E3 2006 Hands On Preview
Prey was announced about a decade ago. After that
long time in development hell, Prey has gotten a new publisher, a brand new
engine, and is inching closer and closer to an actual release. Last year, 2K
Games revealed some brief snippets of what we could expect from Prey’s gameplay,
the results of which were quite astonishing. This year, a cut from Prey’s
multiplayer elements was available to play. With Prey finally only a few months
away from release, it can be safe to say that this game could and should be the
smash hit of the summer.
For those not in the know, Prey puts you in the
shoes of a young Native American man charged with saving the Earth from an alien
threat. You’ll have a host of different abilities handed down to you from your
ancestors that will draw upon magical powers. You’ll be able to “spirit walk”
which basically lets you step outside of your body and view an area without
being threatened by enemies and use anti-gravity to walk up and down special
walls. Also, the game uses portals quite ingeniously, allowing you to move
seamlessly from one area to another by stepping through them.
The multiplayer deathmatch game running at 2K
Games’ E3 booth didn’t quite showcase the whole spirit-walking portion of the
game, but the seamless portals and wall walking did play a pretty big part. They
basically set the dynamic for the multiplayer gameplay, as you can assault an
enemy from not only from the front or back, but from the top as well.
The portals also play a huge part in the
multiplayer, allowing you to get the drop on your foes via dimensional rips. The
multiplayer mode also showcased some of the weapons that will be found in the
game, like a “goo gun” that shoots out a gooey green substance, similar to the
bio rifle from Unreal Tournament. Given that you can now walk on walls, punching
out some green goo on the walls and ceiling makes for harsh terrain and some
interesting multiplayer matches.
Prey is finally only a couple months away, and
should be a great experience for FPS fans who have been awaiting this title with
baited breath. Look for it to hit the PC and 360 this July.
