A
solid port is nothing to scoff at. Prototype 2 finally makes its way to the PC
after debuting on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation
3 back in April, and the transition has been kind to this brutal
open-world adventure. The biggest difference between this version and its
console brethren is the slightly improved visuals. Greater draw distance and a
higher frame rate showcase your murderous rampage in a more impressive light.
Because the technical aspects have been translated with nary a hitch, it's easy
to lose yourself in the destructive glee of this unrepentant sequel. Prototype
2 isn't the least bit novel, but it's so utterly ridiculous that it's hard to
wipe the smile from your face.
One
thing you should keep in mind is that Prototype 2 is at its best with a
controller. The fast-paced fighting and empowering exploration come together
seamlessly when you have a couple of analog sticks and responsive buttons. If
you're using a keyboard, you can still blow through the papier-mache enemies,
but the actions don't play out as smoothly. Holding down three keys to glide
through the city takes a bit of finger gymnastics, and zeroing in on one
attacker in a crowd is even tougher with a mouse. It's easy enough to get used
to these quirks with a little practice, but Prototype 2 doesn't feel as as
natural with a keyboard and mouse.
In
contrast to the devil-may-care attitude showcased in the majority of the
adventure, the story does take itself seriously. A military force has
quarantined a major metropolis under the guise of protecting citizens from a
viral outbreak, but their occupancy is far from altruistic. In reality, they are
conducting bioweapon research, and the people are just unlucky cattle being led
to slaughter. It's a morbid situation that makes it satisfying to kill your
opposition--defense contractor Blackwatch--as you hunt down the higher-ups who
ordered this atrocity.
The
initial rush you feel when the central plot comes into focus dissipates as you
learn more about the conspiracy. Evil stereotypes permeate the cast of
characters, but even though there's proper motivation to murder them all, you
rarely feel as if you understand whom you're tracking down. Scenes of
redemption toward the end of the story breathe life into some of these
individuals, but by that point you won't even care what happens to the
villains. While character development is lacking, the storytelling is
interesting. Most of the dirty details surface when you consume certain people,
and the flashes of memory piece together a terrifying puzzle about the inner
machinations of power-obsessed heretics who rarely question their horrific
actions.
Dialogue-rich
sequences explain your objectives before each mission. Plentiful swearing and
unrestrained anger highlight most of these conversations, and the vulgar
cutscenes force the carefree action to take a backseat far too often.
Furthermore, protagonist James Heller holds his hand to his ear and slowly
walks around when a contact talks to him, contrasting wildly with the crazed
sprinting and leaping that make up his normal locomotion. Problems with the
story aside, the artistic style used in the many cutscenes is certainly eye-catching.
High-contrast black and white with flashes of color (blue eyes, red flames) add
a dramatic pitch to the proceedings. This style is also used when your health
gets low in combat and does a great job of communicating your struggles without
obscuring your view.
Prototype
2 takes place in an open-world environment where you can run wherever you wish
without artificial barriers reining you in. From the moment you're set loose,
you don't need any urging to sprint through this city gone to ruin. Movement is
free-flowing and empowering. Running up the sides of buildings, bounding down
blocks in a single leap, and gliding like a manic flying squirrel make for
quicker transport than a tired vehicle ever could, and the unabashed joy of
careening through this virus-plagued town is hard to deny. Things do become a
little tricky when precision is necessary, though thankfully you rarely have to
move with exactitude. Instead, you sprint pell-mell until you crave the sweet
satiation of your bloodthirst, and in a snap you're beating a poor sucker so
badly his mother wouldn't be able to recognize him.
The
convergence of movement and combat makes for instances of unrepentant
brutality. While gliding over occupied streets, you might spy a fear-mongering
soldier down below. Lock on to him from your safe vantage in the sky, and with
a tap of a button, grab his squirming body before he has a chance to scream for
help. With one more tap of a button, you can pound him into the unforgiving
cement, hurl him into his fellow troops, or infect him with a viral bomb that
causes him to explode in a fountain of blood, and then flee from the scene as
if you were never there.
There's
little reason to perform such an act other than the delicious enjoyment you get
from tormenting those weaker than you. As your opposition becomes better
equipped and more plentiful, the door opens for even more ridiculous sequences
of gleeful violence. Like an anthropomorphic arrow of hatred, you propel
yourself from tormenting tanks on the ground to hellfire helicopters in the
air, mashing them into a flaming ball or ripping off their imposing guns to lay
waste to those stupid enough to tag along beside them. Eventually, you gain the
ability to pilot these craft, and though moving is slow going compared to the
chaotic sprinting you're used to, it's a fair trade-off considering the
impressive firepower you're given access to. Destruction exists everywhere in
Prototype 2; you just have to decide in what way you want those who challenge
you to perish.
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