I’ve put countless hours into this game today, as well as during the trial weekend. I’m level 47 and have unlocked plenty of gear so please don’t use that as a defense. I’m going to be making some comparisons to Friday the 13th (F13) since I’ve put over 600 hours into that game as well. Here are my thoughts.
-
The Predator is a chore. It’s just not fun or engaging to play him right now. You would think you should be sneaky, stalk, and use your wits when playing him but that usually gets you nowhere with decently skilled players. The meta right now seems to be to run in and melee at least 1 fireteam member, then run away and heal. Rinse and repeat. You can also hide behind hills, rocks, roofs, etc. and use your plasma cannon to down the Fireteam quickly but it seems more like an exploit to aim at a surface and then slowly move forward after charging your cannon. Something tells me this is not how the devs designed the game to be played. There’s no real hunting/stalking. The trees are usually a death sentence. The game starts - you stomp across the map and engage as quickly as you can because you simply don’t have alot of time to work with.
-
Time should be extended. 15 minutes goes by quickly in this game, and most games end sooner then that. It doesn’t take long for the Fireteam to complete objectives even if they’re brand new to the game. The Predator has to act very fast if he wants any chance at victory. In F13 the time really helped the overall experience. There was plenty of time where counselors would simply hide in a cabin and shed some time off the clock. Jason felt more like a hunter then the Predator simply from the extra time. Setting traps, destroying windows, breaking power boxes, etc. There was time to work with which allowed you some prep time before actively engaging the survivors. Why not give the Predator, an actual hunter, some time to set some traps around the map before engaging the fireteam?
-
RESTART MATCH. The main issue today was the queue times. I’m sure they’ll be fixed very soon but why not just have the match restart? This is the strangest issue because it doesn’t really have an explanation. In F13 when you find a lobby you can stay in that lobby with the same players and play several games with each player getting a turn at Jason. This would definitely reduce the waiting time and it has the added benefit of possibly finding friends in-game. Right now as soon as a game ends, it boots you back to the main menu. It’s really frustrating waiting 8+ minutes for a game, the game lasting 3 minutes and then you’re back to the main menu.
-
No reviving teammates on Fireteam. I see this mentioned alot and I have to agree. The Predator already has to work for a kill and it’s demoralizing seeing a whole team brought back with full health and ammo while the Predator is low health/low medkits from all his work. Instead, give us the option to radio for a special character only (DUTCH!).
-
Fireteam should be able to set traps. Dutch killed the Predator with booby traps. Hello? Give them some boy scout shit. This leads into the next point.
-
Make surviving another win option for the Fireteam. This is of course assuming the round time limit gets extended. One of the things I love about F13 is the feeling of being completely outmatched against Jason. There’s not much you can do to stop him. You’re just trying to slow him down and survive the round. When you survive you feel good even if you’re the only one left. So if you’re the last Fireteam member alive, you should have the option to wait out the round against the Pred. Make the mud last like 3 minutes if you stay completely still, and rub off faster while moving, and loss instantly when in water. This will allow the Fireteam to actually play like Dutch. Setting traps, hiding in bushes and actually have a showdown with the Pred. How satisfying would that be? Seeing the game dissolve into a 1v1 battle in the jungle where both parties are ACTUALLY HUNTING each other. Not just running in willy nilly with melee or shooting the mini-gun. This is the scenario I had in mind when I first heard about this game and it’s not far off honestly. It sounds like a lot but these few changes over the next few months can make this a reality.
These are few things I think about a lot when I’m playing. I know they’re a little more out there then the usual “raise Predators health” but I just see so much potential with this game. It’s really fun when things go right. I think the game should be balanced around the Predator, if there has to be a stronger side, obviously it should be the Predator. It seems the devs are trying to make the game balanced for both sides - an even playing field. I just don’t think that’s the best idea and F13 is the prime example. F13 is still so much fun and both sides can have a fun experience. Jason will almost always get a few kills, and there’s a good chance that a few counselors will survive. Both sides happy. I’m hoping Hunting Grounds gets some changes over the next several months to address the concerns being raised about it. I will continue to play and support this game. Peace!