No memories, No mercy!

Free running games are possible my favourite genre, with my top picks being Saints Row 2, Fallout 3, Sacred 2, inFamous and the brilliant Crackdown. These particular titles top my list for a variety of reasons from the vast landscapes you can explore to the Co-op fun that can be had. New to the free roam arena is [Prototype]. First impressions of [Prototype] were positive, it offered freedom, a gripping story and superpowers.

[Prototype] brings you an edgy story that raises questions from the start, for example, why do you wake up in a morgue with no memory and two guys in Hazmat suits preparing to open you up? Knowing that something is very wrong you leave the morgue determined to piece your past together. But Alex is no normal person; he has been infected with a virus that enables him to shape shift his body into a variety of lethal weapons that can slice, crush and dismember all that get in his way. This turns out to be a private army, a ton of mutants and most of the population of New York City. [Prototype] doesn’t waste time lulling you into the game, it throws you. Head first.

The combat in [Prototype] is very smooth and easy to get to grips with and players will be slicing and dicing in no time. As you progress through [Prototype] you will open up new abilities and moves each with their own pros and cons. It’s down to you to decide what ability suits certain situations. But fighting isn’t always the answer to achieving your objective.

Nothing wrong with hiding

Stealth is sometimes required to access certain areas or people. The best way to hide in [Prototype] is to step into someone else’s skin, literally. By “consuming” people or military personnel, you can then shape shift into the unfortunate soul you have just killed. “Consuming” is violent and blood soaked affair, as you pummel and tear your victim, to then watch them disappear into your body.

“Consuming” plays a bigger role than just hiding from the military though. Throughout the city are key figures that you will need to “consume” to gain access to their memories and new abilities. The memories you see will either point you to the next mission or reveal more about your mysterious past.

The abilities you can unlock vary from upgrades to your already formidable shape shifting powers to being able to drive tanks and helicopters. This gives [Prototype] a diverse range of attacking and defending possibilities.

Your fight to recover your lost past takes place in New York, which to begin with looks clean and undisturbed. But as you progress through [Prototype] the city starts to look more war torn and dilapidated which really adds to the feel of the dark and twisting plot in [Prototype]. Moving around New York is fun and exceptionally easy, and hours can be lost just by running around jumping and gliding from roof to street back up to roof again in one fluid movement.

If you want to relax and just have fun there are side missions to keep you busy for a while. As you complete story missions and side missions, you will earn Experience Points (XP) to improve your repertoire for death and destruction.

Born to be bad

[Prototype] has been nurtured lovingly from concept to finished product and it really shows. New York looks fantastic, the combat is slick (with blood) and movement is swift and effortless. [Prototype] is a gore filled, revenge fuelled, free roaming adventure that deserves centre stage in your game collection, as being bad has never been so good!

GAME's Verdict

• The ease at which you move around the City.
• Fluid brutal combat.
• A great story that pulls you to it's conclusion.

• Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed by enemies.
• Co-op could have been a good addition.
• Not sure if it will be supported by DLC.

Review by: Tom "Merciless" Daly
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 12.06.09

Rise of the Anti-Hero

Sandbox games are extremely popular with GTA, Saints Row 2, Far Cry 2 and Fallout 3 being among the most successful. When made well these games can really pull the player in, engrossing them in a rich story whilst giving them the freedom to take some time out to explore the environment.

You don't have to play nice

When you add super powers to the mix then you know you’re in for a treat. This combination has been done to varying degrees of success with Spiderman 3, Spiderman: Friend or Foe and Crackdown being the top dogs in the superhero/sandbox combination. But this is all superhero stuff. What if you’re the “the bad guy”, or at least act like it?

Prototype is centred on anti-hero Alex Mercer, who wakes up in a military facility with no memory. Mercer has been part of a military experiment which has given him special abilities. Determined to get to the bottom of his memory loss, Mercer steps on to the streets of New York and smack bang into the middle of an already raging war between the Military and a mysterious viral epidemic.

Even thought this is a “superhero” game it’s nice to see that Mercer doesn’t wear the traditional Superhero clobber, instead Mercer favours some comfy jeans, shirt and jacket. Maybe he heard that Lycra and Leather costumes chaff?!

As a result of the experiments performed on him, Mercer has the ability to use his body as a lethal weapon. By altering his hands into a variety of different looks, Mercer can slice, slash and club his way through New York. Each of these ’weapons’ has its own strengths and weaknesses. The combat is extremely fluid and easy to pull off, but despite its ease the combat looks great. Using Mercers claws, you can either slice your enemies or charge up the special move which sees Mercer slam his claws into the ground, to then explode out of the ground obliterating anything (soldiers, mutants, pedestrians and vehicles) in his way.

Another ability that Mercer has is to absorb memories and skills of those he kills whilst slicing and smashing his way to the truth. This is where Prototype really excels above the previous superhero/free roam titles. As you can expand your arsenal of destruction, above your already formidable powers to incorporate tanks, helicopters and guns. As you kill and absorb certain fodder, you absorb the abilities they hold. So absorbing a pilot will enable you to fly a helicopter.

Close combat is not the only method of inflicting some pain. As you absorb skills you will also be able to get your hands on guns. Not just little pea shooters either. Heavy duty machine guns and rocket launchers can be added to your arsenal when you find the right person to kill. This opens up a whole new way to go on the offensive and also allows you to play as you like as you run, gun, slice and dice your way through New York’s streets.

Good to be bad!

The free running element of Prototype works amazingly well; it’s smooth and effortless. Little ledges on roofs don’t need to be jumped as Mercer will automatically step higher and use it as a launching pad to start a jump. This applies to cars and debris in the streets. You can easily move from running up a wall, to gliding, back to roof top to then leap to the ground to deliver a devastating attack on those below.

Prototype ticks all the right boxes with effortless yet devastating combat, smooth free running and gorgeous and very gory looks. Prototype has come out of no where, and it is shape-shifting up to be something special, and not a bit of Lycra in sight. Thankfully.

Preview by: Tom "Merciless" Daly
Preview Published:17.04.09