Prey
Mimics are just…the worst. These shape shifting piles of black goo are the first types of enemies that the player encounters in Prey, and they only become bigger, scarier, and cleverer as the narrative progresses. They aren’t incredibly easy to kill either. They’re fast and agile, and can kill Morgan fairly quickly if they gang up and surround them. Their shape shifting nature means that they could be anything in the world, and I do mean anything. That trashcan? Could be a Mimic. That chair? Could be a Mimic. That coffee cup? Yup, you guessed it. Every object is a potential threat and the player can never afford to lower their guard.
Prey is also pretty terrifying in how it twists how the player perceives himself or herself. At the beginning of the game, the player is asked, through Morgan, a series of questions. They’re primarily about trying new things, weighing the good of the few in comparison to the many, and self-sacrifice. The game itself then throws the player into these situations, forcing them to choose between familiar human powers or new alien powers, saving the individuals on the station or destroying the alien threat, and saving himself or herself or making a sacrifice for the greater good. By the game’s end, players are confronted with their true moral code, and the horrifying truth that they may have never truly known themselves.
