If you've ever played
Gauntlet or
Robotron, you know what it's like to battle countless enemies that never seem to let up. A wide variety of enemies, ranging from zombies and mummies to spirits and gargoyles, will appear around you as you work your way through the fabulous worlds of
Hunter: The Reckoning. Unfortunately lacking from the game, however, is the feeling of truly being surrounded. Most of the time, you will be able to back away as the undead approach, and cap them from a distance. In fact, the only time your blood pressure and stress level rises is when you are confined to a small area, like when you enter certain rooms or go to battle with some of the bosses.
Probably the biggest draw for Hunter is that the game allows up to four players to team up and tackle the unholy grounds together. Games like Hunter just beg for player cooperation, and in return give players a rich gaming experience. The downside to playing this way is that enemies are easily defeated, and shouldn't pose too big of a threat if you work together in all aspects. Still, it would have been even more enjoyable if there would have been many more enemies and a lot more weaponry.
Throughout each level, different weapons will be scattered out in plain view, as well as every nook and cranny that you may not notice the first time around. This assures that players need to scour each area thoroughly, especially in multiplayer mode, where weapons are few and far between. Weapons can be upgraded too, as your hunter's level increases. In the style of RPGs, Hunter: The Reckoning also keeps track of player performance and increases his/her skills while moving through the game. So even though it's not necessary to complete the game, killing all baddies in each level is extremely rewarding.
Working together is a must because the pesky camera, while great when playing alone, prohibits movement without the entire Hunter party tagging along. This becomes a problem when you get cornered by an enemy and can't move away because your buddies are on the other side of the screen in the mist of their own battles. Although it would not have solved the problem, allowing the camera to zoom farther out would have alleviated some of the headache.
