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Prey (2017) |OT| Trust no one. Not even your shelf

ActWan

Member
The Steam achievements are pretty buggy (?)
I got the ones for reading all the emails and listening to all recordings but I keep finding new ones.
 
Picked up Prey on sale and about to start it up. I recall some podcast mentioning an early side quest that ruins some later story developments. Can anyone give me the name of the quest so that I can avoid it?

I don't remember the name of the quest specifically and talking about it would be spoilerish too, so I'll just say that you shouldn't complete the side quest chain involving December.
 

Bluth54

Member
The Steam achievements are pretty buggy (?)
I got the ones for reading all the emails and listening to all recordings but I keep finding new ones.

Yeah I got the Steam achievement for reading all the emails but I'm 99.9% sure that I didn't read them all.
 

Cracklox

Member
The Steam achievements are pretty buggy (?)
I got the ones for reading all the emails and listening to all recordings but I keep finding new ones.

I played on PS4 and had something similar happen. I got both of those a few hours before I finished the game as well. Pretty certain there were some I missed.
 

pringles

Member
I'm playing through this and while I do really like it, there's just something missing for me to really love it. The story feels a little unfocused or underdeveloped, like I feel as though I've made very little progress on the main story but I already have the possibility to
apparently escape the station via an escape pod
, granted I have no idea if that actually means the game will end nor how much actual story development remains on the main quest line. But I don't feel anything really pushing me towards that main quest so I'm mainly doing random exploration, trying to get some sidequests done and upgrade my abilities and every now and then I progress the main quest when it feels like I need to do it in order to open up more areas. It becomes a little aimless at times.

And the combat feels a bit too.. easy, simplistic. I'm playing on nightmare and 15 hours or so into the game 90% of combat encounters have been easily handled by sneaking up to enemies and popping a few shotgun blasts, even easier after I unlocked combat focus. Maybe that changes later on, but comparing it to a somewhat similar game in Bioshock I miss something like the Big Daddy encounters which required planning and where I would set up elaborate systems of traps and use all the tools at my disposal. The most difficult combat encounters so far have been in zero-g, which mostly has to do with how disoriented you can get.

Still think it's an awesome game in many ways but after the first couple of hours being really, really promising I'm still kinda waiting for the game to truly get going.
 

psychotron

Member
I finished it on PS4 Pro yesterday. Its fine. The game's story ruins itself at the end.

No it's not fine. Acceptable for you maybe, but the frame pacing and tearing are really bad. After playing on XB1 I rented the PS4 version to test, and it's a night and day difference.
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
I'm on the fence on buying this game since it's like 50$CAD on Steam.

I've heard a lot of comparisons with System Shock, but I'm curious what make this game "System Shock like". I loved both the original and its sequel because of the feeling of dread of being alone on a dead/doomed space station filled with monsters, with lots of exploration to do, gear to improve, dead bodies & empty rooms with audio logs to learn what happened, etc.
 
Got this for my Birthday and started it up last night. I'm someone who must explore everything I can before moving on in games. It can be a problem and when I arrived at the main lobby, I didn't know where I wanted to start.
 

LogicStep

Member
Not sure if this is the right place to ask..

I'm playing on PC and I get some tearing. I have VSync off and a GSync monitor. Game runs around 90-130 fps. I thought the whole point of GSync was that I didn't need to use VSync?
 
I'm on the fence on buying this game since it's like 50$CAD on Steam.

I've heard a lot of comparisons with System Shock, but I'm curious what make this game "System Shock like". I loved both the original and its sequel because of the feeling of dread of being alone on a dead/doomed space station filled with monsters, with lots of exploration to do, gear to improve, dead bodies & empty rooms with audio logs to learn what happened, etc.

You just described exactly the game that Prey is. Story aside,Prey could have been called System Shock 3. If they branded this as a System Shock reboot, nobody would flinch (well except for maybe the lack of Shodan). If that's what you're looking for, you need to play this.
 

CHC

Member
I'm on the fence on buying this game since it's like 50$CAD on Steam.

I've heard a lot of comparisons with System Shock, but I'm curious what make this game "System Shock like". I loved both the original and its sequel because of the feeling of dread of being alone on a dead/doomed space station filled with monsters, with lots of exploration to do, gear to improve, dead bodies & empty rooms with audio logs to learn what happened, etc.

You just described exactly the game that Prey is. Story aside,Prey could have been called System Shock 3. If they branded this as a System Shock reboot, nobody would flinch (well except for maybe the lack of Shodan). If that's what you're looking for, you need to play this.

Yup, it really is exactly like System Shock. Not quite as body-horror-ish as I remember SS2 being, this is more suspense and tension, but it's far closer to SS than to it's own 2006 namesake.

On top of that, the level design is far better than System Shock 2 - it's right out of the Deus Ex 1 playbook. There are tons of secrets, alternate paths, interesting navigation choices, and diverse locales. Just exploring the station was easily my favorite part of the game. That, and the systems-reliant gameplay that let you set all kinds of wacky traps and stuff.
 
You just described exactly the game that Prey is. Story aside,Prey could have been called System Shock 3. If they branded this as a System Shock reboot, nobody would flinch (well except for maybe the lack of Shodan). If that's what you're looking for, you need to play this.

I finished Prey last week and liked it a lot but if it was SS3 I would be very disappointed in 1) the half baked sci fi philosophy behind the story, not up to the standard of SS2 and 2) the extremely boring enemy design and lack of horror/tension, I very quickly lost any fear or intrigue towards the Typhon after realising not even the Nightmare was particularly unique in behaviour or difficult to beat.

Still a great game though. I noticed the frame pacing but didn't bother me that much.
 

Courage

Member
I finished Prey last week and liked it a lot but if it was SS3 I would be very disappointed in 1) the half baked sci fi philosophy behind the story, not up to the standard of SS2 and 2) the extremely boring enemy design and lack of horror/tension, I very quickly lost any fear or intrigue towards the Typhon after realising not even the Nightmare was particularly unique in behaviour or difficult to beat.
Agreed. I also dislike the game's art direction if we're comparing it to System Shock 2. System Shock 2's ship exuded a sense of unease at all times. The clean, deco design of the Talos I doesn't inspire fear, although there area a few moments of terror in some areas.

It feels like the game doesn't come together tonally or stylistically.
 

RomeoDog

Banned
Agreed. I also dislike the game's art direction if we're comparing it to System Shock 2. System Shock 2's ship exuded a sense of unease at all times. The clean, deco design of the Talos I doesn't inspire fear, although there area a few moments of terror in some areas.

It feels like the game doesn't come together tonally or stylistically.

They really should have hired a team of writers and taken their premise to a deeper depth. The game is really well made but the story it tells doesn't work. I really wanted it to be good but the story I invented in my head was much better than the story the game presented me with.
 
I honestly don't get the criticism against Prey's artstyle. Yes, it's similar to BioShock, but unique.

The way I see it, the art deco and futuristic elements of Talos 1 helps attract the best and brightest of humanity to work on the space station.

And it's not like every area has art deco to it (Cargo Bay, G.U.T.S, Life Support, anyone?)
 

Courage

Member
I honestly don't get the criticism against Prey's artstyle. Yes, it's similar to BioShock, but unique.

The way I see it, the art deco and futuristic elements of Talos 1 helps attract the best and brightest of humanity to work on the space station.

And it's not like every area has art deco to it (Cargo Bay, G.U.T.S, Life Support, anyone?)

It works from a thematic standpoint yes, but my criticisms still stand, especially responding to people calling it 'System Shock 3 basically.'

It's like System Shock in the sense that it's an immersive sim and they share similar gameplay elements and are both set in an isolated ship. The horror itself is not very pronounced.
 
It works from a thematic standpoint yes, but my criticisms still stand, especially responding to people calling it 'System Shock 3 basically.'

It's like System Shock in the sense that it's an immersive sim and they share similar gameplay elements and are both set in an isolated ship. The horror itself is not very pronounced.

I see Prey as a modern successor to System Shock rather than just System Shock 3 without the name and SHODAN, if you ask me
 

Purkake4

Banned
I see Prey as a modern successor to System Shock rather than just System Shock 3 without the name and SHODAN, if you ask me
It's a modern game following the same gameplay conventions, easy.

Why can't people just copy System Shock's hacking minigame? Prey's is awful and I can't think of a good one recently.
 
It's a modern game following the same gameplay conventions, easy.

Why can't people just copy System Shock's hacking minigame? Prey's is awful and I can't think of a good one recently.

Are you talking about System Shock 2's hacking minigame? I didn't like it one bit. Too RNG for my taste.

At least Prey's hacking mini-game is tolerable.
 

Purkake4

Banned
Are you talking about System Shock 2's hacking minigame? I didn't like it one bit. Too RNG for my taste.

At least Prey's hacking mini-game is tolerable.
At least the RNG was related to your skills. Making me roll the stupid dot around every time is just busywork, it might as well work like repairing.
 
They really should have hired a team of writers and taken their premise to a deeper depth. The game is really well made but the story it tells doesn't work. I really wanted it to be good but the story I invented in my head was much better than the story the game presented me with.
Yeah probably should have hired someone other than that Chris Avellone hack. /s
 

Courage

Member
I will say I love the mimic ability, it enables you to experiment in ways you usually see in these types of games, which breaks conventional game design Deus Ex style. I never had to use Leverage since most of the time I can turn into a cup and slide in through a crack. I wish there was more of that in the game.
 

Purkake4

Banned
I will say I love the mimic ability, it enables you to experiment in ways you usually see in these types of games, which breaks conventional game design Deus Ex style. I never had to use Leverage since most of the time I can turn into a cup and slide in through a crack. I wish there was more of that in the game.
What's the point of turning into more complex stuff? Can you like shoot if you're a turret?
 
Comparing Von Braun and Rickenbacker to Talos 1, I vastly prefer Talos 1. My long standing impression after finishing System Shock 2 was just running down a lot of samey looking gray featureless corridors.
 

Purkake4

Banned
Comparing Von Braun and Rickenbacker to Talos 1, I vastly prefer Talos 1. My long standing impression after finishing System Shock 2 was just running down a lot of samey looking gray featureless corridors.
Prey has an amazing sense of place with all the bodies being actual named crew, everything being connected and people actually moving around a bit. The exterior is also amazing and helps tie everything together.

I do wish that the way the floors are connected made any sense, it's a bit of a pain to go through 3 areas to reach the damn Deep Storage every time.
 

Freddo

Member
The Steam achievements are pretty buggy (?)
I got the ones for reading all the emails and listening to all recordings but I keep finding new ones.
The "find all" achievements are pretty generous, not just on Steam but on XB1 and PS4 too. You don't need to find all the e-mails, NPC bodies and so on. Only about 95% or so.
 
Made it to Psychotronics and I can't quite tell how I feel about this game. It's still early on but it's not really clicking with me right now. The story does interest me and the opening was cool but everything since has been just okay. Going to give it a few more hours to see if anything changes.
 
Made it to Psychotronics and I can't quite tell how I feel about this game. It's still early on but it's not really clicking with me right now. The story does interest me and the opening was cool but everything since has been just okay. Going to give it a few more hours to see if anything changes.

The game opens up quite a bit very shortly. You haven't even really had a chance to start going through people's emails and finding sidequests, or figuring out all your powers and stuff, and I think at that point you only have access to three or four weapons maybe. Hopefully you will find the next few hours more to your liking; there's ample reason to believe your impressions of the game will shift quite a bit soon.
 
Might be a stupid question, but - Are both genders of Morgan LGBT?

Just noting because of two characters who both have to be saved on a time limit, have a noteworthy gimmick to their characterization, and both decide to move to Morgan's office after being saved, one of which is the love-interest character.

Like, if I play as Male Morgan, will his love-interest be
Igwe
instead? Or is Male Morgan straight?
 

Stoze

Member
Might be a stupid question, but - Are both genders of Morgan LGBT?

Just noting because of two characters who both have to be saved on a time limit, have a noteworthy gimmick to their characterization, and both decide to move to Morgan's office after being saved, one of which is the love-interest character.

Like, if I play as Male Morgan, will his love-interest be
Igwe
instead? Or is Male Morgan straight?
No.
Male Morgan's love interest is also Mikhaila.
 

daviyoung

Banned
I don't remember Male Morgan having a love interest on my play through. Maybe it was that woman who you fetch some pills for and then she follows you about for a bit. Forget her name.
 

Bronetta

Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
Nope. Jess from Bethesda said again today a patch is coming, but it's been over a month since the last one.

Good to hear a patch is on the way.

I picked up a PS4 copy the other day but will wait till they sort out the frame pacing and screentearing issues.
 
Might be a stupid question, but - Are both genders of Morgan LGBT?

Just noting because of two characters who both have to be saved on a time limit, have a noteworthy gimmick to their characterization, and both decide to move to Morgan's office after being saved, one of which is the love-interest character.

Like, if I play as Male Morgan, will his love-interest be
Igwe
instead? Or is Male Morgan straight?

No nothing changes. If you play as male Morgan she will still be there, and have the same history with him. The only thing that changes is the the main characters sex.
 

Stoze

Member
I don't remember Male Morgan having a love interest on my play through. Maybe it was that woman who you fetch some pills for and then she follows you about for a bit. Forget her name.
That's her, Mikhaila Ilyushin.
They had a relationship prior to the events of the game, there's a decent amount of emails and audiologs you can find to shed light on it. Morgan
breaks up with her just before the Neuromod trials
.
 
Late game issue with the PS4 version. I'm attempting to
scan the coral
and it will not let me do so, says that it has already been
scanned
. I've tried reloading the save, but nothing happens. Am I screwed?
 

Whoyouare

Member
Ok. I am really trying to enjoy this game but I am getting killed non stop. I've probably died about 20 times at this certain section. I need help. I'll be vague.

I am just past the part where you place 3 turrets to get a key code. I am now in a room where I have to kill a guy to unlock a door. This thing one hits me with electricity non stop. I can not kill him. I tried applying mods to resist the attack but as soon as I do that damn thing appears and kills me. Ughhhhhh
 

Kazuhira

Member
I am now in a room where I have to kill a guy to unlock a door. This thing one hits me with electricity non stop. I can not kill him. I tried applying mods to resist the attack but as soon as I do that damn thing appears and kills me. Ughhhhhh

Can you use spoiler tags? I need more details because i can't figure out where you are stuck right now.
 
Ok. I am really trying to enjoy this game but I am getting killed non stop. I've probably died about 20 times at this certain section. I need help. I'll be vague.

I am just past the part where you place 3 turrets to get a key code. I am now in a room where I have to kill a guy to unlock a door. This thing one hits me with electricity non stop. I can not kill him. I tried applying mods to resist the attack but as soon as I do that damn thing appears and kills me. Ughhhhhh

Yeah more info is needed. I know what you're talking about with the turrets just don't know what area you are now, and the enemy. Is it a mech? If so, gloo gun them to stop them, then use your stun gun.
 
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