles , through gun (one in each hand) and shotguns. Intrinsic peculiarities of weapons is that they can be personalized with laser sights, chargers and other additional amenities you will find in our long journey, in addition, each weapon has a mode "critical hit": in essence, by pressing (by default) the Right mouse of our confidence, we will see the viewfinder progressively shrink, until it became red. If at that point we will hit our opponents to the skull, we will see them finish quickly to the green pastures! In this regard, it should be noted that from the point of view of the calculation of damages, the title has now examined not just convinced that too often we fired the shotgun an enemy in less than two paces from us, seeing healthy and happy, and obstinately intent on shooting, in the same way, it will happen that a pistol, shot the little finger reinforced a distant enemy two light-years from our location, it will produce devastating and fatal victim. Even the graphical representation of blows - or suffered, does not shine in a particular way: red patches flying for the monitor, but the effect is often too rough, lontanuccio by the current standard.
In the best tradition of role-playing games, you have implemented a system of multiple responses that closely resembles a very simplistic version of what we saw, for example, in Dragon Age. Based on the questions we receive, or to the information come to our attention during the long and frequent dialogues, we will have - in a short period of time, to choose our attitude towards our interlocutor, even several times in the same dialogue on behind our choices, we become aware of more or less information and determine - to some extent (not much), the unfolding of the events immediately following our dialogue. Nothing dramatic, of course, but we enjoyed the effort.
Speaking of dialogue, it is important to remember that Alpha Protocol has a complete and well-designed location of menus and subtitles in Italian, while the speech is still in English - and, overall, well acted. The sound FX are not a miracle, but overall everything there 'for "audible", including music, is more than acceptable.
A different graphics, a little 'fluctuating and daughter of a conversion that can surely make happy lovers of the console, and turn up their noses ... or in this case, the eye ... lovers of the PC. The Unreal Engine still does its dirty work - and runs well even on computers that are not those of the USS Voyager - but inevitably the aura of "old" - in the best sense of the term, is out of the monitor in a very striking, also squeezing the maximum video options (for details, we refer to the usual hardware box at the bottom of this article). Great are the facial expressions of the characters and outdoor locations, sometimes leaving a sense of satisfaction in the retina, but the character animations - as well as the camera, far from perfect - we were not fully convinced.
Even the abundant presence of mini-games has left us a bit 'confused: it is true that, at first, it's fun to unlock a padlock or reconfigure a circuit to stop playing a goddamn alarm, but in the twentieth time boredom peeps, this framework, joins the AI ??opponents, not really exciting: I do not see aggirarci or almost never try to take advantage of numerical superiority, as well as almost never see them react to our presence if we get behind, even making an infernal noise . It is as if they, in a given environment, he "expect" our arrival - for example, from the right and, if instead we got there from behind or from the left, cogliessimo them totally numb, so as to be able to pause behind them several seconds (and kill them quietly) before they realize that there 'someone behind them.
Beyond these flaws, the SEGA is still fun, and overall, even relatively fascinating: sure, it looks like a game released over a year ago - on the front graphic and despite a cauldron of good ideas, we thought it made a pinch of concern. Probably, if it cost less, would recommend it to everyone because we can not deny to be a lot of fun traveling around the world to avert this or that threat, while at present we would like to direct more purchase only to fans of games' action with a touch of RPG.
comment
Procol Alpha is another epitome of great missed opportunities. Regular full of good ideas poorly managed, the title is distributed by Halifax and is in any event a fun action game that will satisfy beginners but probably disappoint at least in part, the fans of the genre, but rather varied with the 'chronic inability to manage their own, high potential, AP remains in the limbo of "gioconi" missed and this, more than other times, we are sorry, because in this case you could really do with just a small jump for more consecrate him as a great game. However recommended to newcomers to the genre and lovers of this genre
View other game at http://funnygamemania.blogspot.com