In early 2018, Hunt: Showdown was launched on Steam. Since then, the authors have refined the product, focusing mostly on optimization, which was disastrous at first. It’s an intriguing shooter, but it’s a shame the devs didn’t include at least twice as much content for the official debut. The second map was released in November while the third is still unavailable. We haven’t had another boss in a while, so we’re still looking for three well-known Early Access monsters. At the same time, the release of version 1.0 destroyed all beta progress and there’s no disputing that a decent dose of entirely new places or foes would make leveling and unlocking goods from scratch a little more enjoyable. In any case, new gamers will quickly realize that Hunt has more to offer. This is especially true given how similar the areas offered in the game are in terms of basic ambiance and drab and gray hues. It would be great to diversify by adding a winter site or extra structures.
Nonetheless, the gameplay is entertaining. Showdown is an unconventional online shooter. The basic assumptions are straightforward: ten players join one map, working alone, in pairs, or in groups of three. The basic goal is to beat a boss, acquire the item they drop, and then escape to the exit location. It may appear to be a simple task, but in fact, we quickly discover that playing monster slayer is difficult, and the greatest threat is not varied monsters, but other players. One accurate shot from the basic rifle is sufficient to eliminate the opponent. PvP battles are fraught with stress and a strong adrenaline boost. The Arsenal also has an impact on the enjoyment of the exchange of fire. The action takes place in an alternate world in the United States toward the close of the nineteenth century. So there are no submachine guns or automatic weapons here. Our primary weapons are revolvers, shotguns, and repeating rifles. Missing boosts the stakes since we waste critical seconds reloading.
The shooting experience is excellent, but the audio setting is outstanding. The surround sound was incredible. We can tell where the noises of gunfire or birds terrified by one of the players are coming from. As a result, when investigating, you must use extreme caution to avoid making undue noise. To discover the boss, you must rely on luck and just look for him in one of the larger buildings. You can also find clues spread about the region to help you narrow down your quest. We must also constantly dodge or eliminate a slew of other creatures. They provide us with experience points, but they may also bring us problems. Hunt is a never-ending game of decision-making. Fighting regular zombies or their more heinous counterparts might draw alien hunters, so maybe it’s best to ignore everything and wait for the players? Should you go boss hunting or settle for a dosage of XP from basic minions and travel to the extraction point? PvP is unavoidable if we are to obtain the boss prize. When we defeat such a foe, our opponents know where to find us. As a result, the biggest reward is coupled with the greatest danger, but also with significant emotions. Interestingly, the impressions are already worse in the additional game mode, which is all about player battle – and you can’t lose the hero there. This is due to the fact that we take less risks.
Boss fights are thrilling, especially the first or second time around. The recurrence of such encounters is no longer startling, but luckily the primary opponents are rather diversified – there’s a big spider, a butcher with a pig’s head, and a ghost that transforms into a swarm of insects. Skirmishes with them, on the other hand, can be spoiled at times. During the boss fight, we may move outdoors freely in several places, and the opponent will not pursue us. So it boils down to stepping in, shooting, exiting, and then repeating the process several times until the boss dies. The authors should consider ways to avoid such rule-bending. Perhaps it will be enough to rejuvenate the monster’s health when we depart its lair? We are rewarded with new stuff to unlock as we advance and succeed. There are many weapons, but also devices such as grenades, mines, and traps. We also recruit new hunters and train them, since once they reach level 15, they die and we have to play with others. As a result, there’s a nod to the rogue-like genre here. It is not an issue, though, because producing new combatants is a short procedure.
The atmosphere is another advantage of the game. It’s reasonable to assume that this is what a Bloodborne-themed shooter may look like. From Software’s game is particularly identified with the design of the adversaries and the concept of a deep, dismal environment. It’s a shame that several flaws mar the overall experience of Hunt: Showdown. This does not diminish the fact that the gameplay in the new shooter from Crysis’ designers is just fantastic. The superb aural setup and the tragic, gloomy mood round out the package. As soon as we see new material, we will be able to recommend the game without reservation.