First off, I wanted to start off with an easier review so I'm going with Prototype 2. Also, I bought the Blackwatch Collector's Edition, which came with a bunch of fairly nice goodies so I'll review those, too. Mass Effect 3's review is probably going to take me quite a long time to write, maybe the longest review I've ever done and might ever do, so that will be written when I have more patience to do so. Anyway, let's start this review.
Why buy the Blackwatch Collector's Edition? What's in it? Well, like any LE game, it comes with bonus DLC and whatnot. It came in this nice hard case that was easy to open and easy to access everything, unlike ME3's Collector's Edition, which made it hard to get the bottom disc to the point it felt like I was going to snap the disc. Anyway, the CE came with: Radnet Edition Content (Includes access code to unlock a massive in-game content package of over fifty-five events, challenges, and exclusive rewards), Exclusive Prototype 2 Hardbound Art Book (which was pretty cool to see the concept art and whatnot), Dark Horse Digital Comic "Prototype 2: The Labyrinth (I have yet to read this yet), Official Prototype 2 Soundtrack CD (I've also yet to listen to this), Downloadable Content Pack "Colossal mayhem" Coucher Code (Includes Thermobaric Boomstick Super weapon, Force Multiplier powers and more), and Prototype 2 Merchandise Store Voucher (20% discount on merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, lithographs and more). Just so you know, I listed all of this as it is written on the back of the CE case.
OK, now let's get to the game. Right off the bat, this game threw me off because I thought we were going to continue as Alex Mercer, the main character from the first game, but, no, we start off as Sergeant James Heller. When you return from war, you find out your wife and daughter have been killed by Alex Mercer and request to be re-enlisted to the "Red Zone" where the infection is the worst to find and kill Mercer. At first you are denied this request because of your mental state, but then are granted the request as you are now needed to help restore order. I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but if it is, skip to the next paragraph and don't read the next statement. After you arrive, you actually run into Mercer and he gives you the infection and you become the same as he is, which gives you god-like powers as you level them up over the course of the game.
One of the first things I noticed was the amount of destruction you can create, which is A LOT and I LOVED it. You're also able to gain new powers/mutations which allow you to create huge amounts of destruction in various different ways. Being able to hijack, destroy, or rip the rocket launcher off of a tank is just amazing. You can also do so with helicopters as well, which adds a whole new element of surprise and destruction to the game.
Secondly, Blackwatch is hugely more involved in this game than the last, which I can't really remember how much they were involved in the first game, but that doesn't matter. Almost everywhere you see the normal military soldiers as well as special Blackwatch soldiers. "Consuming" any person, whether they are just a citizen, infected, military, or Blackwatch allows you to use their appearance to gain access to restricted areas as well as "hide" from those same soldiers and Blackwatch troops if you want to avoid a confrontation, although it becomes unnecessary at a certain point into the game where no one can defeat you if you know what you're doing. In this game, there are different infected. Most of them are just infected people, but there are also creature-like abominations that you can fight and destroy either as Heller or disguised as a soldier/Blackwatch troop on the ground, in a tank, or in a helicopter, which adds a new element of fun for a while if you want a break from the story. Be advised, though, if you hurt, injure, kill, or consume anyone in front of those soldiers/Blackwatch troops, they'll know it's you and start fighting you even if they're in the middle of a million infected. It doesn't make sense to me to go after one person if he's helping you when these infected could kill you, but that's the game.
There are quite a few side missions that come with the Radnet Edition that get unlocked at intervals over a few month period to add replay value to the game and also where you can rank yourself against friends and the world. Some are about destruction and killer, others are timed missions. I enjoyed the ones I tried and was able to get 1st amongst my friends on a few of them. There's also this new thing which tallies up your "total destruction cost," which is just the total amount in dollars of the destruction you've cost the government. I think my total is in the tens of millions or billions, I don't really remember, but it's another thing to compare with your friends.
As you progress and rank up, you're able to add abilities to your mutations so that adds a level of customization that's pretty cool to utilize. The plot is pretty good as you try to figure out what happened to your wife and daughter as well as try to find and kill Mercer. You will kill, consume, infiltrate, and destroy a lot in your adventures to finding out the facts. Here's a definite spoiler so skip it if you haven't played yet and go to the next paragraph. Soon enough, you find out that your daughter is actually alive and is being held by someone, which becomes your main mission. Along the way, you get help from an old friend, a pastor that gives you intel and whatnot as well as an unlikely source, Alex Mercer's sister. There is another woman that helps you in a way, but there's a major twist to that "help" that would be a huge spoiler so I'll leave it out.
Before you can get your daughter back, the ultimate fight happens, Heller VS Mercer. A quick tip, you have to use all of your mutations to beat him, but don't use the same one he's using at the time. You'll find out why if you haven't played it yet. Skip to the next paragraph, too, as it's a spoiler. Once you defeat and consume Mercer, you become the most powerful being alive as Mercer's sister brings your daughter to meet you where she sees you for what you really are. At first she's scared of you, but moving along she goes to you and you're finally reunited with your only living family member. A happy ending to a game with so much destruction and despair.
Overall, I loved this game. Almost everything was on point and enjoyable. During the beginning, it was somewhat hard to win battles so I found myself running away more times than I wanted to, but, like I said, once you level up, you become unstoppable. I once just went on like a 2-hour destruction spree because it was fun. Some of the achievements/trophies in this game are pretty sweet, too, so try to get as many as you can. Some are easier than others as long as you look for them. The replay value is moderate as they are releasing side missions over a few month period, but, besides those, there's not much else to do except just go destroy everything and everyone in sight. It can be fun for a while, but it will get boring after a while. Because of all of this, I'd definitely recommend this game to just about anyone.
GameSpot Score: 7.5 (Good)
Metacritic Score: 75 (67 Reviews)
User Score: 8.2 (316 Votes)
My Score: 8.5
HAPPY GAMING!
GeNiO
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