Sega and Obsidian's spy RPG Alpha Protocol has just appeared on GOG, five years after licensing issues related to the music led to the game being removed from all digital storefronts.
GOG announced the news in a tweet earlier today, revealing that this new version will be compatible with modern machines and will feature a licensed soundtrack, full controller support, cloud saves, and localized text for 8 different languages (this includes English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Czech, Polish and Russian).
Alpha Protocol was originally released in 2010 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Microsoft Windows and was quite a divisive title at launch. At the time, many critics praised the game for its incredible degree of freedom and choice while criticizing the somewhat "clunky gunplay" and what they called "artistically uninspired" graphics.
Nevertheless, it's gone on to inspire a cult following — many of whom will be glad that it is now available again to buy.
The game, in case you're unfamiliar with it, is a third-person action RPG and sees the player take control of a rogue agent named Michael Thornton as he travels around the world unravelling a conspiracy involving the Halbech Corporation — a defense contractor suspected of supplying arms to terrorist cells.
As mentioned, the game features a high level of customizability, letting players upgrade their skills and weapons as well as approach situations in various ways. It also contains a fairly memorable dialogue system that allows players to select from different dialogue options, with the choices they pick having the potential to alter the story and how NPCs react to them based on their responses.
If you've been waiting to give it a try, you can pick Alpha Protocol up now on GOG for just £14.39.
[source gog.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 12
Not a bad game - the clunkiness was charming.
Posting for one reason only: when it came out, someone on a forum very excitedly asked, "could this be the first spy RPG?"
I hadn't heard of it at the time, so could not reply, but years later I discovered "Industrial Spy Operation Espionage" on Dreamcast, which predates it.
So for this random forumite from over a decade ago, there was one earlier example you may enjoy. Or not. I hated Industrial Spy. Alpha Protocol is definitely the better "spy RPG". Did anything predate IS though? (Possibly 007 on GB?)
@Sketcz You have me scratching my head on this one but the only other games that I think would come close to counting is the Deus Ex games. Not sure the the James Bond game on the Gb would count as it is more of a liner Zelda style game with little RPG elements.
I could be wrong though but even a google search doesn't really bring up any answers.
@Zenszulu Exactly. As a concept, it feels like a "spy RPG" is a no brainer. And yet... When you sit down and try to think of some...
There's a few point-and-click adventure games, but like the Bond GB game, they're not a proper fit. (Even ISOE on DC isn't an exact fit, since it's mechanically very strange.)
@Sketcz I would like to think there is some obscure C64 or Amiga RPG that involves being a spy as between those two systems or other 8 and 16-bit micros most things seem to have been tried at least once.
Headhunter on dreamcast felt a bit spy ish. Think you are right their are very few Operation Stealth on the amiga was spy based but that was more a point and click.
@Sketcz I don't think spy rpg is a no brainer, almost nothing fun about being a spy fits into an rpg (unless it's a tactics or adventure game). Spies don't level up, you don't want combat that goes slowly, in fact you usually try to avoid combat altogether, so it would need to be something like when you sneak past a goomba in Mario RPG, mixed with mgs. But it's fun to think about, and I'd never even heard of this game, and I like when people do something different.
@Poodlestargenerica I was thinking in the way spies have a large assortment of gadgets and items, and also physical skills / knowledge they acquire. These could lend themselves to RPGs - in a way, the 2D Metal Gear games fit this. MG, SR, MG2, and MG:GB are all sort of like action-RPGs with a spy theme.
@Sketcz I would disagree that they are rpgs in any sense. If we are going to refer to MGS games as rpgs then any use of genre names will break completely down. I do understand what you mean though.
MyAbandonware listed no RPGs with a spy/espionage theme. Nuts.
@Sketcz bit loose but does the blade runner point and click count? Felt spy ISH I would say. But spy RPGs as a concept? Great idea to me!
@Blofse lol, I'm not the gatekeeper to this genre descriptor - if one can argue its inclusion in a list, then in the list it stands unless argued otherwise.
For me personally I'd say no, because there's quite a few spy themed point and clicks. Secret Mission for example, that's also a point and click. There were others in HG101's adventure book.
Like, in my mind, I'm envisioning either an action or turn-based RPG. Side quests could be presented as sub-missions. Towns could be various HQ around the world. Gaining EXP could allow you to improve your lock pick skill, or your kung fu for stealth take downs. So as someone pointed out earlier - Deus Ex actually fits nicely. You're a government agent and it's an FPS/RPG.
Which all points back to the mysterious forum poster - I can't even remember where it was, but his excitement that Alpha Protocol might be the first "spy RPG" made me ponder the concept.
I enjoyed playing through AP.
So i am over three hours in and the game is much fun, it feels like an typical agency series, what is a good thing.
From what i have read it was rated in europe between 70-80% and around 60 in the us, the european ratings are closer to what i am experiencing.
Edit: I am playing the sneaky way, i think i'll do a second playthrough as an aggressive A-Hole
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