Stealth

Although I wouldn't say I'm a huge Splinter Cell fan, I have played every game in the series and more or less enjoyed them. I've definitely had my issues with the formula here and there, but I do like playing a good Stealth game once in a while, and there really aren't that many options. Now, there are even less.

Stealth and Pistols, all the way

HIGH Unleashing my pistol's special attack and headshotting six goons at once.

LOW A lack of prompts making me miss the chance to rescue a main character.

WTF Punching is often more effective than shooting.

Bells and Whistles, for the Win

HIGH "The Truth" is out there. Waaay out there.

LOW "Don't jump that way again!! Gah—this is a timed segment!"

WTF The soldiers of the near-future will baton your ass.

I just finished Alpha Protocol a few minutes ago and I have to say that my opinion of the game greatly improved by the time credits rolled.

So, Alpha Protocol. At this point, I've erased my first character and started from scratch, completely re-speccing and changing my play style. I haven't finished the game yet, but I would estimate I'm about halfway. Perhaps a little more.I'm still considering doing a second opinion review if time allows, but no promises there. In the meantime, my general thought is that the only way to really derive appreciation out of Alpha Protocol is to go Stealth all the way, and put a lot of points into the Pistol ability as well.

Lost in this Masquerade

HIGH Steven "Don't call me Steve" Heck.

LOW The '80s-themed boss fight against a knife-wielding cokehead who somehow is still talking after taking ten bullets in the face.

WTF Let me get this straight: a brilliant intelligence analyst lost track of his own daughter because she took her mother's maiden name?

Game Description: The year is 2009. Worldwide political tensions are at a breaking point when a commercial airliner is shot down by a U.S. missile over Eastern Europe, killing all aboard. The U.S. government claims no involvement, and dispatches Agent Michael Thorton to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. As the first modern day spy role-playing game, Alpha Protocol offers unprecedented control over the development of Thorton’s abilities and his interactions with other characters. Upgrade skills such as physical combat, weapons mastery, cutting-edge technology and even seduction as you grow in experience and complete missions.

Game Description: Prison Break The Conspiracy is a single player action adventure game. Play as Tom Paxton an agent of " The Company" sent to Fox River Penitentiary to unravel the mystery behind Michael Scofield being sent to the same prison as his brother Lincoln Burrows.

They're just not Great at this "Keeping Prisoners" Thing

HIGH Desperately picking a lock while watching a guard creep closer on the split-screen.

LOW Missing a Y press because the game was asking me to jam on the B button.

WTF Couldn't they have figured some way of getting Fichtner in there?

I've been spending most of the last two days playing Shiren the Wanderer on the Wii and Dark Void on the Xbox 360.