Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You'll "prey" for more!, July 16, 2006
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
I am a FPS (First-Person Shooter) junkie and I love the Halo, Star Wars Battlefront and Rainbow Six series games. As of this writing, I have completed Prey on "Normal Skill" and am now working my way through the "Cherokee Skill" difficulty setting. (NOTE: These are the only two difficulty settings available in Prey.)
To state it upfront, Prey blows the FPS genre wide open. The game uses the Doom 3 engine for graphics, and players will be amazed with the level of detail the designers have put into each level. Moreover, many of the items in the environment are interactive (you can flush toilets, change the channels on a TV, etc.), which is reminiscent of the Duke Nukem 3D game that this developer is famous for. In addition, the main character makes snide remarks through the game (just infrequently enough to be funny, and not overdone) just like Duke used to do.
Even if you're not entertained by all the cute gimmicks, you're sure to appreciate the incredible details that have been woven into this title. As you progress, you'll encounter anti-gravity levels, low gravity environments and "wormholes" that warp you from one location to the next. And, like the game design, the plot is equally intricate. Although this game seems like a "guy saves girl" story, there are some very exciting plot twists and the storyline is based on actual Cherokee mythology and uses "The Hero's Journey," a writer's tool for story structure and plot. Speaking of the plot, there's a super-natural horror element that adds a considerable amount of suspense to the game. This, along with the over-the-top violence and adult language, means you probably shouldn't buy this game for impressionable children. However, all of this is not gratuitous and really adds to the impact of the title.
On the Normal difficulty, health power-ups are frequent and -when you die- you're sent to an "Indian underworld" where you must shoot wraiths with your spirit bow, in order to replenish your health and magic energy... Certainly a refreshing twist from every game that sends you back to the beginning of the level. On the Cherokee difficulty, there are no in-game health packs, so you'll have to rely on your abilities with the spirit bow. Speaking of spirits, you're also provided with a hawk who's your "Spirit Guide." The hawk will help attack enemies and, interestingly enough, translate the alien language so that you can read their computer panels and other information.
One thing that other reviewers haven't mentioned so far is that there are "puzzles" scattered throughout the game. Without providing any spoilers, the game sometimes makes you think in order to progress any further. For the most part, these puzzles are entertaining and challenging, but aren't designed so that you must buy a "game guide" to solve them. Often, solving the puzzles requires use of the "old ways" of your Indian ancestry, items that exist in the alien environment, or just good old fashion brainpower. Another nice feature is that the game levels are not so big that you'll find yourself lost, but you may have to explore a little to figure out exactly where to go. These features add to Prey's uniqueness in that it is more of a "thinking man's shooter" than your standard FPS.
If you're in it for the Xbox 360 achievements, this game will deliver. Each time you complete a level, you earn Gamerscore (from 25-60 points per level, which increase as you progress). It's also important to note that 250 of Prey's 1000 points are earned by playing online. There's even 3 "secret" achievements (you don't find out what they are until you earn them) that are quite fun to unlock. All of the achievements are obtainable by the average gamer.
When it comes right down to it, Prey is a game that any FPS-fan will absolutely love for the engaging story and the unique features. In addition, novice gamers that find most FPS games too difficult should consider this the perfect entry-level title. Finally, any sci-fi fan who loved the movie "Aliens," and thinks they could take on an alien invasion like Sigourney Weaver did, should pick up this title and put their money where their mouth is.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Atmospheric, unusual, and visually striking, August 6, 2006
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
Prey is a beautiful looking game. The graphics, which are based on the Doom 3 engine, create a stunning world in which to play. Whether it is the gross bio-sphincter door-holes, which gleam wetly at you, or the glowing interdimensional portals, or the vast sci-fi dyson sphere you are trapped in, it all has an immersive visual quality that will draw you in and keep you there.
The music is also top-notch, with a dramatic, emotionally rousing soundtrack by composer Jeremy Soule (Icewind Dale, Oblivion, Guild Wars).
The premise of the game is workable: you are Tommy, a Cherokee garage mechanic who gets abducted by an alien spaceship along with your grandfather, girlfriend, and other fellow humans from around the globe. You are one of the few who escape from the clutches of the aliens and are able to roam inside the huge alien space vessel. With the help of weapons you pick up, and supernatural powers you discover that you have, you set out to defeat the powers that are keeping you prisoner and go back home. This seems kind of simple and weird. Yet perhaps the story can be interpreted as having to do more with oppressed peoples fighting their oppressors in general, about retaining human dignity in the face of dehumanizing manipulation, than about just fighting aliens. In that light, Prey is saying something pretty powerful.
The gameplay boils down to getting from point A to point B, with puzzles and enemies blocking your path. Simple in principle, but fun and novel in execution. Especially with the unique weapons, gravity-altering mechanics, portals, spirit-walking(you leave your body in spirit form to bypass certain obstacles), and wall-walking.
In summary, this game provides a very unique experience with many memorable moments. I'm glad I got this game.
About the Limited Collector's Edition: the extras included are a nice metal case, two small pewter figurines, a free download of the official soundtrack, and an "Art of Prey" booklet.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
deserves better than the reviews it's getting, February 17, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Graphics: Excellent.
Sound: Great.
AI: Excellent. Good variety. Some enemies duck-and-cover, etc. Some are fearless and charge on sight. Some are mindless and pay no attention to you.
Physics: Excellent.
Maps: Excellent. Rich, creative unique environments. Derivative of but improvement over Doom3 engine. Walk on walls, ceilings, spirit-walk through walls and over nothingness. Portals appear anywhere. Just walking through the game maps becomes a very original, sometimes disorienting experience instead of the regular doldrum "just get me to the end of this boring level". Nice merging of the earth bar with the ship. Excellent nod to Art Bell (real-life talk radio host that used to talk about aliens a lot) by having his show broadcast throughout the ship/game. Very very well done.
Gameplay: Excellent. No frame-rate drops. Excellent load time. I was never lost or trapped to the point where I had to consult the internet to figure out where to go and no scripted events failed to activate. Game length was long. Save-anywhere ability. Good variety of enemies and challenges.
Items/Weapons/Vehicles: Excellent. Unique biomechanical alien weapons which are alive, spiritual weapons charged by souls - very creative. Lighter instead of flashlight (original).
Story: Excellent. Compelling, engrossing story, a sense of urgency to complete things, you care about the characters and want to see where the story is going. Acting/voice acting was good.
Multiplayer: Average. no offline. Offline people deserve more - don't soak us for more cash.
Overall: 5/5. Game is a unique standout with it's native American Indian theme meshed with Alien tech and 3-D gameplay. One of the best 360 games for 2006 - must have. Clearly deserves better than the reviews it's getting.
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