Hunting Simulator 2 (Update for Next Gen Consoles)

Hunting Simulator 2 (Update for Next Gen Consoles)

"Hunting Simulator 2"
Reviewed by: Carless Yen
Developed by: Neopica
Published by: Nacon
Release Date: 03/25/2021
Price:49.99

I thought I'd update the review for "Hunting Simulator 2" so I'm just gonna post the first review and then put a closing paragraph to tell the differences, and update the score. 

     I was really excited when I heard we were going to be reviewing "Hunting Simulator 2" I was a big fan of "The Hunter: Call of the Wild" I know it isn't from the same people but it's same genre. I had never played the first Simulator so I didn't know what to expect really. Spoiler Alert I wasn't let down at all. I was quite surprised just how hooked I was. This review is actually a little late because I just couldn't stop playing it. Don't get me wrong it is a Simulator so some of you may get bored, because hunting can be slow and boring at times just like fishing. When that fish hits the line or you see that Buck creeping around the corner things get real exciting real fast. That is one of the amazing things about it you just don't know when or If something is going to happen. :Hunting Simulator is the same way you can go thirty minutes on some levels and not see a thing. Especially in the really wooded areas. Animals hear you, so your creeping around in the woods or running you are going to scare them away. Just like in real life. Let's get back though to the start of the game though.

     You can either skip or go with the tutorial. I recommend doing it. It's really simple and short. You choose if you want to be a Man or Woman there isn't any customization though. You can how ever buy tons of licensed gear though to wear. You choose what animal license you want first. The first one is free, and you get a free weapon depending on which animal you choose as well. The rest of the license aren't that expensive either though. Think the top is like 350 to 500 but you start with 5,000. You need to shop smart though, because you might want another gun to hunt other things, and a bag to carry 2 weapons instead of one. You really have to think about it, because it can take awhile to make money. Especially if you want to trophy your first hunts instead of selling them. The trophies all appear around your lodge and it looks really cool. At the Lodge you can look at your trophies, test weapons at the range, listen to music, change your load outs, change your companion, shop, and choose where you wish to go. So it's like a major base of operations. There are 3 States and each State has two locations.

    The locations all vary as well. Some are Desert , flat grassy fields, wooded areas, and more. Each place has different animals, but some of the same as well. If you got a license for a state you can use it on both of it's locations. If you change States though you are required to get one for that state. There is also a limit to how many you can get with that license as well. So it makes sure you are learning to hunt the other animals as well. They all react different , and have different ways to approach. Like a Cougar, Elk, or Sheep might just walk around a easy hunt, but others not so much. Like ducks you have to shoot them over land to get them, A large animal like a Bear might require multiple shots. Everything keeps you learning and trying new things. The experience feels really realistic, and you can lose hours of your life just waiting for an Animal you want to come along. Time flies when you play, and it's very addicting. It's also a really calming experience as well. The areas are beautiful, very easy on the eyes. The sun peeping through trees or a stream and waterfall flowing nearby. It's just really pleasant to sit and relax and wait for the perfect trophy to come along.

    You can already tell I loved it. You may wonder why my score isn't higher though. There are flaws, but they aren't major. They are things that can be fixed , and probably being worked on now. The first one is just how the character walks. It's super clunky like RoboCop or a Zombie. I recommend playing in third person it's less annoying that way. I really hope they fix his walk and make it more smooth it's almost like he has a limp and it's super slow. I'd understand moving this way if crouched or something sneaking, but just walking around hunting tents and tree stands it can feel like it takes forever. Give the guy a 4 wheeler or something to explore with. You can fast travel after you find them all so it becomes a lot better. I guess maybe they want you to hunt them or get to know the area better. I could do the same on a vehicle though. Or at least let me guy be able to run for more then a minute without sounding like he is going to die. I think this is why I've seen a lot of reviews say boring. Maybe another mode I don't know. I don't think it's boring at all, but this did annoy me some what. Another thing I hated was Unethical fines. I liked the fines for using the right caliber, or not having license and things like that. I didn't like shooting a Animal twice and watching him bleed out for 20 minutes limping. It's more unethical not to shoot them at that point. The game is super realistic, but when it comes to this it kind of fails. I literally followed a limping animal for an half a hour watching it lose huge pools of blood from one side of the map to another and not die. You can't run off and leave them or you are fined for that as well. It's a Lose/Lose. The thing that pissed me off the most though I spent 4 hours trying to get every trophy for my lodge. I had like 9 animals bagged, maybe more. The game freezes and I lost them all. There needs to be a save when it hits the bag or something. This happened to me twice. No one wants to keep going back to the Lodge after every kill. I know I been saying a lot of bad things for about a paragraph now , but it's all minor things that i know will be fixed. Don't let that discourage you. I loved this game, I just always make sure I point out issues for the Devs as well as the people reading so they are aware. I'll be playing it again as soon as I finish typing out this review.

      I won't to go out just expressing how good this game is. I really want to say maybe on Hunting Sim 3 we add fishing? It's already such a in depth hunting sim and relaxing. Why not add some nice trout fishing in those beautiful streams or throw some Bass in those ponds. They sure would look nice up on the walls of that Lodge. It would also add even more hours of play to a already very good title as far as getting your money's worth. How about some Coop as well, and missions to add to it. Like hunting/fishing contests or see if you can catch your limit of certain animals. So if you love hunting I highly recommend this. Hours and hours are going to pass with you playing this. It's such a great game, and I look forward to seeing where they go with it in the future. I hope maybe one of my ideas makes it in.

     So let's talk about the Updated version. Is it worth the 49.99 price tag? Yes it is beautiful, and the load times are so fast. You can jump between the Maps, Lodge, and range faster than ever. Everything runs smoother and looks better than the last edition. The only thing is the improvements are just a slight difference, and I don't see dropping another $50 on a game you just purchased less than a year ago. I don't see why Nacon doesn't support Smart Delivery. It feels like a cash grab especially when there is DLC released just a day after. Just feels like this should have been released as a package if you have to rebuy a game that just came out. They make it look like it's a new game. Nothing carries over. None of your guns, none of your trophies, or stats. I can't really say it's worth the purchase if you already own the XBOX One X edition. I am a fan and supporter of Developers and Publishers that support Smart Delivery. It's not like this is really a new console. The differences are so slight, and I feel the day of huge differences in graphics are over. It's going to be more like Steam where you buy a game once. So it's odd all Publishers aren't jumping on board the backwards compatability train. If you don't have the previous edition it's a must own for hunting game fans. I love the whole experience. 6 fun to hunt locations, tons of guns, apparel, and items. It's a blast looking for rare animals, camp sites, and tree stands. Will keep you entertained for hours. So I'm going to raise the overall score by half a point, because it's clearly a better overall experience. Notone though that I can promote double dipping on a game you just purchased less than a year ago. 

Beautiful locations. Streams, Deserts, Forest so relaxing.
Really realistic hunting experience.
So many ways to approach and load up.
Guns, Bows,Gear, Outfits galore and officially licensed.
Companions and system for using them smart and adorable.
Sooo Relaxing and time consuming.

Loads faster and looks better.

Wish hunter moved smoother or had vehicle.
Some times animals just won't go down.
Froze on me a few times losing all my bagged animals.
Be nice to hunt with friends.

Feel like they are kind of double dipping. Charging $50 for a game with slight improvements and releasing DLC the same week. 

Overall Impression

Everything you loved about the original is slightly improved. Fun and addictive hunting experience that will keep you glued to the screen for hours. Really realistic hunting. Animals react to your movements, and shots like they would in their real environments. The guns and equipment all feel real and work like they should. They are also real brands that you would use as a real life hunter. I think If you don't own the 2020 release it's without question worth your money. If you purchased it last year, i can't really say it's worth dropping another $50 on and having to buy the new DLC. I might grab and cover the DLC because i do love doing streams and videos of this game. I actually included some below.

Video Coverage