TheHunter: Call of the Wild

Boasts some beautiful, convincing countryside to hunt in, but the glacial pace will challenge the limits of most people’s patience.

TheHunter: Call of the Wild is clearly one of the very good hunting simulators. The behaviour of the animals is absolutely logical and corresponds to reality. Graphically, it is a gem that is pleasing to the eye, and if you have the opportunity to play on a powerful machine, you will really enjoy this pleasure to the fullest. Thanks to a large variety of DLC, you can venture to virtually every known corner of the world. Unfortunately, the game also has a few lingering bugs in the form of game getting stuck on rocks. If you're also one of the achievement hunters on Steam, you're going to cry here. There are several achievements in the game that are buggy. You'll never get the two extra achievements because it was just a seasonal Halloween event from 2018.

The only thing that I don't like about the game is the DLC policy, meaning that a lot of the interesting stuff can be bought through DLCs, including two entire maps. Otherwise, if I had the time, I would probably lose entire days hunting virtual animals, and having an inexplicable feeling of acomplishment.

Call of the Wild offers an amazing experience, for when you finally do capture your kill: it’s so rewarding. For the players willing to go that extra step, it’s really worth it.

theHunter: Call of the Wild isn't for everyone. It takes a lot of patience and can be impenetrable for those without experience in hunting simulators. But for those with the grit to push through the steep learning curve, this game is quite possibly the best hunting game of all time. If you're curious about it, I highly recommend giving it a go.

theHunter: Call of the Wild totes itself as offering "the most immersive hunting experience ever created" and while it has more than its share of charm, to label it as such is a bit steep. Whether you are trekking through the American Pacific Northwest at the Layton Lake District hunting reserve, or you are slumming through the Hirschfelden Hunting Reserve, a digital re-representation of German farmlands, theHunter: Call of the Wild is fun at first, but devolves into a mind-numbing walk through the 50-square mile, Apex-generated environment that tends to drive you to bored wandering. It sure is pretty though.

If you're looking for a hunting game to tide you over, this may be the game for you. It's not for people who don't have patience and want a quick kill.

theHunter: Call of the Wild is a fantastic looking game, and does a great job of bringing some of the thrill of the hunt – and the chase – to the home.

It was extremely refreshing to play a game that played at the pace I wanted it to and not have to worry about convoluted story lines. Yes, it may get a tad repetitive after a while, but it looks stunning, plays beautifully and I look forward to heading back to the hunt some more.

If you wouldn't normally touch a hunting game, I'd urge you to view theHunter: Call of the Wild as the ultimate "walking simulator" and give it a fair shake of the shotgun. I don't regret the many rewarding hours I ploughed into this engaging, immersive safari and can see myself returning to theHunter: Call of the Wild's wonderful wilderness again and again.