Although Hunt: Showdown seems like it might be in a little bit of trouble, developer Crytek is still pushing forward with their big plans for the Early Access title. Their second big content update dropped today, introducing many new features to the competitive shooter, including many that fans have been clamoring for. The main idea seems to be pushing players to be a bit more aggressive in reaching objectives.
Here’s what you can expect to see next time you load up Hunt: Showdown:
- A “boost” mechanic that rewards the team that kills the boss monster. This is a huge boon, as one of the biggest problems right now in Hunt: Showdown is that the smarter strategy is to wait for another team to engage the boss and then pick them off after they use their ammo and resources to kill it. Now, the team that kills the boss will receive a special ability to see all other hunters on the map using their dark sight. This is a massive change, and will make killing the boss much more lucrative.
- A “death screen,” which will most likely give you better feedback after failing a mission.
- Better friending options.
- Dead players now drop their ammo and equipment, and remaining players can pick it up.
- New weapons: the bear trap, hive bomb, and flare pistol.
- New traits: “Beastface,” which makes AI animals less likely to make noise on your approach, and “Tomahawk,” which allows you to throw axes and sledgehammers that you find throughout the world of Hunt: Showdown.
The boost mechanic really is big, and should help speed up the pace and urgency of Hunt: Showdown matches. The game has improved since the closed alpha, and Crytek has consistently been open about the development process. However, for a multiplayer only game, the low player count is very troubling. Hopefully Crytek does not abandon Hunt: Showdown, and it is able to find its audience.