Grab your safety blaze camo and your trusty hound as we set off into the wilderness in search of that next big game.
Nacon has just released the third installment in their Hunting Simulator franchise. Hunting Simulator 3 slows down the gameplay and focuses more on the planning as well as the shot.
Setting Up for Success
As someone who knows absolutely nothing about hunting or guns, the idea of setting out to find deer is extremely overwhelming; thankfully, the park ranger has taken us under his wing to help lay out the groundwork.
After the brief tutorial, we are sent out to discover the vast forests and snow-capped mountains of Colorado, or the unforgiving deserts of Texas.
I chose to head to Colorado first. Once you arrive at the hunting lodge, your warden friend has a set of tasks for you. This introduces Hunting Simulator 3’s game loop.
Hunting Simulator 3 has chosen to push down the slower experience, rather than an arcade-style, go out and shoot stuff.
You need to plan each trip. With dozens of wild species to hunt, that’s our first decision. Hunting Simulator 3 is all about ethical hunting. So, you can’t just shoot whatever you see. Each species requires different weapons and caliber ammunition.
If you don’t have a license to hunt a particular species, or you use the wrong weapon or ammunition, you will not be able to claim it to sell or mount in your hunting lodge.
Once you have chosen your species, it’s time to get your kit together.
With over 75 official weapons and other items from hunting brands like Remington, Beretta, Winchester, and Browning, you can choose from an arsenal of rifles, shotguns, bows, and crossbows. Most weapons and equipment need to be unlocked through money earned from selling game.
Let’s Slow Things Down
With no “story” mode, when you first arrive at your location, you are given a small set of quests to learn how to hunt the different species. Then you are given free rein to do what you want.
First up was to cull some cute little bunnies. So, I grabbed my shotgun and headed out to the field close to the lodge.
The backdrop of Colorado is stunning. With mountains, valleys, and forests as far as the eye can see, all teaming with wildlife.
The different species are scattered across the map. Each species has multiple distinct areas where you can find them, but you will also randomly stumble upon tracks.
As you explore the surrounding area, you will stumble upon sleeping and feeding areas and will start to build a dossier of how the animals spend their days. You can aimlessly wander around until you find something, or you can wait near a watering hole for your prey to let down their guard.
So, once I found the rabbits’ burrows, I sat up in wait in a nearby blind. After a few minutes, some curious little noses started to appear. Then BLAM! You only get one shot; once you fire, everything scatters. The rabbits will disappear into their holes, but if you are stalking deer, they will disappear into the distance, never to be seen again.
After I had bagged some bunnies, it was off to the pond for some ducks. Keeping the shotgun, but now we need some decoys and a duck call. This is where we are introduced to our companion. I named my dog Daisy. Your dog is extremely well trained and will respond to your commands. Daisy will fetch ducks out of the water or can find the scent of your prey for you to follow. This will become very helpful in later hunts.
Once the ducks have fallen to your gunfire, it is time to head out and find some deer.
You will have to trade the shotgun in for a rifle with a scope and make sure you have the correct ammunition and a license.
Looking at the map, the deer were miles away. So, I decided to take the ATV. Unfortunately, your dog cannot fit in the ATV, so I had to leave her at home. Eventually, you can purchase upgrades for the ATV so your dog can come or access your weapons instead of having to make a trip back to the lodge.
Once I made it to the rough area, I left the ATV and proceeded on foot. Once I found some deer scat you can pull out your GPS and track the direction the herd is moving. Then it is about following the signs.
I followed the tracks for potentially 25 or 30 minutes with no luck. At the time I was there, there was a spawning issue. Then finally, as I was desperately scanning the distance through my scope, I saw movement.
This is the core gameplay loop of Hunting Simulator 3. The animals are designed to be unpredictable, meaning that just because it’s feeding time does not mean they will be feeding at that exact spot. It is all about patience and knowing your surroundings. It is worth mentioning that if you are struggling to find a particular animal, look somewhere else. If an area becomes too “hot”, animals will completely avoid the area.
Once you have found your target, it’s now time to decide if you are going to take the shot or reposition for a cleaner shot. The goal is to get an instant kill to reduce the suffering of the animal as much as possible. Do not go for head shots; everything is about the heart. If you miss or clip another part of the body, the animal will run off, and you might not be able to find it again. If you take too many shots or it’s deemed an unclean kill, you will not be rewarded for your kill.
When you find the body, you will be given a detailed breakdown describing the animal along with an X-ray of the shot taken. This will help you learn about the different animals and become a better hunter.
Graphics and Sound.
As I mentioned before, the graphics are stunning. Walking through dense bush or the snow-capped mountains, the scenery is stunning. The whistle of the wind through the trees, the squawking of the birds as they fly overhead, a distant roar of a bear, or being caught in a storm makes the world feel alive.
Until you look through the scope into 500 m or more, then the textures don’t load properly, which makes me think that the animals might not always load in either.
Verdict.
At its core, Hunting Simulator 3 is a lot of fun. It is a very niche game in an already niche genre and might not be for everyone. It is not designed to jump in and get a few quick hunts in. You will be spending hours tracking your prey to miss that perfect shot. In a world where everything is quick, quick, quick, I want it now, Hunting Simulator 3 was a refreshing change of pace, and after I slowed down, everything started to click, and I couldn’t put it down.
The Gamer Social Club would like to thank the Publishers for a review copy of Hunting Simulator 3.
Hunting Simulator 3 is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
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