Hola, Muchachos! Hector Mendoza stars in new Desperados III trailer
Sydney, Australia, May 7th, 2020 – Is it a man or is it a bear? Hector Mendoza’s sheer force makes him a fearsome opponent for all the gangsters in Desperados III. He wears a cruel axe to … well, better see it for yourself. Also, he lays out his beloved bear trap Bianca, where his opponents can step in and … well, better see it for yourself. And if these elimination methods are still not effective enough for you, Hector also has a sturdy shotgun with the ability to take out multiple targets with one blast.
Watch the Hector Mendoza Trailer:
Watch the spiced up Collector’s Edition trailer:
Developer Diaries Interested in some backgrounds of Desperados III development and the people bringing it to life? Check out the new series of developer diaries from Mimimi Games, where the team speaks about their motivation, methods, goals and fun.
The first two dev diaries are on THQ Nordic’s YouTube Channel, you can find a new episode every Wednesday:
Episode one:
Episode two
Desperados III is available for pre-order now with an SRP of $79.95 (PC). For the early adopters: The Digital Deluxe Edition is available for pre-order for the price of the Standard Edition for a limited time! Make sure to shoot first, and ask questions later.
The physical side of things always gets some love from everyone at THQ Nordic and has been up and running for quite some time. The Collector’s Edition is available for pre-order now from EB Games in Australia and comes in hot at an SRP of $199.95 (PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One™).
Desperados III is a story-driven, hardcore tactical stealth game, set in a ruthless Wild West scenario. In this long-awaited prequel to the beloved classic Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive, John Cooper will join forces with the runaway bride Kate, the shady hitman Doc McCoy, the giant trapper Hector, and Isabelle, a mysterious lady from New Orleans. On Cooper’s quest for redemption, his adventures lead him and his gang from rural towns, over swamps and riverbanks, and finally to a dramatic showdown worthy of Wild West legends.
Play smart if you want to succeed. A good plan can make the difference between survival and finding yourself at the business end of a pistol. Combine your team’s special skills to overcome each tough challenge in your own style.
Features
Play five unique characters, each with a very particular set of skills
Experience true freedom of choice with countless different ways to overcome any obstacle
Defeat large groups of enemies with careful planning and execution
Witness the glory of classic Wild West scenarios like frontier towns, mysterious swamps, sprawling modern cities, and many more
Choose between non-lethal and deadly attacks, stealth and blazing guns
Adjust the game to your playstyle with various difficulty settings and special replay challenges
The Showdown mode allows you to pause the game anytime and react to ambushes or surprise attacks
About Mimimi Games Mimimi Games was founded by Dominik Abé and Johannes Roth in 2008. The independent, award-winning development studio consists of about 25 employees and is based in Munich. As core studio Mimimi develops for PC as well as consoles and breathed new life into the real-time tactics genre with their title Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun in 2016. Currently, Mimimi is working on Desperados III.
Franchise-First Story Expansion Continues the Epic Sagawith New Playable Characters – Fujin, Sheeva and Guest Fighter, RoboCop
Fan-Favourite Stage Fatalities, Klassic Arenas and Friendships Return in Free Content Update for All Mortal Kombat 11 Players
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced Mortal Kombat™ 11: Aftermath, a new expansion for the hit videogame Mortal Kombat 11, the best-selling title in franchise history that was named Fighting Game of the Year at the 2019 D.I.C.E. Awards. Set for a global release on digital first beginning May 26 and developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath expands the critically acclaimed story campaign with an all-new, cinematic narrative centred around trust and deceit. The Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath expansion will be available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®4 Pro computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, Nintendo Switch™ system, PC and Stadia.*
The epic saga continues in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, as Fire God Liu Kang, the new keeper of time and protector of Earthrealm, must now enlist the help of unlikely allies and familiar foes to forge a new history as the fate of two worlds hang in the balance. Adding to the growing roster of playable fighters, the new expansion features the triumphant return of Fujin, the God of Wind who serves as Earthrealm’s protector alongside his brother Raiden, and Sheeva, the four-armed, half-human and half-dragon queen of the ancient Shokan race. RoboCop, the iconic, highly advanced cybernetic police officer will make his first appearance in the franchise, continuing the pedigree of popular Mortal Kombat guest fighters. RoboCop inMortal Kombat 11: Aftermathfeatures the voice and likeness of actor Peter Weller, who portrayed the popular character in both the original “RoboCop” (1987) film and “RoboCop 2” (1990) sequel. Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath will also include three new character skin packs to be released over time.
Additionally, all Mortal Kombat 11 owners will have access to new Stages, including the return of the Klassic Dead Pool and Soul Chamber arenas, accompanied by Stage Fatalities, the fan-favourite finishing moves that use the environment to destroy opponents, and the popular Friendships feature from the ‘90s, which allows players to take down their adversaries with a hint of kindness. These features will be available as a free content update in conjunction with the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath release.
To view and share the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Official Reveal Trailer
“Our fans have really enjoyed the story campaign in Mortal Kombat, and we’re happy to continue the narrative and add new characters to the roster with Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath,” said Ed Boon, Creative Director, NetherRealm Studios. “In addition, Friendships and Stage Fatalities are being added as part of the free content update for all Mortal Kombat 11 players. Both are fan-favourite features that we’re excited to finally bring back to the franchise.”
New players can join the fight with the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Kollection, featuring all characters, story content and game modes in one ultimate package. This compilation includes Mortal Kombat 11 along with all content from Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath and the previously released Kombat Pack, containing six downloadable content (DLC) characters – Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, Sindel, Terminator T-800, The Joker and Spawn – plus 25 additional character skins. The Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Kollection can be pre-ordered now* for $89.95 with digital preorders offering immediate access to Mortal Kombat 11 and the Kombat Pack upon purchase.
Those who have already purchased Mortal Kombat 11 can preorder the Mortal Kombat 11Aftermath expansion now for $59.95 (SRP) or the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath + Kombat Pack Bundle for $69.95 (SRP).
All preorders will receive the Eternal Klash Skin Pack at launch, featuring three new character skin variants – “Unbound Rage” Scorpion inspired by Mortal Kombat (2011), “Son of Arctika” Sub-Zero inspired by Mortal Kombat: Deception and “Kori Power” Frost, a Klassic version of the Lin Kuei warrior.
Mortal Kombat 11isthe latest instalment in the critically acclaimed franchise, providing a deeper and more personalized experience than ever before. The best-selling title is packed to the brim with multiple features and modes for all players, including the Story mode, Custom Character Variation System, Towers of Time, Kombat League, The Krypt and the signature roster of returning and franchise-first fighters, all equipped with powerful Krushing Blows and unique Fatalities that display devastatingly brutal cinematic visuals.
*Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath,Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath + Kombat Pack Bundle and Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Kollection are not available for preorder on Stadia.
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About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles. Additional information can be found at www.wbgames.com.
About NetherRealm Studios
NetherRealm Studios is a leader in the development of interactive entertainment and the creator of the billion-dollar Mortal Kombat franchise. Mortal Kombat has spawned two theatrical films, multiple television series and has sold over 42 million games to date. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the award-winning NetherRealm team has been working and creating games together since 1992. Additional information can be found at www.netherrealm.com.
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PSVR, Oculus Rift, SteamVR Dives into Anime World in Early 2021
TOKYO – 6 May 2020 –Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing (LWAVR), the VR racing game from UNIVRS, Inc. based on the famous anime, takes off on Oculus Quest in late 2020 then PSVR, Oculus Rift and SteamVR with support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive in early 2021.
Directed by Junichi Yamamoto, whose past positions include opening and ending movie director on The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and storyboard artist of Batman Ninja, LWAVR puts fans in the shoes of a new student at Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy.
https://youtu.be/5LpxSU2-Auo
Learn to soar with the help and encouragement of fan-favorite characters from the popular anime while UNIVRS, Inc.’s motion sickness reduction technology keeps the focus on the exhilaration of flying.
Become part of an all new story told across more than 10 tracks spread throughout familiar areas around Luna Nova. Pair up with fellow students to be the first to cross the finish line or purify ghosts in single player mode, then join real-world friends via online multiplayer to explore the rich environments of Little Witch Academia in immersive VR.
Little Witch Academia is a Japanese anime series produced by Studio TRIGGER, one of the leading animation studios founded by the creators behind legendary shows such as Neon Genesis Evangelion. The series consists of two short films, the second of which found huge success on Kickstarter with $625,518 raised from 7,938 backers, and a 25-episode TV series currently available on Netflix.
Successfully funded on Kickstarter and Campfire, a Japanese popular crowdfunding platform, LWAVR raised over $165,000 in total between the two campaigns in July 2019. It was originally scheduled for release in June 2020, but adopting protective measures against COVID-19 has resulted in a change in plans.
LWAVR will be available on Oculus Quest in late 2020 while PSVR, Oculus Rift, and SteamVR versions will follow in early 2021. It will feature voice acting in English and Japanese from the talents who star in the anime.
UNIVRS, Inc. (formerly known as EXPVR Inc.) creates VR content with a vision to make people around the world into heroes through VR entertainment. Using its anti-motion sickness technology, the studio produces accessible yet dynamic VR experiences that break the mold.
Free Ghostrunner Demo Available on Steam Today Alongside New CGI Trailer
Demo Available 6 – 13 May
Krakow, Poland — 6 May, 2020 —Ghostrunner, the first-person cyberpunk parkour action game from developers One More Level Games, 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks™ and publisher All in! Games, debuts a free demo available today through 13 May on PC. A new CGI trailer teasing the mysterious plot and showing off the Killing Blink ability also drops today.
Previously only available at tradeshows, Ghostrunner’s demo cuts right to the chase — awaken as a cyber-warrior and cut through anyone blocking the way. Practice nimbly leaping through the air, using the grappling hook to reach new heights, and surviving lightning-paced one-hit-one-kill style action. This hardcore dance with death requires finesse and quick reaction speed, but instant respawns make each fight feel strategic instead of an exercise in frustration.
After a cataclysmic event, the remnants of humanity dwell within Dharma Tower, a megastructure constructed as a temporary shelter. A century of conflict led to a brutal division of Dharma — the lower the floor, the lower the resident’s status. The enigmatic Keymaster maintains this imposed caste system, but the people have had enough. Ascend the tower as a Ghostrunner capable of blistering speed and deadly precision, and learn the truth behind the Keymaster’s reign.
Join the resistance known as the Climbers on their mission to cut through the Keymaster’s regime. Death awaits on each level of the tower, from the derelict industrial machinery of the Base to the sickening sheen of the Summit. Dodge oncoming bullets by dashing and wall-running, then slice through enemies with a single cut. Cybernetic implants push the limit even further with bullet-timelike mechanics to keep the cyber-warrior out of harm’s way.
Ghostrunner’s vertical setting enables One More Level Games to show off the beautiful duality of the cyberpunk genre. RTX-powered raytracing highlights lower Meru’s crumbling infrastructure with grungy neon signs and the apathetic hedonism of the clubs and bars on higher levels. An intense retrowave soundtrack by the acclaimed Daniel Deluxe maintains an energetic throughline to punctuate this dangerous journey to the top.
“After only a handful of showings to the public, we have heard our fans and wanted to share our demo worldwide,” said Radosław Ratusznik, co-founder of One More Level. “We hope that everyone can enjoy this demo and we look forward to sharing more on Ghostrunner very soon.”
OML was founded by industry veterans with the express purpose of creating games they would love to play themselves. Self-proclaimed hardcore gamers, OML aims to create games that are rich and engaging crave “One More Level.”
All in! Games was founded in 2018 with a goal to bring high-quality games to players around the world. All in! seeks to support unique games and ambitious, skilled studios, working with them to ensure their project becomes a successful reality.
Founded 30 years ago, 3D Realms was the publisher, developer and creator of many legendary gaming franchises, most still going strong: Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem, Shadow Warrior, Max Payne and Prey. Today, they publish and develop games including WRATH: Aeon of Ruin and Ion Fury.
Comprised of industry veterans with two decades worth of indie and AAA experience, Slipgate Ironworks™ has contributed to popular titles including Ion Fury, Daymare: 1998,Ancestor’s Legacy, and most recently, WRATH: Aeon of Ruin. Proudly old-school, the team all shares the same vision: “We only work on games we’d play ourselves.”
PQube has announced that they will be bringing Level 91 Entertainment’s one on one arcade racer, Interial Drift, to the Xbox One and PC digitally as well as the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on August 7th with the latter two versions being available both digitally as well as physically.
Interial Drift is set in a 90’s retro future and features a unique handling model and twin-stick drift mechanics that will “offer a whole new level of accessibility and challenge to the arcade racing genre.” There will be sixteen different cars for players to master driving, each with a unique characteristic, and twenty different tracks to tear through in the game’s single player story mode or through local multiplayer.
Good Shepherd Entertainment & Shiny Shoe’s Roguelike Card Battler Monster Train Launches May 21 on Steam
Experience a battle of hell vs. heaven with the game’s free demo, available now on Steam!
AMSTERDAM & SAN FRANCISCO – May 6, 2020 – Good Shepherd Entertainment and indie developer Shiny Shoe have announced that the roguelike deck-building card battler Monster Train will launch on Steam for Windows PC on May 21. Set on a train ride to hell, this highly replayable strategy game with a twist features three vertical battlegrounds to defend at a time in solo play and competitive multiplayer.
Hell has frozen over. Only you can protect the last Pyre from the forces of heaven and make the underworld burn once more. Monster Train brings a new strategic layer to roguelike deck-building, with three vertical play fields to fight on simultaneously. Build a deck of spells and minions from over 220 cards, plan your route carefully, and position your champions with tactical decision-making to win. Choose your monster clans, recruit powerful units, and mix and match upgrades to fit your playstyle and make your deck even mightier.
Monster Train’s frantic Hell Rush online multiplayer mode lets eight players compete in real-time to see who can defeat heaven the fastest. Take on daily global challenges with special gameplay modifiers to test your skill, and design your own unique custom challenges to share with friends.
Features
Over 220 upgradeable cards with which to build your deck.
Choose from five monster clans with unique gameplay and champions.
Online real-time competitive multiplayer for up to eight players.
Create and share your own custom challenges.
With multiple routes to take and decks to build, no playthrough is ever the same!
Players can get a taste of the action today with a free demo of Monster Train featuring both the Hellhorned and Awoken clans, available now on Steam. For more information, visit www.TheMonsterTrain.com, and follow @GoodShepherdEnt on Twitter.
About Good Shepherd Entertainment
Good Shepherd Entertainment publishes video games from independent artists worldwide and operates a proprietary investment platform for a growing global network of qualified investors seeking risk-mitigated participation in the $130B video game industry. Originally established in the Netherlands in 2011, operating under the name Gambitious, the Company became a full-featured publisher in 2014. Good Shepherd Entertainment is backed by some of the industry’s most notable names, including Devolver Digital, Croteam and Perfect World, all successful companies in independent game development and publishing. www.GoodShepherd.games
About Shiny Shoe
Shiny Shoe is an independent video game development studio dedicated to creating fun and polished experiences for consoles, PC, mobile and online/social streaming environments. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Shiny Shoe has collaborated with partners including Double Fine, Stoic, Oculus, and Telltale. In addition to traditional games, Shiny Shoe is introducing new types of massively multiplayer experiences like its original titles Death’s Door and the follow-up, community-driven, Mixer streaming-only game, Death’s Door: Aftermath. https://shinyshoe.com
Nightmarish first-person exploration of anxiety, depression and hope arrives on PC this July
Warsaw, Poland – May 6, 2020 – Indie publisher Katnappe and developer Genius Slackers have announced that their upcoming first-person psychological horror experience, What Happened, will launch on PC via Steam this July, followed by consoles at a later date. Horror fans will guide high school student Stiles through the dark corridors of his own mind as he struggles with his demons, real and imagined. Based in Warsaw, Poland, Katnappe and Genius Slackers created What Happened as a reflection of a world in which cruelty often dominates at the expense of empathy, but where not all hope is lost.
In What Happened, players must save Stiles from the dark forces that lure him towards self-destruction. The mental realm that Stiles inhabits is unforgiving, with twisted memories lining the hallways of his mind. As players help Stiles solve puzzles and escape the clutches of his demons, the game will subtly respond to the empathy they show him. Players will pull the invisible strings that decide Stiles’ fate, as they attempt to lead him to the light at the end of the tunnel. In development for three years, What Happened is a labor of love for the small independent Warsaw-based team, headed by founder Hassan Mehdiasl. The studio has overcome many challenges to deliver an experience it hopes will remind players everywhere of the power of unity, empathy and a damn good story.
For regular What Happened updates, follow the game on social channels and Discord.
For more information about the game, visit https://whathappenedgame.com/
About Katnappe Based in Warsaw, Poland, indie game publisher Katnappe is focused on bringing unique games with powerful stories to markets worldwide. In development since 2017, What Happened is the first game produced by Sourena Game Studio and released by its indie publishing arm Katnappe. Together with developer Genius Slackers, the companies are aiming to deliver an experience that will remind players everywhere of the power of unity, empathy, and a damn good story.
Start Your Engines: NASCAR Heat 5 Coming to PlayStation®4, Xbox One & PC on July 7
First NASCAR Heat 5 “Refuse to Lose” trailer features the voice of legendary sportscaster Ken Squier
May 6, 2020: The Gold Edition of NASCAR Heat 5, the video game officially licensed by NASCAR, will launch on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, and PC via Steam, with the Standard Edition launching on July 10. To mark the announcement, NASCAR Heat 5’s debut trailer has been released. Entitled “Refuse to Lose,” it is narrated by legendary NASCAR sportscaster Ken Squier and features the cars currently driven by the game’s cover star, Chase Elliott, 2019 NASCAR Cup Series™ Champion Kyle Busch, and 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick.
Developed in-house at 704Games, NASCAR Heat 5 will be published by Motorsport Games, the video game company dedicated to the integration of racing game development and esports. The game features all the official teams, cars and drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, as well as the NASCAR Xfinity Series™, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™, and Xtreme Dirt Series. Race at 34 authentic tracks from across North America in single player, two-player split screen multiplayer, and online multiplayer for up to 40 players.
Motorsport Games has also announced that the Gold Edition of NASCAR Heat 5, available to pre-order now, will sport exclusive content featuring Tony Stewart, including the ability to have the NASCAR Hall of Famer as your in-game spotter, an exclusive Career contract offer from Stewart-Haas Racing, classic Tony Stewart paint schemes, the NASCAR Heat 5 Season Pass (containing four DLC packs) and in-game cash to kick-start your own team.
NASCAR Heat 5 is the definitive NASCAR video game experience, building on the foundations of the previous games with a host of gameplay additions and enhancements. The immersive Career Mode, now with improved statistics, lets you either work your way through the various series until you reach the NASCAR Cup Series, or start at the top for your favorite team. Meanwhile, the new Testing Mode allows you to perfect your car set-up for every track and hone your racing line.
With online racing support for up to 40 players, NASCAR Heat 5 is perfect for esports. The official eNASCAR Heat Pro League will race with NASCAR Heat 5 later this year.
More information about NASCAR Heat 5 will be revealed in the run up to release on July 7. To stay up to date with the latest news, follow NASCAR Heat on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Title:
NASCAR Heat 5
Release Date:
Gold Edition: Tuesday, July 7, 2020 Standard Edition: Friday, July 10, 2020
Motorsport Games, part of the Motorsport Network, is dedicated to virtual racing. Our mission is to combine video game development with esports to deliver exciting, innovative experiences people will play, watch and engage with. We develop and publish console, PC and mobile video games, including the NASCAR Heat franchise, Officially Licensed by NASCAR. Motorsport Games is the esports partner of choice for many of the world’s leading motorsport rights holders, including NASCAR, Formula E, Le Mans and the FIA World Rallycross Championship and others.
704Games was founded in January 2015 by industry veterans. The mission was to rebuild the NASCAR video game franchise and the team we assembled has worked on the best NASCAR games in history. Our goal is to focus on fun, engaging, and competitive racing that captures the lifestyle and excitement NASCAR brings to the track each and every week.
In 2018, international media and technology company Motorsport Network made an investment in 704Games. With the investment came a license extension from NASCAR through 2029.
About Motorsport Network
Motorsport Network is an integrated digital platform that is the destination for everything cars and racing. We sit at the heart of the automotive and racing industries, offering a global community of millions of fans the inside track on the world’s best teams, drivers, car brands and experiences no one else can.
We’re building a community for the fans, unlocking incredible personalized experiences that fuel their passion and open up the world of cars and racing to the next generation.
Unearth an Apocalyptic Prophecy in Point-and-Click Adventure, NAIRI: Rising Tide
The next captivating instalment in the graphic adventure series The NAIRI Chapters
Gelderland, the Netherlands – May 6th, 2020 – HomeBearStudio is pleased to reveal that NAIRI: Rising Tide is in development and planned to launch in 2021. To celebrate the news, the team have announced a free prologue that gives players a 20-minute sneak peek at the next part of this captivating series!
The story continues in the highly anticipated second chapter of NAIRI. In this graphic adventure, Nairi pushes onward on her perilous quest to save her family, leaving the Tower of Shirin’s grimy slums behind. In NAIRI: Rising Tide, Nairi and her companions try to overcome the many dangers of entering the upper districts of the corrupt city of Shirin, as an apocalyptic prophecy threatens to devour everything.
Features:
Lively interconnected overworld, complete with mysterious ruins waiting to be discovered!
Delve into secluded puzzle-dungeons and solve their many challenging brainteasers!
Charming, yet melancholic, story written to captivate players of any age!
Unique, lovingly hand-drawn art style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli and Disney!
Tons of all-new characters ready to charm you… and ask for your help!
Brand new quality-of-life features, such as a map and fast-travel system!
A reworked inventory system allows for more creative item combinations!
More interesting rewards and treasures to collect!
More customizable hint system to better tailor your experience!
In the freely downloadable Prologue of NAIRI: Rising Tide, the scene is set for what will be an exciting second chapter. Players will puzzle their way through beautifully hand-drawn environments and meet interesting new – as well as familiar – characters along the way!
Fans of classic point-and-click adventures will be able to enjoy many challenging puzzles, while newcomers may be gently guided through beautiful scenery that’s reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, or Disney, complete with an inspired cast of numerous charming characters that will melt your heart… and some that might freeze it!
About HomeBearStudio
Founded in 2016 by Joshua van Kuilenburg and You Miichi, of Dutch and Japanese nationality respectively, HomeBearStudio is a small, Dutch, game studio focused on bringing endearing and compelling experiences to gamers. The independent game studio was established in the Netherlands with the core principle in mind: to create adorable, yet intrinsically compelling gameplay experiences. More information: http://www.homebearstudio.com
About Hound Picked Games
Hound Picked Games, a subsidiary of global consultancy agency PR Hound, is a company set on helping indie studios realise their full potential releases. It specialises in hand-picking indie games that can benefit from the work of industry experts with over 50 years of experience in the business.
There have been many efforts to create a satisfying asymmetrical multiplayer game over the past few years and while some notably large efforts failed quickly, others have managed to gather quite the fan base that regularly return to test their mettle against a nearly unstoppable threat or prey upon a group of weaker survivors. One such game happened to be Friday the 13th from developer Illfonic where plenty of the series’ classic elements were captured and now that developer has had another shot at a classic movie franchise in the form of Predator: Hunting Grounds. With players now being able to take control of the powerful Yautja themselves, has Illfonic managed to pull from the franchises strengths once again to deliver some satisfying multiplayer combat?
Gameplay
Now it is worth noting that Predator: Hunting Grounds does not offer any form of offline play against bots of any kind outside of a brief tutorial that gives players a small sampling of how the Predator controls and navigates through the environment using “Predkour.” These online matches can be done through quick matches and private matches with friends with only one game mode currently on offer by the name of Hunt. While playing solo players have the option to queue up to play as either a fireteam member (human) or as the Predator though the waiting time for the latter is generally estimated to be roughly five to ten minutes to find a match while fireteam regularly picks up matches within a couple of minutes.
Playing as a fireteam member players get a little bit of choice with their team as to where they will be dropping into the map (of which there is basically no variety) but it is worth noting that these drop zones have little effect on the way matches turn out thanks to the mind-numbing goal that the fireteam is assigned randomly each time. These goals generally involve things such as finding lost artifacts, destroying a cartel’s set-up, hacking servers, and other various things that encourage teamwork but unfortunately these simply boil down to traveling to a randomly placed waypoint, fighting against easily defeated NPC guards that pose zero challenge even when a team charges a position recklessly, and pressing square on the object of choice before having to move onto the next location. Completing all these tasks and calling in the helicopter for extraction must be completed within a fifteen minute timer or the team will fail. Well, either that or they will all end up dying from the Predator that is also placed in the jungle at the start of every match.
FIreteam members are given a solid array of weaponry to deal with the NPC guards easily and also can deal quite a bit of damage to the Predator itself. Players also can spend time covering themselves with mud, a great nod to the original series and also a method of blocking one of the Predator’s ways of tracking the fireteam. Even if a member of the team is downed, they can be revived if not finished off completely though even during these moments players on the fireteam will be given the option of reaching a radio to call for reinforcements, respawning their slain allies at the cost of having to sidetrack away from completing the main goals.
As for the Predator side of things, that single player has a number of deadly tools at their disposal and only one goal in mind, the complete annihilation of the fireteam. The Predator is capable of traveling across tree limbs in the dense jungle, making great leaps with ease, cloaking to avoid being seen quite as easily (though the cloak effect still stands out quite a bit), and of course using thermal vision to track down any living target, be it a pig that can be killed and eaten at a later time for a health boost or a human being that can be anything from the aforementioned generic NPCs that will target the Predator as well to the fireteam they are hunting. The Predator player’s weaponry also feels rather diverse and pulls from some of the best parts of the series’ history, though a few signature weapons do appear to be missing even after unlocking them at a higher level, and taking down any member of the fireteam and finishing them off comes with a nice execution animation coupled with a skull attached to the Predator’s belt.
That being said, matches in Predator: Hunting Grounds can only end in a few different ways, and unfortunately most of these rely on the fireteam succeeding in one way or another. Success as the Predator comes from simply killing every member of the fireteam before they can escape while the fireteam has three options for winning: complete all goals and escape with at least one survivor on the helicopter, kill the Predator and defend its body against NPC guards that want to destroy it for some reason so it can be collected and studied, or kill the Predator and either run away from its mini-nuclear explosion if the Predator player managed to trigger it in time before death or solve a mini-game puzzle to try and disarm it. Anything involving the Predator dying immediately brings the game to a conclusion regardless of how far the fireteam may have made it in their mission and, should the player be the Predator that dyed, they will need to stick around until the end should they hope to receive any rewards from a completed match that come in the form of experience points that level up both the fireteam and Predator at the same time that also rewards little loot boxes that provide skin customizations for both the fireteam, the fireteam’s weapons, and the Predator, as well as in-game currency that can be used to unlock cosmetics.
This type of unbalance in endings also comes to play with Predator: Hunting Grounds’ lack of proper balance with the game’s sides as well. While the Predator has a number of tools at their disposal, many are difficult to access quickly in the heat of the moment and most require the use of energy that takes a while to recharge and while dead boars can provide a solid health boost, the only other way to restore health requires using an item that takes a long time to activate, leaving the Predator open to a hunting fireteam. This often results in the Predator often feeling like a far weaker combatant than it has any right to be as the fireteam is often more than capable of repelling most attacks, with even melee blows giving human opponents a chance to parry, even when the Predator manages to catch them by surprise thanks to some surprisingly low damage output from such vicious weaponry. This lack of balance can partially be attributed to some rather oddly placed weapon unlocks for both the Predator and fireteam but still remains an issue throughout higher ranks.
While there is always a certain gap between those familiar with the game as well as a team that is communicating well and those who are inexperienced and may be playing with randoms, rarely is this type of gap felt more prominently than in Predator: Hunting Grounds. Catching a team while they are spaced out too far can allow for some savage brutality from the Predator as they pick apart a team but should that group never seperate, it is up to the Predator to hope their hit and run tactics can whittle down the enemy without taking too much damage and becoming the hunted instead. This often leads to more than a few instances where playing as the fireteam can result in a match feeling like a one-sided stomp as the Predator quickly falls to standard gunfire or a fireteam is picked apart simply because they choose not to group up. Only rarely do moments that truly capture the intense feeling moments of being hunted by a powerful threat like the original Predator movies or give players the chance to feel that excitement after an chaotic exchange that led to a few more skulls being added to the Predator’s belt come about and even then they often end up being far too short to be enjoyed.
Visuals & Audio
Upon first glance Predator: Hunting Grounds will surprise with how lush it makes the jungle look and the way it reacts to the action that takes place below the canopy and it is true that it is a sight to behold, as long as the player doesn’t look too close and see some rather rough textures, the sameness of most locations, and a lot of clipping into pieces of the environment. The design of the Predator variations as well as the customization options available are quite a sight to see and while not everyone’s favorite designs may have made it in so far, there are numerous ones to unlock and nearly every one is great looking. The same cannot be said about the generic looking members of the fireteam who are both generic in presentation but also feature bland customization as well.
The voice work for the humans is suitable enough though often lacks the emotion one would feel being hunted by an alien creature and the sound effects and noises made by the Yautja are perfect recreations that will certainly delight longtime fans, especially since they can be used as taunts in-game. Along these same lines the sound track features a number of great pieces of background music that fit in with the rest of the series’ soundtrack quite well.
Overall
Predator: Hunting Grounds may take a great number of gameplay cues from the adored franchise it is set in but it unfortunately fails to capitalize on most of these elements. Between repetitive objectives, unlockable gear that offers far too little variety, and some shockingly poor balancing Predator: Hunting Grounds rarely feels like it is taking advantage of what it has to offer. There is some solid groundwork here and while there are some thrilling moments to be had when everything comes together, but these moments often feel like luck more than a result of the gameplay being rewarding for either team.
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