Long before death-loop mechanics became an industry-wide sensation with games like Returnal and Deathloop, Arkane Austin quietly released Prey: Mooncrash in 2018. Setting five distinct survivors on a doomed lunar base within a resetting simulation, it remains one of the most brilliant, criminally overlooked expansions in gaming history.
The Pyramis Lunar Base Simulation
You play as Peter, a hacker trapped inside a spy satellite orbiting the moon. To earn his passage home to his family, he must use TranStar simulation software to piece together how five different crew members managed to escape the catastrophic Typhon outbreak on the TranStar Pyramis Lunar Base.
The twist? All five characters must escape within the same single simulation cycle. If the Security Officer takes the escape pod, the Volunteer can no longer use it; if the Engineer repairs an oxygen junction, it remains repaired for the next character you load into.
- Five Asymmetrical Survivors: The Volunteer, Engineer, Security Officer, Director, and Custodian each feature unique skill trees and neuromods.
- The Escalating Corruption Meter: As minutes tick by, the simulation's Corruption level increases from 1 to 5, spawning deadlier Typhon and environmental hazards.
- Persistent World State Interactivity: Hacking a door, crafting weapons, or looting supply closets with your first character directly impacts what subsequent characters find.
The Five Characters & Escape Route Strategy
Escaping with all five characters in a single run requires careful logistical routing:
| Character | Signature Ability | Weapon Focus | Ideal Escape Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andriius (Volunteer) | Burgeoning Psionic Powers | Kinetic Blast / Lift Field | Escape Pod (Fastest early escape) |
| Joan (Engineer) | Repairs Turrets & Crafts Harvester | Wrench & Shotgun | Mass Driver Space Sling (Repairs catapult) |
| Bhatia (Security Officer) | Peak Combat Prowess & Stamina | Shotgun & Q-Beam Laser | Shuttle Exfiltration (Secures hangar) |
| Claire (Custodian) | Psychoshock & EMP Disruption | Disruptor Stun Gun | Mimic Portal (Anomalous rift jump) |
| Riley Yu (Director) | Hacks Terminal Security & Operators | Neuromod Transference | Consciousness Upload (Simulated mind link) |
“Mooncrash was our experimental laboratory. We wanted to see what happened when you took the systemic depth of an immersive sim and married it to the replayability of a roguelike.”
The Moon Shark and Dynamic Hazards
Traversing the exterior lunar regolith between crater domes puts you directly in the path of the Moon Shark—a gargantuan subterranean Typhon that detects ground vibrations. Running across the rocks forces you to use the Artax propulsion pack to leap between boulders.
Play Prey & Mooncrash on Game Pass
Prey and the Mooncrash expansion are available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass with 60 FPS Boost support enabled on Series X.
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