TheHunter: Call of the Wild

Ah, hunting. The finest of all life’s pursuits. Truly, there’s nothing nobler than rushing through the wilderness, wind in your hair, as you attempt to mow down a deer with your ATV bike.

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theHunter: Call of the Wild provides a breathtaking, immersive hunting experience in a vast open world bursting with life and detailed animal behavior. Its multiplayer options allow for up to 8 players to hunt together or compete. This next-generation hunting game is powered by award-winning technology for heightened realism.

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Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 49,979 reviews

graphics2,950 positive mentions

stability1,079 negative mentions

graphics
4,071 mentions
72 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics in "The Hunter: Call of the Wild" are widely praised for their stunning realism and attention to detail, creating immersive environments that enhance the hunting experience. Many players highlight the breathtaking landscapes, realistic animal models, and atmospheric sound design, which contribute to a captivating gameplay experience. However, some users report performance issues and graphical glitches, particularly on lower-end systems, indicating that while the visuals are impressive, they can be demanding on hardware.
- “The graphics and audio make the game very immersive.”
- “Beautiful, highly realistic graphics and environments.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is realistic, and the vast open world is just begging to be explored.”
- “But every time I run the game I have anywhere from 5 minutes to 10 seconds before the game crashes no matter how low I put the graphics.”
- “The graphics, sound, and physics of this game work very well, but the game is plagued by numerous bugs: shot animals disappearing in front of you, mission-breaking glitches, animal tracks textures screwing up, animals teleporting all over the map.”
- “The graphics are not ground-breaking but the lighting, effects, and scale of things make it seem more polished than it probably is.”
gameplay
2,438 mentions
36 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Hunter: Call of the Wild" is characterized by its slow-paced, immersive hunting mechanics that require patience and strategy, appealing to those who enjoy simulation-style experiences. Players appreciate the stunning graphics and realistic animal behaviors, but many express frustration with the steep learning curve, bugs, and the necessity of purchasing numerous DLCs to access essential gameplay features. Overall, while the game offers a rewarding experience for dedicated players, its reliance on DLC and occasional technical issues can detract from the enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is amazing and the game has a great atmosphere.”
- “If you’re a fan of simulation games or the hunting genre, it’s a must-try, especially for its vast, beautiful environments and challenging gameplay.”
- “The attention to detail in the graphics, immersive gameplay, and realistic hunting experience made it an unforgettable adventure.”
- “Really slow gameplay, so I would not recommend it if you have the attention span of a goldfish.”
- “I downloaded a 90GB game and got two hunting reserves to play while the remaining thirteen are locked behind DLC, which in total costs £176 for all of it on top of a £20 base game, which by the way, doesn't include simple mechanics such as swimming, animations for opening doors, or animations for entering huts.”
- “The gameplay is 99% following trails of dung and footsteps, and the rest being shooting once and missing because of the wind or some stupid issue.”
story
2,425 mentions
19 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is generally considered weak and often feels optional, with many players noting that the missions lack depth and can be repetitive or frustrating due to bugs and unclear objectives. While some missions provide a sense of direction and can enhance the gameplay experience, they are often criticized for being tedious, particularly those requiring specific animal interactions or photography. Overall, the missions serve more as a means to earn experience and money rather than as a compelling narrative, leading many players to prefer free exploration over following the story.
- “The game provides different storylines unique to each reserve that you can complete by yourself; it’s a wonderful way to learn about different cultures!”
- “I really enjoy the missions that help you get flowing and meeting the unexpected; I am happy I bought this game with full of enjoyment.”
- “The missions are fun and bring a good challenge to the game; you always have something to do!”
- “The story missions are lifeless, but you don't care about the story.”
- “The main quest doesn't even work; the mission trigger doesn't trigger no matter what you do when you get to the rag stuck in the tree.”
- “Some missions are really difficult to finish since you have to harvest a certain animal in a certain area and that's not so easy to control.”
stability
1,127 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some users find these issues manageable and even humorous, others express frustration over game-breaking problems, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game is described as visually stunning but plagued by persistent technical issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “The game runs great on my system, no real frame drops.”
- “I recently had to downgrade my whole PC setup because of a fried motherboard and limited parts available, but even with this crappy setup from 2012 the game runs great!”
- “The graphics are amazing and there are little to no glitches anymore (that I have experienced).”
- “Frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches disrupt gameplay sessions, leading to frustration and disappointment.”
- “The game is a buggy mess.”
- “This game is so buggy it makes me want to kill myself.”
grinding
516 mentions
1 % positive mentions
19 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as extremely tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the slow-paced, immersive experience and find satisfaction in the grind for trophies and upgrades, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, often requiring excessive hours to progress. The necessity of purchasing DLCs to alleviate some of the grind further complicates the experience, leading to mixed feelings about the game's balance between realism and playability.
- “But overall it is a good game; it is somewhat immersive if you're not grinding your life away, but when you are, it is still somewhat fun because it really doesn't take long to grind if you hunt certain animals.”
- “Its not too grindy, very rewarding for player action and is multiplayer.”
- “I'm not a hunter so I can't speak to the accuracy of this game in relation to actually hunting animals, but what I can say is the maps are huge and gorgeous, there are endless missions to give you purpose, there are skills, perks, weapons, ammo, and equipment to unlock, and progression isn't too grindy at all.”
- “While some might appreciate the slow pace, others may find it tedious.”
- “The hunting mechanics lack depth and variety, with repetitive tasks such as tracking animals and setting up blinds becoming tedious and monotonous quickly.”
- “If you enjoy tedious, repetitive gameplay with zero excitement, go ahead and throw your money away.”
atmosphere
423 mentions
75 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "thehunter: Call of the Wild" is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive sound design, and realistic environmental details, creating a captivating and tranquil experience for players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of being in nature, with beautiful landscapes and atmospheric audio that enhance the overall hunting experience. While some players note occasional bugs and gameplay pacing issues, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere is one of its strongest features, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a relaxing and engaging outdoor adventure.
- “It creates an immersive atmosphere that draws you into the world, making each hunting excursion feel like a real adventure.”
- “The stunning visuals and immersive sound design create an atmosphere that feels genuinely alive, with a range of realistic wildlife and a day and night cycle that adds to the game's realism.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is astonishing; beautiful landscapes and I enjoy the hunting very much.”
- “The forests razed to make room for livestock, the rivers poisoned by waste runoff, and the atmosphere choked with greenhouse gases weigh heavily upon our collective conscience.”
- “Half the time I'm stalking I get lost in the atmosphere of the world and then get mauled by the bear or trampled by the moose I was tracking.”
- “The animals' AI is good until it's not... animals will constantly get stuck in trees and ruin the atmosphere and that bit of proudness when you kill an animal.”
optimization
299 mentions
32 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent visual glitches, performance issues, and inconsistent frame rates, particularly on lower-end systems. While some users have noted that the game runs smoothly on higher-end setups, others have expressed frustration over the lack of effective optimization and the game's tendency to consume excessive resources. Overall, while there are instances of good performance, significant optimization challenges remain, impacting the gameplay experience for many users.
- “The game is well optimized and looks very good while still being able to run at least 60fps.”
- “The graphics are really, really beautiful and not to mention, highly optimized.”
- “This game is very buggy, and instead of the devs putting their time into optimization and bug-squashing, they put it into these useless DLCs that just annoy the players when we have to buy them to unlock the full game content.”
- “Almost every major update brings with it new visual glitches and performance issues.”
- “Poor optimization results in inconsistent performance, even on high-end gaming systems, causing lag and frame rate drops during critical moments.”
- “This game is so unoptimized.”
music
241 mentions
37 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall immersion and enjoyment of the gameplay. Many players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack, which complements the stunning graphics and serene environments, making it a perfect backdrop for exploration and hunting. However, some users have reported issues with the music being overly loud or persistent, detracting from the experience at times.
- “The music and overall ambiance further enhance the immersion, offering players the chance to fully engage with the game's world.”
- “The music is some of the greatest game soundtracks I have ever heard, up there with Hitman and Halo for me.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are gorgeous.”
- “This game is ruined by the loud outpost music that you cannot turn off, even if you set all audio to 0 or off.”
- “Game basically unplayable; menu music is loud on loop and there is no way of fixing it; can't hear anything but the music.”
- “I really like the game but I had to reinstall it because the lobby music was playing in the middle of my game.”
humor
220 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the absurdity of animal behavior, hilarious glitches, and the comedic chaos that ensues during multiplayer sessions. Many reviews highlight the joy of playing with friends, where unexpected moments—like animals getting stuck or performing silly actions—lead to laughter and memorable experiences. Overall, the game is described as a fun and entertaining hunting experience, often enhanced by its lighthearted and goofy elements.
- “This game is funny but this is my second time when I need to make a new account because this game doesn't save my progress in the cloud.”
- “My friends and I play together and just run around like idiots and corral deer, and it's so funny.”
- “Get ready for a hilarious hunting experience like no other!”
- “This game sucks; it's not funny, and I won't play it anymore!”
- “Not funny/not realistic.”
- “Not funny/not realistic.”
monetization
194 mentions
6 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
39 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a "cash grab" due to the prevalence of DLCs and microtransactions that often feel necessary for a complete experience. While some users appreciate the absence of traditional microtransactions compared to previous titles, they express frustration over the high number of paid DLCs for content that many believe should have been included in the base game. Overall, the sentiment reflects a strong discontent with the aggressive monetization tactics employed by the developers, overshadowing the game's potential enjoyment.
- “I'm not against all DLC selling and in-game purchases, but that kind of stuff should mostly center around cosmetics and things that don't influence the gameplay.”
- “It does take quite a while to get anywhere, and there are a lot of microtransactions, but they don't really impact the core gameplay loop of wandering around hunting animals.”
- “The DLC is appropriately priced for what you get, and no microtransactions!”
- “It's not an outright scam, but man... the advertising is much better than the actual product.”
- “The amount of cash grabbing in this game is beyond anything I have ever seen.”
- “This game seems more like a cash grab; all they want is for you to spend tons of money on DLC when half of the items should be in the game in the first place.”
replayability
101 mentions
40 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game offers substantial replayability, bolstered by regular updates, downloadable content (DLC), and a variety of game modes that keep the hunting experience fresh and engaging. While many players appreciate the endless opportunities for exploration and trophy collection, some express concerns about the reliance on DLC for enhanced gameplay. Overall, it is widely regarded as a relaxing and addictive experience with high replay value, particularly for fans of hunting games.
- “Regular updates and downloadable content (DLCs) expand the game's replayability and keep the hunting experience fresh for long-term players.”
- “I have up to 155+ hours and have tons to do like hunt gold and diamond animals, get animals with rare furs, explore the maps more, etc. This game has a huge replay value to it and if you are a fan of hunting, you may add hundreds of hours easily.”
- “The multiplayer mode adds a whole new dimension to the game, fostering camaraderie and endless replayability.”
- “Despite the expansive environments, Hunter: Call of the Wild lacks meaningful content and replayability.”
- “There are only a handful of guns and a handful of animals, making replayability a fart in the wind.”
- “My only caveat is that the devs quit adding new achievements and side missions to the last few DLC packs, which lowers the replayability.”
emotional
60 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling sadness and empathy towards the animals they hunt, which can lead to moments of genuine reflection and even tears. The game evokes a range of feelings, from the joy of immersive landscapes and the thrill of the hunt to the heartbreak of missed shots and the ethical dilemmas surrounding hunting. Overall, it is described as a heartfelt experience that resonates with players on multiple emotional levels, making them contemplate their actions and the impact on the environment.
- “From the bottom of my heart, this game has created so many memories for me and heartbreaking moments as well, including being positive I hit that deer in the lungs and the shot being a little too far back, but that's okay!”
- “The story arcs are emotional and thought-provoking, especially those that touch on environmental concerns.”
- “In fact, this game was so good, it made me want to cry at times.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is a compelling aspect of the game, effectively engaging players and motivating them to continue playing.
- “The character development keeps you engaged in the game and makes you want to play every time.”
- “The depth of character development adds layers to the story, making each decision feel impactful.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and relatable.”