Format: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Publisher: Activision

Developer: Radical

Reviewed by David Valjalo

[ratings]

That Radical’s open-world title feels familiar isn’t just down to the faux-goth stylings that are de rigueur for modern 18-rated titles that act tough but don’t mean it; rather, it’s a product of the genetic make-up from the studio’s last big-hitter – Hulk: Ultimate Destruction – having been carried over almost entirely to this license-free offering.  With the great power of that gameplay heritage comes the great responsibility of upping the ante for a new generation of hardware and, unfortunately, Prototype doesn’t quite deliver on the expectation of its Herculean promises.

Handed the role of a typically hooded and brooding anti-hero shortly before his (and New York’s) transformation into a weapon of gross destruction, it’s time to find out whodunit.  The narrative exposition is handled in a snappy and succinct way (via miniature flashbacks and cutaways) that relieves users of any self-aggrandising schlock-horror plot.  With little of variety to do besides the central missions, it’s the upgrade system that becomes the meat of Prototype’s meal.  ‘Consuming’ enemies to steal their guise and evade The Man is a novel touch that is made redundant by the speed at which users acquire superhuman, helicopter-kicking strength; ambition outweighing execution is Prototype’s fatal flaw.

Radical strides elegantly to each gameplay hurdle before toppling awkwardly over them; a sense of speed is countered by some dire animation, a sense of power is countered by unconvincing physics and poor collision detection – the list goes on.  As a companion piece to Radical’s previous sandbox foray, Prototype almost graduates from pupil to master, but it’s the towering competition from the likes of Crackdown, Infamous and Assassin’s Creed that keep the game in detention.

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