By
Matthew Scott Hunter
 ‘Prototype
2’
(M)
***
Activision
Xbox 360
It’s been 14 months since the events of “Prototype,”
and we’re following new protagonist, James Heller.
What happened to original protagonist and amnesiac
antihero, Alex Mercer, you ask? Apparently,
he’s turned bad guy, infecting James with the
same Blacklight virus that once imbued Alex
with amazing superpowers while simultaneously
turning New York City into a monster-filled
war zone.
Now that James is sprouting grotesque but versatile
tendrils from his arm, he intends to use his
newfound abilities against the very man who
gave them to him — the same man he holds responsible
for the death of his family. Although this backstory
is developed in occasional cut-scenes and confrontations
with Alex Mercer, the weight of James’ vengeance
quest never quite hits home (probably because
James seems more like a foul-mouthed grump than
a mourning husband and father). So “Prototype
2” is forced to survive exclusively on the strength
of its carnage.
For the most part, it does. Like the original
“Prototype” before it, and “The Incredible Hulk:
Ultimate Destruction” before that, “Prototype
2” presents players with an immense playground
for destruction and then supplies them with
plenty of tools to destroy it. James’ monstrous
tentacles are ideal for both ranged and melee
combat. He can rip a tank to pieces at close
range or dive bomb a street, wiping out all
soldiers in the area at once. He can even infect
an enemy and turn him into a living boobytrap,
extending tentacles to all nearby objects and
people before quickly retracting those tentacles
into an exploding mess. Add to that the ability
to wall-run up skyscrapers and then glide from
building to building, and you’ve got a game
that gives you a remarkable sense of freedom.
With a more involving narrative or a modicum
of challenge, this could’ve really been something.
‘Bloodforge’
(M)
*1/2
Microsoft Game Studios
Xbox Live Arcade
A perpetually angry brute vows to slay the
god that tricked him into murdering his own
family. Probably sounds familiar to anyone with
a PlayStation 2 or 3, but the similarities to
Kratos’ Olympian vendetta end there. Where “God
of War” featured breathtaking vistas and nuanced
combat, “Bloodforge” has geography so bland,
it’s hard to keep your bearings and repetitive
battles that require lengthy periods of button
mashing. Tougher enemies eventually show up,
but they don’t feel challenging so much as time-consuming.
Maybe it’s best to let the evil deities win
this one.
‘World Gone Sour’
(T)
***
Capcom
Xbox Live Arcade
Apparently, when you drop a piece of candy
in a movie theater, you’re sending it on a perilous,
2D platforming adventure. Such is the premise
of “World Gone Sour” — essentially an interactive
advertisement for Sour Patch Kids. As you battle
used wads of chewing gum and other discarded
sweets, Creed Bratton (the old guy from “The
Office”) inexplicably narrates the proceedings
with amusing indifference. With its over-scaled
but realistic backdrops, it’s a bit too derivative
of “LittleBigPlanet,” but it still manages to
be just quirky enough to be worth a look. | 
