Become the prey.
Probably not many know this, but Prey, the title released in 2006 by 2K Games has nothing to do with the game of the same name released by Bethesda Softworks in 2017. This latest title uses the same name as the original, but is totally different. It is because the The intellectual property rights were acquired by Bethesda Softworks years ago.
Prey This is one of those games that has a very interesting story to tell, but that has nothing to do with what happens in the game itself. Because? The title of Human Head Studios, formed by former developers of Raven Softwareit took 11 years old to hit the market after its announcement. Whether it was because key people left the project or because of insurmountable technical issues, it took until E3 2005 to see a trailer for what would be the final version of the game.
But Prey would generate even more expectations after its release, as it was announced that a sequel was in the works of the same. Despite some criticism, it was a critical and commercial success for 2K Games at the time. However, Intellectual property rights were acquired by Bethesda Softworks during developmentwhich calls things into question.
Nevertheless, prey 2 made its appearance at E3 in 2011 and again in 2012, where many images of the game were shown. Unfortunately, in 2014, the game’s cancellation was officially confirmed and developers Human Head Studios they also left the project. However, two years later, Bethesda announced a new title that was supposed to be somewhat of a reimagining of the original, and (probably a shock to Prey fans) it was released the following year.
The original Prey was released on PC and in Xbox 360 Exclusive. The title begins when an alien ship known as the “Sphere” approaches Earth and we learn of its dark intentions through Tommy and his family. He, an Indian from a reservation in the present-day United States, is the game’s playable protagonist. So, along with his girlfriend and grandfather, is removed by the Sphere.
Prey is a first person shooter in which Tommy explores the vast environment of the alien ship. The portals we found inside the ship were useful for fast travel and ending the alien threat. Gravity was also unbalanced sometimes, which meant that sometimes we had to think very carefully about how we could take a step.
However, the biggest novelty of Prey was the ability to take control of the mind of the protagonist after his death. Tommy, a Cherokee Native American, is gifted with spiritual powers by his grandfather after a near-death experience. This was very useful to him, as in his spiritual form he could move freely for a short time. Before the resurrection, in his spiritual form Tommy could solve puzzles and find hidden paths.
However, not everything happened while Tommy was on foot. We had access to vehicles (of all kinds) at certain points in the game, such as the shuttle, which acted as a sort of mechanical suit that allowed Tommy to fly. Prey did a great job creating an alien environment within the sphere that was visceral and very organic, but at the same time fused with cutting-edge technology.
Although it received accolades in many areas when it was releasedit’s weird to say that the combat aspect of the game (let’s not forget, it’s an FPS) was the weakest part. Tommy had a good arsenal of weapons, but his uniqueness didn’t translate into his looks and the way he worked. They lacked diversity, as did their impact on enemies.
Prey will not go down in the history of the FPS genre. However, it’s worth checking it out, especially if you’re curious to enjoy a game that has a neat setting, an interesting story, and little-seen playable mechanics. If you want to play the original Prey from 2006, it can be enjoyed on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through backwards compatibility.
