Hunter: The Reckoning Wayward

"Improved? Maybe"

Hunter the Reckoning: Wayward is most definitely a better game then its predecessor. But then, not everyone judges a game's quality based upon the same standards.

The reality is the multi-player mayhem that made the first game a smash has taken a hit and because of that the game is considerably less appealing. Despite that, it has enough improvements that make it a worthy game to play.

Gameplay: 6/10

The individual gameplay HAS improved. The controls on the PS2 are far more comforting then the Xbox's beast of a controller. Not to mention the fact to instantly switch between melee and ranged weapons means dispatching the hordes of the Undead will be much easier.

Each Hunter's default ranged weapon no longer has infinite ammo however. Given the scaled down assault from the hordes of the Undead such an idea is manageable.

So what happened to the gameplay? Why such a feeble score if the gameplay seems improved? No multi-player.

Oh sure they made a half-hearted attempt at multi-player, one friend, and only one friend, can join forces with you to combat the Undead. But the Undead no longer mass as they did in the original and three buddies can no longer join with you to feast on the blood of the hordes. This was what made Hunter great. Honestly, did anyone give a damn about the third rate, typical WoD fare story?

Perhaps the one positive effect of this is that the game does have enough new features, the collecting of trophies, the base from which one can listen to music, watch movies, and select which level to go to, makes Wayward a much better single-player experience. But despite that, the spirit of Hunter seems gone.

Story: 8/10

Two years after the four Hunters defeated evil and saved the town of Ashcroft they receive an email from a mysterious stranger. The town they thought they had saved has been overrun by a group of cultists. Thus opens Wayward. The game does try to present more of a story then the original Hunter, perhaps to fill in the blanks where you should have several friends playing with you. Still, Wayward is not something you'll likely be playing for the moving story.

Controls: 9/10

Ahh yes, this was the way Hunter was meant to be played. The PS2 controller is simply so much better for dealing with the nasty business of slaying the hordes of the Undead. Since the player has the ability to hit R1 to swing their melee weapon while R2 fires their current active ranged weapon, there is no switching back and forth.

Other then that the control scheme is virtually identical to the original Hunter and it won't take veteran Hunters long at all to adjust to the improved and far more comfortable controls the PS2 provides.

Sound: 9/10

The audio seems to have taken a serious jump from the previous Hunter. While the grim silence coupled by the upbeat techno when the Hordes swarmed about made the original game great, Wayward seems to be shooting for the Resident Evil look, at least when it comes to sound.

The music is far more creepy and paranoid, playing on you much as the music from the survival horror genre tends to do. This is a distinct improvement over the original, at least considering how the nature of the game has changed.

Graphics: 8/10

The in-game graphics are improved. Everything is darker then the original game and shadows actually exist. The lighting effects are somewhat impressive. Some levels that are pitch-black now have the Hunters carrying lamps to light their way. This makes for some very nice effects.

The characters themselves are very well detailed, right down to the bible that hangs from Judge's belt. Though the looks of the characters have altered, not necessarily for the better.

The movies however are somewhat disappointing. The original Hunter's sequences were less then good when it came out and now the movie sequences are real stinkers. Defender's arms are so ridiculously thin it's pathetic. The characters look even worse then they did in the other game. That doesn't say much (or perhaps it says something about the difference between PS2 and Xbox hardware, but I digress...)

Overall: 8/10

Wayward's biggest problem is that the nature of the game has changed. It is still a great game for die-hards of the series and for those who didn't care for the first it's worth checking out.

It IS a better game then the original but one must cope with the fact that if they're looking for multi-player then this is not the Hunter to acquire. Playing with a buddy is great sport, but the beauty of the original is lost. If you're looking for a good single-player experience, or wish the original had a better one, then this might be the game to settle for. Just don't buy it expecting the multi-player beauty of the original or you WILL get burned.

As far as game length, short, but there are quite a few unlockables so it should keep you fairly busy and as it retails new for $10 in most places at the moment, it's a good purchase.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/09/04