PROTOTYPE

Battle owing to an infected NYC. View larger.

Turn your body into a weapon. View larger.

Consume abilities, memories and physical form of others. View larger.

Combat or join special forces units. View larger.

Tale
Alex Mercer was once a scientist for the prominent medical research corporation, Gentek, but one day he wakes up to find himself a shape-shifter with resolution mastery over his genetic structure, but no memory of how this came to be. Taking to the streets of New York City in search of answers, he quickly encounters a web of lies and vows to rip the truth from those who have hidden it from him and the world.

A few other things that Alex also learns quickly is that he is not alone in possessing incredible abilities, that there is a secret war brewing in New York City and he is on its front shape. A deadly infection has spilled out of control and the government has seized the media to stop the spread of information and has positioned New York under quarantine as martial law is instated; igniting a firestorm of combat, carnage and death. As he roams the city, he faces an ever growing army of infected creatures warped and changed by the virus. As it spreads, the virus overwrites the genetics of those it infects, warping and changing their form into something else, something that seems to have been plotted. The answers he seeks appear to be tied to the virus, so he rushes to learn the truth behind it, but standing against him and his goal is Scheme Blackwatch. An elite army specialist force, they are tasked with halting the spread of the virus at any cost and are keen to bring Alex in dead or alive to determine his connection to it. It would seem that they are potentially both enemy and ally to Alex’s cause. Will Alex help Blackwatch in its hunt, or join forces with the virus and subjugate humanity, pushing his powers to the limit as the genetic shackles of humanity fall by the wayside? That choice is up to the player in Prototype.

Gameplay
In Prototype players engage in ‘Deceive or Ruin’ gameplay. This allows gamers the choice to either blend in with the population and covertly progress owing to the tale, or fully let loose Alex’s powers, and go owing to New York City like a walking slaughterhouse, taking control of military vehicles, and causing destruction at every turn.

Although Alex is literally strong enough to fling people and large objects around easily, his most intriguing potential is his ability to ‘consume’ people. In doing this he buys their memories, abilities, and their appearance. New memories help him to solve the mystery of how he got the way he is, while new appearances allow him to shape-shift into new useful forms at will and abilities allow him to maneuver in parts of the game requiring specific skills in specific situations. In addition, Alex’s consumption of people also facilitates his ability to transform his physical body and manipulate his senses. Most weapons bought in this way are outgrowths from his appendages like exaggerated blades, shields, whips and claws used for brutal close combat, but consumption also allows for powerful abilities like thermal vision, which provides for vision owing to smoke and obstacles, as well as ‘infected vision’ with which Alex can detect hotspots of viral infection throughout the city.

Key Features:

• Quick and Deadly Combat – Shape-shift your body to the situation at hand … from claws to blades to hammers to whips, as you choose the right weapon for the situation. Change to shield or armor for defense or use advanced sensory powers (thermal vision, infected vision) to track your enemies.
• Over-the-top Locomotion – Seamlessly and fluidly bound from building to building, run up parapet, bounce off cars and everything in your path. Adaptive parkour lets you go freely owing to the open-world environments of New York City.
• Unique Disguising Abilities – Consume anyone at anytime, take on their appearance and take upon yourself their memories and special abilities.
• Deep Conspiracy Driven Storyline – Wake up with no memory of the past … just mysterious powers and a link to a town in Idaho. Delve into the mysteries of your origin, the right nature of your potential and your part in a conspiracy 40 years in the making.
• Parkour Inspired In-game Movement – Alex Mercer’s movements are inpired by Parkour, a mostly urban activity bordering on both art and martial arts that aims at moving the human body from one point to another as smoothly, efficiently and quickly as possible. Recent examples of it gained worldwide attention in chase scenes in the 2007 film “Nightclub Royale.”
• PlayStation Trophies – Add to your pool of PlayStation trophies as you play.