Hunters is a series of two science fiction tactical role-playing video games developed and published by Rodeo Games for the iOS. The first game, Hunters: Episode One, was released in February 2011. The second game, Hunters 2, was released in March 2012.
| Hunters | |
|---|---|
 App icon of Episode One | |
| Developer(s) | Rodeo Games |
| Publisher(s) | Rodeo Games |
| Platform(s) | iOS, Android |
| Release | Hunters: Episode One February 26, 2011 (iOS) November 14, 2012 (Android) Hunters 2 March 22, 2012 (iOS) |
| Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay edit
Hunters series is a pair of top-down turn-based tactical role-playing games.[1] The games are set in a science fiction universe where humanity has colonized several solar systems and planets are frequently owned by corporations.[1] The player controls a squad of mercenaries, called "hunters", as they conduct missions for corporations on various planets.[1][2] Maps are made up of square grids and characters use action points on each turn for movement and shooting.[1] Episode One is a freemium game where the game is free to download but your squad is stuck at experience level two until the app is purchased.[3]
Release edit
Hunters series was developed by Rodeo Games, a studio based in Guildford, England.[4] Hunters: Episode One started development as a multiplayer game.[5] Episode One was released for the iOS on February 26, 2011.[6] By September 2011, Episode One had been downloaded over 550,000 times.[5] Multiplayer was planned to be added to the first game after release.[7][3] Hunters 2 was announced on December 16, 2011, and released for iOS on March 22, 2012.[8][9] Episode One was released for Android on November 14, 2012.[10] By January 2013, both games combined had been downloaded over one million times.[11]
Rodeo Games' 2013 game Warhammer Quest uses Taurus game engine, the same engine from Hunters 2.[12] Rodeo Games' 2015 game Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch is described as a spiritual successor to the Hunters series.[13][14]
Reception edit
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 80/100[15] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Gamezebo | 3.5/5[1] |
| Pocket Gamer | 3.5/5[16] |
| TouchArcade | 4/5[7] |
| AppSpy | 4/5[17] |
| Multiplayer.it | 8.2/10[18] |
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 83/100[19] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Edge | 8/10[20] |
| Pocket Gamer | 4/5[21] |
| TouchArcade | 4/5[22] |
| Absolute Games | 74%[23] |
| AppSpy | 4/5[24] |
| Gamereactor | 9/10[25] |
| Multiplayer.it | 8.4/10[26] |
| Pelit | 83/100[27] |
| Slide to Play | 4/4[2] |
Hunters: Episode One and Hunters 2 both received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.[15][19]
Hunters: Episode One edit
Mike Thompson of Gamezebo summarized: "Overall, Hunters: Episode One is a good title that’s on the verge of being absolutely great. Aside from needing some bugs fixed, the game could also use some story missions to provide a solid narrative that players can get behind."[1]
Andrew Nesvadba of AppSpy summarized: "Hunters: Episode One provides a solid grounding for what could be an insanely addictive tactical turn-based title, but bugs and the lack of story missions are holding it back for now."[17]
Tracy Erickson of Pocket Gamer criticised the game design: "The game's primary weakness is an odd structure that limits the number of available missions. New missions are unlocked every 24 hours - in other words, once you complete the initial batch of missions, you have to wait a day before new ones appear. It's an unpleasant restriction and one that seems wholly unnecessary."[16]
In a 2016 retrospective review, Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade said that "Hunters: Episode One is an important game in terms of carving a path for what followed, but taken as a game rather than a piece of history, I’m not sure it has a lot to offer anymore. The core is solid, but everything good about the game was carried forward into better works."[28]
Hunters 2 edit
Erik Carlson of Slide to Play summarized: "Hunters 2 is an exciting and ambitious strategy game with deep RPG elements. If you don’t mind a short campaign mode, then the ever-changing missions, fun character customization, and awesome presentation will keep you coming back on a daily basis."[2]
Andrew Nesvadba of AppSpy summarized: "Hunters 2 moves the series forward, stepping away from the sterile and automatically generated levels of the original and on to something more exciting; a great pick for turn-based fans after a game ready to punish players for poor decisions."[24]
Damien of McFerran Pocket Gamer summarized: "Hunters 2 is an almost perfect sequel - it improves on what has gone before without drastically changing too many things. The presence of in-app purchasing is unfortunate, but not enough to sully the good work done elsewhere. Turn-based strategy fans should pick it up".[21]
Rich Stanton of Eurogamer said: "Hunters 2 does everything bigger, better, and in even more detail. It's a much better game in almost every way, with every addition adding a little crackle to the mix. And yet it still leaves you craving something more."[29]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Thompson, Mike (2 March 2011). "Hunters: Episode One Review". Gamezebo. iWin, Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b c Carlson, Erik (22 March 2012). "Hunters 2 Review". Slide to Play. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b Usher, Anthony (1 March 2011). "Freemium turn-based strategy title Hunters: Episode One leaps onto iPhone and iPad". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (17 February 2016). "Rodeo stops making new games after poor Warhammer 40k Deathwatch sales". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ a b Jordan, Jim (14 September 2011). "Topdown view: Rodeo Games on the making of Hunters: Episode One". Pocket Gamer.biz. Steel Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Hunters: Episode One HD". AppSpy. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ a b Klosowski, Thorin (9 May 2011). "'Hunters: Episode One' Review – Touchy Tactical Turn-based Combat". TouchArcade. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (16 December 2011). "Rodeo Games announces Hunters 2". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (22 March 2012). "iOS turn-based strategy game Hunters 2 out today". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Usher, Anthony (14 November 2012). "Turn-based iOS strategy-RPG Hunters: Episode One blasts onto Android". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Nouch, James (31 January 2013). "How Rodeo's Hunters series proved premium-priced core games can still pay off". Pocket Gamer.biz. Steel Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (23 May 2013). "Turn-based iOS game Warhammer Quest out next week". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ Brown, Mark (13 July 2015). "Rodeo's Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch - Tyranid Invasion launches this week". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Musgrave, Shaun (24 July 2015). "'Warhammer 40K: Deathwatch – Tyranid Invasion' Review – Glorious Space Hunters". TouchArcade. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Hunters: Episode One for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ a b Erickson, Tracy (15 March 2011). "GAME REVIEWS - Hunters: Episode One". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b Nesvadba, Andrew (1 March 2011). "Hunters: Episode One Review". AppSpy. Steel Media. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Pugliese, Tommaso (13 April 2011). "La caccia ha inizio". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). NetAddiction Srl. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Hunters 2 for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Hunters 2 review". Edge. Future plc. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b McFerran, Damien (2 April 2012). "GAME REVIEWS - Hunters 2". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Ford, Eric (27 March 2012). "'Hunters 2' Review – A Great Strategy Game that Improves Upon the Original". TouchArcade. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Goryachev, Vladimir (16 April 2012). "Рецензия на Hunters 2 (iOS)". Absolute Games (in Russian). Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ a b Nesvadba, Andrew (26 March 2012). "Hunters 2 Review". AppSpy. Steel Media. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ West, Lee (10 April 2012). "Hunters 2". Gamereactor (in Danish).
- ^ Pugliese, Tommaso (12 April 2012). "La caccia si riapre". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). NetAddiction Srl. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Nirvi, Niko (May 2012). "Vihaiset sotilaat". Pelit (in Finnish). No. 5/2012. Sanoma Magazines. p. 43.
- ^ Musgrave, Shaun (24 March 2016). "RPG Reload File 074 – 'Hunters: Episode One'". TouchArcade. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Stanton, Rich (4 April 2012). "App of the Day: Hunters 2". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 16 March 2023.