14 DAY TRIAL // There's a new super spy game in the making. And it's gonna be Obsidian creating the gadgets and the suits. Obsidian are best known for producing sequels for games like Knights of the Old Republic or Neverwinter Nights II, that BioWare did primary development on. The games were usually slick RPG experiences, with plenty of dialog and engaging stories, so when Obsidian announced they were working on a new RPG, the world of gaming listened real attentive.
The name will be Alpha Protocol and it will put players in the high tech boots of uber spy Michael Thornton. In fact, it puts players in the training boots of said super spy, letting the player take the guy to the top of international espionage and scheming. Obsidian says there will be 10 skills with 10 power levels available, along with a host of gadgets that will help the main character when the going gets tough.
Although the plot is still shrink wrapped and kept airtight, Obsidian revealed that there's going to be a big plot twist somewhere in the game that makes Thornton go on the run with much of the intelligence agencies in the world hot on his spy tail. A lot of inspiration from and references to the Bourne series and James Bond movies are to be expected.
Even tough an RPG, the game will feature third person vision a la Mass Effect and a real time fighting, something less than usual in RPGs. Talking to people will be just as important as shooting them, apparently, and branching dialog sequences which greatly affect the story are to be expected as in any other Obsidian game. Oh, and there will be spy chicks to be charmed (and I don't mean hypnotizing chicken).
The game is still in rather early development and the release date is somewhere in spring 2009. It will be playable on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.