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I've always dreamed of an RPG that doesn't just leave you in the lurch. Most RPGs either bury you in information so you have to become an expert in every aspect of the game's background, combat system, and character development just to have a chance to succeed, or they are so simple that there's little to comprehend. Almost none of them find a sweet spot somewhere in the middle.

Alpha Protocol seems to. Its tutorial doesn't treat you like a total idiot, respecting your need to get started quickly while still giving you useful information. And by feeding you dossiers throughout the game, you gain the intel you need to approach targets and handlers without the game telling you explicitly what to do. And finally, the game does a good job of surprising you through dialogue while still giving you a powerful way to interact with NPCs.

And it's not that Alpha Protocol is perfect; it's a clunky action RPG with a pretty cheesy story that rarely takes itself very seriously. But it does a great job of telling its story while giving you plenty of flexibility and providing a relatively short but fun experience. And it brings enough new to the genre in a way that is very replayable. In short it's a good game. And now that I've finished it once I'm anxious to give it another go.