Prey

'Prey (2017)' is a first-person 'immersive sim' set aboard a space station that's been recently overrun by a whole host of otherworldly aliens, including the elusive 'mimick' which can disguise itself as any object on board. The name of the game here is choice, with the player being given free reign to complete their objectives in whatever way they want. Exploration is more than encouraged and, usually, all solutions are valid. That's what's so satisfying about the experience. It gives you a set of systems, which evolve somewhat over the course of the game but always remain consistent, and lets you loose with them. Its heady story, full of twists and turns, is meant to be engaged with on an intellectual level; you're supposed to think about what you're doing and why you're doing it. It's great fun that's incredibly immersive from start to finish. It's also rather unique, despite being obviously inspired by games such as 'System Shock (1994)', 'Bioshock (2007)', 'Deus Ex (2000)' and Arkane Studios' previous 'Dishonoured (2012)'. It's a game you won't want to stop playing. It's absolutely fantastic. I'll almost certainly be returning to it in the future. 9/10

Some games really slip through the cracks, and Prey is high on that list for me. It's a shame because I can't believe I waited so long to dive into this one. Released in 2017, this game is a mix of first-person shooter, survival horror, and puzzle-solving that pleasantly surprised me.

From the moment I started playing, I was drawn into this eerie, deserted space station. The mystery of what happened to the crew kept me on my toes, and figuring it all out was genuinely exciting. I liked how the game balanced action with the need to think strategically about how to progress. Instead of a never-ending stream of bullets and big explosions, it felt more about resourcefulness and exploration, which is refreshing.

Instead of a vast arsenal, you mainly start with a glue gun and a wrench. The glue gun isn't just for immobilizing the shadowy aliens-it's also key to solving puzzles. I found myself getting creative with it more often than I expected. It's a simple tool, but it added a unique layer to the gameplay that I really enjoyed. Sure, there are guns like shotguns and pistols that you can upgrade along the way, but honestly, the glue gun became my best friend.

Speaking of enemies, the game's foes are these dark, shapeshifting aliens, and while they felt a bit repetitive over time, they still managed to keep me engaged. I enjoyed the challenge they presented. Freezing them with my glue gun and then smashing them with a wrench gave me a small thrill every time. It's a simple yet satisfying combat loop that works.

The characters you meet in the game contribute to the story, and I liked how they introduce side missions that impact the overall ending. I think it's worth it to explore every corner and take on these tasks. The game does require some backtracking, which could have been tedious, but it didn't bother me too much. The world they've created is so intriguing that I wanted to see more of it anyway.

I played Prey on my Xbox Series X, and the performance was excellent. The visuals were sharp, and the sound design really enhanced the experience. The gunplay felt impactful, even with a limited selection, and the voice acting brought the characters to life, especially a helpful robot named January.

I sank about 30 hours into the game, most of which were filled with enjoyment, even if there were moments where I felt a bit stuck. It's a real shame to think that we most likely won't see a sequel or any continuation of this world. The sales didn't match expectations, and that's disappointing because I genuinely feel like this game deserves more love and recognition.

In the end, Prey stands out as a classic 8/10 game for me. It's a unique experience that I regret not picking up sooner. If you're looking for something different that blends action, mystery, and puzzle-solving in a captivating way, I highly recommend giving it a shot. You won't regret it.

Prey has got to be one of the best games of this generation, maybe even one of my most favorite games of all time, the story of Prey is about a person, either male or female, named Morgan Yu, who inside a huge station known as Talos I, after an incident at some test, you wake up in your apartment, yet something is up, after escaping, you must pick up the pieces, find out what's going on, and escape, the story is great, there are really interesting twists during the story, characters, and mysteries, the sense of freedom, and exploration is very well done here, while you are in Talos I, you are given the opportunity to explore several open areas, where you can find hidden items, supplies, and side quests, speaking of side quests, there are quite a lot of them to do, they can vary from simply searching for someone to finding maps to a treasure, the quests are quite fun and varied, the gameplay is also amazing, gunplay is smooth, visceral, and intense, and the horror elements add a sense of desperation, intensity, paranoia, and helplessness, which makes the game even more heart-racing, the game is also challenging, this is not a game where you run and gun like in call of duty, you have to think before you act and pick your battles, and the the AI is really good with a few problems, and there are supplies such as ammo, medkits, food, notes, neuromods, key cards, and side quests that will give you an incentive to explore, speaking of neuromods, they can give you the ability to upgrade Morgan Yu, with perks such as Hacking and Repair to increased strength and health, giving more replay value to the game, if you just do the story, it could probably be around 15 hours, but doing all side quests, exploring every nook and cranny around Talos I etc., will bring that up to 40 hours, with massive replayability through different builds and critical choices you make throughout the game, my playthrough was around 30 hours, but I still had several side quests and places that I haven't fully explored, this is a game that must be played and that is absolutely worth your time and money

Almost perfect video game. This is a great game for getting scared. Really good horror. I originally played the demo on ps4 & it was so scary. Then did the entire game, with start do-over. It was tons of fun. The only reason I opted for 9 stars is because I felt like the game became too repetitive towards the end and I basically got bored & wanted to finish it quickly. Repetitive meaning especially in regards to creatures -- there were no more new horror creatures to explore! -- which was sad because I was thoroughly enjoying myself. The storyline is great, no complaints there.

Pros:

• Great story & Interesting characters
• Great Gameplay
• Intricate level design
• Pretty good graphics
• Recycling and crafting is great
• Mimics add a layer of horror and suspense

Cons:

• World environments look rather similar
• A few more enemy types would be nice

Verdict: It is a damn crime that this game is this overlooked. This is a game that reminiscences innovations within games like Half-Life. Shame that games like COD are getting the attention.

8.5/10