Important Notes
Important Notes
General Warnings & Pitfalls
- Save Often and Use Multiple Slots: Prey has no autosave between objectives. Manual saves are crucial. Always rotate save slots to avoid being locked into a bad situation. The game does not have a quicksave on console, but on PC you can use F5 (quicksave) and F9 (quickload). Use them.
- Irreversible Choices: Your decisions during the quest "The G.U.T.S." and especially the endgame affect which ending you get. Also, using Typhon Neuromods permanently locks you out of certain Turret-friendly abilities and makes turrets hostile to you. You cannot remove Neuromods. Some side quests become unavailable if you advance the main story too far.
- Missable Content: Several crew members (e.g., Mikhaila, Dr. Calvino) can be killed if you are careless, locking you out of side quests. Items like the Psychoscope upgrade chips are missable if you don't explore thoroughly. The side quest "The Cook's Request" is easy to miss if you don't read emails and explore crew quarters.
- Difficulty Spikes: The first encounter with a Phantom in the lobby can be tough if you are not prepared. The Telepath at the Crew Quarters is a major spike. The final area (the Cargo Bay) is intense. Save before entering new areas.
- Human vs Typhon Neuromods: You can mix and match, but if you install any Typhon Neuromod, the turrets on Talos I will become hostile to you. There is a way to temporarily befriend turrets via the "Remote Manipulation" ability or hacking, but they will remain hostile. To avoid this, stay purely human or be prepared for turret hostility.
- Respec is Not Possible: Once you install a Neuromod, it's permanent. There is no way to unlearn abilities. Plan your build carefully. Perhaps keep a save before using any Neuromods.
- Key Neuromods to Prioritize: Repair II (to fix turrets and doors), Hacking (to access safes and computers), Leverage (to move heavy objects), Suit Modification (to increase inventory), Combat Focus (a lifesaver against tough enemies). For weapons, invest in Shotgun and Pistol skills early.
- Use manual saves before every major encounter, before using a Neuromod, and before entering a new zone.
- The game has a history of save corruption on rare occasions, especially if you save during combat or while your health is zero. Always save in safe rooms.
- On PC, avoid using cloud save sync if you plan to reload often; some players report issues.
- Don't Hoard Mindlessly: Resources are finite. You can craft items using the Fabricator. However, materials like Mineral Material and Synthetic Material are used for both crafting and repairing. Use Fabrication wisely – don't craft everything.
- Recycler Charges are valuable: Use them to turn large objects (like chairs, corpses) into raw materials. But don't waste them on small items.
- Weapon Repair Kits: You can repair your weapons with spare parts. Don't let your weapons break completely; they become unusable. Keep at least one repair kit on hand.
- Ammo: Shotgun shells are the most powerful but rare. Use the Pistol for weaker enemies. The GLOO Cannon is essential for traversal but also useful in combat.
- Always Use the Environment: Lure enemies into gas pipes or electrical junctions. Use the GLOO Cannon to freeze enemies then shatter them with the wrench.
- Stealth is Viable: Most enemies can be avoided. Sneak past Phantoms if you have low health. Use the Look ability (unlocked via Neuromod) to see through walls.
- The Wrench is Underrated: It's free, infinite use, and can be upgraded. Upgraded Wrench with Combat Focus can take down even Phantoms quickly.
- Psychoscope is Key: Always equip it to scan enemies. Scanning provides damage bonuses and unlocks research. Upgrade your Psychoscope with chips found throughout the station.
- Prey is a Single-Player Game: There is no online multiplayer or anti-cheat software. Modding is allowed and encouraged. Be careful with mods that affect game balance; they can break achievements.
- No Leaderboards or PvP: So no etiquette needed.
- Not scanning enemies early enough. Scanning is essential for damage bonuses.
- Not exploring Crew Quarters thoroughly; many side quests and lore reside there.
- Using Typhon Neuromods early without realizing the turret hostility.
- Not saving before boss fights (e.g., the Nightmare, Telepath, Technopath).
- Selling too many quest items (like crystals) to the KASMA orders vendors before knowing their use.
- Not using the Recycler often enough – many players run out of materials mid-game.
- Not crafting Neuromods: You can create them using materials from enemies and recycling. Don't rely solely on finding them.
- The quest "The G.U.T.S." has a major choice: you can either blow up the station or try to save it. This affects the ending.
- Your relationship with the survivors (e.g., the Crew) determines who lives and who dies.
- The "A Better Ending" achievement requires saving all survivors, which is very missable if you are not careful.