Year: 2003
Platform: Xbox
Publisher: Vivendi Universal
Developer: High Voltage Software
Genre: Action
Review Date: 11/15/03
Rating: ***

Ten years have passed since the events in "Hunter: The Reckoning" (2002) and once again the streets of Ashcroft are red with blood. Under the watchful eye of Father Esteban Cortez, Kaylie Winter has taken up the sword and grown up into a large breasted and trashy looking young lady. At Esteban's request, Spenser, Samantha, and Kassandra return to Ashcroft to investigate the cause of a recent rash of werewolf attacks on the Genefex corporation.

The first thing you notice about "Redeemer" is how fantastic it looks. The levels are highly detailed and the lighting effects are superb. The game plays exactly like the first "Hunter" game, so it's easy to just dive in. New edges, weapons, and ammunition are available, as well as a level-up system that improves the skills you use the most. This is a nice touch that forces you to experiment and mix up your combat strategies a bit. The game also offers an easy difficulty setting for those who found the first game too hard, which makes "Redeemer" accessible to a larger audience. It's unusual to see a sequel that lowers the difficulty level, but it's certainly a smart and respectable move. "Redeemer" also offers a number of unlockable playable characters, including Carpenter, Joshua (from "Hunter: The Reckoning - Wayward"), and several of the game's monsters. Trying to play through the game as a zombie is utterly hilarious, and makes for some fun replay value.

Unfortunately, the game seems a little on the short side, but maybe that's because I was playing on the easy level. The game also doesn't have the same John Carpenter B-movie feel that the first game had, and seems to be less campy as a result. The game mostly revolves around Kaylie, who is probably the most well rounded character of the bunch (in more ways than one). She has strong edges, her melee weapon is devastating, and her gun packs a good punch. She's also picked up the responsibility of being the sole source of gratuitous cleavage and panty shots, since Kassandra is much more mature now. However, the biggest advantage of having her in the group is that no one is forced to play Spenser in a 4-player game, which makes everyone happier. But who's going to be around for the next sequel?