Alpha Protocol Preview

Obsidian’s Alpha Protocol seems to be drawing quite a bit of interest at GamesCom, with the latest set of impressions coming our way from GameSpot.

The game allows you to perform both lethal and nonlethal takedowns, and Obsidian says that it’s possible to play the entire game without killing anyone. We also got to see some of the hacking minigames that allow you access to new areas–you basically have to look at line diagrams and try to figure out which lines match up. In our demo, the player intentionally messed up the hack to show a skill called Spy’s Luck, which allows you one chance to get something wrong without setting off all the alarms.

We also got to see what the developer referred to as a “boss battle” against a young female character called Sis. She’s a crazy young girl who wants nothing more than to kill you, but by tossing a few grenades her way, the player was able to finish her off. You then have the option of killing or sparing her, and the player decided to let her live. As we returned to our home, we got a video message from her employer asking us to meet, and we found out that not only was Sis his bodyguard, but she was also a mute. By not executing her, the player was given an “I don’t hit girls” award, which in turn resulted in a 5 percent discount with all of Sis’s factions.