Prey 2 Concept Documents Imagine a "Spiritual Successor to System Shock 2"

18
Lee Bradley

Last year, following reports that Dishonored's Arkane Studios had taken over development of Prey 2, Bethesda issued a strong statement of denial. Arkane is not working on the game, said the publisherSo take what you're about to read with a Hulk-sized pinch of salt.

Slides from what purport to be early concept documents by Arkane Studios show that Prey 2 could be (or once was) intended as a spiritual successor to System Shock 2; a single-player, first-person, “immersive sim action RPG” aiming for a Q3 2016 release.

There’s absolutely nothing to suggest that the documents are legitimate, and if they are then they’re certainly old (there’s references to Durango and Orbis, the Xbox One and PS4 pre-production codenames). It's also possible that the concept was abandoned in favour of a different project or a different approach. We don't know. But it’s all compelling enough to demand a closer look.

So here we go. According to the documents, Prey 2 is (or was) codenamed Project Danielle and is (or was) intended to build on the blueprint laid down by System Shock 2, which is referred to in the docs as “the king of immersive sim RPGs” and “one of the most anticipated cult sequels.” Arkane's Raphael Colantonio and Harvey Smith, it should be noted, helped create the System Shock series.

The documents make reference to “deep systems with original complimentary properties that encourage player creativity” and a “10-20 hour” story that is “highly repayable due to built in variability in the design and support for multiple play styles.”

Along with this open approach, the documents reveal level concepts that “avoid hallway-room-hallway play,” instead offering “verticality” and “multiple paths through the environment.”

There’s also an outline of a possible story opening, which follows a hitman in Bangkok 2072 who is looking after Danielle, a “young robotic girl he developed the AI for.”

Project Danielle’s documents also refer to new twists on System Shock 2’s stealth, hacking, mutants, robots, turrets, audio logs and resurrect chambers, plus “more cool shit.” The documents also state that “the game should be hard!” and feature “monkeys”. It’s a super compelling pitch.

But we don’t know if it’s legitimate. Our advice is this: presume it’s bullshit for now and have a look at the documents from the perspective of, ‘Would I play this game?’

[via AGB]

Comments
18
  • There's a lot of slides there for it to be a hoax... If it is then someone has too much time on their hands
  • I was happy with the story they showed in those trailers a couple of years ago. There have been far worse games developed and released than that. Still don't know why it wasn't fleshed out more. If it is going to be an FPS/RPG hybrid, they lost my sale. It's amazing that games like this are lost to development hell but games like Star Trek, R.I.P.D. and Hour of Victory get released...
  • Bioshock did it
  • hmm mentioned that i'd love to see prey 2 in bethesda announcement post, this makes it seem even more likely
  • I figured this was their "big secret". I wouldn't call it 'Prey 2" I don't see how this has much to do with the original if anyone even remembers that game. System Shock 3 would get more sale on the name alone. Maybe SS 1 & 2 HD update to release alongside. $Cha$Ching$ Bethesda....
  • But System Shock 2 already has a spiritual successor, it's called Bioshock.
  • I wonder if #3 even knows of Ken Levine's background.
  • The material that had been shown previously for Prey 2 was so far removed from anything remotely like the first game that it should not have been considered a sequel, let alone in the same universe as Prey. The trailer and artwork shown previously did look nice though so hopefully some if is being salvaged for another project.
  • If this is legit that's an interesting proposal. I'm not sure that every game needs more monkeys.
  • @7 how about you enlighten me then??
  • i just watched the old PREY 2 trailers recently and wished that that game had been made.
  • @8 I'm with you. While the Prey 2 trailer and images looked okay, they literally removed everything that made Prey stand out in a genre that is already saturated with generic shooters. If they make a Prey 2, lets hope it is something entirely different from what was shown. Having the main protagonist make an appearance at some point isn't enough to call something a sequel...
  • Hope it's true, but I thought Dishonored 2 was rumored to be at E3 this year?
  • Sounds like that rumor is false.
  • Prey seems like a cursed franchise.
  • I'd take this over Bioschlock any day.
  • Come on Bethesda, tell us more about Prey 2. It is been so long. Prey 2 looking promises when first announced. I hope Prey 2 coming closer than we though. Hopeful Bethesda explains more during E3 next week.
  • WTF? There where actual screenshots to Prey 2 (setting: a space station, loads of aliens and humans with cowboy hats, had a Western-feeling to it, apparently open world too) years and years ago! How is newsworthy??
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