Alpha Protocol Preview

The folks over at GameInformer have slapped up a brief preview of Alpha Protocol, though it’s unclear if it’s actually based on any hands-on time with the game.

Your choices in Alpha Protocol extend beyond different conversation options. As Thorton works his way through the base in Moscow, multiple gameplay paths present themselves, and players decide which one best suits their skills. One route favors run-and-gun tactics, ideal for spies skilled with machine guns. Another uses stealth tactics to avoid detection, and the third involves hacking through security to access sealed areas. Depending on how you have allocated your skill points, you have unique abilities that augment your chosen style. For instance, sneaky characters have the ability to run silently, while gun specialists have improved criticals or the ability to chain multiple shots together. The potential variation in player builds means that the game has a different feel based on your choices.

When Thorton isn’t surrounded by enemies or dodging gunfire, he spends his time in luxurious safehouses in exotic locations like Taipei, Rome, and Saudi Arabia. The safehouses essentially function as your hub for an area, allowing you to buy information and weapons, select missions, and customize your appearance. While the basic character model is always the same, players help Thorton build a disguise by equipping armor, hats, glasses, and facial hair that range from awesome to ridiculous. No one wants to hassle a dude with a lumberjack beard!