10 Underrated Video Games That Need Sequels

Obsidian Entertainment are no strangers to RPGs with titles like Fallout: New Vegas under their belt. One of the company's lesser known games, however, is Alpha Protocol.

An espionage RPG, the game put players in the shoes of Michael Thorton and offered tons of player freedom. A violent Michael could muscle their way through levels while crafty ones could employ stealth. Though these combat mechanics were clunky, they encouraged players to experiment.

There was also a dialogue system based on three personalities which were molded after Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer and James Bond. Named Professional, Aggressive and Suave respectively, these options changed how NPCs reacted to your character.

Like most Obsidian games, Alpha Protocol's flaws were outweighed by its positives. Still, despite being riddles by bugs and lackluster graphics, the story was strong and led to branching paths. An example of this is when Thorton has to infiltrate a building full of innocent guards. While killing them is the easy route, it could also damage your relationship with your allies. Factors like this led to multiple endings which added to the game's replay value.

Alpha Protocol was released in an unfinished state which led to mixed reviews and poor sales. Though these criticisms were valid, the concept was full of potential and the story was well crafted. Though Obsidian expressed interest to continue the franchise, the trademark was cancelled in 2021.