The game takes place in an alternate timeline in which an accelerated Space Race resulted in humankind taking to orbital stations far earlier. The player controls Morgan Yu while exploring the space station Talos I, in orbit around Earth–Moon where they were part of a scientific team researching the Typhon, a hostile alien force composed of many forms with both physical and psychic powers, such as shapeshifting into a clone of any inanimate object. As the Typhon escapes confinement, the player uses a variety of weapons and abilities, some of which are derived from the Typhon themselves, to avoid being killed while looking to escape the station. The player gains access to areas of the station by acquiring key items and abilities, eventually allowing the player to explore the station in an open world setting. The game combines elements of role-playing video games, stealth games, first-person shooters, immersive sims and Metroidvanias in its design. Arkane's Prey is largely unrelated to the 2006 game Prey developed by Human Head Studios. While Prey 2, a sequel to the 2006 game, had been planned by Human Head, it fell into development hell following the transfer of the intellectual property from 3D Realms to Bethesda Softworks, and was eventually canceled in 2014. Arkane's game does not use any of the planned sequel's assets, and only incorporates the previous game's name and the broad theme of the protagonist being hunted by aliens. Arkane built Prey as a spiritual sequel to System Shock, providing the player with several potential means of progressing within the game, while considering the Talos I station a thematic reinterpretation of their underground dungeon of their first game, Arx Fatalis.