The Making of PREY - Documentary

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We talk to the team at Arkane Austin about the design of their immersive sim cult classic, Prey.
Noclip's work is 100% crowdfunded.
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Edited, Filmed & Colored by Jeremy Jayne
Written & Hosted by Danny O'Dwyer
Gameplay Capture by Frank Howley
Captions by Megan Carnes
0:00 - Intro
1:58 - Why call it "Prey"
7:22 - Creating the Space Station of Talos 1
22:22 - Managing Player Choice
31:15 - The Mimic
37:06 - Trouble with GLOO Cannons
43:45 - Harvey's Thoughts
45:35 - Mooncrash
51:55 - The Ending (Spoilers)
52:35 - Prey's Reviews & Legacy
57:22 - Credits

[@Leonn9000]

R.I.P Arkane Austin. This is the game we will remember. 😞

[@fatalmokrane]

You can feel the pain in Raphael Colantonio's voice in the end. So sad. This game deserved so much better.

[@Geostationary0rbit]

Honestly it is so sad, you can really tell it was the outcome of this project which was the primary driver in him leaveing arkane, it looked like he was about to cry at one point.

[@marc-antoinemarcoux697]

If only they didn't have that save file bug at launch... It would have been received as well as Deathloop (aside the stuttering on PC)

[@fatalmokrane]

@@marc-antoinemarcoux697 i didnt saw cyberpunk receiving such Bad reviews despite all the bugs. Cyberpunk is à Bad game even without the bugs and received some 10/10. Video Games media are corrupted

[@AintPopular]

Giving "sequel" to already established ip was not what the fans were expecting. Had the name being different. it would've somewhat popped off

[@fatalmokrane]

@@AintPopular thats a lame excuse. Probably the worst criticism abt that game. Blaming on what its not rather than what it is.

[@BizKwikTwist]

In my eyes, Prey is as iconic as Half-Life and System Shock, possibly even Deus Ex when it comes to this style of game. I loved it.

[@classica1fungus]

No kidding.. I agree

[@TheRAINMan059]

And Bioshock

[@slapzech2930]

This game will always remind people that even an absolutely GREAT game can flop when the marketing team will not do their job. As a fan of the genre, I had NO IDEA that Prey is an immersive sim, how good the game is (imho it beats even System Shock 2), or - for the matter of fact - that PREY EXISTED. I only somehow discovered the game by accident, because of negative feedback from people who wanted a continuation of 2006 Prey, and got something utterly different. Had Bethesda used 1% of money used to promote Doom Eternal to promote Prey, this game would sold far, FAR better.

[@hotdogflavoureddrink]

I overlooked it because it looked like yet another Bioshock, which was dogshit compared to SS2.

[@historyZZ]

You don't need marketing for a great game. Past 2013 singles player games have taken a nose dive and widen their audience base thus making the games to shit.

[@SashyNL]

@@historyZZ uhhhhh i dont disagree with the fact that a lot off games try to widen their audience base resulting in a worse game overall. But stating that marketing isnt needed for a great game is rediculous. If you look at the launch trailer of this game its looks like an average space combat game, not like the sim that it actually is. Same goes with the typhon trailer. They knew how unique the typons were but if you look at that trailer they seem like bland bullet sponges. I think if they leaned a bit more towards the horror aspect of the game it would have perfomed better with sales. Myself found the demo by accident while browsing the xbox marketplace. Why wasnt the demo not promoted more? The opening hour of this game is one of the most memorable. Think if the demo was more promoted and the trailers were at least in the same flavour of the game itself, it wouldve flourished a lot more. O and the difficulty..... in this game difficulty has a lot of impact on how you play and you experience things. Pair this with how early reviewers casually play games(on easier difficulties) and the bland trailers made for a hot mess. This was Arkane's own creation and i still think that naming it Prey due to it bethesda owning the brand and it loosly having the same concepts made it perform give the wrong impression. Both games have nothing a like... expect for the name and being in space...

[@historyZZ]

@@SashyNL @SashyNL csgo, L.O.L have you ever seen an ad for them? Not one and they're in the top 5 most successful games in the world. Honestly you don't need marketing for a great game like I said. If the game is good enough it'll pass through ears. I tell all my buddies what games are good and what games are shit and vice versa.

[@braedzero8127]

@@historyZZ First of all, you're making a mistake by assuming CSGO and LoL are good games. Secondly, CSGO and LoL have SHIT TONS of marketing put into them through Esports. Esports are a form of marketing. CSGO and LoL are two of the largest Esports games on the planet. So yeah, games need marketing

[@nipunjayatunga3929]

This game didn't get the recognition it deserves, thanks Noclip for doing this 🙌

[@NoclipDocs]

Yea we tried to tackle some of the reasons behind that in this doc. Hopefully we show some light on it. Thanks so much for watching!

[@mroutcast8515]

fact that Deathloop is getting far better reviews while being objectively worse games makes me doubt with critics credibility. Merely 75% of critics recommended Prey vs 94% recommending Deathloop. That's just BS

[@MrSnaztastic]

@@mroutcast8515 Maybe they feel bad for what happened to Prey?

[@DaMorg3]

@@mroutcast8515 How are you gonna say that Deathloop is objectively worse... it came out yesterday. There is no way (1) that you could have put enough time into It yet to be able to say conclusively that it's worse and (2) that anyone could ever use the word "objectively" correctly in applying it to criticism, which is inherently subjective.

[@mroutcast8515]

@@DaMorg3 design inconsistency, unclear identity of what the game even wants to be, irrelevant level design - just to name a few objective negatives for Deathloop. Also independent reviewers actually had quite a bit of criticism.

[@Patterrz]

One of my favourites games of the past 5 years, wish more people had played it

[@LupricalArcadius]

still bugging a friend to play mooncrash to this day!

[@Skittles694]

@@LupricalArcadius im currently having a blast with deathloop, similar mechanics, absolutely great game

[@T-Bone_SSteak]

Me whenever I think about Titanfall 2 and hunt showdown

[@ravencorvus7903]

Absolutely. Prey was so well made on all levels.

[@cusman]

I will get to it, eventually but I want to play through their latest game (Deathloop) first.

[@wyldeman7]

Sad day. Good luck to the folks at arkane Austin. Hopefully one day the world realizes how good this game is.

[@davidvu2777]

I envy everyone who has never played it: exploring the station for the first time was so intense.

[@Piggy991]

...and scary

[@JKArcade]

and awe inspiring when you do that first spacewalk.

[@adrianalicea6704]

​@@JKArcade I found it just as horrifying as it is awe inspiring

[@DubElementMusic]

a game like this only comes around once every 5-7 years, sadly they maked ut a bit too easy, the full potential only comes with the hardest difficulty

[@Captain_Yata]

I wish I'd gone in blind

[@TheCritty]

Prey is the most immersive, thoughtful, and intricate game I have ever played, and I cannot praise it enough. When I consider replaying wonderful games that I have already enjoyed, I often find myself growing bored early on, feeling like I've already done this. With Prey, I remain excited about discovering that space station in a new way. Every inch of Talos is lovingly curated, yet the player has so much agency. A masterpiece.

[@fireaza]

Have you played Bioshock? That's scratches the same itch that Prey does for me.

[@undefinedvariable8085]

It's such a small, simple thing, that can be easily overlooked or taken for granted, but I remember seeing a phantom actually run away _and hide_ from the player. A hostile AI that has a sense of self preservation? More than that was the sense of empathy it produced: it knew it was outmatched. When the player pursued it and found it hiding behind the couch to finish it off you could sense its fear. It started out the predator but became the prey. It actually grew to fear what the player had become. And it ran. For its life. If it was me playing, I wouldn't have finished it off so soon. Looking at it cowering there, I took pity. It felt alive. I really think I would've let it go.

[@TheCritty]

@@fireaza just played through the legendary release! Another extremely rich setting. On to mass effect!

[@johnmirra6707]

It's just a shitty system/bioshock clone.

[@kpfluger15]

@@johnmirra6707 have you played Prey to the end? Or just don't like what you've seen so far?

[@elmonarcoful]

This documentary actually made me tear up a bit at the end where Raphael Colantonio looks very sad when he says that it really hurts when you work on something for 3-4 years, you've put so much passion and hard work into this project that is also very risky because of its triple A budget... And a journalist just gives you a 4/10 because of one bug/glitch or something he just didn't like and they write off the entirety of the game. And because of this and the negative PR it creates, your game isn't a commercial success anymore. I wouldn't know how to deal with that to be honest, I mean you work so hard and put all of your ideas and unique concepts into a project for years and have people casually dismissing your work because of a few small minor issues. God bless these people for the hard work they've put into this game and for all of their past and future projects, your games have helped me overcome a lot of difficult moments in life and I am really grateful for that. Also thank you to Noclip for making this hour long documentary, you guys are awesome!

[@dean5853]

I love the noclip documentaries because they often remind us to be sensitive to the intentions and efforts of developers, and to include that in our critique and experiences of their games. I don't have any particular concern with journalists being critical about a bug, but it's the old cliche 'with power comes responsibility' and I suppose I expect more reflection and consideration in this content than I used to as a teenager.

[@danb308]

Many of those so called "game journalists" who trash a great game over a single bug (Kotaku?) are just jealous they don't have the talent to make video games full time like the phenomenal people at Arkane.

[@807D14M0ND5]

That review was embarrassing!

[@rocstarang5747]

I dismiss reviews like that. Nowadays you have to read between the lines on reviews. Like I've bought a game based on a negative review because alot of what the reviewer was complaining about was things I actually *like*.

[@TheRealJawnz]

Shouldn't have betrayed their fellow game developers and stolen the name Prey. Arkane deserves nothing but failure.

[@forestfire3549]

I still can't even express how much Prey means to me. A masterpiece on every level, I can't thank the team enough for pouring their hearts and souls into this art piece.

[@Sm0k3turt]

The mimics being able to turn into people is something I wish made it in. That animation is terrifying.

[@JewTube001]

you'd end up murdering the crew if they could do that.

[@DatHypnoboi]

Woah, didn't expect to find you in the wild! Love your stuff!

[@Sm0k3turt]

@@DatHypnoboi haha thanks! I’m all over the place

[@monuri0451]

marco simmons:

[@tarekhabib2704]

It's absolutely mind boggling the amount of creative work that goes into a game like Prey, and more so the fact that these types of games fail to attract the attention of the general gaming audience. I struggle to find any game ,no matter how good it's visual fidelity is, as impressive as a virtual space that I can inhabit and interact with in meaningful and interesting ways.

[@fatalmokrane]

Take a look at the s.t.a.l.k.e.r trilogy, these Games are also special and a unique experience. A classic cult

[@apenneukende]

Well, that left me with a bitter sweet feeling. Arkane is one of my favorite development houses but their titles always seem destined for some heavy set-back. The strength they show when pushing through, and the games the produce when doing, so is truly amazing!

[@Skullkan6]

Continues with Deathloop

[@Scarecr0wn]

@@Skullkan6 Looks like Deathloop could finally break through with sold copies as unlike Prey, everybody is talking about it, I see new reviews daily and Bethesda finally gave them proper marketing money. Also Sony was involved which helped with hype.

[@victtorsm]

​@@Scarecr0wnAnd then Redfall happens, Arkane can't catch a break it looks like.

[@Scarecr0wn]

@@victtorsm Man, I don´t even know anymore. After Jason Schreier´s report on what happened in Arkane, I don´t really have any hope for Arkane. And it makes me fcking sad because I love Dishonored and Prey so much.

[@peterring2714]

Prey is an absolute masterpiece in level design. The 50 hours I spent exploring Talos I were some of best I've ever experienced playing a video game. I implore those who haven't played it yet to give it a go. That goes for Mooncrash too.

[@Huss_D]

I agree with you about the level design! Such a great game.

[@adnanmahmudshohan4951]

​@daverappmmaYou want the game to mark your path to an objective with green smoke trail ?😂 This is what modern adhd AAA games does to your brain

[@herrpez]

@@adnanmahmudshohan4951 You can disagree without hurling insults. It's possible.

[@monuri0451]

@@herrpezyou may disagree with me but i respect you for your reply above me

[@Xfacta12482]

My favorite part was the DnD group and finally finding where they all met up to play.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

This is possibly the most slept on masterpiece of a game of all time.

[@jowi_24seven43]

Perhaps you're right, I've started, stopped, and replayed the beginning so many times but chickened out early. I never got very far 😂

[@DanRelayer_Ukraine]

especially Mooncrash

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

"The Level Architects ", sounds like an ominous secret society, and I'm here for it 😆

[@Adam-id1th]

Welcome to the next level 😂

[@w0mblemania]

Were they actually trained architects? Because, if you call yourself an architect, you'd better be able to back it up. It's like calling yourself a "doctor" without a high-level, multi-year qualification.

[@SomeOne-vf1rs]

w0mbles It’s a video game, these are devs you can calm down a little. Also architects and engineers can work on digital environments, it’s basically no different than using digital means to visualize and blueprint different things

[@Ioganstone]

@@w0mblemania Fascinating that you were able to read @DeadWhiteButterflies post and hallucinate away the "level" part of "level architects" also described in the video to suit your own narrative.

[@w0mblemania]

@@Ioganstone Fascinating that you are dredging up a 2 year old topic without knowing or understanding the back story. Perhaps you should think before responding in future.

[@Andrew-wb2zq]

Probably a tie between Talos 1 and The Oldest house for my favorite explorable settings in video games.

[@superduper853]

Talos 1 is just such an incredible setting, it kept reminding me of the black mesa facility which is a very good thing!

[@BackfallGenius]

I think Remedy had similar goals with Control, for the entire game to be set in "one massive building, area, or interconnected level". As a player, I'm also starting to heavily prefer these types of handcrafted single-level worlds over the open-world formula that's become so bland and generic over the past decade.

[@bookwyrm5461]

Same here.Both were amazing places to explore

[@AuspexAO]

Ah, I see you are a man of culture as well.

[@Scarecr0wn]

@@BackfallGenius Ah Control.. what a game. What a beautfiul gem that was.

[@Soup_of_goop]

Sucks watching this knowing this studio is gone as of today

[@PABLOGELO]

This part about the architect explains why Arkane games are on a different level to any other games I've played in the missions feeling like someone lives there, no game accomplishes that level of immersion through enviromental design alone, big congrats to the team I get mesmerized

[@giovannagiordano4733]

Damn, my heart aches so much watching this! Prey has become my favorite game of all time and I can't describe how much I was mesmerized while playing it. I'm so sad knowing that it didn't receive the love that it deserved and that its developers feel bad about it. Thanks to Noclip for this amazing documentary and to Arkane for being such an incredible group of people and developers :D

[@50-50_Grind]

I'm overwhelmed with nostalgia. I remember going for the platinum trophy and discovering lots of hidden stuff (locations, paths, multiple ways of getting to your goal) which I would've missed normally. Fond memories.

[@Largentina.]

I love this game as well. Seeing the word nostalgia when referring to 4 years ago makes me feel funny.

[@GassyMexican]

Finally got around to finishing this Doc (started it a bit ago and meant to finish it sooner). Absolutely stellar work again guys. This game was definitely something special. It's a shame it didn't do commercially as well as they would have hoped (or it SHOULD have done). Being able to see how the team came to different solutions/creative decisions when facing problems...or really just wanting to make sure a feature/mechanic they loved made it into the final cut was fascinating. Thanks as always for fantastic work.

[@skykur]

This game isnt for everyone. And thats why its so amazing.

[@aidanhammer6968]

OMGOSH I REMEMBER YOU FROM CREATURE HUB

[@jerrodshack7610]

@@aidanhammer6968 I remember when those bitches kicked him out

[@Icewallowcome012]

@@aidanhammer6968 don't remind me... The pain...

[@parillo12]

@gassymexican you never uploaded your play-through to your channel?

[@MrMisterNameless]

This game is a masterpiece and I wish it had gotten the sales it deserved. Hearing the team talk about how in the future they'd want to scale things down, but damn if those aren't why I've loved and replayed it so many times. It makes every replay a treasure, and every step feel like actually carving out my own path.

[@mattyb9991]

Going through it for my first time and the sheer vastness of every area DESPITE it being quite literally in a vacuum with very limited space speaks volumes to how much work they put in. It has me already excited thinking about my second playthrough WHILE I’m still doing my first. Scaling it down would severely dampen this sense of an actual fully realized world that you can never appreciate in a single go. Makes me worry of a shift to games like the Outer Worlds that had no real replayability.

[@BobbyOxygen]

I think the name really hurt this game. I know I wasn't really interested, because I thought it was a more of a straight FPS like the 2006 Prey. So I was pleasantly surprised when I picked it up during a sale and discovered it was the System Shock 3 we never got. I really loved it, and got Mooncrash right after I finished it.

[@bensbasement4587]

Exactly the same here.

[@shelceygusek427]

@@bensbasement4587 This was my husband's problem. and he REGRETS CRAPPING ON THIS GAME SO MUCH before he played it. His powers of stupid assumption are truly a spectacle to behold. In his defense he is not a fan of 1st person perspective games, and as such the original Prey (a generic Doom style FPS) is absolute dumpster leakage to him. So, when we finally picked it up when we got Game Pass a few years back (before Microsoft picked up Bethesda) ... He figured if he was going to talk down about a game, he should at least put his hands on it. He was up playing it all night. I found him almost crying the next morning. He was absolutely devastated. He felt so bad because he talked so much trash about the game... and NONE of it was true. He was absolutely blown away. He said he expected, worst case scenario, to be wrong, but not like this. He expected an alright game. This was so much more. It was so unique. He wasn't ready for this. It honestly endeared both of us to the game that much more.

[@tonykarnes7043]

PsychoShock

[@DaKineGuy]

@@shelceygusek427 hey hey hey no need to down play the original Prey. It is a great game too and definitely not generic

[@projekt_tats]

this is literally system shock 3, its absoultely so underrated and more people should play this

[@AuspexAO]

The call of the Prey fan. In space, no one can hear us tell everyone there is a fantastic SS3 game you can play right now.

[@Baxtexx]

I agree!

[@Monsoon888]

I enjoyed the game until the ending. It was dissatisfying. When that visor popped open I was crestfallen.

[@Dr_Andracca]

@@Monsoon888 While I agree, it makes Mooncrash make more sense though.

[@shelceygusek427]

It's criminal that it is so underrated. It's heartbreaking and abhorrent that Dishonored gets credit as a better game.

[@roolaing]

The best first person experience I have had since Half Life. An absolutely beautiful game.

[@timhaldane7588]

Easily one of my favorite games of the last decade. Unbelievably underrated.

[@AmyDentata]

I don't play many games to completion. I completed Prey four times in a row, using a different play style each time. And I had no idea you could let Alex get killed! One of the all-time greatest games.

[@net343]

Push the fat man :v

[@perchipy7900]

I LOVE everything about prey, glad and proud that Noclip made this.

[@necr0mancrr]

I know nothing about Prey, I love this anyway.

[@adaptorperish1322]

I’m glad Arkane’s games are getting more attention. My favourite developers, that have not disappointed over the years and their games. The leap they made from Dishonored to Prey is mind blowing, considering the amount of proper work with their resources and time. Amazing. Edit: I actually felt what Raphael was talking about in the end. Such a shame this game didn’t deserve attention it deserves.

[@deepfriedicecream576]

Recently played through it and the story telling...this is what video games do best. a movie, mini series, album, painting or book could not tell the story of Prey. Only a videogame could and I think that's really something special. My highest's of respects to the team who made this possible, and Arkane as a whole. They are artists, armed with passion and creativity.

[@Madfighter27]

It was maddening then, as it is now, to see that IGN review of Prey. A majority of people like to poke fun at IGN, but a review such as the one that was given to Prey really does have an effect on sales. I love all of Arkanes games, including the new Deathloop so far, but Prey really was something special and so unique. Everyone is valid in their own opinion, but there was just something incredibly wrong with the reception people gave Prey around the time of release. I'm even seeing some of it again with Deathloop, unfortunately. Great documentary, as always. Hope to see another one for Deathloop, and all future Arkane games. Love hearing these guys talk through their process.

[@sonictimm]

I readily insult IGN for their bland and shallow reviews. They seem so concerned with sounding objective that the reviewer's opinions don't really come through. Everyone has a different opinion, and mine might not match the reviewer's opinion, but I still want to hear their impression and WHY. I'm a huge fan of Game Informer. They consistently write such detailed reviews, explaining the reasoning behind their opinions, that I can not only discern what the reviewer thought of the game, but also what I would think of the game, almost feels as if I got to play it myself. So there are times where I read a review, and the reviewer left a middling score, but I look at what they said about the game and say "that sounds like tons of fun for me" and get the game, and really enjoy it. Sometimes the other way around (classic example is sports games... some get great reviews, and I say "sounds like a good sports game but I don't have any desire to buy it"). Not to mention the grammar style & quality of their writing is better than most published novels even though they churn out reviews and previews every month of the year.

[@trager8933]

The game probably failed becaus casuals only play games like cod and battlefield.

[@ericvcod2133]

reviews CAN influence the sales, but it depends. if you have a ton of marketing push behind a game like halo or tlou 2, reviews basically don't matter, but if you are a small studio( specially an indie one) reviews can make or break your game. They are great just for the visibility alone(which again is a lot more important for small indie studios), but god forbid you gain a negative review, even mixed reception can hurt a lot. I'm writing this because I'm not sure whether prey failed because of bad marketing or because of reviews.

[@narcspector]

@@ericvcod2133 it came out at a bad time (lots of competition), it came out on the wrong gen of consoles, was poorly optimized at launch, the fairly hefty amount marketing did a terrible job explaining why the game was unique and not a bland shooter (not unlike DEATHLOOP, strangely enough- it seems Bethesda can't figure out how to sell Arkane's genius products to us simpleton gamers), there were many complaints from would-be buyers at the time that the enemies looked "generic" and that they would've preferred the Prey 2 bounty hunter thing we were originally going to get when Human Head or whoever TF was still working on the game. Personally, I prefer this, bc I highly doubt the cinematic trailer for the "original" Prey 2 would've been possible on X1 and PS4, bc it looked better than Cyberpunk 2077 and that doesn't run great a year after launch, on the best hardware available in 2021, sooo....

[@titanjakob1056]

@@trager8933 no it failed because -it uses the name of an already heavily loved shooter called prey and the canceled a very hyped sequel (and the story as to why it was canceled which made it even worse) which was extremely different compared to this so a lot of people (me included) refused to to buy this game -marketing let’s face it was boring or non existent it made it look like a generic action horror game -the whole bethesda copyrighting the word prey which cause many indie devs to change there names of games that had the word prey which had sparked an already big boycott to become even bigger

[@martian_turtle4070]

32:46 If I had seen a mimic do that I would have shit myself. They already keep you on edge because they could be hiding almost anywhere, so just imagine you've been alone for awhile exploring the station and then you come across a rare survivor. You approach them with the hopes of talking to them. They turn around giving you a blank stare then twist down onto all fours and jump at you. Fuck that, but also that would have been really memorable

[@barryromano0451]

That shit would’ve been terrifying. I really wish they would’ve implemented it.

[@timandafish]

RIP Arkane Austin. I'm replaying Prey again, and its a masterpiece. A game like this would have a very hard time getting made today. That spirit brought be back to this documentary.

[@blu_falcon6321]

2021 and I just finished my first play through. Absolutely stunning how much work went into this masterpiece.

[@sporkcrx]

Same, loved it

[@mattyb9991]

I’m going through it right now for my first time in 2022 and am pretty f**king awestruck. I wish I had known enough to support this on release, feels like a spiritual successor to a bunch of my favourite games (Bioshock, Half-Life, Fallout, with some DnD sprinkled in)

[@BirdMan00]

Man.. the fact that this game didn't do well hurts. It was so creative and interesting. A classic game. The ending wasn't perfect but how many games nail the ending? I played this recently through gamepass and I never did before because I had never really heard much about it. Marketing could have been the main issue.

[@johannjensson6190]

Why wasn't the ending perfect? On the contrary, it was perfect, albeit painful and bittersweet. I loved the ending and i enjoy it every time i replay Prey 2017.

[@egamruf]

It had performance issues on console at launch, which didn't help. I loved it on PC but several console friends returned it. Took a few months to sort out IIRC.

[@luichinplaystation610]

Because it's called Prey like the other game with aliens too

[@johannjensson6190]

@@luichinplaystation610 That's one of the main reasons i think. You can't just alienate your audience and then expect them to buy stuff from you. At least not everybody is dumb enough to. I'll never forgive Zenimax/Bethesda for ruining Human Head and shelving Prey 2. But out of love for Arkane i bought Prey 2017 and it really blew me away - instant GOTY and more. []-)

[@luichinplaystation610]

@@johannjensson6190 and the plot twist of that Prey 2 that Betheada took it from us

[@liaminwales]

Prey is still one of the best games I have ever played, Best SIFI game. Art design/direction, sound design & stunning gameplay that works with the story. When playing with headphones late at night in the dark the Mimic spider had me looking around the room, no game has done that to me since I was a kid. I can only hope one day we will get anther of it's kind form Arkane.

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

It truly is a masterpiece. I've recently just started replaying it for the 1st time since release. I haven't watched this video yet but am looking forward to it when I have the time later today.

[@rhorytrue5317]

Yeah the mimics were creepier than I thought they would be throughout the game. I pretty much can't play HL Alyx anymore cause the headcrabs have gone from barely noticable in HL2 to terrifying massive jumping spiders that totally convince my brain that they're real.

[@MT-zy7il]

“Let’s put some rougelikes into the stew and see what happens” And we have Deathloop.

[@marc-antoinemarcoux697]

@@ULTRAOutdoorsman and with a downgraded AI... no wonder the game journos gave it a 10/10

[@OwnerGovna]

I had no idea this game wasn't a big success. Everyone I talk to about games really loved it. It was a fantastic experience.

[@Sean081]

I still hold out hope that one day there will be a sequel to this masterpiece

[@JewTube001]

prey games dont get sequels.

[@84jesterx]

Man, I remember that ign review on Prey. I know immersive sims are tough to craft, but sometimes I think if you are working in this industry, you HAVE to assume that maybe a PC version will not be 100% in working order. It's best to expect the possibilities of bugs/glitches or other unforeseen hinderances in today's games. It's almost a miracle that Lyon got Deathloop to a very playable state despite visual performances on both the release platforms. But then you have situations like Cyberpunk 2077, and it makes Prey's launch woes look trivial in comparison. Love these doc, guys. A game like Prey, and a studio like Arkane deserve the recognition. Thank you.

[@DaMorg3]

Yeah, one thing I've seen is some review sites update their review after the releasing studio brings the game into full working order. I don't believe that ever happened with Prey, and likely the damage was already done.

[@repker]

Cyberpunk is a great example (in an infamous, unfortunate kind of way) of how fantastic marketing can completely carry a game. Cyberpunk may be a technical marvel in ways Prey is not, but if you really sit down and think about it, I honestly believe Prey is just the better crafted game, like as objectively as you can rate art, it is better.

[@guspaz]

@@DaMorg3 IGN updated their review. They gave the game a 4/10 because it was unplayably broken (a save game corruption bug and many crashes), and after the bug was fixed, they updated the review and score to 8/10. I can't find any fault with what IGN did. They can only review the game they are given to review, and the game they were given was unplayable. Considering most of the serious bugs in the game were fixed under a week from launch, it's clear that the game wasn't ready and should not have been shipped or provided to reviewers in the state it was in. It's not like Cyberpunk or No Man's Sky where there were fundamental issues that would take months or years to fix. They had Prey fixed six days later.

[@alexandervolgzangief6759]

I've recently discovered Prey on the Xbox Game Pass and I can tell that this was one of the best games I've played in 2021.

[@JohnSmith-ef2rn]

Such a tragic shame that this game did not get the recognition it deserved. The world they built was truly amazing. The lore, the art, the style - all of it was fantastic. I would love to live in a world where buildings and items were designed as they are in the Prey universe.

[@danielherrschaft7682]

Prey is one of my favorite games ever, and definitely the most under-rated in my opinion. Probably the only time I ever stopped and though, "I can't believe this is a game". The depth and complexity felt so much more than the simple plaything the world "game" conjures up.

[@velmux]

I love you guys for making documentaries about these type of games: Games that give you true freedom in how you approach and overcome each obstacle. The onlly limits being your creativity and technical boundaries. These type of games are very rare, still, and hold a very special place in my heart. Including Arkane as a whole.

[@stevenhorton8604]

This is one of the best games ever made, hands down. There's some boring parts that needed to be culled, for sure, and you can get VERY lost, but it's so fantastic.

[@FiguraCinque]

It is already in itself a kind of miracle that Arkane was able to realize prey in 2017 with the support of Bethesda and I want to hope that Microsoft will continue (as it seems to be in their intentions) to do the same. The world of video games is a better place with Arkane in it.

[@Crowborn]

Yooo perfect timing! Arkane is the top designer right now, Prey was amazing and Deathloop is fantastic! Never a miss with them!

[@NoclipDocs]

brb gonna replay Dark Messiah

[@KatalistProductionsKozzySasha]

@@NoclipDocs Dark Messiah was soooo good. But..BRB... going to replay Arx Fatalis :)

[@aahilsheikh935]

'Never doubt it'

[@Aggnog]

Arkane have a lot of skill and talent but bethesda is a big downside. Not only do we get forced denuvo, but releases are on different platforms for no reason, use different engines constantly. I can only imagine how tedious it was for them to learn unreal engine, id tech 5, and cryengine within the span of only a few years. And worst of all, Raphael has now left Arkane, which is a loss for sure.

[@NebiCarax]

@@NoclipDocs Dark Messiah had one of the best and versatile weapons of any videogame, your boot. And Deathloop brought it back!

[@Mevdik]

Thank you for making this documentary, Prey is one of my favorite games and learning about behind the scenes stuff from Arkane is always fascinating ("The Untold History Of Arkane" is a blessing, big thanks for that one too). 35:41 Mimics turning into a T-posing Morgan can still happen in the game in one very specific instance: The Greater Mimic trapped in the morphing experiment in Behavioral Biometrics (Psychotronics, Level 3, Labs B) can glitch out when trying to turn into the Yu family portrait that is face down on Rory Manion's desk nearby, and instead turns into a T-posing model of Morgan with a golden texture on the face. It happened to me on my first playthrough and since then I've seen a dozen posts about it out on the Prey subreddit. Not sure why that's the only instance where it can happen, but it seems like that mimic has some special scripting that forces it to turn into the portrait when you mess with the experiment trying to get it to mimic the objects in the tubes, and it rebelliously turns into the portrait instead to creep you out. Except when the bug happens and you soil your pants at the sight of a T-posing evil Morgan asserting dominance from the other side of the glass.

[@TrevorLahey3]

Awesome to know. I felt like I was in the twilight zone when that mimic turned into the portrait. I could only imagine how creeped out I would have been to see the gold face t-pose haha! “Asserting dominance” lol

[@dougDuarte]

I just LOVE Prey. Thank you for this masterpiece, Arkane.

[@Deadforge]

So many people underestimate this game. so many will never understand it's complexity or see why it's a masterpiece.

[@enzoyaksic2274]

One of the most memorable gaming experiences I have ever had. Everything about Prey is pitch perfect. Going to start Mooncrash soon!

[@JohnJRM]

Hoo boy, you're in for a treat! I loved Prey, but Mooncrash elevated it to something even more special.

[@MagdaRantanplan]

Mooncrash is amazing and mindblowing... a crown to an already amazing game. I hope you will enjoy it.

[@AintPopular]

Time for you to spend days in that gem of a dlc

[@fabiogoulart1987]

You will love Mooncrash!

[@eliasb9476]

Because of the Documentary I bought mooncrash today!

[@NoclipDocs]

[Captions are now live] Thank you for following our long series on the work of both Arkane Studios. Got any documentary requests for the rest of 2021? Stick them in the comments!

[@colin-campbell]

FYI any verified accounts leaving positive feedback are actually slyly advertising their own channel.

[@superduper853]

Thank you for making this! Would it make sense to do one one Team Cherry/Hollow Knight? Maybe after Silksong comes out

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

History of 90's Rare.

[@JoonasSariola]

Hopoo Games: Risk of rain 1, Deadbolt and Risk of rain 2 (interview maybe after risk of rain 2 dlc is out?) or DONTNOD Entertainment (interview maybe after life is strange true colors dlc is out?)

[@ryanwidmer5311]

I think something with RGG Studio and the Yakuza/Judgement games would be interesting. It's leap in popularity in the West since Yakuza 0, their decision to go turn-based with Like a Dragon, their gonzo-style design mentality, Nagoshi is a colorful character. Could be a lot of material there.

[@Epiousios18]

This game deserves a next-gen "remaster" with the loading screens eliminated, would make it truly something special.

[@BluntsNBeatz]

That would be great and I agree, though I'd imagine even if it were mostly possible, eliminating loading screens between the exterior and interior might not be in the cards. I would also love for Mooncrash to have an endless mode + possibly a more survival based version of the mode on Talos-1 (with all the stuff they weren't able to add, but did add in Mooncrash). The idea of trying to survive for as long as possible in such a well simulated environment with repairable hazards occurring due to enemy sabotage and such seems like it would be the most awesome experience.

[@UponDemise666]

Deathloop is proof in & of itself that Arkane *REALLY* had fun with the "rogue-like meets Immersive Sim" mixture found in Prey's "Mooncrash" DLC & really doubled down on that aspect. This was such a wonderful video, Skål!!!

[@VulpesObscura]

Prey was my GOTY in 2017, and 2018, and 2019... I would give a limb to get a proper sequel.

[@blitzedoblivion4280]

Preach sister

[@VulpesObscura]

@@blitzedoblivion4280 *sister, but thanks lol

[@blitzedoblivion4280]

@@VulpesObscura oh sorry oops

[@VulpesObscura]

@@blitzedoblivion4280 no worries :)

[@alanfennell4833]

What did you think of Mooncrash? I liked it a lot but it just leaves me wanting a proper sequel as well.

[@ogto]

Prey is the kinda game i just wanna see more of. Heartbreaking that it didn't get the love it deserved.

[@dud5606]

It's honestly a little heartbreaking to see that the game didn't get reviewed very well. I got it for free on Epic games some time ago and decided to play it just now and it became one of my favourite games of all time. I'm even considering buying it on steam just to support the devs. It was amazed at almost every corner by how much detail and interactivity is in this world. Added survival mechanics also enriched the game, gave it even more depth than there was before. I hope they make a game like this again one day.

[@scottyben191]

Really happy this game is getting some more love, it deserves it. One of my all time favs and imho Arkanes finest work.

[@rywright93]

I’m so glad I went back to play Prey during the pandemic. I was always curious about it after hearing some glowing critical responses after the initial negative wave of press came and went. Now it’s probably my favorite immersive sim, and one of my all-time favs in general.

[@eliasb9476]

Yeah, Prey and Shadow of War were the only games I Played during the lockdown Here, it was pure nostalgia

[@ShellComics]

The wait was worth it!

[@VoodooPanda1]

How could you possibly know? The video has only been live for 7 minutes.

[@NoclipDocs]

@@VoodooPanda1 He's a patron and had early access for a few days! www.patreon.com/noclip

[@VoodooPanda1]

@@NoclipDocs O:

[@Mr.Daniel297]

It breaks my heart that we all hate the modern multiplayer, micro transaction heavy, battle pass, “will fix after release” games but when a dope game like this drops players ignore it and shareholders stop funding them…

[@davidhosseini]

Man, the ending of this video made me hates the whole concept of Metacritic even more than before. Thank you, Noclip, for this very constructive doc.

[@B_Skizzle]

I still remember the moment I first fell in love with Prey. I was being chased by the Nightmare in the Psychotronics labs when I bumped into a poltergeist. I managed to slide under the object it threw (I think it was a microscope) and it hit the Nightmare instead, which gave me just enough time to run into a nearby security station and lock the door behind me. If anybody else has any memorable stories from Prey or other im-sims, I’d love to hear them.

[@Anttown123]

Most of my memories are jump scarying mimics. Such a smart enemy you are always on your toe when playing super engaging. this and bioshock are the best fps/rpgs ever made.

[@narc0manic]

I remember my first trip to the Hardware Labs. I'd cleared, or _thought_ I'd cleared, the entire area and was running around, thinking I'm safe. So I'm reading one of the terminals on the upper level when suddenly the screen scrambles and the whole room just goes dark. Like, full-on horror movie moment. And then I realised there must be a Phantom somewhere nearby, and I just drop to the floor trying to sneak up on it before it sneaks up on me. The work they did on the dynamic lighting really paid off for moments like that.

[@noshow]

One of my all-time favorite games, thanks for showing it some love and documenting Danny!

[@blueluny]

This is one of the best games I ever played. And am still playing. I bought it for £5 second hand and it makes me feel guilty that the developers didn't get that money. That's how impressive this game is.

[@domenicopisano4383]

Everything related to Prey is making me very emotional nowadays. Knowing that this studio got shut down because of corporate greediness just feels like another stab in the heart. I hope for these people that poured their soul for this product to really find a better place to be freely creative, because it's really necessary to have beautiful products such as Prey and Dishonored in an industry that shifted it's focus on meaningless low quality experiences in favor of monetization.

[@wulfman15]

This was the best game of the past decade by far, and probably the second best game I've ever played (Super Metroid is forever #1)

[@NFLed]

Prey is a great game. The attention to detail is amazing and really improves the player experience. I remember the feeling I had, having played hundreds of computer games over the decades, floating out into space in Prey and feeling that this is the first time I've experienced anything like this, it was great.

[@Jordo246]

These guys knocked it out of the fucking park with this game. It really is one of my favourite games of all time. I come back to Prey just to run around the ship looking for hidden things which more often than not I end up finding everytime I play it. I hope they realise there's people that really appreciate what they created here.

[@catans]

Prey is one of my favourite singleplayer games. The studio deserved so much more. To this day I recommend the game to new friends!

[@tomco3783]

Ok, I was expecting deus ex but prey 2017 is one of my favorites games on recent years. I love the immersive sim genre. Thanks Noclip.

[@magfal]

I would love to see the deus ex IP be lent out to Arkane for a game.

[@tomco3783]

@@magfal I love human revolution and mankind divided (even when this last one didn't end very well) eidos montreal did a couple of fantastic games, but I think arkane reach a new level with mooncrash, I'd love to see what could they do with deus ex.

[@aethervvav1658]

I absolutely loved prey and hope the people at Arkane know how much there work is appreciated! I bet a game like this will get the studio respect that will pay off in the long run.

[@cratecruncher4974]

I bought the game 5 years ago and just recently played it for the first time. Like others, I think it is the pinnacle of the immersive sim genre. I think the reason it took so long for me to play is that the name PREY reminded me of a DOOM type corridor shooter. I was blown away by so much game play flexibility, level design, exploration, diverse enemy types. It was an incredible game I plan to play many more times.

[@guntherultraboltnovacrunch5248]

37:57 This dude nailed the sound effect!

[@baconaterlover5399]

This game was seriously underrated. One of my all time favorites for sure. Arkane hit it out of the park with this game and the dishonored games too.

[@dblundz]

I hope deathloop sells well. Arkane is under appreciated heavily

[@eliasb9476]

Yeah I hope that too, if it Sells good I have the Hope Arkane is maybe going to think of Prey 2

[@Texelion3Dprints]

Given how many reviewers and KZbinrs are praising it, I guess it will. At least more than Prey.

[@GenghisD0ng]

Reviews have been much better so far

[@asmosisyup2557]

Deathloop is having the opposite problem. Journalists attempting to outdo each other giving it 10/10's and players reactions being like "this is a great game, but 10?" is actually hurting it somewhat.

[@drogonk7109]

Deathloop is Arkane's worst game, they took everything wrong with DOTO and amplified it. You can't carry consumables, you have to wait for powers to recharge because there is no power consumable. DOTO's only three powers gave you more flexibility because in Deathloop you can only choose two powers every run. The annoying responses whenever you try to pick up something you don't need ("I'm feeling just fine" with a voice that sounds like he's dying.). Melee is almost completely gone, I know this game is a shooter mainly, but it's really disappointing coming from Arkane. Also, the ending is just an insult, left me with a terrible taste, complete waste of time.

[@Theehtlam66]

Such a gem of a game. These types of games are not really my cup of tea, but even then I was blown away by the quality of experience that this game offered. Not a game I will be replaying, but also not one that I will ever forget.

[@BenHussGaming]

Prey is amazing. I have just replayed it and am now discovering the stand alone Mooncrash, it seems nice so far too! I wish Immersive-sims were more successful because we need more of them.

[@appiah-53]

yeah woul be fantastic if we can get games like bioshock and prey every 2-3 years or so!

[@TheNoparu662show]

This game absolutely is a modern classic. I didn't get a chance to experience Bioshock first-hand as I watched my brother play through it, but this game gave me an opportunity to discover the same sense of wonder of exploring such a fantastical environment and growing more powerful through gaining new abilities and understanding of the systems around me. Not to mention the yet unparalleled feeling of stepping out into the microgravity of space for the first time, in a word, brilliant.

[@haydn-db8z]

I absolutely loved Bioshock and I grew to love Bioshock 2. Prey is my favorite game since those titles. 2K: In Bioshock 2, we'll let you explore the undersea world *outside* of Rapture! Arkane: Hold my coffee mug.

[@davida1229]

@@haydn-db8z Arkane was also one of the developers of Bioshock 2 lol

[@fabioenchilada8950]

This game made me love the immersive sim genre. Thanks for dedicating it a documentary Noclip :)

[@flobbergassy]

I am playing through this again right now, and it is absolutely one of the best games ever made. It is engaging and exciting from the very beginning, the playstyles can be so different because of the neuromods and the psy abilities like Mimic, the music and art direction is incredible...I could go on and on. Every time I play I play it a different way, which opens up entirely ways to do things. 10/10

[@gammaf8896]

Just finished my first playthrough, so for what it’s worth I thought it was a really cool game. Lot of great and creative features - mimics, gloo, the boltcaster, throwing refrigerators at aliens, etc, and very natural, organic exploration and progression. It reminded me a lot of System Shock 2 (a game I also love) while still being its own thing. Prey has some issues, particularly in the 3rd act, but really I think the thing that held it back from mainstream popularity was no one knowing what it was, or that it even existed. I wouldn’t have either, if it wasn’t for Yahtzee’s review of it that I happened to watch a couple weeks ago. I’d love to play another game like it, and see all of the cool stuff that didn’t make it into Prey.

[@badrolljoe]

despite being a massive immersive sim fan, I'm not sure I wouldve played Prey if not for the demo. thats likely down to my own ignorance of new releases and limited funds, but still. Prey is an incredible game I will hype up to as many people as will listen!

[@pedroscoponi4905]

It was very awesome how earnestly everyone seemed to talk about the development process in this doc? How there can be some friction between roles, how things are hard and complicated and stressful, all that stuff that you wouldn't see out of a documentary made for marketing. Maybe this is some sort of wishful thinking, but I don't think employees would speak so openly about these aspects of gamedev if they didn't feel safe in their workspace. It was really, really cool 🙂

[@Geostationary0rbit]

Yeah i was thinking that too, I hope that isn’t set to change with death loop which seems to be setting a slightly different trajectory for the studio along with arkane becoming more of a Bethesda support studio for other games.

[@TAGstunts]

Yes! Agree with all of that

[@strangestecho5088]

@@Geostationary0rbit There are two Arkane studios. Arkane Austin made Prey, but not Deathloop. They probably engage in some level of collaboration, but the teams work on separate projects.

[@destroyermaker]

You should watch the God of War documentary (Raising Kratos). Makes you realize there's a very human cost to developing games.

[@Chino11ification]

Watching this documentary has made me purchase the Arkane collection. I have only ever finished Dishonored 2. I am going to play through the 1st one and its dlc. Probably go through the 2nd again with Corvo, then proceed to Death of the Outsider. Prey has always been on my radar but I think it is time to pull the trigger and play it. Looks incredible. It is amazing all the systems and techniques that the dev team have to make to make these games "work". Truly.

[@gwynbleidd5554]

4 month ago, when this video was released I watched it. on the final chapter I felt a lot of shame that didn't played this game before. then, I decided no matter what I'm gonna try it. I bought it a month ago. started playing. after 30 hours I decided to check how long would it take to beat ( didn't wanted it to end). it appeared that howlongtobeat said 20-25 hours to full game/full game + extras... well, now it's 45 hours in game and I'm not even close... I truly love this game, it's one of the best games I've ever played. thank you guys, a lot, for everything u r doin'

[@TheMeldanor]

I read some articles about the games, saw some bits here and there, but didn't play it at launch. I bought it a year or so ago and loved it! It was fun, unique and engaging. There were some minor problems like long walking ways and too simple shooing elements - but it was a very good game in the end. A shame that it didn't sell or was a commercial success and it makes me sad to to see the people who worked on it talking with a bitter sweet undertone. Thank you for the documentation! Great as always.

[@Thinker77]

I have some time off work. I was debating whether to finally put in the time and hours to actually finishing Prey. The video help me make my decision.

[@Veles343]

I didn't really know what to expect when I booted up Prey for the first time as I hadn't really looked into it. Just bought in the sale on the off chance. I was certainly not expecting one of the best games I have ever played.

[@willianjohnam]

It's 2023 and I'm playing Prey 2017 for the first time and it's already one of my favorite games ever.

[@shingnosis]

I feel like Prey came and went, but it's probably one of the best and most intelligent sci-fi FPS games since Half-Life 2. I can also recommend Titanfall 2 and the single-player campaign there, pretty intelligent and well crafted stuff.

[@elviskleber10]

The act of exploring Talos I is one of the best things I have ever experienced in video games

[@BlargleWargle]

This was a game I wrote off for many years because I felt a sort of righteous indignation towards Zenimax for the way they treated HumanHead (and I still do to this day), and I've always felt a sort of guilt towards Arkane for that because I adored Dishonored. When I finally got around to playing this game last year, I was blown away by the opening sequence * actually * surprising me and within a few hours I was engrossed in the experience. It found its way to being on my list of favourite games of all time, but I hope Arkane will forgive me for writing it down as "Psychoshock" or "Typhon".

[@w0t_m818]

One of my favourite games of all time, honestly right up there with Fallout: New Vegas and VtMB. When looking at their entire repertoire, Arkane really are one of the greatest developers currently working, possibly of all time.

[@TheKiburedo]

What a nice surprise! I was just thinking about trying to play this game, I guess after the documentary I might buy it and play it. Thanks for the awesome work!

[@caster-]

definitely worth it, one of my favorite

[@TheKiburedo]

@@caster- Just bought it, will try it for sure

[@granatengeorg]

And your comment moved me to consider it myself! My first experience with this game wasn't so great due to technical performance (base xbox one) and i stopped after a few minutes, but i guess i should give it another go on pc.

[@TheKiburedo]

@@granatengeorg That's awesome, the documentary itself and @Caster- comment moved me to also buy the game, I had the same issue with performance, but at the time kinda forgot to game because I was playing something else with friends most of the time, but I'm trying to give another chance to this game, looks fun.

[@ladyfox6705]

Same here! I love Arkane & Dishonored is one of my favourite franchises, but sadly (for whatever reason) Prey just went under my radar. I will be playing it asap :-)

[@kayeplaguedoc9054]

I really hope this gets a turn around in its reputation. My favorite game of 2017.

[@mikeryan1043]

It's still a hidden gem, but the reputation is already great by now. Many people loving the game or even holding it as one of the best games of all time (which it definitely is).

[@FranklyGaming]

Funny how games that are hated and forgotten are often the best. Prey and arkane are finally finding mainstream success and it’s awesome to see. My favorite games of all time are prey and cyberpunk 2077. Both games that are sadly not given the love they deserve. But as with all great art at some point, maybe even years later, that passion shines through and people realize what they missed

[@bottlecatmatt]

One of the best games ever created. So very underrated and this style of game is STILL ahead of its time. Just finished Deathloop and loved it I hope it helps Arkane become less slept on.