Games Like Prey: Immersive Sims and Sci-Fi Horror Worth Your Time

Prey (2017) is Arkane Austin's masterpiece. Set aboard Talos I, a research space station overrun by Typhon — shape-shifting aliens that can pretend to be any object, so every chair might be a monster. You play Morgan Yu trying to survive, with escalating supernatural abilities (including the ability to copy Typhon powers yourself) and deep immersive sim freedom in how you approach every problem.

Tragically, Arkane Austin was shuttered in 2024 after their Redfall disappointment. The Prey franchise is effectively dormant. But the immersive sim genre Prey belongs to still has enough activity to give fans something to play. Here's what captures similar design DNA.

The direct Arkane family

Dishonored 2 is Arkane Lyon's peak. Supernatural first-person stealth in an alternate-history setting. The Clockwork Mansion level alone is one of the best designed levels in gaming history.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is the standalone expansion/continuation. Shorter than Dishonored 2 but excellent.

Dishonored (the first game) still holds up beautifully. Gorgeous art direction, tight level design, true immersive sim freedom.

Deathloop is Arkane Lyon's time-loop assassin game. Less pure immersive sim than Dishonored but shares the design sensibility.

The immersive sim classics

Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided are the cyberpunk immersive sim revivals. Multiple approaches to every problem, player-chosen playstyle, rich worlds. The games like Deus Ex post has more.

System Shock Remake (2023) is the modern remake of the game that invented this whole genre. SHODAN remains the best AI antagonist in games. The games like System Shock post has more.

BioShock and BioShock 2 are System Shock's spiritual successors. Less immersive sim than they promised but still great atmospheric action.

BioShock Infinite leans more into linear action but has similar supernatural-plus-gunplay combat.

The sci-fi horror peers

Prey isn't strictly horror but its Typhon enemies create genuine dread. Games with similar atmosphere:

Dead Space Remake is third-person sci-fi horror with similar "something is wrong on this space facility" energy. The games like Dead Space post has more.

Alien: Isolation is the other peak of space station horror. Not immersive sim but the atmosphere is unmatched.

Observation is sci-fi horror where you play an AI trying to save astronaut crew. Different gameplay, similar setting tension.

SOMA is underwater sci-fi horror with deep philosophy. No combat (in certain modes) but the atmosphere is Prey-adjacent.

The "supernatural powers in immersive sim" picks

Part of Prey's brilliance is its Typhon powers — you gradually become the thing you're hunting. Games with similar "experiment with your abilities" freedom:

Control gives you supernatural powers combined with gunplay in a weird-fiction setting. The games like Control post covers this.

Quantum Break is Remedy's time-manipulation third-person shooter.

Second Sight is the classic psychic-powers action game. Hard to find on modern platforms but worth tracking down.

The "weird fiction" immersive sims

Cruelty Squad is an aggressively strange immersive sim. Not beautiful in the traditional sense. Brilliant in its commitment to its specific vision.

Hitman series has immersive sim design in its level structure. Every map is a puzzle of how to eliminate targets with player freedom.

Pathologic 2 isn't an immersive sim but has immersive sim design philosophy in its systemic approach. Survival horror about a doctor in a plagued town.

The recent notable releases

Atomic Heart is alternate-history USSR immersive sim action. Uneven reception but captures some of Prey's combat-plus-powers feel.

Returnal is third-person roguelike shooter with supernatural atmosphere. The games like Returnal post has more.

Weird West is top-down immersive sim in alternate-history weird-fiction American West. From WolfEye Studios (ex-Arkane developers).

The classic immersive sims worth revisiting

Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II are the grandfathers of first-person stealth immersive sims. Still incredible.

Thief Gold — mentioned again because it shouldn't be skipped.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is immersive sim RPG in a vampire setting. Janky but genuinely brilliant.

The "copy Prey specifically" picks

Not many games outright copy Prey, but a few are close:

Perception: Remastered is first-person horror where you play a blind protagonist. Not immersive sim but atmospheric.

Firewatch has the isolation and atmosphere in different genre. The games like Firewatch post has more.

Hollow Knight — completely different genre but the freedom-of-exploration in a carefully built world is immersive sim-adjacent in spirit.

What we make at Choost

We don't make immersive sims — the scope required (every level being a puzzle with multiple solutions) is enormous. Granny's Rampage is bullet heaven action, deliberately simpler structurally. But we love Prey's commitment to player freedom as a design principle. For more atmospheric recommendations, the best horror games and best indie games of all time posts have more.

The short answer

For Arkane's legacy work: Dishonored 2.

For the other peak immersive sim: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.

For System Shock heritage: System Shock Remake.

For similar sci-fi horror: Dead Space Remake or Alien: Isolation.

For supernatural powers action: Control.

For ex-Arkane devs: Weird West.

For the weird indie pick: Cruelty Squad.

Prey is unique and probably getting no sequel. But the immersive sim genre it belongs to is still alive, just quieter than it should be. Build a playlist from the above and you can maintain Prey's specific satisfaction while hoping the genre gets its next major hit.