RATING: 8.0
Programmers, including those in the gaming industry, commonly called the "alpha" unfinished version of the program or game. Therefore, an ambitious role-playing game "speaking" title Alpha Protocol reflexively suggests "rather than crude slipped to us whether the project?". To this question I would like to give a monosyllabic answer, but, unfortunately, the simple answer - it's not about Alpha Protocol.
The man with the golden gun Every connoisseur of cinema and literature knows that the good detective must "hook" a potential audience from the very first frames or pages. Apparently, this same reasoning guided the writers Obsidian Entertainment, which in Alpha Protocol immediately showed us to finals. After such a scenario "hit below the belt" even the most incurious player wants to know where do you all then began: why some terrorists blew up a passenger plane, who is this man in a suit with the brand, and what's the Moscow indicated on the cover, finally ?
And the answers will not be long - Alpha Protocol likes to flirt with the audience. Flashback - and the special agent Michael Thorton, whom we play, wakes up in a laboratory. Who we are, where we are, why our phone, similar to the PSP, calling some cute Asian? Answers will then, as long as necessary to get out of the trap and get to the truth.
After such a catchy prologue game will not want to turn off - it was too fun everything turns around. In order not to spoil your impressions of spoilers, except to say that the plot is full of unexpected twists, colorful characters and in his dive. All significant spy movie cliches somehow lit up in the "Alpha", but to rank this feature of the game to the shortcomings of language is not rotated for two simple reasons. First, skillful citation - it is good. And secondly, the progress of the plot "tunes" the player himself. Hero under his control make decisions, ironically, even dispenses fate of the world through their actions. And this, I confess, bribes are not worse than super-powers or the huge arsenal (which, incidentally, there also exists).
 | |  | Even the minor characters of the game, but very very ordinary opponents, have a unique appearance. | | But the model of traditional enemies have been disappointing. |
Interactive system is ingenious in its simplicity. Borrowing ideas from Fahrenheit (adventure, 2005) and Mass Effect, the authors were able to create the most cinematic and realistic method of communication with the NPS in modern RPGs. Health judging that the source will not wait for an answer to your thesis hours, the authors have inserted into the dialogue a time limit. A player to cmog keep at it, the answers concise and understandable even to a child: "a joke", the "threat", "mercy", etc. As a result, even on such familiar RPG stuff like communicate with the NPC, you get a completely new experience.And even multiply it all on a great job dubbing actors and sometimes brilliant reprise.
Rejecting the larger world by which you can roam freely, although the authors made the game looks like a shooter with a third party (with the division on a mission, and summing up in the finals each of them), but got rid of some of the conventions of the genre. Thus, none of the conversations can not be beat. Word - not a sparrow, blurted out that something is not right - your problems. No indulgence, as in life.
Consequences of decisions - is generally a theme, runs through the whole game. Virtually every slightest meaningful choices affect what is happening and to rectify the mistake (a mistake right?) Will not be possible due to what "Alpha" boasts outstanding for the genre of replayability. Set of endings, and replicas of dialogue depends virtually all - even the sequence of passing assignments. Who eventually turns out to be a traitor and what would be the bosses - all of this on the conscience of the player. In this regard, Alpha Protocol, even a bit like Fallout (especially its second part), and this, as you know, a very good likeness.
Another similarity with the known post-nuclear RPG - diversity. This feature of Alpha Protocol is manifested in everything - from the locations (which came really do not like each other) to the gameplay, which successfully combines stealth and action elements.
 | |  | Correspondence with the allies not only useful but fun feature of the game. | | Role-playing system is easy to learn and really affect gameplay. |
Saudi Arabia, Rome, Moscow, Taiwan - a list of places it does not seem like much, but, and here's the catch: the missions in these places will suffice for the first Mass Effect. And while no "three quests in four identical rooms - everything is extremely diverse. Here and parks, warehouses and even underground - quite a decent set for any quality game.
With the job themselves a little harder, but the concept is impressive: everyone, without exception, the level can be passed as a "Rambo-style" (vykashivaya entire manpower at the root), and on the precepts of Sam Fisher and Solid Snake (quietly creeping and "removing" the enemies one by one ). Role-playing system with very flexible: you can improve both the skill with weapons and commando skills (similar invisibility of Deus Ex). If desired, they can be combined - of course if you have enough points to "Ride" (and they are always in short supply). And that gamers were more interesting, Alpha Protocol, in the best traditions of MGS, is full of bosses. For lovers of puzzles with the developers a special gift - a diverse set of mini games that require attention and perseverance.
Lovers of tactics too found refuge - the Internet. In their safe houses (one for each country) the hero can go online - to communicate with allies and to purchase equipment. In stores have it all: suits with different properties, weapons, gadgets, improvements on all of the above and even the intelligence. Last simplify mission progression or add information to someone else's record - the curiosity in the game is awarded points experience and perks.
 | Localization |
For the players, badly understand English, the localization - the only opportunity to play in role-playing games.Knowing this, the company "1C" released localization Alpha Protocol sync with the worldwide release, retaining excellent original voice acting, and Russified text subtitles. But this pig of Russian players have already planted Obsidian: subtitles (both Russian and English) are flying across the screen with superhuman speed, and read them in some scenes is absolutely impossible. Translators, unfortunately, is also sometimes too hard hit in the initiative. Say, the phrase «He misspelled my name, Torton» in the Russian version reads, "He wrote my name wrong, Thorton, freaks." There are spelling errors, and simply wrong translated replicas, and the abnormal transcription of names (the so-Ming Tang somehow turned into a "Main", though everything in the game clearly says "Mine").
 | |  | Russian gangsters in tracksuits - the authenticity of the game definitely happy. | | What's that, as art decor in the game at the highest level. |
 | |  | The apartments can be customized appearance - the beard to attach, color slightly changed ... Not much will. | | For someone on the other side of the ocean it will be a revelation, but in Russia, too, love disco. |
Not shmogla ... All these praises as a bad fit together with an estimate of 8 points - is not it? If so rasprekrasno, then why not 10 or even 9? Alas, in reality, not all so rosy as it may seem.
Let's start with balance. "Quiet" the passage many times more difficult to combat, so this choice either for hard-nosed "stelsovikov, or for masochists. The failure of any (LYUBOY!) mini-game show is fraught with anxiety. If at first it seems that pick locks on doors - a trifling matter, it is closer to the final, it appears that, on the contrary, almost the hardest thing in the entire game. Sometimes the reason is pereuslozhnennosti puzzles. But more often chudachit mouse control in the simulator hacker. " And this is compounded by ruthless designers: checkpoints sometimes arranged so that the path the player will meet at least five safe deposit boxes or computers. To trim wise men, who thought of the banal bektrekinga (passed to save - came back to treasure), a character often has to jump from heights without the possibility to get there again. Missing data file - all good-bye.
Although anxiety - is not so scary. The enemies here can and during the terrible wailing sirens peacefully continue to patrol the neighborhood. And could, conversely, raise the alarm, "noting" the figure of Michael through the wall. However, if we take the ability to "stealth", then this problem can be solved radically: Thorton, when he was discovering, quite literally dissolves in the air a la alien from the movie "Predator." To this can be used, but the first such blunders are very saddened. Okay, this was due to the influence of some particularly tricky gadget, but no - special-abilities, which initially also included spontaneously. And Thorton sees enemies through obstacles.Here are today went intelligence agents!
 | |  | Online stores, Amazon and Ebay nervously smoking in aside. | | Mike, like Sam, can aim at any location on the body of opponents. |
Arsenal hero and a set of gadgets large and very useful. There are several types of grenades, portable radio (to disable the alarm, pretending to patrol), first aid kits and a pile of logs - from a pistol with tranquilizers before the machine gun and smashing sniper rifle. By the way, using a gun you can shoot blindly aiming (it's not a typo): hiding behind cover, calmly take aim at the enemy's head and do headshots without any threat to his life. This is not a special skill, but just a small upgrade skills. Thorton, incidentally, is dangerous and without weapons. He is trained to lean against the wall and shoot blindly, and even the legs to swing (among other things, the surest way to remove from the path of anyone, and non-fatal).
A couple of words about the opponent. In "peace time" they behave, to put it mildly weird, but "at War" show class: smoke grenades from the shelter, hiding, cause reinforcements, bypass the flanks ... and where all of this daring and soobrazhalovka "virgin patrol?. .
Unlike his subordinates, bosses are difficult, tough, but monotonous and dull. Almost any battle takes place on a straightforward way: the leader shoots, receives damage, calls his "minions", rushes to close quarters, escapes, shoots - and so on around the circle. As an alternative: "the boss is sitting in the woods, and occasionally pops out, and his henchmen appear out of thin air." Say that it is tiring - not to say anything. But only with the bosses you can arrange a fight in the best tradition of militant Jet Li. On the other hand, observe how the young and well-trained Tortona mercilessly beat up (in the literal sense of the word) an old man who once in his two older, is just ridiculous. At such moments there is no great magic button "Block", which is inconceivable without a close fight in any video game.
Even the plot, the strongest part of Alpha Protocol, and he was not without embarrassing blunders. For an intriguing introduction followed by dull and monotonous episodes in Saudi Arabia, and the final is candid tension, which greatly hurt the eyes. Plus, the Russian language is just ridiculous. Moscow Gopnik in red sweat pants (no kidding) talk solely in English, and on walls you can see some strange gibberish like "nafarldpfzhvl ffpdluzhdlf.But in last year's roller to the grammar, everything was in perfect order ...
 | |  | In the narrow corridors and small rooms of enemies portray famous namesake of the protagonist - go backwards. | | Hacking computers - the main obstacle to any spy on the path to victory. |
 | |  | The entire game, or rather the Moscow part of it, not feeling that developers love and appreciate the classics of Soviet cinema. | | From each apartment overlooks the town, sorry, that houses made of cardboard. |
Ultimatum Tortona And yet Alpha Protocol in its own way beautiful. And people for whom the graphics and animation in games is the second term, it will be appreciated. After all, everyone in my soul wants to be in the guise of James Bond or Jack Bauer, seducing beautiful women and saving the world from the maniacs. After total dominance in the genre of RPG fantasy and sci-fi to see the real, full-fledged role-playing game where the action takes place in modern cities - it's just a miracle.
Choosing the right theme and developed it a suitable manner, Obsidian on-mountain has issued its first "author" project, the first non-sequel. It was very bad, but, unfortunately, was not without annoying shortcomings - both gameplay and technology. They are, however, easily corrected if the developers continue the story of Michael Tortona. Who knows, maybe the same "dream game" Alpha Protocol will be number 2?
| You only live once |
It is this simple rule is guided by Michael Thorton. Differently and can not explain his love for women and beautiful apartments in various parts of the world. If the first is clear, something about a second to tell us more.
Instead of making a full open world with standing in one place for NPC, Obsidian made a knight's move - and allowed players to roam freely only in safe houses. To those not offended, the rooms have a truly memorable. For example, a Moscow penthouse is under no circumstances be confused with a refuge in Rome.
Apart from the purely aesthetic value, houses are useful because they can also "nose powder" our agent. Looks like Mike carries with him a case with different masks and contact lenses.In your view perfect Superagent must wear a beard a la Anatoly Wasserman? Consider it your lucky day!
 | |  | Cranberries in all its pristine glory, by the way, appreciate the machine in the hands of Mike - a gift from Arabia. | | Skipping commercials like fast forward and rewind video tape - here it is cinematic in everything. |
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