Introduction
There once was a game developer named Black Isle, and it was good. It created such classic CRPG's as Fallouts 1 and 2, Planescape: Torment, and Icewind Dales 1 and 2, and it helped a young Bioware publish its breakout title, Baldur's Gate.
But then its parent company, Interplay, crashed and burned after the guys who made Superman 64 bought them out. I have no idea how they're still alive. Sheer brain-dead tenacity, no doubt.
However! Black Isle regenerated itself into Troika Games and soldiered on. Okay, not really, but Troika was founded by three Black Isle veterans and survived the company by two years, so I'm counting it. In its time, Troika produced three games, all of which would have been excellent games had they only hired a few programmers. Fan patches have since made the games more reliable, and they have their devoted followings, but right now we are more interested in the Third Doctor: Obsidian Entertainment.
Obsidian is a more direct descendant to Black Isle. Essentially, all the employees stuck together, got some venture capital thanks to their solid history, and went into business for themselves. Bioware, which was doing better for itself (whatever you may think of its more recent titles), threw their old friends at Obsidian a bone and farmed out the sequels to their Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights titles, garnering the latter some success. Bethesda, which bought the rights to Fallout off of Interplay, handed them the 3D engine they built for their sequel and let them create Fallout: New Vegas, essentially resurrecting the long-dead Fallout 3/Van Buren project and bringing closure to thousands of fans. However, Obsidian has also created a single game based on a unique IP: Alpha Protocol.
Since their first incarnation, the folks at Obsidian have stood for mature, thoughtful gameplay, in which the player has agency in a number of important decisions throughout a game, decisions which have no truly right or wrong response (although some choices may be more cartoonishly and/or disturbingly villainous than others). In Fallouts 1 and 2, your only unchanging directive was to save your home community, and whatever you did to the towns you passed through, including anything from propping up the powers-that-be to massacring every last living soul, was considered acceptable. Some epilogues were better than others, at least in terms of happy endings, but the player had no need to see these through, and often times doing every quest for everyone would result in a less-than-perfect result. Other games, created by all three companies, have followed this tradition.
Alpha Protocol is also a game where player input is important and hard decisions have to be made. AP follows the spy genre conventions: the hero, codenamed Michael Thorton, has just joined a super-secret US government agency, known as Alpha Protocol. Once he's established himself, he sets himself to fight against America's enemies, and going into further detail would involve spoilers. Let's just say that you can expect significant duplicity, stealth, betrayals, and, of course, plenty of gunfights.
So what to do with all this choice? I suppose I could farm out the major decisions to you, the audience, but that's what the other guy who did this game for SA did, so I'm doing something different. I'm doing a comparison run.
PS I've been planning this out since before he even did it I only just got a computer fast enough to record the game
This is Lance McGillicutty. Lance:
- Likes people and wants to make friends with everyone he meets, whether or not it requires lies and manipulation. With one or two exceptions.
- Appreciates that most guards, even those working for illegal organizations, are just working joes trying to earn a paycheck for their families. As such, Lance refuses to use lethal methods except on specific targets, and even then only for a good reason. In other words, Lance will conduct a no-orphan run.
- Prefers to use a quiet approach and hand-to-hand combat, which makes it easier to use non- and less-than-lethal methods.
- Is thorough and detail-oriented, and always does his best to find important matériel and complete secondary objectives.
- Researches people and organizations of interest and always reads his dossiers.
- Will not be skipping through cutscenes and dialogue.
Now let's meet Kilroy Jenkins. Kilroy:
- Hates people. He hates you. Yes, you. He will do his best to offend and alienate (nearly) all people with whom he comes into peaceful contact.
- Wants you dead, and unfortunately someone gave him the skills and equipment he needs to do just that. If Kilroy is ever given an option to shoot, he will take it.
- Uses firearms so freely its a wonder he isn't deaf already. He will occasionally use stealth, but only for the visceral thrill of running a knife through someone's throat.
- Is goal-oriented and will only stop to pick up obvious items on his way to the primary objective.
- Hates reading and just wings it mostly.
Will skip through cutscenes and dialogue that Lance will not. Viewers are advised to either play the game or watch another playthrough to get the full experience before watching Kilroy's videos.
Please note that even these two complete playthroughs do not represent a comprehensive Alpha Protocol experience. The two characters will be following the same path through the game, even though they'll pick different options, and not every NPC they meet will be treated completely differently. There are any number of changes and permutations that I will not explore, and so I encourage everyone watching to check out the game for yourself if you have the means.
But what about those bugs I've heard about?
How'd you get in here? Yes, I've heard about there being a number of issues myself, but I can't say I've ever really encountered any. Well, aside from the game not running at all without the patch, but beyond that, I've got no real complaints. Perhaps it's because I struggled through the Troika games, so now everything that would bother a normal person has no effect on me (in Arcanum you had 50/50 odds that you could complete the game before your save file got corrupted!). Maybe this time will be different? Let's hope not.
So why'd you use a Music icon for the thread?
Watch the Kilroy videos. You'll understand.
Spoiler Threat Level Spoilers are currently at Code Blue (Guarded): Events already covered in the LP are fair game. Future events can be discussed, but only in spoiler tags. Alternate choices not covered in the LP can also be discussed, but only in spoiler tags until their permutations have completely played out. Skills, weapons, gadgets, etc., including those not yet seen, are all fair game, since they are not especially important.
Please abide by these rules and please also avoid turning the thread into a CIA document, or I will be forced to raise the spoiler threat level.
Oh, and here's the entirely needless trailer I did to practice with AVISynth.
Now with stylish Youtube playlists! Click if you'd like to follow:
LM's Passionate Pacifism
KJ's Rad Rampage
The Whole Thing at Once
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Alpha Protocol 1
Alpha Protocol 2
Mina Tang 1
Yancy Westridge 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Perks Gained
Professional
News Conscious
PS: I know it's Sabotage and not Technical Aptitude that helps with the minigames; I don't exactly have a reference sheet in front of me when I'm doing commentary and I always get those two mixed up.
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Perks Gained
Aggressive
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Alpha Protocol 3
Alan Parker 1
Mina Tang 2
Sean Darcy 1
Al-Samad 1
Halbech 1
Sheikh Ali Shaheed 1
Recovered Intelligence
Mission summary
Perks Gained
Custodial Work
Cage Match
Betting Man
The Basics
Testing the Waters
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission Summary (extended summary is the same as Lance's)
Perks Gained
Custodial Work
Cage Match
Betting Man
The Basics
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Henry Leland 1
Omar Mohammed bin Nasri 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
Social Butterfly
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
CIA 1
Sean Darcy 2
Mina Tang 3
Al-Samad 2
Sheikh Ali Shaheed 2
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1 (Attachment worth $10,000)
Email 2
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
Breaking and Entering
Limited Bloodshed
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 2
Intel 3
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
Testing the Waters
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Sean Darcy 3
Halbech 2
Al-Samad 3
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
Data Theft
Black Belt
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1 only
Mission Summary
Perks Gained
Antisocial
Part 1: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Part 2: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Sheikh Ali Shaheed 3
Ronald Sung 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Lurker
Tour of Duty
CLASSIFIED
Part 1: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Part 2: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Tour of Duty
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Scarlet Lake
Grigori Pazinhov 1
Grigori Pazinhov 2
Russian Mafia 1
Russian Mafia 2
Sergei Surkov 1
Sis 1
G22
Albatross 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Intel 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Intel 2
Intel 3
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Friends in Low Places
Pistol Proficiency
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 4
Email 6
Email 7
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Enough Chit-Chat
CLASSIFIED
Part 1: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Part 2: Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Albatross 2
Sis 2
Sis 3
Grigori Pazinhov 3
SIE 1
SIE 2
VCI 1
VCI 2
Recovered Intelligence
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission 1 Results
Email 1
Email 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Intel 5
Mission 2 Results
Halbech Data
Email 3
Email 4
Perks Gained
Unseen Presence
Textaholic
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission 2 Results
Email 1
Email 4
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
CIA 2
Halbech 3
Jibril Al-Bara 1
Jibril Al-Bara 2
Madison Saint James 1
Conrad Marburg 1
Conrad Marburg 2
Mina Tang 4
VCI 3
Recovered Intelligence
Mission 1 Results
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Intel 1
Intel 2
Site Email 1
Site Email 2
Site Email 3
Site Email 4
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Surprise Attack
Profiler
Professional Courtesy
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission 1 Results
Mission 2 Results
Email 4
Perks Gained
No Witnesses
Necessary Roughness
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Jibril Al-Bara 3
Jibril Al-Bara 4
Conrad Marburg 3
SIE 3
Henry Leland 2
Deus Vult 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission 1 Results
Email 7
Email 8
Email 9
Email 10
Intel 3
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
On the Guest List
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Mission 1 Results
Email 7
Email 9
Email 10
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Trigger Happy
Snap Shot
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Deus Vult 2
Deus Vult 3
Madison Saint James 2
Madison Saint James 3
Conrad Marburg 4
CLASSIFIED
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Intel 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 4
Intel 2
Intel 3
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Merciful
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 3
Mission 1 Results
Email 2
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Assault Rifle Precision
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Steven Heck 1
Steven Heck 2
NSB 1
White Oak Mountain Triad 1
Scarlet Lake 2
Sis 4
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Intel 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Intel 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Speaking the Language
Intelligence Analyst
Camaraderie
Variable Approach
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 5
Email 6
Mission 1 Results
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Everybody Loves Dry Cleaning Solution
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Hong Shi 1
Hong Shi 2
White Oak Mountain Triad 2
White Oak Mountain Triad 3
Alan Parker 3
Omen Deng 1
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Intel 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 3
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Email 7
Intel 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Mission 2 Results
Mission 3 Results
Perks Gained
Pistol Mastery
Email Enhancement
Behind the Lies
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Mission 1 Results
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Email 6
Email 7
Mission 2 Results
Mission 3 Results
Perks Gained
Impatient
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Steven Heck 3
NSB 2
Omen Deng 2
Ronald Sung 2
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Be Prepared
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Plan B: Kill It with Fire
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Konstantin Brayko 1
Pavel Vanyaev aka Championchik 1
G22 2
Grigori Pazinhov 4
Scarlet Lake 3
SIE 4
Sergei Surkov 2
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Mission 1 Results
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Circuit Breaker
Veteran Attitude
These Aren't the Agents You're Looking For
Birds of a Feather
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Mission 1 Results
Perks Gained
Tough as Nails
Transmission's Breaking Up
Verbal Ménage a Trois
Shotgun Ramapage
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Madison Saint James 4
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission Results
Perks Gained
The Better Part of Valor
Psychological Warfare
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Mission Results
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Madison Saint James 5
Scarlet Lake 4
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Intel 1
Mission Results
Perks Gained
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Perfect Pitch
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Alpha Protocol 4
Conrad Marburg 5
Recovered Intelligence
Intel 1
Site Email 1
Site Email 2
Site Email 3
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Seasoned
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Seasoned
Lurker
Assault Rifle Marksmanship
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Albatross 3
CSP 1
CSP 2
Omen Deng 3
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Email 5
Intel 1
Intel 2
Mission 1 Results
Email 6
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Know Your Competition
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 3
Email 4
Intel 3
Mission 1 Results
Mission 2 Results
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Omen Deng 4
Ronald Sung 3
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Experienced
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Just a quick head's up here, but most of you probably won't be able to watch the Youtube version of KJ's run because apparently Charlie's Angels of all movies has first dibs on the song I used.
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Experienced
Real Men Don't Hide
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Konstantin Brayko 2
Konstantin Brayko 3
Konstantin Brayko 4
Russian Mafia 3
Championchik 2
Surkov's Guards 1
Sergei Surkov 3
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Intel 4
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Know Your Enemy
World Traveler
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 3
Mission Results
Perks Gained
World Traveler
Shotgun Crowd Control
CLASSIFIED
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Championchik 3
Surkov's Guards 2
Sergei Surkov 4
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Intel 1
Intel 2
Intel 3
Site Email 1
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Ready for Anything
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Mission Results
Perks Gained
KJ's Personal All-Time Favorite Perk
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Alpha Protocol 5
Albatross 4
U.S. Military 1
Mina Tang 5
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Email 3
Email 4
Email 5
Email 6
Mission 1 Results
Mission 2 Results
Perks Gained
Office Romance
Exclusive Interview
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 4
Email 5
Email 7
Perks Gained
Email Enhancement
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Dossier Information
Alpha Protocol 6
Alpha Protocol 7
Henry Leland 3
Henry Leland 4
Conrad Marburg 6
Conrad Marburg 7
U.S. Military 2
U.S. Military 3
Alan Parker 4
Scarlet Lake 5
VCI 4
Yancy Westridge 2
Yancy Westridge 3
Recovered Intelligence
Email 1
Email 2
Perks Gained
Savage Love
CLASSIFIED
CLASSIFIED
CLASSIFIED
Know Your Rival
Practical
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Perks Gained
Electronic Warfare
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission Results
Perks Gained
Hard to Kill
Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)
Recovered Intelligence
Mission Results