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While we’re on the topic of exploration, it’s worth pointing out that games set in Manhattan – particularly sandbox games – are anything but novel at this point. We’ve played in versions of New York’s central borough dozens of times, as superheroes, cops and criminals, and by now it’s old hat. Prototype’s version, however, has three things going for it: it’s filled with crowds of civilians who scream, scatter and panic when you start unleashing ultraviolence. The scenery usually goes by so fast that any familiarity you might have with it doesn’t matter. And it’s the most detailed rendition of Manhattan in a superhero sandbox game to date.
If you need further proof, we’ve grabbed hold of three other Manhattan-set superhero games of varying quality – The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man 3 and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows – and compared them ontwo arbitrary criteria to see how Prototype stacks up.
The skyline
Prototype
The Incredible Hulk
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Prototype
The Incredible Hulk
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
More info
| Genre | Action |
| Description | This free-roaming gore-a-thon has a super-powered monster man running around NYC cutting folks to ribbons. If we need to tell you any more to convince you it's awesome, then you're a fool. |
| Platform | "PS3","PC","Xbox 360" |
| US censor rating | "Mature","Mature","Mature" |
| UK censor rating | "18+","18+","18+" |
| Release date | 1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK) |
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