Prey (2006) is a classic FPS video game developed by Human Head Studios and published by 2k Games.

In the game, players take control of Tommy, a Native American who has been abducted by an alien race and transported to their spaceship. Our main goal is to find a way out of this hostile environment and get back home.

The game was critically acclaimed by both, players and gaming experts. Prey was especially praised for its great graphics, good storytelling, and innovative gameplay mechanics. However, it’s not the only game with this title.

In 2017 developers from Arcane Studios created another Prey game, that has also been warmly welcomed in the gaming community.

Despite sharing the same title, these two games have little in common besides being first-person shooters with great gameplay and dangerous alien enemies.
Here’s everything you need to know about Prey (2006) and its successor from 2017.

History of the franchise

In 1995, the gaming industry was introduced to Prey for the first time. At the time, the game was being developed by 3D Realms studio, however, they could not finish the project and it was abandoned in 2000.

Five years later the title was resurrected by Human Head Studios, and the game was finally released in July 2006. It impressed the whole gaming community with its realistic graphics and innovative gameplay mechanics, making a huge impact on the FPP genre.

The original Prey (2006) – Story

In this game, the player takes the role of Tommy, a Native American who finds himself in an unfortunate situation. He, along with his girlfriend and grandfather, is abducted by a hostile alien race and taken to their spacecraft known as The Sphere.

Upon waking up, Tommy decides to take the matter into his own hands and rescue his family. As he explores the alien ship, he learns more about the whole story, the terrifying aliens’ plans, and their motives.

Innovative gameplay and mechanics

During the gameplay, players observe the action from the first-person perspective. The game introduced some innovative at the time gameplay mechanics. One of the most iconic gameplay mechanics was portals that allowed players to navigate through complex corridors of the alien spaceship.

Portal mechanics allowed players to walk on ceilings, and walls adding a unique dimension to both, exploration and combat.

Other unique mechanics introduced by the developers were connected to Tommy’s ancestors – the game incorporated numerous elements of Cherokee mythology allowing the protagonist to use special abilities like death walking, and spirit walking which enabled him to interact with a spiritual dimension and explore hidden areas of the Sphere.

These elements not only served their purpose gameplay-wise but also tied the game to its narrative.

Besides fighting with aliens using a variety of different weapons and abilities, the game featured many environmental puzzles that players could solve using gravity-based mechanisms, moving objects, etc.

Stunning (at the time) graphics and visuals

One of the biggest selling points of the original Prey was its graphics. The game featured an impressive level of details and high-quality visual effects which were not that common at the time.

Realistic character models, immersive and atmospheric sound effects, and dynamic lighting allowed players to fully sink into the game.

In 2006 Prey was one of the best-looking FPS games, all thanks to the advanced graphics engine, also used in Doom 3. The impressive graphics had an impact not only on players but also on other developers in future years.

Prey (2017)

1 years after the release of the original game, Arcane Studios developed its successor. The game was highly anticipated by the whole gaming community, and the expectations were extremely high due to the success of the first game. Fortunately, the game has met huge expectations and was critically acclaimed by players.

Besides impressive graphics and engaging gameplay, the game features a well-composed soundtrack that allows players to immerse in the game’s disturbing atmosphere.

A completely new story begins

In the new Prey game, players step into the role of Morgan Yu, and this is one of the main differences between Prey from 2017 and the original game – players could choose the gender of the main character. In the story, the protagonist is a member of a science project conducting research aimed at enhancing the human race.

The action of the game takes place in 2023 when our character wakes up at Talos 1 research facility overrun by an alien race. Using all means necessary, our goal is to survive the encounter with deadly enemies. As we progress in the game, we’ll slowly uncover the bigger picture of the whole story.

New Gameplay Mechanics

During the gameplay, players will explore a variety of open-structure levels giving them a lot of freedom.

Despite being an FPP Shooter, it’s nothing like we experienced in typical Call of Duty – ammunition is a luxury, and most of the time we’ll have to use various special abilities and tools to fight the oppressors.

One of these tools is GLOO Canon – a device that creates a sticky substance that can be used not only to immobilize our enemies but also to get into hard-to-reach places or, solve some environmental puzzles.

The game also introduced simple crafting mechanics allowing us to create useful tools and objects. While exploring Talos 1, players can also find neuro mods, that allow them to copy some of the alien abilities.

New, even more impressive graphics

Prey 2017 features high-quality, detailed, realistic graphics and dynamic lighting effects. In comparison to the original game, you can clearly see that 11 years in the gaming industry is like a lifetime.

The game was created with the famous CryEngine which allows developers to create amazing visual effects.

Which Prey game features a better story?

There is no simple answer to that question – both games feature their own, unique story and both of them are very engaging and will keep most of the players glued to their monitors for long hours.

One of the major advantages of Prey 2017 is its high replayability value.

The game uses advanced simulation algorithms that make each playthrough different – there are no scripts whatsoever. If you want to know the whole story make sure you have a lot of free time.

Is Prey 2017 a sequel, prequel, or a reboot?

The short answer is neither. The new Prey game is a completely new creation sharing only the title. It is more of a spiritual successor rather than an actual continuation. It re-imagined the picture of the original Pray game.

Prey (2006) vs. Prey (2017) – the conclusion

Besides the same titles, both games are significantly different. Even though some story elements may seem similar, you can play them separately and you will not miss out on anything from the story (except some easter eggs).

The biggest differences are visible in terms of gameplay mechanics and graphics – 11 years in the gaming industry is a very long time and it feels almost like a complete evolution.

Nevertheless, both games are great FPS examples that made a huge impact on the industry, and they are definitely worth playing.