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Tag those and you are fine.
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Nov 1, 2013 04:42
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 21:34 |
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Count Chocula posted:I just picked this up, and I'm up to Saudi Arabia. I'm playing as Recruit, for some reason (partly due to misreading the Before I Play entry) and I'm not sure how to pick my 3 tag skills. I'm thinking Sabotage and Stealth and Pistols? Sabotage isn't great, though you always want at least two points in it. I'd take Toughness or Martial Arts for the third skill. And keep playing, once you get out of Saudi Arabia it opens up and becomes the best game.
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Nov 1, 2013 04:50
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How's Technical Aptitude? I pretty much plan on shooting and hacking and talking my way through the game, but since I suck at stealth I'm thinking maybe pick Stealth I can use those skills to bypass stealth sections.
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Nov 1, 2013 05:03
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Count Chocula posted:How's Technical Aptitude? I pretty much plan on shooting and hacking and talking my way through the game, but since I suck at stealth I'm thinking maybe pick Stealth I can use those skills to bypass stealth sections. The game doesn't really have stealth sections - it's more "sneak around so you can get a good angle when you shoot everyone in the head" stealth rather than "avoid the enemies and get a game over screen if someone sees you." Technical Aptitude is a decent third skill, the extra inventory means you can carry more gadgets, some of which are useful to avoid hacking minigames (EMP grenades.) It also gives you a little bonus dialog in one of the missions.
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Nov 1, 2013 05:13
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You'll definitely want to upgrade Stealth until you get whatever ability gives a few seconds of invisibility when enemies. Not only can it give you a few seconds of coverage to let you line up a shot, but it also alerts you when an enemy has spotted you so you can get to cover before they become hostile. Other than that, upgrade Pistol until you get the awesome version of Chain-Shot and you'll say good-bye to bosses. If you upgrade whatever ability lets you have more items (or maybe it's an armor, I can't remember), then you can just bring a ton of EMP grenades to missions and not have to worry about putting points into tech skills. I'd say just split the remaining points between Toughness and Martial Arts. Though, that's just my playstyle, and it's a build I'd recommend for your first play-through. There's a ton of different builds you can try. Shotgun-rear end in a top hat Thorton is a popular one. Just enjoy playing through the game however you want, and then on subsequent playthroughs change things up. Also, you gotta post your reactions to follow-up playthroughs. It's a rite of passage.
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Nov 1, 2013 10:25
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Pistols is literally the best skill in the game. Get it if you don't care that combat will never ever be hard again.
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Nov 1, 2013 13:47
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"Oh, a boss? Hold on two seconds while I fire six critical shots directly into your face."
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Nov 1, 2013 14:08
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Dauntasa posted:Pistols is literally the best skill in the game. Get it if you don't care that combat will never ever be hard again.
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Nov 1, 2013 14:39
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monster on a stick posted:And keep playing, once you get out of Saudi Arabia it opens up and becomes the best game. Pretty much this. Saudia Arabia is a bit of a slag but it's so worth it.
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Nov 1, 2013 14:58
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One of the best moments in the AP saga is when you've already done a completionist run and so you don't really care about being thorough anymore, so you can just blow through Saudi as fast as possible. I got through Saudi in about half an hour once by just running through all the missions as fast as I could, and then got to enjoy the actual game without delay.
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Nov 1, 2013 15:57
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Dauntasa posted:Pistols is literally the best skill in the game. Get it if you don't care that combat will never ever be hard again.
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Nov 1, 2013 16:22
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It's bad enough that the pistol tree has Chain Shot, but that skill that lines you line up perfect head shots without ever leaving cover is almost as broken. I mean, c'mon, assault rifles and SMGs may as well not exist.
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Nov 1, 2013 22:44
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Wolfsheim posted:It's bad enough that the pistol tree has Chain Shot, but that skill that lines you line up perfect head shots without ever leaving cover is almost as broken. I mean, c'mon, assault rifles and SMGs may as well not exist. Which reminds me, your second weapon should be rifles because they are good long-range weapons for when you need to reach out and touch someone far away, and the level designer or Steven Heck didn't leave you a sniper rifle. Also one fun tip during the Saudi Arabia mission where Darcy is your handler: towards the end you have to hack a terminal in an enclosed space, after which the thugs come after you. This is an important time to learn that the "incendiary grenade" can also be used as a trap by attaching it to a wall - get close to a surface, and when you try to throw, you'll see the grenade appear to 'stick' to the wall. As soon as enemies get close, it goes off and everyone nearby catches on fire. This never ever gets old. 
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Nov 1, 2013 23:22
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Yeah you should always have an assault rifle as a secondary weapon, it makes the helicopter boss at the Greybox laughably easy.
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Nov 2, 2013 16:23
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I'm honestly not sure why people ever had problems with that fight, there are missile launchers all over the place and I think you can even hit it with chain shot.
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Nov 2, 2013 17:11
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orcane posted:I'm honestly not sure why people ever had problems with that fight, there are missile launchers all over the place and I think you can even hit it with chain shot. It's because it's hard to dodge helicopter fire that ignores cover and also take out a bunch of dudes in awkward positions and also hunt around for one-shot missile launchers that just barely do the job if you don't miss any of them, when there has never been any fight in the game prior that couldn't be won by ducking in a corner.
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Nov 2, 2013 18:14
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Tempo 119 posted:It's because it's hard to dodge helicopter fire that ignores cover and also take out a bunch of dudes in awkward positions and also hunt around for one-shot missile launchers that just barely do the job if you don't miss any of them, when there has never been any fight in the game prior that couldn't be won by ducking in a corner. There is that one spot you can stand and shoot the helicopter and it can't hit you. That sweet cheesy spot. Love that spot.
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Nov 2, 2013 21:00
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Chain Shot isn't super-broken yet, but I've only got it on level 3. That and my default assault rifle (plus too much time playing Gears of War) make combat pretty easy. It does feel like most of the time I'm playing a cover shooter, with a bit of Deus Ex mixed in. I finished with Moscow and I still want some of the genius dialogue Obsidian put in FO: New Vegas. Still, its an addictive game. I've let everybody live so far; I won't do that in future playthroughs but I'm a big softy. I kinda feel the characters aren't crazy enough - they're on the line between realistic and over the top. The 'Alpha' in the name and the apparent ability to seduce every female character makes me think of a Pick Up Artist training game. Somebody photoshop a 'neg' conversation stance.
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Nov 3, 2013 05:44
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I think you should go to Taiwan.
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Nov 3, 2013 06:16
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Count Chocula posted:I kinda feel the characters aren't crazy enough - they're on the line between realistic and over the top. Oh boy.
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Nov 3, 2013 09:08
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You've met SIE and Brayko and you don't think the characters are crazy enough?
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Nov 3, 2013 09:15
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Count Chocula posted:Chain Shot isn't super-broken yet, but I've only got it on level 3. That and my default assault rifle (plus too much time playing Gears of War) make combat pretty easy. It does feel like most of the time I'm playing a cover shooter, with a bit of Deus Ex mixed in. I finished with Moscow and I still want some of the genius dialogue Obsidian put in FO: New Vegas. Still, its an addictive game. I've let everybody live so far; I won't do that in future playthroughs but I'm a big softy. I kinda feel the characters aren't crazy enough - they're on the line between realistic and over the top. You already met the woman you can "neg" successfully; aggressive stance is usually pretty mean, when not violent.
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Nov 3, 2013 09:33
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I don't know that it counts as negging if it's SIE you're talking about. She just gets off on being yelled at.
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Nov 3, 2013 09:41
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Unreal_One posted:You already met the woman you can "neg" successfully; aggressive stance is usually pretty mean, when not violent. Now I want to play AP again just to relive that scene with rear end in a top hat Thorton meeting Grigori... God I love this game.
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Nov 3, 2013 09:45
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Count Chocula posted:Chain Shot isn't super-broken yet, but I've only got it on level 3. That and my default assault rifle (plus too much time playing Gears of War) make combat pretty easy. It does feel like most of the time I'm playing a cover shooter, with a bit of Deus Ex mixed in. I finished with Moscow and I still want some of the genius dialogue Obsidian put in FO: New Vegas. Still, its an addictive game. I've let everybody live so far; I won't do that in future playthroughs but I'm a big softy. I kinda feel the characters aren't crazy enough - they're on the line between realistic and over the top. Keep in mind that the dialogue isn't really brilliant...the first time you play. It's the 2nd, 3rd and 4th times. I've done 7 playthroughs so far and there are two major events in the game that I don't even know how you approach, much less seeing any of their payoffs.
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Nov 3, 2013 16:42
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You also haven't met the best villain in the game yet. I'd say he's one the best video game villains in general because he's the only one I can think of that really puts your player input into account.
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Nov 3, 2013 22:26
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Riven posted:Keep in mind that the dialogue isn't really brilliant...the first time you play. It's the 2nd, 3rd and 4th times. I've done 7 playthroughs so far and there are two major events in the game that I don't even know how you approach, much less seeing any of their payoffs. It takes more than one playthrough to see just what sets AP apart from other games. I'll agree with New Vegas having better dialogue, but it's all relatively static. With a game that big, that has so many variables, there's only so much that the NPC's can react to. AP makes you feel like every character knows what you've been doing; in NV, you can have a conversation with someone and they won't have a clue that you've slaughtered every single person you talked to before them. Alpha Protocol has a way of ruining the replay value of just about every other game with dialogue choices. Walking Dead is the only game I've played that's come close, but I haven't gotten through all 5 episodes yet so I'm not sure if it'll hold up as well the 4th time around.
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Nov 4, 2013 06:22
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DIEGETIC SPACEMAN posted:Alpha Protocol has a way of ruining the replay value of just about every other game with dialogue choices. Walking Dead is the only game I've played that's come close, but I haven't gotten through all 5 episodes yet so I'm not sure if it'll hold up as well the 4th time around.
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Nov 4, 2013 06:44
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The Walking Dead and Alpha Protocol are all about choice but in very different ways. Alpha Protocol is all about making sure the game reacts to your choices and tells you a really interesting story that adeptly accounts for a massive amount of player freedom. The Walking Dead is all about giving you very tough decisions and forcing you to live with the consequences. Alpha Protocol is a game you can play 5 times and get something different each time. The Walking Dead is a game you can only play once, because when you play through, that's what Lee's story is.
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Nov 4, 2013 06:55
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About the only thing Alpha Protocol and The Walking Dead have in common is the timed conversation system.
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Nov 4, 2013 06:59
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I've not played The Walking dead but it's been interesting to hear about. The first episode or two, all the buzz was "best choice in a game ever" and I heard a good few "if Alpha Protocol was actually good" comments- I guess the similar conversation systems put the association in people's minds; by the time all the episodes were out the comments had shifted to "well it's no Alpha Protocol, but..."
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Nov 4, 2013 16:11
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2house2fly posted:I've not played The Walking dead but it's been interesting to hear about. The first episode or two, all the buzz was "best choice in a game ever" and I heard a good few "if Alpha Protocol was actually good" comments- I guess the similar conversation systems put the association in people's minds; by the time all the episodes were out the comments had shifted to "well it's no Alpha Protocol, but..." You can really feel the 'funneling' that goes on unfortunately. There's no denying that.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:19
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I played the first episode of Walking Dead and got excited that someone (FINALLY) had just stolen AP's conversation mechanics unashamedly. Then I talked to my friend and found out that even though we had chosen almost every decision differently, everything happened the same way. Haven't played it since.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:23
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Yeah, in TWD it's less about the individual plot beats and more about your relationships and motivations with other characters. It's a great system but sells itself on the wrong thing.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:25
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This thread just does not want to die, I love it  monster on a stick posted:Which reminds me, your second weapon should be rifles because they are good long-range weapons for when you need to reach out and touch someone far away, and the level designer or Steven Heck didn't leave you a sniper rifle. Honestly, once you upgrade the pistol, the range for critical shots does go up quite a bit and you can actually shoot sniper without ever leaving cover. Regarding the Walking Dead chat, I really think that it's more of an interactive movie as dumb as that sounds. I mean the puzzles are easy, the plot is pretty restrictive apart from a few key choices... Don't get me wrong though, it's still really great and I love it, the atmosphere and the way it gets you to care about your video game choices.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:29
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poptart_fairy posted:Yeah, in TWD it's less about the individual plot beats and more about your relationships and motivations with other characters. It's a great system but sells itself on the wrong thing. Exactly. The story in TWD is already planned out, and you're playing the story that already is in place, but you're free to decide how Lee reacts to things. Character X will always die, but Lee can react to that death with anger, sadness, or unconcerned silence. The group will always fall into crisis at point Y, but people will remember if Lee was a dick or not to them. It's a great story, but I think a lot of people were expecting a Choose Your Own Adventure, when it just isn't that. It's like watching a movie, except with the occasional QTE to kill a zombie and the ability to choose how much of a dick or a saint the protagonist is.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:35
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The Wolf Among Us seems to be going the same route as the walking dead - basically choose how much of an rear end in a top hat your character is. Episode 1 is pretty good and I'm really looking forward to the rest... still no Alpha Protocol though.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:43
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2house2fly posted:I've not played The Walking dead but it's been interesting to hear about. The first episode or two, all the buzz was "best choice in a game ever" and I heard a good few "if Alpha Protocol was actually good" comments- I guess the similar conversation systems put the association in people's minds; by the time all the episodes were out the comments had shifted to "well it's no Alpha Protocol, but..." That's because TWD is very good at making you think you're making choices that will have a big impact down the line. But it's all smoke and mirrors. You can't affect the story in any way, outside of the obvious "who do you save" choices, and that became apparent once Season 1 was done. The whole thing left me kind of jaded and disappointed after I had played AP, where whole plotlines open and close based on what you said, what you've done, and what you know. Don't get me wrong, TWD is a great story, but its "choice" system is pathetic compared to AP's.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:44
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Ceyton posted:That's because TWD is very good at making you think you're making choices that will have a big impact down the line. But it's all smoke and mirrors. You can't affect the story in any way, outside of the obvious "who do you save" choices, and that became apparent once Season 1 was done.
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Nov 4, 2013 16:55
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 21:34 |
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When I first bought this game during a Steam sale a year or three ago, I almost immediately quit after I fell through the world most of the way through the tutorial. I never had any interest in picking it back up again, but reading through these comments makes it sound good enough for another shot. Here goes.
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Nov 4, 2013 17:25
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