Radical Games on Prototype 2
Feature
We talk to Radical Games' Dave Fracchia and Chris Ansell to find out who James Heller is, what he can do in Prototype 2.
Non-Boob Jiggle Physics
Alex’s infection made his body a weapon by itself. He could sprout blades, spear enemies on organic spikes, or whip them from afar. James has these powers and more; Chris detailed some of the new abilities and their combat applications found in Prototype 2:
“One of the main new ones is the tendril ability; it’s very much an incredible new physics-based power. It grabs several things at once, and pulls them all back together. It’s also used to string up larger enemies so you can get away, and tactically attack them, not all at the same time. You call also use two abilities in combat, you can map two powers at the same time, so in one combo you can switch between blade-arm and hammer-fist, all very smoothly without going back to the power wheel. Changing between powers brings a whole new action element to the game. There’s another power to be announced in a trailer we haven’t released yet, but it has something to do with you controlling the Infected forces.”
Stealth makes a return in an expanded form. Not everyone enjoyed it in the last game, but new mechanics should increase its appeal:
Dave: “We’ve also added non-combat abilities, like the Hunting ability. Previously in the world if you wanted to find a specific character, they would appear as an icon on your mini-map. Now you hunt them down, using sonar, and you’ll go all over the city trying to find that person, it’s really cool. Also, the stealth mode has been increased, where if you want to do a Consume on someone in a stealth way, if they’re being watched by somebody else you can’t. Now you have to take out the guy watching the target. It becomes a stealth-based gameplay that really does not use combat. We’ve added a lot more options like that, to make for more strategic gameplay. Then again, if you don’t want to go stealthy you don’t have to.”
Prototype 2 is strictly a single player affair, focusing on the story of James Heller. Dave and Chris were tight-lipped on future projects, explaining that Radical’s focus was entirely on delivering a polished product when the game releases this coming April. Fans of the series, however, can get some more Prototype before then in the form of a comic. Details will come in the next few weeks, but Chris left us with this hint:
“Basically one of the biggest most digitally advanced publishers in comics out there, who we’re working with, they have some amazing titles in their portfolio already, so we’re really honored to be with that company. It’ll be a series, digital and print.”
Excited? Learning to read finally seems worth it.