Prey
Prey Story and Endings Explained
Prey is an interesting game. At first it seems like your typical sci-fi, first-person shooter, but then its story does all of these weird things. It twists, turns, and folds as you move through the Talos I and make decisions on how you’ll deal with the different threats and obstacles in your path. Just when you think you have it all figured out, a new wrench is thrown in to confuse you and keep you on your toes. Then there’re the endings which really make you sit back and wonder what the heck is going on. It can be a lot to take in.
To help out we’re going to break down exactly what happens, clarifying the end of the spectacle so it all makes sense. In order to do so, we’ll only be focusing on events that are crucial to the core of the plot. Everything else will be generalized since the specifics of a lot of the things that you do don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s more the tone of your decisions that really hold weight throughout Prey’s experience. With that being said, don’t expect a full breakdown of each side objective, or every single interaction that occurs.
Of course, there will be some heavy spoilers ahead. If you don’t want the secrets of prey cracked open before your eyes, we suggest you turn back now and experience the game for yourself (it’s available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC). If you’re just dying to know what the heck is going on, though, please read ahead.
SPOILERS AHEAD! LAST CHANCE TO TURN BACK!
Talos I and Morgan Yu
Prey Story and Endings Explained
Prey puts players in control of Morgan Yu (male or female), a scientist who is about to start work at TranStar, a prestigious scientific institution. The company is located on a space station that orbits earth called the Talos I, and exists in an alternate universe where United States President John F. Kennedy survives the assassination attempt that claimed his life in the real world and doubles down on investing in space exploration. It’s a state of the art station that includes living spaces, various labs, and other amenities. The Yu family has made great strides in science and are leading the charge for the research aboard the Talos I.
The experiments have to do with Neuromods. They are implants that are injected into the eye and allow individuals to instantly learn new things. New languages, vocational skills, subjects, and more can be integrated with just one injection. The tests are a bit interesting, though. As you may have seen in the trailers, or witnessed in the opening moments of the game, Morgan undergoes four simple tests every morning. They are to test problem-solving with different abilities, seeing if the mind can quickly adapt and utilize the new information that was introduced through Neuromods. There is a side effect of these tests, though, which Morgan Yu, as one of the heads of the division, subjects his/herself to. In order to test out new ones, the short term memory surrounding the tests is wiped, and even some of the memories from before. This creates a loop where every day feels like the same day.
Of course, Prey wouldn’t have much of a story if players were trapped in that infinite loop, forever taking the same test every day. During the most recent test, where the game opens, Morgan witnesses an attack from a mysterious alien creature, and that’s when the Typhon are introduced.
Typhon
Prey Story and Endings Explained
The Typhon are the main enemies in Prey. They are an alien race that appears as an inky, shifting substance capable of many extraordinary feats. When it comes to stealth they are second to none. The smallest of the Typhon, Mimics, are able to become any item they see. In fact, your first introduction to them shows one becoming a coffee mug that proceeds to strangle a scientist right in front of you. If that was the only type that Morgan had to deal with it would’ve been terrifying enough, but there are more.
There are some that look like human shadows, wandering about using powerful ranged abilities. They can set you on fire and stun Morgan. Some can take over nearby machinery such as powerful turrets that they use to rain hell down upon defenseless humans. There are others who can control the minds of those nearby, turning people who were colleagues and allies into deadly obstacles.
Just where did they come from, though? Early on, you can actually watch a video of the first contact with the Typhon. It was while an astronaut was fixing up the outside of a space station. You can see a panel floating by before suddenly transforming into one of the writhing aliens Morgan soon becomes very familiar with. It attacks the astronaut without provocation, and then the video cuts out. Another video shows how they multiply and create new forms, using force and violence in order to evolve. They are dangerous creatures, and now they’re aboard the Talos I, free to kill everyone on board. Because of this, Morgan has a serious mission to undertake.
Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It
Prey Story and Endings Explained
Morgan, being the genius that Morgan is, left behind recorded notes just in case anything ever went wrong. They were a failsafe of sorts since having one’s memory wiped can leave them a bit confused in the event of an alien invasion. Unfortunately, the recordings came with objectives that aren’t exactly pleasing to hear.
It turns out that the Typhon didn’t just invade the ship, they were brought on by scientists and kept in containment. Since they broke out, the only way to deal with them and ensure that they never reach Earth is to destroy the Talos I along with everything, and everyone, on it. Morgan is informed of the need of death by January, an Operator (the floating robots that can be seen in the game) that is a sort of mechanical clone of Morgan. It was programmed with several objectives that must be followed in order to guarantee the safety of humanity.
Alex, Morgan’s brother who was running the tests, is obviously against the idea. The work of the Yu family, along with their reputation, is all centered on Talos I. It would be erasing years of research and advancements, so he tries to stop it at all costs. But he too has his reasons. He recognizes that you must die if you go for the wipe everything approach, because he remembers exactly why the Typhon were on board and your part in it all.
Typhon and Neuromods
Prey Story and Endings Explained
The Typhon were on board for study, which makes sense. Curiosity is one of the driving forces behind discovery, and after witnessing what the Typhon could do, humans wanted to research it and see what makes the alien race tick. Morgan wanted to take things a step further, though. Remember how Neuromods can teach you things instantly? They could also alter your physiology, granting you great strength and other abilities. Yet even beyond that was the possibility of integrating Typhon abilities into the human body. Transforming into items like Mimics, controlling minds, using telekinesis, even creating more Typhon that did your bidding. Just imagine what humans could do if they could fight in the same way that the aliens could. There’d be no reason for worry.
Unfortunately, that work came at the cost of keeping Typhon alive and on board the Talos I. It also meant that humans testing the abilities were injecting themselves with part of the alien DNA, and there was no telling what that could mean if it went back to earth. Could the DNA take over? Could it spread somehow, causing an invasion that was carried into the atmosphere by someone’s family member? These are the reasons why Morgan’s notes stated that everything must be destroyed, so that nobody would suffer if things went wrong.
A choice was still left to be made, though. Does Morgan destroy the space station like initially planned, or does Alex’s suggestion of killing the aliens yet keeping things going sound like a better idea?
To Destroy or Not to Destroy?
Prey Story and Endings Explained
Seeing as how Prey does give players choice, this part of the story breakdown is a bit different. In order to make things easier we’ll approach each option separately:
Destroy
As Morgan moves through the space station, there are many things that need to be done. On one hand, there are self-destruct initiation keys that must be obtained. Morgan had one, but Alex, sensing what might happen, destroyed Morgan’s. Fortunately enough, Morgan created a fabrication plan just in case that very thing happened, leaving only Alex’s to be retrieved. However, Morgan and Alex aren’t the only humans left. There are other scientists and workers who have managed to survive, and it’s up to the player to decide how to deal with them. If the plan is to destroy things anyway (killing everyone on board) it may make sense to just ignore all the people left alive, but where is the humanity in that?
It is possible to keep everyone alive, though, and even help them to escape the space station prior to it being destroyed. It requires completing their side objectives, and leading some of them to a safe place, such as Morgan’s office. Whatever is chosen, eventually Alex is confronted. Although he’s against destroying Talos, he will aid in the progression through its confines, even helping Morgan to research what’s happening. While studying the Typhon, it’s learned that they’re building a neural network and are trying to broadcast a powerful signal. This summons a large Apex Typhon which starts to wrap around and devour the Talos I. Its dangerous tendrils tear through the station, while all of the Typhon on board become even more agitated making things even worse. Alex will still try to convince Morgan not to destroy everything, but if the choice is to self-destruct, then he must be incapacitated in order to obtain the key. He can be saved from the Apex Typhon (which will keep him from dying in the cold expanse of space after the room he’s in gets crushed), or he can be left, either way, its time to destroy things.
After activating everything and triggering the sequence, a new choice arises. Yes, the initial plan was to destroy everything and everyone, but that’s difficult to do when you have a conscience (which is possible for Morgan to have). Alex cannot be saved though, as he chooses to go down with the ship. However, his pod or a shuttle containing all of the people you saved can be used to flee and watch the destruction from the distance.
Don’t Destroy
Don’t destroy actually plays out exactly like the destroy option up until the point where the Apex Typhon attacks. Players have the same options that revolve around helping other survivors and taking out vicious aliens all while upgrading Morgan. The main difference is that Morgan actually listens to Alex. Fortunately enough, Alex’s plan has a lot more to it than just “please don’t destroy what we’ve built.” He created something called a Prototype Nullwave Transmitter, which he provides the fabrication plan for.
The device sends out a frequency that can kill all Typhon aboard the Talos I, allowing the station to survive, knowledge to be kept, and, hopefully, some type of research to continue in the future. January, the Operator we mentioned before that is essentially a mechanical clone of Morgan, will try to stop this from happening. After all, it’s programmed to ensure its directives are followed to a tee, no matter what the cost. Yes, that includes causing harm to Morgan. January has to be dealt with, which is very sad since it helped Morgan survive for so long, but when all is said and done, the Typhon are killed and the survivors get to… well, survive.
To be honest, these “endings” aren’t actually the ending, though. This is just another of Prey’s twists that houses the true events working in the background of the game.
Earth Is Destroyed
Prey Story and Endings Explained
It turns out that everything the player has gone through – figuring out how to deal with Alex, helping (or not helping) survivors, deciding on what to do with the Talos I – was for naught. The Typhon have already reached Earth, destroying almost everything in sight.
Alex shows you cities that are being devoured by the bright etheric Coral of the Typhon. He informs you of all the humans that were lost in the struggle and how there are so few survivors left. The research that Morgan was doing, trying to implement Typhon abilities into humans was a step in the right direction, but it wasn’t enough. There needs to be more to fight back against the alien force as it spreads across the galaxy and possibly the universe.
Yet, with Earth being in such dire straights, seemingly completely devoid of any chance at redemption, what exactly was going on in Prey? You could see the planet at certain points, seeing that it wasn’t dead. The space station was still functioning mostly, and nobody had fled to the planet’s surface just yet. How could Earth being destroyed be the game’s big twist, when you just watched everything end fairly well. That’s easy. You never were in control of Morgan.
It Was All a Simulation In Search of a New Hope
Prey Story and Endings Explained
You were never Morgan at all. In fact, you were never even human. This is revealed at the very end of Prey. When you come to, after any decision you’ve made, you’re strapped to a chair with Alex and four Operators watching you. If you glance down, you’ll notice the sinewy, black tendrils the Typhon make up your hands, because you are in fact a Typhon. The entire game was a simulation to answer one of Alex’s questions. Can the Typhon be dealt with diplomatically in order to save and restore humanity?
He remarks upon the fact that Morgan sought to give humans the capabilities of the Typhon in order to fight, but it never crossed anyone’s mind to try to say if human capabilities – more specifically, empathy – could be given to the Typhon. The simulation placed the player into the memories of Morgan Yu and Alex observed what decisions were made. This included what types of powers the player was drawn to (Human or Typhon), whether or not they decided to help others in distress, and what the final decision was. After analyzing everything, and finding that the Typhon could be empathetic towards humans, Alex is convinced that he could use this alien (the player) to form a bridge between the aliens and humanity. There are other endings where the player is deemed dangerous and killed instantly, but it all comes down to seeking this outcome, finding a Typhon that understands the plight of those on earth and can be communicated with.
Of course, there’s more to it, and this is where the player has one final influence over Prey’s narrative. By being a relatively good person throughout the game, Alex learns to trust this fake Morgan. With the arms freed from the shackles that bound them, Alex asks if a partnership of sorts can be formed. The player can choose to accept, making it so that the story ends with the Typhon legitimately learning about and embracing the human way of being. This can help to convince other Typhon that it’s worth letting them survive and even leaving them be.
Shaking hands isn’t the only option, though, as the player can make it so the Typhon are always one step ahead. If the player ends up with a negative empathy rating, Alex kills the test subject and says he must start over, removing any chance of interacting with Alex at the end. The Typhon are connected, though, so it is possible for them to learn from what happens to others. It’s possible to play nice throughout the entire game in order to get a high empathy rating which leads to the handshake choice, only to grab Alex’s hand as if it were the same, partnership-forming handshake to kill him and destroy the test area. It’s a way to ultimately show how truly evil the Typhon are without having to play as evil through the game.
Ultimately, Prey’s true ending is entirely up to you. Did the Typhon learn or was it just an elaborate ruse to weed out the last of the humans? Let us know what you chose in the comments below.
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