Prey for the Gods

Great game! I had a lot of fun on Steam Deck. The only thing that was making the experience not 100% pleasant, was this the storm. Some times it was very hard to see through it. Anyway, not a perfect game, but definitely one of the best alternatives to Shadow of the Colossus.

6/10 weak recommend. Colossal boss fights with obnoxious survival elements.
Pros:
- Boss fights - I haven't played SotC so I can't compare this game with its inspirations, but the fights provide enjoyable action of scale.
- Platforming and traversal with the sail and grappling hook.
Cons:
- Survival elements prove a hard sell in such a game. Short durability of weapons often interrupts gameplay and otherwise smooth exploration of the world. Similar issue with cold especially in blizzards where you can't take more than 20 steps not freezing to death.
- Story not engaging

At some points the game feels rough.
But the main thing what I like is I don't remember when last time it was so interesting just to explore in a game.

As someone who didn't get to play Shadow of the Colossus
but love the idea of fighting giant monsters up and close,
I loved the game!
The difficulty is customizable,
art style is good,
fights are challenging and rewarding,
world is immersive,
RPG elements are just right - enough to keep you engaged, but not requiring too much grind or management.
I'm enjoying it!
Kudos to the devs!

TL:DR: 7/10 - Frustrating frozen fun found from first fight forward until finish.
For those still reading. This game is basically Shadow of The Colossus in the deep Nordth, on a mission to save the world from a never ending winter. The game is much smaller than SotC and swaps mounted travel, for a grappling hook and glider. On Legendary/Survival difficulty I did not feel like I could really take in and appreciate the world as much. I was on a mad dash to make it from one boss to the next -stopping of course to kill champions and strip the landscape bare to the extent i was able to- all while constantly freezing to death.
There are spitting worms, frozen, undead warriors, banshees, champions (mini boss), boars and bunnies a plenty to slice, club, and shoot for loot. The precious loot you'll need to craft and upgrade so you can better survive the harsh, unforgiving landscape. Survival mechanics on top added an immersive layer of difficulty that was coupled by some frustrating limitations (I'm looking at you cooking) Berries and scavenged bread made up the majority of my diet, as cooking meat and mushrooms requires campsites that are scattered throughout the landscape, you're not able to craft cooking implementations all by your lonesome... which I have issues with. It created an undo stress and prevented me from being able to get better benefits from food I needed, all because I, the survivalist, couldn't make a spit out of all the wood around me.
The combat with minions is clunky/floaty and could be improved on. The presence of a lock-on does help with melee combat, but distance and gap closure is iffy. You're best to get right up on your enemy before spamming melee. There is no block or parry so dodging is your best friend. Melee and Archery don't take any stamina, but running, climbing, gliding, and dodging do. Stamina management is KEY to survival, so I put all my totem upgrades into stamina and relied on dodging to not get hit.
While trying not to die of frost and hunger, you'll notice the landscape is beautiful. Ancient ruins and abandoned camps pepper the environment. Trees sway in the wind, and the sudden and powerful storms impact your vision and ability to traverse the terrain. Your character leaves deep trenches in the snow as the struggle through. This eerie, haunting landscape still has a peaceful beauty. Some areas hint at a forgotten history frozen in time. 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. Each boss fight is unique and usually involves activating a mechanism to stun the boss, or help you to reach them in some way. Each boss is a puzzle of both, how do I get on it, and what do I do once I'm up there. The feeling you get from scaling these titans is on point with this game.
Praey for the Gods wears it's inspiration proudly and I salute NO MATTER STUDIOS. I hope they make more games in this vein, as the set piece moments are wonderful and really gave me that SotC feeling I loved so much. While the story -and ending especially- leave a lot of questions, I came to the game to climb and fell titans, and that's what I really enjoyed. Great job and I hope to play another!

This game was really good. I had a lot of fun playing it. However, it need's a final coat of paint. There are a lot of details that are missing, especially from the cut scenes and animation. The foundation is all there, it just needs that extra finish.

The main thing I love about this game is the freedom it gives to perform stunts. One moment in particular stood out to me: During the winged boss fight, I was holding onto the tip of the left wing and I was running out of stamina. I needed to get to it's other wing to finish the fight, but the boss started making a right turn. I could have taken the safe route by climbing down the wing, but instead, I let go of the wing and slid down to the other side. Sliding down the wing of a giant flying creature, a thousand miles in the air, with wind rushing past me felt so epic. The moments like that made this game exciting and satisfying to play.

I have mixed feelings about the survival aspect of the game. Parts of it were fun, but other parts were tedious. It would be interesting to see it integrated into the boss fights more. Like maybe having a fight lasting so long that you need to camp out on the bosses back, or in a cliff-side cave while a giant creature stomps around outside.

The story didn't feel compelling enough. It took away from the cinematic nature of the game. The main character was unexpressive and I couldn't figure out why she was pursuing her goals. That was probably the weakest point of the game. It's tempting as a writer to make stories intentionally vague because it makes it come across more poetic. However, if nobody knows what's going on, then it's very difficult to empathize with the characters. This completely wipes out any chance for a deep emotional response from the player. For a game who's main selling point is epic and jaw dropping scale, a vague story only takes away from that WOW feeling.

The extra polish for the cut scenes would help emphasize that WOW feeling, but the story needs to be more emotionally engaging as well. That being said, I had a lot of fun playing this game and I would love to see more.

Praey for the Gods offers a captivating survival experience set in a frostbitten world. You play as a lone hero exploring a desolate land plagued by massive, enigmatic giants. The game excels in creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere with its striking landscapes and towering foes.
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 giants you face are imposing and require strategic thinking to overcome, adding depth and challenge to the combat.
However, while the game shines in its visuals and ambitious scope, it does have some rough edges. The controls and camera angles can sometimes feel awkward, which might detract from the experience. Additionally, the narrative could be more fleshed out, as the story feels secondary to the exploration and combat.
Despite these flaws, Praey for the Gods offers a unique and immersive journey. If you enjoy survival games with a focus on epic battles and exploration, it’s worth diving into.