Alpha Protocol E3 Previews

GameSpot and GameZone bring us the latest E3 previews of Obsidian Entertainment’s Alpha Protocol. Here’s a bit from GameSpot’s article:

Finally, Obsidian finished off by giving us a look at some of the ways your decisions in the game carry consequences that affect you throughout the rest of the story. This time, Thorton was sent to a level in the Middle East to find a weapons dealer named Nasri. When you get to him, you’re given the option to let him go, turn him in, or just kill him. If you let him go, you’ll lose your reputation with the agency that sent you on the mission, but you can buy weapons from him whenever you like. If you kill him, you’ll unlock a perk called “Any Last Words.” We couldn’t pry an explanation out of Obsidian about this perk, but we were told that it affects your dialogue abilities. Of course, that makes us wonder if it might be a technique to help you intimidate people—they know you’ve killed in the past, so they’ll be more willing to dish out information to you.

The demo we were given was admittedly quite brief. We’re hoping to get a more prolonged look at Alpha Protocol quite soon. Even though the game has the usual rough-around-the-edges look common in games that aren’t due for release anytime soon (this one’s scheduled for 2009), the premise is intriguing, and the way you craft the world around you with impactful decisions is something we’d like to check out in further detail. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that soon, and we’ll be sure to give you the details.

And a little something from GameZone’s article:

Being played within the third-person perspective, Alpha Protocol looks a lot like Syphon Filter meets Mass Effect in terms of gameplay. Players can choose to run through the levels with no regard of tactics or slow it down, as Mass Effect allowed, and choose your actions before the combat begins. With spy gadgets and firearms at your disposal, the decision on how the game is played is ultimately up to the player.