User Summary: Alpha Protocol, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Sega, is an attempt at making a James Bond style "modern day" action RPG instead of the usual themes of science fiction or fantasy. Although most of the game is a standard mix of third person action/stealth, the notable element of its gameplay structure is the conversation system, which takes a dialogue choice system similar to Mass Effect's, but adds more structured choices (usually 3 or 4) that often shift the tone/content of conversations (and relationships) dramatically. Although ultimately linear in story, the journey can branch dramatically with the player have the power to kill/spare key characters. The three main locations of the game can be played in any order, with decisions made in one location affecting the others. Additionally, the player earns XP throughout the game for hacking computers, lockpicking, and general gameplay, allowing the player to "level up" & specialize in certain weapon types, stealth, hand-to-hand etc. As different ranks are unlocked, new time limited special powers can be used.