Prey (2006)

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 462 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 319 out of 462
  2. Mixed: 105 out of 462
  3. Negative: 38 out of 462
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  1. RobertF.
    Jul 2, 2007
    10
    Cool game. Fin to play and a different approach to things
  2. LiamP.
    Oct 28, 2007
    10
    Prey is not only a action packed thrill ride from start to finish but also brings some great innovation including wall walks, portals,spirit exploring aswell as some cool weapons and challenging puzzles.
  3. michaelt.
    Sep 1, 2008
    10
    This has to one of, if not THE the best fps game ever. being built no the doom 3 engine, it has some of the best graphics i have ever seen, i fell in love with the game straight away after seeing the trailer on steam. it hs the action and adventure of quake 4, the intensity of doom 3 and the ability to captivate you all the way through the game, as in half life 2. I don't thinik iThis has to one of, if not THE the best fps game ever. being built no the doom 3 engine, it has some of the best graphics i have ever seen, i fell in love with the game straight away after seeing the trailer on steam. it hs the action and adventure of quake 4, the intensity of doom 3 and the ability to captivate you all the way through the game, as in half life 2. I don't thinik i will ever play such a great fps.… Expand
  4. TomM.
    Dec 9, 2006
    10
    Gr8 game with incredible graphics, intense combat and challenging scenarios. 5 star easily
  5. KnutV.
    Jul 18, 2006
    10
    Best 3d Game ever since F.E.A.R
  6. GordonJ.
    Jan 29, 2007
    10
    The best new concepts to come to a FPS in a very long time and excellent graphics to go with it.
  7. youngji-soo
    Dec 29, 2009
    10
    great graphics, one of the best games i have EVER played!!! definitely deserves a 10/10.
  8. Hamidunknown
    Oct 9, 2009
    10
    Hello pc gamers, I recently played Prey on the pc and boy was it a lot of fun and i finished it withing 13 hours. The 13 hours were a lot of guts, blood, guns, aliens, and rescuing your girlfriend. You play as and Indian-American who gets abducted by aliens who want to feed off humans, along with your grandfather and girlfriend. Along the way you encounter new enemies, levels, and guns Hello pc gamers, I recently played Prey on the pc and boy was it a lot of fun and i finished it withing 13 hours. The 13 hours were a lot of guts, blood, guns, aliens, and rescuing your girlfriend. You play as and Indian-American who gets abducted by aliens who want to feed off humans, along with your grandfather and girlfriend. Along the way you encounter new enemies, levels, and guns which will help you to finish the game. The story gets more and more good, even though some people say it's cliched. I totally recommend this game to any crazy FPS gamer who likes guts and guns. This has to be one of the best game i ever played but it cannot compete with the Orange box and i mean no way!! Buy it off ebay. Only costs around ten bucks. Worth your money!… Expand
  9. TedD
    Jan 10, 2010
    10
    Prey blows you away. The way that it takes a 3D world and (some times literally) stands it on its head makes for some of the most innovative environments ever seen in a game.
  10. PaulB.
    Aug 6, 2006
    10
    Very very intense and amazing game.
  11. TheVulcan
    Sep 9, 2006
    10
    This game is everything Doom 3 should have been and then some! Better Graphics Better Story Better Weapons Better Levels.
  12. RyanR.
    Mar 3, 2007
    10
    This is as good as a shooter can be! This is my favorite game that I've ever played. The graphics are also better than any other game I've seen out there. They need to make more of these!
  13. Craig
    Apr 2, 2008
    10
    Really creative puzzles. Good story Great level design and artwork. Great music.. Great enemies and weapons. Prey takes all of the best from previous FPS games, such as Doom and Quake, and combines it all in one package. 12 hours of game play by the in-game clock, but I must have spent at least twice that long on the game the first time through for replays and sight seeing the artful Really creative puzzles. Good story Great level design and artwork. Great music.. Great enemies and weapons. Prey takes all of the best from previous FPS games, such as Doom and Quake, and combines it all in one package. 12 hours of game play by the in-game clock, but I must have spent at least twice that long on the game the first time through for replays and sight seeing the artful level design.… Expand
  14. ChrisK.
    Dec 5, 2006
    10
    I am mildly surprised to see some of these reviews. Quite honestly, Prey is a breath of fresh air into the FPS world. Doom 3, Quake 4, F.E.A.R. ... let's face it, FPS games got into a rut. Prey brings something different to the table, what with its gravity dependant puzzles, and a completely different type of story (though it could be related to Q4 in some ways, it's still I am mildly surprised to see some of these reviews. Quite honestly, Prey is a breath of fresh air into the FPS world. Doom 3, Quake 4, F.E.A.R. ... let's face it, FPS games got into a rut. Prey brings something different to the table, what with its gravity dependant puzzles, and a completely different type of story (though it could be related to Q4 in some ways, it's still nowhere near the same). Humanhead also took a big gamble on their storytelling style, using a named character who actually talks, and still trying to make the game immersive. Anonymity is what most games use to fake immersion ('marine', Gordon Freeman (whose face is never seen in-game)). Prey gave you an actual character and, throughout its storytelling, made you him.… Expand
  15. TerryD.
    Jul 16, 2006
    10
    Outstanding. Best shooter since Halo and HalfLife 2. Cool deal is getting all tied up in Tommy's character - the story works. The foes work. the weapons work. The bad guys work. And man, do the environiments ever work. Perfect.
  16. PetrasescuL.
    Sep 26, 2006
    10
    Fantastic!
  17. JackH.
    Aug 19, 2007
    10
    Incredible game. The bizarre pan-dimensional physics alone make it a blast to play, and the story is great too!
  18. explodr
    Jan 24, 2012
    10
    There's absolutely nothing to complain about in this game. The graphics are stunning (at least they were when the game was released), the story is mind-blowing, the gameplay mechanics are incredibly ergonomic and intuitive, and more. This is, in my humble opinion, one of the most underrated games in the history of the PC. Get it, get it now. Prey 2 doesn't look quite as good.
  19. daveyy12
    Jul 14, 2013
    10
    I happened to run across a used copy of this game and it is one of the best games I have played in years. The puzzles are challenging and the outcomes will stand you on your head (pun intended). I recommend this game highly. To me, its an early precursor to games like Mass Effect without the sex.
  20. PrimalHunter70
    Mar 28, 2013
    10
    In a world full of Call of Duty clones, it's rare to find an FPS game that brings something new and unique to the genre. Prey, from 2006, brings this in spades. The game offers a variety of new gameplay concepts and elements that make a unique and varied shooter; the classic Doom style run and gun gameplay mixed with several challenging puzzles and twists to complete a level. If you'reIn a world full of Call of Duty clones, it's rare to find an FPS game that brings something new and unique to the genre. Prey, from 2006, brings this in spades. The game offers a variety of new gameplay concepts and elements that make a unique and varied shooter; the classic Doom style run and gun gameplay mixed with several challenging puzzles and twists to complete a level. If you're looking for a new and innovative shooter (even though it's an old game) I highly recommend Prey; for the $5 it cost me, it was well worth my money.… Expand
  21. C0MM4ND3R
    Mar 23, 2015
    10
    One of the most underrated games of all time.
    Sends shivers down your spine several times through the Story and even makes you sit there in tears at some point for sure!
    I replay it every 1-2 Years and im devastated every. single. time. that there are no more games like this to enjoy these times around.
  22. aleksassta
    Jan 9, 2014
    10
    This game is awesome! When i played it first time, i was blown away. When i heard that game was released 2006., i couldn't believe because graphic was so good. There is a many amazing things in the ship, like teleports, passages, many aliens... just awesome game.
  23. Heisenberg93
    Apr 24, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In view of forthcoming release of the new Arkane Studios' Prey, I decided to play the old Prey. I know the two games have in common only the name and little else, but since the name is what it is, right or wrong, I decided to look back at the past. Because I have to understand. Because I think a reboot must respect the original. I already knew Prey, back in the golden age of video games, I remember a PC magazine I was used to read, talking about the game and praising it.

    Maybe Prey's plot isn't very original, but it works, has its own atmosphere and surprised me too. I really liked the concept of "prey". Aliens artificially planted life here on Earth, eons ago, and then returned to reap humans and use them as nourishment. But Aliens don't consume them all, so they can continue to proliferate and Aliens can keep use them at the next passage. Just like Native americans did with american bison, before Europeans destroyed their world and threatened an entire habitat. A relationship that is based on the balanced principle of food chain (a predator and a prey, in fact, as long as there is the one the other will exist), certainly the difference is that The Sphere is more a parasite than an alpha predator. Interesting is also the anti-antropocentric side of the plot: humans are nothing but food, meat, nourishment. A reality so clear that frightens most of the world's population. What matters probably is our legacy, our origins, our descendants, and that's exactly what Domasi discovers moving into the adventure, coming to accept what he is and completing his path as a Cherokee, becoming more conscious of his own existence.

    Prey's gameplay is just amazing, one of the best and most elaborate for an FPS. Weapons are quite varied and fun to use, they have a primary and secondary fire mode; surprisingly they don't require to replace the ammo's magazine because of (I suppose) their "organic" nature: in Prey, weapons are alive or have bio-parts, and simply shoots up until the total ammunition storage ends, which isn't displayed in numerical quantities but with a bar that runs out with use. Same concept for life points. Use of physics, but above all use of gravity in the game, is extraordinary: interactivity is high, it's possible to move many small objects, or to climb over them, but what is great is the use of "Wall walk", which change completely the levels and game's prospective, overturning the game's world and requiring concentration to not remain locked in the illusion that the level is the same. Even moving on asteroids with a low, but own, gravity is very fun. Puzzles are simple but good enough: the one with giant cube is very nice. Is possible to use the Indian spirit, which separates from the physical body and moves to solve some puzzles, but also to attack enemies, explore environments or activating objects. Innovative is the use of transfer portals to move from one area to another, or to unlock secondary rooms. Nice use of armed aircraft too, fun even if requires a bit of practice. In Prey death doesn't exist: towards the beginning of the game, in fact, with obtain of Indian powers is possible to return to life exactly where the protagonist died. Certainly this could lower the level of challenge, but everything is already pre-calculated, so Prey is and remains a difficult game. Enemies' AI is good, they take different behaviors based on distance, they hide and repair, use grenades, and dodge shots. Fighting against bosses is also good and challenging at the right point. With less than 9 hours, maybe it's a bit short, but intense experience. Prey is a game with an immense and structured gameplay to be an FPS, not easy to define but in few words: innovative, immersive, fun.

    Graphically Prey is great, both to be a 2006 game and even today. Certainly it's aged, but power of id Tech 4 is strong and maintains high standards even after more than a decade. Use of physics is well done and literally surpasses many modern games. The audio component is nice, both the one composed by Jeremy Soule (as " Prey Overture") and songs such as "Barracuda", "Don't Fear The Reaper" and "Take Me Home".

    I don't know what the new Arkane Studios' Prey will be. What I can say is that old Prey is a fantastic game, a masterpiece, an innovative and original FPS that despite 11 years of troubled development, it proved to be excellent. That's why the legacy that Arkane Studios has to collect is very heavy and important. I don't think that, anyway, they can manage to achive an FPS with such a successful gameplay. Too bad that by now the old Prey it's not (and will probably never be again) officially available. Can still found around, or on eBay, but its availability remains poor. PC gamers however have their methods to find games outside the official routes. I therefore suggest to anyone to play this game, using every method at disposal, because Prey is really beautiful and doesn't deserve to be forgotten. Don't let it be forgotten.    … Expand
  24. alexfsmw
    Aug 1, 2017
    10
    This game is one of the best I've ever played. Loved it from beginning to end, great graphics and locations, awesome original story, good action and a variety of monsters to kill. A very enjoyable experience.
  25. Chemiker
    Oct 15, 2022
    10
    Как то в детстве начинал играть в данный шедевр) Но отец увидел(так как я на его пк сидел), и удалил(из за жестокости наверн?)! вот так вот я и не до прошел ее, но спустя годы, как то наткнувшись на нее вновь, я ее вспомнил, и с порывом ностальгии ринулся проходить!

    И что же я увидел? Систему порталов еще до портала 1! Немного про оружие, так как у нас шутер) Так гаечный ключ, который    Как то в детстве начинал играть в данный шедевр) Но отец увидел(так как я на его пк сидел), и удалил(из за жестокости наверн?)! вот так вот я и не до прошел ее, но спустя годы, как то наткнувшись на нее вновь, я ее вспомнил, и с порывом ностальгии ринулся проходить!

    И что же я увидел? Систему порталов еще до портала 1! Немного про оружие, так как у нас шутер)
    Так гаечный ключ, который больше не пригодился кроме как первый уровень, ну и я его еще правда доставал когда у меня патриков не было, но смысла от него было 0, так как павук меня пришлёпнул сразу же)хах)
    2 оружие это винтовка, охотников(рядовых противников) использовалась большую часть игры, еще и по совместительству снайперка)
    3 оружие гранаты которые не скажем так использовал в самую последнюю очередь так как противники подвижны и гранаты могут отскочить и еще и ГГ убить
    4 это плазменная винтовка и тут 4 вида патронов! особенно понравилась электропатрики, это как в сталкере гаусс пушка))
    5 пулемет с подствольной гранатой, не плохо
    6 плазменный дробовик! или кислотный)
    7 павукамет) сильная штука, пользовался всегда когда были патрики)
    8 ну и лук в режиме призрака, чувствовал себя шиноби)

    Так же механика собственно духа, вшита в геймплей и позволяет проходить уровни предварительно разведав и устранением бесшумно каким то врагов) пользовался не всегда, но за возможность спасибо!
    Ну и головоломки! Да тут прям солянка, как и с использованием призрака, так и при помощи гравитационный дорожек, и генераторов гравитации ну и порталы), и это все до портала прикиньте? 2006 а портал 2007!

    Графика и эффекты нормально в 2022(так же разрешение 4к поддерживается), а для 2005 чудесно!

    Уровней сложности в игре нет, и смерть не возвращает тебя к пред сохранению, а к доку, если умер на летательном аппарате, а если в бою с босом, в схватку с этим босом! А в момент воскрешение тебе дают возможность если ты меткий стрелок с лука, набить себе полное здоровье и дух! Очень понравилась эта система) Врагов тоже не мало, и разные, пауки ваще из какой то п.зды вылезают) а летающие это чисто какие то алкаши) какие то оружие лучше использовать против конкретных типов врагов, ну что я понял что паукомёт нет смысла на пауков использовать. А гаусс легче против дронов.

    Немного про сюжет, начинается все типично для американских фильмов про пришельцев) но кончается мое почтение, даже грустно стало, когда я понял что это все, и прей 2 не вышел, а вышел какой то прау 2017(не плохо, но не относиться к первой ваще никак)
    ГГ это индеец Домаси Таводи, который спасает землю от кровавой жатвы). Кстати я вот больше не знаю игр где ГГ индеец, а вы?

    Вообщем советую! Я лично купил данный шедевр за 100р на плати.ру)    … Expand
  26. armadonpower
    Jun 9, 2023
    10
    Prey's immersive world-building, innovative gameplay mechanics, and haunting soundtrack create an unforgettable sci-fi experience. A hidden gem.
  27. Deathknight
    Jul 30, 2006
    9
    One of the best games I've played so far.
  28. TonyG
    Aug 9, 2006
    9
    Wow everyone's a critic on this game. What do you want, Tolstoy's War and Peace? It's a game about blowing up aliens. And it's a FUN game. It's alternately funny, disgusting, and rocking, which is everything I ask out of a game. As Duke Nukem was to Doom, so is Prey to Doom 3--a fast, hard hitting romp through alien melting.
  29. MadsS.
    Jul 14, 2007
    9
    Best game in that genre in years.
  30. BryanR.
    Jun 24, 2006
    9
    pros: Great graphics, gameplay, and voice acting. cons: Wall walking gets a little nauseating after a while :p
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Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best PC Game of 2006
14
#14 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. PC Zone UK
    86
    It's so pregnant with ideas and beautiful movements that you'd be a sad fool to to deprive yourself of the experience. If the sequel is longer, a bit more difficult, and plays slightly more intelligently, then I can't imagine it being anything other than a Classic. [Aug 2006, p.58]
    Read full review
  2. Detroit Free Press
    100
    Prey is touted as having an adaptive difficulty system -- the better you are, the better it gets -- and it really did seem to get harder as the game went on. As a result, there are just two difficulty settings, Normal and Cherokee, and I'd advise that even vets might want to give Normal a try on the first run out, letting the game's artificial intelligence pick up the pace to a comfortable level.
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  3. GamerFeed
    90
    Plot holes aside, the gameplay in Prey is nothing short of amazing. Whether you're wandering up walls, shifting gravity, shrunk down to the size of a mouse, going into spirit form, fighting in the afterlife, or floating around in a service vehicle... Prey has got everything anyone could want from a sci-fi shooter and more.
    Read full review
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