Hunter: The Reckoning

Interplay gave us an early look at its upcoming Xbox game, Hunter: The Reckoning. Developed by High Voltage Software, the game is set in the "World of Darkness" universe created by White Wolf Publishing. Essentially a third-person shooter, the game puts players in the role of a "hunter," an individual empowered by a mysterious force with the ability to see evil in the world, as well as the power to eradicate it. While still early, the game seems to have potential.

Graphically, Hunter is coming together quite well. We got a peek at the graveyard, streets, playground, subway, and prison levels. The various environments are very nicely detailed, offering clean textures and moody lighting. Character models, for hunters and their assorted enemies, also feature a great deal of detail. The game's frame rate is still a bit rough but remains fairly constant even when a horde of the undead is onscreen.

Like Gauntlet Legends, the game offers you a choice of four Hunter characters. Each character possesses unique physical and magic attacks, as well as strengths and weaknesses. Once you've selected a character, you make your way through each of the game's levels, which feature different environments. You'll save innocents, kill anything that looks remotely unholy, collect new weapons, and gain experience, which boosts your abilities along the way. Glyphs that restore health or mana can be found throughout levels as well.

Gameplay is standard but offers some nice touches. While the control scheme is still being tweaked, the pad layout we used was serviceable. You'll use both Xbox analog sticks to control character movement and your aim as you wade through the undead hordes. The dual stick control lets you perform rolls and maneuver while you shoot everything in your sight. You'll jump with the L trigger and perform attacks with the R trigger. You'll switch between weapons and magic via the Xbox face buttons. One of the game's most promising features is its multiplayer support. Supporting single- or four-player cooperative player, Hunter looks like it could have some serious appeal if it's balanced right.

At present, it looks as though the game will offer 20-plus levels. Rather than simply going through and killing everything, you will be given tasks to accomplish on the levels, like finding and escorting a little girl back to her parents. From what we've seen so far, the level-specific missions will keep things interesting.

Hunter: The Reckoning is set to ship in March 2002.