Trying to figure out the best way to interchange these abilities during battle is one of the key ways for success in the game. There are also two different “defensive” options as well as a couple “x-ray” like view systems (to pick out infected enemies from the populated crowd). As if these weren’t enough gameplay elements Prototype most-unique feature is also one of the most fun (and most useful) in the game, the element of disguise. Any of the thousands of NPC human characters in the massive city can be “ingested”, giving Alex all the abilities and memories of that character. Many missions are made to specifically take advantage of this feature and end up much easier if you sneak into the base using a soldier character to bypass checkpoints rather than going in weapons blazing (although the choice is still up to you). Each and every attribute (including health, weapons, disguises, etc.) can be modified and improved through the very impressive RPG like upgrade system. This helps add a level of deepness to what could otherwise be a pretty standard open-world action game.
The dark and gritty open-world location in the game starts off as a serene recreation of today’s New York City, but as the game progresses buildings crumble and the overall look of the city begins to take on a more tattered/run-down and infected overlay, basically coming alive. This location transformation also helps push the game to a grittier level, something that the developers were obviously going for. There are generally two main enemy types in Prototype, the army and the infected; each group consisting of multiple different types within the class type. A couple different “boss battles” are also included in the game with the story culminating in an awesome (and really difficult) battle, taking place on a massive aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean. It took us somewhere around ten hours to complete the main story (only doing a couple side missions and 15% of collectibles) but the ability to replay the game again with all of Alex’s upgraded powers adds a ton of value to Prototype. Graphically there is nothing to seriously complain about when it comes to what the developers have produces with this open-world tub of fun.
The graphical looks is nothing revolutionary but it does exactly what it needs to, giving the player that super-gratifying feeling when ultra-powerful moves are pulled off or really hard missions are completed. Some of the finishing moves are downright disgusting but had us calling over all our friends to take part in the bloody fun. Prototype has a great draw-distance and the big-scale city will pull players in, causing them to forget at times that they are in fact playing a virtual video game. With so many other great open-world games out there right now we were worried that Prototype wouldn’t really have anything new to offer. That may be the case but the truth is that with this game it doesn’t even matter, it’s a blast to play and one of the more polished action games we have played in a long time. Time and time again we found ourselves coming back to Prototype again and again for just a little more playtime, if you are a fan of anything we have talked about in this review get over your fears and go pick up the game today. You won’t be disappointed and it will be worth every penny.
