Huntdown Review (Big Bubba Hutchison)
Huntdown is among a wave of contemporary, yet retro-stylized games, but sticks out for it managing to keep old school gameplay exciting as a result of it's modern additions, as opposed to those being what hinders it.
In Huntdown, you take the role of one of three playable assassins, or hunters, tasked with completing 20 levels, divvied up into 4 rivaling gangs, each level having their own unique boss in the form of a high-ranking gang member. The levels do not overstay their welcome, which may give the impression that the game will let you off easy, but let it be known, Huntdown can get very tough, especially during the bosses. However, the vast array of weaponry, explosives, stage hazards, enemies, and scenery, stops the game from turning into a slog. Without having any hardware limitations of the run n' gun games of old means that there's no stopping the creativity of the developers, and the excitement rarely fails to persist.
On the subject of scenery, the presentation in Huntdown is simply fantastic. Before even beginning the game, what probably struck you first into buying it was the sheer talent expressed in the pixel art. The dedication put into the design of this game really shows that a game does not have to be technologically impressive to be visually impressive. The inspirations are clear, many backgrounds resemble something you'd find in a movie like Bladerunner, but these references feel more like homages, rather than something of derivative nature. For that reason, I believe Huntdown captures the spirit of the 80s better than most, but also offers an original, modern spin on the classic cyberpunk look.
It's actually the game's references to 80s media that got me interested in Huntdown to begin with, and it's clear that the developers had a lot of love for movies of the time period. I mean, Anna Conda, one of the playable characters, literally just looks like Snake Plissken from Escape from New York, and John Sawyer, another playable character, uses what is basically his gun. (Not to mention that Snake's appearance is one of the 5 secret easter eggs ) Besides visuals, that inspiration extends further into the game's music. While still keeping present day flair, as not to sound archaic, many of the game's tracks emulate the sounds of old school synths, reminiscent of works by John Carpenter. They're simple rhythms, but not unpleasantly so, and they compliment the gameplay as they should. However, on the audio side is where I find faults in the game.
As mentioned previously, Huntdown gets tough at times, and when fighting the bosses, you're likely to die a lot. And while each boss having a unique personality is, on paper, a good thing, they repeat a small list of voice lines quickly that, if repeated enough, can get really annoying. Sure, they're amusing the first couple of times, but for a few bosses, it just brought down the whole experience. And, as far as I can tell, there's no way to turn down the volume of the voice lines specifically. I do appreciate the work of the voice actors and actresses, but I just wish it was used more sparingly.
And that brings me on to my main negative point, and it's a big one. Something you can't fix with a patch. Huntdown is a great game, but I think it really would've been made better by a more serious tone. I think as it is, the comedy can go a little overboard, especially when it's not the funniest stuff in the world, frankly. I think it is my fault for forming a preconceived perception of the game's tone based off of it's clear inspirations. When I see a game that reminds me of Bladerunner and Escape from New York, I make the assumption that it's going to have a similar, mostly serious tone like those films, but I can't deny that the game's setting and brief, but existent storyline intrigues me, and I do believe there were opportunities to build upon it.
Regardless of how I am a little disappointed by the game's tone, it's really not a deal breaker, because I still managed to have a lot of fun with this game. If you're a big fan of 2D side scrolling run n' guns, and are looking for a contemporary spin on the genre, or even are just looking for an action packed game with simple mechanics that was actually made within the past 5 years, look no further than Huntdown. I don't remember how much I bought it for but it does go on sale for relatively cheap, but this one is really worth checking out, so buying it at full price isn't a bad idea. Check out Huntdown if you think it's for you, but most importantly, have fun!