Prototype 2

There's a new superhuman killing machine in town, with blades for arms and the ability to run up walls. Prototype 2 fixes alot of the gripes from the first game and is great fun from beginning to end. But it does have a few flaws...

Starting at €29.99Buy now

Get on Steam

In Prototype 2, players assume the role of Sgt. James Heller, a buffered soldier with superhuman abilities, on a quest to destroy the Blacklight virus and Alex Mercer. Traverse through New York Zero, a devastated version of Manhattan, as you consume enemies to acquire their skills and forms. Heller's primary goal: to exact revenge on Mercer, who infected his family with the deadly virus.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,815 reviews

story344 positive mentions

stability110 negative mentions

story
1,470 mentions
23 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story of "Prototype 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it less compelling than its predecessor. While some appreciate the continuation of the narrative and the character development of James Heller, others criticize it for being predictable, shallow, and filled with plot holes. Additionally, technical issues, such as mission-breaking bugs, have detracted from the overall experience, leading some to recommend the game primarily for its gameplay rather than its story.
- “The story is interesting enough to keep your attention.”
- “The story has improved leaps and bounds, surprising me with some unexpected character development at the end.”
- “The story is a great balance between comedy and seriousness and there is plenty of gore.”
- “The story feels very disjointed and full of plot holes, just like the first game.”
- “The story, if you pay attention to it, has some strange writing developments that don't make sense and generally feels quite tacked on.”
- “The story is a mess that goes on random tangents that make no sense; there's no setup, things just happen randomly.”
gameplay
525 mentions
45 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Prototype 2" is widely praised for its smooth mechanics, improved combat, and engaging powers, making it a significant upgrade over its predecessor. Players appreciate the refined controls, the ability to wield multiple weapons, and the satisfying execution of abilities, although some note that the gameplay can become repetitive and easier compared to the first game. Overall, while the story may not resonate with everyone, the gameplay remains a highlight, offering a fun and chaotic experience that keeps players coming back.
- “The gameplay is the best part of this game; the devs just polished the hell out of the first game's mechanics and added some new powers and enemies as well as a bunch of gory executions.”
- “Prototype 2 is exactly what a sequel needs to be: world expanding, mechanically superior, and better looking!”
- “The gameplay is engaging and constantly mixes things up as each mission makes full use of your mutant toolkit.”
- “The final nail to the coffin of the prospect of me having any fun was composed of the 'improvements' to gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is somewhat repetitive as is the case in most 'grind em till you got 'em' games that use side-quests to get gear and level up.”
- “While the gameplay mechanics have improved and progression feels a lot more natural, Heller is just the stereotypical good guy and not the grey anti-hero that Alex Mercer was in the first game.”
graphics
352 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics in Prototype 2 have received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over the first game, particularly in terms of visual fidelity and smoother performance. However, some users have reported issues with compatibility, especially on AMD graphics cards, leading to crashes and poor frame rates. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered decent for a 2012 release, they show signs of aging and are not on par with more modern titles.
- “I love the graphics in this game, as well as the abilities.”
- “The graphics are pretty nice, considering it's an 11-year-old game.”
- “The graphics are vastly improved over the original, but that is to be expected with the 3-year gap between releases.”
- “The graphics are old and storytelling is somehow lame.”
- “The graphics may be a bit dull but the game itself has a reasonable story.”
- “This game has not aged well, even for 2012; I would not have found the graphics anything to gawk at.”
stability
112 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and game-breaking glitches that hinder progress. Many users have had to engage in extensive troubleshooting, including modifying system settings and using mods, to achieve a playable experience. While some players have managed to enjoy the game after addressing these issues, the overall consensus is that it remains a buggy and unoptimized port, particularly on PC.
- “It runs great!”
- “Runs great.”
- “Literally unplayable, crashes or freezes after every cutscene, and random infinite loading screens everywhere.”
- “Do not waste your money, I was a fan of this game but as of what it is right now, there are glitches in the game that prevent you from progressing in the story such as doing an objective but once you do what the game tells you to do, nothing happens and you are stuck in that situation and unable to move further into the mission.”
- “The game freezes often, stops responding and closes, crashes, the lag is too much as well, overall the game is really buggy and the developers most likely won't fix it because there are so many bugs.”
optimization
96 mentions
19 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
39 % negative mentions
The optimization of this game on PC has been widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, crashing, and inconsistent frame rates, even on high-end systems. While some players have managed to achieve playable performance with workarounds, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and not recommended for PC users, particularly those with AMD graphics cards. Overall, despite its enjoyable gameplay, the technical shortcomings significantly detract from the experience.
- “It's a shame that I can't experience it with better performance, but it's still an amazing game.”
- “I would definitely recommend the game if you know how to dodge the performance issues.”
- “The visuals have gotten an upgrade, not a major one, but enough to ensure that the game still runs smoothly, as loads of things are going on all the time.”
- “A word of caution, this game was never properly optimized to run on PC, especially on modern machines.”
- “Literally unplayable on PC, stuttering when moving around.”
- “The absolute worst optimized game I have ever played.”
humor
64 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by witty dialogue, dark comedy, and absurd scenarios that often elicit laughter. Players appreciate the protagonist's sarcastic one-liners and the game's over-the-top violence, which combines to create a hilariously chaotic experience. While the plot may be lacking, the comedic elements and entertaining character interactions more than compensate, making for a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
- “The story isn't the most incredible thing written, but the dialogue is usually very funny and put a smile on my face several times.”
- “Heller makes for a fun protagonist whose impatience and anger often result in humorous dialogue given the technical and scientific story going on around him.”
- “The writing is often hilarious and full of black comedy moments that revel in the absurdity of the game's premise.”
music
30 mentions
30 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the soundtrack to be bland and forgettable compared to the original. While some appreciate the sound effects and occasional standout tracks, the general consensus is that the music lacks memorability and fails to enhance the gaming experience significantly. A few reviewers noted that the audio quality is decent, but it does not leave a lasting impression.
- “Graphics are nice, as is the music and sounds; story - mid, gameplay and powers - pretty damn cool.”
- “Open world game, good graphics, super crazy gameplay, great soundtracks, average storyline, and doesn't require a high-end rig.”
- “The soundtrack is great, offering some very emotional and slow melodies or fast-paced tracks that really feel like this is something to be hyped over.”
- “In terms of presentation values the visuals have improved compared to the first game, but the soundtrack seems pretty lackluster.”
- “In all honesty, I wasn't impressed with the soundtrack of this game; it's very bland. They even used a remixed version of the anonymous theme. The first one had a more memorable soundtrack, though the sound effects are pretty nice.”
- “The soundtrack is as dull as it was in the original game.”
replayability
26 mentions
27 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising features like "new game+" and collectibles that enhance replay value, while others criticize its linear story and lack of engaging mechanics that diminish the incentive to replay. Many reviews suggest that while the game is fun and enjoyable, it ultimately lacks significant replayability, with scores ranging from low to moderate. Players recommend experiencing the game once, but caution against expecting much in terms of replay value.
- “Overall, I would say it's a good 7.75/10, really fun and very replayable.”
- “There's an incredible amount of replayability with New Game+, all of the Radnet challenges, and tons of collectibles.”
- “Overall, this game is really fun and has super replayability; running around the city is easy and at the right difficulty, everything is solid.”
- “Not a lot of replay value given the 'new game+' feature.”
- “All in all a good game but lacks replayability.”
- “The game also has little replayability because the story is so linear and you obtain every power in every game you play; you will find little reason to play the game again.”
grinding
22 mentions
0 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding in the game highlight a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the flexibility of the warbond system that allows for gradual progression without excessive grind, others find the missions tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later stages. Many note that while grinding can be enjoyable, especially with exploration and power upgrades, it often becomes monotonous due to a lack of variety in mission structure. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a double-edged sword, offering both fun and frustration depending on the player's approach and expectations.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Tedious missions that drip-feed you main story piece by piece.”
- “Prototype 1 is a 20-hour game with 15 hours of fun, Prototype 2 is a 30-hour game with 10 hours of mediocrity; the rest is just grinding and filler content.”
atmosphere
20 mentions
45 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, dystopian setting that enhances the gameplay experience, with many reviewers noting the significant graphical improvements and detailed environments compared to the original. While some feel that the atmosphere lacks memorability and depth in certain areas, the overall tone of despair and hopelessness is effectively conveyed, creating an engaging backdrop for the action. However, a few critiques mention that the narrative and character development detract from the atmospheric richness established in the first game.
- “Among the best action/superpower/fun/badass games out there if you're into dark and dystopian atmospheres.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and hopeless but still inspiring to continue your work through this hell of a damned city in order to make it a little better.”
- “They've continued the interesting atmospheric world from the first game, where the military is brutal and uncaring as a whole, the corporations are greedy and amoral, but both contain sympathetic and helpful individuals.”
- “The environment and atmosphere feels a hell of a lot more emptier than the first game.”
- “- the only way this is a step down is in regards to atmosphere.”
- “Such visuals, however, worked in conjunction with the general atmosphere of despair and futility, as well as a grotesquely powerful antihero protagonist, to create an impression of an everyday reality falling victim to something completely out of place, turning into hell on earth.”
emotional
16 mentions
88 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Prototype 2" is highlighted by its captivating story filled with twists and poignant moments, although some players find it less impactful compared to its predecessor. While the protagonist's emotional depth varies, many appreciate the heartwarming ending and the soundtrack's ability to evoke strong feelings. Overall, the game offers a mix of emotional engagement and intense action, appealing to those who enjoy a blend of narrative and gameplay.
- “The story of 'Prototype 2' is interesting and captivating, with many twists and emotional moments.”
- “The homecoming trailer weaves this heart-wrenching story of a soldier who told his family to trust the government and how it cost them their lives.”
- “P2, on the other hand, has more of an emotional story, in which the character (still badass, still messes things up) is less cold and more emotional.”
- “Boring story.”
- “Boring story, repetitive gameplay.”
character development
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting improvements over the first installment, particularly in the story's resolution and unexpected moments. However, many critics argue that the character development remains shallow, with a lack of depth in the protagonist's emotional journey and a reliance on side missions that detracts from meaningful growth. Overall, while there are glimpses of potential, the consensus is that character development is a weak point in the game.
- “Along with an entertaining and immersive collection of powers, it addresses and arguably resolves the admittedly shallow character development established in the first game.”
- “The story has improved leaps and bounds, surprising me with some unexpected character development at the end.”
- “He gets about 1.5 seconds of character development during the game that almost made him somewhat human, particularly in a later scene with Dana asking her to do something for him, and when he decides not to flat out murder somebody like he normally does.”
- “Yeah, there is an improvement in gameplay, fighting, and roaming, but character development is way weaker than the first game.”
- “It also takes the majority of character development from the first game and rips it to shreds.”
- “Fancier black and white cutscenes can't disguise a poor story that tramples on the character development of the first, while many of the new methods of unlocking all your slimy, spike-covered evolutions are now tied to list-checking side missions.”
monetization
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
-14 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that essential content is locked behind DLC, which they perceive as a cash grab. Concerns about microtransactions, loot boxes, and a live service model further contribute to a sense of disappointment, especially among those nostalgic for the days of complete games without additional costs. Despite these issues, some players still find enjoyment in the gameplay itself.
- “I appreciate that the game offers a fair monetization model without overwhelming microtransactions.”
- “The absence of aggressive loot boxes and a live service model makes the experience much more enjoyable.”
- “It's refreshing to see a game that respects players by not relying heavily on premium editions or microtransactions.”
- “That DLC should be part of the base game and honestly feels like the cheapest cash grab I have ever seen.”
- “But I'm a little too hesitant for a third one because of microtransactions, loot boxes, and the live service model.”
- “Although some of the things fed to players make it feel more like a casual cash grab (i.e. dumbed down to cater to more players), rather than a game for hardcore gamers like the first.”