Alpha Protocool was clearly birthed out of a high concept idea of: what if RPG Mission Impossible? and someone in the back said "Hell yeah!" This game is balls to the wall and contains some of the best permutations in a story in any RPG, and that's not over-exaggeration. What we have here is Obsidian doing what they do best: small, high concept games that allow them to explore interesting mechanics without having to worry about too many bells and whistles. That being said, because they're not worried about too many bells and whistles, this means that the moment to moment gameplay simply doesn't compare to dedicated Espionage games like Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell, the stealth mechanics are janky and gunplay is wonk but it does get better with time, this is an RPG after all. Even at the peaks of levels and end game builds, the gameplay isn't ever as refined as dedicated spy-shooter games, which is okay, because that's not why you should be playing Alpha Protocool, you should be playing it because of a shorter run time and incredible story variations. You should be playing it because Obsidian has never made a bad game, jank games sure, but Alpha Protocool was a game made in an era of timelessness and big swings, and I am grateful to say that Alpha Protocool is a home run. Side note: This game is also very nostalgic to me, being one of my first RPGs growing up. I love this game!
