Skip to main content
Tech Radar Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
TechRadar TechRadar Game-changing stories
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
RSS
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
Trending
  • Battlefield 6
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong
  • Marvel Rivals
  • Switch 2
  • Gamescom 2025
  • Fortnite
Don't miss these
Estelle attacking an enemy in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
Gaming My first 10 hours with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter have been enchanting, engaging, and utterly crushing – and I can’t wait to play more
Cronos: The New Dawn
Gaming 'Cronos: The New Dawn is a bit about togetherness and humanity' – Lead Writer Grzegorz Like on the themes underpinning Bloober Team’s latest foray into horror
Resident Evil Requiem
Gaming I threw a glass bottle at a giant zombie woman in Resident Evil Requiem, then she turned around and bit my head off
Turok: Origins
Gaming Turok: Origins preview: Borderlands meets Exoprimal in this co-op shooter
A screenshot from sci-fi game Pragmata
Gaming Pragmata is part puzzle game, part sci-fi shooter, and all a surprising amount of fun
Leon Kennedy looking over his shoulder
Consoles & PC The 20 best horror games to play in 2025
The main character from Cronos The New Dawn standing atop the stairs leading into the subway
Gaming Cronos: The New Dawn review: a merging of survival horror greats that struggles to find its own identity
Dying Light: The Beast.
Gaming 'He's probably pissed off' – Dying Light: The Beast director discusses setting a super-powered Kyle Crane loose and dialing the gore up to 11
A screenshot from upcoming stealth game Styx: Blades of Greed showing Styx hiding behind a crate
Gaming I murdered my way up a vertical city and snooped through environments in search of shiny quartz crystals in Styx: Blades of Greed, and I can’t wait to get my sneak on again
The Outer Worlds 2
Gaming The Outer Worlds 2 preview: Obsidian’s doing what it does best
The protagonist Aska in Metal Eden.
Gaming Metal Eden review: short and mostly sweet
Silent Hill f
Gaming Silent Hill f preview: a refreshing take on Konami’s legendary psychological horror series
Three Guardians run alongside each other holding weapons. The background shows a mining facility on a desolate rocky planet
Consoles & PC The 17 best FPS games 2025
A scientist works at a desk, strewn with biometric machinery
Gaming The 14 best indie horror games to play in 2025
A screenshot from Dying Light: The Beast
Gaming I’m not sure I needed another look at Dying Light: The Beast to be more excited to smash up zombies, but a recent hands-on now has my hype at fever pitch
  1. Gaming
  2. Consoles & PC

Prey tips and tricks

How Tos
By Dom Reseigh-Lincoln published 19 May 2017

In space no-one can you scream – so keep the noise down and read this instead

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Ah space – however much we want it to be all starships, R2-D2s and friendly E.T aliens, the reality is more likely to be that if and when we begin properly exploring the stars, it's going to be simply terrifying.

Enter Prey, the latest sandbox playground from Arkane Studios, the team behind the Dishonored franchise. Essentially Bioshock in space, it's as unsettling as that sounds, seeing you marooned on a space station, under attack from creepy shapeshifting shadow creatures.

You may at first want to take the next rocket back to Earth, but with these tips you'll be showing the star beasts who is boss as soon as the proverbial waste hits the fan. Read on for the top strategies on how to take on Prey.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Keep your ears peeled for mimics

Keep your ears peeled for mimics

Mimics, along with Phantoms, are the most abundant enemy you’ll encounter on the Talos-1 space station, so learning to plan for their fairly predictable attacks will see you right for most of the game. Mimics, as their name so cryptically hints, emulate the shapes of small to medium sized objects (think coffee mugs, chairs, etc) so give each new room a scan before blundering in.

Any props that look out place are usually a dumb Mimic trying to get the drop on you, so hold down the melee button and run in for a potential insta-kill. If that hit doesn’t kill them, a second strike will certainly finish them off.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Stealth is your friend (for a while)

Stealth is your friend (for a while)

Much like the early hours of System Shock and its spiritual successor Bioshock, Prey is a game that demands a more stealth-orientated approach until you’re better equipped and have greater access to game-changing skills. With that in mind, be sure to use sound and height to your advantage.

Most Mimics will make a wet, clicking noise while the tell-tale gurgle of a Phantom should alert you to their presence. Move in a crouch or slow walk to reduce your own noise footprint and be sure to use furniture and air vents to navigate certain areas without triggering an enemy attack.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Recycle and fabricate as often as you can

Recycle and fabricate as often as you can

Until you can upgrade your inventory a little later into the game, you’re almost certainly going to have full pockets by the end of your first hour or two in Prey. The solution is start thinking more economically, so take anything that isn’t entirely essential and turn it into craftable materials with your Recycle Charger.

Also keep your eyes open and suitably peeled for Fabricators - these Star Trek-aping gizmos will enable you to able craft all the important resources (such as pistol bullets and medkits, two of the most important things in your inventory). Just make sure you have the schematics for them first... 

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Interact at a distance with the Huntress Bowcaster

Interact at a distance with the Huntress Bowcaster

So we’ve already covered the importance of knowing when to use stealth (i.e, all the time in your first few hours), but sometimes a particular pathway might be blocked by scenery or a gaggle of Phantoms. The answer, your trusty toy crossbow, of course!

The Huntress Bowcaster might not be able to damage any of the inky monsters roaming the corridors of Talos-1, but its long range is still powerful enough to activate switches at a distance, enabling you to enter lifts and cross thresholds without tipping your foes. You can even use it to cause distractions, opening up even more options. 

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Embrace the way of the GLOO gun

Embrace the way of the GLOO gun

It might not be deadly, but the GLOO gun is still one of the most versatile tools at your disposal in the world of Prey. For a start, it’s ideal for incapacitating certain enemies (especially the ultra-aggressive Phantom) as enough shots can freeze it in place - switch to your shotgun or your wrench and get in close for a quick kill before it breaks loose.

The GLOO gun can also be used to bridge small gaps and offer access to previously out of each areas with makeshift platforms. These will eventually disintegrate, so be sure to get your clambering out of the way before they shatter.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Turrets are your best friends

Turrets are your best friends

Talos-1 is not a particularly friendly place to explore, so having some backup is a boon you likely won’t survive long without. When it comes to the early hours of the game, take our advice and pick up any automated turret you find.

Much like the flying turrets that changed how you went from prey to predator in Bioshock, the stationary turrets available on Talos-1 can turn the tide on your alien foes. Use them to cover you when you’re pinned down or as a means of covering your back while exploring a certain area. You can carry up to three at once.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Always check those emails

Always check those emails

This being an Arkane Studios game, there’s plenty of juicy plot details and hidden narratives to be found in the emails stored on the computers of Talos-1. Apart from adding some meat to the story, these written tidbits can also sometimes provide passcodes to certain doors and unlock side objectives that would have otherwise gone completely unnoticed.

Keep an eye out for any computers that are otherwise sealed behind locked doors. If it is that well protected, it’ll almost certainly have something worth downloading such as a map of the immediate area. Time to get creative with those alien powers of yours, eh?

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Do you know your status?

Do you know your status?

Keeping an eye on the three gauges on the bottom left of the screen will ensure you know how much health you have, how well your suit is holding up and the level of your psi. But did know there’s a deeper level to Prey that affects everything from health generation to movement speed?

These are known as statuses and they work in the same way that a buff or debuff would work in a regular RPG. They can be found in the ‘Status’ section of your menus. You’ll pick these up as you progress through the game and they can have both good and bad effects on you. Be sure to choose the right Neuromods too as these will drastically affect your progression.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Always have your Psychoscope to hand

Always have your Psychoscope to hand

Working like a cross bewtween Fallout’s VATS scanner and Batman’s Detective mode from the Arkham games, the Psychoscope in Prey is one of the most versatile tools you’ll ever possess. For a start it can be used to identify foes, providing a handy breakdown of each one’s strengths and weaknesses. You can even use to research Typhons and ultimately unlock new perks.

Its grey scale scanning mode can also be used as a rudimentary pair of night vision goggles when things get a little dark on Talos-1. Flashlights don’t often last long - so flip on the Psychoscope and you’ll have a much better chance of avoiding a nasty sneak attack from a Mimic.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Water coolers are health havens

Water coolers are health havens

Even in the latter part of the game, health is scarce and dangers are abundant - especially with plenty of one-hit kills to keep you on your toes - so any source of life is… well, a life saver in Prey. With that in mind, keep your eyes open for those innocuous water coolers sitting unnoticed in the corners of certain rooms.

Much like taps in Dishonored 2, these aquatic receptacles can help restore your health. However, each time you interact with one it adds a tiny sliver of life to your health bar. It can take a painfully long time to restore your health, but if you’re cowering from a stalking Phantom in the next room it can make all the difference.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln
  • Prey review
You may like
  • Cronos: The New Dawn 'Cronos: The New Dawn is a bit about togetherness and humanity' – Lead Writer Grzegorz Like on the themes underpinning Bloober Team’s latest foray into horror
  • Resident Evil Requiem I threw a glass bottle at a giant zombie woman in Resident Evil Requiem, then she turned around and bit my head off
  • Turok: Origins Turok: Origins preview: Borderlands meets Exoprimal in this co-op shooter
Read more
Cronos: The New Dawn
'Cronos: The New Dawn is a bit about togetherness and humanity' – Lead Writer Grzegorz Like on the themes underpinning Bloober Team’s latest foray into horror
 
 
Resident Evil Requiem
I threw a glass bottle at a giant zombie woman in Resident Evil Requiem, then she turned around and bit my head off
 
 
Turok: Origins
Turok: Origins preview: Borderlands meets Exoprimal in this co-op shooter
 
 
A screenshot from sci-fi game Pragmata
Pragmata is part puzzle game, part sci-fi shooter, and all a surprising amount of fun
 
 
Leon Kennedy looking over his shoulder
The 20 best horror games to play in 2025
 
 
The main character from Cronos The New Dawn standing atop the stairs leading into the subway
Cronos: The New Dawn review: a merging of survival horror greats that struggles to find its own identity
 
 
Latest in Consoles & PC
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deal artwork
Beat the Microsoft Xbox Game Pass price hike with these deals still available at the older, better prices
 
 
prime day xbox deals
Official Xbox Wireless Controller deals are a bit of a letdown this Prime Day, but Razer and GameSir have picked up the slack
 
 
Alan Wake and Saga Anderson wandering through the dark
PlayStation Plus players get a Halloween treat in the form of my favorite horror game of the decade so far
 
 
Xbox Game Pass is a discovery engine
Microsoft defends Xbox Game Pass price hike after backlash, and I'm certain it's just digging a hole for itself at this point
 
 
Xbox Game Pass gift cards.
Don't worry, gamers, you can still get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $19.99 per month for now – here’s how
 
 
Xbox Game Pass
How to cancel Xbox Game Pass on PC, console, and the app – a step-by-step guide to ditching the service if you've had enough of the price rises
 
 
Latest in How Tos
Acer’s Swift laptops deliver performance and portability to fit any budget
How to turn a Windows 10 laptop into a Chromebook
 
 
Elvis Merzlikins #90 of the Columbus Blue Jackets makes a save in the second period during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on September 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
NHL 2025/26 - Stream it *FREE* with these trial offers
 
 
BBC Celebrity Traitors Image
The Celebrity Traitors UK LIVE: how to watch, free streams, live updates, Episodes 2 & 3
 
 
Luke Littler of England smiles during the Final match between James Wade of England and Luke Littler of England on day nine of the 2025 Betfred World Matchplay at Winter Gardens on July 27, 2025 in Blackpool, England.
How to watch PDC World Grand Prix of Darts 2025 online: free live streams, schedule
 
 
 Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
How to watch NHL 2025/26: live stream every game, TV channels
 
 
General view inside the stadium, as a pyrotechnic display takes place prior to the NFL match between Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2024 in London, England.
How to watch NFL London Games 2025: free live streams and schedule, Broncos vs Jets
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    A new wave of 'Shadow AI' is worrying workplaces
  2. 2
    Ahead of EOL-geddon, Windows 10 interest has shot up - but it's all for the wrong reasons
  3. 3
    Is ChatGPT lying to you? Maybe, but not in the way you think
  4. 4
    From the next Game of Thrones spinoff to Marvel’s upcoming TV shows, here’s what you missed at NYCC
  5. 5
    Microsoft is improving its best feature for Copilot+ PCs – and that gives me hope for the future of AI in Windows 11

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...