Prey: Beyond the Demo

We dive into a preview build that stretches far beyond the free release.


Most recently we were able to access a few new guns. That brings the total number of weapons available at around six hours into the game to six. Each weapon has multiple functions, however, so it's not as though the six weapons allow for only six methods of attack. The wrench, Tommy's melee weapon, serves as the fallback should everything else run out. Above that is a rail rifle that can rapid fire or zoom in for sniper shots. Crawler grenades are next, which can be tossed for explosive results or stuck to walls, becoming proximity mines.

Kicking ass, spiritually.

The next rung on the weapon ladder is occupied by the multipurpose leech gun, which can absorb numerous kinds of ammunition from environmental nodes. We've run across three types so far: a red energy pulse, a frost spray, and a lightning charge. After each charge is expended, a new node has to be found to recharge the gun. The next to last gun we were able to use in single player was part machine gun, part grenade launcher, and was obtained during a battle against a massive boss character. Finally, we got the most effective and entertaining weapon of the bunch, the acid shotgun. The primary fire blasts out a wall of acidic bio-goo that quickly knocks down opponents and eats away at their bodies. Secondary fire ejects an entire canister of ooze at once, blanketing the impact area in gooey death.

Another new aspect of Prey we experienced was the vehicular combat and puzzle solving. Though we only got into one vehicle, it proved to have a variety of functions, and its sequences showed off some of the most impressive graphics we've seen in the game so far. Vehicles don't actually sit around in the world of Prey waiting for the player to hop in. Instead, the game requires players to press use on a spherical object with a hand-shaped indentation. At this point, Tommy floats up into the air and the vehicle materializes around him. If trouble befalls the little floating pod, we found it's not so easy to get out. In order to flee a doomed vehicle before it explodes, players need to find another landing pad. Anywhere else, even a friendly-looking flat surface, will not suffice.

I'm a cop you idiot. Now freeze!

Once airborne, the vehicle can be flown in any direction desired. In the initial vehicle sequence, we had to navigate through tubes comprised of bluish force fields. The tubes snaked around outside, giving us a clear view of the Earth, the stars, and the monstrous architecture of the biologically enhanced alien ship on which we were held captive. Since Prey's a shooter, this vehicle comes with guns. They're needed too, as sniper aliens frequently dot passageways, and they can do serious damage if not dealt with quickly. Corridors are also patrolled by glowing red sentry bots that take pleasure in drilling you with as many deadly projectiles as possible. Inflatable mines litter other areas of passageways, though they're easily popped with a few laser blasts.

This vehicle isn't only used for faster travel and an excuse to show off fancy graphics, it's also another way players will need to solve some of Prey's numerous puzzles. A few of those we've encountered so far involve proper manipulation of the vehicles tractor beam, which can be engaged at any time. For instance, one of the later vehicle sections we played through placed us in a large spherical room. A jagged fan was cut into the room's ceiling, and whirled with such ferocity that we weren't able to squeeze through. Around the room's equator were four power stations, each outfitted with landing pads. After staring at the scene for a moment, we noticed three prominent bands of blue electricity crackling up towards the fans. It became clear we needed to power down the whirling blades, so we hovered down to one of the power stations to figure things out.

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