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PC | Action | Prey

Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Human Head
Release Date: 07/10/2006
Genre: Action
Number of Players:
ESRB Rating: Mature
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80 screen shots

GRAPHICS: 4.75
SOUND: 5.00
CONTROL: 4.75
FUN FACTOR 4.75
AVG USER SCORE 4.2
AVG CRITIC SCORE 3.9

Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

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Review: Prey (page 4 of 4)

Review by Sid Shuman | 07/11/2006 | 23:58:29 PM PST

Turrets can be a major problem -- snipe them!

Pay to Prey

Accompanying the single-player experience is a adrenaline-fueled online mode. Though the multiplayer mode is a blast, it's mostly a modern retread of Quake III: Arena. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since the multiplayer levels make heavy use of Prey's wall walking and spiritwalking features to add a welcome twist. A few extra game modes would be nice, though -- the experience is limited to kill 'em all-style deathmatch games. With any luck, the inevitable sequel will expand on the multiplayer side. Given Prey's single-player innovations, it's not hard to imagine a multiplayer game where, say, one team plays as body-snatching aliens and the other team as a band of embattled abductees. With game design like this, the sky's the limit.

The Acid Gun is a major stopper in multiplayer matches -- use it like a shotgun

Prey uses the same graphics technology found in Quake 4 and Doom 3, but the presentation here is more imaginative than in either of those games. Tech fiends will drool over the cascading particle effects, volumetric shadows, and abundant shader effects; artistic types will "ooh" and "ahh" over the otherworldly alien surroundings and freakish extraterrestrial designs. Both versions look remarkable, though the PC version shines a little brighter thanks to ever-so-slightly sharper textures and a slightly smoother framerate, if you have the appropriate hardware. The PC tech specs are reasonably demanding (a Geforce 6800 or Radeon x800 will serve very, very nicely), but not as absurdly high as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. A mid-range gaming PC will run this game quite nicely.

The Crawler Launcher can emit protective shields

Prey's audio design is also robust, with surprisingly strong voice acting, creepy alien vocals, and a powerful score courtesy of Jeremy "Oblivion" Soule. The 3D sound effects are also exceptional, thrusting you into the middle of your bizarre surroundings in a way that visuals alone cannot manage. Then there's the thumping rock soundtrack with killer cuts by Blue Oyster Cult, Heart, and Clutch.

Prey Day

Prey is the game that Doom 3 and Quake 4 wished they could be. It's ruthlessly violent and action-packed, yet consistently subversive and innovative -- not unlike Duke Nukem 3D, another 3D Realms-produced game. It's also one of the least frustrating games we've ever played (see 6 Ways Prey Will Change Gaming), thanks to the smart implementation of features like spirit guides and deathwalking.

And even though the single-player experience clocks in at under 10 hours, it's a wild ride that's worth replaying (especially on the scorchingly tough "Cherokee" difficulty level). In short, Prey is a groundbreaking title. Though its core shoot-and-scoot gameplay owes much to Doom and Quake, Prey's paradigm-shifting innovations are enough to give the first-person shooter a whole new lease on life. If you've ever loved a first-person shooter, buy Prey immediately.