Alpha Protocol's cover officially blown

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Mar 13, 2008 10:24 am PT

Sega and Obsidian open up files on their forthcoming Bourne Identity-esque RPG, due in Q1 2009 on the PS3, 360, and PC.

This week, some of the most trafficked game forums on the Web were abuzz with unconfirmed reports that Sega was reteaming with Obsidian Entertainment. The California-based developer first hooked up with the Japanese publisher for a forthcoming role-playing game based on the classic 1986 sci-fi film Aliens, which is also the subject of a new first-person shooter from Sega.

Today, the two companies officially announced that they are working on a new RPG, Alpha Protocol. Unlike the still-unnamed Aliens project, Sega confirmed the game is the completely "new and visionary IP" project the two companies revealed they were working on in March 2006. It will ship for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in "early 2009."

Unlike most role-playing games, which have either a heavy fantasy or sci-fi element, Alpha Protocol will concern modern-day espionage. Its Bourne Identity-esque plot follows Michael Thorton, "a talented young agent cast out by his government." Like prior Obsidian games and those of its partner BioWare, the game will have a branching storyline in which actions early on in the game will affect the protagonist's development.

Unfortunately, Sega's announcement did not contain many of the Alpha Protocol details reportedly outlined in the April issue of Game Informer. Though reps for the publisher would not confirm or deny said details, the magazine reportedly says that Alpha Protocol is a third-person action RPG with real-time combat and many high-tech items.

Like the Fallout series, which Obsidian cofounder Feargus Urquhart also worked on, Alpha Protocol will reportedly be class-free, with players instead leveling up 10 skills. It will allow players to be on multiple missions simultaneously in various locations all over the world, where apparently various romantic interests will also await.

52 Comments

  • sethkazzim

    Posted Jul 30, 2008 9:22 am PT

    it come out 3 MONTHS after the U.S release.
    LOL

  • sethkazzim

    Posted Jul 30, 2008 9:19 am PT

    I gotta get this game and I hope I can just grab a car or something.

    I know it is'nt GTA but hey.

  • brownba3

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 10:13 am PT

    danwarecritic - insane mass effect ripoff"
    Mass effect rip off? let's see - set in real world, current time, humans only, hmm so far not at all like mass effect... rpg - yeah, mass effect like, inteligence officer/agent - well kind of like the Specters so kind of mass effect like - According to your evaluation, any rpg woud be a mass effect ripoff, but what would all of those pre mass effect rpgs be? - obviously haven't been doing a lot of rpgs/not a mature gamer huh? Go back and play some of the originals and older rpgs - Baldurs ate, neverwinter nights, fallout, planescape, heck even oblivion - you will see that mass effect had very little new or original in it- setting and weapons perhaps - It was done well on the 360 - haven't been able to play it on the pc yet. As thenefariouson stated it's a genre and that's what they are suposed to be like...
    That being said, looks like a strong possibility. With Feargus onboard I have a lot of hope...

  • j111233

    Posted Jul 6, 2008 9:55 pm PT

    I read about this in Game Informer, it's going to be awesome!

  • MastaGamerKH

    Posted Jul 5, 2008 7:14 am PT

    sounds good but i wonder about how open world itll be

  • RonTorque

    Posted Jun 30, 2008 12:42 pm PT

    Kool

  • S-F-3

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 10:18 pm PT

    looks awsome cant wait to get it.... in like forever

  • TehEliteElite

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 1:43 pm PT

    Awesome!!

  • JoetheMoe

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 11:58 am PT

    looks cool

  • thenephariouson

    Posted Jun 6, 2008 10:52 am PT

    why is this a 'Rip Off'? it is simply a game that falls into a particular Genre. If this was the case then 'Street Fighter' & 'Tekken' not to mention countless other fighting games would be 'Rip Offs' of 'IK+' & 'Way of the Exploding Fist' on the ZX Spectrum, as well as 'Mario' being a 'Rip Off' of 'Manic Miner' & 'Jet Set Willy'. Ultimately, they simply fall within a Genre and are not 'Rip Offs'!

  • Filaki

    Posted Jun 4, 2008 3:28 pm PT

    huh, interesting. i wonder how the gameplay will be

  • KA12NAG3

    Posted Jun 4, 2008 6:18 am PT

    I can't wait till this comes out. It's gonna be amazing.

  • danwarecritic

    Posted May 11, 2008 7:01 am PT

    What an insane Mass Effect rip-off.

  • acsam12304

    Posted Apr 17, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    Oh man I can't wait for this game! I read more on it on GameInformer issue 180 i think .. it's in the April 2008 issue.

  • H-A-V-O-K

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 4:53 pm PT

    bronze poem: well...not bein released till 09 so you may not find too much info.and if you do, take it with a grain of salt seein as how things tend to change especially for obsidian

  • bronzepoem

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 12:52 am PT

    http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showforum=67

  • bronzepoem

    Posted Apr 1, 2008 6:59 pm PT

    Give me more information please!

  • H-A-V-O-K

    Posted Mar 28, 2008 5:29 pm PT

    big_and_dumb: Yeah thanks for that. I unfortunately wrote that comment before i read the preview in Game Informer. And i understand what your saying but what i meant was I was worried Obsidian would start throwin out cookie cutters like Koei has with the Warriors series.

  • big_and_dumb

    Posted Mar 27, 2008 4:04 pm PT

    To H-A-V-O-K:

    Uh, no... You could almost say the same thing for any rpg. All genre games are the same except story, characters, settings etc. Just cause the mechanics of an rpg can transfer to any other game, doesn't make them the same.

Alpha Protocol Quick Links

Summary | News | Previews & Features | Images | Videos | Answers | Forum | Check Prices

Check Prices: $58.99 – 59.99

GameStop $59.99 SHOP ›
Dell Home & Home Office $59.99 SHOP ›
Best Buy $59.99 SHOP ›
advertisement

Related Unions

Alpha Protocol Boxshot Enlarge the boxshot
Alpha Protocol

Game Stats

  • Rank:
    474 of 77,746
    (down by 24)
    X360 Rank:
    89 of 1,899
    Highest Rank:
    19 in 2009
    Tracking:
    2,364 Track It»
    Wishlists:
    1,138 Wish It»
  • Player Ratings:
    1
  • Top 5 User Tags:
    1. alpha protocol
    2. alpha
    3. obsidian
    4. protocol
    5. sega
  • Mature Rating Description

    Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. Learn more

Full Game Details »Close
Also on

Games you may like…

Users who looked at content for this game also looked at these games.

See More Similar Games
advertisement