How to get Prey's shotgun as early as possible

I'm only a few hours into Prey, but combat is tough right off the bat. Basic mimics aren't much of a problem—a quick GLOO blast and wrench swing will knock those suckers into oblivion. Phantoms are a different story. GLOO stops them for a few seconds, but because they do a ton of damage, move as swiftly as the wind, and the wrench chips away at their health slower than an eight year old chomping on a massive jawbreaker, you're going to want a shotgun to help out. 

Problem is, Prey’s map gets huge, and quick. It’s possible you can miss the shotgun in the early game entirely, but if you know where to look, you can get a boomstick and dissolve Phantoms will-nilly with no wait. 

From the main Talos 1 lobby, head to Security. It’s on the main floor, just to the left of the rightmost staircase.

The door at the end of the hall is locked, but you can climb the pipe and head into the vents above the room, where you can then drop down from above. Loot like mad and check out the terminal. Just to its right is the shotgun.

Grab it and watch the beautiful loading animation. This is the moment Prey officially becomes a PC game. 

James Davenport

James is stuck in an endless loop, playing the Dark Souls games on repeat until Elden Ring and Silksong set him free. He's a truffle pig for indie horror and weird FPS games too, seeking out games that actively hurt to play. Otherwise he's wandering Austin, identifying mushrooms and doodling grackles.