Alpaca Protocol

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sat May 29, 2010 11:10 am

Hay guys I heard that this game's supposed to be pretty woo/unwoo C/D ?

Cheers Thorgrimm

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Sat May 29, 2010 1:13 pm

i yanked the demo off this months pc gamer free cd let me tell you that game is pretty bosch alright, the part where you fight the siamese teseracts almost brought me out in a young sweat.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sun May 30, 2010 1:08 am

Mmm, I just unlocked the autistic circle hub (barely got through the Amsterdam section, was terrible) and my only objectives are ;

find artistic circle candy
get wholemEal phosporus bread

. . . what the Christ ? I just punted a terrist off a bridge. And now this ? Is a bug ?

Sending insultingly smug e-mails to randoms is pretty bueno, though.

And the HACKING. FUCK

I BELIEVED IN YOU OBSIDIAN AND WHAT HAVE YOU MADE

FUCKING SPLINTER EFFECT

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Sun May 30, 2010 1:59 am

This game is amazing my friend *coughed* out the binary this morning and we transported it amongst the subnet. The part where the controller scans your face with ultraviolet radiation and then make a youtube video of your first dream was the creme de la cream cake of the next generation game computer hack duel I think. Move out of the way COD, AP is here to kick ASS.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Sun May 30, 2010 2:51 am

Is the game actually worth giving a shot?

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sun May 30, 2010 5:06 am

It's <strike>rough around the edges</strike> an Obsidian game, yes. Mainly the A.I. Then again, I was able to overlook it with Deus Ex, I've managed to do so with Alpha Protocol.

I'm not fond of the dialogue system, the opaque comment summary <strike>borrowed from</strike> inspired by Mass Effect and, most egregiously, the timer (fortunately the only quirk they seem to have lifted wholesale from Fahrenheit). Found it irritating. Aside from that, the conversation content is well written and reasonably compelling. Even humourous, at times. The overall plot is, unsurprisingly (given their repeated goal to channel the trinity of Bond/Bauer/Bourne), a mixture of 24/Bond films. This may, or may not be disappointing.

The voice acting has, for the most part, been good. Perhaps just shy of the standard of VTM : Bloodlines. The characters themselves are . . . larger than life.

The e-mail feature is something Mass Effect 2 sorely needed. Entertaining.

The hacking and alarm bypass 'minigames' are reprehensible. They always are.

It's been receiving much flak regarding graphics. They're fine, by my reckoning. Animations are a bit off, though. Nothing catastrophic.

Gameplay is very much a mÃ©lange of Splinter Cell and Mass Effect. Not much in the way of non-linearity, more a set path with occasional choices between combat/'stealth'/gadgetry/talkative options.

Cutscene idiocy has pissed me off, though. Yes, Thorton, jump out and announce yourself to the target after (as close to) ghosting the scenario. Cue (sometimes) teleporting goonsquad and arbitrary alarms. Delightful. Removal of player agency has always irritated me, though.

The skills system ensured a battery of cretins crying foul over their combat monkeys being almost incapable of sneakery. The reverse is true - player skill plays only a rudimentary part in putting bullets through face analogues. Stealth is particularly extreme, ranging from being spotted at distances up to 300 metres, to being effectively invisible as you wring mook necks as their comrades gape ineffectually just in front of you. A.I again, assuredly.

I've completed one play through (with the recruit background), and it seems to boast an unusually high level of replayability. Next run will be veteran.

Over all, I have enjoyed it. Others may not. Ehue.

Post by **Retlaw83** » Sun May 30, 2010 5:48 am

Your review was thought-provoking and informative. Sounds like a game I'll go out and buy instead of pirate and forget.

SenisterDenister · Post by **SenisterDenister** » Sun May 30, 2010 5:49 am

I'll buy it next year when its a bit cheaper, I've already met my hobby fund quota this year through 40k miniatures.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Sun May 30, 2010 10:23 am

Oh fuck I forgot to mention that mission in Moscow. Bloody thing's like something out of Call of Duty. In defense of the game, I have yet to confirm that the scenario I reference is in any way mandatory. Though it probably is. SADIM TOUCH. Also, Time Cube.

MadBill · Post by **MadBill** » Sun May 30, 2010 4:57 pm

edhead · Post by **edhead** » Sun May 30, 2010 6:36 pm

Blargh wrote:Oh fuck I forgot to mention that mission in Moscow. Bloody thing's like something out of Call of Duty. In defense of the game, I have yet to confirm that the scenario I reference is in any way mandatory. Though it probably is. SADIM TOUCH. Also, Time Cube.

If you mean the tank scene, then no, it's not mandatory. It's different if you're allied with Albatross.

EDIT: the whole train yard mission is also optional. I beat the game and didn't have it.

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Sun May 30, 2010 6:52 pm

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Mon May 31, 2010 1:49 am

I'm surprised to have found a legit Blargh review in this thread. Kashluk, did you like the game?

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Mon May 31, 2010 4:51 am

Qedsead wrote:Albatross

GOOD TO KNOW.

Maximum-arsehole is very much a rewarding path to stomp in this game. To meet him is to hate him (and eventually, narrative structure permitting, to die).

Never thought I'd ever be able to find anything but a quiet disdain for this sort of music. Brayko was highly amusing. Even those shitty daggers.

Loses to Heck, though. I'll have to try Taipei first at some point.

Apparently Leland has (non-bullet-induced) macular degeneration. IS IT AN ELEPHANT ? Oho.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:37 am

Sorry for the confusion, seems I've been playing the flash version.

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Mon May 31, 2010 3:03 pm

I haven't played the game (yet), but it sounds interesting. We'll see...

Mad Max RW · Post by **Mad Max RW** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:38 am

Alf Protocol.