Prey

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: 2K Games
  • Release Date: Jul 11, 2006
  • Also On: PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 150 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 52 out of 150
  3. Negative: 17 out of 150
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  1. BaronMonaco
    Sep 17, 2015
    7
    Prey was supposed to be a new reference in the FPS world but in facts it wasn't at all. The gameplay is pretty generic, except for the importance of mini puzzles that use gravity and teleportations, but the shooting is really emotionless and you won't feel any thrill when facing enemies you just shoot at them and wait for them to die, and what if they kill you first ? No worry you can'tPrey was supposed to be a new reference in the FPS world but in facts it wasn't at all. The gameplay is pretty generic, except for the importance of mini puzzles that use gravity and teleportations, but the shooting is really emotionless and you won't feel any thrill when facing enemies you just shoot at them and wait for them to die, and what if they kill you first ? No worry you can't die in this game when you go out of live there is a minigame that will allow you to regain some life and relive exactly where you were at the moment of your death and that's what ruined the game, no challenge at all !

    Too bad because the guns and the story were originals and I'll regret the cancelled sequel that could have been something great., instead you just go down hallways and shoot at things, there is no major default but you won't remember the game, except for its easiness.    … Expand
  2. sinadoom
    Sep 19, 2012
    6
    Prey is an intriguing game with a mind-bending concept, but that's all it really is. You can tell it's been in development for a long time because everything feels VERY old-school. However, this isn't a bad thing because it means there are less distractions. It's extremely linear, with no objective but to go through the level. Environments aren't particularly varied either. It's simple andPrey is an intriguing game with a mind-bending concept, but that's all it really is. You can tell it's been in development for a long time because everything feels VERY old-school. However, this isn't a bad thing because it means there are less distractions. It's extremely linear, with no objective but to go through the level. Environments aren't particularly varied either. It's simple and minimalistic, with the story being the only thing that holds it all together; albeit it's not very innovative. Character models and some environments are lacking in detail, and there is a severe frame rate drop at some points. It's a very dark game and environments don't really give the graphics a chance to shine, even though id Tech 4 has so much more to offer. It's not a long game, and the quality is very mediocre. However, even with all that taken into account, Prey is worth playing because there's nothing really like it in this generation of shooters- not on Xbox 360 anyway. Sometimes it's just nice to get away from the standards of modern shooters and play something from the 1990s.… Expand
  3. Skins
    Aug 1, 2006
    5
    An average game I'm afraid. The graphics are great but in single player mode its all too easy. Basically you cannot die! If you do lose all your health you whip to the spirit world, shoot a few birds and then you are back exactly where you left off. This means you are not at all conservative about your health. As for the live, i absolutely hated it tho anyone who liked timesplitters An average game I'm afraid. The graphics are great but in single player mode its all too easy. Basically you cannot die! If you do lose all your health you whip to the spirit world, shoot a few birds and then you are back exactly where you left off. This means you are not at all conservative about your health. As for the live, i absolutely hated it tho anyone who liked timesplitters will probably be happy.… Expand
  4. ChipL.
    Aug 14, 2006
    5
    This game was over-hyped, but it's still not bad. No, it doesn't deserve an 80; but it's worth renting and beating over the weekend. The graphics are good and the puzzles are mildly diverting. The online is terrible and lags too much.
  5. sammaher
    Jul 4, 2008
    6
    Prey can feel quite repetitive at times, And the constant changing off vertical views can leave you feeling quite nausea at times. Now this is not the worst game on the 360, And considering you may well be able to pick it up for less than a tenner, their is some enjoyment to get out of the game. Online can be a bit glitchy .
  6. IlyaZ.
    Jul 14, 2006
    5
    Alien Versus Predator did wall walking, and well, 7 years ago...so can people please stop talking about it as though it's something new and original.
  7. aspentitan
    Mar 4, 2015
    7
    I found Prey to be an interesting and fun game. It is a sci fi game with a passable story. What I enjoyed about Prey was it was crafted with heart and unique ideas. It is a bit shooter, a bit puzzler and a great job was done with making the spacecraft you are taken up to immersive storywise.. Unfortunately the software engine is what makes this game from being a must buy. If this game wasI found Prey to be an interesting and fun game. It is a sci fi game with a passable story. What I enjoyed about Prey was it was crafted with heart and unique ideas. It is a bit shooter, a bit puzzler and a great job was done with making the spacecraft you are taken up to immersive storywise.. Unfortunately the software engine is what makes this game from being a must buy. If this game was done with todays next generation software we'de all be very happy gamers. As for being 2015 I just finished this game and did enjoy it. I only came across one bug and had to replay a level as the portal did not open up to take me to the next stage. Apart from that I enjoyed playing this game. At the start of the game you are captured and taken aboard a spaceship, as you play you must puzzle to the next area of the game and are greeted by first person shooter action. The AI is outdated as I said but still for 10-15 hrs of your life its an easy fun game. I'm on the fence whether to keep this game and replay it there are tons of games on the market and this wasn't perfect but it was decent enough. I guess this game is the first game im undecided like this i did enjoy its uniqueness but as well there are a lot of unplayed games to go on the shelves!! But worthy of a look. It starts a little weird and also ends a little weird but the imbetween is a nice ride.… Expand
  8. askewreviews
    Sep 10, 2013
    7
    One of the 360's first hugely hyped exclusives, Prey was something of a disappointment. It was a nice showcase of the console's hardware capabilities but ultimately far from being Microsoft's next Halo. Prey's well-delivered story and ambitious scope are hindered by the somewhat clunky and unpolished gameplay. Worth renting or picking up cheap on PC.
  9. twos
    Jan 2, 2014
    7
    Found this game pretty entertaining, played it years after it's release and it has aged better than most. The thing I find most interesting is that this game did portals before portal, down to the fact that they are blue and orange (portal did it a lot better, but blatantly took the idea from prey) Good mix of gameplay, with a decent story and steady pacing. Worth having a look.
  10. harryjc
    Jun 7, 2015
    6
    'Prey' is this crazy first person shooter, where you are an 'Indian' living on a reservation, with both your grandfather, and girlfriend. You long to leave everything behind...then all of a sudden you get your wish when all three of you are abducted by aliens. But right away your grandfather is killed, and your girlfriend is held captive. You find yourself trapped too, but with the help of'Prey' is this crazy first person shooter, where you are an 'Indian' living on a reservation, with both your grandfather, and girlfriend. You long to leave everything behind...then all of a sudden you get your wish when all three of you are abducted by aliens. But right away your grandfather is killed, and your girlfriend is held captive. You find yourself trapped too, but with the help of a mysterious stranger you are able to free yourself, and you must go around an enormous alien mother ship, shooting freaks of nature, and solving puzzles to find your damsel in distress.

    A cool idea really, but that is the strongest part of the story, and it declines from there. The gameplay, however, is the biggest issue. It's not as fun as one would think. First, the control scheme was very unusual. It was frustrating when you wasted ammo trying to activate an object. However, this was not a deal breaker.

    I was more concerned about my surroundings. The environments in 'Prey' are so muted, and murky, and so many places look the same. That doesn't apply in all parts of 'Prey', but for the most part there is a lot of repetition, going from place tp place, going up these whacky walkways, fiddling with gravity, and killing enemies who appear out of nowhere. It feels so long, and tedious. You feel like a rat trapped in a maze.

    Of course there are some good points to this game' A lot of the design elements were absolutely trippy. For example, you have the ability to use your spirit to do tasks for you and solve puzzles. When you die you go into a spirit realm, and you can replenish your health, and magic by shooting arrows at these flying monsters.

    There's one part in the game where you go through this portal, and find yourself on a mini planet. But everything is larger than you because you find out you've shrunk down...! Also, there are parts where you can listen to Art Bell from Coast to Coast AM talk to his listeners, which I thought was really awesome.

    But sadly, these bursts of creativity are not present throughout the entire game. There were many opportunities to take it up a notch, and it just never happened. The repetitiveness, and weak story held this game back from being great. Yet despite this criticism this is in no way a bad game. It's not a bad game. It's a game that was held back for one reason or another. It's still a shame they didn't get to make a sequel, and get a second chance.    … Expand
  11. Matza22
    Sep 25, 2015
    7
    I purchased Prey for a couple of pounds preowned, just on a whim. I had no idea about the storyline or features. Its a bit of a slow-burner, but some one the later levels are very interesting and unexpected. The graphics aren't anything spectacular, as many older games are more visually impressive than Prey.
    The gameplay is slightly slow and unresponsive, and the weapons aren't very    I purchased Prey for a couple of pounds preowned, just on a whim. I had no idea about the storyline or features. Its a bit of a slow-burner, but some one the later levels are very interesting and unexpected. The graphics aren't anything spectacular, as many older games are more visually impressive than Prey.
    The gameplay is slightly slow and unresponsive, and the weapons aren't very exciting either. The main qualities of the game are its storyline, as it does keep you interested, and you find yourself feeling for the main character, especially as the game progresses, and the enemies are also quite creepy and well designed.
    Its definitely worth a go, as it is different to many other 1st person shooters on Xbox 360.    … Expand
  12. MartinS.
    Oct 1, 2006
    7
    This game is definitley better than Quake. More original and slightly less linear. It is a great game to buy used for $30
  13. BruinsFan
    Jul 12, 2006
    7
    Mindblowing single player campaign, drap and been there, done that multiplayer. I played the single player for about 4 hours straight after getting it home from the store. It is just riveting. The visuals are spectacular, the level design is magnificent (all be it very similar to Doom 3), The weapons are plain awsome, and the controlls are perfect. The game however takes a dive with me in Mindblowing single player campaign, drap and been there, done that multiplayer. I played the single player for about 4 hours straight after getting it home from the store. It is just riveting. The visuals are spectacular, the level design is magnificent (all be it very similar to Doom 3), The weapons are plain awsome, and the controlls are perfect. The game however takes a dive with me in the online multiplayer. It playes exactly like Quake 4 or Unreal with some portals and alot of anti-gravity. However, when there is more than two players on the screen at the same time there seems to be alot of lag and confusion. Nevermind the fact that I cant stand games where you seem to have shoot my enemy 15-20 times to get a kill. The player models are the only real let down in the graphics, I mention it only because its on the humans and you really only see them in multiplayer. So in my opinion if you like single player games like Quake 4 or Doom 3 then you will love this one. If you like multiplayer games like the formentioned, may or may not like this game.… Expand
  14. ColinC.
    Sep 30, 2006
    7
    Solid game. I had fun, but also played through with a nagging sense of feeling letdown. The portals where cool for about five minutes, but the novelty wears off fast. The wall-walking was cool for the first couple of hours. But for a gamer that likes to be challenged, the fact that you never really die or lose any of your progress takes away any reason to play smartly or try different Solid game. I had fun, but also played through with a nagging sense of feeling letdown. The portals where cool for about five minutes, but the novelty wears off fast. The wall-walking was cool for the first couple of hours. But for a gamer that likes to be challenged, the fact that you never really die or lose any of your progress takes away any reason to play smartly or try different tactics. Just stand there out in the open and shoot the bad guys. If you die, wait till you respawn and pick up right where you left off. And the story idea, while kind of cool, was executed flatly. I was never truly pulled into it (not like Dead Rising.) If you like first person shooters, give Prey a try. You'll probably have some fun. Just don't go in expecting the next Halo or Half Life.… Expand
  15. GregM.
    Jul 26, 2006
    6
    Sadly I can't help comparing any xbox 360 game to Oblivion, which is entirely unfair as these are two different types of games. Still, as a shooter, this one is lacking, and seems to play the same tricks & treats as Doom, Half-Life, etc. Short games bother me--to spend fifty nine dollars on a game that lasts a mere 8 hours with no replay value is a complete rip off. It may be time to Sadly I can't help comparing any xbox 360 game to Oblivion, which is entirely unfair as these are two different types of games. Still, as a shooter, this one is lacking, and seems to play the same tricks & treats as Doom, Half-Life, etc. Short games bother me--to spend fifty nine dollars on a game that lasts a mere 8 hours with no replay value is a complete rip off. It may be time to retire the FPS--or perhaps let the creators of Oblivion give one a shot?… Expand
  16. AlexO.
    Aug 31, 2006
    7
    This game was a bit of a let down. I bought it the first day it was available because I was completely taken in by the demo. After playing the game through to the end I sorta felt like I jump the gun and bought a game that screams RENTAL. As a rental it would have been an 8 , as a game to own...6. The multiplayer is crap. Kudos to them on the use of Art Bell for the radio segments, that This game was a bit of a let down. I bought it the first day it was available because I was completely taken in by the demo. After playing the game through to the end I sorta felt like I jump the gun and bought a game that screams RENTAL. As a rental it would have been an 8 , as a game to own...6. The multiplayer is crap. Kudos to them on the use of Art Bell for the radio segments, that was a nice touch, hilarious. Also, cool use of Native American Culture in Game, I think there should be more games that explore culture with this game. In conclusion, I think I bought the hype and expected more out of this game. The Franchise has alot of potential, and if they are looking at these reviews and have , as rumour has it, secured the greenlight on a sequel I hope they pay attention to what people are griping about. Namely, the poor level design, poor enemy design and bad AI, and last but not least poor Weak Weapons. The Game itself isnt BAD BAD, its just the hype, price didnt match the content. SHort, boring, rental appropriate game.… Expand
  17. anfeherle89
    Mar 21, 2022
    7
    A very very crazy story, a little short, and in xbox 360 the controls are a little difficult, but in general is a good game to pass some boring afternoons
  18. VLG
    Aug 23, 2023
    6
    Way too long, no progression system at all, boring story. Just your average FPS.

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2006
12
#12 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2006
18
#18 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 80 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 80
  3. Negative: 2 out of 80
  1. 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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  2. 1UP
    80
    If only the Native American mysticism had figured in more. If only the spirit "death walk" had developed into something more than a shooting gallery. If only the voice acting and storytelling were a little better. If only there were more than just deathmatch to the multiplayer. All those half steps...but even combined, they don't amount to a stride backward.
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  3. GamesRadar+
    80
    It could have been much better if only there were more than two modes (deathmatch and team deathmatch) and a couple of maps small enough to play with less than five players, but Prey is still a major blast for shooter fans with strong stomachs.
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