Preview: Alpha Protocol (360)

Alpha Protocol is an RPG being developed by Obsidian, the team behind Neverwinter Nights 2 and the second Knights of the Old Republic game, The Sith Lords. Spy thrillers are not a new concept in gaming, but the ability to mould the main character (Michael Thorton, highly skilled government operative) into an agent with a unique skill-set is certainly an intriguing idea. If you prefer to use gadgets over brawn, or long range attacks over close combat, you can create the spy you want to be. An E3 trailer hinted at some of the choices you may face during the game, be it tackling the problem head on, or using stealth and cunning to overcome it. Obsidian claim that every choice made in the game will affect Thorton's future and the fate of the world, and whilst Gamestyle thinks this is a little melodramatic, the ability to choose different approaches to accomplish your objective is highly appealing.

Not only will you be able to adopt different techniques during the game, but also different attitudes. The game features a real-time dialogue system, called the Dialogue Stance System, and although this may sound like some kind of debating technique, it means that the characters in Alpha Protocol will react to your every word. This is where the three JBs come in; will you be professional like Bourne, suave and witty like Bond, or agressive like Bauer? With boasts of a story that rivals "the best spy-thriller novels", the quips and responses you give could be key in immersing you in the action.

There are no wrong or right answers in Alpha Protocol, and it's all about player choice. Gamestyle hopes that the different paths that can be taken will mean that the story really will be unique for everyone. It would be disappointing to see that the different decisions made in the game will ultimately lead to the same outcome, but as long as the story leaves you shaken and stirred, Alpha Protocol should be double-o heaven.

Words by Chris Thornton