It may have gone under everyone's radar back in 2017, but as Halloween creeps closer, games like Prey that combine both FPS gameplay and survival horror are resurfacing. For fans of sci-fi games inspired by System Shock and Dead Space, Prey is one of the best, most underrated sci-fi survival horror titles out there. Even better, it's scheduled to receive a sequel sometime in the future.
Survival in Prey is no easy task. At the beginning in particular the player will struggle greatly against even relatively weak enemies like Mimics, which is why finding the right weapons and knowing when to use them and how is key to having a good time in Prey. Here's what the ideal arsenal looks like, both in the game and in the Moocrash DLC.
Updated on January 21, 2022, by Anastasia Maillot: Prey saw a bit of rising popularity last year thanks to Arkane's other release, Deathloop. Those who enjoy the same style of FPS will also enjoy Prey, and its haunting, survival sci-fi horror environment. However, in terms of difficulty and weapons, Prey truly challenges players with its tough environment and scarce weapon arsenal. To help new players get a hang of the best weapons in Prey and more specifically any upgrades that they can receive, the list has been updated with the range of stats each weapon can receive, from worst to best. For craftable items, the required ingredients have also been added.
10 Typhon Lure
- Crafting materials required: 2 Mineral materials, 1 Synthetic material, and 1 Exotic material
One of the earliest throwable items that Morgan will find is the Typhon Lure. This little device will emit a short signal that lasts for about 20 seconds, which will attract any typhons nearby to its location. Anyone also controlled or corrupted by the typhon will approach it.
The lure doesn't actually do any damage, it's simply a tool for distraction. It's best used in combination with other items, which is why it ranks the lowest on this list but is still considered a must-have in the arsenal of any player. Combine it with the Recycler Charge, and Morgan can pretty much instantly kill a whole group of critters. Using any type of area of effect damage pairs great with this weapon, which groups enemies easily from a large area.
9 Disruptor Stun Gun
- Power: 4-9 seconds
- Range: 7.5-15 meters
- Shots: 4-15
- Recharge Rate: 1.5-0.25 seconds
This gun will make a proper appearance a bit later on in the game, namely around Psychotronics and the entrance to the G.U.T.S. tunnels. The stun gun is a fantastic weapon that has a very particular niche utility, meaning it won't be the center of one's arsenal but is still a necessity when trying to survive on Talos-I.
The stun gun is great for incapacitating targets that are sensitive to electric shocks, such as mind-controlled humans, corrupted operators, or even Technopaths. If the gun is charged fully before shot, it can deal a surprising amount of damage against Technopaths in particular, but it does have a short range which limits its usage. Still, it's an absolute lifesaver when dealing with pesky Technopaths and operators. In particular, towards the end-game where military operators will enter Talos-I, the Stun Gun will become Morgan's best friend.
8 EMP Charge
- Crafting materials required: 2 Synthetic materials, 1 Mineral material
The EMP charge is another item that needs to be thrown for it to be effective. Morgan can also be affected by its blast, which is why it's important to use it safely. The EMP charge is initially not a very useful item, especially given how early on it's acquired in the game.
However, much like the stun gun, it's an absolute dream come true when dealing with Technopaths and operators, which will be a headache at a later stage in the game. Military operators being particularly tough, it's best to save these EMP charges for the endgame where operators become a major threat. The EMP is fantastic for opening up a fight against multiple targets that are sensitive to its effects, and can instantly incapacitate a whole group of targets.
7 Wrench
- Damage: 10-20 (without upgrades)
The bread and butter of Morgan's arsenal is the wrench, which is essentially the first weapon acquired when the game starts. The wrench definitely has its limits. Mainly, it forces the player to get dangerously close to an enemy, and it does limited amounts of damage on any enemy other than a regular Mimic. Even Greater Mimics will resist some of its damage.
The wrench is great for finishing blows, or when used in combination with the GLOO Cannon at the very beginning of the game. Stun the target first with the cannon and then charge up a critical strike with the wrench to instantly kill a Mimic. Against the very first Phantoms, however, it's highly inconvenient, and will lose its utility over time. The wrench is also great for clearing paths, such as any entrances with GLOO Cannon goo or breaking glass windows.
6 Recycler Charge
- Crafting materials required: 2 Mineral materials, 1 Synthetic material
Discovered first in Hardware Labs, the recycler charge is one of the most underrated tools in the entire game, probably because it's not properly explained just how effective this thing can be. Chucking a charge towards any items, not just enemies, will turn them into recycled material and clear the area, which is useful especially when something is blocking the way, and the player doesn't have enough leverage to move it.
Moreover, when fighting against a multitude of enemies, the recycler charge can instantly kill enemies if they're all grouped up. That's why combining it with something like the typhon lure is a good idea, to first gather as many enemies as possible in one area and then deal with all of them at once easily. The bonus is that Morgan can use it to scavenge for materials to make more charges. Just be careful, as the recycler charge can also instantly kill Morgan as well.
5 Nullwave Transmitter
- Crafting materials required: 2 Synthetic materials, 1 Mineral material, 1 Exotic material
The psionic aptitudes of the typhons feel extremely oppressive, especially for players who prefer not to get any psionic abilities during their entire playthrough. In that case, the nullwave transmitter is actually a legitimate way to gain the upper hand in a battle against powerful typhons, at least for a little bit.
The nullwave transmitter disables any psionic abilities for 20 seconds, allowing the player a short window during which they can avoid any powerful attack combinations against the typhon. It's particularly useful against annoying enemies like phantoms and the telepath. Once again, this one needs to be thrown towards the enemies to work properly.
4 Tactical Combat Shotgun
- Firepower: 41-66
- Recoil: 100-10%
- Ammo Capacity: 4-10
- Reload Speed: 100-175%
Now for some raw damage, which is surprisingly scarce in Prey despite it being a 2017 FPS game, there are really only three weapons in the game that are versatile when it comes to damage, and one of them is the shotgun. It can be found pretty early on in the security office in Talos-I's lobby if the player accesses the area through a vent located above the security office's locked door.
The shotgun has its limitations. It's effective at closer range, and the player needs to prioritize headshots for more damage. However, with subsequent upgrades, it increases in firepower and is a great finishing move against phantoms and other typhons that take physical damage and aren't too mobile like Mimics. When upgrading the shotgun, all stats are worth upgrading, so there's no real rule on what to focus on first.
3 Silenced Pistol
- Firepower: 8-11
- Magazine Capacity: 15-27
- Range: 15-35 meters
- Accuracy: 60-85%
The second weapon that deals pure, raw damage is the silenced pistol. Although it doesn't have quite as much of a kick as the shotgun, the silenced pistol has much better range and damage per second due to how fast the player can shoot with it. For beginners, it's a great panic weapon to fall back to when all else fails.
The silenced pistol really kicks up in damage and range when upgraded thanks to the Gunsmith perks, and the subsequent damage perks. To get this weapon, the player just needs to get to the conference room through which they have to pass in order to access the Hardware Labs of Talos-I from the lobby, opposite of the hallway leading to Morgan's office. Pair this up with a stealth build, and it becomes a very solid primary weapon. Upgrading the range and firepower first is great as it lets players take down enemies from a distance.
2 Q-Beam Emitter
- Power: 50-75 kW
- Handling: 15-75%
- Firing Time: 5-10 seconds
- Reload Speed: 100-145%
The best damage weapon in Prey is without a doubt the Q-Beam Emitter, a powerful beam-type weapon that can be picked up as early as in the Hardware Labs if a side quest is started. Although it takes a bit of a detour to get to it, it's 100% worth the headache due to its ability to blast typhons into nonexistence in seconds.
The Q-Beam is an excellent weapon against Weavers in particular, but will also significantly damage other major enemies like Telepaths and Technopaths, and even the infamous Nightmare. However, the downside is that the weapon is heavy and slows Morgan down quite a bit when used. Moreover, ammo is very difficult to come by. Use it in select situations only, when big damage is needed in a pinch.
1 GLOO Cannon
- Incapacitation Rate: 100-225%
- Handling: 33-75%
- Range: 9-24 meters
- Reload Speed: 100-175%
The best weapon in Prey isn't actually a weapon that does any damage (at least, not to regular phantoms, but it will cause typhon cysts to die), but one that severely incapacitates Morgan's enemies. Introduced right before discovering the very first Neuromod, the GLOO cannon is the center of Morgan's arsenal.
This weapon is absolutely amazing against Mimics and phantoms, which are also the most common type of enemies in the game. The gun remains very effective even without any upgrades, which allows any player build to utilize it without having to invest too heavily in the Lab Tech perk tree. Without the GLOO cannon, Morgan really is at a disadvantage.
Moreover, the GLOO cannon can be used to build platforms and cross distances, as well as interact with the environment. Arkane really did a solid job with this one, as there are few limits to what players can achieve with it.
Prey is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.