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...

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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

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,636 reviews

story690 positive mentions

stability220 negative mentions

story
2,945 mentions
23 % positive mentions
66 % 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 engaging revenge narrative and 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 enjoyable and immersive, and clearly follows well from the first game.”
- “The story carries on the same theme of showing humanity at its worst, making one wonder who the true monsters are.”
- “The story is great too, a man’s tale of vengeance, betrayal and hope lead him to save the world from a psychopath hell bent on forcing humanity's evolution.”
- “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 it feels quite tacked on.”
- “It tries to create a sense of unraveling conspiracies and throws some twists and turns along the way, but it often changes the central plot focus and constantly fails to build upon it in a meaningful and logical way, leading to an overall unsatisfying story arc.”
gameplay
1,050 mentions
45 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Prototype 2" is generally praised for being smoother and more satisfying than its predecessor, with improved mechanics, fluid controls, and a variety of powers that enhance combat and traversal. While some players note that the game can feel repetitive and the story lacks depth, the core gameplay experience is described as fun and engaging, making it a worthwhile sequel for fans of the series. Overall, the game successfully combines action and exploration, allowing players to feel powerful and enjoy a sandbox-style environment.
- “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.”
- “I 100% completed it on hard in just over 20 hours, satisfying gameplay and lots of gory fights that make you feel like a god among men.”
- “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.”
- “Story is uninteresting, gameplay is clunky, overall just worse than the first.”
- “The gameplay gets pretty dull after awhile though.”
graphics
704 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 environmental detail. However, some users have reported performance issues, especially on AMD graphics cards, leading to lag and crashes, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are generally considered decent for a game released in 2012, they may not meet the expectations of players accustomed to modern graphics standards.
- “I love the graphics in this game, as well as the abilities.”
- “The graphics are amazing.”
- “The graphics are much improved, the game doesn’t look ugly like the original, it looks pretty good at times.”
- “The graphics are horrible for a game released in summer 2012.”
- “This game has not aged well, even for 2012; I would not have found the graphics anything to gawk at.”
- “Horrible frame rate and depending on your graphics card this game can look like garbage and play even worse.”
stability
224 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of critical glitches, frequent crashes, and freezing issues that render it nearly unplayable for many users. While some players managed to get it running smoothly after extensive troubleshooting, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by bugs that significantly hinder the experience, especially on PC. Despite its enjoyable gameplay, the persistent technical problems overshadow its merits, leading to frustration among players.
- “It runs great!”
- “Runs great.”
- “It 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.”
- “Every time I played for more than an hour at a time, I consistently had huge frame rate drops and a whole host of glitches, making the game at times completely unplayable.”
optimization
192 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. Players recommend using a controller due to poor mouse and keyboard support, and some have resorted to fan-made patches to improve performance. Overall, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it difficult to recommend for PC users.
- “Anyway, it's a great game, even though it has optimization problems, I love this game.”
- “I can imagine that it is a really fun game - but barely optimized.”
- “It's a shame that I can't experience it with better performance but it's still an amazing game.”
- “A word of caution, this game was never properly optimized to run on PC, especially on modern machines.”
- “The absolute worst optimized game I have ever played.”
- “Constant stuttering, frame-rate drops, all getting worse over a few minutes of gameplay, followed by the game crashing.”
humor
128 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players enjoying the witty dialogue and dark comedic moments, particularly from the protagonist, James Heller. While the plot may be lacking, the absurdity and over-the-top violence contribute to a hilariously entertaining experience, often eliciting laughter through its ridiculous scenarios and character interactions. Overall, the game's blend of humor and chaotic action creates a fun and engaging atmosphere, making it a memorable experience for players.
- “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.”
- “It's hilariously violent, unashamedly stupid at times, and escalates into an insane bloody finale with no delusions of heroism.”
- “The writing is often hilarious and full of black comedy moments that revel in the absurdity of the game's premise.”
music
60 mentions
30 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the soundtrack to be bland and forgettable compared to its predecessor. While some appreciate the sound effects and occasional standout tracks, overall impressions suggest that the music lacks memorability and emotional impact, serving more as background noise than a highlight of the experience.
- “Graphics are nice, as is the music and sounds; the story is mid, but the gameplay and powers are pretty damn cool.”
- “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.”
- “Great audio as well; I really like the background music and the rest of the audio was really nice to listen to.”
- “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.”
- “Music: 0/20 (not memorable)”
replayability
52 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 meaningful incentives for replaying. Many reviews suggest that while the game is enjoyable, it ultimately offers limited replayability, with some players feeling it lacks the depth to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “Overall, I would say it's a good 7.75/10, really fun and very replayable.”
- “There's an incredible amount of replayability with NG+, 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.”
- “Very fun game and worth playing till the end, zero replayability though, so grab it on sale if you can.”
- “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
44 mentions
0 % positive mentions
9 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be a mixed experience; while some players find it enjoyable and rewarding, particularly in terms of exploration and power upgrades, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, especially in the context of side missions and filler content. The revamped leveling system is seen as an improvement, but many still feel that the grind can become monotonous, particularly towards the end of the game. Overall, the balance between fun and tedium in grinding varies significantly among players.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “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.”
- “The air of requirement on these side missions turns them from a fun diversion in the first to a tedious chore in the second.”
atmosphere
40 mentions
45 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, dystopian setting, which enhances the gameplay experience and evokes feelings of despair and futility. While some reviewers note a decline in atmospheric richness compared to the first game, many appreciate the detailed environments and the emotional weight they carry, contributing to an immersive experience. Overall, the game's aesthetic and narrative successfully create a compelling world that resonates with players, despite some criticisms regarding character development and story coherence.
- “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.”
- “I have played the first game, and finished this one countless times, counting to the double digits of playthroughs, on a number of platforms and periods of time, and still can't get enough of this miraculously crafted world and atmosphere.”
- “The environment and atmosphere feels a hell of a lot more empty 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
32 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 feel a disconnect from the protagonist. While the narrative evokes strong feelings, particularly in its heartwarming ending, opinions vary on its overall impact compared to the first game. The soundtrack enhances the emotional experience, featuring both slow melodies and energetic tracks that resonate with the game's themes.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Boring story, repetitive gameplay.”
- “Boring story, repetitive gameplay.”
character development
20 mentions
15 % positive mentions
35 % 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 conclusion, while others criticize it as shallow and lacking depth. Many feel that the protagonist's emotional range is limited, overshadowed by constant anger and poor storytelling, leading to minimal character growth throughout the game. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are moments of potential development, they are often overshadowed by a reliance on side missions and a failure to build on the character's past.
- “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 (Mercer) from the first and rips it to shreds.”
- “Fancier black and white cutscenes can't disguise a poor story that trods 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
14 mentions
0 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that downloadable content (DLC) should have been included in the base game, labeling it as a cash grab. Concerns about microtransactions, loot boxes, and a live service model have also contributed to a sense of hesitance among players, who long for the days when games were released without such monetization tactics. Despite these issues, some players still find enjoyment in the game itself.
- “That DLC should be part of the base game and honestly feels like the cheapest cash grab I have ever seen.”
- “I'm a little too hesitant for a third one because of microtransactions, loot boxes, and the live service model.”
- “Back in the good days when games were released without microtransactions and premium editions.”