Review for Prey (2017). Game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 05/05/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 18/05/2017
Outer space has always been a great source of inspiration for writers, directors and video game developers and over the years the so-called space operas have largely demonstrated how the public also seems to be very interested in adventures set in the depths of the universe. On the other hand, the discovery of the unknown is a peculiarity rooted in the depths of the human soul and fantasizing about what could be hidden in other planets and solar systems helps to alleviate the frustration deriving from not being able to explore, discover, know them.
The unknown, however, can also hide many pitfalls and numerous works have developed from this assumption sci-fi horror such as Alien, Predator, Quake, Dead Space and many more. The latest to be added to this long list is the new first person adventure (FPA from now on) developed by the well known Arkane Studios, is Prey, a reboot of the original 2006 title that was first in development at Human Head Studios.
Where have I seen you before?
Once the gamepad is held, the incipit with which the player is introduced into the world of Prey is among the most classic of the genre: we are on a space station that gravitates in the orbit of the Moon, Talos I, and due to an experiment gone awry the deadly alien creatures named Typhoon they freed themselves and began to claim victims among the population living in the structure. The protagonist of this waking nightmare is Morgan Yu, the youngest son of the powerful Yu family which manages the entire station on behalf of the mysterious company TranStar. Despite his lineage, Morgan has been the subject for three years of numerous experiments based on neuromods, brain grafts capable of increasing the physical and mental abilities of those who use them, however, at the expense of memory.
In fact, if removed, neuromods cause the loss of memories until the moment before their installation and this led the unfortunate Morgan to remember absolutely nothing of the three years spent as a guinea pig. Once out of that otherwise endless loop, Morgan then finds himself in the midst of an emergency with no knowledge of where he is or who might be of help to him. The only voice that will guide him into the darkness of space is January, an artificial intelligence he designed himself that has the task of assisting him in his escape.
Without going around it too much, the feeling that many players will perceive by attending the first hour of the game is that of having in front of them neither more nor less than a copy of Bioshock set in space; fortunately, however, after the first stages, one realizes how both narratively and playfully this Prey is actually a work with its own strong personality. The adventure is full of twists, mysteries and double games and will also deal with numerous ethical issues of no small importance that will have the ability to put the player in front of choices that are anything but simple. On the other hand, it is Arkane Studios that we are talking about, a team that gave us the two excellent Dishonored and Dishonored 2 and that made use of the collaboration of the sacred monster Chris Avellone to outline the plot of his latest creation.
The atmospheres, indeed those that are reminiscent of Bioshock. The title developed by Irrational Games however he was referring to his older brother System Shock, which in turn had its roots in that horror masterpiece named Alien. Therefore, even in Prey we will be forced to wander in abandoned environments in a hurry in which a shred of everyday life still seems to be glimpsed but which in reality are populated only by disfigured corpses and alien creatures who want to take possession of our body. Impotence, desolation, melancholy and terror: a mix of emotions that those who know the works mentioned above know how incredibly fascinating it can be.
Natural evolution
Prey is therefore not a title that can be taken for granted and this concerns not only the narrative component but also the gameplay. The player's first steps inside the Talos I station will be tough enough to digest: Morgan has no skill, moves slowly, and even targeting the elusive Typhon seems like a titanic undertaking at times.. The installation of the neuromods, however, will lead to a real transformation of the title that after a somewhat awkward start will begin to go smoothly as oil straight to the end. Whether it is a choice of design or pure chance, it does not matter, the evolution of the character which is consequently reflected in an increasing fluidity of the gameplay manages to create a sense of involvement that few other titles can boast.
It all starts with a simple wrench, the growing danger of the enemies, however, will force the players to strive with the most bizarre survival techniques made possible by a decidedly atypical range of weapons and abilities and a remarkable interactivity of the environments. This is where all the "adventure" component of Prey emerges: highly interactive gameplay and the resolution of confrontations without necessarily involving firearms make the game more similar to titles such as The Legend of Zelda rather than shooters such as Halo or Call of Duty. If you add to what has just been said one structure discretely intricate levels, a little bit of backtracking, a profound system of development of ability and a lot, a lot crafting you will realize that the Arkane Studios title has very little of "shooter".
A decadent beauty
Among the most successful aspects of the Dishonored series there is undoubtedly the artistic sector: not only the two chapters boast an original and ambitious design, but they can also count on a soundtrack of the highest level. As the saying goes, there is no two without three, and even the new Prey manages to rise from the crowd by fusing several apparently very different styles within it. Wandering around the Talos I station we will come across areas made with a glitzy style Art Deco, others that highlight the Soviet origins of the structure and finally some much more similar to the stylistic features deriving from classical science fiction. To take care of the soundtrack we find the same composer of the new Doom, Mick Gordon, whose hand can be recognized in more than a few steps while maintaining an identity of its own compared to the adrenaline-pumping id Software shooter.
The purely technical realization is also well made, with large settings rich in screen details, but it must be said that sometimes the modified version of the CryEngine used by Arkane shows slight uncertainties that fortunately do not affect too much the actual gameplay of the title.
With the Prey reboot, Arkane Studios has once again demonstrated its ability to create a complex, fascinating and yet extremely enjoyable universe to play. The terrifying adventure of Morgan Yu leads the player to collide with an enemy who seems to have come out of the worst of nightmares, which however is nothing more than a means to bring to light all the greed and ambiguous nature of the human being. In short, Prey is a truly remarkable game, a pleasant and unexpected surprise that any lover of science fiction will not be able to miss.
► Prey (2017) is an Adventure-Shooter type game developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 05/05/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 18/05/2017
