Reviews// Hunted the Demon's Forge

The game is at its most atmospheric when you delve beneath the surface and into the underworld. This is best illustrated in the introductory sequence in which Caddoc chases a shadowy figure across a cave network, his torch setting fire to trailing cobwebs which burn in showers of glowing embers. Each of the game’s six chapters is beautifully distinct, with mountain vistas, junks moored at the docks of burning cities, and caverns so cavernous they make those in Gears of War look like Santa’s Grotto.

As with many other Unreal Engine games, the character models aren’t as impressive as the scenery. Though the designs are distinctive - I certainly look forward to seeing overweight men at games conventions dressed as goth babe Seraphine - faces are epressionless and bodies are rather stiff. It’s at odds with the sparkling performances of the lead voice actors, though it perfectly suits some the more erratic acting used in the game’s smaller roles.

In combat both playable characters can attack with melee and projectile weapons, but they only excel at using one of these. Caddoc’s the tank, hewing down enemies in close combat and doing the heavy lifting while E’lara acts as support, shooting acid to take out shields and setting Worgan alight with flaming arrows.

Hunted neatly sidesteps experience levels and similar geekery by using a talents system that owes more to Xbox Live Achievements than it does Dungeons & Dragons: the more enemies you kill, the more damage your character does; likewise the more damage he takes, the more health potions he can hold. Stats can also be boosted through discovery of secret areas and rare Dragon’s Tears collectibles. Though there are a few magic weapons hidden across the world, there’s little in the way of loot and armour to find. Instead, you customise characters by collected crystals from defeated enemies and spending them on magic spells.

Spells are the usual selection of area of effect attacks, ranged attacks and buffs, but in a clever twist you can opt not to cast your spell yourself, but on your partner - very handy if one of you is getting overwhelmed. Similarly, if one one you gets knocked down in battle, the other can throw out a health potion to get them back on their feet.

With co-operation such an integral part of the game - there’s even a split-screen multiplayer option, something that’s been all but abandoned by most modern games - inXile have included an AI-controlled partner in the single player game. This is precarious territory; AI partners have a history of committing suicide at the most inopportune of moments and getting under the player’s feet, so it’s rather surprising that your computer-controlled chum is rather competent.

He/She provides cover fire, uses spells intelligently, comes to your aid when you’re down - they even find and upgrade their own weapons, adding a frisson of competitiveness every time you encounter a new weapon rack. I had the odd moment when my partner would wander off on errands unknown, but other than that it was just like gaming with a human player. Besides, there are purple beacons at which you can swap one character for the other, should you ever want to.

Also included is a robust level creator where you can chain together pre-fabricated rooms and fill them with monsters and weapons, and apply time limits, skill boosts and victory conditions to create your own adventures. And if that’s not enough to keep you going, once you’ve completed the game you unlock New Game Plus, allowing you to replay the chapters from the beginning with all your powered-up talents intact and adding new modes and options into the mix.

Conclusion
After a series of misfires Hunted: The Demon’s Forge is a confident showing for inXile. If Gears of War is Doom then this is HeXen; a mature fantasy take on the genre that isn’t afraid to pull out a few tricks of its own. Like last year’s Lara Croft & the Guardian of Light it sets a new standard for co-operative gaming, and while it mightn’t be particularly well polished, this smart and charming game deserves to be remembered as more than just another Gears clone.

SPOnG Score: 80%