I have some reservations about this leading man….
A few months back, a Native American rights group got all hot and bothered about Gun, because they felt portrayed Apaches in a negative light. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they haven't protested Prey, a game whose plot and characters hit just about every Native American stereotype you can possibly think of. There's our stoic, but brave warrior hero, Tommy Hawk (no, I'm not kidding, that's actually his name); the wise grandfather; the reliance on the wisdom of the ancestors to show the way to truth and salvation; communing with an animal spirit guide; and of course the requisite mumbo jumbo about the afterlife and the like. About all it's missing are references to "fire water" and a scalping or two, but as unoriginal as he is, Tommy is still tasked with a pretty heroic mission: to rescue his people from alien abduction. The game begins with a truly dazzling sequence in which the entire reservation--buildings, people, cars, everything--is sucked up into an enormous alien craft. Once on the ship, Tommy is set free with help from some mysterious and elusive strangers, and sets about rescuing his grandfather and his sweetheart.

And that's pretty much where the story stops and the problems with the game start. First person shooters tend to fall into one of two categories: either they're strong on story, and keep the action well-paced, but not overwhelming (think Halo or Half-Life) or they provide next to no story and throw everything but the kitchen sink at you (Black, for example). Prey does neither of these things. As you navigate the ship, you run into precious few enemies, and will play through many, many levels without advancing the plot one iota. When playing a first person shooter, if you have enough time to calmly ponder the amazing attention to detail in an environment, something is probably wrong.

Down the rabbit hole
Speaking of environments, Prey's interiors are perfect examples of how to take a simple and played-out concept, like the interior of a ship, and turn it on its ear. Literally. The manipulation of gravity is Prey's major claim to fame, and gimmick though it might be, it's handled masterfully. If you take a step back, you realize that making a ship in which you have to open subspace portals or walk on the ceiling to get to the mess hall is absurdly inefficient, but don't let logic and rational thought get in the way of the sheer niftiness of navigating the gravity strips as they wind up walls, across the ceiling, and down again, or as you activate switches that flip the room so that what used to be the floor is now the ceiling. Prey's levels are extremely linear affairs, but figuring out the puzzles involved in simply getting across the room are fun and satisfying. The aforementioned attention to detail will bring a smile to the face of anyone who stops to notice the video poker machine from the bar that ended up in a random hallway, or who eavesdrops on Art Bell's radio broadcasts that talk about "lights in the sky." A pulsing, throbbing mess being piped through a conduit is a mystery until you spot the nearby monitor displaying the inspiring message that "Protein is for Mother." The ship itself feels just alien enough, equal parts weird, tech-heavy, and gross.

The biggest issue that most FPS fans will have with Prey is that it's just too darn easy, not only due to the lack of any real opposition (one or two boss fights notwithstanding) but also because Tommy can't die. He's not immortal, but after grandpa and those oh-so-handy ancestors teach Tommy about the spirit world, whenever Tommy dies he's sent on a Death Walk, an annoying little mini game that gives you the chance to fill up on health and spirit energy. When the Death Walk is over, Tommy is magically transported back to a spot close to where he bought the farm. While this is helpful when solving the puzzles in the game ("Hmmm…what happens if I jump off this pipe? Ah, instant death. That's not the answer, then.") it makes the combat pretty toothless.

Let your spirit be your guide
Although Prey comes through from a creative standpoint, it falters a bit when it comes to the actual gameplay. The levels have an M.C. Escher-esque flair that never gets tiresome, and the visuals will make you squirm, both with happiness and disgust. (You really don't want to see what the aliens want with us, but you'll have trouble looking away.) The combat, though, is bland, repetitive and not much of a challenge, and the story is disappointingly threadbare. Multiplayer options aren't exactly innovative, but will certainly appeal to 360 owners that are sick to death of the Perfect Dark Zero maps. If you're not interested in playing online, though, just rent it. The visuals and creative design make a Prey a must-play, but the short length and lack of difficulty keep it from being a must-own.

-Maj 1013