Even by then, however, it’s still difficult to have a handle on the best combination to go with, something which remains prevalent throughout. This was reinforced when, early in the game, it was time to choose three skills to extend to the final tier. Like any spy restricted by RPG tropes, Thorton has a limited number of points to spend on abilities, and specialising in a few is preferable to diversifying across the board.

At his disposal are a list of skills to improve, each with various phases of completion. He can’t really shoot straight, you see, and if he applies himself to learning too many things then he just won’t be very good at any of them. Agent Mike Thorton, newly-drafted to clandestine deniable ops unit Alpha Protocol, begins his mission as little more than a blank slate of non-talent a smattering of skill points is all that stands between him and a bullet to the brain. At its core beats the heart of an old school RPG, masked in third person shooter clothing. If one thing is certain, it’s that Alpha Protocol is a complicated beast.

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