Written by: PlayDevil.com Staff

 

 

 

If there was a game at Gamescom I wanted more of it was "Prey 2". Following the plot of alien abducted US martial, Killian Samuels, the short demo only served to wet my appetite as I watched it played in the dark room before me. Developed by Human Head, this FPS promises a range of organic RPG elements that have me desperate to learn more.

 

Having made the commitment to change the experience of Prey 2 from the original Human Head certainly seem to have been moving forward with a purpose. Keeping only the overarching theme of aliens and the push pull of a hunter/quarry dynamic, Prey 2’s focus on the gunplay and character interaction is shaping up to be a wise decision.

 

Links to the first game seem loose for the moment. Killian is abducted after his plane crashes into an alien spacecraft (an event seen in the original Prey) and from there his world becomes an 'Alien Noir' adventure in a style reminiscent of Blade Runner, with a dash of Star Wars. Forgetting much of what has transpired since his removal from Earth he finds himself on an alien world in the beautifully realised city of The Bowery.

 

Utilising the skills he acquired as a US Martial, Killian is now a bounty hunter who scours the underbelly of the believable and reactive Bowery to find his prey. To ensure success on the hunts he will be able to find information and gadgets to capture his bounty, dead or alive (depending on the warrant).

 

It really is The Bowery and its inhabitants that were the star of this demo as they reacted to Killian’s posture and actions. Moving in with gun holstered he received a notably different response from approaching with a weapon drawn, which will itself offered a number of reactions depending on the disposition of the target in question. It may not offer the extensive dialogue trees of a more explicit RPG experience but it is an interesting way of introducing branching options to the story.

 

Pulling up a HUD the demo’s guide shows us just some of the hints Killian will have to help him through the game. Arrows direct him towards a selected prey, but so to do coloured outlines around the world’s population. Passive players are green, where those who could be dangerous are a yellow, while those aggressive towards Killian are red.

 

Walking into a bar Killian looked for a ‘passive’ target, someone with a bounty who isn’t a current target. His HUD located one in an event no doubt staged for the demo. Chasing him from the bar, leaping over furniture and through a window the audience is shown how agile Killian will be. Climbing easily by with the character instinctively reaching when a jump to a higher level is possible. It is an elegant way of handling what looks to be a versatile climbing mechanic that could offer much to Prey 2.

 

He quickly apprehends this low tier target and accesses his HUD once more to select a new target. While not immediately traceable Killian’s operator gives him the possible location of an informant to lead him to a larger bounty. More enticing subtly is revealed, multistage goals with an investigative leaning. Finding the informant Killian is confronted with the choice of paying for the information, going on without the help or… well slaughtering the bodyguards and intimidating him. Gun still smoking in Killian’s hand the informant reveals the needed information, but with the promise that this violent transgression will have consequences in the future.

 

Heading to the location of the real target and another ‘probably staged for the demo’ set piece plays out. Grabbing one of the targets lackeys as a bullet shield Killian storms the bar containing his bounty. Gunfire erupts all around and the bullet shield quickly dies and Killian chases after his fleeing prey. This new chase moves through clubs, and a number of districts as the target warps from point to point. Limited in options by the fact the bounty will only be paid for a live capture the chase continues, showing the jet boots that allow Killian to cover great distances, shields for defence and a number of other nonlethal weapons (as well as some lethal ones) were shown before Killian finally caught up with the target. Capturing him the alien he began to plead for his freedom, offering bribes and favours. Choosing to send the alien to his client and claim the bounty Killian walked away happy of a job well done, until a giant robot came stomping around the corner controlled by my quarries brother. And there the demo ended.

 

"Prey 2" may be a departure from the first game, but all the changes seem to be for the best. With a sci-fi film noir feel this looks like it will be more than just another shooter when is released in 2012.