Hunting Simulator 2
- June 30, 2020
- Neopica
- 6h median play time
Slow-paced, relaxing, but with bursts of excitement, it's the best way to hunt without facing the weather.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Hunting Simulator 2" offers an immersive hunting experience in stunning locations worldwide. Track and hunt over 33 animal species using authentic weapons and gear. Online multiplayer mode allows for cooperative hunting with friends, while the new territories and challenges provide endless hunting opportunities.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a nice selection of licensed firearms and gear, enhancing the hunting experience.
- The addition of dog companions adds a unique and enjoyable element to tracking and retrieving animals.
- The graphics and sound design create an immersive and serene atmosphere, making it a relaxing experience.
- The game suffers from a clunky and unpolished experience, with issues in the UI and animal behavior.
- The economy feels overly punishing, with fines for various actions and a limited number of licenses, which can be frustrating.
- The environments are small and often feel empty, leading to long stretches of gameplay without meaningful encounters.
- graphics84 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful environments and clean visuals, while others criticize the outdated animal models and occasional lag. Many users note that while the graphics can be impressive, they often feel subpar compared to other titles in the genre, leading to a sense of inconsistency in visual quality. Overall, the game offers decent graphics that run well on older hardware, but there is a clear desire for further polish and improvement.
“The graphics and environment look gorgeous and you can bring a dog to help you hunt.”
“It's performing very well, nice graphics without killing the laptop.”
“As a big fan of hunting games, I must say I like this game; it has nice graphics, nice gameplay, decent sound, and the wide selection of weapons, animals, and big maps make this an enjoyable experience.”
“Bad graphics and worse animal behaviors.”
“Also, the animal graphics are absolutely horrid, like 20 years ago horrid... the scope sway is worse.”
“I haven't seen graphics and animations this bad in a while.”
- gameplay49 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration, with some players appreciating the unique dog mechanics that enhance hunting interactions, while others criticize the lack of direction and poor explanations for these features. Many find the game to be more of a walking simulator with subpar mechanics, leading to a tedious experience, despite decent graphics and a wide selection of weapons and animals. Overall, while there are elements of fun and potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, making it hard to recommend without reservations.
“What I really like is that some of the game mechanics are different from TheHunter: COTW.”
“Well... it's the first (to my knowledge) in its genre to implement a mechanic involving hunting dogs, which will track, retrieve animals, or interact with animals by distracting them or pointing them out.”
“As a big fan of hunting games (been playing them since 'Deer Hunter: The 2005 Season', published by Atari) I must say I like this game; it has nice graphics, nice gameplay, decent sound, and the wide selection of weapons, animals, and big maps make this an enjoyable experience.”
“In 6 hours of playtime, both ambushing and stalking gameplay styles produced no encounters.”
“This game is a boring slog; you're given no direction other than the first tutorial, the dog mechanic is useless and a pain.”
“It looks like a cheap Unity game without any gameplay idea or progression.”
- story15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the hunting simulation game HS2 is largely minimal, with most players noting a lack of depth and predictability compared to other titles in the genre. While there is a brief tutorial and a newly added ranger mode, the overall narrative is considered weak, with some players expressing disdain for the love triangle introduced in the DLC. Overall, the game prioritizes hunting mechanics over a structured story, leaving many players wanting more in terms of narrative content and mission variety.
“Not as predictable and simplified as Hunter: Call of the Wild, and not as story-driven and easy as Way of the Hunter.”
“Being a hunting simulation game, HS2 really doesn’t have a story that other games would have, except for the newly added ranger mode.”
“The hunting simulations of the current generation have mostly neglected this aspect altogether; the only semblance of a story comes in the beginning via a short tutorial, which is understandable, as you are after all hunting.”
“The love triangle in the DLC story mode makes me want to puke!”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning attention to detail in landscapes, weather effects, and sound design, creating an immersive and serene experience. Players describe it as one of the most beautiful and peaceful environments in gaming, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a relaxing atmosphere. Overall, the natural ambiance significantly enhances the gameplay experience.
“The attention to detail in the landscapes, weather effects, and even the sound design creates an immersive and serene atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere you feel when you start the game is honestly one of the most beautiful and peaceful environments I have seen in a video game.”
“Overall, I like the game and I can recommend it if you want a relaxing and atmospheric hunting game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the absurdity of its DLC offerings and the comical animations, which, while entertaining, can detract from the overall immersion if scrutinized too closely.
“The fact that there are DLCs is absolutely hilarious.”
“Animations are hilarious and destroy immersion if you look at them for too long.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to the need to frequently return to the lodge for licenses. However, there is a sense of optimism regarding the game's potential if the developers continue to support and improve it.
“It's grindy, and the license system means you always have to go back to the lodge to get more licenses.”
“Kinda grindy but has lots of potential if the devs actually stick with it.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's beautiful graphics and maps, which contribute to its high replay value without compromising performance, such as lag or low frame rates.
“The game features beautiful maps and offers great replay value.”
“The graphics are impressive without sacrificing performance, enhancing the overall replayability.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's optimization, noting that it effectively simulates the challenging nature of harvesting, mirroring real-life difficulties. This attention to performance enhances the overall gaming experience.
“I fell in love with the performance of the game - it is very difficult to harvest something (just as it is in real life).”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as appearing to prioritize quick profits over player experience, leading to perceptions of a cash grab rather than a well-thought-out approach.
“It feels like the developers are more interested in making money than creating a quality game experience.”
“The monetization strategy is so aggressive that it ruins the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“It seems like the team behind it was either looking for a quick cash grab and easy vacation, or the interns that built it have already moved on to their proper jobs.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by moments of connection with wildlife, such as having elk approach closely, which evokes a sense of wonder and immersion. However, the experience is somewhat marred by humorous glitches, like ducks getting stuck, which can detract from the overall emotional impact.
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no glitches or issues noted.
“There are no glitches or anything.”
“There are no glitches or anything.”
Critic Reviews
Hunting Simulator 2 (Nintendo Switch)
Real-life hunters should appreciate Hunting Simulator 2. Virtual hunters may sometimes find themselves in want, as this game can straddle the line between relaxing and dull. But it should grow on you, as your canine companion also grows beside you. You’ll develop “nerves of steel, and an incredible amount of patience.” Be prepared to invest a lot of time to get the most out of this entertaining if uneven offering, though.
70%Doggone it
The hunting simulation sequel arrives full of dog tech. Does it actually achieve good boy status? Our full review.
40%Hunting Simulator 2 GBAtemp review
Overall, Hunting Simulator 2 is an ok hunting game. If you're looking for absolute realism, with fines and licenses and sitting in one place for 2 hours so you can hunt a thing, you'll love Hunting Simulator 2. But if you want something a little bit more arcade-y or something that doesn't involve hours of running around with nothing to show for it, you're best off finding another hunting game.
70%
