The Best Typhon Abilities in Prey

Neuromod abilities in Prey are divided into two categories: Abilities derived from humans, and those derived from the Typhon aliens being studied on Talos I. While the human abilities generally provide passive bonuses like suit modifications, extra damage with sneak attacks, or repair skill to fix broken machinery using spare parts, the Typhon abilities are another beast altogether. These are more active powers that are primarily used in combat.

Of the neuromod abilities to unlock, Typhon powers are more costly. They require an additional step and carry with them a sense of danger, since they attract the Nightmare. First, in order to unlock an alien power, it must first be researched by scanning the appropriate Typhon. Kinetic Blast and Phantom Shift are used by Phantoms, while Electrostatic Burst is used by the Technopath. As such, one of the foremost is not to kill too many alien enemies early in the game; otherwise, they can’t later be scanned.

Typhon Abilities Can Raise The Dead Or Regenerate Health

While there are certain Typhon powers that will be invaluable for specific playstyles, there are a few that will help with any build. Lift Field is an example of the former, as it can be a useful tool for clearing debris and heavy objects, but loses much of its utility if the player already has Leverage. Backlash, by contrast, provides an exclusive function: It can protect the player from 1-3 hits – especially helpful against a Mimic ambush. Since there are no other means of gaining a shield like this, Backlash is a good, economical choice. Psychoshock is fun, but a Nullwave Grenade does the same thing; just like Electrostatic Burst is basically an EMP grenade.

While the best general order of neuromods in Prey focuses on human skills like Materials Expert and Metabolic Boost, both of which help to maximize yields for survival, alien neuromods are best when providing a unique angle of attack. Most of the game’s best Typhon abilities are under the Morph skill tree. Famously, this is where Mimic Matter can be acquired – an extremely versatile power that allows Morgan to transform into objects around the station. The usefulness of this cannot be overstated. At low levels, transforming into a wrench or a mug means entry into secret areas via cracks and crevices. More ranks in Mimic Matter enable the player to transform into a turret that can fire on enemies, or even into an Operator, able to fly over hazardous terrain and attack using Operator weapons.

As with any quality sci-fi horror game, avoiding encounters is often better than going in with guns blazing. Transforming into a mug means enemies will pass Morgan by without attacking, but there’s a better option: Phantom Shift. This power costs very little Psi and leaves behind a doppelganger of Morgan. Enemies always prioritize engaging the doppelganger, which buys the player a few precious seconds of time to evade, run, or slow their attacker with the Gloo Cannon. Late in the game, Phantom Shift is a crucial way of maintaining mobility while simultaneously avoiding damage.

The Morph skill tree also provides two other means of negating damage – Regeneration and Phantom Genesis. Both require a higher number of neuromods to unlock, so it’s a good idea to farm lots of neuromods in advance. Regeneration can be learned from scanning Greater Mimics or the Nightmare and heals the player for up to 25 points any time they take damage. This is a great way to conserve medkits and shrug off small injuries over a period of time. Phantom Genesis animates corpses into powerful Phantoms (Phantom Genesis II even creates Voltaic, Thermal, and Etheric Phantoms), which sews chaos, deals high amounts of damage, and provides an excellent distraction. Though they have less overall utility, the Telepathy and Energy skill trees still provide further options for dealing direct damage (like Kinetic Blast and Superthermal). Overall, Typhon abilities in Prey can suit any playstyle, and make for a fast-paced, cinematic experience.

Prey can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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