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By Brigitte 29 June 2009

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Some people have said that Prototype is too easy a game. What a total lie. I found it the perfect level of difficulty. It’s hard enough to challenge you just the right amount so that you don’t get bored, but not so difficult that you throw the wireless controller through the 40\" Bravia. And it\'s entertaining. In fact, it’s so entertaining I played for 20 hours straight and was still keen for more.

I suspect it’s because Alex Mercer, the main character, is a fox and is on Parkour steroids. He can literally jump over buildings and fences and can morph into all sort of weird, albeit creepy stuff. Even other people, consuming them in the street while running. Seriously, you can literally grab onto a person, yank them to you, run up a building while holding onto them, and then consume them on top of the highest skyscraper. It’s pretty hectic.

Alex has to find out what caused an outbreak of a virus that’s infecting people and making them stumble around like zombies, attacking others. I’m no conspiracy theorist, but I don’t think it was an accident, since the government and military are all over the place. His sister is his anchor, and she tells him where to go next and who to talk to. On top of all this investigating, you have to beat down a whole host of freaky adversaries, such as hunters. They are ugly weird creatures, and difficult to kill,
since they follow you everywhere once they’ve caught sight of you.

Importantly though, you get to upgrade your bio-weapons; the more things you do, missions finished, tanks exploded, the more credit you get to make your ultra-powers more lethal, your hammerfists more deadly, and extend your ground spike’s range. The only weirdish thing is the timeline. I got a bit confused as you start at day 18, then pop all the way back to the beginning and then flip back to 18 to talk to a mystery character. I guess it could be the blonde showing through, but it’s still a fantastic, awesome game worth hitting if you get a chance.

Prototype is kind of like playing a thriller-horror movie, but better. Less horror-ey though, more action and shooting and eating and flying helicopters and driving tanks over civilians. That’s what it’s all about essentially. Prototype is SO much fun. Buy it. Play it. You’ll see.

PROS
A challenge without becoming frustrating. Open world play is exciting and filled with activities.
CONS
The variety of moves available make the controls awkward.
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