Prey (Xbox 360)

 

 

Create your own review

I'm not usually a fan of first person shooters, mainly because I find them too hard and don't like having to keep saving and loading to progress 30 feet. It's the whole issue of dying that exhausts my precious patience. 'Prey' has done something about this and created a first person shooter for people who aren't very good at first person shooters.

The story isn't overly original. Aliens invade Earth and beam up humans, then commit unspeakable acts upon them and there is only one man who can do anything about it... You.

You play Tommy, a Cherokee who is desperate to escape the trapping of the reservation, but his girlfriend, Jen, is desperate to stay. When the aliens abduct the both of you the race is on to save both Jen and yourself and get yourself back to Earth.

The game plays out like most other FPS games in the way that you have to run around shooting enemies and solving the odd puzzle. There are three ways to do this; in the Physical World, the Spirit World and the Death World.

The Physical World is exactly as it sounds, the physical, albeit alien, reality that surrounds Tommy. This is the world you will spend most time in and is where the various gravity effects come into play. In this game there are certain points where you can walk up the walls and on the ceilings, other points where you will need to completely flip the gravitational pull of the environment. At times this can become a little disorienting but that is all part of the fun. You need to use these gravity effects to progress, so they are not just a gimmick added on, but an essential part of the game.

As Tommy is Cherokee he can allow his Spirit to leave his body. This is the Spirit World. When you press the Y button the screen will take on a light blue hue and your spirit will have the ability to access areas that Tommy's physical body cannot. Enemies can't see Tommy's spirit unless you attacks them so it is very good for stealthily working out where you need to get to next. The spirit body can also activate switches, lowering force fields that are otherwise blocking Tommy's progress through the physical world. To me this is the best part of the game. I like the puzzle solving elements of any game, and although the puzzles in 'Prey' aren't particularly perplexing they add a little more enjoyment for me.

The most controversial element of the game seems to be the Death World. This is only encountered when Tommy looses all of his health. You then enter Death Walk and try to shoot Wraiths to gain back as much health as possible before being thrown back into the action where you fell. Essentially you cannot die. This element is why it is a FPS for people who are not very good at first person shooters. You can 'die' as many times as you need and will always be able to get straight back into the action, without using quick saves. While other people have slated the whole game for this one part, I would say that it has kept the game alive for me. If it wasn't for the idea that I could not 'die' I would have probably given up on the game a lot earlier, as it was I completed it in a couple of weeks.

It is not a huge game but more than adequate for the like of me, for whom games are meant to be fun.

You get the usual mix of weapons and enemies. The guns are all easy to use and the enemies are varied. Boss battles could have been a little bit harder though.

The online element to 'Prey' consists of either Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch. If you've played any sort of multiplayer FPS before you will know what to expect. The gravity effects come into play in a big way in multiplayer as not only do you have to keep an eye on what is giong on behind you, but also above you and below. There may not be all that many people playing 'Prey' online due to games like 'Gears Of War' now being on the market, but you should still be able to get a decent game now and then. It's got a bit of lag if you are playing with more than three other people which can be annoying.

Achievements are half story based and half multiplayer based, with three Secret Achievements. This gives it the balance that is so often absent when it comes to Achievements.

Once you have finished this game you will feel more prepared to take on more conventional FPS games. I enjoyed 'Prey' and will probably spend a good few weeks trying to get all the multiplayer Achievements. I wouldn't say it is worth £49.99 but if you can get it for under 30 notes you'll have a good little game on your hands.

I really did enjoy playing Prey, the story's simple yet effective, the game play is fun, I like the range of weapons, especially the spider like grenades most amusing......but.....it just lacks that special something that some other games have, it doesn't prey on your mind, I wasn't itching to get back on the buttons. In short it just got to be a bit lack lustre in the end. That said it's certainly worth a go especially at the price you can get it now.

First off - I'm rubbish at FPSs. I've played most of them and it usually takes me months to complete them, if at all. Nothing bothers me more than having to repeat section after section because of a lack of ammo or a particularly hard boss. I just find it plane dull, and I don't have the time for it.

Prey addresses these issues. Its innovative way of dealing with dying is fantastic. It keeps the game and the narrative alive. Not once did I chuck the controller in annoyance or give up. I played it through (it still took me a good month of on/off playing) to the very end.

The graphics are superb, and the production design incredible. So many jaw dropping moments will take you by surprise. The wow factor is second to none. The only flaw is that some of the corridor sections are a little repetitive. But, everything else outweighs this - even the load times won't send you insane.

If you are a games fan and appreciate quality - grab this. Its the best game of its type that I've played since Half Life and leaves Doom 3 and the rest in its wake.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 41 customer reviews...

 

1.0 out of 5 stars UN-good
- I use the phrase "UN-good" because I don't want to be rude/insulting. However, this game, is without doubt the worst game I have ever played in my entire life. Read more

Published 8 months ago by Myles Burrell

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been a classic
On the face of it it has a lot going for it - fabulous graphics and some unique features for a FPS such as the upside down walkways, the ability to step, via strange portals, from... Read more

Published 21 months ago by S. Reilly

4.0 out of 5 stars A overlooked gem.
I bought this when it was first released, and while it may not be of the highest standard like Half-Life or Bioshock, it really isn't much below those steller FPS titles. Read more

Published on 8 Mar 2009 by Mr. B. W. Bailey

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just a gimmick.
I love shooters but can be exasperated,especially by PC ones,by their over reliance on being able to save anywhere,so when there's a difficult bit you're usually left looking at... Read more

Published on 15 Jan 2009 by Mr. M. L. Hanford

4.0 out of 5 stars 'Prey, big spender!'
Let's start by being open enough to say there are far better games on the 360, however Prey is a game I would advise you not to overlook. Read more

Published on 10 Jan 2009 by Rob

4.0 out of 5 stars Filled A Gap
While playing Prey I really enjoyed it. Especially the difficulty of dying. I lost interest in this game halfway through becuase of the similarity of all of it. Read more

Published on 26 July 2008 by Ross Whiteford

4.0 out of 5 stars Involves Blue Oyster Cult
Honestly, people should play this game simply for the abduction sequence at the beginning to the tune of 'Don't Fear the Reaper' by Blue Oyster Cult. Read more

Published on 3 April 2008 by C. Hay

2.0 out of 5 stars Unimaginative and boring like so many fps!
For:
1. Some of the more expansive maps looked impressive.
2. A few of the puzzles are fun.
3. Read more

Published on 16 Mar 2008 by D-Dom

2.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for.
So Ive played about half of the game and its far too dull to keep me engrossed.
Theres nothing spectacular about this game I can think of that makes me want to play it... Read more

Published on 18 Aug 2007 by Jamie S. Shilling

5.0 out of 5 stars well worth the money
Before buying the game it might be a good idea to play the demo which is available at the XBox Live marketplace. Read more

Published on 5 Aug 2007 by Andreas Bauer

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 41 customer reviews...

Search Listmania!