Praey for the Gods

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,308 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Praey for the Gods Game Cover
Praey for the Gods is a Shadow of the Colossus-inspired adventure with sluggish controls, distracting survival mechanics, and painful bugs that make it hard to recommend.
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"Praey for the Gods is a challenging open-world adventure game where you climb and battle against colossal beasts to restore balance to a frozen world. Traverse diverse landscapes by climbing, gliding, and swimming while discovering hidden secrets and crafting necessary items. Prepare to face tough odds and uncover the mystery behind an eternal winter."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,308 reviews
gameplay232 positive mentions
grinding96 negative mentions
  • The boss fights are epic and provide a thrilling experience, reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus.
  • The game features beautiful graphics and an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The survival mechanics add an interesting layer to the game, encouraging exploration and resource management.
  • The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.
  • The survival mechanics can become tedious, with hunger, cold, and sleep meters depleting too quickly.
  • The game lacks a compelling story, making it difficult for players to feel invested in the narrative.
  • gameplay1,042 mentions

    The gameplay of "Praey for the Gods" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its homage to "Shadow of the Colossus" through engaging boss battles and climbing mechanics. However, the inclusion of survival elements has been criticized as tedious and often detracting from the core experience, leading to frustrations with clunky controls and inconsistent mechanics. While some players enjoy the exploration and the variety of gameplay options, others find the overall execution lacking, suggesting that the game needs further refinement and polish to fully realize its potential.

    • “The core gameplay revolves around climbing, battling colossal creatures, and managing your survival needs in a harsh environment.”
    • “The climbing mechanics are engaging, though they can be a bit finicky at times.”
    • “The first few bosses left quite an impression, and the survival mechanics were a welcome addition and challenge....all at first.”
    • “Clunky mechanics, tedious and uninteresting boss fights; I got through half the game within an hour and a half.”
    • “From janky core mechanics that barely work to just abhorrent and boring combat, this game is rather pathetic and awful.”
    • “The fact that the pivotal portions of the gameplay have you simply 'tapping right mouse button profusely' should have been enough of a pointer to the devs that they've tried harder.”
  • story435 mentions

    The story in "Praey for the Gods" is often described as vague and underdeveloped, with many players feeling it lacks emotional engagement and coherence. While some appreciate the minimalist storytelling approach and the atmospheric world-building, others criticize the reliance on environmental cues and scattered notes that fail to provide a compelling narrative. Overall, the game is seen as an homage to "Shadow of the Colossus," but it struggles to deliver a meaningful story that complements its gameplay and exploration.

    • “Best described as an homage to the classic Shadow of the Colossus, but on a more bleak and melancholy level with survival aspects and a defined prologue and story.”
    • “The open world encourages you to explore; the survival mechanics keep you on the edge of your seat at all times (especially when there's a storm in the middle of a fight!!!); and the way the story is told makes you always want to learn more and discover exactly what's going on, which in turn means to continue exploring and surviving.”
    • “The atmosphere is great and the storyline is interesting.”
    • “The story is basically nonexistent.”
    • “Where this game falls short is definitely the story, which took a route so ambiguous I am not able to tell you one single sentence of what it's about or what has transpired.”
    • “The story and lore for this game are also somehow more absent than Shadow of the Colossus, so it feels like you're just doing things with no motive.”
  • graphics301 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and atmospheric design, with many reviewers noting the impressive environments and creature designs that evoke a sense of wonder. However, some criticisms highlight that the graphics can feel outdated or inconsistent, with occasional low-resolution textures and graphical glitches detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the art style is often described as fitting for the game's themes, and many players appreciate the visual effort put into the game, especially considering its small development team.

    • “The area surrounding boss 4 in particular is one of my personal favorites, the atmosphere is great and really shows the love and effort put into the visuals.”
    • “Graphics are beautiful and physics are great, exploration is really fun and the survival mechanics are there to make the game more interesting, only if the player wants them to (can select option that makes them have minimal impact).”
    • “Absolutely breathtaking visuals, badass bosses and a land engulfed in mystery.”
    • “The most glaring reason this game sucks is the outdated graphics and animation.”
    • “You could find a similar game from 10+ years ago that didn't care about graphic quality or had some of the worst animations possible.”
    • “The graphics are bad, okay, but the animations are outright terrible; overall it feels like some PS2 title.”
  • music249 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and create tension during boss encounters, often drawing comparisons to the iconic soundtrack of "Shadow of the Colossus." While some players found the soundtrack to be epic and immersive, others criticized it for being generic or overly intense, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's emotional and immersive qualities, despite some subjective criticisms.

    • “The music and the bosses were phenomenal and reminded me of what I hoped this game would be, more Shadow of the Colossus-esque epic fights.”
    • “The atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, the music is wonderful, and the game is just in and of itself, a blast.”
    • “The soundtrack for the game is great, it adds a nice atmosphere to the game both when exploring or fighting bosses.”
    • “The musical score ruined the atmosphere for me.”
    • “There were other lesser irritations that I had hoped would be resolved after early access ended (and they weren't), but it was the music that ultimately drove me to uninstall and move on.”
    • “One of my few complaints about this game is the lack of music; music only plays when you encounter a boss, so you'll be exploring the world listening to your parents arguing in the background.”
  • atmosphere142 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty, striking landscapes, and immersive wintery settings, effectively capturing a sense of mystery and desolation. Many players appreciate the attention to detail in visuals and sound, although some note that the musical score can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully creates a captivating and atmospheric world that enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature for fans of atmospheric adventures.

    • “The game excels in creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere with its striking landscapes and towering foes.”
    • “The atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, the music is wonderful, and the game is just in and of itself, a blast.”
    • “The atmosphere and weather effects are especially praise-worthy, featuring great looking snow that physically deforms under your character when she steps into it and blows in the wind with such density that it can affect your visibility of the game world.”
    • “The musical score ruined the atmosphere for me.”
    • “A world full of mystery and atmosphere doesn't mean a whole lot when you feel like you have to constantly fight the floaty, janky controls over your character instead of focusing on the enemies and colossi you need to defeat.”
    • “The only thing distracting from its atmosphere are the 'normal enemies' and the adverse environment.”
  • grinding106 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Praey for the Gods" is widely criticized for being tedious and unengaging, with many players finding the survival mechanics and resource management to be more of a chore than an enhancement to gameplay. Boss fights, while occasionally enjoyable, often feel repetitive and frustrating, contributing to an overall sense of emptiness and lack of incentive to explore or grind for resources. Despite some positive elements, the game suffers from slow pacing and clunky mechanics that detract from the experience.

    • “They did a great job with making sure it's not tedious while working it extremely well with how you need to take on colossi.”
    • “The survival mechanics aren't tedious thankfully and most resources are fairly easy to come by in order to survive the mysterious frozen landscape.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “Tl;dr: Praey for the Gods had potential but fell short due to slow pacing, awkward movement, tedious travel, and frustrating survival mechanics.”
    • “The added elements of survival are boring, tedious, and make the game grindy for no reason, without you actually getting anything out of getting resources and searching the caves.”
    • “The survival aspect adds nothing to the game, besides adding more tediousness to the fights with titans.”
  • optimization91 mentions

    The optimization of "Praey for the Gods" has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and visual bugs, particularly during boss battles. While some users appreciate the game's graphics and overall quality, they express frustration over the lack of optimization, especially for lower-end PCs. As the game is still in early access, players are hopeful for future updates to address these performance concerns.

    • “With 20 hours of game time on this, I am really happy with the overall quality and performance; yet another shining example of the power of indies and Unity!”
    • “Looking at videos of gameplay from last year and comparing it to my experience now shows so many performance and gameplay improvements, and the developers are very transparent and communicative about their process.”
    • “Optimization is good for early access; expect that to get better as it goes on.”
    • “Game is awesome, so good in fact that it makes you ignore the god awful performance just like its mentor Shadow of the Colossus.”
    • “A poorly, poorly optimized game, filled up with trillions of particles which creates unnecessary burden for the processor.”
    • “I know it is in early access but I don't think early access means selling an unoptimized product right away.”
  • stability72 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during boss fights and climbing mechanics. While some users noted that these issues are typical for early access titles and did not significantly detract from their enjoyment, others experienced game-breaking problems that hindered their experience. Despite the instability, there is optimism for future improvements as developers are responsive to player feedback.

    • “Game runs great at max settings, 4K resolution, Ryzen 7 3800X, 6800XT, 32 GB RAM, Windows 10 64.”
    • “It looks stunning, runs great, and makes me want to keep coming back for more.”
    • “But the main issue I had with this was the amount of bugs, glitches, and game-breaking issues I found by the end of the game.”
    • “This has got to have the worst, clunkiest, buggy, unresponsive climbing experiences I've ever had in any video game, quite literally ever.”
    • “There are glitches that make this game unplayable.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game offers decent replayability, particularly for players seeking challenges and varying difficulty levels, though some reviewers note that it lacks depth in story content. While the excitement of fights keeps players engaged, the overall replay value may primarily appeal to those interested in speedrunning or improving their skills.

    • “I would recommend this game to anyone I come across, and yes, there is replayability.”
    • “Plus there's a certain replayability if you're looking for challenges (beating the boss as fast as you can), nice touch for players expecting to get better!”
    • “⬜infinitely replayable”
    • “The fights are exciting every time, but sadly there is not that much in terms of replayability.”
    • “It lacks a solid story, but does not make it less replayable.”
    • “Replay value is there only if you are one of the types of people who want to see how fast you can beat the game.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is mixed; while some players report moments that evoke strong feelings, such as heartwarming sequences and impressive music, others feel that the overall story lacks depth and engagement, diminishing the potential for a profound emotional response. Additionally, gameplay mechanics and unpolished elements detract from immersion, leading to a sense of going through the motions rather than experiencing a meaningful journey.

    • “This game makes me want to cry.”
    • “The only two things that make up for it are the absolutely amazing music that plays during the sequence and a really heartwarming moment just before the final boss is finished.”
    • “If anything, they made me feel more immersed in the world and gently nudged me to explore some places I might never have gone to on my first playthrough.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the character design and overall aesthetics of the game are well-received, there is a notable lack of depth in character development. Players express a desire for more expansive character growth, crafting options, and customization features to enhance the gameplay experience.

    • “I will say as an overall impression... the setting, the environment, the character design, and so on are all pretty cool and well done.”
    • “I would assume they would get a solid foundation for mechanics, animations, or character design first.”
    • “I mean the second boss is a [spoiler]giant earthworm[/spoiler], what kind of imbecile was in charge of character design?!”
    • “More character development, crafting/survival, outfits and items could be expanded.”
  • humor4 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be a delightful aspect, particularly enjoying moments of unexpected absurdity, such as enemies missing their attacks in comical ways. These instances contribute to a thrilling yet amusing gameplay experience, enhancing overall enjoyment.

    • “It's pretty funny when I get knocked down, the guy brings his weapon back to finish me off, and then he whiffs 5 feet off to the side of me.”
    • “Xd (still thrilling and funny as hell xd)”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

61% average critic score

Buy Praey for the Gods

Play time

8hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
6-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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