We equipped our HighSpec PC with Intels newest Core Extreme processor and a pipeline GeForce 00 GTX GPU. For the purpose of the comparison we kept the resolution at 0×0, but the hardware can easily handle resolutions of 600×00 and higher with full anisotropic filtering and antialiasing in tow. Prey definitely looks better on a HighSpec PC with everything enabled, but keep in mind that a single GeForce 00 GTX costs as much as a premium Xbox 360. Check out the razorsharp uring, and even the additional detail on the outside floor.
Creative Sound Blaster XFi series sound card
HD Xbox 360 shown. Mouse over the to see the PC version.
.GHz Intel Pentium / AMD Athlon XP 00 processor
Here, well take K Games Prey and break down the differences between the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game in an effort to help you decide which version is for you. Since the gameplay is pretty much identical in the two versions, the little differences here and there and the quality of your PC components or your desire to upgrade, if needed are going to be the deciding ctor. Lets start with a quick summary of the good and the bad about each version.
Before we get much further, lets talk about the sorts of PCs the developers of Prey had in mind when the game. Here are the games official requirements.
Jumping up to a decently equipped PC with an pipeline video card in the 00 range really helps graphics on the PC side. We enabled most settings, maxed out shader detail, and turned up the ure quality on our MidSpec PC, but we left highquality particles and glow disabled because those two settings eat up significant frame rates. Visit ourPrey Hardware Performanceguide to find out more about how Preys various graphics options affect frame rate. Increasing ure settings and enabling anisotropic filtering helps the midrange PC exceed the 360s ure quality, but we still have to skimp on the lighting effects if we want to raise the resolution to a respecle level.
The uring, lighting and ambient effects all take a hit on the LowSpec PC in this shot. Check out the noticeable lack of piping detail. If you look closely at the r side of the room, you can see that the LowSpec PC doesnt have that fine environmental mist thats present in the Xbox 360 version. Heck, you cant even see the second wall indentation on the left side at all.
x CDROM drive or DVDROM, in the case of the collectors edition
Multiplayer designed to only officially support eight players
HD Xbox 360 shown. Mouse over the to see the PC version.
Get the latest news and videos for this game daily, no spam, no fuss.
Its easier to see what the MidSpec PC loses in lighting effects here in the Harvester Complex. The Xbox 360 has extra light diffusion from the green lights on the screen, and the room also has a pleasant mist missing in the MidSpec PC shot. Note that a MidSpec PC provides a lot more freedom to mix and match graphical settings, but compromises must be made between frame rates and graphical quality. You can make Preys graphics on a MidSpec or even a LowSpec PC look just as good as the Xbox 360s graphics, but actual frame rates will degrade accordingly.
Which version of Prey do you think youll get? Do you plan on playing Prey online
The main difference between the HighSpec PC and the Xbox 360 shot involves lighting and ure detail, which you can see in the shot in the piping and the weapon. Lighting effects add more substance to the scene, and enabling antialiasing helps to soften up the jagged edges.
Ultimately, the control differences in Prey come down to a matter of preference. Yes, the mouseandkeyboard setup of the PC version allows for more precise, refined control, but the games singleplayer opposition doesnt include any stmoving monsters. So playing with a lessprecise gamepad doesnt have any negative impact on your ability to draw down on bad guys and pull the trigger.
00 percent DirectX .0ccompatible 6MB video card
Its all a moot point, though. The way the game handles death actually makes all of the games save options obsolete, since dying doesnt actually set you back at all. After a short stint in the deathwalk minigame, youre back in action, regardless of the difficulty setting. So the only time you really need to save is when youre going to stop playing for awhile.
As youd expect from a PC firstperson shooter, Prey uses keys for quicksaving and quickloading, which will let you inch your way through the game, if youd like. It also autosaves at set checkpoints,xbox 360 Prey PC Versus Xbox 360 at the start of every level, and you can also just manually save anywhere you like. The Xbox 360 version lacks quicksaving and loading and only autosaves at the beginning of each level, but you can manually save anywhere here, too.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly?
Who needs to save games when you can deathwalk?
HD Xbox 360 shown. Mouse over the to see the PC version.
The PC version is the better bet if youve got a highend machine, but the Xbox 360 version offers a guaranteed level of performance thats a better choice for people unwilling to upgrade their PC, especially if you already have a home theater system and an HDTV.
Looks better than the Xbox 360 version on higherend PCs
The game still sounds fine through a standard twospeaker setup, but the experience isnt as rich as it is on a full surround setup.
Which version of Prey do you think youll get? Do you plan on playing Prey online
Windows 000 or XP with latest service pack installed
In multiplayer, though, things get a little more jittery, the mouse and keyboard a better choice. In ct, the PC version is just a bit smoother, overall, online. Many Xbox 360 servers seem to lag, especially in a full eightplayer game.
Which version of Prey do you think youll get? Do you plan on playing Prey online
Prepare for a host of disappointments if you try to play brand new games on less than stellar PC hardware. A budget pipe video card will require you to disable several graphical features in order get decent frame rate performance. We disabled highquality specular, sharpened bump maps, highquality particle effects, glow, highquality skinning, set ure quality to low, and set shader detail to medium for our LowSpec PC.
Which version of Prey do you think youll get? Do you plan on playing Prey online
All the highlights in the world of games, lovingly delivered 3 times/week.
While its possible in ct, wed call it probable that official map packs and other lifeextending addons will make their way to the Xbox 360 version of Prey via the Xbox Live Marketplace, the PC version of the game is already being modded by players using the games builtin editor. With enterprising modders already out there working on things like new maps or a pipe wrench mod that lets you manually open portals anywhere you like, the PC version is likely to have a longer, more interesting life span than its console counterpart.
>
Well begin emailing you updates about gameName.
At the minimum system requirements, Prey runs pretty goodbut only on its medium or lowend settings. The recommended system requirements will get you up to the higher levels, but really, theres still even more improvements to be had if you go above those limits. We ran the game on a 3.0GHz Pentium with GB of RAM and an ATI Radeon X0 when working on thePC game review, and it ran quite nicely.
The system with the better sound comes down to your hardware. The PC version of the game supports OpenAL and has a surroundsound option, but the Xbox 360 version has Dolby Digital . support. Plus, youre probably more likely to have a full surroundsound setup hooked up to your TV, rather than to your PC. The surroundsound audio is used about as well as youd expect from a firstperson game, which can give you a bit of a tactical advantage in multiplayer, since youll be able to hear people coming up behind you.
Which version of Prey do you think youll get? Do you plan on playing Prey online
As for the Xbox 360 version, all you really need is the 360 and a TV. But lets ce it, youre not going to be getting the most out of the game on a standarddefinition television. A widescreen TV is going to give you a bigger chunk of the action, and once you start getting into high definition, the overall visual quality really starts to pick up. Additionally, youll need an Internet connection if you want to play online on the PC, and youll also need a paid Goldtier Xbox Live account if you want to play online on the 360.
In the past, the PC versus console debate has boiled down to a few points that almost always end up voring the PC, especially when it comes to firstperson shooters. The mouseandkeyboard standard simply offers more refined control than a gamepad. And typically, the graphics gap between the console and PC versions used to be awfully substantial. At this point in time, though, the Xbox 360 is doing a pretty good job at keeping up with the pack, and now, more than ever, the line between platforms is quite blurry.
Hopefully this short guide has given you a better idea about the differences between the two versions of the game. But ultimately, many of the answers can only come from within. Are you hopelessly addicted to achievement points? Then the 360 version of Prey, with its relatively easy achievements, is going to hold sway. Is your PC already great, or are you just looking for any excuse to upgrade? The PC version of Prey might just be the catalyst youre looking for. Either way, youre going to get a solid firstperson shooting experience with a few interesting new twists.
Has more potential for additional content via user mods and maps
Utilizes the platforms addictive achievements system