Recent reviews by Mosch

I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole
diggy diggy hole
diggy diggy hole

Alpha Protocol lets you take the role of Michael Thorton, a new agent of the top secret organisation Alpha Protocol. During the game you will solve a global missile crisis, expose traitors and do all that good spy stuff we know and love. The story behind the game is well done, with no plot holes I could find and believable, if slightly caricatured, characters. It will take you through several different missions in an order of your choice, with each mission influencing the other ones and demanding meaningful choices that not only warrant, but leave you encouraged for several playthroughs.

Gameplay is varied and easily customized to your liking; in fact, this is one of the very few games where both stealth and going in guns blazing is a valid choice in all situations, though some might favour one thing over the other. Combat is not your standard Third Person Shooter - Mike actually has to aim his weapons, which constantly affords you the choice of going for precise, slow shots or spraying and hoping for the best. This choice is by no means obvious; while precise shots are generally preferable, one kind of weapon (the SMGs) actually rewards spray and pray behaviour.
To me, the really interesting part was the dialogue system. Talking to people becomes a far more engaging experience than in other titles simply due to the fact that you are timed and the game actually progresses while you speak. Have a skill on cooldown? Keep the terrorist talking until you're good and ready to take him down. Filled to the brim with adrenaline and fuming at the mouth? Cut his speech short before you come down and your buff runs out. Not only that, but most of the conversations actually feel realistic and have a strong impact on the world around you. If you tell someone off, this will be represented in your later communications, and he might be more hesitant to help you or just not mention information, preferring not to go the extra mile for the idiot that insulted him. Ths makes the game world seem very alive and helps the characters become more than just cutouts with a "press button, get quest" mechanism.
Not only do you have a choice in the way you fight and the way you talk, you also have an rpg-like levelling system to shape Michael the way you want him to be. Not only are placing skill points and unlocking abilities, the world also changes you. Depending on your actions and the things that happen, you gain perks that can influence everything from hitpoints to skill cooldowns to equipment prices.

All in all I heartily recommend you pick up the game if you like spy thrillers and/or third person RPGs/shooters. This game has an awesome storyline and interesting customization options that easily rival games like Mass Effect. However, you should know that more than a few people have reported bugs, some of them game breaking, and while I personally have never encountered any be aware that you may have to fiddle a bit to make everything run smoothly.

While the game is fun, the constant disconnects make it nearly unplayable. Also: Please be aware that there are only 11 heists, not 17.
If the connection is resolved, I will whole-heartedly recommend this game, but so far it is an exercise in frustration, especially since you lose part of your equipment when you reconnect to a game.

Space Siege is, without a doubt, the game to be recommended in case you have a pathological aversion to multiplayer. From the inability to run without a crack to the constant freezes this game has it all. Disconnects, no save function, nearly identical in-game avatars, the totally useless GPGNet - if you love all these things, Space Siege is the game for you. Looking for a violent stomach cramp in game form? You're in luck!