Hunt: Showdown, Crytek's PvP bounty hunting romp, has been in Early Access for around a year, but it's about to break free. After nearly 20 updates, it will leave Early Access on August 27.
"Developing a game alongside such a passionate community has been so rewarding. It has taken us in new directions, and really inspired us to put everything we have into Hunt," said producer Fatih Özbayram. "Now the time has come for the full release, and we couldn’t be more excited. We won’t forget the support this community has given us."
Hunt: Showdown is a supernatural monster hunting game set in Louisiana. It's hot, there are swamps and horrible things want to eat you. But, ah-ha, the real monster was humanity all along, because this is a PvP affair and you're competing with other teams of bounty hunters. You might survive a clash with a horrific spider demon only to be jumped by some sneaky arseholes as you try to leave the map.
The monster is bait, really, and it's more of a PvP game than a monster hunting game. That's not immediately clear, but it's not a bad thing either. It works surprisingly well as a competitive, sneaky shooter, and it's one with a uniquely disquieting atmosphere.
During Early Access, it sprouted a new boss, another map, new times of day to play in, lots of weapons and a Quick Play mode. That pits ten solo players against each other, rather than teams of two, letting the winner keep everything. With all the tension, ambushes and high stakes, it's not a million miles away from a battle royale.
Hunt: Showdown is launching on August 27 and it's currently 25 percent off on Steam.