Prey 2 is plenty different from its predecessor. For one, it stars a new protagonist, a bounty hunter named Killian Samuels. Two, it’s set in an open-world style environment, whereas the first was a traversal of linear paths and corridors.
Tommy, the protagonist from the first game, returns in Prey 2, but not as a playable character. Though, according to Human Head Studios’ Chris Rhinehart, he plays a key role in the story.
“He’s a character that you encounter many times throughout the game,” Rhinehart told IGN. “It’s not just a single cameo where he shows up and takes off. He’s integral to the story and events on Exodus. One of the big things is, the unique abilities that Tommy has, specifically spirit walk and death walk, are integral to his role and how he actually fits into the story.”
So why isn’t Tommy the main character?
“Really what it comes down to is we wanted to tell other stories in the Prey universe. We wanted to expand it and show the breadth of this universe that we were creating. New character, different mechanics, new visuals, but Tommy is still a critical character.”
Prey 2 is out for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in 2012.