10 Insanely Cool Video Game Mechanics You Forgot About
5. Prototype (2009) - Traversal
Developed by Radical Entertainment, Prototype is a wildly chaotic and gleefully gory game that puts players in the shoes of Alex Mercer, an amnesiac with shapeshifting powers caused by a mysterious infection that’s overtaking Manhattan and turning the island’s inhabitants into monsters.
Alex makes it his goal to put a stop to the infection alongside uncovering his past, killing those responsible along the way.
From consuming characters to take their form and evade detection to slaughtering hordes of enemies with Alex’s array of powers, Prototype was a ridiculous amount of fun. The further into the plot players got, the more of Alex’s abilities they’d unlock, and the more havoc they could wreak on the streets to the point of elbow dropping tanks and unleashing devastating tendril attacks.
However, the most enjoyable part of this game was its traversal.
Turning the parkour from the Assassin’s Creed series to a whole other level, players could sprint up skyscrapers at remarkable speed, glide across rooftops, and launch themselves across great distances. Keeping to the game’s grisly style, Alex could even “body surf” his way across town, leaving smears of blood in his wake.
There's hasn't been many games where aimlessly running around was this much fun.