i gotta say i love this game really, it has solid foundation from dishonored 2 with fewer power. but dont let that fool you, while dishonored doto only had 3 power, the power itself has depth and intertwined to one another, so you actually use it, you not overwhelm by many skills to unlock.

While the additional of tools and fewer but far more powerful skills make up for the gameplay side, the level itself leave alot to be desired. The only noteable level is the third level, which is a bank heist with wide array of option to infiltrate, do your task, and escape, other level not so much. Its a shame really, knowing dishonored series is known for its unique level like that cambell level, royal boyle last party, crack in a slan, and clockwork mansion. I think the reason for less ambitious level is that Doto is a spin-off with less expectation from the player. But i do think this game is worth while and has tons of replayability.

The story is not as engaging as the rest of the series, but i dont think its a flaw really, but definitely weak on doto, dont let that discourage you from playing this game, once you get the thrill using displace ooooo boy i love it

The music as usual in this game is superb, its a shame that the composer has passed away T-T, rest in piece daniel licht

i want to love this game, i could not

this review is very subjective compare to my other review
does contain spoiler for enemy type only, not the story
i played prey with "hard" difficulty but to prove some of my point about enemy bulshit i replay it with "normal" difficulty, the difference revolve around the damage taken and healing. But my point about "the second half of prey is bullshit" still does apply

okay so, this game is wonderful, for the first half of the game, the latter kinda fall apart, not from story wise although the pacing is kinda bad for me, but from the gameplay aspect on latter half? it sucks ass

i start the positive with this game, the gameplay (in general), solid, you got many option to tackle your problem and thats the strongest thing in prey, the ability to solve problem however you see fit, u can use your GLOO cannon to make a diy stair or move object around, you can acquire skill that lets you hack your way, move heavy stuff, lift shit, and so much more. On this aspect alone prey is very much a masterclass

now this aspect kinda fell apart on the later half, because without spoiling, things going awry, and many resources that u need to make solution to a problem is diminished, the resources going scarce isnt a bad thing if implemented right, it just the other aspect of this game really want you to fail, GLOO cannon need ammunition and i dont say give me infinite GLOO canister, just dont be stingy about the resources. And this problem doesnt just apply to GLOO cannon only, many weapon can be utilize for problem solve and the latter half of this game really drain your resource with enemy or hazardous bullshit

Which bring me into the next point, the enemy, this game only got 2 enemy that i think is perfectly balance, else is just bullshit. The mimic which can disguise or mimic any object, including health pickup weapon etc, you really need to be keen on misplacement of object to know what is a mimic and whats not
The second is the poltergeist, which is transparant enemy who throw random stuff to you, you have to know the direction of the object throwed to pin point his location and smack that boi
Apart from those two? other enemy can honestly go away they just too overtune, they do massive damage, rapid attack, unfair range or quirk that disadvantage you like disabling your weapon so you cannot do shit but RUN? cmon this is just tedious

now i know the intent of this high damage enemy forces you to not engage them, thats by design i think, they want you to sometimes run away from the problem and conserve your resource "surrender to live another day" type shit, but the problem is, theres no valid way to deal with them really, throwing heavy object over and over or explosive canister is working to deal with enemy, it just boring and the other option is to just blow past them...what? yes i know stealth is available but it is not realize at all, fro the dev of dishonored too? your distraction is only the typhon charge that lure enemy, once that out? you do throw bullshit, oh and btw, if u invest enough skill point into leverage, you can grab move and throw pretty much everthing BUT the initial grab is soooooooooooooo long wtf? im john cena leverage 3 but to carry fridge i gotta hold the carry button for 3 SECOND OR MO IDK IDC MAN ITS TOO LONG what???? it really matter on life or death situation, you need to fucking distract, resource depleted and the skill you already invest just take longer? i just gonna run away from the problem HAHAHA

im sound like unreasonably angry, im not, as skillup review on his review put it "game dev tend to equates difficulty for damage that the enemy dealt and the quantity of the enemy, not how smart the enemy" its not 1:1 quote but it really does paint how prey second half is dogshit, harder enemy everywhere, on massive number (well its like only 3 in one area but they are pain to deal with) and the damage man.

i always point out for the second half, because the first half is perfect, really, enemy is not overwhelm you with their number, you have to be smart and considering about your area, plenty stuff to solve the encounter at hand. you may be outnumber but plenty solution appear, whereas the latter half, you are outnuber with more powerfull enemy, the environment changes (kinda spoiler but eh) to make your life harder, resource scarce this that, it doesnt make me thing, it makes me want to run from in and to be done with the area. from a simple mistake of overtune the damage and the quantity

The gameplay really is brilliant, you need to craft things because you CANNOT rely on looting alone, but you need to make sacrifices like recycle your weapon or medkit, u can survice, some area are carefully plot for player expression but other kinda ass tbh, its a shame really for such thoughtful gameplay loop of recycle, observing, exploring, to be squandered by the bullshitness of the enemy damage and numbers

I wanna end the review with the story and the music, because damn it really makes you do the choice very organically, and tbh, helping someone in game usually come at tangible thing to you, but here? its like undertale, the benefit is more than just gameplay thing, well you do get good stuff but maybe just medkit or skillpoint really, not some op weapon, u need to value the person request
and the main story too, very very personal, you made choice not because you feel you need too or feel bad, you make those choice cuz it reflective of you

and wait, the music by MICK GORDON and kinda syntwave-y calming horror??? WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

If you wanna play this game my suggestion is to play it until you beat, no looking up on youtube where to go or stuck here there, no, do it, finish it.

What i really like when playing tunic for first time is theres no tutorial, i like it. You need to figure things out for yourself, how do this, do that, just use "fuck around and find out" rules, i hate when tutorials slap you with unskipable text or npc literally nags you about this that, just let the player fuck around, more effective learning method than slapstick tutorial or "in-game in-universe tutorial"

The control, its feel very nice, clicky and satisfying to hit your target, visual also help the game feel.
I do note the auto lock system here is little wack, not very big problem but when your enemy can fly or go away fast, the autolock is reset so you have to lock again, also if you locked onto enemy, your sprint is directly goes into the enemy, this thing killed me many time, cuz i like my auto lock is not tied to where my sprint is headed, the last thing i want to sprint to is from an enemy sword hitbox

The OST is banger, the composer really knock it out the park, the music instill curiousity, calm, mysteries, dread, i dunno how to describe it but it really is magical, almost all music is unique and add to the atmosphere, proprs to the composer

Visual are GORGEOUS, i have 3 seperated moment when my jaw dropped or amaze just how good the art is, the spectacle, color, and added context to the scene really makes me goosebump even on multiple playthrough. And i really rarely get goosebump

Tunic is best when you going in blind and not knowing where to or how to, use the in-game manual book as your assistance, figure things out yourself, i promise you, the experience is something else

and yes, the game can get pretty hard (not in my case i apperently only do the final boss 3 attempt lol and most bosses only 5 or 6) but learn their pattern, you can do it, theres also assist mode if you really having hard time, but whatever you do, just play with no browsing

Its one of those game that can only be experience fully if going in not knowing anything and figure things out, you really feel like a child playing video game for the first time, that curiousity, the joy that we have when we young and exploring things both irl or playing games, its wonderful, i thought those memories or experience cannot be re experience, but im glad tunic offer me that, and i hope it does to you too