We are at a time in gaming history where we all have just too much to play. Every week a title is released that I want to enjoy, and I find myself inundated with just too much hitting the shelves. For this reason, I’ve been getting AAA titles later in their lifespan for a cheaper price, which is always nice. Prey was one of those titles that I wanted at launch but just couldn’t afford at the time. I’ve always enjoyed Arkane Studios’ steampunk look, even though I was never a huge fan of their stealth title Dishonored. I completed the first game in the series but never gathered much interest for the sequel. The title of theirs that did interest me was their remake of Prey. I’m a sucker for survival horror, and when you throw it into space, I’m definitely all in.
What I noticed, to a great degree, when I first started playing was the fact that Arkane had really upped the ante in the graphics department. The game is gorgeous, and I knew I was going to enjoy getting lost in the beautiful, yet dangerous, world they created. They kept the steampunk look throughout the whole adventure, and I love them for that. We’re never going to get another Fable game, so I have to look to other developers to quash that steampunk need. The developer did take a weird turn when it came to the enemies in the game, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the game. Mix space and steampunk together and you have one dream of a game!
The part of the game that I am actually the biggest fan of is the soundtrack. When I was younger I cut my teeth on John Carpenter’s horror and sci-fi movies, Halloween, Escape from New York, The Thing, and so on. What always amazed me was the fact that Carpenter scored a majority of his films–that easily recognizable Halloween theme, it was scored by the director himself. Pretty amazing, huh? Once you start your journey and are taken through the credits with the amazing theme, you’ll be hooked. Mick Gordon did a wonderful job with his score; hearing it reminded me mainly of Kurt Russell’s journey escaping New York, and I loved it so. The music follows you throughout the game and just adds so much to an already insanely atmospheric game!
Coming from Arkane Studios, we all expected the gameplay to be superb, and it was. The first person use of the weapons and powers is a joy to play. I will say, however, that this game is pretty tough. I had an easier time with Dishonored, and I am TERRIBLE at stealth games. This go around, you are given a foam gun and insanely difficulty enemies, plus an upgrade system that lets you upgrade only when you find certain items. This was a drag for a while until I got the hang of using the foam fun and found more of the upgrade items. You also have to find upgrade items: if you play this game and just kind of look around, you will fail. Bring a walkthrough for these upgrade or you are going to be super weak as you reach the endgame.
Arkane Studios is fast becoming one of the best storytellers in the industry, rivaling that of Naughty Dog and Capcom. This tale is one of intrigue and mystery, and with so many twists and turns, I couldn’t contain my surprise. Let’s just say that nothing is what it seems, and you will eventually find out what’s really happening. That’s all I want to say about the story–I don’t want to ruin this masterpiece for you; you need to experience it for yourself.
Unfortunately this title wasn’t as financially successful as it was critically received. In a year with Breath of the Wild, Resident Evil 7, and Horizon Zero Dawn, I can see why this title was forgotten by many gamers. This is such a shame because no one purchasing it means that we most likely won’t ever get a sequel. Hopefully the money Arkane made from the Dishonored series will allow them to look into a sequel, but I’m not going to hold my breath. Should you get the opportunity to buy this game on the cheap during the lull 2018 may bring, I urge you to buy it. You will not regret your time with Prey and will possibly make a sequel happen. I mean, money talks right?