The Wait For It Podcast
The Game Room Where It Happens - Protoype
Ready to experience a blast from the past? Ever pondered the uniqueness of Prototype, a 2009 action-adventure game that seems to have been overshadowed by Infamous? Hop on this journey as we re-explore Prototype's distinct features, including the venom-like superpowers of its protagonist, Alex Mercer. Pondering the critical reception of Prototype, we also fantasize about a reboot or sequel, and the exciting challenges they would present. So join us on this episode and we promise you a nostalgic trip that makes you question the popularity metrics of the gaming world!
Want to hear more about how we got into gaming? Listen to the interview we did with Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers!
🔻You can find all important links for the podcast over at https://linktr.ee/waitforitpodcast (which includes our brand new Patreon site!)🔺
🔻BACKGROUND MUSIC PROVIDED BY:
Prod. Riddiman: optimistic
🔺
Enjoyed the episode? Have something to tell us? Text us here!
Ready to experience a blast from the past? Ever pondered the uniqueness of Prototype, a 2009 action-adventure game that seems to have been overshadowed by Infamous? Hop on this journey as we re-explore Prototype's distinct features, including the venom-like superpowers of its protagonist, Alex Mercer. Pondering the critical reception of Prototype, we also fantasize about a reboot or sequel, and the exciting challenges they would present. So join us on this episode and we promise you a nostalgic trip that makes you question the popularity metrics of the gaming world!
Want to hear more about how we got into gaming? Listen to the interview we did with Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers!
🔻You can find all important links for the podcast over at https://linktr.ee/waitforitpodcast (which includes our brand new Patreon site!)🔺
🔻BACKGROUND MUSIC PROVIDED BY:
Prod. Riddiman: optimistic
🔺
Enjoyed the episode? Have something to tell us? Text us here!
Welcome to your go-to source for entertainment. Wait for it.
Speaker 2:Gaming. Wait for it. Anime Plus Ultra.
Speaker 1:Mr Eric Almighty and Phil the Filipino. Yeah, they've got you covered, and all you gotta do is Wait for it.
Speaker 2:Hey everyone, welcome back to the Wait for it podcast and welcome to the August edition of the game room. Where it happens, I am your co-host, phil Smith, aka Phil the Filipino, and joining me is your other co-host, mr Eric Almighty. And Eric, we are here with our I think podcast mandated episode about video games. Although this is the second episode of the month, we're talking about video games. So suck it, andrew, I'm forgetting a shit.
Speaker 2:So really, really excited to talk about a game, eric, that I think really like had a pretty profound impact on us, because when this game came out, there was another franchise that I'll mention. That was really kind of like a big hit. That was really kind of like the main game. That was like taking over the world at this time and it was very similar. It was another open world game getting a little ahead of myself, so we didn't really hear like a lot of people talking about prototype, but you and I, and I'm sure quite a few other people, enjoyed the hell out of this original game. So I am excited to take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on this really, really violent time. If people were going to argue that video games are too violent. They probably would show footage of prototype.
Speaker 1:Yeah, more than likely. You know, we talked about the darkness in our last episode and it's funny, this kind of stemmed from a Thursday thought that came up where we brought up both of these games, and these are the type of games that really made us initially want to start this series and dive into franchises or games that we haven't played in a while, that are kind of classics to us, and prototype is one of those. I think I know the franchise that you're going to be alluding to around this time and I would agree I think that definitely kind of overshadowed this game a little bit, but people that know about this game love this game and, yes, because of the violence, but also the gameplay, the gameplay was was quite I would maybe even get close to saying special. So I'm interested to see where we land on this as we take a trip down memory lane for this game.
Speaker 2:Yeah, prototype is. It's a weird genre because it's like is it zombies? I mean, yes, but they obviously they're never Called zombies. It's in New York City, which has, you know, so many other countless games that are centered around that around New York City. So it was kind of like this weird mesh of a bunch of different stuff like spider-man, open world kind of Physics and moving around. So I'm excited to talk about this one because there's a lot of layers when it comes to prototype, even though the story isn't necessarily that layered.
Speaker 2:A prototype for those of you that don't know is an action adventure game that was published by Activision, developed by radical entertainment came out in June of 2009. I'm set in New York City. A virus infects people and the military attempts to put an end to it. The protagonist of the story is named Alex Mercer, who has an enemy absorbing and shape-shifting abilities. Essentially, as far as the story goes, alex Mercer wakes up in a lab. They think he's dead. He is not dead and he realizes he basically has Venom powers and Eric this is.
Speaker 2:I thought about this as I replayed the game over the last couple of weeks because I got it on PlayStation for like $5, so I was like, yeah, let me jump into this and play it a little bit before our episode. And this is the probably the Venom game we have always wanted, and we hope that spider-man 2 is able to replicate that. And you know, I think the rumor is we will eventually get to play as Venom. There's a lot of rumors surrounding who Venom could possibly be, but I think that that's what made me think of this is like this is the Venom type of gameplay we wish we had always had, and it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I actually had always thought that as well. I think that's a consensus. I don't think that's anything new, but in my research for this game, just kind of learning a little bit more about the behind the scenes. This group also did that Incredible Hulk game that a lot of people are very fond of and, when looking at the gameplay, very, very similar. So this is also an incredible Hulk game that an unofficial sequel to that original game that people like and still hold in very high regard. So a lot of elements at play. So I'm not surprised that this game was popular, despite going pretty much neck and neck with a Sony product.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that product was infamous, as you said. You know we were alluding to and infamous One I didn't play too much of, but I did play infamous to and that is one of my favorites a Sony Exclusives of all time. I wasn't big on the infamous the one that they released for the ps4, but infamous to is is excellent. I know you've never gotten a chance to play it, but yeah, that was definitely the I don't want to say downfall, but infamous is the better game and it's obvious. It's got better storytelling, it's got better characters. The gameplay is a little bit tighter, but I don't want to take anything away from prototype because it is a whole lot of fun.
Speaker 2:The game starts off really fun as well, eric, as I'm sure you remember. It gives you it's like a flash forward. So it gives you all the powers, so you get to see eventually how strong you get to become. Obviously, it's when New York City has completely gone to shit. In the very beginning of the game it's still relatively normal, and then what's really cool is like, over time, the city starts to change, which is really really great. Different areas of the city become more and more infected.
Speaker 2:Obviously, you gain more powers, the ability to move around. I'll say this, eric, as far as the movement Running up and down buildings, gliding, all of that holds up in 2023, obviously, you know, graphically you don't expect too much, but some of the controls are a little janky in 2023. But as far as like running around the city I picked that up right away I'm, which wasn't surprising, because the movement is definitely a big, big plus for prototype and I would say it's also better than infamous. I think running around the city is a lot more fun and prototype than it was an infamous.
Speaker 1:That was actually gonna be my question to you, because I've never played infamous, so I was definitely gonna lean on your expertise because this game for me 100% Wanted me. It kind of led me to my eventual love for the spider-man game that would come out many years later and I hold in very high regard. It's very it's up there in my top games ever played and the reason is for the open-worldness and the traversal and I really love that. In prototype, if anything, that's the thing I remember the most was just being able to go almost anywhere I wanted quickly and in a very, very satisfying way and then just wreck shit. That was the part about prototype that was unique, was just like, okay, I'm not going there to like Do anything special or like a espionage mission or like a no, I'm going there to absolutely destroy everything in sight, and that was a lot of fun. The traversal getting there made it even more fun. It made me look forward to the havoc that I would cause.
Speaker 2:This is reminding me of the probably the most like insane thing that we would do, which you would grab a civilian, run up a building and throw him.
Speaker 1:That's right, I totally forgot about that.
Speaker 2:I didn't get strong enough in my playthrough here recently to do that, but it was. The best part was just throwing him into like the fucking Hudson River from the fire state.
Speaker 1:I remember, I do, I do think. I remember us trying to go as high as humanly possible, just like how far that throw would go. That's, that's fucking hilarious.
Speaker 2:It's alarming to hear, probably if you've never played the game, but it's, it's a blast, it's so much fun and all the different powers that he gets over time as well. You know, he's got the big shield, the big blade, the tentacles were really really cool. It's just a really really fun game and it's I think it's. It would be a little bit of a chore to get through in 2023, as I've.
Speaker 2:I kind of found it, but in its time I wish it got a little bit more recognition. We'll bring up the kind of the grades and the reviews that it got at that. It's time. But I'm a little upset that, like this, one doesn't get more love, more recognition, because I think it is kind of ripe for a remaster. You know, because of the mobility and the combat. I think a lot of people would find this for the first time. Obviously, remakes and and redoes and remasters and all that stuff is a little bit of a touchy subject, so it would have to be done by the correct team, but I think a lot of people would find this fun in 2023.
Speaker 1:No, I agree with that, and I think maybe that's in the form of a third game. You and me didn't play the sequel, which I'm sure we'll talk a little bit about. You know why that could have possibly been. It definitely wasn't due to anything the first one did wrong, but I definitely think maybe a third game would make the most sense. I know they did like a. They did like a full revamp of it or a remastered version of it when the Xbox one and I think, the PS4 came out, if I'm correct.
Speaker 2:I think, yeah, a re-release, yeah, I think they really re-released it, yeah, so it was like upgraded a little bit, but it was the one that you play if you couldn't play infamous which I think, unfortunately, is what it became, because I would have to look up when infamous came out, but that's what happened and then infamous, too, was just so strong that that certainly was a factor in it as well. And I think I remember seeing some. I watched a video about prototype recently too, about and I'm wondering if you saw the same video where they did a lot of character development in like web comics, and that's just a hard, especially you know how many years ago, 14 years ago that's a really tough sell for your audience to like, not only how expect them to play this game that is not hard to follow, but I would say you know has a lot of moving pieces but then also asking them to watch an additional or read an additional piece of media, when even back then our time was limited. I mean, think about where we are now. You don't have time to do that. So it was certainly a choice, and I think that sort of that played into it as well. Where you did, you had a character and Alex Mercer, that simply wasn't as interesting as Cole, who is the main character, and infamous.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean that definitely didn't help. And I know that the game for the second one had a lot to do like behind the scenes with Activision and eventual mergers and stuff like that. I know that didn't help at all. So those are all things that I think led to the downfall of this franchise. But again, just singular, the first game, a lot of fun. I think you and me feel like heroes, very generic heroes that like have stuff manifest from them. I think that is kind of our wheelhouse, because again, I don't remember anything about this story. Outside of, he gets powers, there's an outbreak, I don't remember anything else, honestly, and again, that's not really the point of the game, but I don't know, for some reason we really like those mindless games where somebody is manifesting a power out of themselves.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I totally forgot that his sister is in the game. When I started, started it over because you like go find her, and I was like, oh yeah, I totally forgotten about that. We haven't even talked about the coolest power, which is probably the ability to change into other people. So that's really neat. There's no reason whatsoever to play this stealthily at all because you're just so overpowered. But being able to change into literally whoever you wanted was really really cool. You know, the absorption stuff was really really neat. So, yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:I hope that when you know we eventually post this episode, that more people come out and talk about like oh, I remember prototype, you know, because I don't know if a third game would be the route, eric, as much as just a complete reboot, like just whether it's another character named Alex Mercer or just completely redoing it. I do think there is a space for a story like this. Again, the problem is we are about to get Venom in video game form and that's going to be problematic, and you know we already have games where it's a lot of fun to navigate New York City as well, so it'd be tough to bring it back, but I like to see them try. I just don't know that there would be a time and a place for it.
Speaker 1:No, I would agree with that. And, phil, what was the reception to the first game? I don't remember or really recall it getting like rave reviews, but I would assume they were fairly positive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for IGN, it actually got an eight and a half. I'm sorry that's in. That was in Australia. Seven and a half in the US for the US IGN game trailers at the time given an 8.6. Game pro gave it looks like a. They have a really weird rank. Oh no, game pro actually gave it four and a half out of five stars game and former seven point two, five. So these are the you know the review outlets of the time that we're reviewing the game. So to kind of give you an idea, I mean it was very, very well received. I'm actually going to look it up right now.
Speaker 2:Eric, when infamous came out, so yeah, also to the shit. It came out the month before. Yeah, it came out in May of 2009 and let's see, as far as rating, nine, nine point two, 85. Metacritic score nine.
Speaker 2:So yeah, it was like because prototype is really good, but a game just came out that was way better in a lot of people's eyes and people were flocking to the PlayStation three for that reason, because if you wanted to, you could play prototype and infamous on the PS three, as opposed to, you know, infamous being only on the PlayStation three. So it was unfortunate timing for this. Honestly, I think infamous would even work and I think they did do this as like a, like a web tune or something like that. As I said, I think infamous would kind of even work as like an animated show. I think that would be pretty cool to. Again, you'd have to make a better character than Alex Mercer, because he wasn't going to end up on my list of like worst video game protagonists and if we had done a most uninteresting game, alex Mercer probably on that list.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you're saying prototype would be a good TV show. Yes, yeah, prototype Younger. So I don't know, I don't know that there's that much. I don't think that there's that much flesh on the bones of this franchise. But what I will say is that I've always been interested in playing the second one and Phil, kind of to wrap things up, you know, as we talk about this franchise, was there any particular reason we didn't get into the second one? Because I remember you and me, both at the same time, loving prototype, one of our favorite games, probably to play on the Xbox 360. So, like what, what do you think led us to not getting the second one?
Speaker 2:You know, eric, I'm going to be honest with you. Just looking at the games that released in 2012,. I couldn't really tell you, because all the big releases for 2012 came out like in the fall. Obviously we're I was big into 2K, we were both big into Madden at the time. Marca 3 came out that year, but not until way later. Um, black ops came out way later too. We didn't play Borderlands 2. So, like, honestly, I really think it was just a Either was it was a case of we were, we were just playing other games, or we were just turned off by the fact that Alex Mercer wasn't the main character and we weren't interested in learning about a new character, because it's I'm not really 100% sure it just never interested me and it's also it's also like $10 on the PlayStation Network. So, again, something we maybe have to like revisit down the line. But, to be honest with you, I'm not 100% sure why we never just looked into it, because we enjoyed the first one so much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm just trying to see if if there's any games that like Came out around that time, or maybe I was looking forward to more games that year. Like, a couple of the games that came up on a quick search was Far Cry 3, which I remember falling in love with. Assassin's Creed 3, which I had a better time than most with. Halo 4 came out that year dishonored. We, we were huge. We thought dishonored was gonna be like the next big thing. It was not spoiler alert and yeah, prototype 2 obviously is what we're talking about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just Alan we got into dishonored right? Yeah, I think you just never finished it. Didn't you play the first one? Yeah, I didn't love it.
Speaker 1:I didn't love it. I remember we were really high on it and then I got it and didn't love it. So you know, I just see a lot of other games here that I remember playing. Maybe that's what it was. But I wish if I, if I could go back in time, I wish we would have given it a shot, because I heard it just it just improved from the first one. That's been the consensus.
Speaker 2:Yeah, certainly something we probably should revisit in the future. But we would definitely want to hear from fellow prototype fans. You know, what did you think of the second one? If you did play it, do you think it's a game that could be rebooted or even continued With a prototype 3? I just don't know what the remaining audience would be if they did, like a you know, a third game. I do think reboot would be the way to go. So, eric, anything else you want to mention about this game? Again, it's like Going down this memory lane between this and the darkness, like a play these incredibly dark and violent games, but still a whole lot of fun. But anything else you want to mention about prototype before we wrap it up, no, I mean, I felt like the violence is what kept us sane.
Speaker 1:You know like I feel like it did the opposite of what people think that it does. You know there's nothing better than just completely annihilating a horde of of people, slash Zombies and then throwing them from the top of a building into the atmosphere.
Speaker 1:Exactly, really nothing better than than eating them out of existence. So I think that this game is definitely a special one, and I don't know if it would be, like you mentioned, phil, a good Playthrough. Now, going back, so you probably just missed your window, but I would at least check out some gameplay if you never played it, and just see what you missed out on, because, again, it is a fun time and I'm curious how many other people out there feel the same way that we do.
Speaker 2:You know what game makes us the most angry, eric? And it's not anything that has to do with With guns or anything like that. It's Madden. Madden makes us the most angry and it has nothing to do with any. I mean, football is pretty violent, but in general it can be. Comparatively speaking, it's the least violent thing we play and it makes us the most angry. So that's how we feel.
Speaker 2:But, guys, thanks so much for joining us for another episode of the game room, where it happens. If you want to find other episodes of the game room or the rest of our library, make sure to check out the link tree link in our show notes. You'll also find links to our social media pages Twitter, instagram, tick, tock. All of that are there. And if you want to go ahead and support the show a little bit, you can go head over to Apple podcast, spotify, wherever you're listening. Leave us a five star review, let people know that we're doing a good job, and that's one of the best ways you can support us. And if you find yourself wanting to give a little bit more, eric will let you know how you can do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you can actually join our patreon where patrons like briar are supporting the podcast. You'll get access to exclusive video content of select episodes, in addition to early access and a lot of other benefits Through our tiers. You can also support us directly through our buzzsprout page as well, if you so choose. But, like Phil mentioned the likes, the comments, the shares, the engagement we truly appreciate any and all of the support that you guys are able to show, and we could not do it without you. With that being said, my name is mr Eric almighty. That is my co-host, philip Filipino, and we release new episodes on the podcast every Monday and Wednesday, with bonus content on platforms like tiktok, and all you got to do is wait for it.
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