UPDATED REVIEW

Never changed a game review before, but wow did this update disappoint, so much so that I felt I wanted to join the masses in airing my frustrations. One of my favourite multiplayer games of all time, and one that I would happily buy skins for, has gradually added more and more battle passes and monetisation over the last year. This was already starting to get a little stale and giving a taste of where the developer wanted to take things, when we all felt they should actually add a new map/content, but I forgave as it had such good core gameplay loop.

As such I was really looking forward to this release, finally a new map and new engine. But the disapointment when playing is huge, as others have rightly said performance is terrible, and if you try out the shooting range you can see it on old map as well. Game feels so much more sluggish as well, but more than that it feels like they are setting the game up to be more like fortnite/cod etc, and the horrrendous UI is just one example of this, but I cant help feel that with dumbing down of core gameplay, shortning gun names to make them more appealing, hiding rank and stats now to attract new players, rating your skins as "common", "rare" etc makes you want to pay more for "legendary". A lot of what made hunt great, that niche gothic western hardcore pvpve game is being erroded. It's just going and it's just going to be another generic shooter that almost BEGS you to spend money. Its no longer about the gameplay loop. Its about the buy buy buy loop

All they needed to do was, give the engine a lick of paint, add a new map, and maybe some horror elements. Allow you to play with 1 friend and 1 random (god knows why that is still not an option) and everyone would have been happy! And make money with skins, which have always been high quality, sod your battle passes and events!!


OLD review below :

I have seen Hunt pop up on sale all the time, and already owning 500+ games (most of which I never play) I resisted the urge to buy for a few years. Finally picked it up in a sale and now hate myself for not getting it sooner. Amazing game, I have racked up 350+ hours in about 3 months! I am a huge Escape from Tarkov fan, but the game is a bit too hardcore and can be a bit punishing to play. You can also get knocked right at the start and have to wait 40minutes for your team m8s to extract. Its almost like EOT developers actively hate their playerbase, and everything is done as realistically, but painfully as possible and they forgot that games should also be fun. Hunt developers have however tried to make a fun as well as realistic game and have nailed it. Great in teams of three and where you can revive team m8s even long after they were downed makes for a great team and shared experience where you do get a second chance. I am gutted that more people dont play hunt, most of my friends played an hour or two but then gave up which is such a shame, as if you can learn the game a bit, you will come to realise it has the most intense gun battles outside of any FPS (outside of maybe Tarkov) It has a lovely look and feel, and although I prefer modern military style, the horror wild west has really grown on me. The guns are fun and meaty to use and fire and actually choosing your loadout is a game in itself, do you take a shotgun for close range and a pistol for long range? Or a sniper rifle for range with a sword for close range, or do you take a regular rifle and be weak at long and close range but powerful at mid range. Dont be put off by the 100s of DLC either as its all 100% cosmetic, and bar arguably slightly better camo on a couple of the skins they have zero impact on the game, you can also earn most things in game. Yes this game will annoy from time to time, yes you will learn to hate crows (I cant even walk the dog now without stressing when birds get disturbed) but get a good team, and into a fight against multiple teams and you will get hooked! Theres a good reason most Hunt players have 1000+ hours. Buy it, GIVE IT A CHANCE and by a chance, play for like 5-10 hours before judging. Then once you're hooked, get your friends to get it.