I've been looking over the debate on various sites, including this one, about the whole InFamous versus Prototype tussle and thought I'd throw my thoughts in.
I've played and finished both games and the reality is they are very different beasts. I said this in our exclusive review of Prototype this issue.
The difference is one of scale and pacing.
Prototype never leaves the sandbox. Every mission remains in the open world and gives you dozens of ways to achieve your goals - by stealth, brute force or hi-jacking military tech. Prototype is an intense and playful game that gives you a bunch of tools and says: "Go play!"
On the flipside, InFamous is a more traditional sandbox game in which the open world is used as a means to get to the mission, at which point it invariably leads to a set-piece event, on-rails shootout or linear platform mission. In many ways inFamous has more in common with Uncharted. Which is a very good thing. But it's very traditional in its approach to the open-world genre.
If I had to weigh down on one side, I'd go with Prototype. Though it's very close. While inFamous is good, there's a lack of scale and ambition that holds it back. The electric powers are underused and don't offer the same level of sheer madness and experimentation that Prototype can deliver.
Cole as a lead hero doesn't engage in the way Alex Mercer does. Compared to recent game leads, Cole hasn't the charisma of a Nate Drake, though the animation is superb. Mercer is a richer character and it's good to play a hero who doesn't lean on one side or the other of the good/bad divide; Prototype isn't so simple. There's a massive plot twist that resets your whole view of the Protoype world and urges you to keep playing. InFamous rarely surprises.
Both, I would add, are worth playing though. Just for very different reasons.
wendlejosh Blog
Prototype Vs Infamous
by wendlejosh on Comments
Alright, now for the longest time I've been seeing comments about Prototype and Infamous. Everyone seems to be in some kind of giant battle. Prototype gamers against Infamous gamers. All giving reasons why one game is far more superior than the other. Now it's my turn. (In my own opinion) even though I would rather not have to say this Infamous (During Game Play) has MUCH better graphics. Simply put it's smoother. On the other hand Prototype gives you the feeling that you can do literally anything you desire which during these days thousands of gamer love. True Prototype might look like The Incredible Hulk, but the story-line is unique. When both games come out I myself am ONLY going to pick up Prototype. Why you ask? Because I'm the kind of gamer that loves to do what he wants, when he wants, with a large amount of power. Prototype unlike Infamous has a destructive and rough edge to it; (You simply NEVER KNOW what's going to happen next.) All in all both games are simply amazing.
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