Predator: Hunting Grounds - A Blood-Pumping Hunt Between Man and Myth
Get ready to embrace your inner extraterrestrial hunter or join the frantic fireteam to survive in a lush jungle warfare.
last updated Dec 06, 2023
Playing as a Predator requires a strategic balance of stealth and aggression, while fireteam gameplay feels like a footrace against inevitability.
A Jungle Out There: Gameplay Exploration
Stepping into the verdant battlegrounds feels somewhat like a time capsule to the glory days of asymmetrical multiplayer engagements. If marathoning as a Predator and hopping around treetops while terrorizing a fireteam is your peculiar idea of a party, 'Predator: Hunting Grounds' could be the invitation you've been waiting for. With a gameplay loop oscillating between intense predator hunts and fighting for survival as a part of a susceptible fireteam, it’s like a tug-of-war between two completely distinct playstyles. While the Predator gameplay requires a strategic balance of stealth and aggression, playing as a fireteam member feels like being in a footrace against inevitability. However, be warned, the game does suffer from balancing euthanasia - some may find Predator to be an overpowered party-crasher, which could send some fireteam enthusiasts crying foul.
An Auditory Trip to the Jungle
The moment your boots crunch on the jungle floor, you know it's time to crank the volume up. The sound design in 'Predator: Hunting Grounds' is an immersive tour-de-force, echoing the distinctive clicks and growls of our beloved skull-collector with unnerving accuracy. Musical cues are ripped straight from classic cinematic moments, making every match feel like an impromptu reenactment of the movies albeit the sound of gunfire and frantic comms chatter. However, there's a caveat, none of this can mask the occasionally disjointed soundtrack that sometimes feels like it's on shuffle - not every tune is a winner. But, when it hits the mark, the nostalgia is as sharp as a predator's blade.
Visual Feasts and Framerate Beasts
Visuals are a mixed bag of nuts, ranging from beautifully rendered foliage that'll make you pause to admire, to characters that sometimes feel like they escaped from a last-gen console. The Predator itself is a glorious sight, an avatar of death donning murder as casually as one would a cloaking device. Performance-wise, let’s just say it's an arena with room for improvement - optimization is the Sasquatch of this gaming forest; often discussed, rarely seen. The maps, while thematically on the nose, suffer from a lack of diversity which might have you wondering if your GPS is broken after a few matches.
The Not-So-Great, The Bad, and The Ugly
This might hurt a bit. The AI turns out to be a letdown, even by low expectations - they’re about as threatening as a pet goldfish, unwittingly spawning as target practice. Matchmaking, ever the romance killer in online gaming, is like finding a date in a ghost town when playing as a Predator, with wait times longer than some relationships. On the upside, indie spirit pulses throughout, with constant updates from our brave developer knights who seem to fend off bugs with the same tenacity as Dutch would a Predator.
STEAM RATING
Developer
IllFonic
Publisher
PlayStation PC LLC
Release Date
April 29, 2021
Verdict: Thermal Vision or Blind as a Bat?
In the thick jungle of asymmetrical multiplayer games, 'Predator: Hunting Grounds' stands out with its embrace of the franchise’s lore and nostalgic charm. While the concept is a prey-worthy attempt at breathing life into the beloved universe, execution falls prey to pitfalls of balance and optimization that keep it from being the ultimate hunting experience. Shooter fans may enjoy the game in short bursts or with friends but consider waiting for a sale or update before diving into the brush. Like a Predator's vision, it’s not always clear - but when it is, the hunt is exhilarating.
