11 Ways Alpha Protocol is Better Than Mass Effect 2

Fidgit’s Tom Chick has put together a list of eleven reasons why Obsidian’s Alpha Protocol is a better game than BioWare’s Mass Effect 2. I’ve only just scratched the surface in AP, but I already agree with him on a couple of points:

11) As a role-playing game
Alpha Protocol is often awkward and sometimes ridiculous. But it’s internally consistent because it is first and foremost an RPG. Sure, it’s silly when spies can hide in plain sight like cloaked predators. But stealth is an important “leg” of the game, along with gadgets, hacking, and gunplay. The idea is that you choose among them for the kind of spy you want to be. From there, everything is based on advancing how and how well you do these things. This evolves based on your skills and gear, which are the hallmarks of any good RPG. Contrast this to how Mass Effect 2 distills everything down to crossing space dungeons by playing a streamlined shooter with skills aplenty and gear that doesn’t matter so much.

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2) Gear
The weapons, armor, and gadgets are fantastic in Alpha Protocol, and they all tie neatly into the economy. The game constantly forces tough choices for how you spend your money. Do you buy gear, information, or special bonuses for upcoming missions? There will never be a time you don’t want more money to buy stuff. Important stuff. Stuff you really really need. Stuff that gives you an incentive to search for money, blackmail other characters, and get better at the minigames even if you don’t like them. In Mass Effect 2, I wasn’t even sure why I was buying what I was buying when I was buying it.

Thanks, RPGCodex.