11 ways Alpha Protocol is better than Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 and Alpha Protocol have a lot in common. They're both admirable attempts to combine an RPG with a shooter to tell a complex story in a familiar genre. They're both flawed. But only one of them is ultimately successful.

[gillri]

And 1001 ways Mass Effect 2 is better than Alpha Protocol

[ad4mb]

please write them, id love to see a comment of that size.

[TheXgamerLive]

Alpha Protical is kinda fun, kinda good, kinda nice, it's a kinda game. a true 7.5 where as ME2 is a 10 to me. especially with all the free DLC's to those who pre ordered. it's got such hella great replay value.

[WildArmed]

ME2 is one of the best games this year (regardless if u like it or not)

For me it's a 9, but alpha protocol is more of a 7

[TROLL EATER]

more like a poor mans mass effect

[La Chance]

More like a PS3 owner's Mass Effect.

[simplyRealistic18]

hate you for making such an idiotic comment but i have to admit, that was funny lol

[mindedone]

AND I own ME1&2...how can this be? Oh noes, he owns more than one gaming system?

[ElementX]

LOL, great response!

[Imperator]

Is Alpha Protocal any good? I've heard the complaints, but I'm thinking of renting it. Anyone have any input?

[T9X69]

One way Alpha Protocol is not better than ME2.

1. The author is a moron.

[Tony P]

There are a lot of things AP does better than ME2.

11) is spot on and the entire reason why I even wanted the game. ME2 imo cut out too much of what I expect in an RPG. AP put it back. I have nothing against ME2 as the game it is, but I expected more.

10) is very true. Again, ME2 dumbed this down from ME1. I don't understand why. IF you're going to give me weapons in an RPG, let me upgrade or customize as much as I want. Please don't rail about how ME2 has customization. It does technically, but even ME1 outdoes the pitiful amount in ME2.

4) Obsidian has always imo had better writing than BioWare. As the old Black Isle and Obsidian.

3) Mos def. I don't understand why anyone at BioWare thought the mining "game" would be any kind of fun. Hacking in AP is so much more intensive than hacking in ME2 even though they are quite similar.

One thing that both do poorly out is exploration. I don't mind so much in AP since it's an original title. But ME2's exploration is a clear step back from ME1, boring as it could be in that Mako. Mining was a very poor replacement for that.

@Imperator: These are all good reasons to try. I would agree it's maybe not worth full price because of the less-than stellar execution. But there is certainly a fair bit of enjoyment to be had imo.

[DarkSpawnClone]

@ad4mb

there is really only one reason needed on the list of why mass effect is better ...Its made by Bioware.

[wiggles]

"9) As a standalone game
Mass Effect 2 is full of fan service. It's one of those sequels that absolutely demands familiarity with the first game. This isn't necessarily a criticism if you're a fan of Mass Effect 1. But for everyone else, Alpha Protocol does a better job not expecting you to already care about who's who. Its characters need no introduction because this game is their introduction."

hmmm but of course....they should have created a Kart racing game and calling it Mass Effect 2!! Silly devs.

After that is one reason....this list is garbage...

[TheColbertinator]

I agree with every single one of these reasons.Alpha Protocol had much grander design than Mass Effect 2 but its real issue was the bugs and AI

[dgroundwater]

I really agree with this complaint: "Mass Effect 2's storyline is 90% "Hey, we're getting the band back together!" backstory, with 10% actual saving the galaxy at the end. It makes for a disjointed story"

It did seem less epic than the events of ME1. Besides, if I wanted to get the band back together I'd just watch this.

[cayal]

That was my disappointment with ME2. It was great but then I realised you just recruited people and did a couple of missions to save the galaxy.

Storyline wise, it can be summed up:

1. Recruit members
2. Save the galaxy.

I don't know about anyone else, but I like stories to be summed up with more than 2 dot points.

That being said, Mass Effect is a GOTY contender.

[FanboyAttack]

Nothing that has come out in first half '10 is better than Mass Effect 2, well maybe Bayonetta on 360 (of course) but Looking at the rest of 2010 it's gonna be hard for anything to top ME2. I could see LBP2 making a run for it if in fact it releases in '10 but other than that Bioware has 2010 in the bag.

[cayal]

God of War 3.

[ShinMaster]

["Nothing that has come out in first half '10 is better than Mass Effect 2"]

-Yeah, on 360 it hasn't. So speak for yourself.

[nygamer28]

lol alpha protocol is a decent game at that....not even close to mass effect 2

[Mista T]

HA

I'm out

[Derekvinyard13]

lolol funny

[Killjoy3000]

But it's not even funny. ME2 smashes most RPG games this generation, and Alpha Protocol lyes beneath the worst of them.

[karlowma]

Mass Effect 2 is barely, if at all, an RPG.

[webeblazing]

lmao stop it me2 is a great game tho

[ShinMaster]

Sorry Killjoy3000, but karlowma is right.
It's a TPS, if we were to put it in the RPG category, then it would be one of the worse, due to its lack of actual RPG elements.

[Killjoy3000]

I never called Mass Effect 2 an RPG. Furthermore, you can label it whatever you like, chances are it's still better than almost every RPG that's currently on the market and the ones that are awaiting release.

[ShinMaster]

How can it be better than almost every RPG currently in the market, when it is barely an RPG itself???
You say you didn't call ME2 an RPG, yet you keep comparing it to other RPGs by saying it's better.

[Kamikaze8]

Well the entire world seems to disagree with you, including me.

Alpha Protocol - 65 on Metacritic
Mass Effect 2 - 96 on Metacritic

Also, "But Mass Effect 2 never broke out of its rudimentary paper/rock/scissors interplay among attacks and defenses."

Clearly you havent played it then, since I burned through my entire first playthrough with a pistol...

"In Alpha Protocol, I feel like I'm in the driver's seat, determining how the story unfolds. In Mass Effect 2, I feel like everyone else's errand boy, biding my time until the story actually starts."

Thats kind of the whole point, MW2 is out of your control, urgency is utmost importance in the story.

"But I still have no idea what was up with that elusive man in Mass Effect 2"

First off, you spelled "Illusive" wrong, and second, you didnt listen or read the codex then, its all clearly explained.

Regarding the entire "6) As a set of clear goals"
Mass Effect 2 begins as a MYSTERY hence the not being clear part, everything is a mystery to begin with, and you dont know what to expect going into the final mission.

Finally, "In Mass Effect 2, I wasn't even sure why I was buying what I was buying when I was buying it."
Then you didnt read the description or get the point that everything you buy is an UPGRADE to prepare you for your mission, being prepared is crucial.

Obviously this site just wants views from controversy.

[Greysturm]

Not saying that hes right on all points but the combat system in mass effect was pretty basic overall that might be good for the action pacing it was going for but as a game it could have benefitted from at the very least a token improvement to gunplay as the story unfolded, you pretty much have the same shooting skills at the beggining that at the end of the story.

I also have to agree with the fact that mass effect is pretty linear regardless of your choices, while in comparison some choices in alpha protocol really change the nature of a level. Your lying to yourself about urgency factor, Mass effect 2 was designed to make you feel like you have all the time in the world to prepare for the final mision which was revealed early in the game even though you couldnt acess it after all of the "necesary" events.

Third, the ilusive man is not that well developed but that was a development choice as it added that element of mystery and trust issues to the game. So really this is more of an individual appreciation thing and i prefered it to the way AP developed some key characters.

Finally the upgrades in ME2 were neat but they might have been oversimplified, since they are all a once off buy. AP was a little better on that aspect as mentioned by the author. For example not making every upgrade/item available by limiting total game cash supply required you to really analize your choices regarding them and made an enjoyable balancing act between Weapon/Armor/Gadgets/Intel.

Overall ME2 is better but the author has a point, even if people think hes creating controversy just for saying so.

[tdrules]

not even close to matching Mass Effect 2's brilliance.
I guess if you owned a platform that could only play one of these you might like the other just because you only had one choice

[LiquidJordan]

I love Alpha Protocol, don't get me wrong...

But let's be serious...Mass Effect 2 is game of the year material...

[PRHB HYBRiiD]

lmfao.

[jack who]

alpha who?

[PMR_21]

alpha jack

[Greysturm]

He didnt say it was absolutely better than ME2 but it did have an upper hand in some areas like money to item ratio. Overall we agree that the production and polish values of Mass Effect 2 are far grander than AP but some ideas and implementations in alpha protocol were superior to the space opera shame its bug filled nature and low polishing seem to distract everyone from that.

[worm2010]

Alpha protocol is a good game, but ME2 kicks it's ass

[R_aVe_N]

Why can't people just enjoy both games and STFU!

[BlackSpartan187]

This game should never be in the same sentence with Mass Effect.

[michael1023]

crappiest list ever...

8)no story? Ha
1) no Steve Heck... WTF!?!?!

[FanboyAttack]

The comments in this are WAY WAY better than the news article. Priceless.

[lukewind]

Greatest example of why 98% of gaming bloggers are either fanboys or complete idiots.

[Cherchez La Ghost]

..., it not worthy enough to comment on. Once again, ignroance shows it's ugly head.

[Theoneneo81]

Having a 360 and a ps3 right now i have played alot of great games this year right now I put God of war 3>Mass Effect 2>Red Dead Redemption. top 3 games that i have played this year.