Video Games : Hunter: The Reckoning- Redeemer

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Rating: - Definite replay value
I know the game is short - that is mentioned many times. You have to ask yourself one thing before buying it: Did you like Diablo's format? (Do the game, then do it harder with the same character?) If you did, then you'll actually enjoy this game. I will admit the amount of lives is completely ludicrous in one-player (this isn't so bad in 4-player, but it doesn't scale!), but the fact you can import/export your hunter (a major thing not mentioned) is a huge issue.

I had wished the X-Box had PC like abilities to get more levels, as that would make this game drastically more replayable. As is, unlocking all the monsters and the two spare hunters (Wayward and Carpenter, which isn't really a Hunter but appears as one) is completely worthwhile.

The most fun you can have with the monsters is saving them to the X-Box memory discs and getting togethor for some 4-way Hunter with friends either A) Packing your badass decked out Hunter and playing 'Iron Man' mode , which makes the game considerably more interesting, or B) Picking a selection of monsters and playing the game as a troupe of Fomori, BSD, and Sabbat.

Which brings me to the two gripes I had - I know this game had a WoD licenese, but apparently ONLY for the Hunter book specifically, as the characters go -out of their way- to avoid actually mentioning WoD terms such as Banes, Fomori, the Wyrm, etc. The closest I could find was one enemy named a Throwback, that was most obvioulsy a Fomori (From White Wolf's book Freak Legion), but the monster itsself had NOTHING in common with the source Fomori, which is esseintly someone that took too many "pump you up muscle" pills tainted by the Wyrm (evil for those who have no idea what I'm talking about), and turn into really, really strong dumb jocks that loathe women and have a few other odd powers. The Throwbacks from Redeemer's closest bonus is they have a football tackle - other than that, they are walking massive zombies that eat more damage than a tank and have armor and spikes coming out of their skin.

Which brings to my final gripe. For a game based almost entirely around Freak Legion / The Book of the Wyrm, it's drastically too mild. Genefex is obviously a Pentex subsitedary, but Pentex is never mentioned (which I can live with given it's nature.) But the Fomori models just aren't that disgusting or creepy - they feel too much like enemies from Quake, barring an encounter with Santa Clause and his vomit-spewing Teddy Bears.. that one really did capture the mood. The concept art showed most of the monsters (once you unlocked it) as skinnier, more human, and more decayed looking.. and unfortunatly the modelers felt the need to "Pump them up."

I'm not a very big WoD fan when it comes to Vampires, Werewolves, etc.. probably because I'm not the goth target base.. and the Wyrm really appeals to a very different audience). This game really had a potetional to put in some of the most disturbing enemies of all time and it really softened them up way too much. The book on which they were based gives them powers like "Savage Genetallia" and "Stomach Pumper" which when combined with the Worms taint can allow you to projectile vomit man-eating worms. There's a lot of psychological horror involved, too, crossing with the total splatter-movie effect, at least in the books. The game, however, is strictly PG and keeps to monsters you've probably seen a million times in other games.. even the bizzare demented ones never quite reach the level of grotesqe that they should.

Last but not least, I'll mention the story.. the mood is there, with the basic Garou (Werewolf) vs Pentex story and the Hunters get thrown in the middle. The ridiculas parts are A) There are no run ins with police, B) NPCs are beyond unrealistic acting at all and this makes the storyline seem laughable. Topping that off is the Redeemer, who makes Blood Rayne's outfit look much less stupid. Given the look of the rest of the characters, every time she's jiggling in a cutscene, I wanted to sigh. Esp. since she doesn't actually redeem anything, and only stops the Hunters from being total idiots. I won't mention the Werewolf you meet later on that's too stupid to just shift to human form ever, when it would allow him to just waltz out of a bad situation. In addition to all this, it's never explained WHY the foot soldiers and the First Teams (Here known as "Security") are fighting at all; in the beginning these things seem to be on the Werewolves side, then, on Genefex's side, and eventually everyone wins up killing them. Why would Genefex's own forces be assaulting Genefex, defending Genefex, and everything inbetween? I have no idea.

...So while the basic concept of the plot, while simple, is solid and fun for those who know what's going on.. the actual story is very minimally handled. This doesn't detract from the "check your brain at the door" gameplay, however, and it doesn't do anything too ludicrous with the source material (other than Edges being drastically more powerful), don't go looking for an RPG or oppertunity to actually "play" a Hunter. This is Diablo meets Gauntlet with mini-guns... if that appeals to you, this game is just the ticket.

PS: Carpenter, the first boss you face, is the hardest in the game. I've yet to figure out how to beat him without multiple deaths. The very last boss can be easily dispatched without dying once - so other than Carpenter I highly recommend you place this with friends, and go iron man. It's quite possible and indefinitely enhances the game.

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