Typhon have overrun Talos I, and Morgan Yu alone must stop the alien threat from destroying humanity. But don’t worry! As mankind’s last hope, you’ll be armed with a host of upgradeable human-based abilities to fend off the alien infestation. But why stop there when you can turn the tables on the aliens using their own powers? That’s right… in Prey, you’ll also gain access to Typhon abilities – unique alien powers learned by scanning the Typhon that are hunting you aboard the orbiting space station.
One of the first powers you’ll learn is Mimic Matter. Acquired from the diminutive (and aptly named) Mimic Typhon, this power allows you to take the form of just about any appropriately sized object aboard Talos I. You’ll start small – a coffee mug, a teapot, a lamp, a banana – but as you level up this ability, you’ll soon be able to mimic more complex objects, including an impressive array of security turrets and Operator robots.
“Mimic is a really fun power with a lot of uses,” says Lead Designer Ricardo Bare. “The most obvious is stealth. It’s a great way to hide from an alien that might be too strong for you. Or, you can get the drop on an alien by ambushing them. It’s also a really good way to access a closed-off area. Maybe there’s a security booth that you don’t have the key to – you could mimic something small enough to slip through a security slot.”
When you reach Level 2 of Mimic Matter, you can take the form of more complex objects like turrets. “You not only look like a turret but you can fire like a turret,” says Lead Systems Designer Seth Shain. “If you’re running low on ammo, it’s a really useful way to take down enemies.” And as you further advance this ability, you’ll eventually be able to mimic Operator robots and fly through Talos I with different robotic tools and weapons.
With over 400 items you can mimic, Prey allows for an astounding amount of emergent gameplay with this one power alone. “The ability to look around a room, to activate the mimic power and then choose what object I want to turn into never ceases to delight me,” says Lead Producer Susan Kath. “There are just so many different things that you can mimic.”
Get a small taste of the mimic power in the video above.
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