What a timeless masterpiece…Like, no one expected anything less from the developers of Dishonored but godd*mn…

What really got to me was writing and more importantly how coherently it delivers itself to the player through the complex worldbuilding. The writing complements the environmental storytelling in such an organic and compelling way that the player’s experience transcends into complete immersion. For some reason, the game gives me the impression of a compassionate mentor. In writing, it is reflected in lessons and perspectives the game tries to tackle, always questioning your level of understanding and subsequently giving you even more food for thought. It very often reaches towards your “inner humanity” and sympathy, while constantly emphasizing the problem of decision-making. Split personality, various points of view, human factor, personal motivations and the sense of duty are just a couple of those lessons and perspectives, and it all perfectly connects into one beautiful whole. Overall, the game communicates with the player on so many levels that playing it absentmindedly is a disservice to your own intelligence.

The atmosphere feels like…it has always been there. At first, it doesn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary, but then the realization comes that it’s crafted in such a thorough and permeating way that everything appears to align in perfect harmony and once the first notes of the soundtrack start playing, it fills you with such an overwhelming sense of belonging that you can’t help but keep traversing this fateful space station.

And then there’s map design. The visual aspect is absolutely stunning, no doubt about that, but the technical part is what makes you really admire its beauty. The overall design, the layout of singular locations and specific passages are so well-done that my inner perfectionist was high all the time. It takes a master of their craft to create something that complex and intuitive at the same time. Not only do you actually get to traverse the whole space station, the locations at no point feel overwhelming or incomplete. It’s so obvious that map designers approached their task critically and thoughtfully that I can’t help but marvel at their dedication and ingenuity.

When it comes to gameplay…I’ll start by saying that you won't feel the whole depth of the gameplay until you play the game on Nightmare. On Normal and Hard mode, you can just shotgun your way through the whole game and not feel a thing. On Nightmare, the head-on approach is most certainly a failure. It will make you strategize, explore the map for resources, calculate risks and look for various solutions. You won't be running straight towards the enemy and spreading lead like a maniac. It will require you to allocate at least two brain cells and think of a plan. Ultimately, Nightmare mode provides the most enjoyable experience, where your actions mirror your resourcefulness. Gameplay here does wonders when you actually start feeling it.

On the whole, Prey wants you to experience the very content it has to deliver. It might appear short but it’s only if you carelessly speedrun it. I’d say its duration is perfect when it comes to action games. It actually gives you a fat, juicy, flavorful and digestible chunk of content with little to no nonsense. It is a masterfully crafted piece no matter how you look at it.

P.S. Mooncrush is a worthy continuation of Prey that for the most part showcases the aforementioned juicy gameplay.