Mimic

Mimics (Typhon cacoplasmus) are a variety of Typhon encountered on Talos I in Prey and Pytheas in Prey: Mooncrash.

Overview
Mimics are small Typhon which can camouflage themselves to look like inanimate objects in their environment, such as office chairs or garbage cans. They can also be seen attempting to arrange themselves into humanoid shapes, out of curiosity or threat display. Like all Typhon, they are composed of a shiny black semi-vaporous substance, which is shaped into central mass with four tentacle-like limbs.

They are very agile, capable of crawling, jumping and somersaulting as well as deftly avoiding blows from a wrench. They kill by tightly wrapping their appendages around their victims and ramming one appendage down the victim's throat, rapidly devouring their flesh and then using the biomass to undergo fission, splitting into four new Mimics. Morgan can obtain the Mimic's mimicking power through Neuromods. In-game, the mimics create a suspicion of any object in a room.

The variant Greater Mimic has that ability to turn into more complex objects like Turrets or Operators, these mimic facsimiles of actual machines will be fully operational, turrets firing and operators floating around.

Transformation
TranStar scientists have no idea how Mimics transform. Theories on this subject include the idea that the Mimic retreats into alternate dimensions and displaces an item from that dimension, that the Mimic emits an electromagnetic field that convinces observers that it is an inanimate object, that it changes its own molecular structure at will, or that it employs "magic" (i.e. some set of rules beyond conventional physics).

Description
EXCERPT FROM PSYCHOTRONICS DATABASE: Common Name: Mimic Scientific Name: Typhon cacoplasmus

One of the first Typhon discovered during the Vorona I incident in 1960, Mimics are capable of imitating nearby objects.

During incident case #0648-040163, it was observed that Mimics use other living organisms as a reproduction medium, killing their prey in the process.

In accordance with the Pobeg Protocol, Mimic specimens are not to be released in environments with a containment rating of less than S4.

MORGAN'S NOTES/PETER'S NOTES: Imitation power seems limited to objects roughly the mass of the mimic itself. Could the psychoscope be modified somehow to detect hidden ones? Get to high ground and immobilize with GLOO cannon.

Strategy
There is a chipset that allows the Psychoscope to be able to detect a mimic when it has assumed the form of an item. Use this to check the area for mimics before advancing. Remember, however, that first version of detection chip can't detect Greater Mimics. If you do not have the chipset the best way to find hidden Mimics is to search a room for small to medium sized duplicate objects or objects that appear to be out of place. Remember that if it requires leverage to lift, then it's definitely not a Mimic. Wander around the vicinity and hit the said objects with a wrench. Try to charge the attack with your wrench to get the jump on any mimics that you do find, as a fully charged wrench attack can usually one shot a Mimic.

The Mimic's strategy revolves around ambush and strength in numbers, as the most numerous type of Typhon organism it's not uncommon to find 2-4 Mimics in a single area. In the absence of a viable target they prefer to assume the form of a inanimate object for the purpose of lying in wait for one to appear. The first thing that Morgan needs to remember is that Mimics can only assume the form of a object that is already present, so if they see more than one of the same object in a odd place then their best option is to try to eliminate both objects at once. Regular Mimic can't assume form of heavy objects, while Greater Mimic can.

The Mimic will attempt to scare Morgan, causing them to waste valuable ammunition or stamina in a panic but if they're able to remain calm then they aren't much of a threat. Mimics require a living or dead organism to reproduce, so if one such organism is nearby then it might be best to eliminate that organism first, or at the very least keep any Mimics in the area away from them, in order to prevent them from being able to reproduce.

Mimics are able to feed on "fresh" human corpses, though most encountered will be "consumed" by mimics already. Fresh bodies may be depleted by mimics so that they reproduce, but the player may move these out of reach somehow or choose to use Phantom Genesis to create allied phantoms out of dead bodies, which makes them inaccessible to mimics.

Greater Mimics have to be immobilized before killing, as they (unlike regular Mimics) can jump on Morgan's face, making player helpless against other enemies in the area until they get them off.

Shotguns, pistols and most powers are able to easily deal with mimics as they are not particularly durable compared to Phantoms and other more dangerous foes, and unlike these mimics completely lack a ranged attack, meaning the shotgun and wrench are effective against these enemies.

If the player has somewhat decent aim they should be able to kill the mimic in a singe hit from the shotgun. Mimics are extremely vulnerable when assuming the form of an object, and a fully charged wrench attack should kill any hiding Mimic in a single shot. Be aware that this should only be used against regular mimics, and if you detect a greater mimic in hiding, then it would be best to use the shotgun, GLOO cannon, or Eradicator Turrets instead.

Trivia

 * The Mimic was the first Typhon organism discovered by humans.
 * Mimics have some resemblance to the Mimics from the film Edge of Tomorrow (2014), and to the headcrabs from the Half-life series.
 * If a single Mimic made it to earth and was able to reproduce, and each subsequent mimic iteration was able to as well, every 5 minutes; it would only take upwards of an hour to completely overrun a city the size of New York. If the mimics are effective and reproduce every minute, the city falls in roughly 12 minutes. This however, is not counting the time it would take mimics to actually get to their prey.
 * 4^n = number of mimics for each iteration/generation of Mimics replicating.
 * Mimics may be one of the more "pure" versions of Typhon, as they were encountered before they had a chance to devour human subjects. Other forms (such as Phantoms) are based on human beings.
 * When a Mimic assumes an item, they will let out a low, yet constant clicking sound.
 * Disguised Mimics can often be seen tumbling around, such as in the psychotronics lab, where in the room where you encounter Aaron Ingram. In the room adjacent, you can see several Greater Mimics disguised as boxes and gurneys.
 * According to Raphael Colantonio, the inspiration for the Mimic's ability to imitate comes from the monster of the same name from Dungeons and Dragons, a pen and paper role-playing game.