Like many PC gamers across the world, I was appalled when I heard about the shuttering of Arkane Austin by Microsoft. Despite the studio’s recent woe with Redfall, a game described by some commentators as one where ‘executives ruined everything’, I’d presumed that its previously stellar track record and new ownership by a financial juggernaut would insulate it from the tsunami of gaming industry job losses we’ve witnessed over the last year.
But no, Arkane Austin, the studio that made the immersive sim masterpiece that is Prey, as well as contributed to probably my favourite gaming series of the past 15 years, Dishonored, is now gone, leaving nothing but a trail of ‘fury and heartbreak’ throughout the gaming community. Personally, I feel much of that discontentment comes from the powerlessness of being unable to do anything to rectify this.
The only thing I thought to do when I heard the news is to replay Arkane Austin’s greatest hits and remember what awesomeness it delivered up to the release of Redfall. As a huge Arkane fan, I already own most of its back catalogue, including its greatest work, Prey, but if you haven’t played this then, in some sort of cosmic irony, it is currently available at GOG with an 80% discount applied. A gaming masterpiece for the price of a sandwich. The details can be checked out below.
Why Prey is so great is hard to briefly explain, and I certainly won’t go into exhaustive detail here, but one of its best qualities is how it evokes the feeling of playing a spiritual sequel to Half-Life 2. Key to that is not just the silent protagonist and experiment gone wrong vibes, but it’s introduction of the Gelifoam Lattice Organism Obstructor Cannon (GLOO Cannon for short), a unique weapon/tool that lets you not only slow and/or encase enemies in hardening foam, but also use that foam to build useful structures.
Need to reach a floor that is inaccessible? Why not build a staircase with the GLOO Cannon and simply walk up it to reach the floor. Need to hold off dozens of Prey’s baddies that are descending on your location? Why not block up the doors with foam. Don’t have much ammo left for your weapon? Why not foam up the enemy and then whack it to death with your melee weapon from a position of safety.
The GLOO Cannon, too, is just one way of unlocking creative immersive play in Prey. Throw in the game’s Nuromods, which are Prey’s version of Bioshock’s Plasmids, that unlock various different abilities and powers, and you’ve got even more ways to play. And that’s saying nothing of the weapon, item and ammo creation system in the game that lets you recycle items to create and upgrade others.
Maybe the biggest reason why I’d recommend you play Prey, though, is to experience the joy horror of its iconic mimic enemies. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers but, let me tell you, when you’ve encountered them you’ll never look at a coffee cup or chair the same way ever again.
