"Hunted: The Demon's Forge" video game has swords, sorcery and teamwork
(CBS) - Billed as "a dungeon crawl for the gears age" on its back cover, "Hunted" is full of lofty aspirations.
It aims to marry the dungeon crawling and character customization from the "Gauntlet" series with the teamwork and cover-based combat of titles such as "Gears of War" and "Army of Two." The result is a game that's fun to play with a friend but is mired in shortcomings that may forever relegate it to the bargain bin.
Set in a world that freely borrows from certain familiar works by J.R.R. Tolkien, players can take control of the elven master huntress E'lara or the heavy hitting human Caddoc. E'lara is adept at staying behind cover and taking enemies out from a distance with her bow, while Caddoc is at his best when charging his opponents head-on. Using a cover system ripped straight from "Gears of War," the scantily clad elf and burly brawler must work together to overcome the enemy horde.
Each character comes equipped with upgradable magical abilities that further complement the other's skills. Caddoc, for example can use his Wind of Wrath ability to levitate and immobilize nearby enemies, allowing E'lara to take them down. E'lara can use her Arctic Arrow ability to freeze enemies so Caddoc can smash them to pieces. Combat is quick and fun, especially when playing with a partner who knows the meaning of teamwork.
Unfortunately, this heavy emphasis on teamwork is the source of much frustration when using the single-player adventure. Despite your teammate's witty banter and confident attitude, he or she is a moron.
Caddoc will at times refuse to get in close to the battle or entirely block E'lara's line of fire. E'lara will occasionally run headlong into battle, sword in hand. They often will not step in to assist when you set up a cooperative attack as described above or will simply stand lost or stuck in the previous area. Worst of all, they will sometimes even stand over you, multiple revival potions at hand, and watch as you slowly bleed out on the ground. It's a little amazing that this single player adventure was even included on the disc.
The game's presentation also leaves something to be desired. The story is stale and uninspired and characters are forgettable. Additionally, the graphics are so outdated that "Hunted" would be right at home on the PS2 or original Xbox.
Despite being bogged down by technical issues and a cookie-cutter story, "Hunted" still manages to be a fun adventure with a friend at your side. While certainly not "game of the year" material, it stands as an interesting addition to the growing cooperative action genre.
"Hunted: The Demon's Forge" is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. It is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.