Preview: Prototype 2

Platforms:PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Developer: Radical Entertainment
Publisher: Activision
Release Date:April 27

Back in 2009 Radical Entertainment released Prototype, which is probably still to this day the most one of the most insane experiences gaming can offer.  The storyline although flawed provided plenty of incentive for obliterating most of Manhattan. A sequel was inevitable and sure enough at the 2010 Spike VGAs we got the first glimpse of our second tour through virus ravaged Manhattan.

Murder Your Maker…

The tagline while ominous is the just of what Prototype 2 is about. The game puts you in the shoes of Sergeant James Heller who has just returned from his tour in Afghanistan to find Blackwatch (the Black Ops. Division in charge if containing the virus) burning the bodies of his wife and child. Heller blames Alex Mercer (protagonist / badass mutant player character from the first game) as the cause of this seeing as he released the virus in the first place. Having nowhere to go Heller joins up with Blackwatch in an attempt to stop the virus or die in the process. Heller starts taking on suicide missions but comes out alive again and again. On one mission though, he is mortally wounded. Heller lies there hoping for death, but Mercer intervenes infecting him with his special strain of the Blacklight virus.

Heller mortally pissed off and now host to a whole roster of destructive powers decides to use his abilities to destroy the virus and Mercer.  Due to his time spent in Blackwatch, Heller can tap into the Blacknet system to decide where and how to strike at the virus. He won’t be getting any help from the military though seeing as he is infected with the virus and considered a quarantine hazard.

Speaking of quarantine, the playable area has been split into three parts: Red Zone, Blue Zone and Yellow zone. Each zone boasts its own feeling and art style to accompany the feel.  Red zone appears to be the area from the first game, just a whole lot worse in the terms that the infection has taken over everywhere. Infected roam the streets tearing everything to pieces and you’ll be unlikely to find pedestrians roaming the streets.

Yellow zone is the heart of the military presence and the new Gentek HQ., The area is filled with refuges and soldiers. People here are oppressed and aren’t taking kindly to the Blackwatch martial law

Blue zone is almost untouched by infection and houses the remainder of the population military presence while still there is relatively low.

Radical describes the game as having two overarching plots. With plot A being Heller VS Mercer and plat B being Heller trying to destroy the virus.

Heller is a lot different from Mercer in the way he deals with situations. For a start he actually understands the concept of stealth. Heller has access to an ability called: Sonar Vision, which highlights usable objects and persons of interest.

One of Heller’s new core abilities is the Bio Bomb. By grabbing a human/ infected and infecting them with the Blacklight virus, Heller turns the person into a ticking time bomb which explodes sending tendrils everywhere. Don’t worry if you pick up an innocent you can put them down again, a nice touch considering how many people is sent flying over the horizon.

Radical has also put a bit more diversity in the line of how you customize Heller. Different points can be invested into their respective trees, resulting in your experience being vastly different from other peoples.

But with all this power comes a larger array of enemies to devastate some of them dwarfing those from the original.

Heller will also have larger array of weapons, including the ability to rip of the gun from a tank and then preceding to blow everything in front of you to small and red bits.

At its core the game remains what it was in the beginning, everything has been given a spit polish but the core insanity remains.