Experienced gamers no doubt recognize the name Obsidian Entertainment. Now, while I respect what these guys have done in the past, I never understood how they never managed to polish their games before launch.

A well-written story; great dialogue mechanics; potentially great RPG experience lurks behind the concept of Alpha Protocol

The game is incomplete; the combat mechanics are flawed; the AI is weak; the awful camera may give you headaches; not to mention there are bugs around every corner; while not entirely unplayable this is still an underdeveloped game; one that should've been considerably more polished or indeed not...

If you're going to crib from another game's playbook, you could do a lot worse than tapping Mass Effect as an influence. Alpha Protocol , the new action RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, tries valiantly to replicate Bioware's formula for melding in-depth story-telling and gunplay with a firm...

Decisions affect how the game plays out; Ambitious espionage plot; Choice diversity encourages replay

Largely unlikeable lead character; Gameplay is bland at best; broken and buggy at worst; Plot dullness outweighs ambitions

Alpha Protocol is Obsidian's take at bringing gamers into their world of a solo, espionage RPG experience. The game is meant to combine that knowledge with an unparalleled level of player choice both on and off the battlefield.

Starts of cool; difference between multiple playthroughs

Controls; HUD; CQC; story; upgrade system

It's been nearly three years since PopCap first debuted on PC screens, but the XBLA version of Zuma's Revenge is more than a simple port. With new modes and gameplay tweaks, it may just be the best version yet.

When thinking about combining the action role-playing and stealth genres, one might think "wow, that sounds like a great idea!" and of course they'd b

Innovative dialogue system; Deep storyline w/ branching plot; Multiple endings; Tons Of replayability

Lack of polish; Cover system; Shooting is too technical

Alpha Protocol is far from perfect, but some good ideas, complemented by varied action, stealth, and RPG gameplay, make it a must-play for those still mourning the loss of television's 24.

RPG leveling and story-shaping conversations add depth to the standard secret agent action; Varied gameplay mechanics and a not-too-serious spy story generally outshine the game's flaws

There are plenty of great moments in Alpha Protocol . In a split second, rouge agent Michael Thorton needs to decide whether to save the life of the Taiwanese president or the hundreds of people in the crowd.

The allure of role-playing a spy is almost undeniable. Suave and sharply dressed no matter the occasion, James Bond has been a hero to generations, aided by memorable villains with absurd plots for world domination.

Steven "Don't call me Steve" Heck

The '80s-themed boss fight against a knife-wielding cokehead who somehow is still talking after taking ten bullets in the face

Alpha Protocol is a single-player role-playing game focusing on international espionage. In this third-person tactical shooter, players take on the role of Michael Thorton, a character who can be good, bad or just the guy with the gun.

Alpha Protocol is the latest offering from Obsidian Entertainment (a development house that until now has only produced titles based on someone else's intellectual property). The game, correctly described as modern day espionage action role playing title, has been published by Sega and is now...