DAY 127 / GAME 127
Prey
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Another early Xbox 360 game that rolled out around the first year of it's release, Prey was a first person shooter that I probably wouldn't have even heard of if it wasn't for a friend of mine. Matt, who had an Xbox 360 and an HDTV before anyone else I knew, used to have me over regularly to show me his latest audiophile purchase, high-quality blu-ray or new Xbox 360 game. If it wasn't for Matt, I probably wouldn't have had such a strong desire to jump into the next-gen systems at the time.
So one day he showed me Prey. He said that at the very least, I had to watch the introductory portion of the game. Which is something I'd now say to anyone else, right now, seriously. Go on youtube and check it out, it may very well be the best use of Don't Fear the Reaper.
Developed by Human Head Studios as outsourced by 3D Realms, who was responsible for Duke Nukem 3D back in the '90s; Prey is more mature, but still takes some cues from the early FPS classic. Prey opens up in a little bar on a Cherokee indian reservation where our antagonist, Tommy, complains about being stuck living on the reserve. The power goes out, everything starts shaking, the jukebox kicks on and as BoC starts playing the lot of you are suddenly lifted up into the sky along with the roof and portions of the bar as you are captured by an unknown alien force.
Turns out you are abducted by a giant alien sphere that has been traveling across space, abducting various forms of life which you now find yourself up against as you cross it's bizarre structure in an attempt to save your girlfriend. The sphere contains a unique world which includes an array of portals, gravity defying walkways, meaty vagina doorways (there's no better way to describe them), terrifying meat grinders and other intense tools for abduction. Like Duke Nukem 3D before it, Prey is a blend of grotesque horror, sci-fi action and dark humor. Creature designs are amazing, the world is twisted and unique and the tools for survival are like nothing else in an FPS game.
Prey is full of some unique game design ideas. There are anti-gravity walkways which mean alien troops patrolling on the ceiling, window-like portals providing access to alternate sections of the world and varying gravity within the sphere itself. The other nice twist to Prey is the idea that for Tommy, there is another spiritual world as described by his ancestors. Once this is revealed to you the game takes a different path as you gain the upper hand. Once you die, you have the chance to come back to life by fighting for it in a spirit world. In our world you have the opportunity to leave your body and travel places you couldn't normally to access switches or the like. Ultimately this advantage is what lets you defeat the Sphere.
Prey was one of those great games that may not have been as solid a narrative as Last of Us or feature as unique gameplay as Portal, but is solid fun in it's own right. I love the dark blend of horror and sci-fi, the simple FPS gunplay and the concepts that are thrown around the game such as the use of a spirit world and a giant alien sphere powered by a star, going around collecting unwilling life.
Interestingly enough they are making a sequel to this game, where you play as an intergalactic bounty hunter. It looks incredible, but I'm still waiting to discover how the two are going to connect. I'm hoping for the best.
Prey
Another early Xbox 360 game that rolled out around the first year of it's release, Prey was a first person shooter that I probably wouldn't have even heard of if it wasn't for a friend of mine. Matt, who had an Xbox 360 and an HDTV before anyone else I knew, used to have me over regularly to show me his latest audiophile purchase, high-quality blu-ray or new Xbox 360 game. If it wasn't for Matt, I probably wouldn't have had such a strong desire to jump into the next-gen systems at the time.So one day he showed me Prey. He said that at the very least, I had to watch the introductory portion of the game. Which is something I'd now say to anyone else, right now, seriously. Go on youtube and check it out, it may very well be the best use of Don't Fear the Reaper.
Developed by Human Head Studios as outsourced by 3D Realms, who was responsible for Duke Nukem 3D back in the '90s; Prey is more mature, but still takes some cues from the early FPS classic. Prey opens up in a little bar on a Cherokee indian reservation where our antagonist, Tommy, complains about being stuck living on the reserve. The power goes out, everything starts shaking, the jukebox kicks on and as BoC starts playing the lot of you are suddenly lifted up into the sky along with the roof and portions of the bar as you are captured by an unknown alien force. Turns out you are abducted by a giant alien sphere that has been traveling across space, abducting various forms of life which you now find yourself up against as you cross it's bizarre structure in an attempt to save your girlfriend. The sphere contains a unique world which includes an array of portals, gravity defying walkways, meaty vagina doorways (there's no better way to describe them), terrifying meat grinders and other intense tools for abduction. Like Duke Nukem 3D before it, Prey is a blend of grotesque horror, sci-fi action and dark humor. Creature designs are amazing, the world is twisted and unique and the tools for survival are like nothing else in an FPS game. Prey is full of some unique game design ideas. There are anti-gravity walkways which mean alien troops patrolling on the ceiling, window-like portals providing access to alternate sections of the world and varying gravity within the sphere itself. The other nice twist to Prey is the idea that for Tommy, there is another spiritual world as described by his ancestors. Once this is revealed to you the game takes a different path as you gain the upper hand. Once you die, you have the chance to come back to life by fighting for it in a spirit world. In our world you have the opportunity to leave your body and travel places you couldn't normally to access switches or the like. Ultimately this advantage is what lets you defeat the Sphere.Prey was one of those great games that may not have been as solid a narrative as Last of Us or feature as unique gameplay as Portal, but is solid fun in it's own right. I love the dark blend of horror and sci-fi, the simple FPS gunplay and the concepts that are thrown around the game such as the use of a spirit world and a giant alien sphere powered by a star, going around collecting unwilling life.
Interestingly enough they are making a sequel to this game, where you play as an intergalactic bounty hunter. It looks incredible, but I'm still waiting to discover how the two are going to connect. I'm hoping for the best.
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