Huntdown

Lore & Background

Huntdown is set in a future after a third world war caused the collapse of Earth's nations, which were replaced by corporations. Society is fueled by greed, and corporations provide jobs and protection only to the loyal, leading to high crime rates. Street gangs, cartels, and syndicates wage constant war against each other and corporate authority, creating a stable ground for bounty hunters hired to dispatch specific targets.

Reader's Guide

The player chooses one of three characters: Anna Conda (a human mercenary), John Sawyer (a 148 year-old cyborg), or Mow Man (an android). The player guides the character across straight levels, encountering enemies that serve as obstacles. Suitcases called 'Stashes' can be collected to influence the final score; some are found in specific areas, others are carried by enemy couriers that must be pursued and eliminated. Enemies use weapons including hockey sticks, baseball bats, and motorcycles, and can drop weapons for the player to pick up as secondary armament with limited ammunition. The player can die and return almost infinitely, but not dying on a level counts toward the final score. Each level ends with a boss encounter; several bosses have two health bars (armored and unarmored). The story involves a contract from the elderly Wolfmother of the Shimamoto Corporation to hunt down four street gangs. After the final gang leader is defeated, Wolfmother reveals the huntdown was a plot to destroy the gangs and take over their territories, with the bounty hunter not expected to survive. A bounty is then placed on both the hunter and Wolfmother, and an unseen bounty hunter kills Wolfmother.

Did You Know?

• One of the playable characters, John Sawyer, is a 148 year-old cyborg.
• The game's story involves four street gangs: the Hoodlum Dolls, the Misconducts, the Heatseekers, and the Nº1 Suspects.