GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

76 Age of Booty
xx Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade
63 Armored Core for Answer
65 Baja: Edge of Control
78 Banjo-Kazooie
79 Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
71 Battle Fantasia
29 Beat'n Groovy
85 Bionic Commando Rearmed
70 Blitz: The League II
52 Bolt
76 Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
42 Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009
85 Call of Duty: World at War
82 Castle Crashers
77 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
60 Crash Bandicoot: Mind over Mutant
30 Crazy Mouse
63 Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3
89 Dead Space
xx Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon
52 Disney Sing It
49 Domino Master
80 Duke Nukem 3D
89 Fable II
53 Fable II Pub Games
54 FaceBreaker
93 Fallout 3
85 Far Cry 2
65 Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown
87 FIFA Soccer 09
62 Fracture
74 Galaga Legions
93 Gears of War 2
63 Gin Rummy
45 Golden Axe: Beast Rider
55 Guilty Gear 2: Overture
85 Guitar Hero World Tour
xx High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance!
xx History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions
68 Infinite Undiscovery
xx Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2
81 Kingdom for Keflings, A
65 Last Remnant, The
89 Left 4 Dead
62 Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, The
49 Legendary
76 LEGO Batman
71 Lips
64 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
84 Madden NFL 09
82 Mega Man 9
72 Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
81 Midnight Club: Los Angeles
79 Mirror's Edge
50 MLB Stickball
51 Monopoly
75 Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
68 Moto GP 08
70 Namco Museum: Virtual Arcade
81 Naruto: The Broken Bond
84 NBA 2K9
77 NBA Live 09
69 NCAA Basketball 09
66 Need for Speed Undercover
67 NFL Head Coach 09
89 NHL 09
69 NHL 2K9
xx NPPL Championship Paintball 2009
43 PDC World Championship Darts 2008
77 Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode 2
43 Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball
89 Portal: Still Alive
86 Prince of Persia
75 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
85 Pure
65 Quantum of Solace
41 Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009
xx Rise of the Argonauts
92 Rock Band 2
39 Rock Revolution
54 Rocket Bowl
81 Saints Row 2
72 Samurai Shodown II
74 Scene It? Box Office Smash
xx SCORE International Baja 1000
50 Shadow Assault Tenchu
63 Shaun White Snowboarding
65 Shotest Shogi
66 Shred Nebula
72 Silent Hill: Homecoming
55 Smash Court Tennis 3
63 Sonic Unleashed
69 Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
73 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
90 Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
81 Tales of Vesperia
xx Things on Wheels
84 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
62 TNA iMPACT!
77 Tom Clancy's EndWar
76 Tomb Raider Underworld
65 Too Human
59 Vigilante 8: Arcade
82 Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
45 War World
54 Warhammer: Battle March
43 Warriors Orochi 2
xx Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge
81 WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009
54 You're in the Movies
46 Zoids Assault
xx Zombie Wranglers

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Prey xbox360 Game Reviews
Prey
Critic Score
Metascore: 79 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.1 out of 10
based on 80 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 39 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

Prey tells the story of Tommy, a Cherokee garage mechanic stuck on a reservation going nowhere. Abducted along with his people to a menacing mothership orbiting Earth, he sets out to save himself and his girlfriend and eventually his planet. [2K Games]

PUBLISHER: 2K Games
DEVELOPER: Human Head Studios
GENRE(S): First-Person Shooter, Action
PLAYERS: 8
ESRB RATING: M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE: July 10, 2006

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.
Read Full Review
95
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.
Read Full Review
95
Game Informer
Prey is a masterpiece that simply should not be missed. [Aug 2006, p.80]
92
Game Chronicles
Prey actually delivers both a compelling solo and an outstanding multiplayer FPS experience that will delight FPS fans looking for a truly unique approach to what was becoming a rather stale and predictable genre.
Read Full Review
90
Official Xbox Magazine
In a strange way, Prey feels really old-school despite all its innovation, and that feeling is strongest in its simple but excellent multiplayer. [Sept 2006, p.74]
90
AceGamez
Absolutely every aspect of the gameplay design and presentation is simply dripping with quality - the look and feel is totally unique, and the altered gravity, portals, alien weapons and spirit walking all combine to create the finest 360 shooter since "Perfect Dark Zero" at the console's launch.
Read Full Review
90
Kombo
Those looking for a fast-paced adrenaline rush that happens to be wrapped in some great art direction and a gorgeous graphics engine won’t be disappointed, especially if that love of all-out action translates into a love of old-school online deathmatch.
Read Full Review
90
IGN
The multiplayer modes are sure to have gamers deeply involved over the next several months. The options, technical experience, and the amount and quality of online games are straightforward fun.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
GameZone
The weapons are balanced and the action is intense.
Read Full Review
90
Cheat Code Central
A rock-solid game filled with innovation, a compelling story, and gorgeous graphics.
Read Full Review
90
Gamenikki
Even if Prey’s story didn’t leave me breathless from the masterful blend of sight and sound, I at least remained damned entertained. Sometimes that’s all you can really ask for.
Read Full Review
89
Console Gameworld
It doesn’t get boring and keeps supplying new ways of freaking you out while still supplying you with a decent dose of coolness.
Read Full Review
88
Planet Xbox 360
Perhaps let down by a short and unbelievably easy single player adventure, Prey’s unique features, fun multiplayer and genuinely interesting story make for a fantastic FPS that puts generic, lazy copycats to shame and should be at least tried.
Read Full Review
88
netjak
Even if you’re sick of FPSs, check it out anyway, because this is definitely not the time to turn your back on a game like this. Prey is a twisted take on the genre that shouldn't be ignored, that is, if you're not prone to motion sickness.
Read Full Review
87
Game Almighty
Overall, Prey is an excellent game, bringing new, innovative ideas to the gaming market. I highly recommend this game to all FPS enthusiasts looking for a twist on the typical shooter.
Read Full Review
87
DailyGame
Spirit walking and weird gravity are fun and fresh, but not having consequences for death takes away some overall suspense.
Read Full Review
87
Gamers' Temple
Prey is without question my favorite Native American versus alien invader game ever.
Read Full Review
86
Next Level Gaming
What starts out as just another "corridor FPS", turned into a game that grows as you play, and sucks you in.
Read Full Review
86
XGP Gaming
Prey has a great storyline, although it seems basic at first. It’s innovative, looks gorgeous, and is extremely fun to play.
Read Full Review
85
ZTGameDomain
A visceral shooter with a great story, superb visuals, and twitch online gameplay should certainly keep players occupied through the hot days of summer.
Read Full Review
85
eToychest
Prey offers impressive visuals, a decent story, and high-octane action to bring players the equivalent of an outstanding summer action flick.
Read Full Review
85
Ferrago
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.
Read Full Review
85
Gaming Target
Players that get motion sick easily will definitely want to stay away from the game as perspective changes rapidly and frequently.
Read Full Review
85
Play Magazine
It has a solid story, incredible visuals, and a new approach to an age-old formula. [Sept 2006, p.57]
84
Da Gameboyz
With fabulous graphics and great sound to match, Prey manages to put forth one hell of a gaming experience. However the short game time combined with a laggy and rather limited online features prevents this game from becoming one of the great titles of the year.
Read Full Review
83
Team Xbox
The new mechanics that it adds to the first-person shooter genre will be remembered for a long time to come, and they certainly help differentiate it from the rest of the pack; something that isn’t so easy to do these days.
Read Full Review
82
GameBrink
Multipreyer (ugh) utilizes the unique level design, gravity manipulation and portals that you enjoy in singlepreyer and should provide hours of enjoyment, which is a good thing because youll find yourself finishing the game in about eight hours.
Read Full Review
81
Xbox World Australia
Some questionable story elements aside, the game is enjoyable and manages to maintain a fairly consistent pace throughout.
Read Full Review
81
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.
Read Full Review
80
DarkStation
Although the game is lacking a deeper online game, the single player manages to make up for it with a very good story and good solid action.
Read Full Review
80
G4 TV
It's the breakneck pace afforded by Tommy's spirit world resurrections and the dizzying effects of promiscuous gravitational pull that makes Prey such a fresh gaming experience.
Read Full Review
80
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]
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Worth Playing
Definitely one of the X360's most visually impressive titles.
Read Full Review
80
Boomtown
A flawed masterpiece.
Read Full Review
80
Gaming Nexus
A solid first-person shooter that tries out a few new ideas and offers a compelling single-player story. But now that the shock and amazement of finally getting to play it has warn off we're left with a game that is a lot of fun ... but probably not worth the decade-long wait.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Extreme Gamer
Prey is unique and bizarre, and at the same time familiar. If you enjoy future themed shooters you're going to love the ride the Prey provides.
Read Full Review
80
Total Video Games
Undoubtedly a stylish and engrossing variation on the Sci-Fi shooter theme, the novel touches ensure Prey is a worthwhile experience; but, it's probably still not enough if you're tired of the premise and haven't enjoyed id Software' most recent efforts.
Read Full Review
80
WHAM! Gaming
What could have been a run-of-the-mill shooter is elevated by an interesting plot, wild environments and shifting gravity that sometimes makes you wonder which way is up. Not for the faint of stomach.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Official Xbox Magazine UK
On occasion, what no doubt seemed like a crazy-cool idea down the pub just didn't work well in practice (spirit death-defying in particular) and fun has taken the edge off challenge, but you'd have to be an extremist alien sympathiser not to thoroughly enjoy Prey from the moment it sucks you into its viscera to the moment it squeezes you out again.
Read Full Review
80
MS Xbox World
Prey offers a surreal and entertaining playing experience; however I did feel that it was a one trick pony, albeit a very good trick indeed.
Read Full Review
80
Yahoo! Games
You came here for the dumb summer shooter fun, you stuck around for the wet icky graphics and the "M.C. Eschertime!" Ten hours later -- or longer if you can hold out against multiplayer nausea -- you're going to have gotten just what you expect from a solid well-done shooter.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Games Radar
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.
Read Full Review
80
GameSpy
Prey is undoubtedly one of the most interesting games to hit the Xbox 360 so far. It introduces some unique gameplay mechanics in the wall walking and portals, and the Death Walk stuff ensures that you'll be able to sit and play the game for hours on end without getting frustrated.
Read Full Review
80
GamerFeed
Prey has been a long time coming, and if the game just had a bit more to offer in terms of challenge and a more calculated death/revival system, it could've been a classic to unseat Halo 2. On its own, however, it was definitely worth the wait, with marvelous design ideas, fun gameplay twists, and a presentation that shows some effort.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
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]
79
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.
Read Full Review
79
Digital Entertainment News
Prey falls short of revolutionary by becoming a victim not only of time, but its own success. By not following through on the promise of a couple of very new and interesting gameplay mechanisms, the developers have delivered only part of the game that was possible.
Read Full Review
78
GameTrailers
Prey is something of a paradox, because it’s got a ton of original ideas wrapped up in a package we’ve seen a dozen times before.
Read Full Review
78
My Gamer
It has a great imagination, even if it hasn’t been executed to perfection.
Read Full Review
75
Armchair Empire
Prey has enough setpieces to make it worth checking out, even if it’s not particularly compelling overall.
Read Full Review
75
Gamezilla!
Prey offers solid FPS action with enough new elements to keep things interesting. As with most FPSs these days, the real action in online and Prey won’t disappoint here either.
Read Full Review
75
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.
Read Full Review
75
Gamers Europe
All the zingy features in the world can't disguise the simple clear room, move on level construction that forms the majority of the game, and I can't help but think that Prey was designed by a big committee who were never really quite sure what they wanted to do.
Read Full Review
75
PALGN
The plot, which we've intentionally avoided going into so as not to spoil it, is much more interesting than your average FPS too. Its relatively short length, lack of challenge and uninspiring multiplayer mean that it doesn’t quite fall under the ‘must own’ category.
Read Full Review
75
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.
Read Full Review
74
Xbox Solution
The spirit-walking and the gravity-changing was a great idea. For a week rental, this one is great but unless you’re the type of gamer that loves death matches, most will play it once, beat it and then let it sit for awhile before wanting to play it again.
Read Full Review
72
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Spend a couple of hours globe-trotting Prey's extraterrestrial fun house and witness your mind turn to mush as it soaks in all the bizarre gimmicks--portals, walking on walls, immortality--that help the game stand out from other ho-hum shooters. [Sept. 2006, p.94]
71
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.
Read Full Review
70
RewiredMind
Lazy level design and the inability to die make the game too easy, leave you questioning why you want to carry on, and may even lead you to just not bother completing the game.
Read Full Review
70
Game Power Australia
Prey stands out for a number of excellent reaons even if the portal hopping and gravity-swapping can get a bit confusing.
Read Full Review
70
Deeko
Too many stumbling blocks for a game that was first conceived back before Y2K was even a bother are unacceptable. I guess it's only wine and fine scotch that gets better despite the anticipation.
Read Full Review
70
Xboxic
Despite some room for improvement, a linear nature and disappointing lifespan, Prey has a great deal to offer. It has fluent and dependable gameplay, one of the most fantastic video-game stories of recent times, some nifty innovations, a great atmosphere, along with two of the most emotionally harrowing boss-fights ever seen in a game.
Read Full Review
70
GameCritics
Prey's marriage of scientific and spiritual might not be the best fit, but convincing environments, dynamic gravity, and mastery of genre basics assure its status as a pleasantly solid entry into a very crowded field.
Read Full Review
70
360 Gamer Magazine UK
Joins an ever-growing ranks of "could-have-beens" thanks to it being both too short and too easy. [Issue #12]
70
EuroGamer
A game whose good intentions simply don't translate into wide-eyed entertainment. With uninspiring and basic deathmatch multiplayer options failing to rescue the package, it looks like it's going to be another long hot summer for FPS devotees.
Read Full Review
70
VideoGamer
A sequel is definitely coming (it even says so in the game), and the foundation has been set for a strong series, but as a true contender to the FPS crown Prey falls a fair way short.
Read Full Review
70
Gamestyle
Like a Michael Bay movie, Prey is about non-stop action with less emphasis placed on plot and more on shooting anything that moves.
Read Full Review
68
Talk Xbox
While I feel that Prey is a better game than "Quake 4" and "Doom 3," Prey is a next-gen game, which is held to higher standards and it’s a letdown in a few categories, namely the pathetic multiplayer.
Read Full Review
67
GameShark
A pretty cool first-person shooter, with a forgettable story and characters. The gameplay mechanics in Prey, while very interesting, weren't utilized as much as they could have been, and multiplayer is a little lighter (albeit fun) than we expected.
Read Full Review
60
3DAvenue
There's no doubting that Prey looks the part of a modern FPS, but, as always, looks can be deceptive. It's a fun game, but it's no great breakthrough in the science of what is undoubtedly a very crowded genre.
Read Full Review
60
X360 Magazine UK
Gimmicks aside, it's a very short and linear adventure that you'll probably only play through once unless you're an Achievements whore. But then...we had such fun playing it. [Issue 9, p.74]
58
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.
Read Full Review
42
Gaming Age
Because the new elements have very little purpose other than to make your life in the game more difficult, it's hard to support them as a viable, gameplay-enriching feature in their current form. Instead the portals, wall walking, and gravity rooms feel very gimmicky.
Read Full Review