Old news are best served with a bit of catch-up, and so we return to some of the stories we missed a few days ago due to excessive WoW'ing *cough* various reasons. Having successfully tackled the sci-fi and fantasy RPG sub-genres (and post-apocalyptic, if we think about their good ol' days at Black Isle), the dudes from Obsidian Entertainment (KotOR 2, NWN 2) are finally trying their hand at their first original IP. They call it Alpha Protocol, "a thrilling new espionage role-playing game set in the modern world", which CEO Feargus Urquhart also says will blend "Obsidian's knack for intricate stories, engrossing characters, and significant character advancement with fast-paced modern combat".

"Loyalty carries a price and no one knows this more than agent Michael Thorton. A talented young agent cast out by his government, Thorton is the only one with the information needed to stop an impending international catastrophe. To do so means he must cut himself off from the very people he is sworn to protect. As players determine how to accomplish different objectives, the decisions made and actions taken in each mission will ultimately transform the type of secret agent Michael Thorton will become. Every choice the player makes as Michael Thorton will carry consequences for his future and the fate of the world."

SEGA plots to infiltrate Alpha Protocol into stores worldwide in 2009, on the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The AlphaProtocol.com website should go live at some point before that, but for now it redirects to the game's official forums. More details should also surface in the April issue of GameInformer. All they're saying for now is that "[players] can rely on brute force, stealth or gadgets to accomplish missions, and also navigate through a nuanced conversation system".

Tags:  PC, PS3, Xbox 360, role-playing, Obsidian Entertainment, SEGA