Hunter: The Reckoning – Redeemer
Hunters battle werewolves and undead in a third-person shooter.
Hunter: The Reckoning – Redeemer, a hack-and-slash shooter for the Xbox from 2003, was created by High Voltage Software and released by Vivendi Universal Games. It belongs to the World of Darkness series and is the third Hunter video game, after the 2002 original and Wayward from the same year.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- High Voltage Software
- Producer
- Chad Kent
- Designer
- David A. Rodriguez
- Programmer
- Nigel Rankin, John Sanderson
- Artist
- Matt Corso
- Series
- Hunter: The Reckoning
- Released
- October 28, 2003 (NA); November 21, 2003 (EU)
- Genre
- Hack and slash, third-person shooter
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Hunter: The Reckoning – Redeemer is a hack-and-slash shooter played from a third-person perspective, supporting up to four players in multiplayer. Players fight undead hordes using ranged weapons, melee weapons, and limited-use powerful weapons found in levels, alongside magic spells called edges that can heal or boost attack power. Levels feature objectives such as traversing areas, escorting characters, freeing innocents, clearing monsters, and defeating bosses. Five initial hunter characters are available: Kaylie (Redeemer, ranged specialist), Deuce (Avenger, strong melee), Kassandra (Martyr, fast movement), Father Cortez (Judge, magic-focused), and Samantha (Defender, balanced). Two additional characters—the Wayward hunter Joshua and the Risen wraith Carpenter—can be unlocked, and monster cards dropped by enemies allow players to play as those monsters. Experience grants skill points to allocate to character statistics for customization, and skill points can be transferred between characters. Character appearances can also be customized with clothing.
Plot
Set in the World of Darkness ten years after the first game, Redeemer takes place in the town of Ashcroft. The original four hunters—Deuce, Samantha, Father Cortez, and Kassandra—team up with Kaylie Winter, whom they saved as a child and who was raised by Father Cortez. Kaylie spies on Genefex Corporation CEO Xavier Lucien during a shipment, when werewolves attack the warehouse. The hunters drive the werewolves away and learn that werewolves have been attacking Genefex shipments because Genefex began hunting them. After defeating him and his vampire henchwomen, Carpenter says he was required to mix an unknown substance from Genefex Labs into the club's drinks but does not work for Lucien. At Genefex Labs, the hunters free a captive werewolf leader, who explains the substance is a spiritual poison used to turn humans into slaves for an entity Lucien serves. The hunters ally with the werewolves and shut down Genefex pumps contaminating Ashcroft's water supply. Lucien sends security to kill the werewolves, but the hunters defend them and infiltrate Genefex headquarters, planting explosives. They confront and defeat a demonic Lucien; Father Cortez stays to kill him while the others escape before the building detonates.
Development
High Voltage Software developed the game, with Chad Kent as producer, David A. Rodriguez as designer, Nigel Rankin and John Sanderson as programmers, and Matt Corso as artist. Planning for Redeemer began during development of the first Hunter: The Reckoning; after its release, the team visited internet message boards daily to gather player feedback, which they used to focus improvements. They prioritized fixing the camera, increasing replayability with unlockable content, and deepening character customization. Horror was created through visuals and audio, with dark environments enhanced by sound effects for supernatural beings. The developers considered player power levels, designing the game to let players feel comfortable defeating a few monsters before introducing hordes, then new powerful enemies in disturbing environments for scares. Redeemer was announced in early 2003 and published by Vivendi Universal Games for Xbox on October 28, 2003 in North America and November 21, 2003 in Europe. Microsoft Japan published it on January 22, 2004 as part of their World Collection line. After Paradox Interactive acquired the World of Darkness series in 2015, they expressed interest in a fourth Hunter: The Reckoning game; in 2023, the interactive fiction Hunter: The Reckoning – The Beast of Glenkildove by Choice of Games was announced.
Reception
Redeemer received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic, though IGN called it one of the best co-operative multiplayer games on the Xbox and 'the Gauntlet of the new millennia'. Commercially, it performed moderately well, which GameFan partly attributed to the existing fan base of the tabletop game. Critics generally found the gameplay engaging and easy to learn; Game Informer described the combat as suitable for zombie game fans who find Resident Evil too slow. GameSpy criticized the aiming as too difficult and the combo input as confusing. Multiplayer was praised as fun and the best way to play, while single-player was called repetitious and boring; Official Xbox Magazine noted uneven balance, with single-player too easy and multiplayer too difficult. Level designs were commonly criticized as confusing and labyrinthine, with GameSpy wanting an in-game map. The story and spooky mood were enjoyed, considered cheesy but an improvement over Wayward. Cutscenes were praised as well-animated and moody, though dialogue outside cutscenes used generic pop-up windows without voice acting. Kaylie was well received as a Batman-style 'badass' addition. Visuals were praised, with GameZone calling the game a 'visual treat'; environments were described as beautiful, detailed, and atmospheric. Visual effects, especially magic effects and real-time lighting and shadows, were well received. Character models were called sharp and detailed with smooth animations; Kaylie's and Kassandra's designs were positively received for attractiveness, though Official Xbox Magazine questioned the practicality of Kaylie's miniskirt and low-cut top.
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