5. Story

Story mode is the easiest mode in Prey (2017) but it won’t make the game easy to the point where you are invincible. You take less damage than Easy mode, but you will still need to dodge. 

Story mode does increase the amount of damage you can inflict on the enemies turning Prey into more of a FPS game than a survival-sneaky adventure. You’ll actually be able to have a good ammo economy and dish out significant damage to the enemies.

How it works:

• Difficulty affects modifiers – on Story mode, the multipliers are estimated to be:
• Healing: 200% Healing Modifier
• Damage Dealt: 125%
• Damage Taken: Less than 50% (Unsure of exact modifier)

Choose This Difficulty If...

• You find the base Prey game really difficult and want an easier time (Story mode can only be selected from a New Game save)
• You don’t like sneaking around and prefer playing the game like an FPS shooter
• You want to enjoy the story without the stress of trying to gather resources and struggling to simply stay alive

4. Easy

Easy is the second-easiest mode in Prey (2017) but it won’t make the game easy too easy. You deal significantly less damage than Story mode, and you take slightly more damage than Story mode.

Easy mode makes the game slightly easier to have better ammo economy, so you won’t struggle as much with making ammo and other necessities to stay alive. The major jump between Easy and Normal is how much damage is reduced, which increases your survivability by a considerable amount.

How it works:

• Difficulty affects modifiers – on Easy mode the multipliers are estimated to be:
• Healing: 120% Healing Modifier
• Damage Dealt: 110%
• Damage Taken: 50%

Choose This Difficulty If...

• You find the base Prey game on normal too difficult and want an easier time
• You don’t like sneaking around and prefer playing the game like an FPS shooter with light survival mechanics
• You want to enjoy the story with some challenges. There will still be attacks that can kill you instantly, but at least the most basic enemies (Mimics & Phantoms) will be easier to handle.

3. Normal

Normal is the middle difficulty in Prey (2017) but it doesn’t really feel that way. There’s a pretty significant jump in modifiers between Easy and Normal so the game is actually much harder. It kind of feels like there should be a difficulty setting in between Easy and Normal but it is what it is!

Normal is for those that want the game to be a bit more difficult than Easy, so you have to pay attention to your resource management. There’s going to be fear of running out of resources and not having enough ammo.

How it works:

• Difficulty affects modifiers – on Normal mode, the multipliers are estimated to be:
• Healing: 100% Healing Modifier
• Damage Dealt: 100%
• Damage Taken: 100%

Choose This Difficulty If...

• You like to have a good balance between resource management and combat
• You like sneaking around and playing strategically
• You want to enjoy the game as the developers intended. You’ll feel weak until you get geared up with Neuromods and weapons.

2. Hard

Hard is the second-hardest difficulty in Prey (2017) – it sounds like it's really hard but it really isn’t all that much different from normal. If it hasn’t been clear – the difficulty only affects the modifier parameters and the modifiers from Normal to Hard are surprisingly tame compared to the jump from Easy to Normal.

Hard is for those who want a bit more challenge, to take on the Typhon when it makes sense and to sneak away when given the opportunity. This difficulty is for those that want to take careful planning to the next level.

How it works:

• Difficulty affects modifiers – on Hard mode, the multipliers are estimated to be:
• Healing: 80% Healing Modifier
• Damage Dealt: 100%
• Damage Taken: 160%

Choose This Difficulty If...

• You want an additional challenge and making sure you effectively dodge enemy attacks or you’ll be taking a whopping. 
• You like sneaking around and playing strategically
• You want to enjoy the game as a weakling until you get powered up. You’ll be weak and feel like a wet noodle until you get geared up with Neuromods and weapons.

1. Nightmare

Nightmare is the hardest difficulty in Prey (2017). It’s a difficulty named after one of the most annoying Typhon in the game because it’s strong and it keeps coming back. Prey isn’t an easy game and this mode is for those who want to make it extremely difficult

Nightmare difficulty is for those who want to feel like a wet noodle and slap like a wet noodle. You are effectively a noodle with nerf guns and elastic bolts. You will feel weak and vulnerable until you are basically fully kitted out and close to the end of the game. You could say, Nightmare mode makes your gameplay experience a nightmare – and it’s perfect for those that want to experience being hunted by a nightmare while in a nightmare!

How it works:

• Difficulty affects modifiers – on Nightmare mode, the multipliers are estimated to be:
• Healing: 80% Healing Modifier
• Damage Dealt: 80%
• Damage Taken: 160%

Choose This Difficulty If...

• You like to become a noodle
• You like sneaking around and playing strategically
• Enjoy a challenge and feeling totally helpless. Arguably this may be the intended difficulty to play on due to the “fear” factor that comes with being so helpless – it feels fitting for the setting of the game.