Launch Station: Prototype 2

Releasing around the same time Sony's superhero adventure Infamous back in 2009, the original Prototype had some game competition.  Ultimately Radical Entertainment's first foray into the next generation did not live up to the hype people placed on this open-world adventure.  The original Prototype fell into video game obscurity.  Honestly do you remember anything about the original Prototype?  Well it must have sold well enough for Activision to give Radical another chance at this franchise.

Prototype 2 follows the events of the original.  14 months after the initial outbreak of the Blacklight virus nearly brought New York to the brink of destruction, a second one has broke out causing mass panic and distress.  In Prototype 2, you play as Sergeant James Heller, a soldier who has been infected by the Blacklight virus thanks to the original's protagonist, Alex Mercer.  Heller balmes Mercer for the death of his family and with his new found powers, seeks revenge against his maker.  Much like the first game, Prototype 2 offers players a whole open-world to explore with their incredible powers.  New York City is broken up into three zones that are increasingly more dangerous.  The Green Zone is controlled entirely by the military, the Yellow Zone is filled with refugees and the war-ravaged Red Zone is overrun by the Balcklight virus and Alex Mercer.  Heller's new found powers offer a lot of ways to experience this virus ravaged world.  Heller can disguise himself as anybody from a refugee all the way to a soldier.  Heller can also absorb innocents and enemies thus acquiring their memories and gaining new abilities.  Heller's shapeshifting powers allow him to unleash incredible tendril powers that allow him to lift vehicles as small as a car to as big as a tank, ensnaring infected beasts and other enemies and even rip large groups of enemies to shreds.  Unlike the last game where you got a huge laundry list of abilities thrown at you every time you leveled up, Prototype 2 gives you a chance to customize James Heller into the killer you want him to be by equipping different perks each time, which you earn by leveling up.

For those that remember the first game and enjoyed it, you will most definitely enjoy Prototype 2.  For the rest of the gaming community, I personally say to try before you buy because I do not think Prototype 2 will really be worth 60 dollars to everyone.  I can see some people who love running around open-world games as over-powered beings of awesomeness enjoying Prototype 2.  In my opinion, Prototype 2 does not look like a game that will ever appeal to me and gamers much like myself.