Become anything and change everything on your bloodthirsty hunt for revenge. You are Alex Mercer - the Prototype.
Contains: Very Strong Bloody Violence, Strong Language and Horrific Images
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prototype is an open world action adventure game that features a deadly shape-shifting protagonist on a hunt to make those responsible pay for what he's become.
-------------------------------------------
STORY - 5/5
-------------------------------------------
A viral, biological outbreak known as BLACKLIGHT is spreading throughout Manhattan, turning the citizens into infected mutants with an uncontrollable urge to attack uninfected people, and The United States Marine Corps, under the command of the black ops organization Blackwatch, is dispatched to contain it. Meanwhile, after waking up in a morgue in the basement of a large and influential genetic engineering company called Gentek, protagonist Alex Mercer escapes an autopsy imminent, evades the military forces stationed outside and flees for his life, all the while completely confused with his sudden and dramatically increased speed, strength, durability and his total lack of memory of his past. Alex Mercer happens to be an incredibly powerful shape-shifter and is intent on finding out who is responsible for what he has become, revealing as much of the conspiracy as possible and will stop at nothing, and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
After a really compelling opening cutscene that gives some details on the protagonist and what he is, the story begins rather abruptly before you realise the event is one set several days ahead of where the story actually originates, and that this is the way the story will develop some intrigue upon proceedings as to who Mercer is conspiring with. During the game you'll come across many important citizens who have vital knowledge of the outbreak, and by consuming them, you'll gain access to their memories that are slickly presented in a montage of footage involving some horrific imagery with that specific character revealing information in a narrated format. With over 130 individuals with knowledge of what's happening to the city, they all form together into a Web of Intrigue, which each link together to chain events that make sense when put together and filling in the blanks of the story that otherwise aren't revealed fully. Each node is a memory that is a crucial segment to maximise your understanding of the story's events, as well as usefully fleshing out secrets of the back-story to an already mysterious plot and protagonist.
-------------------------------------------
CHARACTERS - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
"My name is Alex Mercer. I'm the reason for all this. They call me a killer, a monster, a terrorist... I'm all these things".
Alex Mercer is a formidable shape-shifter that is under keen observation of Blackwatch who want him brought in alive for studies, and most importantly to find out what makes him tick. He emerges from Gentek alive and dead at the same time. He has unparalleled strength and agility, has the ability to absorb other individuals, taking on their biomass, memories, experiences, and physical forms, but is distant with accepting what he is, how he has become such a monster, and has no recollection of his past. Unravelling the mystery and getting to the heart of the conspiracy is Alex's only concern, and his strong motivation to do that makes him a likeable and engaging protagonist who you'll feel attached to as you wonder the answers to the questions Alex himself is asking throughout. But his physical development and mental constraints leave him vulnerable for exacting violence in some of the most brutal ways if it means gaining information and answers, and Alex Mercer is a highly dangerous individual who'll tear through the streets of Manhattan and the lives of innocent people on his vengeful mission for answers, and proves an extremely powerful anti-hero protagonist with no mercy for the actions he does and the lives he destroys as long as the hunt for the people responsible sees their comeuppance in the end.
-------------------------------------------
GAMEPLAY - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
The open world, sandbox design of New York City is your playground for causing all manner of destruction and violent, bloodthirsty rampages as you carve an unmistakable path closer to the truth with each mission you complete and each individual you unmercifully consume for vital knowledge on the situation at hand. Within time you begin to learn how to use your biologically advanced body to a weaponised advantage by shape shifting your body with deadly offensive powers that range from razor-sharp claws, a bladed whip and hammerfist-like boulders that each deal tremendous amounts of damage when used on appropriate enemies or vehicles, and also defensive powers such as a shield that blocks ballistic attacks. Alex Mercer's primary superpower is shape-shifting, allowing you to change his form by absorbing another individual entirely, which gives you the opportunity to take on their appearance completely while remaining with the same agility and strength, and also is effective at disguising yourself amongst human enemies (military and police) until you compromise your disguise by revealing your true identity underneath the layer of flesh you absorbed. Enemies are situated all over the place, so raising an alert will occur more often than not if you start attacking civilians frequently, but a previous disguise is available to transform into when you wish to evade a fight rather than destroy the assailants chasing you. Consuming humanoid foes is advantageous for not only progressing stealthily when you want but also for gaining health which will no doubt be of need during some of the latter battles that are extremely chaotic and, occasionally, frustrating.
Your unmatched speed and agility when combined with the adaptive parkour lets you move freely through the open world environments of New York City, where scaling up skyscrapers, maneuvering through pedestrians, jumping over vehicles and obstacles, and generally running unrestricted through the streets is made accessible through the use of one button that automatically overcomes obstacles in your way while you focus on the action around you during a fight, and considering many battles face you against overwhelming odds of survival, you'll need to focus intently on your enemies and power-equipped strategies and not on what is around you unless you are looking to use it as a projectile. (Nothing makes you feel more powerful than using a pedestrian to destroy a helicopter).
Prototype never allows you to feel too comfortable with the powers you have, and so things are constantly kept respectably challenging so that you have to work hard to succeed. The introduction of new enemies make some powers worth dismissing, and timed objectives keep you from strolling around on rampages, where you'll keep your eye on the map for the targets, and the top of the screen for an indication of how much time you have left to complete the objective. Main story missions tend to be more focused on heavy enemy resilience, and so more often than not you won't be able to experiment with unlocked combos and new abilities as you'll be forced to use your most powerful asset in your arsenal of fantasy-styled shape shifting powers. Side missions have lots of good variety and challenge you in separate ways, where some test your ability to use a single weapon to kill as many enemies within a time limit, some challenge your movement skill across the city by hitting checkpoints as fast as you can, some force you to use a conventional weapon while fighting alongside the military in a disguised form against hordes of the infected, and some require you to gain access to a military base to consume a target using stealth. Some of these can lead to frustration, most notably the later ones you come to unlock as you progress through the story, which is mainly down to the amount of times your attacks get interrupted. Sometimes you'll look to perform an attack on a strong opponent, but get knocked out of the sky because of a barrage of explosions from relentless helicopter pilots or military with lock-on rocket launchers, and then you'll want to consume some pedestrians for much needed health as you panic at the state of your constantly deteriorating health bar, but you find you cannot complete the consume process because it gets interrupted, and moments like these can really test your patience if you don't plan an attack in advance.
Completing main story missions and side mission events that are highlighted on the map unlock more events and upgrades and earn you evolution points that go towards purchasing combos and new abilities, and the better you do at the event because of reaching a specific kill requirement or beating the event within a certain time threshold earns you higher medals which give you higher EP bonuses to unlocking some really expensive moves that you won't regret upon purchase.
Combat doesn't just rely on your primary offensive powers though. Alex's most powerful attacks are Devastators, which require you to be in Critical mass - either the state of near-death or the exact opposite, having excess stored biomass and increased health which is represented by the blue segment on the health gauge. Devastators are wide spread area-based attacks that can change the course of the battle within seconds, or save you from death's grasp. They include Tendril Barrage, where tendrils are propelled out of your body in all directions and impale enemies, and the Groundspike Graveyard, where massive spikes erupt out of the ground dealing damage to both fleshy foes and armored vehicles with considerable effectiveness. Another form of attack is by using conventional weapons that the military have, which can be picked up when they are killed and range from assault rifles to grenade launchers, and can be upgraded by consuming targets when you infiltrate a base. Gaining access to the interior of a military base requires planning, cautiousness and stealth consumption. You can silently pick off stragglers and take their appearance in order to get into the zone (Civilians and Alex are forbidden access of course), and then find the base commander in order to gain entrance to the inside of the base. When inside, keeping your disguise is advised, and it can also be used for other forms of distracting enemies. Once unlocked you can choose to 'patsy' a targeted enemy and cause allies to kill them when you announce they are the suspect they're looking for, or even when outside can order military strikes to destroy the base for suitable EP awards. Doing this is totally optional, but mixing around the formulae instead of diving straight in and consuming/destroying everything in sight keeps the game from feeling repetitive, and also the mission structures themselves allow for some flexibility when you approach your objective, especially the side missions.
Prototype has plenty of gory action to indulge in, and the free roam aspects mean you can cause as much destruction at free will, and while your rampages will not go unnoticed, the body count will only rise when enemies unknowingly let themselves in on a terrible fate that only ends in gruesome slaughter. Throwing vehicles around, hijacking enemy tanks and helicopters, consuming people for necessary escape disguises, slicing through the streets with a variety of powers, sprinting up and over skyscrapers, landing from extreme heights without taking any damage and taking part in loads of optional side activities all enhance the enjoyable experience of being Alex Mercer, the prototype - the ultimate shape-shifting weapon.
-------------------------------------------
GRAPHICS - 3/5
-------------------------------------------
Prototype is visually satisfactory, with a very good framerate that is sturdy throughout even when the number of characters and explosions on screen borders on insane. But what lets Prototype down is the dull scenery in which the game is set. In recognition for the spread of the infection across the city as the story progresses, more and more zones on the map will become infected with equal amount of military controlled areas too. But the only drastic changes are the red haze that fills the screen when entering an infected zone, which then filters back to normal colour resolution when you exit the area, and the genetic material that covers buildings in specific zones of the map, otherwise the environment remains the same - dull and filled with repeated building designs that barely change with the corresponding story of the viral outbreak sweeping through Manhattan.
When you consume a human, a viscerally gruesome yet satisfying animation plays on screen, and each animation varies depending on the power equipped. You'll perform a very violent kill move where the person could possibly be dismembered, sliced in half vertically, horizontally, or ripped open with pure strength. These are all moves that are accompanied with plenty of blood and gore as you witness the viral tendrils within your body emit out and latch onto the target as they delicately consume the structure of the person so that the flesh is intact, and you relish the effects of absorption as you gain health and the ability to transform into their appearance and even access their memories (If they are a Web of Intrigue target). Alex Mercer is well animated, and the incredible freedom of movement which allows you to fall from ridiculous heights without taking damage and jump clear over 6 story buildings with ease are all exhibited in smooth motions to enhance some believability to his extraordinary physical advantages over the average human being.
A generic map system is available when you press start, and the legend clearly identifies different events, but unfortunately you can't set any waypoints to make your way to a specific place, but it would be pointless anyway considering how quick you can manoeuvre across the city, and overall Prototype proves it can display acceptable graphics, nothing eye-catching because of the boring city design and some weak looking explosions, but good animations and gallons of blood enter the fray and will certainly satisfy your bloodlust.
-------------------------------------------
SOUND - 5/5
-------------------------------------------
Voice acting is influential in the telling of a story and it's subsequent plot developments, and the voice acting in Prototype perfectly executes the intriguing twists and turns that the story has to offer. Barry Pepper portrays protagonist Alex Mercer and does a brilliant job of bringing the heartless and mean personality of Mercer to the forefront at every opportunity, clearly identifying how he doesn't care about anyone except hunting down the ones responsible for his condition and getting is bloodthirsty revenge. Some riveting music helps the game along in some of the more hectic fights you engage in, and is constantly changing tone to keep from sounding the same every time it comes into effect.
Other sound effects during gameplay are all perfect, whether it's the squelching, bloody, effortless consuming process accompanied by screams which soon get blocked out by tendrils piercing their flesh and skull, or the gore fest rampages induced by a sweeping attack from your blade which has morphed into your arm as you devastatingly cut apart anyone unfortunate to be in your way, each effect is convincing and sounds delightfully realistic.
-------------------------------------------
CONTROLS - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
At the start of the game, the control layout is neat and simple to grapple understanding of. You can literally run from one end of New York to the other simply by holding down the R2 button and the parkour movement system will deal with any structures or obstacles blocking your path. Primary attacks are executed with a tap of square, while stronger attacks can be dealt with the triangle button, and as you unlock more moves you can chain melee or weapon combos together for increased attack power. However, because there are so many unlockable upgrades, some of the latter combos that get integrated into the configurations are often too complex to pull if in the right circumstances. Some require you to hold up to 2 buttons while changing the correct direction on the analog stick to be executed, and overall they become too fiddly to remember and will ultimately prove wasted during heated combat.
A lock-on targeting system is very good so that when you target an enemy, or flick through with the analog stick to target the primary enemy, the game shifts into slow motion very briefly to give you a tactical overview of everything, and while the game sometimes targets the wrong thing which proves a horrible problem when you are low on health and you just need to consume someone, the game always targets an enemy within the field of view so you don't have to worry about fixating your attention accidentally on a pedestrian or a parked vehicle.
A radial menu displaying your different offensive, defensive and special vision powers can be used to change your currently equipped power and this also briefly enters slow motion, giving you a short time to pick which power will be more appropriate while putting you under no pressure under the circumstances that enemy awareness has no doubt elevated to. (Thermal and infected vision powers are generally unused for much of the game and basically highlight infected and other enemies against the backdrop of the city, while limiting your view and draining out some sound and decreasing the volume).
-------------------------------------------
ATMOSPHERE - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
Despite the boring and bland New York City design that doesn't fully immerse you in such a well known place with iconic landmarks, there is an atmosphere about the viral outbreak that does make Manhattan feel alive. Realistic pedestrian responses that cause them to panic when they notice who you really are, are convincing and well implemented into the action. Whether they scream and run in the opposite direction or reverse in their cars away from your presence, each response seems natural. Cars swerve and crash into each other as panic spreads, people get run over in unfortunate accidents because of the sheer panic of your arrival on the scene and military in the area investigate thoroughly while remaining in radio contact with each other as they try and locate you amongst the crowd of innocents. Abnormal movements from you will cause them to take action and look to find you, and you can see just how convincing these moments are, especially when inside a base and you can see the base commander with higher authority organising which troops go where to try and force you out of hiding. The infected zones that sometimes interlude with military zones can provide some entertaining spectating moments as you witness the incidents below turn bloody as the military try and establish control in that sector by standing their ground and shooting the infected on sight. It all happens below you even when you aren't looking to stop and join in, and as you glide overhead you'll hear and witness the battle below as tanks fire shells of missiles upon infected hordes as they attempt to destroy one of the many infected hives scattered over the city which is the main source for the spread of the virus.
-------------------------------------------
ENEMY AI - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
Enemies are all challenging in some way. Military when in groups are highly dangerous with the weapons they wield, and you'll often see one of them call in a strike team to try and eradicate you, and these bring in many helicopters with advanced weaponry as well as tanks on the ground. When you change your disguise when out of sight you'll see the ground and air forces look to relocate you, and also the ground troops search for any sign of your presence before they give up the chase and go back to their default stances. Infected enemies are generally weak and unintelligent and will seek to hit you when you're within striking distance, but the more advanced strain of the virus called Hunters will relentlessly pursue you if you are near a hive, and their melee attacks that are a chain of powerful body blows can make some situations infuriating when they aren't your concern. Different types of infected enemies each have varying power, speed and endurance, meaning you'll have to adapt to weapons that best suit the fleshy or armored hide that coats them to deplete their health and dispatch them effectively.
-------------------------------------------
LENGTH - 5/5
-------------------------------------------
If you don't rush through the story missions, take time completing side missions, and overall go on killing sprees across the city during free roam, you can easily get about 20 hours worth of enjoyment out of Prototype, and the ending is worth the wait.
-------------------------------------------
REPLAY VALUE - 4/5
-------------------------------------------
During your playthrough, there are many landmark and hint collectibles to be picked up that are littered across the map, each worth bonuses that contribute to purchasing upgrades. If you aren't the type of gamer to strive for gold medals in all events for extra awards or explore the city for collectibles, then the chances are that not all upgrades will be able to be integrated into your physique and the control scheme in one playthrough of the story. But after completing the game, a new game plus option is available for a second playthrough in which you keep all upgrades and evolution points from the previous playthrough, and so they simply get carried over with everything else you achieved except, of course, your results in side missions. Naturally, a second playthrough with all your powers and upgrades from the start will make the game a lot easier if you struggled on the first playthrough, allowing you to enjoy the experience even more than before. Above all, Prototype is worth replaying for the fantastic story and accessible combat, and the over-the-top locomotion and agility when combined with deadly shape-shifting action makes Prototype a profound sci-fi action adventure where you can become anything and change everything on your bloodthirsty rampage with no memory and showing no mercy.
==========================
OVERALL SUMMARY - 8.5/10
==========================
Good Points: Excellent opening cinematic, Alex Mercer is an intriguing anti-hero protagonist, Consuming Web of Intrigue targets accesses important memories that exhibit a montage of nicely presented footage that flesh out the back-story and characters, Deadly shape-shifting action that allows you to take on the appearance of anyone and morph your body into an array of powerful weapons, Engaging story with a well concealed twist, Sturdy framerate throughout, Great variety of side missions, Consuming people is a cool mechanic that provides truly gruesome kill animations accompanied with convincing sound effects, Well implemented stealth elements.
Bad Points: Explosions look weak, Overall city design is bland, Occasionally fiddly controls to execute advanced combo moves, Interrupted attacks can get frustrating.