Prototype

Alex Mercer is about to become the most wanted and dangerous man on the face of the planet and in doing so will turn New York City into a battleground.

In the new game Prototype, Activision and Radical Entertainment have crafted a sleek and stylish game that deftly combines action, drama, and mystery to create one of the most unique and enjoyable games ever created.

Thought dead, Alex awakens to find that he is embodied with an amazing and deadly array of powers that let him scale buildings, survive falls of great distances, craft his arms into deadly weapons and shape shift his appearance.

All of this comes in handy, as soldiers and minions of Gentek, who have infected Alex with a highly mutative virus which is causing his powers. As Alex attempts to get to the bottom of what has been done to him and why, he not only must avoid legions of soldiers who are hot on his heels, but as well as the minions of a shadow organization.

Alex As the game unfolds, Alex gains the help of his sister as well as another informant as his new powers and abilities continue to grow. The streets of New York are vast and the number of enemies is vast.
Players earn points for combat and other actions and can use the points to select new skills and enhance current ones. There is also a great ability that allows Alex to absorb an enemy which in turn grants you access to their memories which can be replayed and connected in order to better understand the conspiracy that surrounds you. Alex can also change his appearance to mimic others which comes in handy when trying to slip into a location unnoticed.

This is a good thing as much of the game revolves around combat. While being able to cleave your opponents and hurl objects at them is great, there are times when a quick retreat up a tall building is needed to replenish your health. This is not a bad thing as I was able to dispatch an attack helicopter who followed me with a air conditioner and then dropped from the tall building into the battle.

Prototype combines fantastic action and characters with a solid story and tons of versatility. The vast and changing city is filled with areas to explore and also filled with many characters for you to interact with.
Graphically the game is first rate though the size of the city can come into play which results in some lackluster areas of town.

The controls may take some players a while to understand as the basic functions are easy, but the more advanced abilities may take some practice.

The game does have the checkpoint save system I despise, but it does allow you to not have to complete large and complex missions to reach a save system. I did find some of the missions at times frustrating like having to locate a commander in a crowded area, but for gamers who have patience, the rewards are many.

4.5 stars out of 5.