Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #806 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Take 2
• Released on: 2006-07-14
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• ESRB Rating: Adults Only
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Number of items: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
In a nutshell:
Although it was announced more than a decade ago this demonstrates that the best things really do come to those that wait, with the most original and technically advanced first person shoot `em-up in years.

The lowdown:
Although it was conceived at a time when 3D graphics cards were still optional the basic idea behind the Prey portal technology is still the same as it ever was, allowing you to instantly step from one world to another in the game. You can even create the portals yourself as you battle grotesque enemy bosses in one area and jump back to another to recover. The game casts you as a Cherokee Indian with a number of magical powers such as spirit walking that let you explore the game world as a spirit, and deathwalk which replaces the normal need for intrusive quick saves with an innovative mini-game set between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Most exciting moment:
Not only is the portal technology amazing but the game's use of gravity is equally inspired with gravity escalators that run up and across ceilings and some excellent zero gravity sections where you pilot spaceship pods and explore a tiny rotating planetoid.

Since you ask:
Originally intended only for the PC, the Xbox 360 version is being developed by British team Venom Games, who previously created Rocky Legends for Ubisoft, and features an 8 player multiplayer mode.

The bottom line:
Looks like being one of the top predators in the shoot `em-up world.
Harrison Dent

Manufacturer's Description
In Prey, gamers enter an unpredictable world where nothing can be taken for granted. Most of the game takes place within a living ship, a giant entity that can sense and react to Tommy's presence.

Prey makes use of Joseph's Campbell's renowned story structure, "The Hero's Journey," for guiding the main character arc. Campbell's extensive work on mythological story progression was made famous when George Lucas used it for Luke Skywalker's story arc in the original Star Wars.

Customer Reviews

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. It's a classic gaming moment, certainly, there's not much classier out there.

Overall this game is a flawed gem, but a gem nonetheless. Sure, the graphics have dated and much of the gameplay is derivative (you are a moving object, destroy other moving objects) but when it comes to the portals and the gravity based gameplay, this is genuinely memorable stuff. I'd recommend at least for a rent.

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. The revolving floors/walls/ceilings is novel (to me anyway) and interesting.

Against:
1. Utterly baffling at times where to go or what to do, and worse why? It was either incredibly linear (most of the time) or I was totally lost (almost everywhere looked the same).
2. No tension, suspense or excitement, or any need for strategy whatsoever in the game play, just blast moronic aliens when you meet them - come on! half-life is 10 years old and that had far better AI.
3. For a 2006 game the graphics look tired, plastic, and don't compare at all well with the Unreal engine games like Gears of War, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter etc.
4. The weapons were terrible. They looked bad and sounded worse, and were always unpleasant and grating to fire. What were the developers thinking?

If this game had come out during the xbox's days, it would have been an okay game. But by the standards of games released in the last couple of years it's just dull, annoying and frustrating. I was so bored by about half way through, I used on-line video walkthroughs to get me to the end. And was I relieved to finish it!!

Who's Next? We Are Next
My brother got me this game for my birthday as it was cheap at under £10 and it is a First Person Shooter game, which are my type of games anyway.

In Prey, you play as a character named Tommy. In the beginning of the game, you start off in the bar, which is owned by his girlfriend, Jen. Tommy is bored at living in the reservation and wanted to travel elsewhere and leave home for a short while. However, Jen refuses, as her home is where she belongs. An argument commences and Tommy is hooked up in a bar-fight. After successfully finishing off this battle the entire building is lifted by a gravitational force into this green coloured ray of light. Tommy is then held captive along Jen and his grandfather, Enisi, Tommy is then set free after a large explosion occurs in the building, but unfortunately he witnesses his grandfathers death after a cutting machine is used to crush him. Desperate to save his girlfriend, Tommy seeks for someway to stop the machine for good and save her Jen from this terrible fate. And so, an adventure for Tommy has just begun!

You must help Tommy travel through this weird galaxy in an attempt to save his girlfriend Jen and the Earth. Tommy has supplied himself with his trusty Wrench so he is not alone when it comes to taking out these weird creatures, which lie around the corner. Not only that, but Tommy can also use there weird looking weapons featured around the galaxy to take out those nemesis too. The game brings out a lot of confusion as well as the levels present weird challenges. One minute you walk underneath a tunnel, the next minute you might be upside-down walking along a loose platform! The game also presents a spirit mode in which Tommy can use his spirit to go to places where you cannot as a human and get to places you cannot reach in your usual state!

Prey is currently available for PC and the XBox 360! The XBox 360 Version provides 44 Unlock able Achievements giving you a grand total of 1000 Gamerscore Points!

My Personal Game Score: 8.5/10: Excellent, Wonderful, Good One

My Wish: When you finish the game, the credit scene takes so long, and even when it's finished, you've still got to do a couple more things before you actually finish the game and get the achievements so I wished you can press a button to skip the credits!

Final Comments: Overall, Prey is quite an easy game and you can get all 44 achievements with no problems. If you are after a FPS game with easy achievements and an easier chance to get 1000 Gamerscore Points, this is a game for you!

Check out my Gamer-Tag if you are interested

BulgyDragonZord

Review By Captain Chris Kipper