Alpha Protocol Review (5/10)

Released in April, Alpha Protocol for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 promised innovative combat and deep RPG elements, but instead falls flat on its face as it tries to please every type of gamer, mixing accessible menus with complex puzzles awkwardly from the outset such that it will struggle to feel like anything other than a wasted opportunity to most. The plot is nothing to get excited about, dealing with the twisting missions of a secret agent that can end in different ways depending on the player's decisions, but not in a way substantial enough to make a real impact. The graphics are a major drawback, screaming of a lacking budget by SEGA (clearly unconfident in the game's success, and with good reason) through jagged edges and horrid textures, meanwhile the game-play is no better as the shooting mechanics aren't precise and close combat feels like a rushed inclusion. Overall, Alpha Protocol is a major let-down for video gaming in 2010, and certainly doesn't warrant a sequel like Mass Effect did (hence why it got TWO!).