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[eve241]

American government conspiracy??So much for the story...
The premise sounds cool but maybe a bit too sandboxy for me.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

The groundspike attack sounds hot; somewhat reminiscent of certain moves in Ultimate Destruction.

 

[Zenith]

And just like that I want this game more than GTA. I wonder if Infamous will be just as good.

 

[Core407]

This will bomb.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Official PR

READING, UK (10th August, 2007) – Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced PROTOTYPE™, a completely new kind of open-world game, featuring a rich story line of conspiracy, deception and deadly shape shifting action.

Developed by Radical Entertainment, a critically acclaimed developer of open-world games, PROTOTYPE tells the story of Alex Mercer - a man haunted by his past, fighting a secret war in New York City. As the action spirals out of control, a conspiracy tied to his origins threatens the future of mankind itself. Mercer’s amazing shapeshifting powers allow him to become an exact replica and steal the skills or powers of anyone who crosses his path.

PROTOTYPE debuts on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Microsoft's Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and PC in summer 2008.

“Radical Entertainment has a strong pedigree of critically acclaimed, best-selling open-world games, and Sierra Entertainment is excited to see them craft an original game that has already fired-up the imaginations of press and gamers alike,” said Martin Tremblay, president, Worldwide Studios for Sierra Entertainment. “PROTOTYPE represents the strength of Sierra Entertainment’s internal studios and our commitment to creating original and exciting games.”

“Radical Entertainment set out to create the most dynamic video game character ever imagined. From free-form movement to over-the-top combat action; PROTOTYPE can climb or wall-run across any surface, jump 30 stories high, and destroy anything that crosses his path,” said Kelly Zmak, president of Radical Entertainment. “Our team at Radical has built upon the technology that drove our previous best-selling games and now has the freedom to dream big and imagine a powerful character in a sprawling city like New York, cloaked in a conspiracy and ripped from today’s headlines.”

About Sierra Entertainment

Sierra Entertainment (www.sierra.com), a global division of Vivendi Games, creates and publishes innovative, high-quality interactive entertainment for videogame systems, handheld gaming devices and personal computers. Sierra Entertainment features a portfolio of titles based on original IP and popular licenses from industry-leading content partners, including F.E.A.R.™, Crash Bandicoot®, Spyro The Dragon®, Scarface™ and Ice Age™. Sierra Entertainment has four integrated internal studios providing creative talents and development capabilities across multiple gaming genres: Radical Entertainment in Vancouver, B.C. ; High Moon Studios in San Diego, CA; Massive Entertainment in Malmo, Sweden; and Swordfish Studios in Birmingham and Manchester, England.

SOURCE: Press Release

 

[Defcon]

So basically this is Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, but with a generic looking hero that looks like it was made in the City of Heroes character creation?

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

So basically this is Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, but with a generic looking hero that looks like it was made in the City of Heroes character creation?

The ability to shapeshift and having powers that directly affect the look of the character kind of punches a hole in that complaint though, doesn't it? Not that the "generic character" style really bothers me in the first place.

 

[oldboy1]

The ability to shapeshift and having powers that directly affect the look of the character kind of punches a hole in that complaint though, doesn't it?

Indeed it does.

I have to say this game just looks incredible, I just hope it get the attention it deserves & doesn't become another Hulk: UD. (which was criminally overlooked)

By the way, the move groundspike resembles is the Super Shockwave.

 

[Defcon]

The ability to shapeshift and having powers that directly affect the look of the character kind of punches a hole in that complaint though, doesn't it? Not that the "generic character" style really bothers me in the first place.

Yeah, I guess it does. The whole shapeshift thing could be quite cool.

 

[TTP]

GTAIV has some serious competition. Will be probably pushed back to 2009.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

One thing these screens fail to show is the effect of this epidemic, specifically the mutation of infected citizens. The ones shown in the GI article look a bit like supernatural wild boar mixed with goat and some other shit (including spines on their backs), and apparently have the ability to track you several city blocks; the example given was that of one of these creatures leaping from a rooftop to tackle you just when you think you've reached a safe distance from the creatures.

 

[michaeld]

With this and GTA and the next Crackdown we are set

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

With this and GTA and the next Crackdown we are set

As far as I'm concerned, the superhuman ability element has made the sandbox genre come alive for me, so replace GTA with infamous and I'm set.

 

[michaeld]

Damn I forgot all about Infamous.

 

[DrXym]

I will be pleasantly surprised if this game has anything remotely approaching the number of pedestrians shown in those screenshots.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

I will be pleasantly surprised if this game has anything remotely approaching the number of pedestrians shown in those screenshots.

That picture with Alex preparing to jump into the crowd is evidently fixed (count the clones), but I'm not sure about the helicopter rocket blast shot which shows quite a few pedestrians being blown about.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

This one

Looks kind of weird though

 

[Zenith]

Theres a third cab thats partially being obscured by the protaganist...and wow, the same pedestrians in the same spot

Bullshots CONFIRMED

That picture with Alex preparing to jump into the crowd is evidently fixed (count the clones), but I'm not sure about the helicopter rocket blast shot which shows quite a few pedestrians being blown about.

blow by blow account of the footage:

New York City. A hooded figure stands motionless in the centre of Times Square. It's morning and there are people everywhere. And we're not talking about the usual video game approximation of a crowd. It's a kinetic cluster of bodies merging and stirring through sun-bleached streets. The camera swings upwards revealing vast, intricately-rendered skyscrapers reaching towards a cloudless blue sky, turning white as the harsh sunlight hits their sides.

This is not the compromised parody of NYC we've seen a hundred times before in games like Spider-Man or True Crime - this is New York, as realistically, cinematically and lovingly rendered as it's ever likely to be. Car horns blare, sirens howl, people shout to one another and you genuinely feel like you're standing in a real city. You can almost smell the asphalt and the hot dog vendors.

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And then fantasy takes over. The hooded figure springs to life, pushing violently through pedestrians, sliding across the tops of cars and sprinting up the sides of buildings. And then we see it - a gargantuan insect-like egg jutting out of the centre of the road, pulsating and oozing. People begin to panic and the crowds scatter like buckshot. And then the attack choppers come buzzing in, followed by trundling squads of squeaking tanks and platoons of soldiers. Something's about to go down in Times Square.

Mercer me
But before we tell you what happens next, let's explain the premise of Prototype. You are Alex Mercer, a mysterious science experiment gone wrong. Thanks to the genetic meddling of a shady organisation you are, to all intents and purposes, a shapeshifter. You look like a hoodie-clad twentysomething human but that's a clever disguise to help you blend into your environment. See, you don't really have a shape because you can be anyone you want by absorbing their DNA. Which, unfortunately, involves killing them.

But back to Times Square. For reasons the developers are yet to reveal, your objective here is to destroy the alien egg. And this is where you first discover Mercer's powers. Using his shapeshifting ability, Alex can morph his body T1000-style. So to protect himself from projectiles the egg's hurling at him, an organic armadillo-like shell envelopes him. It's natural body armour. Then he mutates his arm into a strange blade-like appendage - think Resi's Tyrant - and swings it at the egg. But, because this is a game and as such is designed to make your life hard, the army are after you. Complicated? Well, let's leave Times Square again.


Prototype's about a conspiracy. A big one that you have to solve. You do so by finding clues. The entire expanse of New York can be freely explored, and hidden in its darkest, hardest to reach corners are pieces of the 'web of intrigue'. These can be phone taps, documents, people... you know, Watergate-type stuff. And by piecing it all together - quite how this is done, Radical won't say - you solve the mystery of your origins and are led directly to whoever made you a shapeshifting mutant.

Time to explore more of Alex's abilities. A group of soldiers rush at you, firing their M4s and generally being aggressive. You calmly drop to your knees and plunge your hand into the pavement beneath you. Suddenly from directly under the marines dozens of spikes thrust upwards and skewer them, killing an entire troop instantly. So not only can Alex form deadly shapes, but he can stretch like Mr Fantastic and tunnel through the ground beneath him. But that was nothing - he has tanks and choppers after him now. Luckily you can 'borrow' enemy vehicles.

Just like in Mercenaries and Just Cause, Alex can commandeer vehicles by latching on to them, but he also has to complete Resi 4-style rhythm action sequences. Keep following the prompts and he'll run up a tank's barrel, prise open the hatch, jump inside, slice the driver to bits and take the helm. Same for a copter, only he crawls under the side, yanks out both pilots with his mutated arm and enters the cockpit. So no longer do you have to try and destroy the egg with melee attacks; you can batter it with a payload of hellfire missiles or some well-aimed tank shells. In one scene, you run up the side of a skyscraper, flip backwards and steal a chopper all in one move. It's mental.

Body moving
You can also steal people. Remember earlier we mentioned absorbing DNA? Well, here's how it works. Murder someone - an innocent bystander or an enemy - and you'll see their body turn liquid-like and slide up your leg. This means you now have their data stored and can basically transform into them at any time. This can be used tactically, for instance taking over the body of an army commander and ordering his troops to help you in battle. You can also use it to sneak into enemy bases, blend in with crowds and dozens of other uses, depending on your objectives.


Prototype will be largely free-roaming. Missions can be selected as and when you like, and there are side-quests to distract you from the main story mode, which only actually makes up a limited portion of the game. Radical's last two games are some of the best 'open world' titles around - Hulk: Ultimate Destruction and Scarface - and their expertise in creating believable, populated sandboxes makes their new game's play space vast, detailed and crammed with things to do.

There's nothing else like Prototype on PS3. It steals elements from almost every game imaginable, but they way it puts them together makes it unique. It has the acrobatics of Prince Of Persia, the immense world of GTA, the destruction of Hulk and the disguise system of Destroy All Humans. It's as amorphous as its lead character and one of the most exciting, original games we've seen in ages.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Wicked. :O

Where is that from?

 

[Zenith]

PSM3 via CVG

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=169812

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Awesome. Gi described some of these abilities, but it kind of failed in putting it into the context of gameplay. That shit sounds crazier than I had imagined.

 

[michaeld]

So I assume there will be a menu with all the people's DNA you have and you just select your character. And how big is the game world?

 

[oldboy1]

And how big is the game world?

It sounds like it'll be about the same size as GTA. I'd be happy with a Crackdown sized city to be honest.

the immense world of GTA

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Yeah, Crackdown was decently sized; big enough to feel like a genuine city, yet compact enough to feel familiar and personal. More important than actual size in square meters is the height and density of buildings, and judging by the screens that's being taken care of.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

You know, it has got to somewhat suck to be the developer of Hulk Ultimate Destruction and still have people claim that you are borrowing elements such as the 30 foot jumping stuff from Crackdown. I love that game, but come the hell on, let's give credit where credit is due.

http://www.*******.com/2007/08/10/sierra-unveils-prototype-not-the-first-sandbox-adventure/

edit: oops, forgot what site I was looking at. Well, I guess the comment make more sense then.

 

[Quazar]

This sounds like Prototype to me.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

This sounds like Prototype to me.

Meaning...?

 

[AdmiralViscen]

It's a shame that this thread is 2 pages long while everyone is paying attention to that hollow piece of shit Strangehold.

Does this game have anything close to a hint of a release date?

 

[itxaka]

Tried to do that on crackdown a lot of times!!
Jump on and fall on a car smashing it to pieces? sweet.


Also, too many NPC on that image, looks too good

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

It's a shame that this thread is 2 pages long while everyone is paying attention to that hollow piece of shit Strangehold.

Does this game have anything close to a hint of a release date?

Summer 2008, according to the PR. 2008 already looks like a crazy year for games.

 

[TAJ]

The Wiimote would be perfect for this game. Port, please.

 

[Quazar]

Meaning...?

The first page.

 

[MGrant]

Was I the only one who thought of Twelve from Street Fighter 3?

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

By the way, the move groundspike resembles is the Super Shockwave.

I don't think I even unlocked that move. Is that an upgraded ground shockwave? Because I think that's the one the ground spike reminds me of.

Man, it's got to be an awesome thing to be able to take things learned from freakin' Hulk and build on that in a brand new IP.

 

[TAJ]

Was I the only one who thought of Twelve from Street Fighter 3?

Actually, I thought of Venom first.

 

[oldboy1]

I don't think I even unlocked that move. Is that an upgraded ground shockwave? Because I think that's the one the ground spike reminds me of.

Man, it's got to be an awesome thing to be able to take things learned from freakin' Hulk and build on that in a brand new IP.

Yep, it was the level 3 Super Shockwave.

That takes me back to jumping down onto cars in Hulk:UD. In fact I think I'll dig up my copy & play it a little later.

 

[Shiver]

From the CVG preview it almost sounds like Assassin's Creed with super powers. Looking forward to this more than GTA4 right now

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

I hope it gets the attention it deserves though; Radical laid some pretty good groundwork for this game with Hulk, but then that game was kind of overlooked, at least in terms of public recognition of the cool things it did. Hopefully this one doesn't suffer the same fate.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Was I the only one who thought of Twelve from Street Fighter 3?

Twelve without the suck maybe.

 

[xsarien]

Someone check the temperature in Hell, I'm actually interested in a Sierra game that doesn't have the word "Quest" or "Larry" in the title.

 

[beat]

Tried to do that on crackdown a lot of times!!
Jump on and fall on a car smashing it to pieces? sweet.

Is he smashing that car? It looks more like he's street-surfing, like in Hulk:UD.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Is he smashing that car? It looks more like he's street-surfing, like in Hulk:UD.

There's another car stomp shot featured in GI, so I think it's just a smash move. Although who knows, there could be a ton of variations there.

 

[Imperial Hot]

It sounds very, very interesting but also very ambitious. I hope they can meet their goals, but this game is a lot to ask from an experience developer, let alone a developer with one smash-hit under its belt.

I hope it works out.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

It sounds very, very interesting but also very ambitious. I hope they can meet their goals, but this game is a lot to ask from an experience developer, let alone a developer with one smash-hit under its belt.

I hope it works out.

What exactly is it about it that sounds like it'd be too ambitious for this particular developer?

 

[beat]

let alone a developer with one smash-hit under its belt.

By "one", do you mean Hulk:UD? Scarface? Simpsons Hit & Run? Simpsons Road Rage?

 

[TreIII]

So, I went and actually read my GI issue today. Had it sitting on the shelf, but just never got around to actually reading it.

Any way, after I read what sounds to be quite interesting, as well as what seems to be another game from the guys who brought me Hulk: UD...I'm listening. Especially now that the PR confirms that the game will have a PC port.

I hope this game can live up to its quite sizable potential, as well as just be a nice logical progression of what we probably should have come to expect, thanks to Hulk: UD. The latter part of 2008 is already shaping up to be something interesting...

 

[PleoMax]

Sounds like Crackdown on freaking steroids. I love it.

 

[AlucarD.eq]

still look kind of fun..

 

[Bad_Boy]

any video on this game yet?