7.5/10 During Trial / 7/10 At Release
So, I’ve been a very active player of Predator Hunting Grounds (Maxed out leveling in Trial, currently Level 24 at launch), and I’ll say what needs to be said.
Right off the bat, I will say I love this game.
I love Illfonic.
They are a small company, they obviously love what they do, and do what they can with their resources. I will never stop supporting them.
It is because of this that I am not harsh, and don’t need to be, when I say that Predator Hunting Grounds needs work.
A lot of people can criticize the game and say everything they want, but truth is it’s pretty great. Predator has been done justice in a game.
The bugs I’ve seen in trial are no longer around, and improvements with needs and buffs have been made, in a way I think most definitely works out.
The issues with frame rate aren’t here anymore, the graphics have always looked great, but look better now, and the AI acts smoother.
For $40, this game is worth the price, and for $60, you get some goodies.
Here’s where issues become relevant.
Small company and small timeframe means less of what should be in the game, and a roadmap.
A roadmap is not an issue at all, in fact it’s necessary for small companies with great set up’s, like the set up for Predator Hunting Grounds; this is a solid start for any game.
But it’s evident that there needs to be more.
The Predator lore is full of things to explore and utilize, so hopefully within the year, we’ll see more weapons, more armor types, more shaders, more everything, ESPECIALLY more trophies and more biomasks.
There should be different versions of human skulls and bones to wrap around your Predator, like a necklace made of human teeth, a skull with a gold tooth, a spinal cord bandolier.
Not to mention more animal trophies, like a bear paw around the waist or maybe some xenomorph tail bones; something more.
The masks, I don’t even need to say much else; there are hundreds in the lore, there can be dozens more in the game.
Game modes; there needs to be more too.
Nothing huge, but stuff like death matches, or Predator themed modes like Bad Blood, or something similar.
Offline is a must for adding into the game soon, because that should be a must for every game, even multiplayer; if you can’t play a game without internet, then there shouldn’t be a game.
I’d also like to say, queue times and servers.
There needs to be an option to play 1v1, 2v1, 3v1, etc.
AI players, to take the places of empty slots.
Waiting for players, or seeing them leave because the lobby is not full, is upsetting.
Gameplay elements, like stealth, should be updated a bit more. If I want to play stealthy on my own or with a group, I shouldn’t be taken by surprise when an objective automatically alerts every enemy. Instead, they should be on high alert, not rush my location in which I am clearly hiding.
With all that being said, and a little more on the side, the game is still fundamentally playable, and enjoyable, when you can play.
It’s not bad at all, it just needs work.
The only way this game is gonna get better is through the community, these forums, and constructive criticism.
I don’t want to see this game disappear into memory, I want to see it 3 years from now like a new Rainbow 6 Siege, or Overwatch, with a dedicated fanbase that supports it and it’s constant evolving, even after years of age.
It’s important that things change.
There essentially just needs to be more.
But it’s good, at its core.
And us, the players, need to make sure the developers know there needs to be change as well, so it can happen.
First thing’s first, let’s fix the queue time.