Hunter: The Reckoning

"Hunter: $19.99"

Hunter: The Reckoning
Since the dawn of time supernatural powers have ruled our world playing humanity as a pawn in their petty struggle for power. Amidst the throngs of humanity a select few mortals have emerged enlightened to the truth and imbued with the power to seek out and destroy these vile creatures. These elite few, known only as “Hunters”, have taken up the desperate struggle for humanity, only this time failure is not an option as the very fate of our world hangs in the balance and the time of the final Reckoning draws near.

Gameplay
Hunter: The Reckoning is the latest creation to emerge from the labs at High Voltage Software, crafted from the brilliant minds at White Wolf Publications and set within the popular World of Darkness universe. Hunter is a top-down action/adventure role-playing game where you must embark on a crusade to take back the world from the evils that plague it. Hunter supports a single screen cooperative mode where as many as four players can get in on the mayhem as either Spencer “Deuce” Wyatt the Avenger, Samantha Alexander the Defender, Father Estaban Cortez the Judge, or Kassandra Cheyung the Martyr in a battle for survival. Players will have to slash through 23 lush environments including a gothic cathedral and accompanying cemetery, while waging an all out war against over 20 monster variations and 7 uniquely disturbing bosses. In each player’s arsenal are over 20 types of weapons including the devastating bull-pup shotgun and 8 powerful edges.
As players progress through each of the games diverse levels their characters stats will improve to reflect their personal gameplay style. At the end of each level a point will be awarded to one of the characters primary attributes, either strength, accuracy, speed, conviction or stamina; with new special abilities following the defeat of every boss. As players explore each new environment they will be on the lookout for health and conviction glyphs used to restore a hunter back to perfect fighting condition, some hidden glyphs will even be able to permanently increase a hunters physical statistics.

Graphics
Beautifully rendered environments are what we have come to expect out of any Xbox title and Hunter delivers in full. Even from the very first level it is abounding in fully reflective surfaces, smooth character animation’s, nicely rendered lighting effects and all of this at a solid 60fps. Hunter welcomes you into an obscure world full of roaring fires and shifting shadows each casting its own realistic and unique effect across the objects around it. Hunter takes advantage of the Xbox’s powerful hardware and crafts a completely convincing world for you to explore.

Sound
The sound effects are more than adequate for a game of this genre, all the zombie moans and groans are there just as expected. The only truly defining moment in this game’s musical score is when you first experience the hard-core rock, by Coma, as it gracefully eases you into that methodically homicidal mood and you hear that music starting to pulsate you can expect to experience some serious zombie limb laceration.

Controls
The controls for Hunter are quite effective and simple to master and after only the first few minutes of gameplay will begin to feel quite streamline in design. Directional movement is handled via the left thumbstick and weapon aiming is achieved using the right thumbstick; since movement and targeting are handled independently it is possible to use strafe and attack maneuvers very effectively. Attacking during combat is conveniently handled through the right trigger; melee combo attacks may be executed by pressing the right trigger multiple times. X will cycle through the standard weapon selection and B is used to select any special weapons you may have gathered along the way. Each hunter’s special powers may be selected by pressing the Y button and activated using the left trigger, this trigger also allows the character to jump when no edge is currently selected. Weapon reload is handled automatically.

Replay - Value
This is where Hunter’s true weakness lies. Once you have beaten the game with a single character you gain the ability to run through it once more on nightmare mode, which offers little real incentive to go through it again. Hunter is a great game to pick up a few weeks down the road with a friend by your side helping to rip through the ghoulish hordes, but beside a little pick up and play every now and then it’s most likely going to rest peacefully on your shelf. Were it possible to export a beefed up hunter after completion of the game and use him to tear through it again would have added some vital replayability.

Overall
Hunter: The Reckoning is a must buy for any Xbox owner. It has a tremendously solid single-player experience with amazing multi-player mayhem thrown into the mix. Hunter showcases what the Xbox can really do in terms of graphical prowess and will provide many hours of solid gaming goodness.

My Opinion
I bought Hunter only a few days after I got my Xbox for the full $50 and I feel completely satisfied with my gaming purchase. It has a winning combination of guns, ghouls and gauntlet style mayhem all rolled into one.

Christopher Abernathy

Recommended Buy Yes
Gameplay 8/10
Graphics 8/10
Sound 8/10
Controls 10/10
Replay Value 6/10
Overall 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/15/03, Updated 03/15/03