Cabela's Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts
- March 25, 2014
- Activision
- 32h median play time
Cabela's Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts is a single-player shooter game that offers delightful gameplay and beautiful visuals. Hunt with professional hunters such as Wade Middleton, Jim Shockey, and Ralph & Vicki Cianciarulo and take down bigger game faster. Explore maps four times the size of any previous Cabela's game and track, scout, and target your trophy animal in all new ways.
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- The game offers a realistic hunting experience with great graphics and immersive environments.
- The bullet cam feature provides detailed feedback on shot placement, enhancing the thrill of the hunt.
- The game includes a variety of animals to hunt and allows for both guided missions and open hunting.
- Many players experience game-breaking bugs after a certain number of hours, preventing them from continuing.
- The aiming mechanics can be frustrating, with shots not registering as expected.
- The game lacks a multiplayer mode, which could enhance the hunting experience with friends.
- graphics58 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread praise for their impressive detail and realism, particularly in environments and animal animations. Many users highlight the stunning visuals, including features like x-ray bullet impacts and expansive maps, which enhance the overall hunting experience. However, some critiques mention occasional graphical glitches and performance issues on lower-end systems, but overall, the graphics are considered a significant strength of the game.
“Good graphics, great environments, realistic looking animals, and cool x-ray kills.”
“The graphics are outstanding and the realism in how the weapons function (and how bullet collisions respond), make this the most solid hunting simulator on the market.”
“Brilliantly realistic, great graphics, beautiful maps and lots of gear - it's a must buy.”
“The graphics engine is terrible; bullets disappear, you get no kill and lose points.”
“For 2014, the graphics are nothing special and the shadows are horrible up close, even with the graphics settings maxed.”
“There aren't any real options when it comes to customizing your experience or fiddling with graphical settings.”
- story37 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily structured around a series of linear missions that players must complete to progress through different regions, with a total of 40 missions available. While some players appreciate the open hunt mode that allows for more freedom, many criticize the scripted nature of the "boss" missions and the time constraints imposed on certain tasks. Overall, the narrative experience is seen as short and restrictive, lacking replayability and depth compared to previous titles in the series.
“Each area also has 2 pro hunt missions that start with a cinematic movie hosted by pro guides Jim Shockey, Wade Middleton, Ralph and Vicki Cianciarulo, who will detail what to do on the hunt for 'named' mega trophy animals.”
“There are plenty of different game animal species to hunt, with fun challenges and side missions to keep you playing.”
“The storyline missions are extremely linear.”
“You must finish every storyline hunt in a particular region before you can unlock the next region.”
“Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2007 is still better, and this game doesn't even have many items, so Activision should add more guns and stuff (a lot more), and the gun animation is not as realistic as older ones, and the story is short.”
- gameplay33 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its thrilling mechanics, realistic graphics, and engaging simulation elements, making it enjoyable for both hunters and non-hunters alike. Players appreciate the balance between realism and accessibility, with addictive gameplay loops and a variety of unlockable gear. However, some users report technical issues, such as crashes and bugs, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The slo-mo impact and the aim mechanics make it a thrill to play.”
“Realistic textures, easy intuitive gameplay, makes you feel like you're out there hunting.”
“The gameplay is quite enjoyable, with a lot of unlockable gear such as weapons, scopes, ammo, and animal calls.”
“However, after I had gotten about 50% through the gameplay, the game crashed and will not open.”
“Really, I don't know why I'm still playing, between having to buy weapons I've already owned 4+ times to seeing my cousin/brother's game crashing all the time after 30 hours of gameplay.”
“Hunting mechanics don't transfer to real hunting at all.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report minor glitches and graphical issues, particularly in region 4, these do not significantly detract from the overall experience. However, there are concerns about a lack of support for persistent bugs, with some players noting that certain glitches and AI problems may remain unaddressed.
“There is no support for this bug-ridden pile of garbage.”
“It is a bit buggy but only in region 4.”
“There are some glitches and AI nonsense that will probably never get fixed, but nothing game-breaking.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the progression system is generally well-received, certain hunts can become tedious due to the need for specific weapons or ammo. The slow-mo x-ray shooting feature, although occasionally repetitive, adds excitement and can be skipped if desired. Utilizing different animal calls early on is recommended to alleviate some of the more monotonous missions.
“The progression system in the game is pretty good, but can also be a bit grindy at times since many hunts require specific weapons or ammo types to be used.”
“Also, I recommend you get the different animal calls early on because they save a lot of time and make some of the more tedious missions a lot more tolerable.”
“Etc. etc. this can be very tedious.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers good replayability, enhanced by the inclusion of challenges, though some players express a desire for the option to replay specific missions to further increase engagement. While it is considered more playable than similar titles, the lack of mission replay options limits its potential for extended play.
“Good replayability.”
“I would have personally liked to be able to replay these missions; although not the pro hunts per se, it could add some replayability if it was an option to do so.”
“There is some replayability with the addition of challenges.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its polished visuals and immersive environments, creating engaging and enjoyable hunting experiences. Players appreciate the well-designed hunting areas and realistic wildlife, which contribute to a captivating overall ambiance that encourages exploration.
“This is the most polished of the series of Cabela's hunting games. The visuals and atmosphere are good, the hunts are fun, and the whole package comes across as well thought out, with a difficulty system that is engaging and instructs you as you progress.”
“Great looking wildlife and large, atmospheric hunting areas that you're happy to just walk around in, even if you don't see something to shoot.”
“Good graphics and an immersive atmosphere.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by unexpected and amusing moments, such as the ironic recommendation to complete the tutorial despite having fully explored the area multiple times. This blend of absurdity and immersion contributes to a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
“This results in some funny surprises; for instance, the game strongly recommends you finish the tutorial if you want to hunt again in the first playable region, the southeast (while you actually completed 100% of the southeast, just like the tutorial, twice already).”
“I was laughing at the adrenaline rush and thought that it was an immersive enough situation for me.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's emotional depth, noting that it enhances the experience of being a sniper by rewarding precision and ethical choices in hunting, which adds a layer of moral consideration to gameplay. The emphasis on making clean shots and the consequences of poor decisions contribute to a more immersive and emotionally engaging experience.
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, running smoothly while also delivering decent visuals.
“Optimization-wise, it runs butter smooth and looks pretty decent too!”
“The game is incredibly well-optimized, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
“I was impressed by how well the game performs; the optimization really enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with players noting it as some of the best they've experienced in a hunting game, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion.
“Some of the best music I have heard in a hunting game!”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.”
“Each track is beautifully composed, making exploration even more enjoyable.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is praised for being accessible, offering a high-quality hunting experience without the burden of excessive microtransactions, making it a viable alternative for players seeking value.
“The development team actually crafted a pristine hunting game that is a wonderful option for those who don't want the acclaimed The Hunter (or those who simply haven't got the cash to spend on its nonsensical microtransactions).”
