For those looking for a realistic hunting simulation, "Big Game Hunter 2006" will satisfy your sporting needs.
The Bad: Some minor graphics issues, the game can be tedious, no mulitplayer, linear gameplay, some lame character voices (especially the grandfather guy in the end, who was not a old guy!)
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There apparently is a market for gamers that want to simulate the sport of hunting. I personally don't think anything would be more exciting than the real thing. But not everyone is going to have what it takes to do the real thing. Just like not everyone is going to be able to suit up and play against Shaq and Kobe.
So to get to the point, is this game a realistic and engaging hunting simulation? Yes, it is as good as you find today. The graphics and environment are the best on the market so far. The physics engine is quite good. Animals fall and roll over hills when hit. The water shines, and the sun cast sun rays. And effects like snow and rain create a realistic environment. The animals move around and make noises like the real things. Yet, as top of the line as the graphics are, they still seem cartoony. There is blood, but nothing to make this unsuitable for kids. But that goes just about every game on every console on the market today. I think when this type of game is realesed on the next gen platforms, then they would be pretty cool to play.
The gameplay is straightforward and linear. You begin a career mode, which puts you in the shoes of a young man whose grandfather never got to make it through some hunting tournament. Your goal is to make it through about five regions, hunting all of the animals in the game through the way. You get to save the game at lodges, which are located every fourth animal or so. Sometimes you wil be asked to join a two-man hunting tournament. You acuumulate cash by collecting trophies, and you can use the cash to buy gear. There are about 25 different weapons. You can use traps and such. If you injured, you must rest or use a health kit. Animals can injure you and falls can injure you. There are some vehicle placed occassionaly, like a humvee, a jeep, and a snowmobile.
The hunting can get frustrating when you are searching for small animals like wolfs, or looking for injured animals. Sometimes there is just too much walking around and that is incredibly boring and tedious. Some parts of the game are just realy boring. I can't imagine why people would get excited playing the career mode, because it is long and boring. But is not badly designed, it plays fine. There are some moments of genuine tension, and for me they all involved the parts where I was hunting a bear. Being alone in a forest, with a huge growling bear lurking anywhere around is frightening indeed, even in a simulating game like this.
The best way to play the game is to just visit the regions you like and hunt, which you are allowed to do in career mode. The world environmment is fluid, and the sun sets and rises if you stay long enough. If you choose to camp the night, which allows you to heal up any wounds, you will see the sun set and the stars and moon come out, and then at dawn the sun rises. It is a nice feature. A multiplayer mode would have been a bonus. No massive playing here, but a connection with a friend to hunt a animals, or even hunt each other would have been interesting.
So, if you are looking for a realistic hunting experience, and are too faint of heart to actually hunt real animals, this is the best bet for you. It also helps to have ample time and patience to get through the career mode, which I basically willed myself through.