Alpha Protocol Walkthrough - Taipei: The Grand Hotel - NSB Data
Introduction
This is a fairly interesting mission in Taipei. There can be a lot of money lying around along with a lot of optional objectives. Unfortunately, just about everyone is an “innocent” so characters who want to be “good” and not earn Mina’s hatred will need to go in nonlethal. This means packing a few tranquilizer rounds or getting ready for a lot of melee combat. Of course, if you want her to hate you, then this level is a godsend. You lose one point with her for each guard you kill. Note that while Heck isn’t thrilled with the leash of not killing anyone, you shouldn’t lose any points with Heck if you do it right. Tell Heck to be “subtle” with his distraction, to be sure. He shouldn’t be as upset as he would if you were being professional and telling him to be discreet (the options for discreet cause you to lose a point).
Loadout is fairly simple. Combat isn’t hard. Just bring something good if you are willing to kill the cops. If not, then just bring a pistol with a silencer. Also think about getting some armor inserts with the combat gauntlets. Anything to help with your melee combat will be useful. I’d also suggest buying some first aid kits. Nonlethal players are just going to take more damage. Rushing agents isn’t fun and they’ll probably manage to shoot you a few times. The potential firefight at the end is a lot easier with a first aid kit too. Also bring some EMPs. The locks and alarms here are a real pain. Alarms are really annoying too, since they tend to call up several police officers from several different directions. If you have two points in Sabotage, then you can just use EMPs for locks to avoid trigger alarms.
Intel is fairly simple. Heck has some special Intel that opens up more loot on the level. There’s another that does this too. You can get Hong Shi to lower the experience levels of the guards if he still likes you. There is also a map that you can buy.
The Security Station
Grab some ammo from your bathroom and then run ahead to the elevator and go on down to meet up with Heck in the security offices. This is a really rough place if you don’t hit it just right. You need to move fast to prevent an alarm that triggers a whole bunch of guards. Heck will take out one of the three with his brilliant non-lethal distraction. The guard on the right side isn’t a threat. I’ve never seen him radio in the attack. The one of the left usually does it if you don’t take him out though. I personally just waited for the camera to sweep back and did a running jump kick and stomp. Beat him up or shoot him with tranquilizers to end this quickly. Just charge or shoot the other by following the path around to him.
Once that’s done, you’re home free unless you lose a minigame and trigger an alarm. Unfortunately, those locks are usually really tough relative to what you usually see. I suggest you just use EMP charges to avoid triggering an alarm. There’s some good gear around here. Before you do anything, shut down the cameras through the console in the main security office. There’s a cage with a weapon mode here too, if you can lockpick it. Go ahead and hack the marked console to get your copy of the map. There should be another cage with a weapon mod in here too. Finally, there’s a third room on your way to the exit. Swing into it to hack another computer and get information on the NSB. There’s a cage in here with five grand in it. Again, pick the lock if you can.
Walk to the newly opened exit to the stairwell and head up up.
Clearing the Penthouse Suites
Scarlet will talk to you along the way. Respond appropriately while you go up two floors to meet her in the hallway. We still need a badge to unlock the elevator to the conference room, so we have one more quick raid. Move forward and open the door, but step back when you can. There is a guard that can usually see through the double doors and spot you. The foolowing rhythm worked really well for me. It’s a little rough, but it works. You really don’t want to trigger an alarm here, since it will spawn four more police officers from all the entrances to the penthouse suites. It’s a nightmare to do it with nonlethal means unless you’re a god with the pistol.
Look up and pop the guard across from you with a critical shot from a tranquilizer. The other balcony guard might go to yellow, but he will usually calm down and resume his patrol before he spots the body. Just wait a moment. Use the open door for cover and look out into the lobby. You need to wait for the first patrol to walk toward you and then turn toward the bar. Wait a few more seconds for the guard lagging behind to turn away from you slightly as he curves toward the corner. Step out a bit to the left and do a quick takedown on him. Hustle over to the bar and takedown the guard. There should be $5,000 laying on the bar (I assume that this is from the Intel). Grab it and look over. You should be able to just shoot the guard from here. If not, wait for him to walk further down the line and get to the stairs. Wait for the camera to look away and then rush to the corner below it. Go upstairs when it switches back to look at the landing. If you didn’t get the guard, get behind him and do a takedown now. Or just rush him and take him out quickly.
Handling the Halbech Rep
Now, if Scarlet gave you the picture you can add him to the sexual offender database and have the rep taken away. It should make getting the badge a little easier (although it isn’t exactly difficult either way). It is also supposed to make security a bit easier to deal with, although I personally didn’t notice much of a difference. Sneak around the corner to the marked door and hack the keypad to enter the security office. You should be able to hack the computer and load up the picture onto the computer. The big reason for this little detour is on the wall though. Move the painting to reveal a safe in the wall with $10,000 (I also believe this is tied to Intel). Regardless, if you can crack it it’s a really good reward.
In order to get the badge, we have to go the representative’s room. Go inside and carefully round the corner. Wait for the Halbech rep to turn around and walk into the bathroom. The mirror won’t count for detection, so just follow him in and take him down. There is a safe in here with some Halbech intel and money. You can also hack the computer for Halbech Intel. Grab the badge on the nightstand and walk out of the suite.
The Conference Room
We’re almost done, so get ready for the last push. Quickly move forward and pick the lock on that door. You have to pick it fairly fast, since one of the four agents will walk out into the hallway shortly after they finish talking. I wouldn’t even bother sneaking. Just stand up, pick the lock and then run through to the safe area behind it. Sneak around over to the conference area and do a quick takedown on the agent standing beside the projector. Unless you can do something with an ability or gadget to split up the three men in the conference, you’re just going to have to take them out. I personally just used chain shot with tranquilizers for three quick shots as I rounded the corner. You could also use a flashbang or any weapon or stealth ability.
Once they’re down, hack the computer to get the information that you need. You’re ready to go, if you want. Heck still wants you to trash his personal file though. If you do this, then it will be a lot harder to get out. You’ll set the whole lobby on lockdown and need to fight your way out. Heck will appreciate it though and you’ll get an extra relationship point for helping him. I assume getting out normally is just a little easier. Besides, who wouldn’t want to help Heck?
Escaping the Hotel
If you set off the lockdown, then two police officers will come in through the back door and sweep the room. You can pick them off if you want, or just swing out into the hallway and come out behind them. Go out the now open double doors behind the conference room to come out in the lobby. 4 guards will be waiting by the stairs. Watch out, since one of them might rush you. Heck should throw a flashbang right in the middle of them though. You should be able to do at least two takedowns on the disoriented men and melee attacks on the rest. Don’t try to shoot it out with the guards. They are basically on an endless spawn, so you’re bashing your head against a wall. Just clear a path and let Heck keep them distracted. Run up the stairs to the left and get into the security room. Hack the computer and pick the lock on the cage for some more equipment. Head on out and run to the doors to get close enough to realize that they’re still locked. Sprint over to the reception desk and take cover. In a few seconds Mina will highlight the door to the service elevator. Kick it open and just sprint right through to it. Hit the button to make your escape.
This post is part of the series: Alpha Protocol Walkthrough - Taipei
We need to save Ronald Sung from being assassinated. This means help Hong Shi take out some triad defectors, help Steven Heck raid a hotel and quietly plant some bugs in a G22 warehouse. You’ll also have to face off against Omen Deng in the subway and finally try to save Deng at the rally.
