Prey
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2026 11:12 am
I don't remember this getting a lot of love when it came out, and that's a shame. But I do understand.
I went in completely blind, and you might want to do the same? There's a twist that's ruined by basically every possible image from the game, so it can be tough. I just knew it was an FPS by Arkane Studios set in a future or space or something and had been installed on my PC for quite some time. The twist isn't end game content, so it's not a massive spoiler or anything.
Quick summary: This is a "lower speed" FPS where exploration is a bigger factor than in other FPSs.
If you want to go in blind, I do recommend this game. You can usually get it around $5 or less during Steam sales, and that is an absolute steal.
Spoilers from this point on.
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FPS that puts you in the shoes of Morgan Yu, a scientist on board Talos I, a space station/research facility. In this alternative universe, scientific research advanced much more rapidly, including a cure for cancer, thus many people smoke cigars. (I forget why, but I believe it gets explained somewhere in game.) There is also a new lifeform called the Typhon that is being used to improve humanity, with a very important plot point drawback, that also happens to be malicious.
The RPG elements come in the form of Neuromods created with Typhon material. Use them to increase physical abilities like speed, healing amount, stealth, etc. Or you could use them to embrace the ways of the Typhon and get powers. This breaks the skill tree into two paths: Human and Typhon. Again, I'm a completionist and didn't even finish the human tree, which is the way I went outside of two Typhon abilities that I didn't even really use much.
The very light crafting comes from collecting junk in various containers and then recycling it into four different materials. You then use those materials to craft items, which you must first find the plans for. Yes, you can craft Neuromods, but I went human, so I mostly crafted ammo. Healing and suit repair can be found all over in items and in little robots that will do it for you. Items in this world are limited, so be careful you don't craft too much at once.
When I said that I understand why this wasn't bigger, it's because there are some design flaws among other things:
-You're never in a massive shootout. Action can get hectic, but like in real life, it's going to be over quick. (Like Stranger's sexual escapades...) That's not a design flaw, but this isn't the bullet hell some people love.
-The second issue, and also not a design flaw, is that exploration is a bigger part of the game than other FPSs. Find key cards for specific doors, finding alternate routes, finding locations you somehow missed, everything in space, etc. Some of the codes for doors and computers are in clever places. They do give you a new type of gun in the game that is unique and I could see it catching on elsewhere. It helps with enemies and exploration.
-Third, and this is a design flaw (imho), there are turrets you can setup and/or repair/fortify. It sucks to take the time to repair them, then place them in great spots, only to leave the area and come back to them all back in a state of disrepair. I learned that early on and then stopped. I get "why" because repopulating a location with enemies wouldn't work with the turrets, but it's still takes away from something the player accomplishes. I will say that well placed turrets in the Lobby and Atreum (I swear that's how they spell it in game) can be effective, but consider turrets mostly only useful when they're with you.
-Fourth, enemies can be a bit stupid. I've watched enemies kill themselves by repeatedly entering flame jets or something similar.
-Speaking of the enemies, there's not a ton of variety, which is fine. However, I think they dropped the ball a bit on the horror element with one, the mimic. At first, it's awesome, because fuck them! However, later you get a helmet for scanning baddies and different chips to help spot them, and it's kind of lame. Seriously, they HAD IT! Make the player question if the contents of a room are the same as they just were...and did that box move? (I think you understand what the mimic does...think Alien face hugger, but a shape shifter.) Instead of giving us a chip to point them out, give us a chip that makes a red light go on when Typhon DNA is nearby, ala the gate turrets you use in the other game mode. That would have been awesome.
The story itself is fine and competent enough that it flows well. The science mumbo jumbo is what it is, but it's not offensively stupid.
There is one baddie that gets its own mention: The Nightmare. I HATE games that have an invulnerable monster constantly chasing you to falsely develop a sense of urgency. It's a garbage design choice. Here, the Nightmare is that monster, but with differences. It can be killed, and not with a massive struggle either. It's tougher than other monsters, but bringing it down is very doable. Second, it won't chase you through loading screens and it cannot fit in most places. Point being, it's easy to escape. It's more of a jump scare that can kill you if you're not careful.
There is DLC that came with this purchase. One is "Typhon Hunter" and is multiplayer only. I assume it's probably dead and I didn't bother with it. The other is more interesting: Mooncrash. It's basically an entirely different game. Well, not entirely. Same universe, gear, and monsters, but you're a different protagonist running 5 characters through a simulation. The ultimate goal is to escape with all 5. However, those 5 are sharing resources, time is not your friend, and so on. Picture dropping into an FPS map, getting to the exit, and now you have to do it 4 more times with enemies being stronger, resources not respawning, and so on. That's not completely fair because there are different conditions for each, but it helps you get the picture. Many people think this version is more fun than the original game. I did a few runs and successfully got a person out, but ultimately it's not for me. I don't want to replay the same level (despite changes each time) over and over. I am interested enough to watch a YouTube of a perfect run on it though.
This was a good FPS. Not great, but very good. I'd be curious about a return to this universe.
I went in completely blind, and you might want to do the same? There's a twist that's ruined by basically every possible image from the game, so it can be tough. I just knew it was an FPS by Arkane Studios set in a future or space or something and had been installed on my PC for quite some time. The twist isn't end game content, so it's not a massive spoiler or anything.
Quick summary: This is a "lower speed" FPS where exploration is a bigger factor than in other FPSs.
If you want to go in blind, I do recommend this game. You can usually get it around $5 or less during Steam sales, and that is an absolute steal.
Spoilers from this point on.
----------------------------------------------------------------
FPS that puts you in the shoes of Morgan Yu, a scientist on board Talos I, a space station/research facility. In this alternative universe, scientific research advanced much more rapidly, including a cure for cancer, thus many people smoke cigars. (I forget why, but I believe it gets explained somewhere in game.) There is also a new lifeform called the Typhon that is being used to improve humanity, with a very important plot point drawback, that also happens to be malicious.
The RPG elements come in the form of Neuromods created with Typhon material. Use them to increase physical abilities like speed, healing amount, stealth, etc. Or you could use them to embrace the ways of the Typhon and get powers. This breaks the skill tree into two paths: Human and Typhon. Again, I'm a completionist and didn't even finish the human tree, which is the way I went outside of two Typhon abilities that I didn't even really use much.
The very light crafting comes from collecting junk in various containers and then recycling it into four different materials. You then use those materials to craft items, which you must first find the plans for. Yes, you can craft Neuromods, but I went human, so I mostly crafted ammo. Healing and suit repair can be found all over in items and in little robots that will do it for you. Items in this world are limited, so be careful you don't craft too much at once.
When I said that I understand why this wasn't bigger, it's because there are some design flaws among other things:
-You're never in a massive shootout. Action can get hectic, but like in real life, it's going to be over quick. (Like Stranger's sexual escapades...) That's not a design flaw, but this isn't the bullet hell some people love.
-The second issue, and also not a design flaw, is that exploration is a bigger part of the game than other FPSs. Find key cards for specific doors, finding alternate routes, finding locations you somehow missed, everything in space, etc. Some of the codes for doors and computers are in clever places. They do give you a new type of gun in the game that is unique and I could see it catching on elsewhere. It helps with enemies and exploration.
-Third, and this is a design flaw (imho), there are turrets you can setup and/or repair/fortify. It sucks to take the time to repair them, then place them in great spots, only to leave the area and come back to them all back in a state of disrepair. I learned that early on and then stopped. I get "why" because repopulating a location with enemies wouldn't work with the turrets, but it's still takes away from something the player accomplishes. I will say that well placed turrets in the Lobby and Atreum (I swear that's how they spell it in game) can be effective, but consider turrets mostly only useful when they're with you.
-Fourth, enemies can be a bit stupid. I've watched enemies kill themselves by repeatedly entering flame jets or something similar.
-Speaking of the enemies, there's not a ton of variety, which is fine. However, I think they dropped the ball a bit on the horror element with one, the mimic. At first, it's awesome, because fuck them! However, later you get a helmet for scanning baddies and different chips to help spot them, and it's kind of lame. Seriously, they HAD IT! Make the player question if the contents of a room are the same as they just were...and did that box move? (I think you understand what the mimic does...think Alien face hugger, but a shape shifter.) Instead of giving us a chip to point them out, give us a chip that makes a red light go on when Typhon DNA is nearby, ala the gate turrets you use in the other game mode. That would have been awesome.
The story itself is fine and competent enough that it flows well. The science mumbo jumbo is what it is, but it's not offensively stupid.
There is one baddie that gets its own mention: The Nightmare. I HATE games that have an invulnerable monster constantly chasing you to falsely develop a sense of urgency. It's a garbage design choice. Here, the Nightmare is that monster, but with differences. It can be killed, and not with a massive struggle either. It's tougher than other monsters, but bringing it down is very doable. Second, it won't chase you through loading screens and it cannot fit in most places. Point being, it's easy to escape. It's more of a jump scare that can kill you if you're not careful.
There is DLC that came with this purchase. One is "Typhon Hunter" and is multiplayer only. I assume it's probably dead and I didn't bother with it. The other is more interesting: Mooncrash. It's basically an entirely different game. Well, not entirely. Same universe, gear, and monsters, but you're a different protagonist running 5 characters through a simulation. The ultimate goal is to escape with all 5. However, those 5 are sharing resources, time is not your friend, and so on. Picture dropping into an FPS map, getting to the exit, and now you have to do it 4 more times with enemies being stronger, resources not respawning, and so on. That's not completely fair because there are different conditions for each, but it helps you get the picture. Many people think this version is more fun than the original game. I did a few runs and successfully got a person out, but ultimately it's not for me. I don't want to replay the same level (despite changes each time) over and over. I am interested enough to watch a YouTube of a perfect run on it though.
This was a good FPS. Not great, but very good. I'd be curious about a return to this universe.