Platform: Playstation 2

Genre: Action

Publisher: Interplay

Developer: High Voltage

ETA: Q3 2003

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Hunter: The Reckoning - Wayward

The fact that the original Hunter: The Reckoning didn't appear on the Playstation 2 is finally being addressed with Wayward.  Those that played the original know what kind of intense action it offered (along the lines of the classic Smash TV, Robotron, and Gauntlet series).  So, here's the blood and guts:

In this 3rd person action-shooter set in the fantasy world of White Wolf role-playing, players act as human monster-hunters protecting and defending lives of the innocent. One to two players choose from 5 playable Hunters, each possessing a vast array of weapons, edges (spells) and supernatural abilities.

Players can expect the same non-stop action, outstanding graphics and authentic White Wolf storyline that makes the Hunter: The Reckoning franchise so successful and addictive. With a psychotic and highly dangerous new character joining the original Hunter team, new environments and weapons, players are armed to battle creatures of the dead in order to fulfill their mission to fight evil. Let the hunt begin.

Features:

Choose from five playable characters; each with unique weapons, edges and supernatural abilities.

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Introduces Hunter Headquarters, a unique game flow system allowing players to select different characters, weapons and review objectives between levels.

A little help from your friends - supports two-player cooperative games.

25 expansive, story-telling levels with several replayable variations.

Rip apart supernatural enemies piece-by-piece by dismembering heads, arms and legs in gory detail.

Battle over 20 monster types using a huge arsenal of melee, ranged and spell weapons.

The more cynical gamers will spout the famous line, "More of the same," and move on.  And while I have to admit that the line may be applicable here, there are few notable exceptions, like five characters instead of the original's four.  What is not mentioned is the camera.  In the original, the camera control fell to simply being able to zoom in and out and sometimes the view was blocked by on-screen objects.  As long as this issue is addressed to some extent -- like making objects transparent when they block your view or being able to rotate the camera -- any frustration experienced in the original might be eliminated.

Another difference is that it only supports two players simultaneous.  This might be disappointing to those with more than one gamer friend.

The one worry I have is the Hunter Headquarters feature.  I really hope the developers put some time and thought into it.  Too often in games the mid-mission options turn out half-baked.

Look for Hunter: The Reckoning - Wayward in Q3 2003.

- Omni

(February 24, 2003)