Leadership of the studio is being handled by Ian Wilkinson serving as CEO, and Tim Bennison serving as COO. It is worth noting that Wilkinson was one of the co-founders of Radical Entertainment all the way back in 1991. Bennison is also an industry veteran in his own right, having previously served in the same position at Capcom Game Studio Vancouver and working on various visual effects for Marvel, Disney and Warner Bros. films. At Radical Entertainment, he worked as executive producer and vice president of technology, and worked on games like The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction and Prototype.

New Radical Games is advertising its services on its official website. The studio doesn’t seem to have any plans to work on its own projects or IPs for the time being. Rather, the services it is offering include “work for hire” on the complete development of a game, work mobile and console releases, co-development alongside another studio, development of ports to new platforms, and development of remasters of older titles.

“It all started with Radical Entertainment back in 1991,” wrote New Radical Games on its official website. “Fast forward to 2025 and we have amassed invaluable experience along the way. We know how to capture the essence of world-class intellectual properties, and deliver licensed games that delight fans everywhere.”

Radical Entertainment itself has had a storied history. Founded in 1991 in Vancouver, the studio worked on many projects before being acquired by Vivendi in 2005. Three years later, as part of Activision’s acquisition of several companies under Vivendi, Radical Entertainment would also be part of the merger. Having worked on games like Prototype at the time, the studio would eventually be shuttered, with its incorporated status being dissolved by the government of Canada.

Among the several games developed by Radical Entertainment are PS2 cult-classics like The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, and a few Crash Bandicoot games. Open-world superhero game Prototype was another one of its major releases.

Hothead Games, on the other hand, was founded from the ashes of Radical Entertainment’s acquisition by Vivendi. The studio worked on several games with an emphasis on comedy. The late 2000s saw it working on two episodes of Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, as well as comedic action RPG DeathSpank. The 2010s would see the studio pivot to mobile development, before it ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2024. The studio has notable experience with working on mobile ports of major releases, including the Android and iOS release of Civilization 6.

While the two companies might have joined forces under a single banner, considering the statements on the official website, we are unlikely to see any remastered releases of games like The Simpsons: Hit & Run anytime soon.

Publisher EC Digital has confirmed that, while it doesn’t yet have a release date for the Steam version, the Epic Games Store version was accidentally released early due to a technical issue during backend configuration. The publisher has also noted that it is working on finalising the Steam release of Scarface: The World Is Yours as soon as it possibly can, which might mean that the Epic Games Store version might still have some bugs.

“Due to a technical issue during backend configuration, the game was unintentionally pushed live on a different platform earlier than planned,” wrote the publisher in a news post on Steam. “We want to clarify that our intended long-term release platform includes Steam, and we’re now accelerating our efforts to finalize this version.”

The Steam release of Scarface: The World Is Yours will also feature an option HD graphics upgrade as a free DLC. This upgrade is stated to be completely optional, and will bring in improved visuals to the game by making use of AI-assisted techniques.

Scarface: The World Is Yours was originally released on PC, Xbox and PS2 all the way back in 2006, with the Wii also getting a release a year later. The title was released in the wake of the incredible success of the 3D Grand Theft Auto trilogy of the time – 3, Vice City and San Andreas – and was joined by other similar titles that tried to tap into open-world crime-centric titles like 2006’s The Godfather and the True Crime series.

As you might expect, Scarface: The World Is Yours puts players in the shoes of Tony Montana after he is betrayed by Sosa. While he has lost just about everything he had by the end of the original movie, from his mansion to his money and empire, Tony is far from being done with trying to get everything back. The title takes place in the city of Miami, and also makes use of Al Pacino’s likeness for the protagonist. The voice work, however, was handled by André Sogliuzzo.

While the original release didn’t do much in the way of innovative gameplay, it did have a few mechanics that differentiated itself from its contemporaries, including the protagonist’s foul mouth during his fits of violence, as well as the brutal violence that the game allows players to partake in.

Along with this, Scarface: The World Is Yours also features gameplay systems that revolve around Tony rebuilding his empire, from taking over territory, to cleaning out money through laundering operations, and making new deals to ensure he continues to make more money.

At the time, Scarface: The World Is Yours was compared quite favourably to Rockstar’s outings, thanks in large part to it managing to maintain the tone of the seminal movie.

Developed by Radical Entertainment and inspired by the studio’s rollicking 2005 romp The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Prototype was a superhero game that attempted to deliver a power fantasy to its players like very few other games had. For the most part, it did that quite successfully, and sure enough, was met with solid critical and commercial success. That, in turn, led to a sequel, which was also received well by the majority of its players. And yet, even with its fascinating premise, its bombastic gameplay, and decent initial success, the franchise ended up not only dying a quick death, but even reducing developer Radical Entertainment to a shell of its former self. So what exactly went wrong? What the hell happened?

Prototype was introduced to the world in June 2009, and as a superhero game that placed quite an emphasis on flashy combat and high-flying traversal, it drew inevitable comparisons with Sucker Punch and Sony’s PS3 title inFamous, which had released just a month before Prototype itself launched. The conversation that those comparisons generated obviously helped the game a great deal- they helped both games, in fact. Both were talked about and played by a sizeable audience- but of course, that wasn’t the only thing working in Prototype’s favour. It helped immensely that it was also a great game in and of itself, just like inFamous was.

Prototype was no generational masterpiece, of course. At its core, it was a mindless, pulpy action game that was all about delivering the ultimate destructive power fantasy, and from its repetitive mission design to its bland visuals and art style, the game had a few issues that weren’t exactly easy to ignore. But what it did, it did very, very well. Developer Radical Entertainment knew that the biggest highlights of the experience had to be the combat and the traversal, and boy did the game deliver in both of those areas.

What made Prototype’s combat really tick was just how many options players always had at their disposal to feel like the destructive force the game wanted you to feel like. From disguising yourself as enemies to obliterating them by consuming their biomass, from sending out devastating shockwaves through long and high jumps to being able to shapeshift your arm into anything from a shield or a blade to claws or a hammer, to so much more, even in terms of the basic attacks you wanted to dish out, you always had plenty to choose from.

Switching between different vision modes allowed players to see based on heat detection or sense enemies infected with BLACKLIGHT, while you could also pick up enemies dropped by weapons and use them yourself, including the likes of assault rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, and more. Hell, you could even take control of tanks and helicopters, while super powerful attacks known as Devastators could deal heavy amounts of damage to larger groups in the blink of an eye. Enemy variety was also consistently decent throughout the experience, which meant that for the most part, combat remained engaging and enjoyable.

It all worked for so many reasons, chief among them being the fact that Prototype was excellent at making you feel like a ridiculously powerful being capable of unleashing unbridled destruction. Most enemies crumbled before you with single cracking punches, environments and vehicles around you would explode as you dealt your attacks, the ground would shatter beneath you and send out shockwaves after you fell from great heights. At all times, you felt like you were, by far, the most powerful being in the game’s recreation of Manhattan- which, of course, was true.

Traversal also worked overtime to make you feel like an ultra powerful behemoth. With infinite stamina, protagonist Alex Mercer could run at high speeds indefinitely, and he would vault over obstacles as if they simple weren’t there. He could jump higher than most buildings, sustained no fall damage, scale tall walls and buildings with next to no effort- traversal in Prototype was about constant momentum. Together, the combat and movement came together in some excellent ways.

Prototype was received well by critics, while players, too, were enamoured by its offerings. Commercially, it sold well over 400,000 copies in its first month alone, and within three years of its launch, it had crossed the 2 million mark. Clearly, the game was a critical and commercial success- and it was obvious to most people that Activision would greenlight a sequel.

And they did. Radical Entertainment and Activision launched Prototype 2 in April 2012, nearly three years after the launch of the first game, and while it lacked the novelty factor of the original game, it was another solid superhero game. Combat had been improved to become more brutal, offering even more options with abilities and movement. But though the combination of seamless traversal and brawling blended together in great ways once more, Prototype 2’s nature as an iterative sequel worked against it to some extent. Its story, which saw you playing as James Heller and turned former protagonist Alex Mercer into a villain, was widely criticized, while on the gameplay front, with the novelty of the first game no longer a factor, the sequel was on the receiving end of more criticism for being too shallow, and as such, too repetitive.

The arcadey fun and bombastic action it offered was, of course, appealing to a large chunk of the player base, but Prototype 2 failed to generate the buzz that its predecessor had. Initial sales were solid, with the game outselling some of the biggest games on the market for a couple of months after a launch, but that quickly fizzles out. Not long afterward, Activision announced that the sizeable investments it had made in the development and marketing of Prototype 2 had not been justified the way they had hoped. The game was deemed a commercial failure, and between 2010 and 2012, Radical Entertainment suffered significant layoffs.

By the time those layoffs were done, Radical had been, well, radically altered. It was reduced to a support studio- though even that description is more than a little charitable. Since the launch of Prototype 2 a decade ago, the only thing Radical Entertainment has been credited with is providing some assistance on the original Destiny’s development. That doesn’t mean that that’s all the work the studio has done, but any other work has been so miniscule that Activision hasn’t even bothered to mention it. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if a large number of people out there didn’t even know that Radical was even a thing anymore.

Of course, as with most other Activision studios and properties, there is a glimmer of hope for both Prototype and its developer, thanks to Microsoft. Xbox is in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard, with the deal set to be finalized sometime before July 2023, and Radical Entertainment was specifically named in the list of Activision studios that Microsoft would be absorbing when that process was complete.

Once Radical has become a first party Xbox developer, and Prototype a first party Xbox franchise, might we see the IP getting a revival? That’s certainly the hope, even though right now it’s based on little more than wishful thinking. Given Microsoft’s Game Pass-centric strategy, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a number of franchises getting another shot at success, and Game Pass might even make it possible for many of them to attract a much larger audience than perhaps they would have under ordinary circumstances.

Hopefully, Microsoft will see the value in Prototype, because as those who’ve played any of the two games will tell you, there’s a lot of potential here. With a AAA budget and proper backing by a major publisher, the IP could become a big name in the industry once again. We sure hope it does, because right now, there’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that Activision has let it go to waste.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

But those questions never really applied to Prototype or its sequel. Developed by Radical Entertainment, the first game delivered an immense scale of chaos and destruction, granting players incredible powers and a whole city to unleash them on. Granted, the overall open world aspect wasn’t revolutionary but it was a fun take on the superhuman/sandbox genre that many developers couldn’t seem to quite nail the formula for. Even Prototype 2, which wasn’t quite as good, was memorable for the small changes it added. These changes were apparent in the lighting system and the physics. From a gameplay and scale perspective, it wasn’t all that different from the original Prototype but it still had its share of problems on previous generation hardware.

This brings us to the awful “remaster” that Activision has pumped out for both games on current gen consoles.

Prototype 2 comparison. [left Xbox One, right PS4]

The release of Prototype: Biohazard Bundle was odd enough. It was simply released one day on an unsuspecting populace, like any true biohazard would. If you head over to Activision’s blog, you’ll find the publisher promising “full HD rendering, improved frame rate, and higher resolution textures and effects.” However, impressions coming out that day indicated that both games didn’t quite meet those promises. And by that we mean the Prototype: Biohazard Bundle is one big disaster after another.

Take the first Prototype which runs at 30 frames per second with adaptive V-sync enabled. This should naturally mean that the frame rate stays constant, especially when you consider how much more powerful the Xbox One is compared to previous gen consoles. Instead, the frame rate drops to the mid 20s. Why isn’t it locked, especially when the effects and textures don’t look all that improved in the remaster? It becomes especially bad during scenes with lots of action since things seem to slow down far too often.

Prototype 2’s remaster doesn’t fare any better. Though it has better lighting and physics than its predecessor, it’s still three years old. Yet here we are with frame rates in the mid 20s for both the PS4 and Xbox One versions. For crying out loud, Devil May Cry 4 released in 2008, making it older than both Prototype games, and its recently released Special Edition looks far better on PS4 and Xbox One with a more stable frame rate.

And for all the hype around “full HD rendering”, putting both games at 1080p resolution (but keeping the frame rate at 30 FPS), there’s very little else by way of enhancements. It’s especially disappointing when you consider that for how bad both games perform that the Prototype remaster still runs better than Prototype 2.

Could it get worse? Of course it can! On playing the previous gen versions for Xbox 360 and PS3, you’ll notice a distinct lack of screen tearing in the first game. This thankfully carries over into the remastered version. On the other hand, Prototype 2 suffered from quite a bit of screen tearing when it first launched on Xbox 360 compared to PS3. Frame rates were fairly abysmal even by 2012 standards. However, the Prototype: Biohazard Bundle’s version of the second game suffers from excessive screen tearing on both PS4 and Xbox One. The only possible reason we could think this is possible is due to horrible optimization but how in the world does the Xbox One version somehow perform even worse than the Xbox 360?

Prototype comparison. [left Xbox One, right PS4]

This makes us wonder exactly what Activision was thinking when it released the remastered bundle. Was it under strict deadlines? The bundle had zero hype and just suddenly released when it did so it’s hard to say. Did it devote little to no resources for the supposed “improved frame rate and higher resolution textures and effects”? If so, why advertise those to begin with? Why not just bill this as a straight port to Xbox One and PS4? Then again, the problem with that strategy is that this isn’t just a straight port. With the screen tearing and abysmal performance, it’s hard to recommend Prototype: Biohazard Bundle even over the original games. That’s even with the bump to 1080p.

Prototype is still quite playable as compared to its sequel but that’s damning with faint praise. Of all the remasters we’ve seen in the past several years, especially Saints Row IV: Re-Elected which did almost nothing to improve the base game, there are almost none which perform worse on PS4 and Xbox One. You could point to a few cross-generational releases and point out problems but there’s literally no other game out there which sets such an awful precedent for remasters.

What more is there to say at the end of the day? Prototype: Biohazard Bundle without a doubt one of the worst remasters we’ve ever seen, if not the worst. It serves as a reminder to all developers to think for more than 5 minutes before committing to current gen remasters. We can’t even fault the bundle for being overhyped since there was literally none – and even then it disappoints. Revisit the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions or just stick to the PC versions of both games instead.

Note: Analysis was carried out by Bill Smith.

Radical Entertainment’s Prototype 1 and 2 are now available for the Xbox One as part of the Prototype Biohazard Bundle. The bundle weighs in at 17 GB when you download it and retails for $49.99.

It includes all the previously released DLC along with the first two games. The bundle doesn’t seem to be a remaster of the two games at this point but we’ll offer more information as it becomes available.

Prototype follows the story of Alex Mercer, who has been infected with the Blacklight virus that grants him superpowers through mutation of his body. The virus quickly spreads through the city though and it’s up to Alex to stop it. Prototype 2 actually continues the story with a new character named James Heller, a U.S. Marine who returns to the city to combat the virus following the death of his daughter and wife.

Both games were reviewed positively when they released. What are your thoughts on the new bundle though? Let us know in the comments.

Radical are going to release two downloadable content drops for Prototype 2.

The first DLC pack, Colossal Mayhem, is available today. The second DLC pack, Excessive Force releases 29^th May, 2012.

Colossal Mayhem and Excessive Force DLC packs includes:

Colossal Mayhem Pack:

• Thermobaric Boom-Stick
• Force Multiplier Powers:
• Warp Vortex
• Anti Gravity Field
• Air Time
• Heller Test Subject
• Infected Heller
• Infantry Heller

Excessive Force Pack:

• Viral Infector Grenade Launcher
• Force Multiplier Powers:
• Shockwave
• Chaos Creator Mode
• Medusa’s Wrath
• Armoured Heller
• Agile Armour Alex Mercer
• Zombie Mercer

Stay tuned to GB for more news and updates.

Leaping buildings in a single bound, sprinting up walls and swallowing people whole soon becomes second nature in this uber violent, parkour-loving superhero sequel. And, compared to the first game, it’s better in pretty much every department.

There’s a new badass in town – and this one’s got tendrils

The follow-up to Radical Entertainment’s 2009 open world epic is bigger, badder and better looking than before, this time putting you in the shoes of war veteran Sergeant James Heller.  Taking place 14-months after the events of the original, he returns home from war to find the plague that blighted New York City is rife, and his wife and child have been murdered. Heller decides to take matters into his own hands and track down Alex Mercer, the anti-hero from the first game, who he thinks is responsible. Trouble is, when he confronts the shape-shifting menace, Mercer infects the good Sergeant and gives him equally awe-inspiring powers.

So it’s up to you to negotiate the disease-riddled streets to uncover the truth about the latest outbreak and track down those no good Gentek scientists who are behind the virus. Heller is consumed by thoughts of revenge – not a nice way to be but better than those poor passersby who are all too often consumed by Heller.

Flying through the air with the greatest of ease

The city is split into three distinct zones, each affected by the virus to a different extent and boasting varied challenges and opponents. You’ve got to feel for the poor old inhabitants who live in perpetual fear, well aware that  they’re highly likely to be killed by you, the military or the weird beasts that now roam the streets.

The graphics have clearly been enhanced since the last outing and New York certainly looks a little livelier than the previous drab rendition. Heller is a nicely-drawn colourful character and is well animated, while pedestrians and the evil Blackwatch all look the part too. The creatures that you’ll face look suitably gruesome, which adds to the malevolent feel to the game.

A lot of care and attention has been paid to the atmosphere and the environment this time round. There’s a real sense of foreboding and doom amid the military clampdown, the civilians being controlled by a ruthless regime.

Surely no one will notice these claws where my arms should be…

Thing is, for all the positives, Prototype 2 is slightly flawed. Despite all the efforts to ensure the AI runs away when all hell breaks loose, it seem pretty nonchalant when you start to run up sheer walls in front of them or glide just metres above their heads. It’s all a little weird and disrupts the “realism” somewhat. One minute gunfire can erupt and screams ensue… fair enough. The next, you’re running up a 10 storey building before their very eyes, jumping from the summit and plunging hundreds of feet to land safely amongst them, before absorbing one or two to replenish your health… and they don’t even bat an eyelid. Perhaps they’re a little numb by the whole ordeal and it’s just a usual day at the office but I know for damn sure I’d react if a normal-looking guy cut someone in half right in front of me and ran up a wall!

At the start of the game you’re armed with only a few abilities that mean you’re able to consume people, run up walls and air dash short distances. But you’re quickly able to call on a new hunting skill too… a swift click of the thumb stick emits a sonar pulse that sweeps the terrain and returns to you, highlighting the location of your target. It’s a great addition and a much better idea than the usual handholding and signposting that features in most games nowadays.

As you progress through the game, you’ll be awarded new mutations that significantly upgrade your abilities. You can choose new superpowers from a fairly substantial list and tailor your character to your needs. These range from the more mundane, like improving your speed or gliding skills, to taking more damage or being less noticeable to the pesky bio scanners that litter the city. There are also, of course, a plethora of powers that you’ll earn as you complete missions and fight the increasingly tough bad guys. From claws and tendrils to hammerfists and blades, these are brilliant fun and instil a real sense that you’re a powerful killing machine.

The powers are fantastically diverse and well animated – looking great when you’re slicing and dicing your way through a crowd of bad guys, before speeding away from the scene to evade the incoming strike force. Finding collectibles in the form of hidden BlackBoxes and Field Ops teams that are dotted about the map also allow you to boost your skills and increase your repertoire of moves.

Power up and you’ll have no problems completing the missions

However, as we said above, it’s not without its faults. Besides the slightly weird AI, the missions and plot are much improved on the original but are ultimately run of the mill and quickly feel repetitive. These largely consist of receiving a phone call from an ally or watching a brief cut scene, and then having to get from A to B as quickly as possible. Once there, you typically need to find a commander, head scientist or some Blackwatch bigwig and absorb them to take on their appearance or abilities. It’s usually then a case of using some heavily-guarded hand scanner to gain access to a generic looking laboratory. Kill some more people or creatures and escape when the alarms go off. Job done. It does seem a little formulaic at times. Thing is, it’s all still great fun – especially when you’re powered up and have some blades, claws and tendrils up your sleeves.

Another minor gripe – but quite a common one in games of this type – are the camera angles, which can be somewhat frustrating at times. There’s nothing worse than being in the heat of battle with several hungry-looking creatures bearing down on you, and the camera refusing to give you a decent view.

It’s a decent sized game that will keep you enthralled for a good few hours. Besides the story objectives, there are numerous Blacknet missions to get your claws into as well. These start by accessing terminals dotted about the map and then meeting various objectives. It’s a nice distraction and often a little less linear than the main plot.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied around the streets of New York but even when you’re done with the main campaign, the RADNET retail edition comes crammed with 55 nuggets of additional content. For the seven weeks following its launch, gamers can test their mettle at various challenges, unlock new mutations and powers, and gain access to new avatar items, themes and videos. It’s a good idea and may encourage a few more people to buy the game at launch.

Okay, so Prototype 2 has not revolutionised the series to the extent that Assassin’s Creed 2 did with its predecessor but it does address many of the moans of the original. It’s more fun to play, the environments are more lifelike and fun to traverse and it has a much more likeable protagonist. I found myself caring more about Heller’s missions and his quest for revenge than I ever did with Mercer – although I did find myself clicking through the many cut scenes and ignoring some of the story to get back to the action as quickly as possible. But that’s no bad thing.

This is everything the first game wanted to be – but there is still plenty of scope for the next follow up to be even more spectacular. Not quite a classic but well worth picking up.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360

It’s pretty fun to watch, have a look above.

Prototype 2 releases in April for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Stay tuned for more info.

The game releases this year for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, and is the sequel to a fantastic game. We will keep you updated once we get more information on the game.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

prototype-2-wallpaper-hd-wallpaper

http://syanart.blogspot.in/2011/10/prototype-2-awesome-wallpaper.html

Source: http://syanart.blogspot.in/2011/10/prototype-2-awesome-wallpaper.html