Hunt: Showdown | Xbox One Review

Back in 2017, I was lucky enough to get a first look at Crytek‘s latest multiplayer shooter, Hunt: Showdown. Although I wasn’t able to get hands-on with the game at the time, I was greatly intrigued by the concept. The game releases on September 19th, and after finally playing it, I can say that it nearly met my expectations. It may not be a game that will stick with me personally for any length of time, but I see a lot of potential for fans of this genre. It does something very special to the formula that I truly hope more people will give due attention.

Not Your Average Shooter

The first big difference Hunt: Showdown has from most multiplayer games is that it requires you to team up with one another person. You and your partner compete against up to four other pairs on the same map. But this is no typical death match. Although you can wipe out the other teams, it’s far from your primary goal. Instead, you’re tasked with finding clues to the whereabouts of creatures that need to be banished to Hell.

You find clues by using a sort of “spider sense” to place markers on your map. There are three clues scattered randomly on the map for each of the two monsters. Once you find all three, the location of that creature is revealed, and the hunt begins. Your next task is to take out the marked entity, and when you do, the process of banishment begins. The problem is that the other teams are then alerted to your location. If they find you, they can take steal your banishment by taking you out. Whoever ends up earning the credit for the objective now has to escape the map in order to be rewarded.

Setting the Stage

 

My favorite aspect of experiencing Hunt: Showdown is its overall aesthetics. the 19th century Victorian era setting feels unique and gives a genuinely creepy vibe. The music, which has a haunting New Orleans twang to it, is particularly effective. I wish it had been used more often outside of the menus, however, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The playing field map is the perfect size. It’s large enough to make encounters rare enough, but small enough to keep you from feeling like you’re spending most of your time relocating. The random AI-controlled enemies littered throughout the map are no joke and make your hunt an even greater challenge. They’re just not as interesting or rewarding to fight and are more of a distraction than anything else. Still, they add to the overall tone of the game and give this universe a bit more life.

Singin’ the Blues

I do have a few complaints, but please keep in mind that I played Hunt: Showdown in early access a good amount of time before release. The loading times on my runs were excruciating. I understand that I’m a product of the modern age, and my attention span is easily measured in nanoseconds. But it felt like I was staring at a progress bar for multiple minutes each round.

Additionally, the character models didn’t look nearly as polished as I was expecting from the studio known for the Crysis series. Again, this is a problem I expect to be addressed before full release, but I was a bit disappointed.

Hunt: Showdown Final Verdict

Hunt: Showdown is a game I’ll recommend highly despite the fact it didn’t click for me personally. Objective-based multiplayer is very popular with other games like Overwatch, and this succeeds in that realm with a bit more deliberate pacing. It’s something very special that fans of this type of game won’t want to miss. Don’t let my poor competitive skills keep you from experiencing this title.

To hear more on Hunt: Showdown, be sure to listen to Episode 253 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast to hear me discuss the game more.

This review is based on an early access copy provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes and is also available on PS4 and PC. The full game releases for all three platforms later this year.