Arkane PREY - Arkane's immersive coffee cup transformation sim - now with Mooncrash roguelike mode DLC

[agris]

that's good to hear, especially regarding level design. some people in this thread said its shit.

edit: and difficulty. big, modern games are all ridiculously easy.

 

[Siel]

that's good to hear, especially regarding level design. some people in this thread said its shit.

edit: and difficulty. big, modern games are all ridiculously easy.

It's feels like some Google office in space. Not really convoluted or deeply complex but most rooms serve a purpose so it feels coherent. There is also a decent amount of verticality like in most Arkane games.

 

[Raghar]

I lost my will to play for now, after I got my Gloo Cannon misteriously disappear from my inventory. I'm certain I didn't put it in a recycler. After googling it seems that other people are having disappearing weapons glitch too and supposedly it happens when transfering between areas.

What did I say about releasing finished game? Well, some people managed to finish it. You need save often and persevere.

 

[Alienman]

Oil monsters though. Hard to get passed that part.

 

[Siel]

Oil monsters though. Hard to get passed that part.

This is my biggest complaint with the game. I don't understand how a dev like Arkane who have a strong track record on tasteful Art Direction could come up with this.
I kinda see what they tried to do but in the end it fails miserably.

 

[Cowboy Moment]

Monsters are shit visually, but they're pretty fun to interact with. On Nightmare, at least, the combat is pleasantly deliberate, in the sense that you really need to spot them early and plan your approach. Getting surprised by a tough enemy (what qualifies as tough changes as the game progresses) almost always ends with death or massive resource drain. Mimics are also pretty fun, I thought the novelty would wear off quickly, but the game makes very good use of them, and I'd find myself getting bitten on a regular basis despite being able to scan them since relatively early on.

Also Darth Roxor just FYI, you can disable quest markers by deactivating quests in your log, and there's no downside to doing so, they're not necessary at all. Only markers you need to use are the security console ones, to locate some specific people for side quests.

 

[Renevent]

I lost my will to play for now, after I got my Gloo Cannon misteriously disappear from my inventory. I'm certain I didn't put it in a recycler. After googling it seems that other people are having disappearing weapons glitch too and supposedly it happens when transfering between areas.

There's like 20 gloo guns scattered all over the ship you can find, and you can also find plans to create one using the assembler-machine-thingy. I wouldn't let that stop you from playing.

 

[Siel]

Quick question, what does the difficulty settings change? Enemy HP bloat? Lower resistances for the player? Better enemy AI?

Enemies take less damage, you take more and medkits/hypos aren't as effective. That's about it.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

As usual, Honest Trailers is more well-researched and comprehensive than most reviews.

Other than no reference to Arx Fatalis...

I almost posted it here, I love Honest Trailers, they really do research the movies and games they cover. It's actually surprising they mention some things you wouldn't expect from nowadays "game journalists" and youtube personalities. Though yes, sometimes miss things like arx fatalis in this case.

 

[Ash]

They release that survival patch I'll buy it right now. Should have been in the game since the beginning though. AAA Priorities...

 

[RoSoDude]

They release that survival patch I'll buy it right now. Should have been in the game since the beginning though. AAA Priorities...

Yeah, that and the Disc Rifle with a depressed AI guiding system that talks to you. Lot of personality here, shame it didn't make the final cut.

http://farcrymods.freeforums.net/thread/499/disc-rifle-cut-game
http://www.gamesradar.com/preys-cut...ing-gun-and-you-thought-the-aliens-were-wild/

But I digress, the survival patch is actually requisite for me at this point. It sounds like the game is too easy even on Nightmare without these features, which apparently still have their footprint all over the design (other health conditions, help text mentions weapon durability, oxygen tanks scattered around the station, etc).

 

[Multidirectional]

There's like 20 gloo guns scattered all over the ship you can find, and you can also find plans to create one using the assembler-machine-thingy. I wouldn't let that stop you from playing.

Though what if I lose a gun with fuckload of upgrades next time?

 

[Siel]

They release that survival patch I'll buy it right now. Should have been in the game since the beginning though. AAA Priorities...

Yeah, that and the Disc Rifle with a depressed AI guiding system that talks to you. Lot of personality here, shame it didn't make the final cut.

http://farcrymods.freeforums.net/thread/499/disc-rifle-cut-game
http://www.gamesradar.com/preys-cut...ing-gun-and-you-thought-the-aliens-were-wild/

But I digress, the survival patch is actually requisite for me at this point. It sounds like the game is too easy even on Nightmare without these features, which apparently still have their footprint all over the design (other health conditions, help text mentions weapon durability, oxygen tanks scattered around the station, etc).

Well Dishonored 2 custom difficulty settings were patched 2 months after release so there is hope this one could be around summer.

 

[Jasede]

If we're honest with ourselves this is... quite a bit better than Shock 2. And I really do love System Shock 2. I'll try to explain why:

1) The weapons actually feel good and not clunky / almost all weapons in SS2 are a bit wonky.
2) There's nice environmental interactions that were not possible in SS2.
3) There is quite a bit less hand-holding than SS2. There's no intrusive tutorial and the station opens up in a way SS2 never. I am at a point where I can literally go anywhere I please - and get my ass kicked because it's quite hard.
4) The inventory system is less of a pain.
5) Recycling is fun and rewards hoarding, giving even crap a use.
6) The skill tree is a bit better balanced than in SS2 (which had many borderline useless abilities)
7) There is more freedom in solving puzzles / rooms. There are more options than in System Shock 2 in general: vent, move the obstruction, blow the obstruction away, fight through alternate route, find password, hack, repair, turn into a coffee cup, shoot a button with your nerf gun... that's not even all of them.
8) The weapons combo nicely with one another, making combat as complex as you want it to be.
9) PSI in SS2 was generally trash and a drag; the abilities in this game are instead quite useful, if not as varied.

Things SS2 does better:
1) It has Shodan
2) The audio logs in SS2 are, while campy, more interesting as a whole
3) No Neuroscope. I hate things like that.
4) The enemies are more interesting/varied/memorable.
5) In System Shock 2 you're never overwhelmed with where to go next or what quest to do - if you are a modern gamer, Prey is downright intimidating. Right now I have like 8 active 'quests', all around the stations, and I can essentially go wherever I want, even areas I shouldn't be in
6) Maybe I am the only one but I like that enemies in SS2 respawn. Keeps you on your toes and drains your ammo
7) I find OS upgrades more meaningful than the mod chips
8) The sound design is more refined. (Not music; the way SFX and atmospheric sounds are used.)
9) No fucking EVA sections; Jesus those suck

I find it really hard to find some objective reasons why SS2 would be better than this. Keep in mind I love SS2 and played it 10+ times, including wrench only, and always on Impossible... This post comes from a place of experience and appreciation.

But I digress, the survival patch is actually requisite for me at this point. It sounds like the game is too easy even on Nightmare without these features, which apparently still have their footprint all over the design (other health conditions, help text mentions weapon durability, oxygen tanks scattered around the station, etc).

Have you actually played this game? It's quite hard on Hard unless you really scrounge/explore a lot, and the highest difficulty is certainly rougher than in Shock 2 as the enemies are harder to predict/fight. I have to reload a lot on Hard, and am always out of ammo - and I recycle obsessively.

Also, when people say that this is "the closest we ever got to a real successor to system shock 2!!!11", it isn't really that far from the truth.

But only because all attempts at it thus far have been utter shit, and it's not like there've been that many of them in the first place.

Honestly sounds like bullshit to me. I certainly prefer SS2 over the Bioshock games but you're going to have to list some solid reasons as to why SS2 is supposed to be a better game than this one. Not feels; actual reasons, gameplay/RPG relevant ones.


---

Anyway, before you reflexively vote me retarded, I'd at least like to hear some solid arguments in favor of SS2 which I, as I must repeat, love and appreciate and would have held up as a pinnacle of "alone on space station" game, had it not been for this one which does certain things much, much better (and other things worse.)
I think I outlined my reasons well, but essentially: SS2 has more handholding, less choices on how to handle things, shittier gunplay and a less refined skill system. It's also much more linear (!). However, it as a more iconic villain, more interesting audio logs, a better atmosphere and more interesting-looking monsters.

---

Jesus, the older posts in this thread are a prime example of edgelordism.

 

[ciox]

If we're honest with ourselves this is... quite a bit better than Shock 2. And I really do love System Shock 2. I'll try to explain why:

1) The weapons actually feel good and not clunky / almost all weapons in SS2 are a bit wonky.
The pistol and shotgun are decent, the other guns not so much, especially trash like the Q-Beam.
2) There's nice environmental interactions that were not possible in SS2.
No doubt.
3) There is quite a bit less hand-holding than SS2. There's no intrusive tutorial and the station opens up in a way SS2 never. I am at a point where I can literally go anywhere I please - and get my ass kicked because it's quite hard.
The tutorial in SS2 is completely optional and the intro with the mission postings is shorter than Prey's apartment intro.
4) The inventory system is less of a pain.
I don't see it.
5) Recycling is fun and rewards hoarding, giving even crap a use.
Hoarding is a good thing? Recycling works almost the same way in SS2 you just can't recycle weapons.
6) The skill tree is a bit better balanced than in SS2 (which had many borderline useless abilities)
Agreed.
7) There is more freedom in solving puzzles / rooms. There are more options than in System Shock 2 in general: vent, move the obstruction, blow the obstruction away, fight through alternate route, find password, hack, repair, turn into a coffee cup, shoot a button with your nerf gun... that's not even all of them.
Agreed.
8) The weapons combo nicely with one another, making combat as complex as you want it to be.
Applies to SS2 as well, nothing stops you from using Proximity Grenades, the Stasis Field Generator and Psi along normal weapons to make combat more interesting.
9) PSI in SS2 was generally trash and a drag; the abilities in this game are instead quite useful, if not as varied.
Maybe true, but a big reason abilities in this game are useful or "not a drag" is you can auto-aim or freeze-to-aim practically all of them, many still have shit damage. Also the psi cooldowns suck and are huge in Prey.

Things SS2 does better:
1) It has Shodan
2) The audio logs in SS2 are, while campy, more interesting as a whole
3) No Neuroscope. I hate things like that.
4) The enemies are more interesting/varied/memorable.
This is a pretty big strong point you have to admit. It's a big one for me at least.
5) In System Shock 2 you're never overwhelmed with where to go next or what quest to do - if you are a modern gamer, Prey is downright intimidating. Right now I have like 8 active 'quests', all around the stations, and I can essentially go wherever I want, even areas I shouldn't be in
6) Maybe I am the only one but I like that enemies in SS2 respawn. Keeps you on your toes and drains your ammo
I haven't figured out how respawns work in Prey yet, it seems related to quest resolution only. I don't mind Prey's take on it, some of the quest/progression related respawns are huge, like what happens to the Lobby...
7) I find OS upgrades more meaningful than the mod chips
Doesn't help that you can't see what the mod chips ACTUALLY do since their descriptions are so cryptic. Not exactly meaningful.
8) The sound design is more refined. (Not music; the way SFX and atmospheric sounds are used.)
Combat music was better.
9) No fucking EVA sections; Jesus those suck
Those were supposed to be in SS2 right at the end (Rickenbacker) but they got cut heh.

 

[Jasede]

I forgot to mention that System Shock 2, despite all I wrote above, is a much better horror game. This is just pure sci-fi. The enemies are not scary though they may give you jump scares for a while. The atmosphere in Shock 2 is quite a bit thicker and better.

 

[Durandal]

Enemies respawn in Prey as well, sometimes with even tougher enemy types than your usual shotgun hybrid.

The atmosphere does play a large part in the immersion (of an immersive sim hue huehu ue) and is quite important to keep you focused on the game. The sound design, music and atmosphere of Prey don't just hold up as a horror game, they just don't hold up in general. Aside from the psychological thriller feel of the first few hours of the game, whatever atmosphere it has is quickly dissipated when you're running back and forth to fetch Dr. Mbembwe's hidden mini-piano from his office. Most of the ambience is silence but fighting the Typhon fills my ears with a cacophony reminiscent of nuDoom, courtesy of Mick Gordon.

SS2 isn't exactly the most balanced game with all of its useless PSI powers and crappy Exotic tree as you'd become god at the end of the game regardless of how you built your character, but whereas SS2 had some semblance of character building, Prey follows after DX:HR where you only have to choose which upgrades you want first instead of which upgrades you want at all. At the end of my first playthrough I had hoarded so much trash to recycle and fabricate into more Neuromods, that I became Max Payne, master engineer and 1337 Hacker. I had 3/6 of the skilltrees maxed out and whatever decisions I made at the start of the game started to feel pointless when I'd end up becoming superman anyways.

Hoarding items is just tiring in general, especially when you are replaying the game and have to go through all that shit again. SS2 was a lot more compact in comparison level design-wise as each container wasn't filled with trash, so there was a lot less hoarding and backtracking to recycling involved. Making weapon upgrades and Neuromods craftable was a huge mistake, it devalues the feeling you get when you find them through hard exploration as opposed to the joy of finding cybermodules. This goes for most items as well, when items are craftable they start feeling disposable and the fun behind finding them normally whittles away. That said Prey tends to throw more shit at you than you will end up actually using so the feeling is devalued regardless, but I guess that's a trait both games share, I didn't use the Replicators in SS2 all that often.

Another point for Prey is less hitscan enemies. You can slide under a Phantom projectile as its fired and dish out some nerd justice up close.

 

[Siel]

ciox you're wrong about the Q-Beam. It is the most deadly when combined with psychoshock or nullwaves. Handles telepaths in 10 seconds.

 

[ciox]

SS2 isn't exactly the most balanced game with all of its useless PSI powers and crappy Exotic tree as you'd become god at the end of the game regardless of how you built your character, but whereas SS2 had some semblance of character building, Prey follows after DX:HR where you only have to choose which upgrades you want first instead of which upgrades you want at all. At the end of my first playthrough I had hoarded so much trash to recycle and fabricate into more Neuromods, that I became Max Payne, master engineer and 1337 Hacker. I had 3/6 of the skilltrees maxed out and whatever decisions I made at the start of the game started to feel pointless when I'd end up becoming superman anyways.

Hoarding items is just tiring in general, especially when you are replaying the game and have to go through all that shit again. SS2 was a lot more compact in comparison level design-wise as each container wasn't filled with trash, so there was a lot less hoarding and backtracking to recycling involved. Making weapon upgrades and Neuromods craftable was a huge mistake, it devalues the feeling you get when you find them through hard exploration as opposed to the joy of finding cybermodules. This goes for most items as well, when items are craftable they start feeling disposable and the fun behind finding them normally whittles away. That said Prey tends to throw more shit at you than you will end up actually using so the feeling is devalued regardless, but I guess that's a trait both games share, I didn't use the Replicators in SS2 all that often.

Another point for Prey is less hitscan enemies. You can slide under a Phantom projectile as its fired and dish out some nerd justice up close.

SS2's crappy balance and bugs actually stack up to create real balance, for instance the Crystal Shard is broken and does massive damage if used right like with overhead swings or really just in general, and upgrading Exotic all the way to 6 is fully worth it because each point makes the Crystal Shard stronger...

I definitely feel tired about all the clutter in these types of games now, probably started with Bioshock/Fallout3, there's an insane amount of garbage to rifle through in the average room.

Ha, never tried to slide under projectiles, that's badass, I assume it works because it puts you into the lowest crouch mode which is otherwise only available if you try to crawl under something very low.

ciox you're wrong about the Q-Beam. It is the most deadly when combined with psychoshock or nullwaves. Handles telepaths in 10 seconds.

It's still really bad, 10 seconds of being massively slowed down and having to perfectly focus down the target, then all its ammo is gone. It's ridiculous how many upgrades this thing needs to be useful, I assume it's only as good as you say when you play a super sprinter and have finally found the Q-Beam Cells fabrication plans, at which point the gun might finally be a reliable if awkward resource for killpower.
Compare to the shotgun which can easily hold more destruction in a magazine, can trigger knockdowns or critically hit or sneak attack, doesn't slow you down and doesn't require constant perfect aim at the target.

Fuck now I really want that disc gun.

 

[Israfael]

6) Maybe I am the only one but I like that enemies in SS2 respawn. Keeps you on your toes and drains your ammo

They do respawn, and it's not quest related, at least it's how it goes for me. Sometimes it's mimics, sometimes it's annoying voltaic phantoms or a pair of technopaths / telepaths. Keeps me wondering how other characters managed to get by them (especially if there are telepaths around)

especially trash like the Q-Beam.

Not really, it's handy when you need to kill some enemies cleanly (like that Telepath in the Arboretum that controls several quest-related characters), without risking stray shots killing the actual NPCs. Also, fully upgraded QB is useful against big and slow enemies like all -paths since running up to them and trying to shotgun Saints Row style is a literal suicide. Every weapon is very enemy-specific, in my opinion — pistol is very good against Weavers as their shield is wasted with 1 shot (and 1 pistol shot is much less valuable than anything else) and its fast fire rate allows to kill Weaver before it tries to flee (especially in space). Shotgun one shots unaware phantoms if fully upgraded and is the best weapon to deal with Nightmares (5 or 6 shots is enough to kill it before it even tries to cast anything, just run up and shoot), well, and the 3d printed x-bow, you already know why its in the game. Disruptor charger is the best weapon against technopaths and robots (it kills technopath in 4 or 5 shots, super easy as compared to dealing with him with shotgun or anything else)\

9) No fucking EVA sections; Jesus those suck

Actually, I quite like them - you feel really exposed when you do them and the aliens have a clear upper hand over you in the micro-gravity. I wonder how they persuaded Bethesda to add more or less realistic controls, consequences of bumping into stuff and other things that probably make the game even more unpalatable to an average popamoler

SS2 isn't exactly the most balanced game with all of its useless PSI powers

Wouldn't say they are useless, if you play the hacker way, they are basically the only thing that allows you to finish the game and survive in Shodan's lair while hacking the computers (cascade for armor + 2 types of damage reduction shields + healz + adrenaline / crystal to conserve ammo / make the worm guts section more enjoyable)

 

[duke nukem]

Why there is bouncing billiard ball sound in the space? So immersive..

Even Jim Sterling thinks this is just ok game, not good game. And i agree..its average at best and if Jim fucking Sterling thinks that way, then its a fact and makes any other argument invalid.

Jim "Fallout 4 is a 9.5/10" Sterling, topkek.

Well, at least stealth works in Fallout 4. Huge variety of weapons and monsters. Alternate paths. Better hacking mini game. Customizable main character. Experience levels. Better soundtrack. 120-300 hours of gameplay, Less buggy. Its funny how prey can be so buggy, when it is so linear and simple game, i guess arkane developers are not very good at coding stuff.

Prey is probably most overrated game in 10 years. It simply offers nothing to true system shock fans. Only thing common is poorly done audio logs and inventory tetris. Thats about it.

ciox you're wrong about the Q-Beam. It is the most deadly when combined with psychoshock or nullwaves. Handles telepaths in 10 seconds.

Shotgun kills them in about 3 seconds or less.

Look, it's obviously not a deal breaker for me and it was just an off-hand remark - but it's pretty disappointing nonetheless.

I do think the amount of white knighting in this thread is hilarious, though.

Agree. Preydrones are almost retarded as biodrones.

Another point for Prey is less hitscan enemies. You can slide under a Phantom projectile as its fired and dish out some nerd justice up close.

I am actually surprised you can slide under those projectiles as they are homing projectiles with massive hit box.

 

[sparq_beam]

Hoarding items is just tiring in general, especially when you are replaying the game and have to go through all that shit again. SS2 was a lot more compact in comparison level design-wise as each container wasn't filled with trash, so there was a lot less hoarding and backtracking to recycling involved. Making weapon upgrades and Neuromods craftable was a huge mistake, it devalues the feeling you get when you find them through hard exploration as opposed to the joy of finding cybermodules. This goes for most items as well, when items are craftable they start feeling disposable and the fun behind finding them normally whittles away. That said Prey tends to throw more shit at you than you will end up actually using so the feeling is devalued regardless, but I guess that's a trait both games share, I didn't use the Replicators in SS2 all that often.

I definitely feel tired about all the clutter in these types of games now, probably started with Bioshock/Fallout3, there's an insane amount of garbage to rifle through in the average room.

This aspect severely decreased my enjoyment of the game after some point. I usually like looking for gear and secret stashes but in Prey the loot-recycle-fabricate cycles become routine and just too frequent relative to the other better aspects of the game. To be fair SS2 had lots of container opening too, but I agree that finding cybermodules was much more satisfying.

Devs should be more careful at balancing loot in games. It's a useful element to encourage exploration but not as intrinsically fun as the combat. The satisfaction wears off quickly and I find myself impatiently looking for my next fix, but not really being engaged with the game. This this also applies to neuroscope scanning, instead of planning your next combat encounter you end up thinking 'let me just tick this research box here first' and ruining your approach, just like Bioshock and the camera.

Not really, it's handy when you need to kill some enemies cleanly (like that Telepath in the Arboretum that controls several quest-related characters), without risking stray shots killing the actual NPCs. Also, fully upgraded QB is useful against big and slow enemies like all -paths since running up to them and trying to shotgun Saints Row style is a literal suicide. Every weapon is very enemy-specific, in my opinion — pistol is very good against Weavers as their shield is wasted with 1 shot (and 1 pistol shot is much less valuable than anything else) and its fast fire rate allows to kill Weaver before it tries to flee (especially in space). Shotgun one shots unaware phantoms if fully upgraded and is the best weapon to deal with Nightmares (5 or 6 shots is enough to kill it before it even tries to cast anything, just run up and shoot), well, and the 3d printed x-bow, you already know why its in the game. Disruptor charger is the best weapon against technopaths and robots (it kills technopath in 4 or 5 shots, super easy as compared to dealing with him with shotgun or anything else)\

My tactic against Weavers was to throw a nullwave to destroy their shield (I think it also stunned them) and then to charge with the shotgun. I didn't realize a pistol shot destroyed the shield too. An upgraded disruptor is almost too good against technopaths, but always fun to shoot. Encounters with phantoms were a bit bland for me, maybe I should try the sliding technique mentioned above.

Mimics and poltergeists were fun all the time, I recommend against using the mimic detector with the psychoscope. It's much cooler to sneak and listen for their clicking sounds.

Maybe a run in Nightmare with no Typhon powers might be more interesting and force some creativity in combat (e.g. by throwing more stuff, using more grenades, sneaking more effectively).

 

[Darth Roxor]

Honestly sounds like bullshit to me. I certainly prefer SS2 over the Bioshock games but you're going to have to list some solid reasons as to why SS2 is supposed to be a better game than this one. Not feels; actual reasons, gameplay/RPG relevant ones.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm lets think maybe i cant pronounce an objective judgement about nuthin cuz i've only played it for 3-4 hours so far

makes u think



That said, I can already disagree with you about the guns. The only one I've seen so far that has any oomph is the stun gun, and I've already got wrench/tazer/gloo/shotty/pistol/crossbow(lolz)/a bunch of shitty nades. They can't at all compare with SS2's wrench or pistol for instance.

 

[Morgoth]

Like I said before, the Typhon really are straight out from Edge of Tomorrow:

 

[Cyberarmy]

crossbow(lolz)

You laugh now but it'll become one of the useful weapons a bit later.
I agree about weapons lack oomph effect but they are oddly satisfying to use, especially in right conditions. Electroshocking and q beaming a poison phantom (volatilte?), stunning phantoms with wrench heavy strike then shooting them with shotgun in the face or killing a nightmare with a fully upgraded shotgun in seconds all of them feels good.


And then came the alien powers. Lifting a group of operators/mimics then casting "chain lightning" on them never gets old.

Edit: I have 2 main problems about this game.
First one is enemy diversty. dark phantom, blue phantom, burning phantom...
Second one is enemy numbers. Much of the early game we only encounter with a lone phantom and maybe his mimic pal.