Arkane Studios' Prey gives players a multitude of tools to help them survive. Junk items can be recycled into base components, which can then be used to craft valuable weapons and ammunition. Crafty players can use environmental hazards, like fires or electrical currents, to take out enemies without firing a single shot. There are even superpowers that can be used in creative ways, like transforming into a coffee mug to slip through a tight space or creating a blast of electricity to temporary power down security systems.
However, Prey's true breakout star is the Gelifoam Lattice Organism Obstructor Cannon, colloquially referred to as the GLOO Cannon. As the abbreviation implies, the GLOO Cannon fires huge globs of extremely sticky glue-like foam that rapidly expands and hardens. The cannon is acquired by protagonist Morgan Yu very early in the game, towards the end of the tutorial level in the Neuromod Division. Some may fail to see its use due to its non-lethal effect on enemies. However, by keeping an open mind and thinking creativity, players can use the GLOO Cannon in extremely useful ways.
The most basic use for the GLOO Cannon is to immobilize enemies with a stream of glue. This allows the player to close the distance for a melee strike, run and hide or use another weapon or power to do some serious damage. Enemies take bonus damage while immobilized, making the GLOO Cannon a perfect first step in a one-two punch against all types of enemies. The cannon is also a great tool against the illusive Poltergeist enemy, which is usually invisible but is rendered visible when hit by a glob of GLOO.
Environmental hazards, which are very prevalent around Talos I after the hostile alien takeover, can also be bypassed using the GLOO Cannon. The foam is a fire retardant, meaning that hazardous burning areas can be rendered harmless with a few well-placed shots from the cannon. The GLOO Cannon is also great for getting past damaged electrical junction boxes, which are capable of electrocuting and near-instantly killing the player if they wander too close. A GLOO charge will stop the electrical current, but only temporarily, meaning Morgan must either run past the danger or use the Repair skill to disable the current permanently.
Perhaps the greatest use of the GLOO Cannon, though, is in navigating the environment. The large masses of solid foam produced by the weapon are large and sturdy enough for Morgan to stand on, acting as a makeshift platform. Since the GLOO sticks to any surface, besides glass or other GLOO, ramps to otherwise unreachable areas can be constructed almost instantly. This gives the player unimpeded vertical freedom, allowing them to reach the ceiling in almost every area of the space station. Air duct passageways can be accessed in this way, allowing Morgan to bypass enemies and obstacles easily. GLOO platforms can also be used to climb up Grav Shafts, the Prey universe's gravity-defying version of an elevator, even if they have no power. This lets creative players reach certain areas long before they're supposed to, such as climbing to the second floor of the Neuromod Division and grabbing the Stun Gun weapon fairly early in the game.
GLOO has even more practical uses for those with the will to try them. Puffs of GLOO can effectively extend the cover's height, allowing it to block an incoming attack or help the player sneak through an area. Flying enemies that are immobilized by GLOO will fall straight to the ground, and in tall areas such as the Power Plant, this fall can be deadly. It can be used to block doorways, effectively locking enemies in one area if they aren't aware of you yet. The downloadable roguelike campaign Prey: Mooncrash adds even more GLOO tech, such as an automated turret that shoots GLOO and a grenade that can cover a whole room in the stuff, giving the player even more options.
Like many of Arkane Studios' games, Prey is full of fun and creative gadgets. In a game that focuses on fictional science and groundbreaking feats of engineering, the GLOO Cannon fits perfectly. Even better, the gun has a huge host of uses and applications which fits the immersive and player-driven gameplay of Prey. Whether you're gluing down a Phantom or climbing the walls of the Hardware Labs, the GLOO Cannon is every player's bread and butter.