Hunt the Night, from developer Moonlight Games, is out now on Steam. According to publisher DANGEN Entertainment it’s an action RPG title that is a love letter to The Legend of Zelda and Bloodborne. While it may be paying homage to those two excellent series, one thing is for sure in that Hunt the Night has been wish-listed over 100,000 times on Steam and seems to accrue quite a following.
When you first start up Hunt the Night you’re greeted with some beautiful pixel art with very stylised imagery. This aesthetic stays throughout and is complemented by a quality soundtrack that creates a dark, gothic atmosphere.
Without giving the story away, this intriguing tale certainly goes deeper than the usual action title tropes but also does not bog the gameplay down with too much detail. Another aspect that sets Hunt the Night apart is its mix of traditional action RPG with twin-stick shooter mechanics. This interesting blend helps this feel fresh in a crowded genre.
As you progress through the main story, the usual upgrades to your weapons and armour become unlocked. As well as your main swords and gun attacks, there are several magic and projectile move that help to break up the gameplay and give you different options depending on the enemies on screen.
You can also select different load-outs in Hunt the Night and as more items become available you can truly start to customise your game. The dungeons are well designed and the traps, puzzles and set piece bosses bring to life the gothic horror atmosphere perfectly.
Each time you complete a hunt you will be rewarded with upgrades, items and experience points that will help you as the challenges become more and more challenging. Hunt the Night is a tough game but it doesn’t feel unfair, you just need to keep going and learning the enemy layouts. The soundtrack is worth the entry price alone, it has elements of Castlevania’s dark tones mixed in with Zelda’s clarity and sense of spectacle.
Overall, Hunt the Night is a high-quality action RPG title that takes elements from other genres to create something different. The difficulty level may be overbearing for some gamers but there is nothing about Hunt the Night that cannot be learned with patience and practice. Action RPG fans will find a lot to love here and the dark, gothic fantasy setting will appeal to many others. Certainly worth checking out if you were looking for a new adventure with some challenges.
