Hulk SMASH –

Prototype 2 is a decent follow up to the 2009 original but still has chore-like missions and boring clichés but entertaining mindless combat.

In an interesting turn of events, the protagonist from the first game, Alex Mercer, has infected the new playable character with his appendage mutating super powers.  But as a typical video game stereotype, James Heller, the new protagonist, blindly seeks revenge for his murdered family.  Heller is a one dimensional character and has as much personality as the Hulk.  Yeah, there is a story hidden in there somewhere but it is by no means a highlight.

Instead, the developers wanted to focus much more on combat and upgrading.  Better than the original game, combat in Prototype 2 can be quite entertaining.  With a flavor of Spiderman, another Activision publish series, Heller can do things that a spider can like run vertically up a building, jump high into the air and even glide, and smash straight through opponents with brute force.  Cutting through enemies, tanks and helicopters with a sickle arm blade is just pretty cool.  And like any good RPG, there are numerous ways to upgrade your character which keeps combat and gameplay refreshing.  Besides fighting the basic enemies, one of the more unique features are the boss battles.   Trying to take down a mutant blob the size of parking lot seems intimidating but offers a sense of accomplishment when giant beasts fall.

It is too bad that the mission structure isn’t set with the high standards of the combat system.  Taking out a chopper, stalking prey, and racing to collect crates are really nothing special.  The combat and upgrading system is filled with creativity but the objectives that players are tasked with never fully reach the potential of the protagonist.  Typical missions of eliminating a batch of enemies and time trial runs are fine from time to time but become tedious when the same style of gameplay is constantly repeated.  This imperfection also goes hand-in-hand with the weak storyline as missions can only be as cool as the story allows.

Prototype 2 can be a fun world to play around with just as long as you turn off your brain.  If you can ignore the monotone story arc and character personality and just enjoy the gory combat and upgrading system, then Prototype 2 has some solid weekend entertainment value.

Not As Good As: inFamous 2

Also Try: the Red Faction series

Wait For It: the next Spiderman game

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By: Zachary Gasiorowski