Similarly to its predecessor, Prototype 2 is an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective and set in an open world based on modern-day Manhattan. Like Alex Mercer in the first game, the player character, James Heller, can shapeshift and assume other people's identities and memories by consuming them, although in the sequel this has become more tactical. Due to Blackwatch's actions in the Yellow Zone, if the player assumes the role of a soldier, people will react to him in a way that shows that they want nothing to do with him. To make sure that enemies do not overwhelm the player, a dodging system and new, more realistic AI were introduced. Heller is able to use weapons in the game, such as ripping the Gatling cannon off a tank and using it against enemies. He can also sneak up on unsuspecting human enemies and inject them with the Blacklight virus, turning them into a "BioBomb". Heller also possesses superhuman strength and agility, near-invulnerability to harm, near-flight leaping and gliding, infinite stamina, increased speed, and a sonar sense. The sonar includes a new pulse ability that highlights the key features of an environment to make it easier for the player to find someone, instead of looking in a large crowd for a person with an icon above their head. Before release, the developers stated that the powers in Prototype 2 would be more meaningful than in the first game, appearing as mutations and upgrades that let players decide how they want to play as Heller.[6]