RPG

One of 2010’s most intriguing games is Obsidian Entertainment’s Alpha Protocol. This game will put the player in the no-squeak shoes of a modern day spy who must stop an “international catastrophe” from occurring. Similar to USA Network’s excellent Burn Notice (if you’re not watching it, what are you waiting for?!? Sheesh!), the player must go rogue and work the international espionage system to get the answers he needs and stop the nefarious plot before it is too late. Promising a nice dose of role playing, along with plenty of action enhanced by all the cool gadgets and weaponry that goes with spycraft, Alpha Protocol sort of reminds me of the espionage equivalent of Mass Effect.

I am really looking forward to this game. I haven’t played a good spy game since…well Spy vs. Spy back on the 8-bit machines. When you stop and think about it, it’s a clear shame because espionage would seem to be a natural setting for conflict-based gaming. Even on the Atari 800XL, there was nothing as sweet as laying a deviously clever trap for the black spy (I always played the good spy) and laughing with joy when it was sprung with all its malice.

Mount & Blade is perhaps the best medieval-themed game in existence.  Yes…in existence (don’t you dare mention Warcraft as a contender!).  Hailing form a small Turkish studio, Mount & Blade quickly garnered a huge international following for its open sandbox play, along with its deliberate exclusion of any of the usual fantasy clichés, such as monsters or wizards.  Best of all, Mount & Blade is supremely moddable, something that has unleashed the creative juices of the M&B community and led to such wonderful mods as an Old West mod and a feudal Japan mod.

Not content to rest on its laurels, last year TaleWorlds’ announced the ambitious Warband expansion that would bring a number of much sought after additions, including a 64-player multiplayer component.  However, in an unexpected move, TaleWorlds has just announced a new Warband facet the many M&B diehards wanted but didn't expect to see in this go around:  a marriage dynamic.  Don’t roll your eyes, love and marriage determined the fate of many a medieval kingdom, so I am both intrigued and excited.

In related post-apocalyptic news, a teaser has been released for the next Fallout title: Fallout: New Vegas. Hmm...I wonder if it will include ghoulified dancing girls and radioactive one-armed bandits? Guess we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, here is the teaser: