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Prey

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7.6 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 51 critic reviews
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Based on 135 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: 2K Games / 3D Realms

Developer: Human Head Studios

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: July 10, 2006

Summary

Prey tells the story of Tommy, a Cherokee garage mechanic stuck on a reservation going nowhere. His life changes when an otherworldly crisis forces him to awaken spiritual powers from his long-forgotten birthright. Abducted along with his people to a menacing mothership orbiting Earth, he sets out to save himself and his girlfriend and eventually his planet. Prey is serious, dark story, based on authentic Cherokee mythology. Themes of sacrifice, love and responsibility are explored and the story dives into emotional territory not yet explored by similar games.

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Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Detroit Free Press

Prey is touted as having an adaptive difficulty system -- the better you are, the better it gets -- and it really did seem to get harder as the game went on. As a result, there are just two difficulty settings, Normal and Cherokee, and I'd advise that even vets might want to give Normal a try on the first run out, letting the game's artificial intelligence pick up the pace to a comfortable level.

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GamePro

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.

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Game Informer

Prey is a masterpiece that simply should not be missed. [Aug 2006, p.80]

PC Gameworld

Prey is an old school shooter with better standards than the shooters we've seen lately. It has its flaws, but they're overshadowed by its quality and innovation.

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Games Master UK

Prey has the tired old first-person shooter rulebook in a spin. Captivating stuff. [Sept 2006, p.62]

Computer Games Magazine

It's exactly like one of those big-budget Hollywood summer blockbusters: You wish it gave your brain as much of a work-out as your finger, but there's no question that its superb action, terrific pacing, and actual puzzles combine to make Prey the best single-player first-person shooter since "HalfLife 2." [Sept. 2006, p.73]

Armchair Empire

A fresh and exciting step forward in a market that always threatens to be staid and blinkered, and I hope future games will steal (not borrow) its innovation, its excitement and style.

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PGNx Media

It manages to do the expected FPS stuff well while adding some new mechanics that spice things up. Good use of the Doom 3 engine makes the presentation superb, as well.

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ActionTrip

While not exactly as breathtaking as "Half-Life 2," Prey can rightfully be called one of the best, if not *the* best FPS game of the year so far.

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Cheat Code Central

While Prey brings a lot of innovation and fun with it, it's not quite the system-shattering killer app that a decade of delay should promise. It is, however, a solid FPS with many never before seen features and an interesting and original storyline.

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GamerFeed

Plot holes aside, the gameplay in Prey is nothing short of amazing. Whether you're wandering up walls, shifting gravity, shrunk down to the size of a mouse, going into spirit form, fighting in the afterlife, or floating around in a service vehicle... Prey has got everything anyone could want from a sci-fi shooter and more.

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IGN

With some truly imaginative level design, a compelling story with dramatic highlights, good voice acting and dialog, and more interesting weapons, Prey earns a spot on this shooter fan's hard drive.

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Computer Games Online RO

And even though the single-player is extremely linear and might be a bit short for certain tastes – you can complete it in less than 6 hours – Prey manages to avoid being a game released just for financial reasons. And considering its finale – the one after the Credits mind you – I sincerely hope that Human Head will continue the series with even more wackier ideas.

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GameZone

The graphics are top notch as well, very clean and distinct. Items are easily recognizable and the line of sight is strong.

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Pelit (Finland)

Ten years of waiting has paid off: Prey is a fine shooter with good playability and graphics. It doesn't bring anything truly innovative to the genre, but what it does, it does pretty well, and stuff like portals and gravity tricks make preying a lot of fun. [Aug 2006, p.40]

PC Gamer

I was able to breeze through Prey in around nine hours--probably because of how easy it is to resurrect yourself after death--making it a short but very sweet game. And definitely worth the wait. [Sep 2006, p.43]

PC Zone UK

It's so pregnant with ideas and beautiful movements that you'd be a sad fool to to deprive yourself of the experience. If the sequel is longer, a bit more difficult, and plays slightly more intelligently, then I can't imagine it being anything other than a Classic. [Aug 2006, p.58]

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Next Level Gaming

What starts out as just another "corridor FPS", turned into a game that grows as you play, and sucks you in.

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Worth Playing

It's a wonderful single-player game, full of fascinating Cherokee flavor, well-made sci-fi trimmings and a suitably cheesy plot.

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Play Magazine

It has a solid story, incredible visuals, and a new approach to an age-old formula. [Sept 2006, p.57]

eToychest

Prey offers impressive visuals, a decent story, and high-octane action to bring players the equivalent of an outstanding summer action flick.

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Play.tm

It features fantastic level design that make a fresh change from the usual FPS fodder. Coupled with a captivating and well told storyline, Prey comes together to be the game of choice if you are looking for an FPS that, if not perfect, actually does something new for the genre.

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Gaming Nexus

While the game features some new innovation that we’ll be seeing in upcoming games you do have to wonder about the value the game brings as the single player side of the game is a bit on the short side and the multiplayer is a bit on the generic side.

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FiringSquad

It will scare you silly and make you dizzy and when you finish the game you will likely not forget some of the things you encountered for some time. Again, we wish it was a longer experience and we feel not enough was done with multiplayer but on the whole it’s definitely worth picking up.

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PC Format

Flawed but undoubtedly fun. An endearing spectacular shooter. [Sept 2006, p.92]

AtomicGamer

Prey brings some unique storytelling and great, interesting features, but it just lacks the polish required to make this game a top-quality shooter.

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PC Gamer UK

For all its singleplayer niggles of slightly gutless, meagre gunplay, the astonishing-looking Prey is often great fun, occasionally very creepy and frequently highly impressive. Just don't go taking it seriously. [Aug 2006, p.74]

GamerNode

From a perspective outside the nitpicking, it's a really fun game; it's scary, fast, brutal, and very well executed. Despite its shortcomings, it's still definitely worth playing. It's not perfect, but it's damn close at times.

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Gaming Target

It may not have the richest or most original shooter experience, but it does give plenty of fast-paced FPS action to keep your adrenaline pumping.

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Times Online

As a first-person shooter, Prey makes up in design for what it lacks in depth. The game moves along swiftly, balancing a strong narrative with solid puzzle-solving and some very tasty eye candy.

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Edge Magazine

While most shooters handle the genre's design tradition like fragile cargo, careful to ensure that its arrangement of pieces doesn't fall into disarray, Prey cranks it like a Rubik's cube, cocking its world delightfully askew. [Sept 2006, p.76]

Sydney Morning Herald

Despite a flimsy storyline that's riddled with cavernous gaps in logic, Prey's rollercoaster ride of gun-toting action delivers the punch of a blockbuster movie.

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games(TM)

Prey is a masterpiece of design, but there are a few niggles that slightly mar the overall experience rather than the immediate game. It’s likely that you won’t even notice them until you’ve finished playing and are debating its merits with friends. [Aug 2006, p.106]

Yahoo! Games

A polished and exciting ride, carefully calculated for 80 percent thrills and 20 percent brain teasers.

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Games Radar (in-house)

It could have been much better if only there were more than two modes (deathmatch and team deathmatch) and a couple of maps small enough to play with less than five players, but Prey is still a major blast for shooter fans with strong stomachs.

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1UP

If only the Native American mysticism had figured in more. If only the spirit "death walk" had developed into something more than a shooting gallery. If only the voice acting and storytelling were a little better. If only there were more than just deathmatch to the multiplayer. All those half steps...but even combined, they don't amount to a stride backward.

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The New York Times

While good science fiction creates coherent, convincing futuristic technology and explores its ramifications, Prey is simply built around a bunch of neat ideas like wall walking and invisibility. This makes Prey very bad science fiction, but the game works wonderfully as a surreal nightmare.

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Gamer 2.0

Prey is worth playing for its striking technology and story, and what they bring to the gameplay. It’s too bad that the impressive moments had to be separated by monotony, but that doesn’t make them any less extraordinary when they happen.

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AceGamez

While the combat mechanics of the underlying Doom 3 engine are not up to the level of "SiN Episodes Emergence" or "Half-Life 2: Episode One," this is a solid shooter that adult fans of the genre should definitely check out.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

Even though Prey is far too short, devoid of any challenge and guaranteed to leave you disappointed, it still manages to be one of the finest old school first person shooters out there.

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2404.org

Prey is a good game, but I think it will underwhelm people’s expectations because those expectations were astronomically high.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Sadly, the teleportation and wall-walking feel like incidental obstacles: The path through the game is so linear that you never really explore the new experiences, such as staring at the back of your own head through a portal, or stalking up a giant wall while aliens shoot at you from the ceiling.

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GameSpot

Prey's campaign won't take too long, and it's rarely difficult, which makes it a solid choice if you're looking for an easy weekend romp. But much of the game's potential for unique thrills feels wasted by its straightforward level design, and the multiplayer doesn't add much to the package.

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Digital Entertainment News

Despite all of the new graphical features, Prey innovates little and borrows heavily from tried and true predecessors.

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GamingExcellence

A co-op mode would have been wonderful, a more fleshed out story-line, additional levels that didn’t take place in dark corridors that herded you from A to B without fail, more multiplayer options; these are all things that should be expected of games being released on next-generation consoles.

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Gamezilla!

I can sum this up with one tired phrase. Been there, done that. There’s a little bit here that’s new, and the game looks great (and just like "Doom 3"), but this is really just covering the same old ground.

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VideoGamer

A game high on fun, packed with action, but not without a number of infuriating problems.

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GameSpy

The story isn't much to speak of, and the combat feels somewhat dated, but the gravity tricks and spirit abilities provide plenty of memorable moments, and the addition of the Death Walk keeps the game from succumbing to the frustrations that so many other shooters fall, well, prey to.

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GameShark

The main elements that work against it are the length, the somewhat generic and stale pacing towards the middle-point of the campaign, and the fact that the portal system really wasn’t pushed as far as possible.

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NTSC-uk

Monotonous it can be, but it’s rarely frustrating or difficult to play. That said, if it was released in 1998 it could have been genre-defining, in 2006 it is merely genre-filling.

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Game Revolution

It presently seems content merely treading ground already covered in "Half-Life 2," "Doom 3" and "Quake 4." Despite its lofty intentions, this brave’s promise of innovation is as empty as the tears of a fake Indian chief.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 135 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Felix E. gave it a1:
In the beginning, I thought like "wow this might just be worth that money" but already after 20 minutes or so of playing, it will get extremely boring. The storyline is really lame, real copycat game, and those upside-down walk things are quite cool the first time you see them, but they do nothing but annoy you. Sorry, but I absolutely do not recommend this game.

michael t. gave it a10:
This has to one of, if not THE the best fps game ever. being built no the doom 3 engine, it has some of the best graphics i have ever seen, i fell in love with the game straight away after seeing the trailer on steam. it hs the action and adventure of quake 4, the intensity of doom 3 and the ability to captivate you all the way through the game, as in half life 2. I don't thinik i will ever play such a great fps.

Adzy W. gave it a7:
Very rarely do I come across a game in which I say: Wow that was amazing, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, so many new mechanics were explored. This has INSPIRED ME TO DO GREAT THINGS. Prey, was NOT one of these games. It started off well. The whole feeling of being abducted and finding yourself in a gibbering nightmare which had already broken the psyche of other people genuinely disturbed me. This is what I look for in a survival horror. The first few levels were real adventures in immersion and good storytelling. It was then at some point after killing that Demon Boss thing with it's own gun. (Weapons were superbly done, cannot fault the art direction in this game!) That things started to get a bit samey. I'd be walking down another strange metal hall, with another row of freudian innuendos all over the walls, with more samey enemies which I would kill with a minor stroke of annoyance when I was teleported yet again to that same blue-ish thing to kill a few red things. It suffered from the same basic problem as Bioshock, wherin death has no consequence. You can just respawn about two feet from where you died so long as you hit enough red things. So you stop defending your life out of fear and start doing it so as not to drag the whole experience out any longer than is absolutely necessary. My attitude switched from "I wonder what'll be on this level" to "Not another pissing level." The game could have been improved by cutting out the unnecessary levels and adding in a few more big concepts other than walk through forcefeild and push switch or shoot thing to change location of floor. Though despite what I have said I do think Prey is a good game. The same way that a Citreon Saxo is a good car. Sure it does what it's supposed to but you're always there wanting something more. Like how the storyline from the middle onward seemed to fall away. Moments like Tommy puking when he uses the gravity changer for the first time and catching glimpses of the resistance doing their thing as you tried to catch up to them were lost in favour of 'get here' or 'climb this tower populated with a metric asston of enemies and save the damsel in distress.' A solid seven. Pros: Art direction, first half of the story, adaptive AI, Cons: Lack of consequence for death cheapens combat, repetitive and badly paced gameplay, overused scenery.

Craig gave it a10:
Really creative puzzles. Good story Great level design and artwork. Great music.. Great enemies and weapons. Prey takes all of the best from previous FPS games, such as Doom and Quake, and combines it all in one package. 12 hours of game play by the in-game clock, but I must have spent at least twice that long on the game the first time through for replays and sight seeing the artful level design.

Adam gave it a5:
Below average game, nothing special, lame weapons, lame levels, extremely linear, press button here, press button there, some good sound effects, it tries to disgust you instead of scaring you or create any suspense, Doom3 all over again... Except for the out-of-place weird choice of Cherokee theme there is noting original here.

Matthew C gave it an8:
For all Doom 3, Quake 4 or any id Tech 4 engine-based game lovers like me, you will absolutely love this game. The similar doom environment and gameplay will make you feel at home with some hint of portals and anti-gravity catwalks which I find unique and fun (especially in multiplayer!). Not my favourite from the entire game library, however it's definitely a must-have. Don't miss out on this one!

Jason D gave it a9:
The most memorable FPS game I have ever played. Absolutely excellent story line, voice acting, graphics, action, emotion, etc...I became quite attached to the characters and felt Tommy's frustrations throughout the game. Loved it from start o finish, everyone should play this one through to the end if only to allow a great story to be told.

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