Xbox Reviews

Prey Review

Review Prey | When the game was announced a while ago I was a little disappointed to see that it was something totally different when you compare it with Prey from 2006. While I still think that the name should have been different I am so glad how this Prey turned out to be. Read why in this Prey review!

THE GOOD

  • You find yourself on Talos I, a more immersive and interesting place than Bioshock’s Rapture. This huge scientific workplace is dealing with some major alien invasion issues. It isn’t a daily routine how the story is told, through cut scenes, conversations, emails and even environments but developer Arcane did a fantastic job. Not only for the main plot but small side-stories can be found everywhere, some or even most players won’t connect the dots but the way Prey’s world is made is one of the most impressive things about the game.
  • Prey’s audio work is remarkable, giving the game an atmosphere that is rarely seen in video games. Paranoia kicks in regularly just for some creepy sound or musical play. I can’t say a single bad thing about the sound or voice actors. It all comes together as a realistic experience, close your eyes and you actually believe that you are on a dangerous space place.
  • You see it pop up every year on social media, taking body parts from known females or males to make the most pretty girl or boy. To be honest, you could say that Prey uses the same strategy. It takes good gameplay-aspects from Bioshock, Dead Space, Thief, System Shock and more. Even the start from Prey, seems a way to give respects to Looking Glass Studios, maker from a few mentioned games.  Is this a bad thing? I guess not, because Prey is fun to play and most importantly it adds unique flavors into the mix so it feels fresh and new.

Mixed Feelings

  • Arcana Studios did a lot of effort to make the combat stand out, they have totally accomplished this but at the same time made it a little less attractive for everyone. Take the guns for example, you won’t really find or use your typical firearms. Talos is a scientific place so besides a few familiar weapons, used by the security, you use prototype stuff. I had a lot of fun with it (Gloo Gun) but it slows down the combat too. Going guns blazing into a room will likely get you killed, the earliest cute Mimic aliens are easy to deal with but later enemies will be a pain in the ass, regardless of the difficulty that you are playing on. Stealthy and clever ways of defeating enemies are required to survive, something that became a little tiresome after a few hours.
  • Is that chair going to try to kill me? Is that weapon on the ground going to try to kill me? Is that “name whatever object you want” going to try to kill me? The beginning from Prey is an unseen and unplayed experience of fear, scare-jump moments and anxiety. Everything can be a Mimic, everything can cause a Game Over screen. It’s such a big shame that it loses this horror-like factor when you find the  Psychoscope (this spots Mimics in the environment)

THE BAD

  • Replay value is a little limited, after completing the story mode you don’t have that much reason or motivation for another run-through. You have a few Achievements that encourage another replay but nothing else, sadly.

Score 83% | Arkane Studios made an excellent game, Prey is a pretty fun game to play in the dark. Taking the best from a couple famous games and adding something unique into the mix. In short, buying and playing Prey is something you won’t regret!

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