Path of the hunter is the new hunting simulator coming to our consoles. Developed by the Nine Rocks Games studio and distributed by THQ Nordic, we have before us a very solid simulation proposal. And it is that, already in this first paragraph, I can affirm that we are facing one of the best hunting simulators that have been made. The game is committed to showing the player realism and overwhelming attention to detail.
With this millimeter work comes a very interesting proposal. Obviously, this is a game aimed at a very specific niche of gamers. However, unlike other simulators we have tried before, this game always tries to keep the player interested through its mechanics and story mode. If you want to know more about this title, do not miss the following analysis.
grandfather’s ranch
The start of Path of the hunter, lets us glimpse that we are facing a hunting title that tries to be something more. Our protagonist returns after many years on his grandfather’s ranch. A ranch that is committed to ethical hunting and that supplies many restaurants or gourmet tables. In addition to offering other services. Thanks to this, the game presents us with a campaign mode that is more than enough.
And it is that, one of the big problems that I usually find in this type of titles is that there is no progression system as such. In this case, its campaign mode helps us to have motivation in the game to continue progressing and developing our hunting skills. In fact, the game also takes the opportunity to present us with a progression system, where as we reach certain milestones we can improve our skills.
However, in case we are not interested in his campaign mode, we will be able to hunt freely once we complete his tutorial. Also, if we prefer, we can hunt cooperatively thanks to its multiplayer mode. Thanks to which we can create our own servers.
pamper the details
Path of the hunter, respects one of the main premises that must accompany any simulator; great attention to detail. This care is shown to the player through its fantastic graphics section. The modeling of the weapons and their sights is practically perfect. Rely on real brands and faithfully recreated business models. In addition, the animals also have the same detail. Although in this case, the detail goes much further. The animals not only have more than remarkable modeling, but their behavior models and animations are fantastic.
Another of the points worth highlighting in this title is the work done by the studio when it comes to recreating its scenarios. The two places through which we can move show us very different situations. Offering us hardwood forests, streams and meadows. In addition, to make us feel in this environment, the team strived for a fantastic draw distance. Something very remarkable given that both maps are huge. Similarly, its sound section is just as pampered. Offering a perfect recreation of the sounds that can be found in nature. In addition to having fantastic effects for shots and claims. His translation is very well done, with only a few very minor errors.
Moreover, the environments seem completely alive. Indeed, each animal has its own pattern of behavior, which is reflected in the frame. For example, pWe can find the nests of certain animals, as well as the places where they feed or their passage areas.
Scan the environment
Taking advantage of this elaborate recreation, the game takes the opportunity to show us its tracking mechanics. For this we have something called hunter sense. Thanks to this system, we will be able to follow the animals, in addition to discovering details about their behavior. For example, we can find their nests or their feeding grounds. All of these discoveries will be added to the map so that we can track them down or plan a hunt in the future.
Likewise, this system will allow us to analyze our environment in greater depth. This means that we will be able to hear animal sounds, as well as identify them from a distance. This system makes each stage of the scenario unique, so the user must pay attention to everything they see to learn more about their world. That in itself makes the immersion even better.
choose your shot
Path of the hunterlike any good simulator to use, presents the player with a truly successful shooting system. This makes every shot count, that we have to take our time to adjust our sights, calculate the distance, the drop of the ball and the time it will take to reach its destination. All this means that we must be patient, choose the ideal place to wait for our prey. And that is, patience is going to be the key.
In this line, the game presents its ethical hunting system. This means that we must make precise shots in order to avoid the suffering of the animal. In case of shooting that does not respect this premise, we will be penalized. So we will not get benefits from this type of practice. Finally, when we take down our prey, we will have a full ballistic analysis, so we can see how accurate we were.
Along with this, the title offers us a very interesting system on the generation of specimens. By this I mean the following; our actions will have consequences. If, for example, we hunt a lot of females, it is possible that this group of animals cannot continue to have offspring. In the same way, if we hunt only the best specimens, we will find that over time their physical quality will decrease.
a bit of ballast
Although experience with Path of the hunter, has been quite satisfactory, the reality is that it has a small weak point; your performance. In its version for new generation consoles, The game offers us two graphic modes; performance and quality. For this analysis, we tested both, although to be honest, their mode of performance leaves a lot to be desired. Indeed, to increase the frame rate, the game significantly reduces its graphics load. Which on many occasions is problematic due to the ostensible popping we’ll find. It is for this reason that we opted for the majority of the game for its quality mode.
Even so, with this mode we also encountered other difficulties. The popping, although less present, usually appears mainly when we use the car, in addition to the occasional falling of frames or various graphic errors. We also suffered a few isolated crashes, although in its favor we had a constant save system which meant we didn’t lose a minute of gameplay.
However, these details can sometimes be distracting and hamper the experience a bit. However, the team has already assured that they are working on solutions to these issues, so it is very likely that the experience will improve soon.
Ultimately Path of the hunter…
Path of the hunteris undoubtedly the best hunting simulator that has arrived on our consoles. It is a title that fulfills its premise and offers us a very solid simulation, not only in its ballistic system, but also manages to recreate fantastic scenarios full of life. In addition, it incorporates many features that are missing in other titles of the same genre, such as its campaign mode and sense of progression.
However, despite the fact that the workmanship is mostly excellent, the reality is that the game is currently facing technical issues that can make the experience uncomfortable. Even so, given that none of its errors are postulated as true limitations and the team is working to fix them, I can’t recommend this title highly enough. Because as I say, It is the best simulator on the market.
Psychologist who enjoys cooperative games, RPGs and shooting anything that moves.
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