Prototype™ on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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You are the Prototype, Alex Mercer, a man without memory armed with amazing shape-shifting abilities, hunting your way to the heart of the conspiracy which created you; making those responsible pay. Fast & Deadly Shape-Shifting Combat: Reconfigure your body to the situation at hand.
Prototype™ is a action, open world and gore game
developed by Radical Entertainment
and published by Activision.
Released on June 12th 2009 is available only on Windows
in 4 languages: English, French, Spanish - Spain and Italian.
It has received 12,357 reviews of which 9,896 were positive and 2,461 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. 😊
The game is currently priced at 19.99€ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified Prototype™ into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at Prototype™ through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *: Windows® XP (with Service Pack 3) or Windows Vista®
- Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4000+ or better
- Memory: Vista 2 GB RAM / XP 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: All NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800 GT 256 MB and better chipsets. All ATI Radeon™ X1800 256 MB and better chipsets
- DirectX®: Microsoft DirectX 9.0c
- Hard Drive: 8GB of free hard drive space
- Sound: DirectX® 9.0c compliant sound card
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
The game is good so far. I'd recommend getting a Nexus mod that fixes the fact that the game crashes when loading in. (It basically disables the game from trying to load billboard textures from a defunct website that causes the game to crash) It also fixes a few other issues. I can't link it but search "Nexus Prototype 1 fix" and you should find it easily it should be titled "PrototypeFix - CrashFix - FPSFix - FrameDouble fix"
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When I was a kid I played Prototype 2, never the first one. I recently downloaded this one and even though the story is just okay, the game play more than makes up for it. I had a lot of fun! When I was younger, my PC would only run these games at around 20 or 30 FPS. It was fun to run it properly this time around lol. Also, since I saw so many people complain about the game crashing, I downloaded the prototype fix mod from nexus mods before running the game and I had no issues at all. Highly recommend!
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NOTE: The game does not work on modern hardware due to engine issues hardcoded in. You will need to aquire a mod to get the game to function on modern hardware! A link to the community fix can be found here; https://www.nexusmods.com/prototype/mods/52 Since Activision is highly unlikely to fix it. There is a fix for Prototype 2 linked in the mod as well and vice versa. This is my absolute favorite game of all time. I remember picking it up at a rental store (when those were a thing) back in 2010 when I was staying the weekend at a friends house. I didn't sleep that night. I just kept playing this game throughout the entire night and having an absolute blast. Then when I had a Xbox 360 at my own house, I picked the game up again. I probably have done about 21 playthroughs of this game at this point. The OST is feckin' phenominal. The gameplay is extremely fun, overtly violent and chaotic. And they put in so many secret little details that you just don't get in games anymore these days. The graphics definitely show their age by now, even then in 2009 when it came out they were a bit dated. But the game was amazing none the less. The Story is also very intriguing, making most of the lore and exposition optional with the introduction of the "Web of Intrigue" utilizing the gameplay loop of "Consuming" enemies and living creatures to assume their shapes, memories, and even heal from consuming them. Need to escape from military pursuit? Shapeshift your body to disguise yourself as someone else when out of sight. Or if you're feeling a little bloodlusty, shapeshift your limbs into claws, hammerfists, a whip, boost your muscle mass, or even a giant sword arm! (As depicted in the cover art.) About to die and can't wait for natural regeneration to do the job for you? Grab someone and consume them for a big chunk of healing. Truly a game of the time, and to this day, no game gives me that power fantasy itch like this game has. My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE game of all time! :D
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A hearty, thrilling, unrestrained feast of blood-soaked carnage 9/10 Opening In 2009, Activision's landmark game Prototype was released. It attracted countless players with its brilliant, creative, and playable game design, delightful and hearty combat experience, fragmented yet complete closed loop, and deep yet reversed plot. The protagonist Alex Mercer's hooded sweatshirt outfit and charming personality of being cold on the outside but warm on the inside have become a classic image in game history, too. This work has deeply influenced classic open-world action game IPs such as The Amazing Spider-Man(Video Game) series, Marvel's Spiderman series, and Batman: Arkham series regarding combat and map design. Even today, it is still a considerable outstanding game. Regrettably, due to compatibility, optimization, adaptation, and other reasons, it is very difficult to experience this 2009 work smoothly on the modern Windows operating system. The game also has problems such as uneven operation, low volume, and rough modeling that extremely damage the player's gaming experience. Strength The story of the game takes place in Manhattan, New York. After an unknown virus breaks out, the player needs to play the role of Alex Mercer, an anti-hero who was infected and resurrected constantly exploring his lost memories and his duty in this infection. The game's movie-level camera movements and performance effects in the cutscenes are still considerably acceptable even today. Through the highly immersive game system known as the " Web of Intrigue", players can gradually understand this closed-loop, deep, reversal, and charming game world through fragmented memory flashbacks. As the plot progresses, the world of Prototype will undergo corresponding changes, creating a strong sense of immersion. In addition, the player's interactions with the scene are rich in realistic details, such as the broken glass marks when running on the building, the different operations when falling will affect the character's landing action, etc. As a game released in 2009, Prototype also has a certain degree of scene destruction effect, which is truly excellent. The player's combat abilities in the game are quite diverse, the character's body movements and actions are extremely agile and swift too, giving the player an excellent and smooth map-running experience. In addition to being able to devour and transform into others to disguise oneself, or using blades, claws, hammerfists, musclemass, whipfist, and other biomass abilities unique to the infected to fight, players can also drive tanks and planes like in military games, use rifles, grenade launchers and rocket launchers to assist in combat; since the restrictions on ammunition are relatively loose, players can enjoy the pleasure of venting firepower. Compared to the Grand Theft Auto series, which also offers a high degree of freedom but constrains players' actions to a certain extent, the moral constraints and punishments for evil deeds in Prototype are almost non-existent. In this crazy world where every battle in the middle and late stages is extremely grand, dazzling, and multi-party melee, players can act recklessly, trample on life and human rights at will, and experience the pleasure of being able to do anything. The powerful and striking character movements combined with the game's blood-splattering effects and rich details of severed limbs bring players a hearty and refreshing violent aesthetic experience. The difficulty of most of the game's mission and challenges is also extremely balanced, to serve the core purpose of "making players feel refreshed". When switching locked enemies, the game will slow down like bullet time. Using this mechanism, players can easily pass through some more chaotic and time-limited scenes. Weakness It is extremely difficult to experience the 2009 Prototype smoothly on a modern Windows operating system nowadays. Whether it is the frame rate performance, optimization, filters, or volume, the game has serious problems. Without various player-made patches and software assistance, it is even impossible to play normally. Even so, the optimized game still has certain unsolved problems with volume, operation, and viewing smoothness. The main storyline of the game is quite short, and side quests like challenges occupy most of the game content. In addition, the cost of upgrading in the game is quite expensive, so if you don't complete these challenges, you will not be able to experience the full capabilities of the character due to insufficient evolution points. Although the game's overall worldview and plot are excellent, the main story is extremely poor and sloppy in many character building and detail processing. The lack of foreshadowing and the overly fast pace of the plot can easily cause players to miss key details and fail to keep up with them or even have misunderstandings. Whether it is the main story mission or the challenge, the game does not have the option to restart or quit midway. You can only choose it when the mission fails or the player dies, such a design is quite inhumane. There is also friendly fire between enemies, players can even cause damage to some mission targets. The health of ordinary enemies and civilians is generally low, any contact with the player could result in their death, which is a bit too exaggerated. There is always an indescribable strange distortion in the volume, other problems such as extremely rough character and scene modeling, slightly stiff character movements, weird enemy locking logic, and the lack of smooth character operation feel and camera movement smoothness also have a serious impact on the player's gaming experience. Conclusion As a game released in 2009, Prototype inevitably has a variety of problems in terms of image quality, optimization, operation, and even plot narrative. The problems of the main storyline being too short and the challenge occupying the vast majority of the content mean that only those players who extremely enjoy the game's combat design can have enough fun. Still, simply relying on its outstanding combat, map design, and worldview building, as long as you can accept its shortcomings, Prototype is definitely a work that any video game enthusiast cannot miss. Even if it takes a while to experience this 2009 work, you will eventually find that the quality of the game is worth it. Found my review valuable? [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/43837750-Just-Game-Curator/] Follow my curator to get the latest review push! Your support is my greatest motivation!
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Prototype is one of those games that leaves a lasting impression, not just because of its intense action and chaotic open-world game-play, but because of the memories tied to it. I used to secretly play it on my brother's laptop whenever he was away, and every time I launched it, it felt like stepping into a world of unstoppable power and gritty freedom. The game-play is pure mayhem in the best way possible. As Alex Mercer, you tear through the streets of New York City with shape-shifting powers, scaling buildings, hijacking tanks, and unleashing brutal attacks on enemies. It’s an open-world sandbox that encourages creativity through destruction, letting you play as the ultimate anti-hero with no limits. The movement system is especially satisfying, running up skyscrapers, gliding through the air, and smashing down with incredible force never gets old. Visually, it captures the dark and gritty tone perfectly. The streets are chaotic, filled with infected creatures, military patrols, and civilians reacting to the madness. The sound design, from the deep roars of your powers to the crumbling city-scape, helps bring the dystopian atmosphere to life. And while it may show its age in places, the overall experience still holds strong. What makes Prototype truly special for me, though, are the memories. Those quiet hours sneaking in playtime on my brother’s laptop, discovering new abilities, and just getting lost in the game’s raw energy, it’s something I’ll always hold onto. Unfortunately, I never got to experience Prototype 2 because of regional restrictions. It’s really disappointing, as I would’ve loved to continue the story and dive back into that world. I still hope one day it becomes available without region locks. In conclusion, Prototype is a wild ride through a dark, chaotic city with a character who feels truly powerful. For anyone who loves open-world action games with a twist, it's a must-play. And for me, it’s a piece of gaming nostalgia I’ll never forget. With the rumors of Prototype 3 coming around, I am also excited about that.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Prototype™ is currently priced at 19.99€ on Steam.
Prototype™ is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 19.99€ on Steam.
Prototype™ received 9,896 positive votes out of a total of 12,357 achieving a rating of 7.83.
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Prototype™ was developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision.
Prototype™ is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Prototype™ is not playable on MacOS.
Prototype™ is not playable on Linux.
Prototype™ is a single-player game.
Prototype™ does not currently offer any DLC.
Prototype™ does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
Prototype™ does not support Steam Remote Play.
Prototype™ is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Prototype™.
Data sources
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 09 June 2025 09:20 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 11 June 2025 10:12 |
| Steam price | 14 June 2025 12:45 |
| Steam reviews | 13 June 2025 11:49 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Prototype™, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Prototype™
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Prototype™ concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Prototype™ compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
71
Developer
Radical Entertainment
Publisher
Activision
Release
12 Jun 2009
Platforms