Hunter: The Reckoning

"Worth the wait? Oh baby, yeah!!"

First off, let me say that this game has been delayed almost as many times as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I had my doubts on if this game was worth it or not. Well, I bought it, and let me say, I am NOT disappointed. This game is the PERFECT multiplayer game for the XBOX. Single player may not be as fun, but it does hold it's own, especially with the detail in the graphics. This game is definately a MUST BUY! It is not too hard, nor is it easy. The few things that hold it from becoming a perfect game could easily be fixed in a sequel(Hint hint).
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Graphics: 9.5/10
Hunter features a flurry of demons, vampires, zombies and monsters for you to hack and slash your way through. It also has 4 beautifully designed and each their own original characters to play as. Not to mention environments that could range from tight, dark and damp to large, dark and wide. If the camera zooms away, you may not be able to see the detail on the characters, but if you zoom in, it is there. The gargoyles look beautiful, the bosses are creepily lifelike, and the blood is great! Nothing locks up, no stopping, you can have, litterally, dozens of zombies and monsters AND up to 4 players on the same screen battling it out in a bloodbath, with no slowdown! This game definately has great, but not groundbreaking, graphics. The cutscenes could have used a little work, they were very simple.
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Sound: 10/10
One thing I personally found top-notch was the sound. You get music videos to watch! In the game, voice acting is great, not corny or flat. The roar of the monsters are crisp, the yells and screams of the innocents are creepy, the cocking of the guns and the swinging of fire-axes are there! When you swing your blades, you can hear the kaching, even if you are being attacked by a hoard of zombies! What stands out, is the enormous creepy factor the sound has in this game. Its not a game that has sound all thoughout, and that is what makes it amazing. When you are walking through the town, dead bodies around and its dark and gloomy, your alone, or with your friends, its totally silent except for the sound of your feet hitting the ground. Suddenly, you see a zombie, then 2, then 3, then before you know it, your surrounded! You get caught up in the excitement because the score goes along with the action, it can go from silent to dramatic when you fight zombies. This is totally unique and a great factor when playing this game. Its like watching a horror movie.
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Control: 8/10
This game, like I said, is not perfect. Controls are a letdown, but not that bad. You cannot change the attack button, which can really annoy you because it is the trigger. Besides that, everything else works great. Sometimes you might be attacking and you cant stop, only because you cant control the trigger when you are pressing it. Other than that, the controls are very easy to learn and very simple. But please, next time change the attack button!
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Gameplay: 9.5/10
The gameplay is great. There are numorous attacks and a lot of weapons. Unlike games like Gauntlet, zombies have minds and dont get stuck behind walls and you cant just run into a group of monsters screaming and hacking away and expecting to make it out alive. This game utilizes multiplayer, making it so everyone should work together to stay alive. Once you get the factor in, this game is pure FUN. You get EXP, which helps you get stronger. With that, your advancement strengthens your EDGES, which are hunter powers. Some things like healing yourself, or when you are stronger, healing everyone around you, or a cone of light that destroys zombies on their tracks. One gripe, while it may not be something to whine about, is the bosses. They only go after 1 person at a time, so one person could just walk behind it or even stand in front of it hacking away while you are distracting it! Whats up with that? But dont change it, its easier for us! Also, I hate when you lose your experience if you die. Let us keep our exp! Character saves instead of level saves next time. YOu can only save at the beginning of each level.
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Fun: 10/10
If you are looking for FUN, buy this game. I have not played anything else since Halo that has gotten me so excited. You can feel your sword or dagger actually slashing across the zombies flesh, and you feel the shot of the guns. I remember one time where I was playing with my brother, and a zombie with a gun was offscreen. I was about to go into a door when I actually SAW my head get shot! Oh man, I FELT it and I SAW it it was so real. Her head just like whipped to the side and I immediately knew this game IS GREAT. Nothing it better than actually thinking your in the game!
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Overall: 9/10
Everything is what it set out to be! Great graphics, amazing sound, perfect multiplayer, and overthetop entertainment make Hunter: The Reckoning a MUST BUY Xbox game for anyone who likes to have fun. This game rocks!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/28/02, Updated 05/28/02