SHOUT OUT - Arkane’s Prey is a recent backlog discovery, and the intensity is quite something

Mimics be pouncin’.

By Jonathan Garrett
14/08/23

NOTE: thatHITBOX Shout Out’s are not sponsored content. They’re games, developers, individuals, or issues that we want to highlight and share purely out of interest.

If our gaming habits could be easily summarised, it would be an endless stream of single player backlog with new hotness and multiplayer distractions thrown in to keep overall progress to a minimum. Thankfully, every once in a while, there’s a chance to take a dip and find a title that has been languishing on various save it for later lists. Prey is the latest example.

I had no idea that the world was so well established, or that the transforming Mimic’s, who can disguise themselves as any object, would regularly make me involuntarily produce voice cracks and stress farts (much to the amusement of my wife). It’s Arkane Austin firing on all cylinders, which unfortunately has the unintended “benefit of hindsight” effect of magnifying Redfall’s numerous missteps.

The crafting and loot systems, taut combat, and dense level design coalesce into an instantly memorable game. The story is great too, with bang tidy voice acting and a clear understanding of what you’re doing at any given moment. Dishonoured 2 remains my favourite of Arkane’s efforts, but if Prey stays this good, there’s a chance for a new favourite to emerge.