Prey review

Of course, all this would be for nowt if it didn't look good, but once again the developers have come up trumps. They've used the splendid Doom 3 engine to full effect, from the living flesh that makes up some of the walls through to the vast auditorium when you grab one of the various space transporters for some aerial combat. That said, if you felt that the look of Doom 3 itself verged on the plastic and weren't convinced by the dark environments, you'll find Prey has the same feel; it's a long way from the gritty look of Half-Life 2 or the ultra-distance views of Far Cry's CryEngine. Suffice to say, it's not for everyone, and even with the gamma settings at maximum there's more shadow than light. You never find yourself in the open, although there are some very large environments.

Overall, though, it's pretty hard to sum up Prey without disappearing into hyperbole. It's out and out hard-core gaming action. It has a gripping storyline (based on genuine Cherokee folklore if the developers are to be believed), atmospherics you can cut with a knife and more action than a Chuck Norris special on Channel 4. This has to be one of the best games of 2006.

Author: Daniel Emery